So after a month long hiatus I’m back in the swing of things. I had a WONDERFUL vacation in Playa Del Carmen, I managed to turn 30 without any tears and we are now living in Dallas. Look at that, Lindsey’s world didn’t end.
We stayed at El Taj in Mexico and it was a great resort. Lucky for us, we knew the owners son, so we had the hook up for a place to stay. It is a condo set up. Meaning kitchens, rooms, living areas, etc but run like a regular resort where they wil come and clean, make your bed, fresh towels and a beach club. I highly recommend this place (we stayed in condo 311) as the service was great, the rooms were spacious and the grounds and the beach are beautiful.
There was so much good food in Playa I couldn’t even start. We ate at Fusion, best guacamole and they had a belly dancer on the beach one night, 100% Natural had steller smoothies and pitas, Chez Celine was the best french breakfast (in Mexico!). There were a few Starbucks but lucky for us we discovered Playa’s version at Cacao Cafe first. You can actually get sipping chocolate there! Heaven!
One of the days we took a catamaran out, Catamaya to the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world for snorkling. It was booked through the hotel and it cost us about $96 a person and was totally worth every penny. The boat was awesome, they served chicken shishkabobs, steak and lobster, open bar and the snorkling was so much fun! Overall this was such a great trip that I cannot wait to go back. I’m one lucky lady to get to go skiing and then 2 months later celebrate my bday on a beautiful beach vacation!
After all that fun the Hubs and my family hosted a little backyard BBQ on the day of my actual birthday. I was very greatful to get to celebrate and spend time with my family before the big move. That following Monday I started at my new job!
We found a house pretty quickly and even though I’m back in the suburbs (I wanted to stay in the city), it’s a good central location and downtown Dallas is a measley15 minutes away. I’ve already been spoiled to be back in the city with all of my very best friends!
As for food, we’ve hit a few spots up and here is a quick review….
La Margarita – Irving, TX – a little spot in a strip mall that has been renovated well with bright, bold colors. The food was in the medium price range from inexpensive $7.99 to more $19.00. We shared the queso which was a bit different but had good flavor. The salsa was served warm and had a good amount of kick. I had tortilla soup which was outstanding with big chunks of chicken, potatoes and veggies, topped with avocado chunks and plenty of tortilla chips. The Hubs enjoyed a pick two combo with a cheese enchilada and beef taco which he said was okay but nothing to write home about. Unfortunately a BIG factor for me when it comes to Mexican restaurants is homemade tortillas – these were not.
The Quarter Bar @ Bread Winners – Dallas, TX – stopped here for HH after work on a Friday. The specials are domestics and wells $2.00 and half price apps until 7:00 pm. We enjoyed people watching on both the downstairs and rooftop patios and soaked up some sun. The drinks were strong and the service was friendly. I ordered the hummus with pita and it was delish. It’s prepared next door at Bread Winners so I imagine we’ll go back for dinner sometime.
The Cellar – Las Colinas area – wasn’t sure what type of establishment this was but it was on the canal so we decided to check it out. The service was poo. The girl was nice but she was slow and constantly forgot what we asked for, i.e., ketchup or water. We did a 2 for $20 deal and shared chips and queso – good but nothing special. I ordered the Buffalo Chicken Salad and it was really good. Grilled chicken tossed in their buffalo wing sauce pilled up on a ton of mixed greens and topped with blue cheese crumbles and tomatoes and celery. SUPER flavorful and just the right amount of kick. The Hubs enjoyed a Cellar Cheeseburger, sub turkey burger and fries. Again, the Hubs said it was good but nothing that would bring him back. This place overall seemed more like a good bar food joint.
Aspen Creek – Iriving, TX – stopped in here for drinks after dinner at The Cellar and wow what a difference in the service from where we just came from. I cannot remember our server’s name (because it was very unique) but she was quick, friendly, and a good time. The drinks were on special “Thirsty Hour” all day on Saturday and Sundays! Discounted beers, margaritas, well drinks and pizzas! I had a margarita that was good, made with no mixers just tequila, lime and water! The Hubs enjoyed well whiskey which gave him a good headache the next day. 🙂 While talking to our waitress we found out that this is actually owned by a more popular chain (Texas Roadhouse) and she found out it was our first visit so the manager came by to introduce himself and gave us a free appetizer card for our next visit! Talk about customer service!
There have been a few other places we already been to but I’ll wrap up my reviews for now, as my post is getting longer and longer! What about you, any places you recommend we try in the DFW area?
theallennuggets 