Juls - New location, better than ever?

Juls



Juls is, from what I understand, a rebirth and reconfiguration of the old Julian's over in Times Square. The place is located off of 155 past Grande, pretty close to Fresh.  It is very impressive from the outside and has two sections, one side is "Juls cafe" and one is apparently just "Juls"?  Apparently Juls has an Asian themed menu and Juls cafe is concentrating on healthy food, but it is still a little unclear to me.  Althought, I am not sure of the intent of the business owners, the buildings structure and the business undertaking are impressive.  The building is very modern and has interesting nooks and crannies that make the dining experience unique.

The spread:  My wife and I ventured to Juls.  They have an extensive drink menu with some very unique draft selections - a couple of which I have never seen on draft (Delerium Tremens).  The food menu is a somewhat pan-asian themed with a variety of appetizers (edamame, pot stickers, lettuce wraps, wings, guacamole, etc), sushi/sashimi, salads, "woks" - really just stir fry, Pho (vietnamese noodle soup), fried rice, new american (ranging from shrimp and grits to korean fried chicken legs) and a variety of burgers/sandwiches (to include Banh mi - vietnamese sandwiches).

The verdict:  The menu seemed a little unfocused to me and that it was designed to try to make everyone happy, but the food I tried was very good.  We started with some pot stickers, followed by some sort of spicy tuna/crab roll, beef Pho, grilled pork Banh mi, and the Mongolian stir fry.  The steamed pot stickers were excellent, the filling just had this background herb that was just making beautiful music on my taste buds.  My only criticism is that I would have like some sort of dipping sauce to help with the initial blandness of the dumpling dough.  The spicy tuna/crab roll was excellent, it had a great sushi flavor with a very well balanced sauce and heat level.  The beef Pho was pretty good, my problem is that I have been in some of the best Pho places in Chinatown in Houston and this Pho wasn't as good, but it is still worth a try.  The broth is solid, but I would have liked to have seen more traditional offerings (tendon, meatball, etc).  The Banh mi was also good, but not great.  The bread to meat ratio was a little skewed on the side of the bread and the heat level was nearly unbearable (perhaps this was my error) - again I have had some of the best Banh mi in Houston and my standards are very high, their Banh me is good, it just isn't great.  The Mongolian stir fry was also very good, great balanced flavor that my wife really enjoyed.  The service was also excellent, very attentive and quite helpful in navigating the ambitious menu.  I very much enjoyed the eclectic draft beer selection and will be back to try more of their beers.  The noise level was a little high, but that was because there was some sort of group Christmas party happening nearby.  I think Juls would be a great special occasion place for a date night.

Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5.  Ambitious menu, great service, good to very good food.

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.

Outback Steakhouse

Outback Steakhouse
www.outback.com



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

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

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

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

Lago del Pino - location, location, location

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




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

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

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

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

Bernard Mediterranean Restaurant - They sure don't like kids.

Bernard Mediterranean Restaurant
212 Grande Blvd
Tyler, TX 75703
(903) 534-0265



Bernard's is really an Italian restuarant located just behind Traditions just north of Grande off of I-69/Broadway. Not sure why they call it Mediterranean, when it pretty much just serves Italian food. It is definitely a fancy place that does not welcome kids, however, I think that it would be a good place to go for a date night.

The spread: Appetizers range from baked brie, escargot, salmon fume, and fried calamari and mozzarella. They also offer a few soups and salads. The entrees range from pastas (nice unique selection), chicken dishes (marsala, etc), veal dishes, and a variety of nice steaks. They also have a good selection of wines and the traditional desserts (chococlate cake, creme brulee, etc). My wife had the veal and I had a big ole ribeye. We started with the mozarella, french onion soup and split a mediterranean salad.

The verdict: The first thing I was struck by was the ambience. We dined in a room that very much reminded me of a basement in Italy. It was beautiful, with romantic lighting. The ambience was disturbed a bit when a birthday party full of loud, obnoxious people rolled in, but that really isn't the fault of Bernard's. The food was above average to excellent on all accounts. The steak was cooked perfectly and was paired well with the Cabernet the waiter recommended. The french onion soup was hearty and chocked full of delicious onions and cheese. We ended with the creme brulee, which is close to the best in town. The meal was a little on the expensive side, expect to pay near to 100 bucks for two if you get appetizers, salads, entrees, desserts and wine, but well worth the price. The waitstaff was attentive and unobtrusive. Overall a very good experience.

Edible Tyler Roses: 4.5 out of 5, give it a try, but bring some cash!

Kiepersol Estates Restaurant - average food, outlandish prices.

Kiepersol Estates Restaurant
21508 Merlot Road
Tyler, TX 75703
http://www.kiepersol.com/restaurant/index.shtml




Kiepersol Estates Restaurant is a high end restaurant located on the Kiepersol Winery complex. My wife and I had a babysitter so we decided to have a nice dinner on a Tuesday evening. The place is a short drive south of Tyler and located next to the winery. The restaurant is nestled at the northern part of a loop of nice homes. I think Kiepersol is really unique in that it has a neighborhood, a winery and a restaurant all within the grounds. Very interesting concept.

The spread: The menu is focused with four appetizers: shrimp cocktail, crabcakes, duck cigars and oysters Rockafeller. There is one soup - lobster bisque and three salads to choose from. The entrees are standard steakhouse fare: Ribeye, filet, NY strip, lamb chops. Also available is the seabass, salmon and chicken entrees. For dessert you have a choice of creme brulee, molten chocolate cake, bananas foster and cherries jubilee. The prices are high for Tyler, but very reasonable considering. Sometimes at fancy places I feel like they really try and gouge you for getting appetizers, desserts, etc., but at Kiepersol they are fairly priced. Of course, they have an extensive wine list with a concentration on Texas produced wines.

The verdict: We split the crabcakes and they were well prepared with a nice sear and plenty of crab meat. The accompanying sauce was a little bland and I think they could have added a little more seasoning to the crab cakes to make them stand out. My wife had the house salad, which she enjoyed, it was a unique salad made with baby greens, spiced pecans and cranberries
topped with a roasted tomato, Texas basil goat crème cheese and pecan-balsamic vinaigrette. I tried the lobster bisque and it was a bit of a disappointment as the lobster was overcooked and base was bland (although I did enjoy the presentation with a KE spelled out of creme fresh). My wife had the filet and I had the ribeye. This was where I was really disappointed. My wife ordered her filet medium and I ordered my ribeye medium rare, the filet came out medium well and the ribeye was medium. I know this is a small point, but when you are spending 34 and 40 bucks for a steak, you want it to be cooked perfectly. Also, the steaks tasted like they were not properly aged - I could have cooked a better steak at home. We both decided on the creme brulee for dessert and again we were both let down with the results. First off, the caramelized top was a little more burnt than we liked and the filling was cold. Also, I think they had prepared these the day before as it felt a little too 'set' and lost a lot of the creaminess I expect from a creme brulee. One last disappointment was the service. We had a YOUNG kid serving us and one other table (only two tables on Tuesday) and the service was just not up to snuff for the amount of money we were spending. The service was adequate at best and he was poorly trained in fine dining (for instance he reached across me between me and my plate while I was eating to fill my water, also the service was slooooow for him only have two tables). The one star of the night was the wine. I had a pinot grigio to start and a cabernet with my steak and my wife had a zinfindel (all Kiepersol wines) and they were all outstanding. I will definitely be drinking more wine from Kiepersol.

Edible Tyler Roses: 2 out of 5. I simply cannot justify spending $170 dollars on a dinner where the food was bland, the service was adequate and the wine was great. Save your money on the food and just pick up a couple of bottles of wine.

Dakota's Steak House?

Dakota's Steak and Chop House
5377 South Broadway Avenue
Tyler, TX 75703-3724
(903) 581-6700
www.dakotastyler.com



 
I went to Dakota's for the monthly business meeting from work. We were placed in a nice meeting room just off of the bar. The restaurant is definitely better looking inside and from the outside. It is located in an unassuming strip mall just next door to the OfficeMax off of Broadway/I-69 a little south of the loop.

The spread: They have your typical steakhouse fare, steaks, chicken, pork chops. Their appetizers are fairly standard as well, crab cakes, tuna, calamari, etc. I started with a seared tuna, had some of the crab cake, and finished with a bone in rib eye (the biggest they had - hey it's not my money). They had a fairly limited beer by the bottle selection and a standard steak house wine list. I had a glass of cabernet recommended by my server.

The verdict: Well, the service was one of my main issues with the night (the other being the steak). I arrived and they seated me, however, I sat there by myself with no interaction with my server for a good fifteen minutes (by the way I was on time, everyone else was late for the reservation). I would have loved to order an appetizer and a glass of wine while I waited, but alas, for whatever reason, no service was offered. Once the whole party arrived, the service was much improved, but they had already set the tone. The tuna was probably my favorite of the night, seasoned and cooked perfectly. The crab cake was okay, the crab didn't taste fresh and light, it was probably frozen. The breading was also a little gummy. Then came my huge bone in rib-eye. I was pretty pumped. I ordered it medium-rare. The steak came out looking great, it was at least two inches thick, a beautiful bone coming out of the side and it had a nice char. I cut into the steak and it is raw. Not rare, raw. I called the waitress over who agreed it was raw and threw it back on the broiler. By the time it came back to me it was cooked medium rare, but I was no longer hungry. I would have refused to pay for the steak if it was my dime. So the night started with a bad experience and ended with a steakhouse not being able to cook a steak.

Edible Tyler Roses: 2 of 5, sorry they have to be able to cook steaks appropriately and provide better service for the prices they are charging.

Lonesome Dove Cafe

The Lonesome Western Bistro
2406 North Main Street
Fort Worth, TX 76164
http://www.lonesomedovebistro.com/

The Lonesome Dove is a restaurant in the Stockyards of Forth Worth. I took my wife there for her birthday, followed by a Lyle Lovett concert. The place has a pretty good reputation, the chef, Tim Love, went on Iron Chef America and beat out Morimoto in a "Chile" battle. He has various accolades and TV appearances. I can't remember how I heard of the place. According the the website, the place specializes in Texas cuisine, so I just had to try it. Don't tell my wife, but I think going to the restaurant was more of a present for me than a birthday present for her.

The spread: The menu is definitely unique. There were varied choices in the appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts with unique ingredients and preparations (rattlesnake sausage, lobster hushpuppies, kangaroo tenderloin nachos, etc.). The menu changes with the seasons and there were a couple of off menu items. We started with the barbeque wild boar ribs and elk sausage sliders. We followed with a butter lettuce with applewood smoked bacon lardoons, chili pepitas, chili buttermilk dressing salad. My wife had the Roasted garlic stuffed beef tenderloin western plaid hash and syrah demi-glace and I had the Wagyu skirt steak, pomme frites and bernaisse. For dessert with had the warm ancho chili chocolate cake with pepita ice cream.

The verdict: Wow. This was a great culinary experience from start to finish. Not only was each dish unique with ingredients I hadn't tried before, it was delicious. The wild boar ribs were tender and perfectly prepared with a hint of "game". The elk sausage sliders were phenomenal. The jucy burgers were heightened by the foie gras and jam. Most surprising was that the 'strange' ingredients were absolutely delicious to my wife. The salad was also well prepared with the richness of the buttermilk being balanced by the salty lardons. The Wagyu skirt steak was out of this world delicious - so juicy, so full of beef flavor, just outstanding. My wife's tenderloin was perfectly prepared, juicy, tender and delicous (with the garlic complimenting the flavor rather than overpowering the dish). The ancho chili cake was a big hit with the wife, but it was a little too rich and dense for my taste. Definitely one of the top five best meals I have had in my life.

Edible Tyler Roses: 5 of 5, worth the 2.5 hour drive from Tyler to Ft. Worth.