FIRST TIME VISIT!
This is a brand-spanking new business in my neighborhood on the Far Westside of SATX.
I had read reviews on social media from neighbors saying they weren't impressed but on a Saturday night with the anticipation of a Bears vs. Packers Playoff game and no dinner plans yet, I decided to make a hard left while driving home on Potranco and give this place a shot for take out.
THE LOCATION: Easy to find on the far left end of a strip mall that has just a few other businesses including a Dollar Tree and Mr. Teriyaki and several vacancies, too. (I love that my neighborhood is comin' up with the development of new retail and dining establishments along Potranco and near the 211!) TONS of parking.
THE MENU: Wow! I literally thought this was just a burger joint. I was delighted to see they had actual plates/entrees because I'm a "dine with a fork" kinda girl and my hubby can legit eat a burger every dang day of his life. Not I. So tonight, we both get what we want. The menu is comprised of burgers, brick oven pizza, salads, milk shakes and more. The cashier tells me you can mix the shake flavors if you like. And when she tells me that EZ's is known for their rosemary chicken, I'm sold. I order the 1/4 (white meat) chicken plate that comes with steamed veggies, a white rice w/black beans and corn and focaccia bread. The hubby gets a bacon cheddar burger combo and we each sample a milk shake, chocolate mixed with cherry for me and an Oreo cookie shake (cuz he doesn't take risks when it comes to food). LOL!
BONUS!!! They offer 25% discount to military and veterans!
THE SERVICE: First off, the cashier to (wo)man the front was extremely competent, gave me suggestions and made me feel confident in my selections. All the staff behind the counter was busy minding their tasks, busy hands, all movement. No one standing around twiddling thumbs. I love it.
THE SPACE: I was welcomed to sit and wait at a cushioned bench at the far end of the restaurant. I took advantage of the opportunity to check out the back hallway and women's restroom. The restroom, while mostly functional, was not impressive. At all. It didn't look like a brand new space in a brand new building, nor did it smell new or pleasant, has only 2 stalls, one of which was not in working order. The best thing about it was the pretty faucets. Mind you, the water was even slow to drain from the sink. Ick.
As for the dining area, it has a cool diner vibe. Nothing flashy, but a simple, modern space. I was happy to see almost every table occupied by chatting couples and groups. I'd say the noise level is pretty moderate. The kitchen is open and you can easily see kitchen staff preparing meals and shakes and popping pizzas into a pretty tiled brick oven. I also noticed metal silverware at self serve stations.
THE FOOD: I enjoyed the taste of my rosemary chicken. The chicken portion was off. It was like half of the chicken breast was cut away, with just the rib bones attached. I loved the crispy skin and seasoning. The meat was a bit dried out and I had difficulty swallowing it, literally choking once or twice, but I'd order it again to see if the experience gets better, ordering the dark meat instead. The steamed veggies were comprised of thinly sliced zucchini, carrot and yellow squash and tiny broccoli floret pieces. Very simply prepared but enjoyable. The rice was not very flavorful but I still enjoyed it. Also a very simple side dish that is combined with few pieces of corn kernels and black beans. The focaccia bread had a crispness to it that I loved. If you read my reviews, you know my favorite texture of food is crispy. :) My husband's burger was a very good size. He always leaves out the lettuce, onion, tomato and pickle so his burgers are usually pretty pathetic looking but this one still had volume. Impressive. He enjoyed his burger a lot and commented specifically on the taste of the beef patty after his very first bite. Our shakes were fine. I don't care for chocolate syrup in my shakes so I wouldn't do chocolate again as it tasted heavily of chocolate syrup, but the cherry was a nice touch! They use the juice from the maraschino cherry jar since they have cherries to garnish the tops of these frosty drinks. They didn't make my shakes to-go so I asked for lids and they weren't domed. Afraid some contents would come bursting out the sides of the lid, I ate both cherries and held my breath as those lids snapped into place. I also asked for a drink carrier and it is surprisingly heavy duty! Corrugated cardboard! See photo.
THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE: Good. I'd like to eat in-house next time and change up my food and drink order for a different experience. I hope they improve on the women's restroom. I will be back.
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