Armadillo Palace !

Goode Company is a Houston institution. Armadillo Palace is a Jim Goode saloon located in the same complex of Jim Goode restaurants, across from Goode Company Barbecue, on Kirby. I don't really know what the difference between a saloon and a bar is, but Armadillo Palace really feels like a place you should call a saloon rather than a bar. Out front sits a huge metal armadillo. Inside the saloon are leather stools, wooden tables, a small stage for a Western band, and young waitresses in tight jeans.

We sat outside where you could still hear the live performance, but could also talk without shouting. The view from the patio is Goode Company Barbecue and the saloon's parking. Next to us sat a gaggle of young women discussing the disguisting men who work with them and a rotund group of businessmen clearly comfortable at a saloon and completely out of sorts inside the big city.

All this atmosphere leads to the very limited menu. Rekha had the chicken salad with succulent grilled chicken and uninteresting greens. I had the good, but not great chicken fried steak. It had all of the taste of a good chicken fried steak, but was missing the crunchy exterior, the decadent gravy and the rustic texture of a great chicken fried steak. In other words, it didn't taste like the chicken fried steak I loved so much in Lufkin.

We finished the meal with the pecan pie. We weren't really going to order it but the peppiness of the waitress convinced us to stay just a bit longer. Like my previous experience with Jim Goode's pecan pie, this piece tasted good too--though I don't understand all the fuss many others make about this dessert.

After a very long day at work, it felt good to sit outdoors, talk about next month's party, and just hang out with Rekha. The laid back style of the saloon and the quality of the food at Armadillo helped greatly. I highly recommend this place for a beer, nachos, and laid back quality time with friends and loved ones.