Sissy's Southern Kitchen & Bar

Finally made it to Sissy's, the new southern cooking spot located on Henderson right off 75, and it was pretty good!

First off, the restaurant is pretty loud, so don't try to take your parents for fried chicken there anytime soon - they won't be able to hear you say "yummy in my tummy." I with with 3 girlfriends, which was great because we were able to try a lot of the dishes family style.

To start we ordered the deviled eggs and the pimento cheese/ham salad with biscuits. Both were very good and hit the spot. I do wish that the size of the pimento cheese & biscuits was bigger though...fat girl talking.

Now on to the good part - the basket of fried chicken. Yum yum yum. I LOVE good fried chicken - that's crispy and not too greasy and this hit the mark. As sides, we went a bit overboard (good one Michelle...). We split the mac 'n cheese, squash casserole, fried okra & mashed potatoes. The two standouts were for sure the mac 'n cheese and fried okra. The fried okra was lightly flash fried, like shishito peppers at a sushi restaurant - so they weren't slimy or greasy at all.

So, if you know me, you know I love mac and cheese. The fabulous thing about this dish at Sissy's was the fried flecks on top (see below). I would definitely order this dish again!

So all and all, it was a pretty good experience. I would go back and eat the fried chicken again - but just be prepared to wait a bit for the table and deal with the noise.

Cheers!
Lauren

Love me some La Duni

Chris and I had a dinner & movie night on Monday. We hopped in to La Duni in Northpark since we were short on time. I always forget about La Duni, and wasn't expecting much out of the one in the mall, but we had a wonderful (albeit expensive) meal. We both ordered empanadas - one beef and one pork. Both were served with great sauces, yes I am all about the sauce.

We were trying to be healthy and watch our portions (haha) so we split the CARNE ASADA ARRACHERA. So amazing, and perfect for sharing. The wonderfully lime seasoned steak is served with black beans, rice and a sweet plantain. Along with a cute plate of accompaniments such as caramelized onions, yummy salsa and guacamole.  My favorite though was the sauce on the side which was semi spicy peppers in a cojita cheese sauce. YUMMY.

We loved our meal, but have no clue how it got got to be $100 with tip...my thoughts? 3 glass of wine. Next time, just get the bottle and bring a big purse so you can take the rest with you to the movie.

I'll definitely be going to La Duni more often.

Restaurant Review - Lockhart Smokehouse

We ventured in to Oak Cliff at around 7:30 last night to grab a bite to eat before the much anticipated Rebirth Brass Band show at the Kessler (more to come on that later). Was shocked to find out that at 7:30 (early right?) there was already an hour and a half wait at Bolsa and an hour wait at the new Glorias. So by process of elimination, we ended up at Lockhart.

For fans of the real Lockhart BBQ, this is your place. A sign proudly says, "No forks, No sauce, No Kidding." Um, well ok then.

We ordered by the half pound and tried their Kruez sausage and brisket along with the slaw and potato salad. I was pretty impressed with all we had as I feel like I haven't had the best BBQ in Dallas so far (I miss my Austin BBQ places). The sausage is different, so you need to be a fan of Kreuz (it's a 110 year old recipe). The bbq, hot sauce and house made seasoned salt were all so good I almost forgot how much I like bbq sauce for once!

Another plus is cheap drinks. Check their website for daily deals. I think this would be a great place to kick back on a Saturday afternoon with friends and watch some sports and gorge yourself.

Happy eating!! Don't forget the handy wipes!

Indian food - I have missed thee

So I think I have had Indian food once since I have moved back to TX from NYC - at some hold in the wall place way far away in Frisco. I used to order my chicken tika masala and saag paneer at least once a week from Earthen Oven when I lived on the Upper West and I have so missed it.

Thank goodness my coworkers introduced me to Roti Grill today for lunch. Conveniently located on Mckinney near Knox, this place is awesome. Choose your protein (or veggie) and your sauce and it comes with rice, or go big and get the Texan size (yes I am serious) and it comes with naan or roti bread.

I got my usual chicken tika and it did not disappoint. Super creamy and delicious. I was also able to steal some of the saag paneer from my boss and it was amazing as well. I will definitely be going back with another group to sample some other menu options now that I know it is there.

So happy and full right now.

Restaurant Review - The Park

Chris and I went to Park on Friday for the first time since this restaurant opened over a year ago, and the wait was so long we gave up, several times.

I was surprised to show up at 8:00 to get promptly seated - and noticed many open tables as well. This was concerning, was the food going to be gross? That couldn't have been more wrong!

So  Park recently got a new chef, Garreth Dickey, (a protege of Chef Cassel who moved back to the recently re-opened Green Room), and a whole new menu fit for sharing with your friends.

Our table got one of the flat breads for the table and it was amazing, so I hear, because I am an idiot and gave up cheese for Lent (another post all together). The flat bread was perfectly thin with homemade burrata, pesto and mushrooms.

I stuck to the mussels, although they aren't the same as before but just as good. These are made with a stout beer and served with warm, soft bread. Chris loved his heirloom tomato salad and lamb and pork meatballs (absolutely amazing).

Just as before, the bar features wonderful hand muddled drinks.

I have to say, I kind of like the new Park. I appreciated not having to wait over an hour for a table and never getting it and I thought the menu had more options that appealed to everyone. Definitely worth going back again on a nice Friday night.

MORE BUTTER!!!

I am almost mad that I discovered Ain't No Mo! Butter Cakes because now I want one every day. I am not the biggest sweets person (I am more of a cheese and cracker person), but these little bunt cakes are amazing.

I was at the farmer's market with the hubby and parentals last Saturday when we headed in to Shed 2 to check out the prepared foods. The first booth we saw, partially because my Dad has the biggest sweet tooth ever, was Ain't No Mo! These sweet ladies had hand made perfect personal sized bunt cakes in a few flavors, such as traditional white (more like yellow from the butter), cookies and creme and dark chocolate. We tried a few samples and were hooked - we bought 6. They were also testing out mini breakfast muffins, and we were happy to be a taste tester for those as well. The raspberry mini muffins were to die for.

I will definitely be going back to Ain't No Mo! For my next dinner party. I served them on individual dessert plates with fruit on top - they were a hit!

Keep baking ladies!!

Restaurant Review - Charlie Palmer

Finally made it to Charlie Palmer at the Joule on Friday with the hubby and 'rents. I have to say I am not a fan - nope, not impressed at all. The space itself is lovely, but the food was not.

We did have an early reservation (7:15 on a Friday) but no one showed up and the restaurant was over half empty. The prices were extremely high, but not worth it.

My mom and I split the scallops which came out cold, as did the burssel spouts. Pet peeve = cold food. No mam.

I will not be going back. For a nice meal with the parents I think I will stick to Fearings, Neighborhood Services and the like. Don't waste your money here.

Restaurant Review - Nicola

Chris and I went to Nicola last night on a whim. It is right next to the house, so we figured we would give it a try. I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. Really cool space, lots of room, but the food was just ok. We started with the Fritto Misto (fried platter) which had 2 shrimp, some calamari and fried veggies. It was pretty good, but not spectacular. I had the special Sea Bass, which was semi bland, but hit the spot (I have a cold), and Chris got a ravioli with veal.

We had lovely service, and loved the decor but there was nothing new or inventive about the place. Those three dishes plus 3 glasses of wine also cost us about $100. Eh, probably won't go back.

Restaurant Review - Five Guys

So I just stuffed my face at Five Guys for lunch with a coworker up here in Frisco. I have to say, not that great. The menu is really simple, and you can add all the traditional toppings you want for no fee. I really enjoyed my burger - it had a thin patty and great bread. But the fries....no good. They were think, bland and soggy. I think the fries are almost (just almost) as important as the burger, and these were severely lacking. So if you are not a fry person and just want a burger, this is your place!!

I guess I will be sticking to Village Burger Bar from now on!

Restaurant Review - Alma

I happened in to Alma, a new restaurant on Henderson, with some friends on Saturday night. It occupies the old Cuba Libre spot, and is still by the same owner, Tristan Simon (think the Porch, Fireside Pies, Victor Tangos). Alma is a more traditional, or regional/interior, Mexican food place. It reminds me a little of Hugo's in Houston.

We started out at the bar with two cocktails. I had the Pisco Punch, which had Hibiscus infused Pisco, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, House–made Pineapple Syrup, Fresh Lime Juice, Fresh Pineapple Juice. My friend got the Alma Verde, which had Blanco Tequila, Fresh Lime Juice, Crème of Coconut, Cilantro, Serrano Pepper. Both drinks were extremely yummy and inventive. Below is a pic of the Alma Verde (thanks Carrie)!

We then headed to our table and started with the Oysters. These were kind of boring, definitely pass on these. We also split the guacamole (yummmm) and the tauquitos. Both were great for sharing. 

For the main dish, I split the scallops. These were so amazing. They came in a semi spicy sauce with adobo peppers, corn and pork belly. The scallops were perfectly cooked and completely unique. Our friends split the chicken tacos, which they also devoured. The tortillas are homemade in house.

I really liked the ambiance of this place. They have a small bar downstairs, but the upstairs boasts a huge comfy bar and roaring fire. I predict that this place will blow up in the coming weeks, so go soon to avoid a wait!!

P.S. I found this link to the menu! 

Restaurant Review - Nonna

I went to Nonna last Friday night with the hubby and some friends. I had been dying to go here for a while as I heard it was really authentic Italian food. I really enjoyed it, but we were surprised by how expensive our meal was! We loved everything we ordered, but be prepared for when that check comes!

A few highlights:
Grilled heart of romaine with roasted pancetta, avocado and shaved parmigiano. Yum, this was really interesting and good. I think this would be pretty simple to replicate at home but grilling a head of romaine on a grill pan or even outside, if you have the patience.

Agnolotti of braised rabbit with sugo and black trumpet mushrooms. I was expecting this to be in a heavy meat sauce but it was surprisingly light. The pasta was perfect and tasted homemade.


Sticky toffee pudding. Um hello heaven? This is so amazing. I forgot how much I love toffee flavored things (Skor bars for example).

For wine, we ordered the Rosso di Montalcino, Campo Giovanni, San Felice ’08. I really enjoyed this as it was easy to drink and had some age on it despite the vintage. I actually just googled it and got sick to my stomach as it retails for about $16 and we paid $57. Ugh, that pisses me off.

Anyways, I loved the food but can't get over the wine markup now. I would suggest this place for an intimate dinner for 2 or 4 people, or for a special occasion.

Happy eating!