Today was a drizzly and murky day for another ScoutMob adventure, but it had to be done. I’ve been wanting to cross Park Tavern off my list for awhile now. Newly opened just two months ago, this cozy place is definitely hip, but not pretentious. It has everything for the sports fan, beer connoisseur, and eclectic eater. The menu is delightfully robust and rivals the beer/wine list. With an open and inviting space, there’s plenty of windows and tables to spread out and the volume is just about right; you can use your inside voice here.
For starters, my buddy and I took our server’s recommendation of their popular deviled eggs with housemade chorizo. I’m a deviled egg lover, so I was pleased to see this dish come out lickety split. It was hard to be lady-like with these; I popped them like candy.
Leaning towards something warm and comforting, I opted for the black bean soup with crispy bacon bits and a drizzle of cilantro cream. It does not disappoint - very creamy, smooth with an oomph of flavor, but not too rich. It went very perfectly well with my cornbread chicken salad.
Our lovely server also said this was a favorite amongst staff and patrons. With crumbled cornbread, cannellini beans, romaine lettuce, pieces of fried sage, and tender-sweet pulled chicken, this awesome salad is lightly tossed with smoky bacon ranch. I literally had to stop myself from eating it all; it’s definitely a hearty portion - enough to share if you wanted to, but I don’t recommend it. Make your party order more food from the menu!
My buddy went for the other recommendation of the PT bacon burger. I forgot to ask what the “PT” stood for, but I’m guessing it’s “Park Tavern”, meaning that this was their signature burger! How could it not be with a bacon and blue cheese crust on the patty, butter lettuce, and marinated tomatoes under a fluffy brioche bun? Please.
Of course, we had to get dessert. We were on a good track record with our server’s dead-on recommendations, so we did what she told us to do: the melt-in-your-mouth gooey butter cake. It killed me, in a good way. Do you like to lick the spoon after making a batch of cake batter? How about the taste of warm caramel on bread pudding? Well, merge the two and gooey butter cake is what you get. Except, you probably can’t do it as good as Park Tavern. It is definitely a must-try!
In conclusion, my stomach and senses were happy and my buddy wouldn’t stop telling me what a great idea this place was. Impeccable service, quality ingredients and prompt food has made this restaurant my new favorite go-to near the NorthPark area. Sorry Gordon Biersch, a new kid is in town.
Bill = $28.50 (after the 50% ScoutMob deal)
Atmosphere = 5 out of 5
Presentation = 5 out of 5
Quality = 5 out of 5
Taste = 5 out of 5
Value = 5 out of 5
This is the latest spot to go if you’re a die-hard vegan or foodie wanting to try something new and funky fresh. Be Raw Food & Juice has only been around three months, but I doubt it’s going to go anywhere, anytime soon. The naturally stunning hostess (and business owner, I assume) warmly greeted my lunch companion and I into the small, but open restaurant. The two-sided menu had plenty of eclectic items and elixirs. It was hard to just pick one entree for lunch, so I went with two.
For starters, I tried the pineapple cucumber gazpacho (see the beauty above). Its ingredients: cilantro, olive oil, chunks of red bell pepper, pineapple and cherry tomatoes. Very refreshing and flirty with a hint of spicy pepper; I instantly fell in love.
For my main meal, I picked a half order of the Rawko Taco which consisted of corn tortillas (with an infused curry taste) topped with mexi beans, shredded greens, guacamole, nacho cheese, pico de gallo and salsa verde. It was very, very fresh, and very, very good! Light and flavorful, I forgot I was eating a vegetarian dish, and I didn’t care.
For dessert, I stole some of my friend’s chocolate bliss exilir. This is easily a meal or snack in itself if you want something light, quick and filling. Made with raw cacao, agave nectar and coconut butter, it was hard not to hog it all to myself. Literally, it was one of the best dessert drinks I’ve had in a long time.
My total experience was more than satisfying, and thanks to ScoutMob for introducing me to this outstanding gem. Be Raw Food & Juice is just located across Gold’s Gym and DSW Shoes off Northwest Hwy and Preston. Don’t miss out on this new, hidden spot!
Bill = $6.50 (after the 50% ScoutMob deal)
Atmosphere = 4 out of 5
Presentation = 4 out of 5
Quality = 5 out of 5
Taste = 5 out of 5
Value = 5 out of 5
ScoutMob lunch spot #2 for the week was Epic Cone, located in the heart of Deep Ellum. Each cone, no matter the flavor, costs $5. I really wanted to love it and rave about it, but I recommend keeping that $5 in your wallet. Here’s why.
The concept seemed fun and the price was right. Still, I ordered the pepperoni pizza cone because I thought the simpler, the better. You know, play it safe. Unfortunately, after trying it, I didn’t have any desire to venture further down the menu. Although it didn’t look that pretty when I unwrapped it (think of it as a one-sided open calzone), I had high hopes and dreams for my epic cone. That positive perspective burst like a blister rubbed the wrong way when I took my first bite.
All I could taste was freaking salt! Like a pepperoni pizza sprinkled with salt… on top of extra salty marinara sauce. It was so sudden and shocking, that I tried to scrape out the cone contents and eat the outer crust shell. That still didn’t help: I could not get the taste of salty out of my mouth. The inside cheese was the kind that you would find sprinkled and microwaved on a frozen dinner pizza; it didn’t even melt together in a mesh but instead remained lumpy like Chef Boyardee spaghetti in a can.
I guess it’s my fault for having such high expectations for meat in a cone, but I didn’t think it would be THAT BAD. Especially for $5. You can’t say “you get what you pay for” on this one because great food can come cheap too, like Fuel City Tacos or Ravenna’s pizza by the slice, but that’s another post for another time. In the end, I could only stomach five bites and threw the rest away. They have a great idea and even an awesome motorcycle delivery service, but unless they work on the recipe or ingredients, I don’t even see ScoutMob saving this place from losing money. Sorry, Epic Cone.
Bill = $2.50 (after the 50% ScoutMob deal)
Atmosphere = 1 out of 5
Presentation = 1 out of 5
Quality = 2 out of 5
Taste = 1 out of 5
Value = 3 out of 5
I’ve been digging this free mobile app called ScoutMob that let’s you know which participating restaurants and pop-up shops are giving a 50% off deal around your area. This week, I’ve decided to live on ScoutMob alone and try out one deal per day. For Monday’s lunch, I picked Baboush in West Village.
What you see here before you is the famed fire grilled beef kebab with basmati rice. Marinated in pomegranate molasses, oregano, cumin and fresh garlic, the beef was tender a just a tad tangy. With a tint of sweet and sour, the flavor was well balanced between the seasonings and the meat. The yogurt cucumber on the side tamed it even more when you wanted to cool it down.
The basmati rice was decorated with sprinkled color and textures. Mixed in the yellow rice, I was surprised to find almond shavings, golden raisins, and diced cucumbers and tomatoes. The rice alone could have been a nice standalone meal - it was super filling and rich. The only thing that could have been better was the grease factor. It was heavy on the oils and I think that came from a ton of butter or olive oil. I definitely had plenty leftover.
Overall, it was a hearty meal. Probably not worth the normal lunch price ($14) because you only get 2 short skewers of protein, but still a worthy experience you should consider if you’re going for something out of the ordinary.
Bill = $7 (after the 50% ScoutMob deal)
Atmosphere = 4 out of 5
Presentation = 3 out of 5
Quality = 3 out of 5
Taste = 4 out of 5
Value = 3 out of 5
