January 2010, Las Vegas Trip Report, Day 4 – Leaving Las Vegas

No wife can endure a gambling husband; unless he is a steady winner. – Thomas R. Dewar

While I still catch some grief from my wife for the amount of time I like to devote to poker, she never bugs me about the money or losing. She used to be somewhat worried but those concerns were put to rest long ago (by me consistently beating the games in Texas, as well as, maintaining a separate poker bankroll). This was my first trip to Las Vegas (been 4 times and won previous 3 times) that I would return a non-winner. I have lost in Louisiana (been 3 times, won twice) and Oklahoma (been twice and lost both times) but I had never lost in Vegas. As I left, I always felt like I owned the place, but this time, not so much so. To compound my misery, the weather is finally beautiful again but we are leaving.
Even though I sleep less per night in Vegas (4-5 hours) than I do at home (6-8), leaving Vegas always sucks because all I can think of is all the stuff I didn’t have time to do or did not get a chance to do. It always seems to come much sooner than it should. I always feel like, “We just got here. How can it be time to leave already?” But, it is. So, we packed up and headed to Ellis Island. They have an off the menu steak and eggs breakfast for 4.99. You cannot beat that price and the food is pretty good (not excellent) but still a great value. Ellis is (as usual) well patronized and the servers are swamped (as usual). Ellis Island absolutely crushes IHOP for about the same price and is equally good in food quality but not service with the PepperMill Lounge.

We return our rental car and get shuttled to McCarran. Although McCarran is reasonably nice as airports go, nothing makes me feel more like one of the hoi polloi than being herded like cattle at airports. I never really liked flying anyway and I like it even less now with all the added hassles. I absolutely loathe the practice of compelling everyone to remove their shoes before going through security since once upon a time one guy had an improvised explosive device in his shoes. I am still waiting for a similar practice of compelling everyone to remove their underwear (before going through security) to be implemented since the guy caught over the holidays hid his IED in his underpants.

Our flight is uneventful but seems to take forever. We also lose two hours in the flight back to Texas due to the time zone change so the whole day is effectively killed. Upon finally reaching my vehicle, I am delighted to pilot my German 5-speed again and we haul ass to get our sons. During the drive, I reflect upon our trip. Obviously, I would have preferred to have won again. However, the loss was minimal and well within my roll’s capability to withstand. As for Las Vegas itself, I already miss the damned place. I just love the energy and excitement of Vegas. It really is a huge playground for adults and an awesome destination for travelers. Although I have no specific plans, I know I will be there again in the not too distant future and I am already looking forward to my return.

January 2010, Las Vegas Trip Report, Part 3 - Lucy(pher) in the Sky with Diamonds

You're only as young as the last time you changed your mind. – Timothy Leary

Friday was our 10th Anniversary. We celebrated by sleeping in and reminisced about our honeymoon, ten years prior in Las Vegas. The weather is supposed to improve but only barely does so. We enjoyed brunch at IHOP on the old end of the strip since we had eaten there during our first trip to Vegas together. It was decent, and in fact, better than both the IHOPs near home in Texas, but not great.
Sadly, the Holy Cow brewpub, another interesting eatery we enjoyed on our honeymoon (also located near the Sahara), has been out of business for a few years. After brunch, we went downtown to the Golden Nugget and Fremont Street. Downtown Las Vegas looks older, crappier, and more dilapidated every time I go there. It’s not even a shadow of its former self, it’s a sad reminder like an old faded poster of a band that used to be good. The Golden Nugget is the only decent looking place down there. Their poker room was almost empty on Friday around noon. I should have inquired about the room used to film High Stakes Poker. I would love to sit at the table, get a photo, and even buy some merchandise but if the possibility even exists, they don’t advertise it effectively since I did not see anything about it while we were there. Don’t they know that HSP is the best poker show (AINEC) around? One would think they would take advantage of this marketing and merchandising opportunity given all of the Nugget branding in the show.

After we left the Nugget, we headed over to the Mirage to get our pre-purchased tickets to Love from the will call window so we don’t get stuck in a long line the night of the show. They have a magnificent marine aquarium with lots of coral (photo above).

At approximately 2pm, the Mirage poker room appeared almost dead with only two tables going. I notice there are no CardPlayer magazines in the Mirage poker room either. Surprisingly, the waitresses at Mirage seem a bit long in the tooth, as well as, not as shapely as I would expect for people that spend all day on their feet.

After we left the near empty Mirage, we went to the Fashion Mall on the strip. Foolishly, we did not valet and had to tour the garage for about 20 minutes to find an available parking spot. Despite the sort of interesting exterior appearance of this place, the mall itself was bland, unimpressive, and un-Vegas like. It basically resembled any other shopping mall anywhere in the country. I thought it was a terrible waste of limited Vegas time. Why in the world do people shop while in Vegas? You pay to fly there. You pay to stay there. And then, with all the unique activities one could engage in while in Vegas, thousands of people shop.
I don’t get it at all. I saw nothing there that I could not acquire in a mall in Houston or from the comfort of my own home on the internet. Plus, you have to carry or haul your newly purchased crap back home enduring the airlines draconian baggage policies or pay to mail it. WTF? We don’t waste too much time at the mall. Once my wife sees the thing, she agrees with me that it’s no different than the mall back home and that coming to Vegas and shopping seems silly.

When we get back to Planet Hollywood, she wants to relax in the room and I, of course, head back to the poker room. I obtain seat 3 and immediately become acquainted with some interesting characters. Sitting next to me (in the 2 seat) is a redheaded woman I will call the “California cougar” since, judging from her hands and face, she is roughly 55 but her boyfriend (in the 8 seat) is at most 30. She is chatty, frontally augmented, and tells me she is from some place in California that has a nearby casino but I have never heard of. She also tells me she likes to play suited connectors but I don’t see her show any during the approximately two hours she is at my table. At the opposite end of the table (seat 7) is a big, affable gentleman from South Carolina named Billy. Billy is the table captain, a solid player, and has the entire table covered thanks to him felting a couple of opponents soon after I sat down. A new fellow, soon to be revealed as a complete neophyte, takes the seat to the right of the cougar (i.e. the 1 seat) and his buddy takes the 4 seat. I start straddling my button each time I have the chance. Soon, most everyone is doing the same. The neophyte revealed himself when he straddled his button, no one raised, and when the dealer looked at him and asked option? He folded. Yes, folded. Every time he was big blind and there was no raise and every time he straddled his own button and there was no raise, he folded when asked about his option. The dealer subtly grinned as she mucked his hand but never said a word about it.

Soon, the neophyte and Billy get into a big hand. Having watched the novice a few rounds, he never bets without a really solid hand although he called and chased a few times. The flop has two spades and the river brings a third spade. Neophyte shoves all in. Billy says call but does not move his chips forward since his stack is huge and he easily has the other guy covered. The neophyte apparently did not hear him say call and thought he said fold since he did not push any chips forward so he flips his hand forward face down and reaches for the pot. Billy tables Ks - Qs for the King high flush and stares at him. The dealer begins to gather the pot and push it to Billy when the noob says, “wait!” The dealer says, “Sir, you mucked your hand”. The noob says I thought he (Billy) said “fold.” The dealer begins to explain what happened, still preparing to push the pot to Billy, when Billy, the Southern gentleman, tells the dealer to turn up the noob’s hand and let it play. The dealer says OK and turns up the noob’s As-9s for the nut flush and Billy graciously loses a pot of approximately $450 with a shrug and a wry smile. Now that, my friends, is a true Southern gentleman. To make matters worse, the neophyte picks up all his chips and leaves right after that preventing Billy or anyone else from winning any back. Now, in my home game, if a new guy did that against me, I would definitely behave the same way Billy did. However, this is Las Vegas and the noob was a complete stranger, so I have to admit, I doubt I would have been so kind.

While I am still contemplating what I would have done, my button arrives and I straddle it again. I am dealt 4h- 5h. The flop comes 10 high with two hearts. When the 10h comes on the river, one of my opponents goes all in. I wonder if he has a higher flush so I replayed the hand in my head. I did not put him on a flush so I called. He tables K-10 for trip tens. I table my flush and he’s felted. Minutes later, my wife arrives and says she is ready to go eat so I cash out (up one buy in).

We dine at the Spice Market buffet, which had come highly recommended, and are regrettably underwhelmed. Great diversity of entrees but most of it has been sitting too long to be really good. Like everyone else mentioned in the Bible, I am quite fond of lamb but sadly, the lamb kabobs were overdone and chewy. I tried the osso bucco but it was also chewy and compromised from sitting too long under the heat lamps. The beef short ribs were good but not excellent. The prime rib was the best of the meats since it was deliciously juicy and rare. My wife, not being much of a food adventuress, stuck with her favorite and enjoyed the pizza - which was surprisingly good. While I usually skip dessert, I indulged and was glad I did. The desserts were very good. The service was reasonably attentive and kept our glasses full of their iced tea – which was tasty and definitely freshly brewed. Finally, the time had arrived to go see Cirque Du Soleil – LOVE. The Mirage poker room was packed to capacity at 9pm on Friday. Surprisingly, floor waitresses are no better looking on the night shift at Mirage than they are on the day shift. Maybe just another sign of how far the Mirage has fallen. The show, LOVE, was very good, and in fact, quite trippy. Someone in the creation/design of this show has enjoyed an altered state of mind and their influence and creativity was not lost on me. The music sounded incredibly clear and good. Seating is comfortable and no better/worse than any other large concert type venue. Given the success of this show and the fact that there is already a similar show about Elvis’s music, I am wondering how long it will be before we see a similar show about the Stones, Led Zep, etc. For good bands that made good music with wide market appeal, there are new fans waiting to be created. Suffice to say, my wife appreciates the Beatles more now than ever before. As we left, we talked about the music and the show. I hugged my wife closely and gently reminded her, I told you it was good stuff a long time ago but you know what they say about prophets in their own land.

January 2010, Las Vegas Trip Report, Day 2, - An Introduction to the Uncapped Button Straddle

Part of it went on gambling, and part of it went on women. The rest I spent foolishly. – George Raft

As I awoke on Thursday morning, I could still hear thunder and knew it was going to be another rainy day on the Strip. Getting dressed, I overhear the news and they say that Las Vegas has had more rainfall in January of 2010 than all of 2009 combined - FML.

We decide to have brunch nearby at a Vegas classic, The PepperMill Lounge on the Strip. The food is good and plentiful; imagine an upscale Denny’s or IHOP that serves twice the volume of food per plate. The service is friendly but swift, in short excellent. The atmosphere is also good although they would not let us eat by the cool looking fires they had in the lounge (even after I courteously pointed out that the lounge was open but empty). WTF? After brunch, we make a quick run to the Palace Station to pick up some information for relatives that would be staying there in a few weeks. I swing by their small poker room and see two tables going but no CardPlayer magazines to be had. The day remained rainy and rather cold so we headed back to Planet Hollywood to walk through their Miracle Mile of shops. Most of the shops seemed to be selling stuff that no one was buying – either because it was crappy merchandise or because it was overpriced or both. I discover a microbrew distribution site within the mall called Sin City Brewing Co.. Never being one to pass up an opportunity to enjoy a good beer, I belly up to the bar and order a pint of their Amber ale. It is good but while I am enjoying it, the serving wench suggests I try their seasonal special IPA. Rarely needing an excuse for a second cold one after I have enjoyed a first one, I agree and order one of the IPAs. She was absolutely correct and the beer was excellent (and would prove to be the tastiest I would enjoy during the entire trip). I celebrate the moment and reward the Sin City Brewing Co. (for their outstanding brews) by purchasing one of their bowling shirts emblazoned with their trademark “devil woman”.
We mosey back into the casino and take our daily free spin (on a gigantic slot machine) as members of the Planet Hollywood A-List Players Club. We weren’t expecting to win anything but just for entertainment value we figured why not.
As expected, my wife, who swears she isn’t lucky, won a silly hat. I, on the other hand, who do consider myself at least a little lucky, won $100 in free slot play – Ship it! Of course, since I completely eschew slots, I promptly give it to her to enjoy while I am playing poker and she graciously accepts. Speaking of player’s club bonii, an additional value of joining was the coupon book they give you when you sign up. Most of the stuff in it is crap but there was an additional slot play give away and even better (IMO), a match play coupon in each book for $25.00.
I head over to a blackjack table to use my coupon (I used to play blackjack before I discovered poker but now I play exclusively poker). However, this was a justifiable excuse since the coupon made my wager +EV. I whip out my cash and present the dealer with the coupon. I am the only one at the table. He deals me a 5 and a 2. I take another card and get a 10, so I stop at 17. The dealer busts, I say “ship it”, and he cheerfully pays me. I tip him and leave the table immediately. Meanwhile, my wife asks me to explain what just happened. I do so and she then produces her coupon book and asks me if I can do it again. I playfully ask, are you serious? Then, before she can say anything, I confidently answer my own question - Of course, I can. So, we walk over to a different empty blackjack table. With aplomb, I whip out one of the green chips I just won along with her coupon and place them on the table. The dealer proceeds to deal me two face cards for 20. She has a face card and a 5 so she hits and busts. I smile and before I can say anything, my wife excitedly says, “Ship it!” I laugh, tip the dealer, and we walk away quite pleased since we just netted a quick $200 ($100 in free slot play and $100 in match play blackjack) for taking the time to join the A-List Players Club.
As we walk by the poker room, I look around for a magazine to read. Evidently CardPlayer magazine is not being disseminated via poker rooms anymore. What’s up with that? Meanwhile, we hear some shouting and look to see what it is. It is a young guy with his buddies walking through the casino shouting “Viva, Las Vegas” with a beer in each hand and a belt resembling an ammo belt full of more beer. It is not even 4pm, yet. You gotta love Las Vegas and clearly, the young guys were having a great time. Anyway, we decide to go to the MGM and see their CSI exhibit/attraction. The wife is a big fan. While I am not the follower of the show she is, I have seen it a few times and the one set in Las Vegas is pretty good.
The concept has merit but the delivery/execution of the thing was well below my expectations for a Las Vegas attraction. It was OK but appeared to be more about selling CSI merchandise than entertaining the public. The whole thing was better than it might otherwise have been since the friendly lady with the accent selling us the tickets winked/smiled and said, you two are in the military, right? - and proceeded to sell us tickets for the military discount of half price.
We eat at Planet Dailies, the Planet Hollywood “coffee shop” for dinner. It is way overpriced for anything resembling a coffee shop. My baked ham and cheese sandwich was so salty that I could not finish it (I like salt so if it was too salty for me, look out). Wife’s Kobe burger is decent but not great considering the price - we should have taken the time to go to In/Out Burger.
We decide it is time to get our gamble on. She heads over to a bank of slots and I head to the poker room.
Immediate seating is available (it’s approx. 10 pm) and as I am taking my seat, an announcement comes over the PA system regarding the Planet Hollywood poker room’s “Aces Cracked” promotion that runs from 10am-Noon, 2pm – 4pm, and 2am – 4am. If one has their pocket Aces cracked during the promo, they get $200. I overhear some nits talking about playing their Aces in a way to help get them cracked. My opinion is that it’s just a little insurance in case the hand goes sour but if I get Aces, I will play them for full value in the hand. As I am getting comfortable in my seat and observing the table, I notice the player to my left is hilarious. He is making humorous remarks, good naturedly needling his opponents, and generally having a good time. I like having fun people at the table because it enhances my own entertainment, as well as, usually loosens up the table. It turns out, the funny guy is an off duty dealer and well known in the room. At Planet Hollywood, one can straddle one’s own button. Here’s how it works. Either the UTG player or the button may straddle. If they both attempt to do so, the button has priority. What is weird is that the button gets to act last pre flop, too. When it is his turn to act and he has straddled, the action passes the dealer and the blinds have to act – and, then it comes back to the dealer to act. The straddle has to be $5.00 period. No other amounts are usually allowed. The off duty dealer guy is straddling every time he can. He is also encouraging others to do so, too. I think about it and figure, who wouldn’t want to straddle his own button – thereby putting more money in the pot with the best position both pre and post flop? Most everyone is doing it when the off duty dealer guy tells the table that we could all agree to let the button straddle be for any amount if we wanted to. Clearly, he is a proponent of this plan and he succeeds in convincing the whole table to agree. This is where the action went wild.
Sadly, I am completely card dead and getting grinded down by the table full of action with no flop getting seen for less that $30 or more. So I am waiting for a spot to go to work. Finally, my patience is rewarded when I get A-K in the CO. The off duty dealer guy button straddles it to $30 pre. BB raises to $60 and before I can speak, button announces all in. I tell the dealer I have not acted yet and have live cards. I think for a minute and call which means I am also all in since the button has me covered. BB also calls. We table our hands. BB has A-Qo. Button has A-Ks. I have A-Ko. All five cards are dealt and no one hits anything so the button and I split the pot. However, the dealer, a female, splits the pot completely wrong and shafts me. I calmly but firmly speak up and, luckily, the off duty dealer agreed with me so he proceeded to instruct her how to swiftly and accurately split the pot. A few rounds later, a different guy button straddles for $30. I am in the BB and look down to see Q-Q. My only thought here is how to get the money all in as fast as possible. There is one other caller so $60 in pot and I have approx $130. I don’t like just calling and not having enough behind so I move in. MP caller folds and the button calls. I think I have to be way ahead of the straddler’s range but, unfortunately for me, he tables K-K. I don’t improve and he wins - bummer. I consider reloading, since the action is wild and I am certain I will win some money if I can play well for another hour or two. However, being honest with myself, it’s 3am and I am somewhat tired so decide I should call it a night.

January 2010, Las Vegas Trip Report, Day 1 - Anticipation and Arrival

Expecting is the greatest impediment to living. In anticipation of tomorrow, it loses today. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca

It was a soggy/foggy Wednesday morning as we prepared to leave for the airport. We are backing out of the driveway, I turn on the radio and, as if on cue, The Animals – House of the Rising Sun begins to play. As we made the long drive to the airport to get my vacation underway, I could not help but notice all the poor souls driving to work. I thought soberly to myself, all too soon, I would be returning to my job as a wage slave, too.

I could not wait to get to Las Vegas. The rainy drive to the airport, the loathsome pre-flight check in process, the seemingly endless wait before the flight, the flight, etc. - everything was just another obstacle to be overcome, another annoyance to be endured, another hour to be sacrificed - all for the sake of getting to Las Vegas. I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of discomfort I had to endure on my flight. It was the best flight ever - no headache or earache at the end, which is highly unusual for me. Nice job, Continental.

I had already obtained the weather forecast and, as we landed, we could see it was definitely raining in Las Vegas. And, it would continue raining all day in LV, including some flooding in the evening. We get our first jolt of unexpected excitement when, after watching the luggage conveyor go around repeatedly, our luggage never appears. I find an attendant and ask if any luggage was lost or late. He says, no, but some luggage arrived early on a different flight. We were greatly relieved to see our luggage was among those to which he referred.
We show our claim ticket and head outside to catch the shuttle to the rental car center. Once there, we obtain our vehicle (a thoroughly unimpressive but inexpensive Toyota yaris) and head in the direction of the Strip.

We ate our first meal at the Gordon Biersch Brewpub just off the Strip.
My Marzen burger was decent but not great. My wife’s pizza was very good. However, even though I am not normally a french fry lover, the pungent garlic fries are still my favorite thing about this place. The service was pretty good but also, not great likely due to the fact the place was packed for lunch. Despite the meal not being as good as in previous visits, it did not matter that much because now that we were actually in Las Vegas, all my anticipation was focused on how soon I would actually sit at a poker table and be dealt a hand. My “Poker-Jones” was peaking.

Since it was still too early to check in at Planet Hollywood, we drove back to the famous Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. On past trips, it had been hard to park and get photos but a small parking area and Astroturf covered mound have been added since 2007 when I was last here. We brave the rain to get a few souvenir photos next to the famous sign.

We finally get to check into Planet Hollywood and I, of course, attempt the $20.00 trick (i.e. obtaining a room upgrade for a $20 tip). To my chagrin, the clerk refused to accept the tip and, although he went through the motions of checking for an available upgrade, I was not at all surprised that he did not find one. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, although we did not get the upgrade, at least I got to keep the $20. First wager in LV = a push.

I make my way to Planet Hollywood poker room approx. 5:30pm. There are 4-5 tables of 1-2 NLHE going. I look for Joe Viator, whom I have been following on Twitter, to introduce myself but before I can find him I am called to my seat. The moment I have been anxiously waiting for all day, if not all week, has finally arrived. Notable hands included the following:

I am dealt A-A on first hand in CO, incredible! I bet $15 into a few limpers and get 2 callers. Flop is J high and checked to me. I bet 40 and everyone folds. I don’t show, of course. I probably should have checked behind to draw them in. I proceed to get A-A twice more in first hour and reduce my open bet to $10 but no one calls anyway.

I build my stack up with some more small wins with non descript hands but soon get K-K and open for $15. I get 2 callers. Flop is 10 high, and I bet $30 into $45 pot hoping for a little action.

A TAG re-raises to $130 (more action than I wanted with one pair) and from his demeanor, I sense he out flopped me (maybe set, maybe 2 pair). I do not think calling would be right since I would be committed, I need to raise all in or fold so after thinking, I fold (later he says he had 2 pair).

A few hands later, I get A-Jo. I open bet and flop is J high. I bet again and have one caller. Turn is another J so I check behind to act scared of the 2nd J. Opponent fires a ½ pot bet on bricked river. I raise, he insta mucks, and a I drag in a decent pot.

Soon, I limp in with Q-7. Flop is Q-7-4. Turn = 7 River = J and I win about a $100 pot.

Limp 3-3 from EP and turn a set of 3s but everyone folds to my ½ pot bet and another monster goes to waste. Not much later, I get dealt pocket 10s and I win another small pot. Within minutes, my wife arrives and it is time to go for now. I cash out 2 buy ins up for a nice start to my trip.

We decide to have an inexpensive dinner so Ellis Island it is. This place is one of the best values near the Strip. It offers consistently good food at ridiculously low prices. Added bonus is they are also a brewpub and offer $1 micro brewed beer, as well as my wife’s favorite, micro brewed root beer. I recommend the off menu steak dinner special.

After dinner, I had about a 10 minute wait to be seated on Wednesday night at approx. 11pm. There were 7 tables of 1-2 NLHE going.

Notable hands:

Early on, I get one of my favorite hands, 10-10, in LP. I always open bet with 10s (and Js, too) so I made $15 to play after a couple of limpers - the loose guy to my left calls and so does one of the limpers, so it’s three to the flop. Flop is Q-10-4. Limper checks, I check knowing the other guy would bet it if I checked, and he does not disappoint. He bets about $30, the limper folds and I raise enough to put the rest of his stack at risk. I have him covered and he calls. I table my set and he groans and says he has a Queen. He doesn’t improve and I felt my first opponent of the trip.

After (foolishly) choosing to fold garbage hands like K-3o and Q-4o (rather than just limping in) and then seeing those garbage hands catch flops like 4- 4-10 and some guy with the 10 winning, or 3-3-7, etc. I started playing/limping some junk trying to catch a miracle. All I ever got were some top pair/weak kicker hands that had to be folded to big bets on the turn or river. Finally, I get A-K. I open to 10 and get a couple of callers. Flop is A high, turn is K and I win approx. $80.

Later, I see a flop with 7-10 in LP and flop a made straight (flop = 6-8-9). An Ace comes on the turn and my sole remaining opponent leads into me confidently. Thinking the Ace helped him and my call here would commit me, I go ahead and raise all in. My opponent thinks for a minute before calling. I table my straight and he tables his. We both had 7-10 for the same straight and chop the pot.

Near the end of my session, I get 10-10 again. I open bet to 15 and get two callers again, one is a short stack. Flop is 6 high. I bet the pot and get called by the short stack (whom I think has 7-7, 8-8, 9-9, or a big Ace). Turn pairs the 6 on the board and I bet again, opponent raises, I 3 bet all in (because I have tight image and I could not believe the opponent called me preflop with a 6 in hand) and they call. To my surprise, they had called my open bet with 4-6s, then called my flop bet with top pair and no kicker(which is usually a recipe for disaster for my opponents) and then got lucky. Keep in mind, I have shown nothing but winners (with primarily good starting hands) all night. Arghhh….talk about unobservant opponents, fortunately, I had the opponent covered so I was not felted. However, it was after 3 am Thursday morning (I had been up since 4 am Wednesday) and I was feeling mentally fatigued so I called it a night (while I was still up for the day). There would be much more Vegas to be had and I didn’t want to make my traditional mistake of over doing it on day one.

Using Both Hands - the SuperChop BBQ Sandwich

Why does man kill? He kills for food. And not only food: frequently there must be a beverage. - Woody Allen

I love poker but my first love is food and I like to share my experiences (about really good stuff) with my readers. I know there are a lot of pulled pork sandwich lovers out there but here’s the scoop on the ultimate BBQ sandwich. We're in Texas, therefore you know we are talking beef. Grand Prize BBQ, a little sole proprietor spot in Texas City serves two thick slices of made in house jalapeno cheese bread loaded with their delicious smoked beef brisket and smoked sausage chopped up right in front of you. The meat is piled high and no sauce is added until the sandwich is assembled. I don’t know if they invented the thing but I have never encountered one anywhere else. To devour this colossal sammy, you must use two hands and most people can’t finish one by themselves. I love taking associates from work to this place and watching them wear a portion of their sandwich back to the office after an “accident” while eating. There is a secret to eating a huge messy sandwich like this and not wearing it but I never reveal it until the 2nd visit. If you are in the local vicinity, stop in for one of these and you will not be disappointed.

Liquid Assets - Iced Tea

American-style iced tea is the perfect drink for a hot, sunny day. It's never really caught on in the UK, probably because the last time we had a hot, sunny day was back in 1957. - Tom Holt

Down here in Texas, we just recorded the hottest June on record for the Galveston/Houston area. Due to that excessive heat, it seems like I have been drinking iced tea by the gallon. A refreshing glass of iced tea is such a simple thing to make, yet so many people and restaurants get it wrong. The tea must be brewed to be strong and should be robust tasting since it will be diluted when poured over ice. It should smell like tea and it should have a distinct tea flavor without any odd tastes from an unclean urn or poorly maintained equipment. If a customer orders iced tea, kindly warn them before serving them any sort of flavored tea (e.g. mango tea, peach tea, plum tea, etc.) since many of us eschew those sorts of teas. The tea should not be cloudy or murky looking as this usually indicates the tea was not freshly made. The tea should be tasted regularly by the management to ensure none of these undesirable elements have crept in. A weak color means too much water is being added to the brew and this must be avoided. Anyone may dilute the tea further, if they wish, but no one may undo this damage once done. This is important. Many of us are choosing tea over soda or flavored water for not only reasons of taste but for caloric and anti oxidant content. Another great thing about iced tea is that, at least down here in the South, refills are customarily provided free (once when I was in Michigan they had the audacity to charge me for a refill and I remember looking at them as if they were crazy). Although, the tradition in the South is for sugary sweet tea, many of us actually prefer it unsweetened. It really is a simple but positively refreshing beverage (if prepared well) on the hot and humid days we frequently enjoy down here in Texas.

Mardi Gras Galveston 2009, Part 4 - Lamb Chop City

Think where mans glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends. – William Butler Yeats

Sunday was another beautiful day and we spent a leisurely morning recovering from the previous evening’s debauchery. Sunday is also the designated day of our local homegame, therefore, it was foreordained that we would be attending the game as a group. However, given that we would be drinking most of the day, a solid breakfast was in order so we went out and bought some barbacoa (a.k.a. Mexican bbq – which is made from the cheek of the cow). Barbacoa is a tradition on Sunday mornings and is also rich and filling – a perfect start for a day of beer drinking. At poker, Anthony and I had some modest success but not a great deal. I won a big pot early and then went card dead. I lost two big pots where I was all in with another player and lost on the river to a 2 outer and then a 3 outer, respectively. However, Lew, the novice of the group, racked up a big win after successfully picking off some bluffs and generously offered to sport for dinner. Upon leaving, we discussed our options and decided it would be a feast of lamb chops chased with more ice cold beer. So, we went out and obtained three different types of succulent lamb chops (rib chops, loin chops, and blade chops). We prepared all of them the same way with lemon, rosemary, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Then, we grilled them to perfection. They were all really tasty but the rib chops were definitely the best. What was a surprise was that the blade chops were the 2nd best, edging out the loin chops. This is good to know since the blade chops are less than half the price of the loin or rib chops. Since everyone was leaving early Monday morning, we spent the rest of the evening in the backyard drinking beer and laughing about all the fun we had during this Mardi Gras trip and discussing how we were going to top this one next year.
I can’t wait.

Mardi Gras Galveston 2009, Part 2 – The Feast(s)

No matter what looms ahead, if you can eat today, enjoy today, mix good cheer with friends today enjoy it and bless God for it. – Henry Ward Beecher

Friday was laid back with the main plan of the day being to feast on two of the quintessential Mardi Gras delicacies. The weather was beautiful, sunny and comfortable. The first item on the agenda was the children’s Mardi Gras parade at my oldest son’s preschool. So, we donned our beads and headed out. The kids never disappoint and we laughed about the funny things they said and did for the rest of the morning. Following that, we obtained a cooler full of beer and ice and went to find some lunch. The first of two authentic Mardi Gras entrées to be savored was gumbo so we headed to Leo’s on Broadway, of course. Following the superb gumbo, we ventured back into Houston to pick up my Bro-in-law from the airport since he wasn’t able to join us until Friday afternoon. Finally, 4:30 pm, the designated start time of the crawfish boil arrived and we went to another local legend’s place, the backyard garden paradise at Big John’s.
This formerly nondescript backyard has been completely transformed over several years of landscaping into a virtual tropical paradise complete with a massive macau parrot named Sarge and a koi fish filled pond with a functioning waterfall. There we took shots of grappa and feasted on the second absolute must have Mardi Gras entree, boiled crawfish with potatoes, corn, sausage, etc. and proceeded to party the night away in excellent company.

Mardi Gras Galveston 2009, Part 1 - Arrival

Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures, and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits become tedious. – Saint Thomas Aquinas

I invited several friends to come down to the Mardi Gras this year. Johnny, my bro-in-law from Dallas, my poker buddy Anthony from Ohio, and an old beer drinking and camping buddy currently residing in Michigan, Canoe Lew. When I picked up Anthony and Lew from the airport on Thursday morning wearing Mardi Gras beads and sporting a cooler full of beer, they knew without a doubt that I was ready to get the party started. The weather was exceptionally favorable with clear skies, sunshine, and a temperature of approx. 63 degrees F. We left the airport with sunroof open and at Anthony’s suggestion, headed straight for a high quality gentlemen’s club for a free lunch and some entertainment. Unfortunately, the bad economy is affecting even these sorts of places and we were promptly informed that the lunch buffet was only spread on Wednesdays + Fridays and today was Thursday. So, we decided on BBQ instead. Not surprisingly, neither of these former Texas residents had eaten any good BBQ since leaving the Lone Star State. So, we headed for the well known Goode Co. BBQ joint on Kirby. Although they were pleased, I was disappointed. I have been a judge at quite a few BBQ cook offs/contests and I know the good stuff when I taste it. I ordered a combo plate with beef brisket and pork ribs. The brisket was pretty good but not great. The ribs had some sort of cinnamon or clove taste in the spice rub that did not suit my palate at all. After leaving there, we headed to one of my local buddies place at Gotham, a swanky condo he recently leased. Doug, my buddy residing at Gotham, works from home doing computer consulting and always forks over big bucks for a premium place. This was no exception. The loft itself was really cool but what makes it awesome is that one entire wall is glass with an unobstructed view of the downtown Houston skyline and the surrounding area. If I had that place, I would never get anything done because I would be too busy being distracted by the view. After knocking out the beer I brought, we proceeded to work on Doug’s supply. Before long, it was time to go meet some more friends at Taco Milagro, also on Kirby. Taco Milagro was unimpressive with respect to the food and drinks. However, they did not disappoint on the crowd they attract for an after work happy hour. We were surrounded by visually appealing women that were also apparently affluent. We partied there for a few hours before heading home for the evening.

Liquid Assets - Gumbo Redux

I live on good soup, not on fine words. - Moliere

Galveston is a mere shadow of its former self since the storm.
However, it’s good to know at least one thing is still as it was before Ike.
Leo’s gumbo. That’s right. Even though the lines have been longer than usual due to more people finding out about the place and I really don’t like to wait in a long line for much of anything, I have been to Leo’s for gumbo a lot lately. Today, I waited in line just behind the Mayor of Galveston, so the news about how good this place is has even reached City Hall. I know I already told you it’s the best gumbo available anywhere on the island. But, did I tell you how velvety delicious each spoonful is in one’s mouth? How they consistently pack the container with plenty of meat? How the roux has just the right consistency and always tastes perfectly cooked and is the true heart and soul of Leo’s, as well as, any gumbo? Look, here’s the deal. Leo’s folks fill you up with plenty of their own smoked chicken and his own made-on-the-grounds smoked sausage but they are the complements to the roux, that’s right, not the other way around. I just enjoyed my (somewhere around) 17th pint in the last month and there is one reason I patronize Leo’s so frequently – his gumbo is the best available.

If one has never had any gumbo before, I guess one could enjoy the gumbo anywhere. None of the gumbo on the island is inedible. However, if one has a palate that knows what real gumbo is supposed to taste like, I’ll see you in line at Leo’s.

Local Assets - The Little Cactus

God comes to the hungry in the form of food. – Mahatma Ghandi

When one is looking for really good ethnic food, one sure way to know how good a place will be is to notice how many people of that ethnicity are actually eating there. If you walk in to a Mexican restaurant and there are no Mexicans in sight, leave immediately. Another major “tell” is whether or not they make their own tortillas in house. A really good authentic Mexican place will both be full of Mexicans and will roll their own homemade tortillas. If you find a place that meets these two criteria, you are in the right place. Take a seat, order your preferred beverage and now proceed to enjoy the chips. If the place is truly great, the salsa will also be made in house and never store bought. The salsa should be somewhat hot and spicy, but not too watery, with a hint of cilantro flavor. If your chosen spot also passes this last test, you are ready to review the menu because you are definitely going to enjoy your meal. One of my favorite places is this little hole in the wall, sole proprietorship, single business location, local Mexican restaurant called “El Nopalito” which means “the little cactus”. This wonderful place is only open during the early morning for breakfast and afternoon for lunch because it is in such a bad part of town that they cannot safely stay open after dark. The food and service are consistently excellent which is why we locals keep coming back. The tourists can’t find this place so their clientele is entirely local folks that go out of their way to enjoy the best our little island has to offer. Every entrée comes with perfectly prepared beans (either charro or refried) and rice - which may seem run of the mill but isn’t. Why? Because even though beans and rice is a staple of Mexican cuisine, most places don’t take the time or effort to make the beans and rice worth mentioning. To be really good, the rice cannot be clumped together or lumpy. When you stick your fork in the rice, each grain should be individual and separate. Then, when you taste it, the rice should be well balanced with hints of flavor from minced vegetables cooked in it but not be overwhelmed by their presence. The charro beans are brown pinto beans cooked with bacon, onion, and cilantro. When cooked right, these are incredibly delicious. The refried beans are the charro beans mashed together with rendered bacon fat. Either smear these beans on your tortilla or use your chips to dip them with. Yum! And, I haven’t even described any of the entrées themselves yet. Suffice to say, this is a terrific local asset that one should not miss if ever on beautiful Galveston Island.

Local Assets - Italian Food

I cook with wine, sometimes, I even add it to the food. – W. C. Fields

Italian food is my wife’s favorite, so we enjoy it regularly. We really like (you guessed it) a small family owned place called Gino’s, here in Galveston. The owner really “gets it” when it comes to serving up premium Italian food with plentiful helpings at reasonable prices to his guests. Although there are other Italian places in town that have bigger signs and better locations with correspondingly higher prices, the food at Gino’s is unsurpassed.
The restaurant also used to include a bakery and although the bakery is no longer in operation, their garlic bread is still made in house and far and away the best of any Italian restaurant. The owner buys delicious fresh seafood and serves up plenty of it. The Fettuccini Porto Mio is a creamy seafood sauce with clams, shrimp, and mussels. This thing is heavenly and I am not really a cream sauce fan so that ought to tell you something. Their Chicken Marsala is also superb and among the best I have tasted. My all time favorite is the Spaghetti alla Pescatora which is a red sauce with shrimp, mussels, and crab that is very, very good. At most places you would get one shrimp, a pinch of crab, etc. but not at Gino’s – they give you half a dozen of the shrimp and close to a dozen mussels, as well as, plenty of crab. Seriously folks, give this place a try if you are ever in the Galveston area.
Oh, by the way, did I mention two people can enjoy a meal including premium entrees like these for under $35.00? When was the last time that happened for you?

Where's the Beef?

If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. - J.R.R. Tolkien

Today, I'm talking about serious Burgers. Not those lame things that pass for burgers from fast food places made with meat by-products and fortified with who knows what for shelf life, a real made from ground beef (and nothing else) burger is only available at a few places these days. Furthermore, if you can hold the hamburger in one hand to eat it, it is too small. One local place that gets it right is Fuddruckers. Their meat patties are so thick you have to tell them how rare or well to cook your burger. That’s right, unlike those other places you usually go with the wafer thin patties, you have options here. They also grind their own meat and make their own buns in house. They also have a well stocked condiment bar with an array of sauces and lots of fresh (not crinkly, wilted, or old) vegetables. You can get a 1/3, ½, 2/3, or 1lb burger depending on your appetite. As an additional bonus, they use shortening for frying which gives the food a more crisp and tasty exterior than oil (kinda like your grandma used to make). Even though they are a national “chain” and not a “mom-and-pop” type of place like I usually prefer, they serve up the best hamburgers around. Lucky for you, there may even be one somewhere near your area. Now, if they only had a drive through.

Using Both Hands – Muffaletas

"There is no sincerer love than the love of food" – George Bernard Shaw

Forget about these over-priced sandwich shops that serve you a huge bun with 2-3 slices of lunchmeat and a ton of lettuce for $6-7. Find yourself a local family owned sandwich shop that serves muffalettas and enjoy a serious sandwich that will stay with you and keep you from being hungry until dinner time. These bad boys are served on various types of rolls (preferably baked in house) and consist of heaping quantities of ham, Salami, mozzarella cheese, and olive salad. Different places put other stuff in there which is OK, but the essence of this thing is the combination of the meat/cheese/olive salad. I guarantee no franchise type place is going to take care of you the way a sole proprietorship family owned place will. Show up regularly and see what happens. Your sandwich will grow with each visit until the bun can barely contain the thing. Some places I go, the muffaletta is so big, I only order a half of one. Either way, whole or half, if you can hold the sandwich in one hand when you take a bite, it isn’t big enough. Find yourself one of these and give it a try. You will thank me later.

Sunken Treasures – Mussels

Some of you may not have gotten the news yet, but there are these little filter feeders similar to clams called mussels. They are widely available at many Italian restaurants and some seafood places. I highly recommend them to you, dear readers. There are different types but I prefer the small ones over the larger varieties. I like mine topped with a savory red sauce and served with some crusty bread for mopping up the bottom of the bowl. They are also quite delicious served in a white wine sauce (with crusty bread) but I prefer the red sauce. These are the perfect appetizer for any Italian meal as they are not going to make you feel so full you cannot enjoy your entrée. They also go well with a nice red wine (or white if you do not opt for the red sauce). The next time you are at a place you know serves fresh seafood (like all seafood, freshness is key) give the mussels a try. You’ll thank me later.

Louisiana Trip Report, part 2

The break was just what I needed to mentally re-group and regain my focus. It is now after midnight and my birthday is over. I have not won and I am not winning but I have several more hours to play. I get 8-8 twice, 7-7, A-J, 4-4, and see a straddled flop with each one but never improve. I get Q-Js and win a small pot after flopping 2 pair. I also win small pots with A-Ko, once on a K high flop and once on a whiff that I continuation bet. I win a medium sized pot with Q-Q but nothing major. Around 2am, I get 9-9 on the button. The pot is straddled and then raised to me, $100 to go from an older player in middle position. My read was he had A-K or A-Q so I moved in. I had a tight image and had moved in previously with A-A and K-K pre-flop with him at the table. I figured he would probably fold. He didn’t. He called and tabled his A-Ko. I table my 9-9 and he seems confident. He never improved and I double through him. Sweet! I am up to about $580 on the table. I bleed off some chips trying to see straddled flops in position but get nothing until around 3:45am. I have about $370 in chips and I look down to see I have been dealt pocket Aces. I open bet to $50 since I am in early position and the pot is straddled. I get two callers when all of a sudden an older guy in late position says he is all in. It is folded to me and I call since I did not have enough to re-raise. The players behind me fold since the old guy has been pretty tight. I table my Aces and he tables his Kings. My Aces stand up again and I scoop a massive pot. Not long after that, around 4am, my buddy says let’s grab some food and I agree. I rack out with about $830 after tipping the dealer. I played about 9 hours and cashed out with $430 profit after subtracting the $400 I bought in for. I am sure I also gave out at least $60 in tips to waitresses and dealers. I estimate to have been dealt about 25 hands per hour (approx. 225 total) by the highly competent dealers I encountered. Heck, they even still shuffle by hand instead of using the automatic shufflers like I saw everywhere in Vegas. So, $430 divided by 9 = $48 dollars per hour. I think I could have won more but overall I am not too disappointed.
The trip back home was uneventful but relaxed. We scored some frozen boudain to enjoy later on the way out of Kinder, LA. Coming back winners makes the trip much less onerous although all the road construction still makes for an unpleasant ride. If there was anything good about the trip back, it was that we stopped and ate at Burr’s Smokehouse on I-10 in or around Vidor, TX. If you are ever passing through that area, do yourself a favor and stop at Burr’s. Their smoked sausage is exceptionally good. They even have cool shirts that say, “Burr’s, still smokin the good stuff”. I meant to get one but by the time I finished my meal, I was so full and satisfied, I forgot to. Anyway, we brought back a bunch of sausages so we could regale the homegame gang with food and tales from our experience in Louisiana.

Louisiana Trip Report, part 1

One of my homegame buddies, the “Poker Savage”, and I left Galveston on Friday, the 15th at about 1:15pm. The weather was cloudy and threatening to rain, however, even the usually slow ferry ride seemed to go quickly. We were looking forward to playing some poker at the casino and the miles flew by. After checking in at our motel, we arrived at the Coushatta poker room around 6:30pm. The Coushatta poker room is very nice. It has approximately 40 tables and is mostly enclosed from the rest of the casino so smoke and noise is minimized. However, while lots of fish choose Las Vegas as a destination, not many choose the swamps of Louisiana. The shark to fish ratio was askew, there were too many sharks and not nearly enough feeder fish. The game itself had also changed. Instead of the $100 min and $300 max I was expecting, it was $200 min and $500 max. This game played much, much bigger and faster. I also believe this is why there were fewer fish than before – they were priced out. Within the first hour, we were both down $200. There was a straddle on just about every hand and that created a lot of action. The size of the game and way it was playing pushed me out of my comfort zone and, initially, off my game. Earlier, I had folded the best hand in the first big pot I got involved in. I had Ad-Kd, raised to 5xbb pre-flop and got 4 callers. The flop was K high with 2 spades, no diamonds. I was first to act and bet about 1/2 of the pot, because I did not want to kill the action. To my surprise, I got called by three players. The turn is a spade and I check. Everyone behind me checked, too. The River is another spade and I check not wanting to pay off since I figured one of my three opponents had to have a spade and I had none. One guy bets, a-ha, the spade I think, he is called and the caller shows Kh-8c, winning with top pair, 8 kicker. The better had pocket sixes and had never improved. I seethe inside for not betting the turn and then folding the winner on the river. However, I make a mental shift in gears and decide to play more aggressively. I figured if my opponents were going to play this recklessly, I would punish them. Soon, I look down at Kh-Qh and raise a field of limpers, two players call. The flop is Q high and being short stacked, I move in. Only a mature woman calls me and tables her A-Qo. I do not improve and she wins. So much for my first buy in.
I re-buy and soon after, I get moved to another table. That table breaks when the tournament begins and I am moved again to the “main table”. This table has five old guys (out of ten seats) wearing Coushatta jackets and talking amongst themselves as though they play together all the time. The dealer is calling all of them by their first name (and they are not wearing name badges). Oh, did I mention they all had me covered by far? Three of them had more than $1,200 in chips in play. I start taking some flops in position but before long, my flopped 2 pair go down to a rivered flush and I am knocked down to about $65 in chips. It is about 10:15pm, I have lost two-thirds of what I brought to play with, and I am beginning to wonder if I was shamefully going to be watching television back in the room by midnight? A few hands later, the straddle was on and I was in late position. I looked down at Ad-8d. There is about 2+5+10+10+10+10 in the pot so I move in for my last $65. I am called by three players and we take a flop of 9d-Jc-5d – giving me the nut flush draw and an overcard. The other players begin a side pot. The turn is a 7s, adding an inside straight draw for me. The river is a Kd giving me the nuts, so I win the main pot of about $270, some other guy wins the side pot with 2 pair Kings and Nines. Within two orbits, I am dealt two beautiful red Aces. The straddle is on and I am in middle position so the pot is about 2+5+10+10+10+10+10 and I make it $75 to play. The player to my right raises to $150 and gets one caller before it gets back to me. Of course, I move in. Both players call. They also have a side pot. I win the main pot when my Aces hold up. My opponents held J-J (the raiser) and A-Qs (the caller). I am now up to over $730 chips in play. I made a critical error in judgment and did not immediately pocket my profit by cashing out. I could have re-bought for $200 and been playing with other people’s money. Within 2 hands, I am dealt K-K. One of the old guys opens from UTG to 3xbb. He gets two callers so I raise to $50 when it gets to me. The original better re-raises to $100. My spidey-sense is tingling. However, my testosterone takes over and I move in (I have him covered by about $250). Of course, he calls and tables his pocket Aces. Ouch. I feel as though I just got kicked in the junk. The flop is all undercards and I think I would have moved in on the flop even if I had just called his raise instead of re-raising him. Anyway, I lose all my profit and am reduced to about $250. It is about 11:00pm, I play a while longer remaining at or about the same level in chips before deciding to take a food break. One of the nicer gentlemen at the table had advised me a $15.00 food comp was available once one played at least 3 hours of 2-5 NLHE. I asked the floor and was promptly presented with the best food comp I had ever received (in Las Vegas, you get $1 per hour seated). At about 11:40, I hurried over to the oyster bar since I knew it closed at midnight. I ordered a dozen on the half shell and a brew. Oysters are a great late night snack because they are high protein and low fat. Which is to say, they provide substantial nourishment without causing one to too full or sleepy. I wolfed those babies down and they were so delicious, I immediately ordered a 2nd dozen. I gobbled those down even quicker than the first dozen, finished my beer, and hurried back to the poker room.

Liquid Assets – Casi Cielo

Attention all coffee drinkers and, in particular, all you Starbucks lovers.

Right now you can obtain one of the best tasting and most satisfying coffees available anywhere.
Forget about all that stuff that starts with a frip or frap or whatever. I am talking about coffee. Serious coffee. From Guatemala.

Casi Cielo is only offered seasonally so get it while you can. In fact, I recommend stocking up. You’ll thank me later. This rich and robust coffee is deliciously deep and dark. Almost chocolate-y. Yum. IMO, this is the best tasting pure, unadulterated coffee Starbucks offers. I really like it. Let me know what you think.

Liquid Assets - Gumbo

By the way, have I mentioned gumbo? This cold and wet January weather is perfect for warm delicious liquid meals like gumbo. We have plenty of it here on the island but my favorite is among the least expensive. Plenty of prestigious local restaurants boast about their gumbo. I have tried them all and for such a simple thing, many places don’t get it right. They add tomatoes or too many herbs or the roux is under developed or sometimes the roux is overcooked. I think these places are trying to be too fancy. Stick to the basics for the best results. There is this little hole-in-the-wall place named Leo’s on Broadway that serves up the best pint of gumbo I know of for the ridiculously low price of $3.50. Seriously! The secret (like the secret to all good gumbo) is the roux. It has got to be dark and rich, but not burned tasting. Don’t distract from the roux with unnecessary ingredients. This guy knows what he’s doing. He’s a real Cajun. They also have their own blend of smoked sausage, boudain, and beef jerky. If you are ever in Galveston, try this place out on your way through town. Their red beans and rice is also quite good but that is another post.

Liquid Assets - Bisque

Even though I just returned from fabulous Las Vegas, a place known for premium grub, you can only get some things from the “real deal”. What I mean by that is that as good as the food in Vegas is, and it is very good, and as wide a variety as is available, there is NO WAY that you will ever find the best gumbo or seafood bisque in Vegas. You have to be near the coast. So, back here in Galveston, the best bisque is at a well established family owned place on the famous seawall. There are actually two restaurants that share the same recipes and kitchen. One is the fancier place for taking out of town guests and the other, Casey’s, is where the locals go for a premium meal at a value price. Thursday is the day for bisque. They offer either shrimp or lobster depending on the day and both are to die for. I never cared for heavy cream whipped into my coffee but blended into well prepared lobster or shrimp stock – Yum! This steamy golden brown liquid is so rich and thick and creamy that it is sure to stick to your ribs. Now, if that isn’t enough to get your hungry on, listen to this. Their fresh gulf oysters on the half shell are not only large, but very tasty AND they always give you one more than you ordered – so half dozen is seven and a full dozen is thirteen. Then, if you are still hungry, add in a massive shrimp po-boy and you are there! Welcome to Galveston! Who wants a mass produced sandwich from one of the usual sandwich peddlers when for the same $, you can have a po-boy sandwich smothered by 25 fried shrimp, waffles fries, a cup of bisque, and fresh baked bread to boot? If any of you guys ever make onto the island or even nearby, give me a call and I will show you how it’s done.