My next mission, after seeing the Alamo at night, was going to Esquire Tavern on the San Antonio Riverwalk for deep-fried pickles. I had heard about frickles, but had never partook. It was time to change that.
Though I went to this establishment solely for the dill delicacy, what I also got was a stinky pig.
About Eating Frickles: Deep Fried Pickles
Established in 1933, this speakeasy is the oldest bar on the Riverwalk. They also claim to have the longest bar in Texas and, at 100 feet, I wasn’t going to argue.
We plopped ourselves into a cozy booth and perused the menu that was filled with the type of sophisticated pub food that makes your mouth water.
This is not the place you want to go if you are watching your figure, the word “fried” appears on the menu way too many times.
Before I even made it past the appetizer section, I flagged down the server to order my frickles. I didn’t want to risk them running out, they could be a hot commodity around here.
The frickles came to the table piping hot, crunchy and with a side of ranch. Just how I now like my pickles. Now.
The pickle taste was faint, masked by the carbs surrounding it. But, I still ate the whole basket. Regret ensues.
We ordered a juicy BBQ burger as an accompaniment, because I decided I couldn’t survive on frickles alone. Could I?
And to add to the fatty fried oil that had already been ingested, this patty was topped with the largest fried onion rings, which of course made it taste that much better. But, my stomach is not going to be happy with me this evening.
After sipping on a diet soda for half my meal, I decided that I needed a stiff drink in order to really feel the vibe of this bar and that’s when I was met with a Stinky Pig. This libations main feature was Bacon Bourbon.
Is it just me or does it seem like they are putting bacon in EVERYTHING?
I’m used to sipping on wine, so my first gulp made me squint my eyes and grit my teeth. Note to self: hard liquor is a lot stronger than vino. Maybe the fact that this drink was listed under the “Big & Boozy” category should have been a good indicator. I dumped the rest of my cola into my cocktail and went back to my frickles.
Have you ever tried deep-fried pickles, frickles? What’s the most unique thing you have tried with bacon in it?
I LOVE deep-fried pickles, especially if they are a little bit spicy. Unfortunately, I don't get to have them often because Blake hates pickles and I don't want to ingest a whole basket all by myself…The Pub, where I completed my Pub Passport, always gave a deep-fried pickle on the side with every entree, so when we went, I would get to eat mine and Blake's. Awesome!
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with eating a whole basket to yourself ;)
I LOVE fried pickles. I used to make them all the time. There are two places in town that have pretty great fried pickles. LOVE!!!
I never thought about making them myself. Now that’s a great idea :)
pickles and bacon bourbon? best night ever.
Best night…morning not so good ;)
That place looks so cool! I love the authentic old timey vibe that the logo and menu typeface convey.
Not sure I would have had the cajones to drink the stinky pig…the most unique bacon dish I've had was a maple bacon ice cream which seemed adventurous a few years ago but now seems to be run-of-the-mill compared to everything else with bacon in it.
I have seen chocolate bacon ice cream, but never maple bacon!
That sounds like an immense bar – I am so hungry for a burger and a stinky pig right now – Never thought I'd say that!!!! Lx
I never thought I’d be drinking a stinky pig ;)
this sounds awesome! but i'm a sucker for fried pickles!
The pickles were pretty tasty, not so much for the stinky pig ;)
Love the Fried Pickles! I used to live in TX. I love the themed restaraunts down there. Ft. Worth stockyards has some excellent steakhouses. If you ever have the chance and haven't already you should check out the TX State Fair. They fry EVERYTHING there! Twinkies and Oreos are usuals, but one of the newer things they've been cooking up is deep-fried coca cola.
As for the bacon, once I had some bacon gum… I'd pass on that one the next time around. There's actually this whole wierd market for bacon-flavored stuff, from hot-sauce to toothpaste. Yuck! You can find them on Amazon.
I definitely need to try deep-fried Oreos!! That sounds delish :)
Aaaah, the good old fried pickle! I'm not a huge fan, but it doesn't taste bad I think. Then again, you can fry the taste out of just about anything :) Before moving to Texas I had no idea that there were fried pickles, fried Jalapeno strips (yummy!), fried mozarella sticks, …
Mmmmm…..mozzarella sticks….