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Juanita’s Mexican Buffet

January 18th, 2010

Juanita’s Mexican Buffet is located on Hwy 110 in Lindale, which is close to Tyler. My friends took me there once for lunch and I thought the food was pretty good. It is buffet style restaurant which I prefer most of the time because you can choose how much you eat and when to stop. The menu selection was good…Spanish rice, fajita meat with onions and bell pepper, chicken fingers, some type of stew, rolls, muffins, salad stuff and peach cobbler for dessert.

Our waitress wasn’t that great but I think she was busy with all the other tables. Like an attentive waitress, she did stop several times at our table to ask if we were OK…but did not take our plates away very quickly. Not a big deal…I still enjoyed my meal and I would do it over again if I had another opportunity. As long as the food is okay and the company great I can overlook some of the other stuff. The restaurant is on the small side and you can tell they probably had some regulars who often like to go have lunch there. We took my 21 month old daughter and of course she draws attention everywhere we go.

People love baby’s for the most part. It makes for a great conversation starter to have a child go out to eat with you, especially if you are shy and have a hard time saying something worth while your children always have something funny or smart to say. Never a dull moment. Juanita’s is a great place for a buffet style mexican restaurant and the price is reasonable. It is not gourmet food…but good reasonable quality and price. For what you pay…this is worth it

Mercado’s – Tyler Texas

January 16th, 2010

Mercado’s at 2214 WSW Loop 323, Tyler, Texas 75701 established August, 1987. Posados is affiliated with Mercado’s, it’s the sister restaurant. When I was younger I worked for Mercado’s and loved the food and the people but that is not why I am writing about it. I enjoy going there with my family and friends and having a good meal and great service.. I love their fajitas. I always order them because they are so good. Home made tortillas (flour or corn)….great salsa and home made chips makes for a good appetizers. Some of their other entrees are tamales, chilupas, tacos and enchiladas. If you are trying to loose some weight they have some great salads.

Mercado’s is a great place just to go have a few drinks with your friends after work. They have a small bar area there…where you can chill and enjoy a drink and watch some great sports on the TV. Margaritas are pretty good there.

You can reserve an area for a private party if you would like. They set up a buffet serving area for your private party. They offer some great desserts when you are done with your meal. Bunuel’s for two or a sundae. Money too tight…… free frozen custard on the house and usually free sopapias which are great with some butter (mystery oil mixture) and honey. The service is good and the food even better.

Looking for a job, this Mexican restaurant is a great place to make great money. It is hard work and long hours, which is OK if you are prepared for this. Waiting tables at Mercado’s means you walk out daily with the profit you made and don’t have to wait for a paycheck, although you do get a small guaranteed pay. Mercado’s is a great place whether you choose to work there or dine.

Villa Montez, A Tyler Latin Restaurant Style Mansion On The Hill

January 12th, 2010

Villa Montez has now expanded their patio to wrap around some of their amazing old growth trees that are some of the largest trees of their type in the East Texas area. Since Villa Montez sits up on a mansion on the hill they have trees that grow down in the valley up past the top of their mansions roof. With the new porch wrapping around two of their large post oak trees they have one of the best views and outdoor patios in East Texas. When you order something from Villa Montez you consistently get one of the nicest food presentations that any Tyler Texas restaurant can dish out. I honestly have not seen anything quite like the food presentation that Villa Montez offers their customers. The closest thing to it is Kiepersol restaurant which is another fabulous Tyler restaurant. Kiepersol is located in Bullard and is a bit of a vacation to travel to but the experience is on par with Villa Montez. The difference between the two is price. You will pay an arm and a leg when visiting the Kiepersol winery and restaurant while you will be able to get away with an affordable classy meal and view when at Villa Montez. I recommend asking to be seated on the patio as long as the weather permits as you just can’t beat the fan misters, the view, and the trees while eating a delicous meal presented in a truly remarkable way.

My wife ordered a pork tenderloin dinner at Villa Montez and there were these white crispy things that I had no idea as to what they were but made the overall presentation just right and the little things tasted pretty good as well. I ordered the Sea Bass after many requests by the owner on several different occassions and although I am not one to normally order fish on a menu I was pleasantly surprised. The Sea Bass is now one of my new favorite menu items at Villa Montez and I think you will find it fresh and filling if you order it for yourself. If you are not a fish person and especially do not like the “fishy” taste that most fish give off than the Sea Bass is just right as there is no fishy after taste. If you like to order an appetizer before your meals then please take a look at the Chino rolls. They are basically southwestern egg rolls that come with a jalepeno jelly. These egg rolls are delicious and I order them almost every time. My father in law ordered the steak salad and unlike other restaurants, Villa Montez does not have you asking, “Where’s the beef!” He loved the salad from what I could tell and everyone liked sitting out on the patio.

After dinner, my wife and I shared a creme brule. Villa Montez gets the creme Brule right and not all places do. The creaminess was just the right amount. It was not too sweet and the caramalized sugar on top really hit it over the top. They usually put a couple of berries on top with a dab of whipped cream to make this the top desert in my list on their menu. After you get up I recommend taking astroll around their grounds. They have a very nice fountain and cement bench as well as an herb garden and water fall. The whole facility is truly amazing and I always wonder just how much it cost for the facility and refurbishing it to the degree that Villa Montez has done. The whole experience is remarkable and I really don’t have many complaints. The service there has always been spot on and you will usually see that the waiters participate as a team helping each other with making sure glasses are kept full and the food is delivered on time and to the right table. I assume tips are split up among everyone as the team participation in providing service is always consistently the same unlike most Tyler restaurants who seem to get this major part of the dining experience wrong.

The only thing I don’t like about Villa Montez is their pasta meat combinations. It is only personal preference but I just don’t like the combination and recipe of some of their pasta dishes. I think as long as you order anything else you will be more than happy and you may even like the pasta I am just an italian only type of person when it comes to pasta. Having a latin blend with pasta just doesn’t do anything for my taste buds. Do not be surprised to find one of the chefs or the owner coming by to personally meet you and shake your hand while you are here. When you first arrive you will have a large room with tables to wait before you are seated. You can order an appetizer or drink while waiting for your table and may end up meeting someone new in this little hangout. Expect Thursday – Saturday at Villa Montex to be packed but also expect a wait time for a table at a convenient 20 – 30 minutes at the most. This Tyler Texas restaurant truly gets it right on verey level. Come to Villa Montez and expect to have a 5 star dinner without the 5 star price.

On The Border’s Great Patio/Appetizers

January 8th, 2010

Huge Portions of Tex-Mex Classics

For a great family night out with your fav tex-mex classics why not give On the Border a try. With everything from sizzling hot fajita plates to the perfectly crunchy Chimichanga you’re sure to have leftovers.

Great Patio Party Place

On the Border’s huge patio is the perfect place to celebrate your birthday or event in Tyler Texas! Whether it be a birthday party, anniversary, or just people watching, do it from one of the best patios in town. For an even better Latin flavor restaurant with a much bigger outdoor patio up on a hill try Villa Montez. Any many ways Villa Montez far out does what On The Border has to offer.

Happy Hour 3-7 p.m.
if your lucky enough to get their at happy hour  you’ll also enjoy half priced appetizers along with your favorite beverage. So call some friends and get over there pronto!

Great Mexican Food At An Affordable Price

January 8th, 2010

With around 1000 Mexican eateries in and around Tyler Texas ranging from the big chains to your little ‘hole in the walls’, Taqueria El Lugar is a Tyler staple. With its five locations Lugar offers everything from beef tacos to chicken burritos. And if you think a quesadilla is a thin tortilla shaped like a triangle you haven’t met Lugar’s #7. The #7 is a super quesadilla stuffed to the gills with your choice of beef, ham or chicken with cilantro, cheese and sliced avocado! Oh!-you’ll need both hands! The Super Quesadilla cost around $3.80 each

A Great Place to Bring “Out of Towners”

You have friends from out of town? You want to show them something a little less tex-mex?

Taqueria El Lugar is more authentic and will not disappoint non Tylerites. Try its newest location in the shopping center just south of The Diner  in Tyler. If you hit ‘Academy Sports’ you’ve gone way too far!