#74 - Winewood Grill - Grapevine, TX

As I mentioned in the previous post, there was a lot going on my birthday weekend.  Tony generously offered to drive me to the half marathon, and waited for me until I was done.  He was bummed that nobody was out there tailgating.  At the Redbud Run in OKC, it's a big social event for the families that live in Nicholls Hills, and they have their own tailgates set up in their front yards.  I think that's an awesome thing, and more neighborhoods should do that.  Running is so boring, and having people out there cheering you on is awesome... even if they're eating food and drinking champagne while they do it.

After the run we went back and got cleaned up, and went to the State Fair of Texas.  I had never been, but had always heard great things about it.  The down side is that it was about a million degrees plus humid.  I did a pretty good job of eating my weight in fried food.  The fried nutella was by far my favorite.  The fried Cuban sandwich and fried jambalaya were a close second.  Not a fan of the fried beer.  Between the fried food, regular beer, and run that morning, I crashed like a log as soon as we got back to the house.

I had thought about driving back on Sunday, but when I woke up I decided I didn't want to drive all that way on my birthday.  So of course we had to find a place for a birthday brunch. And we decided on Winewood Grill. It's in historic Grapevine.  The building reminds me of a very comfortable log cabin.  There's a big fireplace near the hostess stand and bar, and the restaurant itself is just very homey and welcoming.  We were seated at a big semi circle booth.  I've never really understood those booths.  I've sat in one on a date and it's very romantic.  But for a group of 5, it's not fun being the one in the  middle if you have to go to the bathroom.

The Sunday brunch at Winewood includes a jazz band that's really good.  Of course we had to get the bottomless mimosas.  For $10, that's not a bad deal considering they are pretty big.

Joni and I both went with the chicken fried chicken, and it comes with seasoned potatoes and fruit. 

This was absolutely delicious!  A lot of times the breading on chicken-fried anything is way too heavy so you're tasting more dough than the meat.  But this was breaded perfectly.  I'm not usually a big biscuits and gravy fan, but these were awesome. The biscuits were homemade, and who can resist hickory smoked bacon gravy??  I had requested roasted corn bean salad instead of the fruit.  The server didn't get it right, but quickly brought me the salad as well

This salad was really tasty!  It had very good flavor.

We had also ordered the gouda mac & cheese for the table

Absolutely delicious!  The smoked gouda provided a really wonderful earthy flavor and the bacon just added that extra touch.

Will I go back?  Definitely!  The food was delicious, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere.

#73 - Campania Pizza, Southlake TX

One of our bye weeks was my birthday weekend, and there also just happened to be a half marathon near Flower Mound.  And it was OU/Texas weekend and the state fair.  So I decided to go and spend the weekend down there.  When I signed up for the race in July I figured I would start in August, 12 weeks out, and be ready to go by race day.  That was really kind of dumb, because I know how crazy life is during August getting ready for football. And this year for some reason was even worse.  So I really didn't even start training until about 6 weeks before the run--NOT a smart move.  I power walked about 4 miles of it, and it was crazy humid, but still finished only 9 minutes slower than the OKC run.  So I was pretty happy.  I doubt I'll be crazy enough to sign up for another half during football season, but you just never know.

I always hear people talking about "carbing up" the night before a long run.  I just can't figure out how that works.  I can see a few hours before, but anything you eat that far before a run is going to be all gone.  But I decided to try it out, and we went to Campania Pizza in Southlake. 

The restaurant is really nice, and made up of several different seating options.  As soon as you walk in the door is indoor patio seating so you can people-watch the crowds walking by.  There are 2 floors of inside seating, and a few of the 2nd floor tables overlook the first floor.  And then there's a rooftop patio, covered with a pergola, that Joni said is an awesome experience.  I love the super high ceilings, and the Italian tile floor. It was a gorgeous night so we asked for the rooftop,  but they were having a private party up there so the entire rooftop was closed.

I started with the Caesar salad and you had the option to add anchovies.  I know there's anchovies in the dressing, and I know they're good for you, but I can't bring myself to eat a whole anchovy.

Just your basic Caesar salad, but it was really good.  The plate was ice cold, and that kept the salad cold while I ate it.  Definite plus.

They offer several pizzas that come with sauce, and others that don't.  I'm sure if you ask nicely they can either put sauce on or take it off if you wanted.  We went with the Doso pizza (no sauce), and added sausage

Mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil, grape tomato, basil, crushed red pepper, garlic, sausage

This pizza is really delicious.  It's a thinner crust than I normally like, but not that paper thin crust that's like eating cardboard.  It still has good texture.  I think with this pizza not doing sauce allows the flavors of the toppings to shine through more.  Tony asked for a side of pizza sauce which I'm glad he did.  Because it is amazing.  Nothing compares to homemade.

Will I go back?  Definitely!  I really liked the pizza, and I want to check out the rooftop dining.  On a nice night it would be a great place to relax with a glass of wine and good food. And they have nutella pizza, which of course I must try.  Did the crab up thing work?  I honestly don't know. 

#72 - NEO Grill, Houston TX

After the game in Houston, we all went back to the hotel and were ready for a nap.  We also knew we didn't want to fight traffic and crowds to go to dinner, especially with a large group of us. So we agreed on a power nap, and then dinner at NOE Grill, which is in the hotel. 

We waited close to 90 minutes to be seated.  Don't know if they figured since the team had left they didn't need to staff up, but a lot of our fans were staying Saturday night so they still had a lot of people in the hotel.  And NOE was our only option for dinner in the hotel.  We were about to order some appetizers in the bar when our table was finally ready.  We walk in, and there were only about 4 tables even being used.  The rest of the restaurant was empty.  Absolutely ridiculous.  The server tried to be nice and thank us for our patience.  We were all annoyed, but it wasn't his fault they were so underprepared.

Joni ordered a glass of wine.  We realized after the bill was paid that it was $16...for a glass of Kim Crawford sauv Blanc.  Great wine, but certainly not worth that price.  And when I looked at the wine list I figure out how they get you.  They serve a 6-oz "splash" and a 9-oz "glass".  And instead of clarifying when she ordered, the server just brought her the glass.  Who the heck ever orders a "splash" of wine??  When you're ordering wine, you automatically just say a "glass". 

We were all hungry, so just decided to try and make the best of it.  I went with the "chicken fried" gulf oysters and the lobster & mascarpone mac & cheese

While I wish had been more adventurous the day before at breakfast, I wish I hadn't been quite so adventurous with this meal.  The oysters were just okay.  I've had much better.  The corn fritters were pretty good but room temperature.  So that was disappointing.  The sake & chili aioli was really very good, and helped the flavor of the oysters.  The mac and cheese had very good flavor, and I love that it was served in the little pot.  However, the lobster was overcooked and the whole dish had stayed in the oven too long.  Had it been cooked properly, it would have been awesome.

Everyone else said their food was decent, but nothing super exciting.

Will I go back?  Hmmm...I don't know.  I find it impossible to believe that any restaurant could survive with service like that, especially in a huge city like Houston and especially as the main restaurant in a large hotel.  So I want to give them the benefit of the doubt and try it again.  But, with all the restaurants in Houston, the chance of me going back there is pretty slim.  I guess if I'm there for several days and maybe try it at lunch.

#71 - Adair Kitchen, Houston TX

Friday morning in Houston I got up early and went running.  Well my plan was to run, but even at 8am that humidity was absolutely oppressive so it was more of a run/power walk combo.  The area where I went running had some incredibly beautiful and huge houses.  I was kind of hoping to see a rich, single guy to offer me some water, but no such luck.

After the workout it was time for breakfast. We had seen Adair Kitchen in the same strip mall as Ciao Bello, and my friend JJ said she had been there several times and it was good.  So we decided to try it out. 

It's a very bright and open concept restaurant, with high ceilings with exposed beams.  There's a ton of natural light, which I really like.  You order at the counter, take a seat, and then they bring the food to your table.  They have the menu listed on huge chalkboards above the register, but we opted for the paper menus. 

My mom was a little disappointed that there are no free refills on hot tea, and I have to agree with her.  I mean seriously... it's water and tea bags.  Regular coffee is always unlimited, so why not regular hot tea?   

It was mid morning when we arrived, but all of us still wanted breakfast.  The menu has lots of interesting and unique options.  But I wasn't feeling super adventurous so  I went the traditional route:  2 eggs, hash browns, wheat toast and bacon.

I asked for the eggs over easy and they were slightly overdone, which was a little disappointing.  The hash browns were good but creamier than I'm used to.  Almost like they used some mashed potatoes along with the shredded.  But I liked it.  The bacon was crispy and delicious. My meal was good, but in hindsight I probably should have gone with something a little more exciting. 

My parents both got the multigrain pancakes

My mom couldn't finish all of hers.  One bite, and I happily obliged helping her out.  The pancakes were light, fluffy and super yummy.  And the syrup was hot, which was fantastic.  I used some of it to dip my bacon in.  I mean, I didn't want it to go to waste.   The only negative with the syrup is that the container was scorching hot, and I'm guessing they microwaves it before bringing it to the table.  Our server warned us it was hot, but even after a few minutes I still had to use a napkin to pick it up. 

Will I go back?  Yes!  And next time I'll definitely be more adventurous with my choices.

#70 - Ciao Bello, Houston TX

The Cowboys kicked off the football season in Houston.  As soon as my mom found that out in early 2013, she decided they were going to the game.  Since my parents had both retired in the spring they had lots more free time.  They came to my house in mid-August, stayed 2 weeks, and then drove to Houston with me. I was glad to have them with me, because that 8 hour drive to Houston stinks. The drive there isn't bad, but the return trip is always killer, especially once we hit the halfway point in Dallas. All I want to do is stop and take a nap. Which I actually did, and had my mom take the wheel for a while.

We had arrived in Houston on Thursday night, which if course is a super busy restaurant night. We asked the concierge for recommendations and said a lot of places downtown would be really crowded and a reservation would probably be necessary.  But he also strongly recommended Ciao Bello, which is only about a mile from the hotel and they said it was delicious. 

I liked the place as soon as we walked in.  There's a small bar basically right at the door that wraps halfway around a huge floor-to-ceiling wall of wine and liquor bottles. I know they're maximizing space, but it's kind of crowded.  Especially because the hostess stand is just to the right.  The ceilings in the main dining room are super tall, going all the way up to the 2nd floor. The only exception is the right side, as that is upstairs seating.  I'd never seen anything like that before, but really like it.  I didn't see the upstairs so I can't speak to it, but I feel like the downstairs is the place to be.  The restaurant is on the end of a strip mall, so there's only one wall with windows--but they are huge and let in lots of light. 

Photo courtesy of Ciao Bello

We didn't have a reservation, but were still seated right away.  It wasn't the best table, as it was in the corner near to the kitchen.  But it was Thursday night, prime dinner time, and we didn't have to wait.  Sometimes you just have to make small sacrifices.

Our server was awesome.  I can't remember his name, but he was very friendly, and had so much personality.  He was born in Greece, raised in Italy, and has lived in the US for a few years.  Sometimes it was hard to understand everything he said, but that didn't detract one bit from the experience.

I started with a glass of Stephen Vincent sauvignon Blanc.  I had never heard of it, but it was reasonably priced and so that worked for me.  I love it!  Definitely found myself a new white.  It's almost got a little peppery bite, but it's absolutely delicious.

We started with an order of calamari.

Served with Calabrian Chiles ricotta crostini and crispy prosciutto

Love that it was served on a wood plank!  It comes with prosciutto, but my dad is vegetarian so we omitted it. My mom doesn't like calamari, so that just meant more for me and dad.  I usually don't like fried food that isn't crispy, but this dish was an exception to that.  The calamari was perfectly cooked, hot, and outstanding.  The chiles definitely added some heat, but the ricotta was the perfect thing to cool it down.  The ricotta was homemade, creamy and fantastic.  I could have easily eaten just a bowl of that.

As usual I was struggling with what to order.  Everything looked good, but I kind of wanted pasta.  I finally settled on the papardelle Bolognese

This has to be one of the best dishes I think I've ever had.  The pasta was homemade and you could tell the sauce had slow cooked for hours, and it was perfectly seasoned.  I was absolutely in heaven.  I still had sauce left after the pasta was done so I sopped it up with the bread.  And what I really liked is that it wasn't tons of food.  It was more than enough, but not a typical double-serving.

I wish I had room for dessert, but then I would have had to roll myself back to the hotel.  It was already close, with all the food we had eaten. 

Will I go back?  Absolutely no question.  The food, atmosphere and service were all outstanding.

Repeats with a Twist - Zio's Italian Grill, Tulsa OK

My parents came to town for 2 weeks in August, and then were going with me to the Kickoff Classic in Houston.  Yes, I know that seems like a long time, especially since I'm used to having the whole house to myself...but I was super busy with work, and so it was great to come home and decompress with people to talk to after insanely long days. 

We had spent one of the weekend days in Tulsa running errands, and doing that makes you hungry.  I couldn't really decide where I wanted to eat, so we drove around for a while, and I consulted GPS and TripAdvisor a few times.  But nothing really jumped out at me.  And eventually I was starving, and annoyed with driving, and the traffic was crazy.  So we decided to eat at Zio's Italian Grill, mainly because it was very close to where we were at that moment.  There's usually a long wait during the height of lunchtime, but by the time we got there it was about 1:30pm so we didn't have any wait at all. 

Zio's is almost always crowded, and it's definitely always loud.  But I think that's the vibe they're going for, and it works.  Because although the restaurant as a whole is loud, it's still easy to have a conversation with people sitting at your table...as long as it's a table of 4 or less.  We've eaten there numerous times, and the food is always good.  My mom likes Zio's because they have the paper tablecloths and there's crayons on the table, so she can draw stuff.  My dad and I like it because they bring you bread and olive oil that soaks in herbs. 

As usual, I was having a hard time deciding what to get.  The menu is large, which doesn't bode well for me.  But I also knew that I needed to try something new.  With the help of our server I finally settled on the Thai chicken pasta.  He said it was spicy, but that if I liked spice I would really like it.  And since my original thought had been Chinese for lunch, this was as close as I was going to get.

The funny thing is, I was always afraid of peanut sauce, and that it would taste like I was eating peanut butter.  And for the life of me I could never understand why anyone would do that.  But a few months ago I got adventurous and tried a dish with peanut sauce, and have never looked back.

Sliced grilled chicken sauteed with shredded carrots and green onions, tossed with penne pasta
in a spicy Thai peanut sauce and garnished with chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro

This was outstanding!  It definitely had a kick, but it really wasn't overpowering.  The parmesan was added by the server at the table. You might think that parmesan is a weird thing to put on a Thai pasta, and I would never have even thought to do it at home.  But it worked, and I think it helped tone down the heat just a little. I just wish they (and most restaurants) offered smaller portions.  Because it's pretty much impossible to eat the whole dish. And since I don't do leftovers I made sure to eat all the veggies and chicken. So by the time I was done the only thing remaining was some pasta.   

My parents split the veggie pizza.  I forgot to take a picture, but they said it was delicious.

Of course I'll be going back.  Very possibly the next time I'm in Tulsa.

#69 - Astoria Caffe, Addison, TX

On the way back from the Houston caravan I stopped to spend the weekend with Joni.  I hadn't seen her since the spring, and wouldn't again until the first game weekend.  And since I had to pass her to get home anyways, I figured why not. 

We were meeting her friend Dion for lunch on Saturday, and decided on somewhere towards Addison.  I love Addison.  It's not too far from the hustle and bustle of the Dallas suburbs, but it's a little quieter.  It's got tons of restaurants, and is close to some great shopping. 

After some searching online we finally settled on Astoria Caffe, in Addison Circle.  What a great neighborhood!  Lots of big shade trees, beautiful apartments, and a huge park.  I could definitely see myself living there.  The restaurant is on the corner, with a small dog-friendly patio out front with about 10 tables.  We initially sat outside, but then moved inside.  It's a very eclectic and small café, with inside seating for no more than about 30, with a combination of tables, couches, and barstools. 

They have a surprisingly big wine list, so of course Joni and I started with a glass of white.  I decided to go with the mini chicken spinach pizza

Flat-bread pizza with organic baby spinach, chicken,mozzarella cheese, 

and our signature basil pesto & mayo spread

Sad to say, I was very disappointed in the pizza.  It tasted like a Boboli crust, and quite honestly the whole thing kinda tasted like it had been a frozen pizza that was heated up.  I can do a better pizza myself at home.  Dion had the chicken Caesar salad...the chicken arrived on a side plate, and Dion said you could tell it had been microwaved.  Joni said her turkey panini was average.

They have a big dessert display case, and everything looked so good I wanted to give one of them a try in hopes that the dessert would redeem the lunch.  As soon as I saw the nutella cheesecake I knew I had to try it out.

Oh my...this was phenomenal!!  It was rich, but not overpowering, and absolutely delicious.  I momentarily considered another piece of cheesecake, but decided that would be too much. Joni had a piece of the chocolate cake and said it was amazing as well. 

Obviously Astoria puts a lot of love and effort into their desserts, and the results speak for themselves.  They definitely need to do the same with their food.  It's like the food was an afterthought.  And if food is the afterthought, they need to scale back on the number of  menu items, pick just a few that are easy and they can do well, and focus on those. 

Will I go back?  Yes, but only for the wine and dessert--unless and until they improve on the food.

#68A - Sprinkles, Houston, TX

Why is this post 68A?  Well, it's a bakery, not a full restaurant.  I did the same thing on the first day of this blog when we were in Bartlesville for a caravan, so I figure I should continue that tradition.

I had heard lots of things about Sprinkles Cupcakes.  I had even driven by one when we were in Scottsdale for the Fiesta Bowl a couple years ago.  Mary and I had actually seen the Sprinkles on our way to Brio, and Mary insisted that we had to go after lunch.  It's located in Highland Village, only about a mile from the Galleria. 

I would say the biggest down side is the parking.  Maybe there's a garage somewhere that we didn't see, but because it's kind of in a strip mall (a nice one), you have to be very crafty--and not be driving a huge car--to park easily.  But of course I was in the Tahoe.  Luckily I was able to find a space with another space next to it so I could maneuver in.

Man, this place is tiny!  Seriously, you couldn't fit more than 25 people in the place at any one time, and I think that includes the staff.  But I guess that adds to the charm and atmosphere.  We hit it at the right time, because there were only 3 people ahead of us when we got there, which gave me time to make a decision.  And as we were eating, the line was out the door.  As soon as you walk in the door the heavenly smell of baked goods hits you like a rock.  And they've got all of the treats on full display of course. 

Prince George had just been born, so Sprinkles was celebrating and I decided to get into the festive mood as well, and went with a Prince of Cambridge cupcake.  I also got a dark chocolate one...didn't really need it, but the one cupcake would have looked so lonely in the box

I forgot to take a picture of the middle of the Prince of Cambridge cupcake, but thanks to Sprinkles' Facebook page, you can see they were filled with blue icing. 

  

Wow these were so delicious!  Very moist, great flavor, and rich, but not overpowering.  Mary and I decided that the second cupcake would be our treats after the caravan--great call.

I was going to just get a water when I happened to look down under the register and saw that they had Mexican coke!  I thought that was extremely random to have that in a bakery.  But, it is Houston and there's a very large Hispanic population.  Well played, Sprinkles.  Not sure what it is about Mexican coke, but it is so much better than the stuff made in the US.  I rarely drink soda, but when we were in Playa in May I couldn't stop drinking those.   So of course I had to get my fix.

I probably didn't need the additional sugar from the coke, but sometimes sacrifices have to be made.

Will I go back?  No question.  The prices are a little high, but the cupcakes are made fresh daily.  And, the shop started in Beverly Hills, which probably has something to do with the pricing.  But it's definitely worth it as an occasional treat.