Denton, TX - Any suggestions?

Omlette · 02-08-2010, 09:19 AM

It looks like I'll be spending some time in Denton for business in the next few months, nothing firm yet, but I was hoping to get hear any recommendations people have for hotels, restaurants, or any sights that might be worth seeing in the area.

I've spent time in Dallas before, but I doubt I'll have time to make the trip into to Dallas

Ned · 02-08-2010, 09:42 AM

I've only been to Denton once.

I don't know its name, nor if it's still there, but there was a great old fashioned soda fountain there. They had great ice cream, sandwiches, waffle cones, sundaes, splits, shakes and more, plus an old wonderful jukebox. I think it had a woman's name in the title.

I do remember the name of the restaurant I had dinner in; Metzler's. They had all kinds of fare. I had barbecue which was pretty good.

I was put up in the Hampton Inn. It was fine, and from what I saw at the time (4 years ago) the best place there.

I didn't have much time there, but I did go to the Denton County Historical Museum. It won't take a great deal of time to go through it, but I found it very interesting.

Being a northerner from a big city I did get eyed there, but I found people "willing to overlook that" (LOL). Actually, they were quite friendly.

Omlette · 02-08-2010, 10:04 AM

Thanks

I've been asking my contacts there for suggestions, sadly when I asked if there were any good restaurants they responded by listing off an endless number of chain restaurants.

If this works out, I could become quite the expert on Denton, at least 2 weeks this spring and talk of more to come.

Kairho · 02-08-2010, 11:47 AM

Yup, don't fergit the Olive Gardin. Y'all get them up north?

AaronK · 02-08-2010, 05:21 PM

It is my experience that if the locals recommend the chain places, might be a good idea to stick to them.

Unless of course there is a BBQ joint in town.

Gesualdo · 02-08-2010, 07:49 PM

Denton is full of chains and not a lot else in my experience. You want something else interesting, you gotta ask the college students. I know there were a couple of interesting gatherings planned for my group when I was just getting started on my graduate work, but I didn't participate in any of that because I always stayed with family when I visited.

But let me ask some of my contacts in the area. I've got a couple of colleagues that work at U. of N. Tx. I'll get back to ya if I get anything good.

Omlette · 02-09-2010, 08:27 AM

Thanks

I figure when I am there I'll start asking about BBQ, I love watching people argue over the best place, and of course trying all of them to decide for myself.

Of course being from NYC, it's all good BBQ compared to here.

tdew · 02-09-2010, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omlette

Thanks

Of course being from NYC, it's all good BBQ compared to here.

Growing up in Brooklyn - when we went to Long Island and had a barbeque - it was hamburgers and hotdogs cooked on the grill.
Actually, for me, it still is.

Ned · 02-09-2010, 06:32 PM

I'm with you on this, but when people in Texas, and the central part of the US say barbecue, I understand what that means.

Growing up in the Philadelphia area, when we went to a barbecue it was like yours, hamburgers, hotdogs, and chicken parts on a charcoal grill. The buns also went on the grill. If it was a special barbecue we would put a roast or a whole chicken on a spit over the fire and charcoal roast it.

I'll never forget a Boy Scout Jamboree we once went to at Valley Forge National Park (It was a state park then.). Our troop had about 80 in it. While our troop leaders were great, they also didn't like to do drudgery work. They also liked their comforts while we camped out. We were in pup tents (on air mattresses) in our sleeping bags. They were in walled tents, the kind you see for officers in WWII movies with sidewalls and flaps. They had cots for their sleeping bags, etc. They also had electric lights in their tents, run by a gasoline powered generator with a silencer they designed. It was very quiet and they turned it off at 10pm, anyway.

For dinner they rigged a spit over a charcoal fire that they kept going for hours, and put a geared electric motor to turn the spit slowly. The generator supplied the electricity for the motor which ran the spit. They put several big chickens and a roast on it and slow grilled it. Those dinners were amazing. These guys knew how to cook.

Oh, did I forget to tell you they also plugged in an electric fan to blow the cooking smoke away from their tents, and of course, plugged in a portable TV so whoever was cooking could watch the college football games while there. Somehow I don't think that Robert Baden-Powell every envisioned electric spits, fans, lights in tents, and TV for Scout camping trips, but our guys did.

Some Scout leaders were horrified when they saw it, and wanted our leaders to remove it at once saying it wasn't "Scouting!!!" Others wanted a copy of the silencer design for the generator so they could have one when they took the kids camping. They either hated it or loved it. There was no middle ground.

Around our house we have a gas fired grill piped directly into the house's gas pipes. We grill all year round; roasts, chicken, steak, duck, hamburgers, hotdogs, butterflied leg of lamb, kabobs, shrimp, salmon, various other fish, vegetables, and a few other items. On some we use "barbecue sauce" on some other sauces, or marinades.

We don't call it barbecuing like we did as kids though. Now it's just grilling.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdew

Growing up in Brooklyn - when we went to Long Island and had a barbeque - it was hamburgers and hotdogs cooked on the grill.
Actually, for me, it still is.

katroa · 02-09-2010, 09:08 PM

DENTON!..My neck of the woods...We lived just south of there for 10 years.

There is a BBQ place called Hickory Creek BBQ (south on 35...) that is good..place called Babes for Fried Chicken (outskirts of Denton). I'm not sure of local local places. They do have alot of chain places near the mall. If you mosey down to FM407 in Highland Village/Lewisville there are all kinds of local establishments.

University of North Texas is famous for their 1 o'clock Lab Band. They have performed worldwide. UNT has a top notch music school..might check inot performances of any kind while in town.

Don't know how busy you want to be..or how much free time you have..but sounds fun. I miss living there.

There is a Holiday Inn/Hampton inn..used to be another one like the Radisson, too. Not sure anymore.

02-08-2010, 09:19 AM	#1
Omlette Senior Member Member since: Jun 2009 Location: New York City Posts: 53 Rep Power: 29	Denton, TX - Any suggestions? It looks like I'll be spending some time in Denton for business in the next few months, nothing firm yet, but I was hoping to get hear any recommendations people have for hotels, restaurants, or any sights that might be worth seeing in the area. I've spent time in Dallas before, but I doubt I'll have time to make the trip into to Dallas Last edited by Omlette; 02-08-2010 at 09:22 AM. Reason: Font Issues

02-08-2010, 09:42 AM	#2
Ned Kishef macher Super Duper Über Poster Member since: Jul 2005 Location: Philadelphia, PA USA Posts: 16,687 Rep Power: 449	I've only been to Denton once. I don't know its name, nor if it's still there, but there was a great old fashioned soda fountain there. They had great ice cream, sandwiches, waffle cones, sundaes, splits, shakes and more, plus an old wonderful jukebox. I think it had a woman's name in the title. I do remember the name of the restaurant I had dinner in; Metzler's. They had all kinds of fare. I had barbecue which was pretty good. I was put up in the Hampton Inn. It was fine, and from what I saw at the time (4 years ago) the best place there. I didn't have much time there, but I did go to the Denton County Historical Museum. It won't take a great deal of time to go through it, but I found it very interesting. Being a northerner from a big city I did get eyed there, but I found people "willing to overlook that" (LOL). Actually, they were quite friendly. __________________ Ned [Visit my Travel Photography Blog, and Photography website NSL Photography]

02-08-2010, 11:47 AM	#4
Kairho Senior Ferroequinologist Über Über Poster Member since: Jun 2005 Location: Elsewhere Posts: 6,595 Rep Power: 416	Yup, don't fergit the Olive Gardin. Y'all get them up north? __________________ “Religion limits civil liberties for imaginary reasons. The surest way to lose many of our cherished civil liberties is to end the separation of church and state and let religious leaders determine the rules.” --David Drumm

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02-08-2010, 10:04 AM	#3
Omlette Senior Member Member since: Jun 2009 Location: New York City Posts: 53 Rep Power: 29	Thanks I've been asking my contacts there for suggestions, sadly when I asked if there were any good restaurants they responded by listing off an endless number of chain restaurants. If this works out, I could become quite the expert on Denton, at least 2 weeks this spring and talk of more to come.

02-08-2010, 05:21 PM	#5
AaronK Senior Member Platinum Poster Member since: May 2005 Location: Currently Massachusetts Posts: 1,586 Rep Power: 95	It is my experience that if the locals recommend the chain places, might be a good idea to stick to them. Unless of course there is a BBQ joint in town.

02-08-2010, 07:49 PM	#6
Gesualdo Senior Member Platinum Poster Member since: Jul 2005 Location: Somewhere in the middle Posts: 1,942 Rep Power: 107	Denton is full of chains and not a lot else in my experience. You want something else interesting, you gotta ask the college students. I know there were a couple of interesting gatherings planned for my group when I was just getting started on my graduate work, but I didn't participate in any of that because I always stayed with family when I visited. But let me ask some of my contacts in the area. I've got a couple of colleagues that work at U. of N. Tx. I'll get back to ya if I get anything good.

02-09-2010, 08:27 AM	#7
Omlette Senior Member Member since: Jun 2009 Location: New York City Posts: 53 Rep Power: 29	Thanks I figure when I am there I'll start asking about BBQ, I love watching people argue over the best place, and of course trying all of them to decide for myself. Of course being from NYC, it's all good BBQ compared to here.

02-09-2010, 09:08 PM	#10
katroa Travel Professional Gold Poster Member since: Jul 2007 Location: suburbia Posts: 947 Rep Power: 54	DENTON!..My neck of the woods...We lived just south of there for 10 years. There is a BBQ place called Hickory Creek BBQ (south on 35...) that is good..place called Babes for Fried Chicken (outskirts of Denton). I'm not sure of local local places. They do have alot of chain places near the mall. If you mosey down to FM407 in Highland Village/Lewisville there are all kinds of local establishments. University of North Texas is famous for their 1 o'clock Lab Band. They have performed worldwide. UNT has a top notch music school..might check inot performances of any kind while in town. Don't know how busy you want to be..or how much free time you have..but sounds fun. I miss living there. There is a Holiday Inn/Hampton inn..used to be another one like the Radisson, too. Not sure anymore.