Butcher Board

A co-worker recently recommended that I try Butcher Board, which is a new sandwich placed that opened next to Sugarbacon Proper Kitchen in downtown McKinney.  Butcher Board was actually opened by the same team that owns Sugarbacon, so I had high expectations prior to entering.  Unlike it's sister restaurant, patrons order at the counter and your sandwiches are brought to your table.

Below are a few items that we sampled on this visit:

The Whole Hog - If you like pork, this is the sandwich for you.  the bread is topped with a generous portion of honey-glazed ham, pulled pork, bacon, Swiss, and bbq mayo.  This sandwich was phenomenal and I would defiantly eat it again.

Wagyu Brisket Daily Special- This sandwich was a slightly different one then the one on the regular menu.  This sandwich had Wagyu brisket, cole slaw, jalapeños, and bbq sauce.  I was surprised by how good the brisket actually was.  It was tender, the fat was well rendered, and it had the perfect amount of smoke to it. This sandwich rivaled anything I have had at highly rated barbecue joints in the area.

Kids Chicken Strips- My daughters ordered these from the kids menu and I stole one (I realize this takes me out of the running for Father-of-the Year).  These chicken strips were battered with corn meal and fried like catfish.  Although unusual, it was good and my daughters enjoyed them.

Chocolate Chip Cookie- This was a huge cookie that had to way over 1/4 a pound.   The quality of the cookie was very good and neither of my kids could finish their cookie, which left some for me!

S'Mores Brownie - This brownie was topped with marshmallows, chocolate chips, and crushed graham crackers.  I am not a fan of brownies in general, but this one was one of the best brownies I have ever had.

To say we were all pleased with our first visit to Butcher Board, would be an understatement.  The food was incredible and the staff was friendly and good at their jobs.  I will be back here in the near future because I really want to try a couple of other sandwiches, the Texas Cuban and the Wagyu Roast Beef.  This place takes sandwiches to a new level and rivals the other heavyweight and highly acclaimed sandwich shop in Downtown McKinney, Patina Green.

Butcher Board
http://butcherboard.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=5

Rye. Craft Food and Drink

In recent blog posts, I have described what a great destination Downtown McKinney has become, especially for foodies.  Several new restaurants have opened on the Square and one can easily find delicious restaurants with a variety of cuisines.  Earlier this year, Rye. Craft Food and Drink, opened in between Square Burger and Bien Salsa.  Since it has opened, my family has had the opportunity to eat there a couple of times and we have been impressed on both occasions.  

Below are some items that I have tried and my opinions of them:

Eggs Benedict- For brunch each Sunday, Rye offers an Eggs Benedict of the Day.  On one occasion, they offered pulled chicken atop bread pudding that was covered in chipotle Hollandaise sauce.  On another visit, they Benny of the Day was smoked Prime brisket atop house-made ricotta and fried green tomatoes, then topped with chive Hollandaise sauce.  Both were yummy, but I particularly liked the variety with the brisket and fried green tomatoes.

Chicken and Chipotle Hollandaise Sauce atop Bread Pudding 

Smoked Prim Brisket and House-made Ricotta atop Fried Green Tomatoes with Chive Hollandaise Sauce

Biscuit Slider Trio - Biscuit slider served with three different ingredients: crispy ham with local preserves, friend chicken with local honey, and applewood-smoked bacon, tomato, and goat cheese.  Although a little on the small side, the biscuits were delicious and I particularly liked the ham and the fried chicken.  

Rye Burger- 8 oz. burger served with rye-whiskey mustard, aged white cheddar, and a buttered brioche bun.  Simple burger, but the beef had a nice char and the veggies were fresh.  The mustard can be a little over-powering, so I recommend using it in moderation.  

Pancakes- Ordered these as a side and they were served with maple vanilla syrup.  I thought they were quite good and on a future visit, I will have to order the variety topped with Nutella and bacon.

Both of our visits have been at brunch, but we have liked the items we have tried so far.  My wife and I plan on dining here for dinner at some point and trying some of their dinner entrees like their steaks, pan roasted grouper, or chile-rubbed pork tenderloin.  Although the space is very intimate and has limited seating, the service had been exceptional on both visits and we like the rustic decor of the restaurant.  This place is certainly another welcome addition to the McKinney Square. 

Rye. Craft Food and Drink
http://www.ryemckinney.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=4
 

Sugarbacon Proper Kitchen

There are some restaurants that have such catchy names that they seem to draw you to them.  Sugarbacon Proper Kitchen, in downtown McKinney, is one of those restaurants.  What is there not to love about sugar and bacon?  I think bacon is so amazing that it should be it's own food group!  Foodies in Collin County and particularly those in McKinney, have eagerly awaited this restaurant's opening.  This brainchild of former Jasper's GM Johnny Carros and Jon Thompson, former executive chef at Stampede 66, opened it's doors to the public in late June.

Bar at Sugarbacon

Naturally, the Sugarbacon appetizer was the first item I tried.  The restaurant's namesake did not disappoint and is an absolutely delectable little bite.  This appetizer consists of smoked Berkshire pork belly that is basted in ancho barbecue sauce and served atop a crostini with bread-and-butter pickles.  The Sugarbacon here is tender and the ancho barbecue sauce has outstanding flavor.

Sugarbacon

I have also been impressed with the few entrees and sandwiches that I have tried.  It seems that everyone is doing Shrimp and Grits these days, but Sugarbacon does it much better than most.  The shrimp were perfectly cooked, had a tasty glaze on them, and sat atop some very fine grits that had a cheesy flavor to them. 

Shrimp and Grits

Of the sandwiches that I have tried, the Pulled Berkshire Pork Sandwich is my favorite.  The pork was extremely tender, had great flavor, and was topped with the barbecue sauce and some terrific cole slaw.  As good as the sandwich was, the house cut fries certainly don't play second fiddle to the sandwiches.  I don't know how else to describe them other than simple, salted, and amazing.  I could have eaten baskets full of them.

Pulled Berkshire Pork Sandwich

The SB Burger was also fantastic, although somewhat messy.  The burger is made with wagyu beef that comes from local favorite, Local Yocal.  The beef itself was excellent, but the flavor really goes over the top when you add a slab of sugarbacon slathered in ancho sauce, cheddar, garlic mayo, and b+b pickles on a buttered bun.  I also sampled the Griddled Cheese Sandwich, which included mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, and sunflower pesto spread.  The pesto was quite unique and really gave the sandwich a flavor that was unusual, yet pleasing.

SB Burger 

Griddled Cheese Sandwich 

I have only tried one dessert, but I would be doing you a disservice if I did not recommend it to you.  The Chocolate Hazelnut Icebox Pie is a killer dessert.  It was so good, that we actually ordered it again on our second visit and didn't even consider ordering anything else.  The chocolate is very rich, has a great texture, and is served atop what tasted like a shortbread crust and topped with whipped cream.

Chocolate Hazelnut Icebox Pie

It definitely appears that downtown McKinney has another tasty and quirky gem that is fit for foodies.  Everything we have tried so far has been top notch and the service has matched the food.  When I first moved to McKinney, there was only a handful of restaurants on the square and now there are several outstanding restaurants.  I would rank Sugarbacon right on up there with the best in the area!

Sugarbacon Proper Kitchen
http://sugarbacon.com/#/
Livin the Good Life=4

Bayou Jack's Cajun Grill

Downtown McKinney is one of my favorite places to dine in the DFW area.  The Square in downtown is really becoming a legit foodie destination.  New restaurants seem to be popping up weekly on the Square and Bayou Jack's Cajun Grill recently opened next door to Mellow Mushroom.  The small chain also has locations in Sulphur Springs and Roanoke.

Dining area at Bayou Jack's

I dined at Bayou Jack's with my wife, kids, and in-laws.  We really didn't know what to expect, because it is hard to find good Cajun fare in the DFW area.  Our group arrived shorty after they opened for lunch, but we were warmly greeted by the staff and received good service right from the start.  I was very hungry due to skipping breakfast, so I decided to start with a cup of red beans and rice.  The red beans and rice was flavorful, but the cup was somewhat on the small side.  I also had a side of the onion hushpuppies served with remoulade.  The hush puppies were of good quality, had a perfectly crunch exterior, and the remoulade was a very good one.

Red Beans and Rice

Onion Hush Puppies

For my entree, I ordered the crawfish étouffée    The plate arrived with the best looking servings of étouffée I have seen in some time.  It even was even topped with a very large crawfish on tope.  Luckily for me, it tasted as good as it looked.  The dish had a large quantity of crawfish compared to ones I have had at other restaurants.  The dark roux was very spicy, which was perfect as far as I was concerned.  This was one of the best plates of étouffée I have had in quite some time.

Crawfish Étouffée 

Other members of my group got the gumbo and the blackened catfish topped with crawfish étouffée.  Both my kids got the chicken bites with "bayou fries".  There was not a member of our party that was not pleased with their meal.  

Gumbo

Blackened Catfish topped with Crawfish Étouffée 

We were all pleased with our first visit to Bayou Jack's Cajun Grill.  The food was delicious and the service was outstanding.  The restaurant is very casual and kid friendly as well.  If anyone is looking for authentic Cajun food at a reasonable price, then you need to take a trip to the McKinney Square and give Bayou Jack's a try.

Kid's Chicken Bites and Fries

Bayou Jack's Cajun Grill
http://www.bayoujackscajungrill.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=3

Emporium Pies

During our family outing to escape the 2013 DFW Icepocalypse, we went to downtown McKinney and enjoyed lunch at Spoons Cafe.  Following lunch, my wife and I both had a sweet tooth and decided to walk around the corner and try the new pie shop.  Emporium Pies had very recently opened up a sister location to it's popular Bishop Arts District location and we were anxious to try out this new location in Downtown McKinney.

Pie Counter at Emporium Pies

Several Dallas area publications had very high praise for this pie shop, so we had high hopes for this new location.  When we arrived, they even told us they were giving a ten percent discount to all local residents who ventured the dangerous road to come eat pie.  The location of Emporium Pies in Downtown McKinney is very "cute" according to my wife, but I was more impressed with the smell when we walked in.  The smell of coffee and pies filled the entire pie shop.

The Smooth Operator

Several delicious-sounding pies were on the menu on this particular day.  The gentleman behind the counter informed us that they had some pies that they served year-round and others that they rotated seasonally.  It was a tough choice, but I chose the Smooth Operator (French Silk Chocolate on a Pretzel Crust) and so did my oldest daughter.  My wife chose the Lord of the Pies (Deep Dish Apple Pie with Cinnamon Streusel).  We also ordered two cups of coffee and sat down to wait for our slices of pie to arrive.

Lord of the Pies

After five minute wait, our order arrived and they looked amazing.   My first bite of the Smooth Operator was the highlight of my ice-filled weekend.  I quickly devoured the rest of what was the best chocolate pie I have ever had the pleasure of eating.  My wife only gave me one bite of her apple pie and slapped my hand when I tried to get a second bite.  I am not usually a fan of apple pie, but this pie was good enough where I would eat it any day.  

My oldest daughter enjoying her pie 

My youngest daughter sneaking a piece of mommy's pie

On top of the awesome pies, the coffee was strong and had a rich flavor.  With this kind of quality desserts being served, I can see Emporium Pies becoming a frequent stop for our household.  I regret that I was not able to try all the pies on this visit, but I plan to try them all in the very near future.  I highly recommend Emporium Pies, so stop by if you are in the vicinity of the McKinney Square.

Emporium Pies
http://emporiumpies.com/
Livin the Good Life Rating = 5

Spoons Cafe

Icepocalypse 2013 hit McKinney Texas and covered our neighborhood in three inches of thick ice.  Due to the ice and the fact the temperature had not rose above freezing, I had not been able to leave the house in three days.  I had a severe case of cabin fever and could not take another hour being trapped in the house with my wife and two daughters.  If I had heard another verse of The Sound of Music, I might have gone crazy.  I decided I was escaping the house and spent two hours scraping my drive way and de-icing my truck.  I loaded the fam in my truck and we headed to downtown McKinney for lunch.

A few determined souls braved the icy roads.

We did not have a specific destination in mind, so we decided we would eat at the first place that struck our fancy and was actually open.  Spoons Cafe, located on the McKinney Square, was open and it sounded good to all in the car.  It happens to be a restaurant that my family enjoys, but we don't eat there often due to the fact that there is usually a long wait.  I know it might be hard to believe, but long waits with a five year old and a one year old are not that enjoyable.  Lucky for us, only seven to eight other groups had braved the icepocalypse and decided to dine at Spoons Cafe.  This restaurant is primarily known for their breakfast, but they serve up some pretty decent soups, sandwiches, and burgers.

My oldest warming up with some hot chocolate

We were seated quickly and decided we would start with an appetizer of cheese fries with bacon.  The peppered fries arrived covered in cheese and bacon.  I was very please that they had not skimped on the bacon, because it was delicious.  Without question, these were some the best cheese fries I have had in some time.

Some top notch Cheese Fries

For my main meal, I ordered the club sandwich with fried okra.  I usually don't eat sandwiches with okra, but I didn't want fries since I had just had a huge order of cheese fries.  The club was very good and included more of the fantastic tasting bacon.  The sourdough bread was fantastic as well, but I was a little disappointed that the sandwich did not have more turkey and ham on it.  The okra had a light batter that was really crispy and had great flavor.

Club Sandwich with Fried Okra

My wife got the half sandwich and soup combo; getting the BLTA (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, and Avocado) and the tomato basil soup.  She said that both were good, but she particularly liked the soup.  One of my daughters had the kids chicken strips and another got the grilled cheese.  Both cleaned their plates and I didn't hear any complaints from them.

BLTA and Tomato Basil Soup

This visit and every other visit to Spoons Cafe has been a pleasant one.  We were starving when we arrived and the food really hit the spot.  Although I would have preferred more deli meat on my club, I though the food was good overall.  The service was commendable and our waitress was very friendly.  Spoons Cafe is always a reliable breakfast and lunch destination for me and my family.

Spoons Cafe
http://www.spoonscafe.com/
Livin the Good Life Rating=3

Mellow Mushroom

A pizza joint, Mellow Mushroom, recently opened up a location in downtown McKinney.  It is a chain that has been opening locations in Texas over the last year.  Several coworkers have had high praise for this pizza joint, so I decided that I must give this place a try.  On a recent Saturday, my brother and I made plans to go to lunch and decided to give Mellow Mushroom a try.

As you first walk into the restaurant, you notice a very Austinesque (Texas word for hippie-like) feel to the restaurant.  The front of the restaurant is open air when the weather is nice, thus allowing patrons to enjoy the sights and sounds of Louisiana Street.  There is a large bar area in the middle of the restaurant with an enormous selections of brews on tap.  When we arrived, we were seated in the back of the restaurant towards the kitchen.  I was surprised by how big the restaurant was, because it looked like a small space from the outside.  

Kitchen and Dining Area (note the totem pole made from kegs)

Mellow Mushroom has a rather extensive menu that includes several appetizers, salads, sandwiches, etc. in addition to pizza.  Our waiter was very helpful in giving us advice and explaining the menu to us.  We decided to start with an order of the Muffeletta cheese bread, which is french bread that was topped with mozzarella and parmesan cheese.  It was served with a side of red sauce to dip your bread in and I thought the combination of bread and sauce was very good.  

Muffeletta Cheese Bread

Although the cheese bread was delicious, we were here to try their pizza.  Mellow Mushroom has an extensive selection of specialty pies, but they also have over forty toppings if you decide to build your own pizza.  My brother decided to order the Mighty Meaty, which was topped with pepperoni, sausage, ground beef, ham, and applewood-smoked bacon.  I built my own pizza with ham, applewood-smoked bacon, and fresh basil.

About twenty-five minutes after we ordered, our pizzas finally arrived.  My pizza could have won a prize if there was a pageant for beautiful looking pizza.  The pizza had a thick crust on the edges, but was somewhat thinner towards the middle.  What really made this pizza stand out was the fact that it included whole pieces of apple-wood smoked bacon.  Most places just have tiny bacon-bits on their pizza, but you get your money's worth at Mellow Mushroom.  It looked so good, I almost hated to eat it.  From the first bite, I knew this was going to be a great pizza.  The crust was fantastic and the toppings were absolutely delicious.  The apple-wood smoked bacon tasted as good as it looked.  The ham was good too, but not as delicious as the bacon.  My decision to top it with fresh basil also paid off, because the added flavor made it one of the better pizzas I have had in 2013.  

My Creation With Ham, Apple-Wood Smoked Bacon, and Fresh Basil

My brother gave me a slice of the Mighty Meaty pizza and it was a carnivore's dream.  Mellow Mushroom does not skimp on toppings and I ingested protein on every single bite.  By the time we finished our pizzas, we were both ready for a nap.  

The Mighty Meaty

Even though I had heard good things about Mellow Mushroom, I was skeptical because it was a chain.  It turns out I had nothing to fear, because the food was delicious.  Although we had to wait a long time for the pizza, our waiter and the rest of the staff were very attentive.  Cadillac Pizza Pub has been the undisputed champion of pizza in downtown McKinney, but they now have some legitimate competition with the addition of Mellow Mushroom to the Square area.

Mellow Mushroom
http://mellowmushroom.com/store/mckinney
Livin the Good Life Rating =3