1/22/2010 300 Forks Gilmer/Longview

We had been wanting to try this place out since they opened because we both remember when it was RW Catering some 20 years ago. Plus we are always looking for a good place to eat close to home.
We arrived on a Friday evening around 5 pm to an empty place. There were wait staff that were eager to seat us. We were told we could sit anywhere we wanted. We chose a table along the back with the beautiful view of the pond and a spray of water in the middle of it. Since the sun was going down we quickly had to move to a more interior table to see past the blinding sun. I do have to say the back portion of the restaurant doorway has a sloping floor, like a small step, that I nearly fell changing tables. I was luck I did not fall on my face. I fear others might not be as lucky.
They have a wide selection of items on their menu. From CFS to Lamb. I stuck with what I know, steak. I was pleased with a choice of a 6 or 12 oz rib eye. I chose the 6, a loaded baked potato, and steamed broccoli.
A basket of sliced loaf bread was served before and during the meal. The butter that was with it was right out of the frig making it too hard to spread on the bread. My plate arrived with a small rib eye and the sides. I had again ordered my steak cooked medium but since the cut was so thin that made it almost impossible to cook that way. It was medium well because there was very little meat left pink and absolutely no pink juice. The edges were almost burned because of the thinness of the cut. There was a covering of peppercorn/garlic that encompassed the steak. It was a little on the salty side but I didn't have to add salt to my steak because of this. I also did not ask for A1 sauce. I felt it didn't need the tartness that the sauce would bring to the meat.
The broccoli was steamed perfectly. The florets were tinder while the stalks were firm yet completely cooked. How can you mess up a baked potato? They did a great job with the potato, it was very hot and fluffy. I could have used more stuffing but did not ask for more.
The owner came out and asked us how we enjoyed our meal.
My rating is a 3+.
She Said

HE SAID, SHE SAID has been wanting to try the new restaurant located at the old R&W Catering site on Hwy 300. This evening we made the short trip south of Gilmer and found ourselves at 300 Forks. Expecting a quaint little steakhouse, I found 300 Forks to be Old West meets New York City.

The dinning room atmosphere was rustic with it’s log cabin mystique, but a bit out of place with the “black tie” menu and wait staff. I believe the special of the night was Lamb Chops with something I cannot pronounce or spell.

The menu too was quite diverse with choices ranging from escargot to 300 Fork’s Ultimate cheeseburger. The pricey amounts beside each entree lead me to keep it simple with the chicken fried steak with mashed potato and red beans / rice.

Being the only two guests in the restaurant, I found the time it took to get our meal to be a bit lengthy. My chicken fried steak arrived with far too much batter and deep fried to an extreme crunch that made it even hard to cut with a knife.

The mashed potatoes were cold and had a strange “smoky” taste. The kitchen staff did make a special effort to meet my request for the rice to be cut from my red beans. I found both the gravy, batter and beans to be overly seasoned with black pepper.

SHE SAID can be so sweet and tonight was no exception with her allowing me to have dessert. I choose from the menu a slice of pecan pie and found it to be excellent. By far the best part of tonight’s meal.

With my choice of chicken fried steak and SHE SAID having a petite rib eye, I found the meal to be slightly over priced with the check hitting my wallet for $40.00 bucks. The restaurant may be new, but I find it to be over priced and out of place. With the owner commenting that business is slow, I predict 300 Forks to once again be a vacant building before HE SAID, SHE SAID considers a second trip.

HE SAID IT!

1/21/2010 Cheddars Longview

This decision was a last minute thing. On our way to a prior engagement we decided to eat at Cheddars in Longview. The location was our deciding factor. This day is a Thursday early evening which is not usually a blog kind of meal.
We were immediately seated upon arrival at 5pm. We did wait 5-10 minutes until a waitress approached asking for our drink order. Since we had been waiting with menus we were ready to order our meal along with drinks.
I decided on a dinner that I had previously enjoyed at a prior visit with friends to the same location. Key West Chicken & Grilled Shrimp. It came on a bed of rice with two sides. I chose steamed broccoli and sweet whole kernel corn.
After a brief wait our order arrived hot and for the most part as good as I had remembered from the last time. My chicken breast was covered with a Caribbean salsa made of pineapple, jalapeno and other jerk type spices and 8 small shrimp nestled on top of this main dish. There was a small cup of dip that was super tasty. It was a cross between sweet and tangy. Very Caribbean. The rice was not as interesting because it tasted like it was put on the plate to "look" good. The broccoli was very steamed. It was like I usually cook at home. It was overcooked for steamed but I ate every bit of it. The corn on the other hand was okay so I left most of it in the bowl.
My rating is a 4.
She Said

A drive back into Longview after work for a motorcycle club meeting brings HE SAID, SHE SAID to Cheddars. At 4:30 in the afternoon there was no wait to be seated, but as usual the service was less to be desired and we sat for several minutes before our server greeted us at our table.

Keeping it simple, I went with a combination dinner of chicken tenders and beer battered fried shrimp. The meal arrived in a timely manner and I found the platter to be filled with more than enough tenders and an ample number of shrimp.

The chicken tenders were lightly battered and slightly crisp. I found the honey mustard quite tangy, less sweet, but the combination was quite tasty. The beer battered fried shrimp were excellent and I would highly consider them for my next meal at Cheddars.

There must be a special occasion or I must have been a good boy as SHE SAID allowed us to share a dessert. Selecting the double fudge chocolate cake with ice cream proved to be an excellent choice. The cake was moist and more than enough chocolate with the icing being excellent.

The dessert too was more than each of us could split, so by the end of the meal, we both wished we had wore stretchy pants.

HE SAID IT!

1/16/10 Saltgrass Riverwalk LA

I had been looking forward to eating at Saltgrass for many months. I have grown to love this restaurant chain and try to savor it often.
We had planned on going into Shreveport this weekend and adding Saltgrass to our blog of fun times together. The drive over was nice but the weather did not hold up his part of the deal so the windshield wipers stayed on most of the trip.
We arrived around 3 pm and with umbrellas in hand were quickly seated in a busy yet bustling atmosphere. I ordered my usual, baked potato soup, a rib eye cooked medium and a loaded baked potato side.
I was at first a little put off when I ordered no lemon/sweet tea and a lemon wedge sat atop my tall glass of sweet tea. My dear husband removed it for me and our afternoon was saved.
My soup came out promptly and was excellent. The temperature was perfect and the proportion of potato chucks to creamy soup was great. I quickly emptied my bowl and enjoyed the bread that had been brought to our table. The crust was to hard but the honey butter made the middle of the loaf soft and delicious.
When my meal came out I was very nervous because I knew it was slated to become a blog and I wanted it to be great.
I was not disappointed. My steak was cooked a medium. I always order my steaks cooked medium because 90% of the time they come out medium well, the way I really like my meat. Now this rib eye was a medium, pink inside with pink juices. It was so tender that midway through finishing it I cut it with my fork. It had a good flavor that was made better with A1 sauce. I did find the pinkest part too pink for myself.
I had ordered steak fries as my side dish. I was not as pleased with that choice. The size of the potato was too large for me, almost needing cut in half to be a pleasant size. I will choose differently next time.
Overall this dining experience was a 4 and we will go back for more baked potato soup very soon.
She Said

A nasty rainy Saturday, so why not a road trip to Saltgrass Steakhouse on the Boardwalk in Shreveport, LA. Saltgrass is probably HE SAID, SHE SAID's favorite “chain restaurant” in regard to steak, so expectations are always high. I might as well have been smoking crack, because today I strayed from my usual selection.

Passing on my preferred sirloin cut, today I decided to sample a Saltgrass rib eye, cooked medium. For my sides I choose baked potato soup and steak fries. The meal arrived in a timely manner, but I found my steak to be over cooked to a more medium well with the center slightly pink with very little juices. Where’s the A-1?

The baked potato soup was excellently seasoned, but the chunks of potatoes were too large, causing the consistency to be not as thick as in the past. The texture and seasoning of the steak fries were inconsistent with some wedges being pleasant, while others having a bitter raw potato taste.

Needless to say, I was disappointed in today‘s dinning experience. But I don’t blame Saltgrass, I am more frustrated with myself by straying from my usual Sirloin and Bake Potato.

HE SAID

1/9/10 Papacitas Longview

This was the first dining out experience as a couple in 2010. It was a bomb, and I don't mean the good kind.
We arrived at Papacita's around 2:30 pm on a busy Saturday afternoon. We were seated immediately in a side booth that was a tight squeeze to say the least. We had hit the tail end of the lunch rush because most of the tables had not been busted and a lot of people were finishing eating.
Our waiter was eager...very eager. I don't mean he was checking on us every minute, but he constantly apologized for everything except the tight booth...
The chips were brought out with my water and the bowl of hot sauce was sweet just like I had expected it to taste. I love how the chips are peppered with spices. I dig out these chips and love the sweet yet spicy red sauce.
I ordered a cheese enchilada, no onions, with sour cream sauce with a crispy beef taco, meat and cheese only on the side. My dinner came with the traditional beans and rice as well.
My meal came out quickly enough and as I prepared my plate to eat I saw a dark hair weirdly placed right across my enchilada. It was hair from someones head that obviously did not have the proper hair net on.
My appetite was gone...
I did eat my taco which was overflowing with graded cheddar cheese and was to my liking.
I know that things like this happen and most restaurants have their failings but I have to give this Saturday dinner a 1.
I will return to Papacitas if not only for the chips and hot sauce.
She Said

While HE SAID, SHE SAID was in Longview shopping, we decided to stop in Papacitas for a little Tex Mex. First I must say I am not a fan of Papacitas and do not like the chips or salsa. The chips are far too thin, usually greasy and the red pepper and paprika seasoning is not necessary. The salsa is too sweet and taste like it should belong on a pizza.

I have not been feeling well the past few weeks, so due to a lack of appetite, I only ordered Beef Fajita Nachos. How can you mess up nachos? Papacitas found a way by overcooking the fajita meat. Tasted more like beef jerky nachos.....

HE SAID IT!