How to Write Bad Reviews Without Offending Everyone

One of the most shocking and sad things I have ever written as a food blogger was what I found myself typing to my future contributors about how to write a bad review or negative comment without offending everyone. As is the case with many written policies, my approach to giving something a bad review has evolved out of necessity from actual, unbelievable treatment I've experienced (see below).

That time when a restaurant— famous for filets dripping in roasted garlic herb butter— overcooked my order twice, so I decided not to post about it. (Don't worry, it wasn't in DFW.)

2012 Guide to the Best Fried Foods at State Fair of Texas

I've tried at least 21 fried foods at the State Fair of Texas, including all eight of the 2012 Big Tex Choice Awards fried food finalists. I've posted my photos and commentary in real-time all over the socialsphere, but I thought I'd pull all the links and comments together in one detailed page so you can choose which social site to drool, read, and share your favorites or create your own list of fried foods to try. Scroll down for Facebook, Foursquare, and Pinterest photo links. Up first are descriptions of this compilation photo…

The Rigging of "Best of" Food Contests

Is it right that a restaurant is bribing fans to vote for them in Dallas Morning News' "Best Burger in Dallas-Ft. Worth" contest? Check out Mooyah's Facebook Page timeline-highlighted, full-width post from April 4:

The Best Hot Chocolate in Dallas

I wrote a new feature article for ILiveinDallas.com today!

"As the weather gets colder and coffee shops get warmer, there is one drink on the beverage menu that doesn't get as much attention as it deserves— hot chocolate. As someone who has never liked coffee and didn't become a tea drinker until several years ago, I've drank a lot of hot chocolate in my life. The richness, viscosity, and presentation can vary greatly, so first, let's take a look at what makes a good cup."

Read the full article on ILiveinDallas.com.

How to Eat Free Food in Dallas on Friday

This article is part of my weeklong food blog series, "How to Eat Free Food in Dallas Every Day of the Week".

Friday is not a one of the better free food nights of the week. As far as I could tell, the options are limited to the restaurants that offer the same free food deal Monday–Friday: Blue Mesa Grill, and reportedly, Campisi's.

Blue Mesa Grill
I think every location of Blue Mesa Grill has been offering this deal since the beginning of time, A.K.A. when I arrived in Dallas four years ago. The deal is every weekday from 4-6PM (note the early end time), their bar features a self-serve chips & salsa station and a grill station with mini-quesadillas cooked-to-order.

How to Eat Free Food in Dallas on Monday

This article is part of my weeklong food blog series, "How to Eat Free Food in Dallas Every Day of the Week". Editor's note: Trece closed on Monday, August 1, 2011.

Monday is the best free food night of the week. Not only are there lots of restaurants with food specials, but there are two restaurants offering totally free, two-course dinners, with no purchase required! Check out my receipt showing "Monday Dinner" discount at -$47.95 in free food for two people! My friend wanted to buy wine, so that plus tip was our only expense.

The Best, Worst and Most Missed Dallas Restaurants in Social Media

Well folks, it's mid-2011 and by now everyone knows what social media is. Yelp hit 20 million reviews this month, Twitter is still growing, and everyone plus half of their grandmothers are on Facebook now. Social media is the easiest and cheapest way for a local restaurant to keep customers connected. Dallas is said to have more restaurants per capita than any other city in the U.S., so how do you think Dallas restaurants are doing with their social media marketing?

If you found this blog, then you're probably already a foodie using social media, so I want to hear your nominations in the comments section below. As a foodie and social media strategist, I am frequently searching for and tagging restaurants in my tweets and Facebook posts, so let me get the nominations going with my best, worst, and most missed Dallas restaurants in social media…

5 Foods Missing in Dallas

Dallas is one of the great food cities in the U.S., but let's not kid ourselves. We are severely lacking in a few major cuisines that can be found in many other parts of the U.S. These cuisines aren't based on regionally available ingredients, like oysters, so why aren't they in Dallas?

Perhaps, we get so fixated on our great TexMex, BBQ, burgers and iced tea, that we don't stop to think about what's missing. So let's do that. There's great opportunities here for anyone looking to open a new restaurant or food truck in Dallas. As you read this list, what other foods come to mind as M.I.A. in Dallas? Be sure to tell everyone with a comment below.

1. Real Pizza

Photo I took while eating the holy grail of real pizza, rated best in Cleveland, at Angelo's in Lakewood, Ohio.

10 Really Great Restaurants with Free Food or 1/2 Off Deals

Not only is Dallas a city full of great-tasting food, it's also a city where you can get some great food entirely for FREE, or at least 1/2 off—you just have to know where, when, and how to get it. I've personally tried most of these deals myself so I can vouch that they are for real. And there's one for almost every day of the week! Here's my compilation of the best-tasting weekly food deals in Dallas...

Sundays

1/2 off sushi rolls @ Kona Grill (during dinner hours only)

Kona's sushi is some of the best-tasting in DFW. They have a crab roll with tempura flakes on top that is unlike any sushi roll I've seen anywhere, and it tastes amazing. It's hard to believe it's only $3.25! The Philadelphia Roll was $3.00 and super fresh tasting. At these half-off sushi rates, my bottled tea drink cost more than one sushi roll! Two rolls is enough to feed two people, so a Sunday night sushi dinner date for two will cost you about $6.25. Dallas Foodie insider tip: sign up for their mailing list and they'll send you a coupon for a free appetizer, then next time you can get an appetizer AND two sushi rolls for only $6.25. I've done it! Location: inside Northpark Mall, on the north side.

What to Expect From This Blog Site

If you're looking for more insightful food reviews than typical bland comments like, "mmm this burger tastes great", then you've come to the right blog! Some of you may know me from my start on Twitter @Dallas_Foodie, and I hope you will follow me there and here. Although Twitter will remain my more frequent posting method, sometimes 140 characters just isn't enough to give you the whole truth (and all of my undercover iPhone photos) describing the taste, texture, and appearance of food, drinks, and my restaurant experiences around Dallas—and wherever else I travel.

In this blog you can look forward to many entries detailing my "Best of Dallas" food lists that I've tried and re-tested over several months. I'm actually a picky eater and a brutally honest person, so I'm not going to tell you something is the best in town unless it was really that good and I've compared it to several competitors. You can also look forward to detailed restaurant reviews, including the downright unflattering stuff, plus an occasional original recipe of mine and anything newsworthy in the world of food and drinks.

Your comments are appreciated and friendly debates are encouraged, so please subscribe to this blog now, and soon, you will be in-the-know about the best food spots in Dallas-Ft. Worth!