Shake Shack

Many burger chains have legions of loyal fans.  I know my friends from California were ecstatic when In-N-Out Burger expanded to Texas and Texans tend to love their Whataburger.  Shake Shack, which originated in New York, also has fans that swear their burgers, fries, and shakes are the best in the country.  The first Texas location of Shake Shack recently opened in Austin, so I couldn't wait to see what all the fuss was about.

ShackBurger with Bacon

I heard horror stories of long lines and waits up to one hour, so I arrived right at their 11:00 a.m. opening.  There were only a few people in front of me, but I did have plenty of time to look over the wall menu.  I finally decided  to order the ShackBurger with bacon, fries, and a strawberry milkshake.  In addition to the bacon, the ShackBurger came topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and ShackSauce.  The burger was extremely tasty with a slightly charred exterior and a bun that was somewhat sweet.  The bacon was excellent as well and the special sauce gave it a somewhat spicy taste.  I felt this was a really good burger, but I was extremely disappointed in the size.  I could have easily eaten this burger in about four bites and I immediately wished I would have ordered the double meat version or just ordered two burgers.

Strawberry Milkshake and Fries

Although the burger was very good, I thought the crinkle cut fries were fairly ordinary.  They were light and crispy, but were far from exceptional and somewhat bland.  The strawberry shake was very thick, but I could only taste a slight hint of strawberries.  Despite being small, the burgers here were certainly above average in the taste department, but I could have cared less for the fries and shake I ordered.  I probably wouldn't go out of my way to eat here again, but I will  try out the Plano location when it opens because it will be just a few minutes down the road from my casa. 

Shake Shack
https://www.shakeshack.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=3

Cedar Door Bar and Grill

I recently attended a conference in Austin, which happens to be one of my favorite foodie cities.  On our first night in town, some colleagues and I decided to grab a bite to eat somewhere close to our hotel.  After reading some reviews of Cedar Door Bar and Grill, we decided to walk a couple of blocks and try it out.

White Wings

For a starter, our waitress recommended the White Wings.  This appetizer consisted of pieces of chicken breast and jalapeño slices that were wrapped in bacon and covered in buffalo sauce.  I must say that these little bites were absolutely delicious and didn't last very long on the plate.  I even considered getting a second order of them, but I held off because I was also eagerly anticipating trying my entree.

Chicken Fried Steak, Yukon Mashed Potatoes, and Bacon Braised Collard Greens

The Chicken Fried Steak with jalapeño gravy was too tempting to pass up, so I decided to order it and forgo a healthier choice.  The chicken fried steak was huge, had a great batter, and the gravy was fantastic.  While the Yukon mashed potatoes were pedestrian at best, the bacon braised collard greens were some of the best I have ever had.  

Blackened Catfish and Mahi Tacos

Other members of my party ordered the Blackened Catfish and the Mahi tacos.  They both liked there dishes and were as impressed as I was by the food.  The service was great on this visit as well and our waitress was well versed on the menu items when making recommendations and answering questions.  If you are in the downtown Austin area and looking for a patio to grab a bite to eat, I recommend you try this place.

Patio Area at Cedar Door Bar and Grill

Cedar Door Bar and Grill
http://www.cedardooraustin.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=4

The One and Only Burgers and Fries

I have lived in McKinney for several years now and I thought I did a pretty good job of keeping abreast of restaurant openings, but one happened to slip by me.  The One and Only Burgers and Fries opened in 2014, but I had never heard about it until I saw a couple of people posting about it on social media.  Everyone that was posting about it gave it really good review, so I knew I had to give it a shot.

Double Bacon Cheeseburger with The One and Only Signature Sauce

My oldest daughter and I went on a daddy-daughter date to give this place a try.  She ordered the cheeseburger and I ordered the double bacon cheeseburger with their signature sauce.  We also split an order of the regular fries for two.  The bacon cheeseburger was fantastic.  The beef was juicy and flavorful, the bacon was commendable, and the signature sauce gave it a mild spiciness that added to the overall flavor of the burger.  The fries were huge and could have easily fed three to four people.  They were cooked well, had just the right amount of salt, and were the perfect compliment to the burger.  My daughter ate her entire adult cheeseburger and claimed it was the best she has ever had.

Fries for Two while some are still in the bag

The One and Only Burgers and Fries keeps things very simple, but does the burger and fries thing to perfection.  This burger joint defiantly goes in my top three in McKinney.  The owner is also extremely friendly and personally checks on each customer.  This place is on the opposite side of town from where I live, but I will gladly drive by several other burger spots to eat here again.

The One and Only Burgers and Fries
http://www.theoneandonlyburgersandfries.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=4

Rainforest Cafe

My brother and I were supposed to go camping with my oldest daughter on a recent weekend, but we were notified by Ray Roberts State Park that the camping area was forced to temporarily shut down due to flooding from the recent rains.  Since our camping trip was a no-go, we decided to take my daughter on a Saturday adventure instead.  Although she was disappointed that we wouldn't be camping, she was excited that plan B included a trip to the Rainforest Cafe and the Sea Life Aquarium in Grapevine Mills Mall.

Somebody was happy to be at the Rainforest Cafe.

We had never been to the Rainforest Cafe, but my daughter was enamored with the place from the moment we stepped into the restaurant.  The jungle theme with gorillas, elephants, tigers, and leopards was something she couldn't stop talking about all day.  After she was able to curtail her excitement for a few moments, we ordered the cheese sticks for an appetizer.  The cheese sticks were very basic, but I really liked the flavor of the marinara sauce.

Cheese Sticks

The restaurant had a larger menu than most restaurants and had plenty of options, but I was in the mood for seafood.  I ordered the Congo Fish Plate, which included two large fried whitefish fillets, fries, and cole slaw.  The fish was not as crispy as I would have preferred and it was much more "fishy" tasting than what I have come to expect from whitefish.  As for the sides, they were also disappointing.

Congo Fish Plate-Fried Whitefish, fries, and slaw

My brother ordered the Beastly Burger, which had two patties.  The burger was very large, but neither of us were impressed with it's taste.  My daughter ordered the two cheeseburger sliders with applesauce.  She seemed to enjoy her meal much more than the adults did.

Beastly Burger-Double Meat Cheeseburger

The cheese sticks ended up being the highlight of the meal.  Everything else we tried was below average in the taste department.    I will say that the service was very good and they go above and beyond to make it a fun experience for the kids.  Even though the food was a disappointment, I would go back again with my kids just to see the sparkle in my daughter's eyes while we dined.

Fun at the Sea Life Aquarium after out lunch at Rainforest Cafe

Rainforest Cafe
http://www.rainforestcafe.com
Livin the Good Life=2

VooDoo BBQ & Grill

VooDoo BBQ & Grill recently opened it's first Texas location in Frisco.  This popular chain originated in New Orleans and claims to combine barbecue with Cajun, Creole, and Caribbean-style dishes.  Being a fan of both barbecue and Cajun food, I was eagerly anticipating this opening.

I have dined at VooDoo BBQ & Grill twice since this restaurant opened in early May and I have sampled a variety of items.  One of the first items I tried was a bowl of Red Beans and Rice.  The bowl was quite large and the dish was topped with sliced spicy Cajun sausage.  I liked the taste and the fact that it had plenty of sausage, but it tasted even better when I added a little dash of hot sauce.  The portion was actually large enough for a meal, but I had it for appetizer.  

Red Beans and Rice

They have several different barbecue platters with meats that you could find at any barbecue joint, but the restaurant also serves Jerk chicken, Cajun slow cooked chicken, and The Carnival, which includes brisket, chicken, pulled pork, and sausage that is chopped and mixed with sauce.  I had the two meat platter, aka The Graveyard Platter, with brisket and pulled pork.  This item comes with two sides and I ended up adding a third.  

Clockwise From Top Left-Cornbread Pudding, Jambalaya, Brisket, Pulled Pork, Cornbread, and Cajun Fries.

The brisket I had was absolutely abysmal, even by chain standards.  The lean slices I received lacked a smoky flavor, were cut too thin, and were extremely tough.  As bad as the brisket was, I absolutely loved the pulled pork.  It had an excellent bark and had the smoky taste that was lacking in the brisket.  The restaurant offers three types of barbecue sauce that included Mojo sauce (traditional sauce), Cane Vinegar sauce, and spicy sauce made with Crystal hot sauce.  Of the three, I preferred the Mojo sauce.  For sides, I had the fries, jambalaya, and cornbread pudding.  The cornbread pudding was out-of-this-world delicious and the the jambalaya was top notch as well.  The fries were sprinkled with Cajun spices, but were note even close to being as good as the other two sides.

Three Types of Sauce

On my next visit, I decided to try the Jerk Chicken Po' Boy with a side of Gumbo.  The Jerk Chicken itself was a thick sliced chicken breast and it had great flavor that one expects from Jerk spice.  The portion was quite large and filled up the entire six inches of the French bread.  The gumbo I received didn't have much chicken in it and was lacking in flavor until I added a little of the Crystal hot sauce to it.

Jerk Chicken Po'Boy and Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

I was also able to sample the Beignets.  Ir took about ten minutes for them to cook, but the arrived piping hot with plenty of powdered sugar.  The beignets were some of the best I have had in recent memory and I quickly inhaled all three of them in the order.

Beignets

VooDoo BBQ & Grill had some very good items and some I will take a pass on when I visit in the future.  The brisket, gumbo, and fries will not make my list of favorites, but I really liked the pulled pork, the cornbread pudding, the jambalaya, and the beignets.  There are better barbecue choices in Collin County, but I really thought this place was better than average and found the Cajun twist a pleasant experience.

VooDoo BBQ & Grill
http://www.voodoobbqandgrill.com/home
Livin the Good Life Rating=3