Photo via Keith Lee on TikTok
Food critic Keith Lee, who has a staggering 15.7 million followers on TikTok, recently came to Dallas on one of his famous food tours. Lee has made his reputation by reviewing and drawing attention to locally owned restaurants.
While in the Dallas area, the 27-year-old visited several establishments, including (as of press time) Halal Fusionz, Hutchins Barbecue, Thunderbird Pizza, Terry Blacks, and Absolutely Edible Cakes.
The restaurants received largely mixed reviews from Lee and his family, with some scoring higher than others. Here’s how he rated a few:
Halal Fusionz
Halal Fusionz, a Pakistani Tex-Mex restaurant in Farmers Branch, serves an array of tacos, bowls, and quesadillas. Keith Lee ordered and reviewed several items, including Halal Fusionz’s paneer tikka taco, chipotle kheema taco, and its birria taco. Of the three, the chipotle kheema taco received the highest score—a 9.3 out of 10.
The restaurant’s owner, Ahmed Siyaji, told Lee that he opened the ghost kitchen in honor of his mother, who passed away last January. While visiting Halal Fusionz, Lee left a $1,000 tip for Siyaji, in addition to tripling a raffle prize Siyaji is currently running for customers who leave a review after their visit.
@keith_lee125 Halal Fusionz taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic
Absolutely Edible Cakes
Absolutely Edible Cakes, located 30 minutes outside of Dallas in Rowlett, received a glowing review from Keith Lee. The social media star sampled Absolutely Edible’s sweet potato thang (the bakery’s take on sweet potato pie) and red velvet cake.
The sweet potato thang received a score of 9.1 out of 10, and the red velvet cake received a rating of 9 out of 10 for the cake itself. Lee, who said the frosting was too sweet for his personal preferences, gave the overall treat a 7 out of 10.
After reviewing the sweets, Lee spoke with Absolutely Edible’s owner, Nikki J, and left her a $4,000 tip to assist with business.
@keith_lee125 Absolutely Edible Cakes taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic
Terry Black’s
Terry Black’s, a barbeque restaurant in Dallas, received mixed reviews from Keith Lee and his family. Both the mac and cheese and cornbread scored on the lower end at one out of 10 and 2.5 out of 10, respectively. Lee tasted a sampling of meats from the restaurant which rated more favorably.
The sausage received a 7.5 out of 10, the smoked turkey received a 7.9 out of 10, and the brisket received an 8.5 out of 10. Terry Black’s ribs received the highest rating with an 8.7 out of 10.
@keith_lee125 Terry Blacks Bbq taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic
