Joe "Captain" F.'s Profile
Date
1900 Henderson Ave
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 824-9500
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 824-9500
Pearl Cup Coffee
Category:
Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Lower Greenville
4615 Greenville Ave
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 265-9105
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 265-9105
Ozona Grill & Bar
Categories:
Breakfast & Brunch,
American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Upper Greenville
It's New Year's Day. I'm not feeling 100% and I would like some decent food and an even better bloody mary. Cue Ozona!
Or not. . .
The entire waitstaff looked hungover and were dragging today. The bartenders avoided eye contact for as long as possible while we tried to order our first set of bloodies. Finally we were served and on our way to brunching glory.
Or not. . .
As we finished our first drinks, we were seated at our table for two. The waiter came over, we ordered a couple more bloody marys, an order of chips and guac and our food (breakfast tacos for me, one egg country breakfast and a side of gravy for her). We were brought the vodka filled pint glasses and made our way to the build your own bloody bar.
That's when things went downhill. . .
We got our drinks and went back to our table, but it was no longer our table. There were two new people in our seats. Our chips and guac was nowhere to be seen.
I let the manager know immediately. Instead of asking the new people sitting at our table to get up, we were left to stand around while they reassigned us to a new table. Why? Who knows. Our waiter came by and reiterated that our food had already been ordered, we had appetizers on the table and we should be back in our seats. Logical right? Not to the manager.
A few minutes later we were at a new table. A new table without silverware, our chips and guac, our waters. Our food was brought out, without my gf's side of gravy and without any silverware. Five minutes later we were provided the utensils civilized people use to eat. The food was good, but there was a giant funky piece of egg skin in the bottom of gf's bowl of fruit.
We finished our plates and waited ten minutes before our waiter re-emerged so we could get our check.
For Ozonas giving away our table, making us wait while they found a new one, providing awful service and only giving us a half-assed apology, we were gifted with complimentary chips and guac - which we only had two bites of before it was bussed on our old table - and that's it. I would have assumed at least our drinks would have been comped. No dice.
Not happy and incredibly upset that an old favorite has become a new disappointment.
Or not. . .
The entire waitstaff looked hungover and were dragging today. The bartenders avoided eye contact for as long as possible while we tried to order our first set of bloodies. Finally we were served and on our way to brunching glory.
Or not. . .
As we finished our first drinks, we were seated at our table for two. The waiter came over, we ordered a couple more bloody marys, an order of chips and guac and our food (breakfast tacos for me, one egg country breakfast and a side of gravy for her). We were brought the vodka filled pint glasses and made our way to the build your own bloody bar.
That's when things went downhill. . .
We got our drinks and went back to our table, but it was no longer our table. There were two new people in our seats. Our chips and guac was nowhere to be seen.
I let the manager know immediately. Instead of asking the new people sitting at our table to get up, we were left to stand around while they reassigned us to a new table. Why? Who knows. Our waiter came by and reiterated that our food had already been ordered, we had appetizers on the table and we should be back in our seats. Logical right? Not to the manager.
A few minutes later we were at a new table. A new table without silverware, our chips and guac, our waters. Our food was brought out, without my gf's side of gravy and without any silverware. Five minutes later we were provided the utensils civilized people use to eat. The food was good, but there was a giant funky piece of egg skin in the bottom of gf's bowl of fruit.
We finished our plates and waited ten minutes before our waiter re-emerged so we could get our check.
For Ozonas giving away our table, making us wait while they found a new one, providing awful service and only giving us a half-assed apology, we were gifted with complimentary chips and guac - which we only had two bites of before it was bussed on our old table - and that's it. I would have assumed at least our drinks would have been comped. No dice.
Not happy and incredibly upset that an old favorite has become a new disappointment.
1 Previous Review:
-
3/16/2009
Ozona is a place I completely forget about 357 days out of the year. We always end up here on St. Patrick's day and I inevitably talk it up the entire week after telling anyone that will listen my tales of drunken debauchery and delicious food.
Last Saturday was the St. Patrick's day parade on Greenville so I'm back up on my soapbox for a few more days. Because we're troopers we got there early this year for breakfast. . .and of course, for beers. In previous years, I've always opted for the breakfast tacos. Specifically 3 build your own tacos with egg, bacon, chorizo, black beans, pico, jalapenos and sauteed peppers and mushrooms. If that doesn't sound like a meal to prepare you for an all day booze excursion, I don't know what will.
Despite always being in a group of at least 8 people, we've never had a problem with service and our food is brought out pretty quick. This year was no different and even though we had to sit outside in below 50 temperature the space heaters that littered the patio area kept us warm (shots also helped).
I opted to break from tradition this year and went with the "Mas Mejor" grilled chicken sandwich. This way instead of a plain chicken sandwich with just lettuce, tomato and nasty ass mayo, I got a chicken sandwich with swiss, bacon and honey mustard. . .doesn't that sound better?
Know what would sound even better?
How about if I added sauteed peppers and onions and a mound of fresh guacamole on it as well? For an extra $1.50 this sounded like a great idea and my stomach quickly agreed. A short wait later and I had a mountain of a sandwich in front of me. Fresh, chunky guacamole was oozing out on top of a layer of perfectly sauteed sweet peppers and onions, crispy bacon and gooey swiss cheese. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that I openly wept at the site of the sandwich and it didn't last on the plate for more than 5 minutes.
Table manners went out the window after that first bite. I couldn't cram it in my face fast enough. There was honey mustard on my eyebrows, flecks of bacon behind my ear and a noticeable chunk of guac in my hair. I used the guac that wouldn't stay in the burger as a topping for my fries and strongly considered licking the wax paper in my food basket to make sure I got every bit of it off.
Now that the parade's over, I'll sit around and talk about that magical sandwich for the next week or so. Then, I'll completely forget about the torrid affair I had with Ozona until next March when I'll be back with another review.
Oh, the reason I didn't give them 5 stars? They served Irish Car Bombs in 2 plastic cups so you had to pour the shot into the Guinness instead of dropping it in. Blasphemy!
3017 South I-35
Austin, TX 78741
(512) 610-1116
Austin, TX 78741
(512) 610-1116
Casulo Hotel
Category:
Hotels
Neighborhood: 78704 (South Austin)
Hate chains? Me too!
I stayed at Casulo Hotel a couple weeks ago when I was in Austin for a wedding with my girlfriend. For the money, I don't think you'll find anything better. We had the Petite Suite for $150 a night and it was perfect.
The rooms have a nice modern decor, flat screen tv and small fridge. The bed, however, was the most comfortable hotel bed I've ever slept in. Huge down comforter and a pillow top? We slept like babies. The room also had a huge shower with standard and waterfall shower heads. As you can see from some of the posted pics, the shower is visible from the bed, you know, if you're interested in that.
They also have a complimentary breakfast and an amazing staff who told us where to get late night eats, reserved cabs for us and gave directions and other suggestions on places to visite without a second thought or annoyance.
I have no problem suggesting the Casulo to any of my friends and will definitely be staying here again.
I stayed at Casulo Hotel a couple weeks ago when I was in Austin for a wedding with my girlfriend. For the money, I don't think you'll find anything better. We had the Petite Suite for $150 a night and it was perfect.
The rooms have a nice modern decor, flat screen tv and small fridge. The bed, however, was the most comfortable hotel bed I've ever slept in. Huge down comforter and a pillow top? We slept like babies. The room also had a huge shower with standard and waterfall shower heads. As you can see from some of the posted pics, the shower is visible from the bed, you know, if you're interested in that.
They also have a complimentary breakfast and an amazing staff who told us where to get late night eats, reserved cabs for us and gave directions and other suggestions on places to visite without a second thought or annoyance.
I have no problem suggesting the Casulo to any of my friends and will definitely be staying here again.
Dallas, TX 75206
(972) 252-2052
(972) 252-2052
Nammi Truck
Categories:
Food Stands,
Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Lower Greenville
Tried out Nammi the other night before catching Polyphonic Spree at the DMA Summer Series.
We were lucky to get the last order in before they ran out of pickled daikon and carrot - but the luck ran out when we tempted fate and tried to order a couple spring rolls that looked more like baby arms than an appetizer.
We ended up with two bbq pork tacos, one bbq pork banh mi, one water, one diet coke and one truck-made lemonade. . .all for under $15.
The lemonade had a refreshing lemon flavor with an extra boost from some basil (I think) and cilantro (I know). After standing in line for food for 20 minutes without anything to drink when the temp and humidity are in the upper 90s, this was a lifesaver.
The pork tacos were really tasty. The doubled up corn tortillas held the weight of the pork and vegetables. Everything was seasoned well so we ignored the optional sauce bar located on one side of the truck.
The banh mi was better than most I've had in the city, but not as good as Quoc Bao (my gold standard). The baguette was crusty, the vegetables were slightly pickled but still had a crunch, the jalapenose were fresh and abundant, lots of cilantro and some nice fatty pork (although a little too fatty at some points). I really liked that they were light on the mayo spread - some places get a little heavy handed and when you're as anti-mayo as I am, that's a dealbreaker.
Props to Nammi for being a solid fusion food truck!
We were lucky to get the last order in before they ran out of pickled daikon and carrot - but the luck ran out when we tempted fate and tried to order a couple spring rolls that looked more like baby arms than an appetizer.
We ended up with two bbq pork tacos, one bbq pork banh mi, one water, one diet coke and one truck-made lemonade. . .all for under $15.
The lemonade had a refreshing lemon flavor with an extra boost from some basil (I think) and cilantro (I know). After standing in line for food for 20 minutes without anything to drink when the temp and humidity are in the upper 90s, this was a lifesaver.
The pork tacos were really tasty. The doubled up corn tortillas held the weight of the pork and vegetables. Everything was seasoned well so we ignored the optional sauce bar located on one side of the truck.
The banh mi was better than most I've had in the city, but not as good as Quoc Bao (my gold standard). The baguette was crusty, the vegetables were slightly pickled but still had a crunch, the jalapenose were fresh and abundant, lots of cilantro and some nice fatty pork (although a little too fatty at some points). I really liked that they were light on the mayo spread - some places get a little heavy handed and when you're as anti-mayo as I am, that's a dealbreaker.
Props to Nammi for being a solid fusion food truck!
Walked in a motivated buyer looking to lease a 2011 C300. Came in on the recommendation of family as we've leased 2 E350s and 1 ML350 from this location.
Was not given a test drive. Was told I can't afford certain features and packages. Was abandoned for a while so a 'big fish' could be given the royal treatment.
Finally quoted a ridiculous amount on a lease and not on the terms I specified I wanted.
Waste of my time.
Drove down to Park Place Mercedes and signed papers the next day on my new C300.
Was not given a test drive. Was told I can't afford certain features and packages. Was abandoned for a while so a 'big fish' could be given the royal treatment.
Finally quoted a ridiculous amount on a lease and not on the terms I specified I wanted.
Waste of my time.
Drove down to Park Place Mercedes and signed papers the next day on my new C300.
I'll reserve the 5 star review until they get their full menu up, but damn, these are some good tacos.
First of all, it's nice to see West Plano get a unique place like Korean fusion street style tacos. Second, to the folks that complained about the size of the tacos - they're street style which means 2-3 bites and it's gone. This isn't some secret money stealing trick by some profit mongers, this is how traditional tacos are done. At Kor-BQ they're generous with how much meat they give you and at $2 a pop, the quality can't be beat.
They're still in the process of getting settled in. Apparently their previous contractor took off with all their kitchen equipment (flat top, fryer, etc) so they've been using small countertop grills to work. They had their new grill getting installed when we were in and were confident they'd be at full force soon.
It's true, they don't have seats, but there's a counter running along one side with napkins so you can actually eat there.
I started off by getting two of the bulgogi (ribeye) and two of the dweji (spicy pork). There are a couple options on how you can have them dressed and I went with the recommended lettuce slaw on the bulgogi and cilantro and onion on the dweji.
Hello there, flavor explosion. The bulgogi meat was tender and packed with flavor. Sesame, garlic and a little bit of sweet were what I tasted first, then the slaw kicked in with a little acidity. The lightly grilled tortilla was soft and soaked up the extra juice. I decided this was my new favorite taste experience.
Then I tried the dweji. I'm a heat freak so I didn't think it was too hot by any means (for me it could have been hotter). Still, beneath the heat there was a lot of flavor going on. The fresh onion and cilantro on top mixed well with the salty and spicy bits of pork. I added a squeeze of lime and it added another level of flavor. I then decided that this was my new favorite taste experience.
Unable to pick a favorite, I went back and got one more of each and had a chance to chat a bit with the two owners. They seem like cool guys dedicated to making some good food in a part of a town dominated by chains. I really hope this place finds a good audience.
I demolished the two remaining tacos and paid up. For six tacos and a water my bill was just over $13. I'm not finding a meal like that at that price and that quality anywhere else in the area.
I'll be back.
First of all, it's nice to see West Plano get a unique place like Korean fusion street style tacos. Second, to the folks that complained about the size of the tacos - they're street style which means 2-3 bites and it's gone. This isn't some secret money stealing trick by some profit mongers, this is how traditional tacos are done. At Kor-BQ they're generous with how much meat they give you and at $2 a pop, the quality can't be beat.
They're still in the process of getting settled in. Apparently their previous contractor took off with all their kitchen equipment (flat top, fryer, etc) so they've been using small countertop grills to work. They had their new grill getting installed when we were in and were confident they'd be at full force soon.
It's true, they don't have seats, but there's a counter running along one side with napkins so you can actually eat there.
I started off by getting two of the bulgogi (ribeye) and two of the dweji (spicy pork). There are a couple options on how you can have them dressed and I went with the recommended lettuce slaw on the bulgogi and cilantro and onion on the dweji.
Hello there, flavor explosion. The bulgogi meat was tender and packed with flavor. Sesame, garlic and a little bit of sweet were what I tasted first, then the slaw kicked in with a little acidity. The lightly grilled tortilla was soft and soaked up the extra juice. I decided this was my new favorite taste experience.
Then I tried the dweji. I'm a heat freak so I didn't think it was too hot by any means (for me it could have been hotter). Still, beneath the heat there was a lot of flavor going on. The fresh onion and cilantro on top mixed well with the salty and spicy bits of pork. I added a squeeze of lime and it added another level of flavor. I then decided that this was my new favorite taste experience.
Unable to pick a favorite, I went back and got one more of each and had a chance to chat a bit with the two owners. They seem like cool guys dedicated to making some good food in a part of a town dominated by chains. I really hope this place finds a good audience.
I demolished the two remaining tacos and paid up. For six tacos and a water my bill was just over $13. I'm not finding a meal like that at that price and that quality anywhere else in the area.
I'll be back.
We stopped in at El Arroyo on NYE to get some Tex-Mex that would help fuel our alcohol induced plans for the evening. For the money, I wasn't disappointed.
We showed up a little before 8:30 (they closed at 9) with 5 of our party of 8. They sat us and didn't mind us not ordering until the rest of our group showed up a little before 9.
I couldn't decide between the shrimp or fish tacos. Naturally I asked for both and they let me go with one grilled fish taco and one grilled tilapia taco. Nothing remarkable about either, but I've had far worse Tex-Mex. The mango salsa on the shrimp was decent but the chipotle sauce that came with the tacos helped mask most of the flavor. The gf got quesadillas and they had more chicken than cheese (something I liked more than she did).
What was remarkable was that I paid for two entrees and six Pacificos and my tab was magically under $30. I don't care if it was a screw up on the ticket or what, an error in my favor will grant an extra star in a review every day of the week.
*Cue the dirty talk simple ending*
El Arroyo, I'm not sure I'll ever be inside you again, but for one New Year's Eve you let me not only trounce around in there, but also let me have my way from start to finish. For that, I appreciate you and think slightly more of you.
We showed up a little before 8:30 (they closed at 9) with 5 of our party of 8. They sat us and didn't mind us not ordering until the rest of our group showed up a little before 9.
I couldn't decide between the shrimp or fish tacos. Naturally I asked for both and they let me go with one grilled fish taco and one grilled tilapia taco. Nothing remarkable about either, but I've had far worse Tex-Mex. The mango salsa on the shrimp was decent but the chipotle sauce that came with the tacos helped mask most of the flavor. The gf got quesadillas and they had more chicken than cheese (something I liked more than she did).
What was remarkable was that I paid for two entrees and six Pacificos and my tab was magically under $30. I don't care if it was a screw up on the ticket or what, an error in my favor will grant an extra star in a review every day of the week.
*Cue the dirty talk simple ending*
El Arroyo, I'm not sure I'll ever be inside you again, but for one New Year's Eve you let me not only trounce around in there, but also let me have my way from start to finish. For that, I appreciate you and think slightly more of you.
Four stars for food, two stars for price and one star for service.
Down from Dallas to visit friends, our New Year's hangover cure was to hit up Maria's Taco Xpress for some breakfast tacos (breakfast being a loose term since it was around 1:30 in the afternoon). Stomach's rumbling and heads pounding we were sad to see they were closed for the day, and by sad I mean tears were shed, our driver was stabbed and offered as a sacrifice to the taco gods.
Another person in the car suggested TNT because they still had breakfast tacos and parking would be easy. That's all our driver needed to hear and the five of us were off.
I think I speak for our entire group when I say I would have been much happier stopping at one of the many taquerias on our way.
We got there at little before 2 PM and got our drink order taken around 2:10. Around 2:20 we finally got our much needed waters. The skinny ass water cups were 80% crushed ice and 20% water. What part of 'Can you bring us a shitload of water, we're hungover,' did our waiter not understand. Around 2:25 those that ordered cocktails and beer got theirs.
We placed our food orders around 2:40 after being told they were out of eggs so no breakfast tacos and no short ribs so no Korean tacos. . .damn.
Around 3:15 our stoned out of his mind waiter came back with our food. At this point we had found another server to bring us more waters and drinks.
I ordered the taco platter with a sriracha chicken, salmon and pulled pork. The food was delicious. The chicken and salmon were both cooked perfectly. The chicken had a sriracha orange sauce on it that was subtle, but you got a little kick on the back end. The salmon was a little smokey and had what tasted like a creamy chipotle sauce and a mango salsa. The pickled red onion with the sweet pulled pork and a bit of the pickled jalapeno and carrots was a great blend of flavor.
The flavor profile on all the tacos was delicious and were the perfect size for my still suffering stomach. I'm not sure three tacos would be enough for me, however, if I had not been hungover.
Our waiter finally showed up again around 3:50 to get us the check. We finally made it out around 4. Two hours in a taco place for lunch is absurd. Especially when there were at least three other servers working and they weren't exactly full. I can say with complete trust that I will not return to TNT.
Down from Dallas to visit friends, our New Year's hangover cure was to hit up Maria's Taco Xpress for some breakfast tacos (breakfast being a loose term since it was around 1:30 in the afternoon). Stomach's rumbling and heads pounding we were sad to see they were closed for the day, and by sad I mean tears were shed, our driver was stabbed and offered as a sacrifice to the taco gods.
Another person in the car suggested TNT because they still had breakfast tacos and parking would be easy. That's all our driver needed to hear and the five of us were off.
I think I speak for our entire group when I say I would have been much happier stopping at one of the many taquerias on our way.
We got there at little before 2 PM and got our drink order taken around 2:10. Around 2:20 we finally got our much needed waters. The skinny ass water cups were 80% crushed ice and 20% water. What part of 'Can you bring us a shitload of water, we're hungover,' did our waiter not understand. Around 2:25 those that ordered cocktails and beer got theirs.
We placed our food orders around 2:40 after being told they were out of eggs so no breakfast tacos and no short ribs so no Korean tacos. . .damn.
Around 3:15 our stoned out of his mind waiter came back with our food. At this point we had found another server to bring us more waters and drinks.
I ordered the taco platter with a sriracha chicken, salmon and pulled pork. The food was delicious. The chicken and salmon were both cooked perfectly. The chicken had a sriracha orange sauce on it that was subtle, but you got a little kick on the back end. The salmon was a little smokey and had what tasted like a creamy chipotle sauce and a mango salsa. The pickled red onion with the sweet pulled pork and a bit of the pickled jalapeno and carrots was a great blend of flavor.
The flavor profile on all the tacos was delicious and were the perfect size for my still suffering stomach. I'm not sure three tacos would be enough for me, however, if I had not been hungover.
Our waiter finally showed up again around 3:50 to get us the check. We finally made it out around 4. Two hours in a taco place for lunch is absurd. Especially when there were at least three other servers working and they weren't exactly full. I can say with complete trust that I will not return to TNT.
6959 Arapaho Rd
Dallas, TX 75248
(972) 788-2891
Dallas, TX 75248
(972) 788-2891
Mexico City The Gourmet Taco
Category:
Mexican
Neighborhood: North Dallas
For three years I drove or ran by this place at least four times a day.
THREE MOTHER F@#&ING YEARS WASTED NOT EATING DELICIOUS TACOS!
Upon eating my tacos I fell into a shame spiral so deep and dark that light and sound couldn't escape. How had I neglected this place for so long? It's not in a bad area, it's convenient, it's clean. . .I'm the asshole in this relationship.
For $7 I got three tacos (lengua, al pastor and shrimp) and a side of beans and rice. The al pastor meat is shaved off the trompo (the large skewer/rotisserie deal) right on to the taco - you can't get any better than that, folks. Tender, flavorful and not greasy/fatty at all. The lengua was chopped up more fine than I usually see which I'm guessing is to help the gringos cope with the texture. I added a bit of avocado and red sauce to it and it was heaven in a tortilla. The shrimp were cooked perfectly as well. They didn't sit on the griddle as an after thought and get rubbery and nasty - they were fresh and cooked perfectly.
The beans and rice were good - the rice had carrots and corn mixed in which was a nice touch.
I am a fan of you, Mexico City Gourmet Taco. I'm sorry I ignored you for so long.
THREE MOTHER F@#&ING YEARS WASTED NOT EATING DELICIOUS TACOS!
Upon eating my tacos I fell into a shame spiral so deep and dark that light and sound couldn't escape. How had I neglected this place for so long? It's not in a bad area, it's convenient, it's clean. . .I'm the asshole in this relationship.
For $7 I got three tacos (lengua, al pastor and shrimp) and a side of beans and rice. The al pastor meat is shaved off the trompo (the large skewer/rotisserie deal) right on to the taco - you can't get any better than that, folks. Tender, flavorful and not greasy/fatty at all. The lengua was chopped up more fine than I usually see which I'm guessing is to help the gringos cope with the texture. I added a bit of avocado and red sauce to it and it was heaven in a tortilla. The shrimp were cooked perfectly as well. They didn't sit on the griddle as an after thought and get rubbery and nasty - they were fresh and cooked perfectly.
The beans and rice were good - the rice had carrots and corn mixed in which was a nice touch.
I am a fan of you, Mexico City Gourmet Taco. I'm sorry I ignored you for so long.
1310 W. Campbell Rd
Richardson, TX 75080
(972) 234-2951
Richardson, TX 75080
(972) 234-2951
Sushi Loco
Categories:
Sushi Bars,
Japanese,
Chinese
Neighborhood: North Dallas
After a failed attempt at prompt seating at Sushi Sake we spotted this place on our way back to civilization and after seeing the name we figured, 'Hell, at least we'll probably get a good story out of it.'
We didn't get a good story, but we did manage a pretty decent meal.
I feel like Sushi Loco at some point in time was named Taco Loco. It looks more like it was once set up to be a quick lunchtime taco spot. I can't point out anything specific that made me feel this way, but that's what it felt like to me. Either way it was clean, didn't have any fishy funk to it and there were plenty of people enjoying themselves, so we got a table for two.
They have an appetizer on the menu that simply says 'Sushi Taco - Our signature appetizer, must try!'
Say, I like sushi AND I like tacos, I'll take one of those!
A few minutes later we had a plate with a quartered tortilla with each chip loaded up with chopped fish and a slightly spicy sauce. Complete sushi/sashimi blasphemy? Probably. Incredibly tasty appetizer? Most definitely. They say on their website they wanted to pull in a little Southwest inspiration to traditional Japanese cuisine and they nailed it with this one. It was light and flavorful and a great start to the meal.
Another look through the menu and we settled on the following:
Red Snapper Sashimi - Thick and generous cut of fish that was a three to one ratio over the rice. Great flavor and texture.
Louisiana Roll - Standard to any other place you'll find it. Our safety option when trying a new place.
Bonfire on the Beach - Shrimp Tempura under avocado and spicy tuna top topped with mayo and chili sauce. Not as spicy as they made it sound on the menu, but again, great flavor. The tempura was still fresh, hot and crisp and the spicy tuna was nice.
The Texan - A roll with an indeterminable fish in the middle covered in a layer of roasted jalapeno. The texture was a bit funky, but it was an interesting and well designed roll. Once again the mix of Southwest with Japanese was a little more overstated than I would have expected but it worked out.
Our meal came to around $50 so it's one of the cheaper places we've been. Not bad if you're in the area and I would bank they do a pretty solid lunch crowd.
We didn't get a good story, but we did manage a pretty decent meal.
I feel like Sushi Loco at some point in time was named Taco Loco. It looks more like it was once set up to be a quick lunchtime taco spot. I can't point out anything specific that made me feel this way, but that's what it felt like to me. Either way it was clean, didn't have any fishy funk to it and there were plenty of people enjoying themselves, so we got a table for two.
They have an appetizer on the menu that simply says 'Sushi Taco - Our signature appetizer, must try!'
Say, I like sushi AND I like tacos, I'll take one of those!
A few minutes later we had a plate with a quartered tortilla with each chip loaded up with chopped fish and a slightly spicy sauce. Complete sushi/sashimi blasphemy? Probably. Incredibly tasty appetizer? Most definitely. They say on their website they wanted to pull in a little Southwest inspiration to traditional Japanese cuisine and they nailed it with this one. It was light and flavorful and a great start to the meal.
Another look through the menu and we settled on the following:
Red Snapper Sashimi - Thick and generous cut of fish that was a three to one ratio over the rice. Great flavor and texture.
Louisiana Roll - Standard to any other place you'll find it. Our safety option when trying a new place.
Bonfire on the Beach - Shrimp Tempura under avocado and spicy tuna top topped with mayo and chili sauce. Not as spicy as they made it sound on the menu, but again, great flavor. The tempura was still fresh, hot and crisp and the spicy tuna was nice.
The Texan - A roll with an indeterminable fish in the middle covered in a layer of roasted jalapeno. The texture was a bit funky, but it was an interesting and well designed roll. Once again the mix of Southwest with Japanese was a little more overstated than I would have expected but it worked out.
Our meal came to around $50 so it's one of the cheaper places we've been. Not bad if you're in the area and I would bank they do a pretty solid lunch crowd.
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My quest to find great…
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"I'm cooler than I am funny, who knew?"
- 180 Friends
- 278 Reviews
- 11 Review Updates
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- 31 Fans
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Rating Distribution
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Review votes:
1371 Useful, 990 Funny, and 1120 Cool
Compliments
You're Funny
93
Cute Pic
4
Thank You
102
Good Writer
53
Great Lists
10
Just a Note
62
Hot Stuff
148
You're Cool
164
Location
Dallas, TX
Yelping SinceOctober 2008
Things I Lovewriting, live music, digital media, avocados, yelp, vans shoes, texas, books, molcajete, dogs, sushi, pabst blue ribbon, dallas, johnny walker black label
Find Me InThe Middle of the Noise
My HometownDallas
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I'm being awesome somewhere else
Why You Should Read My ReviewsI need the attention
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I ReadThe Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
My First ConcertReba McIntire when I was 5
My Favorite MovieBerry Gordy's The Last Dragon
My Last Meal On Eartha slab of bloody meat and a bottle of whiskey
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...I want to design t-shirts for a living. . .wait. . .tell EVERYONE
Most Recent DiscoveryI can run really far
Current CrushAdobe CS5
I'm not kidding when I say this - that was the moment I became truly hooked on coffee. Before this trip, I was a cup every two month drinker.
It was rich and full of flavor with just enough sweetness and foam to make it a perfect after dinner coffee/dessert for me.
To me, the Pearl Cup is what a coffee shop should be. It reminds me of Common Grounds in Waco and Uncommon Grounds in Denton -- two coffee shops I frequented more than I should have while in college. It's a little funky, a little independent, a little hip and a little prep.
In my visits since then, I've gone for business, to work on my own, I've shared tables with friends and complete strangers and never had any issues with any aspect of the place. Everyone from the baristas to the regulars to the first-timers seem to be genuinely happy to be there.
As for the potential freelance client I met with on my first trip, she's since become my amazing girlfriend. To say I'm partial to Pearl Cup is to say I'm partial to breathing.