Posted on May 9, 2008 at 9:51 a.m.

Food: 1/5  Vibe: 1/5  Service: 1/5  Value: 2/5  Overall: 1/5

Yeah, and their chicken and dumplings should be re-christened 'Salmonella & Dumplings." I hadn't been that sick since the Monday night buffet at the Taj Express on Lemmon!

Cracker Barrel's always a bad bet, anyway. Even Neko Case says so, in her list of 'Foods to be avoided on tour' -

http://www.nekocase.com/travelogue/20...

On Cracker Barrel Old Country Store (Arlington / Bowen & 20)

Posted on December 19, 2007 at 9:41 a.m.

Food: 5/5  Vibe: 5/5  Service: 4/5  Value: 5/5  Overall: 5/5

So many menu items, so little time. Either way, weekend and lunch buffets are a sweet deal considering the choices presented before you - everything from your standard chicken tikka masala, Tandoori chicken, aloo gobi and saag paneer to Indian-Chinese offerings and South Indian specialties like lemon rice, pulihora and bitter melon curry. At night, go with the 'Thali' dinner option on the menu - with the entree of your choice, accompanied by a soup, the vegetable curry of the day, dessert, and a side of the raita to soothe your tongue when the burn gets the best of you. Lovely staff, too - and expect to be treated like royalty.

On Our Place Indian Cuisine

Posted on November 18, 2007 at 6:30 p.m.

Food: 5/5  Vibe: 4/5  Service: 4/5  Value: 4/5  Overall: 5/5

Piranha = The crack cocaine of Arlington sushi

On Piranha Killer Sushi (Arlington)

Posted on October 22, 2007 at 8:23 p.m.

Food: 4/5  Vibe: 4/5  Service: 5/5  Value: 5/5  Overall: 4/5

This Fielder Plaza mom-and-pop serves up hearty breakfasts, lunches and dinners, at prices that'll make you think you're in a time warp. Breakfast is an all-day affair at Jay Jay, with traditional faves and goodies from the griddle, and the biscuits must be out of this world, because the waitress informed us at 11 a.m. on a Saturday that they were out. The waffles more than made up for that bit of sadness, as did the ham-steak and eggs, cooked to order with a side of buttery grits. The rest of the menu boasts Southern staples like chicken-fried steak and chicken (the cream gravy rules here), fried chicken and catfish, and a right-on selection of sides. If you're in the mood for a burger, you won't go away disappointed, especially if you include a side of Jay Jay's onion rings to go with it. Consistently piping hot, fresh and grease-free, and the pie selections are mighty fine, too. Warning: on Sundays, stick with the menu - or at least take a close, hard look at the buffet before digging in.

On Jay Jay Cafe

Posted on September 13, 2007 at 6:29 p.m.

Food: 4/5  Vibe: 5/5  Service: 4/5  Value: 5/5  Overall: 5/5

If indecision's your bugaboo and you need your regular fix of pho with all the trimmings, Arlington's Pho Pasteur won't leave you high and dry. The endless menu has loads of standouts - especially the chicken pho, the meat ball and flank steak pho (they've got tendon if ya want it, too), the humongous noodle bowls, both the crunchy and regular rice dishes, and the shining star of the appetizer list - the grilled shrimp and marinated pork, accompanied by tangy Vietnamese dipping sauce. The spring rolls are a surefire bet, too. Ask for their lemonade by name if you want the full-on fresh experience. There's also a tasty bubble tea selection, and they're not stingy with the tapioca pearls, either.

You also won't find a friendlier staff anywhere and price-wise, you'll think your eyes are deceiving you.

On Pho Pasteur (Arlington)

Posted on August 7, 2007 at 11:41 p.m.

Food: 5/5  Vibe: 5/5  Service: 4/5  Value: 5/5  Overall: 5/5

Fort Worth totally lucked out when the Hedary family fled war-torn Beirut for the U.S. and in 1976 decided to open Hedary's Pizza on the North Side, only because they thought 'pizza' meant 'restaurant.' To this day they're still offering up their own version of pizza, along with family ambience and in-your-face, old country cooking. Whether you're ordering from the menu or diving into the Sunday brunch, Hedary's covers all your Middle Eastern staples – the freshest tabbouleh, tangy hummus and batinjan mtabaal (aka baba ganouj), stuffed lamb-and-rice grape leaves with the requisite side of minty laban for dipping, kibbi, kabobs, et al - but there’s also the garlicky-lemony chicken (frarej), fatush (crispy green salad with zingy dressing, sumac and toasted pita bread), sujuk (spicy grilled beef sausage), and if you call ahead, kibbi nayyi - Lebanon's answer to steak tartare, only much more kick-ass.

That said, Hedary's also has loads of choices for vegetarians and vegans, who'll probably already be familiar with the basics anyway. Whatever you do, just try to save room for the finale – sweet, heady Lebanese coffee with baklava or shabiet - a honey-drenched custard dream in phyllo pastry.

On Hedary's Mediterranean Restaurant