Rick’s on the Square

January 7th, 2011

Tyler Texas Bars and Music Venues I have to start by saying that Rick’s on the Square was a second choice, a B plan, for a lunch that went wrong.

As I rolled into the only parking space available in the square I was in no mood to be disappointed and left hungry again.

Upon entering Rick’s on the Square I was overwhelmed by the size of the place and the lunch crowd that had made it to a restaurant I had only heard of in passing.

Being led to a table near the outdoor area I was able to see to some degree the luxury that those who were seated there were given.

With fancy tablecloths and elaborate center pieces coupled with the outdoor beauties that only an outdoor space surrounded by walls can offer, I knew I was on the outside looking in.

The restaurant had a kind of jazz club feel to it, but in an area of town where the lunch crowd is a bunch of snoody lawyers talking about their recent boat purchases and the upcoming company retreats it feels a tad out of place.

The decor was really out of place, it was an attempt to look artsy without knowing what artsy looks like. I only had a few minutes to depict the atmosphere before my waitress arrived.

She handed out menus and took drink orders with fewer words than I thought possible. I was content with drinking my ice water and listening to the lawyers as I waited for her to return which took fewer than ten minutes. She took my order and once again disappeared and returned to fill my drink as I wait.

The order didn’t take nearly as long as I thought and the food was exceptional so I sent my comments to the chef via the waitress and I’m sure she probably just told him ‘good’, so that was the best I would get to him.

The bill came back larger than anticipated from a sandwich but was happy to pay it since the food did its job.

I was at Rick’s on the Square during lunch hours so I can’t speak as to how their later hour dining is, but I’ve been told its a social scene for singles in their twenties, and if that’s the case I’m sure I’ll be back there to socialize with the bright young minds of Tyler’s college crowds.

Tags: Atmosphere, Beauties, Boat Purchases, Center Pieces, Company Retreats, Fancy Tablecloths, Few Minutes, Jazz Club, Job, Lawyers, Lunch Crowd, Lunch Hours, Menus, Outdoor Space, Parking Space, rick eltife, Ricks on the square, ricks on the square tyler tx, Sandwich, Second Choice, Tad, Waitress
Posted in American Food, Bars and Clubs, Music Venues | No Comments »

Hairy New Rules

October 12th, 2010

Beards in Brookshires

While shopping at Brookshire’s Grocery Stores you may have noticed something different about the workers there? They are all hairy! New rules have been put in place at all the Brookshire’s and Super 1 Foods stores. All staff is allowed to have facial hair. There are still some pretty strict rules on how their employees groom themselves. Their rules include not allowing their employees to grow a full beard.

I really do not know how to feel about these new rules. Personally I do not really care if my cashier has a go-tee, or if the kid carrying my bags to my car has a peach fuzz mustache. The only thing that some what bothers me is the people that are handling my food. I do not want to open up my perfectly wrapped sandwich meat and find little hairs from some random guy’s chin. I, personally, think that if you are handling food that there should be stricter rules about facial hair.

These new rules are very interesting and I know that many of the employees are very excited about the freedom of their own grooming, but there is something unappealing about someone with ill groomed facial hair handling my food.

Tags: Beard, Beards, beards in Brookshires, Brookshires facial hair, Brookshires grooming policy, Cashier, Facial Hair, Freedom, Grocery Stores, Hairs, Hairy, Mustache, New Id, Peach Fuzz, Random Guy, Sandwich, Shopping, Strict Rules
Posted in Grocery Stores | No Comments »

Jimmy Johns in Tyler Texas

September 25th, 2010

Jimmy Johns is a delicious sandwich sub shop soon to be opening in Tyler Texas and several other East Texas cities. They are now open for business in the old Blockbuster location by Lack’s Furniture and Green Acres Baptist Church.

Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches

Keep an eye out for this new lunch time hot spot that will be competing against the likes of Quiznos, Subway, Jersey Mikes, and I think that’s just about it.

Oh ya, Brookshires, Wal-Mart, and Albertsons sale pre-made disgusting sub sandwiches. Why buy pre-made when you can get fresh to order sub sandwiches at Jimmy Johns in Tyler Texas.

Tags: Acres Baptist Church, blockbuster, Caption, East Texas, East Texas Cities, Furniture, Gourmet Sandwiches, Green Acres, Green Acres Baptist Church, Hot Spot, Jersey Mikes, Jimmy Johns, Lunch Time, Sandwich, Sub Sandwiches, sub shops in Tyler Texas, Subway, Tyler Texas, wal-mart
Posted in Fast Food, Restaurants | No Comments »

Eating frequently for weight loss in Tyler, Texas

July 29th, 2010

Nearly every fad diet out there will tell you to deprive your body of calories and exercise yourself to death in order to lose weight. Well, not only is this a sure recipe for failure, it is also dangerous for your health. Any weight you do lose will come back once you go off the diet, and you may even gain a few extra pounds because you have slowed your metabolism down so much. When you eat smart choices often, however, it sends a message to your body that it is getting all the energy it needs so there is no reason to keep storing fat.

The best idea is to eat smaller meals or snacks every 2-3 hours up to 6 times a day. Some people find this more difficult than it sounds because of busy Tyler, Texas schedules. Many people feel that they are stuffing themselves constantly and have difficulty eating as often as prescribed because they just don’t feel hungry. The idea, however, is to eat small portions, not 4 course dinners. Reach for a handful of grapes one time, a cup of low-fat yogurt the next, and maybe a small grilled chicken salad or sandwich on wheat bread for a more substantial meal.

Eating this way rather than the traditional “3 squares a day” will help to put your body’s metabolism into high gear and you will see pounds start to come off even with no additional effort.

Tags: Busy People, Calories, Course Dinners, Fad Diet, Failure, Grilled Chicken Salad, Handful Of Grapes, Health Weight, Lose Weight, Losing weight in Tyler Texas, Low Fat, Many People, Metabolism, Sandwich, Smart Choices, Snacks, Squares, Substantial Meal, Tyler Texas, Weight Loss, weight loss in Tyler TX, Wheat Bread
Posted in Self-improvement, Weight Loss | No Comments »

Chicken Express in Tyler

October 10th, 2009

It’s been said that if you want to start new business, or expand to a new town, find what’s already working there and do the same thing, only better. One of Tylerite’s favorite comfort foods (myself included), is fried chicken. There is definitely a crowded market for this southern favorite in Tyler Texas. In fact if you include Brookshire’s grocery, there are just about as many chicken joints as there are churches in this town. And like our churches, we all have our favorites. Of late I have become a devotee of one or Tyler’s newest chicken establishments.

Chicken Express was founded as late as 1988 in Benbrook Texas, and now operates more than a hundred franchises in four states. Each Tyler restaurant is independently owned and operated, thus insuring the local owners a greater stake in their own success. While the restaurant is technically considered fast food, the quality and taste far exceeds its competitors.

When comparing the food to places like KFC, the prices are slightly higher, but the chicken is juicier and more flavorful. The batter is lighter and crispier. When compared to Church’s Chicken, (who’s food I really like), C.E. is every bit as good but the stores are larger and cleaner, with more places to sit and relax.

My only criticism of Chicken Express is that the menu is relatively small. Don’t misunderstand, they do a few things and do them very well, but as someone who often finds it necessary to eat in my car or otherwise on the go, some kind of sandwich would be much more conducive to a busy on the go lifestyle. Fried chicken is not an easy meal to grab and go. But maybe that’s the point.

In spite of the small menu, I love this restaurant. Who needs national chains when you have a good Texas, company, local Tyler ownership, and classic southern fare? Next time you stop off for fried chicken, say, on your way home from church, give this new local business a try. I think you’ll find you have a new favorite chicken place. For the location nearest you, go to www.chickenexpress.com.

Tags: Benbrook Texas, Chicken Express Tyler Texas, Church S Chicken, Churches, Devotee, Establishments, Fast Food, Four States, Franchises, Fried Chicken, Joints, Lifestyle, National Chains, New Business, Sandwich, Spite, Stake, Success, Tyler Texas
Posted in American Food | No Comments »

Recent Posts

Rick’s on the Square

Hairy New Rules

Jimmy Johns in Tyler Texas

Eating frequently for weight loss in Tyler, Texas

Chicken Express in Tyler