Grandma Rosie's a place for sweet treats, good eats in Plano

As spring and summer get closer and closer, fun and quick food is going to be increasing in demand. So, to check out the situation, I recently paid a visit to Grandma Rosie's Sweet Treats Ice Cream and Grill in downtown Plano.

Located on Route 34, the eatery features outdoor seating for sunnier days still to come, and interior seating for those looking for a bite to eat. Grandma Rosie's echoes the hallmarks of other local spots, such as Dairy Hut in Oswego and Brenda's in Sandwich, with more than two dozen sundaes, shakes and ice cream offerings, gyros, burgers, grilled cheeses, hot dogs, chicken strips and other classic fare.

Soon after ordering and finding a seat, my meal was brought out to me, something I found to be a nice gesture. While the interior of Grandma Rosie's is small, the lack of space is made up for with fluorescent pink table tops and black chairs, and a television playing the news.

I also enjoyed the small display, next to the counter, of the signature sundaes designed by Plano High School athletes. It was a nice touch, incorporating the community into Grandma Rosie's, something they do frequently through fundraisers and special offers.

For my visit, I chose to order two of my most favorite types of food: chicken strips and fried pickles, both with a side of ranch dressing, as is proper and appropriate.

The chicken strips were stellar, piping hot and thoroughly cooked. They weren't monster-sized strips like at some restaurants, and they weren't finger-sized strips from a fast-food joint; they were perfectly sized, large enough to rip if needed, but small enough to dip one strip into the ranch sauce – which also was absolutely stellar. The breading on the chicken strips was well-done, slightly peppery and floury, but not enough to be overwhelming, not thick enough to fall off of the chicken because of gravity and not thin enough to miss the crunch of the golden breading.

The pickle fries were amazing, and made in a way I hadn't seen before. Usually, when I come across fried pickles, they're in the form of chips or a whole spear. But the pickle fries at Grandma Rosie's were thinly sliced strips of dill pickle, battered and fried. The breading was, again, spot-on – not too thick, not too thin, not overwhelming with other flavors. And again, a perfect pairing with the ranch sauce offered at Grandma Rosie's.

Even though the chilly weather may have made it seem like a bad idea, I chose to order one of Grandma Rosie's specialty sundaes to close out my meal, and chose the Andes Mint Mountain, made with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, mint sauce and crushed bits of Andes mint chocolates. I think this may have been one of the only times I ever had a memory connected to food, as it reminded me of a similar dish I had on a very special occasion when I was growing up.

And isn't that the point? That we go to smaller, hometown places like Grandma Rosie's to make summertime memories of ice cream and fun with friends and family? Plano should count itself lucky that it has a place like Grandma Rosie's to provide residents with those opportunities. I expect to see traffic increase a great deal as the weather warms up.

• The Mystery Diner is a newsroom employee at the Record Newspapers. The diner’s identity is not revealed to restaurant staff before or during the meal. The Mystery Diner visits a restaurant and then reports on the experience. The Mystery Diner is not intended to be a restaurant critic, but does highlight the parts of a dining experience that he/she can recommend.