With my last On the Menu column, I received several emails (and one text message) recommending places to visit.
While I wasn’t able to do so with this column, I do plan on trying to visit at least one with my next On the Menu.
I genuinely appreciate hearing other people’s favorite spots in Corpus Christi, so keep those recommendations coming.
This time around, I decided to visit a Corpus Christi staple, a place I hadn’t eaten at since I was a teen and a Southside ice cream shop.
Is there a place you think I should try? Send a suggestion to john.oliva@caller.com.
Kiko’s Mexican Food Restaurant & Cantina
5514 Everhart Road
My first job was as a busboy at Kiko’s. I had recently turned 16 and I wanted to get into the workforce to make money.
One day before high school, I had my mom swing by Kiko’s so I could ask for a job application. The manager on duty asked if I wanted to start right then and there. I informed him I had school to go to and he told me to swing by after school and to be in all black apparel. I didn’t expect it to happen so fast, but I got my first job.
It lasted two weeks because when I got my first paycheck (about $350) I quit because I thought I was rich.
However, Kiko’s has always been a part of me since that day. I went back to work there as a second job years later as a host, my in-laws love eating there when they’re in town and my husband and I had our wedding reception there.
It had been about a year or so since I last ate there, and I’ve been craving Mexican food, so my husband and I decided to get dinner there on May 11.
Having been in business for more than 40 years, I feel that the aesthetic at Kiko’s hasn’t really changed. There’s dim lighting, Hispanic murals and the smell of delicious food wafting through the air.
We were able to sit in a booth and our server brought us complimentary chips and salsa before taking our drink order. She quickly came back with our drinks and took our food order: the three cheese enchilada plate for me and the Gent’s Special for my husband.
Our food came about 15 minutes later and it was delicious. I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed by the food at Kiko’s. I know some people have their opinions about where to find good Mexican food in Corpus Christi, but I love Kiko’s.
And honestly, you could easily find other good Mexican restaurants around every corner. I think Kiko’s is a great place for lunch or dinner, Cancun Mexican Restaurant (on Yorktown) is the best place for breakfast tacos and La Mexicana Bakery & Tortilla Factory (on South Padre Island Drive) is the go-to spot for pan dulce.
We finished our food and total came out to be $38.50, and we tipped $10.
As I just mentioned, I love Kiko’s and always enjoy my time there. But I think the reason behind that is because I don’t go there so often. So, I’ll most likely be there again in a year to enjoy their enchiladas.
Catfish Charlie’s
5830 McArdle Road
Originally, my husband and I were going to Fisherman’s Seafood on Navigation Boulevard on May 17 for dinner. I received a text message back in March recommending the restaurant.
I checked Google, Apple Maps and the restaurant’s Facebook to ensure the place was open on a Sunday. When we pulled up, we found out it was closed and got very annoyed.
We had our mind set on seafood, so we were torn between where to go that was local. We were thinking about trying Harrison’s Landing for the first time, but didn’t feel like spending an arm and a leg on food when we knew we could find somewhere more affordable.
I suggested Catfish Charlie’s, as I remembered eating there as a teenager but didn’t remember if I liked it or not. We decided to make the journey to McArdle Road and try it out.
I must’ve been suffering from my own Mandela effect because I swore Catfish Charlie’s was two stories. I explicitly remember eating there when I was around 15 with my entire family — grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins included — and I swear we sat near a stairwell.
Well, we walked inside and I was dumbfounded because Catfish Charlie’s was much smaller than I remembered. We were immediately greeted and told to pick a table of our choosing and someone would be right with us.
We chose to sit near a corner and our server came with menus. While I get that catfish is in the name, I thought there might’ve been other types of fish. I was wrong, obviously.
We both ended up getting the Mitad y Mitad combination plates with catfish and shrimp. After taking our orders and dropping off our drinks, our server brought us complimentary hushpuppies. Little did I know that jalapeños were inside. Or at least something spicy was because I kept reaching for my Sprite after each bite.
Similar to Kiko’s, and other restaurants I’ve reviewed, there was dim lighting. I never really understood that at eateries. Like, let’s crank up the lights a bit. Who wants to eat in the dark? There were TVs on that were showing some sports game. Several families were inside eating and the inside was very clean.
Our food came out, and we were very surprised to find our plate came with red beans. The menu didn’t mention what sides it came with, but I assumed it would be fries like other seafood spots. While fries were on the plate, the only beans we’ll eat are refried so we put those to the side.
As for the entree, the fish was fine. It wasn’t anything spectacular — it was just OK. The shrimp was tastier, but the breading fell off so easily so that wasn’t much fun to handle. We also were served coleslaw with our meal, but I felt it was bit on the dry side.
Our total came out to be $49.75 and we tipped $10.
I don’t think I’ll be back to Catfish Charlie’s any time soon, as I realized I don’t care that much for catfish and now know they don’t serve any other type of fish. The shrimp was really good, so if I end up going back there with friends or family, I’ll stick with that and maybe try their shrimp po’boy. You can never go wrong with a po’boy.
D’lites Cream
6202 Dunbarton Oak Drive
During Memorial Day weekend, I was up in Pearland visiting my in-laws and attending Houston’s Comicpalooza.
While there, I had ice cream two days in a row. Once at a Mongolian restaurant and again at a Cold Stone Creamery. Both were amazing. I love ice cream so much.
We came back into town on May 24 around 5 p.m. I was still somewhat full from a hearty breakfast we had at a restaurant in Pearland, but I knew I would be a little peckish later. I figured a third helping of ice cream would be the best way to satisfy my potential hunger.
My husband stayed home to unpack and I made the 8-minute drive to D’lites Cream to finally try out its ice cream.
I walked inside and saw a family enjoying ice cream and an employee who greeted me. The inside looked very clean and everything was white from the floor to the ceiling. The counter showed the variety of mix-ins people can get with their ice cream, while there were coolers on the other side with containers of ice cream flavors for sale.
I informed the employee it was my first time and she broke everything down for me. Every day, D’lites offers vanilla and chocolate ice cream but they also have four other flavors that change daily, such as pistachio, Snickers and horchata. I can choose a cup size, waffle bowl or a cone and then add any mix-ins to my concoction.
The daily flavors didn’t interest me, so I selected a large cup with chocolate ice cream. For my mix-ins, I asked for Reese’s and cookie dough. She asked me if I wanted them mixed in or on top of the ice cream, and I went for the former.
My total came out to $8.54 and I tipped $3.
I walked back to my vehicle and realized I had to take a picture of my sweet treat before I could thoroughly enjoy it, so I drove to the Walmart around the corner and snapped a shot.
I then took a few bites before heading home, and it tasted really good. I enjoyed that it was soft-serve ice cream and it didn’t seem to melt even though it was hot outside.
When I got home, I was able to dig in a little more and taste my mix-ins. You can never go wrong with Reese’s, but the cookie dough bits weren’t ideal. I’m used to cookie dough being doughy and soft, and these tasted a bit crunchy and hard.
Regardless, I enjoyed it and I know I can easily go back there and try other flavors and mix-ins. Maybe next time I’ll try it with the mix-ins on top or a waffle bowl.
John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Have a story idea? Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: D’lites Cream provides delightful sweet treats | On the Menu
Reporting by John Oliva, Corpus Christi Caller Times / Corpus Christi Caller Times
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