We have so many great meals from Thanksgiving to New Year’s – from special family dishes to parties to gourmet meals at upscale restaurants that are an integral part of holiday outings. The two dishes below were from the same meal recently in Houston – a gorgeous charcuterie plate and my entree, a filet mignon with asparagus and savory bread pudding. (Wowza, I feel full again just looking back at the pictures.)
Delectable charcuterie 
Filet mignon
Being a foodie, I love the special nature of holiday cuisine, but sometimes I get Fancy Food Fatigue and want to step back into simple, everyday fare. That’s how we ended up at a coffee shop in Houston that’s been open for over 50 years. The Dot sign literally beckoned to us from the highway.
Dot Coffee Shop has a retro diner feel, and it was all dressed up for the holidays.
A diner standard is the alluring dessert case next to the cash register. (We resisted its charms but appreciated its presence.)
Dot’s web site promises “homemade, classic comfort favorites” and that’s exactly what we got. We ordered was quintessential diner food: sandwiches and baked potato soup. (Don’t judge – I never said we were on a calorie conservation plan.)
What a delightful meal! It felt like a Saturday at home when Dad was cooking, waaaay back in my childhood.
So, Dear Readers, I highly recommend taking a break from holiday food fanciness and taking advantage of a diner meal or two. It’s a delightful way to alleviate Fancy Food Fatigue. (I know, I know, that’s definitely a first world problem.)
