Some people go on vacation for the scenery. Some go for the shopping. Apparently, I go for the food.
Actually, last week was our 45th anniversary. We had planned to celebrate it at Dauphin Island, AL with most of our family around, but a little thing called Hurricane Isias said, “Not so fast.”
We left home last Wednesday headed to Dauphin Island with Vanessa’s eye on the weather and me on my phone with the rental company. About an hour and a half into our trip we discovered that there was going to be an evacuation of the Island on Friday, and that the west end was already flooding.
You’ve heard the saying, “Come h**l or high water.” Well, it came high water! No beach for us. Isias messed up our plans and the plans for most of our children and grandchildren. Vanessa said, “Let’s go to Hot Springs.”
I said, “Okay!” She took over driving and I got busy finding a place to stay. After driving 90 miles in the opposite direction, we turned around and headed north. We were packed for the beach but we were heading for the mountains. Talk about an interesting turn of events.
Vanessa and I just decided to eat our way through Hot Springs while celebrating our 45th anniversary. I thought I’d offer my completely unofficial restaurant reviews. Nobody paid me for these opinions. In fact, I paid pretty well for a few of them.
The Porterhouse — 5 out of 5
We started our trip at this nice steakhouse on Central Avenue, and it was an excellent way to begin. Great food, pleasant atmosphere, and a server who understood the difference between being attentive and constantly hovering over your shoulder.
Vanessa had the filet mignon, which will become relevant in a minute. Stay with me. There’s a steak comparison coming.
Superior Bathhouse Brewery — 3.5 out of 5
A brewery in a converted bathhouse is a pretty interesting idea. The food was typical bar fare. I had a bacon smash burger, and Vanessa had a sweet potato salad with fried chicken and a strawberry vinaigrette.
The food was good. Just not “Ooooo! Let’s go back there!” good.
Three things account for my rating. First, we were seated at a bar overlooking the city sidewalk, with our backs to everybody in the restaurant. Some folks might enjoy watching people walk by. I would have preferred a different seat.
Second, once the food arrived, our server wasn’t particularly attentive. We needed refills and ketchup. I finally got up and found the server to get more ketchup.
I know. It’s just ketchup. But when you need ketchup, you need ketchup.
Third, the food simply wasn’t memorable enough to make up for the other two things. Had we waited very long for a seat, I probably would have landed at a 3.
Luna Bella — 5 out of 5
ChatGPT told me this upscale Italian restaurant was the best in Hot Springs. I haven’t eaten at every restaurant in town, though I certainly made an effort, but Luna Bella made a strong case for itself.
The food was excellent. The service was excellent. They even brought us a complimentary chocolate mousse for our anniversary.
Vanessa had the fettuccine Alfredo. I’m not an Alfredo fan, but her dish was amazing. I had the eight-ounce filet mignon, ordered medium and cooked to perfection. It had the slightest char on the outside that formed the perfect crust.
Remember Vanessa’s filet at The Porterhouse? She tasted mine at Luna Bella and said it was better. That’s saying something, because The Porterhouse had already earned its five stars.
Be prepared to get off your pocketbook, though. Luna Bella is pricey. But for our anniversary dinner, we certainly enjoyed what we paid for.
Diablos Tacos and Mezcal – 4.5 out of 5
We couldn’t leave Hot Springs without planning a stop at The Grateful Head Pizza and Beer Garden.
I would have easily given it five stars because, well, the name alone ought to be worth something. LOL!
Unfortunately, they were closed for renovations. Seems as though the mountain shifted and ended up in their kitchen.
So, we ended up at a place on Central Avenue called Diablos. This was a first-time for us, but Mexican seems to be our default and we hadn’t had any for the week.
I ordered fajitas. It’s not often that fajitas melt in your mouth, but they use rib-eye instead of skirt steak. You pay a premium but they were probably the best fajitas I ever had.
Vanessa had something called Quesabirrias which is, according to their menu, a rib-eye prepared beef brisket style wrapped in corn tortillas that have been dipped in salsa and fried. Yes, I tasted. Slap yo’ Momma good!
So, why only 4.5 stars? I had to pay $4 for chips and salsa. Yeah, I know, but I’m a cheapskate, so sue me.
Put this one on your list. You won’t be sorry.
Now, lest you think we neglected the most important meal of the day…
The Pancake Shop — 4.5 out of 5
This Hot Springs landmark has been in business since 1940. We arrived at 8:10 a.m. and waited about 40 minutes for a table.
Was it worth the wait? Eh. Let me explain.
Nobody will ever accuse these folks of skimping on portions. I ordered three pancakes, a side of sausage, and a bowl of grits. Apparently, I thought I was feeding a small committee.
One pancake is the size of the plate. Stack two more on top, and you have to carve out the middle just to create a place to pour your syrup.
The sausage patties were huge, too. One pancake and one sausage patty would have been more than sufficient. I could not eat everything I ordered, though I gave it an honest effort.
The service was excellent, the price was incredible for the amount of food, and the fresh-squeezed orange juice was hard to beat.
So why the half-star deduction?
No matter how much salt I put on the grits, I couldn’t get them salty enough. And the syrup had a “wang” to it that I didn’t particularly care for.
That’s my highly technical culinary assessment. A wang.
If you skip the grits and like the syrup, you’ll probably give it five stars.
Colonial Pancake and Waffle House — 5 out of 5
Another Hot Springs staple, and this one checked all the boxes. Great food, great service, abundant portions, and a great price.
Sometimes there’s just not much else that needs to be said. Except, “Pass the syrup.”
There you have it. Six restaurants, two happy travelers, and a pretty good explanation for why my clothes fit differently after vacation.
Forty-five years together, and Vanessa is still willing to sit across the table from me while I explain what’s wrong with the grits. That woman deserves more than chocolate mousse.
What’s your favorite place to eat in Hot Springs? We will definitely go back. Apparently, there are still a few restaurants we missed.
Until next time, keep looking up…
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