Good Good Restaurant~

I was really craving pasta last weekend…I don’t eat Italian food very often because it’s usually a lot of carbs and cheese and cream. I mean, I loveeee those things, but it’s hard to eat that all the time while trying to maintain my weight. :(

Bene Bene Ristorante
4727 Frankford Road # 409
Dallas, TX 75287
(972) 267-2363
http://www.benebeneristorante.com/
Price: $$

I had a $25 gift certificate to Bene Bene Ristorante, a new Italian restaurant on Frankford and Tollway. It was a very sophisticated and classy little restaurant…a bit fancier than I had imagined. It’s a good place to go for a date or a quiet meal, but still good to take family there.

The prices were also a little higher than I had expected. Good thing I had that gift certificate!! :P

We started off with salads. I got the Insalata di Campo (mixed leaf lettuce with Italian vinaigrette), basically the house salad. $5.95~ It was fresh and light, just what I wanted to start my meal. My friend ordered the Special of the Day Salad (cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and avocado slices tossed with a vinaigrette with basil, olives, and croutons). $11.95~ Since this was the special, we didn’t know the price. A LOT more expensive than I expected. At this price, I would expect the portions as a meal, not a starter. Nevertheless, it was very good. It was fresh, with creamy mozzarella, and the avocado added a nice touch.

For the main course, my friend ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo (with classic alfredo sauce). $12.95~ The portions here are smaller than normal, however, I think it’s good that they don’t give you a gigantic plate of food. It was just enough because Italian food can be quite heavy. This was really good! They hand made the pasta, and you can really taste the difference! You can tell by the texture and the freshness of the pasta.

I asked the waiter for a suggestion and he recommended the Rigatoni Ruspanti (chicken, Portobello and asparagus in a light cream sauce), which is one of their most popular pastas. $15.95~ The pasta was cooked just right. I hate it when restaurants overcook the pasta and it becomes too soft. The cream sauce wasn’t too heavy or greasy, and there were plenty of ingredients in the pasta…big chunks of chicken that you can actually see and generous slices of mushrooms and asparagus. Mmm Mmm GOOD!

They didn’t have a physical dessert menu so we weren’t very intrigued by their dessert offerings. Somehow seeing the desserts written out on a menu or a dessert tray makes me want to have it more. Haha.

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So we went to Braum’s to get some ice cream instead. It was such a good deal!! I got the double dip cone (which was on special) with cookies n cream and cake batter, and he got a banana split. Soooo much ice cream for only 5 bucks!! That was a great way to end the night! :)










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"Reverse" Happy Hour ^.~

I recently discovered that Houlihan’s in Addison has Happy Hour AND ‘reverse’ Happy Hour. Monday-Friday from 4:30-6:30PM then again from 9:30PM – close. How awesome is that?!? Great place to go for a Friday night! However, it’s only in the bar area so it gets a little packed…

Houlihan's
5225 Belt Line Rd., Ste 220
Dallas, TX 75254
(972) 386-0689
http://www.houlihans.com/
Price: $ (for Happy Hour)

We went on a Friday night around 9:30PM…all the tables and seats were taken. :( But on my way from the bathroom, I spotted a table signing their check! I immediately asked if we could have their table. Haha. SCORE!

We sat down and took a look at their happy hour menu. Basically, appetizers are all $6, beers and certain cocktails are half price. Their special was on Long Island Ice Teas (vodka, rum, gin, and sweet & sour)…and they have 9 different kinds!!
We got the “Texas” (with Tequila, Triple Sec, and cranberry) and “Georgia Peach” (with Peach Schnapps and cranberry). They have a glass for $6.50~ or a 1-Liter Pitcher for $7.50~ (full price). Of course we got the pitcher!! Half-price, baby!! $3.50 a piece!! The Georgia Peach was a little too sweet but the Texas was pretty tasty. My friends say its slightly watered down…but I’m not a big drinker so it was plenty strong for me! Haha.

Now its time for the fooood! I was craving dessert so I got the “Three’s Company”, where you pick any 3 of their desserts. $7.50~ I picked the White Chocolate Banana Cream Pie, Snickers Crunch Ice Cream Dome, and Vanilla Bean Crème Brulée. YUMM!! (It goes in order from left to right in the picture) The crème brulee was pretty standard so I would say I liked the other two better. It was EVEN better when I mixed the chocolate sauce from the Snickers dome with the cream pie! Hehe.
Next we have the Spinach Dip with Cheesy Lavosh Crackers (normally $9.25~). The dip was creamy and went well with the crispy crackers.





We also ordered the Miniature Burger Threesome (Tillamook cheddar, ranch style greens, with side of fries) (normally $8.95~). I’ve heard great things about their sliders so I guess I had high expectations. It was good, but not spectacular…might’ve also been that I already had dinner before so I wasn’t very hungry…haha.

The Lettuce Wraps (chicken sauté, julienne carrots and jicama, wonton strips, lettuce cups) are next…normally $8.75~. I’ve had this as lunch before. It’s very good, and just enough to be a satisfying lunch. The wonton strips add an extra crisp along with the tender chicken. I think it’s better than the lettuce wraps at Cheesecake Factory, if you’ve ever had it there…

Lastly, we had the Seared Rare Tuna Wontons (soy glaze, wasabi mayo, Napa slaw) (normally $8.95~). I didn’t get to try this one at all so I’m not sure how it was. I wasn’t too impressed with the portions though…6 measly pieces of tuna…luckily we got it at a discounted price.

We had a GREAT time there. I was soooo full! If you are looking for a hip, lively spot with good food and drink specials, I definitely recommend Houlihan’s Happy Hour. Just make sure you go a little earlier to get seats, otherwise you’ll have to stand with no where to put your food.


I give it for all categories:
Quality of Food, Service, Cleanliness, Value, and Overall Experience.


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L2E Meeting! Spring Rolls, anyone? :)

It was time for another L2E meeting with my SUPER AWESOME coworkers! hehe. This time I took them to a little Vietnamese place called La Me. It’s located on Walnut and Audelia in the same shopping center as Hong Kong Supermarket. I think this place has one of the best spring rolls in Dallas.

La Me
9780 Walnut St., #140
Dallas, TX 75243
(972) 669-8515
http://www.la-me.net/
Price: $

It’s a cute little restaurant, with a French inspired décor. They have a pretty good selection on their menu as well. One complaint is that the wait staff doesn’t speak English very well, so I would go in there with a good idea of what to order without asking too many questions… But Vietnamese food is pretty standard all around and their menu has descriptions of each dish to give you an idea of what’s in everything.

Since I LOVEEE their spring rolls, I ordered 3 Grilled Pork Spring Rolls for myself. $4~ The spring rolls are pretty big, 3 is plenty to fill me up. My coworkers ordered 3 Shrimp Spring Rolls to share. $4~ Of course the spring rolls come with peanut sauce!! Add a ton of Sriracha and you are good to go! YUMMM! :D The spring rolls were light and fresh, and the pork added just enough meatiness to satisfy your hunger without making you feel heavy.














One of my coworkers, we'll call her "K" from now on...ordered the Chicken Noodle Soup with Pork and Egg. $5.95~

The portions at La Me are HUGE! The bowls can be a small sink or something! O.o The soup was light but flavorful, and the 2 different types of eggs in the broth added different textures to the dish. All the noodle soups come with a plate of fresh veggies and herbs, so you can add your own bean sprouts, basil, etc. to the dish. I’ve never had this noodle soup before…I usually just order Pho (beef noodle soup). I liked it a lot. It was a nice change to the normal beef pho.

Another coworker, we'll call him "J", ordered the Grilled Chicken Vermicelli. $5.95~ This is a dry noodle dish with grilled chicken and fresh vegetables over it. It comes with a side of fish sauce that you mix in to add more flavor. Personally I’m not a big fan of the dry vermicelli, I’ve always preferred the soupy noodles more. I’m not saying that the dish wasn’t good…La Me makes a good Vermicelli…which also comes in the super large bowl. My coworker ate EVERYTHING…I think that’s a sign that he liked it. Haha. :P

If you are ever in that area, I would recommend this place…especially if you like spring rolls. I prefer La Me much more than the gigantic Bistro B, which is just across the parking lot. It doesn’t have the extensive menu like Bistro, but the quality and flavor is much better.

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