GoodLifeFamilyMag.com JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2019 69 RoyalChina A family-owned Dallas favorite since 1974, Royal China offers an extensive menu of popular Chinese and Chinese-American classics, such as Cashew Chicken, MongolianBeef,andShrimpwith Honey Walnuts—and all are consistently delicious. But it just might be the noodles—house made, from scratch—that keeps existing fans happiest and newer ones clamoring for more. Try the Dumpling Sampler and/or Xiao-Long-Bao (soup dumplings), which are traditionally filled with pork, jicama and meatgelatin.Eachdumplinggivesyouawonderful,chewybiteofdump- lingandinside,broththatismeanttobeslurpedonceithascooledabit. This is the kind of place where you find yourself asking your server what theguyatthenexttableordered,soyoucanhaveitnexttime. 6025RoyalLn.,Ste.201|Dallas (214)361-1771 www.royalchinadallas.com SamuiThai Ifyou’relookingforgreatThaifood,steprightintoSamui.UpscaleThaidé- cor makes it a sophisticated option for evening dining but don’t overlook the lunch specials—generously portioned and very reasonably priced. Toomanymenuchoicestodecide?StartwiththeOriginalSamplerPlatter with something for everyone in your party including Chicken Satay, Sun Wrapped Shrimp, Calamari, Bags of Gold, Monsoon Roll, Sunshine Roll, and Veggie Tempura. Big Bowl Soups are a meal in and of themselves, and standout entrees include Pad Kee Mow (wide rice noodles, eggs, ba- sil, and veggies in light soy sauce and paprika) and Panang Beef (flank steak simmered in coconut panang curry). There’s also a nice cocktail menu—wekeepcomingbackfortheLycheeMartini. 5700LegacyDr.,Ste.A1|Plano (972)398-2807 www.samuithai.com Barbecue HutchinsBBQ It’s rare to find aTexan who doesn’t take BBQ seriously, but the Hutchins family manages to take it to the next level. Meats slowly smoked over pecan and oak woods and pits that run 24/7 ensure every pig, cow, tur- key and chicken tastes as mouthwatering as it looks. By the plate or by the pound, you'll find freshly made sausages, brisket, ham and ribs, and for goodness' sake, don't forget to add in a dozen or so brisket stuffed jalapeños (available on weekends). Sides are homey and filling, and the catfish—really good—is a nice alternative for any pescatarians in your group. 1301N.TennesseeSt.|McKinney (972)548-2629 9225PrestonRd.|Frisco (972)540-1920 www.hutchinsbbq.com Kenny’sSmokeHouse No doubt about it—Texans love barbecue. But the thing that makes Kenny’s Smoke House so special is that it offers more than just standard Texas barbecue fare. Tasty eats like smoky Pulled Pork Tostadas are featured alongside must-have brisket, sausage and ribs. Even sandwiches and salads gettheSmokeHousetreatmentwithingredientslikeSmokedTurkeyand SmokedBacon,anddon’tmisstheSmokedGoudaMacnCheese.Afamily styleto-gomenumakesthisagreatpartyoption,too. 5760LegacyDr.,Ste.4|Plano (972)473-7478 www.kennyssmoke.com Burgers GrubBurgerBar While this is definitely a darn good burger bar, a few surprises on the menu take it up several notches. For lighter fare, the Ahi Tuna Salad is tossed with a kicking-it wasabi-teriyaki vinaigrette. And you certainly wouldn’t expect Crawfish Pistolettes at a burger joint, now would you? Andthenthere’smade-from-scratchétouffée,wrappedinaFrenchbread roll and served with house made Mississippi Comeback Sauce. Veggie burgers are actually flavorful and a nice alternative to beef, as is the Jive TurkeyBurgerwithpesto,chipotleaioliandavocado.Optionalburgertop- pingsarefunandinventive,fromfriedeggstoghostchilisauce. 4925GreenvilleAve.,Ste.150|Dallas (972)370-3636 8255PrestonRd.,Ste.300|Plano (972)535-5157 www.grubburgerbar.com Hopdoddy Hopdoddybelieves“happyburgers”startwith“happycows”–humanely raised and without any added chemicals or hormones. In fact, just about everything at Hopdoddy is“happy:”local and organic vegetables, hand- cutfries,madefromscratchbuns(includinggluten-freeoptions)andcraft beers.There’snotableservice,perse,butstaffhelpsyoufindaseatandis morethan“happy”tobringyourefillsoranythingelseyouneed.Waitsat thePrestonCenterlocationcanbelongatlunchbutworthit. 6030LutherLn.,Ste.100|Dallas (214)363-2337 3227McKinneyAve.,Ste.102|Dallas (214)871-2337 5100BeltLineRd.,Ste.502|Addison (972)387-2337 www.hopdoddy.com Kenny’sBurgerJoint Whether you’re in the mood for a really great, classic burger like Zed’s Straight Up or something a little different like Mushroom Brie or Black & Blue (with Cajun spices and bleu cheese), Kenny’s doesn’t disappoint. Loaded Cheese Fries arethebombhere,andifyou’rere- ally feeling indulgent, don’t forget thethickcutonionrings—they’reepic. 1377LegacyDr.,Ste.120|Frisco (214)618-8001 5809PrestonRd., Ste.588|Plano (972)378-0999 www.kennysburgerjoint.com VillageBurgerBar Remember Monk’s on Seinfeld, the café where the group gathered reg- ularly to nosh and chat? That’s how it is at Village Burger Bar in Watters Creek. Yes, the food is stellar (Cheffed-Up Gourmet Burgers, Truffle Fries andDecadentShakes),butit’salsoaplacewherefamilycomesfirst.Many customers pop in several times a week to watch games and let the kids runaround.ItsAllDay/EveryDayhappyhourisalsoadraw. 957GardenParkDr.|Allen (469)854-6616 www.villageburgerbar.com Cafes,Diners&Coffeehouses BreadWinnersCaféandBakery Is your family having a tough time deciding what’s for dinner (or break- fast or brunch)? Bring‘em on over to Breadwinners. Southern Lump Crab Cakes with spicy remoulade? No problem. Free-Range Roasted Chicken with fresh herbs, seasonal vegetable orzo, and peppadew vinaigrette? Yep. Big, juicy Green Chile Jalapeño Bacon Burger? Of course! How about something more obscure, like Smoked Gouda Fondue with basil, or Pork Belly Sliders? Breadwinners has those, too. Don’t worry, if you’ve got a hankeringforbig,heartybreakfastitems,suchasBeemanRanchAkaushi StripSteak&EggsoroneofseveralEggsBenedictvarieties,youwon’tbe disappointed. Stop by the mouth-watering bakery on your way out for a littlesomethingtoenjoylater,allbyyourself. MultiplelocationsthroughoutDFW www.breadwinnerscafe.com CityCafé This neighborhood gem is a great placetoimpressout-of-townersin a fancy-but-not-too-fancy way. A classicinteriorandquietambience are the perfect backdrops to ex- pertlypreparedfood,startingwith the Signature Fresh Tomato Soup, moving right along to the Crab LouisSaladwithstackedavocado—simplytodiefor.Ifyou’realiverlover (lol), you’ll flip for the Crisp Chicken Liver Salad with baby spinach, corn andwarmbaconvinaigrette.Seafoodentreesareexceptionallyfresh,and there’sagenerousselectionofwinesbytheglass,too. 5757W.LoversLn.|Dallas (214)351-2233 www.thecitycafedallas.com Cindi’sNYDeli If you’re looking for authentic NewYork deli food, go to Cindi’s. Now. Oh, and it just happens to be owned by a lovelyVietnamese woman named AnhVo. House made bagels and breads, Reubens, patty melts, generous omeletsandmatzoballsouparejustafewofthethingsthatkeeptrans- planted New Yorkers and original Dallasites alike flocking to Cindi’s— morning, noon and night.The menu’s huge, so suffice it to say, if you’ve got a taste for something, Cindi’s probably has it—and it’s all good. Breakfastservedalldayandcateringavailable.Withlocationsthroughout theMetroplex,there’ssuretobeaCindi’snearyou. MultiplelocationsthroughoutDFW www.cindisnydeli.com CoffeeHouseCafé Thisistheperfectsettingfor“coffeetalks”withfriends,weeknightdinner with the family, date night or just about anything else. Coffee is Europe- an style, handcrafted, shade grown, mostly organic and all that—but there’s so much more.You’ll also see French press drinks, cold brews and pour overs, as well as delicious “adult” coffees, featuring tasty add-ins like Bailey’s, Frangelico and vanilla vodka.Why not stop in after a movie, whenyou’renotquitereadytocallitanight?Or,maybeyou’reinahurry? No problem; this place even has a drive-thru, offering both beverages and breakfast/lunch items. And pooches are always welcomed on the patio—aslongastheydon’tdrinktoomanyespressos. 6150FrankfordRd.|Dallas (972)232-2333 www.coffeehousecafe.com CrossroadsDiner Crossroads relocated to the north- east corner of Preston and Camp- bell, making this former Walnut Hill favorite even more convenient for North Dallasites. Yes, the fa- mous sticky buns are ooey, gooey, and over-the-top, studded with chopped pecans, caramel, and cinnamon—but this is a diner afterall. Youcan’tgowrongwiththemade-from-scratch,blueberrypan- cakes and hearty frittatas, but you’ll also want to try lunchtime fare such as My Mom's Egg Salad Sandwich on wheat toast or the sublime Crispy Fried Chicken and Warm Brie sandwich. Crossroads welcomes kids and large parties, and, while this busy place doesn’t take reservations, simply downloadtheNowaitappandyou'llgetatextwhenyourtableisready. 17194PrestonRd.,Ste.101|Dallas (214)346-3491 www.crossroads-diner.com DeliNews Sometimes,you’vejustgottahaveasandwich–areallybig,juicyoneon pillowy bread, piled high with deli meats, cheese and condiments. And Deli News, a true New York-style deli, restaurant and bakery has served the best for the past twenty-two years. They’ve got everything the ex- New Yorker is looking for: whitefish, chopped liver, pastrami and more. But they do dinner, too. Dine in or take out (they also cater) from their hot food menu including beef stroganoff, boiled chicken in the pot with matzo balls, stuffed cabbage rolls and braised short ribs. What are you waitingfor? 17062PrestonRd.|Dallas (972)733-3354 www.delinewsdallas.com goodEATS