I am not a big donut fan, but the kids love them so we get them regularly. We have our favorite places (currently Snowflake on Gosling is our go-to) but I wanted to see what our Dunkin' Donuts had to offer.
I came at about
8:30 on a Sunday morning. Cars
are in the drive-thru, but the door is locked--that was the first sign
of trouble. I go ahead and get in the drive-thru line. When I start to
give my order, I'm told that they had problems at the store and have a
very limited selection--glazed donuts, crullers and cinnamon. They did
have kolaches, so I ordered four of those, a cruller, and a couple of
glazed, with some coffee. The entire process took about 30 minutes and I
ended up paying $16.
One of the reasons the process took 30 minutes is that the guy two cars in front me spent five minutes doing what looked like complaining (obviously I couldn't hear them) to one of the employees at the drive-thru window. So here's an important point--unless the employee you are talking to is obviously part of the problem, they have stepped up to try to hold things together in a difficult situation. If someone caused the problem, that person has bailed. You do not need to take your frustration out on the poor soul left holding down the fort. Going somewhere else would be a much better option. Which I did--after I left I went by Top Donuts and got a dozen in about 5 minutes, for $7.50.
The food is something of an afterthought at this point, but here goes: Their coffee is good, much better
than most donut shops. The kolaches were subpar, I think they were from
the previous day. Cruller was ok but underdone and I didn't have the
stomach for anything more.
I would say this was an unusual situation, but surveying the Yelp reviews, I see that this location has a lot of problems. Certainly there are many better choices for donuts close to hand.
My Yelp Review
Sunday, October 29, 2017
Saturday, October 21, 2017
Jack in the Box at Rayford and Kuykendahl
I have not been in a Jack in the Box in quite some time, mostly due to
not liking my experiences there on road trips when we've been forced to eat at one. But I decided to
stop in to this one late in the lunch hour on a Saturday. The
restaurant was not crowded at all, in fact when I came I was the only
one there.
What stands out for me with Jack in the Box, besides the funny commercials, is the breadth of the menu. They have burgers and chicken sandwiches, but also salads, tacos, egg rolls, breakfast, "brunchfast", dessert...it goes on forever. Nobody's good at everything, so in my mind such a broad menu in a fast food place means it's that much harder to find what they are actually good at.
But I tried. Right now they are advertising Ribeye burgers, so I had the Havarti and grilled onions one, along with some fries, a drink, and a dessert.
The burger was pretty forgettable. Havarti is a mild cheese, which should allow the flavor of the meat to come through, but it had no chance because the patty was dry and overdone, like your average McDonalds burger. Not awful, but I would order something else next time.
The fries were also like McDonalds fries, and in this case it's a compliment. They were hot, crisp, and perfectly seasoned, just like Mickey D's. They have one of those Coke Freestyle machines--this one was stocked and working, but the interface was a bit laggy so I kept getting the wrong drink selection. The more I use those things the less I like them.
I have not seen chocolate cake and cheesecake on too many fast food menus--again, Jack in the Box spreads itself thin. I had the Chocolate Overload, and it was fine, kind of like a packaged snack cake from the grocery store is fine.
The bathrooms were just barely acceptable, serviceable but on the grungy side. Don't know that I'd be happy changing a baby there.
As neighborhood options go, it's not terrible and not overpriced, my combo without dessert was only $8. But not anything I'd go out of my way for.
My Yelp Review
What stands out for me with Jack in the Box, besides the funny commercials, is the breadth of the menu. They have burgers and chicken sandwiches, but also salads, tacos, egg rolls, breakfast, "brunchfast", dessert...it goes on forever. Nobody's good at everything, so in my mind such a broad menu in a fast food place means it's that much harder to find what they are actually good at.
But I tried. Right now they are advertising Ribeye burgers, so I had the Havarti and grilled onions one, along with some fries, a drink, and a dessert.
The burger was pretty forgettable. Havarti is a mild cheese, which should allow the flavor of the meat to come through, but it had no chance because the patty was dry and overdone, like your average McDonalds burger. Not awful, but I would order something else next time.
The fries were also like McDonalds fries, and in this case it's a compliment. They were hot, crisp, and perfectly seasoned, just like Mickey D's. They have one of those Coke Freestyle machines--this one was stocked and working, but the interface was a bit laggy so I kept getting the wrong drink selection. The more I use those things the less I like them.
I have not seen chocolate cake and cheesecake on too many fast food menus--again, Jack in the Box spreads itself thin. I had the Chocolate Overload, and it was fine, kind of like a packaged snack cake from the grocery store is fine.
The bathrooms were just barely acceptable, serviceable but on the grungy side. Don't know that I'd be happy changing a baby there.
As neighborhood options go, it's not terrible and not overpriced, my combo without dessert was only $8. But not anything I'd go out of my way for.
My Yelp Review
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Marble Slab Creamery/Great American Cookie Company at Grand Parkway Marketplace
My daughter and I were out looking for a place to eat on Saturday, and ended up somewhere I've reviewed already. So we stopped in at the new Marble Slab for
dessert. Marble Slab is all about the mixins, and I've had them at other locations, but this time we went
simpler. My daughter ordered a raspberry cone, and I ordered a
chocolate sundae. Service was reasonably polite and responsive. My
daughter liked the raspberry ice cream--she commented that it was pretty
soft, but they do that on purpose for the mixins. She did not like the
waffle cone--it had very little flavor and was somewhat stale. I was
pretty sure my server heard my order, but I didn't actually get a
sundae--I got a vanilla shake with fudge sauce instead. Same price and
it was tasty, but the fudge didn't really mix into the ice cream, most of it stuck to the side of the cup. I
don't think I would deliberately ask for a shake there.
This Marble Slab has two gender-neutral single seat restrooms--a plus for faster access, since it's a pretty regular occurrence that two people of the same gender need to use a restroom at the same time. They were quite clean though they looked a bit aged for the length of time the location has been open.
Overall, my daughter said this was no Baskin-Robbins, which I found pretty funny. I've had better.
This Marble Slab has two gender-neutral single seat restrooms--a plus for faster access, since it's a pretty regular occurrence that two people of the same gender need to use a restroom at the same time. They were quite clean though they looked a bit aged for the length of time the location has been open.
Overall, my daughter said this was no Baskin-Robbins, which I found pretty funny. I've had better.
Sunday, October 8, 2017
Salata at Grand Parkway Shopping Center
Salad is not normally my thing--barbecue and burgers are a more comfortable beat. But I am determined to broaden my food horizons, so I stopped in on a fairly busy Sunday to see what this place is
about--I have not been to a Salata before. It's like Subway or Pie Five
for salads, as opposed to a salad bar. You tell your salad builder the
ingredients and they build it for you. I like to be complete in the
description of what I order, so here goes--a small salad with
Spinach
Spring greens
Cucumbers
Celery greens
Jicama
Corn
Hard boiled egg
Smoked turkey
Pumpkin seeds
Spicy chipotle ranch dressing
Pita chips
...and a cup of broccoli soup.
The shop is not that big, but the salad selections are more diverse than a normal salad bar since they do not have to make ingredients reachable from under a sneeze guard. You can go nuts on ingredients--I tried to be moderate, but it's hard in the face of all the choices. My intention to eat "healthy" went by the boards and I ended up with a meal well over 1000 calories. Calories are posted on every item, so it was easy to add up just how much I had loaded on. Service was polite but not noticeable, which in a place like this is just fine.
The portion size is huge. You get a pretty generous bowl for the "small", three broadminded people could easily share one, or you could get it to go and make multiple meals from it.
Overall I enjoyed the salad, though since salads are not something I normally order I am not an expert at constructing one. The one strong preference I have is that spinach is the best salad base--most greens have no flavor or are bitter. I just picked whatever looked good and resolved to like it. It was filling, and the spicy chipotle ranch dressing actually has a kick to it. The pita chips were delicious, nice and crisp and salty.
The soup was something of a surprise. On the menu it is "broccoli" soup, and one usually expects that to be cheesy or creamy. This one was a little creamy, but they should have called it "broccoli-artichoke" soup, since there was a lot of artichoke in it. I'm not a fan of artichoke, to me it is overly sharp and sour, but if you like artichoke you would like the soup.
Yelp regularly asks if the restrooms are gender neutral. In Salata they are not, but they might as well be--it's two single-person bathrooms. The men's room was in use so I didn't get to see how clean they were.
The tea bar is cute. I went with standard black tea, which was very strong and held up well to being diluted with ice. Decor is otherwise extremely neutral, an eggplant wall with a saying on it and that's about it.
The pricing can be a bit confusing. You start with a $7 bowl for a small, but proteins are extra, and there are other add-ons. By the time I added a drink and a tip I was up to $16.
Overall a good place if you like salad. A bit expensive, but you get plenty for the money.
Spinach
Spring greens
Cucumbers
Celery greens
Jicama
Corn
Hard boiled egg
Smoked turkey
Pumpkin seeds
Spicy chipotle ranch dressing
Pita chips
...and a cup of broccoli soup.
 |
| My soup and salad |
The shop is not that big, but the salad selections are more diverse than a normal salad bar since they do not have to make ingredients reachable from under a sneeze guard. You can go nuts on ingredients--I tried to be moderate, but it's hard in the face of all the choices. My intention to eat "healthy" went by the boards and I ended up with a meal well over 1000 calories. Calories are posted on every item, so it was easy to add up just how much I had loaded on. Service was polite but not noticeable, which in a place like this is just fine.
The portion size is huge. You get a pretty generous bowl for the "small", three broadminded people could easily share one, or you could get it to go and make multiple meals from it.
Overall I enjoyed the salad, though since salads are not something I normally order I am not an expert at constructing one. The one strong preference I have is that spinach is the best salad base--most greens have no flavor or are bitter. I just picked whatever looked good and resolved to like it. It was filling, and the spicy chipotle ranch dressing actually has a kick to it. The pita chips were delicious, nice and crisp and salty.
The soup was something of a surprise. On the menu it is "broccoli" soup, and one usually expects that to be cheesy or creamy. This one was a little creamy, but they should have called it "broccoli-artichoke" soup, since there was a lot of artichoke in it. I'm not a fan of artichoke, to me it is overly sharp and sour, but if you like artichoke you would like the soup.
Yelp regularly asks if the restrooms are gender neutral. In Salata they are not, but they might as well be--it's two single-person bathrooms. The men's room was in use so I didn't get to see how clean they were.
The tea bar is cute. I went with standard black tea, which was very strong and held up well to being diluted with ice. Decor is otherwise extremely neutral, an eggplant wall with a saying on it and that's about it.
The pricing can be a bit confusing. You start with a $7 bowl for a small, but proteins are extra, and there are other add-ons. By the time I added a drink and a tip I was up to $16.
Overall a good place if you like salad. A bit expensive, but you get plenty for the money.
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Slim Chickens
Slim Chickens is a relatively new chain--it's been around for a decade, so one could say it has been pretty successful. Our location across from Spring Crossing shopping center has been open for about a year but I had not been in yet,
so I stopped to give it a try. In my opinion it's pretty hard to cook
white meat chicken tenders so that they are really enjoyable, but I
wanted to see if they were up to the challenge. I stopped in for lunch
on a moderately busy Saturday.
The restaurant itself is pretty basic on the inside. Plenty of seating indoors and out. They have four TVs that were showing sports when I was there, but all have the sound off so it isn't obtrusive.
Slim Chickens' menu is very basic, all chicken. You can get it in wing, tender, sandwich, or grilled in salad form. They have a chicken and waffles plate on offer, and I am looking for good chicken and waffles, so I went for that with a side of Ranch Chips - homemade potato chips.
Slim Chickens brings the food to your table, so I sat and watched the games while my order was prepared. This took some time, close to 20 minutes, which is no so "quick", as their website states is a goal - quick, good chicken.
The chips were my favorite part of the meal. Most were crispy, some were not, but the variation in texture made them more interesting. They had a tasty ranch dressing seasoning. I would take them over french fries any day. The waffle was fluffy and tasted very freshly prepared, which might have accounted for the wait and made it somewhat worthwhile. They put the syrup on for you--I think I'd like it better if I had a pitcher or packets and could do that for myself.
The disappointing part was the chicken. Definitely dry and overcooked, which is how I find most chicken fingers to be. Every once in awhile I get good ones, which is how I know it's possible. For chicken to work well with chicken and waffles, the batter has to be pretty crisp, and fairly salty to hold up to the sweetness of the syrup. This batter was neither--it was close to crisp enough, but not much seasoning so all I tasted was breaded chicken with syrup.
The restrooms were so-so. OK clean but no soap in the dispenser. Don't make us tell you the restroom is not OK--check on it!
Overall it didn't change my mind about chicken fingers, I still won't order them from Slim Chickens or most places.
The restaurant itself is pretty basic on the inside. Plenty of seating indoors and out. They have four TVs that were showing sports when I was there, but all have the sound off so it isn't obtrusive.
Slim Chickens' menu is very basic, all chicken. You can get it in wing, tender, sandwich, or grilled in salad form. They have a chicken and waffles plate on offer, and I am looking for good chicken and waffles, so I went for that with a side of Ranch Chips - homemade potato chips.
Slim Chickens brings the food to your table, so I sat and watched the games while my order was prepared. This took some time, close to 20 minutes, which is no so "quick", as their website states is a goal - quick, good chicken.
The chips were my favorite part of the meal. Most were crispy, some were not, but the variation in texture made them more interesting. They had a tasty ranch dressing seasoning. I would take them over french fries any day. The waffle was fluffy and tasted very freshly prepared, which might have accounted for the wait and made it somewhat worthwhile. They put the syrup on for you--I think I'd like it better if I had a pitcher or packets and could do that for myself.
The disappointing part was the chicken. Definitely dry and overcooked, which is how I find most chicken fingers to be. Every once in awhile I get good ones, which is how I know it's possible. For chicken to work well with chicken and waffles, the batter has to be pretty crisp, and fairly salty to hold up to the sweetness of the syrup. This batter was neither--it was close to crisp enough, but not much seasoning so all I tasted was breaded chicken with syrup.
The restrooms were so-so. OK clean but no soap in the dispenser. Don't make us tell you the restroom is not OK--check on it!
Overall it didn't change my mind about chicken fingers, I still won't order them from Slim Chickens or most places.
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| My gold plate special - all food in the same color range! |
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