72 GoodLifeFamilyMag.com MAY | JUNE 2017 AMERICAN eight|11place Ifwalkingintoeight|11feelslikeyou’vesteppedintoafriend’shouse(in Austin),there’sagoodreasonforit:1)itactuallyusedtobeahouseand 2)thechefs/ownersarefromthere.Aclassic,intimateinteriormakesthis a very cozy place to unwind; or, venture outside and share a table with fellow music lovers. Menu items include Salads, Bites (think: Pimento CheeseSliders)andhousemadeFlatBreadssuchastheChorizoHerowith local goat cheese, red onion, cilantro and roasted yellow peppers.This is the kind of place where you can kick back and enjoy the cool vibe while sippingonwinesbytheglass/bottleandlocalbeersontap. 7080WMainStreet|Frisco (469)888-4037|eight11place.com Kenny’sWoodFiredGrill Everyone loves Kenny’s restaurants, 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 anddelicious.EverymealstartswithKenny’sfamouspopoversandinour humbleopinion,shouldincludetheirhalf-poundjumbolumpcrabcake. It’s too delicious not to order! Try a Grey Goose martini – their vodka is keptontapat28degrees.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 LyfeKitchen Struggling to eat more healthfully? Go to Lyfe! While this“health ca- sual”chain’s mission is to“create a dynamic synergy between greens, grains,proteinsandseasonalvegetables,”webelieveitstillhastotaste good and thankfully, Lyfe doesn’t disappoint. The menu is innovative but straightforward—nothing is fried, veggies are plentiful, and proteins are optional (and very reasonably priced). The sweet corn chowder with cashew cream is rich and filling, at a surprisingly low 164calories.Forheartierappetites,tryArt’sunfriedchickenwithroast- ed Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, dried cranberries and cashew cream sauce. And how can you not love a healthy food restaurant that serves wine and local pints? 1900PrestonRd.,Suite111|Plano (972)867-5933|lyfekitchen.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 outofyourcar?ThinkPDQ. 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. Bis- cuits. Beer. But what it doesn’t convey is that Chef Omar Flores and his team pickle brine each and every bird, creating one of thejuiciest,mostflavorfulchicken experiences we’ve ever had. And at Whistle 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 WholesomeGrub Theperfectplacetograbahealthy,heartybite(think:Paleo,gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan—but tasty) from the convenience of your car.That’s right—Wholesome Grub has a drive-thru! With reasonably-priced en- trees for breakfast, lunch and dinner, such as the turkey sausage bowl, green machine salad (so green and so good), grass fed bison burger ground with apple and rosemary and topped with fresh greens and av- ocado tzatziki sauce, there’s something for everyone here. Looking for a snack?Swingbyforanorderofhousemadehummusandflatbreadwith roastedredbellpeppersandtoppedwithfetacheese,redpickledonions andjalapeños.Freshpressedjuices,too. 4609W.ParkBlvd.|Plano (972)964-4782|wholesomegrub.com ASIAN NEWLISTING! HowardWang’s While the Grills and the Brasserie offer slightly different menus, Howard Wang’s is famous for nicely-sized portions of well-sea- soned Asian Fusion food, served in a sleek, contemporary atmo- sphere. Large round tables make it the perfect place to meet up with friends after work, or host a big family gathering.Whether you opt forsomethinghearty,suchasKungPaoChicken,orBeefandBroccoliStir Fry,orlighterfare,suchassteamedchickenandvegetableswithsauceon theside,you’resuretoleavesatisfied.There’saniceselectionforvegetar- ians, too. A full bar, including beer, wine and mixology-driven cocktails, roundsoutyourmealperfectly. hwrestaurants.com HowardWang’sChinaGrill 4343W.NorthwestHwy.,Suite345|Dallas (214)366-1606 1471E.SouthlakeBlvd.|Southlake (817)488-4666 HowardWang’sChinaBrasserie 3223LemmonAve.,Suite103|Dallas (214)954-9558 Mr.Wok FromTomChungRamentoEggFooYoungandeverythinginbetween— everythingisgood.Donotmisstwooftheirmostpopulardishes: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-fried with shallot, Cantonese sausage, veggies, and five-spice pow- der and then wrapped in lotus, bamboo leaves, and bread crust, sealing in the juices and flavors during it’s 22-hour basting (yes, 22). Order the Chickentwodaysinadvance;it’sworththeforethought.BYOB. 260014thStreet|Plano mr-wok.com NEWLISTING! 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, MongolianBeef,andShrimpwith Honey Walnuts—and all are consistently delicious. But it just mightbethenoodles—housemade,fromscratch—thatkeepsexisting fans happiest and newer ones clamoring for more. Try the Dumpling Samplerand/orXiao-Long-Bao(soupdumplings)–eachonegivesyoua wonderful,chewybiteofdumplingandinside,broththatismeanttobe slurped once it has cooled a bit.This is the kind of place where you find yourself asking your server what the guy at the next table ordered, so youcanhaveitnexttime.Serviceisexceptionallyfriendly.Fullbar,too. 6025RoyalLn.,Suite201|Dallas (214)361-1771|royalchinadallas.com TuktaThai Delicious food, a veggie-friendly menu (don’t worry, there’s meat too), brisk service and a putting green? Yes, a putting green (apparently, the owner’s daughter is quite the golfer so, there you have it). Quirkiness aside, Tukta Thai’s Pad Thai is one of Richardson’s best and the Curry Friend Rice and Pad Woon Sen are equally good. Its BYOB policy makes it a budget-friendly place to dine in, or skip the putting green and do take-out. 9625PlanoRd.|Dallas (214)342-0121|tuktathairestaurant.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 standardTexas barbecue fare. Tasty eats like smoky Pulled Pork Tostadas are featured alongside must-have brisket, sausage and ribs. Even sandwiches and salads gettheSmokeHousetreatmentwithingredientslikesmokedturkeyand smokedbacon,anddon’tmisstheSmokedGoudaMacnCheese.Afamily styleto-gomenumakesthisagreatpartyoption,too. 5760LegacyDr.|Plano kennyssmoke.com 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.