The Joshua Moran Blog

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Archive for category Dallas Dining

Groceries: HEB versus Walmart

Jul 4

Posted by Joshua Moran in Dallas Dining, General | 3 Comments

Well, it’s July 4th and I dare to go where every man goes all at once… the grocery store. I headed over to Walmart and saw the crowds and decided to go to HEB. Now I have been to HEB for a quick gallon of milk or a couple of items at a time, but have yet to go full grocery shopping.

I will never go back to Walmart for groceries again considering HEB has that classic grocery store aura and the following pros over Walmart:

  • Produce – fresher, better selection, and competitive in pricing to Walmart
  • Baked Goods – A much better bakery section hands down
  • Fresh Foods – HEB smokes Walmart in fresh prepared foods to go
  • Deli – better meats and cheeses
  • In-House Coupons and Deals – You walk in and there are yellow coupons and posters stating what meal deals or combos on sale
  • Customer Service – one of the demostration ladies literally ran around the store with me to find artichoke hearts, and the baggers are packing while the checkout lady is checking me out for a much faster exit.

Anyway, my opinion is HEB is a much better overall grocery store than Walmart!

(I was not paid or even asked to write this blog article by any representative of HEB)

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Spaghetti Warehouse in Arlington, TX

Jan 3

Posted by Joshua Moran in Italian Food | No Comments

After roughing it out at the Parks at Arlington, my wife and I were really looking forward to eating at the Spaghetti Warehouse.

Menu Selection – 14 out of 17
The menu hada great selection of italian dishes, appetizers, salads, and desserts. It was actually a little difficult to make a selection due to so many choices.

Beverage Service – 13 out of 16
Our server was pretty good at refilling our waters.

Overall Service – 13 out of 17
The service was average as the server seemed real busy.

Food – 7 of 17
I ordered the spaghetti with meatballs and sausage and my wife ordered the same minus the sausage. I will say it point blank… the meat sauce was bad. It was entirely too sweet, and no even close to a true italian sauce. The bread reminded me of package hoagies from the grocery store, and the only saving grace was the calamari.

Ambience – 4 of 16
The restaurant was not that full but they placed inside of a trolley where we only had about two feet separating us from the table next to us We could also look down and see the table to my left and literally see and hear everything going on. The ambience was horrible.

Overall Value – 9 of 17
Not a good place to eat and would not recommend it at all.

Total Score – 60 out of 100

Johnny Carino’s Italian Grill in Waxahachie, TX

Dec 15

Posted by Joshua Moran in Italian Food | No Comments

We arrived at Carino’s in the evening for dinner after we were told the wait time at the Olive Garden in Waxahachie was about 65 minutes. It was a Friday and so we expected a wait time, but that was a bit long. We ended up meeting up with some friends at Carino’s and were seated within 2 minutes of arrival. I generally enjoy this restaurant and expected the normal package I get from Johnny Carino’s.

Menu Selection – 15 out of 17
The menu has both creative and classic italian dishes, but what I like most about Carino’s versus other chain italian restaurants is the panini on the menu. I did not order the panini this time, but enjoyed the Chicken Penne Gorgonzola. The highlight to the beverage section is the italian sodas that are offered with free refills.

Beverage Service – 12 out of 16
The beverage service we received was just about average. We ran out of drinks a few times and had to wait a little bit to get get refills.

Overall Service – 12 out of 17
I do not recall the servers name, but the gentlemen was a little pre-occupied with something. He seemed annoyed when a drink was refilled or one of us ordered an italian soda after we also ordered an iced tea. The bread service had much to be desired and the food service was average, and I believe the server did not even come and ask us if everything was ok. In my opinion Carino’s was least busy I have seen it on a Friday night as well.

Food – 14 of 17
I ordered the Chicken Penne Gorgonzola for the entree and it was great overall. I would have suggested a little lighter on the gorgonzola. I simply love their bread and the roasted garlic oil dip as well.

Ambience – 13 of 16
Country kitchen and Italian make a mesh in this restaurant, and they accomplish it well. It is louder than many Italian restaurants and wish that could change a little bit.

Overall Value – 14 of 17
A good place to eat and worth the cost. I think it is a resaonable dining experience and would recommend it as an everyday restaurant.

Total Score – 80 out of 100

Saltgrass In Cedar Hill, TX

Dec 12

Posted by Joshua Moran in Steak Houses | No Comments

Saltgrass Cedar Hill

I personally love a good steak, doesn’t everyone? My wife and I decided to have dinner at Saltgrass in Cedar Hill, TX. We have been there before and remember the whole experience as good. We put our name in and they told us 30 minutes, and they were closer to 40 minutes, but that was fine. When we walked in we were just about to be seated at a table right by the hostess. The table was so close to the door that I knew every time the doors opened we would get the colddraft. I requested another table and immediately they moved us with no problem.

Menu Selection – 13 out of 17
The menu had what we expected… steaks! The selection was above average, and allowed for a diner to select a topping on the steak. Personally I think the sauteed mushrooms were overpriced ($4.99), but they were tasty nontheless. When I opened the menu I was not overwhelmed with the amount to choose from, but wasnot bored with too little either.

Beverage Service – 15 out of 16
We ordered water so I expect bad beverage service, but the server proved herself by bringing a pitcher of water and came to refill when that was empty. So two thumbs up.

Overall Service – 14 out of 17
The servers name was Nichole (no I did not mispell it), and she was good and very helpful.

Food – 12 of 17
We ordered the Seafood Fondeau for an appetizer, had the beer bread, and I had the chicken tortilla soup with my meal. I was already getting full before the meal even came so portions are Texas large. My wife ordered the Prime Rib Cut and I had the Sirloin with Shrimp. Her steak was good as was mine. The shrimp in my meal was better than the steak. Mine was a sirloin cut so I did not expect Filet Minion, but it was a bit tough for a medium cooked steak. The mushrooms and onions were great, but overpriced. The flavor overall was just fine, butnothing to throw a party over.

Ambience - 10 of 16
The whole Texas look was accomplished inside and out, and the noise levels inside are on the higher side. If you are looking for a romantic date night and a steak, keep looking. If you are looking for a decent steak and hanging out with a few friends you found the right place. The tables are a little too close together in the front part of the restaurant to enjoy any private conversation, and the server desk was right in the middle of the front section so you were forced to stare at the servers, so that was a little uncomfortable. I enjoyed the atmosphere somewhat.

Overall Value – 10 of 17
Saltgrass in Cedar Hill, TX was a good place to eat overall, and I would eat there again. I believe it is a little pricy for the food quality. I walked out of there with two meals, waters and an appetizer for $55 plus tip.

Total Score – 74 out of 100

Check out next week as we go somewhere else to eat in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area.

Dallas Dining Begins

Dec 8

Posted by Joshua Moran in Dallas Dining | No Comments

I am excited to start this blog about dining in the Dallas – Fort Worth Metro Area. My wife and I will go out weekly and blog about our dining experiences. My purpose and mission with this blog is to inform the average Texan about your everyday restaurants. I hope to strike a chord with many regarding dining out.

I will review each restaurant according to the following six categories:

Menu Selection
Have you ever walked into a restaurant and they seemed to have just about everything, but somehow nothing jumps off the menu? You get this frustrating feeling and you just settle for an entree… Well I will give you my opinion on the menu.

Beverage Service
So your eating a Thai dish and the peanut sauce is drying out your mouth and your water is out and has been for a long time. Would you have gotten better beverage service with an Iced Tea? I do not consume alcohol so I will not be reviewing any such beverages.

Overall Service
Just because you remember your server’s name that does not mean something good. Did they even get your order right?

Food
Is steak supposed to be this chewy? You can trust me to be honest about how the food tastes, whether it was worth the money, and anything else regarding the food itself.

Overall Value
Was the whole long wait, bad service, decent food, and high priced bill really worth it?

Ambience
I love a restaurant that goes all the way with a theme, but it’s just wierd when a steakhouse has italian pictures on the wall while playing oriental music.