Zizzi

In case you didn't know, it rains a lot in Scotland.  One evening my wife and I were walking around Edinburgh and taking in the sights, when it began to rain on us.  My wife was on the verge of a "hangry" attack, so we decided to grab a bite to eat and get out of the rain.  The first place that we came across was Zizzi, which is an Italian restaurant chain in the United Kingdom.

Garlic Bread with Mozzarella

We had walked close to twelve miles that day exploring Edinburgh, so we were both starving.  We started with the Garlic Bread with Mozzarella.  The bread had caramelized balsamic onions on it, which gave it some additional flavor, but this dish really hit the spot and was quickly gobbled up.

Prosciutto Verde Rustica Pizza

For our main course we decided to split a pizza.  We chose their seasonal special, which was the Prosciutto Verde Rustica Pizza. This pizza was a white pizza with mozzarella, ham, balsamic tomatoes, garlic cloves, spinach, and prosciutto.  I am usually not a big fan of white pizzas, but this one was terrific.  We both agreed that it was one of the better pizzas we have had in 2016.

Tiramisu

For dessert, we split the Tiramisu, which might have been the best item we ate at Zizzi.  It was certainly top notch and amongst the best pieces of Tiramisu that I have ever had.  While the food was really good, the service was a little disappointing.  They seemed to be under-staffed and we had to wait quite a while between visits from our waitress, which left us without drinks frequently.  Although she didn't check in on us regularly, our waitress was friendly and helpful with the menu.  Overall, we thought the restaurant was very good, especially considering the fact we had done zero research or even heard about it prior to this visit.

Zizzi
https://www.zizzi.co.uk/
Livin the Good Life Rating=3

Angels with Bagpipes

On one of our days that we spent walking around Edinburgh, we decided to do a little fine dining and made reservations at Angels with Bagpipes, which is located on The Royal Mile.  I had a cousin that recommended this restaurant to me after she had dined there the previous year.  In addition to her recommendations, the Internet also offered up favorable reviews of this establishment which served up fresh Scottish Cuisine.

Bread and Oil

After ordering drinks, our waiter brought out some bread and oil  The fresh bread was fantastic and helped ease the hunger pains in my belly.  For my entree, I ordered the Fillet Steak topped with garlic butter.  My steak was cooked to perfection and the garlic butter gave it a little extra flavor kick that set it over the edge of greatness!  Without question, this was the best fillet (filet for us Americans) that I have had in a at least a couple of years.  It was served with an order of "chips", which were crispy and quite good in their own right.

Fillet

Chips (Fries)

My wife ordered the Salmon.  It was served with wild garlic and gnocchi.  As impressive as my steak was, her salmon was equally unimpressive.  My wife thought it tasted overly fishy and couldn't even finish it.  I sampled some myself and it did have a funny taste to it and was the worst of three salmon meals I tried on this visit to Scotland.  Our waiter was very gracious and insisted on having the chef remove it from our bill, which he did.

Salmon

Angels with Bagpipes is a very quaint restaurant with a comfortable feel to it.  Although the salmon was disappointing, I was quite happy with the quality and flavor of my steak.  The service was friendly and accommodating.  Since we had plans later that night, we skipped dessert, but they did have several interesting looking options on their menu.

Angels with Bagpipes
http://www.angelswithbagpipes.co.uk/the-restaurant/
Livin the Good Life Rating=3
 

The Royale Magnificent Burgers

February of 2016 saw the opening of The Royale Magnificent Burgers in Plano.  The name is somewhat cumbersome, so most people have been referring to it as "The Royale."  John Tesar's most recent brainchild is his contribution to the growing number of burger joints in DFW.  The restaurant makes fancy burgers and shakes, but is also kid friendly.  

Best Chocolate Shake EVER

I was finally able to try the restaurant in May, which was three months after it's opening.  My daughter joined me on my visit and she insisted on ordering the chocolate shake, so I allowed her to order it...if, she promised to share it with me.  It arrived in a huge Mason jar and was topped with whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, chocolate chips, and a toasted marshmallow.  Simply put, this was the most incredible chocolate shake I have ever had.  It was so good in fact, that I ordered a second shake just for myself.  In case you are wondering, I didn't share mine!

The Royale with Sweet Potato Chips

The Wagyu burgers were also quite tasty, and not overly expensive, considering they were made from Wagyu beef.  I had the Royale which was served with Applewood-smoked bacon and truffle aioli and my daughter had the Americano.  Both were extremely juicy, but the Royale was the better burger of the two and I particularly liked the favor of the truffle aioli.  Each burger was served with sweet potato chips that were both crispy and sweet.  In addition to the chips that come with each burger, we also tried their fries.  The thick cut fries were good as  well, although I didn't care for the pomegranate ketchup that was served with them.

Fries

In addition to the food, the servers were prompt and knowledgeable of the menu.  Although the burgers were good, the shakes were absolutely fantastic.  On my next visit, I will also be trying the Queso Poutine Fries, which I drooled over when an adjacent table ordered them.  Even if you don't like burgers or you are a vegetarian, I would certainly recommend going to try the shakes.  The Royale gets a big thumbs up from me!

The Royale Magnificent Burgers
http://royaleburgers.com
Livin the Good Life Rating = 3
 

Rotolo's Pizzeria

My brother and I have recently started playing tennis again for the first time in over a decade.  After intense competitions between two players that are considerably past our primes, we generally go out for a bite to eat afterwards.  Following another victory by yours truly, my brother took me to one of his favorite pizza restaurants, Rotolo's.

Garlic Parmesan Bites

This was my first time dining at this pizza joint and we ordered the Garlic Parmesan Bites for an appetizer.  These baked tiny pieces of bread were delicious and reminded me of miniature garlic knots.  The marinara dipping sauce was good, but could have been served a little warmer.

Italian Club Pizza

We also ordered two pizzas, the Italian Club and a Pepperoni-Hamburger pizza.  The crust was actually quite good and they had plenty of cheese and toppings.  I particularly liked the Italian Club, which had pepperoni, salami, Canadian bacon, and bacon.  There was not a single bite that didn't have multiple pieces of meat on it.

Pepperoni and Hamburger

My brother had been talking about this place for a while and I thought it was worthy of his praise.  I wouldn't put it in my DFW Top 5, but it was good nonetheless.  This place also has a patio area and would be a nice place to enjoy a pizza and a beverage if the weather is nice.

Rotolo's Pizzeria
http://rotolos.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=3

Starwood Cafe

Cappuccino

The much awaited McKinney location of Starwood Cafe finally opened in Adriatica Village.  My wife has dined at the Frisco location on several occasions, but I have never had the opportunity to dine their myself.  On a recent Saturday morning, we loaded up the 2 girls and ate breakfast at the new location.  We arrived a little after 8 a.m. and there was already a crowd and a 30 minute wait.

Bacon, Hash Browns, and Eggs

My family and I tried several items, including cappuccinos, bacon, eggs, cheese grits, chicken fried steak, hash browns, toast and pancakes.  The majority of the items were good and the cappuccino, chicken fried steak, and pancakes were great.  In fact the chicken fried steak might be the best I have had so far in 2016 and the pancakes were pure greatness themselves.

Chicken Fried Steak, Eggs, and Cheese Grits

The service was as good as the food and the price was about what you would expect for breakfast and not expensive.  It is certainly a welcome addition to the McKinney breakfast scene and a place where I will go back again.  I actually went back the following weekend, only to find that the wait was over an hour.  Since it really hasn't been advertised that much, I can only assume that word of mouth is singing the praises of this restaurant, because people are beating down the door to get in.  I will just have to wake up earlier next time I visit!

Blueberry Pancakes

Starwood Cafe
http://starwoodcafe.com
Livin the Good Life Rating= 3
 

18th and Vine

The city of Dallas and the greater DFW area has really been upping it's game in the barbecue department lately and new barbecue restaurants are opening in an attempt to compete with the heavyweights like Pecan Lodge, Lockhart Smokehouse, and Hutchins.  One of the newcomers, 18th and Vine, had several critics, like Daniel Vaughn, raving about the place. The Dallas Morning News even awarded it as one of the Best New Restaurants 2015.  What separates this place from the others is the fact that pit boss Matt Dallman has opened a Kansas City style barbecue joint with influences he brought from his hometown.

On a recent Saturday, I was with a party of four and we were able to sample several of the menu items. Below is my opinion of what we tried:

Burnt Ends - We ordered these as an appetizer and they were incredible.  These delicacies are a favorite of mine and I order them whenever I see them on a menu.  The burnt ends were amongst the best I have had in DFW and were the best smoked meat we had on this night.

Fried Okra - This was also ordered as an appetizer and we loved this dish as well.  The batter was fantastic and the okra was perfectly seasoned.  The dipping sauce served with the okra was a prefect compliment.  

Brisket - Although we loved the burnt ends, the brisket left a lot to be desired.  The brisket had a smoky flavor, but it was tough, the fat was not well rendered, and the slices were much thinner than I prefer.
Pulled Pork -  This item was fairly pedestrian and I didn't get much bark, which is my favorite part of pulled pork.

Pork Ribs-  The ribs had a nice smoke ring and a tasty glaze, but, like the brisket, they too were a little tough.  
Jalapeño Cheese Sausage -  The house-made sausage had a good flavor, a lot of cheese, and the jalapeños gave it a nice kick.

Smoked Chicken - This meat was only surpassed by the burnt ends.  The chicken had a great smoky flavor and the skin was well seasoned.
Seasoned Fries -  The seasoning was good, but the fries were barely warm and tasted like they had been sitting out a while.  

Jalapeño Cheese Grits -  Grits are one of my favorite sides and these were really spicy and had a lot of cheese.  That gets a big thumbs up from me.  

Pit Roasted Mushrooms -  This was the first time I remember seeing mushrooms on a barbecue restaurant menu, but they were better than I expected.
Assorted Cookies -  Four types of house-made cookies (chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodle, and sugar) were served and none were overly impressive.  

Fried Apple Pies -  This dessert was much better than the cookies.  The miniature pies had a great flavor, a nice dusting of sugar, and were served piping hot.

18th and Vine has a really cool atmosphere and the service is great. The meal started off with a bang with the appetizers of burnt ends and fried okra, but almost everything else was very underwhelming.  While a few of the other items were also good,  the rest was far from great.  This place is certainly a little more upscale than most barbecue joints, but I am sure that this place will do well amongst the other high end casual restaurants in Oak Lawn.

18th and Vine
http://www.18thandvinebbq.com
Livin the Good Life Rating = 3

Burger 21

The DFW area has no shortage of upscale burger joints, but more seem to open daily.  Florida-based, Burger 21, joined the DFW market with it's first Texas location opening up in the Frisco on the Downtown Square.  While I think the upscale burger market is over-saturated in my area, I still wanted to try this place out and I have been a couple of times since it opened.

Below are my opinions of what I have tried:

Bacon Cheesy- basic bacon cheeseburger on a brioche bun.  Good, but not great.  

The Tex-Mex Haystack- served with lettuce, tomato, applewood-smoked bacon, Gouda, onion strings, guacamole, and chipotle-jalapeno sauce on a brioche bun.  This burger was really good.  In fact, I would say it had the most flavor of any burger I have had thus far in 2016.  I Highly recommend this burger.

Fries- I have tried both the regular french fries and the sweet potato fries.  Of the two, the sweet potato fries are the better choice here, but both are serviceable.

Kids Grilled Cheese- Served on thick bread and perfectly toasted.  It was a big hit with my youngest daughter and myself.  

Key Lime Pie Milkshake- Absolutely amazing milkshake.  It tasted just like a key lime pie and was even served with a lime, whipped cream, and graham cracker crumbs.  They had a lot of other options on their milkshake menu, but this one was the most intriguing to me and I was not disappointed.

Although I have barely scratched the surface of their menu, the food (and shakes) are good enough to where I would certainly go back again.  While the beef patties on the burgers are somewhat bland, the restaurant has a lot going for it in the toppings and sauce department.  I have never had to wait over 10 minutes for any order and the staff is polite and helpful.   Definitely a good edition to the Frisco Square area.

Burger 21
https://www.burger21.com
Livin the Good Life Rating = 3

B&B Burger & Beer

Although I have my favorite restaurants that I enjoy visiting while in Vegas, I also like trying new restaurants.  While in town for the opening weekend of March Madness, my buddies and I decided to try out B&B Burgers & Beer, which was conveniently located across from the sportsbook at The Venetian.  Although the restaurant was packed, my friends and I were able to secure some seating where we could still watch the big TVs at the sportsbook.  

In addition to a few speciality burgers, the menu also boast a build your own burger menu with various buns and toppings.  I chose to create my own with bacon, cheddar, and garlic aioli on a pretzel bun.  It was a good burger with quality ingredients.  Whereas most pretzel buns are somewhat tough, this one was extremely light and fluffy, yet still had the pretzel taste.

Bacon Cheeseburger on a Pretzel Bun w/fries

Several sides are offered, including fries, onion rings, slaw, chips, warm potato salad, and lettuce wedges.  I was able to sample both the fries and the onion rings.  The fries were pretty good, but the tempura onion rings were really good.

Onion Rings

It ended up being a pretty good meal and I would go back there again.  While not my favorite burger joint in Sin City, it was certainly above average.  While we were pleased with the food, we were not pleased with the outcome of the game we were watching and had put money on.  Oh well, you win some and you lose some.  The food was was winner.

B&B Burger & Beer
http://www.venetian.com/restaurants/american/b-and-b-burger-and-beer.html
Livin the Good Life Rating=3

Tokyo Joe's

Colorado-based Tokyo Joe's recently opened up a couple of Texas locations in McKinney and Richardson.  They pride themselves on being a Japanese style restaurant that is a healthy alternative to fast food and Chinese food, which is often fried or wok cooked.  Since the McKinney location is right by my house, I have had a chance to sample this restaurant a couple of times.

Peanut Skewers

For starters, I really like their edamame and peanut skewers.  The edamame was perfectly steamed and had just the right amount of salt.  The peanut skewers had chicken breast on a skewer that is topped with peanut sauce, green onions, and cilantro.  The peanut sauce itself might be the best that I have ever had.  

Chicken Spring Rolls

As much as I liked the edamame and peanut skewers, I really did not care for the chicken spring rolls.  I like the ingredients, but I did not care for the chilled rice paper wraps.  Perhaps I just prefer the fried spring roll, but I am not a big fan of this appetizer, which reminds me of a wrapped salad.  

Although the restaurant offers sushi and bento boxes, I have ordered bowls as entrees on both of my visits.  I have had the MoJoe bowl (chicken, pineapple, eggs, red onions, red pepper, and sweet and spicy sauce) and a Build Your Own Bowl (BYOB) that included chicken, brown rice, peanut sauce, broccoli, bean sprouts, edamame beans, cilantro, green onions, and carrots.  Both were outstanding and I wouldn't hesitate to order either again.

BYOB-Build your own bowl

I was pleased with both of my visits to Tokyo Joe's.  The food is fresh and at least, somewhat healthy.  The staff is friendly and well versed in regards to their menu.  I would certainly go here over about 90% of the other Asian restaurants in McKinney and I will make a point to try out their sushi on my next visit.

Tokyo Joe's
http://tokyojoes.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=3

Wild Salsa

After what seemed like an eternity, the Fairview location of Wild Salsa finally opened.  After watching the remodeling of the space for months, I was happy to see that it was finally open for customers.  With only a handful of good Mexican restaurants in Collin County, I had high hopes for Wild Salsa.

The menu boast more of a true Mexican restaurant and not the Tex Mex that you find in most restaurants in the area.  Below are my options of the items  I have tried thus far:

Choriqueso- this appetizer contains house-made chorizo and sizzling Oaxaca cheese served with flour tortillas.  I really liked this dish and there was plenty of chorizo, but it did tend towards the greasy side.  

Sopa Azteca Verde- basically a fancy name for chicken tortilla soup, but it was excellent.  It included chicken, tomatillo, hominy, Oaxaca cheese, cilantro, and serrano.  The soup had a lot of different flavors working for it, but none that were overpowering.

Taco Al Pastor-Included pork, pineapple and pico de gallo.  Too much pico and not enough pork.
Chicken Tinga- chipotle rubbed chicken and pico de gallo.  The chicken was spectacular, but once again, their was too much pico.
Beef Barbacoa- Included Negro Modelo braised beef, chipotle, caramelized onions, and cilantro.  My favorite of the tacos I tried and it had plenty of meat and appropriate amounts of onions and cilantro.  The trio of tacos was also served with cilantro rice and black beans, both of which were pleasing to the palate.

Wild Salsa also has a kids menu and both of my kids chose the cheese quesadillas.  The waitstaff was excellent and we all enjoyed the decor, including a huge fireplace in the middle of the covered patio where we dined.  With a great location and a good menu, I see good things to come from Wild Salsa.

Wild Salsa
http://www.wildsalsarestaurant.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=3