Lyle

I'm doing a bit of a Kolache tasting in West tomorrow and was wondering if anyone else had any other reccomendations. Actually, after the pastries, I'll probably want a proper meal. Has anyone dined at Sulak's Cafe or had anything other than breakfast at Czech American Restaurant? Oh, Turkey Shop & Cafeteria has closed.

Which one? I assume one of the corners of Royal and Harry hines? Mrbigjas, Seoul Garden is wonderful, and you can call for directions. You just have to prod a bit for the details. Most of the places in that area are greater than decent. Just don't make the mistake of wondering in to Korea House Restaurant. Other than that, you'll do fine.

I may simply show my family's dining habits, but I remember the gleeful looks on my parents eyes as we first ate at the Olive Garden after it opened in Abilene TX in the mid-80's. And we went back. Again and again and again. I always ordered the eggplant parmesan, side of spaghetti (tomato sauce was a given). I learned the trick of crisping soggy leftovers in the oven. I hold more nostalgia with OG than any other restaurant. Don't laugh, it's just when and where I grew up. Too bad I've long ago passed it by. Haven't been back in almost a decade. edit: Even a better thing I won't go back. Nostalgia is often a wonderful thing.

Or it's ubiquity.

That is the only way for a restaurant like this to come anywhere close to delivering the same product from restaurant to restaurant. OG is far from the only restaurant that does this.

What was the most surprising aspect of the professional kitchen when you first started working?

But I find that true of most restaurants.

Would members care to contrast the new and old Larousse? I own the newer edition and would love to know what I'm missing or getting that I simply don't need.

At the Katz Deli in NY too... (although they call it "pastrami" there) ← Good. That's how I order it there too as I didn't know what deckel was. I'd hate to, ya know, look like a tourist.

Enigma closed about three years ago. rasputin1072, what type of food/price range are you interested in? You're in a greatly varied area of town. Sorry, my question was to the wrong person.

Both were serving deckel, and you could specifically ask for it if you were willing to be patient and have the folks in the generic white staff shirts ask the real staff doing the carving for you. That said and having tried the deckel at both, I still liked Salt Lick's brisket better. Elgin's was much moister than what they were mostly serving and still managed to keep the slightly firmer texture that Fat Guy liked. Salk Lick's though was much more seasoned especially towards the end bits which were practically caramel. Not sure who I was talking to but there was a blond woman wearing a denim Elgin shirt who didn't know what I was talking about when I asked for deckel. Her husband was right behind her though doing the carving and looked up to say "That's the side you like Honey." ← In Texas one orders "fat" or "lean" brisket.

Thank you Don. Been away for a while and I forgot the great number of specific regions represented on EGullet.

For those in Dallas, TX; El Pollo Campero appears to be opening on NW Highway between Webb Chappel and I-35. It's on the north side of the street but I didn't catch the exact intersection. No clue when it will open but the ediface appeared complete and windows were installed, as was the identifying signage. Will update it's opening as it's (loosely) on my way to the bank. [moved from DC & DelMarVa forum into Texas - Rocks.]

Just curious; do you mean Trinity college or Trinity, TX?

Rafa's on Lover's Lane has them. Edit: As do several taquerias near Marsh and NW Highway.

I would have thought you are correct about the salt. But I, once, used a glass jar that had some contamination when salting, I think, some beef and it had some funk grow around the rim. The beef itself was fine. But, unlike russ' results, mine were not pretty. I think a quick wash would be fine. Not a reccomendation but just to note that the one time I salted anchovies I added thyme as well as bay leaf. They turned out well but I've purchased better. Next time I'd go easy on the thyme, but I'd still add it.

And, just to state the obvious, make certain whatever container you store them in is sterile.

I don't necessarily agree with this at all. In concept, I love to support indepentents. But there is a reason that Carrabba's was turned into a franchise (or is it a chain?). Especially in Italian cuisine and at this price point, what indi restaurants have delivered to you different imaginative non-goop? I've yet to find an indi Italian restaurant in my major metropolitan area, again at this price point, that delivers markedly superior cuisine. Usually, due to the lack of corporate oversight, it's inferior. Especially the breads. And it's never imaginative. That's hard to do when one expects to dine on classically based recipes in these restaurants. That's why I usually cook this cuisine at home. I agree with your "stand in line for two hours" point, though. Edit: I have not dined at the specific Carrabba's location that sparked this thread.

Doesn't Japanese involve more ingredients that are for, er, tourists? I started to educate myself on Japanese much more thoroughly thanks to Jin, and I can say it is consumed currently more often than Indian cuisine. I think it is because of my former unfamiliarity with the ingredients (yep I'd never heard of fish) and the foreign concept of technique. Indian food itself incorporates spices I was once unfamiliar with but techniques that are quite common. Not to say that grilling a skewer is foreign, but spicing and presentation that aren't common with my southern upbringing are fascinating. As is the Japanese fermentation of various products, which may be why I'm also currently obsessed with Korean cuisine. Jin, you aren't saying that all Japanese traditional foods are subtle, though, are you?

I wanted to add to this last night but I needed to talk to the mods first (and something else came up after) so ***FULL DISCLOSURE*** Any post by lturley4 was me. I changed email addresses a couple of years ago an reregistered as Lyle since, well, that's my name. As I told the mods, there was no intent to decieve and I never reposted (I think) under lturley4 after registering as Lyle. Well, there it is. Back to Lola. I dined in the dining room about four weeks ago with two companions. I really wanted to try the Tasting Room but their menu appeared quite heavy on egg and oyster preparations and, as Julia consumes neither, it seemed counterproductive. I forgot my notes , didn't review them last night, and won't be able to retrieve them until tomorrow, so let's not call this an all encompassing review. More scattershooting about, sadly, some of the problems. I do remember that, out of twelve dishes, six were hits. Durn, I can't even remember all I ate, much less my companions dishes. Let's not even mention wine, although I'm much more informed in that aspect than I was when I wrote the above. I did have, as a second course, a small slice of poorly textured foie that was well seared. But the standout of this dish was the pickled strawberry garnish. The strawberries retained their sweetness and, surprising to me, their texture. When one bit into them there was a seeming concentration of their sweetness that perfectly played with their acidic brine. This process would require very sweet strawberries I would think. The strawberries we used to grow were far too acidic, although that inherent acid level made them perfect for 'plain eatin'. I'll have to simulate this dish at some point. Our mains were the big problem. I know our companion got venison that turned out fine (the only dish I didn't sample). My wife ordered med-rare beef tenderloin with braised beef cheeks while I requested a sauteed lobster with concherels (sp? I'm in a hurry). While the cheeks were the buttery, fatty, beefy slab of soft heaven anyone could expect, the loin was sorely overcooked. To their credit, it was a very tender cut of med-well done beef which must be hard to do. The same symptom was observed with my lobster, but it suffered much more. Our companion joked about how he never thought he'd enjoy lobster flavored gum as he chewed and chewed the stringy mess. We concluded that the dishes most likely spent a good time under the heat lamp as all other dishes seemed to reveal proper technique in preparation. Sure enough, our companion spoke with a friend who waits tables at Lola the next day who indicated that has indeed been a problem with more delicate dishes (I wouldn't call tenderloin delicate, but what do I know). The dishes simply come out too fast. His solution? Eat in the Tasting Room next time. One final little gripe. I generally don't enjoy desert and have decided to flow with cheese. There were simply no interesting cheeses. Three very small wedges, one goat, one soft cow, and a very very mild blue. It's not a good sign when, outside the rhind, one has trouble distinguishing their blue from their goat. Very subtle indeed. That's not to say I'm bashing Lola. Quite the contrary. But the squeaky wheel, ya' know? Those problems just stood out. On the whole the meal was delightful and by all stretches a bargain. I'm really ready to dine in the Tasting Room. But, wherever one chooses to dine, Lola is someplace to take advantage of. Sorry about the rambling. I'm typing, working, and certainly not editing. If I find my notes I'll have some more praiseful things to say.

Yeah, but I really don't like this year's "cow superhero" motiff. Last year's calendar was much better. Because my local Chick-fil-A is actually 20 minutes away, I only use about 1/3 of the coupons, but it still seems to be worth it for the $5. June is a crappy promotion. A free large Coke with a Cool Wrap? First of all, why do I want to buy a Cool Wrap instead of the classic CFA sandwich? Second of all... a Coke? That's costing you like... 5 cents, CFA--mostly for the cup. Wow! Well, one must be coupon specific. But if you enjoy Chik and dine there relatively regularly (as in once every two months) it really is worth it. As you said. On the other hand, we handed out so many that I don't have one for myself!

My wife and I buy a boatload of their calendars every Christmas and distribute them around the office as impersonal gifts. The coupons included in the first two months alone make it a worthwile money-saving endevour, and the art is silly to boot. Worthwile and money-saving, of course, unless you've adverse reactions to coupons.

Think Wonderbread, but "Bimbobread" is, in my memory (it's been a while) even softer. It's wildly popular in Mexico. I suppose they must have at least one bakery in Texas. Anybody know?

Yes to Korean. I live near the Koreatown on Royal Lane in west Dallas. My most convenient Asian grocery store is there on Harry Hines. It's very Korean-centric so they also have a pretty decent selection of Japanese goods as well. I love taking a spur-of-the-moment dinner run over there and walking into a little storefront that looks like a restaurant (I can't read Korean) and simply trying to communicate. I know of at least two places that don't have English menus. At one point I remember trying to have a poor conversation with my waiter in Spanish! It's funny that on my last trip to NY I stayed near Koreatown there and, having sampled alot of Korean here, was excited to try the top reccomendations there from this board. They were great, but the better news is that Dallas Korean, at least at select places, stands up to the Northeastern variety very well. Nessa, I usually don't read these blogs but I caught a bit of yours and got sucked in. Good job. Keep it up. Edit: I wish I were bigger in Texas.

And, since others are not here, I like pickle pie.