Sichuanese Cuisine Restaurant

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I seem to keep going back to this spot on Coit and Park and devouring the same dishes over and over. And that’s unfair because it seems Sichuanese Cuisene offers a diverse offering of good spicy food that I always forget to order. When I say the food is spicy, I’m not joking…unlike Americanized Chinese dining, chili heat pervades the entire menu at Sichuanese. From the cold noodles to the hot-and-sour soup served at the lunch bar, and nearly every item on their short daily lunch menu is clearly marked to fire up your taste buds. My favorites: cumin lamb and spicy steamed fish. Now if only they’d post their menu online so that I can plan my next vist.

My rating: 3.0 stars

Umeko Sushi and Grill

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What DH and I thought was going to be a typical sushi outing turned into a delightful excursion into Taiwanese dining. The sushi we ordered were afterthoughts as my eyes hungrily scanned the Taiwanese offerings that dominated half Umeko’s menu. I ordered way too much food as usual in my zeal for adventurous dining. Craving that earthy meat, lamb with scallions caught my eye. While the dish seemed to drown in a sea of green, the preparation didn’t overpower the lamb and proved quite tasty (I confess to trying to clean the plate off before the server took it away). Also ordered were the mixed seafood on rice and a mixed vegetable plate…while the rice dish seemed rather skimpy on seafood (2 clams, squid, 2 chunks of shrimp, and assorted fish cakes) the sauce nevertheless made the bed of a rice a delicious repast. The vegetable dish itself didn’t seem too spectacular, save for the chunks of mushrooms which quickly disappeared. On the sushi side, Umeko similarly didn’t impress…smoked salmon and mackerel nigiri looked and tasted suspiciously dry and bland. The eel-draped dragon roll however elicited great satisfaction from the hubby, while the salmon volcano roll seemed overly smothered in an oily mayo sauce. Overall, the hit to the pocketbook was a shocking $90 (with tip)…perhaps on a future visit, we’ll stick to the Taiwanese menu.

My rating: 2.5 stars

Afghan Grill

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19177 Preston Road
Dallas, TX 75252
Phone: 972-818-0300

I discovered Afghan Grill from a glowing Guidelive review. I’ve only had the pleasure of sampling their modest but diverse lunch buffet, but it proved to be a crowd-pleasing foray into Middle Eastern dining. Dolmas, a rice pilaf sprinkled with carrots and raisins (or are those dates), memorable kofta meatballs, and meaty kabobs. Great value for a truly satisfying meal, and a comfortable place to escape for lunch.

My rating: 3.0 stars

Little Sichuan Cuisine

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240 Legacy Drive
Plano, TX 75023
Phone: 972-517-1374

Another Guidelive discovery, Little Sichuan proved to be more exciting when I found it situated in a new Asian marketplace across the street from the Cinemark Legacy megaplex in Plano. Hubby and I started with a mild Asparagus & Crab soup swimming with countless green slices of asparagus. I ordered two other starters and three more plates, much to the surprise of our server, who cautioned us that I had already ordered more than enough for two people. But those Chengu dumplings were delightful, and the cold tripe/meat dish heavily dressed in hot spicy peanut sauce was addicting. Hubby remarked on the light and airy nature of the chicken fried rice, which he approved of. The garlicky water spinach and the beef with cabbage demonstrated lasting appeal after taking them home as leftovers. For an ethnic Chinese spot, the staff was very attentive and helpful. The restaurant itself showed its newness from the bright, unadorned walls and clean space. Definitely worth a trip back to sample the other options on their modest-sized menu.

My rating: 3.5 stars

Plano Chinese Barbecue

930 W Parker Rd
Plano, TX 75075
Phone: 972-943-1010

In the search for closer-to-home Chinese BBQ outposts in North Dallas, hubby and I have stumbled upon this site on our way to our usual standby (First’s Chinese). And what a happy discovery we found. The usual BBQ list starts the Plano menu but then we venture into a more diverse selection of dishes and specialties. Take for instance the deep fried beef with black pepper and the now-classic deep fried pork with pineapple sauce. These two dishes alone are worth repeat visits to Plano Chinese…and revisited them we have. On other occasions we have sampled scallops with broccoli (enormous sea scallops), beef flat noodles (customized to our liking), young chow fried rice, combo hot pots (swimmingly yummy), and mixed vegetable dishes (bok choy and chinese broccoli options). On the occasional Sunday visits, they also offer a small selection of dim sum! The best part of all this is that Plano Chinese BBQ takes plastic, and that’s enough to keep us coming back for more. There’s a new Chinese BBQ king in the North Dallas/Plano area, and we’re now big fans of it!

My rating: 3.5 stars