Slim Chickens (Dallas, TX)

Was driving around today looking for a place I haven't tried for lunch. Drove by Slim Chickens (Dallas) and thought I'd give it a try. I ordered the 5 Wings & 5 Tenders meal with a side of coleslaw.

The chicken was good. It wasn't spectacular but it was more flavorful than a lot of places e.g. Raising Cane's. I mean Raising Cane's has good sauce which makes their chicken tenders taste much better but the tenders themselves are much to write about.

Anyway, I did like Slim's wings and tenders. Their sauces weren't too bad either. The cole slaw was pretty much like I like it. I guess that's about all I have to say about that.

FINAL VERDICT: I will return to try their other offerings. I mean really it's just chicken this and chicken that but I am happy to sample it all if the craving arises. So, yeah. Give it a try. You probably won't be disappointed.

Terry Black's Barbecue - Deep Ellum (Dallas, TX)

Since Terry Black's Barbecue opened, I've waited to go with my friends and/or coworkers but they kept having something come up. So I decided I'm going with or without them.

Today, it was without them.

First, free parking is directly next to the building and limited to 10-15 spaces. I got there and circled around once to get lucky with someone leaving. I get in the door and it looks like there are only 15-20 ppl in front of me. Little did I know that around the corner there was a zigzag line to the sides and desserts and then the butcher/payment counter. This had about 15 more people in front of me. All that being said, I was in the door in line at about 12:09 PM and with my food paid at 12:26 PM. Almost 20 mins through isn't bad!

So to the eats:

• Brisket - was moist with a good bark and pretty darn tasty.
• Pork Ribs - were moist and tasty. At first I got a sort of sausage taste from my first bite but it could have been from the butcher block as I think someone ordered sausage before me and they cut the meats on the same block. A few more bites and I could taste a different kind of sweet flavoring.
• Turkey - usually don't order turkey but I thought I'd give it a try. It was tender and juicy with a slight smoke flavor. It was good.
• Mac-n-Cheese - was cheesy and creamy. The mac was the shells variety. It was good but it wasn't much different than other places.
• Green beans - were tasty with a good crispness to them. I found mixing them with the mac-n-cheese made them both that much better.
• Banana pudding - was pretty darn good! It had the cookie on top and crust at the bottom. The single serving was very filling. I ate it so fast that I have to go back to fully remember how good it tasted.

I would say this place is close to Pecan Lodge in overall taste and quality of the meats. The shorter wait time was a definite plus. I would definitely put this above Lockhart Smokehouse BBQ in Bishop Arts.

I will go back for more!

Angel Has Fallen (2019)

Angel Has Fallen (2019). Rented this from Redbox for free with my 'bonus' points.

I've always liked this movie 'series'. They usually have a decent-eough storyline but always have a lot of action. This one did not disappoint. There were some technicalities here and there that I tend to point out but overall it was enjoyable.

FINAL VERDICT: It's worth a watch on the cheap. Don't have too high of expectations but also don't hate on it. Just enjoy.

98 Bar-b-que (Miramar Beach, FL)

I always try to find a barbecue place near where I am staying. Gotta at least try barbecue from anywhere and everywhere. I Googled "bbq restaurants near me" while in Miramar Beach Florida. 98 Bar-b-que was one of the highest rated and was about twenty minutes down the road.

This place is a sit-down and order restaurant. Unlike some restaurants that have counter order and then you sit. I was able to just place my order and pay at the 'hostess' counter.

I got the Combo Platter which is a choice of two-meats and two sides. I knew I wanted to try the brisket but for the second option I asked the waitress/hostess what meat she preferred (Haha...that sounds funny). She said she preferred the pulled pork so that's what I got along with creamed cord nuggets and fried okra.

I rushed the food back to our place and shared the bounty with three other adults.

We all agreed that the pulled pork was the best and then the creamed corn nuggets. The brisket was a little drier than I prefer. There was not a moist option. The Texas toast was not the typical version but I guess the thickness of the slices could be construed as Texas toast.

FINAL VERDICT: They have a lot of other options to try so if I'm ever back in the area, I'll probably visit again when I have more time to sit, relax and enjoy the offerings.

The Surf Hut (Destin-Miramar Beach, Florida)

Tried Surf Hut (Destin/Miramar Beach location) based upon a recommendation from a family member. Obviously we were vacationing during the off season and the weather was like forty degrees the evening we went, so the restaurant wasn't very full except for quite a few old people aka snowbirds. So without further adieu, I'll just get right into the review.

1. Fried Calamari - This was some of the best we've had. It wasn't too gummy or chewy like some places. It was tender and nicely flavored.
2. Fried Crab Claws - I'm not a fan of crab at a restaurant as it's typically overpriced for what you get but my brother-in-law wanted to try. They were pricey as expected but my brother-in-law said they tasted pretty good.
3. Grilled Flounder - We all thought the flounder was really good. We thought it was very tender and liked it better than the mahi mahi.
4. Grilled Mahi Mahi - We all thought the mahi mahi was good. It wasn't as tender as the flounder and a tad dry.
5. BBQ Pork Ribs and Shrimp Kabob - Ribs and shrimp were fairly tasty. The ribs were a little too slathered in barbecue sauce but were tender. The sauce was a tad too peppery for me but others liked it. The shrimp was just like any other shrimp I've had. The buttery sauce was too light and flavorless to know it was there. If the server hadn't mentioned the different kinds when I ordered, I wouldn't even know there was a 'buttery' sauce on them.
6. Shrimp and Grits - The grits almost looked like mashed potatoes but were good. The shrimp was liked by all and the cheese sauce was good too.
7. Key Lime Pie - This pie was the only real disappointment of the meal. It seemed to me like more of a pumpkin pie consistency and the crust wasn't as 'crusty' as preferred. The flavor wasn't really that bad but I feel like this pie could have been found in the clearance bin and purchased from the Winn Dixie down the road.

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FINAL VERDICT: The appetizers we ordered were good. I wouldn't order the Ribs and Shrimp Kabob again but the other entrees were well liked. That being said, if you are in the area, I would suggest trying this place.

Dallas Grilled Cheese Co (Mockingbird Station - Dallas)

Went to an office lunch at the Dallas Grilled Cheese Co in Mockingbird Station.

I ordered the Cattleman’s Grilled Cheese ($12.99). Described on the menu as "Juicy smoked brisket, Muenster, Smoked Gouda & Yellow Cheddar on Rustic Bread, served with a side of house-made BBQ sauce" and a side order of Sweet Papas ($2.99). Add in my Diet Coke ($2.25), tax, tip and the grand total of my lunch-for-one was about $24.00.

HOLY FREAKIN' MOLY!

Yeah, I fell for it. I ordered the most expensive sandwich on the menu thinking it'd give me the most for my money. I was mostly wrong.

The meal was fairly good but was it $24 good? I think not. Others may not have any problem paying such an amount but I'm more frugal.

FINAL VERDICT: If you've not tried this place before, maybe it's worth a try. If you have tried and you go back once, twice or more often, then your wallet is thicker than mine. The food isn't bad. Some might like it but I have to pass on it because of the sheer cost benefit isn't there for me.

Stuber (2019)

Stuber (2019). I feel like I saw this movie coming to theaters like three months ago. I don't really recall the actual timing but I thought it would be funny to watch once it got to DVD. Well, it got to DVD and I watched it today.

After watching the movie, I didn't think they showed all the "good" parts in the previews. The entire movie was pretty consistent and funny throughout...but of course for the few parts that weren't supposed to be funny. I think the dynamic between Dave Bautista and Kumail Nanjiani was good and felt seamless and legit.

It also had Mira Sorvino who I feel like I haven't seen in a 'mainstream' movie in some time. She still looks pretty good and still very recognizable.

FINAL VERDICT: This movie was a very fun watch for me. I like Kumail from his role in Silicon Valley. I also have always liked Dave Bautista as he seems to just enjoy being in movies. I rented this from Redbox with a promo code but would pay full price or even $5 at a movie theater to watch. It was just good entertainment for me.