Chubby Kid Likes To Eat

PLACES: Capital Grille

2011-09-14T16:35:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough last night to have a truly fine dining experience. A friend of mine, miss L, had herself a little birthday yesterday, so as a birthday present I decided to take her out to a nice steak dinner. ("I wanna buy you a steak dinner")

To be honest, my first thoughts went something like this...Texas Land & Cattle Co. or H3 Brothers in Ft. Worth. Both are fine restaurants in their own right, but then I decided to wanted to do something really special for her. Luckily, as she always is, miss L took matters into her own hands and got herself a reservation to Capital Grille, located in the Crescent in uptown Dallas.

If you're a vegetarian or someone who can't eat things that have faces, this place is must seem like the 4th level of Hell. But for those that are looking for one of the BEST RESTAURANTS I'VE EVER BEEN TO...I know, bold statement...then look no further.

Filet Oscar...and yes, it tasted as good as it looks

Since it was miss L's birthday, they rolled out the red carpet for her. The hostess greeted us warmly and quickly sat us at our table, which was decorated with birthday confetti and candles. Our waiter, Steve, introduced himself and let it be known that the kitchen had a few special things prepared for us. Miss L ordered a bottle of wine, and we were off!

The wine came out and two glasses were poured, and then Steve came back with two appetizers...the first was their crab & lobster cake with house-made tartar sauce, and the second was house-made mozzarella wrapped in prosciutto with heirloom tomatoes soaked in 12 year old Balsamic. To say they were heavenly was to do them injustice. The only thing that I could possibly see wrong with the meal was the mozzarella was cold, but delicious. Seriously, I don't think I've had mozzarella that good before...and especially not wrapped in prosciutto!

We ordered our main entrees...Miss L went with the Filet Oliver (small filet with crab meat & Bearnaise sauce drizzled over the top of it) and I went with the bone in Kona crusted dry aged sirloin with caramelized shallot butter. To say that this was one of the best steaks in my life wouldn't be a lie...it ranks up there with the very best!

Mine wasn't cooked this well, but it tasted sooooo good

My only complaints are minor and not at all worthy of writing here...but since this is food blog, I've gotta. I ordered my steak medium, hoping to get a nice wet center...but what I got was medium well to almost well done. No hot pink center, mostly cooked meat throughout. The center was better than the sides of the steak, but for a place as renowned as Capitol Grille, and for the prices we were paying, I should have gotten exactly what I was ordering. Miss L ordered her filet medium rare, but that little bastard almost moo'ed at us...it was RAW. That was really the only thing that I could complain about the whole experience...but for a steak house, this is a pretty major flaw.

One thing that wasn't lacking was the customer service. Steve was a professional waiter, and I don't mean that in a derogatory sort of way. This man was a PROFESSIONAL...which is something that is kinda lacking in society. The night was made special by the way that Steve treated us and waited on us, and he was really what made the night as enjoyable as it was. I will probably go into this more in another blog post, but professional waiters (and professional bartenders) are some of my favorite people in the world. Get to know them, chat 'em up, because if you do, you might find a friend for life...and get in good at some of the top restaurants in town.

The night ended with a surprise birthday cheesecake for Miss L and two glasses of champagne. The night was really special, and I hope my friend had a good birthday. Needless to say, the next time I want to impress someone, I'm taking them to Capital Grille!

Capital Grille
locations across the US
http://www.thecapitalgrille.com/

Dallas location...
500 Crescent Court
Dallas, Texas 75201
In the Crescent Shops & Galleries
214-303-0500

***UPDATE***
From now on, miss L will be referred to as "THE GIRLFRIEND", as she has become my culinary partner for the foreseeable future. See what a nice dinner can get you?

NEWS: Top Chef is shooting in Dallas

2011-07-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

As it should be with you, Top Chef is shooting it's new season in and around Dallas! Since there are only three things to do in this town (shop, drink, and eat), this would be a natural fit for the show.

Check out the article on the Dallas Observer City of Ate blog, which has some scathing news about how the show demands places to pay for them to shoot there.

Now I need to start driving around town and see if I can stalk Gail Simmons.

Yes, I love you too Chubby Kid

PLACES: Engine Co. No. 28

2011-07-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

One of the things about my job is that I sometimes get to go to neat places, but I never really get a chance to explore or appreciate the place I'm at. It's usually a business trip where time is of the essence, so my food choices are limited to what's near where I'm at. However, occasionally I find a little gem I didn't know about, and that was the case with Engine Co. No. 28 in downtown Los Angeles.

I was pressed for time, so I needed someplace within walking distance of where I was in downtown, and right across the street was this old firehouse that someone had turned into a restaurant. I checked the reviews on Yelp and it looked like it had some decent reviews. I walked over with a co-worker and found ourselves a table very quickly.

First off, the service was great. The manager came up to us and got our drink orders and said that since we were in a hurry, our food would be at the top of the queue. In no time, out came our sandwiches, and I tucked into my cold meatloaf sandwich and cup of firehouse chili.

The sandwich was really good, though I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had been heated up just a bit. It wasn't the normal kind of meatloaf that I was used to, but it was really good. The chili took some getting used to. I'm from Texas, and we're as proud of our chili as we are our barbeque, but this was more like a chili flavored soup with chunks of roast in it. At first, I wasn't a big fan, but by the end of the cup, I was lapping up what remained with a chunk of bread. The meal was done, we had our check paid for, and an enjoyable lunch was done in less than an hour on a busy Thursday afternoon.

The inside of the restaurant is gorgeous, and they've definitely kept the "old firehouse" feel to it...the pole is still there! The waiters were friendly and efficient, the service was prompt but not rushed, and having the manager out there on the floor talking with us made us feel like we were big shots in the big city.

If I ever get the chance, I'll definitely be going back to this place...except next time, I'm going to get a bowl of the chili!

Engine Co. No. 28

644 S. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone: (213) 624-6996
Fax: (213) 622-8780
Email: information@engineco.com
Web: www.engineco.com

PLACES: California Chicken Cafe

2011-07-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

After a killer travel day, I pulled into my hotel in Sherman Oaks and immediately hit up Yelp to try and find some food. The only thing I had consumed all day was a McDonald's Bacon, Egg & Cheese biscuit earlier in the morning, and it seemed like everything was trying to prevent me from eating. There were a couple of choices within walking distance of my hotel, but the only one that had 4 stars on Yelp and a lot of positive reviews was California Chicken Cafe. What the heck, I thought, I like chicken.

I walked over to the restaurant and saw what looked like a West Coast version of Boston Market. There were a lot of healthy things on the menu, but I had picked out a few that were recommended in reviews on Yelp. I started off with the 3 piece rotisserie chicken plate, and since dinner was on my office, I went with three sides of hummus, potatoes, and Asian side salad.

To start off, the chicken was mediocre at best....Boston Market has these guys beat pants down when it comes to oven-roasted chicken. The skin was sticky and kept getting stuck to the insides of my mouth, but the worst part was the taste! It had none! I tried picking at the smell pieces of chicken, but it was a lost cause.

Luckily, the sides were pretty decent. The hummus had a pretty strong cumin flavor, but it was good...there was just SO MUCH OF IT. Seriously, I could have shared that hummus with everyone in the restaurant and still had enough to snack on later. And the two pieces of pita they gave me for it didn't help put a dent in it. I finally had to start eating it with my fork, which was weird.

I followed the advice of the reviews on Yelp and ordered the Asian side salad, and that was pretty damn good...made me wish I had just ordered the chicken salad instead of the rotisserie. I enjoyed the entire thing until I got down to the bottom of my cup and noticed the big black hair there. Telling myself that it was probably just one of my hairs, I continued on to the potatoes, which were another highlight of the Yelp reviews. They were tasty, a little rubbery, but pretty damn tasty with their sauteed onions. Luckily, the pre-hair discovery Asian salad and potatoes made up for the mediocre chicken & cumin covered hummus.

My final opinion is that while California Chicken Cafe might be a healthier alternative to Boston Market, it is NOT a better one. Next time I'm in the Sunshine State, I won't be heading there for lunch or dinner again.

TxL&CC, you are not my friend tonight

2011-01-03T00:09:00.000-08:00

Why do you hurt me so?

I just got back from a dinner at Texas Land & Cattle Company on Lemmon Ave and Cole, which is one of my favorite chain steakhouses. I decided to do something a bit different, and I didn't order my usual Smoked Sirloin, which is a poor imitation of Hunter Brothers H3 Ranch smoked sirloin, which is damned near the best meat I've ever put in my mouth (insert joke here...(insert another joke about my "insert joke here" remark)).

Mine did not look this good

I decided to try the Bacon Wrapped Sirloin because...HEY! I LIKE BACON! I mean, I had some this morning, and my apartment still smells like it (mmmm....bacon). What came out was a pitiful looking 6 ounce sirloin that must have been on it's way to becoming ground beef, but instead ended up on my plate. It was tough, full of sinew, and the bacon was lank and unappetizing.

Of course I ate it, and it was mediocre at best, but from now on, I will definitely be following my heart and not my head and ordering the smoked sirloin.

The mashed potatoes were good, though.

BREAKING NEWS!!! In-N-Out Burger coming to Texas!

2010-05-24T21:21:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't blogged in awhile (chubby kid gotta work so chubby kid can eat!), but I thought I'd break my silence with this HUGE piece of news...

(click here for the original story)

In-N-Out to Build in Garland

By FRANK HEINZ

Updated 4:00 PM CDT, Mon, May 24, 2010

The rumors started up again late last month about yet another burger chain looking to leave a footprint in the DFW burger-crazy market. The rumor appears to be true -- In-N-Out is gunning for North Texas and at least one location is now known.

According to the city of Garland website, the planning commission approved Jim Powell's plans for the first In-N-Out location in Texas east of Lavon Drive and south of Town Center Boulevard.

Last month, Carl Van Fleet, VP of Planning and Development for In-N-Out, told the EatsBlog "We are, in fact, working on a few site opportunities in the market," he wrote. "However, it is still very early in the process so it would be premature to comment on any specific sites and very premature to speculate as to if/when we might actually be doing business in the Dallas area."

Looks like the time is now and that double-double animal style will soon be a very popular term in the Metroplex.

In-N-Out currently has locations in California, Arizona and Nevada.

Everytime I've been in LA, I've never had a chance to eat an In-N-Out burger, even though I've been told they're the bee's knee's by more than one person. But Texas is a tough burger market...not only does Dallas have great burger places like Chips, Jake's and Twisted Root, but the chains here (Dairy Queen, Texas Burger, Whataburger) ain't too bad either. It'll be interesting to see how it fares here in the Lone Star State.

YUM YUMS: Mama's Meatballs from Jimmy's Food Store

2010-03-07T14:24:00.000-08:00

If you live in Dallas and you like food and you haven't been to Jimmy's Food Store yet...what the F is wrong with you? Seriously, this is one of the BEST places to get fresh pasta, meats, and wine in the area...and their sandwiches ain't half bad either.

But the reason I made a trip there was to pick up a couple pounds of what can only be described as THE BEST MEATBALLS IN THE WORLD. Yeah, I said it. How did I find this out?

A friend of mine was going to a party where his dish to bring was simple meatballs for appetizers. I suggested Jimmy's, and away we went. Not only did I open his eyes to that wonderfulness, but we checked out the Mexican grocery store across the street (greatness) and I've already written on this blog about Mai's Vietnamese food, on the same corner of Fitzhugh and Bryan.

We took the meatballs home, cooked him, threw in some sauce, and set them out for people to munch on. Everyone at the party devoured them, and I swore that the next time I was in town, I was taking some meatballs home to Mom and Doc. And true to form, both the parental units were blown away at how delicious these little meaty bastards are.

If you get the chance, venture into the area and check out Jimmy's, even if you're not going to buy anything. It's like what I imagine a New York style market to be like. And there's always some Dino or Frank playing over the stereo. And their wine selection is pretty outrageous as well. And the sandwiches are fantastic. I really can't say enough about it.

Jimmy's Food Store
4901 Bryan Street at Fitzhugh
Dallas TX, 75206
214.823.6180

PLACES: Leona General Store Steakhouse

2009-12-06T13:10:00.000-08:00

Texas has a very unique type of restaurant that I don't think you can find in other parts of the country...the small town steakhouse. Most are famous in their own area, though a few (like the Perini Ranch Steakhouse in Buffalo Gap) can become world famous.

As I've traveled around the state, I've gotten the chance to sample the wares at these small steakhouses, from the aforementioned Pereini Ranch...to the Steak Shed in Jack County...to the infamous Country Inn Steakhouse in Somerville.

But my absolute favorite would also have to be the closest to me, and that's the Leona General Store Steakhouse, right off of I-45 between Dallas and Houston. Like all good small town steakhouses, Leona General Store is only open Thursdays (catfish night), Fridays and Saturdays. On Fridays and Saturdays, your choices are steak, chicken, and pork chops. The sides include a trip to the salad bar, twice baked potatoes, and hot buttered dinner rolls. And dessert, of course. But that's it.

Make sure you get there early, because EVERYBODY from a number of different towns around the area make this a must. We got there around 6pm, and didn't have to wait for a table. Once you're there, get ready to have some nice dinner conversation, because service is a bit slow, but they always refill your drinks, and if you get a waitress like Dee, you're in for a treat.

This is as typical of a small town steakhouse as you can get, and it has all the country charm. We sat in the "John Wayne Room" which has wall to wall pictures and posters of The Duke. I ordered the 12oz steak, and that's what I got. 12 ounces of meaty delicious goodness, with a fine spicy crust on the steak. There wasn't even any fat or gristle to trim off, and that which was left went straight into my mouth.

The twice baked potatoes are heavenly, with chives, bacon and cheese in them, and the buttered dinner rolls are slippery with butter, perfect for mopping up leftover juices. We finished dinner off with two orders of dessert for our table; some bread pudding with rum sauces, and blackberry cobbler with Homemade Vanilla Blue Bell Ice Cream.

Leona General Store Steakhouse

FM 977 & Hwy 75 Leona, Texas (903) 344 - 2202
*if you're driving between Dallas & Houston on I - 45, then take the Leona exit (FM 977) and go a short way until you hit Hwy 75. Make sure you get there before 6pm, or you're in for a wait. Only open on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and only serve catfish on Thursdays.

MY CULINARY TRIP THROUGH AUSTIN, TEXAS

2009-12-05T14:28:00.000-08:00

Over the past two weeks, I've spent a bunch of time in Austin, Texas working...and as I'm wont to do...eating. And eating well, I must add. Below are the reviews of three places that I went to while I was visiting the Lone Star state's capitol. Much thanks to my hosts, Lois & Brad, for the grub!

PLACES: Cheesecake Factory

I'm ready to make a confession, right here and right now.

I've never been to the Cheesecake Factory.

It was never a conscious decision not to go, there just isn't one anywhere near me. And I always thought, I'm not really in the mood for cheesecake right now. And if I am in the mood for cheesecake, I get it at whatever restaurant I'm in at the time. I mean, a cheesecake's a cheesecake, right?

Well, I was about to be proved wrong. When I was told where we were going, I again stated, "But I'm not in the mood for cheesecake." Oh, they have more than just cheesecake, I was informed. They have a 40 PAGE MENU. This I couldn't believe, I had to see it with my own eyes, so off we went.

My first impression of the place was like a Vegas casino, but for food...which instantly struck my fancy. We sat down in the bar, and were informed numerous times that they were understaffed. Thanks for the heads-up, but once or twice is enough, pal. Even though our drinks took a long time to get to us, our appetizers came out fairly promptly. Kudos to Brad for picking the Buffalo Blasters, which came with their own sides of bleu cheese and Franks Hot Sauce. I ordered the Chicken Madeira, which their menu states is their signature chicken dish. And the menu IS almost 40 pages long, though half of that is advertisements.

I wasn't disappointed with the C Factory (as I will call it from now on), and will probably be going back. A good point was made at dinner, though. For some people, the Cheesecake Factory is their version of fine dining, and the portions match the price for their dishes.

This chubby kid will definitely be going back, though I hope next time, I'll have a waitress that looks like Kaley Cuoco from The Big Bang Theory.

If our waiter had looked like her, I would eat there all the time.

Cheesecake Factory
10000 Research Blvd
Austin, TX 78759-5854
(512) 241-0777

PLACES: Roaring Fork

After a long day of work, we headed down to dinner at the Roaring Fork, located inside the beautiful historic Stephen F. Austin hotel in downtown Austin.

The bar, I was told, is a good place to go if you want to pick up single women who are traveling, and I'm pretty sure this was true. There was definitely more female clientele than male, so I put on my best "I'm a famous blogger" pose and let the ladies come to me.

The place was dark but very cozy. A fireplace was at the end of the bar with small couch-like seats and the bar waitress' were helpful and prompt. There isn't really a way to screw up a Johnnie Walker Red on the rocks, but my companions seemed to enjoy their cocktails and we soon moved to our table.

We were seated (a bit too close and uncomfortably) and told the specials. I wasn't especially hungry (WHAAA?), so I ordered the Crisp Chicken, which came with black beans and tortillas. And that's exactly what I got.

I'm sure that if I ordered something else, I would have been more impressed, but my chicken was so-so, my tortillas were wet and ordinary, and the black beans were just beans. The menu was chock full of good eats, and next time I head there, I'll try something different.

My overall impression of the place was that it was a fancy version of Cowboy Chow, which does the whole Southwest flavor thing a helluva lot better. I'll give it another chance, though, because I hear the Big Ass Burger is pretty fantastic. But as nice and posh as the place is, it's still a chain, and their chicken reminded me of something I could get at Taco Cabana...but TC's would have better tortillas.

Roaring Fork
701 Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701-3216
(512) 583-0000

PLACES: Z Tejas
As I was about to head home, my hosts took me out for one last dinner, this time to Z Tejas in the Austin Arboretum area. I had to admit, I was in the mood for some Mexican food, being in Austin and all, and my fellow diners extolled the virtues of this place.

I sat down, ordered my usual Johnnie Walker Red on the rocks, and perused the menu. The first thing that came to mind was, this place is a fancy Abuelos, which is a compliment in my book. The menu items were different takes on Mexican standards, and I kept choosing one, only to go back to another one, and then seeing something else that I wanted to try.

I picked the chorizo-stuffed pork tenderloin, which reminded me of the chorizo-stuffed chicken that Abuelos has, and I was not disappointed. Very good, though I think I prefer the chicken more. That's just WAAAY too much pork together for me. Chorizo plus bacon plus pork tenderloin. I'm surprised I didn't oink when I left.

The queso was good too, as were the tostada bites, which were small tostada chips with guacamole and a big fat shrimp on the top. I popped two into my mouth before I even passed the plate.

I ended the night full and not ready to drive the two plus hours home after a long day of working and a delicious meal with good company. But drive I did, and made it home to enjoy the Leona General Store Steakhouse the next night. That review to come later.

Z Tejas
9400 A. Arboretum Blvd
Austin, TX 78759
(512) 346-3506

All in all, a wonderful trip to Austin, with lots of delicious food consumed, good company enjoyed, and a lot of different places that I can go back to to try out different things. I can't wait to go back.

2009-10-04T22:27:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry gentle readers (Lois, Beth & Nic, Melissa), but I haven't eaten anywhere spectacular lately. I'm hoping to knock out something this week, though. I'm hoping to make it to the State Fair, and try the food booths for the best (and worst) of the Fair Foods.

And just to be fair (heh heh, get it, since I was JUST blogging about the State Fair, now I've used "fair" in another way), here's the link to the Dallas Morning News food blog EATS. It's pretty good, if you like eating at expensive douchy places like Craft and Loft 610....sigh....I'd love to eat at Craft. Anyway, I'm the other end of the spectrum from that blog, checking out all the mom-and-pop places...with some fancy schmancy thrown in there for good measure.

If you have any requests, or ideas, of places for me to try and review, then let me hear from you, America!

PLACES: Taco Joint

2009-09-24T14:00:00.000-07:00

I wish I could say that I'm not the type of guy who listens to reviews...but I'm the type of guy who listens to reviews. If someone says this place is good or that place is bad, I'll usually take their word for it.

That being said, I had heard good things about Taco Joint on Peak & Gaston in east Dallas. D Magazine said it was the best place for breakfast tacos in Dallas, and a number of friends have also extolled it's virtues. I had planned on going, but never got around to doing it. Till now...

I was driving into work, and finally decided to stop in and see what the fuss was about. Let's not beat around the bush...this place isn't in the best neighborhood. There are crack houses right down the street. But when you walk in, what you find is an open, inviting, and hip eatery. It's like if Chipotle and Freebirds had a kid.

The guy behind the counter was nice and talked to me for a bit (SIDENOTE: I think he thought I was someone else, cause he said, "Thanks for coming in again!" I didn't have the heart to correct him), and gave me a take-out menu and told me that if I call in my order, I don't have to wait in line. Good to know, since there was almost a line out the door.

I was going to try one of their signature tacos (either the Lester or the Sophie) but the sign on the door said they had a Thursday special of Fried Chicken Tacos with beans and rice and a drink. I was sold. I also ordered some chips and queso, since I am a queso connoisseur, and promptly dug into my food.

There's only one way to describe how good these tacos were...I didn't want to eat the second one because then the meal would be over and I'd be sad. That's how good they were. And I can only imagine how good their regular tacos are. Or their breakfast tacos.

This is the kind of place that is worth the journey to get there. Forget Urban Taco or Taco Diner. This is the real deal, and won't break your budget either. I got a massive amount of food for $12. And I over-ordered.

I think I found my new favorite taco place.

Taco Joint
911 N. Peak St.
Dallas, TX 75204
214-826-TACO (8226)

ps-I totally stole these pictures from another blog's review. I know, I'm horrible, but they're much better than the ones I took with my iPhone.

2009-09-05T07:31:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, I'm head to beautiful West, Texas for the annual Czech heritage festival, WESTFEST!!! Now, what does this have to do with food, oh Chubby one? I'll tell you.

There is a TON of delicious vittles all over Westfest. Beer bread sandwiches with sausage and sauerkraut. Homemade cheeseburgers from the Baptist church. Spudzillas dipped in cheese and BBQ sauce. And of course, kolaches by the ton!

This is one of my gastronomical trips that I look forward to throughout the year, and my stomach is already rumbling thinking about it. If you're in the area, check it out. It's a small drive south from Dallas, a short drive north from Waco, and a bit longer drive north from Austin.

PLACES: Madden's Casual Gourmet

2009-09-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, I've been busy working and trying to find work, since I'm not supporting myself as a blogger...yet. Be sure you check out my Twitter page at http://twitter.com/chubby_kid. I'm always updating that. Now, onto my review!

Yesterday, Moms and I were having a nice mother / son bonding day in College Station, and decided to go to lunch at a place that she suggested. Located across the street from the Lasalle Hotel, Madden's Casual Gourmet is tucked into the corner of a specialty gift shop with a bunch of stuff that I would never buy...maybe the huge elk antlers they had hanging on the wall. The restaurant is very quaint, with half walls going up to the beamed ceiling, and a old, scuffed dark hardwood floor that reminds you that this used to be a warehouse at one time.

I ordered the tenderloin and portabella quesadillas with cotija cheese, which turned out to be our waiter's favorite. Mom got the crab and avocado salad, which came out in the shape of a hockey puck, with the crab on top and the avocado on the bottom. Both dishes were presented very nicely, like something you would seen done on Top Chef. While this doesn't impress me much (taste does), it tickled Mom pink. Fancy!

All in all, the food was good, but it wasn't "knock my socks off" fantastic. Maybe it as the quesadillas...I didn't know whether to pick them up and eat them by hand, or eat them with my fork like a civilized human being. So, I did both. But Mom's crab was some of the freshest I think I've ever had, and that's saying something, coming from over 200 miles inland from the coast.

I'll go back to Madden's and try something different, but there are a lot of new restaurants and bars in the downtown Bryan area, and I'll probably try one of them first. If I gave stars, I'd probably give Madden's three, but I don't so I won't.

Madden's Casual Gourmet
202 South Bryan
Bryan, TX 77803
(979) 779-2558

PLACES: Layne's Chicken Fingers

2008-12-27T17:47:00.000-08:00

Pops and I were in College Station yesterday getting some post-Christmas stuff, and we were hungry. The first place that popped onto our radar was C&J's BBQ, which is good, but I wasn't feeling it. He then suggested Jason's Deli, and I figured, that'll be good. I can get a salad and some soup, maybe half a Beefeater. But as we were driving to our destination, what should we drive by? The (in)famous Layne's Chicken Fingers.

Now, those that haven't had the privilege to go to Texas A&M or spend any amount of time in College Station will probably know NOTHING about Layne's, but it was a staple of my diet during my college years. Their menu is simple...chicken fingers. And fries. And toast. And sauce. And that's it.

I know what you're going to say. "Chubby Kid, that's the same thing as Raising Cane's" I digress. Yes, it is VERY SIMILAR. And even the College Station Raising Cane's is right next to Layne's. And I've heard that Raising Cane's has been around longer than Layne's. But f' that. I'm all about the Layne's. And, according to the Raising Cane's and Layne's websites, Layne's beat out Cane's by two years. TWO YEARS PEOPLE!

Now, while Layne's might not have the franchise opportunities that Cane's has, what it does have is attitude and atmosphere, which you'll find on their website, in their restaurant, and especially with their food.

If you're ever in College Station, and the need for chicken fingers hits you like a whiskey bottle in the colon, I suggest you bypass the chain chicken finger place and head on over to Layne's. And they now have two locations!

PLACES: Mai's Vietnamese

2008-12-19T15:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I found myself debating with a co-worker as to where we'd go eat around the noontime hour. This process usually takes about 20 minutes or more out of my work day, but it seemed like the fates smiled on us and popped the idea of Mai's Vietnamese Restaurant in east Dallas into both of our minds. Mai's is a favorite of ours, because their fried rolls and Imperial rolls are some of the best in Dallas, and it's not too expensive.

We both ordered five rolls each, and they came out fairly quickly. I went for the #25A, which was the Garlic Chicken Bowl. My co-worker went with the Wonton Soup, which looked pretty good itself. Again, the food came out pretty quickly, and was delicious. I don't know what spice they had in the Garlic Chicken Bowl, but after a dousing of peanut sauce, I had myself a tasty little meal. And, we got out of there for under $10 each.

Don't go into Mai's thinking it's a five star place. What they lack in atmosphere, they make up for in their food, much like my favorite Chinese food place, Fang Fang Chinese Cafe in east Plano.

EATS: Hormel Always Tender Peppercorn Flavored Pork Tenderloin

2008-12-10T20:01:00.001-08:00

click on the photo for more information

When I get home from work, I usually don't want to cook myself a huge dinner. For one thing, I don't have the energy. For another, I usually make too much food. I found that if I just cook myself a protein, or a side, then I'll eat that instead of eating an entire meal.

Tonight, I was rummaging around in my freezer, looking for something to eat, when I spotted this tasty morsel. I had picked it up a few weeks ago, when I first moved into my apartment, and it had sat unmolested in my freezer ever since. I took it out, defrosted it while the oven got hot, then threw it in there for 30 minutes.

The first thing that hit me was the smell. God, it made my whole apartment smell good. And even though I thought I cooked it too long (when dealing with pork, I tend to overcook rather than undercook. Blame that on a unfortunate childhood cooking incident involving raw sausage), it was still moist and delicious.

Without even noticing it, I ate almost half of it. Now, I've got something to make tacos for lunch tomorrow, and I can feel the first waves of my food coma coming to envelop me.

If you want to make something that is easy, delicious, and fast, I can't think of anything better. They have a couple of different flavors, which are all delicious.

PLACES: Fat Daddy's Burger House

2008-12-08T18:28:00.000-08:00

Since I moved into my new apartment, I've driven by Fat Daddy's Burger House probably 100 times, and yet I've never stopped in. I was either not in the mood or it didn't look appealing. That all changed tonight when I had a decision to make....do I want to go to the store and spend a bunch of money to make myself some hamburger sliders, OR do I want to just go get a hamburger at this place that I keep seeing? After doing the math, I decided to try out Fat Daddy's.

I had read some positive reviews about the place, so I called in my order for pick up. The girl on the other end of the phone seemed distracted (and she was, evidently there was a lady covered in gasoline standing in front of her when I called, she told me later) but she got my order. I figured I'd get a normal burger, fries, and some guacamole and queso, which the review said was good. I picked up my burger, loaded up an extra box with some pico de gallo and jalapenos, and headed home.

First off, the smell of the burger was salive-inducing. My jeep smelled heavenly as I drove the few blocks home. I wasn't too impressed with the sweet tea, it tasted more like sweet brown water. When I got home, I took a bite from the burger (1/2 lbs, with pepperjack cheese). This was a damn good burger. The patty was slightly smaller than the bun, and you couldn't really taste the cheese, but the addition of the guacamole, pico and jalapenos made this one of the better burger I've had in awhile.

The queso was pretty damn good too, almost as good as mine (ALMOST), and so I dribbled a bit on the burger...yep, pretty much AWESOME. I ate the burger way too fast, and then proceeded to dip my fries (which were stellar by themself) into the queso until there was nothing left.

I'm now t-minus 30 minutes from slipping into a food coma, but I definitely give Fat Daddy's Burger House two chubby thumbs up. And one extended belly.

2008-12-08T18:27:00.001-08:00

Welcome to my new blog Chubby Kid Likes To Eat. Since I consider myself a bit of a foodie, both as a consumer as well as a chef, I thought I'd put together a little food blog. I'm going to try and keep this blog updated with my thoughts on area restaurants, as well as dishes I've tried to make. I hope you enjoy it!