Archive for July, 2006
Monday, July 31st, 2006
The name of the restaurant, Half Shells, hinted at something other than the food it served. Half. You’ll immediately realize it when you step inside. I’ve seen McDonald’s or Wendy’s bigger than this, and nearly half of the space is taken up by a bar. To no surprise, we had to wait for a table. This was at The Shops at Legacy, so luckily we were able to pass the time outside enjoying live music and wandering in and out of nearby stores.
Eventually we got a table and were soon greeted by our waiter. He started off by listing the specials for the day, and had it not been for the fact that the list was posted on a giant blackboard for all to see which he practically read off from, I would’ve been somewhat impressed. Fortunately he elaborated on some of the dishes, like how certain items are prepared, so at least he did a little homework.
It didn’t take long for us to decide on three entrees. For all the “value” eaters out there, other than a bucket of crackers, don’t expect any free bread or appetizers because there won’t be any. It didn’t take long for our food to arrive, and it was met with mixed reactions. The first dish we ordered was a special, a pistachio crusted tilapia topped with a mango salsa, served with rice pilaf and vegetables ($12.99). The crunchy pistachio crust gave a nice texture to an otherwise light and flaky meat. The saltiness of the crusted fish, the sweetness of the mango salsa, and the acidity from the lemon combine for a good tasting as well as a visually colorful dish.
Pistachio Crusted Tilapia with Mango Salsa
Next was their Serafin’s Fish Tacos touted as the “Best Fish Taco in Town” on their menu. I was a bit disappointed when I saw the product. Sticks of fish and cole slaw were wrapped in flour tortilla and grilled, serve with rice and some greens. It tasted okay but was average at best. I couldn’t help but wonder if I might have ate something similar at Taco Bell the other day and paid only half the $8.99 we paid for this dish. Silently I kicked myself.
Fish Tacos
Final dish was the Louisiana Pot Roast, and it was definitely the least of all three dishes. My first thought when I saw it was, “Man, I could’ve made this at home.” I think we were lured by the mention of “Cajun spices” on the menu for this item, somehow thinking that it would offer us something unique. At the very least they should throw in some bread to balance out the dish because it was pretty salty by itself. Silently I kicked myself again.
Louisiana Pot Roast
I want to point out that their restroom was actually pretty nice, even the men’s. Only drawback was that you had to wait for it, one user at a time.
Half Shells
http://www.fishcitygrill.com
5800 Legacy Drive - Suite C-2
Plano, Texas 75024
469-241-1300
Ambiance: 5
Food: 5
Service: 6
Cleanliness: 8
Value: 5
Overall: 5.7
Tags: Half Shells, seafood, grill
Posted in Eating Out, Restaurant Reviews, American | No Comments »
Sunday, July 30th, 2006
Need something to beat the heat? Then head on over to Sheridan’s Frozen Custard in Frisco where you can get a great variety of sundaes, milkshakes, floats, and other specialty items made from frozen custard. If you don’t know what the difference is between ice cream and frozen custard, here’s a short explanation from their website:
Custard is not the same as ice cream or frozen yogurt. For one thing, it’s creamier. It is also smoother and thicker. Served about 25 degrees warmer than ice cream, custard has a smooth, velvety texture. It contains very little air (10-20% verses 50-90% in ice cream) but outrageously huge flavor.
They also have what they call a “Concrete” which is essentially custard blended with a topping of your choice. The prices are a bit steep (around $3 - $4 for a regular sundae or concrete), but all of the ingredients — from the made-from-scratch custard to the fresh fruits and toppings — are of excellent quality. You have to order and eat outside, but the store does provide shaded sitting areas (there is also a drive thru for those who prefer to eat in the car and listen to ESPN Radio).
Tags: frozen custard
Posted in Eating Out | No Comments »
Saturday, July 29th, 2006
If you enjoy eating out at new restaurants, then it’s ideal if you purchase a coupon book. We usually just buy the entertainment books from school organization boosters or other fundraiser type events. Basically, you make the money back if you plan on trying many restaurants within the year. The coupons are usually “Buy 1 Get 1 Free” or “X percent” off. And these coupon books are like 30 or 40 bucks. You make the money back after a couple of restaurants.. depending of course on how much you actually order and spend.
This site also has types of offers where you can purchase gift certificates for discounted rates. Remember, don’t get trapped into paying normal price. Be smart and use coupon books.
http://www.entertainment-savings-offers.com/dallas/restaurants/
Tags: coupon, entertainment, book, save
Posted in Eating Out | No Comments »
Friday, July 28th, 2006
You’ve seen the contestants on Fear Factor wolfing down stuff that made you gag just by looking at it. Well, some of these stuff are actually delicacies for people around the world who will actually PAY to eat it. You may be surprised to know that some are actually enjoyed in places closer than you might think. Here’s a small list for you to chew on.
Buffalo Testicles (Rocky Mountain Oysters) - Denver, CO USA
Pig Ears/Snout/Liver/Tongue/Kidney/Heart - Just go to any Chinatown in your area and you’ll find it
Crickets, Worms, Grasshoppers (Microlivestock) - Washington DC
Squid Ink - This is actually used in Italian cooking, so you may be able to find it at your local Italian restaurant
Rats, Roaches - You probably had it already…you just didn’t know it (before you click here, grab a bucket…you have been warned)
Tags: fear factor, delicacies
Posted in Miscellaneous | No Comments »
Thursday, July 27th, 2006
If you’re tired of always tapping and poking at fruits and vegetables at the grocery store only to find out later you bought an underripened watermelon, you may be happy to know that a new invention being developed at the University of Arizona may soon eliminate the guesswork. The so called “RediRipe” sticker changes color depending on the ripeness of a fruit or vegetable, making it a whole lot easier for shoppers to tell whether or not a particular item is ready to be eaten. The stickers are expected to show up in grocery stores within 2-3 years.
Read the full story here.
Tags: ripe, fruits, vegetables
Posted in Food News | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 26th, 2006
Here’s a list of ten foods you should never eat. Note that they are very specific and do not necessarily entail the whole genre of the specific type of food:
1. Pepperidge Farm Original Flaky Crust Roasted Chicken Pot Pie
2. McDonald’s Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips
3. The Cheesecake Factory’s 6 Carb Original Cheesecake
4. Marie Callender’s Herb Roasted Chicken with Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli Florets and Carrots.
5. Mrs. Fields Milk Chocolate and Walnuts cookie
6. Starbucks Venti Strawberries and Creme Frappuccino Blended Creme
7. Burger King French Fries
8. Campbell’s red-and-white-label condensed soups
9. Swoops Chocolate candy
10. Haagen-Dazs Mint Chip Dazzler
For a more detailed explanation of exactly what these foods are and why they should be avoided, check out this link below.
http://www.cspinet.org/nah/10foods_bad.html
Tags: health, 10, avoid
Posted in Food News | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 25th, 2006
Here’s a quick and healthy vegetable noodle soup that I made using some soup stock I found in the refrigerator. The soup was made using stock bones, carrots, corn, wood ear mushrooms, daikon radish, and ginger. Okay, so it’s not entirely vegan, but you just can’t make a good soup without meat or bones, and especially if you plan on making a noodle soup. The fats and oils from the bones and meat help keep the noodle soup hotter, longer, and let’s just face it, cold noodle soup just doesn’t cut it.
Anyway, I put some of the stock on boil, add salt, pepper, and some soy sauce for color and flavor. I tend to make the soup it a little saltier than usual because I want the noodles to absorb it. As the soup’s boiling, I also boil the noodles (in a separate pot). Thin Chinese flour noodles work best because they cook fast. I put the noodles to a boil in plain water, no salt. The trick here is to cook the noodles just enough so when you bite into it, the inside is still a bit raw and chewy.
To assemble the whole thing, put the noodles in a bowl, pour in your soup (which should be piping hot) and let it sit for about a minute. That’s the 2nd trick. The noodles will finish cooking within that minute and will have absorbed the flavors of the soup. I topped it off with some of the vegetables from the stock and…
Voila!
Tags: noodle, soup, vegetable, healthy, homemade
Posted in Cooking | No Comments »