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.

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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.

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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)