#hes got a whole joint hidden up there and it also has its own plating behind it that looks like it could scrape his fender!

[vodid]

trust me to spend a solid hour looking over pics and footage just to figure out how a shoulder works and spending a meager 5 minutes finally drawing it.

[beatofmyowndrum]

Tell Them!

I miss my dad. I miss him far more than I thought I would. I think that statement deserves an explanation.

My parents divorced when I was a little boy. From the time I was about seven or eight years old until I was somewhere in my forties, he lived in the Chicago suburbs about 900 miles away from me. He came down for special occasions, weddings, and funerals, and he never failed to drive down to pick us up for his two weeks with us every summer, but to a little boy, he may as well have been a million miles away. I learned to live my life without my dad around at a very early age. Consequently, he and I both aged without ever truly knowing how to express much toward each other emotionally. I loved him. And I know he loved me. But neither of us ever actually said those words until I was well into adulthood, and then rarely. So, even though I knew he was slowly dying the last few weeks of his life, I dealt with the whole mess the way almost every other man deals with the unpleasantries of life... I shoved it to the back of my overloaded heart and mind with all of the other things that rip at a man's soul. And, as usual, this worked well for me... temporarily. Dad has been gone from this world for almost a year now and those emotions I hid away are starting to fight their way out. It's not a fall to my knees and cry all day kind of thing, though. My love for my dad is exposing itself in subtle, but powerful ways.

Just a few days ago, I was craving hot dogs. The thought of eating a hot dog reminded me of the hundreds of times he called me and asked if I wanted to meet him for lunch, almost always for hot dogs at the Hidden Grill in Phenix City. That led me down a memory lane of conversations we would have during those lunches about my brother and sisters and how life was going for each of us. He cared SO much about our lives and how we were doing. He worried about us. He loved us.

My dad told me he was proud of me exactly two times in my life. Once, after I had been raising my son as a single dad for several years, dad told me at the end of a phone conversation, "By the way, son, I want you to know that you're doing an amazing thing raising Chance on your own. I'm proud of you." I'm not sure what I said in response or if I was actually able to say anything at all, but it melted my heart to hear those words and carried me through the struggle for a long time after. The second time he expressed his pride was several years later. Before I got older and my joints started failing me, I played recreational softball. I was never the best player on any team, but I was also never a liability. Dad, living as far away as he did, only saw me play in a single game. I played first base at the time and had a really good night. I think I was 4x4 at the plate with a couple of doubles and I made a few good plays in the field. Long story short, as we were walking away from the field to the parking lot, he said, "Wow, son, you played a great game! I'm proud of you. Looking like Paul Konerko out there." Konerko played first for the Chicago White Sox at the time, by the way. On both occasions, until I heard those words in his voice, I had not realized how important my father's pride was to me. Turns out, it's pretty important and I would venture that most men feel the same.

I don't know why we men are so stubborn about showing our emotions. Maybe its genetics. Maybe its thousands of years of expectations to only show strength and hide all weakness. I have no clue. But I know this - my dad loved us and he loved us big! He didn't say the words (at least to me) very often, but he definitely expressed it. He told me he loved me by letting me know that he worried about me. He told me he loved me by letting me know that he was proud of me. He told me he loved me by asking me to have hotdogs with him. He told me he loved me by sharing stories of his childhood with me over those hotdogs. He told me he loved me by sharing his recipe for collard greens with me and teaching me that the secret to great tomato gravy is bacon grease. He told me he loved me by teaching me how to use his power tools. He told me he loved me by allowing me to witness his weakness by asking me to help him do things in his yard when he got too sick to do them himself. He told me he loved me by sharing with me stories from his time in Vietnam that haunted him his entire life. He was a kind and caring man who often hid those traits behind a tough-guy mask. He told me he loved me by letting me see behind that mask.

Men, emotions are NOT weaknesses. If you love your wife and kids, tell them. Tell them often. Tell them with words. Tell them with deeds. Tell them by sharing your dreams and fears. Tell them by standing firm on your morals and being a man of integrity. Tell them by letting them see the man behind the mask. And for the love of all that is holy, if you have a son, let him know that you are proud of him!

I miss my dad. I miss him a lot. And I finally understand why.

[petitelepus]

Decepticon For Life, Part 13

The battle is just starting and ending before you even know it.

You watched in horror how Starscream raised your lord Megatron's very own sword in the air, ready to slash your lord down. You tried to reach blindly for your gun, but it was just out of your reach. You cried as Starscream was just about to deliver the killing blow when suddenly, the Headmaster unit flew at him and cut Starscream's helm off!

You stared in shock how the Headmaster gained control over his body and the yellow little bot yelled from his spot on the wall. "I told you he was working with the Decepticons! He just saved Megatron's skin plate!"

"I saved him so I could kick his skin plate myself!" You heard Professor Sumdac's voice come from inside the Headmaster unit. Traitor, your mind shouted. Just as you thought you could trust someone. The professor used Starscream's body and attacked Megatron, but your lord threw the clones holding in place back at him and shot the unit off with one blast from his fusion cannon.

You watched in great joy how Starscream's headless body collapsed on top of its owner's helm. The con cried in pain and shouted orders left and right at his clones. "What are you waiting for!? Destroy Megatron, now!"

The clones, they just stood around their leader. The femme smiled. "Any leader has to be an improvement over you!" 

Your optics widened. They were switching sides. You felt like laughing if your helm wasn't still buzzing. You tried to push yourself up, but your arms gave up under you. You watched how the orange clone kneeled before Megatron and started to sing praises to him. "Oh wise and great Megatron, you've truly proven your vast superiority!"

"I will remain loyal to you forever!" The white clone sang to the original Starscream, only to kick his headless body before joining other clones at Megatron's side. You groaned but your processor was still aching. Despite it, you pushed yourself up and approached your leader. Megatron looked at you and motioned you towards static cuffs.

"Cuff them all. We aren't letting these Autobots ruin my plans to conquer Cybertron."

"Yes my lord." You said before getting the cuffs and snapping them over Optimus Prime's hands. The clones dragged Bulkhead's unconscious and cuffed frame over the leader and threw him on the ground. You didn't have any idea when he was beaten, but it must have been in the middle of the attack. Mixmaster took the Starscream's helm and glued it to the wall beside the yellow Autobot.

Megatron cracked the Headmaster Unit open and grabbed the professor Sumdac from inside. He took the human back to his forcefield cage where he could be no more danger. Then you heard weak noises coming from the bound Autobots and you all surrounded them, you, Megatron, 3 clones and Mixmaster. Just in time as the Autobot leader woke up, only to see how he and his team were defeated.

"How does it feel to be held captive in your own static cuffs, Autobot?" Megatron asked, but the leader bot didn't answer. Just then the leaner Construction emerged from the tunnel, Blitzwing, and Lugnut right behind him.

"Jou, look who I found!" Scrapper laughed as he pointed at the two Decepticon superiors. You smiled at the sight of them, though you had to wonder where they had been. They could have been helpful against the Autobots and clones, but now at least you got the clones on your side. Your leader's side.

"Your fate is sealed now, Autobots. While the Elite Guard forces are occupied with the Decepticon uprising at the rim of the galaxy, I will use this Space Bridge to transport my Decepticons into the heart of the Cybertron and take over the entire Space Bridge network." Megatron explained as he turned to look at the still going Space Bridge.

"Ha! You actually believe that ridiculous plan will-!" Starscream was saying when Mixmaster shot cement over his mouth and silenced him. You smiled at him and elbowed him to the side. "Nice one."

"Eh, dude talks too much." He smiled back at you and you stifled a giggle. Megatron continued his speech. "From there it will be a simple matter to transport all Decepticon forces to a virtually defenseless Cybertron and take over the entire planet. And I have your special Space Bridge expert to thank for it." He said as he pointed at Bulkhead.

"I still don't understand where this expertise came from." Autobot leader asked from his bulky soldier. "I had a lot of time to study Space Bridge schematics on the energon farm. Just had a knack for it, I guess..."

"Duh, well that's great. The one thing you're good at is going to hand the Cybertron to Decepticons." The yellow bot said, but the Bulkhead continued, "Don't get your circuits in a bunch! The Space Bridge is useless without a receiving code and for that Megatron would need to have somebody on Cybertron!"

"Don't you remember anything?" The small yellow bot asked. "The transmission I picked up? Wasp? The Decepticon spy I caught while back in boot camp?"

"You mean the spy WE caught in boot camp, don't you Bumblebee?" Came suddenly a very monotone voice. Your helm snapped up at the TV screens over the control desk and there in other side of the screen stood a con with one single crimson optic.

"How you know my name?" The yellow bot, Bumblebee sounded frightened. The con in screen did something ýou had never seen anyone done. He changed his form and not to a vehicle or jet, but into a whole new bot! "Surely you recognize your old pal Longarm." He asked and Bumblebee's eyes widened in realization.

"So... Wasp wasn't a double agent? Which means...?"

"You sent an innocent bot to Trypticon prison..." Bulkhead said much to Autobots' regret. You had no idea who this Wasp was, but he seemed to have been a scapegoat for Autobots. If you would ever meet him you would make sure to welcome him to Decepticons' side. Betrayed by their own people...? Disgusting. Autobots were disgusting.

"Decepticons! Prepare for our conquest of Cybertron!" Megatron roared and everyone, every single Decepticon roared right before him, everyone ready to take some action towards your better future. You were also crying out a warcry, though, you, Mixmaster and Scrapper looked at each other in confusion.

"Eh, what's a Cybertron?" Scrapper asked and Mixmaster shrugged. "I have no idea, you lost me at 'Your fate is sealed now'."

"I heard it's our rightful home planet so maybe we get to take it from Autobots and use as we please?" You piped in, but you were all still confused. Scrapper added, "Does that mean we get all the oil we want?"

"Oh boy, would that be so good...!" Mixmaster piped in. You grinned in excitement and watched as your lord smirked and walked up to the cuffed Autobots. "But first, we need to test the Space Bridge..." He said as he picked up Autobot leader Optimus Prime with one hand only, "Just in case our Autobot expert decides to sabotage it."

"And I will be waiting for the test subject on this side." The one called Longarm said as he transformed back into his single optic form. "Just in case he didn't sabotage it."

You watched diligently as Megatron walked closer to the Spice Bridge. He pulled his arm hand holding Prime back, but before he could throw him into the giant blue sphere the ground started to shake. At first, you thought it was an earthquake but you saw huge yellow shot being taken at the opening on the ceiling Starscream had blasted open. You were under and attack and your attacker was a yellow and red space ship.

"Mixmaster, Scrapper! Clear the rubble from the Space Bridge!" Megatron ordered and the Constructicon duo transformed and got to work. Your lord looked the rest of you. "Rest of you, attack that Autobot ship!"

You didn't need to be told twice. You hoisted your guns and activated your jets, following your superiors and clones to the battle. You all surrounded the ship, shooting from every angle ever made and taking advantage of the ship being too big to actually dodge your attacks. You were like mosquitoes, flying over a huge piece of bloody flesh, hitting it with every chance you got. It didn't take long before the ship spewed smoke and started to fall on the ground. That was until it transformed into the biggest bot you had ever seen.

You and other cons stopped on your tracks and transformed out of your alt modes and you stood there in the air with your jets. You felt cold oil freeze your joints. That Autobot was HUGE. The yellow bot took one look at you all and his voice boomed like a bomb in an empty room.

"I AM OMEGA SUPREME."

The bot turned his back at you and other cons and started to walk with his huge steps towards the mountain opening. Lugnut sputtered and cursed. "Your size is meaningless compared to the greatness of Megatron!"

"Size...?" The femme clone muttered by herself before smirking. "That's it! Everyone, aim for the legs!" She ordered and everyone did as she told. You, Blitzwing, Lugnut, and other two clones shot your biggest shots at the Omega Supreme's right leg and sure enough, the behemoth came crashing down to his right knee.

Yes, the plan was working! Or so you thought when the giant mech suddenly pushed himself up through a great struggle and opened his hidden weapons compartments. Your optics widened in shock and he shot everything he had. The cons and clones managed to dodge them expect for the femme but she stood her ground.

"Oh, great and mighty Autobot," Starscream's orange suck up clone approached Omega Supreme. "It is an honor to merely bask in your majestic- BRYAH!" The giant Autobot was merciless as he smacked the clone down like he was a mere fly. The white clone who you had learned to address as a liar flew to Autobot's leg and yelled. "Hey, look! Your stabilizing servo is unbolted!" and just then he was kicked into oblivion.

You watched in horror how one by one he took care of you cons. Blitzwing was furious if you were to believe his Hothead nature taking over and charging his flamethrowers at Omega Supreme's face.

"You overgrown Autobot! I will scramble your circuits so badly you will need GPS scanner to find your-!" He didn't get to finish as the giant Autobot headbutted him and your superior went flying out of your sight. Lugnut shot his explosive fists at the bot but his helm twirled around revealing a fusion cannon that he used to blow up Lugnut and his weapons. It was you and the femme clone against the Autobot.

"Any other great ideas!?" You shouted and the femme snarled back at you. "Just keep shooting!"

You were doing it without her even telling you to and other clones joined you but then the Omega Supreme loaded his biggest shot and it hit you head-on. You cried out as your jets shut down and you went hurling into the forests and hit your helm pretty hard on your way back down.

You groaned in pain, the ache in your joints overpowering your will to get up again, but the greatest pain came from your helm. That's when you finally blacked out for good.

'You stood there in the middle of the row of students who wore similar black cape and hat as you. You were so excited you completely shut down the principal's speech of how great your generator would be to society. As soon as you got the permission, hats went flying and you all rushed to meet your family who had came to witness your graduation. You run straight to your mother who was watching and filming the whole thing like a doting parent would.

"Did you see mom? I actually graduated!" You cried out happily and looked around. The smile on your face dropped as you looked at your mother. She smiled sympathetically and shook her head. "Your father wanted to come but you know how it is with him. His work is important and-"

"-Work comes over family... Yeah, I know." You slumped but the diploma in your hand reminded you. Your studies were over. Your Hell had ended. You were free and you could do whatever you wanted! This idea brought you joy and the endless possibilities were there before you. You could finally get a job and move out from your parent's house. You had saved a nice little sum of money by living with them through your studies so you could now move out.

"Mom, I want to move out." You blurted and your mother blinked. "Honey, already? You know you can live with us until you get your feet under you."

"No mom, I'm ready."

"You need a job!"

"I'll find one!"

Your mother scowled and rubbed her temple. "If you really want, I think your aunt might be able to get you a job at the office."

"Really?" You sounded so hopeful. Your mother smiled and nodded. "Yes, but it's not an easy job. Mister Perry insists that all his workers have clean papers."

You grinned, "Mom when you last time caught me drinking?"

Your mother blinked like an owl. "Have you-!?"

"No, I actually haven't!" You laughed, "But you thought so!"

"You little rascal." Your mother shook her head as she placed her hand over your back and insisted that you follow her. "Let's go get you some cake! You if anyone has earned it!"

BBBZzzzZZZZ

It was war, ruthless and unforgiving and it didn't take any prisoners. You shot through the explosions and the dark clouds they raised as you located your target. An Autobot soldier, high ranking and very much needed in order to defeat approaching Decepticon forces. Your frame worked on its own, instincts that the Autobot scientists had implanted on you taking over the common sense that would scream at you for being in the middle of the firefight.

You arrived to the soldier they ordered you to save and you saw another bot there. A medic by her red and white paint job. She looked glad to see you. "You're just in time! He doesn't have much time...!"

Red Alert, your mind offered you. You took in the sight of her. Energon stained her hands and you watched the source of it, the Autobot you were sent to save bleeding heavily. You looked at Red Alert and nodded at her. "Mission confirmed. Starting the program Second Chance."

"Wonderful! Now I must go, I'm needed elsewhere...!" She said and transformed, taking off so fast that her wheels left marks on the ground. You turned to look at the bot before you and kneeled next to him... Until you suddenly felt pain flare on your side and you went down like a computer that was corrupted by a hardcore virus. Your vision fizzed and serious of ones and zeros flashed through your optics.

You registered the pained cries of the bot you were supposed to save but someone else picked you up. They had a large frame, easily picking you up and taking you with them. As your optics fizzled into darkness you just thought about your mission you were assigned to.

BBBZzzzZZZZ

Mother had gotten you a job in one of the biggest law firms in Detroit. It was an okay job at first, the boss, mister Perry was a kind man... For the first 3 days, you spent there as his secretary. After that, you were just his slave and stress doll to pinch with needless and twist in fury. Only his needles were cruel jabs at you and your dedication and studies and punches were mean names he would call you with.

No one stood up for him. No one would help you without becoming his next target. You were all alone... And because of that selfish bastard you went out that day and were captured by this evil con...! Because of him, you were fried like an ant under the magnifying glass...

BBBZzzzZZZZ

You couldn't see, couldn't feel. Only hear. You heard your captors talking. They were talking about you. They called you a traitor for the Decepticon cause. Called you a dirty Autobot. You wanted to scream. NO! It wasn't you! You just wanted to be free...

"Put her in a deep freeze. Let her be your war trophy."

And that's the last thing you remember before you blacked our for good...'

You jolted awake, your whole frame tense and ready for any oncoming attack, arms up and guns ready. You panted in cold oil. You remembered. You weren't a con or Autobot. You were human. No, not anymore. Now you were a part machine. You were a victim... Everybody took advantage of you and now you were alone... But you could still seek justice...!

[orenonahaichigoda]

I had a rough day, and came to a realisation. I will say a bit about my own experience, and then, after having to lay the groundwork of explaining 400 things about Japan because American schools and media think the whole world is the US, Western Europe, and places to blow up, making explaining necessary, will tie it to Ichigo, or at least how I portray him.

I'm Post Dankai Juniors, growing up in Japan. So's Kubo, actually. The boundaries of this Japanese generation are roughly '75 to '85, Yutori, the following generation that's always translated and localised as Millennial, pretty solidly set as beginning at '86. These things are always fuzzy because you can't vivisect living brains and find the part that likes char siu buns and the part that likes jazz fusion. I *majored* in Social Science. You'll have teachers who say "it is absolute that we date people who are similar to us because we're all actually narcists." (It *might* be because they're like our beloved family or community. Narcistic Personality is not universal) But it really just is fuzzy, and that teacher/book author is an idiot. Anyway, Yutori is always translated as Millennial. I don't know the end boundary. Post Dankai Juniors covers almost totally a debated throe for Germanic nations (I know Britain, Germany, and Nederland use the same generations as America, and their languages are Germanic) because of how fuzzy it all is, though.

Anyway, so since coming to the US, my interactions with other Asians, again, how is this defined when China, Mongolia, Japan all border Russia and West Asia includes Jordan and Saudi Arabia, South Asia is India's area, Southeast Asia is Laos, Thailand's area, I mean, find the Arabic kanji. I don't think Thailand even uses soy sauce. What the heck IS Asia, really? (Or "Middle East" when half of that's Africa and the other half shares plate with Europe? )

Anyway, my experience with Asians that are Boomer ages tends to be people who immigrated as adults, who more identity with a generation like "Dankai" or "Sirake." My experiences with Latinos older than me... I've never actually asked if the generational labels are even the same.

The thing about that is that when the name is the same, it means enough cultural traits are shared.

My biggest experience with people who grew up under the term "Boomer" are Black and white.

I've noticed a unifying trait.

If they're something oppressed (Black, gay), their attitude tends to be"it is mandatory to stand up for *my* demograph...but kicking the person behind me on the ladder in the teeth is wholesome, pure, and fun."

Outing me to large groups and saying I "speak Asian" seem to be the most common two. Calling me "Chinese" long after I've cleared this up for them is a close third.

I mean, don't get me wrong--my experience with Italian Americans past GI generation has been that now acquiring the "white" label, just like biphobic/aphobic/transphobic cisgays, they're more often staunch priveledge defenders than cishet people of Anglo descent! And it's just as true for X and Y as it is for Boomer (for the latter, one need only look at NYC destroyer and trump defender Giuliani) I actually don't really identify with my Italian side at all because I was kinda locked out of making any meaningful connection.

But back to my point that even in so-leftist-it's-almost-not-America Bay Area, Boomers are still like this!

The kind of stuff that flows out a X/Y TERF's mouth, or the mouth of an X/Y person with a Confederate flag on his wall, American-raised Boomers say with ease regardless of their alignment! It's banananas.

(Please note that I also just have not met a whole lot of Native Americans, period, nor enough people significantly older than me from any one place in Africa, that was an omission of lacking data, not intended as erasure)

How I tie it to Ichigo--

So Kubo avoids specifying birth years for anyone.

When I see something like this, I generally assume date of publication, as do most people in most fandoms (which of course gets screwy when you have something endlessly rebooted like Superman or Batman or something eternally unchanging like Detective Conan)

Anyway, the first Bleach something published was the comic in '01.

I generally assume it was supposed to be the start of a new school year, as Ichigo doesn't know many of his classmates until at least the first test scores come out. So it's probably April or something.

If Ichigo was 15 then, he'd also be Post Dankai Juniors, just barely. If Ichigo TURNED 15 shortly after, during his adventure, he'd be undebatably Millennial.

Now, there is still something up with Dankai and Sirake. PM Abe is the latter, b. 1954. A lot of his age-peers are behind him. This is the guy who supports remilitarisation and was caught funding a private militarist/fascist high(?) school that teaches that people from countries Japan conquered during its brief phase of trying to beat colonial Europe are less than dogs.

Now, I left there as a teen. Clinton was US president. Scandals still got people kicked out of public office in Japan. I hadn't figured or come out yet. Sure, I got bullied for being mixed, but kids will pick if you like different singers than the "cool" ones. They'll pick based on what's in your lunch. That data is sausage.

I'm not 100% sure what Ichigo would face day-to-day sociopolitically as he grew up/aged. I haven't had living family since'95 there, and friendships don't get deep enough to ever last distance until at least high school. For me, adulthood.

But I've kept/caught up enough (you try keeping up in the South before the internet was more than ten University sites!) that I know he'd face fascists (c'mon, the guy takes on a martial law government to save a new friend--that's anarchist, he just doesn't seem anarchist in his own world. He only fights humans in defence) I'm not sure how he'd feel about the JSDF, but he only fought the sinigami's war out of feeling like it was his responsibility because the adults around him kinda made it so. I super don't see him being for *starting* wars. In a human war, I see him actually being like Sugihara Chiune, a historical figure who died when I was a kid who I majorly admire. He worked at a Japanese embassy in Nazi territory, and when the embassy was evacuated,he continued throwing passports to Jewish people to go to Japan from the train he was departing on,and is hidden from Americans in the same spirit that Martin Luther King is...pulled the teeth out of. (PS, speaking of,go Google Steven Kiyosi Kuromiya)

Also, Ichigo's whole schtick is defending those worse off than him. He's not someone I see defending Yamato Japanese priveledge. Heck, I could see him joining Uchinanchu efforts to get Parliament and the US base to leave them alone. I can easily see him sticking up for a Filipino domestic worker he met thirty seconds ago.

To this end, I think regardless of what he is, he'd have a large rub with Japan's equivalents of Boomers.

Not to mention that Abe supporters tend to be very sexist and queerphobic, which isn't even homegrown but imported from Américanisation. I mean, there were female warriors--assasins, which is what Yoruichi and Soi-Fon are styled after, and go look at some Ukiyoe, like Utagawa Kitamaro. Quite a few artists in the 200-ish years of the Edo period depicted life in the queer districts. I've also had people posit that Noh might've been a welcoming draw for trans people the same way drag was all over the US in the twentieth century and still is in rural areas, where there's less cisgay gatekeeping. But this isn't something I can reasonably research without access to plenty of older and not well known dusty documents, and lots of time, and I live in the US many years now. And do you know how much round trip airfare alone is!? Also, the language changed so much and I can't read anything before Meiji without dropping words. Rukia, Byakuya, Yoruichi all have made for TV old-sounding Japanese like period dramas. Actual 18th Century Japanese would be unintelligible to the unspecialised.

So this stuff isn't really native, but Abe and a lot of people his age support all these -isms.

I super don't see Ichigo being happy about this.

(I also feel like Issin's old enough to remember before these -isms, but that's my own thing. In my project, he was in those districts, but that's me)

At the same time, I'm still writing this through my own lens. Also, not still being there, I just don't have enough data on Yutori in adulthood, or the grown Yutori lens. Honestly, even most other immigrants I meet are older than that. Or older than that and their adorable three year old children. So I have no clue.

In the early 2000s, I got myself from the South to CA and began to reconnect, but began to is the key phrase. I can tell you right now that Abe is as much of a second phase of Nakasone as trump is of Nakasone's buddy Regean. But what shifted when, I can't say. I'm not entirely sure how Koizumi ran the ship, as it were. I know some things, but not enough to say.

But whenever things shifted however, and whichever year Ichigo was born, I just cannot imagine him being any more on board with current events than really anyone in my area not born between 1946-1964 and raised in America.

I feel like he'd probably be too tired or self-effacing to fight for himself, but he'd take on, loud and proud, any bigotry against *others.*

I...also can't really say I'm much different, except my joints are held together by the power of wishes, so I'm more like "get the victim to safety" than "give the attacker plenty of regret." So, I can only do anything in limited ways.

Ichigo is also entirely fuelled by the power of love. Lost his ability to protect and feels like his sinigami friends ditched him? Mondo depressed, however much he wants no one to notice--which most do a great job of ignoring! Everyone in his world turned against him for a guy who has attacked people close to him? Terrified, and murder can now be an answer. (Fullbring Arc)

I was going somewhere with that. I've forgotten, but I'll leave it.

But anyway, I feel like he really only comes close to fighting for himself when others are taken away from him in a way that's also wronging them.

So yeah, I super don't see him happy with current events or Sirake gen.

I'm not sure how much I see him fighting for himself as mixed panromantic grey-ace. I mean, we know he fights people who are about to punch his face in for his looks, but what else can you reasonably do at that point? Get your head bashed in? I'm not sure how much I see him fighting hateful words pointed at him versus resigning himself to "people are the worst." I mean, when he talks about being picked on, he kinda seems resigned, or at least like it's a fact, like shoes being for outside or something.

I guess I tied it to Ichigo a lot better than I thought!

But also, the struggle against people born just after the war is not just you, and not just America. It's a major problem.

And it's likely that Ichigo would agree.

[betratyal]

                       the first clear thought in years:                              I REFUSE TO DIE.

JACOB BATALON? No, that’s actually PETER PETTIGREW from the MARAUDERS ERA. You know, the child of AMBROSIA PETTIGREW and ALISTER MCALISTER? Only 20 years old, this GRYFFINDOR alumni works as a DISH WASHER and is sided with HIMSELF. HE/THEY identifies as AGENDER and is a HALFBLOOD who is known to be CUNNING, HUMOROUS and ALLOCENTRIC but also OBSESSIVE, PASSIVE and COWARDLY. 

LINKS – pinboard, stats, app. CHARACTER PARALLELS – winston bishop ( new girl ), sid jenkins ( skins ), charles boyle ( b99 ), edmund pevensie ( narnia ), eric forman ( that 70s show ), bunny corcoran ( the secret history ) AESTHETIC –  ketchup stains on band shirts, an incomprehensible minute long string of curses, tracing the veins in your wrist, the smell of breakfast and fresh coffee, card tricks at three in the morning, freddie mercury impersonations, lying on the floor of the kitchen staring a the ceiling for three hours, trembling hands holding a joint, a guilty grin. HEADS UP – this intro contains mentions of bullying, death, mental illness (eating disorders (bed & bulimia) and depression and anxiety), self destructive tendencies and weed. ive trigger warned each bullet point where it comes up.

history ( 1960 - 1978 )

peter was born to ambrosia pettigrew, a halfblooded scottish-filipino witch. his father -- a muggle -- was not in the picture and hadn’t been ever since he’d learned of ambrosia’s pregnancy; he would sent her money every now and then, in the first years of peter’s life, but was never in the picture. ( and that was for the best, thought ambrosia; she didn’t love him, and he was a muggle, but still --- she was heartbroken and wished that she could give more to her son ).

peter grew up living with his mother in a small flat in glasgow. his grandparents lived nearby, and he spent a lot of time with them. peter learned how to be alone from a young age, with his mother working a lot and he himself lacking friends and peers to waste the days with --- as a child, he delved into fictional worlds ( superhero comics, roald dahl novels, animated tv shows ) and found friends there.

bullying tw / went to muggle elementary as well, but never felt at home there. he was the odd one out: his clothes didn’t fit well, his nervous habits were annoying to his classmates, his words were too clumsy and his eyes too shifty. he didn’t mind not having friends ( or so he thought, until he did have them ) but he did mind being picked on and teased. end of tw

death tw /  his grandmother died when he was seven and it was devastating; peter’s family was so small and compact, his social world so limited, that it had a huge impact. his relationship with his grandfather did grow much stronger through it. end of tw 

and then peter finally went to hogwarts! and peter made friends for the FIRST TIME. and he found a second home! ah, my god --- peter was so happy, he was really so hyped and in awe of his life and his friends. it all felt a bit surreal; especially because he looked up to james and sirius and remus so much --- james, mainly, but all of them were so amazing, and he was so amazed that they liked him, too.

peter always loved heroes. he loves comic books and people who save the day and get the girl and do it all. i think he kind of … projected that onto james and sirius especially? did not know how to do this friendship thing as an 11 year old tbh, was a mess, was blinded by their amazingness damn, and thus kind of hero worshipped them, didn’t see their flaws and faults.

re: peter being a gryffindor; peter admires heroism and bravery and chivalry, and it’s your values that get you sorted some place. and he always did try to be brave, and he WAS in a lot of moments, because he became a damn animagus for his bud! i mean! he was not a hatstall btw  — i choose to ignore that stupid bit of post canon. it took a while for the hat, sure, but no more than two minutes.  

peter was a pretty bad student, to be honest. not because he was stupid, but because he’s just not build for school. deadlines? exams? homework? no thank you --- those were both sources of stress and horribly tedious things and peter was much too occupied with shenanigans and having fun. peter learned better in different settings: he got very good at certain charms because they allowed him to be lazy ( hello, accio! ) and was able to put his mind to becoming an animagus because there was a necessity and a proper motivation, and became better at potions because of all the hangover potions he brew. 

becoming an animagus for remus was ! important ! to peter ! he did it for remus, not because of peer pressure, or anything else — he did it because it was right, and his friend deserved it and ! he did it, too, because he could. sure, his transfig grades may have been more than poor, but the kid did have some skill. he just needed motivation, which mcgonagall didn’t give (bc. she scared him.) and this situation? motivated the hell out of him.

peter would be lying if he said he wasn’t taken a bit aback when he learned about remus’ lycanthropy — not because he was scared of him, to be honest, but he was just ? shocked ? he was more scared for remus, and so sad? so fucking sad for him? : ( he cried

he also loved spending his time at hogwarts playing games; from muggle card games to chess to gobstones. collected chocolate frogs Very Seriously as well, and still does tbh.

weed & anxiety tw / peter started smoking pot in the summer between his fourth and fifth year, and never really stopped. it made him slack more at school, but also eased his anxiety, which had started to develop in his fourth year. as months passed, peter became more and more of a stoner, which made him both more relaxed and funnier, but also … a whole of a lot lazier. end of weed tw

peter had always been a bit … fidgety, easily on edge, a bit nervous, but he’d never really known anxiety until around fourteen years old. his insecurities grew, as he started comparing himself more to his friends and finding nothing but things he lacked in comparison to them, and questions as to why they put up with him. end of anxiety tw

so his schooldays mostly looked like … doing nothing, playing games, having fun with his mates, getting high, forgetting his homework, stressing about homework, and somewhere, in a tiny corner of his being, worrying about the war. whenever those worries started coming up, though, he was able to push them away, because the war was not yet there, not for him at least. there was graduation to worry about first, and once that was done, then he could worry about the war.

post graduation - now ( 1978 - 1980 )

peter joins the order along with his friends, because it was what was right. peter believes in their cause, hates the death eaters, hates discrimination and racism and terrorism --- of course he fucking does, and so he joins, even though he feels incompetent. i have written a lot about this in his app too, which is linked above! 

he starts working as a dishwasher in muggle glasgow, preferring a bit of a break from the wizarding world every now and then. peter’s not unambitious, per se, but he doesn’t have enough faith in himself to try and pursue a career ( and besides, what’s the point in the midst of a war? ). plus, peter doesnt need any more stress on his plate, and dish washing is laidback and at least kind of fun. 

depression & weed & eating disorder (bed/bulimia) tw | peter feels useless in the order, though. he seems to lack the skills, the guts, the everything that the people around him have. before, their heroics mightve inspired him; now they just make him feel like a shitty person, like a burden. peter starts secluding himself a little, hiding in his mother’s home. he smokes more pot. he sometimes goes almost week without seeing someone besides his mum and his coworkers. he watches too much telly and reads comics and drowns in fictional worlds and he becomes depressed. he sinks into it without noticing and can’t come back from it. his eating habits ( which have always bordered on unhealthy ) turn worse; peter binges, and then restricts, falls into a cycle. it’s the only routine he has.

when he’s around his friends, he lives up a little. he cracks jokes and wants to play games and laughs and feels a bit more alive, but he always craves his time on his own. that’s his new way to feel safe: to stick to his newly found routine, hidden in his room, away from reality. | end of tw

the idea to join the death eaters comes out of fear. peter feels like the order is losing, and feels like death is inevitable. i dont know how true this is, but the fact is that the death eaters are ruthless and that his life is on the line because of his position. i wrote a Lot about this in his app too, so if u want a more comprehensive explanation i’d def read it here, its the second hc!

he joins, because he thinks it will give him a saver position. play both sides, play for the winning side --- he’s always had a bit of an opportunistic streak, which definitely helps sway his decision. in the end he’s just afraid of dying, and that’s why he joins; he’s twenty, his life has hardly started --- he doesn’t want to die, no cause is worth that, none at all. ( he should have just ran )

he joins in may 1978, for timeline reasons, so he’s been a death eater for only a few months. it’s been a lot different than he imagined ----- peter thought he’d blend in the background quietly, that he’d have to do shitty jobs ( which is true ) and that he’d be left alone. he underestimated it, because well --- he was desperate when he joined, and he didn’t think about the consequences, and he didn’t think about how voldemort’s cruelty wasn’t just reserved for his enemies but for his followers, too. there’s no stepping out of line with the death eaters; mistakes are not treated lightly and peter --- afraid, a bit of a bumbling idiot, learns this quite soon.

his function is mostly just to be a spy; relay information and share plans, name members, etcetera. he’s not very active because he’s a spy, but i imagine that he is present at the bigger meetings. AND FML HE’S GOOD AT IT! he’s good at lying and sneaking and being a sly bastard --- he used those skills for pranks, once. now he uses it to betray his fellow prankers : D

peter, at that point, hates himself. he’s always had a bit of self loathing, but it’s gained the upper hand now and he’s drowning in it; it does allow for him to ignore his conscience, though, for him to ignore the reality and just stew in his negativity. he’s got a woe is me mentality, for sure, and he’s so god damn passive about his situation. 

timeclash reaction.

peter’s reaction to the timeclash was ... a lot. i wrote about it in his app, so if u want to read my whole ass rambling, i rec that. but tldr: he’s shocked, at what he becomes. the peter he is now is a traitor, yes, but he’s not yet the person who ends up betraying james and lily and harry, who frames sirius --- and it’s ground shattering to find out that he’s on the road to become such a person. 

self destructiveness, weed, alcohol tw / his self loathing grows more. peter wasn’t doing very well before, but the timeclash makes something snap inside him --- he abandons his needs, punishes himself in small ways, loses sight of himself. he drinks and smokes too much. he’s so scared of himself. he’s in hiding, when he first finds out, scared of his friends and the death eaters and the order members and the people from the future who have met a worse version of him end of tws

part of peter is also like “i havent done any of these things yet, i know i am not the BEST person but i am still . not That Bad! stop being mad for something i havent done yet!”

around this time, he’s realising that he can either keep hiding, that he can completely destroy himself and all the ties he has, or he can take this opportunity to change his course. to not become the person all these people from the future know, to change change change, to make up for the wrongs he has committed and the wrongs he will commit if he keeps on going the way he is --- and that’s where he’s at now.

on another hand, he definitely watched all the star wars movies that came out over the past 50 yrs and hates kylo ren and cried when han died!!! he is in awe of the mcu movies but also thinks they did the comics dirty. i wish someone would introduce him to video games bc he would cry from happiness.

personality & details

OKAY onto the fun stuff, that was way too depressing and peter is usually a comedic icon

peter parker is his favourite superhero just because … they share a first name and because peter parker is a bit of an underdog too and peter is just like! amazing! he named his owl parker.

he hates cats. used to love them — he was allowed to take the cat from home with him to hogwarts when he was eleven, but he brought him back home after an unfortunate incident where his cat nearly ate him while he was in his animagus form. “sorry ma, i don’t love him any more. here. have him.”

peter is actually a solid cook. this is because he learned to make some basic food when he was still a kid, first with his grandma, and later on his own. he liked doing it for his mother and he was. .. good at it? peter is also just passionate about food and finds comfort in cooking. breakfast food and baked goods are Prime Food Categories.

he is asexual af, panromantic. has kissed both guys and gals and nb pals but did not like it??? confused. does not understand sexuality and all that jazz but tries not to think abt it because like! he’s got enough stress! doesnt need to think abt this!

peter is also agender, but i think he’s a lot less aware about this, because it’s confusing and so he just tries not to think about it. he does feel okay with he/him pronouns, but just doesn’t feel connected at all to being a boy/man

peter has abandonment issues because his dad, well, never even bothered to be there. not even for a second. he’s just constantly scared that people will leave and it’s funny, because he will probably end up abandoning all of his loved ones KDJFHSDF.

peter is quite non confrontational but also not … meek? he just avoids it, either by physically staying out of people’s way or by dismissing most of the things said and getting out of there. a Passive Kid. 

he’s such a fucking dork i swear to god. but he’s funny! peter is really funny. i deeply believe in this. he makes great puns and is able to just come out of nowhere and make a comment that just. hits the nail right on its head.

peter curses a lot and has a scottish accent and sometimes he will have a minute long cursing session that no one rly understands.

[bettsplendens]

Character profile: Five-Alarm

Five-Alarm is a fairly buff medic. His parents were fire trucks, and they thought he would be, too, when his sirens started coming in. Hence the name. Yeah, turns out he’s an ambulance. Same general class of rescuer, though. If all had gone well and there hadn’t been a war, you’d have found him hauling people out of burning buildings and avalanches and the like. 

He’s a bit over TFP Ratchet’s size, same general build but more solid through the midsection, similar color scheme. White, a few hints of red. Lots of bright bio-lights tracing around his frame that flash an undulating pattern of red and blue when brightened up, signalling to anybody he’s just hauled out of rubble that they don’t have to panic at him. He also has a set of relatively large winglets that lift up and flare out, their plates separating evenly to uncover holo-generators, and produce hardlight ‘feathers’ in the same patterns as his bio-lights. The whole thing is basically meant to blast a new patient with “hello I am a medic do not punch me” signals as fast and loud as possible so they calm down. His light bar is flexible and wraps around his shoulders, so if you’re looking at him from any angle, he’s basically just got a giant neon sign over his helm saying “MEDIC”. 

His alt mode is the sort of thing you’d expect to see if someone was designing an ambulance to have land mines thrown at it. Large enough to carry someone small in his cargo bay, heavy tires, heavy armor, stocky build, wide wheel base, the whole nine yards of “don’t even bother fucking with me” features that one can put on a technically civilian vehicle. 

He has this neat feature where some of the overlapping plating on his chassis sorta folds outward, expanding out of its flat structure and uncovering a few layers from his spark chamber. His chamber is still pretty well protected, but the area around it gets thinner, which looks a bit odd until you see the structure it makes as they unfold. They wind up parallel to his side plating, meaning he has something of a hollow in his general chassis area. He can lean over someone with his chassis like that, protect them from just about all angles, and use himself as armor for them, or put them in it and fold things up a bit. It only fits small bots, but they’re the ones who need the extra armor! 

Besides all that, his hearing is sharp, albeit a bit iffy now that he’s been around a lot of explosions, and he has infrared vision that he can turn on at will to try and spot hidden fires or buried potential patients. It’s not quite functioning at full precision in one optic, though, and his long-range vision is pretty shoddy. Medics can’t see very far even when they haven’t been near explosions. 

He carries a war hammer in a specially modified subspace pocket designed to hold just one or two large objects. It has a joint between head and shaft designed to limit the amount of the force of impact that gets transmitted between the head and shaft, though- medics’ servos can’t handle the recoil of such a large hammer swung by such a strong frame. All the force that doesn’t go into the target has to be dissipated against springs to avoid numbing and damaging his servos. The parts of the shaft not used as a handle are a sort of trophy case- badges and weapon triggers from opponents or just from people who pissed him off real bad, fangs and claws from animals, glued in place and then bound with wire to keep them from jostling loose. 

His whole frame is a bit beat up. Plating dull from stress, covered in scars from cuts that never quite healed right, joints that creak a bit oddly now and then, probably some shrapnel in assorted places. 

And his mind is a LOT beat up. 

Five-Alarm has been a medic through the whole war, for obvious reasons. Like every other medic, he was badly overworked, pushed so far past the end of his rope he couldn’t have found it if his life depended on it. Had to start assessing any potential patient with an optic for if he could save them, if he could save them but in an amount of time that would leave too many others to die, or if he wouldn’t be able to save them with the supplies, time, and situation that he had. That’s not great for someone’s mental health, not on a daily basis, not with this lingering idea that if he could just move faster he could save them.

As the war went on, he started taking stimulants so he’d need less sleep. Relatively mild things at first, then stronger, increasingly makeshift substances, with increasingly strong side effects. 

He also started jump-starting his patients with his own spark. He was strong enough, after all, large enough and durable enough and with enough spark energy that his frame could boost someone’s guttering, desperately grasping spark and regenerate afterwards. It worked, sometimes. Often as not, though, the spark that was guttering already flickered and died against his, but at least they weren’t alone, at least they knew someone was here, was trying to help, was with them. 

Somewhere along the way, he started hallucinating. Not too badly at first, flickers and moving shadows and half-heard voices. The occasional thing that someone might mistake for a ghost, if they weren’t a medic with enough scanners and instruments to determine that what he was watching didn’t actually exist. He did have to check that it wasn’t some kind of spark-echo trapped in his own chamber, of course, but he quickly arrived at the realization that he wasn’t actually seeing anything. That it was probably related to stress. That it was fine, it would go away on its own once things were safer.

Then he wound up on what should have been a fairly easy posting. A smallish group of bots, dropped off in a newly constructed base on a moon rich in resources, with no job other than manning the machinery and otherwise collecting resources to be distributed. 

What his superiors didn’t realize was the reason why they couldn’t find any other settlements on that moon. It was inhabited by various organic animals, they knew that much, but they didn’t know what the worst of them was. A fairly large creature, easily the size of most Cybertronians, adapted to both hunt organic prey or dig for energon deposits. A species that wore bone and meteorite shards as armor. Not sapient, but fairly clever, prone to moving in packs. Nocturnal, repulsed by light, initially repelled by the noise and spotlights of construction. Once the main ship was gone (never to return, though no one involved would have known it), the creatures got bolder, and the workers found themselves in their own little horror movie. 

Their first losses were at night. They didn’t know, couldn’t have known, not to go out at night. 

The next, dawn and dusk. They had to learn from bitter experience that the creatures can and will run between shadows if sufficiently curious, or if they smell even a drop of energon from the tiniest cut. 

They stopped going out at any time other than midday, but even that wasn’t enough. The creatures had already torn down their little transport-ships, learned that they liked the taste of Cybertronian-purified energon, and were trying to figure out how to get in. The base had never been made to defend against attacks by a thing that feared light, the spotlight coverage was spotty at best. But it was enough to let them see the creatures, the things that crept up to the edge of the lights to watch them, the things wearing shards of corpses as armor and looking for a way to get more.

The sensible response was to seal off most of the base as thoroughly as possible, even cutting some of it down to remove the potential for shadows, and rig every spotlight they had to cover their existing base. The creatures wouldn’t go through a band of enough light, and that was what it took to keep them out while the remaining crew tried to figure out a way to leave. 

Until the lights failed. Until an electrical storm that shorted out their power, and the discovery that the creatures, if given the chance, could and would rip through doors and walls alike. 

Alarm would have saved the others if he could. He always would have. But he wound up being surrounded, and by the time he’d hammered a couple of the creatures to death, the others were dead. They weren’t even soldiers, most of them, poor things. 

He spent the night crammed into a closet with every portable light he’d been able to find, most of them rigged to plug into his own frame in various ways to keep them running, fully aware that to sleep, to let his headlights and his display-lights dim, would mean he would die too. 

The creatures left back to their burrows in the mornings, having drained every bit of energon they could find, and took much of the material from the bodies with them. That left Alarm, on his own, in a base that never should have been maintained by fewer than 5 bots, with full knowledge that letting anything crumble meant the creatures would be back to eat him. 

He brought the spotlights back online, he found as many lights as he could get to keep right next to his berth, he hauled his chemistry kit into the single room he was keeping alive, and he cut away every piece of base that attached to that one to be sure its own shadows wouldn’t let something up close to him. 

That’s about when things started to unravel further for Alarm. He couldn’t sleep during the day because he had to spend all his time repairing the base’s lights and the generators that kept them running, because if any of it failed, he would absolutely die. He couldn’t sleep at night because it was dark, because he had to be awake to carry out disaster scenarios if something failed, if another electrical storm or something worse put things out of commission, if the radio still running in the background got any signals that might indicate some kind of hope to get free, if, if, if, and on and on and on. 

By the time anyone found him, he was a mess. Hyped up on a very makeshift injectable stimulant to keep him awake, keep him moving fast enough to do everything he needed. 

Hallucinating almost constantly, to the surprise of no one with any information on his circumstances. Ghosts, primarily- echoes of bots he couldn’t save. Bleeding from various wounds, crushed, broken, mutilated, occasionally outright on fire, but never acting like it. Watching him, even talking now and then, about nothing in particular. 

Or the not-ghosts. The images of bots he did save, reappearing now, possibly as some kind of coping mechanism, so he could talk to them and they could tell him about important things he’d seen but hadn’t consciously registered. 

Or fragments. Corpses scattered across the floor, energon pooling around his pedes, enough to mistake for something real if it hadn’t been for the lack of tactile sensation. 

When someone else finally found him, he didn’t realize it. He assumed the big, healthy-looking bot standing in front of him was a hallucination, someone he didn’t remember seeing, and, not in the mood to talk, tried to walk through him. 

It didn’t really work, of course, he ran smack into Bracer and fell on his aft. And, after a few moments of prodding to be sure he hadn’t run into, what, a stack of crates, he immediately clung onto the first bot he’d seen in who knew how long and insisted that they leave, now, now, now, before nightfall.

Bracer is a smart bot. If someone is alone, thoroughly haggard-looking, and marked up with scars of claw and bite marks that haven’t healed right, and they’re insisting that everyone leave before nightfall? He will do that. 

It took a long time in deep sedation for the stimulants to work their way out of his system. That took the worst of the hallucinations with it, but he’s still seeing things. Mostly relatively benign things- ghosts, or bots he saved at some point, turning up to talk to him. Occasionally something more concerning, like wounds appearing on the frames of actual people. Every now and then, if he’s especially stressed, shades of the creatures that tried to eat him and just barely failed. 

Five-Alarm is still not exactly what we’d call stable. Paranoid, overly concerned with the welfare of others, their need to be in ideal shape, to the point of harassing other bots whose scars he deems too likely to cause trouble. He’s trying to help, he really is, but anxiety and mania can make him too pushy. 

He’s definitely still hallucinating!

And he doesn’t sleep. Not by any force of drugs, but mostly out of anxiety. He doesn’t sleep, he paces, and occasionally crashes and naps for a little while crammed into whatever corner was nearest when he crashed. Usually clutching a weapon of some sort for protection against... nothing, actually. 

He can’t convince himself that he’s safe. And he can’t sleep, he can’t, it’s not safe, something might get in, he needs to be awake, to be aware, but dear Primus it’s getting hard to exist. The only reason he isn’t back on stimulants is because he’s not allowed to have them, or the structures to make them. Probably a good idea. He’s not inclined to argue too much with it. 

He’d probably, definitely sleep better if he had someone to sleep with. Contact would help. 

And, not shockingly, he’s terrified of the dark. Not just because of the uncertainty, not just because he can’t see what might be here. Because he knows, he’s already made the associations, that the darkness brings death with it. 

He should really be on antianxiety meds. He isn’t, he’s afraid they’ll dull his senses, but he really, really should be.  

[b0blegum]

THE HOUSE // LET’S PLAY

Author: b0blegum

Pairing: Monsta X x Reader

Rating: G

Genre: Romance, Drama, Mystery

Status: On Going

Part: ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR 

a/n This chapter -again- is still an introduction for the whole story. There’s no any conflict yet in this chapter, so it might be a bit boring (i guess??) but actually it contains a piece of information for the ending. So... enjoy?

“He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.” -Friedrich Nietzsche

He sauntered with eyes fixed on the mirror. His reflections were cleared. His dark eyes were starring deeply into his own self.

Chopin’s Nocturne op.9 No. 2 was playing in the background. Accompanying every steps he made until he stopped just enough in front of the mirror.

His plump lips curled into a visible smirk and His hand climbed into his pale cheek. Caressing it as softly as he was caressing the cheek of his loved one before putting on a mask that covered the left side of his face.

Just when the classical music about to come to and end, he turned himself and walked to the door behind. A baroque style door with grand frame decorated with three little statue plated in gold at the top. In the middle was a statue of a baby, symbolizing innocence. On its right was a statue of a woman, looking up with her hand clasped tight and a smile plastered on her face. It was a symbol of life. And on the baby’s left, was a statue of a man, holding a glass, believed filled with poison Hemlock. The symbol of death.

His hands stopped at the handle. His smirk didn’t fade.

“Game on.”

He pushed the door strongly.

Seven people were standing before a tall iron bars with a curved ornament welded on some parts.

It was snowing outside and they were all trembling. One even pulled up his turtleneck to cover half of his face.

“The house is so big.” Said someone with his eyes spread from one side of the house to the other.

“I almost forgot that we are here because of that stupid letter. I thought we’re here for a luxury staycation.” Said the only girl in the line, you.

“So... are we going to stand here all day long or—“

Cutting your sentence, the gate swung open, swiping the thick snow that had been piling since last night.

They walked in one by one with eyes wondered around the area. In the middle was a circle fountain area with a statue of a man holding a three-headed dog.

The main door shrieked opened as they were all coming closer. A marbled floor greeted them with two massive stairs on each side, leading to the second floor.

Nobody bothered to say a word. They were all mesmerized by the beauty of the house, almost forgot that they were here to play a mysterious game.

Once they were all in, the door slammed closed. Making all of them turned their head and blinked in shocked. The lights slowly dimmed and the cold air entered, making chilled on each of their bodies.

A painfully slow footsteps took their attentions. It got closer in each step taken. A shadow of a tall man was seen on the wall. His hand was hidden in one of his pocket, while the other was playing with his worn out pocket watch.

He stopped walking and turned to his left. Face looked down to where the seven people were standing. A satisfied smirk plastered on his face as he watched those seven pathetic faces.

“Welcome to The House.” He greeted after a minute of silence. Not one of them said a word, not even him.

His smirk faded, probably upset by the lack of spirits of his players. Just after he shoved his pocket watch back inside his top pair of suits, he took steps down the red carpeted stairs.

“Son Hyunwoo, Shin Hoseok, Lee Minhyuk, Yoo Kihyun, Lee Jooheon, Lim Changkyun...” he called in each steps. “And... (y/n).” He made eye contact with you as he walked closer to your side. “I’m glad all of you made it here.” He cleared his throat. “You’re so innocent.” He continued as he made his way to his chair. “If i were one of you–“ he took out a paper and a lighter and in a second he lit that paper in a fire. “I’d burn the letter and–“ he threw it onto the floor, let it burnt out naturally on his expensive marbled floor. “Be freed.”

“Why are you sending us that letter?” The one with the most muscular body took a step forward.

“Why?” He chuckled sarcastically. “That’s a good question.” He looked down for a second before his eyes met with yours again. “I’ve been dying to tell you the reason, but finding it yourself would be more fun, wouldn’t it?”

That voice. The same intonation and the same heavy voice with the one you met in the dark at your dance studio.

“You... came to me personally to give me that letter,” you said what’s in your head, but too loud that he even noticing you said it.

“Yes, i did, sweetheart.” Half of his visible pump lips curled into a smile, but his eyes still wasn’t softened. It still looked tensed and full of anger.

“But why–“ the one with the smallest eyes was about to asked when he put down his feet that had been on top of the other, to the cold floor.

“Enough talking.” His voice sounded so upset. “You’ll be taken into your own room and don’t try to do anything stupid, because i’ll be watching all of you, exceptionally.” He stood up, buttoning his suits back and left.

Soon after he was back, entering the door he came out from, the light turned brighter. Some of them even squinted their eyes due to sudden light intension change.

A very loud voice from a speaker startled all of them. It wasn’t the voice of the man whom they just met, it sounded rather from a computer. It called each of their name and said the directions to their own rooms.

One by one slowly went into their rooms. No one dared to rebel at this point. They were still both confused and curious at what was happening, that they decided to look at it first.

“(Y/n),” you looked up to the speaker. Your name was the last to be called. “Second floor. Right corridor. Fourth room on the left. You have twenty seconds to reach your room, from now.”

You rushed after hearing the ticking sound, enough to made you nervous. The time was different for each person. The guy named Lee Minhyuk, for example, Was given only eight seconds, while the guy named Lim Changkyun, the one with dimple and skinny pair of legs was given thirty seconds.

You finally made it to the room in lest than 20. Eighteen to be exact. Catching your breath, you closed the door behind you and your eyes started to observe the room.

It was a rather spacious room. One bed, one shelf, own private bathroom, a desk with its chair, a lounging one seater couch and an iron box with oriental ornament curved on each side.

You dropped your bag on the bed and the first thing you did was to open the eye catching iron box that was standing right next to the door.

There was a key available, hanging at one side of the box. Instinctively, you took it and easily unlocked the box.

Suddenly the lights went completely off as soon as you pulled up the lid.

A sound of a creepy satisfied laughter from the speaker made you jumped and bumped your back to the leg of your bed.

“I see, all of you finally succeeded in doing the first mission.” It was him. The voice of the guy they met just earlier. “Opening those boxes means you are voluntarily accepting all the rules in The House and ready to play the games.” He said intimidatingly.

“All the rooms have boxes?” You whispered.

“There is a card in each box. It is your first game. You may do everything to win. You may lie, you may con, you may even kill each other.”

You gasped at the last word he said casually.

“I’ll give you 24 hours to play this first game and by the time it is over, one has to lose and be gone, forever.”

Then the light switched back on as the voice faded.

You stood up slowly and found a paper on your bed. It was the rules he was talking about.

Rules

Breakfast at 7 am sharp at the designated place

Everyone has to be in their own room after 10 pm

No cell phones

No running out from The House

Those were the only rules. Too little for a huge game like this, you thought. But your eyes were back to the iron box.

All of the players were busy reaching for the card at the bottom of the iron box.

Changkyun rolled his knitted sleeves and picked it up with his two fingers. Flipping it casually to see what’s written.

With straight face but a lot going on in his mind, Hyunwoo blinked couple of times to made sure what was written on the card wasn’t just his hallucination.

“What the fuck.” Lee Minhyuk rolled his eyes and sighed as deep as he could. Slowly feeling ridiculed. “How are we– there’s my brother for God’s sake!” He bit his lower lip.

A chuckling sound was heard behind the room at the right side of the corridor. Kihyun was sitting with his legs crossed on each other while his hand flipping the card.

“Ah...” He let out a relieved air from his lung as he threw the card on the table and cracked the joints in his fingers. “I am so mightily ready for this game.”

“This doesn’t make sense. This just doesn’t.” Jooheon threw away the card he just read and bumped himself onto the bed while his head still shaking continuously. “I can’t do that. This is messed up!” He shouted.

Feeling completely played, Wonho let out a heavy breath multiple times and mouthed cursed words before he punched the hard wall next to him.

“This is ridiculous!” You stuttered. Your hands started trembling after a couple of brutal visualization came into your minds. “I need to get out of here. I need to get out!” You threw away the card and started grabbing your things.

“The game starts... now.” A deep husky voice startled everyone and suddenly there was a digital time projected on one side of each room:

<< PREV | NEXT >>

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Bryan-College Station Restaurant Guide : Mexican Restaurants

Here’s our guide to some of the best Mexican Food in the Brazos Valley. Several excerpts from complete articles on our favorite places are included below, click on the links for the whole story on each featured Mexican eatery.

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  Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant 840 University Dr. E., College Station, TX �� 979-260-3400

Abuelo’s does catering too. Custom fajita spreads are a popular option.

Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant combines homemade cooking with rich flavors of coastal and interior Mexican cuisine.

Casa Rodriguez Mexican Restaurant 300 N. Bryan Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-779-0916

Taco Loco at Casa Rodriguez.

Casa Rodriguez has been a family tradition in Bryan since 1978.

Cilantro Mexican Grill 106 N. Parker Ave., Downtown Bryan, TX • 979-704-6751

Concha ice cream sandwich at Cilantro Mexican Grill.

Cilantro Mexican Grill serves authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes in Downtown Bryan.

Chimy’s – College Station 203 University Dr., College Station, TX • 979-703-6106

Chimy’s College Station.

Chimy’s – College Station serves up great Tex Mex and American favorites right across from the Texas A&M Campus.

Chuy’s (College Station, TX) Hwy. 6 & Harvey • 979-329-6022

Burrito En Fuego at Chuy’s College Station. Image by Chuy’s.

Chuy’s  serves authentic Tex-Mex food in an eclectic atmosphere full of color and personality. The menu offers family recipes from South Texas, New Mexico and Mexican border towns, all made to order from the freshest ingredients.

El Sol De Mexico 705 N. Texas Avenue, Bryan, TX • 979-821-2400

Menudo at El Sol De Mexico. Image by customer Maria Porcayo.

El Sol De Mexico is situated just North of Downtown on Texas Avenue in Bryan. Well known for their Menudo.

Fuego Tortilla Grill 108 Poplar St., College Station, TX • 979-703-1804

Faves at Fuego Tortilla Grill. Image by Blonde Creative.

Fuego Tortilla Grill : Fresh, Hand Made Mexican Food… Fast! I got a little adventurous on this visit and tried the Dr. Pepper Cowboy ($3.79) taco with brisket, grilled onions, Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce, chipotle Cream corn and jack cheese on a hot, thick, hand made flour tortilla. The brisket was impressively prepared, tender and flavorful enough to be the pride of a small town barbecue joint. The chipotle cream corn and barbecue sauce were a perfect compliment to the brisket. I like a lot of sauce and flavor and the Dr. Pepper Cowboy did not disappoint. While eating this saucy taco had the potential to be a messy affair if the tortilla were to break, that didn’t happen and is unlikely to because the tortillas are so darned thick.

Jesse’s Taqueria & Bakery 3310 East 29th St., Bryan, TX • 979-485-9841

Jesse’s Taqueria is situated near Blinn College in Bryan.

Jesse’s Taqueria & Bakery is well known for fresh tacos, lunch plates, Mexican sweet breads, flan, fresh baked cookies, and friendly “know you by name” service.

La Carreta Mexican Grill 1605 San Jacinto Ln., Bryan, TX • 979-823-5929

Authentic Mexican food at La Carreta in Bryan. Image by La Carreta.

Established in 2011, La Carreta Mexican Grill  is family-owned and strives to offer great quality service and delicious authentic Mexican food.

La Espiga Dorada 210 W. MLK in Bryan • 979-779-9594

Empanadas by La Espiga Dorada.

After a night of good times and great music at Revolution on Carnegie Alley in Downtown Bryan, local burger legend Charles Stover introduced me to his favorite local taco stand, El Nopalito on MLK. He also pointed out La Espiga Dorada, the bakery right behind El Nopalito and raved about the breads and sweets. Read more.

Los Cucos Mexican Restaurant 1521 S. Texas Avenue, College Station, TX • 979-689-8896 Los Cucos Bryan 920 N. Earl Rudder Fwy. Bryan, TX • 979-776-7800

Los Cucos is a popular Houston-based chain with two Brazos Valley locations. They are well known for great Mexican Food and an innovative drinks menu. One in Bryan and one in College Station. Image by Los Cucos.

Los Cucos Mexican Restaurant strives to delight you every visit with Always Fresh food, awesome drink specials, and the best possible “wow” service.

Lupe Tortilla 813 Texas Avenue South, College Station, TX • 979-693-6761

Dining room at Lupe Tortilla College Station. Image by Lupe Tortilla.

Lupe Tortilla makes it their business to serve the best tasting, most creative, colorful, and consistent Mexican food possible. Casual dining. Kids are welcomed.

Mad Taco 404 Jane Street @ University Dr., College Station, TX • 979-704-6266

Chiles en Nogada Specialty Taco by Mad Taco. Image by Mad Taco.

Mad Taco Stands Out For Its Tortillas… & Lack Thereof The Chile Rubbed Salmon Taco featured seared salmon with cheese, avocado, marinated red onion, chile oil and cilantro aioli. It was all wrapped up in one of the best tortillas I had ever tasted. About the thickness of a Gordita shell, warm, soft, slightly sweet, heavenly!

Michoacana Taqueria 1322 S. Texas Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-823-1177

Michoacana Taqueria. Photo by Greg Deeter.

Michoacana Taqueria Is “Mind Blowing” Good The tacos were served from hot holds and then you add your own toppings from the bar like onions, cilantro, marinated purple onions, pico, limes or cucumbers. Cucumbers? Yes. There are also four types of sauce that you ladle on, two red and two green.

Papa Perez Mexican Cuisine 200 S. Main St., Downtown Bryan

Shrimp ceviche at Papa Perez in Downtown Bryan.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but even the succulent photo accompanying this review cannot do the Shrimp Ceviche at Papa Perez Mexican Cuisine in Downtown Bryan justice. Marinated shrimp, tomatoes, onions and avocados in their famous ceviche sauce. Heaven on a fork…or cracker. The salsa and chips were good, and the sour cream enchiladas were well prepared. They offer charro or refried beans, so I got beans and rice. Both sides were flavorful and fresh. Nothing compared to the ceviche though. Papa Perez nailed it! Best in town.

Pepe’s Mexican Cafe 3312 S College Ave Bryan, TX • 979-779-2457

Pepe’s Mexican Cafe in Bryan, Texas

Pepe’s Mexican Cafe has been located in the same Bryan, TX spot since 1969. They serve delicious Tex Mex food including tacos, burritos, fajitas, specialty queso, and more.

Polly’s Cocina 12675 Wellborn Rd., Bryan, TX • 979-695-7500

Tacos at Polly’s Cocina. Image by Greg “Taco Monster” Deeter.

Polly’s Cocina is one of the most excellent Mexican restaurants in College Station. Great prices, just fantastic food and service and once you walk inside and see all of the walls covered with full 8×12 photos of all of the people that have eaten here, you will get it. One of the most popular Mexican restaurants for A&M staff at lunch. Lunch for three today was under $20 for nice big full plates and they have some of the best queso cheese on the face of the planet. (Words by Greg Deeter)

Raspas El Payasito 1005 S. Coulter St., Bryan, TX

Raspas El Payasito tacos. Image by Raspas taco afficionado Rhonda Holley.

Raspas El Payasito is one of our favorite places to go the morning (to us…like 11am-ish) after a night of revelry on Northgate. Authentic Mexican deliciousness!

The Tacobar 1411 Wellborn Rd., College Station, TX • 979-704-6636

El Carnal Taco by Tacobar.

Tacobar On Wellborn: Marinated Meats Make The Menu That’s the simple formula The Tacobar is executing to earn rave reviews for their newly opened Taqueria, specializing in authentic, border-style Mex fare.

Taco Crave B/CS 308 N. Main St., Bryan, TX • 979-485-5460

Street tacos by Taco Crave in Downtown Bryan. Image by Taco Crave.

Taco Crave B/CS specializes in simple, homemade, authentic Street Tacos, Burritos, Quesadillas, Tortas, Bowls, Desserts, Kids Meals. Street Food. Mom & Pop vibe. Small business. Friendly, kind service.

Taqueria El Nopalito 216 Martin Luther King St., Bryan, TX • 979-402-2414

Brisket tacos at Taqueria El Nopalito.

Taqueria El Nopalito: Authentic Mex, Fast & Fresh That 1am taco run from Revs became the start of a regular love affair between me and El Nopalito. My favorite is the Brisket Taco. They make the tacos street style, wrapping them all up together in foil so they keep each other nice and warm. Cilantro, onions and meat on your chioce of tortilla…simple goodness!

Taqueria El Tio 911 N. Bryan Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-775-8054

Taqueria El Tio offers outdoor dining, carry-out and drive-thru.

Taqueria El Tio : Hidden Gem In Bryan Offers Fresh, No Frills Mexican Fare If you weren’t looking for it, you’d likely drive right by this humble looking Mexican eatery without even noticing it’s there. Luckily for them, and local Mexican food afficionados, lots of people know right where to go for their El Tio fix, as they more than make up for what they lack in location and signage with excellent, fresh-made food at very fair prices.

Taqueria La Perla 111 N. Brazos Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-775-7116

Taco Perfection! by Taqueria La Perla in Bryan.

Taqueria La Perla is an authentic Tex-Mex taqueria in Bryan, just east of Downtown. Open until 3am on weekends.

Torchy’s Tacos (College Station) 1037 Texas Ave. S., College Station, TX • 979-329-6900

Torchy’s is situated on Texas Avenue between Cane’s and Layne’s.

Torchy’s keeps it simple: Damn good tacos.

Yole’s La Familia 14725 Fm 2154 Rd., College Station, TX • 979-690-5760 Yole’s La Familia 300 N. Texas Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-822-9192

Mexican buffet at Yole’s La Familia.

Yole’s La Familia Taqueria previously known as “La Familia” was established in 1990 by Yolanda and Otilio Agguire in Bryan, Texas. Today, 25 years later the legacy of “La Familia Taqueria” continues to strive strong in the Bryan-College Station area. The late Yolanda Aguirre passed in August of 2013, but her husband (Otilio), daughter (Melissa Serna), and son-in-law (Fidel Serna) are still keeping the business alive in booming today. The restaurant was recently featured in the Texas Monthly (December 2015 Edition) for The 120 Best Tacos You Must Eat Before You Die.

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  Vote for the best #BCSTX Mexican Restaurant iPhone Repair College Station Bryan-College Station Restaurant Guide : Mexican Restaurants Here's our guide to some of the best Mexican Food in the Brazos Valley.

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New Post has been published on https://travelonlinetips.com/the-abosolute-best-food-experiences-you-can-have-in-queensland/

The abosolute best food experiences you can have in Queensland

If your stomach rules the roost when it comes to holiday decision-making, you want to ensure you have the crème de la crème of best food options when you touch down in a new destination.

We’re not talking Insta-trendy fads, but longstanding favourites worth travelling for. From meat pies that had Hugh Jackman returning day after day to a lasagne that’s been on the menu for almost 30 years, these are must-eat dishes for every foodie.

Start your appetites!

BRISBANE

Taro’s Ramen

What started as a humble ramen joint has blossomed into four Japanese restaurants across Brisbane with the flagship sitting in the 480 Queen St building (you’ll also find Taro’s in South Brisbane, Ascot, and Taro’s Express on Edward St in the CBD).

The star of this show, of course, is Taro Akimoto’s addictive tonkotsu broth, made from sweet Bangalow pork bones. You’ll also find sukemen, shio, shoyu and miso varieties alongside a list of izakaya-style snacks, sakes, shōchū and Japanese beers.

Number 75 on Delicious‘ magazines Delicious 100 list, they say the shoyu pork ramen is a must-try although “Akimoto’s chicken karaage is arguably the best in town”. Extra bonus: Taro’s also dishes out gluten-free and vegan ramens proving there is a food god.

Sand crab lasagne at Il Centro

Nothing says Queensland like sand crabs and sunshine. At Brisbane institution, Il Centro, they’ve perfected the balance between the delicate sweetness of the crab and a creamy crustacean-infused sauce. They’ve also been turning out the lip-smacking dish for 26 years, having been a star of the menu since the restaurant opened in 1992.

It’s so good, they sell around 350 plates of the Lasagna alla Granseola every week.

GOLD COAST

Bug roll, Rick Shores

To make an appearance at Rick Shores, even if only for a cocktail, and not stay for a bug roll would be almost sacrilege, given the cult adoration and Sriracha-heightened perfectness of these bundles of brioche magic.

Inside, crispy chunks of bug meat in a tempura style batter are paired with gem lettuce, kaffir-lim laced mayo and just the right kick of chilli.

Number 1 in the Delicious 100 list and in the Top 100 in the Gourmet Traveller Australian Restaurant Guide, this hot spot in Burleigh Heads has just re-opened after some minor renovations, with even more expansive views over the ocean than before.

SUNSHINE COAST

Whole crispy fish at Spirit House

No matter how many times you order the whole crispy fish from Spirit House, each new bite is a revelation. The premise is simple: take the fish of the day (many times, barramundi), fry the skin crisp, and smother it in chilli tamarind sauce. It’s not pretty, but it doesn’t have to be.

Hidden away in the Sunshine Coast town of Yandina, amongst five acres of tropical gardens and set around a tranquil pond, a meal here should be experienced by everyone at least once in their lives.

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND COUNTRY

Apple pie from Suttons

We don’t have the pie culture of middle America but there’s one place where the slice of pie lives up to USA portion expectations and that’s Suttons Juice Factory and Cidery in Stanthorpe.

There was a time when you could visit the farm to pick your own apples, but the business beast took over and they now use their entire orchard for the shed shop and cafe.

A word to the wise: Split a serve of the apple pie, served with spiced cider-laced vanilla ice-cream, between two. Suttons also serve individual gluten-free apple pies.

OUTBACK QUEENSLAND

Curried camel pie from Birdsville Bakery

Can a pie be worth the 1580km drive across the belly of Australia? You betcha. In fact, the notoriety of Birdsville’s curried camel pie is partly what led a savvy businessman to buy the local bakery for $1.2 million in 2016.

Just how popular are they? Around 12,000 pies are sold during the infamous Birdsville Races every year.

Peach Blossoms from Merino Bakery in Longreach

There’re just some bakery treats that are good enough to withstand the trials and tribulation of faddish cruffins, injectable donuts and the cupcake mania of 2005, and a lot of it’s got to do with the men and women behind the baking trays.

In Longreach, the Merino Bakery is famous for its (incidentally, totally Insta-worthy) Peach Blossoms – millennial pink lamington halves sandwiched together with cream. They’re so good, rumour has it one tray sold for $90 at an auction one time.

SOUTHERN GREAT BARRIER REEF

Macadamia ice-cream from Mammino’s in Childers

The problem with food trends is too often than not, the roar deafens out the reality and you’re left with a substandard experience and a “I was here” photo or review, just for the sake of it.

But upon wrapping your lips around the creamy macadamia ice-cream, hand-churned onsite at Mammino in Childers, 54km south-west of Bundaberg, you’ll realise this sweet treat is worth every click of the speedo to get there.

The business changed hands in 2017 but original owners, Anthony and Teena Mammino developed the iconic ice-cream with a recipe from Teena’s grandmother and macadamias grown on their farm.

Hervey Bay scallops at COAST, Hervey Bay

If you’re going to try this town’s namesake seafood, you need to go straight to the top and order a plate of grilled Hervey Bay scallops, artfully arranged on a plate of black pebbles, at COAST restaurant.

Smothered with just the right amount of coriander butter and sprinkled with hazelnut crumb, this is a dish you’ll dream about for years to come.

WHITSUNDAYS

Mango sorbet from The Big Mango in Bowen

It’s not hard to know if you’re in the right spot when it comes to your hunt for one of Queensland’s most iconic (and healthy!) treats.

Churned fresh on the premises, in the shadow of Bowen’s Big Mango, the visitor information centre is the spot to try delicious local mango sorbet.

Jochheim’s Pies

If they’re good enough for Hugh Jackman, they’re good enough for us! One of the best pit-stops in Bowen, north of Airlie Beach, Jochheim’s line-up of tasty pastries attracted the star while the cast of Australia were based in Bowen for filming back in 2007. (Fun fact: Owner Merle Jochheim can be credited with hooking Baz Luhrmann in during his location scouting, as she regaled him with the history of Bowen thinking he was just another customer.)

Order a Hunky Jackman Beef Pie or if you’re stopping by on a Thursday, they also do a creamy prawn pie with locally-caught seafood.

Tropical North Queensland

Crocodile cheesecake at Silky Oaks Lodge

Lyrics may warn to “never smile at a crocodile” but in the treehouse restaurant of Silky Oaks Lodge, hovering above the Mossman River, the tables are turned with a brain-twisting, smile-inducing savoury crocodile cheesecake.

The crocodile and tarragon cheesecake with smoked barramundi, pickled papaya and chutney and herb salad is friendlier than you think, tasting more like chicken with the texture of a soufflé.

Flames of the Forest

We’ve got a thing for eating our coat of arms in Oz, but if you’re going to go native, Flames of the Forest is one of the best spots to do it.

Transported to a secret rainforest location underneath a canopy of fairy lights and crystal curtains, you won’t quickly forget the Aboriginal Cultural experience or its signature dish: Lemon myrtle infused kangaroo loin on a bed of wild rocket and toasted macadamia nuts garnished with homemade fig chutney.

Hungry for more? Maybe you’ll discover the next iconic dish at one of these food festivals!

What rates as the best food experiences from your time in Queensland? Share with us below.

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Four intense ways insects sacrifice themselves for the good of the colony

New Post has been published on https://nexcraft.co/four-intense-ways-insects-sacrifice-themselves-for-the-good-of-the-colony/

Four intense ways insects sacrifice themselves for the good of the colony

In the rainforests of Borneo, there lives a reddish brown ant by the name of Colobopsis explodens that really knows how to go out with a bang. When locked in battle with ants from another colony, C. explodens workers bring the fight to a swift end by ripping themselves open and spewing noxious fluid on the enemy. The workers die while pulling off this power move, but their sacrifice protects the rest of the colony from marauding predators like the weaver ant.

This is not typical animal behavior. Most creatures behave in ways that give themselves the best shot of surviving and passing their genes on to their own offspring. The workers of C. explodens achieve neither of these things by self-destructing—yet they aren’t the only insect to do it. They belong to a group called exploding ants that are found across Southeast Asia. And self-sacrifice shows up among a number of insects that live together in colonies including other ants, termites, bees, and certain aphids.

“One small worker does probably not cost very much to lose, but at the same time the benefits of deterring an intruder such as a big vertebrate predator that might potentially destroy the whole colony, or even other insects that might engage in a raid of the colony, are potentially huge,” says Olav Rueppell, a biologist at University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Self-sacrifice can get pretty elaborate, and in some cases happens even when there isn’t a battle raging. Here are some of the most extreme moves that insects pull to defend their nestmates, from eviscerating themselves to leaving the safety of the nest to die alone.

Disembowelment

You might have been on the receiving end of insect self-annihilation if you’ve ever been stung by a honeybee, which tears apart its own body to leave a stinger embedded in your flesh. But often, insects that disembowel themselves are aiming at other bugs.

Such is the case for C. explodens, which also goes by the nickname “yellow goo” in reference to the color of its signature chemical weapon. It’s thought that these ants “explode” by contracting their muscles until their abdomen and internal glands rupture and ooze sticky fluid, says Alice Laciny, an entomologist at the Natural History Museum Vienna.

For the predatory ants they face off against, getting slimed is downright deadly. If an enemy bites into the poisonous goo, it loses control of its limbs and dies in seconds. Otherwise, the goo will gum up its joints and immobilize the hapless insect. And even after it dies, C. explodens’s mandibles do not release their grip on the enemy’s body. “Then it’s sticky and it has a dead ant hanging from its antenna or leg,” Laciny says. “It probably won’t survive very long in that state.”

Self-destruction doesn’t really give the colony a numerical advantage during a skirmish. “It’s not so much about one-on-one confrontation, so an eye for an eye,” Laciny says. She suspects that behavior has more to do with keeping contaminants at bay. Exploding ants seem to be particularly dependent on the bacteria and fungi in their rainforest habitat and die if they are taken away from this microbiome. Any insect that threatens to get into their nests or too close to their foraging territory will carry foreign spores and bacteria.

The bright yellow gunk, which can sometimes be seen shimmering between the plates of the ants’ exoskeletons, could serve as a warning signal to enemies. “It seems to be well-known among other insects in the rainforest that they should just stay away,” Laciny says. Few insects are willing to venture onto trees where C. explodens colonies reside during the day, when the volatile ants are awake.

Although researchers have been spotting the ants and their yellow goo for decades, it was only recently that Laciny and her colleagues examined the species closely enough to give it a scientific name, which they reported in the journal ZooKeys on April 19. In fact, C. explodens is the first new exploding ant described since 1935.

That’s partly because different species of exploding ants can be nearly impossible to tell apart, while members of the same colony can look completely different, Laciny says. The tiny exploding members of C. explodens colonies were long thought to be a separate species from the other, larger workers. This ability to create different castes is one reason that self-sacrifice works so well for insects that live together in colonies. “Insects are quite plastic in their body plans,” Rueppell says. That means a colony can invest in a few members that self-destruct in very specialized ways.

And it’s not just ants that do this. Workers belonging to a termite species called Neocapritermes taracua found in French Guiana grow “explosive backpacks” as they age and become less valuable members of their society. When these termites rupture their bodies, blue crystals from the pouch on their back come into contact with secretions from the salivary glands. By mixing two chemicals to create an especially toxic brew, the termites’ final act is really “a step up in terms of sophistication,” Rueppell says.

Refusing help

Scientists recently discovered an entirely different kind of battlefield altruism in the matabele ant of sub-Saharan Africa. These ants are known for hunting termites, which put up a fierce fight. It’s not uncommon for workers to lose limbs during a raid. These injuries are not always fatal, though, says Erik Frank, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. Wounded ants are carried home by their nestmates and have their injuries licked clean so they can heal. Before long, they can run as fast as a healthy ant and go raiding again, even short a few legs.

However, Frank realized there was more to the story one day after he accidentally drove over a column of raiding ants in Côte d’Ivoire’s Comoé National Park. When he stopped the car and got out to see how the ants were doing, Frank noticed something odd. “On ‘ground zero’ the nestmates were investigating all the injured ants but only helping the ones that still had a chance to survive,” Frank said in an email. He later presented ants with five legs amputated to their nestmates, and saw that these severely injured workers were rarely picked up.

But it wasn’t not for lack of trying. The healthy ants attempted to help, but their fallen comrades refused to cooperate. Instead of tucking their legs in and lying motionless when touched, the injured ants flailed around violently until their rescuers gave up. In other words, these ants perform a kind of self-triage that allows helpers to focus on other ants with less debilitating injuries.

It’s pretty unlikely that the ants are actually trying to sacrifice themselves, though. “This is not a conscious decision by the ants,” says Frank, who reported the behavior in February in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Normally when an ant gets hurt, it will stand up again, then call for help by releasing pheromones and allow its nestmates to scoop it up. When a seriously injured ant flails around, it is probably trying to stand up and failing, over and over again. “If you are able to stand up you are likely not too heavily injured so that you are still useful for the colony,” Frank says.

Preemptive action

Sometimes, an insect will give up its own life to help its fellows even when there is no imminent danger. This happens every night in colonies of the Brazilian ant Forelius pusillus. When sunset falls, the ants seal up the entrance to their nest, leaving one to eight workers outside to finish the job.

“The ants trapped outside were not accidental victims, but rather were part of a deliberate strategy of entrance closing,” scientists wrote in The American Naturalist after watching the doomed ants covering the nest with sand until it was completely concealed. As the night wore on, the ants were blown away by gusts of wind, attacked by other kinds of ants, or simply wandered away. When morning arrived, none of these ants were ever found near the entrance of the nest.

Self-sacrifice might have become a routine part of life in F. pusillus colonies because these ants are particularly vulnerable to attack, Rueppell says. F. pusillus makes its nest on bare soil with little plant cover. What’s more, it lives in tropical areas, which tend to be crawling with all kinds of ants. An ant’s worst enemy is usually other ants, which means F. pusillus might have to take extreme steps to keep the colony hidden.

This isn’t the only time insects have been spied sacrificing themselves to ward off future threats. Scientists in Japan have found that an aphid by the name of Nipponaphis monzeni springs into action when its home is threatened. The bugs live together in swellings found on the outside of trees called galls; when the researchers drilled holes in these galls, the aphids within immediately began secreting bodily fluids to repair the damage. The aphids that were in charge of plastering over the hole shriveled up and in at least some cases died.

This might actually be a good thing for the remaining aphids in the gall. “Several nymphs were buried in the plaster, like ‘aphid sacrifices,’” the scientists reported in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The entombed carcasses likely made the repair job sturdier, Rueppell says.

Most aphids—including the kind feasted upon by ladybugs—wouldn’t be able to use this trick. They are solitary insects that do not share a home base, Rueppell says. Self-sacrifice works best for insects that live together in nests or galls walled off from the outside world. In less isolated societies, it would be all too easy for freeloaders unrelated to the martyred insect to move in and reap the benefit of their sacrifice. “Any altruistic system is prone to exploitation,” Rueppell says.

Exile

Parasites and diseases can have a field day with big, enclosed nests of insects. But scientists suspect that ants and bees may have a way of halting germs from spreading too far. When these insects become sick, they leave the colony and go into exile to await their deaths.

In one experiment, Rueppell and his colleagues dosed honeybees with carbon dioxide and hydroxyurea, a drug used to treat sickle cell anemia and some cancers. “We wanted to really make them feel very sick,” he says. The bees that survived this treatment abandoned the hive, even though their fellows did not try to kick them out. Other scientists have seen rock ants stop socializing with their nestmates and head into seclusion when sickened with carbon dioxide, infected with fungal spores, or sickened by unknown ailments.

Scientists don’t really know what prompts these insects to start behaving in ways that will inevitably cause their own demise. Whether and how the brain might be overriding an insect’s self-preservation instincts when it goes into quarantine or rips itself to pieces is a mystery. “Is there something special about this, or is it just a continuation of normal defensive behaviors?” Rueppell wonders.

Still, it’s probably a safe bet that self-sacrificing insects are not consciously laying down their lives for the greater good. “I don’t think we can call an ant that sacrifices itself a ‘good’ ant,” Rueppell says.

In some ways, insect colonies resemble a single living organism instead of thousands of separate individuals. “Immune cells in our body are to some degree self-sacrificial as well,” Rueppell says. If we lose a few cells, the rest of the body doesn’t care. The workers that die to ensure the colony’s survival are also easily replaced—but their sacrifice isn’t entirely selfless.

The members of an insect colony are very closely related, and workers often don’t reproduce. If an insect can keep the queen and the rest of the colony from being wiped out by enemies or illness by laying down its own life, there’s a better chance that some of its genes will be passed on by relatives.

“It’s not the individual that counts—otherwise we wouldn’t see these self-sacrificial behaviors,” Rueppell says.

Written By Kate Baggaley

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Undoubtedly, the Pestilence immediately disappeared the moment his term spreading (though some advise given that beer was actually steamed in the making procedure, that will have been more secure in comparison to water, which had formerly spread out the contamination.) When St. Arnold perished in 640, the citizens of his hometown held his physical body coming from Remiremont to Metz for reburial in their religion. That is actually certainly not as if as soon as a term uttered due to the oral cavity just ambulates in the external world. Early people, specifically groups, dressed themselves up in the likeness of animals to beget a good reputation from them. Only for exciting, allow's have a fictional quest in to among these early titans to know their key. Mattresses are little bit much more than glorified resting mats, with their origins in early times. Theologians will certainly inform you that the book from Esther was actually filled in component to demonstrate that there are no chances, because a divine palm overviews all events. This publication describes the quest from the writers while checking out the existence as well as definition from crystal heads. The ancient thinkers typically made use of as styles from character specific forms of persons that possessed a remarkable opposition of personality and character. Celtic community in Britain bolstered much of the shrines as well as treat days from the earlier megalithic opportunities along with the most essential Celtic treat days being actually the four annual Fire Festivals." Celtic beliefs were polytheistic as well as their pantheon contained as several as 4 hundred divine beings. Equally as through oil, electricity and vapor rails are actually known to operate in a similar way rails making use of modern technology of broadcast interaction can be made to move about.

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11 Strip Mall Restaurants Proving It’s What’s Inside that Counts

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Strip malls have a bad rap for being homely and soulless, but I’ve found some great strip mall restaurants with a lot of soul. I have a soft spot for unconventional beauty, a passion for delicious eats, and a fondness for hidden gems. And well, these eleven strip mall restaurants satisfy all three of these qualifications and more!

1. La Bodega Gourmet

11500 Bee Cave Rd #200, Austin, TX 78733 http://paellamix.com/

This little strip mall gem charmed me instantly. La Boedga is a Spanish market and restaurant. A very small and casual place with big heart and yummy paella. The market offers Spanish favorites like squid ink broth (to make your own squid ink paella!), olive oils, and paella pans. The menu is simple and delicious. The lamb chops were SO tender and flavorful. It’s the perfect intimate date spot. If you have the whole place to yourself like we did, chat up owner and Chef Eric! He will impress you with his passion. Do call for reservations just in case! It is super tiny.

2. Andiamo Italiano

2521 Rutland Drive, Austin TX 78758 http://andiamoitaliano.com

Andiamo is the inspiration behind this blog post. Andiamo has been been around Austin for quite awhile and I’m sad I only just discovered it. Truly authentic Italian and now my go-to recommendation when people ask me where to go for Italian in Austin. Owned by an adorable Italian lady with a charming accent. Read more about the dinner I had recently.

3. Habesha

6019 N Interstate 35 Frontage Rd, Austin, TX 78723 http://www.habeshaaustin.com/

The first time I laid eyes on Habesha, I was skeptical. I judged the Ethiopian restaurant by its very humble strip mall exterior. And then I sat down and had a beautiful and delicious meal and learned again the lesson of not being so dang superficial! Their injera has so much flavor!

4. Soto Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar

11066 Pecan Park Blvd #402, Cedar Park, TX 78613 http://sotoaustin.com/

Word on the street is Soto is opening a second location in South Austin. I called to confirm that their original strip mall location in Cedar Park will remain open. Their sushi is one of the best in Austin and their Fire Salmon dish is a jaw-dropping display.

5. Kula Sushi

6929 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78752 http://kulausa.com/

A national chain I’m happy we have, because Austin has a revolving sushi joint now! Well, technically we had one many years ago that didn’t stay open long. Fingers crossed Kula stays! Their sushi quality isn’t the best but it’s decent and the amount of fun you experience totally makes the visit worth it. I also like their udon noodle soups! Would make a great date night or family outing.

A tip for your visit: The more plates you stick into your table’s dish disposal, the more prizes you’ll earn!

6. New Fortune Chinese Seafood

10901 N Lamar Blvd #501, Austin, TX 78753 https://www.newfortuneseafood.com/

New Fortune Chinese Seafood is where I go for dim sum in Austin. Located in the Chinatown strip mall (Austin’s minuscule version of “Chinatown”) at Braker and Lamar. You walk inside their doors and are greeted with a very large banquet room with hanging crystal chandeliers. They have a regular dinner service but I’ve only gone for dim sum and it’s always a treat. I’ve had so many happy memories at New Fortune Chinese Seafood, including my second date with Sugarface!

7. Heo Eatery

6214 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78752 http://m.mainstreethub.com/heoeatery

I got your order. Ready? Write it down. Please order the chicken bao, the tumeric fish, and the roasted vegetables. I make roasted cauliflower fairly often and it will never be at Heo Eatery’s level.

8. Pho Please

1920 E Riverside Dr, Austin, TX 78741 http://www.phopleaseaustin.com/

I really dig the grilled meats and rice plates at Pho Please and they have delicious pho and vermicelli bowls too. Oh and their matcha Vietnamese coffee is a treat! You can see my friend Jane and I fail miserably at their ridiculous eating challenge (2 lbs noodles, 1/2 lb beef & 2qt broth in 60 minutes) on her Facebook page.

9. Sichuan River

4534 West Gate Blvd, Austin, TX 78745 http://www.sichuanriverchinese.com/

Man, Sichuan River is a hole in the wall with zero ambiance. But what it has makes up for it. Legit Chinese food. I come here pretty regularly for lunch and get the Mapo Tofu, and egg foo young and Singapore Noodles. You can gawk at my first meal there here.

10. The Factory – Cafe with a Soul

7718 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78757 http://www.thefactorycafe.com/

This coffee shop cafe really does have a soul. So many darling details like indoor swings and moving art and a hidden passage way (to the bathroom, but go and you’ll see!). It’s my favorite place to meet friends for a cup of matcha latte and conversation. It’s not a place to hunker down and bum wifi access though!

11. Tea Haus

2525 W Anderson Ln #285, Austin, TX 78757 https://www.facebook.com/teahaustx/

Around the corner from Factory, is Tea Haus, serving bubble milk teas and pretty brick toasts. They also have popcorn chicken! I know it’s located in the same parking lot as Walmart which is the antithesis of the spirit of this blog post, but that just goes to show you, you can’t judge a place by its neighbors either!

So that concludes a list of some of my favorite strip mall gems. Do comment and tell me about some of yours!

Follow my eating adventures and happenings on Instagram. You can also see what is catching my attention in the food world on Twitter and Facebook.

Possibly Related Blog Posts (automatically generated)January 29, 2014 Houston: The Banana Split at Cloud 10June 27, 2017 Andiamo Italiano Woos with Authentic Italian FareJanuary 6, 2015 Sichuan River Offers Comforting Chinese Food to North AustinJune 13, 2014 Fire Salmon at SotoJanuary 9, 2017 Citizen Eatery Inspires with Beautiful Vegetarian Fare

The post 11 Strip Mall Restaurants Proving It’s What’s Inside that Counts appeared first on Girl Eats World.

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Bryan-College Station Restaurant Guide : Mexican Restaurants

Here’s our guide to some of the best Mexican Food in the Brazos Valley. Several excerpts from complete articles on our favorite places are included below, click on the links for the whole story on each featured Mexican eatery.

Take Our Poll

  Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant 840 University Dr. E., College Station, TX • 979-260-3400

Abuelo’s does catering too. Custom fajita spreads are a popular option.

Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant combines homemade cooking with rich flavors of coastal and interior Mexican cuisine.

Casa Rodriguez Mexican Restaurant 300 N. Bryan Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-779-0916

Taco Loco at Casa Rodriguez.

Casa Rodriguez has been a family tradition in Bryan since 1978.

Cilantro Mexican Grill 106 N. Parker Ave., Downtown Bryan, TX • 979-704-6751

Concha ice cream sandwich at Cilantro Mexican Grill.

Cilantro Mexican Grill serves authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes in Downtown Bryan.

Chimy’s – College Station 203 University Dr., College Station, TX • 979-703-6106

Chimy’s College Station.

Chimy’s – College Station serves up great Tex Mex and American favorites right across from the Texas A&M Campus.

Chuy’s (College Station, TX) Hwy. 6 & Harvey • 979-329-6022

Burrito En Fuego at Chuy’s College Station. Image by Chuy’s.

Chuy’s  serves authentic Tex-Mex food in an eclectic atmosphere full of color and personality. The menu offers family recipes from South Texas, New Mexico and Mexican border towns, all made to order from the freshest ingredients.

El Sol De Mexico 705 N. Texas Avenue, Bryan, TX • 979-821-2400

Menudo at El Sol De Mexico. Image by customer Maria Porcayo.

El Sol De Mexico is situated just North of Downtown on Texas Avenue in Bryan. Well known for their Menudo.

Fuego Tortilla Grill 108 Poplar St., College Station, TX • 979-703-1804

Faves at Fuego Tortilla Grill. Image by Blonde Creative.

Fuego Tortilla Grill : Fresh, Hand Made Mexican Food… Fast! I got a little adventurous on this visit and tried the Dr. Pepper Cowboy ($3.79) taco with brisket, grilled onions, Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce, chipotle Cream corn and jack cheese on a hot, thick, hand made flour tortilla. The brisket was impressively prepared, tender and flavorful enough to be the pride of a small town barbecue joint. The chipotle cream corn and barbecue sauce were a perfect compliment to the brisket. I like a lot of sauce and flavor and the Dr. Pepper Cowboy did not disappoint. While eating this saucy taco had the potential to be a messy affair if the tortilla were to break, that didn’t happen and is unlikely to because the tortillas are so darned thick.

Jesse’s Taqueria & Bakery 3310 East 29th St., Bryan, TX • 979-485-9841

Jesse’s Taqueria is situated near Blinn College in Bryan.

Jesse’s Taqueria & Bakery is well known for fresh tacos, lunch plates, Mexican sweet breads, flan, fresh baked cookies, and friendly “know you by name” service.

La Carreta Mexican Grill 1605 San Jacinto Ln., Bryan, TX • 979-823-5929

Authentic Mexican food at La Carreta in Bryan. Image by La Carreta.

Established in 2011, La Carreta Mexican Grill  is family-owned and strives to offer great quality service and delicious authentic Mexican food.

La Espiga Dorada 210 W. MLK in Bryan • 979-779-9594

Empanadas by La Espiga Dorada.

After a night of good times and great music at Revolution on Carnegie Alley in Downtown Bryan, local burger legend Charles Stover introduced me to his favorite local taco stand, El Nopalito on MLK. He also pointed out La Espiga Dorada, the bakery right behind El Nopalito and raved about the breads and sweets. Read more.

Los Cucos Mexican Restaurant 1521 S. Texas Avenue, College Station, TX • 979-689-8896 Los Cucos Bryan 920 N. Earl Rudder Fwy. Bryan, TX • 979-776-7800

Los Cucos is a popular Houston-based chain with two Brazos Valley locations. They are well known for great Mexican Food and an innovative drinks menu. One in Bryan and one in College Station. Image by Los Cucos.

Los Cucos Mexican Restaurant strives to delight you every visit with Always Fresh food, awesome drink specials, and the best possible “wow” service.

Lupe Tortilla 813 Texas Avenue South, College Station, TX • 979-693-6761

Dining room at Lupe Tortilla College Station. Image by Lupe Tortilla.

Lupe Tortilla makes it their business to serve the best tasting, most creative, colorful, and consistent Mexican food possible. Casual dining. Kids are welcomed.

Mad Taco 404 Jane Street @ University Dr., College Station, TX • 979-704-6266

Chiles en Nogada Specialty Taco by Mad Taco. Image by Mad Taco.

Mad Taco Stands Out For Its Tortillas… & Lack Thereof The Chile Rubbed Salmon Taco featured seared salmon with cheese, avocado, marinated red onion, chile oil and cilantro aioli. It was all wrapped up in one of the best tortillas I had ever tasted. About the thickness of a Gordita shell, warm, soft, slightly sweet, heavenly!

Michoacana Taqueria 1322 S. Texas Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-823-1177

Michoacana Taqueria. Photo by Greg Deeter.

Michoacana Taqueria Is “Mind Blowing” Good The tacos were served from hot holds and then you add your own toppings from the bar like onions, cilantro, marinated purple onions, pico, limes or cucumbers. Cucumbers? Yes. There are also four types of sauce that you ladle on, two red and two green.

Papa Perez Mexican Cuisine 200 S. Main St., Downtown Bryan

Shrimp ceviche at Papa Perez in Downtown Bryan.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but even the succulent photo accompanying this review cannot do the Shrimp Ceviche at Papa Perez Mexican Cuisine in Downtown Bryan justice. Marinated shrimp, tomatoes, onions and avocados in their famous ceviche sauce. Heaven on a fork…or cracker. The salsa and chips were good, and the sour cream enchiladas were well prepared. They offer charro or refried beans, so I got beans and rice. Both sides were flavorful and fresh. Nothing compared to the ceviche though. Papa Perez nailed it! Best in town.

Pepe’s Mexican Cafe 3312 S College Ave Bryan, TX • 979-779-2457

Pepe’s Mexican Cafe in Bryan, Texas

Pepe’s Mexican Cafe has been located in the same Bryan, TX spot since 1969. They serve delicious Tex Mex food including tacos, burritos, fajitas, specialty queso, and more.

Polly’s Cocina 12675 Wellborn Rd., Bryan, TX • 979-695-7500

Tacos at Polly’s Cocina. Image by Greg “Taco Monster” Deeter.

Polly’s Cocina is one of the most excellent Mexican restaurants in College Station. Great prices, just fantastic food and service and once you walk inside and see all of the walls covered with full 8×12 photos of all of the people that have eaten here, you will get it. One of the most popular Mexican restaurants for A&M staff at lunch. Lunch for three today was under $20 for nice big full plates and they have some of the best queso cheese on the face of the planet. (Words by Greg Deeter)

Raspas El Payasito 1005 S. Coulter St., Bryan, TX

Raspas El Payasito tacos. Image by Raspas taco afficionado Rhonda Holley.

Raspas El Payasito is one of our favorite places to go the morning (to us…like 11am-ish) after a night of revelry on Northgate. Authentic Mexican deliciousness!

The Tacobar 1411 Wellborn Rd., College Station, TX • 979-704-6636

El Carnal Taco by Tacobar.

Tacobar On Wellborn: Marinated Meats Make The Menu That’s the simple formula The Tacobar is executing to earn rave reviews for their newly opened Taqueria, specializing in authentic, border-style Mex fare.

Taco Crave B/CS 308 N. Main St., Bryan, TX • 979-485-5460

Street tacos by Taco Crave in Downtown Bryan. Image by Taco Crave.

Taco Crave B/CS specializes in simple, homemade, authentic Street Tacos, Burritos, Quesadillas, Tortas, Bowls, Desserts, Kids Meals. Street Food. Mom & Pop vibe. Small business. Friendly, kind service.

Taqueria El Nopalito 216 Martin Luther King St., Bryan, TX • 979-402-2414

Brisket tacos at Taqueria El Nopalito.

Taqueria El Nopalito: Authentic Mex, Fast & Fresh That 1am taco run from Revs became the start of a regular love affair between me and El Nopalito. My favorite is the Brisket Taco. They make the tacos street style, wrapping them all up together in foil so they keep each other nice and warm. Cilantro, onions and meat on your chioce of tortilla…simple goodness!

Taqueria El Tio 911 N. Bryan Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-775-8054

Taqueria El Tio offers outdoor dining, carry-out and drive-thru.

Taqueria El Tio : Hidden Gem In Bryan Offers Fresh, No Frills Mexican Fare If you weren’t looking for it, you’d likely drive right by this humble looking Mexican eatery without even noticing it’s there. Luckily for them, and local Mexican food afficionados, lots of people know right where to go for their El Tio fix, as they more than make up for what they lack in location and signage with excellent, fresh-made food at very fair prices.

Taqueria La Perla 111 N. Brazos Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-775-7116

Taco Perfection! by Taqueria La Perla in Bryan.

Taqueria La Perla is an authentic Tex-Mex taqueria in Bryan, just east of Downtown. Open until 3am on weekends.

Torchy’s Tacos (College Station) 1037 Texas Ave. S., College Station, TX • 979-329-6900

Torchy’s is situated on Texas Avenue between Cane’s and Layne’s.

Torchy’s keeps it simple: Damn good tacos.

Yole’s La Familia 14725 Fm 2154 Rd., College Station, TX • 979-690-5760 Yole’s La Familia 300 N. Texas Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-822-9192

Mexican buffet at Yole’s La Familia.

Yole’s La Familia Taqueria previously known as “La Familia” was established in 1990 by Yolanda and Otilio Agguire in Bryan, Texas. Today, 25 years later the legacy of “La Familia Taqueria” continues to strive strong in the Bryan-College Station area. The late Yolanda Aguirre passed in August of 2013, but her husband (Otilio), daughter (Melissa Serna), and son-in-law (Fidel Serna) are still keeping the business alive in booming today. The restaurant was recently featured in the Texas Monthly (December 2015 Edition) for The 120 Best Tacos You Must Eat Before You Die.

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  Vote for the best #BCSTX Mexican Restaurant iPhone Repair College Station Bryan-College Station Restaurant Guide : Mexican Restaurants Here's our guide to some of the best Mexican Food in the Brazos Valley.

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Bryan-College Station Restaurant Guide : Mexican Restaurants

Here’s our guide to some of the best Mexican Food in the Brazos Valley. Several excerpts from complete articles on our favorite places are included below, click on the links for the whole story on each featured Mexican eatery.

Take Our Poll

  Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant 840 University Dr. E., College Station, TX • 979-260-3400

Abuelo’s does catering too. Custom fajita spreads are a popular option.

Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant combines homemade cooking with rich flavors of coastal and interior Mexican cuisine.

Casa Rodriguez Mexican Restaurant 300 N. Bryan Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-779-0916

Taco Loco at Casa Rodriguez.

Casa Rodriguez has been a family tradition in Bryan since 1978.

Cilantro Mexican Grill 106 N. Parker Ave., Downtown Bryan, TX • 979-704-6751

Concha ice cream sandwich at Cilantro Mexican Grill.

Cilantro Mexican Grill serves authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes in Downtown Bryan.

Chimy’s – College Station 203 University Dr., College Station, TX • 979-703-6106

Chimy’s College Station.

Chimy’s – College Station serves up great Tex Mex and American favorites right across from the Texas A&M Campus.

Chuy’s (College Station, TX) Hwy. 6 & Harvey • 979-329-6022

Burrito En Fuego at Chuy’s College Station. Image by Chuy’s.

Chuy’s  serves authentic Tex-Mex food in an eclectic atmosphere full of color and personality. The menu offers family recipes from South Texas, New Mexico and Mexican border towns, all made to order from the freshest ingredients.

El Sol De Mexico 705 N. Texas Avenue, Bryan, TX • 979-821-2400

Menudo at El Sol De Mexico. Image by customer Maria Porcayo.

El Sol De Mexico is situated just North of Downtown on Texas Avenue in Bryan. Well known for their Menudo.

Fuego Tortilla Grill 108 Poplar St., College Station, TX • 979-703-1804

Faves at Fuego Tortilla Grill. Image by Blonde Creative.

Fuego Tortilla Grill : Fresh, Hand Made Mexican Food… Fast! I got a little adventurous on this visit and tried the Dr. Pepper Cowboy ($3.79) taco with brisket, grilled onions, Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce, chipotle Cream corn and jack cheese on a hot, thick, hand made flour tortilla. The brisket was impressively prepared, tender and flavorful enough to be the pride of a small town barbecue joint. The chipotle cream corn and barbecue sauce were a perfect compliment to the brisket. I like a lot of sauce and flavor and the Dr. Pepper Cowboy did not disappoint. While eating this saucy taco had the potential to be a messy affair if the tortilla were to break, that didn’t happen and is unlikely to because the tortillas are so darned thick.

Jesse’s Taqueria & Bakery 3310 East 29th St., Bryan, TX • 979-485-9841

Jesse’s Taqueria is situated near Blinn College in Bryan.

Jesse’s Taqueria & Bakery is well known for fresh tacos, lunch plates, Mexican sweet breads, flan, fresh baked cookies, and friendly “know you by name” service.

La Carreta Mexican Grill 1605 San Jacinto Ln., Bryan, TX • 979-823-5929

Authentic Mexican food at La Carreta in Bryan. Image by La Carreta.

Established in 2011, La Carreta Mexican Grill  is family-owned and strives to offer great quality service and delicious authentic Mexican food.

La Espiga Dorada 210 W. MLK in Bryan • 979-779-9594

Empanadas by La Espiga Dorada.

After a night of good times and great music at Revolution on Carnegie Alley in Downtown Bryan, local burger legend Charles Stover introduced me to his favorite local taco stand, El Nopalito on MLK. He also pointed out La Espiga Dorada, the bakery right behind El Nopalito and raved about the breads and sweets. Read more.

Los Cucos Mexican Restaurant 1521 S. Texas Avenue, College Station, TX • 979-689-8896 Los Cucos Bryan 920 N. Earl Rudder Fwy. Bryan, TX • 979-776-7800

Los Cucos is a popular Houston-based chain with two Brazos Valley locations. They are well known for great Mexican Food and an innovative drinks menu. One in Bryan and one in College Station. Image by Los Cucos.

Los Cucos Mexican Restaurant strives to delight you every visit with Always Fresh food, awesome drink specials, and the best possible “wow” service.

Lupe Tortilla 813 Texas Avenue South, College Station, TX • 979-693-6761

Dining room at Lupe Tortilla College Station. Image by Lupe Tortilla.

Lupe Tortilla makes it their business to serve the best tasting, most creative, colorful, and consistent Mexican food possible. Casual dining. Kids are welcomed.

Mad Taco 404 Jane Street @ University Dr., College Station, TX • 979-704-6266

Chiles en Nogada Specialty Taco by Mad Taco. Image by Mad Taco.

Mad Taco Stands Out For Its Tortillas… & Lack Thereof The Chile Rubbed Salmon Taco featured seared salmon with cheese, avocado, marinated red onion, chile oil and cilantro aioli. It was all wrapped up in one of the best tortillas I had ever tasted. About the thickness of a Gordita shell, warm, soft, slightly sweet, heavenly!

Michoacana Taqueria 1322 S. Texas Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-823-1177

Michoacana Taqueria. Photo by Greg Deeter.

Michoacana Taqueria Is “Mind Blowing” Good The tacos were served from hot holds and then you add your own toppings from the bar like onions, cilantro, marinated purple onions, pico, limes or cucumbers. Cucumbers? Yes. There are also four types of sauce that you ladle on, two red and two green.

Papa Perez Mexican Cuisine 200 S. Main St., Downtown Bryan

Shrimp ceviche at Papa Perez in Downtown Bryan.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but even the succulent photo accompanying this review cannot do the Shrimp Ceviche at Papa Perez Mexican Cuisine in Downtown Bryan justice. Marinated shrimp, tomatoes, onions and avocados in their famous ceviche sauce. Heaven on a fork…or cracker. The salsa and chips were good, and the sour cream enchiladas were well prepared. They offer charro or refried beans, so I got beans and rice. Both sides were flavorful and fresh. Nothing compared to the ceviche though. Papa Perez nailed it! Best in town.

Pepe’s Mexican Cafe 3312 S College Ave Bryan, TX • 979-779-2457

Pepe’s Mexican Cafe in Bryan, Texas

Pepe’s Mexican Cafe has been located in the same Bryan, TX spot since 1969. They serve delicious Tex Mex food including tacos, burritos, fajitas, specialty queso, and more.

Polly’s Cocina 12675 Wellborn Rd., Bryan, TX • 979-695-7500

Tacos at Polly’s Cocina. Image by Greg “Taco Monster” Deeter.

Polly’s Cocina is one of the most excellent Mexican restaurants in College Station. Great prices, just fantastic food and service and once you walk inside and see all of the walls covered with full 8×12 photos of all of the people that have eaten here, you will get it. One of the most popular Mexican restaurants for A&M staff at lunch. Lunch for three today was under $20 for nice big full plates and they have some of the best queso cheese on the face of the planet. (Words by Greg Deeter)

Raspas El Payasito 1005 S. Coulter St., Bryan, TX

Raspas El Payasito tacos. Image by Raspas taco afficionado Rhonda Holley.

Raspas El Payasito is one of our favorite places to go the morning (to us…like 11am-ish) after a night of revelry on Northgate. Authentic Mexican deliciousness!

The Tacobar 1411 Wellborn Rd., College Station, TX • 979-704-6636

El Carnal Taco by Tacobar.

Tacobar On Wellborn: Marinated Meats Make The Menu That’s the simple formula The Tacobar is executing to earn rave reviews for their newly opened Taqueria, specializing in authentic, border-style Mex fare.

Taco Crave B/CS 308 N. Main St., Bryan, TX • 979-485-5460

Street tacos by Taco Crave in Downtown Bryan. Image by Taco Crave.

Taco Crave B/CS specializes in simple, homemade, authentic Street Tacos, Burritos, Quesadillas, Tortas, Bowls, Desserts, Kids Meals. Street Food. Mom & Pop vibe. Small business. Friendly, kind service.

Taqueria El Nopalito 216 Martin Luther King St., Bryan, TX • 979-402-2414

Brisket tacos at Taqueria El Nopalito.

Taqueria El Nopalito: Authentic Mex, Fast & Fresh That 1am taco run from Revs became the start of a regular love affair between me and El Nopalito. My favorite is the Brisket Taco. They make the tacos street style, wrapping them all up together in foil so they keep each other nice and warm. Cilantro, onions and meat on your chioce of tortilla…simple goodness!

Taqueria El Tio 911 N. Bryan Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-775-8054

Taqueria El Tio offers outdoor dining, carry-out and drive-thru.

Taqueria El Tio : Hidden Gem In Bryan Offers Fresh, No Frills Mexican Fare If you weren’t looking for it, you’d likely drive right by this humble looking Mexican eatery without even noticing it’s there. Luckily for them, and local Mexican food afficionados, lots of people know right where to go for their El Tio fix, as they more than make up for what they lack in location and signage with excellent, fresh-made food at very fair prices.

Taqueria La Perla 111 N. Brazos Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-775-7116

Taco Perfection! by Taqueria La Perla in Bryan.

Taqueria La Perla is an authentic Tex-Mex taqueria in Bryan, just east of Downtown. Open until 3am on weekends.

Torchy’s Tacos (College Station) 1037 Texas Ave. S., College Station, TX • 979-329-6900

Torchy’s is situated on Texas Avenue between Cane’s and Layne’s.

Torchy’s keeps it simple: Damn good tacos.

Yole’s La Familia 14725 Fm 2154 Rd., College Station, TX • 979-690-5760 Yole’s La Familia 300 N. Texas Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-822-9192

Mexican buffet at Yole’s La Familia.

Yole’s La Familia Taqueria previously known as “La Familia” was established in 1990 by Yolanda and Otilio Agguire in Bryan, Texas. Today, 25 years later the legacy of “La Familia Taqueria” continues to strive strong in the Bryan-College Station area. The late Yolanda Aguirre passed in August of 2013, but her husband (Otilio), daughter (Melissa Serna), and son-in-law (Fidel Serna) are still keeping the business alive in booming today. The restaurant was recently featured in the Texas Monthly (December 2015 Edition) for The 120 Best Tacos You Must Eat Before You Die.

iPhone Repair College Station

  Vote for the best #BCSTX Mexican Restaurant Bryan-College Station Restaurant Guide : Mexican Restaurants Here's our guide to some of the best Mexican Food in the Brazos Valley.

[eatbcstx-blog]

iPhone Repair College Station

Bryan-College Station Restaurant Guide : Mexican Restaurants

Here’s our guide to some of the best Mexican Food in the Brazos Valley. Several excerpts from complete articles on our favorite places are included below, click on the links for the whole story on each featured Mexican eatery.

Take Our Poll

  Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant 840 University Dr. E., College Station, TX • 979-260-3400

Abuelo’s does catering too. Custom fajita spreads are a popular option.

Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant combines homemade cooking with rich flavors of coastal and interior Mexican cuisine.

Casa Rodriguez Mexican Restaurant 300 N. Bryan Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-779-0916

Taco Loco at Casa Rodriguez.

Casa Rodriguez has been a family tradition in Bryan since 1978.

Cilantro Mexican Grill 106 N. Parker Ave., Downtown Bryan, TX • 979-704-6751

Concha ice cream sandwich at Cilantro Mexican Grill.

Cilantro Mexican Grill serves authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes in Downtown Bryan.

Chimy’s – College Station 203 University Dr., College Station, TX • 979-703-6106

Chimy’s College Station.

Chimy’s – College Station serves up great Tex Mex and American favorites right across from the Texas A&M Campus.

Chuy’s (College Station, TX) Hwy. 6 & Harvey • 979-329-6022

Burrito En Fuego at Chuy’s College Station. Image by Chuy’s.

Chuy’s  serves authentic Tex-Mex food in an eclectic atmosphere full of color and personality. The menu offers family recipes from South Texas, New Mexico and Mexican border towns, all made to order from the freshest ingredients.

El Sol De Mexico 705 N. Texas Avenue, Bryan, TX • 979-821-2400

Menudo at El Sol De Mexico. Image by customer Maria Porcayo.

El Sol De Mexico is situated just North of Downtown on Texas Avenue in Bryan. Well known for their Menudo.

Fuego Tortilla Grill 108 Poplar St., College Station, TX • 979-703-1804

Faves at Fuego Tortilla Grill. Image by Blonde Creative.

Fuego Tortilla Grill : Fresh, Hand Made Mexican Food… Fast! I got a little adventurous on this visit and tried the Dr. Pepper Cowboy ($3.79) taco with brisket, grilled onions, Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce, chipotle Cream corn and jack cheese on a hot, thick, hand made flour tortilla. The brisket was impressively prepared, tender and flavorful enough to be the pride of a small town barbecue joint. The chipotle cream corn and barbecue sauce were a perfect compliment to the brisket. I like a lot of sauce and flavor and the Dr. Pepper Cowboy did not disappoint. While eating this saucy taco had the potential to be a messy affair if the tortilla were to break, that didn’t happen and is unlikely to because the tortillas are so darned thick.

Jesse’s Taqueria & Bakery 3310 East 29th St., Bryan, TX • 979-485-9841

Jesse’s Taqueria is situated near Blinn College in Bryan.

Jesse’s Taqueria & Bakery is well known for fresh tacos, lunch plates, Mexican sweet breads, flan, fresh baked cookies, and friendly “know you by name” service.

La Carreta Mexican Grill 1605 San Jacinto Ln., Bryan, TX • 979-823-5929

Authentic Mexican food at La Carreta in Bryan. Image by La Carreta.

Established in 2011, La Carreta Mexican Grill  is family-owned and strives to offer great quality service and delicious authentic Mexican food.

La Espiga Dorada 210 W. MLK in Bryan • 979-779-9594

Empanadas by La Espiga Dorada.

After a night of good times and great music at Revolution on Carnegie Alley in Downtown Bryan, local burger legend Charles Stover introduced me to his favorite local taco stand, El Nopalito on MLK. He also pointed out La Espiga Dorada, the bakery right behind El Nopalito and raved about the breads and sweets. Read more.

Los Cucos Mexican Restaurant 1521 S. Texas Avenue, College Station, TX • 979-689-8896 Los Cucos Bryan 920 N. Earl Rudder Fwy. Bryan, TX • 979-776-7800

Los Cucos is a popular Houston-based chain with two Brazos Valley locations. They are well known for great Mexican Food and an innovative drinks menu. One in Bryan and one in College Station. Image by Los Cucos.

Los Cucos Mexican Restaurant strives to delight you every visit with Always Fresh food, awesome drink specials, and the best possible “wow” service.

Lupe Tortilla 813 Texas Avenue South, College Station, TX • 979-693-6761

Dining room at Lupe Tortilla College Station. Image by Lupe Tortilla.

Lupe Tortilla makes it their business to serve the best tasting, most creative, colorful, and consistent Mexican food possible. Casual dining. Kids are welcomed.

Mad Taco 404 Jane Street @ University Dr., College Station, TX • 979-704-6266

Chiles en Nogada Specialty Taco by Mad Taco. Image by Mad Taco.

Mad Taco Stands Out For Its Tortillas… & Lack Thereof The Chile Rubbed Salmon Taco featured seared salmon with cheese, avocado, marinated red onion, chile oil and cilantro aioli. It was all wrapped up in one of the best tortillas I had ever tasted. About the thickness of a Gordita shell, warm, soft, slightly sweet, heavenly!

Michoacana Taqueria 1322 S. Texas Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-823-1177

Michoacana Taqueria. Photo by Greg Deeter.

Michoacana Taqueria Is “Mind Blowing” Good The tacos were served from hot holds and then you add your own toppings from the bar like onions, cilantro, marinated purple onions, pico, limes or cucumbers. Cucumbers? Yes. There are also four types of sauce that you ladle on, two red and two green.

Papa Perez Mexican Cuisine 200 S. Main St., Downtown Bryan

Shrimp ceviche at Papa Perez in Downtown Bryan.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but even the succulent photo accompanying this review cannot do the Shrimp Ceviche at Papa Perez Mexican Cuisine in Downtown Bryan justice. Marinated shrimp, tomatoes, onions and avocados in their famous ceviche sauce. Heaven on a fork…or cracker. The salsa and chips were good, and the sour cream enchiladas were well prepared. They offer charro or refried beans, so I got beans and rice. Both sides were flavorful and fresh. Nothing compared to the ceviche though. Papa Perez nailed it! Best in town.

Pepe’s Mexican Cafe 3312 S College Ave Bryan, TX • 979-779-2457

Pepe’s Mexican Cafe in Bryan, Texas

Pepe’s Mexican Cafe has been located in the same Bryan, TX spot since 1969. They serve delicious Tex Mex food including tacos, burritos, fajitas, specialty queso, and more.

Polly’s Cocina 12675 Wellborn Rd., Bryan, TX • 979-695-7500

Tacos at Polly’s Cocina. Image by Greg “Taco Monster” Deeter.

Polly’s Cocina is one of the most excellent Mexican restaurants in College Station. Great prices, just fantastic food and service and once you walk inside and see all of the walls covered with full 8×12 photos of all of the people that have eaten here, you will get it. One of the most popular Mexican restaurants for A&M staff at lunch. Lunch for three today was under $20 for nice big full plates and they have some of the best queso cheese on the face of the planet. (Words by Greg Deeter)

Raspas El Payasito 1005 S. Coulter St., Bryan, TX

Raspas El Payasito tacos. Image by Raspas taco afficionado Rhonda Holley.

Raspas El Payasito is one of our favorite places to go the morning (to us…like 11am-ish) after a night of revelry on Northgate. Authentic Mexican deliciousness!

The Tacobar 1411 Wellborn Rd., College Station, TX • 979-704-6636

El Carnal Taco by Tacobar.

Tacobar On Wellborn: Marinated Meats Make The Menu That’s the simple formula The Tacobar is executing to earn rave reviews for their newly opened Taqueria, specializing in authentic, border-style Mex fare.

Taco Crave B/CS 308 N. Main St., Bryan, TX • 979-485-5460

Street tacos by Taco Crave in Downtown Bryan. Image by Taco Crave.

Taco Crave B/CS specializes in simple, homemade, authentic Street Tacos, Burritos, Quesadillas, Tortas, Bowls, Desserts, Kids Meals. Street Food. Mom & Pop vibe. Small business. Friendly, kind service.

Taqueria El Nopalito 216 Martin Luther King St., Bryan, TX • 979-402-2414

Brisket tacos at Taqueria El Nopalito.

Taqueria El Nopalito: Authentic Mex, Fast & Fresh That 1am taco run from Revs became the start of a regular love affair between me and El Nopalito. My favorite is the Brisket Taco. They make the tacos street style, wrapping them all up together in foil so they keep each other nice and warm. Cilantro, onions and meat on your chioce of tortilla…simple goodness!

Taqueria El Tio 911 N. Bryan Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-775-8054

Taqueria El Tio offers outdoor dining, carry-out and drive-thru.

Taqueria El Tio : Hidden Gem In Bryan Offers Fresh, No Frills Mexican Fare If you weren’t looking for it, you’d likely drive right by this humble looking Mexican eatery without even noticing it’s there. Luckily for them, and local Mexican food afficionados, lots of people know right where to go for their El Tio fix, as they more than make up for what they lack in location and signage with excellent, fresh-made food at very fair prices.

Taqueria La Perla 111 N. Brazos Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-775-7116

Taco Perfection! by Taqueria La Perla in Bryan.

Taqueria La Perla is an authentic Tex-Mex taqueria in Bryan, just east of Downtown. Open until 3am on weekends.

Torchy’s Tacos (College Station) 1037 Texas Ave. S., College Station, TX • 979-329-6900

Torchy’s is situated on Texas Avenue between Cane’s and Layne’s.

Torchy’s keeps it simple: Damn good tacos.

Yole’s La Familia 14725 Fm 2154 Rd., College Station, TX • 979-690-5760 Yole’s La Familia 300 N. Texas Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-822-9192

Mexican buffet at Yole’s La Familia.

Yole’s La Familia Taqueria previously known as “La Familia” was established in 1990 by Yolanda and Otilio Agguire in Bryan, Texas. Today, 25 years later the legacy of “La Familia Taqueria” continues to strive strong in the Bryan-College Station area. The late Yolanda Aguirre passed in August of 2013, but her husband (Otilio), daughter (Melissa Serna), and son-in-law (Fidel Serna) are still keeping the business alive in booming today. The restaurant was recently featured in the Texas Monthly (December 2015 Edition) for The 120 Best Tacos You Must Eat Before You Die.

iPhone Repair College Station

  Vote for the best #BCSTX Mexican Restaurant iPhone Repair College Station Bryan-College Station Restaurant Guide : Mexican Restaurants Here's our guide to some of the best Mexican Food in the Brazos Valley.

[eatbcstx-blog]

Bryan-College Station Restaurant Guide : Mexican Restaurants

Here’s our guide to some of the best Mexican Food in the Brazos Valley. Several excerpts from complete articles on our favorite places are included below, click on the links for the whole story on each featured Mexican eatery.

Take Our Poll

  Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant 840 University Dr. E., College Station, TX • 979-260-3400

Abuelo’s does catering too. Custom fajita spreads are a popular option.

Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant combines homemade cooking with rich flavors of coastal and interior Mexican cuisine.

Casa Rodriguez Mexican Restaurant 300 N. Bryan Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-779-0916

Taco Loco at Casa Rodriguez.

Casa Rodriguez has been a family tradition in Bryan since 1978.

Cilantro Mexican Grill 106 N. Parker Ave., Downtown Bryan, TX • 979-704-6751

Concha ice cream sandwich at Cilantro Mexican Grill.

Cilantro Mexican Grill serves authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes in Downtown Bryan.

Chimy’s – College Station 203 University Dr., College Station, TX • 979-703-6106

Chimy’s College Station.

Chimy’s – College Station serves up great Tex Mex and American favorites right across from the Texas A&M Campus.

Chuy’s (College Station, TX) Hwy. 6 & Harvey • 979-329-6022

Burrito En Fuego at Chuy’s College Station. Image by Chuy’s.

Chuy’s  serves authentic Tex-Mex food in an eclectic atmosphere full of color and personality. The menu offers family recipes from South Texas, New Mexico and Mexican border towns, all made to order from the freshest ingredients.

El Sol De Mexico 705 N. Texas Avenue, Bryan, TX • 979-821-2400

Menudo at El Sol De Mexico. Image by customer Maria Porcayo.

El Sol De Mexico is situated just North of Downtown on Texas Avenue in Bryan. Well known for their Menudo.

Fuego Tortilla Grill 108 Poplar St., College Station, TX • 979-703-1804

Faves at Fuego Tortilla Grill. Image by Blonde Creative.

Fuego Tortilla Grill : Fresh, Hand Made Mexican Food… Fast! I got a little adventurous on this visit and tried the Dr. Pepper Cowboy ($3.79) taco with brisket, grilled onions, Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce, chipotle Cream corn and jack cheese on a hot, thick, hand made flour tortilla. The brisket was impressively prepared, tender and flavorful enough to be the pride of a small town barbecue joint. The chipotle cream corn and barbecue sauce were a perfect compliment to the brisket. I like a lot of sauce and flavor and the Dr. Pepper Cowboy did not disappoint. While eating this saucy taco had the potential to be a messy affair if the tortilla were to break, that didn’t happen and is unlikely to because the tortillas are so darned thick.

Jesse’s Taqueria & Bakery 3310 East 29th St., Bryan, TX • 979-485-9841

Jesse’s Taqueria is situated near Blinn College in Bryan.

Jesse’s Taqueria & Bakery is well known for fresh tacos, lunch plates, Mexican sweet breads, flan, fresh baked cookies, and friendly “know you by name” service.

La Carreta Mexican Grill 1605 San Jacinto Ln., Bryan, TX • 979-823-5929

Authentic Mexican food at La Carreta in Bryan. Image by La Carreta.

Established in 2011, La Carreta Mexican Grill  is family-owned and strives to offer great quality service and delicious authentic Mexican food.

La Espiga Dorada 210 W. MLK in Bryan • 979-779-9594

Empanadas by La Espiga Dorada.

After a night of good times and great music at Revolution on Carnegie Alley in Downtown Bryan, local burger legend Charles Stover introduced me to his favorite local taco stand, El Nopalito on MLK. He also pointed out La Espiga Dorada, the bakery right behind El Nopalito and raved about the breads and sweets. Read more.

Los Cucos Mexican Restaurant 1521 S. Texas Avenue, College Station, TX • 979-689-8896 Los Cucos Bryan 920 N. Earl Rudder Fwy. Bryan, TX • 979-776-7800

Los Cucos is a popular Houston-based chain with two Brazos Valley locations. They are well known for great Mexican Food and an innovative drinks menu. One in Bryan and one in College Station. Image by Los Cucos.

Los Cucos Mexican Restaurant strives to delight you every visit with Always Fresh food, awesome drink specials, and the best possible “wow” service.

Lupe Tortilla 813 Texas Avenue South, College Station, TX • 979-693-6761

Dining room at Lupe Tortilla College Station. Image by Lupe Tortilla.

Lupe Tortilla makes it their business to serve the best tasting, most creative, colorful, and consistent Mexican food possible. Casual dining. Kids are welcomed.

Mad Taco 404 Jane Street @ University Dr., College Station, TX • 979-704-6266

Chiles en Nogada Specialty Taco by Mad Taco. Image by Mad Taco.

Mad Taco Stands Out For Its Tortillas… & Lack Thereof The Chile Rubbed Salmon Taco featured seared salmon with cheese, avocado, marinated red onion, chile oil and cilantro aioli. It was all wrapped up in one of the best tortillas I had ever tasted. About the thickness of a Gordita shell, warm, soft, slightly sweet, heavenly!

Michoacana Taqueria 1322 S. Texas Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-823-1177

Michoacana Taqueria. Photo by Greg Deeter.

Michoacana Taqueria Is “Mind Blowing” Good The tacos were served from hot holds and then you add your own toppings from the bar like onions, cilantro, marinated purple onions, pico, limes or cucumbers. Cucumbers? Yes. There are also four types of sauce that you ladle on, two red and two green.

Papa Perez Mexican Cuisine 200 S. Main St., Downtown Bryan

Shrimp ceviche at Papa Perez in Downtown Bryan.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but even the succulent photo accompanying this review cannot do the Shrimp Ceviche at Papa Perez Mexican Cuisine in Downtown Bryan justice. Marinated shrimp, tomatoes, onions and avocados in their famous ceviche sauce. Heaven on a fork…or cracker. The salsa and chips were good, and the sour cream enchiladas were well prepared. They offer charro or refried beans, so I got beans and rice. Both sides were flavorful and fresh. Nothing compared to the ceviche though. Papa Perez nailed it! Best in town.

Pepe’s Mexican Cafe 3312 S College Ave Bryan, TX • 979-779-2457

Pepe’s Mexican Cafe in Bryan, Texas

Pepe’s Mexican Cafe has been located in the same Bryan, TX spot since 1969. They serve delicious Tex Mex food including tacos, burritos, fajitas, specialty queso, and more.

Polly’s Cocina 12675 Wellborn Rd., Bryan, TX • 979-695-7500

Tacos at Polly’s Cocina. Image by Greg “Taco Monster” Deeter.

Polly’s Cocina is one of the most excellent Mexican restaurants in College Station. Great prices, just fantastic food and service and once you walk inside and see all of the walls covered with full 8×12 photos of all of the people that have eaten here, you will get it. One of the most popular Mexican restaurants for A&M staff at lunch. Lunch for three today was under $20 for nice big full plates and they have some of the best queso cheese on the face of the planet. (Words by Greg Deeter)

Raspas El Payasito 1005 S. Coulter St., Bryan, TX

Raspas El Payasito tacos. Image by Raspas taco afficionado Rhonda Holley.

Raspas El Payasito is one of our favorite places to go the morning (to us…like 11am-ish) after a night of revelry on Northgate. Authentic Mexican deliciousness!

The Tacobar 1411 Wellborn Rd., College Station, TX • 979-704-6636

El Carnal Taco by Tacobar.

Tacobar On Wellborn: Marinated Meats Make The Menu That’s the simple formula The Tacobar is executing to earn rave reviews for their newly opened Taqueria, specializing in authentic, border-style Mex fare.

Taco Crave B/CS 308 N. Main St., Bryan, TX • 979-485-5460

Street tacos by Taco Crave in Downtown Bryan. Image by Taco Crave.

Taco Crave B/CS specializes in simple, homemade, authentic Street Tacos, Burritos, Quesadillas, Tortas, Bowls, Desserts, Kids Meals. Street Food. Mom & Pop vibe. Small business. Friendly, kind service.

Taqueria El Nopalito 216 Martin Luther King St., Bryan, TX • 979-402-2414

Brisket tacos at Taqueria El Nopalito.

Taqueria El Nopalito: Authentic Mex, Fast & Fresh That 1am taco run from Revs became the start of a regular love affair between me and El Nopalito. My favorite is the Brisket Taco. They make the tacos street style, wrapping them all up together in foil so they keep each other nice and warm. Cilantro, onions and meat on your chioce of tortilla…simple goodness!

Taqueria El Tio 911 N. Bryan Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-775-8054

Taqueria El Tio offers outdoor dining, carry-out and drive-thru.

Taqueria El Tio : Hidden Gem In Bryan Offers Fresh, No Frills Mexican Fare If you weren’t looking for it, you’d likely drive right by this humble looking Mexican eatery without even noticing it’s there. Luckily for them, and local Mexican food afficionados, lots of people know right where to go for their El Tio fix, as they more than make up for what they lack in location and signage with excellent, fresh-made food at very fair prices.

Taqueria La Perla 111 N. Brazos Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-775-7116

Taco Perfection! by Taqueria La Perla in Bryan.

Taqueria La Perla is an authentic Tex-Mex taqueria in Bryan, just east of Downtown. Open until 3am on weekends.

Torchy’s Tacos (College Station) 1037 Texas Ave. S., College Station, TX • 979-329-6900

Torchy’s is situated on Texas Avenue between Cane’s and Layne’s.

Torchy’s keeps it simple: Damn good tacos.

Yole’s La Familia 14725 Fm 2154 Rd., College Station, TX • 979-690-5760 Yole’s La Familia 300 N. Texas Ave., Bryan, TX • 979-822-9192

Mexican buffet at Yole’s La Familia.

Yole’s La Familia Taqueria previously known as “La Familia” was established in 1990 by Yolanda and Otilio Agguire in Bryan, Texas. Today, 25 years later the legacy of “La Familia Taqueria” continues to strive strong in the Bryan-College Station area. The late Yolanda Aguirre passed in August of 2013, but her husband (Otilio), daughter (Melissa Serna), and son-in-law (Fidel Serna) are still keeping the business alive in booming today. The restaurant was recently featured in the Texas Monthly (December 2015 Edition) for The 120 Best Tacos You Must Eat Before You Die.

  Vote for the best #BCSTX Mexican Restaurant Bryan-College Station Restaurant Guide : Mexican Restaurants Here's our guide to some of the best Mexican Food in the Brazos Valley.