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.

Kabob lounge - Sheesh, this place is good

Kabob Lounge

I'm not even sure how I ran into this place.  I think I was driving down Shiloh and caught a glimpse in the corner of a little place with a "Kabob Lounge" sign and looked it up on Google.  I was quite surprised to see another Indian food place turn up in Tyler.  They are new, as far as I know. The place is located off Shiloh just west of 110 (Troup highway) in the corner of a non-nondescript strip mall.  The interior is sparsely decorated with a small dining room.  They offer online ordering as well.

The spread:  The menu is interesting.  My impression was that the owner wanted the menu to reflect his nostalgia for barbeque back in Pakistan.  They focus on grilled items to include seekh kabobs (beef and chicken), various forms of grilled chicken (green chicken, maili boti), bihari kabob, as well as fried fish and falafel.  They also offer some of the grilled items in a sandwich/wrap form.  They also offer three forms of 'curries' in the chicken karahi, a couple of salads and naan of various kinds. 

The verdict: Wow, I was blown away with the skill in preparation and execution of their dishes.  The grilled items I have tried were deliciously spiced, expertly grilled and just plain good eatin.  The chicken karahi was also very good, well seasoned and balanced in heat.  The naan was also fresh and had that great balance of fluffy and crispy.  I also have to say that the prices are quite reasonable.  This isn't just a good Indian/Pakistani place for Tyler, this is a very good restaurant. 

Edible Tyler Roses: 5 out of 5, I highly recommend to give this place a try for some authentic and cheap Indian/Pakistani grub.

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.

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.

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!

Mi Ranchito Mexican Restaurant - Where have you been all my Tyler life?

Mi Ranchito Mexican Restaurant

Beef and barbacoa tacos.

Caldo de Res

This is a little place off of Front street just west of downtown Tyler.  It isn't much to look at from the street.  There are some colorful murals/drawing painted on the windows and a small parking lot out front.  On the inside, there isn't much more.  There are a 10-15 tables with a few Mexican themed decorations.  My first reaction when rolling up on the place was that it was a little "sketchy".  I was heading over to BBQ Hernandez/Taco Y Mas, but they were closed (this is the second time I have been over there and it was closed, please don't tell me they have shut down).

The spread:  The menu reminds of the little hole in the wall places back in Houston that I love.  They have several different types of soups (caldos) - beef, pork, menudo (on weekends).  They offer tortas, enchiladas, tostadas, etc.  They also offer tacos with your choice of beef, chicken, al pastor and barbacoa.  There were a few more items that I hadn't heard of before and I am looking forward to coming back and trying.

The verdict:  Ah....finally a place that knows how to cook good Mexican food on the cheap.  The flour and corn tortillas were made fresh to order.  The chips were dense and crispy with two types of sauce - red (hot) and green (not so hot) - both excellent.  I knew when the chips came out that I was in for a treat.  I had the caldo de res (beef soup) which comes with tortillas, rice, cilantro and limes.  The broth was rich and well seasoned, the beef tender and delicious.  I also tried the beef, barbacoa and al pastor tacos, and all three were excellent.  Interestingly, most places have a salty, not so great beef/fajita taco meat, but that was not the case here.  The meat was tender and had a great balanced season to it.  The barbacoa was juicy and tender.  The al pastor was also great.  Overall, this is one of the best first food impressions I have had of a place in Tyler.

Edible Tyler Roses:  5 out of 5; First impressions matter, and I love this place.

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.

Pat Gee's BBQ - Worth the drive

Pat Gee's BBQ



Pat's is an interesting place.  It is located off of 31 between Tyler and Kilgore in a ramshackle building that looks like it was built in another time. The barbeque pit is in a little kitchen off to the side and there is a dining area with a few scattered tables.  I was greeted warmly by an older couple, who I presume are the owners.  They are open Fri-Sun until the meat runs out.

The spread:  They offer your standard barbeque fair:  Pork ribs, brisket, hot links, etc.  They also offer the standard BBQ sides: potato salad, beans, white bread, etc. 

The verdict:  These folks know what they are doing when it comes to BBQ.  When you walk in the front door, you are hit with a wall of smoke that lets you know you have arrived at the right place for some BBQ.  The smoke has penetrated every surface in the place, so you know it has been around for quite some time.  The service couldn't have been friendlier, they figured out right away that it was my first time there and were quite welcoming (don't be scared off by the rough exterior).  The meats were all very good with nice smoke flavor, good seasonings and a tangy BBQ sauce (from a mason jar covered in foil).  The potato salad was mustard based and offer a great foil to the smokey meats.  The beans were very flavorful with chunks of meat.  The brisket had a good fatty content and was very tender.  The ribs were also very good, but perhaps a bit on the overdone side.  The hot link was great, just the right amount of spice and bit to the casing.  All together a very good meal.  By comparison, there brisket doesn't match the central texas style of Stanley's, however, I prefer Pat Gee's ribs and sides.  I will definitely be back.  This isn't the best BBQ I've ever had in comparison to the Titans of central Texas (Smitty's, City Market, Kruez, Black's), but it is very good.

Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5, Go give Pat Gee's a try, you won't be disappointed.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

BJ's beer tasting and dinner

BJ's Brewhouse
210 W Southwest Loop 323
Tyler, TX 75703
(903) 939-2840
http://www.bjsrestaurants.com/locations/tx/tyler

I have previously reviewed BJ's and mentioned my love of their deep dish pizza and their beautiful beers. I continue to frequent BJ's and continue to love their unique brews and large selection of Belgian beers. While dining the other day, I learned that they were doing a beer tasting and dinner using Sierra Nevada beers paired with items from BJ's regular menu (very much like a wine tasting/pairing dinner). I was ectastic and invited a good friend of mine to try out the dinner.



The feast had 5 courses and 7 different beers. The fist course was crispy calamari paired wtih Kellerweis Hefeweizen. The calamari was salty and crunch with a zesty garlic aioli sauce and marinara sauce that paired very well with the crisp, refreshing hefeweizen. The citrus notes of the beer paired well with the zesty garlic aioli. The next course was California club flatbread pizza and the Pale Ale. While I found both the pizza and beer to be of high quality, the pairing was the weakest of the night for me. The next course was the Kung Pao chicken and the Torpedo Extra IPA and it was another fine pairing, the bitterness of the IPA enhanced the spices and heat of the Kung Pao. Next came a 'palate cleanser' of the Ruthless Rye IPA, which I found to be somewhat of a disappointment as the beer seemed to have only one note - the bitterness of the hops. Next came my second most favorite pairing of the night was the Porter and the Barbeque Pulled pork sandwich. The porter was dark and rich with malty, caramel flavors that harmonized with the smoky richness of the pork. This was definitely a time when the beer and the food became more than the sum of its parts. What a combo! The next 'palate cleanser' was also a disappointment for me - the Bigfoot Barleywine Ale. The beer started with a nice strong fruity, malty flavor, but then the bitterness of the hops overwhelmed my palate so I couldn't really get all the fruit and malt notes. Next was the most surprising and best pairing of the night - dessert. The Oliva Quad was paired with BJ's Baked Beignet. The crispy rich beignet was topped with strawberries, ice cream and whipped cream. The Oliva was surprisingly sweet with a strong fruit flavor (cherries, plum, raisins) and nice malty-ness. I wouldn't have been able to drink very much of the Oliva on its own, but with the ice cream and beignet, it was heavenly. You cold really get all the fruity complexity from the beer. WOW.

In all, I had a great time and it was remarkably inexpensive for what we got (30 bucks for the whole she-bang, plus tip). The service was great and there was plenty of food and beer. I have only one criticism, and that was the guys who were speaking during the dinner. When they were just talking with the guests, they were knowledgeable, friendly and just plain fun to have around, but when they were describing the beers, they pretty much read right from a script that detracted a little from the experience, but this is a small criticism, the evening was awesome. Apparently, BJ's is doing more of these beer pairings and I plan to attend every one!