Ricky Ray’s BBQ

3100 Independence Parkway, Suite 299
Plano, Texas 75075
(972) 867-2000

I spotted a Chowhounder’s single review of this place, and given its address on Independence Pkwy (north of my work) I decided to pay it a visit. I ended up circling nearly all of the strip malls on all corners of Parker and Independence when I finally saw the storefront facing Parker Road.

The restaurant didn’t smell of smoke like I expected, it was clean but spartan. A flat panel tv hung on a wall, providing the only diversion in an otherwise quiet dining room. I guess the crowds haven’t caught wind of this place yet.

I ordered the brisket dinner (requested moist and chopped) with onion rings and sweet potato fries. I was really looking forward to the fries, since I never had it served this way before. The fries were merely ordinary, with a slight hint of crunchy sweetness. The onion rings proved better, which was just as well, because it took them 15 minutes or more to finally deliver my order. The gent behind the counter showed me the goods before sealing and bagging it.

When I got home, I was rather disappointed with the quantity and fine chop of the brisket (hidden under triangles of buttered toast). It looked and tasted rather dry, definitely a far cry from the moist that I requested. The only thing redeeming about the brisket was the smoky flavor which permeated every bite. For $8.99 + tax, I have to say I wasn’t very impressed. Maybe I should’ve gone with the stuffed spud or ribs.

I’m willing to give Ricky Ray’s another try, but I’ll make sure to try the sausage or the ribs…but I’m not sure I’d give them another shot if they fail me again.

My rating: 2.0 stars

Big Daddy’s Roadhouse BBQ

1000 Highway 78
Lavon, TX 75166
(972) 843-5200

I was excited to learn that one of Texas Monthly’s top rated BBQ joints was a few miles north of home in Lavon. Armed with my wishlist, I drove up 78 to find this top 50 winner to sample their offerings.

Apparently word had gotten around. Big Daddy’s small parking lot was full and a line extended to the door. Granted, the roadhouse was a tiny converted general store, so the line was maybe 6-8 people long. But quarters were still tight; I had to hug the wall to avoid getting slammed in the back by the door.

I’d compare Big Daddy’s to scaled-down Rudy’s BBQ (my favorite BBQ outpost in Austin). But the accolades were posted everywhere on the walls, and there was a general feeling of approval in all of the patrons waiting at the counter. This felt like award-winning BBQ being served here.

When my turn finally came, I decided on the Large Family Pack: 2 pounds of moist brisket, which the man behind the counter happily complied with, and a rack of ribs (he pointed out it was his 2nd-to-last rack in-house). Along with the meats, I ordered their Southern Potato Salad, macaroni and corn on the cob.

When I finally sat down with a family of 4 to sample the goods…all thoughts of Rudy’s brisket vanished from my mind. Big Daddy’s moist and juicy brisket blew it away. The man behind the counter had given us both sliced and rough chopped, and the chopped version was more outstanding than the sliced. Even the 20 minute drive to Rowlett didn’t dry out the meat. The ribs were similarly outstanding, slipping off the bone, and just toothsome goodness. Big Daddy’s quickly skyrocketed to the top of my all-time best BBQ list.

But to be fair, none of the sides proved to be as memorable as the meats…which is fine. None of these should ever eclipse the stars of the BBQ pit. The potato salad proved to be mustardy (I should’ve ordered the mayo version) although it best counterpointed the sweetness of the meats. The corn and macaroni were forgettably bland.

That’s okay with me…I know what I’m going to Big Daddy’s for, and it isn’t for filler. Brisket is king here in Lavon; I’m thrilled to live just a short drive away.

Followup 7/19/08:
Hoping against hope that the moist and juicy brisket wasn’t a fluke, I headed out to Lavon for another pound of brisket. Again, the brisket wowed me (though I did wish it had a more flavorful crust). This is absolutely splendid brisket. Kudos to Big Daddy’s for consistency and marvelous meats.

My rating: 4.0 stars

Chang Jing

400 N Greenville Ave Ste 11B
Richardson, TX 75081
(972) 231-3888

After spotting this review in Yelp, I decided to organize a group outing to sample Chang Jing’s menu. We found our party of 10 (including 2 children) seated in a friendly and somewhat upscale setting. Our server was very accommodating, even when we asked to increase our party count by asking for another table to add to the mix. The manager was very taken by our toddler, and made sure to welcome us with a prankster’s ketchup bottle and a magic coin trick. My friend remarked that the name of the restaurant shared the same name as a popular Korean soap opera…I took his word for it.

The manager frequently stops at our table to entertain the toddler and the rest of adults, and made sure to sell his seafood pancake, which we finally ordered after his 4th or 5th sales pitch. The pancake proved to be a very good choice; it was devoured entirely. My friend proclaimed it the best seafood pancake he had ever tried…and I agreed with him.

Our party leaned toward the usual suspects off the menu, though I was very disappointed that grilled mackerel was nowhere to be found. Several of us ordered Kalbi, while the rest ordered either Bulgogi or the Bibimbap.

Kalbi, or barbecued short ribs, proved to be a satisfying rendition served on a sizzling hot plate on a bed of onions. While the onions weren’t as sharp or raw as I would like it, it still provided a juicy bed for the kalbi. My friend who enjoyed the pancake, ordered the large portion kalbi, which meant thick slabs of meat perched on uncut ribs…he enjoyed it immensely.

Bulgogi also proved to be a winner. One of my friends, who had never had Korean before, enjoyed her portion of Korean barbecue. She was won over and promised to be a regular Korean patron from now on.

Two more friends ordered the bibimbap, the Korean-style fried rice. One ordered it vegetarian style, while my best friend ordered it normal. Both agreed that the portions were huge, and ultimately satisfying.

The banchan were pleasant, I scarfed up the 3 types of kimchee served, and enjoyed the different radishes and seaweed offering. One small plate of banchan tasted of fried/crispy squid, which I wish they had supplied us more of. But overall, the banchan plates offered a great accompaniment to our main courses.

Were the prices not higher, I would have rated Chang Jing four stars. But perhaps the price was reflected in the comfortable and clean surroundings. I’d definitely visit again, if only to sample more of their menu. Great staff, great food, great company!

My rating: 3.5 stars

Baker’s Ribs

3318 Lakeview Parkway
Rowlett, TX 75088
(972) 475-6560

Blame the Food Network for inspiring me to set out in search of some good Texas ‘Que. I drove through a rainstorm in the opposite direction for the Rowlett outpost of Baker’s Ribs, and my first impressions of it were favorable. The second visit however didn’t fare so well.

My first time at Baker’s I ordered a 2 meat combo plate, ribs and brisket, along with sides of Au Gratin Potatoes and mac and cheese. The Mac was surprisingly cheesy, the potatoes were drier than I would have preferred. I had asked for moist brisket, and the guy behind the counter delivered. The ribs were also fall-off-the-bone moist, and I had eaten everything out of the carton that I could stomach–it was the most I had eaten in 3 weeks in fact.

When I headed back for another visit, the guy manning my order remembered me and was pleased I had come back for more brisket. This time, I ordered a spud and sausage for my 2 meat plate. Sadly, the brisket was dry with a salty/flavored crust and the sausage seemed the typical variety one buys on the cheap at the grocery store. I did enjoy the huge baking spud that accompanied the meal, and would prolly try their meat spud the next time I visit.

For more adventures in Texas Barbecue, I’ll be perusing the recent article at Texas Monthly.

My rating: 2.5 stars

Sushi Heaven

business

424 Jupiter Rd. Ste. 203
Plano, TX 75074
(972) 424.5350

Sushi Heaven used to have a secret identity: mild mannered donut shop by day, unassuming sushi shop by night. A few months ago, Sushi Heaven (formerly Sushi Donut) finally divested themselves of the donut business and went full tilt into the sushi business.

Hubby and I finally got to visit them again after their brief identity crisis. Gone are the donut cases and in their place, a wall of photographs and menu descriptions. The restaurant was still spare and unobtrusive, but it was clean, brightly-lit and lacking that fishy odor that one might expect of a hole-in-the-wall sushi shop.

We came here for cheap sushi, so let’s get on with the menu. I’m disappointed to see the lack of smoked salmon and mackerel on the menu…items that are likely considered too ethnic for the Caucasian traffic that’s expected to visit here. For starters, we ordered the Stuffed Jalapenos, Soft Shelled Crab and Edamame. Hubby in typical fashion ordered Salmon sashimi. For our rolls, which seems to be the restaurant’s focus, we selected the Salmon Volcano and the Dragon Roll.

Our server quickly served us hot tea, which we pretty much ignored, since we weren’t tea drinkers. I even ended up spilling some on accident when I proffered the kettle to dear hubby. Luckily, we managed to clean up the mess before the courses arrived.

I was happy with both the crab and jalapeno appetizers; the latter lightly battered and full of cream cheese to tame the heat of an obviously fresh jalapeno. The crab, while tasty, was less crunchy and a just a tad bit soggy…thought that may be attributed to the crab stuffing. Still both appetizers were delicious.

As the sashimi arrived, the salmon volcano came hot on its heels and minus the spicy sauce, as we had requested. Both hubby and I were delighted by this rendition, and both agreed that this was an excellent deal. (Nothing on the menu was priced over $10 last I checked.) The Dragon roll was an acceptable preparation, reliably tasty, though not as heavy on the unagi as we’ve experienced at Kobe. The salmon sashimi looked and tasted clean and fresh. The owner chef was amused upon seeing hubby’s sashimi-wrapping ritual. Maybe it might inspire him to create a roll on this idea in the future. After quizzing the chef-owner further, he indicated that he had another branch set to open in an Asian market off Custer and Spring Creek. We’re both happy to hear that his restaurant looks to be successful.

Hubby and I both walked out of Sushi Heaven much happier that we hadn’t blown over $50 for sushi and with intentions to come back should our cravings for Japanese strike again.

My rating: 2.5 stars

Hibachi Rock

business

201 E Bethany Dr
Allen, TX 75002
(972) 396-7600

Our Sunday quest for late lunch/early dinner took us into the direction of Allen. Hubby and I stumbled onto Hibachi Rock, and DH made the executive decision to pull up and dine, despite my reminder that Japanese restaurants don’t typically open until 5pm for dinner (it being 4pm on a Sunday afternoon).

We almost ended up in the adjoining Thai restaurant, but DH was insistent that Hibachi Rock was open. A quick scan of the restaurant sign revealed that HB was not only open, but open all day. Intrigued, we went in and sat down for the eponymous hibachi.

Hibachi Rock is subtitled Live Grill and Sushi Bar. Walking through the front door, we were confronted by a stage-and-light setup, suggesting live music and/or karaoke played here. Happily, there was no stage show today, and we were grateful for the relatively quiet and subdued atmosphere. Our server led us through the table and tv-studded bar area to the back where the grills were.

While our server brought out our sodas, we were confronted by the variety of grill items and roll options. I was determined to sample their Thai Style Fried Beef for an appetizer. We then finally narrowed our hibachi choices to Salmon Teriyaki and Filet/Scallops/Shrimp and ordered 2 rolls, Bethany and Caveman, for accompaniment.

The miso soup accompanying our hibachi entrees was warm and thick, though slightly saltier than I’m used to having. Both hubby and I dug into the light ginger-dressed salad hungrily. Apparently, the dressing wasn’t too overpowering for hubby to consume. The fried beef appetizer tasted great, slightly crispy, and enhanced by the sriracha dressing on the side. It paired well with the fried rice that our hibachi chef delivered.

On to the hibachi…normally, the show put on by these hibachi restaurants don’t grab my attention, usually proving more of a distraction to the meal. But our hibachi chef went straight into his performance without prompting and persuaded us to be entertained. He proved adept with his flying spatulas, the egg-toss-into-the-hat routine, and cracking the egg at the tip of his blade (though I would have to deduct points for some shell bits that he had to clean up). He made our food dance on the grill top, and while the delicious rolls came to divert us, he made sure to command our attention with the delicious aromas wafting from the grill. He proved to be attentive to demographics as well; he later entertained a family at another table, making sure to impress the kids with darkened lights and a train whistle.

Onto the food. The filet mignon came medium rare as requested. The scallops and shrimp however tasted slightly undercooked and may have benefited from a little more grill time, though they were no less tasty. My salmon teriyaki came out excellent: moist and delicious. I was glad to discover that the teriyaki sauce was not thick and cloying like some places.

The first roll delivered to our table was the Caveman roll, a seaweed topped eel roll that surprised both of us. The use of cream cheese seemed to tie the whole roll together, giving a slightly sour note to the overall sweetness of seaweed and eel. Both of us agreed it was an amazing roll. The second roll was their Bethany roll, a baked salmon special topped with mayo sauce. It came served on a charger dish, and the server warned us that it was temperature hot. Again, we were bowled over…the crab/salmon and mayo combo melted in my mouth, the flavor combinations were extremely satisfying.

In the end, I had to cry no more, having cleaned off my plate and consumed more than my belly could handle. DH was pleasantly surprised that I had reached my limit. We both agreed that we had made a delightful discovery in our neck of the woods, a short drive from Wylie into Allen. We’ll definitely be back for more!

My rating: 4.0 stars