Daniel Boone's - everything I hate about theme restaurants

Daniel Boone's Grill and Tavern
http://www.danielboones.com/



Daniel Boone's is a chain restaurant located off of Troup and the loop in the Old Albertson's parking lot.  It isn't much to look at from the outside with very little decor or signage to indicate a restaurant.  On the inside, they really went all out decorating this place.  I was impressed with the decor, it is cheesy mountain man/Daniel Boone theme, but it is great for kids.  I was reluctant to try this place, mostly because the commercials seemed to be advertising for an older crowd, but my wife wanted to give it a try because she thought it would be family friendly.

The spread:  They offer your standard American cuisine with southern classics (fried pickles, frito pie, etc.), salads, nachos, chicken dishes, fish dishes, chicken fried steaks, burgers, etc.  They have a fairly large menu that is similar to Cracker Barrel (minus the breakfast items).  They also offer free beans and free ice cream.

The verdict:  Well I was pleasantly surprised by the decor, and it was definitely family friendly at first (loud enough so kids being a little loud just blended in).  I got two kinds of beans, their regular pinto beans were underseasoned (not salted properly) and their chili style beans tasted like the same beans plus a can of chili mixed in (again underseasoned).  But I figured, hey they are free who am I to complain.  The servers, the hosts and probably the kitchen as well all consisted of sweet, inexperienced, young kids.  We waited one full hour for our food to arrive.  Our waitress came to our table three times in one hour.  Once to take our order, once to refill drinks and once to tell us that the kitchen was a little backed up and our food would be right out (that was about 50 minutes in).  I don't know about you, but 50 minutes to get out food is more than a little 'backed up'.  We left, our kids were done, we were done.  It was one of the worst food experiences I have had in Tyler.  The food could be just fine, but I seriously doubt that a kitchen that takes more than an hour to get out an order of grilled cheese, a hamburger and chicken fried steak is going to put out anything but sub-par food.  We left, paying for our drinks and when I spoke to the hostess, she was obviously out of her league dealing with the situation.  Every aspect of this place that I experienced was amateurish - there is a clear lack of leadership in this establishment.

Edible Tyler Roses: 0 out of 5, they don't care about service or their customers.

St. Arnold's brewing company

St. Arnold's Brewery Company
http://www.saintarnold.com/



St. Arnold's is a large micro-brewery located in Houston, TX.  They started pretty small time at a place just off of 290 and Ella, but moved to a much larger facility just off of I-10 north of downtown.  One of my favorite activities was to get a picnic together and head out to St. Arnold's for a tour of the facilities, free beer and live music.  The old place had a certain ambiance - if you call melting in a warehouse with no A/C ambiance, but the beer was cold and that made up for a lot.

The new location is really, really nice.  They have a big operation now.  The also have a beer drinking/dining hall that can accommodate a lot of people comfortably (and A/C).  The tour used to be 5 bucks and you got three free beers.  Not sure how it works now with changes to the alcohol laws (now breweries can sell small amounts to the public directly).  Also, they have afternoon fixed price lunches now with a fancy chef, which sadly I have been unable to try.

St. Arnold's offers a nice variety of different beers:  Lawnmower (a light, almost fruity Kolsch, that goes down great on a hot day), Amber Ale (well balanced, full flavored ale), Brown Ale (malty, chocolatey with a little sweetness), Elissa IPA (a very good IPA that has a well balanced hoppiness to it), and then some seasonal ales (Summer Pilsner, Spring Bock, Oktoberfest, Winter Stout, Pumpkinator and Christmas Ale).

I just can't pass up a six pack of St. Arnold's when I see one at the store.  My favorites are the Brown ALe, the Summer Pilsner, the Sprin Bock and the Oktoberfest.  I really like to pour a Winter Stout in my homemade chili in the winter time.  The owner is also a super cool guy who works tirelessly for his company and the beer community.  Go drink some great St. Arnold's beer and if you are ever in Houston, try to take a tour of their facilities.

El Pollo Regio

El Pollo Regio



This is a chain restaurant that specilizes in mexican style BBQ chicken.  They have several locations throughout Texas, primarily in the Dallas area.  The building is colorful from the outside and they primarily run a pick up business.

The spread:  They offer half and whole mexican style roasted/BBQ chickens.  They have meals and packages for the family to include rice, beans, and tortillas.  I think they have other offerings, but I can't find a menu online.  I have only gone to pick up roast chicken.

The verdict:  The service is quick, the food is good and the prices are right.  They put out some good roast chicken, and it is a good change of pace from trying fried chicken (healthier too).  The only caveat is that the white meat can get a little dry and I think they could more aggresively season their chicken.  My preference for mexican style BBQ chicken is BBQ Hernandez.  I will say that El Pollo Regio is probably a bit more accessible to those who might be frightened off from the appearance of BBQ Hernandez.

Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5, go try some roast chicken for a change of pace.

Basil Thai Cafe - best thai food in town?

Basil Thai Cafe
http://basilthaicafe.com/

Pad Thai

Thai egg rolls

Basil Thai is a little mom and pop place just off of the loop and 5th street.  It is located in a non-descript strip mall that is mostly hidden from the street.  The restaurant decor is a little lacking, oh there are various thai/asian themed decorations along the wall, but the floor is laminate, the tables and chairs are cheap and you place your order at the counter to be brought out to you. 

The spread: The menu is definitely Thai cuisine.  You can choose from various appetizers to include egg rolls, thai egg rolls, pot stickers, Tom Yum Goong (traditional spicy soup), etc.  The entrees range from fried rice (to include spicy Thai variety), Pad Thai, a variety of noodle dishes, curry dishes, spicy basil meat dishes and a few other Thai stir fry dishes.  You can choose chicken, shrimp and beef in many of the different dishes.  They also have some sweet dessert dishes.  I have tried the regular egg rolls, Thai egg rolls, Kra Paw (spicy stir fry), fried rice and yellow curry.

The verdict: The highlight of the night was the pan fried dumpling (pot stickers), they were crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and were accompanied by a delicious dipping sauce.  Both the Thai egg rolls and regular egg rolls were good and cooked well, they just lacked any bold flavors to stick out on their own.  The fried rice was also very good.  Unfortunately, the dishes I was the most excited about were the most disappointing.  First of all, the chicken used in the Kra paw, the curry, the Pad Thai and the fried rice was all the same - precooked white chicken meat.  The Pad Thai was just ok, they had a little too much sweetness in their sauce for me and there was no spice to it (as indicated on the menu).  There were two stars indicating a "stimulating kick" on the curry and Kra paw, but both barely registered on the ole heat meter for me.  I would put the heat level somewhere between mild Pace picante sauce and medium.  I was expecting some real heat.  The curry was just okay, and just tasted a little watered down.  The Kra paw was also just ok, it was almost as though they were dumbing down the spices for the Tyler palate. 

Edible Tyler Roses: 3.5 out of 5, Because this is the only Thai place in town, I recommend checking it out, but it is mediocre Thai food (still the best in Tyler) and one of the few places you can get almost 'authentic' ethnic food.

Genghis Grill - ew...dat's gross

Genghis Grill
http://www.genghisgrill.com/



Genghis Grill is a chain restaurant that offers "mongolian stir fry".  The basic concept is that you choose your stir fry ingredients, then hand your bowl off to the cook, who cooks your food on a large grill.  There was a place in Webster, south of Houston called Hans Mongolian BBQ, that was a favorite of my wife and I, so we thought we'd give Genghis Grill a try.

The spread: They offer a variety of raw meats to choose from:  chicken, beef, pork and seafood.  They also have a large selection of different kinds of veggies to add in:  celery, onion, bamboo shoots, carrots, mushrooms, baby corn, tomatoes, cabbage, squash, garlic.  You can even throw in an egg.  They also offer many different kinds of sauces and seasonings to make your bowl your own creation.

The verdict:  I love the concept.  But Genghis didn't work for us for two reasons.  The first of which is that it is nearly impossible to do with younger children.  The second was that when I walked over to peruse the ingredients while we were getting settled in, there was a STRONG rotting fishy odor coming from the raw meat section.  There is no way that I am going to eat ANYTHING that smells like that.  We walked out, not willing to risk sickness.

Edible Tyler Roses: 0 out of 5.  Maybe they had a bad day, but if your ingredients smell rotten, you are failing.

Red Barn Snow cones

Red Barn Snow cones

This is a little snowcone place that is open seasonally.  The are located in the parking lot of the Big Red barn building just south of Grande off of I-69/Broadway (just north of Cheddars).

The spread:  They offer snow cones of varying different flavors.  They are cash only, so keep that in mind.

The verdict:  They have awesome snow cones.  The difference is that they have a giant block of ice that they shave to order, so the snow cone has the texture of snow powder.  They are also generous with the syrup.  This is a favorite for the family to go get snow cones and eat them in the back yard.  YUM.

Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5.  Go get a snow cone to cool off!

True Vine Brewing Company

True Vine Brewing Company
http://truevinebrewingco.com/

I am a bit of a beer snob.  I am not sure where it all started, but in my youth, I was never a big beer drinker.  I just didn't enjoy any of the beers I tried.  Coors?  Ugh.  Bud lite?  Blarg.  Miller lite?  Ok, maybe if it's cold.  I occasionally enjoyed a Guiness, however, they were just a little pricey for my meager budget at the time.  Later in life, I was introduced to really good beers, starting with Shiner Bock, Sam Adams, then real German lagers, English beers, and eventually microbrews.

My new found love of beers probably started at BJ's brewhouse with Jeremiah Red.  It just has the right balance of malt and hops, and just makes my mouth happy.  I eventually found, St. Arnold's, a great microbrewery in Houston (I will devote a full post to them later).

Where my love of beers blossomed was going to beer-cheese pairings and beer pairing dinners.  I don't particularly care for wine, so to have a beverage be enhanced by and simultaneously enhance the food you are eating was a transcendent experience.

So imagine my excitement when I heard that Tyler was developing its own microbrewery.  I haven't tasted any of their brews and have just recently 'liked' them on Facebook.  I know they had a beer pairing dinner recently, but I got the information too late.  From their website, it looks like they have a Pale Ale and an IPA, neither of which are my favorite styles of beer (I am not a 'hop' head - too bitter for me).  I encourage everyone to check their website out and like them on facebook, so we can do our part to help develop the Tyler food scene.  I sincerely hope nothing but the best for them and hope that they do tours of their operation soon.

Best of luck guys to these guys, I look forward to trying Tyler brew!

The Stand Hot Dogs & Sausages

The Stand Hot Dogs and Sausages
http://www.thestandhotdogs.com/



The Stand is a little place just off of Old Jacksonville Highway past the toll road 49 south of Tyler.  It looks like a tiny shack from the outside with a lot of character.  You can eat inside their small dining room or drive through and get your hot dogs.  Although I have never met the owner, Stephen Du Toit, he did some work on our house at a reasonable price and I was excited to give The Stand a try.

The spread:  They do a good job of concentrating on one thing and doing it right.  They serve hot dogs and sausages.  You can choose from Red Hot links, Bratwurst, Andouille, Boudin, Classic hot dog, etc.  Then you can choose from a variety of toppings:  Frito pie style (chili, cheese and fritos), slaw dog style, Chicago style, mac and cheese style, grilled onions, kraut, etc.

The verdict:  I really like this place.  They aren't trying to be fancy, they are just trying to put out really good hot dogs and they are very successful.  I have tried their regular hot dogs, bratwurst and polish sausage with various toppings.  They are all cooked well on a great bun.  My favorite was actually the regular hot dog.  These guys have a strong web presence and they also offer an eating challenge - The Big Dog Food Challenge - it is a 28 inch hot dog on a baguette with chili, cheese, Fritos, pickles, relish with a side of Doritos chips.  It is over 5.5 pounds of food.  One day I will take the challenge and probably fail.

Edible Tyler Roses:  5 out of 5.  Best hot dogs in town.  They keep things simple and make great food.

Chili's, Applebees or TGI Friday's - are they all the same?

Chili's versus Applebees versus TGI Fridays - American Chain throwdown







We have a family tradition we are working on right now.  Every Sunday after church one of us gets to pick a place to eat.  I have to confess, I mainly made up this tradition so I could force the family to go to eat Indian food without as much complaining.  We rotate through me, my wife, my son and my oldest daughter (baby doesn't get a vote yet) - everyone gets a chance to go where they want to eat.  It actually works out well as there is much less arguing and it feels like a fair way to get some grub.  (We did have to outlaw Chuck E Cheese as a choice).  At any rate, our kids tended to chose Chili's or Applebees for reasons unbeknownst to me.  These three restaurants are basically the same place to me - bland, below average food from the freezer.  After going to all three multiple times, I thought I would offer my opinion on which one is best in Tyler as they are all pretty close to one another and the food is almost identical.

The spread:  I won't go into too much details, but they offer your standard American food:  burgers, sandwiches, fries etc.  Each one tries to have its own personality, but for me the menus and prices are interchangable.

The verdict:

Applebees - For some reason, my daughter loves Applebees.  I can't tell if it is because she like saying the name or there is some commercial that has imprinted the name on her mind.  She loves her some Applebees.  I can't stand the place.  My wife and I are trying to eat relatively healthy and both of our entrees were nearly inedible.  Neither of us finished our food.  The kids seemed to enjoy their food though.  Perhaps because we went with the healthier options we got the worse Applebees has to offer, so stick with hamburgers or something the kitchen can't screw up.  Applebees Edible Tyler Roses:  1 out of 5, tread carefully and don't venture out.

Chilis - This used to be a favorite of mine, particularly growing up.  The food was nothing to write home about, but it was palatable and decently priced.  I usually go with Chicken Fajitas, club sandwich or Oldtimer burger.  On our last two visits to Chili's the service was horrible (45+ minutes to receive food) and the food was nearly inedible when it arrived.  I'm not sure how you screw up microwaving or reheating frozen food, but they managed to do so.  The service was so bad on one trip I actually didn't leave a tip - I normally start at 20%, and have only not left a tip on maybe 1 or 2 other occasions in my life.  The food is so bad and service so poor, we have put Chili's on the banned list for choices on Sunday.  Chili's Edible Tyler Roses: 0 out of 5, we won't return until there is some change in management.

TGI Fridays -  We had always skipped TGI Fridays for a long time, but we gave them a try lately and we were impressed.  The service was friendly, the food came out fast and the food was uninspired, but decent enough. Of the three, this is the one I am happy to go to.  So the winner is TGI Fridays!! TGI Fridays Edible Tyler Roses: 3 out of 5, the winner of mediocre chain restaurants!!

Andy's Frozen Custard - Yes please

Andy's Frozen Custard
http://eatandys.com/



Well Andy's is a Custard place (part of a chain) just of I-69 north of Grande.  The place has some great architecture from the road and it really just catches the eye.  You can either roll in through the drive through or sit down and enjoy your treat at their outdoor seating area.  During the summer, this place is usually hopping busy. 

The spread: The offer many different combinations of custard, which is slightly different than ice cream as it has "more butterfat and is churned very slowly. The slower turning beaters keep air from being mixed into the custard as it freezes. The result is a dessert that is very rich and thick."  They offer concrete (custard + mixings), malts, shakes, sundaes, cones, splits, and a rotating seasonal offering.

The verdict:  You are just plain unAmerican if you don't like custard.  Gosh it is yummy.  You want to make it into a shake, it is still yummy.  Put some different topping in it and mix it up - you guessed it, still yummy.  Now, it may be a tad high on the ole calorie count, but definitely a delicious treat.

Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5.  They do custard right.

Wienerland - Walking in a Winter Wienerland

Wienerland



Weinerland is a little hot dog stand just off of 5th street across from Tyler Junior College.  It really stands out from the road with a unique architecture where the drive through is right through the middle of the building.  They also have a small outside seating area to dig into the grub.  They are locally owned and operated and have been in business for 45 years!  There is something to be said about that.

The spread:  Well I was expecting nothing but hotdogs, but in addition to various kinds of hot dogs, they also offer burritos, tacos, and nachos.  In fact, on their facebook page they list themselves as a Tex-mex/fast-food place.

The verdict:  Well this is really a guilty pleasure of mine.  They are likely kept in business due to their proximity to Tyler Junior college and the medical center.  I really enjoyed their hot dogs and nachos, not because they were haute cuisine, but because the food is good, the prices are right and their is definitely a since of nostalgia when eating here.

Edible Tyler Roses:  4 out of 5, give Wienerland a try and take a trip down memory lane.

Super Mercado Monterrey

Super Mercado Monterrey



Super Mercado Monterrey, which is basically a Hispanic super market just off the loop and Highway 31 on the west side of town.  If you are looking for any ingredient for authentic Mexican and/or other hispanic type cooking, this is the place to go.  The vegetables are fresh and cheap.  They have a real butcher shop.  You may have to be able to speak a little Spanish to get through a shopping trip.  They also have a little restaurant in one corner of the store that puts out some good food.

The spread:  They offer tacos, tortas and burritos with different kinds of meats.  They also offer rice and beans, combo plates, enchiladas, tamales, and different kinds of soups.  They have multiple large containers of aguas frescas - which are Mexican style fruit drinks of different kinds: pineapple, mango, etc.

The verdict:  This is another one of my favorite holes in the wall.  The prices are cheap, the food is good and the service is friendly.  You know it is good food when you are the only non-Hispanic in the place.  Avoid the tamales, as they are set out early and tend to be dry.  I will occasionally make huge batches of salsa and can them and I love to come to Super Mercado Monterrey to get the ingredients as they are always fresh and cheap.  Give the restaurant a try if you are in the store.

Edible Tyler Roses:  4 out of 5.  Worth the hassle of having to speak a little Spanish.

Cheng's China Bistro

Cheng's China Bistro



Cheng's is a relatively new comer to Tyler.  They opened up in a large restaurant space just north of the loop and troup.  The decor is your typical Chinese food place with Chinese decorations as well as a large bar up front that grows popular right around 5pm.  The owners seem to always be there and are super friendly and helpful.

The spread:  They have your typical American Chinese food menu.  Appetizers range from lettuce wraps, pot stickers, egg rolls, BBQ spareribs (yummy), and various soups (egg drop, wonton, etc).  Their entrees are also somewhat predictable: fried rice, lo mein, egg foo young, pork dishes, chicken dishes, beef dishes and seafood dishes.  They also offer hot plates which is basically stir fry dumped into a fajita sizzling plate.

The verdict:  There is nothing ground breaking in the culinary world happening at Cheng's.  The menu is definitely Americanized and familiar, however, the food is solid and reasonably priced.  My wife prefers Cheng's to Liang's, so this is usually what we pick up from Cheng's when we get Chinese.  The service has been great and they are very family friendly.  I also like the fact that the staff is willing to work with you.  I wanted to try to recreate a dish from an authentic Chinese place down in Houston, so I asked the waiter to switch out rice for noodles and crack an egg over one of their sizzling plates.  It didn't turn out quite like I wanted, but it was good and they went out of their way to accomodate, so I give them a lot of credit for that.

Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5, I put them on par with Liang's as the best Chinese in Tyler.

Bar BQ Hernandez

Bar BQ Hernandez



This is a little hole in the wall Mexican food place just off of Glennwood south of Front.  You might miss this driving by as there isn't much to mark this as a restaurant.  The parking lot consists of dirt underneath a big ole tree.  The place isn't much to look at from the outside.  In fact, it looks a little scary.  But the smells wafting from the kitchen are fantastic.  Don't judge a book by its cover on this one.  On the inside of the place, the people are friendly, the service is fast and it is clean.  I think this is also a cash only place, and the hours are a little irregular.

The spread:  They offer whole roast chickens, differnet kinds of fajitas, rice, beans and a couple of other traditional Mexican dishes.  This is definitely more of a traditional Mexican place and not a Tex-mex.  Don't expect frills and colorful decorations.  These people really only care about running a clean place and putting out delicious food.  The place is mainly take out, I seem to recall they have a couple of places to sit and eat, but I have only got food to go.

The verdict: This is my all time favorite hole in the wall place in Tyler.  The food is some of the best in Tyler and the value is great.  Everything is fresh, hand made and delicious.  You will have to power through your reservations of how this place looks from the outside, but it will be worth it.  Don't come in your Sunday best, but expect tasty, cheap food.

Edible Tyler Roses: 5 of 5, best Mexican hole in the wall in Tyler.

Outback Steakhouse

Outback Steakhouse
www.outback.com



The Outback Steakhouse is a chain steak restaurant in Tyler just off of Broadway/I-69 south of Rieck road.  They go for the "Australia" theme with kangaroos, boomerangs and koalas decorating the place.  Every Outback has a pretty good bar area and this place in Tyler keeps pretty busy.

The spread:  They have again an Australian theme so the appetizers range from the Bloomin onion, Aussie cheese fries, grilled shrimp on the barbie, ahi tuna.  The entrees range from chicken selections, salads, to steaks of various kinds as well as hamburgers, sandwiches and seafood options.  They always start you out with a pumpernickel bread and butter.  The have a full bar and offer a couple of different kind of beers with the "big bloke" being my favorite.

The verdict:  I like Outback.  The service is usually pretty good.  The steaks are cooked fairly well to specifications and are flavorful.  The Aussie cheese fries are bacony, cheesy goodness.  I really enjoy the house salad, with their delicious croutons.  The place is fairly kid friendly as it is a little noisy, so a couple of unexpected screams go relatively unnoticed.  The only drawback is that the theme is a little contrived and the menu is built to please the most people as possible, so there isn't a lot of originality (to be expected from a large chain).  Tylerites love it, and this place usually has a wait.

Edible Tyler Roses: 3.5 out of 5, my wife loves this place, and it is a decent steak for the price.

Papacita's

Papacita's Mexican Restaurant
http://papacitastyler.com/



Papacitas is a Mexican place just off of Broadway south of Grande that has been around since 1986.  It is locally owned and operated.  It has a colorful exterior, fun bright interior and friendly servers.

The spread:  They offer the standard Tex-mex fair.  Appetizers range from queso, nachos, quesadillas, queso fundido, etc.  Entrees consistent of fajitas, carne asada, chimichangas, different seafood tacos, and different combos of tacos, enchiladas, rice, beans, etc.

The verdict:  This is one place that has all the right elements.  The right atmosphere, friendly service, it is locally owned with its own unique menu offerings.  I want to love this place, but the food is just mediocre and the prices are on the high end for what they are offering.  With so many different good Tex-mex and Mexican places in Tyler, this place falls flat.

Edible Tyler Roses:  2.5 out of 5, average food, high end prices.  Just can't get excited about this place.

Ganache

Ganache
http://www.ganachecupcakes.com/



Ganache is a little cupcake shop off of Bullard, just south of the mall, north of Rieck road. It is a cute shop that specializes in cupcakes with a few other specialty bakery items.  They also due custom orders of cupcakes, wedding cakes, party cakes, etc.

The spread:  They have a variety of different cupcakes with some regular everyday flavors then some varying flavors.  I have had the strawberry, chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, lava and salted caramel.  I also tried some cupcake lollipops and some of their cookies.

The verdict:  They get some harsh reviews from urbanspoon, but I can't figure out why.  Yes, the cupcakes are a little pricey (3.25 a piece), BUT the quality is super high.  I absolutely love the strawberry, it has a butter-strawberry icing that is heavenly, as well as a super moist cake underneath.  My wife can't get enough of the salted caramel.  Everything I have tried, I have loved.

Edible Tyler Roses:  4 out of 5, definitely a 'treat' option.  We don't go often, but it is always great.

Fuzzy's Taco Shop

Fuzzy's Taco Shop
http://www.fuzzystacoshop.com/



Fuzzy's Taco Shop opened up about a year or so ago about the same time as Rusty Tacos.  Fuzzy's is located off of Troup north of the loop next to Bodacious BBQ.  The place has a nice hip vibe going with counter placed orders that come up at a pickup window. 

The spread: Well as you can imagine, the focus is on tacos.  They offer the standard Tex-mex appetizers: chips N queso, nachos, quesadillas.  They also offer several types of salads, sandwiches, tacos, burritos, etc.  The taco fillings range from fajita, chicken, shrimp and fish.  I tried a few of the tacos, as well as chips and salsa, a couple of their breakfast tacos and a torta.  They also offer a really good selection of draft beer for a taco shop.  Obviously, someone in there likes microbrews.

The verdict:  I like this place.  The decor is fun, the staff is friendly, the food is good and reasonably priced and the beer list is awesome for a taco shop.  Their tacos are very good.  If they hand made their own flour tortillas, the tacos would be some of the best in town.  The meats are aggressively seasoned and packed full of flavor.  The breakfast tacos are also very good. 

Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5, of the two I prefer Fuzzy's.

Rowdy Taco - Name and menu change

UPDATE:  Rusty taco has changed its name to "Rowdy Taco" and has added a few menu items (salads, bowls, nachos and quesadillas I believe). I tried them again to see if there were any improvements.  For me there was no improvement in quality of the meat or other ingredients.  Oh yeah, they have flour tortillas, which did not taste super fresh.  No change in the rating, worth it if you are in the area and just have to have a decent, but not spectacular taco.

Rowdy Taco
https://www.facebook.com/RowdyTacoTyler



Rusty's is a relative new comer to Tyler, just off the corner of Beckham and 5th street south of the medical center area.  They opened at almost the same time as Fuzzy's Taco further south, so I had a little bit of a hard time distinguishing them.  And spent some time wondering who thought we needed two more taco shops.  The decor is spartan industrial with an open kitchen where you can see them throwing together your tacos.

The spread: Well as you can imagine, the focus is on tacos.  They offer brisket, fish, chicken, fajita, and pork as their meat fillings.  They also offer breakfast tacos that I would like to try out as I am always Jonesing for a good breakfast taco. I would say the food is more Cal-mex than Tex-mex.  When I went you could only choose corn tortillas for the tacos, which is ok, but I just prefer flour tortillas.  I tried a few of the tacos, as well as chips and salsa.

The verdict:  Well the food was prepared quickly and it was pretty good.  I had a big problem with not being able to choose flour tortillas.  The meat was flavorful and everything was well prepared.  The main problem I had is that it didn't have the familiar Tex-mex or mexican flavors that I am used to.  The meats were fine, but they just didn't have that deep rich flavor that comes from home-style cooking.  The food was just a little too Americanized for me.

Edible Tyler Roses: 3 out of 5, of the two I prefer Fuzzy's, but not a bad place to grab a quick taco.

Peking House - Meh

Peking House



Peking House is a Chinese food place, just south of the Medical center off of Beckham and 5th.  For some reason it took me a long time to give this place a try.  They have a drive through, so I pulled up and placed my order.  Overall a very convenient way to pick up some Chinese grub on the way home.

The spread:  Their menu is your typical American Chinese restaurant.  Egg rolls, fried rice, lo mein, various combinations of beef and chicken with different veggies and sauces.  I tried some egg rolls, lo mein, fried rice, and kung pao chicken.

The verdict:  Below average.  The food was prepared relatively quickly and the service was friendly enough.  The food was just under-seasoned and relatively bland.  Especially when there are two competing Chinese food places within a mile or two (Cheng's and Liang's), this place falls flat.  If you were absolutely crunched for time, or just didn't want to get out of your car to pick up your food, then this place would suffice in a pinch.  I would say that the quality is better than that of Ming's down in south Tyler.

Edible Tyler Roses:  2 out of 5.

Cracker Barrel - ugh

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and Restaurant



Cracker Barrel is a restaurant just off I-20 near I-69, south of Lindale.  This is a chain restaurant that has a 'country store' in front of house and a restaurant in back.  The menu is classic southern diner fare.  I have good memories of Cracker Barrel from my childhood and always liked wandering around in the store prior to my meals.

The spread:  The menu has breakfast, lunch and dinner items offered all day.  I am particularly fond of their breakfast menu with various combinations of sausage, bacon, toasts, BISCUITS, pancakes, french toast, pork chops, chicken fried steaks, eggs, omelets, etc.  Their dinner/lunch menu offers standard southern cooking to include sandwiches, many veggie sides (black eye peas, green beans, etc), meatloaf, chicken fried steak, roast beef, fried chicken, etc.  I usually go with a pork chops and egg breakfast or go with the chicken fried steak.

The verdict:  Well, usually Cracker Barrel does a decent job of getting out some tasty food.  Definitely not top of the line cuisine, but servicable Southern favorites.  I am particularly fond of their biscuits, pancakes, rolls and cornbread.  The place is also very family friendly with a lot of young critters running around.  The only caveat to this is that my wife got a classic case of food poisoning at the Tyler/Lindale location, and really, you only get to keep my wife up all night dry heaving once.  We will never return.

Edible Tyler Roses: 0 out of 5.  I just can't go back here again!

Mario's Italian Restaurant - Old school Italian

Mario's Italian Restaurant



Mario's is a local Italian restaurant nestled back in a strip center off of broadway/I-69 just south of Heritage (south of Carmike movie theater).  I can never seem to figure out the hours of operation and we have stopped by on multiple occasions when they were closed.  My wife and I visited once for a date night.  The place looks a lot better on the inside than on the outside, it is your typical Italian restaurant with cozy booths and tables with a nice romantic atmosphere.  They also have live music on Fridays and Saturdays.

The spread:  This place has apparently been in operation since 1977, so it is old school Italian-American.  The appetizers range from bruschetta, fried mozzarella, fried zucchini, fried calamari, etc.  They also serve pizzas with all the regular toppings.  The entrees range from chicken/shrimp primavera, blackened snapper, venetian chicken/veal, chicken/veal marsala/piccata/milanese, etc.  We tried the bruschetta, fried ravioli, pizza, chicken piccata, fettuccine alfredo.

The verdict:  I really liked the atmosphere of this place.  It is old school Italian with Frank Sinatra playing in the background.  The waiter was young, but attentive and provided good service.  The food was also very good, some of the best pizza in town.  My wife and I really liked the fried ravioli.  The pasta were good as well.  Overall, the place had good food, plenty of it and a nice atmosphere.  It isn't cutting edge real Italian cooking, but it is good, reasonable priced stick to your ribs food.  What's not to like?

Edible Tyler Roses:  4 out of 5.  Only drawback for me are the hours of operation.

Lago del Pino - location, location, location

Lago del Pino
http://www.lagodelpino.com/




Lago Del Pino is a beautiful restaurant overlooking Lost Pine "lake" a little west of Tyler.  The outside construction is beautiful brick and looks like a fancy ranch/resort.  The views from the bar are great.  They have live music on Friday and Saturday nights.  My wife and I have been interested in trying out this place for sometime, although, they have pretty terrible reviews online.

The spread:  I'm not sure exactly what cuisine they are trying to model their menu after, but there are various appetizers:  Chips and queso, bacon and blue cheese fries, crab cakes, hummus, etc.  A couple of salad and soup selections.  Their entrees range from Texican burgers, pretzel chicken sandwiches, chilaquiles, fish tacos, enchiladas, shrimp and grits and various steaks and seafood.  I tried the bacon and blue cheese fries and the chips and queso.

The verdict:  Well, did I mention the view?  That is basically all the place has going for it.  The dining portion of the restaurant felt loud and a little sterile.  The service was below average for the prices, not particularly horrible, but certainly not attentive or friendly.  My wife and I only go out occasionally by ourselves, so I promised that we would get a couple of drinks and appetizers and then see if we wanted to order entrees.  Well, the bacon and blue cheese fries came out and they were WAY overpowered by the blue cheese.  I love the idea, but the execution was lacking.  They were memorable in that the the amount of blue cheese made them nearly inedible (a little goes a long way guys!).  Then we got the chips and queso.  The chips were fine, crispy and well, chips.  The queso had a slightly off flavor, like liquid smoke or something like that - not horrible, but not inedible.  We decided to try to give the entrees a try seeing as we were already there, but right as I said that I took a bite of my chips and queso and got a mouthful of plastic bag.  Needless to say, we decided to skip the entrees and will not return.

Edible Tyler Roses: 2 out of 5  - I would recommend going for live music and drinks (the view is great), but just eat somewhere else beforehand.  I also don't see how they will stay in business for very long.  Their overhead has to be killing them.

Veranda Indian Cuisine - last bastion of Tyler Indian food

*EDIT*  Veranda has closed it's doors for 'remodeling' for several months now.  I was told on the phone that they would reopen in May, but sadly no new of it coming back.  I have a feeling that we'll never taste Veranda Indian Cuisine again. If anyone know different, please let me know.

Veranda Indian Cuisine
3310 Troup Highway
Tyler, TX 75701



Veranda is located inside the Ramada, just north of the loop off of Troup Highway. They offer a lunch buffet and I am assuming a dinner service (I have yet to dine here during the evening). The only other Indian restaurant in town was Namaste Bombay Brassiere which has since closed its doors. The restaurant isn't very visually stunning to be nice. There is a hotel bar with 10 tables or so with a buffet line set up. The view is the hotel pool. I think the lunch buffet was around 8-9 bucks (no drink included).

The spread: For lunch they had a decent sized buffet. There are some dessert type items to include a couple of types of pudding and fruit. The entrees available consisted of a spicy cabbage salad, basmati rice, chicken birayni (chicken and rice with spices), butter chicken (chicken with spicy cream sauce), goat curry, tandoori chicken, a lentil preperation and a vegetarian dish that I think was palak paneer (cottage cheese cubes in spinach sauce). They also had a warm sweet carrot dish for dessert (gajar halwa?). They also served hot naan to your table. I didn't see a menu, but I know they also do a mango lassi (mango yogurt drink).

The verdict: Well, I have to say that I didn't have high hopes when I walked in. It was close to peak lunch hours and there was a family of 6-8, and two other couples in the restaurant, usually a bad sign. The food was sensational. Everything I tasted was perfectly cooked and spiced. I think they 'dumbed' down the heat level a little bit in the meat dishes, but the dishes had a strong heat level without being overbearing. The naan was hot, crispy and chewy - perfect for sopping up any leftover curry/sauce. My favorite was the goat curry, bones and all - it just hit the spot for me as I love it when a cheap, tough cut of meat gets turned into savory melt in your mouth goodness. The tandoori chicken was also a pleasant surprise as I usually find it bland, but they cooked it perfectly with the right amount of spices and smoke. I was once again blown away by the quality of indian food, right here in Tyler. An additional surprise was the sweet carrot dish, it reminded me of sweet potatoes served dessert style at Thanksgiving.

Edible Tyler Roses: 5 out of 5, rare gem of great food and reasonable prices. I will have to go back during an evening dining service.

KE Cellars

****UPDATE:  KE cellars has shut down, apparently the new alcohol laws allowing for the more widespread selling of alcohol was too much for this place to stay in business.  That is too bad, I like this little wine shop.

KE Cellars - Tyler
4574 S. Broadway
Tyler, TX 75703
https://www.kiepersol.com/kecellars/index.shtml



KE Cellars is a nice little place just south of the loop and Broadway/69.  It really is a wine shop that happens to have a little grub and lets your taste on site.

The spread:  The always have several different wines for tasting/drinking.  The store has a nice collection of different wines from Texas.  I haven't been in since they changed the alcohol rules for Tyler, so I am not sure if they have expanded their wares.  In the back they have several long benches and a stage for live music.  I think they also have a small menu of nibbles to enjoy with your wine.

The verdict:  This is a place I really dig.  You get to try a bunch of wines that you might not usually try, kick back on some benches and listen to live music.  The crowd is definitely older folks.  I really like the decor, it is simple and reminds me of drinking in a wine cellar in Germany.


Edible Tyler Roses:  4 out of 5; great place to relax and have a glass of wine.

Wasabi's

Wasabi Asian Bistro and Sushi Bar
http://www.wasabityler.com/

5617 S. Donnybrook

Tyler, TX 75703

Wasabi is a place tucked just off Broadway/69 behind Lowes/Circuit City.  When I walked into the place it looked great.  Modern design, cool looking bar, nice layout, looked clean.  I think they are trying really hard to be a sushi bar that attracts the young, hip crowd.

The spread:  They offer a nice selection of different kinds of sushi (rolls, nigiri, sashimi, etc).  They also offer more traditional Chinese style food as well: egg rolls, stir fry, noodles, fried rice etc.  I tried the wonton soup, egg rolls, lo mein, madarin kung pao, and pot stickers.  I picked up and the service was a little slow for the time of day and the crowd (I think there were 2 people at the bar).

The verdict:  Well, the entire meal was nearly inedible.  The egg rolls I ordered were actually spring rolls that were cold and underseasoned.  The lo mein was hot, but underseasoned and bland.  The pot stickers were luke-warm and underseasoned.  The Kung Pao tasted a little off, was luke warm and underseasoned/bland.  The wonton soup was STONE cold from the fridge, they must have forgot to put it in the microwave.  I am not sure if meal was just a bad night or if that is just what they will put out on their Chinese side of the menu.  Perhaps they do sushi better, but there is no way I am eating raw fish at a place that doesn't know how to cook.  I could not have been more displease with wasting my money on the food.

Edible Tyler Roses:  1 out of 5.  Only reason they get one is that their sushi might be edible.

What about Kabob and his Gyros

What About Kabob & His Gyros
http://whataboutkabob.weebly.com/
713 WSW loop 323
River Oaks Plaza
Tyler, TX 75703



What about Kabob and his Gyros is a little place just west of the loop and Broadway/69. This place has a 'hip' vibe, with a lot of young people working the counter/grill. The walls are covered with customer 'graffiti' that contributes to the cool factor. They obviously specialize in Gyros.

The spread: Gyros are at the top of the list with a variety of different combinations of ingredients to make your gyros your own. They also offer some pretty good appetizers felafel and other 'Greek' themed fare.

The verdict: I really like this little place. The hours are a little weird and I seem to show up when they are closed. They make their pita bread fresh to order, take care of their rotisserie meat and have a nice cucumber sauce. The gyros are more than enough for a meal. My wife and kids like them too. It is unfortunately one of those places that I don't really think about all that often, and I am always very satisfied with the food. I like this place so much that it is one of the "Tyler" specific places I recommended to a good friend of mine who was driving through town.   My only drawback is there somewhat limited menu, although they do one thing and they do it well - GYROS!

Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5. Go get a great Gyro.