D and I spent the better part of this week acid-washing the pool. For those of you who don’t know what the heck that is, it is when you drain out the pool then wash its walls with acid to remove all the gunk and algae that has accumulated, giving the water a greenish sheen. Like most things in life nowadays, YouTube makes it much simpler than it looks. When D brought this up, I replied in my usual, never-say-die, rah-rah girl “sure, why not?”. In reality, it is back-breaking! Although, there is a lot of satisfaction to be had when you see what a huge difference a good scrubbing can make.
the left side of this pic is before the acid wash; the right is the after
By noon, we have finished the entire pool and also installed new LED underwater lights. We truly deserve a treat! This is a huge project which entailed so much physical effort. Not an easy feat since it has become so humid. We decided to go out for early dinner while we wait for the pool to be filled with water.
We decided to try B & B Butchers and Restaurant. This restaurant appears on top of every list of the best restaurants in Houston. We simply have to try it.
This is a 100 year old building. Indoor dining has elegant decor. Outdoors, it has a roof-top patio with wonderful view of the Houston skylineWine list was extensive and cocktail list was very creative. I had a Washington mule—Reyka vodka, lime and ginger beerThis appetizer is a must-try—Carpetbagger in a Half Shell. A mini tower of thick house bacon, filet mignon, and deep fried oyster, drizzled with spicy sauce and blue cheeseI ordered Dry Aged USDA Prime Bone-In Rib Eye. Twenty-two ounces!!! That’s why it’s as big as my face…Note how perfectly they cooked this as medium. Exactly how I like it, slightly bloody in the middle.D had Wagyu Filet Mignon. The perfect medium.It’s amazing how they cook their meats perfectly.For our side, we had B & B Mac n Cheese. Confession—I can’t NOT order mac n cheese. If it’s in the menu, I always order it.By the look of D’s face,the horrors of acid fumes in our faces are all but a memory.We had a humongous chocolate cake for dessert. A perfect ending.
This was clearly one of the best steak dinners we ever had. As Texans and steak-enthusiasts, this is a very loaded statement. Now we know why this restaurant tops lists all the time. It can’t be missed for those who are unapologetically carnivorous. What a wonderful way to reward ourselves for all the hard labor we did.
Several days ago I posted my dinner experience at The Nest Restaurant for Mother’s Day. I mentioned that the moules (mussels) they had was very similar to mine. I was utterly convinced that I have already posted that recipe. Since I started this blog, every time I cook, I take pictures and make mental notes on how to caption it and how to tell the story. I try to post as soon as we are done eating, but I guess I forgot…
My love for moules started when we travelled to Nice, France. It’s a foodie heaven! The hub is at Cours Saleya where restaurants offer a gamut of the best seafood.
Tucked in it’s little corners are the world’s yummiest gelatosI love the unique ice cream flavors which include herbs and flowersLe Bistro Du Fromager
I wanted to write about this restaurant in a separate article but I can’t seem to find any food pictures….This is what happens when having too many cameras while traveling. We must have used one of the iPhone cameras…Anyway…this restaurant is unique because it is set underground where they ripen the cheese. All the dishes are cheese-based, so yes, calorie-counters need to be checked upon entry—it will blow-up! It’s well worth it though. The French know their cheese. Judging from the bottles of wine on the wall, they know the perfect pairings too! A must-try when travels lead you to this wonderful city.
Our favorite restaurant in Nice is Le Festival de la Moules located in Cours Saleya area. It offers all you can eat moules frittes (mussels with fries) with ten different sauces. D loves the local Nice beer and we spent a couple of lovely sunsets just eating and drinking.
best mussels in the French Riviera
Inspired with this wonderful dish, I have perfected my own recipe for this delectable seafood.
get around 2 pounds of mussels then wash thoroughly
Here’s something to ponder on. Mussels from the 99Ranch or any Asian grocery store are fresh and super cheap but you have to really scrub them clean. On the other hand, HEB mussels cost twice as much but already comes scrubbed and ready for use. As you can tell, I chose the HEB one, because like I’ve mentioned once too often, I’m one very lazy cook…
Supporting cast: sauce ingredients. basil, cream, lemon and awesome white wineSaute shallots and gingerAdd a cup of wine then simmer. Add mussels. Cook for 3 minutes. Add a cup of milk/cream. Cook covered for 5 minutes.Mix well then add juice of one lemon and fresh basilI’ve brought Nice Moules back home!
There, I finally added an entry to my Adventures Around the World Category. One of the reasons why I started this blog is that I really wanted document how my travels have made me who I am, food-wise. I just really need to find all my travel pictures…
