Plenty of places to take guests from out of town
Sunday, April 06, 2008
I live to eat. Well, actually, I live to hunt in order to eat the most delicious, healthy food on earth.
My idea of fast food is a running shot.
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It is indeed a rare commercial restaurant that can compete with the average Nugent kitchen culinary gitdown.
Every meal at our house is a serious tastebud adventure. We don't mess around with the convenient or processed.
Many years ago we decided we would never settle for a standard meal, since it is so much easier and smarter to prepare a feast ourselves.
So, even though we still travel the world a bit more than I would prefer, and are constantly searching for the most special dining establishments wherever we go, when we are home in Waco we've always stayed home and cooked one of our unlimited, scrumptious wild-game masterpieces.
All of which is to say we had rarely dined out in Waco, until recently.
But as we have, Shemane and I have found that even with all the predictable rows of cookie-cutter, prefab eateries, Waco is home to a number of places to rival the most famous restaurants anywhere.
Who'da thunk?
In future columns, I'll go into detail of just how amazing our meals have been at places like Buzzard Billy's, Rusty Star Barbecue (killer brisket), Siete Mares, Ninfa's and Bangkok Thai diner.
We like The Coffee Shop in Crawford and the I-35 Prime steakhouse in Hewitt.
In China Spring, you have Taste of Texas Barbecue and all the variety at Griff's.
We hear that the chicken- fried steaks at the Ice House are great, too. So we still have a lot of exploring to do.
Magic China
But today I want to you to meet the great staff and Siu family at Magic China.
When it comes to your typical Chinese cuisine, I can take it or leave it. But when Shemane and I one day spontaneously pulled into Magic China along I-35 just south of University-Parks Drive, there was no way we were prepared for our incredible meal.
Shemane ordered the vegetable soup. I ordered the pan-fried dumplings. With the ample, scrumptious portions, we knew immediately that this was the real McCoy.
Everything was prepared from scratch with handpicked, fresh ingredients — no MSG.
You can tell that owners Lisa and Benson Siu go to great lengths picking the best. And there must be a Chinese grandma in the kitchen, because each meal we have ever had there perks up the mouth and taste buds like only grandma's cooking can. Even the noodles in the soups are special.
As an old American waterfowl hunter, I know how terrific a properly handled duck can taste. And I was genuinely moved by the Sius' incredible barbecued duck.
If I were a duck, I wouldn't mind dying if I knew these guys were handling my carcass with such tender, loving care.
We proudly will take our visitors from around the world to this fine eating establishment and others when they come to get a feeling for our friendly, hospitable Central Texas community.
Ted Nugent is a Waco-based musician and television show host. Contact Ted directly at tednugent.com.
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