Ever wonder what’s the best thing you can order at your favorite lunch destinations around East? Well, I took the challenge and went to 10 places near the school to create this compilation of popular/recommended dishes ranked worst to best (10 being the worst). That’s right, I tried out 10 different items from 10 different restaurants. Have a look at the feast that caused me happiness, stomach aches and weight gain.

10. Schiano’s Pizza (3.2 miles from PESH)

4011 E Renner Rd, Richardson, TX 75082

Chicken Parmesan Pasta

$8.99

When I asked for their most popular dish, the server recommended the Chicken Parmesan Pasta. It took quite a while to receive the supposed crowd favorite, despite business being slow. It consisted of a medium portion of spaghetti with two chicken breasts sitting on top. While it looked promising, I was not pleased with the dish at all, finding it a little odd tasting. It surprised me with an almost sweet taste, which is not something one would want in a savory dish. It just tasted off to me.

9. JK China Garden (3.5 miles from PESH )

4011 E Renner Rd #128, Richardson, TX 75082

Kung Pao Shrimp

$10.15

The man who I ordered from made me laugh the most. When I asked him what the most popular dish was he responded with, “Everything!” He was quite stubborn about telling me which dish was considered the best, as he thought it was too hard of a question. Ultimately, probably due to him being tired of me, he let it slip that he thought the Kung Pao Shrimp was pretty good, so I ordered that. Sadly, it didn’t cause much excitement when I took a bite. It had a generic taste, as if it came from any other Chinese restaurant. The sauce was gelatinous and heavy, with a taste that best describes sesame seed oil, although it is quite difficult to pin point a specific taste. That’s how generic it was. But, it did have a good amount of vegetables, which I enjoyed.

8. Country Burger (4.7 miles from PESH )

Parkway Plaza, 3115 W Parker Rd Plano, TX

Country Burger

$4.19

The Country Burger was basically a cheeseburger. I was surprised that this was their most popular burger, but the bun was soft and the meat was decent. If it counts for anything, it’s a step up from McDonald’s.

7. Nico’s Tex Mex (3.4 miles from PESH )

4101 E Renner Rd, Richardson, TX 75082

Enchiladas Poblanas

$8.99

The Enchiladas Poblanas is a dish that consists of two spinach and mushroom enchiladas topped with poblano sauce, which is a rich sauce containing poblano peppers. It comes with chips and salsa, although I was too stuffed to fully indulge. The enchiladas were smothered in the bland sauce, which was a bit overwhelming and not aesthetically pleasing. The only taste that stood out through the load of sauce was the mushrooms. It was an average dish at best.

6. Dona Mary (0.9 miles from PESH)

2200 Los Rios Blvd # 112, Plano, TX 75074

Huarache Mexicano

$7.99

Not much feeling towards the Huarache Mexicano either. The steak was done well and the bell peppers and onions that went along with it were grilled nicely, but the overall taste of it was average. The salsa compensated a bit. It just didn’t really grab my attention, especially when I was surrounded by other food options. It doesn’t help that it took so long to be prepared, being that it is a steak dish.

5. Lite Wok (0.7 miles from PESH)

2320 Los Rios Blvd Plano, TX

Orange Chicken

$6.22 (With Fried Rice and Egg Roll)

The Orange Chicken was good enough not to make me gag like orange chicken dishes usually do. I wondered why something so basic was the most popular dish. It wasn’t too sweet and the breading that surrounded the chicken was at a good amount in which it complimented the meat and over take it. However, the egg roll was bland and was barely filled with meat and vegetables, as a proper egg roll should be.

4. Napoli’s (0.7 miles from PESH )

4101 E Park Blvd # 120, Plano, TX 75074

Pepperoni Pizza

$3.25

Napoli’s also had a basic item as their most popular dish. This Italian restaurant offered me a slice of their pepperoni pizza and I wasn’t disappointed at all. It was just a good old-fashioned pizza, with an abundant amount of pepperoni and the perfect level of thin-ness. The size was good for the price too. I guess sometimes you can’t beat the classics.

3. Tokyo Hayaci (4.9 miles from PESH )

227 E Fm 544, Murphy, TX 75094

Bruce Lee Roll

$13.50

I don’t want to say that I judged a dish by its name rather than its ingredients, but when I was referred to the restaurant specials, which were the Fire Roll or the Bruce Lee Roll, I couldn’t turn down such an awesome name. And my choice didn’t backfire. The crab meat in the roll was very satisfying, but the fish roe and vibrrant pickled radish sitting on top of the roll really sealed the deal. I hadn’t eaten a lot when I got to this dish, so the first bite was heaven. Then again, I’ve always had a soft spot for any kind of sushi.

2. Yanni’s Greek Café (4.5 miles from PESH )

280 FM 544 #108, Murphy, TX 75094

Gyro

$5.41

Great food and really great service. Throughout my whole day of meeting with servers, the man at Yanni’s was the friendliest. All with a smile, he told me about the restaurant and how it was a good hang out spot for friends. He even got me excited for the gyro I ordered, their best-selling item. And there is no question why. Everything about the gyro was mouth-watering, from the savory meat paired with fresh onion, tomatoes, and lettuce, to the soft pita bread enveloping all the ingredients. The gyro was not only light and satisfying, but it came very quick. Which is good for PESH students going down FM 544 for lunch. Also, the hummus is a must try. The nice man gave us a whole to-go box of hummus samples to try with their delicious pita bread. That act alone won me over, but the gyro really takes the cake.

1. Casa Mama (2.0 miles from PESH )

1445 Los Rios Blvd #301, Plano, TX 75074

Lasagna

$ 10.50

Throughout the day, my question of “Can I have your most popular dish to-go?” was mostly answered with nervous chuckles and confused glances. But the waiter at Casa Mama gave me a sly smile and said, “I’ll surprise you, don’t be scared”, which of course, got me excited for something out of the ordinary. You could imagine my surprise when my receipt said I ordered lasagna. Mexican lasagna? I was weary of the choice he made, but all doubts washed away after the first bite. Holy guacamole. Its tortilla layers were stuffed with cheese, beans and chicken, all covered in a blanket of poblano cream sauce. Amazing. I never knew it could be done, and Casa Mama did it with a scrumptious flair that one remembers even after finishing the dish. It was the only dish I finished during the binge/review I was having. Even when I felt that I was at my limit, I still pushed through and finished the lasagna, because that is what it deserves.