Rodeo Goat ~ Texas chain: Fort Worth, Texas

As of 11/29/24, Rodeo Goat now has 10 locations.

First visit: Dec 2012

Continuing on with the RJG Restaurant week, today's post concerns a one Rodeo Goat. Mrs. RJG had her monthly Grand Jury duty to serve, so I was on my own for lunch on this mid-week day. In an act of solidarity, I felt that maybe I too should also venture down towards central Ft. Worth for the afternoon. A perfect scenario to try Rodeo Goat, a place that offers two of my favorite intake items: Burgers and Brew!

Rodeo Goat is the newest venture from some of the fine folks at Flying Saucer Draught Emporium and the Meddlesome Moth. From that, you probably already guessed that craft beer is going to play a major role in the Rodeo Goat concept. And indeed it does, with a specific focus on the burgeoning DFW microbrewery scene. They offer at least one beer from the following up and coming breweries: Four Corners (Dallas), Revolver (Granbury), Lakewood (Garland), Deep Ellum (Dallas) and Peticolas (Dallas), along with already established Texas brews from Rahr (local Ft. Worth), Real Ale, St. Arnold, Live Oak, and of course Spoetzl/Shiner. I suppose the only bummer is that they are, for now anyway, only going to offer two seasonals: One from Real and one from Rahr. I really do hope they consider more rotation than that. But otherwise, it's a very fine selection of beers on draft. They also carry an impressive array of craft beers in bottles and cans from around the US. Though nothing one can't find at a well stocked beer store.

While I'm giving top bill to the beers, the majority of the food community is buzzing about their burgers. And well they should. Rodeo Goat is the latest burger place to infuse the ingredients, rather than lay them on top after the patty is cooked. Infusion is a fancy term for mixing the ingredients into the burger before you cook it. It's a winning idea that adds new life to the hamburger market (we spoke of a similar concept with Yourway Burgers about a year ago). Well you already know that the RJG had to start with the Hot Bastard, a burger infused with chiles and spicy cheeses. And it truly was a corker on the Scoville scale. Definitely the best "hot" burger I can recall having. As such, I cannot wait to try some of their other highly interesting looking burgers such as the Terlingua, Salted Sow, and the one that has everyone talking: Caca Oaxaca (what a name!). And they cater to vegetarians as well, with at least one soy burger option. And there are salads too (one is vegetarian) and they appear to be much more than token items.

Another fine tradition that Rodeo Goat brought along is the idea of pretty waitresses and bartenders to serve the food. That's one concept I doubt I'll ever tire of!

I will be back as soon as possible, probably with Mrs. RJG along for the ride. Or maybe even Mr. Music if we can get the time. Both will really enjoy this place.
If you're anywhere near the Cultural District, and start building up a huge appetite after viewing all those classic oil paintings at the Kimbell, then by all means drop by for an infused burger and a pint or two of Texas craft beer!

12/29/12 (new entry)

Up-N-Smoke ~ Keller, Texas ***CLOSED***

Last visit: Dec 2012

First visit: Apr 2008

Feb 2014 update: Officially closed on Jan 31, 2014.  That's too bad, as we enjoyed their barbecue and went on an occasional basis. Though we did for certain miss all of 2013. They didn't close because of a lack of business, but rather the owner retired.

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I was first introduced to Up-N-Smoke by my former neighbor Mr. SS (who is now a full-time resident of Manhattan and enjoying the culinary delights offered there - lucky guy) in April of 2008, right at the time I started this blog actually. But for whatever reason, I didn't get back to the place until 2010, and have been a few times since. This is our initial post for Up-N-Smoke.

For Mr. and Mrs. RJG, Up-N-Smoke has become our favorite barbecue restaurant in NE Tarrant. We haven't tried them all (though we intend to), but we've done some sampling in the area (Cousins, Red Barn, Big Barn, Feedstore, Spring Creek, Red Hot and Blue, and a few others) and we prefer Up-N-Smoke so far. When it comes to barbecue, I'm not really a "sides" guy, so I tend to weight the ratings all towards the flavor and tenderness of the meat, as well as any sauces on offer. So keep that in mind when evaluating this review. I certainly enjoy the sides - especially if a place offers something unique like dirty rice, but if its the usual heavy stomach items like potato salad and mashed potatoes, then I can easily eschew them for something else. Like extra meat.

With that in mind, I appreciate that Up-N-Smoke has a hearty "meat sampler" (technically it's an appetizer, but big enough for one full meal), something not all 'cue establishments offer up (though I think they should). Up-N-Smoke's variety pack includes sliced brisket, smoked turkey, sausage, pulled pork, and St. Louis ribs. I'm a big fan of pulled pork, and theirs stacks up well with the competition. Tender and flavorful. The dry rub ribs have a wonderful blend of seasonings. The brisket can be cut with a fork. Perhaps most surprising is the turkey. Turkey is usually a somewhat generic throw-in, without much deviation from place to place. But at Up-N-Smoke, the turkey is truly delicious. As for sauces, they do provide a standard mild smoky concoction, as well as a spicy pepper sauce made by Ol' Gringo (Cousins uses the same one).

Worth noting that Up-N-Smoke has a very fine beer selection, including micros and imports.

Not that it's mandatory to gripe about something, but if I did have a beef (yuk, yuk), it's that the place could use a little makeover. But c'mon RJG, you say, it's a barbecue place! It should be a little dilapidated, right? Agreed, but this one might be a bit much. Half the restaurant is smoking - in the bar area, and it very much has that stale cigarette smell. The other half is much easier on the olfactory (and much smaller in space), but the last time we went they had the water buckets out for the leaky roof - and half the tables were closed off. Yea.... I think they could reinvest some of the profits into spiffying the place up. If they did, I think it would be cool to have a view of the railroad which runs along its western edge. Seems no restaurant in the area has ever taken advantage of the antiquated industrial landscape surrounding it. The railroad seems to run non-stop in this area, so it makes an interesting side-show.

Up-N-Smoke is located in Old Town Keller, which is getting nicer and more active by the moment with more restaurants / taverns coming. It's still dominated by antique and car repair shops, but it's slowly becoming a bit more interesting. The issue will always be that the town is divided by the much used US 377, which is a main north/south artery, and until they either build a pedestrian bridge, or provide a by-pass - the area may always struggle to gain the critical mass you need to be successful in the retail world.

4/4/08; 10/10/11 (new entry); 12/26/12

Antonio's Mexican Restaurant & Bar ~ North Richland Hills, Texas ***CLOSED***

Last visit: Aug 2012

First visit: Apr 2010

As you can see from the below, we've covered Antonio's already. We've vacillated back and forth on our opinion about this establishment. We've even gone so far as to state Antonio's is the #1 best Mexican in NE Tarrant. But times change, as do opinions, and Antonio's has fallen from the top spot (Anamia's in Southlake is the current owner). However, it's still a favorite, though maybe not the favorite. I've taken the liberty to rewrite many sections of the original review, based on recent trips. On this visit, I tried the baby chimichangas with ground beef. The queso topping is declicious as was the perfectly textured rice. The charro beans (which, as usual, I substituted the refried beans for) were a bit too soupy and "bean-like", lacking the yummy bacon flavor I crave - even though there were bits of bacon in the dish. The ground beef was servicable but ultimately lacking in rich flavors. The wife went for the tilapia, served in a tin foil bag, with loads of veggies and peppers on top. While the toppings were great, the tilapia itself lacked seasoning. Even still, she walked away happy with the dish. The margaritas were uniformly strong and excellent tasting (mine frozen, hers on ice). And for starters, the salsa comes out very hot (temperature), like it had just been cooked. And the hot sauce has a nice spice kick to it, while preserving a wonderful chile and garlic flavor. Perhaps even better, is the "Diablo" sauce, which they now serve in a ketchup dispenser. Great taste, seriously spicy.

If I could make a recommendation to the owners of Antonio's: GET RID OF THE SMOKING! They have a bar section that is not separated from the main dining area. The place smells like an old bowling alley, right from the moment you walk in. Clean the smell up and say Non-Smoking like just about everyone else in today's world. Look, I'm sympathetic to smokers (my Dad pretty much had a ciggy in his mouth until his last breath) - but the fact remains, it stinks. Save it for the pure bars and clubs - and leave it out of the restaurants. It does effect the popularity of a restaurant, and there's no way it helps Antonio's in any shape or form.

(Much of the original review has been snipped - here's what's left).... The enchiladas come with a variety of sauces, which you can choose, including one that is designed to blow your head off (always a temptation for Mr. RJG). It's a nice chile d'arbol, and isn't really too hot for those who are already indoctrinated into the fine arts academy for pepper heads.

Originally there was a Las Lomas in this location, which was also quite good, though we think Antonio's raised the bar.

Despite what may appear to be a typical dreary strip mall restaurant, the interior competes with some of the more suave eateries in the area like Anamia's and El Paseo. Dark mood lighting, and a full bar with flat screen televisions define the interior.

Antonio's is on Bedford-Euless Rd. along a "nightmare's row" of boring chain eateries (with a couple of exceptions) that dot I-820 near Davis and Hwy 26. As the crow flies, it's right across the "street" from Northeast Mall in Hurst. That street is the interstate.

4/15/10 (new entry); 8/17/12

Los Jalapenos ~ Bend, Oregon

First visit: Jul 2012

The year after we decided to sell our summer townhome in Denver, we agreed to take an extended work/vacation somewhere in the US. I chose Oregon and Washington, as other than Seattle, I had very little exposure to either state. The first week of the trip was in Bend, and I worked all 5 days, and we would venture out for lunch and dinner. And beers... lots of them (after work hours of course...). Later I would refer to this jaunt as our first dedicated craft beer trip. For beer lovers, especially back then, Oregon was ground zero. Even the Bend tourist board got in on it, and encouraged everyone to try each brewery, and you would get a trinket at the end. We did just that but I can't remember what we got.  We stayed in a cute small one bedroom / one bath cabin just outside downtown, where many things were walking distance. It was a fantastic start to the trip - and one of the best travel week's we've experienced.

We also enjoyed the food there, and over time I hope to discuss each of the (great) ones that are still open. Our favorite lunch place was certainly Los Jalapenos, and we went 3 times on our visit, including on the day we left. Some of you may remember me going on about how Taco Fiesta might be the best taqueria I've been to, and it's in the unlikely city of Baltimore. But now that I think about it, we loved Los Jalapenos just as much. In the unlikely town of Bend. Great salsas and tacos! It was a hit with both Mrs. RJG and myself, and she's really picky when it comes to food from her homeland. Since she never got a chance to eat at Taco Fiesta, I'm pretty sure she may vote Los Jalapenos as her favorite in the US to date. 

Mrs. RJG reminded me that her dish here was the Camarones a la Diabla. She said it was super spicy and the rice and beans were hot and delicious.

7/28/12 (new entry)

Oggi Italia Cafe ~ North Richland Hills, Texas ***CLOSED***

Last visit: Jul 2012

First visit: Sometime in 2003

Ugh. Closed. This was our favorite neighborhood spot for Italian.

Also note that the old Dal Italia is now Oggi Italia. New owner, but same cooks, recipes and menu. They changed the look and feel of the restaurant (for the better), but otherwise the below review still applies.

North Richland Hills is NE Tarrant County's largest and most diverse suburb. Stretching from the working class areas near Haltom City to the south, through the ostensibly middle class of Hurst and onto the McMansions of Colleyville and Keller that make its northern border. There is no similar theme that runs through NRH, nor do they sport an authentic, or even made-up, old town (though I suspect the area where the Cottonbelt BBQ stands will one day be just that, and with any luck at all, a stop on the proposed railway from DFW airport to Ft. Worth). The utmost northern reaches of NRH is where you'll find Oggi Italia Cafe, sitting quietly in a new, but small strip mall, overlooked by the gargantuan Super Wal-Mart and Super Target (yes, regrettably, they built them back to back).

 
Me and Mrs. RJG frequent Oggi Italia Cafe often, probably more than any other local Italian haunt. Some of this has to do with convenience, but more than that, Oggi Italia Cafe is a consistently good place to get Regular Joe style EYE-talian food. Oggi Italia Cafe is not the first restaurant owned by the couple (who names I've forgotten - and they have since sold this restaurant as well), and they once owned the Cafe Sicilia restaurant in Bedford. Oggi Italia Cafe are clearly an offshoot of the Moni's empire, right down to the similar menus and tomato based vinaigrette salad dressing. While there are no surprises at Oggi Italia Cafe, we've found it to be one of the more consistent of this particular breed of Italian restaurant. After sampling a variety of their dishes, I personally feel they excel at baked dishes. The food is uniformly hot, the ingredients fresh and the taste excellent. Service can be inconsistent, though there is at least one waitress there who is always prompt and friendly. Also recommended is their pizza, which is a NY style thin crust. It's fold down the middle style, with gooey cheese and a tasty sauce.

4/13/08 (new entry); 7/8/12

Pappasito's Cantina ~ Texas chain : Dallas

Mar 30, 2022 update: Pappasito's remains a Texas institution. There is one location in Atlanta just to mess up the narrative. The restaurant listed below in Dallas is still open as well. Pappasito's maintains 25 restaurants and Houston has at least half of those.

Latest visit: Jun 2012 (Dallas - NW Hwy)

First visit: Nov 2011 (Dallas - NW Hwy)

Pappasito's, as many of you probably know, is part of the much larger Houston-based Pappas group of restaurants, and most known for its flagship Cajun-styled Pappadeaux's. Beyond those two, they also own Pappas Burger, Pappas Bar-B-Q, Pappas Bros Steakhouse, Pappas Seafood House, Dot Coffee Shop, and Yia Yia Mary's Pappas Greek Kitchen. Many times you will see these restaurants clumped together, as is the case with the Pappasito's we visited on Lombardy and Northwest Hwy in Dallas. A few of these concepts are only found in Houston.

This particular Pappasito's is inside an ample "restaurant row" area, situated between Loop 12 and I-35E, and serves the Stemmons Freeway business sector. Plenty of hotels and office buildings are nearby guaranteeing a non-stop lunch and dinner crowd. And to the west of Loop 12 is the seedier side of the entertainment industry with plenty of strip clubs, massage parlors, pool halls and liquor stores. Makes for a colorful drive if coming from NE Tarrant along Northwest Hwy (exiting from TX-114).

So why are we here anyway? Well, the RJG mentioned that I Fratelli's is where we tend to meet our business partners and vendors. Those get-togethers tend to be more intimate settings with rarely more than 4 at a table. But what about when we have our employees in town (they're consultants) visiting clients? Sometimes we'll have over 10 folks. Well, for that, we've begun to settle on Pappasito's. It's still half-way for us logistically and it's roomier, more festive, and they serve a mean margarita. Works for me!

There aren't too many surprises at Pappasito's. But it's definitely a cut above "big chain" food. They're mainly a Tex-Mex shop, and for that they're reliable, if not necessarily newsworthy. I've tried a couple of other "upscale Mexican" dishes here, and once again they were good. But it didn't make me forget about Oscar's (Haltom City - review coming one of these days) either.

The one area where Pappasito's really does shine, however, is where you might least expect it. And that's in the hot sauce for the chips. The chips themselves are typical, pretty similar to what you'd get at Chili's. And the sauce they serve you is also standard - a chipotle based recipe that is delicious, but somewhat typical. You know the RJG right? You guys have a hotter one? I honestly thought the answer would be no. I mean, you don't come to Pappasito's looking for a hole-in-the-wall experience. You're there for good times, drinks, sports and laughter - and some bar food to go with it. But he said "yes". But I figured they'd cut up a couple of jalapeno's and throw it on top or something (we've all witnessed this before). Wrong again. Out came this blended sauce with habanero's mixed in! It was outstanding. Brilliant in fact. I don't know if that's standard at Pappasito's or I just got lucky - but that sauce is a MUST! Of course I was the only one of our party (this time we had 6) who could eat it - so maybe not for everyone. But I was happy anyway...

Good Mexican place to go for a group.

11/10/11 (new entry); 6/27/12

Panchita's Mexican ~ Keller, Texas ***CLOSED***

Last visit: Jun 2012

First visit: Nov 2011

Panchita's is a new restaurant that opened its doors this August. It's housed in the former Windy City Deli location, and is a couple of doors down from Niki's (featured on this blog somewhere). They are a husband and wife run establishment, and you can tell that they use only fresh ingredients. No large platters of enchiladas here - each meal is individually handcrafted. The food is a mixture of Tex-Mex and Mexican from the interior. There's even a hint of New Mexico, and not surprisingly there's a family heritage from there.

The chips are crispy corn and the salsa served is what we typically see in Colorado: A mixture of tomatoes, chilies, onions and cilantro. It was good with a nice kick. As such I wasn't sure they would have a "hotter" one, but indeed they do. It's a tomatillo based green sauce blended with jalapenos and/or maybe serrano's. Definitely contains more heat and thus smooths out the bitterness typically associated with tomatillo. And, as it turns out from a second visit, they also have a blazing spicy butterscotch colored habanero sauce that is outstanding. As for an entree, I went with the super bargain $5.75 lunch special (Tue-Fri only) and had a cheese enchilada, a chicken enchilada and a ground beef taco. The cheese enchilada featured a delicious chili con carne sauce. For the chicken I asked what their hottest sauce was. They said to try the guajillo sauce. The chile itself isn't very hot, but their reddish orange blended sauce had some punch, though I wish there was a bit more of it. The beef taco featured a homemade crunchy shell and the ground beef was well seasoned. The charro beans were delicious with the right amount of bean and bacon flavor. The rice was a tad mushy and the only mistake of the meal, but it tasted good all the same. Perhaps better for the RJG, was the Mrs.' reaction. She had a cup of the tortilla soup which she said was delicious. Perhaps even better was the carne asada gordita, which came in a crispy "pocket". Best she's ever had other than at home, she claims. So a huge hit from our Lady of Sonora.

The restaurant layout has two distinct settings - a darkened lounge with TV screens and a full bar, and then secondly a regular dining area with some natural lighting from outside.

Panchita's is very good and I think it could use more exposure. This is a cut above your usual Tex-Mex restaurant and this is a young couple putting everything they have into it. Tired of the same ole' place? Give Panchita's a try.

12/17/11 (new entry); 6/1/12

The Ranch at Las Colinas ~ Irving, Texas

First visit: Feb 2012

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3/4/12 (new entry)

La Choza Fine Food ~ Fort Worth, Texas ***CLOSED***

Closed: 2022

First visit: Feb 2012 (Azle)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2/12/12 (new entry)

Outlaw Burgers & BBQ ~

First visit: Feb 2012 (Roanoke - now closed)

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

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


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

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

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

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

2/10/12 (new entry)

Bad Azz Burrito ~

The Watauga location closed a few years ago, but they continue on with mixed reviews in Saginaw.

First visit: Feb 2012 (Watauga)

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

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

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

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

2/4/12 (new entry)

Keller Tavern ~ Keller, Texas

First visit: Feb 2012

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2/3/12 (new entry)

Yourway Burgers and Wings ~ Keller, Texas ***CLOSED***

First visit: Jan 2012

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

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

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

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

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

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

2/1/12 (new entry)

Saviano's Italian ~ Euless, Texas

Latest visit: Jan 2012

First visit: Sep 2006

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

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

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

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

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

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

9/4/06; 1/30/12 (new entry)

Chencho's ~ North Richland Hills, Texas ***CLOSED***

First visit: Jan 2012

Chencho's sits in a former Italian restaurant location that was a 3 time loser. (now a 4 time loser apparently, as Chencho's is now closed. A home cooking restaurant will be the 5th to make a go at this spot!) This location originally housed a Ferrari's, a place that had more notoriety via the news than it did amongst diners (never a good sign). We never sampled the place ourselves. This was followed by the Bella Cafe. Mrs. RJG and I dined there a couple of times. It was decent, but very typical of the Italian food found in NE Tarrant. And finally Mia Cafe went up and was well on its way to closure, when the final owner wised up and said "You know what? Maybe this isn't a good location for an Italian restaurant." Ya think? So he wisely found another partner, from nearby Alvarado's in fact, and launched a Mexican restaurant. I'm usually hesitant to be "first" to try a restaurant, but we were in the area, and said why not? We added it to Urbanspoon, and it still hasn't garned much attention to date. But it should - it's definitely worth a try. Looks like someone matched our positive with a negative. Who's right? You tell us.

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

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

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

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

1/24/12 (new entry)

Oliva Italian Eatery ~ Keller, Texas

Latest visit: Jan 2012

First visit: 2011

I think I just heard someone yell "Well it's about time!". I know, I know - we're way late in writing about Oliva. Strange that we haven't discussed it before, only in that we've been a few times since they opened. But it was right at the time I stopped writing for the RJG. But we're back, and it's time to give Oliva their proper due.

Also please note the restaurant is technically in Fort Worth (though the restaurant themselves insist it's Keller). As you can see in the comments, someone felt very passionate about that - so I figured I should mention it.

You've heard the RJG grouse about the fact that almost all the Italian restaurants in NE Tarrant are the same. The antidote? Oliva. The menu is a mix of old school red sauce Italian and newer, more trendy options. Though the balance is definitely tilted towards the traditional. Oliva does the basics right like cooking the pasta al dente, while providing a good (not great) tomato based sauce. They also have a fantastic meatball, that Mrs. RJG really has a taste for. I had the chicken parm on my last visit, and the chicken was a little bit tough - the first real complaint I've had in multiple visits. So they're human - it happens. We're working our way through the menu, though we haven't attempted anything adventurous here yet. The house salad is of the "backyard" variety with a tasty vinaigrette and plenty of field greens, olives, tomatoes, etc... I need to try their Caesar. And the warm seasoned soft bread is most welcome. Despite the nice surroundings, and overall popularity of the restaurant, the prices here are very reasonable.

The owner of the restaurant has a long history in the business, and is also an accomplished sommelier. As such, she offers a variety of high quality wines at very good prices. I admire her willingness to not take an enormous profit on alcohol, as so many places tend to do. As well, they have a nice beer selection including at least two Texas micros on tap.

Is Oliva the best Italian food we've ever had? Oh no - not even close. Is it the best in NE Tarrant county? Probably. A little better than Italianni's for our money, which would be in second place I guess. Now while I said most of the restaurants are similar in the area, I will also add most are very good. We've written about many of them here: Cafe Sicilia, Oggi Italia, Niki's, Italian Bistro and a few others. It's not hard to find good Italian food in NE Tarrant. However, it has proven to be difficult to find great Italian food as I find in other parts of the country. But there's always Pietro's or Prego's in Dallas if I'm determined to have the best.

Oliva is justifiably very popular (#26 on Urbanspoon), so be aware of that on weekend nights. Given its setting in an all residential area, Oliva is nearly empty for lunch, so if you have any flexibility on your schedule, definitely try to go then.

1/6/12 (new entry)

Thai Thip ~ Hurst, Texas

Last visit: Jan 2012

First visit: Feb 2008

fka Thai Thippawan

We've received a few comments at the RJG to consider Thai Thippawan. And for us, it's actually a reconsider position. We did try Thai Thippawan not long after they first opened in early 2008, and we were not overly impressed. So we were reticent to return, especially considering we're more than happy with Sea Siam, Sweet Basil and Bangkok Cuisine - all featured prominently on this blog. But the RJG feels it only fair to try (or retry) all the restaurants that fit our tastes. And Thai food is at, or near, the very top food group for the RJG. And the fact that the restaurant is still open with a whopping 92% approval rating on Urbanspoon tells us that Thai Thippawan must be doing something right.

And indeed they are. What a difference 4 years makes. We went for lunch, and the specials come with a house soup, an egg roll and a small-ish entree. The soup is delicious, a simple recipe of chicken broth with rice, garlic and pieces of chicken. The egg roll is also very good - fried crispy with a bit of meat in it, which the RJG appreciates. And perhaps best of all is the RJG Thai sample dish: Basil Chicken. And they do it Thai style - that is with ground (minced) chicken, basil leaves, and bell peppers. I asked for it "Thai hot" and that's what I received - no blue-eyed treatment for the RJG, even though I would probably prefer one more notch higher (apparently 3x Hot in the Thai Thippawan vernacular). The sauce is delicious and the small dollop of rice was perfectly cooked. Mrs. RJG had the same dish, though she only went medium and stated it was spiced correctly. She usually prefers regular chicken to the ground variety but was pleasantly surprised by the flavor.

So for the good folks of NE Tarrant county, the RJG now claims we have FOUR really great Thai restaurants. And if you also include Thai Riverside, Magic Springroll and Nipa Thai, then we have no choice but to conclude that we live in a Thai food mecca. Especially considering we haven't really found one great Thai restaurant in all of Denver (some good ones, but nothing great).

2/22/08; 1/2/12 (new entry)