Monday, May 10, 2010

Alaska 2010 – Day 3, Kerrville, TX

It was a grey and misty day for the most part, a nice lazy kind of Sunday, and Mother’s Day to boot! So, I worked on the blog and Richard repaired some gear and generally tinkered.

Late afternoon, we decided a change of scene would be good so went into town for dinner. We’d passed an intriguing place called Mamacita’s. By its scale and something approaching grandeur, it stood out from the rest of the Kerrville scene—seemingly 3 stories high. So we opted to give it a try and were pleasantly surprised! The pictures which follow will be self-explanatory for the most part.

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The two photos below really explain the whole concept of this place, which made it all the more intriguing and a contrast to the prevalent Hill Country flavor in these parts.

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How many times do you visit a restaurant which blends Moorish (Persian), Spanish, and Mexican cultures?? And still tips its hat to the legend of The Alamo?? In its crazy way, it all worked and was kind of charming. The service was pretty good, given the Mother’s Day dinner crowd. The food was pretty flavorful (we shared a “shrimp fajitas for two”), the salsas not overpowering so, all in all, we were pleased. Oh, the prices were reasonable as well.

I had a great view of the tortilla machine (below) which rarely sat idle, churning out its flour or corn tortillas. It was really hard to get a good photo. Small balls of dough are dropped into a slot at the top left, are pressed inside the angled box, then plopped out onto a moving metal belt which carries them down through the spiral oven inside the clear glass just to the left of center. Once baked, they are carried up and out the angled ramp (at center) on a belt and off they flop onto a clean cloth (at right). They are carefully stacked by the machine’s operator, who then covers them with a clean towel (far right). Servers carefully use tongs to pick up the permitted number for each table and place them in colorful plastic tortilla warmers.

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Here are some pix of the interior. You almost feel you’re dining in a courtyard or small plaza surrounded by actual businesses. OK, use your imagination! And guess what? There was even a small Starbuck’s Coffee shop! The best part was a stand-alone Dreyer’s Ice Cream Shop, accessible from the outside and inside. You know where WE had dessert!!

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Ah, yes, The Alamo! (above)

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And last, but not least, is our Richard in the Dreyer’s ice Cream Shop, where we purchased vanilla and chocolate frozen yogurt swirls. A perfect way to end a lovely evening and, for me, an enjoyable Mother’s Day!

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