The Final Night

So, I would like to thank everyone for checking out Denton City Nights. it has been a while since I have posted here. With that being said, I have embarked on a new project, The Denton Traveler, and have come to expand this idea that I started with. This will be the last post I do here, the posts will stay up so you can enjoy them and read about the nights that I had. The new post will allow me to go outside of Denton and bring you some new places that have that fun local feel that I have come to truly enjoy about Denton. You can find the Facebook page here to keep up with me and all my travels and get even more of the things you loved about Denton City Nights. Again, thank you for keeping up and hope to see you out there soon.

The Denton Traveler

PS as always, tip your servers and waitstaff, they work hard for you out there.

The Denton Top 3: Hangouts

I am back, and I have been thinking about this for a while and thought I needed to express my confusion with what ideas keep coming out for restaurants in Denton yet they keep doing horribly. With the closings of Gold Mine Barbecue and Café Herrera as the latest victims, I start to wonder if people are just throwing out these concepts and thinking that the Dentonites will just flock to it if it looks cool or sounds interesting. I get a little upset that they think we as Dentonites are that mindless sheep. I digress, I just thought why not some of these ideas to fill those spaces.

#3 Tapas Restaurant:

So, there are a few out there, yet Denton does not have a great tapas restaurant on the square, it would work well, it would be fun, interesting, and a place like that would be nice on the square. With the small amounts of food and good clean cooking, someone could open a fun and great place that would cater to an upscale yet affordable food. You feel as if you are in a fancy place when you eat there yet you can have a lot of different menu items at a low price. Bringing your friends can be especially fun to share plates and get some different food.

#2 An English Pub: 

I think there should be a English pub that has more of a low key atmosphere. Somewhere there is not
loud music where you are having to scream to try and talk, Somewhere nice, quaint, and quiet that you can have a conversation and a drink. I know there are bars out there, but I would like a place that is more like a pub that is where you can hold a conversation. 

#1 Jazz and Blues Lounge:

This one is a given, with Denton being one of the places where jazz is a staple and blues has a place in the heart of all Dentonites, this is something that should be considered due to the UNT influence to jazz and legendary blues artists from this area including Tom "Pops" Carter. Now, I refer to a LOUNGE for a reason, there are bars out there, and there was an attempt at this a little while back, yet it went out of business due to other issues, I think it would work well if it was done well and managed properly. Something that brings a feel of the old jazz bars with a band and a small dance floor, with bands on a stage. 

These are just my opinion, but I think these are solid ideas for any young entrepreneur ready to make Denton city lights shine. Just some ideas that I think could work, comment if you have any suggestions that would be a good concept that you would like to see. 

And as always, when you are out, tip your waitstaff and bartenders, they work hard so you can have some fun.

The New Year, a New Beer

So, I have been trying to sample some new beers lately, I have found that some of the ones I gravitate to are either wit beers or stouts, I have yet to try a sour beer, until now. I have been talking to some of the guys at East Side Social Club (ESSC) to see what these are about, I have also done some research on these.

Now sour beers tend to be sour but with a bit of sweetness, normally with some kind of fruit. They are unpredictable due to the nature of the brew process, which introduces outside strains of yeast. Now most brewers will tell you that is not a good thing, but for these, it helps their fermenting process. I understand many people are going to comment and say, "Why do you want that to happen?" My reply, "To make it tasty my friends, make it tasty."

Anyway, there are a few out there and some that you should try, ask some of my good friendly bartenders at ESSC or Oak Street Draft House and give some a try. Go against the norm of the beer taste, see what else is out there. There is a growing popularity to these due to the likeness to wines and how they age and get better.

Remember, always tip your bartender.

Roumor Goin Round.... About That Little Shack Called LSA!

I look forward to a few things as a food blogger here in Denton, TX, one of those is a new restaurant, the second of which is a good burger, lately we have seen both which is at Lone Star Attitude Burgers. This place is great, featuring local music on the weekends on the top deck, a great decor, and a fun atmosphere. I have had some good burgers, but this place has excellent ones.

As you walk in, you notice a few things, the mural above you of past musicians from Texas depicted as a replica of the Last Supper, and the art above the bar created with guitars. Now if you look closer, all of the artwork is music, but also Texas local. The posters and music references are all Texas based, even Meatloaf, no, not your mom's meatloaf, the singer. The style and the menu has been designed all as a local Texas attitude, saluting the Lone Star State.

Now the food is great. To start, the chips and queso are unique, swirled with Dr.Pepper barbecue sauce. The Stevie burger is a wonderful blu cheese topped burger that can compete with some great restaurants. The mixed drinks are ok, some of our friends noticed they were not all they were hoping  for. But the beer selection is decent.

They also have an upstairs rooftop bar that overlooks the square. It is a great picture opportunity with the backdrop of the courthouse.  They serve a bit more upstairs, and have live music up there on the weekend.

So, in the end, a great place to mingle, eat, and have a good time. Have some fun, head out, and let me know what you think. Have fun!

The Whiskey Side

So, I have been out to the East Side Social Club where I decided to try a good whiskey and some scotch. Well, that had some pretty good conversation. We had a few that were interesting.

 One was a peaty, earthy taste called Laphorig 18 year. That was a tasty one, I sat with it for a bit just sipping it. The other two, which I went back later with my wife and had, was the Angel's Envy Whisky, one was the Port and the other was the Rum. The port cask has a bit of a sweeter taste, but the rum had a good bite to it. Something I would try again.

So, if you are looking to get into Scotch or whisky, check out the East Side Social Club for a bit of a lesson. I would recommend during the day, it is better to ask questions and the bartenders will be more focused on the questions you have rather than trying to ask during a rush (they will be more annoyed with you if you do this). So, be mindful of the other patrons, but if you are looking for something different, give it a try.

The New Frontier

I know I have been gone for a while and know that I need to keep up with some of these things. I also need to let you know I have been working on a top secr... well, not that secret, I have been creating a new company and trying to get my name out there. If you zoom over to Cup A Tech then you will see what I have been working on. 

This has been a long journey, if you want you can also see the Facebook page here. If you go, please hit the like button as a favor. I know, cheap plugs, I feel like a celebrity endorsing a book on The Tonight Show, "Yea Jay, I thought it was about time to do that." But I am working on starting this and helping people with ways to increase their small business potential. I will still do some of this every so often, so it is still going to be around, I think that it will be fun and exciting. So keep checking the blog out and my other blog, The Denton Traveler. I hope that you all have been finding spots and new places. There is soooooo much going on here in Denton. Our city council has done a lot to bring new business in and show the world what Denton can do. I am proud to be a Dentonite. With my guys at Armadillo Ale Works now have a beer in Kroger and VOTED the top new brewery in Dallas area, and new places such as East Side Social Club, Oak Street Draft House, Last Drop Tavern, oh how the face of Denton has changed. But always for the good. Check it out, let people know about Denton, TX, the best small town you ever will drive through. 

Mac the Cheese?!?

The other night I decided to get adventurous and go to Mac Daddy's on Hickory by the Fry Street area. This place is part of the new addition to Fry. Just down from Cool Beans, this establishment offers a fresh idea on an old comfort classic, mac and cheese. With different toppings, cheese, and cooking methods, they create different versions such as French Onion and the Monte Cristo. I know, strange but amazingly good. SO there are many other varieties even deserts that have been created. Head over and try it sometime for a taste of what use to be at home.