Sunday, June 17, 2007

Reveal Your Inner Foodie

Bee at Will Blog for Shoes tagged me for a dining out meme. Her blog is adorable, so you'll want to check it out. Y'all know that I love food so this won't be a hard one to do.

Alrighty then. I live in the great state of Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Living in the middle of two cities has its advantages, like our huge selection of public libraries. Yeah right. Like our HUGE selection of every kind of restaurant imaginable! Yipee! Wait, suddenly the pressure to choose my TOP 5 is overwhelming me. Should they be restaurants that you can only find here? I don't know! That changes things!

1) Ziziki's - A Greek restaurant in the Knox-Henderson area. What I like to get (split with my friend Jennifer) is Ziziki bread, chicken and mushroom fettuccine, and the crowning glory...baklava ice cream cake. You cannot imagine how good it is.

2) Pappasito's Cantina- We went there tonight, in fact! This is a no-brainer for many Texans. They have amazing fajitas. And the salsa comes to you warm. I could drink it. This is where we had our rehearsal dinner. There is no need for dessert here because there is never any room!

3) Main Street Bread Baking Company - This is a little French place in Grapevine where Mel and I like to meet for brunch. I always get the breakfast croissant and then we share some strawberries.

4) Eatzi's - This place is a European-style market and bakery. When you walk in you have to pass the bread baking and the smell is unbelievable. I pick up the cucumber dill spread and some little toasts before heading into the sandwich line. That's where they craft a wonderful turkey and provolone sandwich on pan au lait with sundried tomato spread, onions, lettuce, and pickles. Thank You, Lord. If Curt lets us go there it is a big treat. There used to be one in Houston but it has closed down. There's only one left and it's in Dallas!

5) The Grand Lux - A sister restaurant to the Cheesecake Factory. Cheesecake Factory was my good friend until they did away with my Asian vegetable stir-fry with chicken. However, I do still dream of their tiramisu. I love the look and the atmosphere of Grand Lux, although it's not toddler friendly and I hardly ever go. They have great appetizers and I really love the crispy caramel chicken. For dessert? The beignets are ridiculously good.

Comment if you're doing your own! Sunni, I know you have some good ones for us.

21 comments:

Unknown said...

Baklava Ice Cream Cake??? I can hear the calories seeping onto my hips just THINKING about that cake! It sounds like a party in your mouth!

Erin Ward said...

baklava ice cream cake?? no way! i've got to try this.

Anonymous said...

okay, maybe i dont understand this blogging thing, but do you ever answer questions of your blog readers? i have noticed several questions, but no answers. not sure how this whole things works.

Holly said...

We've eaten in Dallas/ Ft. Worth for many, many years, and these are ALL new to me. I love a new place...so maybe we can check them out when we come through that neck of the woods.
Thanks for sharing! Praying for your day today as you travel.

Kelly @ Love Well said...

This is killing me, because I love food and I collect favorite restaurants like they are trading cars.

But if the rules declare that your Top 5 should be where you live, then I can't play. Because there are no good restaurants within 45 minutes of where I currently live. Seriously. None. We have fast food out the wazoo, and while I love me some Quizno's, I'm not thinking it would hit my Top 5.

*sigh* I can't wait to move.

Anonymous said...

Oh yum! I knew you'd have some good ones! I'm so coming to Dallas! Just to eat!

Thanks for playing! And thanks for calling my blog adorable!! :-)

KirkKrew said...

Pappasitos & EatZi's...my favorites!! My mom has a food blog about restaurants in DFW - you should check it out! http://restaurantreviewsbylaura.blogspot.com Thanks for sharing!!

Sunni at The Flying Mum said...

Oh yes, girl...you know I will do the dining out meme. My brain is swimming in thoughts about it. So many choices...

Becca said...

I have to second the Main Street Bread Baking Company as one of the best places to eat in town! It is such an adorable little restaurant and the bread is to die for! I had my bridesmaids luncheon there a few years ago...it was beautiful and delicious!

R said...

Warm salsa is the best! I wish more Mexican places would serve it that way.

Anonymous said...

you really should have been in bed (resting up from your trip and for today's trip)instead of blogging but i can see how all these fantastic food images and thoughts would have kept me awake too!!! Only writing them down would have stopped me from driving to at least one ofthese places...even in my pj's..you'd have had Jackson and Curtis in tow.....you made the better choice and girl did you write right!!! ...now I'm the one who's mouth is watering!!!!

Angela Baylis said...

Dearest Amanda,
I didn't notice an e-mail account to send this to so I guess I will send it via this... sorry to bug you!
Anyway... this is kind of important.

I know you are VERY busy, but my daughter who is 22 years old is brand new at discovering all of this! (MAINLY through hearing your mom speak at a conference for college students in Chicago...Your sister was asking your mom and Christy questions. I ordered it and gave the c.d. to her.) Now she is very hungry to hear what else your mom has that might be of interest to her. She just graduated from MSU. You and your mom are the most real christians she has ever "known" so I want to buy her anything and everything you might suggest!!! PLEASE can you suggest something and either send it to me through my blog or my e-mail?

I am SO appreciative and I know she admires you and your mother so this would be SO helpful!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart! (I hate to sound so dramatic, but this would be the best gift she could ever receive. It would be better than having CeCe sing to me over the phone! haha)

-Angie
Abaylis@comcast.net

connorcolesmom said...

Oh my !! I am drooling over the baklava ice cream - as is everyone else it seems :).
I craved baklava when I was pregnant and I absoultely LOVE IT! Oh, so in ice cream form I can only imagine how yummy it must be!!!!
I am going to have to think about my top 5 restaurants so I can do this meme post.
Now I am getting hungry - hehe
Kim

Amanda said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Amanda said...

Anonymous, if I have missed some questions, it hasn't been on purpose. I'm not sure which questions you're talking about, but sometimes I get asked things that I do not want to answer or answer publicly. Other times I do not have the energy or time to address it right then and I simply forget to go back later. Sometimes the commenters are personal friends and I can answer them through email or a phone call.

Cath said...

Amanda, this post is so timely, arriving on the heels of your sweet (pun intended!) offer to give me Dallas-area places to ditch my diet and give in to the inner sugar diva. On that, I WILL call you for tips -- and maybe you and Jackson can come and meet up with me, too!

I could put "foodie" after my name like others put MD or PhD after theirs, so I'll take this meme and give it my best shot. And I'll definitely do it before lunch, because I can always think of food I love when I'm starving!

Love your tips...oh how I miss the Houston Eatzi's. And now I really want some breakfast food from that Main Street Bakery. Yum!

Anonymous said...

Oh, girl! I love The Grand Lux here in Houston! My best friend took me there last week for my birthday.....Woo Hoo!

Anonymous said...

Amanda, you are so sweet!!! Thank goodness there was no internet in Paul's day!

Kevin and Christie said...

I would have to add a few on the Fort Worth side:

1. Simply Fondue - (Arlington) awesome place to eat and share a great coversation with friends or your hubby! I highly recommend the pepperjack cheese and choose the broth!

2. Edohana Sushi and Hibachi - (Grapevine) I am sure everyone has had hibachi somewhere, but this place is great and they are SO nice! In addition, they have great California rolls!! YUMMY!

3. Taco Casa (DON'T LAUGH) - this is a new experience to me now that we live over in North Fort Worth. I had never seen one before, but they look a lot like a Taco Bell, but their taco's and burritos are SO GOOD!! And so cheap...I would give it a try...definitely not for a hot date night, but for a fun trip to eat tacos!

4. Houstons - um...I know I think it is all around the world, but it is like the best! It has GREAT french fries with honey mustard dressing. And it has great service and a great club salad!

Well, I am hungry now...I will have to think about the last choice...I agree...LOVE that D/FW has so many to choose from!

have a great tuesday!

christie

Kelli said...

This post had so many taste places, I had to do my own meme! And I love Eatzi's! I was so sad that they closed the one in Houston, I keep secretly hoping they will open another. :)

Anonymous said...

ps the anon at 10:19 did not ask you about ?'s but thought you were so sweet to answer... I can only imagine the time this takes...I remember you wondering how this thing would go when you began it...and now look..It's HUGE!!