Start - A Healthy Drive Thru? Yes, Please!

Haley and I had been wanting to try Start for a while now, but had heard mixed reviews. Not to be deterred by what we might hear, we headed out to Start one day after work to check it out. The whole concept of a healthy and environmentally conscious “fast food” restaurant was intriguing and frankly the menu looked yummy. We met at 6:30 on a Wednesday evening and there were several people in the restaurant. The décor was really nice and felt environmental with the wood and metal accents. There were several tables, booths and a counter along the window with electrical outlets underneath so you could plug in your laptop – good idea! They also have a little patio which would be really nice for good weather. Sometimes they even have live music. The menu isn’t huge but everything is some combination of organic, local, whole grain, free-range, grass-fed, nitrate-free, etc. This is a fast food concept you can bring your children to and feel good about it.

After dutifully stalking the menu online before we arrived, we already knew what we wanted. We walked right up to the counter and ordered. Haley ordered the Savory Chicken Tator, a baked sweet potato with Chicken, Spinach, Blue Cheese & Scratch-Made Buttermilk Dressing. She said it was very good and that the ranch was excellent. The blue cheese and ranch weren’t too overpowering either.

I ordered the PB & Banana Sandwich with Gluten Free bread and a side of baked tater tots. The PB&B came with local honey and the bread was lightly toasted so everything was just a little warmed up. It was very gooey and very yummy; the perfect nostalgic sandwich, which was exactly what I wanted. The tater tots were also really delicious. They were crispy and salty, and I couldn’t even tell they were baked. I really think they were the best tater tots I’ve ever had! Sorry, Sonic – you’re done here.

Haley and I both really enjoyed our food and although it is more expensive that normal fast food, you really do get what you pay for. There are alternatives for gluten free people, lactose intolerant people and peanut allergies. In fact, my sandwich was so good and comforting that I swung back by since our foodie adventure and drove through the drive thru for it! This is something I could get used to. My only question? When is the second location opening up!

http://www.startrestaurant.net/index.php

Strip Mall Success: Carrollton's Ethnic Cuisine

For our latest adventure, we headed to our hometown to try out Peruvian cuisine. Inca’s Café is tucked away in a strip mall in central Carrollton. It also happens to be a few doors down from one of our favorite foodie finds, International Bakery-Cuban Dulceria. We headed to the restaurant for an early lunch on a Saturday.

The first thing we noticed about Inca’s is the large menu with a variety of dining options. It took us several minutes to browse the menu and decide what we wanted to try. We started with a side of fried yucca. The yucca fries came out with two sauces, a more mild red and a spicier green option. The fried yucca was very enjoyable, and I particularly liked the green sauce.

I ordered the chicken empanada plate that came with rice, an avocado salad, and fried plantains. The size of the dishes at Inca’s are more than generous and we could have easily split an entrée. The empanadas were fried nicely and more herbaceous than others I have tried. I was surprised by the lack of spice used in the dishes, but I think that may be characteristic of Peruvian food. The avocado salad was irrelevant to me, after eating the slices I didn’t go back for more. The rice was tasty, but the fried plantains stole the show. They were the quite possibly the best plantains I have tried. They were sweet and flavorful and could have served as a dessert. Overall, I was pleased with my choice.

Sara ordered a traditional Peruvian dish called Lomito Saltado. The dish consists of sirloin, onions tomatoes, served over french fries. The dish was served with rice and a fried egg. Initially, Sara was confused as to what exactly she was eating. She kept saying that she liked it, but just didn't understand it. We later found out that the dish is a representation of the melting pot culture found in Peru: Latin and Asian.  After awhile, she thoroughly enjoyed it and I liked the few bites that I stole. Sara loved the rice and said that it was her favorite dish at the restaurant.

Even though we were stuffed after our meals at Inca's, we had to stop by International Bakery for dessert. Sara ordered a meringue with dulce de leche and I had my usual guava pastry. Sara said the meringue was more decadent than others she has had before and enjoyed it. I, as always, loved every bite of my flaky and delicious guava pastry.

We left feeling a little more prideful of Carrollton, knowing that we have found several truly unique and delicious restaurants in the area. You may have to sift through strip-mall parking lots to get to these delicious Latin destinations, but trust us it is worth it.  

Inca's Cafe

International Bakery