Breezes on the Bay – George Town, Grand Cayman

As an offshoot of our Cruise Cuisine series, allow us to share with you the stop we made on Grand Cayman for lunch.

When visiting George Town on Grand Cayman, be sure to look up Breezes by the Bay ~ Tropical Grill & Rhum Deck. It’s a lovely casual dining experience forlunch and dinner, complete with a brick oven for pizza and Caribbean fare. While they do not currently have a website, their Facebook account stays pretty active.

Breezes is located in the heart of George Town with great views of the waterfront from just about any seat in the house. They focus on classic Caribbean fare rather than touristy food, except for the pizza, of course. That is a familiar favorite in many countries. They have a large lineup of tropical cocktails, too.

What Breezes has to say for itself.

 

The folks working there were all very nice, though keep in mind that English is not always their primary language. There were some barriers, but we got over most of them with little trouble. Our waiter was a first-day employee, and while he was trying hard, one of my table mates later wondered, “What was that guy DOING?”

Our excursion group had to try a little bit of everything. From snacking on jerk seasoned fries (“I’ve never paid that much for fries in my life, but hey – Grand Cayman is ‘spensive”), to the local version of pepper steak, to the brick oven pizza, everything was a delight for the palate, if a bit pricey.

Jerk seasoned French fries.

 

Quattro Fromage – the four cheese pizza.

 

Jerk chicken pizza.

 

Cayman Pepper Steak, with black bean rice, cole slaw, grilled plantain and breadfruit.

 

 

Pina Colada

Frosty drinks in hurricane style glasses give the place a festive feel, though they do maintain a full bar for those not into frozen concoctions. This Pina Colada was overwhelmingly pineapple, which drowned out the more delicate coconut flavor, though the rum was full bore.

 

We also gave a local beer a shot. This is a glass of Iron Shore Bock from the Cayman Islands Brewery. It gave us a light head over a clear brown beer with only a little lacing. The aroma was simple and pleasing, mildly hoppy with a flavor of caramel malts. Not particularly strong on the alcohol, but that allowed a nice smoothness to the mouthfeel.

Iron Shore Bock

 

 

This establishment is on the second and third floor of it’s building. There are wide tread stairs, but no elevator available as of our visit.

On the 1-5 scale, Breezes has earned:
Cleanliness – 4.5
Service – 3
Quality of food – 4
Flavor – 4.5
Pricing – 2.5 (Grand Cayman can be expensive)
Overall experience – 3.5

 

 

Breezes by the Bay
8 Harbour Drive
George Town, Cayman Islands
Phone: +1 345-943-8439

— Ann Cathey and Cruise Cohort
Additional photos by Christopher

Food Porn – the MOD Episode

I may be a photographer, but I am also a foodie! MOD Pizza here in Conroe (and in all the other locations, too, I suppose) has become close to my heart in more ways than one. All those toppings available for a single price – I’m made with mouth-love! So are some of my friends. Allow me to share some of the tasty combinations we have enjoyed n recent weeks.

Red Sauce, Pepperoni, Beef, Mild Sausage, Spinach, Mushroom, Black Olive, Mozzarella, Feta, Asiago

Pesto, Garlic, Chicken, Beef, Pepperoni, Canadian Bacon, Gorgonzola, Feta, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Asiago, Roasted Garlic, Kalamata, Mushroom

Red Sauce, Pepperoni, Beef, Spicy Sausage, Salami, Mushrooms, Black Olive, Mozarella, Feta, Asiago

Pesto, Garlic, Chicken, Beef, Pepperoni, Salami, Gorgonzola, Feta, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Asiago, Roasted Garlic, Black Olive, Mushroom

Red Sauce, Garlic, Pepperoni, Bacon, Mozarella, Gorgonzola, Feta, Asiago, Parmesan, Crushed Red Pepper

Red Sauce, Pepperoni, Bacon, Mushroom, Mozarella, Parmesan

 

From the ultra loaded to the truly simple, MOD makes delicious pies!

— Ann Cathey

MOD Pizza – Conroe TX

Welcome to another review of a chain pizza place. Another pizza place, you say doubtfully? Definitely not JUST another pizza place, we proclaim!

We stopped by the newly opened MOD loction in Conroe, Texas, to give it a try. We had heard good things from several foodie friends and figured, “Why not?” We were very pleasantly surprised!

MOD Pizza is spreading like wildfire, offering personal sized thin crust brick oven pizza. One price, with as many ingredients selection as you wish, from the sauce to
the drizzle. Cheeses, meats, veggies (and technically fruits) make a super list to choose from. They also offer salads with all the same toppings. Everything is fresh and made to order. The salad dressings may be requested as drizzles, though you may surprise the staff swhen asking for this. We did, and found the honey-lime dressing to make a tasty sweet-tart counterpoint to our savoury pies!

To give you an idea of what they will hand-build for you, here are The pizzas we ordered on our first visit:

White sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan and Asiago cheeses, mushrooms, black olives, and grilled chicken. This is the pizza the honey-lime drizzle was ordered for.

Pesto for the sauce, mozzarella, feta, Parmesan, Gorgonzola and Asiago cheeses, mushrooms, black olives, garlic, grilled chicken, bacon and beef with a pesto drizzle.

 

If the photos aren’t mouthwatering enough, you will have to see (and smell) these pies in
person.

On the 1-5 scale, MOD Pizza gets:
Cleanliness – 5
Service – 4
Quality of food – 5
Flavor – 5
Pricing – 3
Overall experience – 4.4

MOD Pizza
1240 N Loop 336 W #500
Conroe, TX 77301
(936) 441-0054

“Holy cats! This is tasty! This place will be bad for my diet and wallet,
but good for the soul.”    –Christopher

Visit a MOD location near you and let us know what you think!

–Ann Cathey

Gypsy Joynt – Galveston, Texas

In a building that has survived multiple hurricanes, a little hippie restaurant opened that’s a definite winner. Gypsy Joynt is an eclectic mix of atmosphere, food, coffees, and desserts that’s sure to grab your attention. Don’t be fooled by the exterior where the flagpoles proudly bear bandannas, t-shirts and jeans, this place rocks.

From the time we walked in to the time we left, we were treated to an array of Rolling Stones music. Seemed to be the sound of the day and we didn’t mind in the slightest. The dj booth is built of what looks like scavenged wood, with racks of LPs, and a command station presided over by a computer that rules the sound system. I didn’t get too good a look at the rest of the goodies in the booth, as there was so much more to see.

There’s a lot of dark wood, including the tables and mismatched chairs, that helps to give a comfortably cave-like feel to the interior, Shawls hung over the windows, scarves and beads from the ceiling, with a scattered mix of period posters, toys, and other implementada ranging from the late 50’s to the mid 70’s along the walls. The bar top (they do serve beer) where you place your order, is cut from an old pool table. The slab still has it’s felt jacket, and the pockets their leather baskets.

Pick up a menu and be prepared for a wild ride!

From pizza to focacia sandwiches and wraps, to salads to a truly decadent dessert bar, this place seems to have a little bit of everything.

 

Smoretella – Nutella, toasted marshmallow, Graham cracker.

Autumn Cocoa – fudge, pumpkin spice, homemade pumpkin marshmallow.

 

 

Rocco Rocks – mac-n-cheese and brisket pizza. Think what you will, but one of our tablemates called it “possibly the perfect pizza”.

Big & Sloppy – a chili cheeseburger that might best be served on a plate instead of a burger basket! I ordered bunless and was not disappointed. The grilled sirloin patty was served up beneath sliced cheddar and a ton of house-made chili. The chili wasn’t hot, which was a very pleasant change from today’s trend toward scorching your face off, though it usually comes with hot onions and jalapenos. Yes, those are sweet potato waffle fries.

 

I Love Lucy – This lovely combo sandwich was ordered as a wrap. Stuffed with ham, pulled pork, Swiss cheese, house-made pickles and mustard, it was a tasty and filling meal when coupled with the sweet potato waffle fries.

 

House-made pickles – What a pleasant surprise! With a firm crunch, these thick wavy slices come in somewhere between hamburger dills and kosher, with a sweet afterglow on the back of the tongue.

 

When next you are on Galveston Island and feeling a bit peckish, skip the Strand and give this Joynt a try.

On the 1-5 scale, Gypsy Joynt gets:
Cleanliness – 4.5
Service – 3
Quality of food – 5
Flavor – 5
Pricing – 3.5
Overall experience – 4.2

Gypsy Joynt
2711 Market Street
Galveston, Texas 77550
409-497-2069

 

— Ann Cathey

Mario’s Seawall Italian Restaurant – Galveston, TX

While driving along the Seawall in Galveston, we caught sight of a sandwich board advertising a lunch buffet. It was on the sidewalk outside of a building with an extensive patio and a tower reminiscent of Pisa. Of course, we had to investigate. What we discovered was a delightful experience we can’t wait to do again.

Mario’s Seawall Italian Restaurant is one of three locations on the island that offers Italian cuisine and oven-fresh pizza. On weekdays, they also offer a lunch buffet including ravioli, fried fish, shrimp fried rice (Italian style), spaghetti and meatballs, fresh salad, and lots of pizza. None of these dishes stints on the ingredients just because it’s a buffet!

Buffet from salad fixings to pastas to meats and veggies.

Pizza and garlic bread. Everything went so fast I couldn’t get a photo of full pans!

 

 

Bottom center, counter-clockwise from the buffet: salad with cheese and black olives, cantaloupe, broccoli, fried fish, shrimp fried rice, cheese ravioli, and meatballs (more hiding under the ravioli).

Mario’s dinner menu has a greatly expanded repertory of Italian classics and in house specialties such as the lobster ravioli and the home-made gelato.

Spacious inside as well as out, and sporting some interesting murals, this place was a haven from the sun, surf, and wind outside. From the aquarium in the entry, to the conservative dark wood furniture, the dining areas are soothing and enhance the dining experience in a subtly understated way.

According to their website: “Tucked away in the thick of seafood restaurants, you will find all the romance, fun and tradition of Italy with a Texas-size seaside view to compliment the richness of Mario’s Seawall’s pastas and pizzas. Experience authentic Italian cuisine at its finest, in Galveston’s oldest Italian restaurant.”

Decorative toy fish in the freshwater tank by the entry.

Our server, Ana S., and the shift manager, Gina, were friendly, attentive, and happy to help with permission to take a few photos inside to help entice you to visit.

If you’d like a little grown-up time, Mario’s is a lovely place to share some time and a glass of wine. The quiet atmosphere and soothing surroundings make Mario’s an excellent highlight to any Galveston travel.

On the 1-5 scale, Mario’s lunch buffet gets:
Cleanliness – 5
Service – 5
Quality of food – 5
Flavor – 5
Pricing – 5
Overall experience – 5

Mario’s Seawall Italian Restaurant
628 Seawall Blvd.
Galveston, TX 77550
(409) 763-1693

— Ann Cathey

Holiday Quickies

Take a little bit of stress off your holiday preparations by being ready to take care of your family before and after the big day. These hints might help, or spark your own ideas on making things a little easier in the host’s home.

Pet Preparation
The holidays are not only stressful for you, they can also stress out your pets. Set up safe zones for your animals where visitors are not allowed. This gives Fluffy or Rover a place to go when the family gets too loud or boisterous. Make sure their feeding stations are ready for them and don’t allow their schedules to be interrupted if it can be helped. Your companion animals rely on you for their maintenance and holidays are no exception. Be prepared for accidents caused by all the excitement, be it spilled water or an accidental piddle puddle.

The Night Before
With all the cleaning, decorating, and food preparation that’s going on, take a beak from it all on the night before your gathering. Have a pizza night, or Chinese takeout. You don’t have to cook anything extra – let someone else take are of that! You don’t have to worry about plating, and cleanup is quick and easy.

The Morning After
The day after Thanksgiving or Christmas is a time for hot coffee or cocoa, relaxing a bit, and finding inventive ways to use up those leftovers. A breakfast suggestion is a sort of pizza. Use a flatbread like naan or even a flour tortilla as the base. Top it with shredded turkey or ham, cheese, sliced mushrooms, even a fried or scrambled egg. Bake just long enough to heat everything up and melt the cheese. for a rustic touch, sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley or scallions. If you want to get truly decadent, add a dollop of sour cream.

 

I hope these tips help you enjoy your holidays with a little less stress and more laughter and gaiety.

–Ann Cathey

Joe’s Italian Cuisine – Conroe, Texas

You probably wouldn’t give this place a second glance if you drove past it, but it’s an amazing discovery. Joe’s Pizza and Pasta in Conroe, Texas, is one of those places that was built out in an existing building, giving it a second-hand feel.

 

There’s an old gondola out front to help you find it, too. Inside it still has a bit of the economy feel, but there’s a comfort zone that draws you in. The smells that fill the place encourage you to take a seat, review the menu, and start to salivate in anticipation.

Our first visit to Joe’s was several years ago. they still had plastic table cloths and folding chairs in the main dining area. We had followed a friend there, and knowing nothing about Conroe at the time, though for sure we were getting lost. It’s actually pretty easy to find.

We decided Joe’s was a good candidate for this blog based solely on that first experience. It’s a good things we went back for lunch last week. the place has really changed inside. Dark, cozy and intimate are all good descriptions of the current Joe’s dining area. Rat Pack era music wafted down from hidden speakers as a nice undercurrent of sound for the conversations that abounded.

We were seated in the back area, that now includes a secluded little corner with a romantic fireplace. The waitress was friendly, even with the busy lunch crowd. She made sure we had our drinks and a basket of garlic rolls as quickly as possible. She wasn’t pushy about taking our order, either. That’s always a plus for us as we like to peruse the menu and take our time.

Let’s start with the menu. It may look a little spare at first glance (the wine list takes up as much space as the Homemade Pasta Dish portion) of the menu, but that’s because Joe’s is an Italian place through and through. There are chicken, veal and shrimp dishes served with a variety of pasta styles including spaghetti, angel hair, ravioli, cannelloni and penne.

The brick oven New York style pizzas take up a large portion of the menu. They are available in 14″, 16″ and a whopping 18″ pie. You might feel the topping options are limited, but in truth they are about as traditional as pizza gets. The portions are large, even on the lunch menu. We didn’t order a pizza this trip, but we will try to squeeze on in soon and report back on it, with pictures.

Everything on the menu seems to be right out of one section or another of old Italy, with a very Sicilian feel and flavor. Tomatoes and spices are prevalent, but not exclusively used. The red sauces are very red, the cream sauce very creamy, and everything is a shade more intense without being overpowering.

The first item to hit the table was a basket of the house rolls. While they seem to be nothing more than fancied up pizza dough, let me assure you that the pizza dough here is more than adequate to the job. The rolls are allowed to rise to heights, then droned in a mixture of butter, garlic, and cheese. The look good and taste much better. The spicing allows them to accompany most of the menu items without clashing.

 

Both myself and my dining partner found it difficult to leave the rolls alone long enough to actually save some to eat with lunch!

The lunch menu is indeed small. It’s a header announcing Lunch Specials for $6.95 (at the time of that visit), and two lines of standard items including chicken or eggplant Parmesan, cannelloni, manicotti, and spaghetti with or without meatballs. We chose the chicken parmesan and manicotti.

The green salad served with lunch is a typical iceburg/carrot sliver/purple cabbage mix. tI as fresh with no cooler burn and included a topper of grated mozzarella on top.

I chose the chicken Parmesan and was not disappointed. The chicken breast was breaded, and took up half of my plate. It and the pasta were then doused in red sauce and topped with plenty of mozzarella. The chicken was tender and the pasta al dente. Neither arrived at the table with the overcooked-because-it-sat-under-a-heat-lamp feel.

 

My lunch partner chose the manicotti. He is a bit of a connoisseur of manicotti, it being his favorite Italian dish. He approved of the dish and wished there had been more of it. He proclaimed it delicious. The red sauce on his dish, while appearing to be exactly the same as on the chicken, had a sweeter flavor. The al dente shells were stuffed with a marvelous mix of cheeses, creamy and spiced just right. Overall an excellent balance spicing and cheese to sauce flavor ratio.

Joe’s menu is not a way to get skinny, but when you make the best Italian comfort food in Conroe, who cares?

Joe’s Pizza and Pasta is located at 1604 N. Frasier in Conroe, Texas, and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11am until 10pm. They offer dine in- take away and catering for all occasions.

On the 1-5 scale, Joe’s gets:
Cleanliness – 4.5
Service – 4
Quality of food – 5
Flavor – 5
Pricing – 4
Overall experience – 4.5

— Ann Cathey
Photos by Christopher (or taken with his phone)