Street's Fine Chicken - Forest Lane (Dallas, TX)

Street's Fine Chicken. My oldest has been telling me how good this place is and I just have to try it. So today, I tried it but for to-go versus dine-in.

They had many, many options to choose from but I just went with the 8-pc dark (all thighs), Hell's Chicken Sandwich, Honey Butter Biscuits, Cole Slaw and Brie Mac & Cheese. I figured if this was good that I'd be back to try their other options.

It seemed kind of busy and the inside seating looked to be getting filled but after ordering at the counter, it didn't take too long to get my food. So I put it in my vehicle and headed home.

I forgot to take photos as by the time I got home I was already starving and just wanted to dive in.

The fried chicken pieces were pretty good. Crispy outside, juicy inside and fairly flavorful. Hell's Chicken Sandwich was pretty good too. Had a nice little kick to it and I always like a brioche bun. The honey butter biscuits and brie mac & cheese were very good. The cole slaw was good enough but nothing to brag about.

FINAL VERDICT: I would try it again. As I said, they have a variety of options to choose from and the things I did order were tasty enough for me to try more.

Doctor Developed 9in Hot and Cold Ice Bag

I was looking for a new ice pack as my last one finally crapped out with leaks. It's tough to see what's the 'best' because 10 out of 200 reviews says, "bag leaks...bag is small...bag condensates...bag tore...all after so many days or whatever." I've purchased a bag from Target and Walmart for about $12-$15 and it all worked out. However, it's pretty darn near impossible to find a fillable ice pack. They have all these reusable packs but they are NOT what I want! Hence, my search on the world wide web.

After doing some extensive research via Walmart.com, Target.com, CVS.com, Walgreens.com and Amazon.com, I narrowed it down to a few brands and decided to take a chance on this one: Doctor Developed 9in Hot and Cold Ice Bag from Amazon. I normally get an 11 inch from the store but I thought back to my use and figured there was a lot of wasted space with the 11 inch. Plus, the 9 inch version of this brand was $2 cheaper so I thought if I liked it then I would purchase the 11 inch if I deemed it necessary to have a larger bag.

I ordered it on Sunday and got it Tuesday. Tuesday night I tried it out. The material was different than I expected. It's almost a cross between the "rubber type" and the "vinyl type"...I'm not sure the exact material or name for it. But if you've ever used different types of ice bags, I think you'll get my drift.

Anyway, the material does not leak (yet and hopefully never) as some reviewers mentioned. The material gets cold and does change to a darker blue/purple from the supposed condensation although never did I feel loose, dripping water on the outside of the ice bag. I also didn't have any wet spots on my bed, blanket or pillow from using the ice bag over night. Fingers crossed this remains the case for quite a while.

The lid keeps a tight, leak-proof seal. Again, after a few over night uses, I did not have any wet spots from my use.

The 9 inch bag is adequate. I got a few feelings during use that the size wasn't adequate but I think that's more from what I was used to versus the actual performance of the bag. I guess I mean that 9 inches has a better direct coverage than 11 inches...again, at least in my uses.

The image below represent the bag and the bag's size in relation to a DVD.

FINAL VERDICT: So far, it's done what it's supposed to do. It hasn't leaked yet and it hasn't condensation dripping on the outside yet. For $10 plus taxes and free shipping, I am currently satisfied and would recommend this product.

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.