It was high noon and it was time to eat some lunch. It doesn't really matter if you are hungry or not, it was time. As I have been quoted in the past "what does hunger have to do with it?" So we did the Shake, Rattle & Roll to Popeye's. The wifey and me have been here many times before. Up until a few months ago we kept Precious every Wednesday evening, and we would take her to Popeye's with us. You know it was pretty regular because, once we stopped keeping her on Wednesday evenings, the Popeye crew would ask us where she was!!
We especially like the Wednesday special. It is two chicken strips, a side and a biscuit. For two it cost about $8.50, now I like cheap. Of the chicken fast food places, Popeye's is my favorite.
The chicken strips have a heavy breading crust that has a good taste to it. The chicken always has a good taste. Popeye's has a good number of dipping sauces and I have tried a number of them and have liked all of them. Today I chose BBQ sauce. It was some good eats. Givin the chicken a 6.85.
I chose red beans and rice for my side today. This side is ok, but that is about all I can say. We have also tried fries, and mashed taters. It is sad when mashed taters is probably the best of the sides. You would think that as good as they are at making the chicken tasty and spicy if you want it spicy, they would be able to make good sides. Think again, several times. Givin the beans and rice a 4.75.
As good as the chicken is, the biscuit is where it is at. They apparently load the biscuit crust with butter. They are very tasty and flaky. Ask for a honey packet and you got some good luvin there. I have been know to order extra biscuits. Givin the biscuit a 7.25.
Overall Popeye's gets a 6.283
Mitcho
©2014
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
McDonalds - Towne Centre and 635
Yeah, I know McDonalds. First of all, I have to reveal that I own a bunch of their stock. You have to take what I say with a grain of french fries (aka salt). These guys are marketing geniuses!!!! There are only 4 reasons I can come up with to eat at McDonalds:
1. The playground for kids (I think they were the first to have a playground).
2. The toy in the kids meal (I think they were first here also). Our CBoss, will beg to go to McDonald's because he has seen a commercial and wants the toy, and grandkids get what they want.
3. They are fast, even when they are slow.
4. You can buy a hamburger or cheeseburger and drive away. You can eat it while you are driving and nothing will fall out on you or all over your seats.
Notice I never said the food was great.
I ordered two cheeseburgers. They do put a full slice of cheese which does add to the taste. Cardboard needs all the help it can get. I just learned recently that one meat company provides hamburger patties to almost all of the fast food hamburger joints. I have to say if Burger King or Whataburger is getting the same patty as McDonalds, they are miracle workers. Overall, the cheeseburger gets a 5.
Then I order two apple pies. McDonald's sells these two for a dollar. These are actually pretty good. They do have a true apple filling, cinnamon and a tasty crust. This is the real reason I go. The apple pies get a 7.5.
One final good thing they do, it at some McDonalds, you can buy any size drink for a $1.00. Have you looked at drink prices lately??? They get a 1/2 point addition for the price of drinks. Of course they serve Coke products (I own Coke also), so that is a plus.
Overall, given that indigestion is coming in about two hours. McDonald's gets a 6 here.
Mitcho
©2014
1. The playground for kids (I think they were the first to have a playground).
2. The toy in the kids meal (I think they were first here also). Our CBoss, will beg to go to McDonald's because he has seen a commercial and wants the toy, and grandkids get what they want.
3. They are fast, even when they are slow.
4. You can buy a hamburger or cheeseburger and drive away. You can eat it while you are driving and nothing will fall out on you or all over your seats.
Notice I never said the food was great.
I ordered two cheeseburgers. They do put a full slice of cheese which does add to the taste. Cardboard needs all the help it can get. I just learned recently that one meat company provides hamburger patties to almost all of the fast food hamburger joints. I have to say if Burger King or Whataburger is getting the same patty as McDonalds, they are miracle workers. Overall, the cheeseburger gets a 5.
Then I order two apple pies. McDonald's sells these two for a dollar. These are actually pretty good. They do have a true apple filling, cinnamon and a tasty crust. This is the real reason I go. The apple pies get a 7.5.
One final good thing they do, it at some McDonalds, you can buy any size drink for a $1.00. Have you looked at drink prices lately??? They get a 1/2 point addition for the price of drinks. Of course they serve Coke products (I own Coke also), so that is a plus.
Overall, given that indigestion is coming in about two hours. McDonald's gets a 6 here.
Mitcho
©2014
Monday, July 28, 2014
The Steak Angus - Belt Line Rd near Downtown Mesquite
It was dinner time once again, so the wifey and me did the Mambo to The Steak Co. We were looking for a locally owned restaurant that I have not reviewed yet. I have eaten here before, but it has changed ownership. For that matter it has changed ownership a number of times in the last few years. This was a Golden Corral restaurant 30 years ago and has been a number of different restaurants since then, but the interior is still a 30 year old Golden Corral, which isn't golden anymore. So the ambiance is a little short here.
In studying the menu, the prices are equal to the big chains. For example Black Eyed Pea is the same cost or less. I don't talk about price much, because I go basically to cheap restaurants. We decided to order the Chicken Fried Steak and split it. This meal came with two sides (pinto beans and okra) and a trip to the salad bar.
I didn't go to the salad bar, but from my seat I could tell there wasn't much variety. Our salad had lettuce, onions (wifey knows Mitcho loves some onion), cheese, Thousand Island dressing and some bacon bits. I like a little more variety of veggies in my salad. Also, the Thousand Island tasted somewhat watered down. Otherwise it was ok, just limited. I am givin it a 5.
The Chicken Fried steak was ok, it was breaded nicely and the steak was not tough (See Mothers Daughters in Forney). So givin it a 6.65.
The pinto beans were basically beans, not much flavor. Of course they were better once I loaded them with salt and pepper. Givin the beans a 6.
The okra was breaded pretty good and had a decent flavor. Givin them a hearty 6.85.
Overall, this meal gets a 6.125.
Mitcho
©2014
In studying the menu, the prices are equal to the big chains. For example Black Eyed Pea is the same cost or less. I don't talk about price much, because I go basically to cheap restaurants. We decided to order the Chicken Fried Steak and split it. This meal came with two sides (pinto beans and okra) and a trip to the salad bar.
I didn't go to the salad bar, but from my seat I could tell there wasn't much variety. Our salad had lettuce, onions (wifey knows Mitcho loves some onion), cheese, Thousand Island dressing and some bacon bits. I like a little more variety of veggies in my salad. Also, the Thousand Island tasted somewhat watered down. Otherwise it was ok, just limited. I am givin it a 5.
The Chicken Fried steak was ok, it was breaded nicely and the steak was not tough (See Mothers Daughters in Forney). So givin it a 6.65.
The pinto beans were basically beans, not much flavor. Of course they were better once I loaded them with salt and pepper. Givin the beans a 6.
The okra was breaded pretty good and had a decent flavor. Givin them a hearty 6.85.
Overall, this meal gets a 6.125.
Mitcho
©2014
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Posado's Mesquite
We have been traveling some the last few weeks and had not been to Posado's in about a month. So at dinner time we both indicated Posado's was the choice at the same time. Like minds work real good together. So we did the twist to Posado's. It has always amazed me about the service in this place. Up until now, the manager, greeters and kitchen staff were pretty much the same people, but there was a different set of waiters/waitresses every time we went. The service here has always been excellent even with constant turnover. However, tonight everyone was different. New managers, new greeters, new kitchen staff (except one we recognized and he tried to bring us two meals that were not ours, so maybe they kept the wrong one), and of course new waiters/waitresses. The amazing days are over.
When we arrived there was a good number of people waiting on tables, however, when we walked in they took us to a table immediately. If it wasn't for the change, I would say they recognized Mitcho. Didn't seem fair but we were there to eat not referee. Not too long after, chips and salsa came. Now this is a plus. However, we waited on a waitress for far too long. We had eaten most of the first bowl of chips and was needing some cold ice tea (it is July you know). You know I had Chipper with me, so it really didn't take that long to eat the first bowl of chips. Finally, the waitress came and took our drink order. We were sitting basically next to the kitchen, so this was not a far trip to get us tea, but it took more minutes than it should have. After a good while she came with our tea with the ice already almost completely melted. I was wanting cold ice tea please! She takes our order. Now the wait really starts. I would assume we had waited 10 to 15 minutes since she took our order and no food (of course the one guy we recognized, during this time did try to give us other peoples food). I will give the waitress credit, after a long while she could tell I was getting testy, chips are only so good so long. Actually we were discussing eating chips and tortillas and heading out and see what they think. So the waitress finally went to the kitchen and retrieved our order and brought it to us. At least she was trying some. After that the service improved some and was not that noticeable the rest of the meal. That is till the check came. The waitress had taken the opportunity to enter a tip before she brought us the ticket. Nine cents!!!!! So what is she telling me here. Of course the service was not this terrible and I could not let that go. So of course I adjusted the tip to a more appropriate number. There has been the time that service in other restaurants was so terrible that the nine cent tip was eight cents too much.
So the service overall gets a 6.
The chips are a pretty good chip, pretty much similar to most mexican food restaurants. Givin the chips a 7.
The salsa has improved in the last year and is now a 7, also.
We ordered chicken fajitas, with charro beans and rice. When the fajitas came the chicken was very tasty and the condiments added to the flavor perfectly. Enjoyed me some fajitas. Givin the fajitas an 8.5.
The charro beans here are my favorite of all refried/charro beans. Loving me some charros. Given em a 7.5.
Rice is rice.
Of course the meal was ended with a sopapilla with syrup and butter. Yum Yum The sopapilla gets an 8 here (she brought me a pretty big one, Mitcho pays attention to these kind of things.
Overall, they get a 7.333 which is pretty good, but this has been a 9+ restaurant.
Mitcho
© 2014
When we arrived there was a good number of people waiting on tables, however, when we walked in they took us to a table immediately. If it wasn't for the change, I would say they recognized Mitcho. Didn't seem fair but we were there to eat not referee. Not too long after, chips and salsa came. Now this is a plus. However, we waited on a waitress for far too long. We had eaten most of the first bowl of chips and was needing some cold ice tea (it is July you know). You know I had Chipper with me, so it really didn't take that long to eat the first bowl of chips. Finally, the waitress came and took our drink order. We were sitting basically next to the kitchen, so this was not a far trip to get us tea, but it took more minutes than it should have. After a good while she came with our tea with the ice already almost completely melted. I was wanting cold ice tea please! She takes our order. Now the wait really starts. I would assume we had waited 10 to 15 minutes since she took our order and no food (of course the one guy we recognized, during this time did try to give us other peoples food). I will give the waitress credit, after a long while she could tell I was getting testy, chips are only so good so long. Actually we were discussing eating chips and tortillas and heading out and see what they think. So the waitress finally went to the kitchen and retrieved our order and brought it to us. At least she was trying some. After that the service improved some and was not that noticeable the rest of the meal. That is till the check came. The waitress had taken the opportunity to enter a tip before she brought us the ticket. Nine cents!!!!! So what is she telling me here. Of course the service was not this terrible and I could not let that go. So of course I adjusted the tip to a more appropriate number. There has been the time that service in other restaurants was so terrible that the nine cent tip was eight cents too much.
So the service overall gets a 6.
The chips are a pretty good chip, pretty much similar to most mexican food restaurants. Givin the chips a 7.
The salsa has improved in the last year and is now a 7, also.
We ordered chicken fajitas, with charro beans and rice. When the fajitas came the chicken was very tasty and the condiments added to the flavor perfectly. Enjoyed me some fajitas. Givin the fajitas an 8.5.
The charro beans here are my favorite of all refried/charro beans. Loving me some charros. Given em a 7.5.
Rice is rice.
Of course the meal was ended with a sopapilla with syrup and butter. Yum Yum The sopapilla gets an 8 here (she brought me a pretty big one, Mitcho pays attention to these kind of things.
Overall, they get a 7.333 which is pretty good, but this has been a 9+ restaurant.
Mitcho
© 2014
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Cheesecake Factory - 75 & Northwest Hwy
The wifey was celebrating 37 years of marital bliss, so we needed to go someplace special. After suggesting steak, the wifey zeroed in on Cheesecake!!!!! Now that's my kind of woman. I have to warn you, this is not a place that caters to rednecks. You have to dress yuppie to get in here. And I do mean this place is full of yukkies. However, did I mention it has Cheesecake?
So the plan is to share an entree and get our own Cheesecake. So not caring what the entree would be, I allowed the wifey to order this part of the meal. She ordered Crusted Chicken Romano. This was a breast of chicken coated with a romano parmesan cheese crust, served with pasta in a light tomato sauce, or something like that. The crusted chicken was almost the size of the plate and there was enough pasta to feed a family of 4. The pasta had a light taste of sauce and the crusted chicken was pretty good also. Givin it a 7.5
Now it was time to get serious!!! While the wifey was figuring out what entree to order, I was memorizing the cheesecake menu. There were only about 15 that I wanted, but my wallet was telling me one was enough. So I settled for the Dulce De Leche Caramel Cheesecake. The cheesecake had a good solid taste of caramel, which is a fave of Mitcho. It also had two large scoops of very tasty whip cream. There were some almond brickle involved but Mitcho concentrated on caramel and whip cream. The people at the tables around us starred at my dessert for a pretty good while. This was slap your mammy twice good!!! Givin the cheesecake a 9.5.
Overall, the Cheesecake Factory gets an 8.5.
Coming soon a dessert week and you can count on Cheesecake Factory being involved.
Mitcho
©2014
So the plan is to share an entree and get our own Cheesecake. So not caring what the entree would be, I allowed the wifey to order this part of the meal. She ordered Crusted Chicken Romano. This was a breast of chicken coated with a romano parmesan cheese crust, served with pasta in a light tomato sauce, or something like that. The crusted chicken was almost the size of the plate and there was enough pasta to feed a family of 4. The pasta had a light taste of sauce and the crusted chicken was pretty good also. Givin it a 7.5
Now it was time to get serious!!! While the wifey was figuring out what entree to order, I was memorizing the cheesecake menu. There were only about 15 that I wanted, but my wallet was telling me one was enough. So I settled for the Dulce De Leche Caramel Cheesecake. The cheesecake had a good solid taste of caramel, which is a fave of Mitcho. It also had two large scoops of very tasty whip cream. There were some almond brickle involved but Mitcho concentrated on caramel and whip cream. The people at the tables around us starred at my dessert for a pretty good while. This was slap your mammy twice good!!! Givin the cheesecake a 9.5.
Overall, the Cheesecake Factory gets an 8.5.
Coming soon a dessert week and you can count on Cheesecake Factory being involved.
Mitcho
©2014
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
5th St Diner - Great Falls, Mt
So on Tuesday we had to drive from Kalispell, MT to Great Falls, Mt to catch a plane to Denver to get back to Dallas. So I did some surfing on Urbanspoon.com to find a restaurant in Great Falls for lunch. Since we would be flying from 4:00 till midnight, dinner was most likely going to be missed. Now Mitcho does not miss meals. So I needed to find a place to load up for lunch. I find Urbanspoon.com to be pretty accurate in it's ratings. Now I needed to find a place to feed a hungry man, a wife wanting to watch her diet and a kid that basically only eats Pizza. They don't make that kind of restaurant. I found the 5th St Diner which was billed as a 50's Diner complete with seats at the soda fountain. It sounded pretty cute so we swung by. On arrival the Diner was a very cute 50's Diner. It has many pictures, vinyl records, and other 50's items. Very cute place.
Now CBoss was excited about the place because they had Fanta Orange in a glass bottle. It was sooo much better than in a can. So he overlooked the fact that he was served a hamburger instead of pizza.
I ordered the Diner Special. I had no idea what was coming. Oh my gosh. I have never had a hamburger like this. Of course it had a hamburger patty which was ok. On the bottom of the patty was a BBQ sauce that was real tasty. On top of the patty was a scoop of taco meat and a good supply of onions on top. Now you know Mitcho likes onion. The real surprise was the taco meat. It with the BBQ sauce really made this burger tasty. I will be adding taco meat to burgers in the campground. Giving the burger an 8 (yeah it was that good).
The fries was thin cut and tasted like homemade fries. They were very good. I am givin them a 7.
Overall The 5th Street Diner gets a 7.75.
Mitcho
©2014
Now CBoss was excited about the place because they had Fanta Orange in a glass bottle. It was sooo much better than in a can. So he overlooked the fact that he was served a hamburger instead of pizza.
I ordered the Diner Special. I had no idea what was coming. Oh my gosh. I have never had a hamburger like this. Of course it had a hamburger patty which was ok. On the bottom of the patty was a BBQ sauce that was real tasty. On top of the patty was a scoop of taco meat and a good supply of onions on top. Now you know Mitcho likes onion. The real surprise was the taco meat. It with the BBQ sauce really made this burger tasty. I will be adding taco meat to burgers in the campground. Giving the burger an 8 (yeah it was that good).
The fries was thin cut and tasted like homemade fries. They were very good. I am givin them a 7.
Overall The 5th Street Diner gets a 7.75.
Mitcho
©2014
Sunday, July 20, 2014
The Sizzler - Kalispell, MT
So after hiking in the rain, it was time to load up on some groceries. So it was the wifey's turn to pick a restaurant. So we fire up Urbanspoon to look at the ratings of the local restaurants. So after looking at the 30 or so restaurants that had good reviews she chooses The Sizzler that has no review. We have eaten in The Sizzler in California, Arkansas and I am sure other places. Your expectations don't get too high here.
I usually order a steak type meal with a baked potatoe and it is not too bad. I rolled the dice tonight and ordered the all you can stand salad bar. Snake eyes. I started off with a salad. The choices were pretty limited. The lettuce had more of the bottom of the plant, you know the large solid white stuff, that should be used as a plate, not food. I found some black olives, thousand island dressing, bacon bits and cheese. It all tasted ok, but I have had better selections.
I then chose some spaghetti and meat balls and 2 tacos. The spaghetti was basic spaghetti, not much flavor, but it was ok. The taco meat had a little strange taste to it. It tasted like they tried to spice the meat some, but they didn't get their spice from Texas, that is for sure. The lettuce on the taco bar was far better than the lettuce on the salad bar, go figure. I also added some sour cream and cheese. The tacos were decent, but Taco Bell, Taco Bueno, Taco Casa, etc has them beat hands down.
Finally I finished the meal with some ice cream. First of all, they brought us bowls straight out of the dishwasher. If you had heated the bowls in the oven, they would not have been so hot. So we stuck our tea glasses in the bowls trying to use the cold glass to cool off the bowl. This worked some, but we finally decided we had to get the ice cream and our bowls were still luke warm. The vanilla was empty so we had to get chocolate. Like that is a bad problem, huh. I tried to put some butterscotch syrup on it, but it was empty also. I finally I loaded the ice cream with chocolate morsels. It tasted pretty good, but it melted before I could get back to the table.
Givin The Sizzler a 6.
If you want an all you can eat meal, go to Furrs Fresh Buffet in Garland at 635 and Centerville. It has an amazing number of choices of all things and everything taste very good. It's a Mitcho Good.
Mitcho
©2014
I usually order a steak type meal with a baked potatoe and it is not too bad. I rolled the dice tonight and ordered the all you can stand salad bar. Snake eyes. I started off with a salad. The choices were pretty limited. The lettuce had more of the bottom of the plant, you know the large solid white stuff, that should be used as a plate, not food. I found some black olives, thousand island dressing, bacon bits and cheese. It all tasted ok, but I have had better selections.
I then chose some spaghetti and meat balls and 2 tacos. The spaghetti was basic spaghetti, not much flavor, but it was ok. The taco meat had a little strange taste to it. It tasted like they tried to spice the meat some, but they didn't get their spice from Texas, that is for sure. The lettuce on the taco bar was far better than the lettuce on the salad bar, go figure. I also added some sour cream and cheese. The tacos were decent, but Taco Bell, Taco Bueno, Taco Casa, etc has them beat hands down.
Finally I finished the meal with some ice cream. First of all, they brought us bowls straight out of the dishwasher. If you had heated the bowls in the oven, they would not have been so hot. So we stuck our tea glasses in the bowls trying to use the cold glass to cool off the bowl. This worked some, but we finally decided we had to get the ice cream and our bowls were still luke warm. The vanilla was empty so we had to get chocolate. Like that is a bad problem, huh. I tried to put some butterscotch syrup on it, but it was empty also. I finally I loaded the ice cream with chocolate morsels. It tasted pretty good, but it melted before I could get back to the table.
Givin The Sizzler a 6.
If you want an all you can eat meal, go to Furrs Fresh Buffet in Garland at 635 and Centerville. It has an amazing number of choices of all things and everything taste very good. It's a Mitcho Good.
Mitcho
©2014
Villager & Last Star Restaurant - East Glacier, MT
This morning we drove 100 miles to the otherside of the park to get some hiking in. Of course when we got to the other side it was raining pretty hard. So instead of eating lunch on the trail, we decided to eat in a restaurant before we got to the trails. So we rolled into Villager & Last Star Restaurant, also the only restaurant. This is a combination gift shop and restaurant and they know they have won the moment you walk in the door.
I am pretty sure our waittress spoke English, but I am not really sure. If she did, she had a dialect I have never heard. Now some good Texas slang with a bit of a drawl really messed up communications. Ultimately we pointed to pictures on the menu and we got what we ordered so all was good.
I ordered the Reuben sandwich. This was corned beef, moose slobber sauerkraut, some dressing of some kind on a Rye toast. The corned beef was pretty good. I could not see much of the sauerkraut or taste it and that might be a good thing. I also could not taste the dressing on it. The rye bread was pretty good. So givin it a 5.5.
After filling up we went and walked in the rain for several hours. Yippee.
Mitcho
©2014
I am pretty sure our waittress spoke English, but I am not really sure. If she did, she had a dialect I have never heard. Now some good Texas slang with a bit of a drawl really messed up communications. Ultimately we pointed to pictures on the menu and we got what we ordered so all was good.
I ordered the Reuben sandwich. This was corned beef, moose slobber sauerkraut, some dressing of some kind on a Rye toast. The corned beef was pretty good. I could not see much of the sauerkraut or taste it and that might be a good thing. I also could not taste the dressing on it. The rye bread was pretty good. So givin it a 5.5.
After filling up we went and walked in the rain for several hours. Yippee.
Mitcho
©2014
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Pizza Hut - Kaliispell
After going to a Classic Car Parade this morning, we were walking and looking for a lunch place.
If you know CBoss, he could live on Pizza for every meal. So the first place we came to was Pizza Hut. Wifey and me knew immediately that we would be eating pizza for lunch. So in we go.
I ordered a pepperoni pizza on thin crust. Now I am very pregidous (spelliing???) about my pizza places. I hold Pizza Getti high on the all foods list. The thin crust was almost as good as Pizza Getti's. The pepperoni and sauce were pretty good. The cheese was a little thin. Overall it was not a bad pizza. I am given it a 7.65.
Mitcho
©2014
If you know CBoss, he could live on Pizza for every meal. So the first place we came to was Pizza Hut. Wifey and me knew immediately that we would be eating pizza for lunch. So in we go.
I ordered a pepperoni pizza on thin crust. Now I am very pregidous (spelliing???) about my pizza places. I hold Pizza Getti high on the all foods list. The thin crust was almost as good as Pizza Getti's. The pepperoni and sauce were pretty good. The cheese was a little thin. Overall it was not a bad pizza. I am given it a 7.65.
Mitcho
©2014
Friday, July 18, 2014
La Fiesta Mexican - Kalispell, MT
First of all, the waitress at the restaurant was the first mexican we had seen in Montana. So my hopes were not high for really good Tex-Mex and I wasn't surprised.
The chips were similar to restaurant chips at home and were not bad. They get a 6.
The sauce is a completely different story. This was a first for me. The sauce was vegetable soup and that is what it tasted like. It wasn't bad vegetable soup, but it was not good salsa. Givin it a 3.
I got a beef enchilada and a cheese enchilada. The beef enchilada was ground beef, but very little spices. If it was spiced some it would have been pretty good. Givin it a 5.5
The cheese enchilada had a different kind of cheese that tasted different, but it was pretty good. It gets a 7.
The meal also had beans and rice. As I have said before, beans and rice are beans and rice.
Overall, the meal gets a 5.375.
Mitcho
©2014
The chips were similar to restaurant chips at home and were not bad. They get a 6.
The sauce is a completely different story. This was a first for me. The sauce was vegetable soup and that is what it tasted like. It wasn't bad vegetable soup, but it was not good salsa. Givin it a 3.
I got a beef enchilada and a cheese enchilada. The beef enchilada was ground beef, but very little spices. If it was spiced some it would have been pretty good. Givin it a 5.5
The cheese enchilada had a different kind of cheese that tasted different, but it was pretty good. It gets a 7.
The meal also had beans and rice. As I have said before, beans and rice are beans and rice.
Overall, the meal gets a 5.375.
Mitcho
©2014
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Jimmy Johns - Kalispell
All dad's need to read this one. For the last 3 days all I have heard is how great Jimmy Johns is. See dad of CBoss likes Jimmy Johns. So after listening to it for 3 days I decided it was time to take care of this issue. We we crawled to JJs tonight. After we had ordered, prayed and begun eating. All I heard was how great JJs was. So I finally asked how many times CBoss had been to JJs? This was his first time. Like many other things it was great because dad said it was great. Dad's they watch everything you do and at 30 criticize all of your mistakes. You are extra special if your son becomes a pastor and can tell on you to the whole congregation!!!! But I digress.
So I ordered the Italian sub. I am a big fan of the Italian sub. So I have a pretty good reference point. JJs is no higher than 4th (Zeke's is #1 by far, Quiznos, Subway, then somewhere on down is JJs). It had the meats and cheese which were pretty good. The bread was plain white bread and it was pretty hard. Where the rubber hits the road is in the sauces. At Zeke's the sauce is unbelievable, Q;s is very good, Subway's is pretty good, you can't taste JJs. Don't tell CBoss, but JJs gets a 6.
Mitcho
©2014
So I ordered the Italian sub. I am a big fan of the Italian sub. So I have a pretty good reference point. JJs is no higher than 4th (Zeke's is #1 by far, Quiznos, Subway, then somewhere on down is JJs). It had the meats and cheese which were pretty good. The bread was plain white bread and it was pretty hard. Where the rubber hits the road is in the sauces. At Zeke's the sauce is unbelievable, Q;s is very good, Subway's is pretty good, you can't taste JJs. Don't tell CBoss, but JJs gets a 6.
Mitcho
©2014
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Perkins Family Restaurant - Kalispell, MT
Today we hiked about 7 miles in Glacier Nationa Park. Saw some incredible scenery. After a day of trail mix, at dinner time it was time to get some real groceries. So we had seen the Perkins Family restaurant and wifey thought she had seen them in Texas, so we gave em a whirl. Basically it was a Cracked Barrel. So not too bad of a choice.
Tonight I selected Strawberry pancakes and sausage links.
Now if you know Mitcho, you know Mitcho knows pancakes. I make some of the world's best. So I am a pretty tough customer to please. The pancakes tonight were decent but the normal faire in a restaurant. They did have a fair amount of strawberries on them and a good amount of whipped cream. They were very chinchy with the strawberry syrup though. They brought me 3 syrups to add, regular syrup, blueberry and peach, remember this was strawberry pancakes. Fortuantely the peach was pretty good, so I had strawberry and peach pancakes. The peach saved the day for them. Givin em a 7.
The sausage link was a pork sausage link and it wasn't cooked very much. Now Mitcho is a BEEF kind of guy and I want my sausage well done (charcoaled). I ate them but it didn't do much for me. Givin em a 4.5. Don't mess with Mitcho.
Overall, they get a 5.75.
Mitcho
©2014
Tonight I selected Strawberry pancakes and sausage links.
Now if you know Mitcho, you know Mitcho knows pancakes. I make some of the world's best. So I am a pretty tough customer to please. The pancakes tonight were decent but the normal faire in a restaurant. They did have a fair amount of strawberries on them and a good amount of whipped cream. They were very chinchy with the strawberry syrup though. They brought me 3 syrups to add, regular syrup, blueberry and peach, remember this was strawberry pancakes. Fortuantely the peach was pretty good, so I had strawberry and peach pancakes. The peach saved the day for them. Givin em a 7.
The sausage link was a pork sausage link and it wasn't cooked very much. Now Mitcho is a BEEF kind of guy and I want my sausage well done (charcoaled). I ate them but it didn't do much for me. Givin em a 4.5. Don't mess with Mitcho.
Overall, they get a 5.75.
Mitcho
©2014
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Pizza Getti - Deluxe Pizza
After the Pecan Lodge fiasco, we needed to cleanse our palete so we did the Watusi to the Pizza Getti. We called both of our kids and luckily they both had dinner plans so we went just the two of us. This means we got my favorite pizza in all these here United States, the Deluxe Pizza. As I have said before the Deluxe has everything in the kitchen on it, yum yum. The Deluxe Pizza is "some good lovin". Tonight the restaurant was very crowded, which is a very good thing. I like my friends to be busy. Even though they were packed out, the service was friendly and outstanding. Like I have said before on your first visit you may not realize you are a member of the family, but by the 2nd or 3rd time, there will be no doubt. So grab your lady and watusi on down to get you a Deluxe Pizza, you can't go wrong.
Givin the Deluxe Pizza at 10!!!!!
For all of my KGB viewers, this evening word is "dadgummit". Know if one of your agents gets tangled up with a Texan and the Texan blurts out "dadgummit", it just go serious. Your agent better be ready to fight or retreat and fast. Because at "dadgummit" the Texan is frustrated and is about to do something about it.
Warning: If your agents actually eat in Pizza Getti, they will defect that evening to the US. Your Borscht can't hold a candle to a Deluxe Pizza.
till next time,
Mitcho
©2014
Givin the Deluxe Pizza at 10!!!!!
For all of my KGB viewers, this evening word is "dadgummit". Know if one of your agents gets tangled up with a Texan and the Texan blurts out "dadgummit", it just go serious. Your agent better be ready to fight or retreat and fast. Because at "dadgummit" the Texan is frustrated and is about to do something about it.
Warning: If your agents actually eat in Pizza Getti, they will defect that evening to the US. Your Borscht can't hold a candle to a Deluxe Pizza.
till next time,
Mitcho
©2014
Pecan Lodge
If you are a self respecting redneck you know BBQ. If you know BBQ you know that Pecan Lodge is rated in the top 5 in Texas. So it is mandatory to make at least one pilgrimage to the local BBQ home. This was my first trip. A fellow redneck friend called and he and his wifey wanted to know is me and wifey would like to make the first pilgrimage together. Duh!!!!!
So we went at 10:40 am to get there early. Yeah right. The line was down the street around the corner to near the end of the back side of their building when we got there. It was about 1 hour in line, which is short from some of the stories I have heard. That is why I am just now going. When we got to order, they were already out of ribs, which greatly disappointed my redneck buddy.
We ordered the two meat plate Jalapeno sausage and brisket. Our 1 side was pinto beans.
The pinto beans had a pretty good flavor and had an afterburn, a plus for Mitcho. Givin the beans a 7.5.
The brisket came in two pieces. The 1st piece was more than 50% fat and almost un-eddible. The other piece had only limited fat, which is how I like it. Now I have to tell you, I have eaten top 5 BBQ before. I have been to Snows BBQ in Lexington and it will make you want to slap your mammy twice. Pecan Lodge isn't in the same ball park. The brisket did have a decent smoked flavor, but it was nothing to write home to mom about. The wifey afterwards said that she would rather have brisket at Rudy's (which I am a big fan of) over Pecan Lodge. So I am going to be generous today and give them a 6.85. Please send your complaints to "whogivesacareitsnotyourblog@aol.com.
The jalapeno sausage was loaded with jalapeno. At least twice the wifey took off with my soda glass to get a refill during a bite of sausage. I didn't think she would ever get back with my drink. It was warm!!!!! The sausage had a pretty good taste. I would do the sausage again. Givin the jalapeno sausage a 7.82.
Overall, Pecan Lodge gets a 7.39.
Follow me to Rudy's in Allen, Denton or Tyler.
For all of my KGB viewers, "Fixin" is a vital word to learn in Texas slang. If a redneck Texan says he is fixin to get some BBQ, this means is about to head out to get some BBQ. In the kitchen a redneck might say "those are some mighty good fixin's", he means he really likes the food in front of him.
Mitcho
©2014
So we went at 10:40 am to get there early. Yeah right. The line was down the street around the corner to near the end of the back side of their building when we got there. It was about 1 hour in line, which is short from some of the stories I have heard. That is why I am just now going. When we got to order, they were already out of ribs, which greatly disappointed my redneck buddy.
We ordered the two meat plate Jalapeno sausage and brisket. Our 1 side was pinto beans.
The pinto beans had a pretty good flavor and had an afterburn, a plus for Mitcho. Givin the beans a 7.5.
The brisket came in two pieces. The 1st piece was more than 50% fat and almost un-eddible. The other piece had only limited fat, which is how I like it. Now I have to tell you, I have eaten top 5 BBQ before. I have been to Snows BBQ in Lexington and it will make you want to slap your mammy twice. Pecan Lodge isn't in the same ball park. The brisket did have a decent smoked flavor, but it was nothing to write home to mom about. The wifey afterwards said that she would rather have brisket at Rudy's (which I am a big fan of) over Pecan Lodge. So I am going to be generous today and give them a 6.85. Please send your complaints to "whogivesacareitsnotyourblog@aol.com.
The jalapeno sausage was loaded with jalapeno. At least twice the wifey took off with my soda glass to get a refill during a bite of sausage. I didn't think she would ever get back with my drink. It was warm!!!!! The sausage had a pretty good taste. I would do the sausage again. Givin the jalapeno sausage a 7.82.
Overall, Pecan Lodge gets a 7.39.
Follow me to Rudy's in Allen, Denton or Tyler.
For all of my KGB viewers, "Fixin" is a vital word to learn in Texas slang. If a redneck Texan says he is fixin to get some BBQ, this means is about to head out to get some BBQ. In the kitchen a redneck might say "those are some mighty good fixin's", he means he really likes the food in front of him.
Mitcho
©2014
Friday, July 11, 2014
Old Spaghetti Warehouse - Downtown Dallas
We had to deliver Lil' Bud to the Red Courthouse downtown around dinner time. Lil' Bud is going to be a ring bearer in a wedding at the Courthouse tonight. First of all, I didn't realize that weddings were being held in the old courthouse. Second and far more important, there is no way Lil Bud goes the full length of the aisle as directed. Lil Bud for those that don't know, is 18 months old and a "rounder" (I'll explain this term to you KGB types someday soon). In practice last night he made it once out of 10 tries, so I would love to be a fly on the wall. My job was to get him there, I have no liabilities after that.
Since we were downtown, we might as well eat in downtown. I have been eating in the Old Spaghetti Warehouse since the 70's. The ambiance in the restaurant is late 1800's and it is decorated very nicely. There are other locations around the Metromess, but none of the others have the same feel. The restaurant is complete with a trolley car that you can eat in. So it is a very interesting place to go to.
I ordered lasagna tonight, which comes with sourdough bread and a salad.
The sourdough bread is decent but not spectacular. It does come with garlic butter which is pretty good. If you want good bread, Olive Garden is the best and Joes Pizza or Pizza Getti are way better. Givin the bread a 4.75.
The salad was pretty good, not special but pretty good. Givin it a 6.
I was somewhat disappointed in the Lasagna. When I was ordering the waitress asked me if I wanted extra Mozzarella cheese. What I didn't realize by saying no meant there would be NO mozzerella cheese in the Lasagna. Now, every other place I have Lasagna in puts plenty of Mozzarella cheese. There was some other cheese but not much. Overall, they need to hire me to fix their Lasagna recipe. Givin the Lasagna a 5.
I finished the meal with an Oreo Dream cake. This really is a pie. It was loaded with chocolate, graham cracker crust, some oreos, etc. Givin the dessert a 7.
Overall tonight is a 5.6875.
For all of my KGB viewers, tonight's subject is "Bump Drafting". If you want to watch it in action on TV watch a NASCAR race. Bump Drafting began on the freeways in Dallas and Houston and NASCAR just copied us, those copycats. Here is how it works. You are running 80 mph in your Truck on I-635, you are coming upon a car in front of you only running 70 mph (in a 60 mph speed limit). Now we all know that if you are going to drive slowly you have to drive in the far right hand lane. So as you approach the slow poke in front of you, you want to slow down to about 75 so you don't hit em so hard. At the point of impact, you need to "floor it". Now you are pushing them down the freeway at 80 mph like they should have been driving. One of two things is going to happen in the next mile. Either the driver is going to turn his steering wheel just a little bit either way and you are going to push them into the wall, or they are going to realize that they should have been running 85 in the first place and they floor it. Either way is good. One final point that is very important, a good redneck does not Bump Draft another redneck, they have more guns that a division of the Russian army. You Bump Draft a Commie Liberal, they don't have guns. Glad to be of help.
One last point, it has come to my attention that my clients that have my e-mail address also have access to my blog. I am terribly sorry, but I do hope you enjoy a little fun.
Mitcho
©2014
Since we were downtown, we might as well eat in downtown. I have been eating in the Old Spaghetti Warehouse since the 70's. The ambiance in the restaurant is late 1800's and it is decorated very nicely. There are other locations around the Metromess, but none of the others have the same feel. The restaurant is complete with a trolley car that you can eat in. So it is a very interesting place to go to.
I ordered lasagna tonight, which comes with sourdough bread and a salad.
The sourdough bread is decent but not spectacular. It does come with garlic butter which is pretty good. If you want good bread, Olive Garden is the best and Joes Pizza or Pizza Getti are way better. Givin the bread a 4.75.
The salad was pretty good, not special but pretty good. Givin it a 6.
I was somewhat disappointed in the Lasagna. When I was ordering the waitress asked me if I wanted extra Mozzarella cheese. What I didn't realize by saying no meant there would be NO mozzerella cheese in the Lasagna. Now, every other place I have Lasagna in puts plenty of Mozzarella cheese. There was some other cheese but not much. Overall, they need to hire me to fix their Lasagna recipe. Givin the Lasagna a 5.
I finished the meal with an Oreo Dream cake. This really is a pie. It was loaded with chocolate, graham cracker crust, some oreos, etc. Givin the dessert a 7.
Overall tonight is a 5.6875.
For all of my KGB viewers, tonight's subject is "Bump Drafting". If you want to watch it in action on TV watch a NASCAR race. Bump Drafting began on the freeways in Dallas and Houston and NASCAR just copied us, those copycats. Here is how it works. You are running 80 mph in your Truck on I-635, you are coming upon a car in front of you only running 70 mph (in a 60 mph speed limit). Now we all know that if you are going to drive slowly you have to drive in the far right hand lane. So as you approach the slow poke in front of you, you want to slow down to about 75 so you don't hit em so hard. At the point of impact, you need to "floor it". Now you are pushing them down the freeway at 80 mph like they should have been driving. One of two things is going to happen in the next mile. Either the driver is going to turn his steering wheel just a little bit either way and you are going to push them into the wall, or they are going to realize that they should have been running 85 in the first place and they floor it. Either way is good. One final point that is very important, a good redneck does not Bump Draft another redneck, they have more guns that a division of the Russian army. You Bump Draft a Commie Liberal, they don't have guns. Glad to be of help.
One last point, it has come to my attention that my clients that have my e-mail address also have access to my blog. I am terribly sorry, but I do hope you enjoy a little fun.
Mitcho
©2014
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Panda Express - Town East Blvd across from Town East Mall
It was high noon and my stomach was telling me "FEED ME". The wifey had been to a brunch so I was on my own. So it was time for something a little different from hamburgers and hamburgers. So I did the Texas two Step to Panda Express. I have been here before and usually enjoy the meal. It was a lot busier at lunch than it is normally at dinner.
I order Orange Chicken and Chow Mein noodles.
The Orange Chicken has a sweet and spicy flavor. It is pretty good. Givin it a 7.25.
I had not had the Chow Mein noodles before. Besides the noodles it was loaded with onion (and you know Mitcho loves onion), celery, and other cruchy veggies. It was a pretty good mix of flavors. Givin it a 7.
My fortune in the fortune cookie was ridiculous. It was something like " I will soon be a sports star". I think not. I am probably 50 pounds overweight and way past my sports prime. So none of the Cowboys or Rangers need to be worried. This doesn't even rate a rating.
Overall, givin Panda Express a 7.15. For a quick, inexpensive lunch or dinner that is different and it isn't a bad choice.
For all of my KGB viewers, "Ya'll" is a vital word to learn in Texas slang. It means You All, which may mean more than one person, but not necessarily. Personally I love being in other states and greeting other people on hiking trails with a hearty "How Ya'll doing". Immediately they are jealous that I am from Texas and they aren't.
Enough for now, until next time.
Mitcho
©2014
I order Orange Chicken and Chow Mein noodles.
The Orange Chicken has a sweet and spicy flavor. It is pretty good. Givin it a 7.25.
I had not had the Chow Mein noodles before. Besides the noodles it was loaded with onion (and you know Mitcho loves onion), celery, and other cruchy veggies. It was a pretty good mix of flavors. Givin it a 7.
My fortune in the fortune cookie was ridiculous. It was something like " I will soon be a sports star". I think not. I am probably 50 pounds overweight and way past my sports prime. So none of the Cowboys or Rangers need to be worried. This doesn't even rate a rating.
Overall, givin Panda Express a 7.15. For a quick, inexpensive lunch or dinner that is different and it isn't a bad choice.
For all of my KGB viewers, "Ya'll" is a vital word to learn in Texas slang. It means You All, which may mean more than one person, but not necessarily. Personally I love being in other states and greeting other people on hiking trails with a hearty "How Ya'll doing". Immediately they are jealous that I am from Texas and they aren't.
Enough for now, until next time.
Mitcho
©2014
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Chili's - I-30 & Belt Line - Garland
First of all I refer to this place as "Chill Dogs". I don't know why, I just do. I had acquired a $50.00 gift card. My favorite food is always paid by "other people". With free money in hand we called Darlin to see if her and the gang wanted to join us for dinner. Free meal, yea she came.
We started the meal with Chips & Salsa. Did I mention that Chipper was with us. So you know, the chips disappeared fast. I like the Chili's chips and salsa, it has a pretty good taste. It's a good way to start a meal. The Chips & Salsa gets a 7.25.
We decided to do the 2 for $20 deal. This is actually a pretty good deal. We got Chicken fajitas and Pepperoni Pizza. The Chicken fajitas has bell pepper and onions, but nothing else. No cheese, sour cream, etc. The Chicken tasted pretty good, but I need the whole group of junky food. So it only gets a 5.75.
The Pepperoni Pizza tasted ok. The pepperoni, sauce, and cheese were about normal for mediocre pizza. However the crust was deep dish, I like thin crust. See Pizza Getti. This pizza gets a 6.
Service was very good, of course there wasn't many people in the restaurant (we got there at 5:00). Service gets a 7.
Overall, Chili gets a 6.5 for tonight.
About halfway through our meal a client was seated at the table next to us. I didn't realize until we were leaving that he had paid our tab, so we got a free meal and I still have the $50.00 gift card. So you can count on another blog from Chili's soon.
Now I have to go eat a piece of Coconut Pie my mother in law baked me for my birthday. Yum, Yum.
Mitcho
©2014
We started the meal with Chips & Salsa. Did I mention that Chipper was with us. So you know, the chips disappeared fast. I like the Chili's chips and salsa, it has a pretty good taste. It's a good way to start a meal. The Chips & Salsa gets a 7.25.
We decided to do the 2 for $20 deal. This is actually a pretty good deal. We got Chicken fajitas and Pepperoni Pizza. The Chicken fajitas has bell pepper and onions, but nothing else. No cheese, sour cream, etc. The Chicken tasted pretty good, but I need the whole group of junky food. So it only gets a 5.75.
The Pepperoni Pizza tasted ok. The pepperoni, sauce, and cheese were about normal for mediocre pizza. However the crust was deep dish, I like thin crust. See Pizza Getti. This pizza gets a 6.
Service was very good, of course there wasn't many people in the restaurant (we got there at 5:00). Service gets a 7.
Overall, Chili gets a 6.5 for tonight.
About halfway through our meal a client was seated at the table next to us. I didn't realize until we were leaving that he had paid our tab, so we got a free meal and I still have the $50.00 gift card. So you can count on another blog from Chili's soon.
Now I have to go eat a piece of Coconut Pie my mother in law baked me for my birthday. Yum, Yum.
Mitcho
©2014
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Czech Stop - West, TX
Travelling home on I-35, we went through the town of West. This is the town where the fertilizer plant exploded in the last year and made headlines everywhere. However, this town has been famous for years for the Czech bakeries. There are several in town, but my favorite is the Czech Stop. This is also a Shell gas station, but gas is only a secondary reason to stop here. Oh my gosh the Kolaches are heavenly. I have been known to drive the 90 miles from my home to the Czech Stop just to eat dinner, then drive back home.
I ordered a "Hot Chubby". This is a homemade roll with a hot link and plenty of cheese. Slap my mammy this is some good luvin. I have eaten many Hot Chubby's and they have all been great. Givin the Hot Chubby a 9.55.
I wanted a cinnamon roll also. However, they were out of them. So I had to settle for a Maple Twist. A few of the bites had a hint of maple flavor and a few bites had a sweet taste like icing, but most of the twist was just a bread product. It was very good but not the greatness I was expecting. Givin the Maple Twist a 6.
Overall, this trip to the Czech Stop was an 8.
If you stop there and cinnamon rolls are available buy 6 or 8 for you and a dozen for me. You won't regret it.
NOTE: After I do dessert week sometime soon, I am now thinking of doing a Kolache week.
Mitcho
©2014
I ordered a "Hot Chubby". This is a homemade roll with a hot link and plenty of cheese. Slap my mammy this is some good luvin. I have eaten many Hot Chubby's and they have all been great. Givin the Hot Chubby a 9.55.
I wanted a cinnamon roll also. However, they were out of them. So I had to settle for a Maple Twist. A few of the bites had a hint of maple flavor and a few bites had a sweet taste like icing, but most of the twist was just a bread product. It was very good but not the greatness I was expecting. Givin the Maple Twist a 6.
Overall, this trip to the Czech Stop was an 8.
If you stop there and cinnamon rolls are available buy 6 or 8 for you and a dozen for me. You won't regret it.
NOTE: After I do dessert week sometime soon, I am now thinking of doing a Kolache week.
Mitcho
©2014
Senor Donkey - Padre Blvd South Padre Island, TX
After a couple of tough months writing the blog daily, it became necessary to take a week off and vacation in style. So the whole redneck family took off for South Padre Island for some beach action. After a couple of nights of home cooking it was time for the family to eat a good meal. So we grabbed our boogy boards and road the waves to Senor Donkey. This is a mexican food place on the Island. I think there is only one other on the island. I had eaten here before so I new that it could handle a party of 10. Actually it has booths that will sit 10 to 12 people easily.
As with most mexican food places you start off with chips and salsa. I did have chipper with me, however, she was preoccupied with 3 year olds wanting to go to the bathroom. So she didn't get to make her usual dent in the chip basket. The chips here are a little thicker than most places and had some taste to them. So they were a good, giving the chips a 7.
The salsa was warm and tasted like tomato soup. This is not exactly what I want for salsa. There was little or no burn before, during or after. No detectable spice flavors either. So the salsa gets a 4.
I ordered cheese enchiladas and rice & beans. The cheese enchilada was really cheesy, but the cheese had a little different taste. It wasn't terrible, just not what I was expecting. Givin the enchiladas a 6.2.
The rice and beans were rice and beans, nothing special here.
The service was a little slow, but not terrible. The service gets a 5.
Overall, the meal gets a 5.55 (not really the kind of score you want for your birthday dinner).
If you are on the island and want mexican try La Hacienda and give me a report.
Mitcho
©2014
As with most mexican food places you start off with chips and salsa. I did have chipper with me, however, she was preoccupied with 3 year olds wanting to go to the bathroom. So she didn't get to make her usual dent in the chip basket. The chips here are a little thicker than most places and had some taste to them. So they were a good, giving the chips a 7.
The salsa was warm and tasted like tomato soup. This is not exactly what I want for salsa. There was little or no burn before, during or after. No detectable spice flavors either. So the salsa gets a 4.
I ordered cheese enchiladas and rice & beans. The cheese enchilada was really cheesy, but the cheese had a little different taste. It wasn't terrible, just not what I was expecting. Givin the enchiladas a 6.2.
The rice and beans were rice and beans, nothing special here.
The service was a little slow, but not terrible. The service gets a 5.
Overall, the meal gets a 5.55 (not really the kind of score you want for your birthday dinner).
If you are on the island and want mexican try La Hacienda and give me a report.
Mitcho
©2014
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