Earl's 377 Pizza - Media Night

Back in May I was invited with the MyFab5 crew to check out the new pizza place in Argyle, TX. I hadn't even heard of Argyle and had no idea where it was. Turns out, it's far... far from me at least. Good news to the folks in Denton, it's just a little North of y'all. But this is the lastest concept from the team behind Barley & Board, which you know is my new favorite place! I have to support my peeps! So out of the 3 community leaders for MyFab5/@bestfooddallas, I was the only one that made it out there. It was a week night and quite difficult for everyone to make the trek.

Earl's 377 Pizza
427 U.S. 377
Argyle, TX 76226
(940) 464-4444
http://earls377pizza.com
Price: $$-$$$

It was their media night, so there were lots of other bloggers, writers there. The place is a converted fire station. It's really cool! It's like Barley & Board where they re-purposed materials already there, that has history and meaning, and use them in interesting ways. For example, they have shovel chandeliers, "shoveliers". Ha! Makes sense when the decor is done by the same team that did B&B.

At first I had a table for myself. I had mentioned that I didn't mind being placed with other bloggers but wasn't sure if that was going to happen. So I went ahead and ordered... Oh man did I represent! I ordered enough for like 5 people. haha. Gotta try a little bit of everything right?? But after I placed my order, Narciso (the PR guy) found me a spot with two girls from The Dentonite. They were super nice and welcomed me to their table. After some brief introductions the food started arriving. It was their orders first.

Isabella's Snack Board (prosciutto, salami, mortadella, marinated vegetables) $12~ 

My new foodie friends had ordered this. I had a bite of one of the meats, not sure which one. I've never been that into meat boards as cured meats are not my favorite. But I'll eat them, don't get me wrong. I'm just not the best judge on whether or not one is good. This looked pretty good to me. And the two girls seemed to really enjoy it.

Crawfish & Artichoke (roasted peppers, pepper jack) $9~ 

Then my appetizer came. It was still bubbling when they set it on the table. I liked that they used pizza crust as the bread. The crust on the pizza is usually my favorite part. I know that's not the norm... but a good dough with good texture can make or break a pizza for me. The dip was warm and cheesy. We all really liked it. It's quite heavy though, so good to share with people.

Baby Arugula (shaved prosciutto, parmesan, shallot, dried figs, balsamic vinaigrette) $10~ 

I had to try a salad since I like to have some fresh greens with every meal. The salad was huge!! Tons of fresh arugula. The figs were nice a juicy and it wasn't overly dressed. I hate it when restaurants drown the salads. This was perfect.

Chicken & Artichoke (ricotta, spinach, artichokes, mozzarella) Reg $12~ 

This was the first pizza to arrive. The other girls ordered this one. It was on my list, but I had too many already and had passed on it. I'm so glad I got to try it. It was one of my favorites for the night. I just love all the ingredients and it was simple and good. All their pizzas were good actually...

Yukon Gold (ricotta, smashed potato, bacon, roasted onions, rosemary) Reg $12~ 

We both ordered this so we had 2 for the table. haha. One of our absolute favorites. It's like a baked potato on a pizza. Sounds amazing right? I think potatoes need to become a standard on pizzas. And that bacon tho... I also wore my pizza shirt to match the food! :P

Forager (roasted mushrooms, sweet onions, spinach, truffle oil) Reg $12~ 

One of my orders. I freaking love mushrooms so I had to get it. It was good, but didn't live up to some of the other ones so it got lost in the mix. I think I was missing a meat element with this one. Next time I'd add sausage to it I think.

N'Djua (spicy prosciutto spread, shallot, ricotta) Reg $12~ 

This was the one I was most excited about, because of that prosciutto spread. I think I had an idea of what it was and I was right. The only thing is... it needed more of it on the pizza! Just load it up!! It had a nice kick to it too. Yum!

Meatball Sandwich (house meatballs and marinara baked with mozzarella and provolone; served with Deep River chips) $12~ 

I had to get a sandwich to try as well. This was epic. I just stared in awe as they set it in front of me. We had ran out of table space by then. haha. The meatballs were ginormous! And very tasty. I was only able to take a bite or two though since I was stuffed at this point. Loved the chips as well.

We tried to get one of their dessert pizzas but the kitchen ran out. Oh well, it's probably good that we didn't get it since I was about to burst! Plus I had a mountain of leftovers to take home. :D I'm gonna have to try it some other time. The food was great and the ambiance was super unique yet casual. I expected no less from the team behind Barley & Board. And I have to give a special shout out to the wait staff. Most of the wait staff was made up of teenagers (I think)...they all seemed really young. And all were just super enthusiastic and friendly. They were constantly checking on all the tables making sure everyone had everything they could ever need. They didn't even give us the chance to ask for drink refills. The 2 girls I sat with were drinking pink lemonades. They were constantly being refilled. One girl even brought over fresh cups when she saw that the ice had melted down a little in their current drinks. What service! And when our waiter had to deliver the news that the dessert pizzas ran out, he was seriously distraught and kept apologizing. haha. At first we thought maybe it was because it's media night, but then quickly realized that they were just good kids and really cared about the customers.

It was a great and delicious night. I made some new friends too! I got to talk to some of the owners as well, they were going around the room talking to customers. I told them I drove all the way out from Rockwall! They were very impressed. hehe. It was worth it. I have really high hopes for this team. I hope they continue to expand through DFW. (Please come more Southeast! *hint*hint* hehe.) Glad I was able to represent @bestfooddallas during their sneak peek. :)

Quality of Food:

Service:

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Value: *comped*

Overall Experience:

~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

Lekka Cafe & Gifts

I was meeting up with a friend for dinner a couple weeks ago. I suggested Lekka since I've been meaning to go try it. One of my friends told me it's really good and the reviews online were also great. It's where Obzeets used to be, and they've got a pretty awesome patio. Now... we just need cooler weather!

Lekka Cafe & Gifts
17606 Preston Rd.
Dallas, TX 75252
(972) 735-8425
www.lekkashop.com
Price: $$

I was meeting my friend at 6:30PM, but I decided to go there early and do some work. I arrived around 4:30PM and decided to get dessert first. :P I've heard amazing things about their cakes and pies as well. The dessert case was pretty sparse that day, but everything they had in there looked good.

I decided to get a slice of the Banana Caramel Pecan Pie $6~ And a cup of hot tea. 

 

An elderly gentleman at the restaurant was telling me that their desserts are the best and they don't skimp on the portions. Soon after, the waitress brought my pie, and O.M.G... it was like 2 slices of pie as one. O.O WHOA!! This thing was massive and so amazing looking. I think I almost cried! haha. And it sure was tasty! The loads of caramel made it a tad too sweet for me, but pairing it with a hot tea was great. I had to will myself to stop eating since I was still having dinner! :P

Once my friend arrived, we perused the menu. It was still Happy Hour! And she got an appetizer.
Warm Artichoke Dip (blend of cheese, spinach, artichokes; served with tortilla chips and salsa) $5~ It was a lot of food. The dip was cheesy and gooey. Can't say I've had an artichoke dip I haven't liked yet. haha.

She ordered the Veggie Tramezzini (mozzarella, spinach, artichokes, roasted red pepper) $9~ 

A tramezzini is a grilled Stuffed Pita Bread. All tramezzinis are served with side house salad or Ribbon Fries. My friend chose the fries since the waitress recommended it. It was a lot of food. With a huge side of fries. The tramezzini was good and so were the fries. She said it reminded her of Arby's fries. Me? I like pretty much anything fried and these fries were perfectly crispy, and can still taste the potato.

I got the Texan Tramezzini (fiesta blend, pico de gallo, guacamole, grilled chicken; served with salsa for dipping) $10~ With Side House Salad and house vinaigrette. 

This is basically a loaded quesadilla. There was plenty of chicken and cheese. The outside was nice and crisp. Yum! I'd totally get this again.

We had a good time. The food portions were large and quality was good. I had half to go for my lunch the next day. The service was good too and decor is very eclectic. They have a store section where you can buy stuff, and the big, covered patio in the back.

Quality of Food:

Service:

Ambiance:

Value:

Overall Experience:

~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

Casa Rubia

This past Friday, I was invited by a friend to a gathering of foodies at Casa Rubia in Trinity Groves. She told me it was going to be a group of foodies, friends, and friends of friends, and I could bring some people. So I asked 3 of my friends to join me, who I'd thought would enjoy the food. :) They specialize in Spanish cuisine. I have always wanted to go to Casa Rubia. Out of all the places in Trinity Groves, that was the main one I wanted to try. So, yay!

Casa Rubia
3011 Gulden Ln.
Dallas, TX 75212
(469) 513-6349
www.casarubiadallas.com
Price: $$$-$$$$

The reservation was at 8pm. My friends and I arrived about 15 minutes early so we just hung out at the bar. They all ordered drinks. Sangria, some sort of Blueberry fizz drink, Sparkling Sangria. None of them were my thing, but they all enjoyed them.

The restaurant is fairly small. But they have a big patio dining area. I saw that 2 long tables in front of the kitchen were empty. I figured one of those was for our group. A few people were running late so we just hung out at the bar a little longer. We later realized that half the other group was already there. So we made our introductions. The restaurant never once pressured us to get everyone there to seat us, so I thought that was pretty cool. Finally, we sat around 8:30pm. We had a total of 11 people. Everyone seemed to be getting along just peachy, considering it was 3 different groups of friends. :) Food always brings friends together.

We decided to do family style for the entire table, which is what they recommend anyways since it's tapas style. The guy that made the reservation took charge and ordered for everyone.

Quesos:
Manchego, Mahon, Cana de Cabra, San Simon, Idiazabal, Valdeon
Tasting Queso Plate $24~

Embutidos:
Fermin Jamon Iberico de Bellota, Lomo Embuchado, Chorizo Picante, Lardo Iberico de Bellota, Jamon Serrano, Mousse de Higado con Macetilla Vinaigre, Fermin Salchichon de Bellota
Tasting Embutido Plate $33~

We got the tasting plate for both the cheese and meat. It came on this hefty wood board, looked super impressive. It also came with some bread. I sat in the middle of the long table so I got a good look at everything! :P Everyone just dug in! There were so many different things and none of us knew what was what. haha. I got to try several different types of cheeses and meats. Honestly, I can't tell you what anything is. But my favorite was this pepper wrapped in some sort of fatty meat... I'd guess it was the Jamon Serrano.

 

Bread with Tomato and Garlic. 

This wasn't on the menu but was requested by one of the ladies in the group. She was Colombian and was speaking Spanish with the waiter. He said they can totally do this. There was a name for it... starts with "M"? But I can't remember for the life of me. This was sooooo good. The bread was soft but had a really nice crunchy crust. The tomatoes and garlic spread had so much flavor. I'm gonna have to keep this picture to show the restaurant when I go back next time!

We got 2 of each of the hot dishes since we had so many people. The portions of each is not super big but was just the perfect amount for everyone to share.

Alcachofas (crispy artichokes, meyer lemon, fresno chile, mojama, saffron aioli) $12~

Baby artichokes are so cute! Each one is bite sized. So yummy. Not at all tough like artichokes can sometimes be. Great flavors from the chile and aioli as well.

Pulpo a la Plancha (Spanish octopus, duck fat potatoes, pickled onions, smoked tomato-Jerez vinaigrette) $16~ 

This was the one thing I really wanted to try. Not only did it not disappoint, it totally exceeded expectations. The octopus was cooked perfectly... sooo tender. And the dish was just exploding with flavors between the char on the octopus, the duck fat potatos, and the sauce. Best dish of the night, but only by a little since everything else was also delicious. Definitely a must order!

Rossejat (toasted fideos, chistorra, gulf shrimp, crispy calamari, charred citrus aioli) $15~ 

I also wanted to try this one. I saw a preparation for fideos on the Travel Channel once and have wanted to try it since then. It's like short pieces of pasta that's been sauteed and crisped up in the dish. Very interesting. The shrimp and calamari on top paired well with the fideos and sauce. Another winner.

Paella del Dia (market price) 

 

Only available for 4 guests or more. We knew we wanted to get this. It comes in this gigantic pan. The waiter told us it takes 35-40 minutes to make this. So it was going to be our last dish. Initially we were contemplating getting 2, but my friend who's been there said it's A LOT and quite heavy. I'm so glad we only got one. They plated it out for us since our group was so big. That entire pot made 12 plates! And each portion was actually quite big. 

It was soooo awesome looking! It was topped with a bunch of (I think) kale, peas, mussels, clams, shrimp and an entire chicken. I haven't had much paella in my life but this was great. I had heard some no so great reviews on it, but for us, it was delicious. The rice was perfectly cooked. I've had previous ones where the rice was too mushy or undercooked. This had good texture. The chicken was the star for me. Super tender and lots of flavor. If you have a group of 4 or more, don't skip this. Plus, it certainly makes for an impressive photo! :P It capped the night off just perfectly. Everyone was content, and I was surprisingly not exploding like I normally am. hehe.

We decided to go to the Cake Bar to get dessert, but one guy wanted to get something here. Pan Calatrava (vanilla bean flan, texas blueberry, almond bread pudding, ginger ice cream, sea salt caramel) $8.50~ 

 

Everyone got to take a few bites... some more than others.. *ahem*me*ahem* haha. It was another winner. The portion was bigger than I expected. And it was excellent. The bread pudding had the most amazing crust and caramelization on top. The flan was creamy and contrasted the bread pudding texture well. The waiter poured the caramel on top. I always like tableside presentation. Loved it! I'm glad he spoke up and got a dessert when no one else did. hehe.

It was a fantastic meal. And we made some new friends. :) Thanks to the guy that ordered for the group, it was just the perfect amount and guess what... it came out to be $32 a person. What?!?! Yea... and that's including all the booze too. Wow. Ah-MAH-Zing!!! I will definitely be back. In fact, I already have a reservation for next weekend. hehe.

Quality of Food: 4.5
Service: 4
Ambiance: 4
Value: 4.5
Overall Experience: 4

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Oh yea... here's some of the cakes we got at Cake Bar. All super moist and delicious. You can get a slice a la mode (vanilla or chocolate ice cream). The Chocolate cake was the best. 

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake 

Key Lime Cake (a la mode)

Chocolate Cake (a la mode)

~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

Happy Hour @ The Melting Pot

I've always wanted to go check out The Melting Pot since I've never been to a fondue restaurant. I've heard mixed reviews about the place though. So when I found out they had happy hour specials, I thought it would be a good chance for me to check it out but not shell out a bunch of moolah.

The Melting Pot
4900 Belt Line Road #200
Dallas, TX 75254
(972) 960-7027
http://www.meltingpot.com/
Price: $ (for happy hour)

Their happy hour is Sun-Fri from 5-6:30PM at the bar only. It's first come first serve like most happy hours in Dallas. Their bar isn't that big...

We went on a Sunday afternoon around 6pm. The place was pretty empty. Good for us! :) The bartenders were super cool and chatted with us while we looked over the menu options. And while they were making the fondues. Very relaxed a friendly people!

There were 4 of us so it worked out really well since the fondues were all meant for 2 people to share.

We got the Toasted Almond and Honey Brie Plate (served with crackers, sliced apples, strawberries, and grapes) $6~