Grimaldi's, Fun, and Family at Watters Creek

Grimaldi's patio viewed from the "duck park".

Watters Creek, in Allen, Texas, is one of our favorite weekend hangouts.  There are several good places to eat in the shopping center and my wife enjoys spending money at several of the stores here.  If there is anything she likes more than spending her money, it is spending my money.  She usually doesn’t like shopping with me, because she compares shopping with me to be like hunting with the game warden.  So if she goes shopping, I will walk around, find a park bench and read on my Kindle iPhone Ap, or watch my oldest daughter play in the park area.

My mom and daughter enjoying time together at Grimaldi's

My 8 month old declined the pizza in favor of a cracker.

We dine in this area more frequently than any other, due largely to the close proximity to our humble abode.  Of all the restaurants at Watters Creek, our absolute favorite is Grimaldi’s.  It is unquestionably the best pizza I have had in the Texas.  The only pizza place that I like better than Grimaldi's is a place called Lombardi’s in New York.  At Grimaldi’s, their pizzas are cooked in a coal-fired brick oven.  The extra carcinogens really add to the flavor of the pizza.  The salads are fantastic as well.  The Caesar salad here is one of the best in the Metroplex.  My mother was in town this past weekend and we thought it would be a perfect day to introduce her to our favorite pizza place.  There was not a piece of salad or a crumb of pizza left when we finished.  

Great Caesar Salad with Extra Parmesan

1/2 Pepperoni with fresh basil and 1/2 ham

My oldest daughter also enjoys playing in the park area, riding the duck statues, and feeding the real ducks.  She is not a big fan of pizza, but she will always sit quietly if we promise her she can go see the ducks when we are finished.  I am not above bribery to keep a kid quiet at the restaurant.  When we arrived at the park area, we were pleasantly surprised to see that there were about 15 baby ducks swimming in the creek with their moms.  It was hard to pry my daughter away from the ducks on this particular visit.

"Duck Creek"

My oldest daughter watching the ducks.

Lots of baby duck on this visit

Our favorite way to end a family trip to Watters Creek, is by going to get gelato at Paciugo.  I don’t usually eat ice cream or gelato, but when I do, this place is numero uno on my list.  My wife loves the wedding cake flavored gelato, my daughter likes vanilla, and I love the dark chocolate and the tiramisu flavored gelato.  If you visit Watters Creek, I highly recommend a visit to both Grimaldi’s and Paciugo.

The best gelato place 

Too many choices!

A special treat for a well-behaved young lady

Grimaldi’s

http://www.grimaldispizzeria.com/

Livin the Good Life Rating=5

Tillman's Roadhouse

Date night with the wife

April is a month that brings us April Fools Day, Tax Day, the start of the Major League Baseball Season, the Boston Marathon, and my wife’s birthday.  In my wife’s family they don’t just celebrate birthdays, they celebrate birth months.  At least that is the excuse my wife has given me for her getting her way for an entire month.  Since this was her birth month, I let her choose where we went to eat this past weekend.  My mother was in town this weekend, so we had free babysitting when we went out to dinner with my brother and sister-in-law. 

Decor inside Tillman's

For this culinary excursion, my wife chose to eat at Tillman’s Roadhouse in the Bishop Arts District of Oak Cliff (they have also opened a second location in Fort Worth).  My only previous visit to the Bishop Arts District had been to eat at Lockhart Smokehouse.  While there previously, we noticed several other restaurants in this cultural hotbed.  After our first trip here, we knew we wanted to go back at some point and try some other places.

My wife's Prickly Pear Margarita

We arrived right on time for our reservations and were seated immediately.  We had to  make reservations for 6:00 pm because the next available reservation was at 9:30, which was past my wife’s bedtime.  While looking over the menu, we decided to order the trio of fries for an appetizer.  The trio included Parmesan Kennebec fries, chili dusted purple Peruvian fries, and smoked salt sweet fries.  They were served with house made ketchup and horseradish pickle mayo.  They were all delicious, but the chili dusted purple Peruvians were my favorite.

Trio of Fries

I had a hard time choosing an entrée because there were several delicious-sounding choices.  After going back and forth, I finally chose the chicken fried steak, served with garlic mashed potatoes, poblano gravy, and green beans.  They asked me how I wanted it cooked, which is something I have never been asked before when ordering anything fried.  I would later find out that the reason they asked me is because they were tenderloin medallions rather than the typical cube steak or round steak that most chicken fried steak is made with.  I ordered mine medium and also added a side of the mac n’ cheese.

Chicken Fried Steak, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans

Mac n' Cheese with bacon and scallions

My wife ordered the shrimp and grits, my brother ordered the post oak smoked baby back ribs, and my sister-in-law ordered the lobster tamales.  The chicken fried steak was spectacular, but very different from any other I have had.  The breading was perfectly seasoned and the thick medallions were cooked to perfection.  The green beans and mashed potatoes were very good, but the mac n’ cheese was somewhat of a disappointment.  Although it had bacon and scallions, it was rather bland. 

Shrimp and Grits

My wife enjoyed her shrimp and grits, but ever the traditionalist, did not like the Southwestern flair they added to the taste of the dish.  My sister-in law said her lobster tamales were great too.  The one dish that caused me to have entrée envy, was my brother’s baby back ribs.  After he caught me staring longingly at his plate, he finally gave me one to try.  It was very tender and perfectly seasoned.

Post Oak Smoked Baby Back Ribs

Our best decision of the night, was to order the tableside s’mores for dessert.  They were not only fun for us to prepare, but they were delicious.  The maple and chicory marshmallows blended together perfectly with the cinnamon graham crackers and the chocolate.  The orange marshmallows seemed out of place, but the other flavors more than made up for it.

The group enjoying tableside s'mores

Tillman’s Roadhouse will be added to our restaurant rotations.  I give this restaurant a solid 8 on my 10-point scale.  It was a small restaurant that was jam packed when we left.  Next time we go, we will make reservations at least a week in advance so we don’t have to eat with the blue hairs or the vampires. 

Tillman’s Roadhouse

http://www.tillmansroadhouse.com/home.html

Livin The Good Life Rating=4

Nick and Sam's Grill

Recently my wife’s entire family met on a Saturday morning for a group session with a photographer.  The photographer was evidently an artist inspired by rust and decay, because she had us meet her in a very sketchy area of South Dallas.  It turned out that my fear of this photo session was legitimate, but misplaced.  My fears were realized when I heard my wife utter the phrase "time for an outfit change."  We all survived the session with four young children who don’t follow directions very well and canines on chains that were serenading us. 

Bar area with daily specials written on chalk board

Large mural next to entrance

Following this photo session, we decided to do brunch with the entire family.  After discussing a few places, my in-laws chose Nick and Sam’s Grill in Uptown.  I was relieved that we were going to get to leave the hood and go to the land of yuppies.  We arrived at the restaurant right when the opened and they quickly sat our party of eleven.

Both my daughter and her cousin could not be bothered to get off their devices.

I have been to Nick and Sam’s steakhouse, but this was my first time to dine at Nick and Sam’s Grill.  I started off ordering coffee, while other members of the party ordered anything from chocolate milk to mimosas.  We also got a couple of orders of the Guacamole Blocks, served with tortilla chips.  The wait staff also brought out complimentary blueberry bread.  I was very impressed with the chips and guacamole.  The blueberry bread was also very good and had a hint of cinnamon to it.

Guacamole block and chips

For my brunch entrée, I ordered the biscuits and gravy with a side of bacon.  My wife ordered the Breakfast BELT (Bacon, Egg, Lettuce, & Tomato), which was served with guacamole on an English muffin.  Several other members of the party ordered BELTs, while other ordered pancakes or short ribs served on a bed of eggs and potatoes.

Blueberry Bread

My biscuits and gravy were fantastic.  The biscuits on this day were made with Gruyere cheese and smothered with sausage gravy.  I honestly cannot remember when I have had better biscuits and gravy.  The scrambled eggs and potatoes weren’t bad either.  Although I know I didn’t need the extra calories, I am glad I ordered the side of bacon.  It was very flavorful and had distinct maple taste to it. 

Jalapeno cheddar biscuits and gravy, scramble eggs, bacon, and potatoes

BELT and fries

The majority of our party seemed very pleased with our brunch.  There was even some discussion of meeting back at Nick and Sam’s Grill after church the following day.  Even though it is about a thirty-minute drive from my home, I would definitely go back here for brunch if I were in the area.  This was a great place for brunch and I give it an 3 on my 5-point scale.  We apparently were very lucky that we arrived as early as we did, because every table was full and there was a crowd of about thirty people waiting outside when we left about 11:30.

Nick and Sam’s Grill

2816 Fairmount St.,

Dallas, TX 75201

http://www.nick-samsgrill.com/home.htm

Livin The Good Life Rating=8

Patrons waiting outside as we were leaving

3 Stacks Smoke and Tap House

A new BBQ place, 3 Stacks Smoke & Tap House, recently opened up in Frisco.  3 Stacks opened up in the location that had previously housed Terilli's.  Following a quick trip to Costco on a Saturday morning, my family met my brother and sister-in-law at 3 Stacks.  I was particularly excited to try this place, because it was within a 10 minute drive of my home in McKinney and it recently received a favorable review from the Texas BBQ Posse.  Could we finally have a really good BBQ place in Collin County that rivals Hutchins?  Traditionally, Collin County has been associated with good BBQ about like Tony Romo has been associated with winning Super Bowls.

Wood piles with smokers to the right.

Before you enter the restaurant, you notice the large stacks of wood and smokers to the left of the entrance.  They have three large smokers in this area, hence the name of the restaurant.  Each smoker is designed to cook a different type of meat with a specific type of wood.  The ribs and sausage are cooked with mesquite, the turkey and chicken are cooked with pecan, and the briskets are cooked with a combination of both woods.

Bar area at 3 Stacks

We were warmly greeted as we walked in and the lady explained the set-up of the cafeteria style lines (BBQ line, cold side line, and hot side line).  Each meat is priced by the half pound, with most being a rather expensive $7.99 per half pound and some running even higher.  Sides were moderately priced between $2.00 to $2.50.  We also noticed the large bar on the East wall of the restaurant.  The bar is quite long with several televisions on the wall.  If you are a fan of liquids made of hops and barley, 3 Stacks has thirty one different beers on tap.  Think of it as a Baskin Robbins for alcoholics.  

My little brother getting his grub on!

We made our way to the cafeteria lines and ordered a little bit of everything.  For meats, we ordered lean brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork, baby back ribs, turkey, and jalapeno and cheese sausage.  For our sides we ordered the baked beans, grilled corn, and the six cheese macaroni & cheese.  I also picked up a jalapeno corn bread muffin and two of the cheddar biscuits they had available.  Once we paid, my oldest daughter insisted that we set outside on the patio, so our group made our way outside to brave the windy day.

Lean Brisket

Burnt Ends, a Texas delicacy.

Pulled Pork

These baby back ribs were outstanding and the best thing I tried here.

Our brisket was nicely smoked with a pretty good layer of bark.  The burnt ends (a rare delicacy in today's BBQ culture) were very flavorful.  The pulled pork and the sausage were average at best.  The turkey had a nice smoky flavor and was some of the best smoked turkey I have had in quite some time. Of all the meats, the baby back ribs were the best.  They were extremely tender, came off the bone easily, and were seasoned with a nice rub that was somewhat sweet.  When I go back here, I will definitely get more ribs next time.  They also had two types of barbecue sauce available on the tables: Texas Original and Hot & Spicy.  They were both good, but I was partial to the Hot & Spicy.

6 Cheese Mac n' Cheese

The sides were hit and miss.  The baked beans were undercooked and still somewhat hard, but they had  pieces of jalapenos which would have given them a nice flavor had they been fully cooked.  The grilled corn was pretty good.  The mac n' cheese was spot on and oozing with cheese.   Instead of your typical macaroni noodles, they used fusilli rigati noodles.  The cheddar biscuits were very dry and I was not impressed, but the jalapeno corn bread muffin was terrific.  They also have several types of desserts available, but we were all too full to try any of them.

My oldest daughter sitting next to her favorite aunt on my side of the family.

After eating at 3 Stacks, I have mixed feelings on the place.  Some things we had were great, while other foods were mediocre at best.  The ribs, brisket, and burnt ends were good enough that I will be going back here and giving this place another try.  Overall, the joint was pretty good.  This place was one of the better joints I have been to in Collin County, but it still pales in comparison to my DFW favorites: Pecan Lodge or Lockhart Smokehouse.  I am going to give 3 Stacks Smoke and Tap House a 3 on my 5-point scale and I will also give them a second try.

3 Stacks Smoke & Tap House
4226 Preston Road
Frisco, TX 75034
http://www.3stacksbbq.com
Livin The Good Life Rating= 3

April and May Promises to be a Good Month for Books!

2013 promises to be a great literary year.  I am looking forward to reading several books that are set to be released in April and May of 2013.   When I am not pigging out at a new restaurant, I love to read (I need a little down time when I am digesting large servings of food).  As you will be able to tell from my list below, I enjoy a wide range of genres.  With each book I list here, I will provide a link to where you may read a description of each book.  In order of release date, here are the books I am most looking forward to picking up in the next two months:

The Hit

By David Baldacci

Release Date: April 23, 2013

Fiction

David Baldacci is one of my favorite authors in the crime/mystery/thriller genres.  He churns out about two books a year, but somehow still comes out with new material and thrilling plots.  The Hit is Baldacci’s second book featuring assassin, Will Robie.  The first book featuring Robie, The Innocent, was a thrilling joyride that involved double-crosses and inter-agency set-ups.  This book should be entertaining as well. 

Dead Ever After

By Charlaine Harris

Release date: May 7, 2013

Fiction

The Sookie Stackhouse Series is my most embarrassing guilty pleasure.  I am not generally a fan of vampires and the supernatural, but I got hooked on this series after watching season 1 of HBO’s True Blood, which is based on this book series.  This has been an entertaining series, but the last three books have been somewhat disappointing.  Dead Ever After will also be the last book in this series and I will be interested to see what happens with Ms. Stackhouse.

Inferno: A Novel

By Dan Brown

Release date: May 14, 2012

Fiction

I am a sucker for novels from International Best Selling Author, Dan Brown.  I didn’t like his last novel, The Lost Symbol, as much as his previous novels featuring Robert Langdon, but it was still a good book.  This novel is apparently set back in Italy and involves a mystery surrounding Dante’s Inferno.  Dan Brown is one of those authors that upon finishing his books, I always find myself doing more research into the history he intertwines into his novels.  I have already pre-ordered this book.

The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-45

By Rick Atkinson

Release date: May 14, 2013

Non-Fiction

I have been waiting patiently for this third book in The Liberation Trilogy to be published.  Book one, An Army at Dawn, won the Pulitzer Prize and book two, The Day of Battle, was equally impressive.  Where the first two books focused on World War II in North Africa and Italy, this book will focus on Western Europe during the last two years of World War II.   Atkinson's writing is delivered in a way that is easy to read and is so entertaining that it reads like fiction.  I have already pre-ordered this book.

The Prophets of Smoked Meat: A Journey through Texas Barbecue

By Daniel Vaughn

Release Date: May 14, 2013

Non-Fiction

Barbecue is one of my favorite dishes.  This book promises to be the comprehensive book on Texas BBQ, highlighting restaurants and pitmasters across the state.  The author, Daniel Vaughn, was just recently named the BBQ editor for Texas Monthly (I wish I would have known they had an opening, because this guy would have been perfect for the job).  I am such a fat kid, I even like reading about food.   My ordering this book and blogging about it should be seen as a cry for help.  I have already pre-ordered this book as well.

And the Mountains Echoed

By Khaled Hosseini

Release date: May 21, 2013

Fiction

Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner, still stands out as one of the most memorable books I have read in the last ten years.  I also enjoyed his second novel, A Thousand Splendid Sons.  And the Mountains Echoed promises to be an intercontinental character study of family dynamics.

The Son

By Philipp Meyer

Release date: May 28, 2013

Fiction

Meyer’s debut novel, American Rust, was one of the best debut novels I have read since Charles Frazier wrote Cold Mountain.  If you haven’t read American Rust, I strongly recommend it.  The Son is being branded a multi-generational saga of a Texas family from the 1800s to the oil booms.  With the brilliance of American Rust, I was surprised that Meyer decided to venture into historical fiction.  I hope his sophomore novel is as good as his first effort.

Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars's Palace

Fat kids love buffets.  I am a fat kid, therefore I love buffets.  Las Vegas is the Mecca for buffet lovers.  I have visited the buffets at many of the casinos in Vegas, including The Bellagio, The Mirage, Harrah's, The Wynn, The Golden Nugget (I don't recommend eating here), MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, etc.  This trip, one of the guys in our group recommended that we go eat at the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesar's Palace.  This buffet had just opened in September of 2012, but he and his wife had eaten there in December and he said it was fat kid heaven.  USA Today also ranked The Bacchanal as the best buffet in Vegas.

Plate #1

Plate #2

After placing our bets on the March Madness games I wanted to bet on, I put on my fat kid pants and headed to Caesar's to try the Bacchanal Buffet.  We waited in line for about 20 minutes and were rewarded with a buffet that featured over 500 items.  There is no way I could try every item they featured, but I sure did try.  I tried the following items while dining here: Kung Pao chicken, Mac n Cheese, grilled corn on the cob, machaca con salsa on rice, cheeseburger slider, pepperoni pizza, onion rings, sweet potato waffle fries, ribs, jalapeno cheese roll, New Orleans spicy andouille sausage, shrimp,  Penne al vodka, green beans, and meat balls.  When I thought I couldn't eat another bite, I went for dessert.  I couldn't decide on just one, so I got the chocolate cake, the key lime pie, and the chocolate creme brulee.  All three desserts were top notch.  

Dessert Bar

My choices: Key Lime Pie, Chocolate Cake, and Chocolate Creme Brulee

The Bacchanal was unquestionably the best buffet I have ever had.  Head and shoulders above the buffet at The Bellagio, which had been my previous favorite.  The top three items I tried were the andouille sausage, the machaca, and the chocolate creme brulee.  The waitresses kept our drinks filled and promptly took our plates away as we went back for more grub.  Compared to other buffets, I have to give this a 4 on a 5 point scale.  Once my arteries un-harden from this trip to Vegas, I will definitely be hitting up this buffet again on my next trip!