74 GoodLifeFamilyMag.com SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2017 AMERICAN Kenny’sWoodFiredGrill Everyone loves Kenny’s restau- rants, including the Burger Joint, Italian Kitchen and Smoke House. What makes the Wood Fired Grill location perfect for date night, though, is its classy supper club décor and simply put, the food. Steaks, chops, burgers and fish are all perfectly prepared and delicious. Every meal starts with Kenny’s famous popovers and in our humble opinion, should include their half-pound jumbo lump crab cake. It’s too delicious not to order! Try a Grey Goose martini – their vodka is kept on tap at 28 degrees. Smooooth. 5000BeltLineRd. | Dallas (972)392-9663|kennyswoodfiredgrill.com LazyDogRestaurantandBar Reminiscent of a Jackson Hole, Wyoming après-ski lodge, this Addison outpost at the Village on the Parkway offers something delicious for everyone. From comfort food classics such as burgers and big salads to heartierfareincludingLambStroganoffandHousemaidVeggieLasagna, Lazy Dog feels like the perfect place to replenish all those calories you burnedoffontheslopes(ormorelikely,holidayshoppingattheGalleria). VillageontheParkway|Addison (469)754-1300|lazydogrestaurants.com NEWLISTING! Newk’s Fast-casual, healthy dining is, no doubt,quicklybecominga“thing” in North Texas, and Newk’s is an ideal place to jump onto that bandwagon. Everything here is made from scratch, and there’s something on the menu for even your pickiest eaters to love, from fresh salads, delicious soups, and pizzas to a plethora of drool-worthy sandwiches. There’s even a special menu section devoted to Mac & Cheese (we crave the Six Cheese Pimento with Bacon version). Dine in, orderonline,orcheckoutNewk’sGrab-N-Go. 5960WestParkerRd.|Plano (469)298-2071 6750GaylordPkwy.,Suite290|Frisco (214)494-4602|newks.com PDQ You know how it is when you’re hungry and want something quick, but you also want it to be on the healthier side, and, oh yeah—you don’t want to get out of your car? Think PDQ. While this acronym typically stands for“Pretty Darn Quick,”(and they are!) in this relatively new, but rapidly expanding concept, it stands for “People Dedicated to Quality.” While the menu is decidedly poultry-driven, it’s also surprisingly varied, with several good-for-you fruits and veggies tucked into unexpected but delicious places. Zucchini fries and Blueberry Coleslaw (try it!) sit unpretentiously alongside hand-battered chicken tenders served with made-fresh-daily sauces.The salads are generous, fresh, and filling, and tosatisfyyoursweettooth,tryahandspunmilkshake. LocationsinFrisco,Plano,Murphy eatpdq.com SixtyVines What could be better than a great glass of wine? How about a great glass of wine—on tap? Not only does this mean that each glass pro- vides the best possible taste at the perfect temperature, reusable kegs equallessspoilageandlesslandfill.Butlet’sgettothefood:Smallplates like Manila clams with creamy white wine chowder broth or wood-fired cauliflowerwithlemondillyogurtareperfection.Hungrierappetiteswill find plenty to choose from too, such as fregola served risotto style, then topped with crispy wild mushrooms. The burger, made with Akaushi beef, is something you’ll dream about later, and entrees, such as chick- en, fish and chops, are solid choices. Perfect for both large parties and intimategatherings. 3701DallasPkwy|Plano sixtyvines.com WhistleBritches The logo says a lot: Chicken. Biscuits. Beer. But what it doesn’t convey is that Chef Omar Flores and his team pickle brine each and every bird, creatingoneofthejuiciest,mostflavorfulchickenexperienceswe’veever had. And atWhistle Britches, it is all about chicken: half chickens, whole chickens,roastedchickens,friedchickentenders—evenchickensglazed withpomegranatemolasses.Sidesandstartersarecomfort-driven,such aspickledjalapenopimentocheese,servedwithsaltines.Ordeviledeggs with country ham.Three cheese mac. Grits with gouda. Are you hungry yet?Brunch,lunchanddinnerserved,alongwithaniceselectionofcock- tails,beerandwine.Dessertsarestraightforwardandtotallydecadent. 6110FrankfordRd. |Dallas whistlebritcheschicken.com ASIAN HowardWang’s While the Grills and the Brasserie offer slightly different menus, Howard Wang’sisfamousfornicely-sizedportionsofwell-seasonedAsianFusion food, served in a sleek, contemporary atmosphere. Large round tables makeittheperfectplacetomeetupwithfriendsafterwork,orhostabig family gathering. Whether you opt for something hearty, such as Kung PaoChicken,orBeefandBroccoliStirFry,orlighterfare,suchassteamed chickenandvegetableswithsauceontheside,you’resuretoleavesatis- fied.There’saniceselectionforvegetarians,too.Afullbar,includingbeer, wineandmixology-drivencocktails,roundsoutyourmealperfectly. hwrestaurants.com 4343W.NorthwestHwy.,Suite345|Dallas (214)366-1606 1471E.SouthlakeBlvd.|Southlake (817)488-4666 3223LemmonAve.,Suite103|Dallas (214)954-9558 Mr.Wok From Tom Chung Ramen to Egg Foo Young and everything in be- tween—everything is good. Do notmisstwooftheirmostpopular dishes: Peking Duck and Beggar’s Chicken. The succulent duck is carved tableside and made daily; when they run out, they’re out— sogetthereearly.Afterthemeat’s been carved, your server will ask whether you want the bones in a soup orstir-fried.Askforalittlebitofboth—you’llthankus.Beggar’sChicken is a whole chicken stuffed with Chinese sticky rice that’s been stir-fried with shallot, Cantonese sausage, veggies, and five-spice powder and then wrapped in lotus, bamboo leaves, and bread crust, sealing in the juicesandflavorsduringit’s22-hourbasting(yes,22).OrdertheChicken twodaysinadvance;it’sworththeforethought.BYOB. 260014thStreet|Plano mr-wok.com RoyalChina A family-owned Dallas favorite since 1974, Royal China offers an exten- sivemenuofpopularChineseandChinese-Americanclassics,suchasCa- shew Chicken, Mongolian Beef, and Shrimp with HoneyWalnuts—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) – each one gives you a wonderful, chewy bite of dumplingandinside,broththatismeanttobeslurpedonceithascooled a bit.This is the kind of place where you find yourself asking your server what the guy at the next table ordered, so you can have it next time. Serviceisexceptionallyfriendly.Fullbar,too. 6025RoyalLn.,Suite201|Dallas (214)361-1771|royalchinadallas.com NEWLISTING! SamuiThai Upscale Thai décor makes it a sophisticated option for evening dining but don’t overlook the lunch specials—generously portioned and very reasonably priced. Too many menu choices to decide? Start with the Original Sampler Platter with something foreveryoneinyourpartyincludingChickenSatay,SunWrappedShrimp, Calamari,BagsofGold,MonsoonRoll,SunshineRoll,andVeggieTempu- ra.BigBowlSoupsareamealinandofthemselves,andstandoutentrees includePadKeeMow(widericenoodles,eggs,basil,andveggiesinlight soy sauce and paprika) and Panang Beef (flank steak simmered in coco- nut panang curry).There’s also a nice cocktail menu—we keep coming backfortheLycheeMartini. 5700LegacyDr.,SuiteA1|Plano (972)398-2807|samuithai.com BARBEQUE 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 fea- tured alongside must-have brisket, sausage and ribs. Even sandwiches andsaladsgettheSmokeHousetreatmentwithingredientslikesmoked turkey and smoked bacon, and don’t miss the Smoked Gouda Mac n Cheese.Afamilystyleto-gomenumakesthisagreatpartyoption,too. 5760LegacyDr.|Plano kennyssmoke.com SMOKE What’snottoloveaboutSmoke?AtthePlanolocale,thefoodisdelicious, the service is spot-on, the décor is warm and cozy, and the beautiful, covered patios are romantic and also a great place for people watching. Andsinceit’sdatenight,afterall,don’tmissthefireroastedoysterswith scampi butter, chorizo and ash salsa. The Dallas location is smaller and charming with a retro feel (it’s adjacent to the Belmont Hotel), offering many of the same menu items as the Plano outpost and all of the same, excellentTexas-sizedhospitality. 2408PrestonRd.| Plano (972)599-2222 901FortWorthAve.|Dallas (214)393-4141|smokerestaurant.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 goodEATS Dining Guide Our editors scoured the greater Dallas area for tried-and-true dining destinations that are family-friendly (even teens!), affordable and delicious. Herearesomeofourfavorites.