This weekend I will be in Dallas, not my home anymore, but where I come from. I am asked all the time why I left Dallas (especially because I came to Houston!) and what I miss about it. Well I left because the boyfriend turned fiancee turned husband would only live in Houston, out of every city in the country. So it was Houston, or no Jeffrey.

And what I miss about Dallas is Northpark Mall (why can’t Houston’s Galleria be a complete square?), our friends, my parents, and a few restaurants. A weekend there every so often so I can get my fix is all I need! Here are the restaurants I miss most.

1. Snappy Salads

This place is the mecca of healthy salad bars. I don’t like the term “salad bar” for this place. It has different kinds of lettuce, a million vegetables, protein choices, a long list of homemade salad dressings, eco-friendly corn to-go cups, and recyclable to-go boxes. And if you don’t want to make your own salad, you can choose from their blackboard of combinations. And the bread of the day on the side. It’s just delicious. Please expand to Houston. I must have it everytime I go to Dallas. Oh wait–there’s more–they have a location inside Northpark Mall! I can go shopping, get my healthy salad in the “food court” of neat restaurants, and keep shopping. It just doesn’t get any better than combining favorites.

2. Sushi on McKinney

No website, but this place has been around since the 1980s I’m pretty sure. Their original location was very retro 1980s, a little smelly, and pretty much a sushi dive. But their rolls are the softest and freshest we had in Dallas. A definite favorite for sushi. Not froo-froo in their prices or their menu. Just good old-fashioned sushi rolls.

3. Eatzi’s

Oh how I miss leaving work and going to Eatzi’s to pick up dinner. Seriously I cannot believe Houston let this place close down. It’s like a little neighborhood market/fresh sandwich and salad bar/great breads/huge chef cases of prepared dinners. Loud opera music, tasty samples, patio seating. Just a great nightly stop.

4. Orange Cup

Yogurt shops aren’t a new trend, there are so many! Trying to keep my list local, I picked Orange Cup. They’ve got a great location inside Northpark Mall. And their cups are so pretty. They also print the nutritional information of your custom cup. It’s a tart flavored kinda place–no Oreo yogurt here. Fresh toppings made pretty on top. It’s nice to eat something so pretty.