Carol's at Cat Spring Restaurant:
White Tablecloths, Blue Skies,
Smiling Faces
By Howie Doyle
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Chef Herman Lewis is all
about serving good food and putting smiles
on his patrons' faces. |
It takes a little over an hour to drive from our
area to Carol’s at Cat Spring. The restaurant
doesn’t look all that impressive as you pull off the
highway into its gravel drive, lined by weathered,
split-rail cedar fences. What we have in Carol’s is
an object lesson on not judging a book by its cover;
when you enter the door all assumptions will go by
the wayside.
Those who are lucky enough to happen upon this
secluded diner are like members of an exclusive
club, and perhaps Carol’s patrons would wish to keep
it this way. If this Cat gets out of the bag,
gourmands everywhere will be beating a path down
I-10 west to the tiny community of Cat Spring for a
hot meal served by warm, friendly folks, in the
coolest of upscale-lodge settings. And speaking of
the drive, unless you are a hardcore city slicker,
the big blue skies, verdant, rolling hills and
varied animal and plant life make it a pure pleasure
once you get off the major highway.
Casual Meets Classy
The dress is country casual, but the food is
fashionably classy; the meal is highlighted by the
unexpected flavor phenomena that customers expect in
a fine dining establishment. The menu has enough
variety to please everyone, making it a great place
to stop when you are out exploring the many historic
sites, sightseeing opportunities and shopping spots
the area has to offer.
The restaurant’s interior is rich with Texas
country appointments in cedar, cowhide, white linen
and gingham. Paintings by artist Ken Turner and
other locals adorn the walls, and the white-cuffed,
attentive waitstaff are in constant motion amidst an
otherwise serene, warmly lit room of intimate
proportions.
You may wish to begin by reviewing the wine list,
which is varied, or proceed to the eclectic menu.
Among the appetizer selections one will encounter a
crab-stuffed cream cheese orb known as an Armadillo
Egg. Marked by spicy jalapeño and served with ranch
dressing, this Texas delicacy will also make an
excellent conversation subject later. For that
matter, so will the East Meets the West
(bison-kabobs with spicy peanut sauce) and Grand
Champion barbecued scallops served with creamy
grits. By comparison, the South Texas Quail Bites
and Caribbean Jerk Ribs are downright mundane. Let
your palate be the judge, as all are worth
experiencing.
The dinner entrees are divided into eight “Local
Favorites” for the meat-and-potatoes appetite, and
11 unique gourmet dishes that are “House
Specialties.” Our only regret is that we were not
able to sample them all.
If you like your seafood simple, try Alice’s
Favorite fried shrimp. The menu had an exclamation
point written in (in ballpoint pen) after the entree
title, indicating that a past patron emphatically
agrees with Alice. Lightly seasoned corn meal batter
on pristine jumbo shrimp, fried, is a
palate-pleasing dish. We opted for the chef’s
sauteed vegetables of the day on the side rather
than fries; this day it was broccoli with the barest
hint of crunch and generous slices of carrot the
diameter of a compact disk. If you think you prefer
baby carrots, yet another assumption will be smashed
as you taste the tender, slightly-sweet
filet-of-carrot. Both vegetables had a hint of
indulgent buttery taste while still being light on
the appetite.
David’s Pasta presents another popular dish,
shrimp and fettucine teamed with Alfredo sauce,
expertly prepared and amply served. The Alfredo had
presence without being overbearing, while the smoked
shrimp and noodles gave the sauce center stage while
carrying the team in a tasteful manner.
Other “Local Favorite” selections include chicken
fried steak, cornmeal-crusted catfish, and the
heart-chart conscious “Pasta Red Duke.” For those
who can’t keep it simple, the House Specialties
offer a broad swath of culinary influences.
The beef lover of the group can’t go wrong with
the opulent Espresso-Rubbed Filet Mignon, a grilled
tenderloin graced with the full-bodied, unmistakable
undertones of espresso upon which Kahlua butter and
Merlot demi glace waltz. If you think espresso is an
ill-matched flavor to accompany a tender, juicy
filet, please remember the rule about assumptions.
It is truly to-die-for.
Visualize, if you will, the flavors of these
additional House Specialties, all adroitly and
aesthetically prepared by Chef Herman Lewis:
•Pork Tchoupitoulas (double chop stuffed with
green onion and wild mushroom bread pudding,
balsamic onion marmalade, and red wine demi glace).
•Mango Margarita Shrimp (chile-lime flavorings,
served with plantain chips and mango-tequila
barbecue sauce)
•Chicken Marsela (roasted breast stuffed with
Chorizo sausage, cheese and spices)
•Salmon Wellington (pink filet topped with wild
mushroom duxelle and herb butter in a pool of
“velvety dill cream”)
•Blisswood Bison Filet (tenderloin with port wine
sauce, from bison raised by Carol on her nearby
ranch!)
Other desirable amenities offered by Carol’s
include: kids’ menu, catering, and the friendliest
waitress (her name is Jade) in all of the Texas
Coastal Plains. Carol Davis is fussy about the food
she serves, and Chef Herman delivers the goods.
Gracious people, inviting decor, and a unique,
interpretation of the term “comfort food” for all of
the senses.
The easiest way to reach Carol’sat Cat Spring is
to take I-10 west until you reach Sealy, exit 720
onto Hwy. 36, go 1.3 miles north, turn left on FM
1094, go 12 miles, then turn left on FM 949, and go
one mile; Carol’s is on your right. For those
wanting to make a weekend of it, proprietor Carol
Davis also owns Blisswood Bed and Breakfast Inn.
Situated in turn-of-the-century homes, the property
has hundreds of the most magnificent live oak trees
to be found anywhere.
Rating: !!!!
Carol’s at Cat Spring
10745 FM 949, Cat Spring, TX
(About 13 miles west of Sealy)
979-865-1100
For those wanting to make a weekend of it,
proprietor Carol Davis also owns Blisswood Bed and
Breakfast Inn. Situated in turn-of-the-century
homes, the property has hundreds of the most
magnificent live oak trees to be found anywhere.
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