GoodLifeFamilyMag.com SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018 69 food, served in a sleek, contemporary atmosphere. Large round tables makeittheperfectplacetomeetupwithfriendsafterwork,orhostabig familygathering.Lunchspecialsareverypopularandincludeaspringroll or crab wonton and soup (dine-in only), and whether you opt for some- thing hearty, such as Kung Pao Chicken or Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry or lighter fare, such as steamed chicken and vegetables with sauce on the side,you’resuretoleavesatisfied. 4343W.NorthwestHwy.,Ste.345|Dallas (214)366-1606 3223LemmonAve.,Ste.103|Dallas (214)954-9558 www.hwrestaurants.com Mr.Wok FromTomChungRamentoEggFooYoungandeverythinginbetween— everything is good. Do not miss two of their most popular dishes: Peking Duck and Beggar’s Chicken. The succulent duck is carved tableside and madedaily;whentheyrunout,they’reout—sogetthereearly.Afterthe meat’s been carved, your server will ask whether you want the bones in a soup or stir-fried. Ask for a little bit of both—you’ll thank us. Beggar’s Chicken is a whole chicken stuffed with Chinese sticky rice that’s been stir-friedwithshallot,Cantonesesausage,veggies,andfive-spicepowder andthenwrappedinlotus,bambooleaves,andbreadcrust,sealinginthe juices and flavors during it’s 22-hour basting (yes, 22). Order the chicken twodaysinadvance;it’sworththeforethought.BYOB. 260014thSt.|Plano (972)881-1888 www.mr-wok.com 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, Mongolian Beef, and Shrimp with Honey Walnuts—and all are con- sistentlydelicious.Butitjustmight be the noodles—house made, from scratch—that keeps existing fans happiest and newer ones clam- oring for more. Try the Dumpling Sampler and/or Xiao-Long-Bao (soup dumplings), which are traditionally filled with pork, jicama and meat gelatin. Each dumpling gives you a wonderful, chewy bite of dumpling andinside,broththatismeanttobeslurpedonceithascooledabit.This is the kind of place where you find yourself asking your server what the guyatthenexttableordered,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 a Texan who doesn’ttakeBBQseriously,butthe Hutchins family manages to take it to the next level. Meats slowly smokedoverpecanandoakwoods andpitsthatrun24/7ensureevery pig,cow,turkeyandchickentastes as mouthwatering as it looks. By the plate or by the pound, you'll findfreshlymadesausages,brisket,hamandribs,andforgoodness'sake, don'tforgettoaddinadozenorsobrisketstuffedjalapeños(availableon weekends).Sidesarehomeyandfilling,andthecatfish—reallygood— isanicealternativeforanypescatariansinyourgroup. 1301N.TennesseeSt.|McKinney (972)548-2629 9225PrestonRd.|Frisco (972)540-1920 www.hutchinsbbq.com Kenny’sSmokeHouse Nodoubtaboutit—Texanslovebarbecue.ButthethingthatmakesKen- ny’sSmokeHousesospecialisthatitoffersmorethanjuststandardTexas barbecue fare. Tasty eats like smoky Pulled Pork Tostadas are featured alongsidemust-havebrisket,sausageandribs.Evensandwichesandsal- adsget theSmokeHousetreatmentwithingredientslikeSmokedTurkey and Smoked Bacon, and don’t miss the Smoked Gouda Mac n Cheese. A familystyleto-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 are the bomb here, and if you’re really feeling indulgent, don’t forget the thick cut onion rings—they’re epic. 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 CaféIntermezzo If you’ve been lucky enough to travel throughout Europe and find yourself longing for the dis- tinctive ambience of a Viennese coffeehouse, you’re in luck with Café Intermezzo. The word “inter- mezzo” means intermission, and in true form, this place provides a much-needed break in your daily routine.Whether you’re in the mood for a hearty breakfast served all day (how about a rich Crab and Sherry Crepe?), classic Croque Monsieur with ham, Swiss, Mornay sauce and mustard, or a charcuterie platter, you’ll savor every bite. If your sweet tooth is talking to you, you’ll find over 48 varietiesofhomemadedessertsdaily. TheShopsatLegacy 7401LoneStarDr.|Plano (404)835-3410 www.cafeintermezzo.com CityCafé This neighborhood gem is a great place to impress out-of-towners in a fancy-but-not-too-fancy way. A classic interior and quiet ambience are theperfectbackdropstoexpertlypreparedfood,startingwiththeSigna- ture FreshTomato Soup, moving right along to the Crab Louis Salad with stacked avocado—simply to die for. If you’re a liver lover (lol), you’ll flip fortheCrispChickenLiverSaladwithbabyspinach,cornandwarmbacon vinaigrette. Seafood entrees are exceptionally fresh, and there’s a gener- ousselectionofwinesbytheglass,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