Italianni's ~ Hurst, Texas

Latest visit: Dec 2011

First visit: Nov 2006

Italianni's started life as a chain concept from Carlson Restaurants (most known for TGI Fridays). Carlson no doubt wanted a piece of the Italian chain dollar and went head to head with Brinker's Romano's Macaroni Grill and Darden's very popular Olive Garden. But the market was already saturated, and they eventually decided to shut down the concept here in the US. The Hurst store however still had a loyal following, and was purchased locally, and has been run independently for close to 10 years now. Interesting to note that the chain is still operating in Mexico, Korea, Colombia and The Philippines - so there's been some discussion about Italianni's needing to change their name. Bud Kennedy on Eats Beat recently reported that was actually going to happen imminently. But on our last visit, they told me that wasn't a concern anymore - and so the name lives on.

Italianni's is one of the few Italian restaurants in the area not owned by families from the former Yugoslavia or Albania. As such, the recipes are all unique, and is in fact a chef driven place. We've tried a variety of dishes, primarily the southern/central Italian classics along the lines of chicken parm, angel hair bolognese, spaghetti and Italian sausage, farfalle rustica, etc... Excellent salad and bread starts the meal off right. And the wine and beer selection is quite robust, and I like that they typically feature one microbrew from Ft. Worth's own Rahr & Sons brewery. Probably the closest restaurant in terms of overall ambiance and menu choices would be I Fratelli in Las Colinas.

Italianni's is a place we go far too infrequently, and surprisingly I have yet to feature it on our blog. It's consistently good - and a great choice for lunch. We've gone probably once or twice a year for about the last 5 years or so. Not sure why that's been the case, but we have every intention of visiting Italianni's more in the future.

11/10/06; 11/28/11 (new entry); 12/19/11

Red Barn Bar-B-Que ~ Colleyville, Texas

First visit: Nov 2011

Nestled in a quiet corner of the very busy Hwy 26 and Glade Rd, Red Barn is a throwback to the rural country barn styled Texas barbecue place. No doubt 35 years ago, this stretch of Hwy 26 was just that - rural country. Once in, you'll notice the all wood interior decorated with signs from the past, and country music blaring from the radio. You order up fast food style and off you go to your wood bench or chairs to savor your meal. The folks working here are consistently nice and will throw in an "extra" if they feel that rib you ordered is a little slight.

We've only been a few times over the years, and to be honest, Red Barn has never wowed us much. I've tried various meats over time, because unfortunately they don't offer a meat sampler platter. The flavors just aren't very bold here, but that's just the RJG's preference. Some folks like their barbecue straight down the middle. No question though, the meats are cooked properly with the right amount of tenderness. The sides are traditional (corn, beans, salads, etc...), but uniformly good. The spicy sauce (I just can't do sweet) is a nice recipe, and doesn't overpower the flavor. Bottom line for the RJG: It's good, and we vote it "Likes it" on Urbanspoon. But it's not a favorite for us, even in the NE Tarrant vicinity.

In reading various reviews from folks more qualified than us, it appears Red Barn has a very loyal following - though there are plenty of detractors as well. Metroplex BBQ, gives it a 5 out of 5 (and linked so you can see a really positive experience), while Full Custom gave it only a 2 out of 5. Based on their scales, we'd be probably 3.5 out of 5.

11/26/11 (new entry)

Yucatan Taco Stand Tequila Bar & Grill ~

Mar 30, 2022 update: As we reported prior, the Southlake location didn't make it, but they still do exist in trendy areas like Fort Worth's Magnolia Ave, Dallas' Greenville Ave, Oklahoma City's Bricktown, and Houston's Woodlands.

First visit: Nov 2011 (Southlake - closed)

In the early days of the RJG blog, Yucatan was the most requested place for us to visit. This place was all the rage in 2008. A quick check over to the excellent Fort Worth Hole in the Wall blog shows that no less than 38 comments were left for his post. I don't think the RJG has seen 38 comments combined. We never did make it over to the Ft. Worth location on Magnolia, and dallied around long enough for one to show up right here in NE Tarrant. Typical RJG - always a day late and a dollar short. We're sooooooooooo not hip.

This trip represents our second visit, the first was earlier this year. Yucatan is a relatively new "Taco Stand" concept along the lines of Fuzzy's Taco Shop and the various "Baja" designated places. These are gussied up taco trucks, and when you get the final tally, you realize that this isn't your typical Tio Juan's Taco Hut. But it's an easy out to say this place is just for yuppies, and if you want real tacos, you need to hit the bricks in the barrio. There's room for both kinds, and for what Yucatan does, they do it very well.

So high end tacos are the order of the day (they also have burritos and specialty Mexican platters). I think their Tempura fish is outstanding. A large crispy crusted slab of delicious fried batter lay in the layered flour tortillas with cabbage, onions, and a few other goodies. The Tequila Lime chicken is also quite good - all white meat chicken shredded very finely. We had the ground beef on our first visit, but it was kind of bland to be honest. Their tacos are quite large, especially compared to a place like Fuzzy's, so two is plenty if you also get chips and salsa. The chips are lightly dusted with chili powder, and the roasted salsa is delicious with a mild kick. Of course, the RJG insisted on having the "stupid sauce" (habanero) on the side for his tacos. I like that it comes out heated (temperature) - though it's debatable how spicy it really is. It's hot, but hardly "stupid" hot. Believe me, no one knows stupid like the RJG... both figuratively and literally. I also had a frozen margarita to wash it down with. A very potent mixture, and a good deal at $6 (on this front, they destroy Taco Diner).

The downside is this: Yucatan isn't cheap. For the meal I described above (wife had the same two kind of tacos but with a water), it was $25. That's without tip. I mean seriously, it's only a fast food place. A QSR in restaurant speak. I feel funny paying $25 for two at the cash register. I guess I spent a wasted youth at Taco Bell, pulling dollar bills out of my front pocket to cover the $3.50 it cost for 6 tacos and a soft drink. I know, it's hardly the same, but it has a surreal effect when the lady says "That'll be $25". Really? Now to be fair, it's more expensive than Fuzzy's because the tacos are much larger. Are they double the size, like they are in price? No. But they are very good, and dare I say, worth the money.

Maybe Yucatan is not the kind of place we'd go on a regular basis, but it's worth stopping by a few times a year.

11/23/11 (new entry)

Anna's Chicken ~ North Richland Hills, Texas ***CLOSED***

Closed: Jun 2020

First visit: Nov 2011

As promised in the Raising Cane's blurb, the RJG is going to make a solid effort at trying the variety of fried chicken houses in NE Tarrant. Today's visit takes us to Anna's Chicken on Rufe Snow Rd. in North Richland Hills, not far from another RJG haunt - Lina's Mexican Cocina.

Anna's is a classic old convenience store that has been converted into a very bright, fluorescent lighted fast food chicken and seafood joint - where they emphasize that they are a super clean place. Good to know!

Anna's is Asian owned and operated, and they allowed us to try a sample of their butterfly shrimp, which reminded us both quite a bit of the appetizers we've had in some Thai restaurants. For lunch, I chose the 3 piece chicken special with corn and fries while the Mrs. settled on the 2 piece with corn and green beans. Each came with a roll, a pickled jalapeno and a small drink that they dispense for you.

The chicken batter recipe is standard, but they execute it to perfection. Each piece was crispy, hot and the meat juicy throughout. No dryness anywhere nor was it super greasy. The batter was quite light actually, and didn't require an immediate visit to the clinic afterward. The small corn cob was absolutely delicious - clean, crisp and tasty. The fries, beans and roll were standard fare but good all the same. Mrs. RJG really enjoyed the pepper (I didn't try it).

Anna's is a step up from your standard country owned place like Chicken Express, and I presume far more consistent than Church's. But that's the type of fried chicken we're talking about here. No mysterious 11 herbs and spices for Anna's.

Anna's is a good choice if you're hankering for some good old fashioned fried chicken. Stop on by if in the area.

11/22/11 (new entry)

Chef Point Modern Bar & Restaurant ~ Watauga, Texas

No surprise to see that Chef Point is still cookin' (literally). They were the talk o' the town for some time. And it's also not surprising to see them open in swanky Colleyville as well. They changed their name of Cafe to Modern Bar & Restaurant in addition. On their way to chaindom perhaps...

First visit: Nov 2011

So here we sit in DFW's most highly rated restaurant (according to Urbanspoon). Chef Point Cafe has been featured by both Guy Fiori (DDD) and Paula Deen, as well as numerous DFW area foodie magazines, guides, and blogs. The location itself couldn't be more unassuming - a new roadside gas station placed anonymously on a near empty suburban stretch of Watauga Rd. (aka Mid Cities Blvd). A wide expanse of Texas nothingness. A place even Hank Hill would consider dull. And there's no sign to let you know you've arrived. Only a delivery truck sits outside with the name Chef Point. It's an oft told story nowadays: The founders of Chef Point weren't able to secure a loan for a new restaurant, but they could get financing for a new gas station. So up goes a multi-pump / convenience store Conoco with the sole purpose of adding a chef driven restaurant inside. The American can-do spirit thrives once again! The decor could be most politely described as "industrial minimalist" with its bare gray cinder block walls encompassing the red & black interior. Honestly it feels like we're eating at a Firestone Auto Care store. Perhaps that's the point of it all - the surroundings themselves aren't what matters - it's solely about the food.

The menu is a strange bedfellow mix of Southern cooking, Cajun, and Italian - along with traditional favorites like hamburgers, sandwiches, and pizza. Some folks like their chef driven places to be plat du jour, but not the RJG. We prefer the menu, as this way if we do like a dish, we know we can get it over and over again. Mrs. RJG went for one of Fiori's choices - the Blackened Stuffed Chicken which they describe as "hand stuffed with pepper jack cheese & fresh crab meat, smothered in asiago sauce served over angel hair pasta. " The cheese sauce is sublime and the fillings recall some of New England's finest stuffed fish dishes. The Cajun element only adds points to an already great idea.

I've seen many reviews that state Chef Point's fried chicken is the best they ever had. So I figured I'd go Italian and try their chicken parmesan, which would most likely have an excellent crispy breading. I was more than pleased when the round dish came out with a crispy chicken breast sandwiched between bubbling cheese on top and al dente angel hair on the bottom. A very good interpretation of a classic dish, and proved to me they could operate solely as an Italian restaurant if they had wished.

The portions were quite large, and we ended up taking at least half of each home for dinner that night. And the lunch price of my chicken parm was $9, so very competitive I think. I also had a glass of the house chardonnay, reasonably priced at $5.

Since we've only been once, and the menu is quite extensive, we cannot comment much beyond our one meal to date. But we look forward to multiple visits over time. And given its popularity, it appears Chef Point is going to be with us for a long while. They've already expanded the restaurant through the back of the gas station. On our weekday visit, we arrived before 11:30 and the main dining room was half full. It was entirely full when we left, but the new extension hadn't yet seen any diners.

Chef Point Cafe is an excellent place that deserves its recognition. Not surprisingly, a lot of naysayers are coming out of the woodwork to claim "it's not all that great... overrated, only clueless people think this good, bla bla bla". This resistance is to be expected when you're at the top. Like the impetus it took to get the restaurant off the ground, it's the American way.

11/20/11 (new entry)

Ted E's Burgers & More ~ Fort Worth, Texas ***CLOSED***

Last visit: Nov 2011

First visit: Apr 2010

Mrs. RJG told me that I was on my own this day, so that usually means pizza or burgers for moi (as the Mrs. doesn't go in much for those choices). The original plan was to visit CJ's Burgers in Keller. But unbeknownst to me, or Urbanspoon for that matter, it is closed and is now an Asian restaurant (incidentally right next to a Thai restaurant - no imagination I tell ya...). So I decided to revisit Ted E's which was only a couple of miles south from where I was. The RJG has been to Ted E's only once prior to this visit, sometime in early 2010. I thought it was good, worth coming back, but not sure if it was going to be Top 10 crave kind of place. After this visit, I will say that it's good, worth coming back, but not sure if I need to anytime soon.

I've never been a big fan of the "& More" moniker, as it loudly proclaims that this particular establishment doesn't really specialize in something. I prefer the In-N-Out model - basically we serve hamburgers, fries, hamburgers, shakes and hamburgers. Don't like it, go somewhere else. What they call in the business world, in fancy consulting speak, "focusing on your core competency." So with that in mind, Ted E's has a dizzying array of choices for what is essentially a fast food burger joint. As to compare apples to apples, I decided on getting a simple Ted E's Original cheeseburger. Maybe the dish they do best is the fish taco wrap or perhaps the teriyake glaze chicken sandwich? I don't know, and I'm not sure I'll ever find out. As you know, the RJG likes his spice, so I may opt next time for their Mike T's Hot & Spicy Burger, though the only ingredient I can see that has a chance to make an impact is the chipotle mayo. Sliced jalapeno's are fine to add, but they are what they are - nothing homemade about them.

So how is the burger then? Good. Yep, good about covers it. The bun is like an oversized Johnny B's, and in similar fashion, slightly sweet. It's more fluffy than toasty. The meat has a nice favor, a bit unique, but it didn't wow me. Kind of a chewy burger I guess. The "signature sauce" is another variation of the thousand island dressing theme, which is fine. I don't usually get the fries, but the lunch special is a great deal for $5.49 including fries and a drink. So why not? They were hand cut and chewy (there's that word again). I like my fries thin and crispy, but these were... well, ya know... good.

The decor is fast food like, with an overt sports theme and a few flat screens to watch whatever game is on. There's no alky-haul, so not much reason to stay really. It's all pleasant enough*. *Southern speak for dull.

So if you live in the area, Ted E's is worth a regular visit. But I'm not sure it's worth going too far out of your way for. There are definitely better burgers in NE Tarrant. Maybe it's their Monterrey Club that brings down the house. Who knows? & More?

11/17/11 (new entry)

Al Wadi Cafe ~ Bedford, Texas

First visit: Nov 2011

On the Prince Lebanese Grill post, I asked if there were any good Middle Eastern restaurants in NE Tarrant? I basically fed that question into Urbanspoon, and out came Al Wadi Cafe - a place that seems to be immensely popular judging by the high rating and number of raters, which as of this writing makes it the #90 most popular restaurant in all of DFW (again, according to Urbanspoon). In fact, the only other restaurant labeled middle eastern in the area is Cafe Medi in Hurst, a place we visited many years ago and need to try again (read: it didn't wow us the first time).

Al Wadi is a classic Regular Joe's hole-in-the-wall. On Brown Trail, just south of Harwood in a shopping center that time forgot, or perhaps it never was remembered - Al Wadi sits patiently awaiting its expected crowd. Next door sits a chocolatier and a middle eastern grocery store. They did everything they could do to spiffy the place up, including adding a charming front patio area for outside dining. Inside is clean and pleasant - not ostentatious as middle eastern places are sometimes wont to do.

The menu features dishes of the middle east and, as is common for places such as this, Greek fare is offered as well. I usually like to try Lebanese dishes first. For a first visit, the results were hit and miss - but definitely good enough to warrant a second try and earn our recommendation. I had the beef and chicken shwarma combo dish. The beef was a bit tough, and there was an ingredient standing out that I just didn't care for. I cannot put my finger on it - almost like when food is cooked in red wine. Obviously that's not the case here, but I cannot describe the flavor any better. The chicken, however, was delicious and perfectly tender. Despite being the same dish with separate meats, the results were completely different. The rice had a great taste, but was unfortunately a bit mushy. This can be the death knell for the RJG, but the flavors were too good to ignore. We'll just give them the benefit of the doubt that it was an off-day. The salad was perfect, with an excellent homemade Greek dressing - exactly as expected. Mrs. RJH opted for the kofta kabob, and it was a definite home run. The perfectly spiced balls of ground beef were some of the best we'd tried. She also tried the hummus, which she said was great. Oh, and she wanted you all to know the vegetables on the kebab were excellent as was the pita bread (I agree). Otherwise her comments echo mine in regards to the salad and rice. So not perfect, but the potential is obviously there. We'll be back.

11/15/11 (new entry)

Cuco's Sandwich Shop ~ North Richland Hills, Texas

Latest visit: Nov 2011

First visit: Jan 2005

For over 20 years, Cuco's has been serving Cuban food to the citizens of NE Tarrant county. The RJG has always liked the Cuban sandwich: Roasted pork, ham, salami, cheese and mustard - then hot pressed. It's basically the same as a classic panini from Italy, though there are some minor differences which I won't get into here. I think the key to a great Cuban is the bread itself, so that it remains crispy, hot and tasty throughout the life of the meal. And Cuco's Cuban is outstanding, maybe one of the best I've ever had. Now to be fair, I've spent zero time in South Florida sampling Cuban sandwiches - but of the few I've had around the US, Cuco's scores well. Mrs. RJG had the same dish but with sweet plantain's on the side, which she said were delicious.

Cuco's is a quaint little deli, painted bright pink, with a few tables and serves breakfast (starting at 10) and lunch only (closed Sunday). They also sell specialized Latin American grocery products, so it operates on two levels. According to my database, we'd only been to Cuco's once - back in January of 2005. So nearly seven years later, we make our grand return. Obviously Cuco's is surviving without us and will continue to do so. Even though we live close to the northern reaches of North Richland Hills, Cuco's is on the southern side very close to Haltom City. It really underscores just how large the land mass is for NRH. It's quite a haul for us to just get a sandwich for lunch, which is the primary reason we haven't been back sooner. But that Cuban sandwich is great and we both would like to try some of their other pressed selections. We're going to make an effort to come back more often. If you live nearby, consider yourself lucky, and be sure to stop on by!

1/29/05; 11/14/11 (new entry)

Pizzeria La Scala ~ Westlake, Texas

First visit: Nov 2011

The evening plan was to head towards Westlake and go to Diego's Tex-Mex, a place we first started going to earlier this year. But the bar scene there was definitely happenin', and you know what that means right? Cigarette smoke. Heavy. And it carried to the next door restaurant - and even though the bar is sequestered behind closed doors, it didn't matter. Now Mr. RJG grew up with that unfortunate smell from his parents, so I tend to ignore it, though even I admit it gets harder as the years go by. But Mrs. RJG would have none of it. Plans scrapped - now what? Well, I said, there's an Italian restaurant right around the corner by foot, so let's just go there. And here we are at La Scala.

La Scala is adjoined by a Joe's [Pizza][Pasta][Subs] fast food place. I put that in brackets because Joe's is a loose franchise (with various combination of the names provided) somewhat like Ray's in New York City (and famously sent up in a Seinfeld episode). So La Scala shares the same kitchen with Joe's, and despite the fancy surroundings of the restaurant, just know it's window dressing to the same place. As folks in DFW know, if you've been to one Joe's, you most certainly have not been to all the Joe's. I think they start out with a standard recipe book, but each franchiser can do what they want after that. There is no denying this is one of the many Albanian owned Italian restaurants in the area. At least they don't hide from that fact - their website is proud of it. And good for them, they should be. I'm not Italian either, but that shouldn't stop me from enjoying the food.

The meal started off with a delicious toasted bread roll, combined with a decently priced glass of house Cabernet (most NE Tarrant Italian restaurants offer BYOB, but not here in alcohol / business friendly Westlake). The salad was a fresh, crisp lettuce and tomatoes with the familiar tomato based vinaigrette - though this was definitely lighter and more pleasant than usual. I ordered the Penne Arrabiata with Italian sausage. It's amazing how many restaurants get this simple dish wrong. Arrabiata means angry, and it's meant to be a spicy marinara sauce. I've been to places that cook it with anchovies and all other sorts of ingredients that don't belong. I mention this because La Scala gets it exactly right. I only wish it was a bit more spicy, but I'm pretty hard to please in that category. The sausage was definitely not homemade, but I do like they served it sliced and spread throughout the dish. Mrs. RJG went with another test dish - chicken parmigiana. Unfortunately it wasn't very crispy, though the flavor was quite good. The side of spaghettini, however, was a disaster. It was overcooked and mushy! (my penne however was fine). That's a bozo no-no in the RJG world. They should have thrown it away and started with a new batch. I'm sure they had a pile sitting on the counter waiting for the hot water. But overcooked spaghetti is like serving a raw hamburger. Gross. Sooo... it was the only real misstep of the meal, so I'm cautiously giving it a "likes it" on Urbanspoon, but it's not a place that we plan on going to much in the future. Hopefully next time Diego's bar will be empty. But that's for another time in the RJG future...

If you're out of town on business and staying at the nearby Marriott, this is a good place to walk over to and enjoy a nice Italian meal.

11/5/11 (new entry)

Aleda's Pizza ~ Southlake, Texas ***CLOSED***

Last visit: Nov 2011

First visit: Dec 2010

This visit represented only my second time to Aleda's, the first being right after Christmas last year, not long after they opened. Or "reopened" as it were. See Aleda's has a built-in cult following since they previously owned a place in Arlington called Barry's Pizza Pub, which closed in 2004 after the family relocated to Southlake. Apparently fans of the place begged them to reopen, and in 2010 they gave it another whirl.

I would say that Aleda's style of pizza is definitely unique, and that's a good thing in the RJG's book. The crust is ample on the side and very thin and crispy on the bottom - somewhat like a classic dessert pie. The ingredients are stacked up from there, almost giving it a deep dish like appearance. It's heavy pizza to be sure - this is miles away from the Napolitana wood fired oven pizza craze (which the RJG is a big fan of). I like the sauce taste and the cheese they use is classic for pizza. I went for a 7 inch "carnivore" which was loaded with Italian meats. This is the perfect size for one individual. They have a decent beer selection, so I went with a Sierra Nevada to wash it down. Overall, not my favorite style of pizza, but certainly wouldn't hesitate to go back. Thumbs up from the RJG. (The Mrs., generally speaking, doesn't care for pizza - so I go to these places when she tells me "you're on your own").

Aleda's is a nice little place, with flat screen TVs, a few alcoholic beverages, and even a pizza buffet for lunch (I usually pass on buffets). I suspect a big portion of their business is take-out. Aleda's is just south of Bicentennial Park on FM 1709 (Southlake Blvd).

12/28/10; 11/4/11 (new entry) 

Lina's Cocina Cafe ~ Watauga, Texas ***CLOSED***

Last visit: Oct 2011

First visit: 2004

One of the hazards of doing a restaurant blog is that a place can change in a heartbeat, and suddenly your recommendation is met with scorn by those who trusted you, and credibility is thrown out the window. This is what happened to the RJG with Lina's. This is the primary reason why we insist on updating the blog and making sure you know when we last visited. Lina's has undergone dramatic shifts since we last were there. Not least of all is a complete move to a larger location next door. It's now all spiffy'd up with flat screen TVs and new tables and booths (though fortunately the old bowling alley ones remain). If they're going to go to this much trouble to make you want to stay, then they should offer up a full bar. It's still BYOB - which I like in Italian and Thai restaurants, but not so much in Mexican (perhaps the RJG likes his frozen margaritas? And I like wine with Thai and Italian, where BYOB is more preferable). And they ditched the serving carts!! (a comment below says they still use them occasionally - whew!) Even though Lina's still has the same menu as prior, everything seemed cheaply made - from the rice to the enchiladas. Even the salsa was more chunky-tomato rather than a smooth textured hot sauce. Now the food was still GOOD, but it wasn't great as I implied below. So we vote "likes it" on Urbanspoon, but maybe not enough to go back on any kind of regular visit. Unless someone convinces me different.

---

In September, I mentioned that our favorite Mexican place for enchiladas in the DFW area can be found at Fernandez Cafe in Ft. Worth. That's quite a haul for us denizens of NE Tarrant. If you're looking for a reasonable facsimile of same, then look no further than Watauga and their favorite daughter, Lina's Cocina Cafe.Mrs. RJG and I have been visiting Lina's, somewhat infrequently, since about 2004 or so (not too long after they opened). Hidden in one of those unfortunate 1980s strip centers, where 75% of the space is now available for lease, Lina's provides just the kind of hole in the wall we love. It's clean, colorfully decorated, friendly, and most importantly features great food. In fact half of the booths, in their soft blue and white swirled pattern, look like they were lifted from a bowling alley circa 1962 (I'm sure they were actually). You get mucho points for that.

We notice that everytime we go, there are dozens of regulars and the waitresses chat happily along about their life events as if catching up with old friends. In an earlier era, Lina's would be the town diner.

As if the time warp references already mentioned weren't enough for you, they also bring the food out via the two tiered wheeled cart. This lost invention needs to be brought back - pronto. Years ago, someone thought it was a wise idea to stack dozens of plates and glasses on a tray, held up precariously by someone's nervous hand. Presumably they delight in the occasional dumping of said contents on some random diner. Oh the laughs. The RJG is right now calling for the return of the wheeled cart. We shall petition! We will hit the streets! We will...

...eat enchiladas! Which is why we're here in the first place. Everything here is cooked to order, and the plate is sizzling with melted cheese, the refried beans and rice come out just right and steaming hot. Their chile con carne is seasoned perfectly. Mrs. RJG loves the Enchiladas Verde, a spicier than normal concoction that also happens to taste great. In fact, just ask for the spicy green and let the games begin! Beef, chicken, cheese - it's all good.

Oh, and the chips/hot sauce ritual: The salsa is slightly hot, but has a unique combination of spices that makes us want to keep piling the crispy chips in.

Restaurants come and go, but I get the feeling Lina's will be here for a very long time. It's that kind of place.

You can find Lina's on Rufe Snow between Hightower and Chapman.

11/1/11 (new entry)