Ontario, Canada has some great eating places but travels to far away places like Texas puts one into a whole different lifestyle. They have maintained that step back into time; that is mostly lost in Ontario. The whole US economy is based on small business, while in Ontario it is damn near impossible to start a business, without reams of government bureaucracy. I love the old world charm of some quaint, even run down shack, of a Mom and Pop’s road side restaurant where good food is being cranked out to support their family, and not a corporations bottom profit line.
South Padre Island and the surrounding towns of Port Isabel, Brownsville, Harlingen, Donna or Progreso have some great roadfood diners and dives. The food is no better than some of the places we have searched out in Ontario but what makes them unique is the rustic atmosphere. Laid back and economically friendly prices same as the service.
My utmost favorite place to eat breakfast was in Port Isabel at a little family hole in the wall, simply called Fisherman’s Restaurant.
It was a treat walking in the door and getting that smile and “Hi! How you all doing today”. Momma, made some of the best pies on the planet, our favorite was her coconut cream pie.
A loaded breakfast omelet was a special every morning at $3.99. The only thing that changed was the ingredients inside the omelet, ham, cheese, onion, pepper, tomato could very well be sausage or chorizo another day. 
The son Steve was a treat to watch serving,such a fun guy. He could carry at least 5 plates on one arm outstretched like an airplane and had more dance steps than Fred Astaire. I was always waiting for a glass or cup of coffee to spill as he balanced them on his wrist along with both arms full of plates. We never did make it there for lunch always still full from breakfast.
We had a free continental breakfast available at our hotel but enjoyed the compadr’e of Fisherman’s Restaurant so much we opted to eat most breakfast’s there.
Another place I really enjoyed was Pier 19 Restaurant. It was situated out over the water and on a nice day seating was available outside on the pier.
Here it was more atmosphere than food, although, I had an awesome hamburger that was a good as it gets. The burger ranked right up there with my favorite cheeseburger in our home town of Waterford, Ont., at Yen’s Restaurant.
The onion rings were monster cuts and not worth ordering again. For some reason the south has to screw up their batter with cornmeal, I guess, they like the crispy crunch and not so much the flavor of a batter. In most places I have eaten in Texas, a 20oz. draft beer is the price of a soda pop at home $2 bucks is there any wonder why I like Texas?
The wife seldom drinks, but she did enjoy a huge frozen Margarita for $2 also.
One day we travelled to Donna Tx and ate out at Fat Daddy’s.
I simply loved the place and the décor. Rustic was putting it mildly.
We all had Chicken Fried Steak. My wife ate little, she was turned off by the over abundance of cream gravy and deep fried minced steak.
I had mine with Texas toothpicks (slivers of Jalapeno peppers and onions battered & fried. I loved it. What’s a little grease running down your chin when a big glass of cold beer is available to wash it all down? Prices were right; two could dine for under $25 bucks including drinks.My wife loves pasta and pizza so I had to break down and go to something a little more upscale. One of her favorites was Marcello’s Italian Restaurant located just over the bridge in Port Isabel. Table clothes and candles, how romantic?
The food was good and not pricey; families could eat out and still have a buck left over ice-cream. She had manicotti ($11.95) and I had a baked ziti ($11.95) with side salad, plus 2 coffees and no alcool. Total including tips $30 one of the more expensive meals.
We found a little pizza joint on the island just down the road from where we stayed, and Yep! that was the name of it – Da Pizza Joint. One of the best pizzas I have ever had. We ordered a fairly basic small pizza, pepperoni, mushroom, half pineapple for her half and green olives for my half. Crust was crispy on the bottom without being hard. They have never heard the word skimpy ingredients; pizza was loaded with toppings and cheese. Excellent, 3 slices each was just the perfect amount with out over stuffing ourselves. Of course, they had good draught beer for 2 bucks a 20oz to wash it all down, Sprite for the Missus our bill was under $17 with tip. Every night they had a piano player and the place filled up. We seem to have perfect timing; walk in as some one was leaving and never had to wait.
Another place I visited all by myself was Joe’s Oyster Bar (wife hates seafood) and I needed at least one feed of raw oysters.
Joe’s Oyster Bar was running a special I couldn’t pass up; A dozen oysters in the half shell for $3.99, a splash of hot sauce and a squeeze of lemon, a large draught beer and I was in seafood heaven for under 6 bucks. I don’t know where the time went, but commitments kept me from getting back for another feed.
A real popular spot on the island is a real success story of a guy that had a bait shop & a fishing boat. People convinced him he should serve food. The rest is history; he now owns 5 successful restaurants that are all packed on any given night. Out of the original restaurant he still sells fresh seafood retail, in fact you pass the seafood counter as you enter the restaurant.
The restaurant has the unlikely name of Dirty Al’s.
The food is good, the portions huge, prices reasonable and the beer is cold and cheap. Although, I prefer not to have beer from plastic cups, I give in to the ambiance of Dirty Al’s. A Mecca for diners and people watchers and it is anything but dirty. Al himself keeps a firm hand on business and is a friendly guy; he does not look anything like a very successful entrepreneur.
We ate at all his restaurants they all have a different theme and were all worthy of dining at.
Daddy’s, Seafood & Cajun Kitchen shared a chicken Po-Boy ($9.25) just alright. Margaritas were pricey at $5.25.
The Big Donkey, a Mexican Theme and the place for really good Margaritas.
We had a really good Nacho plate that we shared. We were there for the Happy Hour. Margaritas and draft beer.
We had supper here one night, My friend Murray, and I had a blackened fish dish, the girls had Guacamole salad and Quesadilla. It was all thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks to Murray, for a great choice of entrees.Big Boys, had entertainment and dancing plus couple of pool tables.
Popular with old people line dancing and a fun place to sit and people watch if not into dancing.
The night we were there, the four of us all ordered ½ rack of ribs ($6.99). They were dry and overcooked but came served with a fully stuffed baked potato that was not only huge but excellent.
Al’s latest purchase is a restaurant on the mainland at Port Isabel. A beautiful setting right on the water called Pelican Junction.
Very nice décor all with a railroad station and pelican theme. Huge windows to sit at and look out at life on the water. Birds, boats and traffic going over the two mile long bridge.
I predicted the place will be a huge success. Carole and I visited to give it a luncheon try and to take in some scenery in a relaxing mode. She ordered a salad that was served in a huge taco shell that had been fried into the shape of a scalloped shell ($6.12). She loved it. I had Calamari ($5.61) and I loved them. Sprite for her and a couple of drafts for me and we had a bill of under 20 bucks.We paid a second visit with our friends, Murray & Dianne for breakfast and had a really good breakfast of 2 eggs, bacon, beans & toast for $1.99. Carole had a ham biscuit for $1.99. They served her 2. Well! let me tell you that wasn’t a problem, I was there to help dispose of the second ham biscuit, which was very, very good.
I almost forgot one of my favorite places… Louis Backyard well known for their specials.
We went on a Thursday night for Ribs. A half a rack of meaty heavenly tender ribs at $6.99 a real bargain and included very good fries. Toss down a couple of beers and it was a must place to dine.
There were other places we ate at, after all, we were there for 17days and tried to hit as many places as possible. We did not have cooking facilities and besides, we were on vacation and that meant Carole also.She works hard enough at home planning meals.
Our worst meal was one night we decide to eat in after a day of running the roads. We bought a chicken from Wall-mart and a salad. When you’re not paying attention, (which seems to be more the norm in older years) you don’t always get what you want. What we wanted was a rotisserie chicken, what we got, was a dried out fried chicken. Could have gone a block further down the road and got some Church’s Fried Chicken. We gagged some down and threw out the rest.
Now that we are back home, I am paying the ultimate price, shedding some of the extra weight,I added. Oh well, 2 weeks of living high on the hog was worth it. Isn’t that what vacations are all about?
