Richard Kilgore

A large (11 inch) apple-cranberry tart. I started working on this for Thanksgiving, based on input from my thread here, reviewing about eight to ten recipies for apple tarts and cranbrry tarts, and feedback from family. When I get this tweaked (two more to go) I'll post it.

I am aware they think it makes a restaurant lively when it isn't. Perhaps they also believe it will turn tables faster if people can't talk to each other. I have a hard time believing that people in any demographic think sitting in a restaurant and staring around because you can't talk is a great deal. Every city should have noise level ratings in their restaurant reviews. Then at least people in the demographic that doesn't want to have a conversation with their friends can at least to know whether or not to bring hearing protection. Actual decibel levels would be great!

In Dallas I have to mention Canary Cafe, which is Mediterranean at night, but also good fast food Japanese at lunch. On Monfort, south of Beltline. Has never taken me more than about three minutes to get my food after ordering at the counter, which has a fast, short line. Various rice bowls, egg rolls, sushi, potstickers, soups, salads and sides of Edamame, Steamed Vegetables, and rice (brown or white). The Kobe Beef Rice Bowl and the Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowl are both very good, and under five bucks. But I did not care as much for the Curry Chicken Rice Bowl I had last time.

"What about Goff's in Dallas? I used to eat there all the time (Lovers Lane and Greenville Ave locations) and thought that they were prety tasty. Haven't had one in years, so maybe they went downhill. I also seem to remember that Harvey Goff was the Dallas equivlant of the "Soup Nazi" on Seinfeld." Yes, I think most of Harvey's customer's would agree. He's so refreshing in contrast to the customer service oriented folks who act like they actually want you to come back. :)

TIMO -- Welcome to the Texas Forum. Please let us know about your SA food experiences, which seem to be pretty powerful given a vegetarian to beefeater transformation.

In Dallas, it's Wild About Harry's for great (and I mean great!) hot dogs and custard. The original shop is still my favorite. The cookie-cutter expansion sites just don't have the same character.

I dislike restauarants that make conversation dificult due to the noise level -- bare walls, hard floors, loud music. Conversation with friends is an essential part of dining for me. But someone must like the noise, it seems so common. I recall a Daddy Jack's seafood restaurant in Dallas that was so noisy that a table of six could not have a conversation around the table. It was an effort just to talk to the person next to you. Very good food, but that was my last trip there. What Texas restaurants get thumbs down from you due to their noise level? Or do you like it?

You also may find this thread helpful.

Liz -- What about York Street, Sharon Hage's restaurant in Dallas. She is consistently cited as one of the best and most creative chefs in Texas. And it should fit your price range.

BTW, Fifi, thanks for the link. That Purdue horticulture site is terrific. I wonder why it would be illegal to import Mangosteens? It's not as if they were going to run amuck and choke out something else.

BTW, what are you going to do with them? Yes, eat them. I know. But I am curious about why this particular, exotic, hard-if-not-impossible-to-find fruit?

Jaymes – Don’t worry about it being on the website or not. Just call or email Tom Spicer. The 800# is on their website. He is primarily a high quality produce, herb and spice grower, sourcer, wholesaler to the best restaurants. They have just started doing some retail, but it's all web-based as far as I know. He has told me that if you don’t see it on the website to just email or call and ask him.

I am really, really, really going to avoid checking eGullet while I have a frittata under the broiler. Had, that is. Had what looks like it may once have been a frittata under the broiler.

Mangosteens, native to Malaysia and Indonesia? I suggest emailing or calling Tom Spicer at SpiceAirUnlimited.com. If he can't find it, no one can.

Welcome Lonestar -- fortunately for you, we do not believe in guilt by association here in the Texas Forum.

Well, if I put beans in chili, I sure wouldn't be talking about it! Now that is degenerate.

Great topic, HdT. There are numerous chili cookoffs, but I guess Terlingua is the one that started it all. Do you have a list of chili cook-offs around the state? If not, we could compile one here.

So how are we defining fast food here? Anything with a drive through? Anything inexpensive? Anything where you have to walk up to a counter? Anything that will take your order and hand you food within five minutes?

Welcome to the Texas Forum, bobdavis. Hope to see more posts from you about the San Antonio food scene. Restaurants and chefs of course, but if you know about ethnic markets, farmer's markets, or special SA homecooked food, we would like to hear more about those things, too.

Welcome, Jennifer and thanks for the post. I'll come by for a REAL bagel next time I am in Austin. I also eschew, rather than chew, soft bagels and those other than plain, salt, and garlic. And thanks, Jaymes, for sniffing this out.

Thanks for the reports, Hermit and Scott. The details and the personal experience makes a big difference.

I know it's been said before, but...I strongly recommend cutting chile peppers while wearing disposable gloves, and if you're not going to wear the gloves, it's probably not a great time to put in your contact lens. Also, RLB suggests putting your dry pie dough ingredients in a one gallon freezer bag and freezing it. Well, when you go to close the bag to seal it, it's a good idea to pay close enough attention to what you're doing to squeeze the air out very, very slowly...and to not be wearing a black shirt if you don't.

Thanks, Modern Day Hermit. And welcome to eGullet. Scott -- DFW: Thanks. No need to catalogue and compare all the ethnic (or even just Asian) markets in the DFW area, unless you want to. Just pointing out locations of various markets may be helpful to those who want to go explore, or who are looking for, say, a Thai ingredient they can't find elsewhere. Even more helpful would be a brief report on the ones you shop at -- what you have found of interest; is there a language barrier for English speakers; how wide a range of products; do prices seem high, low, average compared to whatever you want to compare them to? Those sorts of questions people may have. How about Ft Worth and the mid-cities? Denton?

Thanks, Elie and thanks Paula. Those are wonderful, and the descriptions make them come alive.

Okay, now that you have resigned yourself to eventually crossing the border , let's use this thread for more contributions of where to get the best tamales in Texas for the holidays. Any more favorites? Not a tamale vendor, but Benitos in Ft.Worth has a substantial tamale on their menu.