Restaurant Review

Friday, May 18, 2001

Bubba's Icehouse packs a punch

Restaurant is a heavy hitter when it comes to familar, family fare

At a glance 6402 South Padre Island Drive Phone: 993-9842 Entrees: $4.59 to $11.99 Credit cards: yes Checks: yes Wheelchair access: yes Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. everyday Food: 2 stars Service: 2 stars Atmosphere: 3 stars

  Good news
   Even the pickiest diner will find something to eat at Bubba's, which touts itself as providing "Great Food for the Everyday Hero." The menu is packed with so many choices, the problem will be deciding what to eat.
   Bad news
   Your doctor won't like it when she finds out you've been eating at Bubba's, which offers an array of tempting meat and fried-food selections. Reduce the damage to your arteries with a tossed salad, corn on the cob (without butter), and smashed taters (without gravy) and ranch green beans.
   Food for thought
   Walking into Bubba's is like walking into a combination '50s diner and Texas honky-tonk. The walls are decorated with old-fashioned advertising signs, Texas paraphernalia and photos depicting 1950s icons like Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley.
   I chose a booth near the north wall, ordered a Dr. Pepper (it seemed appropriate to the setting) and ignored the bland corn muffins my waiter brought to the table. I started with a half order of onion rings and a half order of junior's nachos.
   The onion rings ranked right up there with the best I've ever tasted - thin with a mild onion taste and fried to a golden brown. Junior's nachos - tortilla chips topped with Bubba's chili, shredded jack and cheddar cheeses, lettuce - won me over with its fresh pico de gallo.
   For an entrée, I ordered one of the night's specials, a hamburger chop smothered in brown gravy and sautéed mushrooms and onions, along with green beans and mashed potatoes. Next time I'll order the chop medium-well instead of well-done.
   The homemade gravy added a robust flavor. The mashed potatoes were creamy and smothered in brown gravy, while the green beans were so full of flavor, I was surprised to find out they came from a can.
   I decided to try the chicken fried steak, too. I know that's not exactly going out on a culinary limb, but Bubba's is the kind of place that prides itself on such things, and the measure of any restaurant with the word "Bubba" in its name begins with how it turns out such Texas traditions.
   The steak that arrived at my table had been hammered so flat it looked like Bubba had run over it with a four-wheel-drive pickup. The kind that you need a stepladder to climb into.
   All that flattening made the steak so tender you could cut it with a fork, and the golden brown batter had been fried just enough to satisfy high-fat-food lovers.
   My one complaint? The cream gravy was a little too watery.
   For dessert, I tried blackberry cobbler topped with vanilla soft-serve ice cream. The cobbler, hot, sweet and fresh tasting, would have been better without the ice cream, which had a bland flavor that detracted from the taste.
   Service
   My server greeted me promptly and answered all my questions. He even helped steer me away from one of the specials - and that's where Bubba might get upset.
   "What's the flounder stuffed with?" I asked, studying the board before ordering.
   He shook his head and said under his breath, "It's not very good."
   I appreciate a waiter who cares enough about his customers to steer them away from bad choices.
  
  

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Restaurant reviews are written by a team of freelance writers. The Caller-Times pays for the meals. From time-to-time the writers visit previously reviewed restaurants to update the information.

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