The Burger Grind

The Burger Grind



The Burger Grind is a new comer to the Tyler area and is located off of Old Jacksonville Highway, a little south of Fresh.  The location is a strip mall a little ways off the road.  Inside, the place has the feel of an old garage.  They have a collection of video games in the back, a large multi-person bench and a few tables and booths.  The decor feels like an artist type met up with a mechanic and I like it.  The Tyler Morning telegraph has a nice story on the owner.  According to their website, they grind their meat daily, and it is hand formed, never frozen (hence "Burger Grind")

The spread:  Well they offer burgers of many varieties of course.  You can get your burgers in quarter pound, half pound and full pound patties.  There are various add on items to include avocado, fried egg, bacon, cheese, grilled onions, mushrooms, and jalapenos.  They also offer a few 'unique' burger creations to include the bacon cheddar, blue bomber, Xtreme cheese, Texan, Philly, etc.  They also have a nice selection of different salads, chicken/veggie/turkey burgers and other sandwiches.  There is also a kids menu for those ith munchkins.

The verdict: .  The service was friendly and the food came out quick.  I tried the Texan burger (onion, jalapenos, cheese, bacon), the Blue bomber (blue cheese and bacon), the kids chicken tenders, the fried pickles and their regular fries.  The Texan burger was excellent.  Everything played well together with a balance of flavors.  I have found a lot of places try to kill you with the heat, but they had a nice balance of good flavor and heat from the jalapenos.  The Blue bomber was also very good and they used a gentle hand with the blue cheese.  Often places will try to pile on the blue cheese, and for me it is just a palate bomb that is unpleasant.  Not so in this case, it was just the right amount.  The fried pickles were very good and the fries were above average.  The kids chicken tenders were moist and tasty.  My only two criticisms of the place are that the price point is high.  For a meal that includes a burger, fries and a drink, it will cost you ten bucks.  Now, I feel the food is worth it, but it still on the high side for what they are offering.  The other mild complaint I have is that they didn't ask you how you wanted your burger cooked (Well done, rare, etc).  I prefer a medium rare, but didn't specify and it came out well done. 

Edible Tyler Roses: 4.5 out of 5, one of the best burgers in town.  Give them a try.

Steak N Shake -

Steak 'n Shake



Steak N Shake is a new chain burger joint just south of the UT Tyler campus off of University.  They are well known in north country (I have been a number of times up in Yankee land) and opened up not too long ago here in Tyler.  The outside looks like a updated burger joint chain.  They have been outrageously busy a number of times when I wanted to try them out, but I finally tried them out a few weeks ago in the drive through.

The spread:  It has been a while since I tried out Steak 'n Shake and the first thing that struck me is that many of their combo meals are fairly cheap.  They get you because most of the combo meals don't include a drink. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I've never been for breakfast.  They offer "steak" burgers of varying size and cost, chili (with spaghetti), sandwiches (grilled chicken, fried chicken, turkey club, etc), salads, fries, and of course shakes.

The verdict:  I am to say I wasn't excited to try Steak 'n Shake, but my wife really wanted to give it a try, so we stopped by one day on our way out of town.  The service was friendly and they lived up to "fast" food.  We got our order and hit the road.  The burgers were surprisingly good for the money.  Very good bun, fresh veggies and tasty burger patty (although pretty flat and definitely well done).  They also had the option to add a 'flavor' to your fries and I very much enjoyed the Parmesan cheese addition.  We didn't try the shakes that day, but they do their shakes right.  They use real ice cream, milk and they are good.

Edible Tyler Roses:  3.5 out of 5, solid fast food.

Three Z Azian Cuizine - Z-licious

Three Z Azian Cuizine



Three Z Azian Cuizine is a relative newcomer to the Tyler Food scene.  It is located in the Times Square shopping center.  The front isn't much to look at as it is your run of the mill strip mall front.  Inside, they have carved out a nice space that feels like a great neighborhood bistro.  The decor is modern and clean with a decent dining area. 

The spread:  Their menu is pan Asian with some Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese inspired dishes.  They have a few starters to try including lettuce wraps, wontons, spring rolls and edamame.  They have soups and sandwiches to include Pho (vietnamese noodle and meat soup), coconut chicken soup, and Banh mi (vietnamese sandwiches).  They also have fried rice with various meats.  The entrees include a choice of protein (beef, chicken, tofu, shrimp) with various different styles of sauces/ingredients - Mongolian, yellow curry, sweet and sour, etc.  When I went they also had an off menu rice bun with different kinds of meat.

The verdict:  I have only been once, but I will return again many times.  The off the menu rice bun with meat was one of the best dishes I have had, certainly in Tyler, and probably in my dining life.  It was great, their was a honey chicken, a slow roasted beef short rib (I think) tucked inside a rice bun with fresh veggies.  It was a new culinary experience for me and just lovely.  It was familiar, as its structure is akin to a taco, but it was a new spin with the asian flavors and perfectly cooked/executed.  I also had some Pho which was also good, although I thought that the broth could have been a little more robust.  Overall, the service was very good and the food was quite memorable and the prices were reasonable.

Edible Tyler Roses: 5 out of 5, this is a great new place, where the people care about food and their customers.  Give it a try.

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.

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!

Star Donuts - Are all donut places the same? I donut think so.

Star Donuts



Star donuts is located just south of Bergfield park off of Broadway.  I can't imagine that the building was originally designed to be a donut place, but it works nonetheless.  You can drive through or go inside and check out the wares.

The spread:  Well they serve donuts as you can imagine such as glazed, sprinkles, chocolate, cinammon twists, apple fritters.  They also have kolaches, several styles of breakfast sandwiches and breakfast tacos.  We usually grab a variety of donuts and kolaches in the morning when we have guests staying overnight.

The verdict:  I haven't tried all the donut places in Tyler, although I have tried several.  Coming from Houston, I was a little bummed to have to miss out on Shipley's and had resigned myself to eat mediocre donuts and kolaches.  I'm not sure what the guys at Star Donuts do, but they serve the best donuts and kolaches in Tyler, hands down.  The donuts are melt in your mouth soft and delicious.  The kolaches have soft, yet chewy breading.  They are dangerously good.

Edible Tyler Roses:  5 out of 5, outstanding donuts and kolaches.

Razzoo's Cajun Cafe - is it worth the wait?

**UPDATE:  Tried Razzoo's out again the other day.  The spectacular catfish we had on our first visit is no more.  The catfish we had was fishy, muddy and just awful.  There were some pieces that were simply inedible.  My wife ended up throwing up afterwards.  The fried pickles and green beans also weren't as good.  I had a redfish special which was overcooked and not fresh.  Overall, the food quality and attention to detail were abysmal.  Additionally, maybe I didn't notice last time, but there were several waitresses that were wearing shorts that were so tiny, they would make a Hooters girl blush.  I may be overly harsh, but we won't be returning.  That said, the place was still packed on a Sunday afternoon.

Razzoo's Cajun Cafe



Razzoo's is a new place just off 69/Broadway south of Grande, just south of the Walmart in the building that Carretta's used to be in (Carretta's closing wasn't a surprise - see my previous review).  They put a lot of time, money and effort turning this place into a unique, bright, vibrant, visually appealing space.

The spread:  They are Cajun themed as the name implies with a menu to reflect.  The appetizers range from gumbo, fried pickles, popcorn shrimp, stuffed jalepenos, boudain, etc.  The entrees range from poor boys (shrimp, catfish, chicken), red beans and rice, etoufee, shrimp creole, various combinations of fried fish/shrimp/crawfish, shrimp creole, pasta, ribs, etc.  The have a full bar with a decent selection of draft beer as well as some desserts to choose from.

The verdict:  Well, my first impression of the place was that there was a lot of flash/marketing and not a whole lot of substance.  The outside decor is very eye catching and if you have tried to eat here, you have more than likely had a long wait.  We fortunately were able to be seated right away.  The service was friendly, if a bit young and inexperienced.  The food had some high points and low points.  We tried the fried pickles, seafood gumbo, catfish platter, shrimp poboy and crawfish etoufee.  The crawfish etoufee was nearly inedible, there was some background plastic flavor that was simply disgusting.  Next worst was the seafood gumbo, as the roux base was watery and bland - no depth of flavor from a genuine gumbo.  The shrimp poboy was fairly good with nicely cooked shrimp and great bread (key to any good poboy).  The fried pickles were also very good and were well seasoned.   The jalepeno hush puppies were also very good.  In the end the Cajun food reminded me of Joe's Crabshack - commercialized, bland, dumbed down with the caveat of outstanding catfish.

Edible Tyler Roses:  0 out of 5, skip the "Cajun" food, real problems with consistency.

The Rack Hamburger Grill - My kind of place

***UPDATE:  Wow, The Rack has closed.  I feared for their business success because of their location and recently downgraded their rating.  They were having problems in the kitchen and keeping beers on tap.  I am truly sad to see The Rack go, but you gotta keep people happy and coming back to succeed.

**UPDATE:  I have been to the Rack multiple times since the original post.  I have to say that they have some real problems with consistency.  I have yet to have a burger as special as the one I had on my first visit.  They just can't seem to get the meat temperature right.  I still enjoy the place and definitely recommend giving it a try, but just not as enthusiastically they go from 5/5 to 4/5 Edible Tyler Roses.

The Rack Hamburger Grill
http://www.theracktexas.com/

The Rack Hamburger Grill is a new restaurant that opened up near the Azalea district off of Broadway, just south of 9th street, located in the Tyler Shopping Center (next to Steinmart).  I don't think their has been a restaurant in this particular space, but it seems like a pretty hard place to keep a restaurant open.  From the outside, they have a little patio area with some large picnic tables.  Inside the place there is a healthy bar area and a dining section.  The decorations consist mainly of stuffed/mounted animals.

The spread:  As you can imagine this is trying to be a hamburger joint, but they are doing a lot of interesting things with the food menu. Their apps consist of candied bacon, salads, seared tuna, cheese fries, etc.  The star of the show is their hamburger selection.  You can choose their regular ground meat burger (ground and seasoned in house), buffalo burger, blue cheese burger, venison burger, lamb burger, ahi tuna burger, veggie burger, turkey burger and a few others.  The meals come with charro style beans and choice of one side:  regular fries, sweet potato fries, mac and cheese, etc.  They also offer a few desserts.

Perhaps the most impressive is their MASSIVE draft beer list.  They have a lot of beers on tap, almost all of which are craft microbrews from Texas (20 beers on tap on a regular basis).  I was in beer heaven.  They also offer a large selection of bottled beers.  A beer lover could get quiet happy here.

The verdict:  THIS IS THE BEST HAMBURGER IN TYLER BY FAR.  Stop what you are doing, go to The Rack and get a burger.  I recommended this place to a friend of mine who loves burgers and he told me it was the best hamburger he has had in his life.  I ordered a Rack burger with cheddar cheese, bacon and egg and I ordered it medium well.  This is one of the rare places that actually cooks your burger to your desired temperature.  They care about their food.  The burger was one of the best I have had in my life.  The meat is juicy and tender, with the right amount of sear from the grill.  The french fries are also done right, in house, from real potatoes and fried twice (the way fries are supposed to be done).  The beers were great.  This is definitely a place that I will go back to again and again.

Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5.  Get a burger and a beer and enjoy!  I fear that location will doom this place, but it is worth the drive....yum.

Gilbert's El Charro Restaurant - Old fashioned Tex-mex

*UPDATE*  El Charro's is reopened as El Charro on the Ridge or something like that.  It is now located in the Fresh parking lot.  The food is as I remember, the new space is definitely modern.  The only criticism I have is that the dining room is very loud, there are a lot of hard surfaces, so the sound tends to amplify.  I am glad to have the food back, but El Charro has a lost a little of its charm with the new location.

*EDIT*  Sadly, both Gilbert's El Charro Restaurants closed their doors after 70 or so years of business in Tyler.  My family and I will miss the food.  Another loss of a local favorite, hopefully, another local place can fill the void.

Gilbert's El Charro Restaurant



Gilbert's is an old school Tex-Mex restaurant that has two locations in Tyler. The decor and atmosphere take me back to my youth when my grandma and great aunt used to take me out to eat. For me, there is a warm feeling of nostalgia when I walk through the doors.

The spread: They have your typical, what I call Old school Tex-mex. That is to say, enchiladas smothered in chili con carne, nachos, fajitas, tamales, rice N beans, chips N salsa, tacos, burritos, etc. I usually go with one of the combination plates or with the fajitas. Interestingly, they have teamed up with Mother Frances and offer a few healthy options. They also offer free soft serve ice cream, which the kids love.

The verdict: I love this place, mostly because they stay committed to being old school Tex-mex. They aren't trying to be a fancy authentic Mexican restuarant, they are just doing food right. I particularly like the nachos, as they put beans/meat/cheese on top of a six inch tostada fried corn tortilla. The service is usually average to good, with food coming out quickly and glasses full of drinks. I think they also offer a "best" chicken fried steak, which my wife fell for the hype and turns out it was average. This is a good place to take the kids.

Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5, good ole fashioned Tex-mex. YUM!

Wright's BBQ

Wright's BBQ



Wright's BBQ is a relative newcomer to Tyler and is located a little south of Grande off of Paluxy.  I'm not sure it is the greatest location for a restaurant as it is in a relatively low traffic area in an 'industrial/country' part of Tyler.  From the outside it looks non-descript with very little to indicate there is a restaurant.

The spread:  I really like their setup inside.  It reminds me of an old church banquet hall I used to go to growing up.  There is a bar on one side, a bunch of tables and then an entertainment area on the opposite side.  They offer your standard Texas BBQ:  brisket, sausage, ribs, turkey, and pulled pork.  For sides you can choose potato salad, pinto beans or cole slaw.  They also offer BBQ nachos and a BBQ baked potato.  For dessert you can choose from cobbler, banana pudding and cheesecake.  When I went by to give them a try, I was the only person in the huge dining room, which is always a bad sign.

The verdict:  This is another example of a family run restaurant in Tyler that I really want to love and support, but falls flat.  They are doing everything right except putting out good BBQ.  I loved the decor, the setup, the bar, and the service was friendly.  The food was just not up to snuff.  The brisket was tender, however, it had very little smoke flavor.  The sausage tasted like generic hickory farm store bought sausage.  The ribs were tender, but they again had very little smoke flavor.  The potato salad and pinto beans were also bland and a little sweet.  I am of the opinion that to do BBQ right, you need an experienced pit master and a BBQ pit that uses real wood and smoke, neither of which were evident on my visit.  I think perhaps they are focusing on being an entertainment center and not a great BBQ joint.  I think it would be a great place to have an event (I'd just prefer to cater from someone else!).

Edible Tyler Roses:  2 out of 5, below average BBQ.

La Plazita - had a taste, can't wait to go back for more

La Plazita



La Plazita is just outside of town off of 64 heading towards Canton.  You can easily pass it up as there is a lot of foliage surrounding the place and you don't notice it until you are right up on it.  It looks inviting from the outside with vibrant colors and decorations.  There is a small parking lot out front and a larger one in the rear.

The spread:  Well I stopped by on our way out to Yesterland Farms (which is a lot of fun, but expensive) because I was craving a good breakfast taco and figured I would give it a shot.  The have a fairly large breakfast menu to include several different kinds of breakfast tacos as well as the more traditional Tex-mex fair (huevos rancheros, etc.).  I also peaked at their lunch/dinner menu and was surprised to see not only standard Tex-mex, but a few uncommon dishes on their menu that I would love to try (empanadas, mole enchiladas, and others).

The verdict:  Wow was I glad we stopped.  I got a bean, egg and cheese taco and an chorizo, egg and cheese taco.  The tortillas weren't made to order, but they were cooked well and very good.  They were also generous with the filling with a lot of eggs, cheese, chorizo and beans.  One would have been enough for a solid breakfast.  The chorizo taco was great, with a nice spicy variety that didn't overpower the whole taco.  The bean, egg and cheese also hit the spot.  If they hand made their tortillas to order, this would be heavenly, instead, they are just the best breakfast tacos I have had in Tyler.

Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5; I'll reassess when I revisit the lunch/dinner menu - and I am looking forward to it.

Red's Famous Fried Chicken

****UPDATE.  Well, I am not surprised, but Red's Famous Fried Chicken has closed its doors and you can no longer get overpriced below average chicken.   I'm looking forward to whatever pops up in its place.


Red's Famous Fried Chicken



Red's is a new chicken place in town that is now in what used to be Cinco Ranch (a failed breastaraunt) and before that El Chico.  It is in the parking lot of Toys R Us, just east of Broadway and the loop.  They didn't do a whole lot to change the outside, but it looks well decorated and inviting from the outside.

The spread:  We were seated quickly and the inside decor was somewhat non-descript, I don't really know what style/theme they are going for.  They are a little unusual in that they don't have a menu.  I find not having a menu very peculiar. The waitress quickly explained the choices.  You can get fried chicken, chicken tenders, fried catfish or chicken fried steak.  All meals come with biscuits, a salad, mashed potatoes and cream gravy, green beans, and creamed corn.

The verdict:  Well, I hated the fact that you don't have a menu.  How do you know what to order if you don't know how much it costs and have a description of what it will be?  I don't want to sit there and have a conversation about the menu with the wait staff, I want to look and decide for myself.  The meal ended up being 11.99 per person (4.99 for the kids), which isn't unreasonable, but I just like to know costs up front.  The biscuits were okay, but too dense - I prefer a delighfully fluffy biscuit and theirs weren't hockey pucks, but you had to slather them down with honey and butter for them to be palatable.  The sides were also just ok, although my wife really enjoyed the creamed corn (I thought there was way too much cream).  The green beans were pretty good, but a little overcooked.  The mashed potatoes were made from real potatoes with the skin on.  The cream gravy was actually very good and had a unique flavor to it that made it memorable.  My wife had the chicken fingers and there were good (not quite as good as Raising Cane's) they were obviously marinated, juicy and had a nice crust to them.  I had the fried chicken and I was disappointed.  The chicken was marinated in a strange herbal marinade and the crust was more along the lines of KFC original recipe with very little crispiness.  Given the fact that I didn't care for their 'famous' fried chicken, I just can't recommend the place.

Edible Tyler Roses: 2 out of 5, Their chicken may be famous, but it ain't good.

Raising Cane's - name is more exciting than the food

Raising Cane's
4186 S Broadway Ave
Tyler, TX 75701
http://www.raisingcanes.com/



Raising Cane's is a new chicken joint just off of Broadway and the loop in what used to be the church parking lot of First Christian Church.  They just opened up shop in the past couple of months and as usual, Tylerites line up to try something new.

The spread:  They have a VERY focused menu.  You can basically order chicken fingers, fries, Texas toast and coleslaw in one combination or another.  They also have a 'famous' Cane sauce.  They have drive through and dine in options.

The verdict:  Maybe I was expecting too much.  They advertise that they marinate their chicken fingers for 24 hours and that I would be crazy for their Cane sauce.  The chicken fingers were good, the food came out fast and my order was correct.  The chicken fingers are definitely the best I have had in town, but that isn't saying much.  The chicken fingers were cooked well and were pretty juicy, but there really wasn't any "wow" factor.  Nothing really stood about in the flavor profile.  I was also a little disappointed in the Cane sauce, it was basically a very mildly spiced mayo/aoili emulsion.  I basically think whether or not you will love Raising Cane's will come down to what you think about the Cane sauce because nothing else really stands out.  I was ambivalent about the sauce and thus ambivalent about Raising Cane's.  It is definitely worth trying out once to see what you think for yourself.

Edible Tyler Roses:  2.5 out of 5.  Worth a try, but not my thing.

Athena Family Restaurant - so close to a good restaurant

Athena Family Restaurant
1601 West Southwest Loop 323
Tyler, TX 75701



Athena is a relative new comer to Tyler just off the loops east of Old Jacksonville Highway.  Kettle used to be housed in this building, but it is almost no longer recognizable as an old Kettle.  The outside is completely white with some beautiful Greek designs along the roof line.  I really liked the look of the place from the outside as they put in a lot of effort to make it look nice. 

The spread:  The menu looked promising.  There were a variety of salads and Greek inspired soups as well as a lot of appetizers to choose from.   They also offer the traditional Greek entrees to choose from: Gyro plates, lamb kebabs, moussaka, etc.  They also have an "American" menu that has hamburgers and whatnot, and I'm not sure why - it really seems out of place.  They also offer traditional Greek desserts.

The verdict:  I really want to like this place.  I think it is being run by a Greek family, with a really sweet Greek girl running the register.  The service was below average, but I am willing to give them a break because they are new and still working out the kinks.  The problem I have is with the food.  The gyro meat is prepackaged (although it was the best thing I ate here).  The pita bread was out of a package.  The bed of rice that my lamb kebab came on was inedible (overcooked/mushy and sat out too long).  The salads were bland, and the salad dressing came out of a prepackaged bottle.  The spanakopita was also either made the day before or it was prepackaged.  The stuffed grape leaves were bland and tasted overcooked/prepackaged.  For someone who has never tried Greek food before, this may be a non-threatening way to try it, but it just isn't good food.  My gut feeling is that a Greek businessman decided he wanted to start a Greek restaurant and has no experience/love of cooking great food.  The prices were reasonable, but the food was just not worth the price.  I give this place a year if nothing changes.  If you a great example of a gyro, go to What about Kabob and his Gyro, as they care about food (fresh cut gyro meat, fresh made to order pita bread, homemade tsatziki sauce, yum).

Edible Tyler Roses: 2 out of 5, I wish this place the best, but I can't recommend one thing from the menu.

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.

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.

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!!