Chubby's Burger Shack

Presumably named after each customer who leaves, Chubby's is a new hamburger joint on Camp Bowie between 183 and Cherry. Chubby's has a western/sports/casual/fuddruckers style that screams "we're new but we look old". It works because they're in an an older area that doesn't have very much new development.

Chubby's is currently working on getting a license to sell beer and wine, but for now it has TV's, a cart of fresh toppings and baskets of burgers. Its a casual hamburger joint with a unique twist. The unique twist is that they've taken the fuddruckers approach to burger toppings by providing you with a cart of fresh toppings and a surprising variety.

On my recent trip, the Rangers game was on, some casual Texas country was playing and my waitress, Flo, called me "Hun". This is always a good omen. Especially for a burger joint. I took my seat at a table in the corner so I could leer at a nearby table. The options generally range from burger to cheeseburger, fries and onion rings, and a few other items. I ordered a 1/4 lb cheeseburger and a side of fries.

My stomach, however, ordered the Chubby Challenge. For those of you with larger arteries than me, this is your place. Right now, there is a 3 pound burger and 2 pound side order of fries, waiting for your domination. Eat it all and they name it after you as you're rushed to the hospital. If you fail to eat it, everybody in the restaurant gets to laugh at your shame. For those of you who are bad at math, a 3 lb burger equals twelve of the burgers I ordered. Twelve. I couldn't eat that in a week.

Anyways, Flo brought me a cup to fill up the soda of my choice at the soda fountain. Generally, I like waitpeoples to bring me what I'm waiting on, but I'm a fan of the refill at your own pace idea. Plus, it gave me a chance to check out the toppings cart. For such a small cart, there were quite a few options. You can add regular mustard, spicy mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onion, white onion, jalapenos, and pico de gallo to your burger. Quite a selection for a small cart, if you ask me, which you didn't.

The burger came and I went with a my favorite toppings. All of the toppings were of good quality and I have nothing to complain about except I would prefer fresh jalapenos over pickled ones. But again, nobody asked me.

Of course, toppings don't make a bad burger good. Not a problem here because my burger was terrific. The meat was well flavored and cooked perfectly. The bun was nicely toasted and the cheese was copious and meltious. I will go back just for the burger. I will also order the onion rings next time. The fries had a texture as though they weren't cooked enough. They were skin on fries so they could have been fresh cut (which would be great), but they were a bit raw (which is not great). The onion rings, based on my leers from across the room, looked awesome. They were stringy but friedy. Too of the more delicious adjectives.

The prices are a little high for the food, but the burger was definitely worth its cost. The fries would be worth a pass unless it was just opening pains. If you've been and had a better experience with the fries, please let everybody know.

Chubby's Burger Shack is located at 7618 Camp Bowie West. Let me know if you've been and had a different experiences.

Coming up soon - the Love Shack and my run in with Tim Love along with Cafe Bella.

Pak a Pocket

Need a lunch for under five bucks? Here it is, in the economically depressed area between Country Day and Mira Vista. On Bellaire, across from Country Day is a small shopping center. In the back, an affordable little jewel sits, and it has caught my heart.

To start off, a lot of people have asked me if there are places to eat for under five bucks. Yes, there are two places. Go to Pak a Pocket. Or I will sell you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for $4.25. Plus tax. Why are there so few options? Because restauranteurs know that you'll gladly pay eight bucks to enjoy a hot flavorful meal instead of your sandwich you made that morning while still groggy, that may have bottled tomato sauce on it instead of jelly. I'm the most guilty about this. I will spend hundreds at the grocery store to buy great lunch ingredients. I will make a delicious lunch with all sorts of unique parts. I will put it in the fridge at work and I will promptly forget about it when somebody mentions Carshon's. Now I have a new affordable place that will allow me to continue paying my mortgage.

Pak a Pocket was recommended to me when I was admiring a gyro. Gyro is pronounced "guy-roo" and its a pita filled with lamb (beef), tahini, spices, tomato and onions. It was created in Athens when Zeus demanded a food he could carry up Mount Olympus with him since he only had one hand (the other, obviously, was carrying his thunder bolts). I had the Zeus to go special, but before I get there, you need more information about the place.

This place has taken Zeus' mission to heart and serves everything in a pita pocket. They have typical sandwich fillers to put in the pita, taco stuff, greek stuff and even a vegetarian option. I said above that this place caught my heart. The reason is that the vegetarian option is fried. Brilliant. I could be vegetarian with that type of modification. Veggies and Meaties can travel like Zeus now.

The gyro was filled with all the stuff I mentioned above and was different than most others I have had. At Jazz Cafe, the gyro is served with a yogurt/cucumber sauce on the side. At Pak a Pocket, the meat was covered in a tahini sauce with large slices of bright red tomatoes and filled with a delicious blend of spices. The pita was soft and warm and the insides were delicious. Plus, it was $4.something for the pita. For less than five dollars you could have a water and a pita and enjoy a fairly large meal.

They have combo meals and specials on certain days that make some things cheaper. They also have a menu you can take with you so that you can get all excited about it at your desk (or mountain top).

If you've been and had something other than the guy-roo let me know if it was good. If you haven't been, take your chances but watch out for the Country Day kids....

The internets lie and say this is in Benbrook at 5512 Bellaire, but its really in Fort Worth (don't correct me - I don't take it well) at the corner of Bellaire and Bryant Irvin, across from Country Day and behind the car wash.

Tokyo Cafe

Are you looking for an affordable sushi place run by a couple Aggies? If so, Tokyo Cafe on Camp Bowie is the place to go. If not, you should stop reading now.

Why do I mention that its run by a couple of Aggies? Because football season is coming up and all of the Aggies in town will probably need a place to congregate if its another tough season. Well, all the yuppie Ags who eat sushi anyways.

Tokyo Cafe is just east of Merrick on Camp Bowie and is a very casual restaurant. If you've driven by, you already know how popular this place is. For those of you that have eaten there, you know how good of a value it is. If you haven't, we're all talking about you on the http://www.peoplewhohavebeentoTokyoCafe.com/ site.

If you've been to Piranha, you know they have a Dr. Fran roll, presumably named after Dennis Franchione. His doctorate was earned after he wrote a thesis on the viability of an all option team. Those of you from TCU will go only ot Piranha so you can bow to the roll of fran. Those from A&M will order the roll so they have something to spit on.

Unfortunately Tokyo Cafe has no Aggie themed rolls. They do have your expected line of traditional rolls along with a big selection of unique rolls. If you're not a sushi eater, Tokyo also has cooked items. I haven't had any of them so you'll have to try them on your own or wait for the comments.

When Mrs. FWHITW I went recently we tried three things. The steamed dumplings, the Tropical Summer Roll and a Rainbow Roll. We started with the dumplings because we heard they were delicious. Now you should go and try them because I'm telling you that they're terrific. The dumpling isn't slimy, and the pork with vegetables was deliciously flavored. For $3.50 they were a great deal and one of the better sushi restaurant appetizers I've had.

The Rainbow Roll was a compromise between the missus and I. She is expanding her sushi repertoire whereas I'm hard core raw so the Rainbow Roll gives me the raw option and her the ability to take off the raw option. This is a sushi restaurant staple and was as good as any I'd eaten before.

The Tropical Summer Roll was our opportunity to try something new. This roll has tuna, coconut shrimp, greens, avocado and some other stuff wrapped in rice paper. It's served with a strawberry type sauce and was a surprise win for us. It was all around good. The flavors of the ingredients were all present and the strawberry sauce was a great complement.

For the two rolls, dumplings, and drinks our total came to less than $30 with tip. Not a bad price for sushi. Plus, its in a great location over on Camp Bowie and it really feels like a place you can call your own. The servers and owners are friendly and seemed to know their regulars.

If you've been before, share the rolls to try. If you haven't been, you're missing out.

Tokyo Cafe is at 5121 Pershing Avenue, next to Fazekes fitness.