Siciliano's A Taste of Italy ~ Garland, Texas ***CLOSED***

Last visit: Nov 2008

First visit: 1992

Mr. Music was over at the RJG headquarters about a month ago, and we were reminiscing over former restaurants we had gone to when the RJG lived in Addison, and later Carrollton, in the late 80s and early 90s. I asked "What about that one in Garland?" After much deliberation, Mr. Music said "Oh, I remember - Siciliano's!" In the database it went, with a code saying "revisit".

So it was one recent Saturday that me and the Mrs. decided to make the long journey over and visit this restaurant that I haven't been to in at least 16 years. Saturday is the ideal day to embark on "road games" as it were. We've tried to make a point to venture out of our comfort zone of NE Tarrant and visit the various regions of the DFW area. And Saturday is the only day where we can be pretty certain of less traffic - and that the restaurant is likely to be open (unlike Sunday or holidays).

In parallel news, one of my colleagues in the San Francisco Bay Area made the comment that Lebron James wouldn't play for a "small market team" like Dallas. "Small market?" I said exasperatingly. "Listen home boy, DFW is the 4th largest media market in the country, ahead of your precious little Bay Area." Typical left coast comment I say. Anyway, I bring out this story, only to underscore just how sprawling the DFW area is. We basically drove from the NE Ft. Worth suburbs to the NE Dallas suburbs. It takes 45 minutes without traffic, and we barely covered a fraction of the entire area.

Siciliano's sits roughly in dead center Garland, on Buckingham, just east of Shiloh. Garland is one of DFW's largest suburbs and is big enough to have it's own regions and cultures within. As we approached the restaurant, in the dark, I said "Nope, this isn't the place - way too big." After our meal, we spoke with the owner who clarified that it is indeed the place we were thinking of. They had previously been in a smaller restaurant inside a strip mall (which is what I remember) - and moved to this new construction about 8 years ago.

Old School. That's all I could think of while we enjoyed our meal at Siciliano's. Their pedigree is from the classic Italian restaurants that used to be throughout the Detroit area (and a few remain). About the only nod to modernity that I could see, were the garlic knots brought out prior to our meal. In the 1970s, having practically grown up eating Italian food in the restaurants on Lower Greenville and Mockingbird, you ate the Lisanti breadsticks that were in the basket, or you didn't eat anything prior to the appetizer.

The salad. Yes, that's it! That's the salad dressing of my youth. Before the late 1970s rage of "creamy Italian" and before anyone even knew what the word balsamic meant, we all ate salads with an oil based dressing, that had the right amount of vinegar and Italian seasonings. We make a mean Italian dressing at the RJG household - that's as close as we can get to the old days - and it still doesn't taste quite like this.

Homemade meatballs. Oh yes, my darling, that's why the RJG exists. To seek out places that some thought were extinct. How come nobody makes a homemade spicy meatball anymore? Siciliano's does! And they tell me their sausage is homemade too. Next visit.

Chicken Parm. You know, that's what they call it on the menu. Do you understand the significance of this? Anyone who has ever grown up in the East or the Midwest, refers to this dish as Chicken Parm. Not Parmesan. And certainly not Pollo Parmigiana (remember, that's $5 more just for the name). Ah, burnt gooey cheese. Crispy outside. Al Denta pasta on the side. If it were perfect, the Parm would cover the entire dish, and they'd serve the pasta in a bowl next to it. But hey, who's complaining?

They had my favorite dessert on the menu - Cappucino Pie. This is sort of a Dallas original, as you won't find it outside of the DFW area (or at least I haven't anyway). And it's usually made by one local supplier. Not Siciliano's. It's homemade (like everything here). Completely different taste - with a white cappucino ice cream, whip cream, chocolate syrup, graham cracker crust and sliced almonds. Mmmm-mmm-mmm.

They have a full bar, and their wines by the glass seem reasonable (for example $5.25 for a good Pinot Grigio).

11/9/08 (new entry)

El Rancho Grande ~ Fort Worth, Texas ***CLOSED***

Feb 21, 2021 update: In September 2020, The Original Mexican Restaurant purchased El Rancho Grande and is now called The Original Del Norte.

First visit: Sep 2008

Recently we wrote about Los Alamos, and on our journey we drove by El Rancho Grande, just a block away. And then I'd remembered the place from a few years ago when Mrs. RJG and I visited the La Playa, a branch of the La Playa Maya local chain minus the Maya (now closed). It seemed to be a happening place that particular Saturday night, and now we were going for our first visit on a Saturday afternoon.

The interior is "Old World Mexico", as found in places like El Fenix, Cantina Laredo and Pulido's. Dark, gold lighting fixtures, stucco and wood trim.

Time for the most important part of the meal: Chips and hot sauce. Why most important? As Fort Worth Hole in the Wall so astutely observes, it's 90% of the meal. May sound funny, but there are times when he's exactly right. The chips are homemade tortillas, a bit thick in texture, and have a taste that I've not had in a chip before. Not sure I'm overly fond of it, but it is different. The salsa is like many in the DFW area, with garlic, onions, salt and a mild kick. So of course Mr. Jose had to ask "Have a hotter one"? The waiter was excited to say yes and quickly brought a bowl. It was indeed hotter, but not by much. And it seemed lack salt or something. It was almost bitter. Not very good. We preferred the regular table garden variety.

As for the meal, I stuck to the basics of enchiladas and taco. The rice was outstanding. I mean really great! The beans were weak. Enchiladas were decent, nothing special. And the taco. Mr. RJG is going to get on his soap box here (readers quickly shift to next paragraph): Don't put the taco on the combo plate! Put it on a separate small platter. C'mon, is it really that expensive to wash another dish? The taco shell was, of course, soggy. Why do they do that? Unfortunately I can't remember now what Mrs. RJG had, but it wasn't memorable.

It may seem they we didn't like El Rancho Grande. Actually we did. It is good and if I lived in Bangor, Maine, I would be thrilled to have a place like this in town. But for DFW, nay for Main Street in Ft. Worth, there is better. Just down the street at Los Alamos.

9/18/08 (new entry)

The rest of the rest: Road Trip 2008

I covered most of the highlights and lowlights of our last Road Trip this past July. Some other places of interest:

Garfield's, Susquehanna, PA: Garfield's to me represents the epitome of the boring 1980's styled chain. But we were on the open road from Harrisburg, PA to Geneva, NY and it was way past lunch time and we'd already given up on our original plan to head to Penn State University, since we were running behind schedule. Garfield's, predictably enough, sits at the entrance of an equally boring mall. That said, Mr. Jose was more than impressed with Garfield's for offering locally made Pennsylvania wine. For that alone, the stop was worth it. Bravo to this branch of Garfield's!
Mighty Taco, Tonawanda, NY: Loved it, loved it, loved it! After the lackluster Spicy Thai experience, Mr. Jose decided dessert needed to be at the nearby Mighty Taco. Mrs. Jose, the beautiful woman who I have been married to for 11 years, agreed. She had only one and I had 2, but I could tell they were delicious. Old school, ground beef, mushmeat tacos. I love 'em. My only gripe is that I got hot, only to find out they have a x-hot. Next time, and I do hope there will be a next time. Mighty Taco is a local chain in the Buffalo area with quite a few locations.
Jenny's Ice Cream, Williamsburg, NY: Did I say we got dessert at Mighty Taco? Ahem, well we went for a second dessert then at Jenny's a wonderful homemade ice cream place in the quaint town of Williamsburg, just west of Buffalo and where we were staying. Looks like I can point to the day I gained 5 pounds....
Fireside Thai Jasmine and Pi-Tom's, Toronto, ONT: Two separate Thai restaurants that we had on the two nights we were in Toronto. Remember when Mrs. Jose gets in that zone for Thai food, there ain't no stopping her! Even she wishes she'd stopped herself. Both are entirely uninspiring. Fireside is definitely the better of the two. Nicer help, but the appetizer we had was awful (a variety of the fried spring roll, that had so much filler and dough, it could only be called gross). As for Pi-Tom's - lose the attitude folks. Food is bland-ola. Doesn't matter, it'll close soon. The trendy places always do. The Regular Joe's Guide kinda places don't.
Burgundy's 780, Toronto, ONT: We stopped here for lunch. Very good little tavern in the downtown area of Yorktown. I thought for sure it was a chain, but it isn't! Nothing very distinctive, but everything was good. Worth a stop for lunch if you're nearby.
Adam and Eve Chocolatier, Toronto, ONT: We enjoyed this place so much the first night, we went back the second. They feature gelato rather than ice cream, and is all homemade on the premises. Excellent and recommended to those in downtown Toronto.
Jane's Ice Cream, Saugerties, NY: Jane's is made in nearby Kingston, NY. I can't remember the name of the place we had the ice cream, it wasn't called Jane's, but they serve it. Outstanding. Though I'm sure everyone who lives there already knows this.
Olde Philadelphia Tavern, Philadelphia airport: This was our final lunch before flying home to DFW. Believe it or not, Mrs. Jose liked their Philly Cheesesteak better than Rick's. Go figure. You know what, it wasn't bad at all. There are way worse places in the airports. If you're flying American, this is a good alternative to the chains. I think they're a local chain actually, as I see other locations, but no website to consolidate that evidence.

Luca's Ristorante ~ Flemington, New Jersey ***CLOSED***

Closed: 2018

First visit: Jul 2008

Sometime back in 1999, when Mr. RJG was working in the northeast Philadelphia suburb of Bensalem on a 2 week assignment, I asked the locals where was the best place for Italian food. They said the closest was not south Philly but rather Trenton, New Jersey. I ran out of time and only ended up trying a couple of local Bensalem places which were good, not great (pretty much what my cohorts said). So when I did my homework for this trip, it appears I may have missed my window of opportunity. Apparently many of the classic places in Trenton have either boarded up or are “not the same”. Analyzing the situation, and looking at hotel options in the area, I settled on the community of Flemington instead. And Luca’s was to be the Italian destination of choice.

With the great taste of Little Italy still on our mind, we stuck to our game plan, and headed over to Luca’s for dinner. We sat down and prepared to order win when the waiter said it was “BYOB”. What? As noted many times in the RJG, BYOB is a concept we love in Texas, and I know it exists in a few other states, but New Jersey is one place I did not expect to hear this. So I immediately asked where the nearest liquor store was. The waiter seemed surprised, but didn't realize we were guests on vacation, so we only had one shot at this. He said there was one only a few minutes away. Hey, Mr. and Mrs. RJG want our wine with our Italian food!

With that out of the way, we settled into Luca’s and prepared for our Italian meal. Could it be as good as the night before? Well, almost! Luca’s is a little bit more modern, and there were nods to the Romano’s Macaroni Grill way of doing things (olive oil and pepper for the bread, extra large portions). And really, what’s wrong with that? Nothing. The biggest weakness of the publicly traded Macaroni Grill is consistency, like all major chains. Since we've only been to Luca’s once, I can’t comment on consistency, but overall we were both quite pleased with our meal. I again stuck to the basics and wasn't disappointed. The portions here are quite large, and are ideal for take home leftovers, though we weren't obviously in a position to do so.

Luca’s is a two store local chain. The other being on the way to the New York side of the state in Somerset, NJ.

8/26/08 (new entry)

C H Evans Brewing Co. at the Albany Pump Station ~ Albany, New York

First visit: Jul 2008

The next day in Tupper Lake we had a charming “continental breakfast” at our motel. Consisting of coffee and a wrapped powder donut – I’m pretty sure it’s the first powdered donut I've had in 20 years. Afterwards we drove out of the Adirondack Mountains, down to the state capital of Albany, where we arrived at lunch time (could it be a coincidence? Ya think?). Per original plan, we headed to a local brewery / brewpub called the Albany Pump Station just on the outskirts of downtown and the Capitol building. The Albany Pump Station resurrected an old brewery from the past called C.H. Evans Brewing Company. We had such great success with the Appalachian Brewing Company, that we were hoping for a repeat performance. And did it succeed? Well, sort of. Mr. RJG gives it a thumbs up. Outstanding brew (the Quackenbush Blonde) and I went for the cheeseburger, always a good choice at a brewpub. Great seasoning, well cooked, high quality meat, excellent toppings, and just the right amount of grease. For me a pleasurable experience all around. But Mrs. RJG didn't agree (the first time we disagreed about the meal quality on this trip). She enjoyed the beer and all was going well until she got her deli sandwich. With Jreck's fresh on her mind, I think she was expecting something similar. What she got was, in her words, something that she could get at the grocery store. Something along the lines of plain bread and Sysco cold cuts. I can’t say for sure, but it didn't look too inspiring to me either. Her point was why bother to offer a sandwich if it’s something you can get pre-wrapped at 7-11. Can’t argue with that! So we’re chalking it up to she “got the wrong thing”, and if there’s a second visit to Albany, she’ll try something else.

8/23/08 (new entry); 1/29/23 verified

Little Italy Restaurant ~ Tupper Lake, New York

First visit: Jul 2008

From Gouverneur, we enjoyed a picturesque drive through the Adirondacks and onto to our destination of Tupper Lake, ideally situated in the middle of the mountains and by a lake (naturally). I think we might have even snuck in an ice cream break. The little place by the side of the road served Perry's Ice Cream, which I've only seen in the New York state area. Quite good actually.

Like many of the small towns in the Adirondacks, Tupper Lake doesn’t possess a large chain hotel. Since Mr. RJG travels a lot for business, I tend to stay at Marriott or Hilton owned hotels – generally the more business friendly ones like Hampton Inn or Courtyard. And so I’ve made that a habit for personal trips as well, and Mrs. RJG likes the free breakfasts at the Hampton in particular. We typically eat light for breakfast, nothing more a bagel, coffee, juice, yogurt, fruit, maybe some cereal. And that’s what Hampton excels at. But for Tupper Lake, I needed to be creative. After searching the internet, I settled on the Tupper Lake Motel . For the first time in many years, I actually had to call the motel to make a reservation and then reaffirm prior to leaving. Once we arrived, I knew I had made the right choice. Run by a older Slovakian couple, the Tupper Lake Motel reminded me of the motels of my childhood, traveling with my Dad as a little kid. A classic 1950’s era single story motel, with a pool in the middle of the complex (see website above). Our room was nothing more than a queen size bed, a table with 2 chairs, and a tiny bathroom. All in tip-top shape, clearly having been renovated and the maids take good care of the rooms. After walking around the lake some, Mrs. RJG and I went over to a local liquor store and picked up a cold bottle of Chardonnay, made in New York’s Finger Lakes region. And we sat in our little motel room, and drained the entire bottle, with glasses provided by the proprietors – not to mention they opened the bottle for us (I gambled that their European heritage would come through on this point).

With a good buzz on, we stumbled into town via foot to the Little Italy restaurant, recommended by both the hotel owner and the liquor store owner. Of course we each promptly ordered a glass of wine! We passed on the appetizer and I settled for a good old fashioned plate of spaghetti and meatballs. Ahhh, old fashioned homemade meatballs! So yummy. Why is it so hard to find these anymore? And the pasta? Al dente, without me having to ask for it that way. Just comes natural to those that know what they’re doing. And it was still steaming hot on the last bite. Mrs. RJG went for a pasta dish loaded with broccoli and other veggies. All outstanding. The perfect fuel for our waltz back to the motel. I believe they have another location in nearby Saranac Lake, but I’m not 100% sure.

I couldn't find another review for this fine restaurant, so we may be first!

8/20/08 (new entry); 1/29/23 verified

Jreck Subs ~ New York : Gouverneur

First visit: Jul 2008 (Gouverneur)

Jrecks currently operates 25 stores, down 3 from our last check. Gouverneur remains open.

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After Simcoe, and a drive through Hamilton, we enjoyed two wonderful days in Toronto, seeing the sites and walking the quaint neighborhoods near downtown. As for our meal choices, unfortunately nothing stood out, though we did have a nice lunch (all to be covered in the summary). Leaving Toronto in the morning, we headed for our longest drive of the trip, taking a major highway through Ontario. The original plan was to stop in Kingston for a German meal, but frankly neither of us were hungry despite walking many miles around Toronto the prior two days. We felt too full for a large German lunch. So we headed for the border through to Upstate New York. After getting through US customs (not a friendly bunch, that’s for sure), we journeyed towards our destination in the Adirondack mountains. We really had no idea where we were going to eat lunch, but Mrs. RJG was starting to get hungry, and that means Mr. RJG better find a place quick, or Momma ain't goin' to be too happy. We were in the town of Gouverneur, and decided we’ll eat there no matter what. We saw a pizza place, and decided that would be sufficient to get us to dinner. So I turned into a lot to make a U-Turn when we both noticed that we were in the parking space for Jreck subs. Mrs. RJG quickly stated that would be her preference. Sounded better to me too.

We've talked about the corporate chain Jersey Mike’s before in the RJG, and Jrecks has a similar formula of freshly sliced deli meats (high quality) and an array of toppings and dressings. Mrs. RJG also went for the soup du jour (Cream of Broccoli I think). I’d never heard of Jrecks prior, but if you’re living in Upstate New York, then I’m sure the name is familiar. They’re based in Watertown and currently have 42 locations, all in this part of New York. Mr. RJG loves a good regional chain, and Jrecks is exactly the kind of fast food discovery that makes these kind of adventures fun. Another reference point for my DFW readers is The Great Outdoors.

9/18/08 (new entry); 1/29/23 verified

Swiss Chalet ~ Canada : Simcoe, Ontario

First visit: Jul 2008 (Simcoe, Ont)

Swiss Chalet operates 193 restaurants across the nation, with 158 in Ontario, down 6 and 4 respectively since the last check. Simcoe remains open.

The next day we crossed into Canada and chose a scenic drive along the coast not far from Lake Erie. Compared to the rather gritty western portion of New York, Ontario is considerably more bucolic. Just to mix it up a bit, I thought it would be a good idea to try one of Canada’s corporate chains, and so I’d selected Swiss Chalet as a good stop on the open road (Simcoe, Ontario for those keeping score). Now I’m sure for any Canadian reading this (as if), going to Swiss Chalet is about as exciting as going to Denny’s. But their website indicated rotisserie chicken and Mr. RJG saw an opportunity for a good meal without all the calories.

To be honest I was expecting a fast food place, but to my surprise it’s an actual sit down restaurant. Mrs. RJG likes that. I ordered the white chicken sandwich on a Kaiser role, and it comes with a Greek Salad (well, as an option for a small charge if I remember right). Mrs. RJG had something similar. And I think it came with a soup as well. Well… the salad was good anyway. As for the sandwich, I guess the appeal is in the dipping sauce. Unfortunately for us, we’re not into sweet sauces too much – and the honey cinnamon concoction wasn't to our liking – at all. Without the sauce, the sandwich is bone dry. Not the moist tender bits one would expect with the term “rotisserie”. Mrs. RJG seemed to enjoy the soup, but I was nonplussed. OK, it’s a boring chain, and I should not have expected anything more. But it sure was painful paying 30 some dollars (and at 1 to 1, that’s the US price!) for two ordinary chicken sandwiches and side salads. Oh well.

8/17/08 (new entry); 1/29/23 verified

Spicy Thai ~ Tonawanda, New York ***CLOSED***

Closed: 2015

First visit: Jul 2008

We left Geneva in the late morning and headed towards Rochester for a quick tour of the town and enjoyed some authentic New York pizza for lunch (will be covered in the final summary). From Rochester we drove towards Niagara Falls, and did the mandatory touristy thing, though we decided against the boat tour. Rather, we paid the $1 to walk out to the bridge in the middle of the river and watch some crazy folks make their way up to the stairs to be swept away by the Falls themselves (actually it did look like fun). But we were getting wet just being on the bridge! Later, we checked into our hotel in Williamsburg, a pleasant community just west of Buffalo. As mentioned before, Mrs. RJG loves her Thai food, and this was to be our first experience on the trip. I chose a restaurant in the suburb of Tonawanda. Prior to dinner we journeyed into the Buffalo downtown area to take a look-see and also drove past the legendary Anchor Bar, most known as the place where Buffalo Wings were first invented. So far, so good.

We ordered a bottle of wine and a chicken satay appetizer, and all seemed to be on course for a fine meal. Then the trouble began. As stated before, Mrs. RJG likes her vegetables with her chicken dish. She asked if they would add some veggies to her chicken basil. A rhetorical question as far as we’re concerned. The waitress said she would ask and later came back and said they would not. To be clear, we said that we would be glad to pay extra for it. “Sorry, it’s not possible.” What do you mean “it’s not possible?” Are you kidding me? What, are all the dishes pre-made or something? Are we at McDonalds now? Throw some broccoli, carrots and bok choy in there and we’ll all be happy. No can do. As for Mr. RJG, I asked if they had ground chicken. They didn’t (not uncommon) so I asked if they would chop my chicken up. NOPE! “Can’t do that”. Must be rough in the old kitchen, so busy and all, especially since we were THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THE RESTAURANT. Well now I know why. I mean, it’s got to be so difficult to get a knife out and chop up the chicken pieces. Mrs. RJG took a peek in the kitchen and said the cooks looked like rap gangsters. They were Thai, but they dressed like they lived in the ‘hood. LAZY LAZY LAZY. Since we were already half way into the meal, we went ahead with our orders. I asked for mine Thai Hot, and they warned me (the usual). I said “kill me”. When delivered, she stated that the food was going to be too spicy for me, but that’s what I asked for. Yea, if Taco Bell fire sauce is too hot, then maybe? I won’t say it was mild or even medium, but it wasn’t even close to Thai Hot. To be fair, our food was pretty good, as even the cooks couldn’t ruin the quality recipes the owners obviously possess. Too bad the owners don’t care about anything else. I’m sure there are better Thai restaurants in the Buffalo area than this. It would be depressing to find out otherwise.

8/16/08 (new entry)

Wing Tai Oriental ~ Geneva, New York ***CLOSED***

First visit: Jul 2008

Part 2 of our dinner adventure in Geneva, NY. See here for the inauspicious beginning.

After the Nonna's Trattoria disaster, we decided to go with the original game plan, a local tavern called Parker's Grille and Tap House. It was about a 15 minute walk through the somewhat shabby town center. It's actually pretty depressing, reminding me of many similar town centers in the 1980s before the gentrification renaissance began. And would you believe, no one greeted us here either? Must be the way things are in Geneva, NY. If I were the leader of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, I'd hold a quick training session on the art of making customers feel welcome. It was pretty hot inside, and one look at the menu didn't seem overly inspiring, so we left pretty quickly. Honestly it felt more like a biker bar. We weren't there long enough to really know much about the place, so it won't draw the Mr. Jose ire as did Nonna's.

Again, things happen for a reason.

Mrs. RJG had remembered seeing a Chinese restaurant on the drive into town, and it was only one block over from Parker's. Now you won't see too many Chinese restaurants in the RJG. We just haven't had much luck with them. A couple of places in Denver were pretty good, and almost all in the DFW area have been disappointing. For one thing, they seem to confuse the terms spicy with sweet. The hotter we ask for it, the sweeter it gets. We don't like sweet food, unless it's dessert. Or habaneros of course. But not much was going our way, and we were running out of options as nightfall was approaching.

"Welcome, please have a seat" said the waitress as we walked in. Wow! What a concept! Greeting us as we enter a restaurant. Somebody needs to get word to the city leaders that Wing Tai actually wants customers. Can't have that.

The interior was old school all the way - dark, lots of red and gold. Worn carpet and panelled walls. The kind of place that went the way of the dodo after the Asian Fusion rage of P.F. Chang's and its thousands of imitators. The kind of place that the Tong's would feel comfortable conducting business in. A Regular Joe's Guide kinda place.

Remember the $7 chintzy wine glasses at Villa di Roma in Philadelphia? How about $4 large glasses of local Finger Lake wine? YES! I ordered the Chicken Chili. That's what it was called - chicken chili. I asked the waitress what it was. She said, it's pretty much chopped chicken, very spicy, with rice and very little vegetables. Sounded like something Mr. Jose designed for them! I had to have it. Mrs. Jose had the Lo Mein with chicken. And something magical occurred for both of us: This was the best Chinese food we'd ever had! Maybe Brandy Ho's in San Francisco's Chinatown gives it a run. I freely admit we are not Chinese food aficionados, but we've had plenty over the years together and personally I've had Chinese food since I was a little kid - going back to the House of Gong off of Northwest HWY in Dallas (anyone remember that place?).

Looking for old school Chinese food, like the kind you'd see in an old "Thin Man" episode? Go to Wing Tai.

8/11/08 (new entry)

Nonna's Trattoria ~ Geneva, New York ***CLOSED***

Real shock to see these guys didn't make it.

From Manheim, PA where we had spent the night before, we drove through York and onto Gettysburg to see the Civil War monuments. Afterwards we drove north through the Susquehanna Valley area and mountains where we had lunch (to be covered in the final summary), into New York, through Corning, visited a winery and finished in the Finger Lake town of Geneva.

For dinner, we altered our plans, as we both noticed an appealing looking Italian restaurant called Nonna's Trattoria across the street from our hotel. We arrived and noticed a small crowd waiting for a table. So we stood at the hostess stand and awaited patiently to put our name on the list. 2 minutes nothing. 5 minutes nothing. Oh sure there were waitresses in the dining room, who could see us in plain view. There was a bar to the left as well. 8 minutes nothing. 10 minutes. Another couple walks in and asks us if there's a wait. We said we think so, but not sure, since no one has spoken to us yet. They left. We waited another 5 minutes and our patience ran out. We left. 15 minutes and no one said so much as welcome, we're busy, we'll be with you in a few minutes. Nothing. Nada. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU NONNA'S TRATTORIA? You don't want business or what? Fine, when you do go out of business, don't act surprised. Zero customer service leads to a boarded up restaurant. Everyone who is reading this that happens to visit Geneva, NY - don't go to Nonna's Trattoria. They don't want your business.

But things happen for a reason... and we are forever grateful for their inability to run a restaurant... to be continued....

8/10/08 (new entry)

Appalachian Brewing ~ Pennsylvania : Harrisburg

First visit: Jul 2008 (Harrisburg)

There are currently 6 locations. Harrisburg remains open.

We had a wonderful day of touring the Amish Country of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, including driving through a couple of interesting covered bridges. Multiple times we passed the horse and buggies, with the whole Amish family in authentic 1800s attire. The anachronism is striking. Mrs. RJG was so impressed with their seemingly peaceful nature, that she said she wanted to become an Amish woman. Mr. RJG quickly stated "you'll have to give up your jewelry". And that was the end of that.

We stayed in the cute town of Manheim, but had planned to head to the state capital of Harrisburg for dinner, which is about a 30-40 drive from Manheim. No problems here since we have Hertz's NeverLost - right? Our first experience with the NeverLost system was some six years ago traveling through the Midwest, and was a near disaster. We dubbed it AlwaysLost and NeverSafe. The damn GPS system had a knack for dropping us in the 'hood and couldn't figure a way out of it. You haven't lived until you've driven through the inner ghettos of Detroit... No need to ever get a thrill at Disneyland again.

But the system seemed to have improved immensely, deftly navigating the streets of Philadelphia as well as the Amish countryside. Then came Harrisburg. "Freeway exit on your right". We're back in the 'hood. Now there's nothing wrong with that per se, but it said we were only 0.4 miles from our destination. Then 0.3 miles. A few boarded up old storefronts, a couple of open liquor stores, a Western Union - all 3 establishments complete with iron windows. Lots of people on the street and none too happy about it either. 0.2 miles. Mrs. RJG says "here we go again". 0.1 miles "right turn ahead". All we see is boarded up places. "You have arrived". And, sure enough, there it was - the Appalachian Brewing Company, right on the edge of an industrial district and the 'hood. Had a gated parking lot with security and looked to be a nice place. So we ventured in.

The Appalachian Brewing Company holds up the high standard that the name Brewpub has come to represent. I went for the Purist Pale Ale while Mrs. RJG attacked the Mountain Lager. We quickly guzzled our first beer even before we'd ordered. She went for another lager and I tried the Susquehanna Stout, which was served room temperature as it would be in the Isles, though I admit to preferring the non traditional ice cold variety. Strange as it may sound, but many of the brewpubs I've visited have mediocre suds. Not the case at the ABC - these were excellent. For dinner, Mrs. RJG had one of the specials, a seafood wrap, which she enjoyed immensely. I had the stromboli, an excellent choice for pub fare.

8/9/08 (new entry); 1/29/23 verified

Bassetts Ice Cream ~ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

First visit: Jul 2008

It probably should come as no surprise to the readers of the RJG that Mr. RJG also likes a good, independent homemade ice cream place. I'd first gone to Bassetts, and the Reading Terminal Market for that matter, in 2004 while in downtown Philly for business.

With the Villa di Roma and Rick's experience fresh on our minds, Mr. RJG needed a win with Mrs. RJG to demonstrate that I did indeed research properly for this trip. We were both in the mood for a little ice cream after Rick's, and I figured Bassetts could be the savior of the trip, since I'd been there prior.

And Bassetts came through in a BIG WAY. Mrs. RJG, about 3 mouthfuls into her pistachio cone, looked at me and said "This is the best ice cream I've ever had". Mrs. RJG just doesn't say things like that casually. She's a tough customer. But she is still talking about how wonderful the ice cream was. I had the coffee ice cream (Mr. RJG's favorite flavor), and it was as delicious as I had remembered it 4 years prior.

8/8/08 (new entry); 1/29/23 verified

Rick's Original Philly Steaks ~ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ***CLOSED***

First visit: Jul 2008

The Reading Terminal Market is maybe the singular greatest food idea - ever. Enclosed within its walls, are literally hundreds of independent, locally owned Philadelphia eateries, food shops and markets. You'll see Amish ladies working the Dutch kitchens next to African American managed rib places. Everything that is good about the American food experience can literally be found all in one place. The Reading Terminal was an active railroad station only some 25 years ago. Once it closed, the cities' leading visionaries moved the already existing food markets into the terminal itself. To only be able to eat all day long. If I could, I'd do it here.

Rick's is not the only steak sandwich establishment at the RTM (not surprising given it's Philly's most famous export), but his is the most famous and has the purest pedigree. Rick Olivieri is the grandson of Pat Olivieri, the founder of Pat's, which is generally considered the first Philly Cheesesteak place, along with Geno's across the street. Mr. Jose visited those fine establishments back in 2005, while on a business trip.

With all this going in my favor, I felt this would be a safe bet to introduce Mrs. RJG to an authentic Philly Steak sandwich, a food she's only had in bastardized forms in the DFW and Denver areas.

The tide from the evening before at Villa di Roma was still working against me, and Rick's was another swing and a miss. Sometimes a guy can't get a break. And poor Rick can't seem to get good help. Rick himself had to take our order since one of his employees didn't feel like working that day apparently. It looked like Rick fired him right there on the spot. Must be a tough man to work for. Later Rick yelled at one his minions to clean the tables. She did, using the wettest cloth she could find, drowning it in more water, and then leaving all the tables in puddles of water. Lovely. Mrs. RJG was sulking by now. Mrs. RJG said to order it the way I do - which is the Philly way: Wiz wit (cheese whiz and onions). Hey, that's an authentic Philly cheesesteak! When Kraft introduced Cheese Whiz in 1952, it became all the rage to douse your cheesesteak with it. I know it sounds gross, but Mr. RJG likes it. Mrs. RJG did not. At all. So we learned, next time get it with provolone and easy on the onions, eh buddy! As for me, I've had better cheesesteaks at Texadelphia. Sorry Charlie, but one can do a lot better in Philly than this. Like at Geno's or Rick's grandpa's place.

8/8/08 (new entry)

Villa di Roma ~ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

First visit: Jul 2008

It seemed so perfect:

Old Italian neighborhood: Check
Vintage restaurant: Check
Red Sauce Italian: Check
Classic signage: Check 

I was truly excited about this place. Mrs. RJG and I had driven there straight from the airport, and it looked so good (and loved the edgy neighborhood it resides in). Since there isn't convenient parking anywhere, we decided to head to our hotel a couple of miles further into downtown, and we'd cab it back. As we left the cab and wandered into the front door we were greeted by two entirely different Philly personalities: The gregarious bartender and the jerk "host". Naturally Mrs. RJG quickly got her nose out of joint with Mr. Rude, but I calmly explained that's part of the scene, and it's actually kind of endearing, if you're in the right frame of mind. Once we sat down, and viewed over the menu, I started to feel uncomfortable, and it had nothing to do with food.

Mr. RJG apparently didn't do all his research, and I have to take some blame here. First off, I didn't realize Rachel Ray had shilled for the place recently. Personally, I like the perky and cute Ms. Ray, and she does go to places we've been to in the past, and have also enjoyed. But not always. And when it comes to hole in the wall Italian joints, I would be very skeptical of where she goes. A visit like that can ruin the very essence of a classic RJG Italian spot.

Second, they don't take credit cards. This one just MAKES ME MAD. There's absolutely no excuse for this, unless they pass the card's service charge savings back to you. And I assure you, they do not. Mr. RJG doesn't like to take wads of cash with him, especially when in a major inner city like Philadelphia. We barely had enough money for 2 pasta plates, 2 chintzy glasses of wine and the cab fare to the hotel. Our meal cost $55 with tip and all we had were two simple pasta dishes and two tiny glasses of wine. We would've had more of course, had we extra cash. What an embarrassment to not take cards in 2008.

As for the food, well... it was OKAY I guess. If I lived in the neighborhood, and was looking for a quick bowl of pasta, and didn't want to take the 15 minutes I'd need to prepare my own, it would be a good substitute. That's really all I can say. It's very plain, non unique, nothing special red sauce Italian. Big deal.

Huge disappointment. I had one shot at a classic Italian joint in Philly and I messed it up. My research failed me.

8/8/08 (new entry); 1/29/23 verified

The Original Pantry Cafe ~ Los Angeles, California

Latest visit: Oct 2000

First visit: Nov 1995

One of the goals of the Regular Joe's Guide is to introduce you, the reader, to some of the better "local" dining options across the USA. And while we have a strong focus on the Dallas-Ft.Worth area (and, hopefully soon, much more of Denver), Mr. RJG likes to brag about places he finds during his travels. Many are unknown, and that's maybe the most exciting aspect - the "discovery". But as with any pursuit one embarks on (music, books, movies, locales, etc..), some of the best things are very much "known". Such is the case with The Original Pantry, a landmark in the Los Angeles downtown area since 1924.

Places like the Original Pantry used to dominate the American dining experience. A basic hash house, that served breakfast 24 hours a day, along with lunch and dinner staples such as hamburgers and pot roast. It's a familiar story: After World War II, many families began to move out to the then new concept of a suburban lifestyle. With a larger house, and their own backyard, it no longer made any sense to live in a cramped, smelly, often hot, inner city dwelling. And thus began the great exodus out of the American big city. Most local businesses fell victim to this phenomena, and the ones that didn't shutter or move out, endured some incredibly trying years. If this situation wasn't bad enough, the US government began to experiment with the "Great Society" concept in the 1960s, creating housing utopias for the downtrodden and poor, while bulldozing historical structures. On paper, it seemed like the right thing to do, and this would regenerate an already dying inner city core. In reality, it delivered the final death blow. Throughout the 1960's, 70's, and 80's, many downtown and inner city neighborhood areas became DMZ's, if one were to dare to venture in after hours, they most certainly were taking their life into their own hands. Very few places of the Original Pantry type survived. Serving bums, parolees, hasbeens and ne'erdowellers is not generally considered a "sound business model." That's why today these establishments seem so special - they are a rare breed.

As the regentrification process began for most cities in the 1990's, including Los Angeles, folks began to rediscover, or discover for the first time, these war survivors. It combines a "let's go slumming" fascination with the key intangible that everyone has known from the start: Great quality food. Besides, it's pretty hard to get that "ghost of hamburger's grease past" flavor at a new chain restaurant.

I first visited The Original Pantry towards the beginning of this regentrification process, in 1995 while attending some music concerts in the area. The sound of jackhammers and electric drills were everywhere, as remodeling and rebuilding was well underway. If you walked too far astray, you would find the ghetto was still near. There usually was a crowd at the Pantry, especially on Sunday, but in general one would be seated with ease. The place looked like a 1930s era diner. Nothing had changed. A living, breathing museum. I returned in 2000, for a software convention at the newly opened LA Convention Center (near the Staples Center), and the area was almost unrecognizable. There were lines around the corner at the Original Pantry almost 24 hours a day, but especially in the breakfast hours. Still, we persevered and ate there nearly every day of the convention, enjoying the surroundings, and the excellent breakfast.

I haven't returned since, and fully expected to read the place has remained unchanged. But alas, it looks like that's not true. They're gussying it up. It's now owned by the former Republican mayor of Los Angeles, Richard Riordan. Perhaps it's unrealistic to expect an owner to leave it as a derelict place. At some point, diners may have tired of the old surroundings. At once it was a nostalgic trip, but perhaps that has worn off, and it's time to move forward. Hard to say, but next time I have a chance, I will certainly stop in... for the memories.

11/11/95; 10/25/00; 6/28/08 (new entry); 1/29/23 verified

Hatam Restaurant ~ Anaheim, California

First visit: Apr 2008

One of the great pleasures of traveling to Southern Cal is the proliferation of Persian restaurants, something that is almost extinct in the DFW area (there's only one in Richardson that I'm aware of, and I'll do a writeup soon). I'm talking pure Persian restaurants, not "Middle Eastern", "Pan Arabian" or, perhaps even less descriptive, "Mediterranean". For one thing, Persians aren't Arabs, and that's just the sort of thing that sets off neighborhood disturbances. And just in case your history is a little light, Persian refers to the modern country of Iran, which has its own connotations, right, wrong or indifferent.

By all rights, Persian food should be the ideal Regular Joe's kinda food. We're talking meats, saffron rice and veggies - and the latter is optional. Shish Kabob is what most folks know, and it's a combination of various meats and veggies. But there are plenty of other Kabob's which focus on a variety of meats. 

I had intended on revisiting a Mr. RJG favorite in Beverly Hills called Aram, but unfortunately we arrived too early in the day for dinner, and decided to try one near our hotel in Anaheim. We were staying in a "neighborhood" hotel that had good ratings on TripAdvisor.com called the Pepper Tree, and there were many eateries nearby that would wear the "ethnic" badge very proudly. I hopped on the hotel's computer for a quick look of nearby Persian restaurants, and no surprise, there were 4 or 5 within 15 minutes of where we were staying. I selected Hatam based on the handful of reviews I could find.

6/11/08 (new entry)

One thing Mrs. RJG and I truly enjoy with our meal is wine, but not all Persian restaurants will carry, or allow it, depending on how strict they are (some don't mind at all). I knew that Hatam didn't serve wine, and I was too chicken (I don't know why) to ask them over the phone if they would allow us to bring it in, so what to do? Why of course, walk across the street to Ralph's grocery store, buy a bottle of wine, and drink it on the terrace BEFORE we go to dinner....

Sure enough, we were the only non-Persians in the restaurant - and it helps to have a good buzz in these situations. We dutifully had diet sodas with our meal. I ordered some kabob plate that had seasoned ground beef (known as kofta), filet mignon, ground chicken and chicken breast, with a huge bed of basmati rice covered in saffron. It was RIDICULOUSLY good. The filet was as tender as your favorite steakhouse - the kofta, despite a different seasoning, will make you think of your favorite Italian meatballs. As mentioned prior in one of the Thai threads, I love ground chicken and it was as delicious here as anywhere, and the cubes of chicken breast made me want to create a quick enchilada. And the rice? OMG, the rice... some of the best ever.

This is not the kind of place you'll stumble on driving around - so we really lucked out. It's in a Persian shopping center, buried deep in this non descriptive strip mall area. However, it's easy to get to, as the restaurant is just north of I-5 on Brookhurst. Inside, Hatam is a beautiful restaurant with nice paintings, Persian rugs and gorgeous mosaics.

Never had Persian food before? If you happen to be in Orange County, go to Hatam. This will be a regular stop for Mr. RJG (and Mrs. RJG!), that's for sure. (haven't been back to the area since...)

6/11/08 (new entry); 1/29/23 verified

The Whale & Ale ~ San Pedro, California

First visit: Apr 2008

Mrs. RJG and I decided to spend this year's anniversary in the LA / Orange County area (early April). It had been many years since we last visited, and if nothing else, we knew the food would be to our liking. Prior to me meeting Mrs. RJG, she had lived a couple of years in the LA area in the mid 1990s. She had recalled fondly of earlier times her sister and brother-in-law would head to San Pedro to go to the beach and eat seafood. Now Mrs. RJG hardly has what one would call an eidetic memory, so she had no idea what restaurants were her favorites, but was rather certain that if we drove there, she'd remember. NOPE. As a backup plan, I had researched some finer dining options, while keeping my eye on the Regular Joe's Guide theme. Neither Mrs. RJG or I enjoy ostentatious displays of grandeur. But we didn't want to celebrate our anniversary night in a dive either. And for that, The Whale & Ale was a nearly perfect compromise.

Definitely a welcoming tavern setting, in the old downtown area, clearly a place frequented by locals, since the tourists are at the beach locales (tacky and overpriced at that). We enjoyed a bottle of wine, crab cake appetizers and we both went for variations of swordfish - mine was blackened. All delicious and the meal was finished off with some coffee and Irish whiskey. This was Mrs. RJG's first try at the latter, and she's still making a face. Looks like Irish Creme only in the future.

6/7/08 (new entry); 1/29/23 verified

Novrozsky's ~ regional chain :

Latest visit: May 2008 (Keller,TX)

First visit: Sometime in 2004? (Keller,TX)

Novrozsky's has 4 restaurants in Southeast Texas and 1 in nearby Louisiana. The Keller location has been closed for many years.

---

Novrozsky's is based in Beaumont, TX, and have 10 locations. 7 are in southeast Texas and another couple in southwest Louisiana. The odd store out is the one here in NE Tarrant, located in Keller. One look at their website tells me that this Keller location is the beginning of a grander ambition. Many of the original stores look local and regional. So much so, that I feel I should visit one separate to this review.

Though I've designated Novrozsky's as a hamburger place, as does the chain itself, it really fits the "eclectic" category better. And that's one of the problems I have with it: They really don't have a distinctive or specialty menu at all. It tries to be all things to all people, which is never a good idea. They have salads, baked potatoes, fish, chicken, healthy choices, appetizers, and of course burgers. They do not at all play to their home grounds of Beaumont. Sure they pay lip service with a couple of Po-Boy sandwiches, but it seems like a throw in, rather than a feature. They don't appear to have a "signature" dish. They do have a buffalo burger, which I've had at least once (it's good), and that's about the only item one doesn't find in most restaurants of this type.

According to my notes this visit was my 4th, and I hardly remember the last 3 (they opened sometime in 2004/05). I've tried something different each time, and never walked away disappointed. Nor have I walked away completely satisfied. That's exactly how I feel when eating at a national chain. This time I tried their cheeseburger, since it's part of their original namesake. It is a good cheeseburger, but it doesn't stack up against the hearty competition of our area like Johnny B's, Kincaid's or Chapps.

Perhaps my biggest complaint with Novrozsky's is they have no sense of place. The restaurant is quite nice actually, a large, comfortable and clean space with beer signs and old souvenirs decorating the walls - with 4 flat screen TVs going on similar to a sports bar. Perfect for a university setting, or maybe a downtown location, or a nice shopping area. In those type of areas, I could easily see walking in for a couple of brews, grabbing some appetizers or a cheeseburger while catching parts of a game. Except Keller is none of the above. It is Soccer Mom suburbia, where the employment is elsewhere in DFW. There are large open spaces that require auto transportation to get anywhere. There is no university within miles. And it's not an ideal place for families and certainly not the appropriate setting as a high school hangout (though they try anyway with the video games). They should, like we mentioned in the Johnny B's thread, play to the local high school crowd. They can keep selling beer to the adults, but it doesn't have to look like a tavern. Not to say that a sports bar isn't a bad idea - as there are a couple of successful sports bars in Keller alone. But Novrozsky's doesn't look or feel like that either.

Personally I can't see how this place stays in business (and it didn't...). I've never seen it close to crowded, and it must cost a fortune to lease in such a nice, newer space. Novrozsky's anchors a newish strip mall off of Keller Parkway, and shares space with many known chains like Popeye's, Sonic and Dickey's. If you are the owner of this store you may want to take my suggestions above to heart (they didn't).

5/23/08 (new entry); 4/6/24 (verified)

Little Joe's Pizza ~

Latest visit: Nov 2008 (Keller, TX)

First visit: sometime in 2007 (Keller, TX)

Little Joe's now only exists in Tinley Park in the south Chicago area. The Keller location has been closed for many years.

---

One of Mr. RJG's favorite places to travel on business is Chicago. Especially if I'm able to get into the city or "inner ring" suburbs. I was fortunate to work for a company who had an office in Westchester. Though it was a modern office, most of Westchester is a classic inner ring suburb (in this case, the "ring" is I-294). Not to mention the towns that border it to the east and north like Hillside, Bellwood, Cicero and Broadview. It is not uncommon to drive by places with colorfully painted windows that say "Beef" or "Italian meat sandwiches".

I bring up these small details, because it helps distinguish the pretenders "Chicago style" from the real deal. Just driving up to Little Joe's and you know instantly it's the "real deal". I haven't seen windows painted like, well, since I last was in Chicago. They even have the Vienna Beef posters and banners.

The location is also classic. This part of Keller would be comfortable as an inner ring suburb of any Midwest or Northeast city. Behind an ancient combo gas station/Chinese restaurant (and, yep, the two sure do go together), is another strip mall, that looks like an afterthought of planning. Little Joe's dominates this portion. The prior two tenants were Mexican restaurants, of which Mr. RJG visited the last one - a ghastly place called Garcia's that mercifully went away quick.

Little Joe's moved in roughly 2 years ago, and it appears to be a hit, especially with transplanted Midwesterners. The last time Mrs. RJG and I went, an adjacent table was talking about how wonderful a city Milwaukee is. Now THAT isn't something you hear in everyday Ft. Worth conversation. (and, fwiw, Mr. RJG agrees about Milwaukee.)

And, also no surprise, they really are a Chicago chain - that is to say, they have two Southside suburb locations, one in Tinley Park and the other in New Lenox.

All of this does not matter if the food doesn't deliver. And it absolutely does. Mr. RJG has spent plenty of months in Chicago and southern Wisconsin, and learned that "Chicago pizza" did not necessarily mean "deep dish" - which the chains would have you believe. Little Joe's thin crust is awesome, with just the right amount of sauce, cheese and ingredients, on top of a thin, crispy crust. We've also tried the standard Italian dishes, and they're good, though not great (though Mr. RJG appreciates the "al forno" dish that is indeed very spicy). I wouldn't say that Little Joe's excels at "Beef", and for that, Mr. RJG still hasn't found a place in DFW that makes it right. Weinbergers of Grapevine is an excellent Chicago deli, but they also struggle with it. And Windy City Grill, another Chicago place in Keller, went from bad to worse. Apparently I wasn't alone in that assessment, as Windy City Grill is no more.

It's nice to see folks making Little Joe's a "destination spot" and are coming from all over the Metroplex to dine there. If you do make the drive, it's a bit tough to find. Once on Keller Pkwy, look for the Gold-In Chinese restaurant in the 1976 era shopping center (and for Keller - probably the oldest outside of the old town center). It's behind there on Navajo. There's another Joe's Pizza further down on Keller, and that is not related at all to Little Joe's.

5/4/08 (new entry); 11/16/08; 4/6/24 (verified)

C&A Italian Family Deli ~ Roanoke, Texas ***CLOSED***

It appears they've put their resources entirely to the Tirelli's Deli in Keller (also now closed), and have closed the Roanoke location.

Last visit: May 2008

First visit: Sometime in 2007

--- Original review

Occasionally my neighbor, Mr. SS, will join me on a weekday afternoon for a local restaurant lunch jaunt. Last week, we decided to venture on up to Roanoke. Now Roanoke is "jus' 'cross the counny liine", a short ways north of the NE Tarrant area, and into Denton County. It features a quaint old town area , and has a fair share of independent restaurants, most notable and popular being Babe's Chicken Dinner House. Roanoke is barely detached from the DFW Metroplex, and it won't be long before it's just another suburb in the sprawling mass that we call "home".

Though the old town is a slight detour off the main highway, US 377 also has a few enjoyable places to dine. And one of those is C&A Italian Family deli, sitting peacefully in a vintage 1980s depressing strip center, certain to meet a bulldozer when Roanoke becomes the next "big thing".

Finding a good sub sandwich shop, much less an authentic New York style deli, is a real challenge for us folks in NE Tarrant. Mr. SS, a former Chicago and St. Louis resident, was also bemoaning the fact that there's a dearth of good old fashioned delis. The megachains of Subway and Quizno's are in about every shopping center, and while they certainly are decent places to eat (you may not agree), it does lack for variety. Even the better, slightly less corporate chains like Jersey Mike's, don't exist anywhere close (there's one in Las Colinas, which is a bit far to get a sandwich methinks). C&A Italian Family Deli is the gem in the rough. [And no, we haven't forgotten the wonderful Cero's Heroes or Weinbergers, both of Grapevine. Reviews will follow eventually].

So up to Roanoke we went... Mr. SS had the meatball sub, and I had the one that has the most Italian meats on it... I forget what they call it. I've been going to C&A, regrettably not too often, for about 3 years now. The owners are from The Bronx, and what they provide is a simple, but absolutely delicious sandwich. They use only top quality meats, and best of all, the condiments are super. Fresh lettuce, superb oil and vinegar dressing, good peppers and onions, etc... And where else have you seen RC, diet RC, and grape and orange Nehi? At the fountain no less?

Also worth noting that C&A Family Deli now has a branch in Keller known as Tirelli's Deli. Good news for us here in NE Tarrant!

5/2/08 (new entry)

Bacio Mia ~ Southlake, Texas ***CLOSED***

Nov 29, 2008 update: Bacio Mia is no longer in business. Too bad, as they were a unique Italian restaurant in an area all too dominated with the same recipes and formulas.

First visit: Apr 2008

--- Original review

So we've already talked about, in past postings, the Albanian / Yugoslavian heritage of most of the Northeast Tarrant county Italian restaurants. Bacio Mia is one of the rare exceptions. We first ran into Rocky, who is from New Yawk, when he was a partner in a restaurant called Joe's (the most overused named in DFW, but this one was not related to any other) in Farmers Branch. Farmers Branch (or FB as many call it) is near where Mr. RJG grew up, so it was a natural place for Mrs. RJG and I to take Mr. RJG's parents. FB is another tough place to secure a liquor license, so the restaurant was always BYOB. Even better, especially in my Dad's view, is they offered free glasses of red wine (the law doesn't say you can't give it away, just that you can't sell it). Eventually the owners sold out to raise enough cash to start Michael Anthony's, a high end steakhouse in the high end suburb of Southlake. And now, perhaps not surprisingly, Rocky (who also runs Sofio Grill in Flower Mound) has opened an Italian restaurant down the road, in a pretty swanky strip mall, taking over the former Classic Cafe and Red Sage spot.

Despite the obvious expensive overhead, prices are very reasonable, and Rocky has eschewed a liquor license in favor of BYOB. In other words, Bacio Mia is a great deal, especially given the locale!

Everything at Bacio Mia is different from just about any other Italian restaurant in NE Tarrant. From the soft bread, to the tangy vinaigrette to the entrees, rest assured you will experience a unique Italian meal. We did notice there were differences in flavor from one visit to the next. The bolognese sauce on one visit had a strong wine flavor, while on another it was too salty. The chicken parm is good, though it's not as crisp as I'd like - but Mr. Jose understands what he likes in chicken parm is not the norm. The baked dishes could use a little more sauce as well (and we're into dry - but not BONE dry). So a little inconsistent, but we'll chalk that up to being a relatively new place, and getting the chefs to master the recipes at hand.

The Star-Telepoop made a big deal of how great it is that there's a daycare right across the sidewalk. In a peculiar way, I kind of agree. Nothing funnier than watching a bunch of "pretender" Mom's drive up in their Hummers and yak on the cell phone while dropping off the precious ones. It does provide entertainment, if you subscribe to Mr. RJG's warped view of life.

ANYWAY, Bacio Mia is definitely worth a visit. If they can make any kind of margin, given their low prices, then this place will be around awhile. Maybe the best deal in Southlake.

4/29/08 (new entry)

Keller Pizza ~ Keller, Texas ***CLOSED***

First visit: Mar 2005

There was nothing spectacular about Keller Pizza. In fact, I only went once a couple of years ago, to reminisce about the way Texas pizza buffets were in the 1970s and 80s. My college Sunday afternoons in the mid 1980s were dominated by trips to Pizza Inn. When else can you eat 21 slices and still not be full? Or where else really. 21 slices of cracker crust equals about 4 slices of a large gooey NY pizza. So with college nostalgia on the brain I waltzed into Keller Pizza and had a go at their buffet. I rarely do buffets anymore. I would rather have a specifically cooked meal (though realizing that doesn't always happen anyway) and buffets are a sure fire way to overeat. Not to mention the germs being thrown around at a public feast. Pizza is one area I'll make an exception, though I rarely go to a buffet more than once a year. The nostalgia of my youth was furthered by the fact that Keller Pizza was an ex-Pizza Inn. Well I don't know that for a fact, but it had the exact look on the outside and inside of the 1970s era Pizza Inn (still based in Dallas I believe). It sat in a strip mall next to a convenience store / gas station. While ubiquitous only 10 years ago, these kind of brown brick strip malls seem somewhat antiquated in their cheapness. Since the arrival of Cici's, most of these type of pizza buffet places quite simply can't make a profit. I think the lunch plus a drink was less than 5 bucks. And for that I could eat all the pizza and salad I wanted. Trouble was, for the place to have any chance at a margin, they weren't about to put out the freshest greens for the salad bar. And, funny, but I don't remember waiting around for a new pizza to come out of the oven in the 1980s. So if there was one slice sitting there at the bacteria bar, then somebody better eat it if you want to see a new pie. And with that, I knew it was only a matter of time. "For Lease".

4/13/08

Editorial: Some Basics and Introductions

December 2017 update: Wow! A long time ago. Fun to read all these years later. Seems like a different world almost.

First off, I'm no food critic. That will become painfully obvious for many of you within the first few posts. Coming up with new adjectives to describe a sauce, a texture, a taste, etc... is not what I'm setting out to do. "How delightful it was when I first bit into the thick and wedgy rabbit, slathered in the tangy lime sauce, with a burst of subtle flavors that only a pinenut juice can bring. And the coconut mango pie is to die for! And don't forget to ask for the green leaf tonic".

What I AM attempting to do is to try and keep alive the independent mom and pop restaurant. That perfect place you recommend to friends when they're in town. The place where you'll feel comfortable by yourself or with a group, and have one of the best meals in your life.

I live in Northeast Tarrant county, Texas, and that is the focal point of the blog. We are located northeast of Ft. Worth, TX, close to the Dallas-Ft. Worth airport. It's suburban hell. Where the fake blond Mom's take their 2 1/2 kids to elementary school in a Hummer, while talking on the cell phone to their "best friend" with the dogs barking incessantly out the window. Dad's cut the grass on Friday night, because the subprime mortgage they took out is upside down, and they'd rather listen to the lawnmower than their screaming wife complaining they can't meet with the Wilsons at The Cheesecake Factory. These people aren't happy unless they're standing in line with an ashtray coaster with flying saucer lights and a buzzer.

I grew up in Dallas, so you can expect quite a bit of coverage of that area as well. And we did about a 10 year spell in Colorado, before relocating back to the DFW area.

I've been married for many years, and eating out is a favorite activity for the wife as well. You can expect her thoughts will also grace these pages.

OK - I hope to keep this fun and, most importantly, that you the reader find a new favorite restaurant!