Mediterranean in McKinney
Inspired by a comment on my last post on dining in McKinney (thanks, Shelly from This Eclectic Life), I paid a visit to Cafe Malaga Mediterranean Tapas Bar for dinner on a weekday evening, after arriving from Austin to help my daughter pack after completing her freshman year at Austin College in Sherman.
Originated in Spain, tapas are “small plates”—mini meals of vegetables, meat, seafood or a combination. I counted 28 of these on the menu, and among the items our group had were artichoke tapenade (kalamata olive & artichoke spread w/pita bread), smoked salmon crostini, roasted potatoes with roasted garlic aioli, chicken piri piri (hot pepper marinated grilled chicken breasts) and Spanish tortilla (a classic potato and egg dish). All were excellent, and we especially loved the smoked salmon for the smooth texture and subtle smoked flavor. We also indulged in dessert—chocolate-covered almond cake was my favorite. My daughter had what looked like a coffee martini, served chilled with a mint garnish.
The next evening, on our way home to Austin, we returned to McKinney for an early dinner and found La Misha, which also serves Mediterranean-inspired cuisine in an sophisticated-yet-inviting atmosphere. We started our meal with the smoothest, most flavorful hummus I’ve ever tasted, served with light, delicate slices of pita bread. I inquired about the flavored iced tea on the menu, and was offered a box of six different tealeaf samplings which to select (and sniff) from—I chose the pomegranate-infused blend, which was exceptional, and even more so with refills!
For entrées, we had crab cakes with saffron sauce, oven-baked chicken in apricot sauce and tilapia in creamy dill sauce. The crab cake was meaty and flaky, and the chicken was the right balance of slightly dry-to-moist that I prefer. There were some luscious cakes available for dessert in the display case in back and we split some carrot cake, moist and just sweet enough not to overpower. Once again, McKinney mesmerizes me with its culinary gems!
June 20th, 2009 at 5:04 am
Jane, thanks for the “shout out.” I’m sorry I missed seeing it for so long. I’m definitely going to look for La Misha the next time I go to McKinney. Another culinary gem there is Spoons. I visited and got the pleasure of eating in their newly opened “Garage”.
On the same trip, I visited the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary. What a treat that is! For such a tiny museum, they have some treasures. The trails at the Heard are well maintained and take you through woodlands, prairie and on a boardwalk across the wetlands. Just be sure to pack water, because this summer heat will knock you flat.