Acme Food and Beverage at McKinney and Monticello! (CLOSED!)

 

Alright.  This place is in a bit of a jinxed location, because places tend to open here and close soon after.  I didn’t want to write about it because a few of the places I have written about have went out of business.  😦  Still, who’s to believe that an unpopular blog like mine could cause such a thing.  That’s like believing in witchcraft, magic, voodoo, or superstitions! …  Okay, I believe in all those things a little bit, but I’m pretty sure that my powers in all those areas are pretty weak, so here goes…

My favorite thing to eat here was the ribs.  They were sizable, inexpensive, and very juicy.  Then I realized that I should always order the flatbread of the day.  The bartender suggested I add bacon to it.  It was delicious!  The crust was nice and crisp, and all the veggies seemed to be fresh and super healthy (not that I’m going for that).  The wings were very good as well.  I think they were served with coleslaw that had thin crispy potato strips in it!  I love the ambiance of the place as well.  I’m pretty sure they’re about to change the name to Acme Neighborhood Lounge if they haven’t already.  They’re gonna try and let go of the fine dining feel and morph more into the bar scene and maybe even stay open until two every night.  That’s good for me, cuz that’s my hood!  Personally, I think the best way to do this is to add a few flat screens to the place.  The TV at the main bar is in an awkward location that causes me to turn completely away from my food, drinks, and friends.  Still, that’s an easy fix.  The staff here are super nice and love what they’re doing.  I can even tell the kitchen loves what they’re doing as well.  The food is tasty and presented very well.

Anyways, please check this place out if my voodoo hasn’t destroyed them yet.  I want them around forever, so I have more to choose from in my neck of the woods (whoever made that saying up???).  They have local beers on tap as well as a nice selection of creative cocktails.  Also, they’re patio is super nice and very big.  I’ll try to cast a positive spell on their success tonight.

J. Black’s on Henderson! (CLOSED)

Here’s your sign.

Front patio.

Side patio.

HD action over the bar!

Lounge area.

Lounge area.

Tables on the back wall.

Calamari.

Half priced pizza on Tuesday!!!

We got really lucky on the night we visited J. Black’s.  We were just driving around and randomly chose this place.  I said, “Let’s just go there.  I’m too hungry to think.”  It was Tuesday, and they have half-priced pizza and $3 select drafts on that day!  Score!!!  I think I got the Rahr Whiskey Warmer.  Plus it was kinda slow, so we had awesome service.  I didn’t know if our server was a manager, server, bartender, or all the above, because he was all over the place.  Behind the bar, on the floor, making drinks, running food, adjusting other server checks, etc.  Whatever the case, he was bombtastic.  I hate that they were kinda slow, but I loved it too.  It was nice and laid back.

For an appetizer we got calamari.  It was great!  It came with greens, parmesan, cocktail and tarter sauce.  As soon as we were done, we got our half priced pizza.  We were gonna get the crab an portobello pizza but ended up getting the omnivore that was recommended by our server/manager/bartender/owner/carpenter dude.  He said that he thinks seafood is odd on a pizza… to him.  He said it’s good but odd.  I like odd. I’m gonna try it next time.  Anyways, we got the omnivore.  It had Jimmy’s Italian sausage, pepperoni, salami, ranch bacon, mushrooms, pepperoncini, and feta.  It was nice.  The crust was thin and crispy, and it was meaty.  Very flavorful!  The half priced pizza deal strayed me from perusing the rest of the menu, but after we were done, I realized they had lollipop lamb chops!  I love lamb!  Sooooo……  next time I’m getting the weird pizza and lamb.  No need for a menu.  Just ring that in please…  And crab cakes.

Off the subject, I LOVE that they played some old school Michael Jackson.  I think it was Girlfriend or P.Y.T.  I was in heaven.  Also, the seats were super comfy, and there was a LOT of … HD TVs!  😉  I highly recommend this place during their slow times.  I’ve heard less impressive stories during their peak hours on the weekend.  To be honest, that’s the case at any restaurant or bar.  It’s just common sense.  We all strive for perfection, but we’re only human.  Sometimes we fumble.

J. Black’s Menu

J. Black’s website

BBC aka British Beverage Co. in Uptown Dallas

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The British Beverage Co.

The ceviche.

The shepherd’s pie with lamb and piped potato.

Cucumber and cilantro martini

The front bar/dining area.

The front bar.

The patio.

The back bar.

Live music!

The stage.

 

The BBC is a new English pub in uptown at 2800 Routh St. one street over from the Gingerman.  It’s a really cool place and is a lot bigger than I thought it was when I walked in.  As I sat at the bar, I turned around and saw a stage in the corner.  Live music, y’all!  I love live music.  It seems to start pretty late.  After ordering my drink and appetizer, I decided to get up and walk around.  They have two big patios with HD action and two bars!  The back bar is just as big as the front bar and almost cooler (not cold, like … cool, yo.)  The appetizer we got was ceviche.  It was kinda fancy and a bit small but had great flavor.  That’s the most important part!  I had already had dinner somewhere else and was full, but I kept smelling the shepherd’s pie all around me and finally fell into it’s smell/spell.  It was SO good!  The lamb and sauce was perfect, and I loved the fancy piped potatoes on top.  I hope they don’t get mad with me using the word “fancy” twice for their pub.  I got too full and boxed the remaining half.  Soon after that, the live music started.  It was jazzy and grungy with a little reggae infused in.  I’m pretty sure they did a Bob Marley song.

Anyways, I hope this place does well.  It’s pretty cool, and all the staff seem very nice.  I couldn’t find a website for it yet, but I’ll keep looking for you.  The people who do Sherlock’s run this operation, I think, so I’m sure a website will be up soon.

Oh!  I forgot to mention our awesome cucumber cilantro martini!  There.  I mentioned it.

Victor Tangos at Knox/Henderson and Central (75)!!!

Chicken liver pate with balsamic onions and toast.

A blurry but enhanced new menu!

Fried gulf shrimp with a nice chili pepper sauce underneath.

Bar by Instagram.

VICTOR TANGOS!!!

Blackboard behind bar with daily specials

Back dining area

Flatbread

Mussels

Dayboat scallops

The Last Word.

Poached pears, arugula, blue cheese, pine nuts & ginger snaps

BBQ quail over a broccolini salad

I love this place!  The food is delicious, and it’s a great escape from the outside world.  No windows.  It’s like a big, cozy, well lit, basement, with awesome people.  When I walk in, I feel like I just entered a well kept secret.  Almost like I shouldn’t be here.  The staff here are super nice.  I just can’t help but smile when any of them speak to me.  Also, I noticed a lot of Texas brews on draft.  I love that!  I had the Fireman #4, and my buddy had the Lakewood Wheat.

For food, we started with a flatbread.  I try to be sure and order whatever’s written on the board behind the bar, because it’s ALWAYS good.  The flatbread had grilled shrimp, lemongrass sausage, fresh jalapenos, cheese, etc. etc.  It was great.  After that we had the dayboat scallops, mussels, and roasted bone marrow.  The bone marrow came with caramelized onions (“onion confit”) and buttered toast.  Be sure to put it all together for the best bite ever!  The scallops laid on a bed of mushroom risotto and black bean sauce.  The mussels were served with a buttered baguette, and we discovered more lemongrass sausage in the bowl!  Wow.  I usually get the lollypop lamb chops, but I was a bit full after that random “surf and turf” we devoured.

For dessert, I was gonna get the toffee cake with an extra side of that fancy whipped cream.  I always get it, but opted for a cocktail called “The Last Word”.  I said, “can I get the last word?”, but he spoke, so I guess not.  LOL?  Not so much?  Oh well.  It was very good!  It had rye whiskey, lemon juice, green chartreuse, and maraschino liquor.  Shaken to perfection and poured in the least manly glass I could drink from…  as I kept my pinky out.  I was very happy with my cocktail as my dessert.  It was delicious, and I am not insecure, so I took my time.

Oh. They have so many other good things on the menu.  This is just what I had on this visit.  Definitely try other things. (tuna nachos)  Their kitchen is usually open until midnight EVERY night except Sunday when they’re closed, of course.  They’re located at Knox/Henderson and Central across from Velvet Taco and right next to Sleep Experts.

www.victortangos.com

 

May 2014.  New Chef.  The menu has changed a bit.  Still very good.  Check it out.  They kept the most popular items if you’re worried about the bone marrow.  😉

Chicken liver pate with balsamic onions and toast.

A blurry but enhanced new menu!

Fried gulf shrimp with a nice chili pepper sauce underneath.

Bar by Instagram.

Sundown at Granada on Lower Greenville!

They have an upstairs and downstairs patio. Check out the projector screen upstairs at night!

This is the stage they built in the dining room. It’s pretty big!

The chicken on the Freebird was very juicy and tender!

For the fitness feast you choose a protein and a salad.

I love this place.  It must be the feng shui (?).  Very earthy and inviting inside and out.  They are passionate about their cocktails, and local support of food products, beers, vodkas, wines, etc.  Texas, y’all!  My favorite burger there is called the Sundown.  The onions are caramelized in root beer (or they were back then)!  Grass fed beef, goat cheese, and pecan smoked bacon.  Wow.  My favorite appetizer is the Mediterranean.  It has taboulleh, roasted garlic, hummus, feta, olives, and pita bread.  The garlic is my favorite part.  You gotta squeeze the clove out.  My favorite cocktail is called the Sundown (go figure).  It’s got Sailor Jerry’s rum, fresh jalapenos, agave nectar, fresh lime, ginger beer, and bitters.  On this visit, I got the Freebird.  It was a thick and juicy chicken breast with pepper jack cheese melted on top with mushrooms.  Sweet potato fries were served on the side.  My friend and I are trying to do low-carb, but we devoured those fries!  Oh, his meal?  He got the Fitness Feast where you choose a protein and a salad.  He got the andi salad (kale) and Chisolm trail patty.  It’s hard to make kale taste good, but they rocked it!

Speaking of rock, they recently built a huge stage in the dining room!  Pretty soon, they’re gonna have live music every night of the week from 11pm to 2am!  Food and drink in the day, and music at night.  I love it!

Ah, I forgot to mention that they have awesome flatbreads, entrees not mentioned (surf and turf), vegetarian, AND vegan options.  I can’t really write about those options.  I’m too busy flossing the flesh from my teeth.  If you’re out late, come join me at the bar!  😉

www.sundownatgranada.com

Oh, check these videos out.  I put it on youtube.  I think it was on a Wednesday.  Birds of Night. http://youtu.be/xUSsd9yHDMU

and Monday.  Effinays.  http://youtu.be/2d9u4rYisZA

Goodfriend Beer Garden and Burger House!

Good Friends. Josh and Matt.

I love this bar.

The dining room.

I’ll fit in there somewhere!

The Patio!

The lounge area that I refer to as “the living room.”

Nice wrap around bar with pretty lights.

Delicious wings.

The Coop burger with an egg over easy, brie, bacon, and I added srirachi ketchup!

I love this bar.  They’ve got great food and a huge selection of beers on draft and in the bottle.  The whole place has great “craic” inside and out!  Very laid back and inviting.  The wings are probably the best I’ve had in Dallas. I’ve ordered the spicy wings, but it was way too spicy, although my buddy loved them, so I stick with the milder version!  My burger of choice was the Mary Mary (lamb burger), but as soon as I tried the Coop (burger with grilled bacon, brie, and an egg over easy), I had a new favorite.  Everyone’s telling me to get the Pepper Bomb burger, but that’s apparently on the spicy side as well.  I’ll leave that one for you guys with the steel tummies!  One of my favorite appetizers is the Cuddly Pigs.  They’re like pigs in blankets but with quality meat and a puffy pastry.  Nice dipping sauces as well.  I didn’t really get good pictures because I kept attacking my food before I realized I wanted pictures.  I’ll add pictures later, because I’m sure I’ll be back many times.  Oh, they started doing happy hour all day on Mondays.  All drafts are $4.  Still, Kronenbergs are always $3, although I always end up ordering a rotating draft.  On this visit, I got the double pumpkin ale.

Of course they’re in Dallas located at Garland and Peavy road.  You’ll see a CVS one way and a Walgreens the other.  They’re next to a car wash, and use them for parking sometimes.  Check these guys out.  They really know what they’re doing.

goodfrienddallas.com

🙂

The People’s Last Stand! Cocktail lounge in Dallas, TX.

This stuffed rabbit was so tender and had great flavor!

These lamb chops were delicious. I substituted the purple potatoes for arugula salad.

The central lounge area.

This is the lounge area off to the side. Nice art. Very comfy.

Nice bar. Big tables so you order EVERYTHING!

People’s Last Stand. Look for this sign.

The cozy bar.

Chicken stuffed avocados with mustard seeds. They were so good, I had two orders!

Lamb chops with a yogurt sauce drizzle layered over a bed of orzo pasta, brussel sprouts, bacon, and greens. Delicious.

Flatbread. Yummy!

UPDATE:  The Chef’s here have been replaced a few times, so the menu is very different than when I wrote this.  The stuffed avocados are the only thing that seemed to have lasted over the years.  Probably because they ROCK!  I’ll revisit and write an update real soon.  The current menu looks fantastic, and I can’t wait to try their new items!  (February 2016)

 

The People’s Last Stand is a cocktail lounge in Mockingbird Station.  They make awesome drinks, and the food is really good.  Their Chef does magic in that tiny little kitchen!  Also, the seating there is super comfortable.  Almost like home.  I also enjoy the random movies they put on the televisions and the art that rotates on the walls.  Cool place.  It’s located on the second floor.  Same level as the theater a few yards from the Irish pub.

thepeopleslaststand.com