I'm finally getting back to normal, followers. Finally coming out of the daze I've been in due to Mom being in the hospital for two weeks. But she's home now and it's time to get back to normal. I actually slapped on some mascara, wore heals, and went out on a Saturday night! Okay, so I was home by 10pm because I was pooped. But I went out. In public. And I was nowhere near the hospital. WooHoo! WiDiDallas is back!
We went to Louie's on Henderson for some pizza. If you're trying to picture where Louie's is on Henderson, it's the bunker looking building on the south side of the street just west of Sunflower (fka Newflower) Market. Look for the sign with the martini on it. Louie's is a Dallas institution. It's been making people go to Henderson long before Henderson was cool. It was featured in 2009 on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtO7j9FJd0E Louie's definitely fits into the Dive category.
Now if you've never been to Louie's there are a few things you need to know. First, in case you weren't paying attention to the previous paragraph, it's a dive. Your napkins will come out of dispenser on the table. Your bar stool and table will wobble. The cloth seats on your chair will be stained, badly. So if you aren't down with the dive scene, go down the street and get your pizza chain experience on at Fireside. Don't worry about hurting Louie's feelings. Trust me, he won't care.
Second, be prepared to wait for a table. Louie's is always busy, particularly on the weekends. All sorts of folks come to Louie's. Families, singles, businesspeople. But tables turn fairly quickly so the wait is not too bad. And waiting is made easier because you'll get to drink a martini. A good one. They make it right and they make it cheap. But speaking of alcohol, the third thing you should know about Louie's is if you only drink draft beer, have a soda or go someplace else. No draft beer at Louie's. But there's a full bar and the wine's not all that bad.
Fourth, Louie's doesn't take anything but American Express or cash. The story is Louie got in a fight with the Visa/MasterCard people and he swore he would never use them again. He's lived up to that promise. Even Neimans will take Visa/MasterCard during the Super Bowl (yes, you read that right but only for a limited time), but Louie's will not make that exception.
But the most important thing you need to know about Louie's is it's some of the best pizza in Dallas. A cracker thin crust, a slightly sweet sauce, and really fresh ingredients makes it a pretty good pie. We ordered a large chicken and jalapeno and a large mushroom and green pepper pizza. The jalapenos weren't too hot and the chicken breast was cooked perfectly and cut in big chunks. Yum. I'm not a huge green pepper girl but they were sliced really thin and gave the pie a nice flavor. 2 large pies for 5 people was just the right size but if you have some bigger guys in your group, you might want to get just a bit more.
Louie's has other things on the menu as well. We always start with the Greek salad with lettuce, tomatoes, feta cheese, and pepperoncinis. Usually stellar, ours was way over-dressed and very soggy. Bummer. If you aren't into pizza, there's plenty of other choices for you. Pastas, burgers, seafood. I wish I could tell you what those other things taste like, but I just go there for the pizza. You should too. Just be sure you have cash or an American Express card.
Cheers!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Medical City Dallas Area
It's been a tough week for me, loyal followers. As I was sitting there, really enjoying Matt McCallister and J Chastain's Play Dinner at 2nd Floor, I received a text from one of my sisters letting me know my mom was being admitted to the hospital. It was quite a scary text and I immediately lost my appetite before I even got a chance to eat dessert. Bummer. It looked good.
We spent the next several days basically hanging out at Medical City while they tried to figure out what was wrong with Mom's ticker. If you are ever admitted to Medical City and required to eat from the cardiac diabetes menu (and I hope you never are), here's Mom's review of various items:
Chicken sandwich - she liked it so much, she had it twice
Pasta with meatball - When she first tried the meatball she insisted that it was too salty and forced my Dad to taste it to prove her point. After Dad told her it wasn't too salty, she believed him (wow, she must have been sick if she was listening to Dad) and declared it her favorite.
Pork chops - "Yuck"
Cottage cheese with peach slices - this warranted a wrinkled up nose with her tongue sticking out in disgust.
They have an option at Medical City where you can order your guests their own plate of hospital food for $8. As delicious as those pork chops sounded, I passed and explored some of the restaurants on Forest across from Medical City. There's actually quite a good selection.
Boston Market - In law school, I used to love Boston Market. It was well-priced for a student on a very tight budget. Roasted chicken, creamed spinach and cinnamon apples for under $5 (yeah, it was a long time ago). Plus that chicken was always so juicy, the creamed spinach was high calorie deliciousness, and I convinced myself that the cinnamon apples were "healthy". And the corn bread was sweet and oh so good.
Dad had requested that I bring him Boston Market when I stopped by on Sunday. He knew his exact order 3 Piece Dark with squash casserole and spinach. I ordered the white meat meal with mac n cheese and steamed vegetables. Dad liked his but mine was blech. Dry chicken, way too gooey mac n cheese and vegetables that had been steamed within an inch of their lives. And that corn bread I used to love, stale. So disappointing.
Asian Mint - The original and still my favorite. Unlike The Mint on Oak Lawn which has a blue, clubby theme, Asian Mint is green and zen. The two menus are virtually identical but Asian Mint has sushi. It was cold and I was exhausted and needed some comfort food so I ordered the pad see lew. Wide noodles with broccoli, bok choy, egg and black soy sauce with pork (or chicken, beef or tofu). So warm, filling and delicious. I also love the many different sea bass choices. You can get sea bass pan fried, crispy or steamed. My preference is the healthiest option, steamed with the lime lemongrass sauce with steamed veggies. Yum, might have to get that some time next week.
Mattitos - They have built a new one on Forest. I didn't go there because I couldn't quite bring myself to have some Bob Armstrong dip (which I love, love, love) while spending so much time with cardiologists. Mattitos is not the best Mexican food in Dallas but it's great for big parties and they do have a fantastic Sunday brunch (a little breakfast, a little Mexican food, and a chocolate fountain. What's not to love?). But we have about 5 more days at Medical City so I will probably be checking it out at some point.
Mattitos - They have built a new one on Forest. I didn't go there because I couldn't quite bring myself to have some Bob Armstrong dip (which I love, love, love) while spending so much time with cardiologists. Mattitos is not the best Mexican food in Dallas but it's great for big parties and they do have a fantastic Sunday brunch (a little breakfast, a little Mexican food, and a chocolate fountain. What's not to love?). But we have about 5 more days at Medical City so I will probably be checking it out at some point.
Dickey's - Bar B Que is such a personal thing. Your bbq preference is so regionally specific, it's a hard thing to review. But as we were all gathered in the Cardiac ICU waiting room yesterday waiting for mom to get out of surgery, Dickey's was the perfect choice. The family pack allowed us to get a little bit of everything so the entire family could enjoy something. The vegetarian got a baked potato (which she thought was very dry). The pregnant one got her chicken. Dad, who knows once Mom gets home he'll be eating nothing but chicken and fish for some time, wanted brisket and sausage. Multiple choices of sides - mac n cheese, corn on the cob, potatoes, baked beans. All tasty.
I think I can speak for the entire family when I say it was the best meal we had all week. Of course, we could have been eating the horrible food from the Banned List's Nick & Sam's Grill and I would have declared this meal fantastic. That is because the doc came by as we were finishing up and said Mom's valve replacement surgery was a great success and she was doing quite well. Dickey's is now my favorite bbq place ever! :)
Well followers, I'm really glad this week is over. We have a few more days in ICU, a few more days in the hospital and then Mom will be home where she belongs. Once she's home, I'm going to be very, very happy to put Medical City on the Banned List. This is the second time in two years my sisters and I have spent quality time together in that waiting room waiting for a parental unit to get out of heart surgery. No offense, but I never, ever, ever, want to spend any time there again.
I want to end this post with a personal note: Thank you to all who provided their good thoughts, prayers and support to me and my family during this trying week. It has meant the world to us and really helped us through this very tough week. And to my Mom, I love you more than words can say. You're the best and I'm so very lucky to be your daughter. Get better soon.
Cheers!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Trinity Hall, Public Transportation, and the AAC
I received a "day of" invitation yesterday to go to the Mavs game from B. I've known B's wife since college and B and I have become friends over the years. We first bonded over common political views then sports. B is always conning me into handing over my cash to play in one of his many sports pools that he organizes during the year (by "conning", I mean he sends me an email saying, Wanna join? and I say yes . . . and then lose in spectacular fashion. But I'm proud to say in the Pool of Greatness which just conclude I ended up winning . . . $1. Woo Hoo!). I hadn't seen a Mavs game yet this season, so I was happy for the invitation.
Now, B lives out in Wylie, a name which I think is roughly translated into "way too far north" so he takes the DART rail to the AAC. Since it was on the way, we met for dinner at Trinity Hall at Mockingbird Station. I haven't been to Trinity Hall in quite some time. I used to be there several times a month due to their good beer and whiskey selections and pub fare. Somewhere along the way, however, I stopped going. I think it was because the parking situation got really ridiculous on the weekends. Or maybe it was because I felt guilty eating fish and chips and drinking lagers in a restaurant that's right next to my gym. Who knows.
I ordered a Franziskaner and the reuben sandwich (New Years' Resolution to eat healthier be damned). The reuben was just okay. Not enough sauerkraut and really, really mild corned beef just kind of made it meh. I overcompensated for ordering this highly caloric sandwich by getting a side salad with a vinaigrette instead of the french fries I really wanted. The salad tried to be fancy with the addition of tasteless apple slices. The vinaigrette I ordered was so thick and pungent, I might as well have ordered ranch. Franziskaner was good though. :)
B ordered the french dip which looked a bit too cheesy to me. He also ordered a "gluten free" beer which I don't quiet get (it's kind of like having a "grape free" wine in my opinion). But that's a blog for another day.
Despite the food being just okay, I'll go back to Trinity Hall. It's a pretty good pub and their fish and chips are pretty darned good. It's a great place to watch soccer games (or a great place to watch guys watching soccer games if that's what you'd prefer) and they have a pretty good whiskey list. They have whiskey tasting menus which will allow a novice some pretty good tastes to figure out the type of scotch you enjoy (I found the tastings to be rather pedestrian but I'm a scotch drinker already). They also have a kids menu which is fabulous if, you know, want to bring your baby to a bar . . .
We then proceeded to Mockingbird Station to catch the light rail to the AAC. It was my first time on the light rail in Dallas. When you live in Lakewood like I do, there's really little need to take the light rail. By the time I parked, paid, and waited for the train, I could be at my destination and on my first drink by the time the train pulls out of the station. Plus, there's that whole urine smell thing . . .
We got to the Mavs game at the AAC. Went to get a beer and noticed an interesting item on the menu - a hot dog BLT. It's a hot dog, wrapped in bacon and deep fried, placed on a hoagie with lettuce and tomato (you know, to keep it healthy). Too full of corned beef to have a taste of that heart attack on a bun but I'd be interested if you've ever had it and lived.
Cheers!
Now, B lives out in Wylie, a name which I think is roughly translated into "way too far north" so he takes the DART rail to the AAC. Since it was on the way, we met for dinner at Trinity Hall at Mockingbird Station. I haven't been to Trinity Hall in quite some time. I used to be there several times a month due to their good beer and whiskey selections and pub fare. Somewhere along the way, however, I stopped going. I think it was because the parking situation got really ridiculous on the weekends. Or maybe it was because I felt guilty eating fish and chips and drinking lagers in a restaurant that's right next to my gym. Who knows.
I ordered a Franziskaner and the reuben sandwich (New Years' Resolution to eat healthier be damned). The reuben was just okay. Not enough sauerkraut and really, really mild corned beef just kind of made it meh. I overcompensated for ordering this highly caloric sandwich by getting a side salad with a vinaigrette instead of the french fries I really wanted. The salad tried to be fancy with the addition of tasteless apple slices. The vinaigrette I ordered was so thick and pungent, I might as well have ordered ranch. Franziskaner was good though. :)
B ordered the french dip which looked a bit too cheesy to me. He also ordered a "gluten free" beer which I don't quiet get (it's kind of like having a "grape free" wine in my opinion). But that's a blog for another day.
Despite the food being just okay, I'll go back to Trinity Hall. It's a pretty good pub and their fish and chips are pretty darned good. It's a great place to watch soccer games (or a great place to watch guys watching soccer games if that's what you'd prefer) and they have a pretty good whiskey list. They have whiskey tasting menus which will allow a novice some pretty good tastes to figure out the type of scotch you enjoy (I found the tastings to be rather pedestrian but I'm a scotch drinker already). They also have a kids menu which is fabulous if, you know, want to bring your baby to a bar . . .
We then proceeded to Mockingbird Station to catch the light rail to the AAC. It was my first time on the light rail in Dallas. When you live in Lakewood like I do, there's really little need to take the light rail. By the time I parked, paid, and waited for the train, I could be at my destination and on my first drink by the time the train pulls out of the station. Plus, there's that whole urine smell thing . . .
We got to the Mavs game at the AAC. Went to get a beer and noticed an interesting item on the menu - a hot dog BLT. It's a hot dog, wrapped in bacon and deep fried, placed on a hoagie with lettuce and tomato (you know, to keep it healthy). Too full of corned beef to have a taste of that heart attack on a bun but I'd be interested if you've ever had it and lived.
Cheers!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Parigi
So far, so good on my new year's resolution followers. This weekend, I attempted to try a new sports bar (but was thwarted by a sea of Badgers. No, really. Apparently, 1st & 10 was the official Wisconsin Rose Bowl watching party and had to change locales when there wasn't a seat to be had. I'll go back. It looks like my kind of place) and I tried a restaurant that I had never been to before -- Parigi.
Parigi is one of those places that I'm surprised I've never been to. It's down the street from my office in Turtle Creek. And I've had Janice Provost and Chad Houser's food before, just not at Parigi. The last time I went to 48 nights, they were the guest chefs and the food was so good and just so much fun. I then sampled their fare at CFF #1 and enjoyed it. But each of these events had a whole lot of wine associated with them, so I wondered if I would enjoy Parigi's food as much if I wasn't lit.
PMc had missed my birthday celebrations and wanted to take me out. Never to turn down a meal, particularly with one of my favorite people in the entire world, I readily accepted.
We arrived at Parigi within a minute of one another. I had just parked and was being stalked by the valet who informed me that if I was going to Parigi, the entire lot was dedicated to valet. Annoyed, I handed him my keys. Nothing is worse than valeting your own car.
We walked in from the back and I couldn't help but wonder if I could have avoided the valet issue by saying that I was going to the AT&T store next door, go through that store and enter Parigi through the front door instead. But, whatever, keys had been turned over by then anyway. Parigi is a lot smaller than I thought it would be. They make the most of the space but it sure is cozy. Made cozier by what seemed like 10x more staff than needed for this small place. I'm not sure why there's a host. Seemed like the bartender could have performed double duty just fine.
We looked over the menu. Lots of good stuff here. In addition to the regular menu, there's always brunch specials for the burger, omelet, fish, and risotto. We each chose a special. PMc chose the risotto which had chicken, mushrooms and asiago cheese. She let me have a bite and it was delicious. The mushrooms were so good, we decided they were made with crack although by the end of the meal we had determined that said crack was actually white wine and a stick of butter. My kind of crack!
I ordered the fish special. It was Scottish salmon with a butternut squash bacon hash and fresh veggies. Salmon was very nice but a bit overcooked for my liking. It was, however, was the butternut squash bacon hash that was the standout. Bacon makes everything better!
While were were eating, a couple walked in with a big white dog. I knew Parigi let dogs dine on the patio during nice days but inside the restaurant, hmmm? Well, it turned out to be a service dog, or at least that's what it said on its leash. It didn't look like any service animal I had ever seen and you would think a service dog would be trained not to lick its privates in a restaurant (we had an excellent view of this event) but decided to accept its leash moniker as fact. I'm now wondering if I can pass my mutt off as a "service dog" just by getting him a fancy new leash. Although since Mur does not fetch, knows no tricks (other than looking cute), and rather enjoys licking his privates in public, I'm thinking my scam would be noticed immediately.
After the dog seemed to settle down, we then ordered the dessert trio (it was, afterall, my birthday celebration and what better way to follow up a show than dessert, huh?). It contained smaller servings of the Chocolate Blob (which I think is just undercooked brownie), the pie special of the day, buttermilk (my favorite), and some ice cream. Everything looked so good that one of our fellow diners stopped at our table as he was leaving and said "looks like I forgot to order something." We didn't offer to share. We were enjoying it too much.
Glad I went to Parigi and will likely go back again. Even completely sober the food is great. You should try it too.
PMc pointed out to me this weekend that we had made a new years resolution together on NYE 2009 that we would spend more time together in 2010. I think it was the only resolution we both kept in 2010. I was so glad to start my 2011 with a great brunch at Parigi with her. Here's to resolutions worth keeping and making again and again.
Cheers!
Parigi is one of those places that I'm surprised I've never been to. It's down the street from my office in Turtle Creek. And I've had Janice Provost and Chad Houser's food before, just not at Parigi. The last time I went to 48 nights, they were the guest chefs and the food was so good and just so much fun. I then sampled their fare at CFF #1 and enjoyed it. But each of these events had a whole lot of wine associated with them, so I wondered if I would enjoy Parigi's food as much if I wasn't lit.
PMc had missed my birthday celebrations and wanted to take me out. Never to turn down a meal, particularly with one of my favorite people in the entire world, I readily accepted.
We arrived at Parigi within a minute of one another. I had just parked and was being stalked by the valet who informed me that if I was going to Parigi, the entire lot was dedicated to valet. Annoyed, I handed him my keys. Nothing is worse than valeting your own car.
We walked in from the back and I couldn't help but wonder if I could have avoided the valet issue by saying that I was going to the AT&T store next door, go through that store and enter Parigi through the front door instead. But, whatever, keys had been turned over by then anyway. Parigi is a lot smaller than I thought it would be. They make the most of the space but it sure is cozy. Made cozier by what seemed like 10x more staff than needed for this small place. I'm not sure why there's a host. Seemed like the bartender could have performed double duty just fine.
We looked over the menu. Lots of good stuff here. In addition to the regular menu, there's always brunch specials for the burger, omelet, fish, and risotto. We each chose a special. PMc chose the risotto which had chicken, mushrooms and asiago cheese. She let me have a bite and it was delicious. The mushrooms were so good, we decided they were made with crack although by the end of the meal we had determined that said crack was actually white wine and a stick of butter. My kind of crack!
I ordered the fish special. It was Scottish salmon with a butternut squash bacon hash and fresh veggies. Salmon was very nice but a bit overcooked for my liking. It was, however, was the butternut squash bacon hash that was the standout. Bacon makes everything better!
While were were eating, a couple walked in with a big white dog. I knew Parigi let dogs dine on the patio during nice days but inside the restaurant, hmmm? Well, it turned out to be a service dog, or at least that's what it said on its leash. It didn't look like any service animal I had ever seen and you would think a service dog would be trained not to lick its privates in a restaurant (we had an excellent view of this event) but decided to accept its leash moniker as fact. I'm now wondering if I can pass my mutt off as a "service dog" just by getting him a fancy new leash. Although since Mur does not fetch, knows no tricks (other than looking cute), and rather enjoys licking his privates in public, I'm thinking my scam would be noticed immediately.
After the dog seemed to settle down, we then ordered the dessert trio (it was, afterall, my birthday celebration and what better way to follow up a show than dessert, huh?). It contained smaller servings of the Chocolate Blob (which I think is just undercooked brownie), the pie special of the day, buttermilk (my favorite), and some ice cream. Everything looked so good that one of our fellow diners stopped at our table as he was leaving and said "looks like I forgot to order something." We didn't offer to share. We were enjoying it too much.
Glad I went to Parigi and will likely go back again. Even completely sober the food is great. You should try it too.
PMc pointed out to me this weekend that we had made a new years resolution together on NYE 2009 that we would spend more time together in 2010. I think it was the only resolution we both kept in 2010. I was so glad to start my 2011 with a great brunch at Parigi with her. Here's to resolutions worth keeping and making again and again.
Cheers!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
WiDiDallas' New Years Resolutions
Overall, 2010 was a pretty good year. It wasn't perfect by any means. Yes I made mistakes and there were things I would have done differently but I did a lot of things right, including indulging my inner foodie and starting this blog. But I'm always trying to grow (unless we're talking about my waistline, which I'm trying to shrink) so I like the idea of New Years resolutions and thought I would share mine with you.
1. Improve my wine palette. I love wine. A lot. I drink a glass of vino (or two, okay, maybe 3) just about every day. I know the basics. I can tell you when I like something and when I don't. I like Argentine and Spanish wines but couldn't name one and, in a taste test, probably couldn't tell you which is which (and if I did it would be complete luck, trust me). I'm completely clueless regarding French wines altogether. So how do I go about improving my palette? Well, I think one answer is . . . drink more wine! And go to things like Get Your Wine on Wednesdays at the Grape or Wine Chat at the Mansion. And start writing down what I drink and what I taste when I drink it. And . . . possibly convince one or two of the sommeliers who read my blog to take pity on me and tutor me on occasion ??? I'll buy. :)
2. Eat (or drink) at a place I've never been to at least twice per month. I'm like everyone else. I get in a rut when it comes to my nights out. This blog helps because I feel like I need to have a new foodie adventures to write about but, still, there's a whole bunch of places, new and old, in Oak Cliff/Bishop Arts I have never tried. Richardson has some amazing Chinese food places that are still foreign to me (ba da dum). And a bunch of new restaurants will be opening in Deep Ellum soon. Need to get out of my 3 mile radius and have some foodie fun! Who's in?
3. Be more adventurous in my food orders. This resolution may come as a surprise to those who know me. I'm one of the least picky eaters on the planet so if something is put in front of me, I'm going to try it and probably like it. I love going to wine dinners and the like because the chef gets to choose what I eat and I find myself eating things I would have never tried otherwise. But when it comes to me actually ordering for myself, I tend to select what I know I will like, rather than what looks interesting. Going to change that in 2011. I'm sure I'll be disappointed a time or two but I may find my new favorite dish in the process. It's all about the adventure, right? Besides, it will give me some funny stories to write about I'm sure.
4. Find a sports bar that I love to go to. I'm a sports girl. Screw the Today Show, I watch ESPN every morning. I love, love, love football (sigh, Cowboys). Come March, I will become obsessed with my brackets (yes, plural) I am always in some sort of sports pool (and usually owing money in the end) and post-season baseball is one of my favorite things in the world (go Rangers!). But, alas, I have yet to find a sports bar in Dallas that I can call mine. I've tried Frankies, Christies and the MAT but I don't feel the love. Need to get out and try a few more. Any recommendations would be appreciated.
5. Cook more. Being in a state of perpetual singleness (again, sorry Mom), I don't cook much at home for myself. Mainly because I hate doing the cleanup. But I love to cook and, when I set my mind to it, I'm pretty good at it. And I love to throw a party. Soooo . . . more dinner parties at my house are in order for 2011!!! Let me know if you'd like an invitation. :)
Wishing you all a very fun and safe end to 2010 (remember, taxis or designated drivers are your friends on NYE) and a glorious 2011. Cheers!
1. Improve my wine palette. I love wine. A lot. I drink a glass of vino (or two, okay, maybe 3) just about every day. I know the basics. I can tell you when I like something and when I don't. I like Argentine and Spanish wines but couldn't name one and, in a taste test, probably couldn't tell you which is which (and if I did it would be complete luck, trust me). I'm completely clueless regarding French wines altogether. So how do I go about improving my palette? Well, I think one answer is . . . drink more wine! And go to things like Get Your Wine on Wednesdays at the Grape or Wine Chat at the Mansion. And start writing down what I drink and what I taste when I drink it. And . . . possibly convince one or two of the sommeliers who read my blog to take pity on me and tutor me on occasion ??? I'll buy. :)
2. Eat (or drink) at a place I've never been to at least twice per month. I'm like everyone else. I get in a rut when it comes to my nights out. This blog helps because I feel like I need to have a new foodie adventures to write about but, still, there's a whole bunch of places, new and old, in Oak Cliff/Bishop Arts I have never tried. Richardson has some amazing Chinese food places that are still foreign to me (ba da dum). And a bunch of new restaurants will be opening in Deep Ellum soon. Need to get out of my 3 mile radius and have some foodie fun! Who's in?
3. Be more adventurous in my food orders. This resolution may come as a surprise to those who know me. I'm one of the least picky eaters on the planet so if something is put in front of me, I'm going to try it and probably like it. I love going to wine dinners and the like because the chef gets to choose what I eat and I find myself eating things I would have never tried otherwise. But when it comes to me actually ordering for myself, I tend to select what I know I will like, rather than what looks interesting. Going to change that in 2011. I'm sure I'll be disappointed a time or two but I may find my new favorite dish in the process. It's all about the adventure, right? Besides, it will give me some funny stories to write about I'm sure.
4. Find a sports bar that I love to go to. I'm a sports girl. Screw the Today Show, I watch ESPN every morning. I love, love, love football (sigh, Cowboys). Come March, I will become obsessed with my brackets (yes, plural) I am always in some sort of sports pool (and usually owing money in the end) and post-season baseball is one of my favorite things in the world (go Rangers!). But, alas, I have yet to find a sports bar in Dallas that I can call mine. I've tried Frankies, Christies and the MAT but I don't feel the love. Need to get out and try a few more. Any recommendations would be appreciated.
5. Cook more. Being in a state of perpetual singleness (again, sorry Mom), I don't cook much at home for myself. Mainly because I hate doing the cleanup. But I love to cook and, when I set my mind to it, I'm pretty good at it. And I love to throw a party. Soooo . . . more dinner parties at my house are in order for 2011!!! Let me know if you'd like an invitation. :)
Wishing you all a very fun and safe end to 2010 (remember, taxis or designated drivers are your friends on NYE) and a glorious 2011. Cheers!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Restaurant AVA
So I have a confession followers. I am a "Dallas girl." And when I say that, it's not what you think. I haven't had "big hair" since 1991 (well, unless it's humid outside), I have had no silicone implanted anywhere in my body, I don't feel the need to wear much makeup and I could not give a flip what type of car my date drives (assuming I had a date). No, I'm a different breed of a Dallas girl. I'm the type of Dallas girl that hates going anywhere outside a 3 mile radius from my home. I don't know when it happened. When I moved to Dallas almost 10 years ago from Houston, where traffic was just part of life, I thought it was so weird how no one who lived in Dallas wanted to venture to 972, declaring it "too far." A fifteen minute drive? How on earth could that be "too far"? But the longer I lived here, I found myself becoming one of those people that did not want to venture outside her little circle. First, it was anything north of George Bush was "too far", then anything north of 635. Now, 10 years later, please don't ask me to go anywhere north of Northpark Mall unless transportation is provided. And, to make matters worse, now that I live in the Lakewood area, venturing west of Central feels like a chore. So when L and I decided to go to Restaurant AVA, in Rockwall(!) of all places, all I could think of was, "it's too far."
For the record, Restaurant AVA is not "too far." It is an easy 20-25 minute drive from Dallas on I-30 East and you should go.
Randall Copeland and Nathan Tate opened up AVA about 1 1/2 years ago. Dedicated to fresh produce and supporting small farms, AVA's menu changes daily. In a nod to Chef Randall's Green Room days, a chef's tasting menu is available. 5 courses for $50. If you are hungry, just order it. We did.
We started with an amuse of a crostini topped with goat cheese and grapefruit. It was a great, refreshing bite. Our first official course was a salad with house smoked salmon, along with all the sides you normally expect with bagels and lox (onions, egg, capers, etc.), just minus the bagels. The house smoked salmon was delicious. It tasted very fresh, without too much of a smoky flavor.
Our second course was a scallop on top of a risotto. I wish I could tell you what kind of risotto we had but I don't think anyone told us. The scallop was cooked perfectly but, unfortunately, it was over-seasoned. Too salty. L and I ate every bit of our risotto and both of us left half of a scallop on our plate.
No worries, because the next two courses wowed. They were eaten in almost complete silence except the occasional "yum", "so good" or "mmmm, bacon onion jam". You know the food is good when it can get me to stop yammering.
Our third course was grilled quail. This quail was so freakin good we both forgot about our table manners and picked up the little quail legs to suck every last bit of meat from the bone. Poor taste? Perhaps. Tastes good? Definitely. The quail was on top of a celery root puree and topped with something called bacon onion jam which was amazing. There was also foie gras ravioli that was so good I wanted more.
Our fourth course was a beef tenderloin topped with a quail egg, along with carrot puree and red wine jus. There was also roasted cauliflower. Again, home run. They were so good. The tenderloin was well seasoned and cooked perfectly. We actually couldn't finish this dish and asked for a doggie bag. Guess what I'm having for dinner? :)
But wait there's more! We had our "pre-dessert" pomegranate sorbet. Wait, wah? Pre-dessert? I would have been quite content to end there but we apparently still had an actual dessert to come. It was an apple upside down cake with granola and apple ice cream. The cake was a tad too sweet for me (but I don't have a big sweet tooth) but loved the apple ice cream with the granola.
Service was a bit spotty. A stainless ramekin of butter was put on our table when we first sat down but we did not get any bread until after the second course and then only after I asked. When L told our server that our scallops were too salty, he stared at us blankly and then quickly took our plates away, as if he did not know what to say. But I can forgive little service hiccups if the food is good and the food is definitely good at AVA.
Just go. It's not "too far." I promise.
http://restaurantava.com/
Well, followers, this is going to be my last post before Christmas and maybe my last post of 2010. Thank you so much for being on this little journey with me. Happy Holidays and I hope you will follow my little foodie adventures in 2011. Until then . . . Cheers!
For the record, Restaurant AVA is not "too far." It is an easy 20-25 minute drive from Dallas on I-30 East and you should go.
Randall Copeland and Nathan Tate opened up AVA about 1 1/2 years ago. Dedicated to fresh produce and supporting small farms, AVA's menu changes daily. In a nod to Chef Randall's Green Room days, a chef's tasting menu is available. 5 courses for $50. If you are hungry, just order it. We did.
We started with an amuse of a crostini topped with goat cheese and grapefruit. It was a great, refreshing bite. Our first official course was a salad with house smoked salmon, along with all the sides you normally expect with bagels and lox (onions, egg, capers, etc.), just minus the bagels. The house smoked salmon was delicious. It tasted very fresh, without too much of a smoky flavor.
Our second course was a scallop on top of a risotto. I wish I could tell you what kind of risotto we had but I don't think anyone told us. The scallop was cooked perfectly but, unfortunately, it was over-seasoned. Too salty. L and I ate every bit of our risotto and both of us left half of a scallop on our plate.
No worries, because the next two courses wowed. They were eaten in almost complete silence except the occasional "yum", "so good" or "mmmm, bacon onion jam". You know the food is good when it can get me to stop yammering.
Our third course was grilled quail. This quail was so freakin good we both forgot about our table manners and picked up the little quail legs to suck every last bit of meat from the bone. Poor taste? Perhaps. Tastes good? Definitely. The quail was on top of a celery root puree and topped with something called bacon onion jam which was amazing. There was also foie gras ravioli that was so good I wanted more.
Our fourth course was a beef tenderloin topped with a quail egg, along with carrot puree and red wine jus. There was also roasted cauliflower. Again, home run. They were so good. The tenderloin was well seasoned and cooked perfectly. We actually couldn't finish this dish and asked for a doggie bag. Guess what I'm having for dinner? :)
But wait there's more! We had our "pre-dessert" pomegranate sorbet. Wait, wah? Pre-dessert? I would have been quite content to end there but we apparently still had an actual dessert to come. It was an apple upside down cake with granola and apple ice cream. The cake was a tad too sweet for me (but I don't have a big sweet tooth) but loved the apple ice cream with the granola.
Service was a bit spotty. A stainless ramekin of butter was put on our table when we first sat down but we did not get any bread until after the second course and then only after I asked. When L told our server that our scallops were too salty, he stared at us blankly and then quickly took our plates away, as if he did not know what to say. But I can forgive little service hiccups if the food is good and the food is definitely good at AVA.
Just go. It's not "too far." I promise.
http://restaurantava.com/
Well, followers, this is going to be my last post before Christmas and maybe my last post of 2010. Thank you so much for being on this little journey with me. Happy Holidays and I hope you will follow my little foodie adventures in 2011. Until then . . . Cheers!
Sunday, December 19, 2010
The Mansion on Turtle Creek
I had been to the Mansion restaurant several times before throughout the years (under both Tesar and Fearing) and had always been underwhelmed. The bar was always fun but otherwise I never quite understood what all the fuss was about. I mean, can you really be considered a 5 star restaurant when your most popular dish is tortilla soup?
But I had been hearing good things about the changes that were happening at the Mansion since Bruno Davaillon came on board. I had tried and adored Chef Davaillon's food at CFF (mmm, blood sausage) and I thought that maybe it was time to give the Mansion another chance. Hunter Sullivan played at the Mansion Bar last night so L and I decided to get dressed up and have dinner there before catching the show.
We were sat at the front of the restaurant which was an area I had never sat in before. The restaurant has several different rooms (a concept which Dean Fearing took with him to the Ritz) which allows for a very cozy feeling. The restaurant feels very modern, yet traditional.
Now, if you are pinching pennies, don't go have dinner at the Mansion. I mean, let's face it, when you go to eat at a place named "The Mansion", you can expect to part with some serious cash for dinner. Most entrees are in the $40s, some in the $50s. There's a 5 course tasting menu for $115 per person and if you'd like wine pairings, add $60 more. The tasting menu looked good but it looked like too much food for us. The good news is that each of the items on the tasting menu is available ala carte. Here's the current menu for your viewing pleasure:
http://www.mansiononturtlecreek.com/i/pdf/mansion_restaurant_dinner.pdf
I started with the East Coast Oysters Mignonette and Horseradish. I love oysters and these were very nice. Clean tasting with an oniony vinaigrette with a little side of horseradish sauce (I would have preferred just horseradish). L had the Lobster Cannelloni. At $32, she was a little hesitant to order it but sometimes a girl just needs some lobster. The lobster meat with on top of the cannelloni, and it looked very nice as well.
For entrees, I ordered the Roasted Pheasant. I'll admit, the main reason I ordered it was because it came with brussel sprouts and, as my loyal followers know, I love, love, love brussel sprouts. My pheasant was well season but, unfortunately it was slightly undercooked. The brussel sprouts were very small but tasty. The dark meat/chestnut ravioli, however, was the star of this dish. It had a rich, meaty taste that reminded me of empanadas for some reason. I was sad there was only one.
L had initially ordered the Venison from the tasting menu. L likes her meat cooked through, almost well done (sigh, still love her) and asked that her venison be done so as well. Our server came to our table and explained (copying Chef's French accent) that the chef recommended that she order something else because cooking the venison that way would ruin the integrity of the dish. We appreciated Chef Davaillon's honesty. It wasn't about ego. It was about wanting the guest to receive the best dining experience. L ordered the filet, medium well, instead. It came with duck fat fries, which L, who isn't a duck fan, wasn't quite sure about so she asked for brussel sprouts instead. She got both. I tried the duck fat fries and found that they tasted good but I like my fries to be slightly more fried.
We took a look at the desert menu, which looked divine, but we decided we would much rather have some chocolate martinis at the bar instead of dessert. So to the Bar we went. It was packed (as it usually is when Hunter Sullivan plays) but we were eventually able to get some seats at the bar. The chocolate martinis are so very good. Each bartender does theirs somewhat different. One was big on chocolate syrup. The other made his with more cream. Both were delicious and I consumed three before the end of the night. Would have probably done better calorie wise if I had stuck to dessert, but oh well.
The Mansion Bar rolled out a new winter drink menu recently which I posted on facebook the other day. I didn't want to mix too much so, sorry folks, I did not try them out. The bartender did give me a sample of his hot toddy. Whoa. L described it as Christmas flavored moonshine (it was apple brandy) and it was a pretty accurate description. It made my eyes water, cleared my sinuses, and burned all the way down. It was too much for me and I'm a scotch and whiskey girl. I took a couple of sips and passed it on to the guy from New York standing next to me who was in town on business and trying to convince me that all guys from NY are not a$$holes. Note to said guy, you would have been more convincing if you weren't staring at my cleavage while making your argument.
So did the Mansion win me over? Well, I can say this, it was definitely the best dinner I have had at the Mansion but I still feel that there are plenty of places in this town where you can get just as good of a meal for considerably less money. I think the Mansion will go into my rotation as a great once a year treat when I want to celebrate a special occasion or just want to dress up. I did have a wonderful time though. It was a great holiday Saturday night with one of my dearest friends. Thanks L!
Cheers!
But I had been hearing good things about the changes that were happening at the Mansion since Bruno Davaillon came on board. I had tried and adored Chef Davaillon's food at CFF (mmm, blood sausage) and I thought that maybe it was time to give the Mansion another chance. Hunter Sullivan played at the Mansion Bar last night so L and I decided to get dressed up and have dinner there before catching the show.
We were sat at the front of the restaurant which was an area I had never sat in before. The restaurant has several different rooms (a concept which Dean Fearing took with him to the Ritz) which allows for a very cozy feeling. The restaurant feels very modern, yet traditional.
Now, if you are pinching pennies, don't go have dinner at the Mansion. I mean, let's face it, when you go to eat at a place named "The Mansion", you can expect to part with some serious cash for dinner. Most entrees are in the $40s, some in the $50s. There's a 5 course tasting menu for $115 per person and if you'd like wine pairings, add $60 more. The tasting menu looked good but it looked like too much food for us. The good news is that each of the items on the tasting menu is available ala carte. Here's the current menu for your viewing pleasure:
http://www.mansiononturtlecreek.com/i/pdf/mansion_restaurant_dinner.pdf
I started with the East Coast Oysters Mignonette and Horseradish. I love oysters and these were very nice. Clean tasting with an oniony vinaigrette with a little side of horseradish sauce (I would have preferred just horseradish). L had the Lobster Cannelloni. At $32, she was a little hesitant to order it but sometimes a girl just needs some lobster. The lobster meat with on top of the cannelloni, and it looked very nice as well.
For entrees, I ordered the Roasted Pheasant. I'll admit, the main reason I ordered it was because it came with brussel sprouts and, as my loyal followers know, I love, love, love brussel sprouts. My pheasant was well season but, unfortunately it was slightly undercooked. The brussel sprouts were very small but tasty. The dark meat/chestnut ravioli, however, was the star of this dish. It had a rich, meaty taste that reminded me of empanadas for some reason. I was sad there was only one.
L had initially ordered the Venison from the tasting menu. L likes her meat cooked through, almost well done (sigh, still love her) and asked that her venison be done so as well. Our server came to our table and explained (copying Chef's French accent) that the chef recommended that she order something else because cooking the venison that way would ruin the integrity of the dish. We appreciated Chef Davaillon's honesty. It wasn't about ego. It was about wanting the guest to receive the best dining experience. L ordered the filet, medium well, instead. It came with duck fat fries, which L, who isn't a duck fan, wasn't quite sure about so she asked for brussel sprouts instead. She got both. I tried the duck fat fries and found that they tasted good but I like my fries to be slightly more fried.
We took a look at the desert menu, which looked divine, but we decided we would much rather have some chocolate martinis at the bar instead of dessert. So to the Bar we went. It was packed (as it usually is when Hunter Sullivan plays) but we were eventually able to get some seats at the bar. The chocolate martinis are so very good. Each bartender does theirs somewhat different. One was big on chocolate syrup. The other made his with more cream. Both were delicious and I consumed three before the end of the night. Would have probably done better calorie wise if I had stuck to dessert, but oh well.
The Mansion Bar rolled out a new winter drink menu recently which I posted on facebook the other day. I didn't want to mix too much so, sorry folks, I did not try them out. The bartender did give me a sample of his hot toddy. Whoa. L described it as Christmas flavored moonshine (it was apple brandy) and it was a pretty accurate description. It made my eyes water, cleared my sinuses, and burned all the way down. It was too much for me and I'm a scotch and whiskey girl. I took a couple of sips and passed it on to the guy from New York standing next to me who was in town on business and trying to convince me that all guys from NY are not a$$holes. Note to said guy, you would have been more convincing if you weren't staring at my cleavage while making your argument.
So did the Mansion win me over? Well, I can say this, it was definitely the best dinner I have had at the Mansion but I still feel that there are plenty of places in this town where you can get just as good of a meal for considerably less money. I think the Mansion will go into my rotation as a great once a year treat when I want to celebrate a special occasion or just want to dress up. I did have a wonderful time though. It was a great holiday Saturday night with one of my dearest friends. Thanks L!
Cheers!
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