Super Chix

I was in Richardson, TX for work one day and decided to head to the newish CityLine development to see what they had to offer.  Several restaurants now occupy this new area, but I decided to have lunch at Super Chix.  Several food bloggers and foodies have posted reviews and pictures of this restaurant on social media lately, so I thought I would see what all the buzz was about.

The restaurant offers chicken sandwiches and chicken tenders.  I couldn't decided between the two, so I ordered both.  For my sandwich, I ordered the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich, which was marinated in spices and tossed in their Nashville Sauce.  It was spicy, but not overly spicy and was served with a few thick-cut kosher pickles.  The sandwich was definitely in the upper tier of fried chicken sandwiches.

Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich

The chicken tenders were  crispy and had great flavor.  Patrons can choose between 4 different sauces and I chose the Mississippi Come Back Sauce, which tasted a lot like Thousand Island dressing.  If I had a do-over, I would have chosen the Alabama White Sauce.  I ordered the fries for a side and had them tossed in Rosemary Black Pepper seasoning.  As great as the chicken was, the fries were absolutely incredible and the portion was huge!

Chicken Tenders and Rosemary Black Pepper Fries

I was too full to try the frozen custard, which I hear is spectacular, but I did enjoy a grapefruit soda that was very refreshing.  This place is a little pricier than most fast food chicken joints, but the quality is better too.  If this place was closer to my home, I would certainly eat here often.  Next time I am in Richardson, I definitely plan a return trip!

Super Chix
http://superchix.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=4

Grub Burger Bar

Grub Burger Bar recently opened another DFW location in Plano, Texas.  Several friends and fellow foodies said that they really enjoyed the burgers and food at the other Metroplex location on Greenville Avenue.  Despite the recommendations, I had yet to make it down to try that location, but was pleased to see that another location had opened in Plano, which is a much closer drive for me.

Bacon Love #9

We arrived to a line about 10 deep, but it moved quickly and they were taking our order in a matter of minutes.  I ordered the Bacon Love #9, which includes applewood smoked bacon, American Cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and secret sauce #9.  The burger was extremely juicy, the bacon was crispy and flavorful, and the overall flavor was spectacular.  I upgraded my fries to include the bacon cheese fries (minus the jalapeños) and they were delicious as well, particularly the bacon.  My buddy had the Mac 'N' Cheeseburger, which was topped with macaroni and cheese.  He said the texture was a little unusual, but he liked his burger as well.

Bacon Cheese Fries

Since the venue was newly opened, they were serving small samples of milkshakes to customers and I had a chocolate shake sample, which was certainly above average in the shake department.  I felt the service was pretty good and they got our food to us within 12 minutes, despite the fact that the place was jam packed.  The restaurant also has a full bar and a patio, but I wouldn't recommend sitting outside in North Texas until at least October.  I was impressed with what I had and I will be back to Grub Burger Bar!

Grub Burger Bar (Plano Location)
http://grubburgerbar.com/project/plano-tx/
Livin the Good Life Rating=4
 

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

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

The Great Southern Cafe

Seaside, Florida has quite a few restaurants in the downtown area.  During our previous visit to the town, we tried quite a few of them but didn't get to dine at all of them.  The Great Southern Cafe was one of them that we did not get to try on our first trip to Seaside.  We made it a point to remedy that situation on this trip because several friends highly recommended the restaurant.

Covered Patio Area 

Since my wife and I are both fans of collard greens, we started with the Soul Rolls.  They were essentially spring rolls filled with chicken and collard greens.  We both enjoyed the Asian-style take on a Southern-style food.  The rolls themselves were quite good, but I didn't particularly care for the peach chutney or the horseradish sauce that was served with them.

Soul Rolls

I had heard through the rumor mill that their Grits and Grillades was a dish that was not to be missed.  Having never had grillades before, it was a very unique taste and reminded me of gumbo made of beef.  This restaurants version of the dish consisted of slow roasted beef in a Shiraz stew and served over smoked Gouda cheese grits.  I absolutely loved the flavor of the dish and it was unquestionably the best-tasting food item I had on this trip.  It was so good that I almost cried when I shoveled the last bite in my mouth.

Grits and Grillades

My wife decided that she wanted to try the vegetable plate.  When people order the vegetable plate, you assume that they are trying to eat healthy.  This was not the case this time around as my wife chose fried okra, fried green tomatoes, grits, and black-eyed peas.  Everything on the plate was delicious, but the fried okra cut length-wise was absolutely incredible.

Veggie Plate-Fried Okra, Fried Green Tomatoes, Grits, and Black-Eyed Peas

We enjoyed the food at The Great Southern Cafe and were pleasantly surprised how cool the breeze as it was blowing off the ocean while we sat on the patio.  The place always seems to be packed to the gills, but the service was more than adequate despite the large crowd.  This place will definitely get a return visit from me the next time my family visits Seaside!  

The Great Southern Cafe
http://www.thegreatsoutherncafe.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

Stan's Main St. Grill

Stan's Main St. Grill is located in an old house in downtown Frisco.  This location formerly housed Frisco City Grille and, before that, Manny's.  Although I was not a huge fan of the previous two occupants, I jumped at the opportunity to meet a couple of work colleagues there for dinner one night.

View of the bar from one of the dining areas

Stan's is a very casual joint with a huge outdoor patio.  The restaurant serves sandwiches, burgers, salads, and a variety of fried entrees.  Several appetizers seemed appealing, but we decided to start with the Chips and Queso.  The queso was good, but we all loved the salsa which tasted like it was freshly made.

Chips, Queso, and Salsa

Being a sucker for fried food, I went with the chicken fried steak for my entree.  The diner has a choice of cream gravy or jalapeño cream gravy.  I had to go with the jalapeño cream gravy and it went really well with the hand battered and tender chicken fried steak.  I would have preferred that the jalapeño pieces be diced to a smaller size, but it was still very tasty.  The fries were lightly seasoned and went well with the chicken fried steak.

Chicken Fried Steak with Jalapeño Cream Gravy

Although I was too full for dessert, I felt that Stan's definitely was an upgrade from the previous restaurants housed at this location.  The food was good, the portions were ample, the prices were reasonable, and the service was commendable.  Stan's is centrally located and within a 10 minute drive of almost anywhere in Frisco.  With the large patio and numerous televisions, Stan's would be a great place to hang out with friends or a perfect place for a casual dining experience with the kids.

Stan's Main St. Grill
http://www.stansfrisco.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=3

Coal Vines

I was recently in Austin for a conference, so I had a whole list of restaurants that I wanted to try to visit while I was there.  A group of us tried to go to one of the restaurants on my list, but it was an hour wait to get a table and we decided just to go dine at an Italian restaurant that we had previously passed.  We had walked past a restaurant called Coal Vines that looked like a fun place to dine, so we decided to go eat there since it was close by and was not crowded.

Caesar Salad 

Cheese Sticks

The sign on the door said it was a pizza, pasta, and wine bistro, so we thought it would be a good place to dine because it offered some variety.  In addition to their regular menu, they also had some specials on this night that included Italian inspired seafood.  I started with a Caesar salad and we ordered some cheese sticks for the table.  The romaine lettuce on my salad was fresh and crispy,  but I was not particularly impressed with the flavor of the Caesar dressing.  The cheese sticks had what tasted like pesto mixed in with the cheese, which gave them a unique flavor that went well with the fried batter and marinara sauce.

Small Pizza with Prosciutto and Basil

For my main course, I ordered a small pizza with prosciutto and basil.  I was a little disappointed that the pizza did not have much prosciutto on it because I had anticipated it being covered in the tasty Italian dry-cured ham.  The pizza was much larger than I had expected, but I made a valiant effort to finish the whole pie.  Other members of my party got the chicken parmesan, the spicy Italian sandwich, and the cod piccata.  

Clockwise from top left-Chicken Parmesan, Spicy Italian Sandwich, and Cod Piccata.

Although we were all too full for dessert, none of us were particularly impressed with the food.  The service was good and the dining area was comfortable, but nobody in my party ate anything that was noteworthy.  I don't know if I would go out of my way to eat here again, but I would give it another shot if I was in the area and looking for a place where I didn't have to wait to be seated.  Coal Vines has a nice outdoor dining area next to the sidewalk, but I wouldn't recommend sitting there during the summer months because Austin can get pretty warm.

Coal Vines

http://www.coalvinesoftexas.com

Livin the Good Life Rating=2

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