Rainforest Cafe in Grapevine is Fun and Serves Yummy (but Expensive) Food

The Rainforest Cafe serves delicious (but pricey) meals and the service is good, but the environment is the reason we go!


We decided to head to the Rainforest Cafe in Grapevine Mills (the shopping mall), on Grapevine Mills Parkway near the the giant Bass Pro Shop. The restaurant is in the mall, and you can find it by the large sign outside the closest door. Once inside the mall, you will recognize the restaurant by the huge rain forest display by the entrance.

The Rainforest Cafe's mascot
Image taken from
the Rainforest Cafe homepage

When you walk into the restaurant, the first thing you see is the gift shop, which is piled with stuffed animals, t-shirts, and a lot of tropical decor. If you're looking for a souvenir, you can definitely find as many as you need in the Rainforest Cafe's gift shop!

As you approach the actual restaurant at the back of the gift shop. The line was reasonable, especially for a summer night, and we were at our table in no time. (I suspect that's because it was a week night. On weekends, some guests can wait over an hour to get a seat.) The decor of the restaurant is all rainforest themed, with plastic animals that move and make noise. The ceiling is decorated as a sky, and every three seconds, a shooting star passes overhead. The surroundings are very kid friendly and adventure like. The restaurant is noisy and cool.

Jurassic Chicken Bits
with French fries

Just a warning: The large, mechanical animals move and make loud noises about every 5–7 minutes, so be prepared for the surroundings to come alive; you will hear a variety of sounds, including rain dripping, the gorillas grunting, the birds chirping, and the lights flickering like lightening in a rainforest.

Our service was amazing! Our server, who's name was Kelly, took great care in serving us on time. She got our food to us quickly and she was friendly and showed that she really enjoyed her job. She was personable and willing to stop and talk to her customers. She forgot to bring the salad to the table, but when we reminded her, she immediately brought the salad. She brought us all large glasses for our drinks; we were ordering kiddie meals, but the drinks are very small, so she thought we would like larger drinks. (That also meant that we didn't have to wait for refills if she had other customers waiting—very insightful.)

Dinner was attractive, tasty, and enjoyable. We were not all very hungry, so the kiddie meals were the right size for our appetites. N ordered the Mini Hot Dogs, which were kid-sized and delicious. He got two mini dogs with French fries, and the meal came with a drink.

I had the Jurassic Chicken Bits, which were dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets. I took great pleasure in reenacting the Jurassic time period by making the dinosaurs fight. When I ate them, I thought they were perfectly tender, and they were served warm, fresh, and delicious! I also got French fries and a drink.

E chose the Rainforest Rascals: the char-broiled mini burgers off the kids menu. She said they were good, but not the best thing on the menu. She also had French fries and a drink.

Tuscan Chicken at the Rainforest Cafe

C ordered the Tuscan Chicken. According to the menu, it's a "balsamic and tomato marinated chicken breast char-broiled and dressed with cucumbers, kalamata olives, tomatoes, and garnished with a honey dijon mustard sauce, served with red skinned garlic mashed potatoes." The entree was attractive, satisfying, a little spicy, but good. (We all tasted the Tuscan Chicken!) We ordered a side Caesar salad, which was enough for three of us to share with our meal, and we took a little home. C also took about 20% of her meal home, even after all of us sampled it.

The entire meal came to a total of $43.25 before the tip, which was well-deserved. This was not a bad price for three kids meals with drinks, an adult meal, and a side salad. We provided Kelly with a 20% tip because she was attentive, personable, and gracious.

We gave the Rainforest Cafe a seven thumbs up, because the surroundings were fun but a little surprising at times. The food was great, as was the service, but the restaurant was a little dark and noisy (to be expected, but we sometimes could not carry on a conversation). The prices for the full menu were a little high, compared to other restaurants, but the novelty makes the price worth a splurge now and again. We will definitely be going to the Rainforest Cafe again.

Zanata in Plano Provides a Quiet, Charming Atmosphere and Delicious Gourmet Dishes and Drinks

 

Enjoying dinner at Zanata's

Zanata of Plano is a quiet, upscaled little restaurant with delicious options and a charming atmosphere—great for a girls night out or a small party.

A friend originally recommended Zanata—she'd visited the one in Rockwall and was impressed—so we decided to go there. I was not excited, but I owed her an apology because she chose a WINNER!

Zanata in Plano is a small (only seating for about 50 downstairs), quaint restaurant tucked into the old store fronts of Plano's historic downtown. Next door to Zanata is a warehouse full of antique wooden furniture, and down the street are small boutiques and specialty shops. The atmosphere on the street is charming.

Pizza at Zanata
Photo by Janet Johnson
©2011

Once inside Zanata, we sat by the window so we could people watch. We had a small table with a white tablecloth and small candle. The chef's wife was hosting, and she came by and chatted easily with us. The waiters were young and eager to chat. The service was terrific.

But the food was even better!

Just a note: we went during Happy Hour, 4–7pm, so our drinks and food were specially priced! My dinner before tip (a large tip because the service was terrific) was $20, and that included a drink, an appetizer, a pizza (which could have served 2–3), and a dessert! Prices are a little more now because Zanata is no longer bringing in new clientele, but the Happy Hour deals are still great.

Neither of us typically order alcoholic beverages, but it was hot, so we decided to each order a drink to go with dinner. Janet ordered a champagne and raspberry cocktail, and I wish I'd tasted it because it was beautiful. I had the seasonal berry mojito, which was light, refreshing, and perfect for a warm June night.

Chocolate cake at Zanata
Photo by Janet Johnson
©2011

We ordered the Cheesy Garlic Bread for an appetizer, which could have satisfied 6 because the slices of bread were large. The appetizer was sliced French bread with small bits of fresh garlic under melted mozzarella and provolone cheese (my favorite).

We each ordered a pizza. Janet ordered the Roni: Fontina, pepperoni, sauce, and truffle oil on a light, thin crust. I ordered the Standard (poorly named, I think!): Pomodoraccio tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil on teh same light, thin crust. YUM!

And we just couldn't help it, so we ordered dessert: I had the mascarpone cheesecake with blackberry coulis, and Janet had the (very tall) chocolate cake with pistachios. Wow! We took almost half of the food home, but the leftovers were yummy the next day.

I can safely say that Janet agrees with me: This place is a MUST. We already have plans to return for my birthday in a few weeks, and we are taking more friends with us. This is a new restaurant, so to keep it open, we need to frequent the spot and encourage others to go! (So please do!) The kids had leftover pizza and now they want to go too, so I suspect I'll take the kids early one evening (before the adult crowd) so they can enjoy the restaurant too.

P. F. Chang's in Allen Served Good Food, but the Service was Lacking

 

Wonton Soup at P. F. Chang's

PF Chang's in Allen (at Watters Creek) is one of a chain that serves specialize Chinese food. We visited PF Chang's at this location twice and were disappointed with the service, although the food was good.

During our first visit, our server made several mistakes with our order, including bringing our appetizer with our meals. While we enjoyed the food, I was disappointed, so I penned a letter to the manager, informing him of the issues we had during our visit to PF Chang's. The manager responded within 3 days with a telephone call and a letter that included a $20 gift card, so we decided to return and see if our experience the second time would be better. It was.

During our second visit, we ordered 1 kiddie meal, and the wonton soup and lettuce wraps. The wonton soup is actually a large tureen of soup: enough food for three of us to have two small bowls each. The soup was delicious—it's a chicken-stock-based soup with mushrooms, water chestnuts, chicken, and wontons. The lettuce wraps have previously been a favorite for our family, and we were not disappointed during this visit. They were hot and fresh, with crunchy lettuce and rice noodles.

Lettuce Wraps at P. F. Chang's

We topped off dinner with a piece of the "Great Wall of Chocolate." It's a large piece of chocolate cake (feeds all four of us) with a fresh-fruit garnish and raspberry coulis on the side—a delicious way to top off a great meal.

We give P. F. Chang's in Allen 6 thumbs up (from the four of us). The food was hot and fresh, the table was clean, the cost (about $35 before tip and gift card) was good, and we enjoyed our experience together.

Good-to-Go Taco in Dallas has the BEST Breakfast Tacos

Good--to-Go Taco is a hole-in-the-wall that serves hot, fresh, delicious breakfast tacos for a great price.

The Food Network broadcast a show that reviewed small restaurants around the U.S. and introduced Good-to-Go Taco. This small, local place is located at 1146 Peavy Road in Dallas near Garland and just north of the Dallas Arboretum. The restaurant is a fairly small place, with inside seating that opens onto a full deck with picnic tables.

We went up to the counter, not knowing what to expect. The place was full of locals and regulars, and we stood out because we didn't know what we wanted. The kids ordered bacon, egg, and cheese tacos with orange juice and, with little prodding, I ordered the Paris, Texas, Taco, which is a house specialty. I had orange juice too. The total for breakfast for four was about $22.

We sat down and looked around at the restaurant. It's simple, with a coffee bar in the front door. I'm not sure if that is part of Good-to-Go Taco or not; I didn't investigate because our breakfast arrived so quickly.

Paris, Texas, Taco—delicious!

The food was hot and delicious, and the tacos were gone in just minutes. I have never had such a delicious breakfast taco. My taco was layered: a large tortilla with fresh spinach (washed well with no grit, which I really appreciate!), marinated flank steak, scrambled eggs, and a mild (and delicious) Hollandaise sauce and topped with cheese. The steak was tender and there was plenty of meat on the taco.

We give Good-to-Go Taco eight thumbs up (two thumbs each) because the food was hot and delicious, the environment was unique, the price was right, and the Paris, Texas, Taco was more than worth the drive! We cannot wait to go back and take our friends and family!

Eighteen-O-One at the Dallas World Aquarium Serves Delicious, Beautifully Presented Cuisine

A sea dragon at DWA

Eighteen-O-One is a hidden treasure for Dallas that serves attractive, delicious meals that will please the entire family and the most discerning diner. Integrate dining into a visit to the Aquarium in Dallas to experience a full, fun day. Be prepared to pay to get into the aquarium!

We decided to head to the Dallas World Aquarium (DWA) on a school holiday. The DWA is located at 1801 North Griffin Street in Dallas, just blocks away from the American Airlines Center and on the edge of downtown Dallas. Mapquest made it easy for us to find the aquarium.

Our first observation was that parking and entrance into the DWA was pricey, especially with a less-than-impressive entryway. Admission for children 3–12 was $12.95 plus tax (plus tax?), and over 12 years is $20.95 plus tax. A basic family membership is $140–$195 a year but does not include parking. I was hoping that, at this price, the DWA would be amazing.

One of many penguins at the DWA

We spent 5 hours wandering through the climbing rainforests, observing different varieties of birds, monkeys, and other creatures. We saw fish, snakes, insects, sloths, and manatees. The penguins were a highlight of the day, particularly Pogo, who is 21 years old and blind and would not survive in the wild. We watched the shark feeding (and N says it was pretty gross) from within a glass tube within the shark tank. We watched the penguins get fed, which was entertaining. We saw sea dragons (gorgeous!) and sea horses and jelly fish and more cool creatures than we had expected.

At about 1pm, we decided to break for lunch. Eighteen-O-One was the closest restaurant within the DWA, so we stopped there, not knowing what to expect. With the crowds at DWA, we anticipated a line, but there was no wait for a table. We were seated at a small table next to window overlooking aquarium tanks. The table was dressed in a clean, white cover with cloth napkins and a basket of warm rolls. The menu was simple, but the selections sounded delicious. And we were not disappointed.

Kids fish-shaped pizza (delicious and pretty)

N had the cheeseburger, which was "delicious" and came with a nice garnish and French fries. R had the kids pizza, which delighted her (see photo) because it came in the shape of a fish with pepperoni scales and was complete with a black-olive eye—truly a work of art! E had the salad plate with salt-water crackers. She said the fresh fruit was sweet and the chicken salad was delicious. C had the "Shrimp on the Barbie," which included a house salad with a citrus-and-oil dressing (delicious) and four large shrimp skewered on a bed of seasoned rice. We finished with a piece of cake, which we shared. Lunch for four of us was $40 with tip, which I thought was incredibly reasonable, particularly because the food was attractive, tasty, and plentiful.

Shrimp on the Barbie

We give Eighteen-O-One eight thumbs up (two from each of us) for family friendliness, tastiness, attractiveness, freshness, price, and service. (Yes, the service was terrific.) I hear there is an Eighteen-O-One outside the DWA, and I suspect we will visit one of the two restaurants again in the near future!

Spoons in McKinney Serves Great Home Cooking and Strawberry Cake

Spoons is a favorite of McKinney residents because it's a local business but also because the food is delicious and the environment is fun--that small town feeling. Try the spaghetti casserole (in restaurant or through the catering), the breakfast migas, or the strawberry cake!

Just 30 miles north of Dallas (up highway 75) is the small city of McKinney, Texas. Boasting 150,000 residents and the title of fastest growing city in the nation (at least twice in the last 10 years),
McKinney is a quaint area with a big heart and great dining.

The city was listed as the 5th best place to live in America in 2010. McKinney, as the county seat of Collin County, is best known as the location of the prison where Jesse James was imprisoned when he was caught. The city is also known for environmentally friendly schools, such as the sustainable Walker Elementary; the Crape Myrtle Trails; a city-wide nonprofit organization that partners schools, churches, volunteers, and city agencies for better education; and Adriatic, a unique shopping area and architectural beauty.

Downtown McKinney is 2 miles east of 75 between Virginia and Louisiana, and within the square, you can find amazing steaks and salads at Rick's Chophouse, the best tapas in North Texas at Café Malaga, and amazing desserts from the Cake Stand (which we will discuss in a later post). But one of our favorite places to eat on "The Square" is Spoons Cafe and Bar. This homey corner restaurant is the perfect place to meet a girlfriend for breakfast, to have a business meeting for lunch, or to take the kids for an afternoon snack. Dinner is also served Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays—typical because "The Square" is flooded with antique shoppers as well as visitors for the almost weekly festivals and events.

Look for the Spoons spoon

Hm. What do we enjoy eating at Spoons? My best friend enjoys the Migas: scrambled eggs, chorizo, jalepenos, cheese, and tortilla chips with salsa and hot tortillas. YUM! The helpings are so large that she can eat half of a serving and take half home for lunch or breakfast the following day. Another friend loves the Grown-Up Grilled Cheese, which is a sandwich on sourdough with mozzarella, provolone, and American cheeses topped with an herb spread—great with the tomato soup.

Me? I like the breakfast sandwich, which is sourdough bread around fried eggs, Virginia ham, cheddar cheese, and tomatoes. You can order a half sandwich if you aren't very hungry. And the sandwich wouldn't be complete without cottage potatoes—seasoned house potatoes—and cold orange juice. That's a great way to start a morning!

Our discerning small person loves their cinnamon scones, which are hot and almost chewy and have cinnamon chips in them. He says that the hot dogs are good and the PB&J (which had grape jelly) was really good.

Spoons' Strawberry Cake

Of course, the family favorite is—DRUMROLL—the strawberry cake. The baked goods at Spoons are all beautiful and tasty, but the strawberry cake is indescribably amazing. The cake is SO good that we have introduced all of our friends to the strawberry cake, and some of them drive 20 or 30 minutes up to Spoons to eat lunch and... have their strawberry cake.

The cake is a pink cake, tasting like strawberries, with a strawberry-flavored buttercreme icing. Sometimes, the pastry chef will drizzle dark chocolate on the cake—like he did for Valentine's Day this year. We prefer straight strawberry cake. The cake is $4.95 a slice, and we purchase two slices and split them four ways: enough of a treat that four of us are full. If you want to celebrate with cake, you can purchase a full cake for about $50, but it's one of the largest cakes you've ever seen!

Pleased to "Meet" You

We are a family of four living in North Texas, and we enjoy cooking and eating out.

One day, we were eating at a great restaurant (which we will review later on this blog), and one of us said, "We should blog about this experience!" And so, "Dine in Dallas" came into being. On this blog, we hope to share about great deals, great meals, and great recipes so you too can enhance your dining experience in the Metroplex.

Reviews are written by adult and child—no voice is silenced in our search for great food! So we hope you and your family will frequent our blog, recommend your own finds, and enjoy our reviews.

Bon appétit!