45 miles.

That's how far we drive to have a nice meal in a really good restaurant... 45 miles. Isn't that the most ridiculous thing you've heard today?

In this little town of ours, we have a few cafes, one of which we go to on a regular basis because their lunch menu is eclectic and ever-changing, and most of their foods are freshly made and good. However, they close their doors at 3:00 and call it a day, which means they're not open for dinner.

There are Mexican restaurants all over this town and the surrounding smaller towns.... we've been to just about all of them since we've lived out here, and only two of them are worth the time to drive there and the money you spend there. Even at that, the quesadillas that I make at home are much better than those offered in both of those restaurants. (I can't make the other items on the Mexican menu, but I've got the shrimp and chicken quesadillas down pat.)

We had high hopes for a very small restaurant that opened up in town last year.... fresh food, a different non-country-style, non-Tex-Mex menu.... but as the restaurant got more popular, the prices went up and the portions went down, and suddenly we were paying for frozen food cooked to order, and desserts that had been sitting there days too long.  We even gave that place another try a couple of months ago..... nothing had changed, so we're not going back.

So we drive 45 miles to College Station, which is the largest town around here, and that's not saying much at all because College Station is still a small town. However... they do have some very nice restaurants that remind us of the places we miss in Houston and Clear Lake. And, wonder of wonders, the restaurants up there are even open for dinner.   We drive up there and take care of some errands (the stores and shopping centers are similar to those in Clear Lake, plus they have a real bookstore).... and then we go out for lunch. Not only do we eat lunch, but we bring home some to-go orders... and then we can have real Chinese food at our own table during the week without having to drive the 45 miles again.

There is not, however, a Greek restaurant in College Station. Closest Greek restaurant is in Houston, I guess, which is nearly two hours away. Give me a blessed break.  During our driving trip last week, we found Greek restaurants in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. You would think that at some point in Greek history, at least a few of those wise old Greeks would have found their way to the Hill Country of Texas....