Technical

Disabling revision history and other wp-config.php edits

Still trying to nail down the WordPress load hangs in Firefox…can’t seem to pin it down.

However I decided to clean up the back end database by deleting old post revisions and optimizing the table.

Using phpMyAdmin, I performed the following query:
delete from wp_posts where post_type=’revision’;

Then I disabled the option in wp-config.php by adding the following line:
define(‘WP_POST_REVISIONS’, false);

Lots of other nifty options to do with tweaking WordPress via wp-config.php can be found on the codex.

Dining, Reviews

A slice of Philly in Carrollton, TX

Fred’s Downtown Philly

2521 N Josey Ln Ste 200
Carrollton, TX 75006
(972) 820-0882

This is the newest westernmost location of Fred’s Downtown Philly in the Dallas area. I was excited to learn they opened shop in Carrollton, despite the flagging economy. That says something about the food here.

The proof is in the Philly. I partook of the #4, Extra Meat Cheesesteak in the 10″ form and discovered heaven. I also realized my eyes were too big for my stomach, after managing to down only 6″ of it. But, it was oh-SOOO-good. Now that Fred’s is closer to home, I’ll be visiting more often frequently to try out every cheesesteak variety on his menu, including some of his specials, like the Teriyaki and the Chipotle Cheesesteaks.

The short steaks start at $4.25, while the 10 inchers start at about $6. You have the option to modify any order with a choice of 16 extras, which includes 5 different peppers and 5 kinds of cheese. Fred’s also offers hoagies, wings, salads and burgers along with typical side items like fries and onion straws. The Hockey Pucks (jalapeno cheese rounds) are bite-sized discs of heat, which complemented my cheesesteak order. Everything is cooked to order, so you’re guaranteed a fresh-off-the-grill experience when you visit.

Fred’s newest store is sparsely decorated, with a TV decorating a non-descript corner of a very barebones back room. I expect to see more Philly memorabilia covering the walls soon, but as with all of Fred’s other locations, don’t expect white tablecloth and champagne glasses: it’s a hole-in-the-wall that serves up some great Philly cheesesteaks.

Rating by epicureasian: 4.0 stars
****

Dining, Reviews

Sushi simple

Mua Sushi

761 S MacArthur Blvd Ste 121
Coppell, TX 75019
(972) 745-3377

Mua Sushi is a cozy little sushi shop off Beltline and MacArthur in Coppell. I’ve only been in a couple times during lunch hours, but both visits gave me a favorable impression of the place.

On my first visit I sampled their grilled mackerel bento and side dish of seaweed salad. The opener, miso soup, pleased me as it wasn’t as grainy or coarse as some other versions. The seaweed salad was perhaps a little too wet, but tasted typical of the dish. The star of my lunch hour was the bento box however, and what a beauty it was. A perfectly prepared slab of fish came surrounded by compartments of vegetables and sides, ala korean-style banchan–which I devoured with gusto. The fried dumpling and the California rolls also were also quite appetizing. Accompanied by ponzu (?) the grilled mackerel tasted fresh and delicious, the soft and supple meat hadn’t seen the insides of a freezer for long, if any. And to drive that notion home, the hostess dropped a hint on how fresh their fish was.

On my second visit, I decided to tame a sore throat with some soup. Sadly the only other soup entry on their menu was a Korean soup, a beef-vegetable dumpling variety, which I ordered along with their double-roll lunch special: the Casa and Eel rolls. My hostess emerged from the kitchen about 10 minutes later with a small bowl, medium-sized dumplings floating in a mild egg-flower broth and my rolls. The beef dumplings were excellent, though I wish there had been more than just 3 of them. The eel roll tasted average and I remain undecided about the Casa, a fried roll that came topped with a spicy cream sauce reminiscent of tabasco sauce. I didn’t think the fish content in both rolls merited more than a passing grade however.

Both lunches left me 15 to 20 dollars poorer per visit. I also have to fault them for their $1.95 charge on canned soda as well. However, the food is above-average, especially notable for their Korean elements, and the staff are friendly and accommodating. I look forward to more lunches here in the future.

Rating by epicureasian: 3.5 stars
***1/2

Nari Sushi

2625 Old Denton Rd Ste. 400
Carrollton, TX 75007
(972) 242-5200

Something about Nari Sushi makes me inherently suspicious.

Maybe it’s the freebies. On both visits, we were treated to two unexpected courses of appetizers, ranging from tempura to cold, spicy fish. But after a glance at their printed menu and at some of the prices, I’m not complaining at getting some of my food comped.

Maybe it’s the uncanny way they remembered us, by reciting our order from our previous visit. Butterfly kisses? Yes! Grilled mackerel? Yes!

Maybe it’s because they were too darned friendly? They checked up on us every time they passed by us from the kitchen. Was the freebie snack to our liking? How was our sushi tonight? Our hostess was always smiling and our sushi chef too accommodating. I suppose that wasn’t a bad thing…our glasses were always refilled promptly.

Maybe it’s the way Nari was tucked away behind a strip mall, far from the main road (by my reckoning) and that the entrance seemed oddly angled from the street. As if they were making sure they were hidden away from sight.

Don’t get me wrong; Nari has been a pleasant experience both times I’ve visited. But I have a feeling that they’re trying too hard…the food here speaks for itself. I’d come back for the sushi alone.

Rating by epicureasian: 4.0 stars
****

Dining, Reviews

Diet busters

La Madeleine French Bakery & Cafe

2417 S Stemmons Fwy
Lewisville, TX 75067
(972) 459-5900

La Madeleine has lost some of its glamour over the years. Prices have skyrocketed and quality has suffered. It’s still a great spot to have lunch with the girlfriends and escape from the hustle-and-bustle or take a break from shopping. But wilted greens and bad-tasting chicken on a $12 salad can ruin one’s mood; despite the pick-up you can get from the dessert counter. I was dismayed to learn they now offer “reduced-calorie” tomato basil soup–smacks too much of corporate marketing. But the regular tomato basil soup still tastes fantastic, and you can never go wrong with their mushroom sauce on chicken friande or quiches. That same mushroom sauce is wicked good over a dinner pasta or chicken crepes. The dessert selection, of course, is as sinfully tempting as ever…it’s rare to walk out from the bakery without a to-go box of tarts, tortes, or sweet pastries.

My rating: 3.5 stars
***1/2

Brazilian Cowboy Steakhouse & Grill

1320 N. Central Expwy
Plano, TX 75074
(972) 881-8600

On our way to Plano on an errand, my man and I were stunned to discover this churrascaria off 75 and 15th. We cut our errand short, did a u-turn and drove back to it.

A word about the digs: the yellow-bricked building–once tenanted by a Tex-Mex restaurant–is something of an eyesore. If you’re used to Fogo or Texas de Brazil’s pretty facades, you won’t find anything appealing about the garish paint job, the old parking lot, or the ill-used patio. It looks onto a service road right next to busy Central Expressway. The tacky “grand opening” banners hanging over the doors will convince you there are no pretensions here.

But walk into the restaurant and you’ll notice that it’s calm, clean and orderly; Portuguese music plays overhead which partly drowns out the traffic noise. Servers are busily keeping plates and glasses refilled and tables cleared; groups of diners appear absorbed in getting their meat comas. A blackboard overlooks the dining room, announcing live music on certain nights and all the weekly deals, ranging from “date night” to “happy hour specials”.

The salad bar is small and contains only the basics: green salads, chicken salads, potato salads, some fresh vegetables. They also have a hot bar, chafing dishes filled with rice, stews, soups–what I assume are Brazilian standards–all very tasty and capably rendered. Tableside, my man and I were treated to some of the best cheese popovers I’ve ever had–better than any I’ve eaten at rival churrascarias.

But as with all Brazilian steakhouses, meat is king here. During our Saturday lunch, all of the expected players were represented: spicy sausages, bacon-wrapped chicken and beef, drumsticks, spicy beef, garlic beef, flank steak, top sirloin, house picanha. Add to that, grilled pineapple and smoky bacon-wrapped stuffed jalapenos (the latter an excellent surprise).

While I feasted on some of the best garlic beef I ever tasted, I closed my eyes and imagined I was in Rafain–partly because the traffic on 75 was distracting and partly to determine the quality of the food. I then concluded that the food was comparable if not better than all of the high-dollar Brazilian steakhouses I’ve been to in DFW: Fogo, Rafain, Texas de Brazil, Mastergrill–I’ve tried them all. As I ran down the mental list of experiences so far, I realized I had no complaints with Brazilian Cowboy’s food…and when the check arrived, the veil lifted from my eyes. I had been overpaying for the hype and glamor all these years at those overpriced restaurants.

Brazilian Cowboy brings the churrascaria to the masses; and it’s about time somebody did! This place exceeded my experience with Delicias Brazil in Irving and is now my number one choice for budget Brazilian steakhouse dining. Not in the mood for a buffet? Try their light menu: single-serving meat plates, burgers, sandwiches, pizza, and a full range of bar food appetizers.

Now, to convince the staff to keep the shades drawn while I dine there….

My rating: 4.0 stars
****