Brix Pizza & Wine Bar, Neapolitan Pizza, Roanoke-TX

Last visit: March 2012 (first visit Feb. 2012)

Other location: Ft. Worth (original)

I intended on posting about Brix almost a month ago. We had gone on a Sunday, and I fully expected to be able to get a post up by Monday. At that time, I had completely caught up, and was excited about visiting new restaurants. Then a multitude of events conspired against me. Mainly all work related, and whatever spare time I had, completely dissipated. Weekends were spent catching up on more important tasks that I could normally take on during the week. But there's been a break in the clouds, and perhaps we can get back to where we were with some sort of regular posting routine. And with that, we actually had a chance to revisit Brix earlier this month.

This past summer while in Denver, Mrs. RJG had a craving - a craving for the kind of pizza you get in Italy, and really all throughout Europe. Fortunately artisan pizza places are starting to crop up all over in America, one of which is Campania Pizza in Southlake. So we visited a few places in the Denver area, and our favorite ended up being a small local chain called Proto's Pizza. (We specifically went to the Lafayette location for those who know the area - and a long way from our townhome in southeast Denver). We by no means exhausted the area, and all of the restaurants in this category were satisfactory.

I wasn't quite sure where to go, as Campania is the only Neapolitan pizza place I'm aware of in NE Tarrant. There are other inventive pizza places like Coal Vines, which pays homage to the old New York styled coal oven places like Lombardi's. Cavalli's is receiving high praise over in Irving, close to Las Colinas. I was about to head over there, when my eye caught Brix. In fact, I had just been up in Roanoke to try Outlaw Burger, so why not head back and this time go to the main street and try it?

Brix has a fairly simple menu of appetizers, pizzas, salads, calzones and Italian pasta dishes. Obviously they double as a wine bar, though the Mrs. and I weren't in the mood and settled on a beer (they feature one Texas micro - Real Ale's Fireman #4, which is refreshingly becoming somewhat easy to find).

We were there for pizza, and on both visits we each tried a different one. I've had the Meat Lovers and a simple Margherita with Italian sausage added. Mrs. RJG tried the chicken and onions as well as one with Italian sausage, which I'm not finding on their internet menu. We also shared a garden salad, which is mixed greens with an excellent vinaigrette dressing. A small pizza is plenty for one, and the Mrs. had to take the last one home. For our money, we prefer the pizza here to Campania. The key is the crust, which has a wonderful flavor with the right amount of crisp to chewy ratio. I believe the sausage is homemade and is excellent as well. The only negative was the chicken pizza, and that was really our fault as we didn't realize it was a "white" pizza (no tomato sauce). And that's what we wanted. So our bad - the crust and the cheese were still cooked to perfection.

Prices are very reasonable for this kind of pizza, and the setting in downtown Roanoke is wonderful, including outdoor seating.

I hope to have a similar posting on Neapolitan pizza tomorrow.

Website

The Ranch at Las Colinas, Texana, Irving-TX

First visit: February 2012

The one exception to the home dining routine as mentioned yesterday was a business dinner earlier in the week. We had some of our company's sales folks in town, so that sounds to me like an expense account! My counterpart in crime, resident of Garland, suggested we meet at The Ranch at Las Colinas. And a good choice it was.

I should be able to keep this review pretty short. Basically The Ranch is a direct cross between Love and War in Texas and Cool River Cafe, both places we've reported on recently. From Love and War, they borrow the regionalized food-of-Texas concept. From Cool River, they bring the high quality steaks, upscale Hill Country atmosphere, and the bar scene.

So after having a couple of drinks at the bar with the Garland troublemaker, the rest of the party arrived and we sat down and got right into the menu (OK, maybe there were a couple of more drinks involved first...). We passed on appetizers (hey - none of us are under 45 - got to watch the calories here!) and dove into the dinner menu. I was in the mood for a steak and opted for the 12 oz. Cabernet Charbroiled Strip with smoked chili butter and a side of herb whipped potatoes. The steak was cooked to perfection, and had a wonderful distinct flavor no doubt due to the butter glaze. The potatoes were smooth and creamy, and the portion was just right, as it was served in a small individual container. I also tried a cup of the venison chili, which was fantastic. I didn't pay attention to what everyone else had, but the troublemaker went for the large portion of the chicken fried steak. Out came two huge and I mean HUGE slabs of brown...fried....meat. He was licking the plate as I looked over. One of the others opted for a full bowl of the venison chili and he enjoyed it as much as I. Predictably we passed on dessert as well (though Henry's Ice Cream is always a good choice)

Taken straight from their menu, here are the regional foods The Ranch advertises: "FRESH HERBS, SALAD MIX - STEPHENVILLE, TX / HONEY - ROUND ROCK, TX / COURSE GROUND GRITS - WACO, TX / DUBLIN DR. PEPPER - DUBLIN, TX*** / GULF COAST SHRIMP - BROWNSVILLE, TX / TORTILLAS - DALLAS, TX / FRESH BAKED BREAD - DALLAS, TX / REDFISH - PALACIOS, TX / GRAIN FED PNB - RED RIVER VALLEY, TX / FARM RAISED CATFISH - HUGHES SPRING, TX / SWEET BUTTER - GARLAND, TX / CHEESE - CLEVELAND, TX / CORNMEAL - DENTON, TX / RUM - AUSTIN, TX / SWEET 10:15 ONIONS - UVALDE, TX / RED ONIONS, CORN & GREEN BEANS - EMORY, TX CRAB - GALVESTON, TX / CHICKEN - NIXON, TX / TOMATOES - JACKSONVILLE, TX / FRESH BERRIES - LARUE, TX / BLEU CHEESE - DEEP ELLUM, DALLAS, TX / PICKLING CUCUMBERS - CISCO, TX / HENRY’S ICE CREAM - PLANO, TX"

*** - Unfortunately I doubt they have Dublin Dr. Pepper anymore, since the parent company just shut them down (who knows why? It's basically the original formula!). If they do, be sure to have one before they sell out.

Another aspect of The Ranch that the RJG applauds is their full selection of Texas microbrews from craft breweries like Rahr & Sons, Franconia, Saint Arnold, Real Ale and, of course, Shiner (not technically a microbrewery, but they have some unique beers beyond the usual Shiner Bock).

The Ranch is an excellent choice to take out of town guests or business associates. Pad your wallet though!

Website

Billadelphia's is back! New Del Taco in NE Tarrant

Howdy everyone. As predicted earlier this year, work has finally put the RJG under. I haven't even been going out to eat for lunch, choosing to stay home with a sandwich, as I'm lucky to get 30 minutes away from the chaos. And we've only gone to a couple of regular favorites for dinner, but in general, have been grilling outside now that the weather has been so nice.

I'm now 6 entries behind, and Mr. Music says he has a stack to send in as well. So maybe we'll catch up eventually.

Anyway, here a couple of observations from the last two Saturday's.

Today, while driving up north on Davis, we saw that the new Billadelphia's is now open in North Richland Hills. We reported on this development late last year. Good news for Philly Cheesesteak fans! I'll need to swing by and update my post from 2008. I've updated the Urbanspoon entry and have asked for them to reopen the restaurant on the site.

Last Saturday, we were coming up Denton Hwy, and saw that a new Del Taco has opened in Watauga (in the old Sheridan's Frozen Custard spot - next to Fresco's). This is the second NE Tarrant location. We recently posted about the first one that opened in Hurst. It was the middle of the afternoon, and we both were ready for a snack. So we dropped in and had 3 tacos each. Excellent as always. And the place was packed, even at 3 in the afternoon.

La Choza to move

Well that didn't take long. We stated on our La Choza review on Feb 12 that we'd hope they'd move to Northeast Tarrant. That didn't happen - but they did move a bit closer. So instead of the completely rural setting - they will now be near TX-199 off of I-820. Hopefully this will result in better business for this fine New Mexican style restaurant!

Here's the news item from Bud Kennedy on his Eats Beat column: "La Choza Mexican Grill , the hole-in-the-wall Santa Fe-style cafe near Azle, is moving closer. It will move by May to a new location at 7001 Confederate Park Road, next door to LightCatcher Winery & Bistro. For now, La Choza continues at 11210 S. Farm Road 730 near Azle. New items include enchiladas on blue corn tortillas and a spicy Mexican chocolate cheesecake."

Niki's Italian Bistro, Italian, Keller-TX

(Photo courtesy of Yelp)

We're really losing momentum here. The real job is becoming all-encompassing, as I warned at the beginning of the year. No matter what though, the RJG still gets out to eat. It's essential to my mental health, though not always ideal for my physical health (depending on where we go right?). This past week I tried 4 restaurants that we haven't been to prior. Hopefully on the weekend I can get a couple of these written up. Today's post is the only revisit, but since we haven't been there in awhile, it's time for an update. And, as stated below, Niki's is still a great place to go for old school Italian baked dishes.

Last visit: February 2012

First time listed: September 4, 2008

Other locations: North Richland Hills, Garland (as Sali's)

Mrs. RJG and I have been regular, albeit infrequent, visitors to Niki's since we moved back to Texas in 2003. In fact, I think they're the first Italian restaurant we visited upon our arrival.

Niki's, like almost all of NE Tarrant's Italian restaurants, are of a Balkan heritage. So there isn't much deviation of taste from others we've written about before on these pages like Oggi Italia, Cafe Italia and Bellisimo's. All the familiar telltale signs are there: A tomato based vinaigrette house dressing, similar desserts, a familiar menu with a mix of chicken / veal entrees and tradition pasta, including baked dishes - and pizza of course. On the latter, of the restaurants we mentioned above, we've only tried Oggi Italia's pizza, and if the others follow suit, we'd be very happy. Mrs. RJG's co-workers swear by Niki's pizza, and we've vowed to try it sometime. (4/18/10 update: Tried, and while it's good, there are better pizza places nearby like My New York Pizza and Marco's).

There is one major difference between Niki's and the others: They have a liquor license. That can be seen as a plus for many, but we like the savings of BYOB. We're spoiled in these parts, as most of the country's restaurants want the juicy margins that alcohol can bring. Still, we don't see that as a show stopper, and we'll dutifully order a 1/2 carafe of vino to go along with our meal. Or a nice cold beer at lunch.

Both the wife and I recommend sticking to the baked dishes, or basic red sauce pasta concoctions like chicken parm. They have a nice smooth textured and tasteful red sauce, and the pasta is always cooked al dente and steaming hot.

We probably frequent Niki's about 2 to 3 times a year, and it's consistently good, though not exceptional. It doesn't have to be.

The Keller location is at Rufe Snow and North Tarrant Parkway, set inside a newish strip center on the SE corner. The decor is excellent, in a darkened room with nice lighting and plenty of murals of Italian scenery. It's rather capacious, with two distinct rooms, ideal for large parties of people.

As for the North Richland Hills location, the less said, the better. As good as the Keller location is, the NRH one is abominable (and it's the original!). We've been there three times and the service has been awful and the place is always dirty. I just can't believe they're run by the same people! I cannot think of one occurrence EVER (and Mr. RJG has been to thousands), where the difference between one location of a local chain and another is so different. Maybe a wayward relative? We had to walk out on our last visit some 3 years ago and vowed to never go back.

Anyway, not to derail the review, as the Niki's in Keller is absolutely fine. But does the NRH experience naw at us when we think of going to the Keller one? Yes, it does.

Website

La Choza, New Mexican, Azle-TX

Finding a restaurant in DFW that serves New Mexican food has proven to be quite the challenge. There was Anthony's Place over by Meacham Field, but they've since transformed to a special events and catering only business (though no surprise - as you will find out later - Anthony is the same owner as our restaurant featured today). Mi Dia From Scratch, a new place in Grapevine owned by the same folks behind Bob's Steakhouse, has a very limited "Santa Fe" portion to their menu (and only for dinner), and it's mostly items that use similar ingredients to Tex-Mex (just cooked differently) . We haven't been, but it certainly seems more like a high-end ($$$) Mexican restaurant than New Mexican to me (feel free to write in if you are of a different opinion). Chencho's seems to have a few NM type items of interest, and I'll be trying those soon. Don't even mention Blue Mesa to me. Please... don't. And, well...... that's about it? Even in Colorado, which is closer culturally to New Mexico than DFW is, New Mexican food is hard to find. With perhaps the sole exception that no Coloradan place worth its burrito doesn't at least offer a good "green" (chile sauce) to smother it in.

With that in mind, it pays to follow our local Star-Telegram newspaper sometimes. I try to track what they're reviewing via DFW.com or their news feed into Urbanspoon. Since their main focus is Ft. Worth, much of what they cover isn't too much of interest to the RJG, unless it's an exceptionally good example of what we love or it's a unique food group. And New Mexican qualifies for the latter. So back in December, one of their writers uncovered a real gem. A place I would have had no hope of finding on my own. A place I would not stop in if just driving by (the simple homemade sign says Mexican Food-Steaks-Drinks). I don't even think I would have found this place if I lived in Azle! So kudos to the Star-Telegram for finding La Choza.

First visit: February 2012

La Choza is the first "real deal" New Mexican place I've been to here in DFW. It's far more authentic than the somewhat watered down Anthony's Place was (the menu's are way different). That's not to say there aren't other New Mexican places here, we just haven't been (if there are others - please do write in and tell us about it). The interior is definitely the colors of the Enchantment State (follow the Star-Telegram link for interior photos). It's a shame I can only eat one meal at a time, because I want to try about 15 different things. The chips are very light, thin and crisp. The standard salsa is a bit too thin with not enough kick, but does have a good roasted red chile flavor. I asked (of course) if they had a hotter option. They said yes, and out came the same exact salsa with what tasted like El Yucateca habanero sauce mixed in. That's cheating! But I still liked it (grin). Mrs. RJG went with the chile relleno, which was what the Star-Telegram recommended, and it's one of her test dishes. It was unlike any relleno she'd ever had, and one of the best! Creamy melted white cheese, grilled chicken, black beans, corn all stuffed into the pepper and lays on top of basmati rice in a delicious ranchero sauce. I went hardcore and tried the pork chile verde, which is a dark green chile sauce with chunks of perfectly cooked pork. I would have preferred it more spicy, but I'll take it. Mine came with rice and refried beans, the latter not their specialty and it showed. I've got to try the mango habanero shrimp and chicken next time!

La Choza has a full bar in the back, like an old cantina would. We kept it alcohol free, given the long drive time we had facing us. Also, very important to note: It's CASH ONLY. I think the place is a bit too expensive to still be relying solely on scratch. So just make sure you have some green tender with you and they'll provide the green chile.

It takes a bit to get there, but worth it. Take I-820 west to Hwy 199 west and finally FM 730 south. On a empty stretch of highway, with only a gas station nearby, is the little hole in the wall La Choza. It really does look like a place you'd see in rural, somewhat depressed, New Mexico (for example Española) - a million miles away from the high brow oh-so-perfectly crafted sites of Santa Fe and Taos.

Perhaps we can persuade La Choza to come to Northeast Tarrant! To the owners of La Choza, don't worry - there's no need to open up in the Southlake Town Square - we have plenty of locations that will make you feel right at home. And the RJG will be right there on opening day - and many others afterward. If not La Choza, then any other restaurateurs out there willing to take the plunge? We finally have German food - how about New Mexican?

Website (yea right - JUST kidding)

Update from Bud Kennedy in his Eats Beat column: "La Choza Mexican Grill , the hole-in-the-wall Santa Fe-style cafe near Azle, is moving closer. It will move by May (2012) to a new location at 7001 Confederate Park Road, next door to LightCatcher Winery & Bistro. For now, La Choza continues at 11210 S. Farm Road 730 near Azle. New items include enchiladas on blue corn tortillas and a spicy Mexican chocolate cheesecake."

Tirelli's Deli, Sandwiches, East Coast Deli, Keller-TX

On yesterday's Outlaw Burger post, I alluded to C&A Italian Family Deli. C&A subsequently moved down to Keller and renamed it Tirelli's Deli. And that thought put me in the mood to go back here the next day, as it's been a couple of years since my last visit. I had written about it prior, but in a "sandwich summary" post which I've now decided to retire - as this was the last restaurant on it that was either still open or relevant to the site.

Last visit: February 2012

First listed in the RJG: March 4, 2010 (and C&A was first listed on May 2, 2008)

Tirelli's is looking more and more like a place you'd see in Chicago, Philadelphia and New York. The windows are covered with blaring specials of sandwiches, pastas, pizzas, etc... In Long Island, South Philly or any Chicago burb, many of these type of restaurants were originally fully operating delicatessen's and butcher shops. Some of them still are. So they would plaster on the window their specials of rump roast or dry salami for x$ a pound. Sometimes with white shoe polish. Somehow Tirelli's has managed to create that same feel here in a modern Texas suburb.

Once inside, the place transforms to the more familiar sites of flat screen TVs and a welcome dining area. You order at the counter - and you'll notice right away that there's a dizzying array of items to choose from. You may want to familiarize yourself with the menu before heading over. All I've had to date is their Philly Cheese and Hot Pastrami on Rye Panini (though it seems more like Texas toast?). Both have been good, but not exceptional. But I have no intention of stopping there. They may have great pizzas and Italian food. And I'm certain I'll enjoy one of their Italian heroes. So I'll keep after it. Oh - be sure to pick up a bag of Dirty's Chips if you take the chips and a drink option. These are some of the best potato chips I've ever had. You can read more about them here. I really enjoyed the Mesquite BBQ chips.

Website

Outlaw Burgers, Hamburgers, Roanoke-TX

Since we're on a burger kick here, I thought I'd pick up where we left off from last week. According to the Star-Telegram, Bronson's Burgers is now open for lunch as of this week. So we'll be certain to try it soon, and finish our Keller-goes-bar-and-burgers series.

In the meantime, I took a right turn on US-377 from 1709 and headed north to Roanoke, which now has tagged itself as the "Unique Dining Capital of Texas". These are truly modern times when official city boosters see fit to call out their restaurant scene as their main asset. In any case, it is here that we find Outlaw Burgers.

First visit: February 2012

Other location: Justin (original)

In the very early days of the RJG, we spoke of a restaurant called C&A Italian Family Deli (which is now Tirelli's and has moved to Keller). Outlaw Burgers is now in that location. Though funny enough, the shopping center billboard has both Outlaw Burgers AND Italian Family Deli on it. Maybe they didn't notice they left three years ago! "Vern, dident wee'd have one of 'dem sanwhich places here too? Where is it? I cain't seem to find it."

This is the first expansion of Outlaw Burgers, a restaurant that first started up the road a piece in Justin. They renovated the place and gave it a small town diner feel. You order up at the counter, grab a drink cup and they'll serve you the meal. I ordered an Outlaw Burger *HOT*, which basically means a standard cheeseburger with a homemade spicy sauce concoction (made of various chile's). Almost seems like a menu item custom-designed directly for the RJG! Since fries don't come with it, I passed as is my custom (I'll eat a few if they're there, but otherwise I don't need it in my diet). As well, I always like soda fountains with Diet Dr. Pepper, and Outlaw Burger has it. So far, so great. I wandered the place briefly, noticing that each table featured a small biographical history of notorious criminals from the Old West. Nice touch.

So I sat down, grabbed my iPhone to catch up a bit on work e-mail (the RJG receives an e-mail about every 2-3 minutes during work hours, so an hour long lunch can bury me if I don't keep up) - and the meal was just arriving. Uh-oh, that's not a good sign. Waaaay too fast. I like my meal cooked hot off the grill. Now I understand that a lunch place will forecast a certain amount of traffic to move the line a bit quicker. I guess they miscalculated. The burger was well-cooked and all that, but it just wasn't very hot (temperature). So that's a bummer, and I imagine I could have an entirely different experience next time. Just mentioning it, that's all. As for hot in the spicy sense of the term, yea - we have a winner there for sure! Great sauce. The bun was toasted nicely, though again it seemed to be off the grill a bit longer than it should have. Overall flavor? Well, I put it behind the 3 Keller places we covered last week. Mike isn't going to want to hear that (LOL)! Maybe on par with the Best Tex Burger we covered awhile back. Still, I did like it and rated it favorable on Urbanspoon. Not sure, though, that I will be a regular visitor here. Am I wrong? If you say different, of course I'll be happy to run back here and try it again sooner.

As of this writing, the Roanoke store has a relatively low 64% rating with a small amount of votes. But their flagship Justin location maintains a very fine 92% rating with a good number of votes. Not sure what all that means, as again, I gave the Roanoke place a positive myself. Just interesting I guess.

Website

Grapevine Subs and More (Cero's Heros), Submarines, Grapevine-TX

These photos are from the old Ceroes Heroes, but as noted below, the quality has remained the same. On my last visit, I had the Italian with the spicy mixture. Grapevine Subs exclusively uses Boars Head meats. Now to me, a sandwich is only as good as the toppings and the bread. Anyone can put Boars Head meat between two slices of bread. And here's where Grapevine Subs exceeds. The soft chewy French Roll and the spicy mixture are very good, adding the right amount of tartness to the sandwich.

Last visit: February 2012

First listed in the RJG: July 4, 2008

4/17/2011 update: Cero's Heros is now called Grapevine Subs and More. It's the RJG's opinion that the sandwich is pretty similar to before, though not quite as large and messy. One reviewer on Urbanspoon has already expressed their disappointment (though they hadn't tried the original to be fair). We still give it a thumbs up!

Original review below:

Since we're on a roll (so to speak) with Grapevine destinations, I thought this would be a good time to slip in Cero's Heros, a Regular Joe's Guide mecca if I ever saw one.

You may recall that Mr. SS and I were bemoaning the dearth of quality submarine places in NE Tarrant, which gave us the perfect justification to head up to Roanoke and go to the wonderful C&A Italian Family Deli (now closed). In that post I mentioned Weinberger's and Cero's Heros.

Cero's Heros sits at the entrance to old town Grapevine at the corner of Northwest Hwy and Main St. The place is over 40 years old, and looks every bit of it (see photos). The building is nothing more than an aluminum siding circumference, with a window in the middle. A rickety awning sits over it to protect customers from the oppressive heat and other weather, and there are a smattering of old Grapevine Independent School District desks to sit in. You of course could take it to your car, but that will require an extra trip to the carwash afterwards. Yep, the sandwiches are that big, and that messy. They only offer a handful of sandwiches, all piled high with meats, lettuce, tomatoes, dressings and condiments. I usually end up with the spicy Italian, which lives up its name. And ensures garlic breath the rest of the day. The bread is thick and chewy, the ingredients all top notch, and the flavor is distinctly Cero's Heros. This place is a must for you followers of the Regular Joe lifestyle. I try to journey here at least once a month during the work week, but usually fall short. This is not a Mrs. RJG kind of place, so while in this part of town, Tolbert's gets more of our attention during weekends and evenings.

Website

Pietro's, Italian, Dallas-TX

Figured this was a good time to shift this entry forward. As stated below, Pietro's is the RJG's favorite restaurant. We only get to this part of Dallas about twice a year, so it's a rare treat for us to dine at Pietro's. If any of the below sounds the slightest bit good to you, then I would highly encourage you to go as soon as possible. Once Pietro is gone (and he seems as healthy as ever fortunately), you will not find this kind of restaurant in the DFW area again. There are few places like it left in all the US. It's from another era. Some folks are glad that's the case. Others like myself, miss the Sicilian cooking of immigrant Grandmothers. Even the outside signs are the same. One is bent, the other is incredibly worn. (The photos I took 2 years ago look exactly the same now). Pietro's is a living museum.

Be sure to read a couple of the heartwarming comments that were left by long time customers of Pietro.



Last visit: February 2012

First listed in the RJG: March 28, 2010

To celebrate the second anniversary of the Regular Joe's Guide, I thought it would be appropriate to finally blog about my all time favorite restaurant: Pietro's.

In many ways, Pietro's is why the Regular Joe's Guide exists. The story starts with another Italian restaurant that was literally across the street from Pietro's: Ianni's. There's a Blockbuster in that location now (2012 update: Actually there's nothing now. The entire shopping center across the street is abondoned and empty - sad). It was there that my parents took me on Friday nights (about once a month) from the time I was a little kid (~1971) until I was about 15 or so (1980). At some point I'd like to reminisce about Ianni's, and the memories of the original Lower Greenville location - and their eventual downfall by moving - and attempting to go upscale (and uptown). The restaurant's name is now more notorious for the tragedy that befell them after their move. Google Ianni's and Dallas if you're not familiar with the details.

After Ianni's moved to North Dallas (and subsequently how disappointed we were with the new "concept"), we as a family began to look for our next great Italian restaurant. By that time, the RJG was old enough to drive, so we began our journey throughout central and north Dallas. And the winner didn't require too much research (though we did our diligence and tried about a dozen other places). I enjoyed that experience immensely, and thus began my desire to research and try as many different restaurants as I can. Combine that with a travel lust (not to mention various jobs that required 100% travel), and you have the RJG. Now you know.

According to the newspaper clippings in the main foyer, Pietro's has existed in one form or another since the mid 1960s. There are pictures of a young Pietro with two of his brothers and a chef from Sicily. Today, some 45 years later, Pietro still works the premises and dutifully makes his Caesar Salad in the main dining room. He greets all customers with a raspy throated voice right out of the Godfather. I'm not kidding.


The food defines old school Italian. Pietro's is the gold standard for the term. My favorite dish is the spaghetti and Italian sausage, which is unlike any I've had anywhere. To begin with, Pietro makes his own Italian sausage. I'll go on record right now and say this is the best Italian sausage I've ever had. Even wonderful markets like Kuby's and Jimmy's, who each make fantastic Italian sausages, cannot compete. Pietro's variety is very firm, almost like a steak, and slightly spicy. So firm in fact, you get a steak knife to cut it. Two large links comes with every order. The red sauce you get with the sausage dish will be different than any other on the menu, since he cooks the sausage in it all day. I've never tasted a sauce like this anywhere else. I mean ANYWHERE. And the RJG has been to at least 1500 restaurants (according to my personal database). I love the flavor. The pasta is a thin spaghetti (at times he's used vermicelli), and always cooked perfect (PERFECT) al dente. And the pasta has a wonderful taste as well, as he must flavor the water. I could eat it all by itself. I can't think of too many places where I'd say that. Favorite restaurant and favorite dish. The wife's clear choice is the Fettuccine Primavera, though she requests the spaghetti in lieu of fettuccine. Loads of fresh vegetables, and a tomato cream sauce. We've tried many things on the menu, all are very good, but these are our favorites. Name your favorite classic Italian dish, and compare Pietro's to it. It may not be an instant favorite (that rarely happens with anyone), but do consider that it's probably going to be somewhat unique. This uniqueness grows on you over time. The dinner salad is basic iceberg lettuce with tomatoes - again, perfect for the RJG. His house dressing is an oil & vinegar based concoction. While that may not sound terribly exciting, consider he uses only top quality vinegar, and you can taste the difference. The soups are good as well. Even the parm cheese found in the large glass container is a grade above.

Since this is truly old school, there is no BYOB. And so the bill can get expensive if you want wine. We don't care and splurge on a bottle of Italian red (Chianti, Valpolicella, Montepulciano, etc..). I know - the markups are ridiculous - but if it helps him stay in business, I'll pay it.

I've taken just about every type of acquaintance here over the years from family members, to old school chums, international music friends, business appointments, and a handful of romantic dates. For the last 14 years, it's generally my beautiful wife and I who will wine and dine here together. We go only a couple times a year and savor the experience. I can say without hesitation that the place has been popular with everyone I've brought. Many request it on return visits to Dallas. In reading some other reviews of Pietro's online, it's clear the place is not popular with everyone. If you're strictly looking for the modern variation of the Tuscan dining experience, I would avoid Pietro's. If you're looking for the old Sicilian styled restaurants that once dotted the American landscape in the mid century, then make a beeline here.

Pietro's popularity peaked in the late 1980s and early 90s, before the glut of new restaurants were thrust upon us. He had expanded the space over the years, and even then, it was standing room only on Friday and Saturday nights. It has always been popular strictly due to word of mouth. The Dallas Morning News generally ignored it, or made smarmy remarks about how "old" it was. Today the paper is far kinder to it, as one should respect their elders. Nowadays the restaurant is usually about half full even on prime nights, filled with long time customers and neighborhood families. It's retiring gracefully. There's never been a better time to experience it.

It's almost unreal that a place likes this still exists in 2010. Treasure it and do not take it for granted. There will be a day where the only way you can possibly experience a restaurant like this is because it will have been manufactured to be so. Pietro's is the REAL DEAL. A true artifact. It's not a trip to Disneyland, but rather an excursion to old undiscovered castle in Europe itself.


If you haven't been, or "it's been awhile" (hi Dan), then please make the effort to go one time this year. Remember it's dinner only and closed on Monday's (another old school tradition). For those of you in NE Tarrant, I can assure you there is no place like this nearby and worth at least one trip. Just get on 114 or 183, and head towards downtown Dallas. Take the Woodall Rogers freeway (follow I-45 signs) that belts north of the skyline, and then take US-75 (Central Distressway) North. Exit Knox-Henderson, turn right - and wind your way through all the yuppie chef driven places that will go out of business soon (the RJG has probably seen 100 different restaurants in the area over the last 40 years, and that's not an exaggeration). But it's always great people watching as you attempt to drive through the cattle herd. Continue to Belmont, make a left and drive through the residential area. The homes on Belmont are some of the last remaining from the original neighborhood. The area has undergone tremendous gentrification over the years (there was a time when it was pretty iffy if you know what I mean). Eventually you will arrive at Greenville Ave. Make a right and the next light is Richmond. Make a left and look for the villa on the right. You can't miss the bent flashing lights old sign. 30-40 minute drive tops on a Saturday night.


Seriously - just go.

Bad Azz Burrito, Burritos, Ft. Worth area mini chain

First visit: February 2012 (Watauga)

NE Tarrant location: Watauga

Other locations: Saginaw (original), Ft. Worth (Fossil Creek - coming soon)

The burrito craze started back in the 1990s, and the city of Denver (where we lived full time back then) was ground zero for this food movement. So at times it seems I've almost grown up with the concept. Both Chipotle and Qdoba started in Denver and still represent the major brands in this market . The formula was simple, yet effective. The assembly line method was used. First they'd steam your tortilla, then you'd get the cilantro lime rice, followed by black or pinto beans, and finally a meat. Then you choose your salsa and other toppings, pick up a drink cup and off you go. Just about every burrito copycat place from then on used this formula with minor variations.

It was inevitable, but what if you wanted more options? Enter stage left Freebirds, and a whole new slew of parameters were introduced to the process. It wasn't enough to just be offered a flour tortilla. Now you can choose what kind of tortilla you want. Cilantro lime rice? What if you want something different like Mexican rice? Now you can get it. And so it goes.

Bad Azz Burrito is modeled after Freebirds. And why not? Qdoba found great success after Chipotle. On this visit I tried the cayenne pepper tortilla with cilantro lime rice, pinto beans and grilled chicken. So I didn't really venture far off the norm - though I did try the pork green chile first. This is a staple of the Colorado diet, so I was curious how they'd do. Not very good I'm afraid. The green chile was mild and the pork was chewy. So that's why I opted for the chicken which looked great. And it was - a delicious seasoning is applied. I was a little disappointed in the salsa offered for the burrito. They have only two options. I asked which was hotter, and she said the green so I had that slathered on my burrito. But I asked for a side of the red just to compare. I loved the flavors, but neither are very fiery. In this day and age, I think that's necessary. Qdoba, Chipotle and Freebirds all offer seriously hot sauces. One unique gimmick I do like from Bad Azz is the use of the conveyor toaster, similar to Quizno's or Schlotzsky's. This ensured my meal would be hot upon serving since it had cooled off while being prepared.

I like Bad Azz Burrito. I really do. It's a place I'll go once in awhile, but I don't think it's as good as the aforementioned chains. What do you guys think? Am I wrong?

Website

Hard Eight Barbecue opens in Roanoke

Now that I feel I've caught up somewhat, I'm going to attempt to keep up with restaurant openings in the NE Tarrant and surrounding areas. I'll just use the News label for this.

Bud Kennedy reported back in November that Hard Eight would be here by January, and is now scheduled be open this Monday, February 6 according to their Facebook page . Other locations can be found in Coppell, Stephenville and Brady.

Keller Tavern, Tavern, Pub Food, Keller-TX

First visit: February 2012

And here's the third installment of the Keller-goes-bar-and-burgers. Of the three establishments so far, Keller Tavern is definitely the most bar of the lot. I truly love the interior of this place. A simple A-frame low roof, architected in the German or Swiss style, with a dark wood interior. Honestly I felt like I was in the upper Midwest as soon as I entered the building. Like I suddenly stumbled into a tavern in Green Bay or Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Even though it was 65 degrees outside, I imagined it was more like 20, and was grateful to be cuddled up in the warmth of the tavern. And a nice beer...

Since I'm on a burger kick, and that's the comparison point for these 3 places, I went for their Tavern Bacon Burger. Unlike the last two restaurants, Keller Tavern is strictly menu driven, and doesn't offer a dizzying array of choices for your burger. And that's because the Keller Tavern isn't really a burger joint and they offer what I'd call "upscale pub food", which we see more often in Colorado than here. There's another level on this genre called Gastropubs, which are usually marquee name chef driven, but Keller Tavern isn't fancy in that way. Which is fine by the RJG. Upscale pub food works for us. In any case, it's probably good that Keller Tavern doesn't rely solely on burgers. While it was certainly good, and I wouldn't say different, it certainly wasn't great. Ironically enough, the best part was the bun - a nicely crafted Kaiser roll. I say ironically only because the bun was the weakness of the other two! The meat patty was not aesthetically pleasing. In fact it was... and this sounds worse than it is, but it's still a fact.... gray. Gray meat. It was cooked well done and all that, but it was still gray. If Mrs. RJG* saw that, she would never step foot in the place again. And the "crispy bacon" was no such thing. It was rather limp actually. Despite all of that - I did like the burger. The fries were of the crispy seasoned variety that I've had at other such diners and taverns, and they were excellent. But on my next visit, I'll try something other than a hamburger.

As for the bar portion, I was happy to see they had a couple of micros on tap. I went for the Rahr & Sons (Ft.Worth) Iron Thistle, which is a powerful Scotch Ale (Rahr's call it a Scottish Ale, which to me is considerably different). First time I've seen that on tap. It's an excellent beer that I've had many times before. In fact, I have one in the fridge right now. Is it too early? Hmmm... They also had Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale, which isn't obscure but better than just the usual Bud-Miller-Coors (BMC).

The fourth restaurant on this block is Bronson's Burger & Beer, which has the most direct naming convention for what's going on here. It doesn't appear they're open for lunch though - at least they weren't for this week. As such, it may be awhile before I try it. Will need a free evening, and those are pretty scarce.

So let's recap the last three places. All 3 bring something positive, and it's difficult to pick a favorite (so I won't). Let's break it down into two categories:

Food:
1. Bottlecap Alley
2. Yourway
3. Keller Tavern

Ambience / Hangoutability:
1. Keller Tavern
2. Yourway
3. Bottlecap Alley

If you're just looking for a great hamburger, go to Bottlecap Alley. If you want to hang out with friends and munch on some appetizers, try Keller Tavern. Want a little of both - Yourway is the place to go.

*You'll note Mrs. RJG's absence on the last 3 blog entries. She's no burger hound, so she opted out of my latest venture. But I think she'll like all of them - just need to find the right dish for her (she'd definitely like the burgers at Bottlecap Alley though).

Website

Bottlecap Alley Icehouse Grill, Hamburgers, Keller-TX

Here's the second in our series of Keller-goes-bar-and-burgers. Bottlecap Alley originally started in Grapevine, in a former Sonic location (a rare indoor locale, not one of their familiar drive-ins). I like to stock up on microbrews at the Grapevine World Market store, which is in the same shopping center, so I've passed it many times. But never did stop by for lunch or dinner. Apparently they've been successful, as they've now opened up a second location in downtown Keller.

First visit: February 2012

Other location: Grapevine

The way it works at Bottlecap is once you enter, you are instructed to fill out some paperwork. Remember that term "paperwork"? Who does that anymore right? Everything is online. I bought some Forever stamps a few years ago, and I still have almost all of them. I'm sure the post office will be long out of business before I finish them. That's going to cost me $5.24! Those dirty dogs... Where was I? Ah yes, the worksheet. It's the Mooyah/Which Wich system where you check off what you want from the meats, cheeses, toppings, extras, sides, etc... (though no infusions). It's a highly efficient system though somewhat daunting and labor intensive. Then you pick up a beverage from the cooler, and head to the counter with your order sheet. Out comes the flashing ashtray. When your order is ready, the ashtray buzzes wildly, and you go back to the same counter and walk away with your meal. Work for you? Works for me.

I went with a quarter pounder with cheese, and a cup of "Earl's really meaty chili" (not for the timid they allege). The burger was served wrapped in tin foil, which kept it steamy hot. YEA - this is one doggone good burger. One of the best new burgers I've had in a long time. They crisp the edges of the meat, and the flavor is delicious. The bun, like at Yourway, was still a bit too doughy and the only flaw I found. Otherwise, this is a real winner. The chili, too, is excellent. It reminds me a lot - and I mean a LOT - of the chili served over at Tolbert's. Meaty, and heavy on the chili powder. Comes topped with jalapeno slices - though they were rather tame on my visit.

Bottlecap Alley features a bar area, but unfortunately all the taps are your standard corporate macros. Better is the ice cooler, where they feature a number of bottled beers, including a nice selection of Ft. Worth's own microbrewery Rahr & Sons. So I selected a Buffalo Butt, whose tag line is "Everything it's cracked up to be". LOL. It's a nice Amber that I've had plenty of times before. Ratebeer says it's the same as their Texas Red, but I have my doubts about that.

Bottlecap Alley is a fairly large place that goes to the "back room", pool table and all. They also have an outside seating area. Flat screens are everywhere, as is expected anymore.

An excellent addition to the Keller downtown landscape. Definitely give it a try!

Tomorrow, we venture to one more Keller beer bar!

Website

Yourway Burgers and Wings, DFW mini chain

First visit: January 2012 (Keller)

NE Tarrant location: Keller

Other locations: Farmers Branch, Ft. Worth (West)

Funny how things work. Just 6 months ago, if you went to Keller and wanted to act like a big boy and get a real hamburger with an adult beverage in a tavern setting, then you were pretty much out of luck. Now in the last 3 months, Keller has not one... not two.... not three.... but FOUR new places of a similar ilk. All on the same road. All on the same side of the road. Three of them are bunched within a quarter mile of each other. Birds of a feather now cook together I guess... For the curious, the 4 places are: Bottlecap Alley Icehouse Grill, Keller Tavern, Bronson's Burgers & Beer and the topic of today's discussion: Yourway. And this is the only one not found on the main US-377 strip downtown.

So I, as your humble NE Tarrant correspondent, now must go forward and try all of these places. I do it for you. I will make the sacrifice and eat fat cheeseburgers and drink microbrews. I mean someone has to step up and take one for the team right?

The novelty of Burger King proclaiming "have it your way" is two generations old. Nowadays, in order to get some sort of market edge, burger joints are getting more and more experimental with their offerings and concepts. Choosing your toppings is soooo 1970s... now you get to choose what to infuse your burger with. That is to say, what ingredients would you like for them to mix with the ground beef before it hits the grill. So that's Yourway's go-to-market gimmick. I think it's a good idea actually - though my choice to infuse with crushed red pepper (on the menu) was ruled out because apparently it clumps together in one spot. At least it would have been a hot bite! Anyway, it won't be long before you can start choosing reduction sauces rather than say.... mustard.

Before you say infusion schmusion, I'll answer the only question you can possibly have: How's the salad? Oh, wrong review.... Yes, yes - the burger is very good actually. I opted for one of their signature burgers (no infusion though) called the Sausage BBQ Burger, which predictably throws sliced pork sausage and a barbecue sauce on it. I picked a few pieces of the burger out individually, and it had a nice salty flavor, Not amazing, but still very good. The bun was a bit too doughy for me, and though it appears they attempted to heat it up, they didn't leave it on the grill long enough.

Yourway is housed in a very welcoming sports tavern setting, in one of the countless new strip malls lining US-377 south of Keller. There's a full bar, though 95% of the beer is common macroswill. However the friendly and knowledgeable bartender was enthusiastic about bringing in more Texas micros, and so maybe it will happen? I hope so - it sure would be nice to have a "hang out" place in NE Tarrant with some new beers to try. I did enjoy the one micro they had on tap - a Saint Arnold Santo from Houston. It's a strange beer, described as a black Kolsch. Yea, I didn't know that style existed either. But it's very good actually. They also have wine, margaritas and other liquid beverages that are bad for you. Flat screen TVs are everywhere to ensure you don't miss a play.

Tomorrow we'll report on another Keller "burger alley" place.

Website

Saviano's, Italian, Euless-TX

I tend to forget about Saviano's when thinking of Italian restaurants in NE Tarrant. I had just mentioned a few days ago about restaurants that we frequent the most, and that we're struggling to settle on a great Italian joint in the area. I don't think Saviano's necessarily solves that dilemma, but they're definitely part of the equation. One potential reason we don't think of them is their location at the far southeastern edge of our primary coverage area. By being situated on Euless Main and 183, Saviano's is further for us than many places in Ft. Worth proper or Arlington even. No matter, as Saviano's has proven to be very popular with the locals and was again packed to the rafters on this particular evening. Incidentally, it was on our way here that we first discovered the Mexican Inn in Bedford had shut down.

Last visit: January 2012

First time listing

Other location: Ft. Worth (Sundance Square)

Saviano's has recently opened a second location in downtown Ft. Worth, that has also proven to be very popular. And why not really, as Saviano's is truly old school Italian, something that isn't as common in DFW as you might think. St. Louis, Chicago and Philadelphia we are not. And speaking of which, Saviano's originally came to DFW with a 20 year resume of cooking in Long Island, New York where food like this can be found on every corner - or so it seems.

All the meals come with garlic knots and salads. The latter is a simple mix of iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, celery and a delicious red wine vinaigrette dressing. The garlic knots are very chewy, buttery, garlicky and subsequently very tasty. The dishes here have a focus on the southern Italian regions, but they also have a wide variety of other entrees to choose from including Cacciatore, Alfredo, Marsala, etc... I appreciate their baked dishes, as the meals come out in those heavy duty "blackened" dishes (I love those), with bubbling cheese holding down the sizzling red sauce (and their sauce is delicious). Bury a homemade meatball or sausage in there for extra enjoyment. On this visit, the ziti was a little overcooked, so that's a bozo no-no. I'll let it slide, as everything else was well executed. These places need to learn how to cook al dente pasta earlier in the day. We passed on dessert as is our custom.

Saviano's is not BYOB, so we bought a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon for a little under $20.

We've been coming to Saviano's since about 2005 or so, but it's been a few years since we last visited. Since that time, they've made the place more welcoming with dimmer lights throughout, as well as adding a full bar with a large flat screen to enjoy some sports. Parking is hard to come by up front, so you may need to pull around to the back. Dinner is traditional dining and served by a wait staff. It used to be that lunch was counter service. It appears that might still be the case, but I'm not certain. On our last visit in 2008, it was. But that was a long time ago.

Have a hankering for some Old School Italian? Try Saviano's

Website

Mexican Inn Cafe, Mexican, Ft. Worth area chain

OK, moving this one forward as we have some updates to share. First, I regret to inform you all that the Bedford location is now closed. It appears it may have been a victim of eminent domain, with concern to all the construction in the area. Or it may just have lost its customer base - folks who didn't want to deal with the 121/183 mess.

So we decided to try the "next closest" location which technically is on Lancaster Avenue just east of Beach. Though honestly, the one on Henderson or Camp Bowie is probably just as quick to drive to. None of these are around the corner, that's for sure.

And what did we learn, that most of you already know? The 4 Ft. Worth locations and one Lake Worth site have much smaller menus than the Bedford one did! If we want Chicken and Shrimp Ole, we're going to have to haul much further south to Burleson or Mansfield. We were told that the old Bedford location may open in the Precinct Line / 183 area in Hurst near the NE mall (probably close to the new In-N-Out Burger I would presume). All speculation at this point.

Anyway, the small menu is not a huge deal, as the chips (fried fritos), salsa and margaritas are the same. So I tried the arroz con pollo, which is chicken and Mexican rice covered with a chili cheese sauce and a few slices of jalapenos thrown on top. Mrs. RJG and I still enjoyed our respective meal immensely. Mexican Inn is flat out just a good old fashioned Tex Mex place. And this location was very nice and clean on our visit.

Last visit: January 2012 (Ft. Worth - Lancaster Avenue)

First listed in the RJG: November 16, 2011

NE Tarrant locations: none (see above - hopefully they'll be back soon!)

Current Locations: Ft. Worth (4), Lake Worth, Burleson, Mansfield

It's been 6 years since our last visit to the Mexican Inn Cafe, a place that originally didn't make an impression one way or the other. And thus it continued to fall further down the stack in the database, and eventually was forgotten. But the RJG is trying to revisit places that were promising at one time and we just haven't bothered to go back. Such is the case with the Mexican Inn.

And in this case the promise was fulfilled. My original notes said something like "great chips, excellent margaritas, so-so tacos and enchiladas." And you know what? I'd still say something like that. BUT... there's more to the story this time. The RJG is no different than most of you I presume - it's all about finding the right dish. My greatest hesitation about writing off a restaurant is that I may have just missed the meal they do get right. And on this visit, already knowing that their Tex-Mex offerings are decent, but not great, I went for the Chicken and Shrimp Olé. Olé indeed! Now this is worth driving many miles for. The shrimp was buttery and delicious, while the tender white chicken breast is covered in a sublime chipotle barbecue sauce. The rice soaked up the shrimp butter, and was perfectly cooked. And the charro beans had a strong bacon flavor. Really.... wow, it was absolutely great. The kind of dish I could see craving. I have no idea if its consistent time in and time out, but I'm certain to find out. The Mrs. went for a more traditional Tex-Mex of a ranchero covered beef enchilada (she ordered chicken and got beef - eh, it happens - we didn't make a fuss) and a beef taco. The ranchero sauce had a nice kick, and she really enjoyed the dried ground beef. For me, the only drawback is the ground beef itself, which seems to be a bit bland to be honest. Which probably explains my original notes from 2005. And speaking of those notes: The frozen margarita (and the Mrs. had one on the rocks) was still excellent. And perhaps best of all - the chips themselves, which are entirely unique. They're fried corn strips that look like fritos basically - and taste delicious on their own even without sauce. I'll be honest here, the chips are seriously greasy. Crispy, but oily. I know plenty of folks that wouldn't eat these. But not the RJG! We don't run 4 miles a day for fun you know. Rather it's so we can enjoy food like this. And live to tell the tale. Oh, and finally the hot sauce is very good - a pureed tomato blend with a medium kick. Only downside is they don't have a "hotter one" for the RJG - oh, pobrecito :-(

Mexican Inn is a storied Ft. Worth legend that traces its roots to 1936. Like many places from the Depression era, the restaurant was founded by a colorful character, who also ran a gambling den upstairs - ensuring profits one way or the other. The original location was torn down only a few years ago. We've only been to the NE Tarrant representative in Bedford, but I suspect they're all well run. The closer you get to the heart of Ft. Worth, the more authentic it will get. The vibe that is. The Bedford location is Disneyland styled Old Mexico. I mean, what else could it be right?

Olé!

Website

Removing Bedford locale for Urbanspoon and adding Lancaster Ave. (for now).

RJG's most frequented NE Tarrant restaurants

As we have a break in the action, I thought it would be a good time to recap some of our most frequented places (not the same thing as listing our favorites). But first a few comments on how we got here.

If you follow this blog on a regular basis, you could come away with the impression that we only go out for our meals. We actually eat at home more, especially for dinner. Still, we do manage to get out on most days, usually for lunch. The main reason for this is that I work from home. In fact, I've been doing this for close to 13 years now. When I first started with this arrangement, I did what I think most folks would do in my shoes - eat at home for lunch. I'd give myself 15 minutes to gobble down a sandwich, and back to work I went. That's not a healthy way to live. And Mrs. RJG was working back then too (on location), so even if I did go out, it would be a lonely pursuit. In the last few years, I finally got smart and started scheduling lunch, and made sure no one plopped a meeting on top of it. That's one thing you learn when you have the privilege of working out of your house - everyone thinks they have access to you 24/7. So it's really up to you to put the boundaries up - just like going to an office. And now that Mrs. RJG is home with me - it's a great opportunity to sample the many restaurants in the area. We need to eat anyway, and lunch portions are more suitable to our diet. And usually the prices are more reasonable than at dinner. So we're taking advantage of the situation as much as possible. But since I am still working, I can't take too long for lunch, and so we try to focus solely on the NE Tarrant area.

As such, I definitely try to plan for a mix of places we love and restaurants we have only tried a couple of times, or are new to us. Just about everything is up for consideration with the exception of sushi (sorry folks, that's just not appealing to either of us).

So I thought I would list places we frequent at least once a month in NE Tarrant. There aren't that many, and even some of the restaurants we really like do not see us on a monthly basis. For example, I love Clown Burger, but only get there a couple of times a year.

This "routine", as it were, changes frequently. For example, if I put out a similar list back in October, you would have seen Fuzzy's Taco Shop and My New York Pizza. Now that's stopped. No particular reason - we still like them! Some, like Sea Siam , Anamia's and Bangkok, have remained on the list for 5 years and going!

The current list of most frequented (all are in the blog):

Sea Siam (Thai)
Bangkok Cuisine (Thai)
Everything German (German) NEW!
Anamia's (Mexican)
Abuelo's (Mexican)
Fresco's (Mexican) ehh - maybe once every 2 months. Love it though.
Funky Baja's (Taqueria/Fresh Mex)
Panchita's (Mexican) NEW!
Chapps Cafe (Hamburgers)
Yu's Gold-In (Chinese)

Some of the chains like Jersey Mike's and Whataburger will usually see us at least once in a two month period. Del Taco is a current favorite because it just opened locally. Palio's Pizza Cafe is starting to see us more and more, so maybe I'll add that in next time.

The one major food category that we just cannot settle on in NE Tarrant is Italian. We really like Oliva's and Italianni's and the many Eastern European run establishments we've posted about here (Cafe Italia, Cafe Sicilia, Oggi Italian, Niki's, etc...). But none are a clear favorite like Pietro's in Dallas (which we sadly only get to about once or twice a year).

And then there's the hypothetical's - as in the "What if such and such were here, I'd go all the time" debate. I think the big name for me would be Flying Saucer Draught Emporium. Certainly the Southlake Town Square would look better with one right?

Chencho's, Mexican, North Richland Hills-TX

First visit: January 2012

Chencho's sits in a former Italian restaurant location that was a 3 time loser. This location originally housed a Ferrari's, a place that had more notoriety via the news than it did amongst diners (never a good sign). We never sampled the place ourselves. This was followed by the Bella Cafe. Mrs. RJG and I dined there a couple of times. It was decent, but very typical of the Italian food found in NE Tarrant. And finally Mia Cafe went up and was well on its way to closure, when the final owner wised up and said "You know what? Maybe this isn't a good location for an Italian restaurant." Ya think? So he wisely found another partner, from nearby Alvarado's in fact, and launched a Mexican restaurant. I'm usually hesitant to be "first" to try a restaurant, but we were in the area, and said why not? We added it to Urbanspoon, and it still hasn't garned much attention to date. But it should - it's definitely worth a try. Looks like someone matched our positive with a negative. Who's right? You tell us.

Chencho's is not just a typical Tex-Mex place with warmed over enchiladas and soggy tacos. It's really somewhere between a taqueria, Tex-Mex and a New Mexican place. And I'm not going to tell you this is a Santa Fe styled restaurant - because it is absolutely not - but they do have delicacies typically only found on our Western frontier. They offer adobada as well as green chile sauces, which are more associated with New Mexico or Colorado. And they have rolled tacos, which of course are more southern Californian. Chencho's has a wide range of dishes to choose from, and we actually ventured only to Tex-Mex just to ensure a certain standard, before trying any of the New Mexican or tacqueria options. And they did a great job on the tacos y enchiladas - both in the texture and taste of the meat, as well as the spicy salsa they poured on top. I opted for grilled chicken, and it was delicious - and not something many places are willing to stuff your enchilada with - for the same prices as shredded chicken. Rice and beans were good as well.

The chips were standard but the salsas were not. BOTH salsas that came out were on the spicy side, which endeared Chencho's to us right away, and did not require me to ask for a hotter option. And they tasted like no other sauce I've ever had. Unique chile salsas with a kick are going to score points with the RJG.

As of last week, they stated to us they were going to start serving free beer and margaritas. For those that know the Texas law, if you don't have a liquor license, then you can't sell alcohol, but there's nothing to stop them from giving it away. I don't know if they implemented that yet or not, so don't hold me to it. I suspect they are working on a license in the meantime.

Caution here: We've only been once and we liked it. There aren't any reviews to corroborate ours, so you'll be pioneering like we did. But based on our one visit - I think it's worth a shot. The decor is very humble, so this isn't exactly a night on the town kind of place. But for local grub, it's very good and we're likely to try it a few more times in the near future.

Cool River Cafe, Steakhouse, Irving-TX

Last visit: January 2012 (Las Colinas)

First time listing

Other locations: Austin, TX; Denver, CO

The RJG first visited Cool River in Denver (on business) sometime around 2001 or so. After that, all the visits have been at their Las Colinas location, starting in 2005. We had an office nearby, and this was a popular place to take clients, vendors, partners, etc...

Cool River is clearly geared towards the male business traveler. And on this business visit last week, the four of us dudes fell in lockstep. We started at the bar for cocktails, frozen margaritas, beer (nice selection of micros) and wine. Then we headed over to the billiards room and shot a few games of stick. Then off to dine where we feasted on large mounds of red meat. And finally a trip to the cigar bar to puff on some stogies, while being served drinks by cute girls in slinky cocktail dresses. Now on this later point, the RJG doesn't smoke, but having grown up with it, I have no objection to sitting in the room and polishing off a Chimay (Rouge) while they smoke away.

Personally I think their steaks are some of the finest in the area. And the sides are excellent as well (I tried the basmati rice this time). As you can see from the Urbanspoon box below, 69% is a pretty low score. Most of the gripes seem to stem from the high prices, but it's not near as expensive as some of Dallas' finest steakhouses as you will find on the North Tollway. And it's somewhat a given that you come here on an expense account - and it's location on MacArthur in Las Colinas only underscores that point. Definitely not a fun for the whole family kinda place!

Simply put: A great place to meet or host clients.

Website