REVIEW: Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy Stores

RESTAURANT: Braum's #51;254-580-2970 || #104; 972-596-1404
LOCATION: 219 NW I-35, Hillsboro, TX 76645 || 1428 Independence, Plano, TX 75075
ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 9-14, 15-09
PRICE RANGE: Low to moderate
FAVORITE FOOD: Chocolate Malt
OTHER GREAT FOODS:
FOOD WE LIKED LEAST: N/A
MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: N/A
SPECIALS: Vary—call for current ones
APPEARANCE: Clean
SERVER: N/A
SERVICE: Good
UNIQUE FEATURES: N/A
COMMENTS: Good food, we'll be back.

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2. Get the world's only cookbook devoted to collard greens and cornbread with stories of a Texas boy's misspent youth, The Collard Patch, while they are still available!

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Cracker Barrel Store #278, W. Monroe, LA

RESTAURANT: Cracker Barrel Store #278; (318) 325-5505
LOCATION: Exit #114, I-20 & Thomas Road, then to 309 Constitution Drive, W. Monroe, LA 71292
ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 7-2-09
PRICE RANGE: Low to moderate
FAVORITE FOOD: They have added delicious skillet breakfasts. We liked the Veggie Skillet an the Smoked Sausage Skillet
OTHER GREAT FOODS: The Old Timer's Breakfast
FOOD WE LIKED LEAST: N/A
MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: N/A
SPECIALS: Vary—call for current ones
APPEARANCE: Clean
SERVER: Ruthie M.
SERVICE: Very Good
UNIQUE FEATURES: N/A
COMMENTS: Great addition to their menu. We'll be back.

Complete your Southern eating experience!

1. Get This Amazing Southern Cookbook, Flavored with Love, Now!

2. Get the world's only cookbook devoted to collard greens and cornbread with stories of a Texas boy's misspent youth, The Collard Patch, while they are still available!

RESTAURANT: China Wok, Ruston, LA

RESTAURANT: China Wok All-You-Can-Eat Buffet & Mongolian Barbecue; Daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

LOCATION: 601 S. Vienna St.(@ California Ave.), Ruston, LA 71270; 318-251-8378

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 3-1-09

PRICE RANGE: $6-$15

FAVORITE FOOD: Mongolian Barbecue; Seafood medley

OTHER GREAT FOODS: Sesame Chicken, Egg Foo Yong, Crab Mayonnaise, General Tso Chicken, Crab Rangoon Wontons, Honey Chicken, Seafood Bun

FOOD WE LIKED LEAST: The China Wok doesn't have any mediocre food!

MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: Delicious food, Blue Bell ice cream, clean restaurant, and friendly, attentive service; Other Asians dine there—always a good sign.

SPECIALS: Tailgating specials (call); 10% discount for students, faculty, firemen, police, and seniors >62 with ID.

APPEARANCE: Neat and clean

SERVER: N/A

SERVICE: Excellent—warm and friendly

UNIQUE FEATURES: Delicious Mongolian Barbecue—the only one in the area; though they specialize in the Chinese buffet, they also have an extensive menu from which you can order. They have buffet or menu, take-out, & tailgating specials for picnics or sports fans.

COMPLIMENTARY RECIPE: N/A

COMMENTS: They serve all-you-can-eat Blue Bell ice cream—usual flavors = chocolate, butter pecan, chocolate mint, strawberry, vanilla. Their food is DEElicious. There is no other Chinese food to compare in north Louisiana. . . and we've tried them all! We WILL be back!

Complete your Southern eating experience!

1. Get This Amazing Southern Cookbook, Flavored with Love, Now!

2. Get the world's only cookbook devoted to collard greens and cornbread with stories of a Texas boy's misspent youth, The Collard Patch, while they are still available!

RESTAURANT: Counter Culture, E. Texas St at Swan Lake Rd, Bossier City, LA

RESTAURANT: Counter Culture Restaurant
LOCATION: E. Texas St. at Swan Lake Rd, Bossier City, LA; Convenient to BPCC.
ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 2-28-09
PRICE RANGE: Low to moderate
FAVORITE FOOD: All the sandwiches with avocado; the Humphrey Yogart
OTHER GREAT FOODS: The salads
FOOD WE LIKED LEAST: N/A
MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: Delicious food and frozen yogurt with and exceptionally clean facility
SPECIALS: Vary—call for current ones. CHECK OUT THEIR ONLINE COUPONS!
APPEARANCE: Very clean including the cleanest restrooms we have seen in years.
SERVER: All the servers are very pleasant and helpful.
SERVICE: Excellent
UNIQUE FEATURES: The Humphrey Yogart frozen yogurt with fresh fruit, granola sprinkles, and delicious local honey. They have FREE Wi-Fi, too.
COMMENTS: Each of the Counter Culture shops is under different ownership. This review applies only to this location. Great food and exceptionally clean facilities. We'll be back again and again! Don't miss this one!

Complete your Southern eating experience!

1. Get This Amazing Southern Cookbook, Flavored with Love, Now!

2. Get the world's only cookbook devoted to collard greens and cornbread with stories of a Texas boy's misspent youth, The Collard Patch, while they are still available!

Buffet City, Chinese Buffet, Laurel, MS

RESTAURANT: Buffet City, Chinese Buffet; 601-649-3366
LOCATION: 1930 Hwy 15 North, Laurel, MS 39440
ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 2-7-09
PRICE RANGE: Low to moderate
FAVORITE FOOD: Sushi, mussels, coconut shrimp, beef and broccoli
OTHER GREAT FOODS: crab mayonaise, Hunan beef
FOOD WE LIKED LEAST: N/A
MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: Wide range of buffet items and a variety of sushi and sashimi items
SPECIALS: Vary—call for current ones
APPEARANCE: Clean
SERVER: N/A
SERVICE: Good
UNIQUE FEATURES: No MSG and they use only vegetable oil
COMMENTS: They have a good menu, if you prefer. Good food, we'll be back.

Complete your Southern eating experience!

1. Get This Amazing Southern Cookbook, Flavored with Love, Now!

2. Get the world's only cookbook devoted to collard greens and cornbread with stories of a Texas boy's misspent youth, The Collard Patch, while they are still available!

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Applebee's, Ruston, LA

RESTAURANT: Applebee's, Phone: (318) 255-5254

LOCATION: North Service Rd, East, Ruston, LA 71270

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 1-11-09

PRICE RANGE: Low to moderate

FAVORITE FOOD: Chicken Quesadillas, Weight Watchers 7-point Steak & Portabella Mushrooms

OTHER GREAT FOODS: Queso Dip and Chips

FOOD WE LIKED LEAST: N/A

MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: N/A

SPECIALS: Vary—call for current ones

APPEARANCE: Clean

SERVER: Sarah P.

SERVICE: Good

UNIQUE FEATURES: Applebee's now has a box on each table for diners to hear the sound on any of a number of TV monitors. You can listen or not listen. How great is that?

COMPLIMENTARY RECIPE: N/A

COMMENTS: Good food, we'll be back.

Get This Amazing Southern Cookbook, Flavored with Love, Now!

Or go get The Collard Patch the only story cookbook devoted solely to collard greens and cornbread. If you think you don't like collards, you haven't tasted these collards!

We are available for professional mystery shopping for your restaurant either as a spot check or for a regular program of excellence.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Al T's Seafood & Steakhouse; Winnie, TX

RESTAURANT: Al T's Seafood & Steakhouse--Fine Cajun Cuisine; Phone: 409-296-9878

LOCATION: 244 Hyw 124 Spur 5 (Just south of I-10), Winnie, TX 77665

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 12-21-08

PRICE RANGE: Low to moderate

FAVORITE FOOD: Crawfish Efouffee; Fried Crawfish Salad -- As Louisianans we know good Cajun food and this is excellent! The servings were large!

OTHER GREAT FOODS: Probably everything on the menu, but the 2 things above were the only ones we could try.

FOOD WE LIKED LEAST: N/A

MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: N/A

SPECIALS: Vary—call for current ones

APPEARANCE: Clean

SERVER: Carla B. was excellent and anticipated our every need.

SERVICE: Excellent!

UNIQUE FEATURES: N/A

COMPLIMENTARY RECIPE: N/A

COMMENTS: Great food, we'll be back!

Get This Amazing Southern Cookbook, Flavored with Love, Now!

Or go get The Collard Patch the only story cookbook devoted solely to collard greens and cornbread. If you think you don't like collards, you haven't tasted these collards!

We are available for professional mystery shopping for your restaurant either as a spot check or for a regular program of excellence.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Hinze's BBQ; Sealy, TX

RESTAURANT: Henze's BBQ; Phone: 979-885-7808

LOCATION: 2101 Hwy 36 South, Sealy, TX 77474

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 12-21-08

PRICE RANGE: Low to moderate

FAVORITE FOOD: We stopped in the mid-afternoon for pie. The Coconut Pie was good.

OTHER GREAT FOODS:

FOOD WE LIKED LEAST: The Chocolate Pie was thin without much chocolate flavor.

MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: N/A

SPECIALS: Vary—call for current ones

APPEARANCE: Clean

SERVER: N/A

SERVICE: Good

UNIQUE FEATURES: N/A

COMPLIMENTARY RECIPE: N/A

COMMENTS: We'll try the BBQ on our next visit.

Get This Amazing Southern Cookbook, Flavored with Love, Now!

Or go get The Collard Patch the only story cookbook devoted solely to collard greens and cornbread. If you think you don't like collards, you haven't tasted these collards!

We are available for professional mystery shopping for your restaurant either as a spot check or for a regular program of excellence.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: JR's Place, Simsboro, LA

RESTAURANT: JR's Place; Phone 318-247-6007

LOCATION: 1 mile south of I-20 Exit 77

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT:12-19-08

PRICE RANGE: Low to moderate

FAVORITE FOOD: Barbecued brisket

OTHER GREAT FOODS: Pecan and Cherry Cobbler

FOOD WE LIKED LEAST: N/A

MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: N/A

SPECIALS: Vary—call for current ones

APPEARANCE: Clean

SERVER: N/A

SERVICE: Good

UNIQUE FEATURES: N/A

COMPLIMENTARY RECIPE: N/A

COMMENTS: Good food, we'll be back.

Get This Amazing Southern Cookbook, Flavored with Love, Now!

Or go get The Collard Patch the only story cookbook devoted solely to collard greens and cornbread. If you think you don't like collards, you haven't tasted these collards!

We are available for professional mystery shopping for your restaurant either as a spot check or for a regular program of excellence.