Rawlins Gilliland

I'm sorry, Mike, about your initial experience. I'm hoping you'll return. My visits were very different.

Once, being a sort of sports bar, there were two different flat screen sport games going; the World series and I think Monday night football. Both were not volume while I drank and ate some delicious bar food. The southwest egg rolls were just delicious and at under $6, a full meal deal. Fried calamari was exceptional.

The place is new, and has enough screens to watch a dozen things, nice beer and liquor selections, a rotating bar staff I know from other places and love; Jackie, Matt, etc. Layout is interesting with stone table tops and counters. It's a first class joint that isn't stuffy. And that location is a winner for those within a few mile radius. I've swung in on several occasions by now. Very easy and quick in and out.

Mike, Owner Tim is a good guy. Give him a chance to redeem himself. You know how men and sports are; like those Corn Husker grain elevators that can combust without warning. I’d have been PO-ed if I loaded up the jukebox and the game got turned up instead also. But I promise you, they appreciate your business. Tell Tim I sent you.

This place is in a class all it's own.....and to Travis' point, I'm a chow hound and I am exhausted when I finish the hamburger with bacon added. A double meat? I can't even do the FRIES with my burger....and even skip the cheese it's all so rich and deliciously greasy.

God luv 'em, I noted that when they are frying the bacon to add to my burger, they toss the bacon into the grease vat....and it gets deep fried and THEN on the grill with the bun. Call that overkill but I think it is a scream of thrilling nostalgia for my aging aorta!

The real problem is that if you go when there is a line formed at the cramped door entrance....plus those who know to call ahead....you can wait over 45 minutes for your grub, standing in the paking lot....such as it is....before eating when the ordeal concludes in your car like a starving hound at a porno theater. Or something.

How did I guess before I finished the second sentence that this last review was someone posting on Pegasus for the first time. Which good or bad, always seems to be tilted too high or low, and in many cases, but not here, is likely a shill. My question to 'cjs': was this experience at Alligator really an anomaly for you or am I right to guess there are issues regarding expectations elsewhere is your life routine?

Despite saying otherwise, sounds to me like the .25 cent issue was a bit more important than to the average person. And God knows, the rest of your 'review' sounds as if your demands exceed the norm, although certainly price discrepancies online vs. in-house are annoying and might have been handled better. It's not, however, like they dishonored the discount coupon (which I bet was their two entree for one price from the Entertainment Book.)

As for small oysters, you're on your own with than one. For $3, I find the add on oysters at Alligator just fine, and never tough. You simply assumed it.

That said, I've had many a meal at Alligator Cafe and the food is uniformly good for what it is. And I too used my coupon. I also have found the owner managers to be nice. You admit using profanity at the counter...(over 25 cents and small oysters etc.) ...when you are using a coupon no less.... I think it is you who made the crayfish wince.

PS: If you'd have tried the bread pudding you'd have been better for it.

The last time I was there, a black homeless man who clearly was hearing voices began plowing through Harry's trashcan in front of his Knox shop. And while others were (pick one) scared, annoyed, disgusted, ...Harry asked him is he was hungry and went in and returned outside with a loaded hotdog in his hand and walked down the street after him to personally deliver it.

THAT's class of the old guard.

What a wonderful meal I had last night at Veracruz. This restaurant serves wonderful, sophisticated complex food that is at once simple, fresh and remarkable. I had two great fresh margaritas. Then.........

The appetizers were amazing; Oysters in an almandine breading, lightly crispy fried served with a heavenly ‘Huasteca sauce. $8.95. Then the "Mexican Egg Rolls". Deep-fried flour tortillas stuffed with dreamy Mexican cheese, chicken, and tart spinach. Also served with Crema Huasteca sauce. So lightly and elegantly fried. NO greasy taste or feel. $8.50

My friend had the Blue corn Enchiladas Mexicanitas~~~Three blue corn chicken enchiladas topped with Huasteca red sauce, queso fresco and sliced onion. Served with rice, black beans,$10.95) She ate these like a ravaged urchin.

I had the El Borracho del Pueblo (The Town Drunk)Sirloin steak asado marinated in tequila and lime juice topped with grilled onions and roasted jalapeño. Served with a white cheese enchilada, a corn cake gordita and remarkably perfect black beans. $12.95.

Seriously, run to Veracruz.

Last night I was taken to Lemongrass and I was blown away. The service was ideal, the restaurant lovely with terrific nuance lighting and an ability to actually talk. Pretty and clean decor. Felt very expensive but it was not.

I tried the spring rolls which were perfect and beautifully served. Then a volcano roll tower something that was loaded with crayfish. Incredible. A friend had a strip steak which was $26 and over 16 ounces and delicious. I has sushi which was fresh and explosive. Then I had the sea bass which was wonderfully fresh and perfectly done, severed with spinich pasta intergrated with sprouts and ginger, etc. and completely delicious.

The desserts were all freshly made on site. I tried a sampler of ice creams wrapped in something with homemade coconut cake, strawberry cake, and German chocolate cake.

After exploding first with glee and later due to the sheer enormity of my intake, I was airlifted to Baylor Hospital for lapband surgery. Actually, I went home and vowed I'd tell everyone what a wonderful option this restaurant in Deep Ellum is.

Whether Vietnamese, fresh sushi dishes, beef or fish with Asian touches and sincere fresh delivery, this is an affordable and charming place to go for lunch or dinner.

VERY sad to just receive an email that this terrific 'pub' is closing at the end of this week. Makes me very sad because this is a good place with good people and good service and great fish and chips. Damn this economy. Email letter to customers reads as follows:

­­­­­­­­­Dear Friends of the Tipperary:

It is with heavy heart that I announce the closing of "theTipp" this Saturday, May 16th.

I very much would like to take the opportunity to say thank you to all of the wonderful customers, groups, associations and musical talent we have had the pleasure of meeting and working with these past five years. As you all know, the Tipp has been my family run business and many of you have gotten to know not only myself, but that of my wife Ellen, daughter Beth and granddaughter Meghan who have been regular fixtures at the pub.

Due to the downturn in the economy with declines in sales and an unsuccessful lease renegotiation, we have decided to close our doors. These past five years have been a great experience for us. We have met and have special relationships with so many wonderful people here - we will greatly miss you all. We will certainly treasure many of the memories and special occasions that we have hosted at the pub.

We will finish up the week with our normal schedule of events including Monday Karaoke, Tuesday Trivia, Wednesday Poker, Friday night with Paddy Gone Wild and Saturday host The Trinity River Whalers CD release party. We hope to see you this week here at the Tipp.

Sincerely,

Tim (& Ellen Russi)

The Tipperary Inn 5815 Live Oak Street Dallas, TX 75214 Telephone: 214-821-6500

My $17-ish fried seafood platter was absolutely perfectly decious dreamy.

The large leaf cabbage rough slaw struck me as weird and clumsy to eat. But that fried seafood platter was so perfectly fried that if I had squeezed each piece of (fried) stuffed shrimp, crawfish, oysters and fish, there would maybe be a dram of oil that emerged. The tartar sauce, heavenly. Bread delicious. Lower Greenville's caldron of joy.

I am totally addicted to this place. I can be driving somewhere and like Night of the Living Dead my car starts heading in that direction. A few weeks back I went there three days in a row. It's worse than when Krispy Kreme first opened. I cannot say 'No'! Every bite a robust crunch-a-thon. Every fry a greasy seasoned relief. Pricey-ish and worth every dime. Lord have mercy!

This place is an oasis, not only for those seeking true hybrid Latin American and genuine South American items (that remind you are those sordid days of yore in the arms of maddening amor in Colombia) but also impulse treats (including naughty 'if no one saw you, you did not eat it' bakery take-out.)

Really happy this place has 'made it'. It could have gone under the radar. But they deliver terrific food, even if the service is sometimes a bit...Latin. (Colombian time=take your time, but hey.... Disfruta!)

I was taken to Fearing’s for my birthday yesterday, which was my third visit, the first shortly after it opened, which was a spotty and uneven experience. I had never been for lunch. Which was truly a wonderful and special affair in all respects.

The service was now second to none. Timely, and very personal. Per usual, Dean himself made the rounds and his glee at our glee (and my red lizard Lucchese boots) was like being at a friend's party. The three of us are all types regarding food, so the fact that we all were totally happy is noteworthy.

Appetizers included the shrimp and fried green tomatoes which was perfect and split three ways as they served. The winner however is the calamari/chorizo taco strips w/black bean, whatever. Out of this world. $10. Incidentally, the bloody Marys were exceptional.

My sister had the buffalo burger and sweet potato fries and was thrilled. I had the ahi tuna on a bed of something thrilling. (Ok, I'm no foodie...call BillUSA if you want detailed analysis recaps). Our friend had the short ribs which tasted like the ones I make for hours. It was upscale comfort food.

All was served smoothly, beautifully and not overdone. The iced tea never stopped flowing. The desserts were predictably grand. Butterscotch Brulee with whatever, and the banana pie in a cup, bla bla. All had the crew squealing while I had a slice of complimentary chocolate straight-from-heaven cake.

The entire meal at lunch, sans the cocktails, came to, with tip, between $50 and 60 each. That is steep for lunch, but let me tell you, this was FUN and happy and attractive and attentive. And Fearing's is arguably more attractive at lunch than dinner. I preferred the pervasive natural lighting that is everywhere. You feel the openness. And the captain's chair made me feel like a captain. Shoot me.

If you want to have wonderful food, impeccable service and a charming time that feels up-the-scale perfect but NEVER stuffy in the least, this is the place. Teresa Gubbins insisted I review it. So do I get free tickets to something?

I like the 'it' of Hector's. I eat at the bar and the service is attentive and first class as are the apetizers and entree' food. I met the unlikely chef and she is devilish and talented and gutsy.

I grew up around the corner, and believe me, this place has been many restaurants in it's time. But I think Hector's is unique in that it has oddly esoteric menu items and yet manages to have a tony but never elitest feel.

Sorry I hit the wrong numbers. It was supposed to read as high being 5, not 1. (Duh Rawlins. This is why I leave restaurant reviews to Billusa)

Anyone who grew up in the real Texas knows instantly that this is true Tex-Mex; a style originating in San Antonio after World War 2. It is real, reasonable, sometimes greasy and always delcious. It is one of my Dallas native recommendations, and only one of three places I, a 7th generation Texan, go to for Texas/Mexican traditional. That's saying something. Try the guacamole with pico de gallo, great sour cream enchiladas (chicken) and true chilli con carne cheese entries. A time-stood-still classic. Be still my heart.

A Dallas Classic in Oak Cliff main street Jefferson Ave. Sincerely authentic Nortena style Mexican. Very welcoming-inclusionary family owned/run. Fresh tortillas made on site. Great margaritas--the real kind! Gracious service, (too) loud pro mariachis. Like going to Mexico to a huge party. Been going there for 25 years. Unique and special in historic vintage Dallas architect Dilbeck building. Why miss this when it is Texas Mexican to its core?

Tiny Tex-Mex family owned restaurant at corner Jim Miller/Lake June in Pleasant Grove neighborhood of Southeast Dallas. Absolutely wonderful cheap thrill authentic Tex-Mex like it used to be. Either come straight down Jim Miller Rd. 3 miles going south after exiting I-30 going east or take Central south to I-175 Hawn going east and exit Lake June. The real deal.

Wonderful music, charming welcome from owner Lorna Tate, good food, unpredictable menu, good prices, terrific caring pro service, smooth bar with an upscale rare-rare-in-Dallas Chicago-esque racially/culturally mixed ambience. What the hell is not to like with this place? Be sure and go to no-cover Sunday brunch for starters. Extremely professional grove here, dedicated to jazz. Don't miss out on this one.

Marvelous Central Colombian (Cali) style. Patino family owned and run hands-on 'mi casa es tu casa' ambience, w/live music-dancing Sat. nights. Charming, intimate, earnest and unique. Try it. You'll like it. Try the chuleta empanazada. Pork cutlet lightly breaded Milanesa style with ahi, the Colombian salsa.

I certainly aint no shill and was impressed with the overall whatevers at this unlikely spot. So yes, the food earnest and special, the attention and friendliness from the staff seemed model, and the atmosphere felt like it had been there for ages with a neighborhood patina. Fearings it's not. Which, to my Pegasusian irreverent taste, is proof there's a God.

Ate there last night and the 7 of us were all amazed. The ostrich steaks (!) were melt in your mouth with a wonderful marinade, the fresh basil/chicken pizza terrific, the pecan breaded chicken breats perfect. The homemade desert was a hot brownie with ice cream and IT was perfect. Great beer assortment, drinks. The best value/quality buy I have found for upscale food served at street level.... Try it.

This place is a breath of fresh polluted air. Warm hospitality with tongue in cheap down home to earth down alternative mindset basics… this place has the ‘your bar’ attitude.

My dog Honey gets to play with the other hounds while I have a frigid beer and charming conversations with whoever is there. The food is surprisingly delicious and everything is affordable and served with the attention to detail one wishes they found in more ‘conventional’ bar and grills and/or mid range restaurants.

Like someone who dates someone and then falls in love, this place went from being someplace I went to occasionally to my absolute #1 favorite, in part because it is an eclectic crowd; all ages, all sizes, all types. In a city that is so UN-cross demographic cultural, what’s not to like?

Vive la Seth.