Ye Olde Garden

Strolling through the nursery

A visit to The Plant Market in Dallas, TX yielded a bounty of colorful pictures. Some of the most memorable sights are their azaleas and roses, which are fiercely blooming and scenting the air around the nursery. Also most of their japanese maples are in full leaf, a fiery display of reds and greens. Among some of the candidates I wanted to take home: I found a Harvest Lemon Chiffon Heuchera that I found attractive and about the right size to add to my purple planter box. However I’m still holding out for a variegated mondo grass.

4/1/2009 The Plant Market: Yellow Marigolds 4/1/2009 The Plant Market: What flowers are these 4/1/2009 The Plant Market: Rows of Azaleas 4/1/2009 The Plant Market: Peachy Lady Rose 4/1/2009 The Plant Market: More Marigolds 4/1/2009 The Plant Market: More Japanese Maples 4/1/2009 The Plant Market: Mellow Yellow Spirea 4/1/2009 The Plant Market: Japanese Maple 4/1/2009 The Plant Market: Harvest Lemon Chiffon Heuchera 4/1/2009 The Plant Market: Flaming Roses 4/1/2009 The Plant Market: Coralbark Japanese Maple 4/1/2009 The Plant Market: Azalea Closeup

Dining, Recipes

Shimeji Mushroom Rice

My local asian grocer had a sale on shimeji mushrooms, so I picked up 2 packages of the brown variety. A little web surfing revealed that shimeji mushrooms paired well with rice. So, along with my Beef Ribs dinner this weekend, I cooked up a side of shimeji mushroom fried rice.

1 8oz package shimeji mushrooms, separated
2 tbsp chopped ginger
8-10 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup sliced green onions, sliced 3/4in long
1.5 cups cooked jasmine rice
sweet soy sauce for color and flavor
3+ tbsp vegetable oil
salt, pepper, garlic powder

Saute ginger then garlic over medium-high heat until golden brown. Toss shimeji mushrooms into mix, saute lightly, until tender and coated. Add cooked rice, drizzle in soy sauce and toss until rice is separated and colored evenly. Turn off heat and toss in green onions. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and serve.

Ye Olde Garden

Luscious calla

More photos of the patio garden. The Devil’s Wine calla lily has risen in blooms and a magnificent deep purple-red flower. It pairs beautifully with the 2 Purple Flash ornamental pepper plants on its flanks. The peppers, incidentally, will not grow taller than 2 feet high. Also featured in this photo string is a shot of the pale leaves from the top of my asahi zuru. I imagine due to the lack of chlorophyll they are not faring too well. Beautiful colors anyway…

3/27/2009 Callas in the Patio Garden (1) 3/27/2009 Callas in the Patio Garden (2) 3/27/2009 Callas in the Patio Garden (3) 3/27/2009 Callas in the Patio Garden (4) 3/27/2009 Callas in the Patio Garden (5) 3/27/2009 Callas in the Patio Garden (6) 3/27/2009 Callas in the Patio Garden (7)

Dining, Reviews

Catching up on dining reviews, pt 3

Bar-B-Cutie

208 North Greenville Ave.
Allen, TX 75002
(214) 383-7555

Nothing exciting at this Allen town barbecue franchise. Ordered the sampler platter which came with bland and dreary brisket. Tough, dry and no smoky flavor at all! At least the mesquite chicken proved flavorful and a lot less dry. The ribs didn’t taste like anything coming out of a smoker (do they even have a smoker at this location? I couldn’t tell!) but at least were moist and nearly fall-off-the-bone tender. Terribly disappointing amount of onion rings ordered as a side–while and fresh and hot, there just wasn’t enough to elevate this meal above obscurity. Bar-B-Cutie’s only redeeming quality is that it’s located in downtown and has a solid selection of bbq sandwiches (with pulled pork featuring prominently) to satisfy the lunch-going crowd. Just too pricy for the quality and the amount of meat that you get.

My rating: 1.5 stars
**

JC’s Burger House

335 Central Expy
Allen, TX 75013
(214) 495-9090

This isn’t your typical casual burger eatery, replete with condiment aisle and ice cream/shake dispensers. But JC’s Burger House is a satisfying stop if you’re looking for simple, cooked-to-order burgers. They have a simple grill menu, with burgers and chicken featured as the prime meat sources. There are some salad options–but JC’s is not the place to order them, especially when competing with the likes of “To Die For” Cheese Fries, Beer Battered Onion Rings and Jalepeno Bites, Apple or Apricot Pie, and Homemade Blue Bell Shakes and Malts. The quality of their burgers are one notch above fast food, typical of what you might get from a greasy spoon down the corner. JC’s throws down the gauntlet for any brave souls willing to try out their “Todd-Zilla” burger, a 1.5lb burger with triple cheese and triple patties…you get a spot of honor on their wall and a T-shirt if you manage to conquer this heart-attack inducing monster. On my next visit, I plan on trying out their cheese fries…

My rating: 2.5 stars
***

Mastergrill

310 Coneflower Dr
Garland, Texas 75040
Phone 972-530-6688

Mastergrill will probably be the destination for budget-minded Brazilian steakhouse goers. Their menu prices are very reasonable compared to the big name joints found in the DFW area. However, the lower prices also reflect the lower standards of this budding chain. After several visits (more than 5, less than 10) to their Garland and Frisco locations, I found their meats dry and mostly overcooked (especially during lunch), their salad bar just mildly interesting. Many a time, bread baskets were not refilled and dirty plates sat around awhile before being whisked away (though the Frisco location seemed much more on the ball when it came to service). The digs are upscale enough to host special occasions without being too flaunty, yet the casual suburban locations make it unimposing for neighborhood families with children who just want a comfortable place to dine big. Still, if a meat coma is in your future, and Fogo and Rafain are too much of a drive, then you will be served well at Mastergrill. Just remember to request your meat medium-rare…

My rating: 3.5 stars
***1/2