T: Let me check Google, and UrbanSpoon.
M: Nah, put your phone away, let's just drive until we find something.
T: Ya! Cool!
M: I was thinking somewhere in Marda Loop, there's two we should try again.
....many minutes later...
M: I forgot to turn at Marda Loop didn't I?
T: Yes, yes you did. I was wondering which way you were going...
M: Well, downtown it is!
We pass by a bunch of restaurants, but all of them are packed, and there is no parking anywhere around. Screw that noise, keep driving! Up and down all of the busy streets, coming up with a few ideas here and there. Mike remembers passing a little pub that looks like its in a house. I am game for that one, and we find parking right outside. Literally! And its free parking! Oh this is getting better and better.
Armadillo Watering Hole. Sounds perfect! They've got a small bit of room out front for a patio in the summer (love it) and inside it's big and clean. And empty? Strange - a Saturday night, downtown, everything else is full, but this place only has 6 other customers. Lonely bartender looks bored, but comes over to us straight away. Might as well, she's got nothing better to do. The menus are already on the tables and she tells us the drink specials. Moosehead and some other weird kind on tap, and the "Beer and Deer" special. This is a Corona and a Cazadores Tequila Shot. For 9 bucks. Mike is already sold on this place!
I get a pint of Moosehead, cuz really, I'm not going to try that other weird one, and grab for the menu. Woah, it's small. A handful of appetizers, a huge amount of burgers, and some sandwiches. This is a very well written menu, with descriptions like "baaaa" for the lamb burger and "oink and chuck" for the burger with bacon on it. It's simple, easy to read and self explanitory. Bacon wrapped hot dog. Potato Skins. Easy peasy, no? I decide that I'm having the steak sandwich and my love for Armadillo grows when I read that I can have potato skins as my side. Wait. What?! Potato Skins served WITH my steak?? OMG I am in heaven. We had planned on ordering them as an appy, but now that I can get them with my dinner forget that noise. I don't want to be too full to eat my entree!
Mike orders the lamb burger and after the first few bites declares: "This is a fucking great burger!". Wow, that's quite the description from my food loving husband-to-be. He's usually much more reserved than that. And when I try my steak sandwich, my words echoed his. And that's when I try the potato skins. Now here they do them a little bit differently. It's basically the shell of the potato (some places leave in a higher potato-to-shell ratio) with some cheese on it. The best part though, is the dip. Instead of putting bacon and onions on the skins, they add bacon and chives into the sour cream dip. Wow wow wow. I'm drooling as I type. (Usually I would ask for them with no onions, but here I didn't have that option. So, yes, I ate the onions - becuase they were covered in sour cream and bacon. Did you miss that part?)
We were on our way out the door when it hit me. Wedding party venue. It's got the perfect menu, it's not too big, not too small and the food is incredible. I'm sure renting it out on a Sunday night wouldn't be much trouble. I mean hell, we were one of only 15 guests the hour and a half we were there on a Saturday night.
In a very selfish way, I hope no one reads this post. LOL. I don't want Armadillo to gain a lot of attention and become a busy crappy pub. I found like we stumbled on a true hidden gem in this city of foodies, and damn it, I want to keep it that way.
But, go if you must. We sure are going back. Maybe even tonight!
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