Starbucks at 2920 and Grand Parkway

This location has been here awhile but somehow escaped my notice.  We stopped through the other day to get a morning pick-me-up.  Got a caramel latte, a croissant roll, and a hot chocolate.  It's a drive through only location so no ambiance, but you can get your fix here.  We ordered the latte and roll through the app and thought of the hot chocolate on the way there so ordered there.  The place was hopping so we sent someone out to get the first part at the mobile order window.  Seemed like the bell was broken but the staff saw us right away and got something to snack on while we waited in line.  All items were consistent as Starbucks always is. They were out of peppermint so we couldn't get any of the holiday specials but that's how it goes.  The location is a bit tight--when 5 cars are in line you can't figure out where to wait, and it backs up to the road. Overall, it was fine.

My Yelp Review

Jack In the Box at 2920 and Grand Parkway

The Jack In the Box up on Kuykendahl closed, but this location has opened and is convenient to the neighborhood.  I'm not that big on Jack food but stopped in to give it a try.

Checked out the restroom before ordering.  It was clean and ready, but did not smell good at all so there might be ventilation issues.  Not a great start.

Jack has been pushing the tacos lately so I gave those a try with some onion rings, a cheesecake and a drink. The tacos were edible but would not displace Taco Bell if you actually had tacos in mind.  A slice of hamburger cheese in a taco just says lack of commitment to me.  The onion rings were OK, but had that issue where the onion slides out of the breading.  The cheesecake was fine for a packaged item, a reasonably good finish. The drink machine was working well when I came--they have one that has two three-function dispensers for 12 total options, and they were working.

This location has a rough reputation on Google.  I think they have righted some issues.  Service was fine, and the place was very clean.  Interestingly, they have outlets convenient to every seat.  I checked the store WiFi and it was very responsive.  So you could hang out there and work like at Starbucks, but with Jack In the Box food.  I wish I liked it better.  They win the funny fast food commercial contest for me.  But they seem to be second or third best at everything they do, and I have not changed my mind about that.

My Yelp Review

Nutri-Do

This place is now open inside the Miyagi Ken martial arts studio.  I stopped in on a day when all the students were at a tournament, but one of the owners (it's a husband and wife team) was there and the place was open.  That says something about reliability for outside customers.  I had a waffle roast beef sandwich, a raspberry lemonade mega tea, and one of the protein donuts.  

The food was OK, perhaps better when there's more customers.  The waffles have good texture for a sandwich and are slightly sweet, so might work better with the ham or the sweet options.  The raspberry lemonade tea is tasty and quite strong--definitely had a kick to it, my energy level went up nicely.  I think the donut was from the previous day, but it had good flavor and sat well in my stomach.  I cannot say that for regular donuts, I can't eat a whole one without a tummy ache.  

They are better known for the protein shakes, particularly the chocolate-peanut butter one, so that would be one to try in the future.  They have a loyalty card.  It is obviously geared toward the tastes of the Miyagi Ken customers but the people are really friendly and interested in getting outside business.  If you like your health food homemade (as opposed

Mike's Food Store

This store is the second refurbished convenience store to carry Hunt Brothers Pizza in the area, and it turns out they are owned by the same partnership.  Hunt Brothers seems to want to compete with the big boys in pizza, so I thought I'd try ordering a full pizza from them.  You can't do that through the website, though you can find the store and call them.  I ordered a loaded pizza (everything on it) on thin crust, and got a fountain drink and a Chispas dessert with it.

I went in this store once under its previous management and would not have gone back.  Scary.  But they have fixed the place up and it is very attractive and full of what you would normally look for at a convenience story.  The update did not extend to the bathroom, which was a bit rough but I've seen worse at such places.  

The full size pizza is 12", but it's rectangular and I think they measure diagonally.  It was cut into 16 little pieces (I think it was supposed to be eight, but that's OK).  Their tiny pizza oven got it fully done and crunchy, which I like.  For me it was a bit heavy on the banana pepper but YMMV.  Cost is $11.99 and there are no coupon deals, so I would say for what you get it is somewhat on the expensive side and probably won't displace any favorites.  But it was good enough that I wouldn't rule out picking up their single slices.  Several were ready to go when I came in, as were condiments.

The dessert was good, what you would expect for a packaged item and they had a very wide selection.  The fountain was slightly sputtery but the drink tasted fine.  Service was friendly.  Kudos to these guys for taking washed up stores and making them reasonable places to shop again.

My Yelp Review

Paco's Tacos

This food truck recently set up in the HEB parking lot at Gosling and 2920.  They are a lunch and dinner truck--I stopped in for lunch on a cold rainy day.  I ordered a California burrito with pork (al pastor) and some elote (corn).  No specialty drinks so I had a Coke with it.

The customer service is great.  Very friendly and helpful.  The server (I think it was the owner) offered me a free sample of charro beans while I waited.  It really hit the spot--steaming hot and nice and salty.  Also brought a nice kick of spice.  Definitely worth a try.

The portions on the burrito and corn were very large, could feed 2-3 if you wanted.  A medium cup of corn is about 6 oz.  Comes with plenty of parmesan and Mexican spice.  I like mine better with the white Mexican cheese but this was fine.

The burrito had all sorts of things in it--lettuce, onions, tomatoes, french fries.  Not a whole lot of meat.  But it was only $8, a great deal for what you get.  Mild flavors that I associate with Cali-Mex food.  The ingredients in all the food tasted very fresh, like they'd just been prepared.  The onions and lettuce still had some crunch though they were cooked.  

The truck has quite a varied menu, with South-American style hot dogs and burgers available.  They have street tacos for $1.75, so you can make a full meal under $10, including tax and tip.  Hard to beat.  Definitely worth it if you're at HEB and feeling peckish.

My Yelp Review

Scooter's Coffee

We apparently did not have enough coffee available in this part of town, so now we have Scooter's. Stopped in for a quick breakfast on the way to church the other day.  Got a maple sausage sandwich and a hot turtle latte.  

• I would not recommend the sandwich.  It is a sausage, cheese and egg sandwich on a waffle bun.  Came pretty quickly, which means it was microwaved.  That made the waffle very soft and difficult to handle, so it was tough to eat it one handed.  OK flavor but not good texture.  They have other food options that may work better.
  
  The turtle latte was fine.  Same price range as Dutch Brothers and Starbucks.  They have a lot of good coupon deals so I would say it is worth it if you want to do a little research and get what's on sale at a chain.  Nice folks working there, but it's not quite like Dutch Brothers where you get a personal touch at the order taking.

Time Saver

This place has been around for a long time, but looked rather run down/scary so I had never stopped there. They've had a recent facelift and now advertise Hunt Brothers Pizza so I stopped in for a bite.  The facelift extended to the interior, which is now clean and well lit with attractive product displays.

They only had a couple of breakfast pizzas ready when I went in at 11, but the clerk was very nice and offered to make wings for me while I waited.  Took about 10 minutes to go through their little oven.  I got a drink during that time--the soda machine was clean and functional.  I also looked over the extensive advertisements for Hunt Brothers inside.  They seem to aspire to be in competition with Domino's etc. for pizza and related items, but I only saw the one tiny oven so I don't know how they would keep up if it got very popular.  But the wings were quite good when I got them home, and 5 for $3.99 so not bad, the lunch was just over $7.

The single bathroom didn't get the facelift but it was reasonably clean.  A fair amount of that attractive product display is for head shop merchandise and flavored vaping (with free trial) for the kiddos.  I have misgivings about boosting a nuisance business, but most convenience stores sell those things so it's hard to be that picky.  I did have a nice service experience.

My Yelp Review

Rotolo's

Rotolo's is a Louisiana-based chain with a new location here in Spring.  We went to try them out on a busy Saturday night.  Lots of cars in the lot but the place is large inside and we were seated right away.

We went with the brussels sprouts appetizer, The Krewe cheese sticks, a Meat Feast calzone, and a root beer float to finish.  

There have been some mixed reviews on the service, so I'll say up front that our service was great.  They did not bring water out to start, and some people complain about that, but I don't think that's so unusual and is not noticeable if you're started quickly, which we were.

The food was more of a mixed bag.  The Brussels sprouts are cooked with bacon, and that's really the only flavoring.  They were cooked OK but kind of bland.  Thistle draft house does these a lot better.

The cheese sticks are a kind of thin crust pizza.  The Krewe comes with pepperoni, bacon, and cheeses.  It was not soft and it was not crisp--kind of in between in an awkward way, a bit chewy.  I actually like Cici's cheese sticks better.  These were OK, edible but not marvelous.

But the calzone...that was fantastic.  A generous portion that would easily feed two, with plenty of Italian sausage, pepperoni, and Canadian bacon.  The outside was nice and crisp, with chewy crust inside.  It came with marinara sauce for dipping, which was some of the best I've ever had.  On the sweet side but with more depth of flavor than Papa John's.  The cheese sticks came with that marinara also and it helped them a lot. This calzone brings the grease--there was a pretty good puddle of it on the platter.  Some of us consider this a feature.

The website advertises dessert, but they didn't have a dessert menu.  I was looking for the bread pudding bites (fried bread pudding) but this location didn't have them.  The root beer float was fine, and only $3 so it's a decent finish.

Based on my experience with the calzone I'd be ready to give the pizza a try.  There's a lot of different things on the menu (pastas, salads, burgers as well as pizza) but it's not consistent quality, at least not yet.  The place is seriously pricy ($23 for a 13" pizza, most other menu items around $15 per person) so you want a hit the first time.  The vibe is industrial--gray walls with no decorations, so not distracting.  TVs are discreetly placed so you don't have them in your face if you don't want to watch.  They have a full bar and craft brews. Will probably be a good place to go once they settle in their staff, which is challenging these days.

My Yelp Review

El Chapis Tacos y Mariscos

Stopped by this new food truck currently located in the Roger's Tire Shop lot.  The truck has a wide variety of proteins, including some interesting ones like birria and buche (pork stomach).  I went with one each of the carne asada, carnita, and tripa tacos, and washed it down with a pineapple agua fresca.  

The street tacos are $3 each, and you get small tacos with two corn tortillas.  They are, however, generously filled.  They have one red salsa that is pretty spicy but manageable.  No mystery meat here, each one was very identifiable.  The carne asada had great flavor, the carnitas were very tender, and the tripa had that earthy flavor you would expect.  The agua fresca was generous (24 oz) but a bit watery.

Inflation bites.  The meal was $15 including the agua fresca and tax.  Service was polite and effective.  I've been watching the place for a few weeks and it seems to be consistently open, and I've seen a sign saying they are open as early as 6am, so if you stop in it should be available.  Their social game is not strong--can't find it on any social media.  A decent choice if you're hungry, but they might have to up their game to compete with Fatima's Pupusas and Snacks up the road.

My Yelp Review

Taqueria La Incomparable

According to the Interwebs this truck has been up on Highway 6 and out near Humble, and now appears to have reopened in Spring, on the Dave's Express 2 lot at Kuykendahl and Dowdell. Stopped in the other evening to give them a try.  Ignore the pictures on the truck--what they actually have is on small cardboard signs by the order window.  They can do trompo, fajita, chorizo and pollo as street tacos, burritos, or quesadillas.  The street tacos are $1.50 so we went for those--one of each plus an extra chicken taco.  They also have elote (corn) as a side so we got some of that.  Washed it down with a jamaica agua fresca.

The tacos came attractively plated with grilled and raw onions and cilantro.  They had two salsa, red and green.  The red salsa was very hot and actually didn't taste good so we didn't use it.  The green salsa was spicy but not as much so, and was very tasty.

The kicker here is that we couldn't tell the taco meats apart.  They all had pretty much the same texture and spicing.  Did we actually get 5 of the same meat?  Maybe.  

Not sure I can recommend them.  The elote was good (quite spicy, they finish it with powdered Takis) and so was the jamaica agua fresca.  We suffered no ill effects from the mystery meat tacos.  But Flying Tacos is right across the street and offers good Tex-Mex so not sure why you'd stop here.  I really don't think the same people own the truck, it looks more like someone purchased it and is trying to make a go of it without spending money for a makeover.

Five years ago when I first started this hobby, the very first review I did was of the Green Lechuga taco truck, which was located at the corner of Gosling and Root, approximately where Mama Juanita's is now.  The experience was very similar--good agua fresca, attractive food, mystery meat.  So if you miss Green Lechuga and want that specific experience again you could go try it. 

My Yelp Review

Papi's Picanha

This is a brand new food truck in the Plaza de los Food Trucks, aka Gosling Food Truck Park.  The focus is on meat, particularly steak.  We got a to go order from them the other night--a steak picanha platter with grilled corn and veggie kabobs, and a burger with fries.

The steak is amazing.  I ordered it medium rare and it came out medium but I have no complaint as it was tender and flavorful.  The meat is well seasoned and finished with rock salt, and absolutely delicious.  The grilled corn was tasty with a nice char, though the kernels were very tiny.  The vegetables were great, particularly with their chimichurri sauce which also has great depth of flavor.

The burger comes with all the trimmings, including bacon and avocado.  It was a good one, tender and with great flavor.  The one disappointment of the meal was the fries.  They were soggy, the grease had soaked in.  I don't think this was due to the meal being to go--the fries were either cooked in old oil or not cooked twice (gotta cook 'em twice to be crisp).

The meat is cooked on a wood-fired pit.  They have sausage and pork as well.  The in-person presentation is fancy, a very nice hot platter for the food.  The to go presentation is not bad either, they use quality containers that keep the food from being crushed.  The price will set you back--a picanha for one is $16.  It's in line with the quality.  The truck is run by a family and they are very enthusiastic.  If you're looking for a high-end open-air experience you'll get it here.

My Yelp Review

The Cookshack

This chicken and ribs chain now has a location in Spring near us.  We stopped in the other night with friends to give them a try. We got ribs and chicken at heat levels medium and Texas Hot, dragon fries, mac and cheese, and sweet potato fries.  Finished with Aunt Peggy's Ice Cream Sandwich.  I washed mine down with a Cock-A-Doodle Brew, a beer brewed specifically for the Cookshack.

I did some online research on the beer and couldn't find info.  I believe it's a nice mild IPA.  Complemented the food well.

For chicken they serve tenders--very large tenderloins breaded and fried, spiced to your heat tolerance.  They were above-average tenders--crisp batter and pretty tender on the inside.  Not quite as tender as Cane's, but the spice options make it equivalent for me.  The spice is a pepper sauce with a nice bite.  I consider myself below-average on spice tolerance--I ordered medium and it was almost too spicy.  They have options from no heat to AMF (not sure what that stands for).  For AMF you have to sign a waiver.  They really do bring the heat, if that's what you're looking for.

They also spice the ribs if you want, though I don't think their barbecue sauce needs it.  It is a very good Kansas City/Texas blend, sweet and complements the ribs very well.  The ribs themselves are everything you could ask for--perfect tenderness, not baby food but the perfect bite.  It is as good a place to get ribs as any commercial bbq place, a cut above Rudy's or Spring Creek but not quite up there with Tejas BBQ or Corkscrew.

The sides were more mixed but on the whole good.  The Dragon Fries are visually disappointing.  They look like regular fries.  If you eat some before you start on your spicy tenders you will note that they have some heat.  The mac and cheese was pretty good--tastes like there's meat in it.  The sweet potato fries were quite good.  They are waffle fries, lightly battered so they have some crispness.

The ice cream sandwich is cut four ways so it is shareable.  The flavors are in the cookie--the ice cream is vanilla.  A nice way to end the meal.

The Cookshack is highly regarded and shows the virtue of limiting your menu.  They do their thing really well.  Service was good, not perfect but they absolutely are making an effort.  The bathroom was clean and ready.  The tables are somewhat close together and it was crowded when we went, so it was pretty noisy, but overall it was a fine experience and worth repeating.

My Yelp Review

La Golosa

This froyo place has taken over the space where Tutti Frutti Yogurt used to be a few years ago.  It is now locally owned and they have taken it more in the direction of Mexican inspired snacks.  They have all the usual flavors and toppings (more sorbets than Tutti Frutti, I think), and some specialty items that feature Tajin and chamoy seasoning.  I got a chamoyada.  You get a cup with chamoy and a straw coated with caramelized Tajin, and you put whatever yogurt you want with it (they recommend the sorbets).  I got watermelon and the combination was superb--the watermelon balances the tart spiciness of the chamoy.  I ate the froyo with the Tajin coated straw.  The flavor is pretty subtle unless you bite into the coating, but it's there and very unique.  

My kids both liked what they got today, which was a little yogurt and a lot of candy.  The place is clean and the staff were very polite and helpful.  If you want more of a local twist on froyo this is the place to go.

My Yelp Review

Pichurro's Mexican Grill

We came in the other night to try this new Tex-Mex place in our neighborhood.  First impression is the fun decor--they have "folk art" pictures of Mexican cultural icons (Lucha Libre and similar) on the walls, and bright colors.  Fun!

We started with some chips, salsa and queso.  They serve the salsa warm, and it has very good flavor.  The queso is basically just melted cheese--a couple bits of onion in it.  It was very runny so hard to get on a chip. The chips were a little thicker than some but decent.  We also got a margarita, which was a good frozen one.

For mains we got the Steak Guisado, an enchilada plate, a Mom's special (carnitas with onions, poblano peppers and cheese) and the fried shrimp.  The enchilada plate was fine, no complaints and not a lot to stand out.  The steak guisado was tasty, steak sliced in a brown sauce with a nice little kick.  The beef was a little chewy but not bad, and the sauce was good.  The Mom's special was disappointing.  The carnitas had an unappealing mealy texture.  Seasoning was good but I wouldn't order it again.  The fried shrimp were ok but a little disappointing as well.  The cornmeal batter ended up drying out the shrimp a little.  They were cooked well but dry in the mouth, and we didn't finish them.

We got a tres leches cake for dessert.  It was frozen (not made there) but they added an attractive drizzle and it was a welcome treat on a hot day.  A little crumbly but not as overwhelmingly sweet as tres leches can be. Their desserts are not on the menu, you have to ask what they have.

The service is very polite but maybe a little too attentive.  Several different people checked in on us and offered the same things.  We were concerned that they might duplicate orders.  But hard to fault trying too hard.  The menu is massive, about five pages of choices so option paralysis is a risk.  Many of the menu items overlap but it's hard to figure that they would do everything well.  They claim to do fajitas and enchiladas well, so some focus might help.  The menu is nowhere online (they do not have a website, though they do have a Facebook page but no menu there) so you can't narrow it down before you go.  We did not find the fruit water other reviewers have mentioned.  Just tea and sodas, and alcohol.

The bathroom was clean and ready when we went.  Overall it was ok but would not displace our favorites.

My Yelp Review

Ori-Zaba's Mexican Grill

Stopped in to try this new Mexican-style place the other day.  Ordered some Zalapeno balls, the street corn, a skinny chicken wrap and a surf & turf burrito.  Washed it down with a pomegranate-berry agua fresca and finished with a brownie.

The Zalapeno balls are a mix of mashed potatoes, a little cheese and some jalapeno deep fat fried.  They had a nice crust on the outside and the chipotle mayo sauce complemented them well.  I liked them, but if you're expecting more of a tater tot you might be disappointed.

The street corn was disappointing.  A boiled, so-so ear of corn on a stick, slathered decently with a butter-cheese mix and some shredded cheese.  The server had trouble getting the seasoning out of the shaker so it ended up underseasoned.  You shouldn't have to salt street corn to get it to taste good, but I did.  

The wrap and burritos were good.  A very generous helping of ingredients, including a nice scoop of guacamole.  The shrimp for the surf & turf was cooked fresh and was the highlight.  Since it's a build-your-own-burrito place the ingredients were mostly prepared already.  The skinny chicken is 610 calories, and the burrito could have fed four, so the prices perhaps look a bit high but you get a lot for your money.  You don't have to spend a lot if you don't want to, they sell street tacos a la carte so you can get lunch under $10 if you so desire.  They have a liquor license and will sell you a beer as well.

The brownie was decent, very soft and sweet.  Good if you want a sweet finish.  And the drink was great, I love pomegranate and this was a good way to serve it.

The store is clean and very utilitarian--no decoration in the dining area or bathrooms.  The bathrooms were clean and ready when I came.

The staff was very helpful.  The server explained the concept in detail.  This chain is definitely in the same space as Chipotle in all ways--the food concept, service orientation and commitment to responsible sourcing. I find Chipotle's food OK but not particularly special, and I feel the same way about Ori'Zaba. 

My Yelp Review

Nobilitea

This is a new chain of tea rooms that has opened a location in our neighborhood.  My family has gotten drinks there several times since it opened.  It's a really clever concept--a long row of taps for cold tea in various flavors, and many more teas they'll custom steep for you.  Service is polite and incredibly helpful--when I was there last the manager on duty greeted me and helped to choose a drink, which is great because the range of choices definitely threatens option paralysis.  I've sampled their Ohana mix (peach flavor and black tea), the Dragonfruit lemonade, some layered teas, and the hot chai latte.  All very tasty and worthwhile.  

You can't get a real meal there but they do have lots of packaged snacks.  It's a nice clean place to enjoy your tea with friends as well--the marble top tables feel very cool in this warm weather.  The bathroom was clean and ready when I was there.  It's a great alternative to Starbucks if you're a tea drinker, but not in price--you'll still spend plenty to get your tea fix, the specialty tea set me back more than my whole meal at Taco Bell next door.  The quality makes up for it.

My Yelp Review

La Palapa

We stopped in to try this place for a family dinner.  They appear to be going for a more upscale take on seafood--Mexican influence but definitely beyond that as well.

We got started with bolillos, which were excellent.  Nice crusty rolls served with a cheese butter, they were one of the highlights of the meal.

We then had an appetizer.  Went for the pescadillas--corn tortillas filled with a fish stuffing and deep fat fried. Most of the flavor came from the cabbage and lime juice added, but the texture was appealing.  Very innovative, they just need to "punch it up".

For our mains we had the mediterranean sea bass, fettucine alfredo and grilled salmon.  The sea bass came with a salad, a tomato sauce and a vegetable cake.  There was a lot of salad, almost like it should have come in its own bowl.  The vegetable cake was a square of a vegetable, cheese and egg mix baked in a pan.  Not too bad but not much flavor.  The tomato sauce was very tasty and a nice complement to the fish, which was done well and had good seasoning.  Overall pretty good.

The fettucine alfredo was a different take on the dish and had its ups and downs.  The sauce had a strong overtone of what we think was cilantro, giving it a very different flavor.  Maybe would be better with more parmesan--we took some home and can correct that.  Unfortunately the seafood in it was overdone.  The scallops were pretty sad, having been cooked to the texture of chicken.  The shrimp were a bit over, but they had a nice char and were pretty tasty.

The salmon was ok but kind of boring.  The filet was cooked to order--I like it medium--but was still almost dry. It came with a dill sauce and some parmesan crisps for texture, which was OK, but it really showed no signs of the grill.  No skin and it looked kind of microwaved, so the salmon could have been frozen.  The mashed potatoes were just that--no seasoning.  Also some plain broccoli.  Would not get that again.

We got the lemon carlota for dessert, and they brought us a tres leches cake as well (a "duplicate" from someone?).  The tres leches was fine, very sweet so we only ate a few bites but classic.  The lemon carlota is like a key lime pie in a glass--crust on top and bottom and the filling in between.  This was excellent, definitely worth getting.  Not too sweet, not too lemony, really hit the spot.

Service was excellent, the server was very good about recommending dishes.  Very timely with no unnecessary delay.  The plating was very appealing, all the dishes looked beautiful except for the boring salmon which could not be helped that way.  The decor is a makeover of Slim Chickens, and you can still see a bit of that but it's nice.  They do have a bar, we did not try it out.  Even with no alcohol you won't get out under $35 per person so it's not an ordinary evening out.  I would say they are making progress but still have some learning to do.

My Yelp Review

Pho Viet & Grill

Stopped in to this new place for a banh mi and pho.  Have been looking forward to it as there is not currently a Vietnamese place close by, though Ichigo does have pho.  We started with a Vietnamese iced coffee and Thai tea.  The coffee was excellent, if you like iced coffee at all you need to get it.  The Thai tea was good but a bit on the sweet side.  Definitely worth trying the drinks.

We got an appetizer, the rocket shrimp.  These are shrimp wrapped in rice paper like a spring roll but deep fat fried.  These were done just right, so when you bite them the shrimp doesn't pull out.  Very good with the sauce.

The banh mi was classic--I got the chargrilled beef.  It is served on a wonderful crusty roll, they absolutely nailed the bread.  The sandwich fillings were very good but not strongly flavored, so I supplemented with fish sauce.  The banh mis average about $6.50 so if you are looking for an inexpensive lunch in these times they are worth a look.  

The pho was on the other end of the price scale.  We got the Pho Ga, white meat chicken.  The broth flavor is pretty subtle but a hoisin and sriracha supplement worked well.  They have a wide variety, including some traditional ones like fatty brisket and "stripe" (tripe?  Intestine?  Not sure).  

Service was excellent.  The interior is very bright (painted white) and inviting--a very clean look.  The bathroom was reasonably clean and ready.  They do differentiate genders when each bathroom has only one facility, kind of unnecessary.  Glad this option is available near us.

My Yelp Review

Julio's Mexican Grill

A new location for this local chain.  We came in the other night for a family dinner.  Ordered the carne asada fries, the shrimp and veggie skillet, poblano chicken, and steak tampiqueno.  Finished with a banana chimichanga for dessert.

There were some definite high points.  The beef dishes were very good--the steak tampiqueno was tender and juicy even though it was done through, and had excellent flavor.  The carne asada fries are an appetizer, and would work that way but were also good as an entree.  The carne asada beef also had great flavor (different seasoning from the tampiqueno, so they have some range) and was very tender.  A good topping for the fries, along with the cheese, guacamole and sour cream.  I would get those again anytime.  The yellow rice is a favorite of mine and theirs was fine.  Special shout-out for the charro beans--usually these are quite forgettable but these beans had excellent seasoning (more cumin than usual made them stand out) and we ate most of ours.

The poblano chicken was very mild, as expected.  The meat was tender but the flavors were pretty subtle.  OK but maybe not one to repeat.  The shrimp and veggie skillet was not too good.  The shrimp was overdone and kind of mushy.  The rice burned to the hot fajita skillet it was served on.  They should put this on a plate, both issues might have been avoided.

The banana chimichanga is banana mashed with some flavoring, wrapped in a pastry shell and fried.  It's a large portion served with a generous helping of ice cream and whipped cream so very shareable.  But I have to say we didn't like it much.  Heating banana brings out sourness and it wasn't countered.  The pastry was pretty doughy.  Didn't eat much of it.

The service was polite but pretty slow.  This may be a training issue--the restaurant was not that crowded, they just waited too long at the end.  The interior is a cosmetic update of El Meson, the previous tenant.  The bathrooms were clean and ready, though I don't know if the fittings are going to hold up.  I can recommend it but it isn't going to displace favorites. Try the beef dishes if you go.

My Yelp Review

Cinnaholic

Came in the other day for an afternoon snack.  The website has various attractive dressed cinnamon rolls, but they also have in-store suggestions made up and I ended up with one of those, the Texas Two-Step. Cookie dough, chocolate chips, oreos, and chocolate sauce with lots of icing on a cinnamon roll.  Washed that down with some iced coffee.  The coffee was nice and strong, just like I like it.  They are vegan and dairy free, so only soy and almond milk on offer, but that was fine.

In the end I liked what I had, the toppings were very good on the roll.  It's about 1200 calories and $9, which is a hefty snack, but quite good.  The least impressive part is the cinnamon roll.  For a vegan roll it's not bad.  But is it fresh?  A sign on the counter said "Fresh baked yesterday".  The owner tells me that these are rolls that are packaged for eating later, and yes they are fresh.  Don't be confused!

They have many other vegan baked goods on offer.  If you're specifically looking for a vegan sweet snack option this is pretty good.  If you don't care so much about that you're overpaying.

There is seating inside but the interior is very plain, it is intended for takeout.  The single bathroom did look to be clean and ready.  Overall I wish them well.

My Yelp Review