Good food in New Braunfels

Being without power for 13 days is harder than you think - even the most basic things are thrown off kilter and you suddenly find that you have to do everything you can before it gets remotely dark outside. Otherwise, it's lantern-time.

That being the case, we opted to flee our powerless situation this past weekend and head up to New Braunfels. Of course, the power came back on on Friday night and, like Thomas, I didn't believe it until I put my fingers in the holes of His hands... we saw the light on Sunday. All is good again.

But... while we were in New Braunfels, we had a chance to eat at some great little places. Most are well-known but, if you haven't been to NB before, you may not immediately know where to go. The area offers the oldest dancehall in Texas, the oldest bakery in Texas, BBQ, home cooking, Mexican and much more. So, here are four places that benefited from our power outage:

Huisache Grill - 303 W. San Antonio - You wouldn't find it unless you knew to take a little dirt backroad next to the railroad tracks. Once there, you'll find a great wine bar and restaurant with a peaceful garden, a nice selection of wine and some very good food. We make it a point to eat here any time we're in New Braunfels. Excellent food.

Crosswalk Cafe - 489 Main Plaza - Right on the main square, this is a great place to get your coffee fix or to grab a light breakfast or lunch. Never overflowing but usually abuzz with regular clientèle. Great place to grab a spot outside and enjoy a nice espresso.

Grist Mill - 1287 Gruene Road - Telling someone about going to the Grist Mill is far from sharing an "inside tip" but, again, if you haven't been to New Braunfels or Gruene, it may not be as obvious. So, make it a point to go to Gruene, put your name on the potentially long waiting list and look forward to eating at a local landmark. When you're done, see who happens to be playing at Texas' oldest dancehall, Gruene Hall.

Union Street Station - 512 E. San Antonio Street - This tiny place is a great place to catch up with locals. Not far from Schiltterbahn, Union Street Station offers breakfast all day as well as sandwiches and other casual and country cooking. 50+ omelets are on the money and, if you get there at the wrong time on a weekend, expect a long wait. Prices are nice and cheap and you get plenty of food.