Review - Favorite Yogurt in DFW Chinatown

Dear Wife and I checked in at Favorite Yogurt there in the 400 N Greenville strip. Modern space, clean, machines in good order, and all but one or two flavors frozen and ready to serve. The fellow working there was genteel and accomodating. Recommended, although it'd be pretty easy to go over $5 for each person.

I had:
original tart (why am I so late to this game? Awesome!)
vanilla - the most 'usual' flavor there
taro
green tea
lychee
blueberry

Wife had:
green apple
strawberry
orange

All the flavors were well done, which is not to say I think all those flavors belong in yogurt. Green tea was spot-on perfect flavor but not something I'd do again, though I like that same flavor in soy "ice cream".

Joe Bob Briggs would say "check it out".

ALDI review: beef jerky

Ok. Today's smackdown is beef jerky.

Jack Links vs Kroger vs ALDI Simms

Jack Links: $5 for 3.25oz (on sale for $3.99 that day). Uninspiring, almost wet.
Kroger: $2.99 for 3.25oz (on sale for $2.49 that day). I've had it, but don't remember much about it. Most house brand (and 2nd tier national) jerky isn't particularly good.
Simms: $2.99 $2.95 for 3.25oz. Decent for non-premium jerky.

Recommendation: make your own danged jerky. It's cheaper, more fun, and much better than storebought. Plus your house will smell like heaven for a couple of days. I like a good dusting of cracked pepper over jerky as it dries. Woo hoo! I've made jerky for a couple of decades and AB's recipe to be a great starting point. I suggest skipping his selfconsciously geeky box fan recommendation and use your dehydrator as the Good Lord intended.

Of course, if you are on a road trip it is mandatory to stop on the side of the highway to buy jerky from any smokehouse you might see. Bring all your money, as it will not be cheap.

{updated to correct Simms price; read the receipt wrong. D'oh}

ALDI's review series

Since ALDI is cheap but relies heavily on unfamiliar house brands, I'm going to start a series of reviews about ALDI food items. Before we start the beginner must know a few things:

1. bring your own bag for the loot. Yes, there are bags but you have to pay for them. Besides, not bringing your own bag is the Mark Of Cain which indicates you hate whales, koalas, endangered creek snails, etc.
2. bring a hard quarter if you want a cart. You have to use a deposit to get the cart. I just carry my stuff.
3. Cash and debit only. Seriously.

So here's the first reviews. Where possible I will compare national brand vs. common store brand vs. ALDI store brand.

Kool-Aid vs Wyler's vs ALDI Mixade

Kool-aid: ~$0.25 each ($3 for 12; see below). The standard from your childhood.
Wyler's: ~$0.20 each ($2.40 for 12; see below). Fewer flavors, but I don't veer far from the norm in most cases (sharkleberry excepted). Another exception: Wyler's black cherry is beautifully colored while Kool-aid's BC is plain red. Weird. 25% savings compared to Kool-aid.
Mixade: ~$0.89 for a package of 12. The packs I got were:

• 3x berry punch (blue)
• 1x grape
• 2x lemon-lime
• 2x strawberry
• 3x cherry
• 1x fruit punch (blech, I hate fruit punch)

If you liked all the flavors this would be a 70% savings compared to Kool-aid. Since I hate fruit punch and would not have bought that packet that makes it only a 68% savings.

Verdict: ALDI Mixade for the win.


I'll do saltine crackers next. Please try to control your excitement.

ALDI Richardson, TX
1549 E. Beltline Road
Richardson, TX 75081

Business hours
Monday - Friday 9am - 8pm
Saturday 9am - 8pm
Sunday 10am - 7pm

Review: Fiesta @ Plano/Buckingham

This is the location where there was a Sack 'n Save before. It'd been empty for a while so I was glad to see someone leasing the space.

The Grand Opening banner was still up and there was a small festival-type setup with a bounce house, etc, in the SE corner of the lot. The PA at the festival was pumping some groovy reggaeton dance tracks.

While I was finding a parking spot the Dear Wife commented that there was a rather serious looking SWAT-style security dudester walking the lot. He had that "tacticool" look I mock most of the time, but he had good situational awareness and handled himself professionally when I spoke with him briefly on our way out later. Thumbs up.

Upon entering the store the first thing I noticed was the polished concrete floors; I love that. Low maintenance, simple, honest, and pretty in a steampunk sorta way. Tortilla station front and center; the tortillas were still warm in the package I picked up. Produce section next in line, and this is (for me) the highlight of a Mexican grocery visit. Grabbed some limes (12/$1) and some kind of pear-shaped squash I can't identify.

The meat section had good-looking meat but I didn't get any today; we weren't going straight home afterwards. I did stop at the cheese shop and bought some queso de Oxaca, which was [mis?]labeled weirdly. When I asked for it by the labeled name (in my cringeworthy Spanish) the counterlady said "Oxaca?" Si, gracias, that's the one. I also picked up some queso de puerco (ie, head cheese) which I've always been fascinated with but never tried. This particular example is highly cartilegenous, so I assume it's mainly snout and ear. Should make a decent sandwich in my brown bag rotation.

Had to look for the bakery area to snag some pan dulce. A so-so display, but I picked up a gingerbread pig cookie. There were two kind of churros; plain and some word I didn't recognize. I picked the latter and since the churros were unexpectedly full of something (dulce de leche?) I will assume the word meant "filled". Wasn't bad but I prefer the plain ones as they are crispier.

The aisle signs were in English only, which seems kinda counterproductive (and maybe rude) if your target consumers are Hispanic. Maybe the bilingual or Spanish ones will go up later. Most of the (young and Latino) checkout staff spoke English among themselves for the most part when no one was in the lane. That brings me to a tip for the timid: if you are trying out a new shop where you don't speak the language, get in the checkout line with the youngest checker. S/he will likely move fluidly between English and the language of the market. Older checkers may be more fun as you gain confidence as they will likely help you with pronunciation and vocabulary if you are trying. The younger kids will just stick to English to get you through the line faster so they can text or play grab-ass.

So how does it compare to El Rancho? Rancho is an experience, an adventure. From the giant wall of pan dulce when you walk in to the tropical-looking food stands inside it scores high on the cultural richter scale. The new Fiesta is a grocery store, neat, clean, and a little boring. It happens to have Mexican food on the shelves but otherwise it could be an Albertsons or something. I find El Rancho more satisfying but it's too far away to become my go-to.




Fiesta Mart
1332 S Plano Rd
Richardson, TX 75081 Map
(972) 994-4300

Yelp

I am going to start writing my restaurant reviews on Yelp. It's really easy to do, and I've already used the reviews of others to find some great spots in Richardson.

Zenna: dinner review

Dear Wife and I went to Zenna Thai/Vietnamese in Plano, just off 75. Actually, we went there twice.

The first was last Saturday evening. The interior is interesting and calming, service was gracious and the food was good.

The 20-something idiot kids at the next table were not good. I suppose they were UTD students on a binge (beer tower at the table) and their behaviour was abhorrent and very, very loud. They were screaming, shouting and (NOT making this up) spitting on the floor of the restaurant. WTF?

We knew not to confuse the place with the morons in it, so we went back with DW's sister. A wonderful experience all around.

Bottom line: go there, but not on a weekend night.







Zenna
2500 N Central Expy
Plano Tx 75074
214 473 9797

Kel's (Richardson) breakfast review

The original Kel's is on Preston/Forest, and is known for good food, modest environment, and moneyed North Dallas folks slumming with the normals.

Kel's in Richardson is just as good. Good food, appropriate portions, excellent service, and friendly environment.

Check it out.

Kel's
800 N. Coit Rd
972.238.KELS (5357)

Dinner review: Tukta Thai

I've had two different cow-orkers goading me to to to TThai, so the Dear Wife and I finally went last night.

I was looking forward to it, since I've had some excellent salad rolls at Star of Siam (not recently!) and excellent pad thai and thai fried frice at the thai place that used to be at the NE corner of Spring Valley and Coit. It's since changed to Noodle Wave or something recently and haven't been back yet).

So I ordered thai fried rice and salad rolls. DW ordered some kind of beef dish.
Both were decent but not notable. I tried thai iced tea, and won't make that mistake again. Reminded me of licking a piece of pressure-treated lumber. The DW thought I was joking when I said it tasted like a patio deck. Until she tried it.

Two entrees, two drinks, one appetizer: $28.36 before tip.

Pros: many locals, BYOB, pleasant atmosphere, pleasant service and friendly (presumably thai) staff.
Cons: Kind of a crummy part of town. Food decent but not great.
Verdict: Not worth the hype, not worth the drive. I don't see us going back.

Located just off LBJ over near BoBo China (mentioned more for its sign visibility than culinary excellence).

Tukta Thai
9625 Plano Rd St 500
Dallas Tx 75238
214.342.0121

Dinner review: Ajisen Japanese Casual Dining

Ajisen is in the extreme NW corner of the self-titled "DFW China Town" strip mall on Greenville.

Decidedly more upscale than most of the unprentious shops and eateries in the mall. Modern interior, lovely view of a glassed-in kitchen.

It is noteworthy that there were actual Asian (not Mexican) folks in the kitchen. I say this not to denigrate our Hispanic brethren, but rather because it breaks the tradition that all kitchen staff in Dallas is Mexican regardless of the ethnic food type.

I had a scallop sushi, sea eel sushi, hot green cha, a bowl of edamame ($3.25), and a lacquerbox of kimchi-salmon fried rice ($8.95) off the Specials board that sounded too bizarre to pass up. It was decent, but I think I like my fried rice and kimchi seperate from now on. The lacquerbox presentation was perfect, my crappy pic above notwithstanding.

Every one on the staff (except my waitress) was omnipresent and attentive without being intrusive. Bad luck of the draw.

Win: Lovely interior. Good food (including $1/$2 sushi pieces), excellent presentation. Really nice to see the glassed-in kitchen.
Lose: Hit and miss service. Attentive ownership, attentive but socially clumsy waitress (first waiting job?). Strange 60s lounge music, thankfully not too loud.

Ajisen Japanese Casual Dining
400 N. Greenville Ave Ste 26
Richardson, Tx 75252
972 792 8888

Dinner review, Venezia I Italian Cafe

Smallish place built into the east side of the stripmall in the Kroger parking lot.

Wife got a small, decent pizza which was big enough that she ate it that night, and we shared it for dinner the next night. Actually improved in flavor when reheated at 400F. I had a linguini with white clam sauce (generous portion) and a nice 'rustica' salad, heavy on onions. Garlic rolls were of the type that are common and not to my liking.

Table service from two different service was quite good and of Old World style. I don't quite know how to explain this. But good European waiters approach service as a calling, profession. Good American waiters are naturally good at it and see it as stepping stone to a better job.

Example: I was eating at a large table in a villa outside Florence. I had a bit of the local chianto classico (or had a bit of nerves) and dropped my fork on the (fortunately carpeted) floor. An attendant came out of no-where, leaned in as if to whisper someone discreetly into my ear or take a request. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed that as part of the same fluid motion he had subtly placed a new fork next to my plate.

This is perhaps an overstatement of the kind of service I am trying to explain, but it illustrates the point.



Ok, back to the review. The waiters at Venezia had light accents that suggested eastern Europe. I couldn't place them until one presented the cheesecake and said "Enjoy, da?" :-)


Win: presentable food, quiet/appropriate music, appears to be BYOB, seating available, dine-in and take-out clientele appears to be 100% regulars. Gracious service; I overtipped.

Lose: not inspiring in any way. Cheesecake had a good flavor but appeared to be an industrial product created elsewhere. 'Thin crust' pizza was not thin.

Capable but not a standout. We were hoping to find a go-to restaurant nearby, but I am not convinced this is it. Maybe we need to go again and re-assess.


Venezia I Italian Cafe
908 Audelia Rd Suite 500
Richardson, Tx 75081
972.889.8559

Star of Siam - Dinner review

When I lived here before I used to swing by for the salad rolls.

The Dear Wife and I stopped in for dinner. The parking is horrible, spaces tight, and there are shady characters walking around (the area to the immediate west of this location along Spring Valley is probably the roughest part of Richardson).

The place is small and somewhat divey on the inside but that doesn't bother me.

Win: Attentive and pleasant service from a young (presumably Thai) waitress, who held the place down by herself despite her age. Salad rolls are excellent, crisp and seem to radiate healthiness. Yum!

Lose: Comic Book Guy at the next table. I learned I don't like coconut soup although theirs is supposed to be good. Ditto for tom yum. Wife's Thai fried rice was not the lovely, light, fresh dish we have had at other Thai eateries, but rather a heavy, dank mess.

I don't think we will be going back, unless I get a craving for those salad rolls.

Star of Siam
708 W. Spring Valley
Richardson Tx
972 497 9542

Pho Pasteur II - dinner review

Ate at the famed Pho Pasteur II today. It was good but not transcendant. The DW and I have eaten at the (original?) Pho Pasteur in Carrollton and like this Richardson restaurant and food better.

Win: great decor; almost hip. Well-constructed spring rolls. Attentive service. Good (though not great) broth; slightly bland with a barely noticeable soapy aftertaste? Good tripe. Discreet but easily viewed flatscreens for football. Nice big coke glasses.

Lose:spring rolls small and somewhat more expensive than usual. Screaming children during our visit though that is not the fault of the restaurant.


In case you're wondering, here is how I rate pho:

1. Pho Huy from the mid-late 90s. Amazing.
2. Tie: Pho Huy now, Pho Pasteur II. Good.
3. Pho Pasteur (Carrollton), Pho Bistro (Carrollton). Respectable.

Pho Pasteur II
1342 E. Beltline Rd
Richardson, Tx 75081

Que Huong - dinner review

First off, if you haven't had a hot bowl of pho ("fuh") you need to do so ASAP. It's seriously good stuff.

This is not my favorite pho place (quy hong is, or was) and I've heard great things about Pho Pasteur II, but it made for a nice dinner.

I like the bo (meatballs, aka "beef balls") so that's what I had. Most folks have one of many styles/types of thinly sliced beef.

Win: decent broth, quiet ambience, decent flavor on spring rolls
Lose: fried onion bits in the rolls were a good idea, but were unexpectedly hard.


Pho Que Huong
300 Terrace Dr
Richardson, TX
(972) 497-9661

Sultan Cafe and Hookah - dinner review

This one is a couple of blocks from the house, and during the summer always had a hopping patio scene out back.

Went on a chillier night and no one was on the patio. Upon entry, it appears to me that the hookah part is to the left and the dinner part is to the right. The Hookah smoke does not intrude on dinner. Older arabic-speaking men smoked leisurely and watched the TV (which was mercifully out of sight from the dining area).

I had a kebab plate at the suggestion of the friendly hostess. It was beautifully {presented} on a long rectangular plate.


Win: the food was good: kebabs, bread, hummus, sauces/salads, mint tea.

Lose: bread not replaced after I snarfed it down. Rather pricey at $20 for just myself.

I will attempt to paste in a really crappy cellphone pic, which I had to lighten with GIMP to make it visible at all. Don't laugh.


Sultan Cafe
201 S Greenville Ave
Richardson, TX 75081
(972) 235-7900

{edited to correct a typo}

Mediterranean Cafe and Bakery - dinner buffet review

Took the DW there. She is picky and normally does not like different foods. The buffet was decently although not overly large. Traditional stuff you might find at a Greek/Turkish/Arabic restaurant: yoghurt-based dips, hummus, hot pita bread, skewers of beef, shaved gyro {meat} (I think this one was about 2/3 beef and 1/3 lamb).

Wins: nice decor and soft arabic music. Food decently executed; nice hummus and raw vegetable salads with vinegar and lemon juice on it, I think. Unidentifiable, oily, complex-looking soup that I liked.


Loses: didn't get a water refill from the pleasant-but-inattentive hostess/cashier; she was holding the fort down by herself with 20 ppl in there so maybe she got a little overrun. The ricepudding/kheer (?) was much looser and had more rosewater in it than I am used to. Odd cake that looked just like cornbread but tasted like an american 1950s spicecake (which I do not like).

About 50% arabic and indian diners, about 50% anglo. I like to see a healthy segment of international clientele in places that serve international food - I want to eat what the locals eat. Also helps with unwieldy items because you can see how the "locals" do it.

Dinner was $8.99 IIRC. Dear wife suggested she would be willing to go back (yay!) and wondered aloud where we might get some music like that...


Mediterranean Cafe and Bakery is at 100 s central expy in the Heights shopping center. Many neat Indian shops there, so wander around a bit. Also the excellent Masami, which I will post about some other time.

Note: corrected {typo} and repaired title.

Palomina's - breakfast review

The DW and I just got back from Palomina's, in the Heights shopping center at Beltline/75. I think the addy is "100 s central expy".

Had weekend breakfast @ $6.99. Drinks $1.69.

Heavily tex-mex influence. I got the feeling that this is what our Mexican brethren eat for breakfast. Made one plate per buffet table, as is my usual practice. Little bit of everything then go back for what I liked.

Win: scrambled eggs and corn tortillas mixed up. Bacon. Odd texmex roast beef. Nice open space (used to be the Juan's many of us loved in that spot). Tolerable decor and not insanely noisy. Waitstaff took away the plates at about the right pace. Some kind of pale beef broth fat soup.

Lose: Nothing was really particularly good. Kinda like a low-end vegas buffet. Or about the quality you find in a low-end Chinese buffet. The menudo was not appetizing, although I usually like it.

We might go back for dinner some night but not breakfast again.