Category Archives: weekend idea
Larry Likes Food: Mash’d
A Monthly Review of Restaurants, Pubs, and Other Eateries
By Larry Brantley
I know. I write my first restaurant review, I get a great response, and then I vanish
from the face of the planet. Where did he go? you were asking yourselves. What if
he’s in trouble? Like, what if he’s trapped under something heavy? Or was kidnapped
by a cult? What if he finally had to enter the Witness Protection Program? WHO’S
GOING TO TELL ME WHERE TO EAT?!?
Relax. I’m alive, I’m (relatively) safe, and this is where you need to have your next
meal:
Mash’d
3401 Preston Rd Ste 1
Frisco TX 75034
214.618.9440
You had me at “Moonshine.”
Mash’d is the brainchild of a fella named Robert Wechsler, one of those
entrepreneur types who start more businesses than I have brain cells. Anyway, he
used to dine out a lot at another joint in Frisco, a Mediterranean-Italian place called
TruFire, run by David Kazarian and Jay Clark. I’m not sure exactly how they came up
with a restaurant concept centered around 30 plus different flavors of moonshine.
But my sincere hope is that they were all hanging out one night, and decided to
watch Burt Reynolds’ brilliant performance of back-country moonshine maker
“Gator” McClusky in the 1973 film White Lightnin’. Because that kind of inspiration
would be awesome.
Probably that’s not how it happened. What matters is that, at Mash’d, it’s not just
about the moonshine. It’s also about the food. Me and a couple of close friends
dropped in recently – and we drop in as often as we can. Here’s just a couple of the
things we tried this time around:
I am an unapologetic queso snob. Mash’d makes some of the best I’ve ever eaten –
but don’t think Mexican, or even Tex-Mex. Think: New Orleans. To wit: cheese (duh),
Abita beer, Andouille sausage, pickled pepper relish, with house-made seasoned
tortilla chips for dipping (we added the pretzel bites to our order, because my friend
John is nutso for them), accompanied by three stout cocktails: a Pineapple Bomb,
an Illegal Endeavor (it’s not on the menu, you have to know about it, and you’re
welcome), and a 2 ounce shot of Midnight Moon 100 Proof Apple Pie Moonshine. I
will pause here, to allow you time to mop up the saliva on your screen…
By the time my entrée arrived, I was already in a very happy place. However, I
was skeptical about what I’d ordered, because it’s simply called House Pasta. My
experience has been, any time a restaurant uses the term “house” in a dish name, it’s
either going to be spectacular – or spectacularly awful. I wasn’t even going to order
it, but our server (Josh, ask for him, he’s awesome) talked me into it. And that is why
I will now take a bullet for Josh, if the need arises.
Because this. Right here.
The House Pasta is a campanelle (Italian for little bells), served with big ol’ Gulf
shrimp, chunks of grilled chicken, Andouille sausage (yes, I had it in my entrée, also:
don’t judge me), all topped with parmesan, and all swimming in a – wait for it –
brandy sriracha butter cream sauce? Yeah. These mad geniuses combined a 14th
century European liquor, and a spicy Southeast Asian hot sauce. With butter. They
should have called it Mad Genius Sauce. Ask for a couple extra pieces of French
baguette, because you’re going to want to sop.
You might be wondering what I had for dessert, so I’ll tell you. I had another 2 ounce
shot of Midnight Moon 100 Proof Apple Pie Moonshine. Don’t. Judge. Me.
A few weeks ago, Mash’d started serving Sunday brunch. Not happy to shovel out
the traditional, let’s-take-everything-we-couldn’t-sell-this-week-and-make-it-into-a-
cassarole fare, the dishes are all original. And yummy. I had the Benny’s Pot, a twist
on Eggs Benedict served in a cast-iron pot. Look up the description on their website,
because I’m probably already way over my word count for this article. Better yet: go
try it yourself.
Mash’d is a comfortable, friendly, upscale sports bar – which is how the owners
describe it. But it’s a lot more. At least for now, they haven’t skimped on anything.
And that includes service. When I find a server (or servers) that really make my
dining experience a complete one, I tend to marry them, in a way. They’re who I ask
for, and I happily become a regular. Ask for Suzanne (she serves, tends bar, and is a
floor manager), or Josh (the guy I’d take a bullet for.) If all of the staff at Mash’d are
half as awesome as these two, you’ll always come back.
I’m gonna see if I can convince them to do a “Gator” McClusky Night…
Where will you celebrate National Margarita day
Pretty weather and a great patio… Life doesn’t get much better! Rather you want to enjoy a margarita or just a glass of ice tea we have put together a list of some of our favorite restaurant patios (that happen to serve margaritas) in McKinney, Plano, Frisco, Fairview, Carrolton, Allen and Prosper.
Hope you can find some time to enjoy this beautiful weather and some great company on one of these patios this weekend!
It’s Pumpkin Time
Autumn at the Arboretum
Autumn at the Arboretum returns for another season of fall family fun. The garden will transform with thousands of blazing colored florals as over 50,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash come together to form the nationally acclaimed storybook pumpkin village. A multitude of special events will also be available on weekdays and weekends along with the hay bale maze, the great pumpkin search, and the Tom Thumb pumpkin patch.
Dallas Arboretum
Big Orange Pumpkin Farm in Celina
Pumpkin patch, petting zoo, hayrides, hotdogs, picture taking opportunities, and more!
Open Now until November 3rd.
5454 County Rd #126
Celina, TX 75009
972-382-4995 | Office
214-326-2706 | Mobile
Big Orange Pumpkin Patch
Pumpkins on the Prairie
While everyone can pick their favorite pumpkins, children will also enjoy playing in the bounce house, running through the hay maze and playing games in our “Kid’s Patch!” Plus, there are lots of picture taking opportunities with our fall set-ups and family-fun hayrides!
3521 Main Street, Frisco, Texas 75034
972.335.2882
Pumpkins on the Prairie
What are your Labor Day Plans?
What do you have planned for this Labor Day weekend? If your stumped check out a few of the things I found that are going on around town.
- Beat the heat and get in one last day at Hawaiian Falls. This is your last weekend to enjoy until they reopen next summer.
- Check out Legoland’s new Star Wars Display. http://www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/dallasfw/our-attractions/attraction/355/star-wars-miniland-model-display-episode-4.aspx
- Enjoy a free Concert by the Creek at Watters Creek in Allen TX from 7-10 Saturday evening.
- Escape the Heat and Check out the Perot Museum. http://www.perotmuseum.org/visit-the-museum/index.html
- Bring the family out to enjoy a great train robbery on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad on Labor Day. Train departs at 1:00pm from the Grapevine Cotton Belt Train Depot and returns at 6:00pm. http://www.grapevinetexasusa.com/grapevine-vintage-railroad/events/
- Watch a real cattle drive and a gunfight! Summer Gunfight Shows with The Legends of Texas – FREE, family friendly show. Show times are right after the Fort Worth Herd Cattle Drives! Sat Aug 31 & Sun Sept 1 @ 11:45 am and 4:15pm
Hope you have a safe and Happy Labor Day Weekend!
Around Town 