Garden Cafe (Dallas, TX)

Garden cafe's website proudly states "fresh herbs and vegetables from the garden in the back of the cafe".  It would be easy to assume that if you ordered a garden plate at the Garden Cafe, you would be served a plate full of fresh flavorful vegetables.  However, this was not the case during my recent trip to this greasy little establishment.  The garden plate consisted of canned green beans, canned green peas, dry, tasteless cornbread and roasted potatoes (these were the only fresh items on the plate).   I also tried the garden omelette, which I requested to be made with only egg whites.  That served pointless since my all egg white omelette came out soaking and I mean dripping with grease.  If that wasn't unappetizing enough, the equally oily hash browns were crunchy to the point that it was difficult to chew them.  The name, the website....it's all misleading.  They should be ashamed of themselves.

Verdict:  Not To Eat 

The Ivy (Los Angeles, CA)

Thank you Kelly for grabbing me by the ear and dragging me into The Ivy. Given the "hollywood" hype and the rumors of paparazzi lurking around every corner, I was a bit reluctant to dine here, assuming that the food would be mediocre, the service snooty and the atmosphere pretentious. I was right about one thing, there was definitely a lot of neck straining as diners carefully peered around the sunlit room, hoping to make a celebrity spotting. Luckily, I was wrong about everything else. The service was wonderful. We were seated right away, our waiter was very friendly and obviously very experienced. I was dissapointed to find that the menu was void of any exotic ingredients or unique flavor combinations, instead boasting common dishes such as grilled salmon and enchiladas. However, The Ivy's masterful execution of these dishes was impressive, to say the least. The crisp house salad topped with tender crab meat, the flawlessly seasoned crabcakes and the mouthwatering desserts were are all made to perfection. Kelly had a delicious pot of berry cobbler while I opted for the pecan bar a la mode. The decadent pecan bar, topped with homemade praline ice cream and a pot of freshly made chocolate fudge was nutty, buttery, not too sweet and yes, I'm going to say it....divine.
Verdict: Eat

Roti Grill (Plano, TX)

Not only were the kofta doughy, but halfway through my first one, I bit down on what seemed to be a huge pit of some sort. Totally unacceptable. The chicken tikka masala was made with an oil-heavy tomato gravy that lacked the proper amount of seasoning to really give it the burst of flavor that one expects in a good masala sauce. To make matters worse, the rice was dry and the naan was too chewy. The dessert failed miserably as well. The gulab jamun was hard on the outside, chewy on the inside and was obviously left in the fryer a bit too long.
Verdict: Not To Eat

Roscoe's House of Chicken' n Waffles (Hollywood, CA)

We need to talk about Roscoe's. You need to eat at Roscoe's. Even the healthiest eater can surely find a place in their heart (or an artery) for Roscoe's special recipe fried chicken served alongside a perfect, delicious waffle. How you eat it is up to you. Sure, you can stay conservative...alternating cautiously between the chicken and the waffle. However, the real eaters, the adventurers, drench the plate in maple syrup, grab a chunk of that fried chicken, a chunk of waffle, open big and sink their teeth into this mouthwatering peice of heaven. Heaven.........really......heaven. The biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs and hot chocolate served with a heap of whipped cream are all worth mentioning as well. Whether you're stopping by at 1 a.m. after a night of bar hopping, feeding that hangover the morning after, or looking for some good old comfort food....this is it. Just do it.
Verdict: Eat

Stephen Pyles (Dallas, TX)

Stephen pyles has one of the more creative menus in Dallas. For example, the menu offers mouthwatering descriptions such as Seared Foi Gras and Spit Roasted Suckling Pig with Mascarpone Polenta and Plum Jus and Frozen Guanabana Soufflé stuffed with Passion Fruit Curd on Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Prickly Pear Ravioli. I have made three visits to this restaurant so let me start with the first. I started with the sea bass ceviche, accompanied by avocados and tomatillas. Although the fish was undoubtedly fresh, it was beyond salty. My next dish was a salad of Artichoke, "Duck Bacon", and Fava Beans with Garlic Toast. It was a combination of diverse ingredients that united beautifully to make a flavorful and unique salad. I also tasted the Roasted Quail with Dates and Goat Cheese from the tapas menu. It was also a fabulous dish. For my entree I ordered the Cured Rack of Lamb with Ecuadorian Potato Cake and Cranberry Mojo. The potato cake was delicious, the lamb was cooked to perfection and the sweet cranberry mojo was a delightful complement to the savory lamb. The only problem was that the lamb was highly over seasoned, requiring me to scrape off a thick layer of pepper, salt and seasoning. For dessert, I ordered Stephen Pyle's signature dessert, Heaven and Hell cake. It consists of alternating layers of moist angel food cake, devil's food cake, a sweet fluffy peanut butter filling all topped with a thick, rich chocolate ganache that melts in your mouth. It truly is heavenly. My next visit to Stephen Pyles was during lunch. I made the mistake of ordering the Lobster Salad Club with Smoked "Duck Bacon" and Meyer Lemon Mayo Sandwich. Not only was it a terrible combination of flavors, but it was greasy and overpriced. I also tasted gnocchi which was much tastier than my dish. For dessert, I ordered the Heaven and Hell Cake. My third visit once again at dinner time. I tried the flatbread as an appetizer and was disappointed with it. The flavors were off. For dinner, I tried both the Seared Salmon with Artichoke Heart, Fava Bean Purée as well as the Orange-Cardamom Vinaigrette and Coffee Cured Strip Steak with Chipotle Bread Pudding and Okra-Corn Stew. The salmon was mediocre at best and I would not recommend ordering it. The coffee cured strip steak, however, was excellent. The steak was tender and juicy with the perfect amount of seasoning and both the savory chipotle bread pudding and the okra-corn stew were divine flavors that I still dream about to this day. I even enjoyed the okra, which is usually a huge turn off for me. If you live in Dallas, you must try Stephen Pyles. One more thing: I love their bread, butter and smoked salt. Good bread is always a good sign.
Verdict: Eat

Toulouse Cafe and Bar (Dallas, TX)

Both times I have dined here have been at brunch. Their brunch menu is small and simple. On my first visit I tried the Belgian Waffle with Mixed Berries & Cream, which was great for a waffle but definitely not the star of the meal. That title went to the Salmon Cakes with Spinach and Poached Eggs, served with Sauce Charon, a twist on a classic benedict. This was a deliciuos, beautifully prepared dish. I am not a pork fan so I am always on the hunt for tasty benedict alternatives and this definitely ranked as one of my favorites. On my next visit, I tried the Omelette Provencal, filled with Ratatouille & Goat Cheese and served with roasted potatoes as well as the Orange French Toast, topped with powdered sugar, berries & mascarpone cheese. I'm not a big omelette person but it was decent for an omelette. The french toast, however, was sweet, rich and scrumptious. If you like french toast, this is one to try.
Verdict: Eat

Buttercup Bakery (New York, NY)

This bakery specializes in dry, tasteless cupcakes. They also have a tacky sign on the counter that limits customers to purchasing one dozen per visit. Their one savior is the banana pudding, a light fluffy blend of vanilla pudding, sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream layered with banana slices and vanilla wafers. It is easily the best banana budding I have tasted. Really brilliant. Luckily, it is also easy to make at home. Get the recipe at:
http://www.recipelink.com/cookbooks/2005/0743246616_5.html
Verdict: Not To Eat

Nilgiris Indian Sizzler (Frederick, MD)

Frederick doesn't seem to be crawling with Indian restaurants, so we were pretty excited when we spotted this one hiding at the back of a shopping center. We ordered the malai kofta(croquettes made with home made cheese and vegetables) and channa masala (chick peas cooked with onion and tomato gravy). The kofta were dense, yet soft and both the malai and channa sauces were savory and spiced to perfection. The hot, sweet, fluffly gulab junam was a great ending to a great meal.
Verdict: Eat

Yummy Cupcakes (Santa Monica, CA)

These cupcakes are amazing, amazing, amazing. Not only do they taste incredible, they taste incredibly fresh. Top quality ingredients such as real butter, cream and tahitian vanilla combine to make a scrumptious treat. There's a certain taste, a certain texture that I pray a cupcake will have when I bite into it and time and time again I have been dissapointed. Not this time...I have finally found the cupcake of my dreams. This bakery definitely lives up to it's name. I can't wait to get back out there and try more flavors.
Verdict: Eat

Jack n' Jill's (Santa Monica, CA)

What a great little breakfast place! It's a bit small and you may have a short line but it's well worth the wait. Here are the dishes that I tried and ALL of them were fantastic!!!
The Breakfast Panini: Three over hard eggs and turkey bacon, cheddar cheese, tomatoes and avacado all grilled into a crispy cheese panini.
The House Scramble: goat cheese, avacado, basil and sundried tomato
Traditional French Toast: Thick egg bread dipped in eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and cream. Served with whipped butter and syrup.
Jill's Special Porridge: Creamy hot oat and bran cereal, topped with pecans and strawberries.
I can't wait to go back and try more of their delicious dishes.
Verdict: Eat

Dallul East African Cuisine (Dallas, TX)

As with every Ethiopian restaurant I have visited, the service was very friendly. The food however was very unappetizing. I ordered the same thing I always order, a vegetarian combination platter and a lamb dish. There was a terrible flavor in a few of the vegetable dishes that I have never tasted before. It almost tasted dirty. The lamb was so chewy and fatty that I ate about only four pieces and had to spit out about three. Very dissapointed.
Verdict: Not To Eat

James Rowland's Bistro Nous (Dallas, TX)

I drove by the day they were putting up the sign for this restaurant and nearly hyperventilated with excitement. Our neighborhood, which is infested with huge chains, was in need of a small upscale restaurant. My first trip was at lunch time to try one of their $10 lunch specials. I started with a cup of tomato basil soup (included with the special). The soup was watery and lacked salt. Next, I had chicken breast with green bean salad. The flat, boring looking piece of chicken breast, tasted....boring. Thank god the green bean salad was fresh and tasty. For dessert, I had the apple tart ala mode. It was a bit sweet for a french apple tart but still enjoyable. I left unimpressed but decided to come back to give their dinner menu a try. This time, I started with the lobster bisque. Big mistake. It was disgustingly spicy. My friend, a huge fan of spicy food tried it as well and agreed that it was too spicy. We thought that it must have been a seasoning mistake made in the kitchen. When we asked the waiter, he did indeed confirm that the soup was not meant be spicy. My meal arrived shortly after: chicken, spaetzle & mushrooms. Another disappointment. While the chicken was juicy and tender, it was completely void of any flavor. I believe they must have forgotten the seasoning. That was not the worst part, however. The "spaetzle" was not the classic, tasty little pasta dumplings that I was expecting. Instead, my chicken was accompanied by a pasta that closely resembled lasagna noodles. It was AWFUL! By the time it was time to order dessert, I was feeling so disenchanted that I just couldn't bring myself to order any. The chef, however, must have been feeling playful that day because everyone that dined in the restaurant that evening was treated to a homemade cinnamon or pistachio ice cream cone. It was the best part of the meal. So would I recommend this place? The food was very fresh and obviously the ingredients were high quality, which is definitely important. However, that doesn't really help when the food is barely palatable. Their biggest problem seems to be that they just can't get the seasoning right on any of their dishes. Very strange.
Verdict: Not To Eat

Rice Boxx (Dallas, TX)

I can't really recommend any of the food here. The quality seems to have gone downhill and the taste was never anything spectacular.
Verdict: Not To Eat

Sushi Katsuya (Studio City, CA)

I love their sushi. Love love love. It's always fresh and their rolls are always tasty. FYI: If you arrive during peak hours, expect a VERY long wait.
Verdict: Eat

Bob's Big Boy (Burbank, CA)

If you are willing to eat at a rat infested restaurant with crappy food in hopes that you might spot a celebrity, then this is the place to eat.
Verdict: Not To Eat

Neiman Marcus Cafe (Plano, TX)

This is a tiny little cafe inside of Neiman Marcus on the first floor of Willow Bend Mall. They make a fantastic tuna salad! It is light on the mayonnaise and void of any fishy flavor. I like to get a scoop on a small field green salad with balsamic vinaigrette. However, if you prefer a sandwich, you can get that there as well. They also have an excellent chicken salad if you're not a tuna fan. Make sure you also grab one of their cookies, a dream bar or their fruit jello for dessert. They are all delicious. This is a great place to grab a quick lunch at the mall without filling up on the greasy, low quality food you find in the food court.
Verdict: Eat

Queen of Sheba (Dallas, TX)

This is not the best ethiopian food I have had. However, it seems to be the best Dallas has to offer.
Verdict: Eat

Chez Gerard (Dallas, TX)

Their meat had an odd texture and the food really wasn't very good.
Verdict: Not to Eat

Fassica Ethiopian (Los Angeles, CA)

Excellent food!  The ethiopian couple that runs the restaurant popped back and made our food.  Very homemade, very authentic, very tasty!  I ordered the vegetarian combo along with an order Yebeg Tibs (lamb).  I have to say that every single item was good and I am looking forward to eating at this establishment again.

Verdict:  Eat

Ethiopian Restaurant (Denver, CO)

The food is by far the best ethiopian I have had. The lamb was cooked perfectly and the side dishes were all bursting with flavor.
Verdict: Eat

Vanilla Bake Shop (Santa Monica, CA)

Cute and moist little cupcakes. Flavors tested: vanilla bean, mom's birthday cake, fudge brownie, red velvet, black and white and meyer lemon raspberry. Loved vanilla bean and fudge brownie. Was not fond of the red velvet and lemon raspberry. Also tried the chocolate chip cookies....they were awful.
Verdict: Eat

Leda's Bake Shop (Studio City, CA)

I tried a good variety of Leda's mini cupcakes....chocolate chocolate white chocolate, chocolate raspberry, carrot, pumpkin, lemon, dulce de leche (my favorite of the flavors), passion fruit, vanilla and red velvet. They were beautiful cupcakes, decorated to perfection and very moist. I found them to be tasty enough but I just wasn't CRAZY about them.
Verdict: Not To Eat

My Little Cupcake (Studio City, CA)

Dry. Stale dry. Needed water to wash it down dry. Not tasty.
Verdict: Not To Eat

Flying Fish (Addison, TX)

I tried to talk myself out of eating out but my hush puppy craving got the best of me. I should have kept on driving but I found myself parked in front of the Flying Fish in Addison instead. Inside, it looked like a fun place, casual with upbeat music and patio seating. A few minutes later I sat down with my tray full of food. The first thing I noticed was that the chilled shrimp still had shells. A drawback but definitely not a turn off. Once peeled, I squeezed some lime on the little guy and down he went. Not so bad. Not until I got to shrimp #4, which tasted bitter and rancid. That was the end of the shrimp. I then moved on to my corn on the cob. It took one bite of soggy, overcooked corn until I moved on to the tasteless, watered down cole slaw. What a disappointment. No sweat though...I still had my hush puppies....or should we call them salty jawbreakers. They were small, hard and dry. Not at all like the hush puppy I had dreamt of while pulling into the parking lot. Nope....this place had nothing going for it. My opinion? If you are unable to properly train your staff and enforce some form of quality control, then you should not be in the food business. This food outing was a waste of my time, energy, and daily caloric intake.
Verdict: Not To Eat

Loft 610 (Frisco, TX)

The elegant urban design with high ceilings, modern lighting fixtures and concrete floors is exactly what you would expect from a place that claims it is bringing downtown to the suburbs.
Two "men in black" opened the front doors for us when we arrived and the hostesses greeted us with a smile. As we waited for our table, a gentleman stopped by to ask if we would like a drink while we waited. With the great atmosphere and the amazing service, I was salivating at the thought of what their food would taste like. Once seated, we started off with the Bangkok Hush Pups as suggested by our waiter. When I asked him if they were actual hush puppies, he enthusiastically answered yes. However, what arrived were little fluorescent green quiche balls coated in tempura batter and deep fried. On their own, they were tasteless and unappealing in both color and texture. Their only saving grace was the side of shallot tartar sauce. Unfortunately, however, that taste haunted me for the next two days. We also tried the Greek Potstickers, which were potstickers filled with beef and lamb and served with lime yogurt and fig compote. These were tasty and probably the best thing that I tasted all night. As my entree, I ordered the Plantain Pecan Crusted Scallops. It almost brought tears to my eyes to see these beautiful, delicious, tender scallops weighed down by 1/2 inch of pecan breading all around and then fried. If that wasn't bad enough, it was served on top of something they call Thai-American Noodle Cake, sounds exotic but it was not a cake at all. It was a heap of overcooked ramen noodles with no seasoning, In addition, the dish was served with corn and tandori volute, two random sauces that did not complement any of the foods in the dish. I also had the misfortune of trying The Burger and fries. The burger was so salty that I needed a huge gulp of water to wash it down and the french fries were just disgusting. I also tried the pizza, which was flavorless and chewy. By the time my meal was done, I was hesitant to try the dessert but the waiter convinced us that the white chocolate bread pudding was amazing. While the top quarter of the bread pudding was deliciously sweet and filled with white chocolate, the bottom three quarters were too hard to eat. One last note, my friend ordered a pomegranate martini and said it tasted more like a cosmopolitan.
Verdict: Not To Eat

Talesai (Studio City, CA)

The coconut soup, the shrimp curry, and the pad thai were all delicious. However, the portions were small and the desserts were bland. Also, our duck spring rolls were duckless. When we told the waiter, he spoke with the chef, who claimed that sometimes the duck moves to the ends of the roll. So...we dissected our roll and still no duck. Still, the entrees were great.
Verdict: Eat

Newport's Seafood (Dallas, TX)

Let me start by saying that the atmosphere and the service were excellent. The food, however, was so-so. The lobster bisque was so salty that I could barely swallow it. The fish entrees that I tried were all too rich and yet bland, not a good combination. I also tried the key lime pie and it definitely didn't deserve any awards (as they claim it has received). It was okay, at best. And if you are one of those that judge a restaurant by it's bread, you'll be out the door before the waiter has a chance to take your order.
Verdict: Not To Eat

Banana Leaf (Dallas, TX)

Update:  I can no longer recommend banana leaf as a good eats.   I'm not sure what they have changed.  However, both the quality and the taste have diminished.
Verdict: Not To Eat

Bavarian Grill (Plano, TX)

This restaurant is fun! It's very casual, spacious and the service is excellent. I tried a few entrees and my favorite was the chicken schnitzel. It is made to perfection! However, the absolute best part of my visit was the Prinz Regenten Torte, Munich Royal Regents Cake. I almost didn't order it because of the hefty price of $10. Ohhhhh..but I'm so glad that I did, it was one of the most delicious desserts that I have ever tried and I am picky picky picky. The chef uses actual chocolate from Germany to create this piece of heaven. It is layers of sponge cake divided by chocolate cream and covered with a delicious layer of swiss chocolate. It just melts in your mouth. P.S. - the entertainment can be a bit loud. the good news is you can sit in another room :)
Verdict: Eat

Arunee House (North Hollywood, CA)

I went to this restaurant twice. And twice I was dissapointed. The food was okay, and by okay I mean very below average. The service, however, was horrendous...not once, but twice. I couldn't believe how incredibly rude EVERYONE that worked there was. My whole group left very unsatisfied. It was an incredibly negative experience.
Verdict: Not To Eat

Jumpin Java Kitchen (Studio City, CA)

Okay, so here's the deal on this place. The wait is soooo long to get a table. It's always packed. However, the breakfast, especially the pancakes (try the almond oat) are worth the wait. I'm not even a pancake person but their pancakes really are delicious! The breakfast potatoes are the best I have had and the hot chocolate is quality.
Verdict: Eat

Metro Grill (Dallas, TX)

Okay, so I hate writing such an awful review of any restaurant. However, that being said, this needs to be said. This restaurant had the worst food I have ever eaten in my entire life. The calamari was overly breaded and chewy, the white bean chili was so salty that I could barely swallow it down and the stuffed burger was well...to be honest....disgusting. Like I said before, I do feel awful writing these things but you need to be warned before you go out and waste your money. I probably would have been happier at waffle house...yes, it was that bad.
Verdict: Not To Eat

De Tapas (Addison, TX)

I have been to quite a few tapas restaurants and I have to say that the tapas were just average. As far as the flan, it was one of the worst I have ever tasted. On the other hand, the atmosphere and live music were nice.
Verdict: Not To Eat

Cafe Crepe (Santa Monica, CA)

Their savory crepes are absolutely awful! The chicken looked like it had been chewed up and spewed out and the taste was terrible! I am still queasy days later. The sweet crepes were fine but nothing special.
Verdict: Not To Eat

Chez Nous (Toluca Lake, CA)

I love trying new bakeries. However, I find myself going back over and over again to Chez Nous. Nothing in the Los Angeles area compares. The taste of the cheese croissants is one of the most heavenly flavors I have ever encountered. It is mouth watering delicious. But get there early because they are almost always out of them by 2 pm. As for the food, it's good but I avoid eating at the restaurant there because a) I'm not too fond of the wait staff (they could be quite a bit friendlier), b) it is overpriced for what it is and c) they don't take kindly to substitutions. That said, back to the bakery. When you do go, don't stop at the croissants...the cookies, cakes, danishes....they are all fantastic. And unlike the restaurant, the bakery is very reasonably priced.
Verdict: Eat

Papoo's Hot Dog Show (Burbank, CA)

Okay so the food here is definitely not anything special but it is inexpensive, there's a television, some old video games, red and white checkers, and friendly service. It is an old school diner.
And when I mean old school I mean prepare to potty in an outhouse.
Verdict: Not To Eat