The 20th year of Taste Addison featured over 60 restaurants, vendors, wine tasting, music and fun for kids. The weather was beautiful, shade was plentiful and the restaurateurs served up very generous portions.
A little bit about me: I am not a chef but I am food obsessed. I am constantly searching for my next favorite restaurant that I can tell everyone about. With that in mind, I ventured out to Taste Addison this past weekend in search of something new. Over the course of two days, I sampled as much local flavor as I could handle and I was not disappointed. Here are my standouts:
Being a relative newbie, I took suggestions for what was not to be missed. First stop, the ¾ lb. Honey Glazed Pork Chop served by Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House. The renowned and respected upscale restaurant gave the chop a casual spin. All I needed to eat it was a napkin wrapped around the bone (reminiscent of a turkey leg at the State Fair but so much better). This gargantuan pork chop was smoked to perfection; tender and so juicy it was almost unbelievable. Full disclosure, I am not known to be a big pork chop fan but I liked this. As a matter of fact, when I returned on Saturday, I recommended it to my family and to any strangers who would listen.
www.chamberlainssteakhouse.com
I love burgers and I am a believer in great tasting food prepared simply. Apparently so is the philosophy of JC’s BURGER HOUSE. The burger sliders were made of high-quality, fresh beef and only dressed with cheese. However, they could have easily been plain with just beef and bun. Their beef was flavorful and seasoned just right not salty. This is the place for a burger without pretense.
www.jcsburgerhouse.com
Los Lupes has several locations around the Metroplex but I am familiar with the Carrollton location so this is not the discovery of a new favorite place but a new favorite dish. The Tacosal Pastor, one of the top vote getters in the Taste Addison Foodspotting competition, are made with pineapple pork, cilantro, onions and a spicy red salsa on a corn tortilla. Normally, spicy salsa is not my thing but it worked well with this dish.
www.loslupes.com
Lagniappe
Originally from Monroe, Louisiana, Johnny’s Pizza House, opened in Addison in February. They offer mufulleta sandwiches and a seasonal “Sweep the Swamp” pizza that includes crawfish and Andouille sausage. I opted for the slightly less adventurous “Sweep the Kitchen” slice that has 11 ingredients. It’s Johnny’s version of Supreme pizza. Surprisingly, the handmade thin (but not New York thin) crust didn’t bend under the weight of all the toppings. It was so impressive that a couple of Addison’s finest stopped us to find out the origin of this loaded pizza.
www.johnnys-pizza.com
Finishing Touches
The “orange hut” on Beltline between Marsh and Midway is home to Flippin’ Out Crepes & Coffee. You. Must. Stop. Here. Chef Scott and his team make outstanding crepes. Getting rave reviews are the savory crepes but I went for dessert, the Strawberry Dream. The crepe was light and the strawberries were fresh and sweet. New evening hours and dinner options have been added to their menu. I have my eye on the Honey Pomegranate Roasted Chicken crepe next.
www.flippinoutcrepes.com
Last but not least, Henry’s Homemade Ice Cream is one of the original vendors of Taste Addison and a leading supplier to hotels, restaurants and caterers. The ice cream is smooth and not too sweet. Try the Black Raspberry for a flavor that’s a step above chocolate and vanilla. It appeared to be a popular choice and, I was told, it’s Henry’s favorite as well.
www.henryshomemadeicecream.com