The Brass Tap

The Brass Tap, a craft beer bar, recently opened in Allen, TX.  In addition to being a craft beer bar with a huge selection of craft beers (over 200), it also has a kitchen that has a fairly large menu for a bar.  Since this place is just a stone's throw from my residence in McKinney, I have been there several times and sample several menu items.

Below are my thoughts and opinions on the food options I have tried:

Jalapeño Corn Fritters- Puffy and sweet with a slight kick from the jalapeños.  Served with Peppadew Pepper Ranch and sweet chili sauce for dipping.  Great appetizer.

Pretzel Bites- Another winner in the appetizer department, the pretzels are great, but the real winner is the beer cheese fondue.  Great combo of flavors when you dip the pretzel bites in the fondue.

Tempura Chicken Sliders-Meh...the tempura chicken finger on a King's Hawaiian roll sounded great, but didn't live up to expectations and was very bland.  The fries were average at best too.

Pretzel Pizzas- Individual pizzas made with pretzel dough.  Although you can barely make out the pretzel flavor, it is there.  I have tried both the Margherita and the Four Meat pizza and both were good.

Fish and Chips-Fish was good, but didn't care for the fries or the slaw.  Pretty basic fish and chips that you would expect to find at a pub. 

Cowboy Burger- smoked Gouda, pepper jack cheese, applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, and Cowboy Sauce.  Average burger, but loved the brioche bun and whatever ingredients they used to make their Cowboy Sauce.

For the most part, I have liked most of the food that I have tried at the Brass Tap.  It is certainly above-average in the bar/pub food dept.  The Jalapeño Corn Fritters and the Pretzel Bites are a definite hit in the appetizer department.  I am happy that another good restaurant is close to my house, but if you are a craft beer fan, you will be impressed with the selection as well.

The Brass Tap
http://www.brasstapbeerbar.com/Allen
Livin the Good Life Rating=2

Soulman's Bar-B-Que

Watching football games is one of the few things I enjoy as much as eating barbecue.  Rarely do I get to enjoy both in the same evening, but I was able to do so on a night when I went to a high school football game in Allen, Texas.  I knew that a location of Soulman's Bar-B-Que was close to the stadium, so I popped in there prior to the game.

I wanted to try several meat options, so I ordered the three meat plate with turkey, pulled pork, and hot links.  If you read my blog, then you know that I rarely go to a barbecue joint in Texas without ordering brisket, but I decided to pass on brisket this night because the brisket on the block was lean and had all of the fat and most of the bark cut away.  The turkey was not good at all and had the texture and flavor of sandwich meat.  The hot links were fairly ordinary, but did have a little spice to them.  The pulled pork was the best of the three, but was far from great.

3 Meat Plate-Pulled Pork, Turkey, and Hot Link

The sides were a mixed bag for me.  The beans were bland and required the addition of salt and pepper.  I also had the cream corn, which was actually quite good and was the best item I tried on this evening.  It had  great flavor and had just enough peppers in it to give it a Texas kick.  The Texas toast was cold, stale, and needed more butter.

Banana Pudding

Soulman's has three different desserts available: Pecan Pie, Buttermilk Pie, and Banana Pudding.  I tried the Banana Pudding and felt it was lacking much of a banana flavor and had more whipped cream than pudding.  This place was not very busy on the night I visited, but it still took me over seven minutes to get through the line, despite the fact there were only two other people in front of me.  This place was a huge disappointment and will not get a return visit from me.

Soulman's Bar-B-Que

http://www.soulmans.com/

Livin the Good Life Rating=1

 

Bonefish Grill

There are not a whole lot of good seafood options in Collin County, so I was pleased to see that a new option is now available in Allen.  I have driven by the construction site of Bonefish Grill for the last few months and my family decided to dine there when it was finally open for business.  Upon arrival, we were surprised by how nice it was inside and we second guessed our decision to bring the kids.  We looked around and saw several other tables with kids of the same age, so we decided that our kids would not make too much of a disturbance.

Wagyu Beef Ginger Potstickers

I started with the Wagyu Beef Ginger Potstickers, which came with crispy onions, Thai peppers, and green onions.  The large order of potstickers also sat atop soy sauce.  There were several different flavors going on here, but they all blended well.  Despite this being a seafood restaurant, this dish was more than adequate and the dumplings were entirely filled with beef.

For my entree, I ordered the chef's special of the day, which was Fresh Grouper.  The grouper was grilled, topped with a lemon butter sauce, and served with seasonal vegetables and one side of your choice.  Potatoes Au Gratin were my side of choice and I also added a house Ceasar Salad.

Caesar Salad

The salad arrived first, but was disappointing and lacked flavor.  Instead of freshly shredded or shaved Parmesan, it came topped with grated Parmesan that looked like what people sprinkle over pizza.  The croutons were few and far between.

Grouper with Au Gratin Potatoes and Zucchini

The grouper was actually quite good and I was happy that I added the lemon butter sauce as a topping.  The fish was flaky, moist, and had a very mild flavor.  The potatoes au gratin were almost too rich, but I enjoyed each bite.  Zucchini was the seasonal vegetable of the day and it was also quite good.  

My wife ordered the Lobster Rolls with fries.  While the fries were not great, the lobster rolls were terrific.  The lobster tasted fresh, the cole slaw had good flavor, and the bread was delicious.  These were some of the best lobster rolls I have had in several months.  Unfortunately, my wife thought they were great too and only allowed me one bite.

Lobster Rolls

I was quite full after eating all this food, but I didn't let it stop me from ordering dessert.  The four of us decided to split the Berry Shortcake, which was topped with strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and an ample amount of whipped cream.  This tasty dessert had so much fruit that I almost felt like I was eating healthy!  We were more than happy with our choice of this seasonal dessert.

Berry Shortcake

My family enjoyed our first visit to Bonefish Grill.  The kids gave a thumbs up to their mac n' cheese and chicken strips.  Although this casual restaurant borders on being a fine dining establishment, the staff was more than accommodating to kids and the table is covered in butcher paper which the kids can use to color.  It was busy when were were there and I anticipate it continuing to be busy as there are not many decent seafood options in this area.  We arrived around 5:30 and by the time we left an hour later, there was a long wait (approximately 40 people) for a table.  The food and service at this place will certainly bring us back.

Bonefish Grill
https://www.bonefishgrill.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=3

Allen Cafe

When I am not dining out, I enjoy spending time outdoors.  Outdoor activities can often work up an appetite, which usually leads me to searching for a place to grab some grub.  On a recent day that I had done a little fishing at Bethany Lakes Park in Allen, I decided to try out the Allen Cafe.  I really hadn't heard that much about the place, but it had a high rating on Urbanspoon.  Since I was already in the area, I stopped by the restaurant on my way home.

I arrived around 11 a.m. and saw that about half the patrons were ordering breakfast and the rest of them were ordering lunch.  Breakfast didn't sound appetizing on this particular morning, so I began to scan over the lunch menu.  As I was looking over the menu, the waitress informed me of the daily specials.  Chicken Fried Steak was one of the specials and it came with a soup or salad, your choice of potatoes, and a vegetable for $8.59.  That sounded like a very good deal, so I ordered went ahead and ordered the special.

Salad with House Dressing

My salad arrived within a couple of minutes of placing my order and I liked the taste of the house dressing, but would have liked some croutons on it.  Shortly after I finished my salad, my entree was placed before me.  The chicken fried steak was tender, but it was very bland and the batter was not crispy.  It was quite possibly the worst chicken fried steak I have had all year.  That is saying a lot when you consider the fact that I had a chicken fried steak in a school cafeteria just a few months ago.  The fries and okra were very basic, but the okra was far superior in taste and I enjoyed the batter on the okra much more than the batter on the chicken fried steak.

Chicken Fries Steak Special with Fries and Okra

I cannot say that I was very impressed with the Allen Cafe.  My waitress was very friendly and gave outstanding service, but I was not impressed with the food.  Although the chicken fried steak special was only $8.59, I did not feel like it was a very good value due to the poor quality of the chicken fried steak.  The salad was delicious, but my meal went downhill quickly after finishing off my salad.

Allen Cafe

http://allen-cafe.com

Livin the Good Life Rating=1

Liberty Burger Allen

One of my favorite DFW burger joints, Liberty Burger, recently opened up a location in Allen.  They put up the signage on the restaurant back in May, but it didn't actually open until a couple of weeks ago.  Once I heard that it was officially open for business, the wife and I loaded up the kids and paid a visit to the new location.

Dining area 

I was craving The Nooner, which is my favorite burger at Liberty Burger.  The Nooner comes topped with American Cheese, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Ham, Hashbrowns, a Fried Egg, and Ketchup.  I had the burger cooked medium and it was cooked perfectly.  The cornucopia of breakfast ingredients on this burger make it the perfect burger for brunch-time.  I also ordered the steakhouse-style onion rings to go with my burger.  Having been to other locations of Liberty Burger, I knew that I preferred them to fries.  The rings are huge and have a crispy batter that is seasoned well.

The Nooner

Big O Rings

My wife also loves the burgers here, but she is on a diet and ordered the Crunchy Salad.  She was quite impressed with her meal which consisted of Spring greens, Feta cheese, cranberries, maple almonds, walnuts, green apples, croutons, and poppy seed dressing.  Both kids ordered from the kid's menu and ate heartily.  One had the grilled cheese with fruit and the other had the chicken tenders with fries. 

Crunchy Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Kids Chicken Tenders

I am very pleased that there is now a location of this restaurant in Allen.  It is only a five minute drive from my house, so I foresee many future visits to this place.  I eat a lot of burgers in the DFW area and Liberty Burger makes some of the best around.  This place certainly ranks in my top five DFW burger joints and now Collin County residents can experience the greatness of Liberty Burger without having to drive to Dallas.


Liberty Burger-Allen, TX
http://givemelibertyburger.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=4

Black Walnut Cafe

Black Walnut Cafe is a small chain based in the Houston area that has opened it's first restaurant in the DFW area.  The location in Allen opened up a couple of weeks ago and there are currently plans for locations in Flower Mound and Coppell.  My family has been passing by the Allen location throughout the construction process, so we were pleased to see that they were finally open for business.  

Enjoying a nice day on the patio with my girls

A colleague said that she enjoyed Black Walnut Cafe so much that she ate their each of the first three days it was open.  I can think of very few places where I would like to dine three days in a row, so I had high hopes when entering the restaurant.  When we arrived, we were greeted by a hostess who handed us a menu and told us that we order at the counter.  

Doohickey's Crispy Southwestern Egg Rolls.

We quickly ordered our meals for us and the kids.  After a little deliberation, we started out with an order of the Doohickey's Crisp Southwestern Egg Rolls.  They were served cut in half on a bed of lettuce.  The egg rolls had roasted chicken, corn, black beans, cilantro, jalapeños, and bell peppers.  They were then topped with pico de gallo, lime juice, and sour cream.  My wife and I both thought this appetizer was terrific and had great flavor.  I really liked the crispiness of the egg roll and it was just spicy enough for me, but not too spicy for my wife.

Anderson's 'Bout Time Chicken Sandwich

For my entree, I ordered the Anderson's 'Bout Time sandwich.  The sandwich had a grilled chicken breast, Swiss cheese, sliced avocado, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and alfalfa sprouts.  The chicken itself was very flavorful and the veggies were fresh.  I was disappointed in the fries that were served with the sandwich, because they did not appear to be fresh cut and had too much seasoned salt for my taste.

Eggs Benedict and potatoes

My wife had the Eggs Benedict served with house potatoes.  She really liked the Eggs Benedict, but thought the potatoes were just okay.  My kids enjoyed their items that they ordered off the kid's menu.  

Hummingbird Cake

While we were ordering, we noticed that they had a dessert counter that looked appealing.  When we finished our meals, I went to take a second look at the dessert selections.  I ended up getting some gelato for my girls and a slice of Hummingbird Cake for my wife and I to split.  The cake had good flavor and you could definitely taste the pineapple and bananas, but it was a little dry.  There was also a small hint of cinnamon and the cream cheese icing was perfect.

Black Walnut Cafe gets a mixed review from me.  Some items were good and others were not.  The restaurant is kid friendly and it has a patio that is a perfect area to sit on a nice day.  We did not have to wait very long before our appetizer was ready and our meals were ready just a few minutes later.  This restaurant has a huge menu and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  I am pleased that another restaurant has opened just a few minutes from my house and I look forward to dining again at Black Walnut Cafe.  

Black Walnut Cafe
http://blackwalnutcafe.com/locations/dallas-locations/allen/
Livin the Good Life Rating=2

PaneVino

PaneVino was recently recommended to me by a coworker.  Since I am always on the lookout for a new pizza joint, I decided to give it a try.  The restaurant can be found within the confines of The Village at Allen, which makes it just a five minute drive from my home.

Wood-fired Pizza Oven

On a day that neither my wife and I had the energy to cook, we loaded up the fam and headed to PaneVino.  We were a little early for the big dinner rush and the staff was very attentive from the moment we walked in.  We started with Mozzarella sticks and they arrived within just a few minutes.  They were piping hot with a crispy batter and served with a warm marinara sauce.  As tasty as they were, I was disappointed that there were only five to an order.

Mozzarella sticks

My wife and I often have different tastes when it comes to pizza, so we ordered two of the wood-fired pizzas on this visit.  We ordered the Margherita pizza which is made with fresh Mozzarella, fresh basil, and tomato sauce.  For the second pizza, I decided to create my own and went with a Canadian bacon and oregano pizza.  Both pizzas had a crispy crust that had great flavor.  My wife preferred the Margherita pizza, but I was particularly fond of the Canadian bacon and oregano.

Margherita Pizza

Canadian Bacon and Oregano

We all left PaneVino pleased with the meal we had.  My toddler particularly liked her bowl of spaghetti and ate with reckless abandon.  The food is good here, the service is commendable, and the ambiance is much nicer than most restaurants you find in a shopping center.  Another plus for this restaurant is that it is kid friendly and the food is prepared quickly.   I enjoyed the pizza on this visit, but I really want to try some of their Italian dishes next time we visit PaneVino.

Spaghetti and Meatball enjoyed by my toddler

PaneVino

http://panevinoallen.com

Livin the Good Life Rating=3

Kelly's at the Village

On a recent Sunday evening, my wife and I were very extremely tired; her from shopping and me from a stressful afternoon of following my fantasy football teams.  Neither of us wanted to cook, so we decided to go out for dinner. We didn't want to go to far, so we decided to venture to the Allen/Fairview area around Stacy Road.  I wanted to go somewhere that I could continue watching football, so we decided to give Kelly's at the Village a try.

Patio area at Kelly's at the Village

We had never been to this restaurant before, but we had dined at Kelly's other restaurant, Kelly's Eastside, in downtown Plano.  It was a nice evening, so we sat on the patio area.  They had a pretty decent selection of appetizers that included chips and queso.  Never being one to turn down this particular appetizer, we ordered chips and queso and added spicy beef.  The queso had excellent flavor and the spicy beef gave it a mild kick, but it was a little too runny for my particular tastes.

Chips and Queso with Spicy Beef

For my entree, I ordered the chicken fried steak with fries and dirty rice.  The chicken fried steak itself was fairly avererage.  The batter had a nice flavor, but it was somewhat tough and didn't come topped with much gravy.  The fries had a great seasoning to them, but were very chewy and made me think that they had been sitting out too long prior to being served.  The dirty rice is not something that I would usually order with chicken fried steak, but it had great flavor.  My only complaint was the fact that it was a little too dry and made me think that it too had been sitting out too long under a heat lamp prior to being served.  The meal was also served with cornbread which was flavorful, but somewhat cold.  

Chicken Fried Steak with Fries, Dirty Rice, and Cornbread

My wife ordered the grilled chicken club with cheese, bacon and avocado.  She said the it was delicious, but she also didn't care for the fries either.  My oldest daughter had the kids chicken fingers with fries and didn't seem to have any complaints.

Grilled Chicken Club 

Kids Chicken Tender Basket

Our first visit to Kelly's at the Village had mixed results.  Some items were really good, while other were less than desirable.  The service was decent and the patio areas was very comfortable with plenty of TVs for me to watch the game.  I would be willing to go back here again and try some other items.

Kelly's at the Village
http://www.kellysatthevillage.com/HomeVillage.html
Livin the Good Life Rating =3