As many of you know, Jill -- the previous administrator of Cedar Hill Eats -- has relocated to Michigan. My name is Rebecca and I've volunteered to take over operation of the site, tracking down the scoop on Cedar Hill's food scene. I've lived in Cedar Hill for the past 11 years. In that time my family has visited virtually every restaurant in Cedar Hill (and if we haven't been to one yet, rest assured we'll be heading there soon.) If you run a restaurant or business that serves food, you'll likely be seeing me at some point over the next few months.

It's been a sad time recently for foodies in our area -- we've lost quite a few favorites, including Randy's Dog Pound, The Ranch Steakhouse, Sheridan's Frozen Custard, Longhorn Bar-B-Q and Petaluma Cafe. Of course, there's been happier news as well, with the opening of The Black-Eyed Pea, Burger Island (if you haven't yet been there, you're missing out), the upcoming Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins opening in April and rumors that a Del Taco might be in the works.

During these tough times, local businesses need our support more than ever. The restaurant biz is challenging even in a great economy. If you're going to eat out, Cedar Hill has plenty of great options, all with the benefit of being close to home. Eclair Bistro, for one, offers cuisine as good as or better than several of the priciest restaurants in downtown Dallas. And the Uptown Village location of Matt's Rancho Martinez has saved us many trips into the city. And when you're out and about enjoying a great (or not so great) meal, stop by the site and write a review to share your experience. I will occasionally showcase some of the best reader-submitted reviews on the home page and will hold prize drawings to reward those who make submissions.

I'm always on the lookout for news tips, so if you notice any new retail construction, an establishment that looks closed, or hear any restaurant-related rumors, please email me. I will do my best to confirm any information as quickly as possible. If you run a restaurant and have new menu items or a special promotion you'd like readers here to know about, let me know! And while I'll post updates here on the site, to stay up-to-date with the most recent developments, be sure to "like" Cedar Hill Eats on Facebook and/or follow us on Twitter!