Out to Lunch at PINSTACK

PINSTACK is all about “fun awesomeness,” a high end entertainment venue with bowling, laser tag, bumper cars and an arcade–and a chef-inspired gourmet restaurant. Walking into the restaurant, it’s hard to believe there’s an arcade attached, unless you notice the pins decorating the walls. Though it’s all just a few steps away, the restaurant and the arcade are very different spaces. On one side, see light-up rock walls, top-of-the-line and one-of-a-kind arcade games, a laser tag field and a 28-lane bowling alley. Over it all is a ropes course along the ceiling.

Then there is the restaurant. It’s tasteful and surprisingly quiet, with chef specials on the walls and a view into the kitchen. PINSTACK also has wait service at the bowling alley, and the menu is so different from the bowling alleys of my childhood which served: “Hamburger. Hot dog. Nachos.” Instead, PINSTACK has chef-inspired meals and innovative, high quality food. They’ve recently expanded their menu and we were lucky enough to be invited to try it all out. Next time you visit PINSTACK, keep an eye out for these new dishes.

Baked Wagyu Meatballs

Baked Wagyu Meatballs come in a steaming bowl of house-made marinara, with a later of melted mozzarella and served with with toasted, buttered bread sprinkled with parsley. This was divine. The meatballs were so full of flavor and very tender. The bread soaked up the marinara sauce perfectly. This is comfort food at its finest. Wow.

Steak Fajita Taco Salad

The Steak Fajita Taco Salad is a bowl of heirloom cherry tomatoes, black bean and corn salsa, avocado ranch and flank steak served inside a seasoned taco bowl. The taco shell put all other taco shells to shame. It wasn’t just a fun bowl; it had a delicious flavor all its own and stayed perfectly crunchy too. The flank steak was well seasoned and the house-made avocado ranch was incredibly fresh.

Turkey Reuben Panini

This is PINSTACK’s Reuben, with a couple of important changes. It’s a house-roasted peppered turkey breast, with smoked fontina cheese, sweet & sour kraut, and a really addicting house-made Russian dressing. This spin on the Reuben was lighter and easier than its namesake, leaving more room for PINSTACK’s amazing fries. The peppered turkey was such a unique touch and it took it to the next level.

Crispy Chicken Cordon Bleu

Spicy coppa ham, baby swiss, jalapeño mustard … this Chicken Cordon Bleu goes the extra mile. The spice of the coppa ham isn’t overwhelming, even when paired with the homemade jalapeño creole mustard. The warmth of the spice is there without the watering eyes.

Whiskey Shrimp & Sausage Penne

The Whiskey Shrimp & Sausage Penne stole the show. It’s sautéed shrimp, Andouille sausage and fire-roasted tomatoes smothered in TX Whiskey cream sauce. Whiskey cream sauce is PINSTACK’s answer to vodka cream sauce, bringing the warm burn of whiskey to the table for a taste that was rich, mellow and wholesome with a spicy kick at the very end.

Braised Short Rib

One of the dishes that PINSTACK is most proud of, Braised Short Rib isn’t new, but it can’t be missed. It’s nicely seared before it’s braised low and slow in a Blood & Honey BBQ sauce with hints of citrus. Then it’s served on top of goat cheese mashed potatoes, the perfect savory accompaniment to bring out the sweetness of the BBQ sauce. It’s so tender you didn’t even need a knife. It just falls apart on the fork.

7 10 Ice Cream Bowl

This is a bowl of Neapolitan ice cream in its final, most dangerous form. It’s a giant brownie, topped with a giant chocolate chip cookie, topped with another brownie. Then come nine–yes, nine–scoops of Bluebell ice cream: Three chocolate, three vanilla and three strawberry. Then a veritable mountain of whipped cream and chocolate sauce. A pair of bowling pin shaped sugar cookies finish it, along with a chocolate cakepop for the bowling ball. You’ll need a whole table of hungry people to tackle it. It’s gigantic, fun, and the perfect reward for winning a game of laser tag in the arcade.

7-10-split_pinstack — 7-10 Split | Courtesy of PINSTACK

PINSTACK originally came to Plano as an entertainment venue geared towards kids, but it’s also become a hugely popular destination for corporate outings. For holiday parties, celebrations, team building and more, visit PINSTACK and reserve a meeting room, the VIP bowling lounge and more.

PINSTACK’s chef-inspired menu rocks. Come for the bowling, stay for the food.