After Dinner Drinks and Dessert

My husband and I had our first date night in probably over 4 months.  Seriously ridiculous.  Following dinner we were having hard time deciding what to do - the movie times weren't looking promising and I couldn't talk him into going bowling - so what did we do instead?  We headed to The Modern to enjoy the exhibit and then have some dessert.
We started off with a "after dinner" cocktail - L'etrusco by Pistoletto: Ultimat Vodka, Bailey, Frangelico, Xo Cafe, Expresso.  Chocolate, Cream, Coffee - really?! A grown up Mudslide - yeah I went there.

Dessert was Cinnamon Peaches and Vanilla Ice Cream with Pound Cake Croutons.  I was a little skeptical when it was brought out.  I could tell immediately that they were forcing the peaches into the dish (not quite ripe enough), but the ice cream is made in house and the pound cake croutons were playful and tasty.  I did ask the bartender where the peaches were from and was at least surprised to find out that he had personally purchased them that morning at the farmer's market, although he was unable to tell me the farm he purchased from.  Had those peaches had time to fully ripen that dish would have been fabulous - it needed the extra sugary juicy goodness from the peaches.
Would I do it again - definitely!

Fred's Texas Cafe

Lost in the middle of all that development. Fred's didn't sell out! One moderately warm weekend in the middle of winter, we decided to venture outdoors for dinner, to the inviting patio available at Fred's Texas Cafe. The vegetarian option is the Portabella Mushroom Burger - "sauteed to perfection with all the trimmings". I ordered this burger with a twist, adding sauteed onions instead of the raw in the fixins. This burger is fairly plain all the way around - easy on the seasoning, almost none on the mushroom - if I hadn't opted for the sauteed onions the burger would have been so bland a baby could have eaten it. The fries are what makes the "basket" worth the money. Hand cut, thick-style, skin on potatoes. No extra breading - the potato and a mix of seasoning added while the fries are still warm. I ate all mine, plus hubbies, and probably would have eaten more if they had offered. Options in the "basket" include turning your fries into some their famous Cheese Fries or Cheese Fries with all the fixins - bacon, chives, sour cream, etc. If your goal is to have an artery clogging dining experience then you have to have the cheese fries. Layers of cheese on the thick cut fries, brown to perfection... add a side of ranch and mix with some ketchup and you have a well dressed fry. Fred's is moderately priced for what you are eating. The Portabello Mushroom with fries only will run you almost $10.00. Don't be fooled - it's worth it to eat on their patio, have a beer and enjoy some music if it's a band playing weekend. Rating: 3 Carrots

Love Shack - So.7 style

So did you know that The Love Shack has weather related specials? We went one weekend and everything was 50% off because the temp was below 40. Yeah, I know, crazy!?! We had two burgers w/ fries and beers for under $12.00 Make sure you check out the specials.... Anyways, for those of you that have been to the original stockyard version of the Love Shack know that it's all out doors, order on the street and hope you find a chair or place to rest your basket of food. The So.7 location is great - built to support both the warm weather months - with roll up garage doors, outdoor ordering and large patio, or for those colder months - indoor eating and some heat. Minimalistic is the look with great food to eat. All Veggies can eat at this joint. Enjoy the Boom Boom - a marinated Portabella mushroom that is battered and fried with the fixings (remove the cheese if you like - that's how I like it). Juicy, tasty and unhealthy like a normal burger... I do have to say that I prefer the fries at the original location. The fries at So7 are super thin and have an identity crisis - they can't decide if they want to be crispy or mushy. The onion strings are great to eat (super thin, just the right amount of breading and volumes of flavor) and can add that extra crunch to any of your burgers. This veggie burger ranks high on my list. Rating: 3 Carrots

Yogi's Bagel Cafe

Small place, Strange name, Great breakfast.

Hubby and I found this place thanks to the title company we went to several years ago when we bought our house. We had been a few times (mostly bagels & cream cheese visits), but hadn't been in at least a year and a half.

Hubby's sister came to town a few weekends ago and we needed some place new to take her. We decided to give Yogi's Bagel a try once again. I have to say if you're claustrophobic this is not the place for you. It was Sunday morning and the place was hoping. The line was to the door, the tables were full, and it just kept getting more crowded the later it got.

For those of you who have never been, the menu is so full it's almost overwhelming. If you have a hard time making decisions - I highly recommend you check the menu out before you go. This place runs like the "soup Nazi" from Seinfeld - when it's your turn to order in line, you better know what you want.

They are well known for their "coffee bar" - probably 15 different types of coffee are fresh brewed with a "help yourself" type attitude. Also available is pre-packaged house made cream cheese and any type of bagel you can imagine.

Upon this last visit there was a wide range of ordering - Breakfast Taco (egg, cheese and potato), eggs/waffle/toast/meat, and Migas. Nothing is ever "bad", but they do have so many things on the menu - I think they make some things better than others. I highly recommend sticking to the "original" American type breakfast while here.

Don't be afraid to call ahead or take things to go. I have gone in many mornings and picked up bagels & cream cheese to go. The bagels are made fresh every day and the cream cheese (flavors & original) are prepared in house.

Ranking: 3 carrots

Ellerbe Fine Foods

I know the reviews have been mixed, mine is no different.

About a month ago my mother-in-law came to town and hubby and I decided we should treat her to one of our fine establishments in our area. Since we had been dying to go to Ellerbe's we thought there couldn't be a better occasion.

We made reservations for 7:30 on a Saturday, and arrived to find a fairly full restaurant. Tables are presented with simplicity accompanied by a menu printed and posted on a wood board and attached by rubber band. Each table is topped with a vase of the herbs from their garden on site. I know what you are thinking -are you talking "country kitch"? Not quite - think simple French country.

The menu is limited, but created seasonally with high quality meats, vegetables and herbs. Each dish is paired perfectly - meat with a vegetable. Now, on to the more disappointing part of my evening. There is one salad that is prepared vegetarian right off the menu, but not one entree on the menu that is vegetarian.

Fresh french bread is served with creamed butter and Hawaiian pink sea salt. The trio is wonderful, a delightfully sweat treat to start.

The salad of choice was the Mexia Peaches and Deborah's Farmstead Chevre. The citrus vinaigrette was just delightful and paired perfectly with the peaches and Chevre.

On to the main course. I was so disappointed when the waitress gave pause to my question regarding a vegetarian dish. Almost half of their vegetable sides are created using chicken broth or cooked with a meat product, leaving me with a less than desirable option. I just couldn't believe that a restaurant located on Magnolia would find it acceptable to have a menu with no vegetarian alternative. I felt that as a restaurant who touts their fresh, local, simple - what better blank canvas than to create a masterpiece for the vegetarians that frequent the Southside.

Nonetheless, I was brought a dish of soup broth with summer vegetables topped with their fried okra. The vegetables included, squash, zucchini, green beans, asparagus and peppers. The broth was seasoned perfectly and would have been great for a soup. The vegetables were grilled and had no flavor beyond the broth. The okra was breaded and seasoned perfectly and actually cooked whole, sliced in half - which is a new way for me to eat fried okra. If this is the only option for a vegetarian - I think they will find we visit once not again. I can't imagine paying the average price of an entree for this dish more than once.

As far as the other dishes served at the table - Veal Picatta and Johnnie Fair Glazed Petite Pork Shank - all were a hit. Hubby has listed this as one of his favorites.

Now who can eat such a meal and not have dessert? I had the Maw Maw's Bread Pudding, hubby had Mexia Peach and Prosecco Semifreddo, mother-in-law had the Schokinag Pot de Creme. I think we all should have just started with dessert. All the comments involved - "best dessert ever"... blah blah blah. I have had to Bread Pudding grow on me over the past several years - and this was by far my favorite. Simple, traditional and to the point is the only way to describe. I hate when bread pudding is like eating custard - this had just the right consistency.

For those of you that don't have room for dessert, all tables are served a complementary pastry - a single bite pastry with a vanilla sugar center topped with powdered sugar - delightful.

Reservations are recommended especially on the weekend.

Ranking: 3-4 carrots (totally in the middle)

Vidalias

About a month ago, some long time family friends came to town from Oklahoma. They of course needed a taste of the great life in Fort Worth and wanted to try one of our great breakfast/brunch institutions. Neither the Mr. or I had tried Vidalias and suggested we go and give it a try.

For those of you that don't know Vidalias is attached to the great Marriott Renaissance Hotel. The restaurants has been award as an official "Go Texan" restaurant by the Texas Department of Agriculture. The dress is causal, but the decor is top notch. We went super casual that Saturday morning - prepared to do our errand running for the day - I almost felt out of place. But don't fret - the staff is laid back, friendly, and down home Texan.

We had a large group of 6 and were one of the first at the restaurant that morning. If you are one of those people that have a secret pleasure with the nice hotel buffet - Vidalias is the place for you! Enjoy the buffet without paying to stay the night at a hotel.

Veg that I am I leaned toward a light and filling breakfast. I had the House Made Granola w/ Yogurt and Fruit. I didn't know you could make such a large helping of yogurt and granola - but this dish was ginormous. I ate probably a 1/4 of the helping I received. The fruit was fresh and seasonal and the granola was fantastic.

Several of the others ordered the Traditional Eggs Benedict and two ordered the buffet. Foodie hubby totally took advantage of the buffet - plates full of bacon, sausage, fresh made mini Belgium Waffles, a made to order omelet and the Granola w/ Yogurt and Fruit.

Overall the restaurant was good. I would definitely go again and recommend it to anyone who lives locally or is out of town staying in Sundance.

Ranking: 3 Carrots

M & O Station Grill

M & O Station Grill, a part of the Leonard's Department Store Museum, was an interesting adventure into my journey to find truly the best veggie burger in town.

The diner itself is quaint, decorated the way you would expect an old fashioned burger diner to be, and seems to have quite the following.

We arrived early on a Saturday morning (around 11:30) and they were freshly chopping all the ingredients for that day - tomatoes, lettuce, onions, potatoes, and list could go on. I felt encouraged by their attention to the finer details of a perfect burger.

I ordered the veggie burger (no cheese) which comes topped with lettuce, tomatoe, onion, dressing of choice (not knowing about their homemade "special sauce", I picked mustard) and fresh grilled mushrooms. Foodie's husband did the usual - cheeseburger - mustard only. All burgers are grilled to order - as you order them, so they come out fresh and piping hot.

The burgers arrived and what a sight. Fresh buns toasted to perfection, fresh ingredients, and a side of handcut steak-style fries. Foodie's husband was in heaven - they make a skinny patty just like he likes it. I on the other hand was a little disappointed. One of two things happened - and those of you that do the veggie burgers on a regular basis know exactly what I'm talking about - the sides of the patty were so hard my knife wouldn't even cut the burger in half. So, they either freeze these patties and then cook them as they are ordered, or they just overcooked it. What I could eat of the burger was fantastic - the mushrooms made this burger!

I haven't given up yet on M & O Station Grill. I'll give them a second shot.

Ranking: 3 Carrots

Paco and John Mexican Diner

For those of you that don't know, this fantastic "quaint" joint has opened almost directly on the corner of 8th & Rosedale. The owners none other than proprietor of St. Emilion's & his long time friend and chef. Am I personally excited - yes!! Why you ask? Well, reason #1 none other than my favorite restaurant of all times is St. Emilion's; #2 they took a dump of an old convenient store and transformed it into a great place to get some fantastic food.

The restaurant has been open for lunches for several weeks now, but just recently they have started a dinner flight. So, on the second Friday of dinner being served, Foodie, Foodie's husband and two other couples joined in on the trek to confirm the greatness that is Paco & John.

The prices are great, and it's BYOB (for now) - so we tried a little bit of everything. The queso - with yes both crab & chorizo - was ordered. I ordered some guacamole, salsa and chips are complimentary. Oh my gosh the feast began. The table devoured the queso - and the quac - I couldn't share. It was creamy and had a great kick!

I think we literally ordered one of everything on the menu (which is not posted on the website at this time) - fresh steamed mussels, fajitas, shrimp tacos, stuffed chicken, and two chile reino's. I don't normal do a ton of cheese, but this chile reino was fantastic. Slightly breaded, covered in a red sauce with a side of roasted veggies and rice. I couldn't stop eating!! Every plate on the table was cleaned.

One bust is the limited amount of veggie items offered at dinner. For lunch there are several items, but I don't think they have down their dinner menu just quite yet.

So following our face stuffing meal, we took home their daily made brownies, topped it with some vanilla ice cream and chilled on our back porch. What an end to a great meal.

Ranking: 3 Carrots (still getting it together and the veg option was minimal)

Tommy's Burgers

I was very disappointed with Tommy's - especially after all the good reviews and people telling us, "you just have to try it" or "you haven't been to Tommy's yet?"

I'll start from the beginning - we tried to go to the one on 7th first at about 7 on a Friday evening and it was closed! WHAT?!? So, we check the website and it said it should be open, so we get in the car and go travel to the one at Camp Bowie - the map isn't quite right on the website, but we found it anyways.

Of course I try the veggie burger - since supposedly it's the "best". I found it to be dry and pre-prepared. I felt that it wasn't quite as low as what I could prepare from the frozen food section at home, but it wasn't up to snuff with the other veggie burgers I have had.

The hubby got the standard - meat, cheese, mustard, ketchup. His exact words were, "it's okay". These burgers are extremely thick and therefore probably don't appeal to the hubby in the first place, but needs to be noted.

Might give it a second try.

Ranking: 3 Carrots