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.

Stanley's Famous Pit BBQ - Best Ribs in Texas?? *UPDATE*

Stanley's Famous Pit BBQ
525 S. Beckham Ave.
Tyler, TX 75702
http://www.stanleyspitbbq.com/



Stanley's is a local BBQ joint located just west of the Medical center hospitals off of Beckham. The place has a great reputation with many accolades including Texas Monthly top 50 BBQ joints, and more recently won a statewide competition for their BBQ ribs. I have been several times, once when I first moved up to Tyler with my brother. Everything I know about the owners, I like. They are working hard to have authentic BBQ in a fun environment.

The spread: Typical Texas BBQ offerings (ribs, sausage, brisket) as well as pork and turkey. They also offer fish tacos (which I haven't tried yet) and are open for breakfast.

The verdict: First, let me start off with I am BBQ biased. The high points are the brisket and the pulled pork, both are excellently cooked with just the right amount of smoke. I have had both several times and haven't been disappointed. My personal favorite is the egg and pork taco for breakfast. The biggest disappointment so far has been their award winning ribs. I have had them twice and both times, they weren't cooked long enough and didn't have enough smoke. They may be winning contests with their ribs elsewhere, but they are not putting out quality ribs when I have eaten them.

**I have been back to Stanley's twice since the original post. Twice I got the ribs and twice I was disappointed. The most recent visit, the ribs were inedible, really, really bad. No smoke, not tender, horrible taste. I also got some brisket from the fatty end and it had very little smoke and was CHEWY, again not very good. The highlight of the meal was the sausage which was very good.

**Double update.  Well I have been to Stanley's many times since the original post and I would like to increase my rating of the place.  The last several times I have gone, the brisket has been OUTSTANDING.  Very reminiscent of central Texas style BBQ - that is to say a lot of smoke and wonderful tenderness.  I have tried their ribs also many times and the bottom line is I just don't like them, whatever the flavor combo is, I just don't like.  There is never enough smoke and they aren't tender enough for me.  BUT, the sausage, pulled porked are good and they have been NAILING the brisket.  

***Triple update:  Stanley's has grown on me a lot over the years.  The brisket is one of the best there is in Texas.  Their sausage is fantastic.  They have a sandwich called the "Mother clucker" - a grilled/bbq'd chicken thigh, fried egg, cheese and a special sauce on a brioche type bun that is not to be missed.  I just had some of their gumbo today.  They have great live music.   I have been to a beer tasting they sponsored from Cedar Creek Brewery.  The bottom line for me is that this place continues to improve and really is a jewel in Tyler.

Edible Tyler Roses: 5 out of 5, this place is for real.  The brisket is worth driving for, some people love the ribs, they are just ok for me.

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.

Cork - nice atmosphere and very good food

Cork Food and Drink
http://www.corktyler.com/



Cork is a relatively new place located in the Times Square Cinema shopping center off of Broadway/I-69 just south of Rice road.  The shopping center itself doesn't really lend itself to 'high end' dining, however, they have the entrance decorated nicely with modern design and a little sitting area.  Inside, they continue the modern theme with a bar area, decent dining area, and small area for live performances with some interesting modernish type art on the wall and many references to wine.

The spread:  They have an ambitious food and drink menu.  I'm not sure their theme, but they offer different kinds of sushi, small 'tapas' style plates, cheese and cured meats plate(s), a few different bowls (mac and cheese, soups, stir fry and grits), and a few traditional dishes (seafood, steak, etc).  For me, the menu was a bit unfocused and perhaps they are trying to be a tapas-sushi-wine-asian bar that serves food?  The wine list is extensive and they have a full bar with a few original concoctions.

The verdict:  I really enjoyed my experience at Cork.  The service was friendly, prompt and knowledgeable.  I tried the mac and cheese and it was the best I have had in a long time.  It comes in a bowl with spiral pasta with a bechamel-cheese sauce with bread crumbs on top with little bits of ham.  I also tried their spicy tuna roll and it was solid, but not very spicy.  The quality of tuna was good.  The charcuterie plate came with three types of cheese, a great grilled french bread and three types of cured meats.  There was a very mild soft/brie and two harder styles that offered a nice difference in texture and flavor, but none of the cheese were memorable.  The prosciutto was very good, but the cured sausage and pepperoni like sausage were both average - mildly spiced and a little bland. I also tried the ribeye which was cooked a perfect medium rare and had a nice bourbon glaze, but the cut of meat was lower grade (lots of fat and gristle).  I also tried a couple bites of the burger and it was almost amazing as my wife had ordered it medium and it came out well done.  The wine list was extensive and the bottle I split was very very good (Shatter something or other).  I also had a Cork Old Fashioned that had whipped egg white in it that gave the old fashioned a unique texture that I particularly enjoyed.  Overall, I think Cork is almost a great restaurant/bar.  I think if they trimmed down the menu some and really concentrated on quality, this would be an amazing place.  Also of note, they are very committed to having plates come out in a visually appealing manner, with nice presentation using unique plates.

Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5, a great place to have drinks/wine and apps, a good place to eat.

Soju: Sushi Bar and Asian Bistro - My first Tyler sushi experience

Soju: Sushi Bar and Asian Bistro
http://www.tylersushi.com/



Soju is a Sushi/Asian restaurant located off Old Jacksonville Highway just south of Grande.  It is beautiful from the outside with vibrant colors and interesting architecture.  My wife and I rolled up at around 6:00pm and almost turned around because there were so few cars in the parking lot and we have learned over the years that if a well established place is dead during peak hours, there is always a reason.  Fortunately, as the night progressed, the place filled up to a respectable level by the end of the evening, so our initial concerns weren't warranted.

The spread:  The place looks as hip on the inside as the outside, with plenty of modern flair and various local artists works on the walls.  Most of the art really wasn't my thing, but I appreciate the effort and maybe someone else loves it.  The menu is extensive with a large drink and sushi menu.  They also have an ambitious Asian themed entrees ranging from Pad Thai, noodle bowls, rice bowls, various beef, seafood and chicken stir fries/preparations.  They really are pan Asian, ranging from traditionally Japanese to Chinese to Thai style dishes. 

The verdict:  We sat down and were handed a dirty drink menu (a sign of neglect) and my first impression of the waiter was unfavorable, so we decided to just order drinks and appetizers to see if it was worth staying.  I ordered a mojito and a spicy tuna roll and my wife got the pot stickers.  The mojito was wonderful with lots of fragments of fresh mint.  The spicy tuna roll was large and aggressively spicy - which is a surprise for Tyler.  The pot stickers were also delicious with a well spiced pork filling and a savory dipping sauce, so we went ahead with our order.  We got the shrimp and vegetable tempura, pad thai and mongolian beef.  The tempura was also excellent (crunchy outside with tender inside) with two well prepared dipping sauces.  The pad thai was very large and pretty good, but lacked any real heat.  The mongolian beef was excellently spiced with a tasty brown sauce.  Also, my misgivings about our waiter were misplaced and he turned out to be an excellent server.  Overall a very pleasant experience.

Edible Tyler Roses:  4 out of 5, not perfect, but very 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.

Currents - a break from the ordinary

Currents
http://www.currentstyler.com/



Currents is a restaurant previously located near the hospitals down townish, but is now located just off Broadway/I-69 north of Grande.  They are a locally owned and operated place and have been serving Tyler for 17 years. The new place is far superior to the old.  The old was a little dank and dingy, the new place is bright and cozy.  They have a bunch of art (that you can buy) decorating the walls that really added to the ambience.

The spread:  They serve a self described French and American style cuisine.  The menu is definitely unique to Tyler, you won't find many of the dishes here anywhere else in Tyler.  The entrees range from Salmon Provencal style (salmon with vegetables), beef burgandy, steak, Mediterranean chicken, ribeye, grilled tilapia, seabass, duck, veal, etc.  They also offer several unique salads and the appetizers include crabcakes, shrimp remoulade, goat cheese puff pastry.

The verdict:  This is a great place unique to Tyler.  The owner is almost always on hand and cares deeply about his food, his menu and his guests.  There is a real chef in the kitchen.  On my most recent visit, our waiter was knowledgeable, friendly and provided top notch service.  The goat cheese puff pastry is delicious and one of a kind.  The lobster bisque was lovely.  My wife's french onion soup was the best I have tasted.  I had the steak au Poivre (steak with pepper crust) and it was the best steak I have had in a restaurant in Tyler.  We ended with a chocolate creme brulee and a regular creme brulee which were simple and wonderful.  I am looking forward to going back and really exploring their menu.

Edible Tyler Roses: 5 out of 5, go try out one of the best places in Tyler.

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!