Tuscan slice - Is it slice as nice?

Tuscan slice



Tuscan slice is a new place just off of the loop and 155 in the space that Johnny Carrino's used to be.  The location is not a great one, as there aren't many adjacent businesses.  I fear that Tuscan slice will share the same fate of Johnny Carrino's.  From the outside they didn't change much - there is a little fresh paint and a few murals.  Inside it looks fresh and clean with a large pizza oven with a bar near it.  Tuscan slice is a small chain with what looks like three other locations in Texas.  Their signature is the wood fired oven.

The spread:  The appetizers offered range include bruschetta, fried mozzarella, sauteed mussels, pepperoni rolls and fried ravioli.  They offer a selection of salads to include the usual caesar with a couple of unique salads with various toppings (caramelized pecans, green apples, calamari, crab cakes, italian toppings, etc.)  The entrees include typical American-Italian selections (chicken/eggplant parm, saltimboca, milanese, piccata, marsala, gnocchi, spaghetti, alfredo), wood fired baked entrees (lasagna, manicotti, ravioli) and wood fired steak/pork chops.  The star of the show is the wood fired pizzas with traditional toppings - the margherita, Greek, caprese, italian meat, etc.  They also will bring out dough and topping for the kids to make their own pizza.

The verdict:  Good, but not great.  I was disappointed, perhaps because I had high hopes for a great pizza.  The pizza was just ok, the dough was too thick and although there was charring along the bottom, it wasn't super crispy and delicious.  The cheese was generic American mozzarella, and the pepperoni tasted like Hormel.  I was looking for exciting toppings like prosciutto and arugula, but found the pizzas somewhat uninspired.  We tried the caprese, which was done well and the pesto added a nice burst of flavor.  The kids really enjoyed making their own pizza, but it turns out they burned it in the kitchen because they didn't flattened the dough out enough with the rolling pin. A high point was bringing the kids up to the pizza counter where the young chef gave us all pieces of dough to play with while our pizza cooked, the spectacle had a very good entertainment value.  Another high point is the free bread they hand out at the beginning of the meal, it was light and crispy and drizzled with a little olive oil. YUM.

Edible Tyler Roses:  3 out of 5, worth trying, but the pizza falls flat.

Mama's Cafe - Mama I'm coming home!

Mama's Restaurant

Mama's cafe is a place off of 5th street near the loop in a little strip center.  It isn't much to look at from the outside, with somewhat limited parking out front.  I love the entrance, it has a unique feel to it, an elevated dining area and bar to the right and more elevated eating space to the left.  They have a beautiful mural in the bar area.

The spread:  You can check out their menu on their facebook page. Their menu is dichotomous with typical Southern diner fare (T-bone, chicken fried steak, pork chops, pot roast, etc) and typical Tex-mex selections (enchiladas, tacos, burritos, tamales, nachos, fajitas, etc.), and they have a breakfast menu and a dinner/lunch menu.  I stopped in for breakfast and tried a couple of tacos and the huevos rancheros.

The verdict:  I really like this place.  The service was friendly, there was an older group reminiscing about the good old days at the table next to me.  The mural was a nice touch.  The food did take a little longer than I would have anticipated, but when it arrived, it was hot, fresh and generous.  The eggs were cooked perfectly in the huevos rancheros and the beans were nice and creamy.  The chorizo and egg breakfast taco was a meal unto itself with a nice spicy chorizo and plenty of egg crammed into a flour tortilla.  My only criticisms were that the tortillas were not made fresh and the salsa was also not a fresh salsa (very ketchupy). 

Edible Tyler Roses:  4 out of 5; very good breakfast, worth a try for lunch/dinner.

La Michoacana - Cana get a pig toe? Yes you cana.

La Michoacana



La Michoacana is a Mexican supermarket just off of North Beckham and Line.  It is right in the middle of what I consider the "hispanic" part of Tyler.  There are always day laborers looking for work in the parking lots of various adjacent businesses.  La Michoacana is a chain that specializes in serving the hispanic community.

The spread:  In addition to a very good meat market, good prices on fresh veggies and plenty of Mexican/Latin American specific cooking ingredients, there is a little taqueria inside the place.  You have to order at the cash register, then bring your receipt over to the taqueria where they make your order.  BE PREPARED, you will most likely have to speak a little Spanish and have a working understanding of the menu to get what you want.  They offer a tacos with varying kinds of fillings, pozole (pork and hominy soup), Menudo (on weekends), tortas, pupusas, etc.

The verdict:  Well I ordered some pozole and a couple of tacos - one with barbacoa and one with cicharones.  The barbacoa was tender, juicy and great.  The cicharones consistent of cooked down fried pig skin and some sort of WICKED HOT sauce/gravy.  I took one bite and then just about cried for five minutes.  If you like pain, give it a try.  The pozole was the star of the show with tender chunks of pork and hominy floating in a rich spicy tomato based broth.  The only odd thing is that occasionally I would pull out a little piece of pig hoof/toe, which disturbed my gringo sensibilities.  Overall, it is worth grabbing a bite to eat when you are shopping for the special Latin American ingredients.

Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5, don't be afraid, Hable some espanol and get some good food.

Happy's Fish House - Happy Happy, Joy Joy

Happy's Fish House



Happy's Fish House is a relatively new place that I have been meaning to try for quite some time.  I finally got a chance to check them out for a friend's birthday.  They are just inside the loop off of 5th street.  There have been several failed restaurants in this location, hopefully, they can break the curse.  They did a great job with the decor inside the building.  It is strewn with "Lousiana/Cajun" decorations and whatnot.  It has a fun, party atmosphere to me.

The spread:  They serve a Cajun style menu with appetizers ranging from fried pickles, various shrimp concoctions, and fried green tomatoes.  They also have oysters on the half shell.  The entrees include poboys (chicken shrimp, oyster, fish, roast beef), some pasta dishes, and fried/grilled platters (shrimp, catfish, whitefish, chicken, etc).  They also offer a Cajun menu to include gumbo, etoufee, shrimp and grits, red beans and rice, etc.  They also have a decent beer selection.

The verdict:  Well I had a shrimp poboy, some gumbo, some red beans and dirty rice and a couple of onion rings.  The gumbo was the best I have had in a long time.  You can tell they make their own roux (or sure know how to fool me) and aren't afraid to use a little spice.  The shrimp poboy had perfectly cooked, fresh shrimp, my only complaint is that the bread choice wasn't that great.  I would have preferred a fresh french baguette.  The red beans and dirty rice also tasted great.  They had a deep rich flavor that can only come from someone who carefully cooks their food from scratch.  Overall, its the best Cajun I have had in a long time and I am sorry I waited so long to try them out.

Edible Tyler Roses 5 out of 5, Go on now, don't wait, give them a try!

Free Birds - and this bird it will not change

Freebirds World Burrito



Freebirds is a chain restaurant based out of California.  They obviously specialize in burritos.  They are relatively new to town and opened up in the old Casa Ole local just south of Rice and Broadway/69.  I have a special place in my heart for Freebirds as I ate many a burrito back in Houston.

The spread:  They offer burritos of varying sizes from small (hybird), medium (freebird), large (monster) and the off menu size of extra large (super monster).  You can choose from a couple different kinds of tortillas: Spinach, Cayenne, Flour or Wheat.  There are three meats to choose from steak, chicken and carnitas.  You can then fill the burrito with a myriad of different items, some cost extra (guacamole, sour cream, queso) others at no cost (beans, rice, cheese, hot sauces).  The overall set up is very similar to Chipotle.

The verdict:  It has been a while since I had a Freebirds burrito, probably close to ten years now.  I always thought in my head that I preferred Freebirds to Chipotle, but it had been so long that I forgot why.  Well I still love Freebirds.  The meat is perfectly spiced.  The rice and beans are spot on.  I think the taste is just a little more "Tex-mex" and a little less California style, so it just has a great flavor profile for me.  I love me some Freebirds.  Go try it out!

Edible Tyler Roses: 5 out of 5.  Get a super monster, IF YOU DARE!