Dining, Reviews

Adventures in Dining, August First Half

Marshall’s Bar-B-Q

12895 Josey Ln
Farmer’s Branch, TX 75006
(972) 243-4901

The fellow running Marshall’s counter was decidedly jolly and chatty with this early-evening-dinner gal looking to sate her BBQ cravings. As much as he seemed attentive however, he couldn’t deliver on the promise of good brisket. The barbecue here was “just okay”. I requested some fatty (NOT LEAN) brisket…I pleaded for “off the point” and some tasty “crusty” brisket, but the cut I received was nowhere near what I asked for. Sure, it tasted of smoke and I had morsels of flavorful crust, but the brisket was fall-apart dry. When I want moist, I want to see it glisten without having to poke the meat for the heavenly juices gluing together a rich, fatty brisket. The nice surprise to the meal however were the sides…I enjoyed the mayo-mustard potato salad and devoured their unique “signature” carrot-pineapple slaw. I’d like to give Marshall’s another try again for their sides…but if only I could convince them to cut me some outstanding brisket.

My rating: 3.0 stars
***

Iravat India’s Bistro

240 Legacy Dr Ste 306
Plano, TX 75086
(972) 517-8200

Does it say something about the restaurant when it merits a return visit for their buffet? Ok, perhaps I may not have as discriminating a palate for Indian lunch buffets as other buffet-goers, but on 2 separate visits, Iravat did not disappoint. I enjoyed seeing a good selection of non-vegetarian dishes on their buffet line, and even partook of their naan. I do find that the tandoori chicken was overly dry (perhaps chicken drumsticks shouldn’t be the choice for this) and I found their veggie selections lacking (the veg pakoras lacked the light, crispiness that I was looking for). I also expected more heat from their curries, which I quickly resolved by ladling some of their spicy pickled carrots over my meal. I can describe the flavor of their dishes as conservative, which does not always characterize good and true Indian cooking, but what I ate of Iravat’s buffet was fairly palatable and reasonably priced. Given my distance from Pasand, Iravat is much nicer drive in prettier digs, and worth repeat visits.

My rating: 3.5 stars
***1/2

Osaka Sushi

5012 W Park Blvd
Plano, TX 75093
(972) 931-8898

When the fiance pointed out “steak and grill” on the sign outside the restaurant, I wasn’t sure he was in the mood for some raw fish. But Osaka, an all-you-can-eat Japanese buffet, has just the right amount of fresh and cooked food to entice even the most reluctant raw food noob. After years of visiting Osaka, I am happy to report that they are my go-to place when I’m in no mood to make the trek to Addison for Tokyo One. I like that Osaka seems more intimate, less intimidating than other Texas-sized buffets. I always manage to find unexpected gems on both the warm and cold sides of the buffet. This is the mark of a successful Asian buffet, keeping the menu interesting by remaining inventive.

My rating: 4.0 stars
****

La Hacienda Ranch

17390 Preston Rd
Dallas, TX 75252
(972) 248-2424

The fiance and I came to LaHa in search of the best fajitas in town…and while it was leagues better than the dessicated fajita meat we had at On The Border, LaHa fajitas did not earn any great honors from us. What did please us was that one fajita dinner plate could be shared by two, and I had no problem sharing the fajitas (a rare occurrence for me) because of the host of meat on our sizzling platter. I did wish that there had been more grilled onions on the plate, and my fondness for dipping my rolled up fajita in salsa was tempered by the mild, smokiness of that dip. I was looking for spicy heat but found none. The best part of our visit to LaHa was the sinfully sweet ending–LaHa served up a fantastic sizzling-hot pecan pie swimming in a chocolate-whiskey sauce with a side of ice cream! Marvelous!

My rating: 3.5 stars
***1/2

Dining

How to get the best brisket on your plate

I love a moist, tender, juicy and flavorful brisket. Something I’ve learned from dining at Rudy’s is to always ask for the “MOIST” brisket–stay away from any brisket at Rudy’s not labeled as such. Fact is: brisket consists of two sections, the flat and the point. When shopping for a brisket to barbecue, one will find that the flat section is a chunk of lean meat, and usually more expensive, whereas the point is more flavorful and fattier. Fat = flavor, get it? If you’re lucky or have a good butcher, you will find the “packer’s cut” which is a full-sized brisket that includes both flat and point ends blanketed in a layer of fat. True Texas barbecuing involves the whole chunk of meat, a smoker, and a good amount of patience to cook. But eating Texas barbecue…well, you have to know the lingo. Every BBQ joint I’ve visited, I’ve always called for brisket that was “moist” (Rudy’s and Big Daddy’s Roadhouse), the “fatty” cut (every BBQ joint I’ve been to), or the crusty flavorful “cap” (Dickey’s)…but after reading an article on barbecue, I will have to add “off the point” and “deckel end” to my bbq-feasting vocabulary. It has been a rarity that I don’t get the well-marbled brisket that I asked for (of course, it perhaps helps my cause that I’m a petite asian girl demanding a piece of fatty brisket on her plate). But when I have to choke down flavorless, dried-out lean brisket, then I can safely assume that the restaurant serving me such an atrocity have no clue about real barbecue.

So there you have it: don’t be embarrassed to ask for the best brisket on your plate…because if you don’t, the next person in line brave enough to ask for the “crusty fatty brisket” will enjoy their meal much more than you did.

Ye Olde Garden

Casualty list

All of my lavender plants are gone…the rosemary bush is on its final legs. Let this be a lesson: xeric plants that don’t like their feet wet MUST have a sandy soil mixture that doesn’t retain water. Perhaps I will need to consider older specimens in the future, as well bigger planters with sufficient drainage.

I noticed that my Devil’s Wine calla is dropping all of its leaves…I suppose that it’s done for it’s summer show. The other callas are following suit. Perhaps it is the planter environment, or perhaps they just don’t get enough sunlight to keep the greenery up. I generally have had longer foliage life when the callas are in a garden setting, but perhaps these callas are a little less hardy here in the south and less suited to a patio environment.

I’ve noticed that one of the ornamental pepper plants have ripening fruit. What started as a rich purple fruit has now ripened to burgundy-red color. With sporadic flowering of the neighboring dianthus, the colors stand out marvelously.

I am not sure why the potted salvia are looking thin and reedy, despite sufficient watering. I am wondering if their potted state just isn’t giving them enough room to grow and spread.

Dining, Reviews

Tummy lovin’ brisket

Rudy’s Country Store & BBQ

Rudy’s BBQ…how I LOVE your super-moist brisket, your sweet creamed corn and your death-by-butter new potatoes. When I heard the franchise was opening a location in the DFW area, I was ecstatic. I drove to Waco and Austin many a time solely to visit Rudy’s and savor their juicy, tender brisket and bring home bottles of their original Rudy’s BBQ sauce–they have a sissy version for those of you with sensitive palates. I realize that the moist (fatty) brisket isn’t for every one (don’t ever order the lean brisket), just as not everybody enjoys watching their potatoes drowned in butter. If you don’t relish the idea of dying happy from the cholesterol-overload, then best to steer clear of Rudy’s. As for me, serve me up another pound of that fabulous moist brisket!

My rating: 4.0 stars
****