Vitek's BBQ

          Ballgames are pretty fun. In fact, I went to my first one last night, where I cheered for the Baylor Bear! Before that, however, my friends and I went to a little place called Vitek’s BBQ. It is a local Waco favorite when it comes to BBQ and is a staple part of just about every Baylor student’s diet.

          Vitek’s started out as a grocery and meat market in 1915 and has steadily grown into a respectable restaurant joint. There most notable menu item is the Gut Pak, which I ordered for this meal. The interior has a nice upscale, western bar feel to it and is relatively clean. There is a lot of wood furniture everywhere and both indoor and outdoor seating. Additionally, Vitek’s caters to anyone who wants them; typically Baylor has them cater a lot of events.

          After walking in to Vitek’s for the second time ever, I decided to try the all-so-famous Gut Pak. It consists of Frito’s corn chips, sausage, brisket, pickles, jalapenos, onions, beans and cheese. It was also recently named the “Best College Eats” and was featured on ESPN. After you order you move down a line along the counter to pay for and pick up your food. I ordered a large Gut Pak and a small drink and together it seemed relatively expensive. However, after I looked at the food, I could see why it was priced so high. There was just a lot of food everywhere.

          As I sat down with my friends I tasted the Gut Pak for the first time. The pickles were sweet, sour and weird. The jalapenos were sweet as well, but not spicy enough. I did not like either of those things. However, the BBQ was pretty amazing. The brisket was deliciously sweet and tangy and the jalapeno sausage was perfectly cooked. Onions and Fritos tend to have a standard taste. The cheese was melted and delicious. Additionally, the Gut Pak came with two pieces of sliced bread!

          Overall, I really loved the atmosphere inside Vitek’s. The food was pretty decent, a little salty in my opinion, but worth trying. Almost all of my friends are in love with the Gut Pak, but if you don’t like it, there are plenty of other options to choose from. I would definitely go back to try a different menu item. This local Waco restaurant is a must try for all visitors!

Torchy's Tacos

Although my blog is all about local Waco restaurants, I thought that given the special occasion, Torchy’s Tacos deserved an honorable mention.

          Now this place is brand new to Waco and held a grand opening on April 3, 2014. It was originally started in Austin and has finally made its way north to Waco. The interior is very Austin-like; it’s pretty metallic and hipster. Additionally, they have a wide variety of Austin-brand sodas and even serve alcohol. Torchy’s Tacos also has both indoor and outdoor seating.

          My friends and I decided that we wanted to try the new restaurant that Baylor students have been raving about, and so we went in between classes for lunch. When we got there, the line was a relatively long size. After we got in line, we got moved outside because it was a safety hazard to have a long line indoors. After we ordered our food, which was relatively pricey for tacos, we sat down and noticed that the line had increased considerably out the door.

          The food came out pretty quickly and I must say that it looked amazing. I had ordered chips and queso, a Migas taco special, rice and The Democrat.

          The rice and chips and queso came out first and I was astounded by the chips and queso. The chips were nice and crunchy and not too salty, but the queso is where it was at. It was light, flavorful, slightly salty and spicy! Additionally, in the center of the queso was a nice scoop of cool guacamole. The combination of flavors has my mouth watering even now. The rice was also pretty good and standard. The cilantro on the rice threw off the flavors a little though.

          Now the tacos were also amazing. The Migas Special is a breakfast taco with soft tortillas, cheese, eggs and bacon. The bacon was pretty salty for bacon, but the overall aftertaste was delicious. The Democrat, on the other hand, was simply amazing all around. The barbacoa inside was so soft and mushy

and there was a giant avocado slice on top. They even gave me the option between corn and flour tortillas.

          Overall, the place has certainly become one of my favorite places to eat in Waco. It is a little pricey, but they quality of food is worth the price. They have a huge selection and the chips and queso are to die for. For anyone who is simply driving through Waco, Torchy’s Taco is located right of Interstate 35, right across from Baylor University. I strongly encourage everyone to stop by Torchy’s Tacos for some amazing food.