Lockhart Smokehouse

I think that liking BBQ is just part of growing up in Texas. Everyone has their favorite dish and favorite sauce, but everybody likes it! The quest for finding the best BBQ around is on-going for Ryan and in that spirit, we tried the downtown Plano location of Lockhart Smokehouse, which has been featured in the Texas Monthly list of best BBQ Joints in Texas.

The city of Lockhart, TX is famous for it's BBQ - we stopped at Kreuz's market on our way to San Antonio last year to try it for ourselves. Lockhart Smokehouse has brought the famous fare of Lockhart, TX to Plano and the Bishop Arts District of Dallas. They even use sausages from Kreuz's. The Plano location is on the main road of downtown Plano. It's a small, two story restaurant. When you walk in, you see the food counter, a large bar with a pretty good craft beer selection, and a few tables. It's very casual, just like a BBQ restaurant should be!

Ryan and I split brisket and turkey, and had mac&cheese and potato salad for our sides. You order at the counter and are given your food wrapped in paper or in foam containers.

Yuuummmmmm

Turkey and white bread. A BBQ match made in heaven.

This was some good BBQ. What surprised me is that I actually preferred the smoked turkey to the brisket. I almost always like brisket the best when it comes to BBQ restaurants. It was REALLY tasty - juicy and flavorful!

I liked the mac and cheese, but I wasn't crazy about the potato salad. It had something in it that made it really spicy. It just wasn't for me.

It was another successful MoFF! I definitely encourage you to try Lockhart Smokehouse if you are in the mood for BBQ!

Ozona Grill and Bar

A few weeks back we had a birthday MoFF at Ozona Grill and Bar on Greenville Ave. Ozona offers an eclectic mix of tex-mex, burgers, and southern cooking. They also have a great drink selection, especially margaritas. But the best part is the huge patio! I've been to Ozona a couple of times, and I very much prefer to sit outside, even if it's hot. Most of the patio is covered with awnings or huge trees, so there is plenty of shade. Check out their website for pictures!

I started out with a skinny margarita. It was really good! I do have to warn you - Ozona's drinks are pretty serious. They are large and strong! Take your time when drinking these.

Just look at the size of that glass!

For dinner, I had the chicken quesadillas from the appetizer menu. I had eaten about 1000 chips by the time we ordered, so I went for a small portion. These quesadillas are pretty much your standard fare - except that they have BACON in them. It's really true, bacon makes everything better!

I always get my pico de gallo on the side, but that is just my preference!

We have gone back to Ozona a few times because the food is good, the drinks are really good, and the patio is GREAT! Awesome place for a leisurely dinner or happy hour. I hear that brunch is good too, but I haven't tried it myself.

After dinner, we ventured out to the Quarter Bar in uptown. Quarter Bar is actually attached the Breadwinners Cafe. It's rare for Ryan and I to go bar hopping like we used to do in college, but it's fun once in a while! Some of the uptown bars are a little too pretentious for me. The whole "Dallas $30,000 millionaire scene" doesn't work for me and I hate that our of towners think that everyone who lives in DFW lives like that. The Quarter Bar is a little more relaxed, and I've had fun every time. It helped that we got their early and got to sit on the patio for a bit before it got too crowded!

Around Dallas: FC Dallas Game at Toyota Stadium

It's been way to long since I posted an update on Meal of Food Friday! As usual, life has gotten in the way of blogging, but I'm back from my hiatus!

I have lived in the Dallas area for most of my life and this blog has been a fun way to share our experiences in Dallas food, but I've realized that Ryan and I do some pretty fun things around town outside of eating dinner on Friday night. So I've decided to expand my scope a little and share more of the adventures that we get into around town!

First up was our trip a month or so ago to see our first FC Dallas game at Toyota Stadium in Frisco. FC Dallas is our Major League Soccer team and they have a great facility! Even if you are not into soccer, I think the stadium atmosphere is fun.

We had the opportunity to go with our good friend Jon DeLord, who just happens to have connections with FC Dallas through his job. Thanks to him, we got access to the River Club inside the stadium for an early dinner before the game! The club is open to season ticket holders, suite holders, etc. You can find out more about it here.

 The club had an amazing buffet and a full bar. Plus, it's air conditioned! I tried a little of everything. They have a great salad bar complete with chef to mix your salad for you, a carving station, and a selection of entrees. This is not a great picture (sorry!) but I have to tell you that the mac and cheese was wonderful, as well as the chicken. And most importantly, the yummy selection of desserts!

I wish I had a photo that did better justice to this delicious food!

After our great meal and a couple of beers, we headed out to our seats for the game - but not before getting a picture with the team mascot!

Our new friend the FC Dallas longhorn!

We had a lot of fun at our first MLS game. The only downside was that FC Dallas lost :(

I can see this being a fun activity for a group or family. You get all the action and the stadium experience of pro sports, but in a smaller facility - even in the cheap seats, you are pretty close to the field. I think we will go back again! Thanks for introducing us to Toyota Stadium Delord!