The Bite of Life

In my travels, limited as they are, I have found menu items that should be on everyone’s  culinary wishlist. The following are what I believe to be the best bites around. So if you travel to any of these not-so-exotic places spice up your stay with a treat for the tastebuds.

SOUTHEAST:

• Alabama

Duck Empanads from Zea Grille in Mobile Alabama

Shrimpfest in Gulf Shores, Alabama

Captain Crunch Milkshake at Flip Burger in Birmingham Alabama

• Florida

Tom Kha Soup at Thai Hut II in Navarre Beach, Florida

Cajun Boiled Shrimp from Joe Patti’s Seafood Market in Pensacola Beach, Florida

SOUTHWEST

• Louisiana

Eggs Benedict at Stanley’s in New Orlean, Louisiana

Roast Beef PoBoy at Parkway Tavern in New Orleans, Louisiana

Blackened Crawfish Begneits at Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans, Loisiana

• Oklahoma

Chicken Lettuce Wraps at Cheesecake Factory in Tulsa, Oklahoma

• Texas

Reuben Sandwich at Cindi’s Deli in Dallas, Texas

Asian Crunch Salad at Panera Bread

Bacon Blue Cheese Burger at Snuffers in Dallas, Texas

Ahi Tuna Tower at Bluefish in Dallas, Texas

Flour tortilla at Gonzalez in Dallas, Texas. The best thing I’ve ever eaten…EVER!

Christmas Breakfat Casserole at the Home of Cindy and Steve Lindley in Dallas, Texas

PACIFIC NORTHWEST

• Oregon

Thai Chicken Wings at The Pok Pok in Portland, Oregon

Happy Eating!!!!!

Here’s what I needed and a few other items

Shawarma? Schwarma? Schawarma? You say potato, I say po-ta-toe.  Oh no, that’s Dan Quale. Whatever you call it, this Mediterranean treat is sure to please. The recipe calls for dark meat of chicken. This guy only eats white meat but I made the recipe the way it was written. I was not dissapointed. After all of the heavy foods at Thanksgiving, enjoy this sammie that’s packed full of flavor. Thanks to Men’s Health Magazine. I know many of my readers are laughing. Yes I read Men’s Health Magazine. Thank you Sally Bybee.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 cups Greek Yogurt

3 garlic cloves minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp dried oregano

Juice of one lemon

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 English cucumber minced

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

4 whole wheat pitas (it worth getting them take out from your favorite Greek restaurant as the ones in the grocery store are average at best)

Your choice of the following for serving:

Thinly sliced red onion

Chopped Romaine

Sliced tomatoes

Sliced cucumbers

Hummus

Hot sauce (sriracha)

Method

Mix the marinade

Combine the chicken with 1/2 the yogurt and two-thirds of the minced garlic, along with the cumin, oregano, and lemon juice. Add a few pinches of salt and pepper, toss, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 8

Make the sauce

Heat a grill or grill pan on high while you mix the remaining yogurt and garlic with the cucumber, olive oil, and vinegar. Add salt to taste and set the sauce aside.

Cook the chicken

Grill the thighs until they are lightly charred on both sides and cooked through, about 8 minutes total. Let them rest off the heat for 5 minutes; meanwhile, lighly toast the pitas on the grill. Slice the chicken into strips and stuff them into the pitas; add the yogurt sauce and your choice of toppings.

Makes 4 servings

This is my favorite lo-cal, flavor packed, quick dinner. And, yes it’s ok to have 23 grams of carbs in the evening.

Only 541 calories

59 grams protein

23 grams carbohydrates

3 grams fiber

23 grams fat

300 milligrams sodium

And now for the finished product………….

Grilled Chicken Shawarma

Shawarma? Schwarma? Schawarma? You say potato, I say potatoe.  Oh no, that’s Dan Quale. Whatever you call it, this Mediterranean treat is sure to please. The recipe calls for dark meat of chicken. This guy only eats white meat but i made the recipe the way it was written. I was not dissapointed. After all of the heavy foods at Thanksgiving, enjoy this sammie that’s packed full of flavor.

Everyone has their traditional ideas for the leftovers from Thanksgiving. This foodie continues in the vein of “not good for you!” After all, why transform foods that are a treat into something that’s healthy! Aint nobody got time for that.

First on my list is to adorn Sister Schubert dinner rolls with an egg custard studdeed with roasted artichokes, grilled asparagus, crimini mushrooms, green onions, ham, and pecorino romao cheese. All of the “toppings” are purposely placed “on top” so that the dish is more like an eggy foccacia rather than a mudane casserole.

Next up……Quiche Lorraine. Again, I count on the leftover spiral cut honey ham to complete this breakfast favorite.

Quiche Lorraine

And for the most mouth watering….Roasted Turkey a la Coq Au Vin! All I can say is, why wasn’t this served at Thanksgiving?

Roasted Turkey….Coq Au Vin Style

As we approach the close of 2012 and remember the onslaught of burger joints, taco stands, and food trucks I wondered what might be in store for 2013 in the world of food. Thanks to Yahoo for providing these tasty tidbits. Here are their picks for the top 10 food trends to shape 2013:

Vegetables
With the rising popularity of Meatless Mondays and the growing interest in healthy, nutritious dining, veggies such as kale and Brussels sprouts will no longer play second fiddle as a side dish to proteins, but take on the lead role not only in entrée salads but in roasted and steamed form.

Grains
As the gluten-free trend shows no sign of slowing, grains like quinoa, amaranth, millet, wild rice, oats and buckwheat will boast a bigger presence on restaurant menus. Meanwhile, couscous, bulgur and polenta, which are central to some of the popular ethnic cuisines, will likewise become increasingly popular.

Chicken
The next big trend in poultry? Portuguese and Africa-inspired piri-piri chicken, spiced with crushed chilies, citrus, onion, garlic, lemon juice, paprika, bay leaves and other herbs and spices. The big player promoting piri-piri chicken? South African chain Nando’s, which has been called the next KFC and a chicken franchise to watch.

Snacking
Restaurants are indulging the trend towards snacking habits, with more and more menus offering tapas, mezze and gourmet bar snack-type bites. Meanwhile, fast food eateries like McDonald’s and KFC have also shrunk some of their offerings to help consumers satisfy mid-afternoon hunger pangs.

Bigger box meals
At the other end of the spectrum, restaurants and fast food chains are offering big family meal deals that include multi-course menus, whole chicken and animal dinners and dine-in plus to-go offers.

Diner and deli fare
Technomic predicts that consumer appreciation for retro-style diners that serve meaty sandwiches, soups and house-made pickles will be on the rise.

Oodles of noodles
Asian noodles in all forms will become increasingly popular across the menu board, from ramen to udon, soba, cellophane and rice noodles, in everything from soups, salads, and main dishes.

Flavors of the deep south –South America that is
Menus will begin venturing beyond Mexico to include the cooking styles and flavors of Brazil, Argentina and Peru, with grilled meats, chimichurri sauce, ceviche, and drinks like Brazil’s caipirinha and Peru’s pisco sour.

Ethnic fast-casual restaurants
An industry dominated by major players like Chipotle, Panera Bread, Panda Express and Five Guys, the fast casual business will see more ethnic players emerge, from Southeast Asian cuisine to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare.

Beverages
More and more restaurants will begin to innovate their drinks menu with natural energy drinks, homemade sodas, cocktails made with candy-flavored vodkas, and will promote locally produced craft beers and brews.

Actually just on the other side of the bubble sits newcomer Soleo Mexican Kitchen. In space formerly occupied by Kips’ Big Boy, E-Z Burgers, and Sliders & Blues this new Mexico City eatery shines with a simple menu. You won’t find Tex-Mex combo platters here. There are some a la carte offerings like standard tacos but the real show stoppers are the things most often associated with true Mexican food.

On our visit my wife tried vegetarian gringas. Our waitress explained that gringas are similar to quesadillas. She said that in Mexico quesdillas have only cheese. She further explained that if there is a meat or vegetable along with these chesse then they are called gringas, NOT queesadillas! The vegetarian was unique. The homemade flour tortilla held oxaca cheese, quinoa, black beans, tofu, squash, and cilantro. They could have been served a bit crispier on the outside.

The stars of the show were the soups. I had a cup of the Caldo de Rez, a hearty stew like concoction in a clear broth. It was unlike anything I had ever tasted before. Next time I will order a full bowl. When I come down with a cold, I will certainly send my wife to Soleo for the Caldo de Rez instead of the chicken soup at the deli. This soup was heart-warming, full of flavor, and uniquely light.

CALDO DE REZ

My wife chose a lentil soup that made the top of her head perspire. Battling allergies, this was just what the doctor ordered. Spicy and full bodied, this healthy soup was worth every sip. Also, a more than worthy mention, are the frijoles borrachos. These were like no other. Layers and Layers of flavors had me wanting to order more.

The prices were reasonable. The dining room was immaculate and tastfully appointed without being overdone. They have a great bar and large outdoor seating area. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the staff. They were attentive and seemed genuinely  excited about being a part of this new venture.

Make a trip to the border. You’ll be glad you did. That’s the Dallas/University Park Border, yuck yuck!

We took a drive to old downtown McKinney on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. The square was hopping with activity! Many shops and restaurants to pick from. We chose Square Burger. WOW! This upscale addition to the growing boutique burger scene is better than any in Dallas or Fort Worth. My wife had the Stadium Burger while I tried the Mushroom Bacon Burger. Both were outstanding. Don’t miss ordering the mac and cheese appetizer. Many restaurants offer designer versions of this American staple but none do it better than Square Burger. The twirled noodles were studded with smoked chicken and sundried tomatoes. I could have made a meal on this appetizer alone. For dessert we ordered the trio of mini homemade cookie/ice cream sandwiches. There was the standard chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream, a snickerdoodle with strawberry ice cream, and finally our favorite, a carrot cake cookie with cream cheese ice cream. The dining room was clean and pristine. The bar staff ( we sat at the bar) was attentive and made our dining experience pleasant. The bar featured a wall length selection of beers on draft that they were sampling. We will be back very soon. Too bad that there was no outdoor patio to sit on as there was for many of their competitors

a trio of ic cream sammies

eating the colors of the rainbow

Everyone has a different opinion of what is “healthy eating”. There are many schools of thought and most think that their opinion is the only valid one. That said, I truly believe that moderation and thoughtful choices coupled with regular exercise is the only way to look and feel your best.

It has been said by nutritionist and physical thherapists that if you were to eat every color in the rainbow, you would be in good shape. Therefore, a green salad studded with an assortment of fresh fruit and vegetables goes a long way in achieving this goal. Crowned with a low fat or no fat dressing served on the side for dipping and you have successfully made a healthy choice.

NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS………

IF YOU FOLLOW THESE SIMPLE SUGGESTIONS YOU CAN

TREAT YOURSELF AT THE HIGHLAND PARK PHARMACY!!!!!!

ORANGE FREEZE

You may be aware that burger joints, taco stands and food trucks are dotting the culinary landscape of the Metroplex. Enter a new player, the pho soup kitchen!!!!

But which one do I try first? On the advice of good friend Bev Hariston Lueckemeyer, we headed over to Pho is for Lovers located on Greenville Ave. just north of Lovers Lane. This counter service restaurant is in the middle of a strip shopping center directly across from Old Town. On this particular Friday night, the small dining room was packed with SMU students. I decided to take my food to go.

The menu is small and we tried a sampling of many of the offerings.

Vietnamese Lasagna!

 This Vietnamese version of Lasagna was an unusual suprise. Flat rice noodle sheets are topped with sliced cucumbers, julienne carrots, bean sprouts, thai basil, lime and fried shallots. The crunchy shallots really enhanced the overall appeal of the cold dish

Made famous by the Nom Nom Food Truck,  the banh mi sandwich is a culinary fusion that is sure to please. Crusty traditional French bread is stuffed with Korean BBG beef, tangy kimchi, cilantro, and a creamy sriracha chili/mayo mixture.

 The Pho is truly comfort food. It would be a wonderful dinner on a cold windy night or as an elixer when you’re under the weather. Tangy fish sauce, tart rice wine vinegar, and sweet chili oil all marry with fresh jalapenos, sweet thai basil, citrus of lime, cunchy bean sprouts, and rice noodles. The end result is off the chart! You can choose paper thin sliced beef and meatballs, shredded chicken, tender shrimp, scallops, and calamari, or tofu.

The only regretable thing about Pho is for Lovers is that it’s not down the street from my house. Try it Pho Fun!!!!!

Traditional Vietnamese Pho