DARK HORSE LODGE

Well, we finally got around to trying that new "Texas Tapas" place that opened up in nearby Kyle. To tell you the truth, I was a bit worried when we walked through the door. It looked like an ordinary bar -- not much in the way of ambiance -- and I feared the food would be ordinary bar food, bought frozen then heated up. I was wrong.

We never would have noticed it if we hadn't been looking for it, but there is a door at the very back which leads to a perfectly lovely patio area.

Here is a sampling of what we had to eat -- all small tapas-style dishes, meant to be shared:

Smoked Chicken Taquitos

Parmesan Truffle Fries and Crispy Catfish

Tempura Shrimp with Wasabi Slaw and Barbacoa-Stuffed Mushrooms

Molten Chocolate Cake

There were also some Brown Sugar Baby Back Ribs with Chipotle Ranch Slaw and a basket of fried pickle chips that didn't get photographed, for some reason. I don't think any of this food came from the local frozen food supplier.

Our only complaint? Not enough lava cake! We really should have ordered one more.