Wingstop In Grand Parkway II

I stopped in the other day to try out this new wing option in our neighborhood.  Many reviewers I've read have had bad experiences, but mine was just fine.  I must not be alone, because the place was quite busy.  I ordered a six-piece wings, 3 original mild, 3 Louisiana rub, all bone in.  I ordered loaded Louisiana Voodoo fries, a brownie and a drink with it.  I would say it is mostly intended for take-out--most of the seats were being used by people waiting for large orders.  I had to wait about 15 minutes for mine as well, kind of on the long side but not shocking for food made fresh.  You can order in advance online, which looks like a good idea.

The wings were good, about on par with the other wing places.  I consider myself more sensitive than average to spice, but these were not very spicy.  The original mild was not spicy at all, and not super flavorful--didn't need the ranch dressing.  The Louisiana Rub had more flavor and some detectable warmth.  They were nicely cooked, neither under- nor over-done.

The fries were a small adventure--when they presented them to me the fries had not had the Louisiana Voodoo treatment.  They were able to fix it on the spot--cheese, ranch dressing, and a load of Cajun spice.  I would say the fries were perfect for this--done very well, so they were crisp under all that sauce.  They were the highlight of the visit.  They have compensated for undercooking them.

The brownie was underwhelming, kind of sticky and dry at the same time, and the chocolate tasted kind of powdery.  Might have been too old.

I found the service to be polite, but maybe still kind of spotty.  Couldn't visit the restroom as there was a line, but the tables in the place were clean.  The drink machine is a Freestyle, but was in good working order when I was there.  Overall it seems like they are settling down, and are definitely popular.  I think this would be my wing go-to over Big City or Buffalo, though the others have some options besides wings.

My Yelp Review

La Madeleine

La Madeleine is probably the best-known and largest restaurant chain bringing French food to the masses.  Never been a big thing for me, but I stopped in to try this location the other day.  It is very well-staffed with helpful people.  I went with the Chicken Parisienne sandwich and a pasta salad side, finishing with Sacher Torte for dessert.

The sandwich was well-executed.  I had high expectations for the baguette, and they were met--nice and crusty outside, tender in the middle.  The chicken was reasonably tender.  The flavor was OK, better if you like cheddar more than I do.  The pasta salad was disappointing.  The tomato-basil sauce on it was very refreshing and tasty, but the penne pasta was kind of chewy and gummy.  I didn't end up finishing it.  The Sacher Torte had just a little hint of fruit in it (in classic form it's a chocolate cake with an apricot filling).  Fine by me, I think it was a good chocolate cake.

The "frenchness" of the place is sort of cute but gets a bit cloying.  Ex. soup is "soupe".  But you know what you are in for.  The bathroom was clean and ready when I went in.  Not sure I'd go on my own, but would definitely go if my party wanted to.

My Yelp Review

Yummy Pho and Grill

This is the latest of several new Vietnamese options in our area.  I stopped in for lunch the other day.  I had the shrimp spring roll appetizer, the Bo Ne hot plate, and accompanied it with a Vietnamese iced coffee.

The iced coffee was very refreshing, nice and sweet with strong coffee flavor.  It's worthwhile to pay a little more for premium drinks if you're not just having water.  The shrimp spring rolls were the soft kind, packed tight with lettuce and three medium sized shrimp.  The peanut sauce was a good complement for the spring rolls, but was kind of one-note sweet.  It might have been homemade but did not taste that way.

I'm something of a Spam fan, and it's very popular in Vietnam, so I couldn't resist trying the Bo Ne.  Looking at the picture makes you think of breakfast, but the taste is definitely lunch.  The main items on it are a fried egg, Spam, and beef.  It's served on a sizzling hot plate like fajitas (mine was a cute dog shape).  I got a baguette with mine (you can also have a salad).  Not too crusty on the outside but very tender and fresh on the inside, and I used it to sop up some of the special sauce and egg yolk.  The flavor of the sauce actually managed to overwhelm the spam, which I thought was not possible, but it went well with the beef, which was nice and tender.

The inside of the restaurant is much plainer than TJ Baja--mainly one large asian-themed framed poster.  The bathroom (only one) was clean and ready when I was there, and they also have a sink outside the bathroom if you just want to wash your hands.  Service was prompt and polite.

Overall I would say it was competent--would not replace any of my favorites.  I understand the Banh Mis are a bit light on meat compared to, say, Taste of Pho--that kind of economizing is never worthwhile. But it's a perfectly fine option if you're at the Kroger and hungry for something besides fast food.

My Yelp Review

Laredo Taco Company at Stripes at Spring Stuebner and Falvel

I love to eat at the Laredo Taco Company inside of Stripes stores, as far as I am concerned their tacos are better than nearly any taco truck in town.  Today I went into this one and went a different direction--tried their half chicken.  I got it with rice and charro beans for sides.  I'd have to say it compares pretty well with grocery store chicken--might have been a bit overdone, but the falling-apart tenderness meant that even the white meat was edible.  The sides were fine, I liked them better than what I usually get at a Tex-Mex place.  Their tortillas are made in the restaurant--usually nice and fresh, but these were held over and were not that great.  Also, they did not have any of the advertised sausage links or roasted jalapenos that go with the chicken, which was disappointing.

Another small downside--one of the soda machines was not working properly.  They have two identical ones, so all was still well.

What a value!  Half chicken, two sides and a drink for $6.23.  You can't get the chicken for that at the grocery store.  Also, the bathrooms were very clean, particularly for a convenience store, and the staff is friendly and polite.  Great place to fuel up!  But I'll stick with the tacos--could have had four of them with two sides for $6.  Amazing.

My Yelp Review