Diego S.'s Profile

Anyone who knows me knows that I despise going to the movies.  Don't get me wrong...I love movies.  My addiction to Pay Per View attests to this.

What I don't like are movie theater crowds.  I have even taken to going to movie theaters with a flask to calm my urge to rumble with obnoxious patrons.

Then, I discovered Cinemark 17 on Webb Chapel.  During the day, this theater is dead.  Other than slackers like myself, no one really goes here during the day.  I love it.

If the movie is showing in IMAX, even better.  Deafening sound during the movie to drown out everything around you...the key to my heart.

What needs to be said about the Old Monk has already been said.  One of the very few bars I will go to anymore in this area.

I highly suggest to go on an off night...I prescribe half a Xanax if you do decide to go on a weekend.  

I won't streetwalk down memory lane here but I have met some damn straight up interesting people at the Old Monk.

Not on a weekend night though. :)

Carolyn B was not jokin when she mentioned the decor.  Also, the open kitchen makes for a very very warm dining experience.  Plus, when you walk out, you will smell just like you were the one cooking.  

But, if you can get past the surface stuff, you are in for some good grub.

I fully admit I am quite the snob when it comes to tex-mex/mexican fare.   Most times, I just overlook food quality if venturing to restaurants in gentrified areas.  Since the Maple Ave area is hanging on for dear life against the wave of inevitable, I did have high hopes for El Rey.

The menu is bare bones.  There is no confusion about what you are getting.  I decided to keep it simple and ordered the chicken taco plate and a bottle of Coke.

After sitting down on my plastic patio chair, I heard THWACK THWACK.  Oh, it's just my chicken being mutilated.

I got my order and it came with rice and borracho beans...rockin it hardcore in a styrofoam bowl.

The beans were yummy and came complete with a big ol chile relleno floating in the middle.  The rice was so so but at least it was freshly made.

The chicken was mostly the white meat served in homemade corn tortillas.  I threw on some salsa from the suspect salsa bar...again, try to overlook the visuals.

The tacos were really good and I contemplated being a fatass and ordering more.  

I decided to save it for next time.  If you are pawning something or buying used furniture nearby on Maple Ave, stop by El Rey del Grill.  Definitely one of the best taco places in the 'hood.

I have seen all the reviews and have lived near this place for a while.

I finally decided to try it out and was very glad I did.

While the entire menu is a bit pricey all around, I really liked the chicken arepas.  Shockingly simple in preparation but oh so good.  Fresh cornmeal for the "bread" and all white meat chicken with a tomato based sauce....served piping hot.

One thing I didn't like and hope it was a fluke:  sitting at a table means you are "waited on' but that service was almost non existent after the initial order was placed.   I say I hope it was a fluke based on what Adi D mentioned in their review.

In the end, I am definitely going back to try something else on the menu.  I am not a sweets/pastry person but my friend enjoyed his.

Alright, I have to be more open to the fact that this place does appeal to many new people.  And those people seemingly enjoy the place.

My original review was based more on the past versus today.  

I may not like the new Grapevine based on my tastes and memories of the old Grapevine.  Even though I live in the area, I am not an "Uptown" kinda guy and that type of drunk crowd triggers nausea.

But I have to give some kudos for the new mgmt being able to turn the place around and appeal to an entirely different (and lucrative) demographic.  

In today's business market, you gotta make coin to survive.  So, you do what you gotta do.

I always enjoy my time at Posh.  It is a bit small which you really feel on a Fri/Sat night.

But, during the week, Posh is great to hit up for Happy Hour.  Can't beat their prices especially for the HK 'hood.

Always had good service and the clientele is friendly.  I like the back section for more relaxed seating/conversation.

Posh is also the most laid back of the offerings in HK.

If I was willing to schlep my ass from Brooklyn to meet at Posh for some drinks, that tells ya how much I liked Posh.

I try not to repeat what others have consistently mentioned in their reviews of the DWA.

I simply appreciate that there is something like this in Dallas.  Too often, kids (of all ages) stay indoors surfing the web, playing with Wii, or just being a couch potato.

The DWA is something everyone should go to at least once.  It really does try to provide a cool experience.  And, all in a space that is a bit small for DWA's aspirations.

Yes, the price is a bit steep if you consider for half its price, you can get into the Dallas Zoo.

But, for something a little different, sometimes a business has to charge a bit more to recoup some cost.

I enjoyed my visit and this is now one of my Take my Friends who visit Dallas stops.

Give Buli's credit where credit is due.  It's really tough to stay open in this block area.

But, Buli's has built itself a faithful clientele and tries to be more than the usual.

Your menu items are typical but not typically prepared.  I'm not a coffee person but the sandwiches are different and tasty.  Always fresh and there's effort thrown in.

Who doesn't love free Wi-Fi but it does tend to be slow with all the users online at once.

The atmosphere is comfy and caters to both solo folk and those with a friend.

Buli's does not have that creepy stalker clientele that the other coffeeshop on Cedar Springs has (IMO).  

Buli's is a nice alternative to the chain coffeshops of Dallas.

Side note: if you go to Buli's, best to have an open mind.  If you don't have that, there's a Starbucks on Mockingbird at 75N that may be more your cup of coffee.

I have lived across the street from Elliott's Hardware for a year and never ventured in until this week.  I am kicking myself for not going sooner.

I needed pine-sol, a mop, and a trash bin.  I walked in and was surprised it is as big as it looks from the outside.  I didn't know where to start and, within a few minutes, a very nice employee came over to help.  He not only showed me where my stuff was but he explained the layout of the store and its hours.

The prices for everyday supplies are pretty competitive to  Target/Walgreens/CVS.  

For the rest of the store's products/services (and I'm sure what accounts for the bulk of their business), based on the experience, I would definitely hit up Elliot's Hardware when the situation calls.

PLENTY of parking, easy to get to, and it's a local business.  Good times.

Reviews for Oishii are a bit all over the place.  Perhaps, it depends what you order.  For me and restaurants, first impressions last.

I showed up at 9pm and it was crowded.  The slightly sour hostess informed me it would be a 15min wait.  I then said I would order to go and suddenly the time turned into 20min.  Huh?

After she reluctantly took my order (hun, you work in a restaurant on Wycliff in Dallas, enough with the 'tude), I waited in the side bar.  Empty beer bottles were littering the end tables even though no one was sitting there.  

Sure, the dining area was busy but the bar was empty.  I guess they pick up trash at closing.

On to the food.  I ordered gyoza, hot and sour soup, and lemon grass chicken.  Pretty pricey meal at around $20.  

Especially when you consider what I found in my containers: over-fried gyoza (they threw it in an actual grease bucket like you would french fries versus searing in a skillet), egg yolk soup that was neither hot nor sour, and a large serving of onions in oily sauce...oh and a little bit of chicken and carrot slices.

My fridge was empty and I was starving so I ate it all regardless.  Fast forward 20mins and I was in the loo.

Rule of thumb for me...if it makes me sh*t, I'm not going back.