Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Foodie Friday: Complete dining experience at J Macklin’s Grill in Coppell

almost couldn’t even wait until Friday to share with you how incredible our Foodie Friday experience at J Macklin’s Grill in Coppell was this week. Between all of the incredible dishes that Executive Chef Scott Hoffner planned and prepared for us as well as his incredible explanations and passion for his food – this was a Foodie Friday experience for the books!

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Executive Chef Scott Hoffner and Proprietor Todd Kerr

Before I get to telling you about all the fantastic food we ate, I want to share the story of how owners Todd and Holly Kerr came to create this fabulous restaurant.

Todd actually opened his first restaurant while he was in college (impressive, right?). After a couple of other restaurant ventures, Todd started his own catering company based here in the Dallas area which he named after his grandfather – Macklin’s Catering. When he and his wife Holly moved to Coppell and found that their catering business was really starting to take off, they decided maybe it was time to open a brick and mortar version of the company and called it J Macklin’s Grill. That was eight years ago and I know the residents of Coppell and its surrounding areas have been grateful ever since!

Almost exactly two years ago, Chef Scott Hoffner heard about the work that J Macklin’s Grill was doing and felt that it really aligned with his style and passion for cooking. So he approached the Kerrs about joining them as their Executive Chef and has been creating thoughtful, beautiful dishes for them over these past two years.

And now I get to tell you about what some of those dishes are and I cannot wait!

Chef Hoffner served us an array of their appetizers including: the Trifecta Tacos (Dr. Pepper braised short rib, brisket, and pulled pork tacos topped with fried onion, smoked gouda and an apple cider BBQ sauce); their Pan Seared Scallops served over a roasted butternut squash sauce; and the Harvest Salad made with roasted butternut squash, pickled red onion, grape, goat cheese, pepita, and a red wine vinaigrette.

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Each appetizer was so delicious and so unique and I love the care that Chef Hoffner puts into using only the best fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Once we were finished oohing and aahing over the appetizer course, Cheff Hoffner brought us a fantastic sampling of their entree menu. What I love most about their menu is that there’s something for everyone – whether you want something simple like a hamburger or grilled cheese or something more refined like their Atlantic Salmon or bone-in pork chop.

So, here’s what we sampled from their entree menu:

The Cowboy Burger made with Black Angus beef, smoked cheddar-gouda, sauteed onions, fresno chiles and a hickory BBQ sauce;

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The Jakes 50/50 Sandwich topped with pulled pork, bacon, havarti, sauteed onions & mushrooms, and a sriracha mayo;

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Their Chicken and Waffles served with a bacon-gouda waffle, fried onions, and spicy honey butter;

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The Jaywalker Tacos made with pulled chicken, a jalapeno-cilantro aioli, pico, cotija, avocado, and poblano slaw;

 

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The 10oz Brined Bone-In Pork Chop served with a goat cheese potato pancake and maple brussels sprouts and topped with a poached honeycrisp apple demi-glace;

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The Dr. Pepper Braised Short Ribs served over whipped potatoes and root vegetables and served with a red wine reduction sauce;

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And their very special Atlantic Salmon which comes from the Bay of Fundy near Nova Scotia and is served with green beans, a goat cheese potato pancake, and peppercorn beurre blanc. (By the way – we received a fantastic lesson from Chef Hoffner on how fish is supposed to taste and smell. Did you know fish should never taste or smell fishy? He said the salmon he has shipped in from the Bay of Fundy is so fresh that when he filets it, it actually smells like watermelon on the inside. Incredible, right?)

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I’m not even sure I could tell you which entree was my favorite because they were all that incredible. Although I’m pretty sure I want to eat the Short Ribs for my Christmas Eve dinner and I don’t think I’ve ever had salmon as incredible as Chef Hoffner’s Atlantic Salmon. But everything was truly special and you could taste all the thought and care that went into each dish.

As if all that food wasn’t quite enough – Chef Hoffner then brought us a couple of their desserts to try including the S’Mores Brownie and their OCBW Root Beer Float made with root beer made the old-fashioned way by Oak Cliff Beverage Works right here in Dallas.

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By the end of our meal, we were completely satisfied, happy and full. And ever since we left, I’ve been trying to figure out the soonest I can get back there to try out even more of their incredible menu.

Here are a couple of other fun facts about J Macklin’s before we wrap up this mouth-watering post…

Todd & Holly recently opened an event venue in Addison called Venue Forty | 50 where you can hold wedding receptions, corporate events, private parties, etc. All of the food is catered by their catering company, Macklin’s Catering, so… after reading this post, you know the food for your private event will be AMAZING.

If you want a private dining experience at J Macklin’s Grill, you can contact them about their Chef’s Table package. When you contact them, you’ll be able to discuss menu options, pricing, etc. They can accommodate up to eight people, but for four people, the cost starts somewhere around the $300-$400 mark.

If you’ve driven by J Macklin’s Grill on Denton Tap Rd in Coppell several times like we have over the years without stopping in, now’s your chance to fix that. Whether for a casual night out with the family, a business lunch or celebrating a special event, J Macklin’s can accommodate your needs. They call themselves the “Cheers” of Coppell, and I really feel like that’s true!

So, make an effort to try them out in the next week or so, and be sure to tell them that Jay Marks sent you whenever you go in!

*J Macklin’s Grill is located at 130 N. Denton Tap Rd Ste 120, Coppell TX 75019.

Jay Marks
Jay Markshttps://www.jaymarksrealestate.com/foodiefridaydfw
Realtor Jay Marks reviews local restaurants and interviews interesting people. Contact him today: 972-724-2540.

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