Monday, December 10, 2007
Gregory’s, simple French place, opens in old downtown Plano
PLANO — In the past couple of years, the brick building at 1022 E. 15th Street in old downtown Plano has been a revolving door for restaurants, with two ill-fated places -- Massimiliano's and, before that, Dish -- coming and going in short order. But this time, oh this time, surely it will be different.
Gregory's, a French restaurant that opened on Saturday December 8, comes from Gregory Moreaux, an accent-having French chef whose experience and menu are far more promising than his predecessors at this seemingly doomed spot.
Born in France, Moreaux moved here in 1991 to work at Cacharel in Arlington, where he stayed until 1998. He then went to III Forks for seven years. After that it was Silver Fox, the Richardson location, where he worked for a year and a half.
"Last July, I went on vacation, and when I came back, [Silver Fox founder Dale Wamstad] told me he had sold restaurant back to corporate," Moreaux says. Moreaux wasn't interested in working for a corporate entity and had also been dreaming about going back to French classic cuisine. He drove around seeking the right location and found it there in old East Plano, with a farmer’s market a block away.
"Sometimes I walk down there and get my fruits and vegetables," Moreaux says.
Sea bass is the signature, both as an appetizer and as an entree at dinner served with a luscious white bean casserole.
"What I love is 5he simplicity," he says. He's started the process to get a liquor license, but it's BYOB for now -- "I won’t even charge a cork fee."
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Oooh definitely want to check this place out while I can BMO.
Donna Chen Verified
1 year, 11 months ago
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Sounds great. Too bad its so far north... but thank you, Downtown Plano station.
Montgomery Sutton Verified
1 year, 11 months ago
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Googled the menu at www.gregorysrestaurant.net. Must say it looks promising, and especially affordable at lunch. I'm all about quality and value!
FoodCzar Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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Beware, rogue chef Tony Gardizi is in the kitchen...Can you say Veuve?
frankstongal Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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isn't Chilean sea bass overfished and all that? I don't know how I feel about ordering that. I don't know that I'd say it looks "especially affordable"...moderately reasonable maybe. And damn straight there better be no corkage fee for byo before they even have a license...who's he kidding?
Anyway I probably ought to check it out since it's right around the corner.
luniz Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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"What I love is she simplicity"? Monsieur Moreaux: Do you not love he simplicity, aussi?
kirk Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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Luniz... Patagonian Toothfish is over fished and the only stuff now brought in to the U.S. (legally) is from sustainable, quota-managed areas.
Billusa99 Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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luniz: You actually do want a corkage fee in order to give restaurants an incentive to go/remain BYOB.
Worzel_Gummidge Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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Oh my gosh this is a GREAT PLACE! We have eaten here for lunch and dinner now three times and not once been displeased with the food or service. The food is fresh, healthy & just plain Delicious! The service was TOP NOTCH! I think they even iron the table cloths, and that is not done in many fine dinning places. We have had several friends visit & only great things being said. www.gregorysrestaurant.net go see this menu wow you can understand what you are eating. THANK YOU FOR opening up this was needed!
Gregory we have been to the French Room and had your crab cakes when you made them at Silver Fox, honeslty yours are better! Can't wait to eat them again! Keep it up and horay for you getting away from corporate. Cant wait for more!
luniz: your LUCKY not being charged a cork fee... possibly you dont have much Experience in fine dinning places that are BYOB.
Sarah White Verified
1 year, 11 months ago
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Kirk, I sincerely hope you realized T-Gub just made a typo and hit 5 instead of 't' (wasn't even an 's').
Scott Doyle Verified
1 year, 11 months ago
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let's welcome new user yummy to Pegasus News. it's exciting to see someone who has just joined the Pegasus community also be SO enthusiastic about a new restaurant. the place just opened, and yummy has already eaten there three times -- wow yummy, you might as well get a job there! would love to hear your recommendations for must-get dishes on the menu
Teresa Gubbins Staff
1 year, 11 months ago
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Not only is yummy entirely enthusiastic that Gregory's has opened...he/she has made it a point to <a href="http://www.pegasusnews.com/places/silver-fox-steakhouse-richardson/#c18713">rag on</a> Greg's former establishment within 15 minutes of this honorary comment.
Coincidences all around!
Scott Doyle Verified
1 year, 11 months ago
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actually scott, regarding the 5, it's even stupider than that. it DID say "she" as Mr. Perfect Speller kirk pointed out. i went in and "fixed" it but was still too retarded to hit the $#! "T" key
Teresa Gubbins Staff
1 year, 11 months ago
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"wow yummy, you might as well get a job there!" LOL, oh teegee :)
Donna Chen Verified
1 year, 11 months ago
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Teresa I actually got on this site because of being told about a new way to find a good place to eat.When I saw Gregoy's I just had to see what you wrote. We have followed Gregory from III Forks to Silver Fox and now to his own place. I dont need to work there I need to keep eating.
for those must get dishes start off with one of these sharing is great you get to try more. Roasted Portobello mushroom, Steamed mussels, Pan-seared Chilean Seabass, Baby spinach salad,
Roasted Rack of lamb, Seabass or Grilled salmon, Grilled ribeye steak,
Grand Marnier cream brulee, Chocolate Moose.
We can not wait for him to make his crab cakes!
Sarah White Verified
1 year, 11 months ago
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Truth needs to be told.
Sarah White Verified
1 year, 11 months ago
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I was able to go to this marvelous restaurant on the night it opened and had a mouth watering lamb chop. The atmosphere is so charming and the service is wonderful. Prices are very reasonable and I would recommend Gregory's to anyone who desires "food to die for." Bravo Gregory for opening your own restaurant. Will plan on eating there for many years to come.
moonnbeamm Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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The hits just keep on coming!
Scott Doyle Verified
1 year, 11 months ago
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yummy moonbeams... may I suggest lessons in "IP tracking" and "how to write foolishly so others don't think you are both the same one side of the Olson twins on crack & osso bucco?"
May I also suggest that you read the "trojan's guide to the Intertubes" about how not to register all on the same day?
'Cause like, OMG, welcome to Peg News reviews, 'cause like wow jeez rasta babes we ain't seen such groovy comments since... well I just do not know! And finally, how much were the Red Bull 'tinis?
Billusa99 Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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The Chocolate Moose, 5he is great, too, Monsieur Doyle.
kirk Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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By the way, Teresa, the staff at Gregorys remembers you fondly from your visit the other day. They told me so when I was there. Loved the chicken breast over couscous in spicy tomato sauce and penne pasta with shrimp in butter basil sauce. The butternut squash soup and creme brulee rock as well. Hungry, anyone???
FoodCzar Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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I call 'em like I see 'em, Kirk.
Btw, wine and dine your mistress(es) at Gregory's. (bandwagon post)
Scott Doyle Verified
1 year, 11 months ago
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yummy's real ID has been busted. My mother's side of the family also being cheese-eating bicycle riders made it easy. I doubt she will be shilling about Gregory again.
Billusa99 Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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"Cheese-eating bicycle riders..."
Mine are *Soupe a l'Ivrogne* eaters and snowshoers.
kirk Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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Who is this RUDE person named Billusa99? I do not know him or yummy so he needs to watch his accussations. If I like a restaurant, I will say so here or any where else that I like. Gregory's is a great little restaurant and I have now said it again. I do not even know what the reference to "cheese eating bicycle riders" means. I registered here because a friend told me about this site and I happened to mention how good Gregory's is and wondered where I could say so on the internet. Get another hobby Bill. And find another site as you had "NOTHING" to say or add to this site. lol
moonnbeamm Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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He ain't the only accuser, ace.
You're like a positive Chris Jones. Which one of you plays Avi's good twin?
Scott Doyle Verified
1 year, 11 months ago
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Who are you people? And who is Chris JOnes? I am no one's twin. This is not a friendly chatroom so I will not respond to any more of this nonsense.
moonnbeamm Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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Dang, I was just getting sucked in and now it's over? Somebody make up an ending.
kphagen Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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Thanks for watching my back, Scott.
It is what it is, moonie... ;-)
Billusa99 Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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crummiest chat room i've ever seen, really. if i remember i'll actually try this place tonight...but pan seared fish, grilled salmon, i can do that myself...how's the duck?
luniz Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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M.R. Ducks ..... M. R. Not ..... O. S. A. R., C. M. Wangs? ..... L. I. B., M. R. Ducks!
Billusa99 Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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We went to Gregory's for lunch today and had a good Steak Panini sandwich with a cup of tomatoe basil soup. It's nice to have the manager Chris come by and talk to us about the new things they will be doing soon.
Sarah White Verified
1 year, 11 months ago
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Hey yummy:
Can you let us know if and how you're related to Gregory's? We don't share your info with the outside world, but our staffers are privy to your login. Our patience for shilling is pretty thin, and you're posting a lot.
There's nothing wrong with saying you like a place even if you're related, but if you're not transparent about an obvious bias, it lowers the value of user reviews for everyone.
And to our regulars, let's not pile on this one and give it more publicity, OK?
Mike Orren Staff
1 year, 11 months ago
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This morning I received an email from the address that corresponds with the "yummy" account:
<i>Good Morning,</i>
<i>I have been informed this morning that my secretary, who has full access to my email account, has been posting on your web site. In regards to Gregory’s resturant. I would like to apologize for her over boosting about his place, she has been very excited. She has been informed to no longer post anything and to stay off your site. I certainly do not want to see this harm him in any way as he has framed and posted your web article in his restaurant. After reading the comments and knowing she has used my email account, I would recommend and greatly appreciate you removing this log in and comments from your site. I want to make it very clear to you that I do not know who any of the other people are that have left comments. Again I apologize for any issues that this has caused.</i>
<i>Thank you</i>
My response to her:
Thanks for letting us know about this. Unlike a lot of sites with local user reviews, we take great pride in the quality of our user postings and stay on guard to watch for people posting either positive and negative reviews when they are tied to a business or one of its competitors. We can't catch everything, but we do watch.
We're also committed to transparency within our community, so we don't delete comments when someone regrets them afterwards. I have, however, posted your message to explain the "yummy" thread.
We have a dedicated audience of local foodies, and I'm sure that they'll make their own assessment of the restaurant (which based on Teresa's write-up sounds like a must-visit).
Let me know if we can be of further help -- and be sure to point your customers to the Gregory's page on our site:
http://www.pegasusnews.com/places/gre...
They can post reviews and mark it as a "favorite," And this page is much "stickier" than the preview story where most of the comments are. And encourage them to write from their hearts -- one of the things that makes our users suspicious of a review is when multiple people cover the same points and those points are back of house things that a typical diner is not likely to notice.
And, if you submit a photo of the restaurant, we can add it to that page.
Finally, you can see that we have a lot of interest in dining and your restaurant among our user-base. If you are interested in an advertising plan that can increase your visibility among that group, let me know and I'll see that our advertising folks help you out.
Thanks!
P.S. Don't make your secretary stay off our site! There's lots of other useful local scoop for her every day...
Mike Orren Staff
1 year, 11 months ago
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Congratulations Gregory, We are excited to here that you opened a restaurant in Old Downtown Plano. We were at SilverFox last Friday and were told you opened the restaurant. We can't wait until we have the opportunity (after Jan. 1st) to visit your place. Hopefully, you'll have some of the same cheesecake you served at The Fox.
Best of Success with your new venue! I know you'll do well. See you soon.
Russ_Cuffee Anonymous
1 year, 11 months ago
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