Was looking for a new place to check out last night and ended up at Driftwood. My neighbor had told me about it a few weeks weeks ago. His review - the food was good but he spent a lot of money and left hungry. Portions just weren't big enough for him. He lost me at good food, so I figured what the heck.
Driftwood focuses on seafood and is helmed by Omar Flores on Davis, down the street from Bolsa Mercado. We pulled up and obtained rock star parking in their small parking lot. A good sign, we wondered?
We walked into the restaurant and were impressed. Two large driftwood sculptures were hung on the main wall, which is washed in blue. The restaurant is designed with that upscale beachy feel - blues, khakis, silvers. It tries to be calming but the noise level doesn't really make it so.
The menu is divided into several different sections Crudo Shellfish, Small Plates, Big Plates, To Share and Sweets. We had decided on getting some oysters and the ahi tuna crudo but then changed our minds after speaking to our server about the starter specials and getting more information on the oysters. The special included a beet cured Copper River Salmon crudo with jicama, asparagus and serranos which sounded great so we decided to switch that for the ahi crudo we had originally planned. After hearing the oysters came in a serving of 3 (that's $4 an oyster, fyi. My neighbor had complained that his serving was 4 oysters. He apparently got the big portion), we decided to skipped the oysters and try the Maine Lobster Roll instead.
The Copper River crudo was a delicious couple of bites. Four quarter sized slices of salmon, so 2 bites each was all with got. Regardless, it was a tasty dish. The fish was very fresh and the cool crunch of the jicama was a nice contrast to bite of the pepper. The lobster roll was fashioned after the more traditional East Coast lobster roll. It's basically a lobster salad on top of a dense roll, which had almost a popover consistency. I found the lobster to be fairly bland. I could not even taste the small piece of gherkins which was included.
But its the seafood entrees where Driftwood really excels. L had the chargrilled octopus with marble potato confit, manzanilla olives, watercress, pickled onions with a smoked tomato vinaigrette. Don't be afraid to try this dish. The octopus was cooked to perfection, and it had a wonderful smoky char to it that just made you forget you were eating something that had tentacles.
I had the crispy seared Wyoming Golden Trout with serrano ham, pimenton roasted fingerlings, English peas and a sherry vinegar pan sauce. When I first received my dish, I thought I had been given the wrong plate. The fish on the plate was pink like salmon, not golden like the name implied. Is this the trout? Yes, the server explained, it's ruby red trout, she stated. (Well, not quite. Wyoming Golden Trout is actually pink, not golden like the name states, but I didn't know that until after I googled it to write this review. The ruby red explanation worked just fine for me at the time.) The fish was great - filleted, deboned, then re-wrapped in its own skin to keep it moist and flavorful. The potatoes added a heartiness to the dish and the sauce walked the delicate balance of not ending up too sweet. I don't know why the peas were there. There simply wasn't enough of them to make any type of impact on the dish.
We also ordered the brussels sprouts, as I always do. These were crispy with pork belly and fish sauce. While I really enjoyed them, I wish chefs would stop trying to sweeten my favorite vegetable. They taste amazing on their own as far as I'm concerned. But this is coming from an unabashed brussels sprouts lover so I guess you have to sweeten them to apply to the masses.
So my take on Driftwood as we walked the five steps from the restaurant to our rock star parking? I left full but feeling a little empty in the pocketbook. If you are in the mood for seafood, I recommend you check it out, but if I had to do it all over again, I would avoid the left side of the menu entirely and just stick with the entrees. While the starters are beautiful and tasty, I just don't want to spend that much money for so little food when I'm in the OC.
Cheers!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Monday, June 4, 2012
Snack
Checked out Snack on Friday, Avner Samuel's new place next to Veritas on Henderson. You know, where Horne & Dekker used to be (and whatever it was before that, and whatever it was before that). I really want something to succeed in that space. I love Veritas and Sushi Axiom on either side of it. Would Snack finally be the restaurant that would break the "snake bit" curse of that location?
We waited a bit at the bar before getting sat at a table outside. Yeah for a June Friday in Dallas when you can sit outside! The theme of Snack is, well, snacks -- small bites from around the world. The menu is quite limited. If you want a salad or are vegetarian, well, go next door to Sushi Axiom because Snack does not have much for you. Since I've been trying to eat a primarily plant and fish based diet lately, I found the menu extremely limiting. Oh well, I can always find something to eat on any menu - so we ordered the Chicken Schawarmas, crispy brussels sprouts (yeah my favorite veggie!) fritters, and the paella special (minus the pork sausage).
We started with the Chicken Schawarmas. Prior to Friday the only thing I knew about schawarmas was it was what Iron Man wanted to eat after the Avengers saved the world. (Sorry. Did I just spoil the ending of The Avengers for you? It is a super hero movie afterall. That's kind of what they always do. If you're surprised by that ending, then whatever you do don't go seeTitanic. See, there's this iceberg. . . . and, Rachel, stop being a smart aleck and get back to schawarmas) Snack's chicken schawarma is basically a gyro. Grilled chicken, cucumber tahini and pickled vegetables (aka onions) wrapped in a flatbread. While the inside was tasty (I really liked the pickled onions), the flatbread was a bit burnt so the burnt toast taste overwhelmed the dish. For $8 you will get one schawarma, cut in half. An entire order is probably just enough for one not particularly hungry woman's meal.
The paella showed up next. Where were the brussels sprouts I inquired? Our waiter, a young harried type, looked very confused and said he would check. He came back shortly thereafter and asked us, "Did no one bring them to you? The kitchen said they went out." Me (in my head): "Oh, whoops, you caught me. I just lied to you about not receiving the brussels sprouts. I'm actually hiding them in my purse." No, we didn't get them, that's why we asked! They must have gone to another table.
The paella was a huge disappointment. It started with such promise -- a huge paella pan full of mussels, chicken, other seafood and rice. Plenty of food for two hungry, brussels sproutless girls. With much anticipation, I opened up a mussel and found, well, the dried up remnants of a bivalve. The mussels were overcooked. Every single one of them. Sigh. The rest of the paella was just bland. Absolutely none of that wonderful saffron flavor which makes paella so rich and wonderful. It reminded me more of the Campbell Soup chicken and rice recipe my mom used to make when I was growing up than paella. We finished it because it was there and familiar but not because we were particularly interested in it.
The brussels sprouts fritters finally showed up. When I saw "fritters" I imagined something other than battered and fried brussels sprouts, but that was what they were. Not a particularly inspired offering. It came with a pine nut and caper dip (read aioli) which was tangy and enjoyable though.
So, my first take on Snack? Street inspired bites that are truly pedestrian. They've only been opened for a couple of weeks, so maybe I'll let them work a few of the kinks out before I go back. But that's what I said about Horne & Dekker when I first went there and never went back so who knows.
Cheers!
We waited a bit at the bar before getting sat at a table outside. Yeah for a June Friday in Dallas when you can sit outside! The theme of Snack is, well, snacks -- small bites from around the world. The menu is quite limited. If you want a salad or are vegetarian, well, go next door to Sushi Axiom because Snack does not have much for you. Since I've been trying to eat a primarily plant and fish based diet lately, I found the menu extremely limiting. Oh well, I can always find something to eat on any menu - so we ordered the Chicken Schawarmas, crispy brussels sprouts (yeah my favorite veggie!) fritters, and the paella special (minus the pork sausage).
We started with the Chicken Schawarmas. Prior to Friday the only thing I knew about schawarmas was it was what Iron Man wanted to eat after the Avengers saved the world. (Sorry. Did I just spoil the ending of The Avengers for you? It is a super hero movie afterall. That's kind of what they always do. If you're surprised by that ending, then whatever you do don't go seeTitanic. See, there's this iceberg. . . . and, Rachel, stop being a smart aleck and get back to schawarmas) Snack's chicken schawarma is basically a gyro. Grilled chicken, cucumber tahini and pickled vegetables (aka onions) wrapped in a flatbread. While the inside was tasty (I really liked the pickled onions), the flatbread was a bit burnt so the burnt toast taste overwhelmed the dish. For $8 you will get one schawarma, cut in half. An entire order is probably just enough for one not particularly hungry woman's meal.
The paella showed up next. Where were the brussels sprouts I inquired? Our waiter, a young harried type, looked very confused and said he would check. He came back shortly thereafter and asked us, "Did no one bring them to you? The kitchen said they went out." Me (in my head): "Oh, whoops, you caught me. I just lied to you about not receiving the brussels sprouts. I'm actually hiding them in my purse." No, we didn't get them, that's why we asked! They must have gone to another table.
The paella was a huge disappointment. It started with such promise -- a huge paella pan full of mussels, chicken, other seafood and rice. Plenty of food for two hungry, brussels sproutless girls. With much anticipation, I opened up a mussel and found, well, the dried up remnants of a bivalve. The mussels were overcooked. Every single one of them. Sigh. The rest of the paella was just bland. Absolutely none of that wonderful saffron flavor which makes paella so rich and wonderful. It reminded me more of the Campbell Soup chicken and rice recipe my mom used to make when I was growing up than paella. We finished it because it was there and familiar but not because we were particularly interested in it.
The brussels sprouts fritters finally showed up. When I saw "fritters" I imagined something other than battered and fried brussels sprouts, but that was what they were. Not a particularly inspired offering. It came with a pine nut and caper dip (read aioli) which was tangy and enjoyable though.
So, my first take on Snack? Street inspired bites that are truly pedestrian. They've only been opened for a couple of weeks, so maybe I'll let them work a few of the kinks out before I go back. But that's what I said about Horne & Dekker when I first went there and never went back so who knows.
Cheers!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Sissy's Fried Chicken
Hello loyal followers! Miss me? I missed you. It's spring and the weather (minus the tornadoes) couldn't be nicer in the Big D. I just love this time of year. Tulips (my favorite flower), baseball (go Rangers!), and patio weather. Today's review has nothing to do with those things but I still love them.
So LK and I headed to Sissy's before yet another 40th birthday party. (Seems like everyone I know has turned 40 in the last 12 months.) It had been awhile since I had been to the former Hector's on Henderson space and was anxious to see what Lisa Garza had done with the place. I liked the decor. It has an old southern home (with a bar) feel, like Hattie's. While I liked the look of the restaurant, I hated the noise. Maybe I'm getting old (afterall, I was going to my own 40th birthday party just 4 months ago - oh Lord I'm 40 and 1/3), but I'm sick of noisy restaurants. I want to be able to enjoy my meal and conversation with my dining companions at the same time. Is that too much to ask, dagnubbit (shake fist)?
Our server came by to say hello and talk about the drink specials. I have no idea what she said. Not only could I not hear her, I was also distracted by her uniform. All the servers are dressed as if they worked in a southern restaurant in late 50s. I'll admit it, having not grown up in the South, being waited on by a woman of color dressed in a costume that could have been worn by an extra in The Help made me slightly uncomfortable. But then I noticed how teeny tiny our server was. She is one of those lucky women who are naturally slight of build. The fat girl who lives inside (and occasionally embodies me) instantly hated her. How on earth was I going to feel good about shoving fried chicken in my gullet now? (And, yes, I know that's wrong of me, loyal followers. She seemed like a very nice person and I should not judge someone like that. But I did, and I'm sorry.).
LK and I looked at the menu, trying to decide what to eat. At first glance, one thing became clear -- most of my skinny, healthy eating girlfriends wouldn't enjoy eating here. (See, I don't discriminate against the skinny. I just secretly wish I was one of them). It's southern cooking. Lots of things are fried, lots of things that are smothered in gravy and there doesn't appear that there's anything green that isn't covered in Hellmann's, butter or batter.
We started with the oysters which were, of course, fried. They came with cane ginger green sauce and spicy mayo. Oysters were fried perfectly so as not to take away from their briny juiciness. I liked the sauces too. The green sauce had a nice tang and the spicy mayo had a nice heat.
LK and I had already decided to have the fried chicken. I mean, come on, you go to a place named "Sissy's Fried Chicken" for the first time and order, what, the meatloaf? The chicken comes in two sizes - 2pc ($10)or bucket ($20). Since we both wanted to order the chicken, we ordered the bucket which was way too much food for two people. I really wish they offered a half bucket for 2. I hate to waste.
I'll admit it, I'm not a fried chicken aficionado. I'm a Yankee by birth and my mother never fried anything because she considered that unhealthy. (Sauteing everything in margarine was, however, perfectly nutritious.) Growing up, my fried chicken either came from the Colonel or, more regularly, a box of Oven Fry. So when I say this was some of the best fried chicken I've ever had, I don't know if that's saying a whole lot. But the skin was crispy and flavorful on the outside and the meat was nice and juicy on the inside which I understand is the making of great fried chicken. I'll let you be the judge.
The chicken comes with whipped potatoes or "sloppy slaw." I asked our server (who, again, was a perfectly nice young woman), what "sloppy slaw" was. She looked at me and said, "cole slaw." Okay, maybe it was a stupid question but there are different types of cole slaw out there and I wanted to know what type of cole slaw it was. I just decided to be surprised. It turned out to be a mayo based slaw that, quite frankly, tasted a lot like KFC's which was perfectly fine with me because that's the kind I like the best (just like Mom used to order).
We also ordered the fried okra (our attempt at something green). It's sliced lengthwise and then fried which made it disappointing as it had that slightly slimy texture that can ruin a good fried okra.
After all of that fried food, there was no room for dessert. But I will try that cookies and milk punch one day. I firmly believe one should get calcium with their brandy.
Speaking of punch, Sissy's does have a drink menu which has a variety of southern spiked punches. LK ordered a Cucumber Cooler which had Tanqueray and, of course, cucumbers. I ordered a sazerac which made me unable to feel my teeth after about 2 sips. There's also a variety of fancy non-alcoholic iced teas available, if you are willing to shell out $9.50 per glass. Although they sounded delicious and refreshing, they didn't come with a genie who would grant me three wishes (first wish: make me skinny like our server), which is what it would have taken for me to spend almost 10 bucks on a glass of iced tea.
Overall, I enjoyed Sissy's but it feels a little one note. I just don't see myself coming back unless I have a craving for fried chicken which I rarely have. Maybe they are counting on the nostalgia factor to create repeat business but I didn't grow up on this kind of food so I guess the nostalgia factor is kind of lost on me. I'm not saying the food wasn't good, it was, but I personally need more to make me come back again. Maybe it won't be lost on you. Try it and decide for yourself.
Cheers!
So LK and I headed to Sissy's before yet another 40th birthday party. (Seems like everyone I know has turned 40 in the last 12 months.) It had been awhile since I had been to the former Hector's on Henderson space and was anxious to see what Lisa Garza had done with the place. I liked the decor. It has an old southern home (with a bar) feel, like Hattie's. While I liked the look of the restaurant, I hated the noise. Maybe I'm getting old (afterall, I was going to my own 40th birthday party just 4 months ago - oh Lord I'm 40 and 1/3), but I'm sick of noisy restaurants. I want to be able to enjoy my meal and conversation with my dining companions at the same time. Is that too much to ask, dagnubbit (shake fist)?
Our server came by to say hello and talk about the drink specials. I have no idea what she said. Not only could I not hear her, I was also distracted by her uniform. All the servers are dressed as if they worked in a southern restaurant in late 50s. I'll admit it, having not grown up in the South, being waited on by a woman of color dressed in a costume that could have been worn by an extra in The Help made me slightly uncomfortable. But then I noticed how teeny tiny our server was. She is one of those lucky women who are naturally slight of build. The fat girl who lives inside (and occasionally embodies me) instantly hated her. How on earth was I going to feel good about shoving fried chicken in my gullet now? (And, yes, I know that's wrong of me, loyal followers. She seemed like a very nice person and I should not judge someone like that. But I did, and I'm sorry.).
LK and I looked at the menu, trying to decide what to eat. At first glance, one thing became clear -- most of my skinny, healthy eating girlfriends wouldn't enjoy eating here. (See, I don't discriminate against the skinny. I just secretly wish I was one of them). It's southern cooking. Lots of things are fried, lots of things that are smothered in gravy and there doesn't appear that there's anything green that isn't covered in Hellmann's, butter or batter.
We started with the oysters which were, of course, fried. They came with cane ginger green sauce and spicy mayo. Oysters were fried perfectly so as not to take away from their briny juiciness. I liked the sauces too. The green sauce had a nice tang and the spicy mayo had a nice heat.
LK and I had already decided to have the fried chicken. I mean, come on, you go to a place named "Sissy's Fried Chicken" for the first time and order, what, the meatloaf? The chicken comes in two sizes - 2pc ($10)or bucket ($20). Since we both wanted to order the chicken, we ordered the bucket which was way too much food for two people. I really wish they offered a half bucket for 2. I hate to waste.
I'll admit it, I'm not a fried chicken aficionado. I'm a Yankee by birth and my mother never fried anything because she considered that unhealthy. (Sauteing everything in margarine was, however, perfectly nutritious.) Growing up, my fried chicken either came from the Colonel or, more regularly, a box of Oven Fry. So when I say this was some of the best fried chicken I've ever had, I don't know if that's saying a whole lot. But the skin was crispy and flavorful on the outside and the meat was nice and juicy on the inside which I understand is the making of great fried chicken. I'll let you be the judge.
The chicken comes with whipped potatoes or "sloppy slaw." I asked our server (who, again, was a perfectly nice young woman), what "sloppy slaw" was. She looked at me and said, "cole slaw." Okay, maybe it was a stupid question but there are different types of cole slaw out there and I wanted to know what type of cole slaw it was. I just decided to be surprised. It turned out to be a mayo based slaw that, quite frankly, tasted a lot like KFC's which was perfectly fine with me because that's the kind I like the best (just like Mom used to order).
We also ordered the fried okra (our attempt at something green). It's sliced lengthwise and then fried which made it disappointing as it had that slightly slimy texture that can ruin a good fried okra.
After all of that fried food, there was no room for dessert. But I will try that cookies and milk punch one day. I firmly believe one should get calcium with their brandy.
Speaking of punch, Sissy's does have a drink menu which has a variety of southern spiked punches. LK ordered a Cucumber Cooler which had Tanqueray and, of course, cucumbers. I ordered a sazerac which made me unable to feel my teeth after about 2 sips. There's also a variety of fancy non-alcoholic iced teas available, if you are willing to shell out $9.50 per glass. Although they sounded delicious and refreshing, they didn't come with a genie who would grant me three wishes (first wish: make me skinny like our server), which is what it would have taken for me to spend almost 10 bucks on a glass of iced tea.
Overall, I enjoyed Sissy's but it feels a little one note. I just don't see myself coming back unless I have a craving for fried chicken which I rarely have. Maybe they are counting on the nostalgia factor to create repeat business but I didn't grow up on this kind of food so I guess the nostalgia factor is kind of lost on me. I'm not saying the food wasn't good, it was, but I personally need more to make me come back again. Maybe it won't be lost on you. Try it and decide for yourself.
Cheers!
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Oak
Time to get back to writing loyal followers. I have a long list of places I need to eat at and it's not getting any shorter so, here we go.
I made reservations at Oak in the Design District for Friday night. (I was going to do Campo but heard Matt McCallister might be in a bit of a mood about reviewers this weekend - ha!) I knew from my attempts to eat there a couple of weeks ago that reservations are a must right now, unless you want to eat there really early or really late. Try to go without a reservation and the valet will very nicely turn you away. (The valet may also turn you away if you drive a Honda, based upon the high end luxury vehicles parked in front. I guess the Highland Park crowd has found Oak.)
The restaurant does the Design District justice. It has a cool mid-century modern look to it which is so in fashion right now. Don Draper would be right at home here but for that pesky non-smoking ordinance Dallas has in place. There's a projected art image of an oak tree on the far wall that moves with the non-existent wind. The booths are mini leather sofas. The lighting is comfortable and the noise level is just perfect. Dallas restaurateurs take note, we like to hear ourselves think when we eat. Thank you Oak for letting us do that.
LB and I were early for our reservation so we headed to the bar for a glass of wine. The bar area is separated from the dining area by a knee high planter which is just the perfect height to knock anything over that is placed on it. So if you have the desire to place your drink on it, don't. Or else LB's giant handbag will go all bull in a china shop on your cocktail. And to the DB who got very snippy when LB accidentally knocked over his glass of white wine, get over it. It was truly an accident. You should be more worried about why your date chose the wear that hideous furry creature over her too short dress. Anywho. . .
The wine list is comfortable and pretty typically priced. You'll easily find a decent bottle within your price comfort level.
We were sat in our very comfortable booth and after a bit of a wait, our server appeared. We started with salads. LB eyed the beet salad until she discovered the "fromage blanc" was actually the evil goat cheese (LB believes that goat cheese is what the devil would taste like) so she stuck with the caesar. It was good but the lettuce required much cutting to get it into bite sized portions. My baby greens salad with goat cheese (I, on the other hand, think the devil would taste like cottage cheese, so I'm not goat cheese adverse), medjol dates and almonds also suffered from the too giant lettuce leaves syndrome. I also wished the goat cheese was stuffed in the dates rather than having the dates chopped in the salad. When I suggested this to LB she responded, "So you want to take God's delicious natural candy and stuff it with the devil?" Why, yes I do, LB, yes, I do.
After nixing the Kobe Beef because of the quark (funny name for goat cheese we learned - Dear Oak, let's call goat cheese, goat cheese, please) spaetzel, LB had the grilled salmon with white soy, Thai basil, salsify (which is a root vegetable) and a curried coconut broth. LB enjoyed the salmon, found the salsify (which, I admit, we actually thought were potatoes. Thank you wikipedia for making me sound smarter than I actualy am) a bit too hard for her liking and didn't find the broth added much to the dish. That didn't stop her from finishing every last bite.
I've been on a duck kick lately, which is odd since it I've never been a huge duck fan and I had an absolutely awful duck experience on New Years Eve (raw duck = bad). But after having an amazing duck meal at The Grape a couple of weeks ago, I thought I'd give it a go. Oak's roasted duck breast is served with puy lentils, brussels sprouts (mmmm, my favorite), and burgundy foie gras jus. The duck was perfect cooked and tender without the greasy duck feel. And I absolutely loved the lentils with the duck. It's a perfect winter dinner, filling and warm. Happy plate for me as well.
We decided to split dessert. We ordered the lemon bar cheesecake with sour cherry, almond shortbread and grapefruit macaroon. The cheesecake and shortbread bottom were delicious. Creamy and light with the perfect amount of tartness from the lemon. The French macaroon was a nice touch too. There was nothing sour about the cherries, which tasted like fancy maraschinos. I could have done without them entirely because they were simply too sweet to balance the tartness of the lemon. The cherries were the only thing not happy about our dessert plate.
LB and I left Oak deciding to come back. The food was good, the prices are reasonable (our meal plus a glass of chardonnay plus a cup of hot tea for me was less than $90 pre tip) and the atmosphere is comfortable. It's a good place to impress a date (as long as you don't leave your wine on the planter). Oak also has 2 large patios which will be just perfect once the weather warm weather comes to Dallas (and as long as you don't mind the hum of the freeway).
Cheers!
I made reservations at Oak in the Design District for Friday night. (I was going to do Campo but heard Matt McCallister might be in a bit of a mood about reviewers this weekend - ha!) I knew from my attempts to eat there a couple of weeks ago that reservations are a must right now, unless you want to eat there really early or really late. Try to go without a reservation and the valet will very nicely turn you away. (The valet may also turn you away if you drive a Honda, based upon the high end luxury vehicles parked in front. I guess the Highland Park crowd has found Oak.)
The restaurant does the Design District justice. It has a cool mid-century modern look to it which is so in fashion right now. Don Draper would be right at home here but for that pesky non-smoking ordinance Dallas has in place. There's a projected art image of an oak tree on the far wall that moves with the non-existent wind. The booths are mini leather sofas. The lighting is comfortable and the noise level is just perfect. Dallas restaurateurs take note, we like to hear ourselves think when we eat. Thank you Oak for letting us do that.
LB and I were early for our reservation so we headed to the bar for a glass of wine. The bar area is separated from the dining area by a knee high planter which is just the perfect height to knock anything over that is placed on it. So if you have the desire to place your drink on it, don't. Or else LB's giant handbag will go all bull in a china shop on your cocktail. And to the DB who got very snippy when LB accidentally knocked over his glass of white wine, get over it. It was truly an accident. You should be more worried about why your date chose the wear that hideous furry creature over her too short dress. Anywho. . .
The wine list is comfortable and pretty typically priced. You'll easily find a decent bottle within your price comfort level.
We were sat in our very comfortable booth and after a bit of a wait, our server appeared. We started with salads. LB eyed the beet salad until she discovered the "fromage blanc" was actually the evil goat cheese (LB believes that goat cheese is what the devil would taste like) so she stuck with the caesar. It was good but the lettuce required much cutting to get it into bite sized portions. My baby greens salad with goat cheese (I, on the other hand, think the devil would taste like cottage cheese, so I'm not goat cheese adverse), medjol dates and almonds also suffered from the too giant lettuce leaves syndrome. I also wished the goat cheese was stuffed in the dates rather than having the dates chopped in the salad. When I suggested this to LB she responded, "So you want to take God's delicious natural candy and stuff it with the devil?" Why, yes I do, LB, yes, I do.
After nixing the Kobe Beef because of the quark (funny name for goat cheese we learned - Dear Oak, let's call goat cheese, goat cheese, please) spaetzel, LB had the grilled salmon with white soy, Thai basil, salsify (which is a root vegetable) and a curried coconut broth. LB enjoyed the salmon, found the salsify (which, I admit, we actually thought were potatoes. Thank you wikipedia for making me sound smarter than I actualy am) a bit too hard for her liking and didn't find the broth added much to the dish. That didn't stop her from finishing every last bite.
I've been on a duck kick lately, which is odd since it I've never been a huge duck fan and I had an absolutely awful duck experience on New Years Eve (raw duck = bad). But after having an amazing duck meal at The Grape a couple of weeks ago, I thought I'd give it a go. Oak's roasted duck breast is served with puy lentils, brussels sprouts (mmmm, my favorite), and burgundy foie gras jus. The duck was perfect cooked and tender without the greasy duck feel. And I absolutely loved the lentils with the duck. It's a perfect winter dinner, filling and warm. Happy plate for me as well.
We decided to split dessert. We ordered the lemon bar cheesecake with sour cherry, almond shortbread and grapefruit macaroon. The cheesecake and shortbread bottom were delicious. Creamy and light with the perfect amount of tartness from the lemon. The French macaroon was a nice touch too. There was nothing sour about the cherries, which tasted like fancy maraschinos. I could have done without them entirely because they were simply too sweet to balance the tartness of the lemon. The cherries were the only thing not happy about our dessert plate.
LB and I left Oak deciding to come back. The food was good, the prices are reasonable (our meal plus a glass of chardonnay plus a cup of hot tea for me was less than $90 pre tip) and the atmosphere is comfortable. It's a good place to impress a date (as long as you don't leave your wine on the planter). Oak also has 2 large patios which will be just perfect once the weather warm weather comes to Dallas (and as long as you don't mind the hum of the freeway).
Cheers!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Bob's at the Omni
Had dinner at the new Bob's at the new Omni at the convention center a couple of weeks ago. Here's the gist: it's just like Bob's but in a new shinier packaging. The steaks are still covered in butter and you'll still get your carrot and choice of potatoes with your steak. It's a steakhouse and it does that well. The service was very attentive although his ragged shirtsleeves were not up to dress code (and, FYI, unless you are the Dread Pirate Roberts, using "As you wish" multiple times gets less endearing as dinner progresses). But I don't know if I will go back to this particular location and here's why:
1. The valet left our car outside, running, for 5 minutes before anyone moved it. Not the safest thing to do when you're down the street from the bus station.
2. It's just a little too shiny and new. There is nothing special about it. In fact, it feels just like Perry's. I think they may have used the same designer. I like the original Bob's. It reminds me of the banquet hall my grandparents used to own on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago where real Chicago "politicians" would make "deals." (I'll let you use your imagination, as I did growing up, what the quotations mean). Bottom line, if I'm going to go to Bob's, I will stick to the original.
3. It was just a bit sleepy. It was the second weekend so I thought the place would have been a bustling scene but, no. It definitely lacks the energy and warmth of Nick & Sam's, which is my preferred steakhouse, particularly during the winter.
4. The bar is small and there's no TV. This became a very important fact since we finished dinner right at the beginning of the 4th Quarter of the Oklahoma/Baylor game and we really wanted to watch the game. Since there was no TV at the bar at Bob's we thought the sports bar right next door would be the perfect place to spend the next half hour or so. There were people mingling in the front of the sports bar who we thought were waiting for tables. Well, mingling isn't quite the right word as they all looked very tired and haggard, like they'd been waitin for quite awhile. But, we didn't have to worry about that, there looked like there was plenty of standing room around the bar. We headed there, until we were stopped by the hostess. Oh, we don't want a table, we just want to stand at the bar for a drink and some game watching, we said. Sorry, we're told, there's a wait for that too. I'm willing to stand at the bar in fabulous, yet quite uncomfortable 4" heals and you are denying me that opportunity? I'm sorry, since when in the history of sports bars has there ever been a wait to stand at the bar? The bar appeared nowhere near capacity. So we left. Bob's wasn't an option since no TV so we headed to the hotel restaurant. It had teeny, tiny TVs in the bar area and the bar was actually closed but at least they let us sit and watch the game. And it was one heck of a game. I would have been perfectly happy watching it at Bob's but, alas, no TV. So am I being fair making this a reason why I won't go back to this Bob's any time soon? Probably not but the whole adventure just left a bad taste in my mouth. Sorry.
Cheers!
1. The valet left our car outside, running, for 5 minutes before anyone moved it. Not the safest thing to do when you're down the street from the bus station.
2. It's just a little too shiny and new. There is nothing special about it. In fact, it feels just like Perry's. I think they may have used the same designer. I like the original Bob's. It reminds me of the banquet hall my grandparents used to own on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago where real Chicago "politicians" would make "deals." (I'll let you use your imagination, as I did growing up, what the quotations mean). Bottom line, if I'm going to go to Bob's, I will stick to the original.
3. It was just a bit sleepy. It was the second weekend so I thought the place would have been a bustling scene but, no. It definitely lacks the energy and warmth of Nick & Sam's, which is my preferred steakhouse, particularly during the winter.
4. The bar is small and there's no TV. This became a very important fact since we finished dinner right at the beginning of the 4th Quarter of the Oklahoma/Baylor game and we really wanted to watch the game. Since there was no TV at the bar at Bob's we thought the sports bar right next door would be the perfect place to spend the next half hour or so. There were people mingling in the front of the sports bar who we thought were waiting for tables. Well, mingling isn't quite the right word as they all looked very tired and haggard, like they'd been waitin for quite awhile. But, we didn't have to worry about that, there looked like there was plenty of standing room around the bar. We headed there, until we were stopped by the hostess. Oh, we don't want a table, we just want to stand at the bar for a drink and some game watching, we said. Sorry, we're told, there's a wait for that too. I'm willing to stand at the bar in fabulous, yet quite uncomfortable 4" heals and you are denying me that opportunity? I'm sorry, since when in the history of sports bars has there ever been a wait to stand at the bar? The bar appeared nowhere near capacity. So we left. Bob's wasn't an option since no TV so we headed to the hotel restaurant. It had teeny, tiny TVs in the bar area and the bar was actually closed but at least they let us sit and watch the game. And it was one heck of a game. I would have been perfectly happy watching it at Bob's but, alas, no TV. So am I being fair making this a reason why I won't go back to this Bob's any time soon? Probably not but the whole adventure just left a bad taste in my mouth. Sorry.
Cheers!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Company Cafe
Well hello, loyal followers. And if you are still a follower after all this time then you must be loyal. I'm sorry there have been no posts in so long. Shortly after my last post, well, life threw me a curve ball I did not quite expect. I have always been a fairly healthy individual and then quite suddenly, I wasn't. I was swollen, stiff, occasionally turned purple, extremely fatigued and had some pretty serious abdominal pain happening for awhile there. So I've spent the last few months trying to figure out what the heck was wrong with me. It took a few days in the hospital, many, many, many doctors' appointments and a whole lot of my blood getting tested, but three months later I was finally diagnosed with lupus with Reynaud's phenomenon (and a side of panniculitis just to make it all extra special). It's all very treatable (although not curable) but it's been a royal pain in my, well, you name the body part, I probably hurt there at some point. To top it all off, the medications I'm on have, at various times, taken away my ability to drink alcohol, eradicated my appetite, and at one point gave me such a super human sense of smell I couldn't walk into any restaurant without being overwhelmed. A sad foodie was I but I'm happy to say I think we've finally reached a point where I can say I'm "managing" this disease instead of it controlling me. Not exactly how I wanted to end my 30s but what's a girl to do? The good news is turning 40 next month will be a cake walk.
Over the last few months, breakfast has become very important. I was losing weight very quickly in the beginning (which really wasn't a bad thing since I needed to lose some weight) and I had to force myself to eat if I hoped to have any amount of energy during the day. I had at least a little bit of appetite first thing in the morning before the pills and the pain took it away so if I could get some good protein in me first thing and maybe some vegetables, I could get enough energy to make it through the day. And that's how Company Cafe on Greenville became my favorite new breakfast spot.
Now I'd been there before I got sick. I was just about to write a post before this all started. I enjoyed my breakfasts there. Service was occasionally spotty, and I absolutely hated the coffee (It's Oak Cliff Roasters. Although I'm all about supporting the local guy, I just don't like it. It's a bit too roasted for my palette. But it might be just fine for you. I stick to green tea now, anyway). And dear Lord, if your restaurant faces east and you serve breakfast why, oh why, are there no blinds or curtains on the windows to shield diners from the morning sun? But I had a few great breakfasts there and the cook could really poach an egg. I found myself wanting to go back for more.
If you have an appetite and don't mind spending almost $20 for breakfast, try the Deep Bowl. It's sweet potato hash, topped with eggs your way (my way is poached easy. Seriously, I have never gotten a poorly poached egg at this place which is a serious accomplishment. So many people screw them up.) and avocado. The standard version comes with ground beef but I recommend you upgrade to the ground buffalo. The ground beef can get a tad greasy but the buffalo adds a great flavor without the grease factor. The price tag is quite steep, but the portion is big enough to keep you full until dinner.
The Beat is my favorite. Applewood smoked bacon, 2 eggs your way, avocado, Lemley's tomatoes and challah toast. You can substitute a gluten free bagel for $2 if you would like as well (they have a lot of gluten free options if you are into/need to have that sort of thing). It's a simple but perfect breakfast for me. I'm pretty much off bacon right now because of the salt content (I also ask for no salt on the avocado and tomatoes now) but when I bring the pup for some patio time (and they have a great, pup friendly patio), he gets a tasty treat. Ask for some jam for your toast. They tell me it's made in house, and the peach is great.
The omelets were a tad less impressive. While the cook rocks at poaching eggs, my omelet was a bit over cooked. But you can get a nice serving of vegetables and farm fresh cheese in them which is an nice change of pace from the typical meat and cheese omelets you find at most breakfast places.
The migas consist of chicken breast, tortilla strips, scrambled eggs, onions and bell peppers with salsa. It's served on some black beans and feta cheese. If you love raw red peppers (I don't), you'll love this dish. While I liked the flavor, the textures from all the raw peppers were slightly off putting.
I'm not a big breakfast sweet fan but the Company Cafe's granola is great. Texas Daily Harvest Greek yogurt, Dad's gluten-free granola, berries and honey. My neighbor thinks it's the best granola he's ever tasted. I can't argue because, well, I'm hardly a granola connoisseur, but it's pretty good although I would prefer a higher yogurt to granola ratio.
I thought I had found the perfect opportunity to test out their breakfast sweets when I took my 6 year old niece there this weekend. Afterall, what kid doesn't like sweets for breakfast (or lunch, or dinner)? She, as all 6 year olds do, ordered the waffles with chocolate chips and whipped cream. (The waffles are gluten free but she didn't need to know that.) The great thing about kids is you find out almost immediately whether they like something or not. Since I now know what gluten free waffles with chocolate chips and whipped cream look like after being spat from a 6 year old's mouth, I can tell you she hated them. One bite from me and I understood (although remain completely embarrassed by) her reaction. These waffles were so sickenly sweet, they were inedible. We sent them back, and she happily scarfed down the scrambled eggs, bacon and toast we ordered for her next. (My niece even declared the eggs to be the "best eggs I've seriously ever had in my entire life." She has a flair for the dramatic, this one). Our server then came by and told us the kitchen staff (who was in training for the new location at the Katy Trail) was having trouble with the mix today. I'd have to agree if it was too sweet for a 6 year old. Gluten free baking can be tricky so I'm hoping this was just an anomaly.
So is the Company Cafe breakfast perfection? Not exactly, but I know I'll keep coming back for more. I just like the place. I feel like I'm getting a quality breakfast that's a tad better for me than the typical cheese covered concoctions most breakfast places serve. The service has greatly improved and the patio is a perfect place to enjoy these nice autumn mornings. Yes, they serve lunch and dinner and have a large selection of gluten free baked goods too. Check it out.
Over the last few months, breakfast has become very important. I was losing weight very quickly in the beginning (which really wasn't a bad thing since I needed to lose some weight) and I had to force myself to eat if I hoped to have any amount of energy during the day. I had at least a little bit of appetite first thing in the morning before the pills and the pain took it away so if I could get some good protein in me first thing and maybe some vegetables, I could get enough energy to make it through the day. And that's how Company Cafe on Greenville became my favorite new breakfast spot.
Now I'd been there before I got sick. I was just about to write a post before this all started. I enjoyed my breakfasts there. Service was occasionally spotty, and I absolutely hated the coffee (It's Oak Cliff Roasters. Although I'm all about supporting the local guy, I just don't like it. It's a bit too roasted for my palette. But it might be just fine for you. I stick to green tea now, anyway). And dear Lord, if your restaurant faces east and you serve breakfast why, oh why, are there no blinds or curtains on the windows to shield diners from the morning sun? But I had a few great breakfasts there and the cook could really poach an egg. I found myself wanting to go back for more.
If you have an appetite and don't mind spending almost $20 for breakfast, try the Deep Bowl. It's sweet potato hash, topped with eggs your way (my way is poached easy. Seriously, I have never gotten a poorly poached egg at this place which is a serious accomplishment. So many people screw them up.) and avocado. The standard version comes with ground beef but I recommend you upgrade to the ground buffalo. The ground beef can get a tad greasy but the buffalo adds a great flavor without the grease factor. The price tag is quite steep, but the portion is big enough to keep you full until dinner.
The Beat is my favorite. Applewood smoked bacon, 2 eggs your way, avocado, Lemley's tomatoes and challah toast. You can substitute a gluten free bagel for $2 if you would like as well (they have a lot of gluten free options if you are into/need to have that sort of thing). It's a simple but perfect breakfast for me. I'm pretty much off bacon right now because of the salt content (I also ask for no salt on the avocado and tomatoes now) but when I bring the pup for some patio time (and they have a great, pup friendly patio), he gets a tasty treat. Ask for some jam for your toast. They tell me it's made in house, and the peach is great.
The omelets were a tad less impressive. While the cook rocks at poaching eggs, my omelet was a bit over cooked. But you can get a nice serving of vegetables and farm fresh cheese in them which is an nice change of pace from the typical meat and cheese omelets you find at most breakfast places.
The migas consist of chicken breast, tortilla strips, scrambled eggs, onions and bell peppers with salsa. It's served on some black beans and feta cheese. If you love raw red peppers (I don't), you'll love this dish. While I liked the flavor, the textures from all the raw peppers were slightly off putting.
I'm not a big breakfast sweet fan but the Company Cafe's granola is great. Texas Daily Harvest Greek yogurt, Dad's gluten-free granola, berries and honey. My neighbor thinks it's the best granola he's ever tasted. I can't argue because, well, I'm hardly a granola connoisseur, but it's pretty good although I would prefer a higher yogurt to granola ratio.
I thought I had found the perfect opportunity to test out their breakfast sweets when I took my 6 year old niece there this weekend. Afterall, what kid doesn't like sweets for breakfast (or lunch, or dinner)? She, as all 6 year olds do, ordered the waffles with chocolate chips and whipped cream. (The waffles are gluten free but she didn't need to know that.) The great thing about kids is you find out almost immediately whether they like something or not. Since I now know what gluten free waffles with chocolate chips and whipped cream look like after being spat from a 6 year old's mouth, I can tell you she hated them. One bite from me and I understood (although remain completely embarrassed by) her reaction. These waffles were so sickenly sweet, they were inedible. We sent them back, and she happily scarfed down the scrambled eggs, bacon and toast we ordered for her next. (My niece even declared the eggs to be the "best eggs I've seriously ever had in my entire life." She has a flair for the dramatic, this one). Our server then came by and told us the kitchen staff (who was in training for the new location at the Katy Trail) was having trouble with the mix today. I'd have to agree if it was too sweet for a 6 year old. Gluten free baking can be tricky so I'm hoping this was just an anomaly.
So is the Company Cafe breakfast perfection? Not exactly, but I know I'll keep coming back for more. I just like the place. I feel like I'm getting a quality breakfast that's a tad better for me than the typical cheese covered concoctions most breakfast places serve. The service has greatly improved and the patio is a perfect place to enjoy these nice autumn mornings. Yes, they serve lunch and dinner and have a large selection of gluten free baked goods too. Check it out.
Cheers!
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Dodie's Reef
I had lunch at the new Dodie's Reef today. It's in the old Hurricane space on Greenville that burned a couple of years back. Those of us who live in the Lakewood hood are just so excited to have something in that space. We were seriously getting tired of the burnt out building look. [rhost] (seriously, are the brackets really necessary?) has just opened, and it's only a matter of time before we start playing "Valet Frogger" on Greenville again with the Terilli's valets. Seriously, you really aren't a true Lakewood resident until you've almost killed a Terilli's valet as they dart out in front of you on Greenville.
But back to Dodie's Reef. I had stopped by for happy hour last week and was very impressed. They have this great indoor/outdoor bar up front with televisions above the bar. It's a fantastic place to watch a game. It's also a great place to flirt with boys watching the game, since it seems to be where the 35+ set in Lakewood has been hanging out lately (ok, maybe "boys" is a stretch, but I'm an almost 40 (ugh) single girl, so "boy" is still acceptable to me). And don't let the fact that the windows to the bar are wide open as the temps outside get above the century mark scare you off. It's perfectly cool on the inside, and it's even comfortable sitting at the outside bar. I don't even want to know what their electricity bill is. If they don't go broke paying their electricity bill by then, Dodie's is definitely going to be the perfect place in Lakewood to catch a football game once the weather cools down (and they work out that labor dispute). They have a great bartender in Rachel. It was Women's World Cup Finals, the bar was packed, and she was holding her own, all alone, with a smile on her face. Tip her well when you're there.
We started with the Mexican shrimp cocktail. It's a schooner full of boiled shrimp in a spicy tomato pico like sauce and avocado. It's served with tortilla chips that have a spicy lime seasoning on them. It was good and seemed bottomless. Too much for 2 people.
Now if you're on a diet, Dodie's might not be the best place for you. Most of the seafood offerings are fried. Po boys, fried seafood baskets, fried pickles even. I didn't want anything fried and had had my fill of raw oysters on my trip to Mobile, Alabama last week so I decided on the sea bass. I got a huge piece of fish topped with guacamole with 6 large grilled asparagus and a pile of grits. Calorie-wise, I probably would have been better with a shrimp po boy. The fish was tender and the asparagus were perfectly cooked. The grits had more of a mashed potato taste and feel instead of the buttery, cheesy way I like my grits but they were fine. And although it tasted good, I could have done without the guacamole all together. It was just too much food.
K had the crab cakes which are on the appetizer list. She like them but I don't think she was expecting the sauce covering them.
I often lament that it's so sad that in a place like Dallas where we have so many fantastic sushi restaurants, we have so few good seafood restaurants. Yes, I know we live nowhere near a coast but if we can get in great sushi, we should be able to get in great seafood. Unfortunately, Dodie's really didn't do anything to end the lament. It's a serviceable seafood restaurant, but there's nothing here that really wows. I'll come back for the bar and boy watching and I'll probably catch a bite here from time to time but the search for great seafood in Dallas continues. But who knows, maybe if the boy watching goes well, I'll reel in a catch of another sort and a different kind of search will end. ;)
Cheers!
But back to Dodie's Reef. I had stopped by for happy hour last week and was very impressed. They have this great indoor/outdoor bar up front with televisions above the bar. It's a fantastic place to watch a game. It's also a great place to flirt with boys watching the game, since it seems to be where the 35+ set in Lakewood has been hanging out lately (ok, maybe "boys" is a stretch, but I'm an almost 40 (ugh) single girl, so "boy" is still acceptable to me). And don't let the fact that the windows to the bar are wide open as the temps outside get above the century mark scare you off. It's perfectly cool on the inside, and it's even comfortable sitting at the outside bar. I don't even want to know what their electricity bill is. If they don't go broke paying their electricity bill by then, Dodie's is definitely going to be the perfect place in Lakewood to catch a football game once the weather cools down (and they work out that labor dispute). They have a great bartender in Rachel. It was Women's World Cup Finals, the bar was packed, and she was holding her own, all alone, with a smile on her face. Tip her well when you're there.
We started with the Mexican shrimp cocktail. It's a schooner full of boiled shrimp in a spicy tomato pico like sauce and avocado. It's served with tortilla chips that have a spicy lime seasoning on them. It was good and seemed bottomless. Too much for 2 people.
Now if you're on a diet, Dodie's might not be the best place for you. Most of the seafood offerings are fried. Po boys, fried seafood baskets, fried pickles even. I didn't want anything fried and had had my fill of raw oysters on my trip to Mobile, Alabama last week so I decided on the sea bass. I got a huge piece of fish topped with guacamole with 6 large grilled asparagus and a pile of grits. Calorie-wise, I probably would have been better with a shrimp po boy. The fish was tender and the asparagus were perfectly cooked. The grits had more of a mashed potato taste and feel instead of the buttery, cheesy way I like my grits but they were fine. And although it tasted good, I could have done without the guacamole all together. It was just too much food.
K had the crab cakes which are on the appetizer list. She like them but I don't think she was expecting the sauce covering them.
I often lament that it's so sad that in a place like Dallas where we have so many fantastic sushi restaurants, we have so few good seafood restaurants. Yes, I know we live nowhere near a coast but if we can get in great sushi, we should be able to get in great seafood. Unfortunately, Dodie's really didn't do anything to end the lament. It's a serviceable seafood restaurant, but there's nothing here that really wows. I'll come back for the bar and boy watching and I'll probably catch a bite here from time to time but the search for great seafood in Dallas continues. But who knows, maybe if the boy watching goes well, I'll reel in a catch of another sort and a different kind of search will end. ;)
Cheers!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Four Sisters Cafe
So PMc convinced me to head north and check out the new Four Sisters Cafe in Richardson. Yes, I headed north of LBJ and almost north of George Bush (it's on the south side at the Jupiter exit). But I didn't mind because, 1) as you all know, PMc is one of my favorite people in the world and it had been awhile since we had caught up and 2) I actually kind of like Richardson. You see, I have a confession to make, loyal followers, I'm not really a Dallas girl. At my core I'm actually a Richardson girl. My first non-baby sitting job was at the Richardson Public Library (nerdy fact about me: there was a time in my life where you could name any non-fiction book and I could give you it's exact Dewey Decimal number. Hmmmm, this probably explains much about my high school dating life). I bought my first house in Richardson. Until recently, I was a member of the Chamber of Commerce. I just like the City and all it has to offer. Plus it has some great restaurants (some of the best Chinese and Indian food in DFW is in Richardson). So I was happy to make the trek to my old hood to see my dear friend.
I was also intrigued by Four Sisters because, well, I'm one of 4 sisters. But I couldn't imagine having a restaurant with my sisters. See, while I love them dearly, we are each completely different people. Our ideas about food and decor would be so incredibly different, our restaurant would always feel just a bit off as we each try to put our own spin on it. And that's kind of the feel I got with Four Sisters, just a little off.
First, the decor. It reminds me of a Houston's (aka Hillstone), if Houston's was housed in a New Orleans bordello. Big bar in front, lots of booths in the dining area and a big, open kitchen area. And the entire restaurant, minus the kitchen area is dark, very dark. But just when you are wondering if you could have a little more light, the light show begin. Yes, I said light show. I glanced over and all of a sudden I see red and green lines of light dancing on the walls. Huh? But then I remember the name of the place, and i instantly understand why those lights are there. See, here's how I bet how the lighting conversation went with the 4 sisters of 4 Sisters. Sis1: man, it's kinda dark in here, we should probably turn the dimmers up just a little bit. Sis2: why don't we buy some really cool lamps that would give the place a nice, warm glow. I saw these the other day, aren't they awesome (insert image of the Christmas Story leg lamp here). Sis3: we can't afford to turn the dimmers up. Do you know how much electricity costs in the summer? Glares and rolls eyes at leg lamp (while secretly thinking, "you're gonna poke your eye out."). Sis4: I saw this really cool light show at this bar I went to about 5 years ago. I want to do that and only that (stomp foot). And I'm going to mention it to you every minute for the rest of your life until you all give in to me because I know you've learned to pick your battles with me and my wacky ideas and this one is not worth fighting about. And, thus a light show.
The menu also has that "sister compromise" feel. Sis1: I want steak, potatoes and chicken; Sis2: I want salads and sandwiches; Sis3: I want sushi (stomp foot); Sis4: Exactly how many times did mom and dad drop you on your head as a child? Why are we doing sushi in the bordello? The menu is frustrating because there are no explanations of any of the dishes. Most of the dishes are named something so you have to ask to find out what you'll be ordering. The Tramp Salad (gotta wonder which sister that's named after) is actually a cobb salad. And, yes, there is sushi on the menu. They have gotten help from the Sushi Axiom people as there's my favorite roll, the Mustang roll, on the menu. Why it's there, I'm not sure but if you get a hankering for Sushi Axiom, I guess you can go to 4 Sisters.
We were given an amuse bouche to start. Didn't expect that. It was a mashed sweet potato pancake with an orange syrup on top. It was delicious but simply too sweet to start the meal. I would have loved it as a little bite of dessert or, even better, at Sunday brunch.
I ordered the fillet medallions and PMc ordered the beef and onions. All entries come with mashed potatoes and mixed grilled vegetables. PMc ordered the spinach instead of the potatoes and I ordered a side of mushrooms at the suggestion of the server. I received 3 filet medallions with my order, all very tender, all very salty and all medium instead of the medium rare I asked for. It was okay but there was no wow. The potatoes had a layer of liquid butter on top which made them tasty but the mixed veggies were grilled onions, red peppers, yellow squash and a couple pieces of asparagus. Bland, boring and 3 of my least favorite veggies on the planet. PMc liked, but was underwhelmed, by her dinner. Her spinach needed more flavor and the mushrooms were just not very interesting. Probably everything needed just a little garlic.
There's a full bar, and a decent but not very interesting wine list. Water is served with no ice. There's valet parking but plenty of free parking in the front and back so I don't think it's really necessary right now. Our server was nice and accommodating.
So my first impression of Four Sisters, meh. It's just not all that interesting. Maybe once it gets its legs underneath it it will be better but right now, it's just a little too disjointed and boring for me. Sorry, Richardson, you deserve more.
Cheers!
I was also intrigued by Four Sisters because, well, I'm one of 4 sisters. But I couldn't imagine having a restaurant with my sisters. See, while I love them dearly, we are each completely different people. Our ideas about food and decor would be so incredibly different, our restaurant would always feel just a bit off as we each try to put our own spin on it. And that's kind of the feel I got with Four Sisters, just a little off.
First, the decor. It reminds me of a Houston's (aka Hillstone), if Houston's was housed in a New Orleans bordello. Big bar in front, lots of booths in the dining area and a big, open kitchen area. And the entire restaurant, minus the kitchen area is dark, very dark. But just when you are wondering if you could have a little more light, the light show begin. Yes, I said light show. I glanced over and all of a sudden I see red and green lines of light dancing on the walls. Huh? But then I remember the name of the place, and i instantly understand why those lights are there. See, here's how I bet how the lighting conversation went with the 4 sisters of 4 Sisters. Sis1: man, it's kinda dark in here, we should probably turn the dimmers up just a little bit. Sis2: why don't we buy some really cool lamps that would give the place a nice, warm glow. I saw these the other day, aren't they awesome (insert image of the Christmas Story leg lamp here). Sis3: we can't afford to turn the dimmers up. Do you know how much electricity costs in the summer? Glares and rolls eyes at leg lamp (while secretly thinking, "you're gonna poke your eye out."). Sis4: I saw this really cool light show at this bar I went to about 5 years ago. I want to do that and only that (stomp foot). And I'm going to mention it to you every minute for the rest of your life until you all give in to me because I know you've learned to pick your battles with me and my wacky ideas and this one is not worth fighting about. And, thus a light show.
The menu also has that "sister compromise" feel. Sis1: I want steak, potatoes and chicken; Sis2: I want salads and sandwiches; Sis3: I want sushi (stomp foot); Sis4: Exactly how many times did mom and dad drop you on your head as a child? Why are we doing sushi in the bordello? The menu is frustrating because there are no explanations of any of the dishes. Most of the dishes are named something so you have to ask to find out what you'll be ordering. The Tramp Salad (gotta wonder which sister that's named after) is actually a cobb salad. And, yes, there is sushi on the menu. They have gotten help from the Sushi Axiom people as there's my favorite roll, the Mustang roll, on the menu. Why it's there, I'm not sure but if you get a hankering for Sushi Axiom, I guess you can go to 4 Sisters.
We were given an amuse bouche to start. Didn't expect that. It was a mashed sweet potato pancake with an orange syrup on top. It was delicious but simply too sweet to start the meal. I would have loved it as a little bite of dessert or, even better, at Sunday brunch.
I ordered the fillet medallions and PMc ordered the beef and onions. All entries come with mashed potatoes and mixed grilled vegetables. PMc ordered the spinach instead of the potatoes and I ordered a side of mushrooms at the suggestion of the server. I received 3 filet medallions with my order, all very tender, all very salty and all medium instead of the medium rare I asked for. It was okay but there was no wow. The potatoes had a layer of liquid butter on top which made them tasty but the mixed veggies were grilled onions, red peppers, yellow squash and a couple pieces of asparagus. Bland, boring and 3 of my least favorite veggies on the planet. PMc liked, but was underwhelmed, by her dinner. Her spinach needed more flavor and the mushrooms were just not very interesting. Probably everything needed just a little garlic.
There's a full bar, and a decent but not very interesting wine list. Water is served with no ice. There's valet parking but plenty of free parking in the front and back so I don't think it's really necessary right now. Our server was nice and accommodating.
So my first impression of Four Sisters, meh. It's just not all that interesting. Maybe once it gets its legs underneath it it will be better but right now, it's just a little too disjointed and boring for me. Sorry, Richardson, you deserve more.
Cheers!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
The Commissary
The Commissary is John Tesar's place in One Arts Plaza. It's a burger/wine bar which kind of confuses me. When I want wine, I don't necessarily want burgers. And when I want burgers, I don't necessarily want wine. Am I alone in this loyal followers? But, heck, maybe John Tesar knows something I don't know.
First, let's get One Arts Plaza out of the way. I, for one, think it's a great location. It's close to both Downtown and Uptown, and I love sitting outside by the fountains (at least for now). Its biggest drawback is the parking. People in Dallas don't want to pay for parking. I know. I get it. But if you go to any major city in the world, you are going to have to pay for parking. And if Dallas wants to be a major city, we're just going to have to suck it up and accept the fact that paid parking is going to be a thing. But the good thing about One Arts Plaza is you don't have to pay for valet parking. Well, unless you valet park. And you shouldn't valet park ($8, really?) at One Arts. There is a perfectly good covered parking lot directly behind One Arts Plaza. It costs $5 (with no tip), you don't have to stand in the valet line (which can ridiculously long), and they take credit cards. It's a no brainer people, particularly if you are going to a show. Parking at One Arts is $5. Parking at Winspear is $15. Park at One Arts, have a pre-show dinner or drink, then walk or take the Art Cart the 1.5 blocks to Winspear. There is no reason why you shouldn't do this (well, unless there's tornadic activity and a torrential downpour in the forecast like there was last night and then that $15 for underground parking at Winspear is totally worth it. Guess where I was last night?)
Back to The Commissary. My first visit was, meh. The tartar tostada, which the server recommended, was delicious in some bites and inedibly salty in others. It was also just one tostada and kind of difficult to share. Tartar nachos would have probably been a better menu item (if not so salty).
I had apparently spent too much time at the Ballpark and, on my first visit, violated one of my basic restaurant rules. Don't order fish in a steakhouse. Don't order steak in a fish house. And don't order a hot dog at a burger bar. Well, okay, that last one's new, but it should be a rule. My first warning should have come when I ordered sauerkraut with my dog (which is made with Kobe beef) and the server looked at me like I was from Mars. Look, my last name starts with a Z, ends with a ski and has a million letters in between (most of them vowels). I am a "good" Polish girl who was practically weaned on sauerkraut. If you are going to offer it, I'm going to order it, and I'm going to expect it to be great and have a lot of it on my hot dog. I didn't get that at The Commissary. Instead my dog had a smattering of cheap, canned kraut on it. Yawn. And the bun was just too much. I ended up taking the dog (which was actually really good) out of the bun and ate it on it own.
But all of those issues were forgotten when the tots came. Tater tots made with freakin sweet potatoes. Imagine the best thing you ever ate at the State Fair. Now forget about that. John Tesar's sweet potato tots are better than the best fried food you have ever had at the State Fair. Bite-sized perfection. I just wish you could substitute sweet potato tots for the shoe string fries which are served with all of the burgers. Sadly the tots (and the onion rings which are just average) are an addition, not a substitution. But, John Tesar, I don't need shoe string fries and sweet potato tots. Seems kind of wasteful to me. Surely, there has to be a compromise.
On my next visit, I made it about the burger. I ordered the Rib Burger which is a braised short rib with collard greens and horseradish mayo on a brioche bun. Total yum. The bun was the perfect choice and the short rib could be cut with a fork. I don't want to know how much butter was used to make those collard greens but they weren't the least bit bitter. They were delicious, and I've never really met a collard green I particularly cared for (although collard greens played a key funny in the best Office episode ever - Diversity Day. Watch it. Hi-larious). And for $10 with fries? Totally worth the price.
M ordered the Magic Burger with aged cheddar, applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onions and pickles on an English muffin. They made it to her order (with a well done burger and bacon. Sigh, I'll forgive her because she's preggers. Burgers are meant to be eaten medium rare as far as I'm concerned.) and she enjoyed it. And for $7 (for the 6 oz burger/$9 for the 8 oz) with fries, total deal.
Not so impressive were the sides this visit. If you like Houston's/Hillston's shoe string fries, you'll like The Commissary's. The onion rings were really nothing special and M's "disco fries" (with cheese and something that can only be described as jalapeno dust) were forgetable (if you want great cheese fries with jalapenos, order them at The Old Monk. Soooo good.). Stick with the tots.
Not in the mood for burgers? There are not a whole lot of options for you (although there are a whole lot of "burger" options). Tesar does have his hand rolled penne pasta with black truffle essence. I'll admit, I haven't tried this dish at The Commissary, but I've had it twice before and it's amazeballs. Just ignore the butter hardening in your arteries. The bypass will be worth it.
Oh, and a note about the wine list. It's fun. It's off the beaten path. If you are looking for the typical California offerings you can find at World Market for $8 a bottle (or at Coal Vines for 3-5x that), you aren't going to find it here. It's not going to kill you to try an Austrian wine with your burger. You just might like it. Have fun and explore. That's what dining is all about. John Tesar gets that. Maybe he does know something afterall.
Cheers!
First, let's get One Arts Plaza out of the way. I, for one, think it's a great location. It's close to both Downtown and Uptown, and I love sitting outside by the fountains (at least for now). Its biggest drawback is the parking. People in Dallas don't want to pay for parking. I know. I get it. But if you go to any major city in the world, you are going to have to pay for parking. And if Dallas wants to be a major city, we're just going to have to suck it up and accept the fact that paid parking is going to be a thing. But the good thing about One Arts Plaza is you don't have to pay for valet parking. Well, unless you valet park. And you shouldn't valet park ($8, really?) at One Arts. There is a perfectly good covered parking lot directly behind One Arts Plaza. It costs $5 (with no tip), you don't have to stand in the valet line (which can ridiculously long), and they take credit cards. It's a no brainer people, particularly if you are going to a show. Parking at One Arts is $5. Parking at Winspear is $15. Park at One Arts, have a pre-show dinner or drink, then walk or take the Art Cart the 1.5 blocks to Winspear. There is no reason why you shouldn't do this (well, unless there's tornadic activity and a torrential downpour in the forecast like there was last night and then that $15 for underground parking at Winspear is totally worth it. Guess where I was last night?)
Back to The Commissary. My first visit was, meh. The tartar tostada, which the server recommended, was delicious in some bites and inedibly salty in others. It was also just one tostada and kind of difficult to share. Tartar nachos would have probably been a better menu item (if not so salty).
I had apparently spent too much time at the Ballpark and, on my first visit, violated one of my basic restaurant rules. Don't order fish in a steakhouse. Don't order steak in a fish house. And don't order a hot dog at a burger bar. Well, okay, that last one's new, but it should be a rule. My first warning should have come when I ordered sauerkraut with my dog (which is made with Kobe beef) and the server looked at me like I was from Mars. Look, my last name starts with a Z, ends with a ski and has a million letters in between (most of them vowels). I am a "good" Polish girl who was practically weaned on sauerkraut. If you are going to offer it, I'm going to order it, and I'm going to expect it to be great and have a lot of it on my hot dog. I didn't get that at The Commissary. Instead my dog had a smattering of cheap, canned kraut on it. Yawn. And the bun was just too much. I ended up taking the dog (which was actually really good) out of the bun and ate it on it own.
But all of those issues were forgotten when the tots came. Tater tots made with freakin sweet potatoes. Imagine the best thing you ever ate at the State Fair. Now forget about that. John Tesar's sweet potato tots are better than the best fried food you have ever had at the State Fair. Bite-sized perfection. I just wish you could substitute sweet potato tots for the shoe string fries which are served with all of the burgers. Sadly the tots (and the onion rings which are just average) are an addition, not a substitution. But, John Tesar, I don't need shoe string fries and sweet potato tots. Seems kind of wasteful to me. Surely, there has to be a compromise.
On my next visit, I made it about the burger. I ordered the Rib Burger which is a braised short rib with collard greens and horseradish mayo on a brioche bun. Total yum. The bun was the perfect choice and the short rib could be cut with a fork. I don't want to know how much butter was used to make those collard greens but they weren't the least bit bitter. They were delicious, and I've never really met a collard green I particularly cared for (although collard greens played a key funny in the best Office episode ever - Diversity Day. Watch it. Hi-larious). And for $10 with fries? Totally worth the price.
M ordered the Magic Burger with aged cheddar, applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onions and pickles on an English muffin. They made it to her order (with a well done burger and bacon. Sigh, I'll forgive her because she's preggers. Burgers are meant to be eaten medium rare as far as I'm concerned.) and she enjoyed it. And for $7 (for the 6 oz burger/$9 for the 8 oz) with fries, total deal.
Not so impressive were the sides this visit. If you like Houston's/Hillston's shoe string fries, you'll like The Commissary's. The onion rings were really nothing special and M's "disco fries" (with cheese and something that can only be described as jalapeno dust) were forgetable (if you want great cheese fries with jalapenos, order them at The Old Monk. Soooo good.). Stick with the tots.
Not in the mood for burgers? There are not a whole lot of options for you (although there are a whole lot of "burger" options). Tesar does have his hand rolled penne pasta with black truffle essence. I'll admit, I haven't tried this dish at The Commissary, but I've had it twice before and it's amazeballs. Just ignore the butter hardening in your arteries. The bypass will be worth it.
Oh, and a note about the wine list. It's fun. It's off the beaten path. If you are looking for the typical California offerings you can find at World Market for $8 a bottle (or at Coal Vines for 3-5x that), you aren't going to find it here. It's not going to kill you to try an Austrian wine with your burger. You just might like it. Have fun and explore. That's what dining is all about. John Tesar gets that. Maybe he does know something afterall.
Cheers!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Abacus - A Revisit
Hello loyal followers!!!! I have missed you. New Job has kept me busy but I'm ready to get back into the swing of things and WiDiDallas!
We'll start with a new review of one of my old favorites, Abacus. After Il Sole closed (oh, I still miss that calamari and osso bucco), Abacus became my favorite restaurant in town. It has since been replaced by The Grape (which is in the hood and more "me" because it's not quite so fancy), but that doesn't mean Abacus still doesn't rank up there for me. Recently, though, I was speaking to another friend about my favorite restaurants in Dallas and he asked me this question when I mentioned Abacus, "Yeah, it's good, but is it still relevant?" Excellent question, J. I was determined to find out.
Now the last time I had dinner at Abacus, I didn't have the best night. Food was just okay and, later that night, I got dumped. Reading my initial review, I realize it was largely a reflection of me being kinda bummed. Not because that relationship was over; I knew we were pretty much doomed from the start (okay, that's probably an exaggeration, but I'm allowed a little poetic license here, I was the dumpee afterall). But as all girls this age all come to realize, the hardest part about any breakup is not the breakup, it's the getting back into the game. Ugh. It's exhausting. But it can be fun. Getting back in the game requires you to try some new things and revisit old favorites. Like, Abacus (see what I did there?).
It was M's birthday and she decided she wanted a very small dinner with just a handful of her closest friends. I am absolutely honored to be included in that very exclusive group. See, if I had it my way, M and I would have never been friends. We were opposing counsel in this case several years ago, and it was a fierce battle. Could I be friends with opposing counsel? Nope, never. But M thought I was one cool chick and made it her mission for us to be friends. So, as I like to tell it, she stalked me until I eventually gave in. See, sometimes I don't make the best decisions and I need someone to tell me the way it's going to be in order for me to make the correct decision. If someone can volunteer to do that in my dating life, I would really appreciate it. :)
I got to Abacus a little early. This girl needed a cocktail and I just love Abacus' bar. I ordered this drink which was basically a vodka gimlet with a malbec floater. Yup, vodka and wine, a delicious combination. And when the malbec started disappearing, the bartender game around with a little more malbec to float on top. I love you, Mr. Bartender.
We had 6:30 reservations but we didn't get sat until about an hour later. It wasn't Abacus' fault. You see, A had run out of gas on the way to the restaurant (rental car) and was a tad delayed. No problem, we understand, said the hostess. But eventually we got hungry and asked to be seated before A got there. She'd be there eventually and there were lobster shooters calling our names.
Now, I don't care if you have celiac disease, try the bread basket at Abacus. You can't go wrong (well, unless you have celiac). There's a piece of bread for everyone. The little bit of truffle butter didn't hurt, either.
We started with the lobster shooters. Yeah! My favorite. A little lobster meatball with sake and scallions. De-licious.
I next ordered the marinated local burrata mozzarella with balsamic caviar, cherry tomatoes and roasted garlic sourdough crostini. It's the perfect spring/summer salad. The mozzarella melted in your mouth and the balsamic caviar had an unexpected sweet flavor. I would definitely order it again. Other small plates which were ordered were the soft shell crab po' boy (which M said was delicious but a little to big for a "small plate") and a mushroom soup.
My entree was the wood grilled Hawaiian walu with sugar snap peas, Wagyu beef dumplings in a white soy-lemongrass broth. I loved it. The walu was slightly overcooked but the dumplings were amazing and the lemongrass broth added such a wonderful flavor. Other entrees ordered were the tandoori spiced venison, the scottish salmon, the scallops, and the rib eye. A little bit of everything. We all made happy plates (well, except for M who was pretty full after the po' boy).
It was a birthday party so, of course, we had to order dessert (birthday girl found room somehow). My pineapple upside down cake was not too sweet (which I was grateful for). There were also creme brulees, ice cream, and chocolate banana mousse cake ordered. The fact that none of us offered to share speaks volumes.
So, J, to answer your question, YES! Abacus is a absolutely still relevant. The food is great, the service is good, and the wine list is respectable, with plenty of well-priced good bottles (we had a Hogue Cabernet for $75). If you are looking for a "special occasion" place, definitely go to Abacus. You won't be disappointed (well, unless you get dumped that night).
Cheers!
We'll start with a new review of one of my old favorites, Abacus. After Il Sole closed (oh, I still miss that calamari and osso bucco), Abacus became my favorite restaurant in town. It has since been replaced by The Grape (which is in the hood and more "me" because it's not quite so fancy), but that doesn't mean Abacus still doesn't rank up there for me. Recently, though, I was speaking to another friend about my favorite restaurants in Dallas and he asked me this question when I mentioned Abacus, "Yeah, it's good, but is it still relevant?" Excellent question, J. I was determined to find out.
Now the last time I had dinner at Abacus, I didn't have the best night. Food was just okay and, later that night, I got dumped. Reading my initial review, I realize it was largely a reflection of me being kinda bummed. Not because that relationship was over; I knew we were pretty much doomed from the start (okay, that's probably an exaggeration, but I'm allowed a little poetic license here, I was the dumpee afterall). But as all girls this age all come to realize, the hardest part about any breakup is not the breakup, it's the getting back into the game. Ugh. It's exhausting. But it can be fun. Getting back in the game requires you to try some new things and revisit old favorites. Like, Abacus (see what I did there?).
It was M's birthday and she decided she wanted a very small dinner with just a handful of her closest friends. I am absolutely honored to be included in that very exclusive group. See, if I had it my way, M and I would have never been friends. We were opposing counsel in this case several years ago, and it was a fierce battle. Could I be friends with opposing counsel? Nope, never. But M thought I was one cool chick and made it her mission for us to be friends. So, as I like to tell it, she stalked me until I eventually gave in. See, sometimes I don't make the best decisions and I need someone to tell me the way it's going to be in order for me to make the correct decision. If someone can volunteer to do that in my dating life, I would really appreciate it. :)
I got to Abacus a little early. This girl needed a cocktail and I just love Abacus' bar. I ordered this drink which was basically a vodka gimlet with a malbec floater. Yup, vodka and wine, a delicious combination. And when the malbec started disappearing, the bartender game around with a little more malbec to float on top. I love you, Mr. Bartender.
We had 6:30 reservations but we didn't get sat until about an hour later. It wasn't Abacus' fault. You see, A had run out of gas on the way to the restaurant (rental car) and was a tad delayed. No problem, we understand, said the hostess. But eventually we got hungry and asked to be seated before A got there. She'd be there eventually and there were lobster shooters calling our names.
Now, I don't care if you have celiac disease, try the bread basket at Abacus. You can't go wrong (well, unless you have celiac). There's a piece of bread for everyone. The little bit of truffle butter didn't hurt, either.
We started with the lobster shooters. Yeah! My favorite. A little lobster meatball with sake and scallions. De-licious.
I next ordered the marinated local burrata mozzarella with balsamic caviar, cherry tomatoes and roasted garlic sourdough crostini. It's the perfect spring/summer salad. The mozzarella melted in your mouth and the balsamic caviar had an unexpected sweet flavor. I would definitely order it again. Other small plates which were ordered were the soft shell crab po' boy (which M said was delicious but a little to big for a "small plate") and a mushroom soup.
My entree was the wood grilled Hawaiian walu with sugar snap peas, Wagyu beef dumplings in a white soy-lemongrass broth. I loved it. The walu was slightly overcooked but the dumplings were amazing and the lemongrass broth added such a wonderful flavor. Other entrees ordered were the tandoori spiced venison, the scottish salmon, the scallops, and the rib eye. A little bit of everything. We all made happy plates (well, except for M who was pretty full after the po' boy).
It was a birthday party so, of course, we had to order dessert (birthday girl found room somehow). My pineapple upside down cake was not too sweet (which I was grateful for). There were also creme brulees, ice cream, and chocolate banana mousse cake ordered. The fact that none of us offered to share speaks volumes.
So, J, to answer your question, YES! Abacus is a absolutely still relevant. The food is great, the service is good, and the wine list is respectable, with plenty of well-priced good bottles (we had a Hogue Cabernet for $75). If you are looking for a "special occasion" place, definitely go to Abacus. You won't be disappointed (well, unless you get dumped that night).
Cheers!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Marquee
So I attended the "friends and family" soft opening of Marquee Grill, Tre Wilcox' new restaurant in Highland Park Village, on Friday night. I technically did not qualify as either a friend or family but a friend who did qualify could not use her reservation so she gave them to me. I have great friends. :)
We arrived at 8:20 for our 8:30 reservation. They did not have our reservation on the list (I swear, I was not crashing) but no worries, they would find a place for us. Would we mind sitting at the bar until our table is ready? No problem, and we were escorted upstairs to the bar.
The bar area is quite large, modern and sophisticated. Lots of seating and the balcony is fantastic. It gives you a wonderful view of Highland Park Village and, during the holidays, it will be perfect place to look a the lights (as long as they put some heaters out there). Jason Kosmas, formerly of Bolsa, is in charge of the bar and, as you can expect, its focus is on pre-prohibition cocktails. So, whiskey for me!
I had some time to chitchat with the bartenders. In fact, I had quite a bit of time to chitchat with the bartenders since at 9:10, 40 minutes after our reservation, we still had not been sat. I learned all about the restaurant's insignia, which the bartenders call "the scarf dancing lady". It's apparently a sculpture in the theatre and can be seen etched on the wine glasses and on the bartenders' jackets. Speaking of the bartenders' jackets, the bartenders hate them. "I feel like I should be cleaning people's teeth," one said. "I feel like I should be in Weird Science," said another (who was much too young to have actually seen Weird Science in the theatre, sigh). I agree, the jackets are ill fitting and make the guys look like dentists. But at least the drinks were good.
By 9:15pm, I was about to chew off my arm, I was so hungry. I smiled at my dental hygienist, er, bartender, and asked if he could please check on our reservations. About 7 minutes later we were sat at a balcony table outside. It was a great night for patio dining so we felt as if the wait was worth it.
Now, it was Good Friday so I was pretty limited in what I could order since I could not have any poultry, pork or beef. The menu we had was also a limited representation of what the menu will be. Since it was a soft opening, which is meant to work out the kinks, I don't think it's really fair for me to critique the food. But I'm not going to lie, there were some hiccups. They ran out of one of the elements of my salad (which was overdressed), and I had to switch out my entree because they had run out of monkfish. My seared tuna appetizer and Bay of Fundy salmon entree were also both too salty. But those are things that will hopefully get worked out with time.
My main concern about Marquee is the menu we saw really wasn't anything I hadn't seen before. Is Wilcox playing it too safe? I'm not sure. Maybe I'm expecting too much from a 2x Top Chef contestant. Or maybe Wilcox just knows his audience. This is the first new restaurant in HPV in almost 2 decades, so maybe playing it safe is what HPV needs. But I don't think of NOSH as necessarily playing it safe and it's thriving regardless. Time will tell if this is the right strategy. I'm willing to check it out a few more times to find out.
Cheers!
We arrived at 8:20 for our 8:30 reservation. They did not have our reservation on the list (I swear, I was not crashing) but no worries, they would find a place for us. Would we mind sitting at the bar until our table is ready? No problem, and we were escorted upstairs to the bar.
The bar area is quite large, modern and sophisticated. Lots of seating and the balcony is fantastic. It gives you a wonderful view of Highland Park Village and, during the holidays, it will be perfect place to look a the lights (as long as they put some heaters out there). Jason Kosmas, formerly of Bolsa, is in charge of the bar and, as you can expect, its focus is on pre-prohibition cocktails. So, whiskey for me!
I had some time to chitchat with the bartenders. In fact, I had quite a bit of time to chitchat with the bartenders since at 9:10, 40 minutes after our reservation, we still had not been sat. I learned all about the restaurant's insignia, which the bartenders call "the scarf dancing lady". It's apparently a sculpture in the theatre and can be seen etched on the wine glasses and on the bartenders' jackets. Speaking of the bartenders' jackets, the bartenders hate them. "I feel like I should be cleaning people's teeth," one said. "I feel like I should be in Weird Science," said another (who was much too young to have actually seen Weird Science in the theatre, sigh). I agree, the jackets are ill fitting and make the guys look like dentists. But at least the drinks were good.
By 9:15pm, I was about to chew off my arm, I was so hungry. I smiled at my dental hygienist, er, bartender, and asked if he could please check on our reservations. About 7 minutes later we were sat at a balcony table outside. It was a great night for patio dining so we felt as if the wait was worth it.
Now, it was Good Friday so I was pretty limited in what I could order since I could not have any poultry, pork or beef. The menu we had was also a limited representation of what the menu will be. Since it was a soft opening, which is meant to work out the kinks, I don't think it's really fair for me to critique the food. But I'm not going to lie, there were some hiccups. They ran out of one of the elements of my salad (which was overdressed), and I had to switch out my entree because they had run out of monkfish. My seared tuna appetizer and Bay of Fundy salmon entree were also both too salty. But those are things that will hopefully get worked out with time.
My main concern about Marquee is the menu we saw really wasn't anything I hadn't seen before. Is Wilcox playing it too safe? I'm not sure. Maybe I'm expecting too much from a 2x Top Chef contestant. Or maybe Wilcox just knows his audience. This is the first new restaurant in HPV in almost 2 decades, so maybe playing it safe is what HPV needs. But I don't think of NOSH as necessarily playing it safe and it's thriving regardless. Time will tell if this is the right strategy. I'm willing to check it out a few more times to find out.
Cheers!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
BEE's Enchiladeria
I had planned on meeting some girlfriends for 25 cent margaritas at Gloria's on Thursday. As I was driving there, they called to warn me there was a llllllllooooooonnnnnggggggggg line to get into Gloria's. Seriously people? Standing in line to save $2.75? Happy hour margaritas at Gloria's are only 3 bucks people. Okay, maybe when I was broke and in school I would be one of those people in line. But now that I earn an actual paycheck, I'll spend the extra money so I don't have to stand in line. Not like I'm saving for Murray's college education anyway. He can apply for financial aid, just like I did. Besides, I'm sure we can find a scholarship program for rescue dogs when the time comes.
So we decided to go to BEE's Enchiladeria instead. We started with . . . margaritas. They weren't a quarter, but were under 4 bucks and served in a small Styrofoam cup with a straw (classy, I know). Not the best margarita I've ever had, but it'll do, especially since I didn't have to stand in line.
Now, BEE stands for Best Enchiladas Ever. It's an enchiladeria after all. Isn't enchiladeria a great word? It just makes me smile every time I say it. Just kind of rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? Enchiladeria. Smile.
Now in order to get the "Best Enchilada Ever", you have to go through an ordering process. Which isn't hard. It's just a pain. When you arrive, grab an order form and fill it out. You can choose how many enchiladas you want (one or two), the type of tortilla you'd like, the filling, and the topping. So I guess if you don't have the Best Enchilada Ever, it's your own fault because you chose poorly. I ordered a blue corn tortilla with chicken and poblano crema and a corn tortilla with mushrooms and spinach and queso.
After you place your order and pay, you wait. And wait. And wait for them to call your name to go through the line and put on the rest of your toppings. There were apparently some to go orders ahead of us and so we stood there for quite some time. Once they do call your name, you get to pick additional toppings for your enchiladas -- lettuce, tomatoes, corn, pico de gallo, cheeses, etc.
I enjoyed my enchiladas. The ingredients were very fresh, and I'd like to think they were a whole lot healthier than the chicken enchiladas in sour cream sauce or cheese enchiladas with ranchero sauce I like to get at Mia's. Everything tasted good, even though they were a tad cold. But were they the Best Enchiladas Ever? Well, they were the best enchiladas I've ever had at an enchiladeria, how about that? And I think that's enough for me. BEE's will be my go-to place when I want Mexican but I want to eat something other than my usual. Or when I have to stand in line to get into Gloria's.
Oh, and everybody say it with me now, enchiladeria!!!!!
Cheers.
So we decided to go to BEE's Enchiladeria instead. We started with . . . margaritas. They weren't a quarter, but were under 4 bucks and served in a small Styrofoam cup with a straw (classy, I know). Not the best margarita I've ever had, but it'll do, especially since I didn't have to stand in line.
Now, BEE stands for Best Enchiladas Ever. It's an enchiladeria after all. Isn't enchiladeria a great word? It just makes me smile every time I say it. Just kind of rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? Enchiladeria. Smile.
Now in order to get the "Best Enchilada Ever", you have to go through an ordering process. Which isn't hard. It's just a pain. When you arrive, grab an order form and fill it out. You can choose how many enchiladas you want (one or two), the type of tortilla you'd like, the filling, and the topping. So I guess if you don't have the Best Enchilada Ever, it's your own fault because you chose poorly. I ordered a blue corn tortilla with chicken and poblano crema and a corn tortilla with mushrooms and spinach and queso.
After you place your order and pay, you wait. And wait. And wait for them to call your name to go through the line and put on the rest of your toppings. There were apparently some to go orders ahead of us and so we stood there for quite some time. Once they do call your name, you get to pick additional toppings for your enchiladas -- lettuce, tomatoes, corn, pico de gallo, cheeses, etc.
I enjoyed my enchiladas. The ingredients were very fresh, and I'd like to think they were a whole lot healthier than the chicken enchiladas in sour cream sauce or cheese enchiladas with ranchero sauce I like to get at Mia's. Everything tasted good, even though they were a tad cold. But were they the Best Enchiladas Ever? Well, they were the best enchiladas I've ever had at an enchiladeria, how about that? And I think that's enough for me. BEE's will be my go-to place when I want Mexican but I want to eat something other than my usual. Or when I have to stand in line to get into Gloria's.
Oh, and everybody say it with me now, enchiladeria!!!!!
Cheers.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Lucia
So I fi-nally got to eat at Lucia. It feels as if everyone who is everyone has already been there, and I'm the dorky girl in the corner waiting for the cute boy to notice me. It feels like high school all over again. Or any given Saturday night.
Our reservations (which we made a month ago) were at 5:30pm. Yeah, you read that right. 5:30pm. Do people who aren't my parents actually eat that early? Well, you do if you want a reservation before 9:30pm at Lucia. Since the restaurant is so small (less than 40 seats), it's just hard to get a table at a normal hour right now. Just eat a light lunch, and you'll be fine.
I was the first to arrive and a tad late. The rest of my party was stuck in traffic on 35, I told the hostess. "Well, we don't seat incomplete parties", she says. Now, I understand that policy when there are actual people in the restaurant. But at 5:38, Lucia had 2 tables (one 2 top and one 3 top) sat with no one coming in. Couldn't they make one little exception? Apparently not. Since there was no place to really wait, I was stuck standing in the corner all by myself. Alas, no cute boys came by to talk to the dorky girl standing there. Hmmm, story of my life.
About 5 minutes later, the rest of my party arrived, and I finally got a seat. Yeah! The restaurant has a rustic, casual feel. We were sat next to two elderly men who were apparently 5pm regulars. They reminded me of Statler and Waldorf from the Muppets. They were hilarious and gave us recommendations for our orders.
We started with the salumi misti. It had duck and olive pate, black pepper salame, lardo fresco (which is probably the worst named food ever), soppressata and chicken liver crostini and a surprise -- pickled golden beets. While the pate, crostini, and salum were delicious, the pickled, golden beets were the star of this starter. Their tartness added such a wonderful flavor to the dish. You can order a $13 or a $20 size of this dish, depending on the size of your party. The $13 size was perfect for our party of 3.
We decided that we were each going to order a different primi and secondi course so we could get the best variety. The menu changes regularly, so what we ate might not be there on the night you come. The primi courses can be ordered in two different sizes depending on whether you want to have one of the pastas for an entree. And please, please, please don't be afraid to ask your server questions about the menu. The menu is heavy on Italian foods with which most diners are unfamiliar. The servers are knowledgeable regarding the menu and will gladly explain what the dishes are in plain English.
For the primi course, I ordered the braised oxtail ravioli with caciocavallo, L ordered the tagliatelle with duck gizzards and cavolo nero, and S ordered the semolina gnocchi with hedgehog mushrooms and fonduta. (See what I mean about needing to ask your waiter for an explanation?) My oxtail ravioli had a rustic flavor but was a tad too greasy for my liking. L's tagliatelle was good but a little bland. S's gnocchi was our favorite selection with its fluffy semolina gnocchi.
For our secondi course, I ordered the Berkshire pork chop with sanguinaccio (blood sausage) and savoy cabbage; L ordered the Alaskan halibut with mussels, farro and Tassione Farms chard; and S ordered the veal involtini with escarole, and tuna mayonnaise. My pork chop was absolutely delicious. The large chop was cooked to perfection. It was not dry in the least, which was probably due to the large amount of fat that had to be cut away from the meat. Sometimes fat is a good thing. The blood sausage was good (although Bruno Davaillon's CFF blood sausage still wins in my book) and the cabbage was a nice accompaniment. I only got one bite of each but I thought L's halibut was a tad overcooked and S's veal was a tad salty.
With a 5:30 start time, we had finished dinner by 7pm, the time I'm usually getting home from work. Should we get dessert at Lucia or someplace else? Although they looked good, we decided to pass on dessert at Lucia. Tillman's s'mores were calling our names instead. That's one of the many things I love about Bishop Arts. It's so easy to go from one place to another since everything is in walking distance.
So my first take a Lucia? Well, the food is great but I think I expected a tad more. I had prepared myself to be wowed but, at the end of the day, I just enjoyed my meal. Maybe all of the hype made me raise my expectations to more than Lucia could deliver? I'm not sure. I do know that at no point during my meal did I reach food nirvana. And neither did my tablemates. Maybe it will come the next time. I'm willing to try it again and find out.
Cheers!
Our reservations (which we made a month ago) were at 5:30pm. Yeah, you read that right. 5:30pm. Do people who aren't my parents actually eat that early? Well, you do if you want a reservation before 9:30pm at Lucia. Since the restaurant is so small (less than 40 seats), it's just hard to get a table at a normal hour right now. Just eat a light lunch, and you'll be fine.
I was the first to arrive and a tad late. The rest of my party was stuck in traffic on 35, I told the hostess. "Well, we don't seat incomplete parties", she says. Now, I understand that policy when there are actual people in the restaurant. But at 5:38, Lucia had 2 tables (one 2 top and one 3 top) sat with no one coming in. Couldn't they make one little exception? Apparently not. Since there was no place to really wait, I was stuck standing in the corner all by myself. Alas, no cute boys came by to talk to the dorky girl standing there. Hmmm, story of my life.
About 5 minutes later, the rest of my party arrived, and I finally got a seat. Yeah! The restaurant has a rustic, casual feel. We were sat next to two elderly men who were apparently 5pm regulars. They reminded me of Statler and Waldorf from the Muppets. They were hilarious and gave us recommendations for our orders.
We started with the salumi misti. It had duck and olive pate, black pepper salame, lardo fresco (which is probably the worst named food ever), soppressata and chicken liver crostini and a surprise -- pickled golden beets. While the pate, crostini, and salum were delicious, the pickled, golden beets were the star of this starter. Their tartness added such a wonderful flavor to the dish. You can order a $13 or a $20 size of this dish, depending on the size of your party. The $13 size was perfect for our party of 3.
We decided that we were each going to order a different primi and secondi course so we could get the best variety. The menu changes regularly, so what we ate might not be there on the night you come. The primi courses can be ordered in two different sizes depending on whether you want to have one of the pastas for an entree. And please, please, please don't be afraid to ask your server questions about the menu. The menu is heavy on Italian foods with which most diners are unfamiliar. The servers are knowledgeable regarding the menu and will gladly explain what the dishes are in plain English.
For the primi course, I ordered the braised oxtail ravioli with caciocavallo, L ordered the tagliatelle with duck gizzards and cavolo nero, and S ordered the semolina gnocchi with hedgehog mushrooms and fonduta. (See what I mean about needing to ask your waiter for an explanation?) My oxtail ravioli had a rustic flavor but was a tad too greasy for my liking. L's tagliatelle was good but a little bland. S's gnocchi was our favorite selection with its fluffy semolina gnocchi.
For our secondi course, I ordered the Berkshire pork chop with sanguinaccio (blood sausage) and savoy cabbage; L ordered the Alaskan halibut with mussels, farro and Tassione Farms chard; and S ordered the veal involtini with escarole, and tuna mayonnaise. My pork chop was absolutely delicious. The large chop was cooked to perfection. It was not dry in the least, which was probably due to the large amount of fat that had to be cut away from the meat. Sometimes fat is a good thing. The blood sausage was good (although Bruno Davaillon's CFF blood sausage still wins in my book) and the cabbage was a nice accompaniment. I only got one bite of each but I thought L's halibut was a tad overcooked and S's veal was a tad salty.
With a 5:30 start time, we had finished dinner by 7pm, the time I'm usually getting home from work. Should we get dessert at Lucia or someplace else? Although they looked good, we decided to pass on dessert at Lucia. Tillman's s'mores were calling our names instead. That's one of the many things I love about Bishop Arts. It's so easy to go from one place to another since everything is in walking distance.
So my first take a Lucia? Well, the food is great but I think I expected a tad more. I had prepared myself to be wowed but, at the end of the day, I just enjoyed my meal. Maybe all of the hype made me raise my expectations to more than Lucia could deliver? I'm not sure. I do know that at no point during my meal did I reach food nirvana. And neither did my tablemates. Maybe it will come the next time. I'm willing to try it again and find out.
Cheers!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Nodding Donkey
It's the most wonderful time of the year! The temperatures have warmed up, the flowers are in bloom and March Madness is upon us!!!!! A few years ago I completed my first bracket and since then I've become totally obsessed. It's just so much fun. The games are fast paced and often nail biters. And the type A crazy person in me loves the competitiveness of bracket pools. Why everyone in America does not complete a bracket and follow the tourney is beyond me. It's just the best thing ever. (I know, how am I still single, right?)
My girlfriends S and PMc are just as obsessed as I am. S is a Tar Heel and PMc is a Longhorn so they have a reason to love the tourney. Me? I was just a kid when Houston had Phi Slamma Jamma madness. But that's okay they let me play too.
S had spent St. Patty's Day at the Nodding Donkey and just raved about it. So when PMc and I were trying to figure out where to go for some Friday tourney watching, we decided to check it out. Wow! Madness. Sooo many TVs. Soooo many games. Soooo many age appropriate boys. $3 happy hour drafts and this delightful $5 drink called a Donkey Punch (more about that later). And with the garage doors all opened and a perfect day, it's like a perfect inside/out patio spot. My kind of place.
We liked it so much, we decided to go back on Saturday for some more game watching. Given the Friday craziness, we knew we needed to get there early. S volunteered to get there bright and early and get us the perfect table (and, yes, she was there 3 days in a row. This girl needs a drink named after her). I'm proud to say, she accomplished her mission.
My mission on Saturday was to find out exactly what was in that Donkey Punch (it's motto: It only hurts for a minute). It's one of those drinks that's so delicious that you suck it down really quickly and then, about 20 minutes later, it hits you. Whhhhheeeeeeeeee!
I, too, was able to accomplish my mission. It was pretty simple. I just asked our server what was in it and she rattled off the ingredients: moonshine, vodka, rum, orange juice, cranberry juice and pineapple juice. Wait? Wha? Did I hear that first ingredient right? Did you really just say moonshine? Yes, our smiling server said, but, you know, legal moonshine (I guess that's defined as - not made in bathtub?). Not Everclear, but something like that. So, basically, you're serving us generic grain alcohol in citrus deliciousness? I'm down with that. Cheers!
I knew we were going to be there for the long haul (hello, we actually watch the games) so I ordered some queso. It had fresh corn, pico de gallo and brisket. Yeah, I didn't get the brisket either. It's too fatty to pull off in queso. It would have been a decent queso otherwise.
A Donkey Punch and a copule of hours later, I needed something else to eat. I wasn't too hungry, so I looked for a salad. Here's how their menu reads:
Rant of the day:
Dear Nodding Donkey menu writer, a "liter" is a unit of liquid measurement. It is NOT how you spell "lighter." Maybe it was meant to be cute, but, come on, lighter and liter are pronounced two totally different ways!!!! I'm sorry, this kind of thing annoys me, no matter how many Donkey Punches I've had. Literacy is a good thing. Promote it.
Ok. I'm done now.
The silver bowl salad (which is the same as State & Allen's down the street), was good. I like the spiciness of the chicken combined with the sweetness of the grapes and mandarin orange slices. I don't like that it's served in a stainless steel bowl. When my fork hits it, I get the chills.
We eventually had a couple of guys join our party. For the record, only the girls had completed brackets. Hmmmmmm, what's up with that. A ordered the silver bowl salad as well and C ordered the turkey sandwich which looked and smelled delicious. It had sliced and pulled smoked turkey between two thick slices of bread with a side of cranberry sauce to give it a Thanksgiving feel. It was also accompanied with a good sized bowl of fruit salad. I think I'm going to order that the next time I go.
After 5 hours of game watching, I decided it was time for me to go. As I was getting up to leave, a Rolls Royce pulled up to the valet. It was like a Rolls Royce clown car because like 6 guys who all looked like they were extras for the Jersey Shore got out of the car at once. Really? It's bad enough we have the reputation in this town for our $30,000 millionaires but now we have to deal with this? Ugh. And that's my cue to leave.
While I personally prefer the food at State & Allen, I'll definitely go back to the Nodding Donkey, especially this time of year when it's nice and cool outside. Or when I get a hankering for some moonshine.
Cheers!
http://www.thenoddingdonkey.com/
My girlfriends S and PMc are just as obsessed as I am. S is a Tar Heel and PMc is a Longhorn so they have a reason to love the tourney. Me? I was just a kid when Houston had Phi Slamma Jamma madness. But that's okay they let me play too.
S had spent St. Patty's Day at the Nodding Donkey and just raved about it. So when PMc and I were trying to figure out where to go for some Friday tourney watching, we decided to check it out. Wow! Madness. Sooo many TVs. Soooo many games. Soooo many age appropriate boys. $3 happy hour drafts and this delightful $5 drink called a Donkey Punch (more about that later). And with the garage doors all opened and a perfect day, it's like a perfect inside/out patio spot. My kind of place.
We liked it so much, we decided to go back on Saturday for some more game watching. Given the Friday craziness, we knew we needed to get there early. S volunteered to get there bright and early and get us the perfect table (and, yes, she was there 3 days in a row. This girl needs a drink named after her). I'm proud to say, she accomplished her mission.
My mission on Saturday was to find out exactly what was in that Donkey Punch (it's motto: It only hurts for a minute). It's one of those drinks that's so delicious that you suck it down really quickly and then, about 20 minutes later, it hits you. Whhhhheeeeeeeeee!
I, too, was able to accomplish my mission. It was pretty simple. I just asked our server what was in it and she rattled off the ingredients: moonshine, vodka, rum, orange juice, cranberry juice and pineapple juice. Wait? Wha? Did I hear that first ingredient right? Did you really just say moonshine? Yes, our smiling server said, but, you know, legal moonshine (I guess that's defined as - not made in bathtub?). Not Everclear, but something like that. So, basically, you're serving us generic grain alcohol in citrus deliciousness? I'm down with that. Cheers!
I knew we were going to be there for the long haul (hello, we actually watch the games) so I ordered some queso. It had fresh corn, pico de gallo and brisket. Yeah, I didn't get the brisket either. It's too fatty to pull off in queso. It would have been a decent queso otherwise.
A Donkey Punch and a copule of hours later, I needed something else to eat. I wasn't too hungry, so I looked for a salad. Here's how their menu reads:
Rant of the day:
Dear Nodding Donkey menu writer, a "liter" is a unit of liquid measurement. It is NOT how you spell "lighter." Maybe it was meant to be cute, but, come on, lighter and liter are pronounced two totally different ways!!!! I'm sorry, this kind of thing annoys me, no matter how many Donkey Punches I've had. Literacy is a good thing. Promote it.
Ok. I'm done now.
The silver bowl salad (which is the same as State & Allen's down the street), was good. I like the spiciness of the chicken combined with the sweetness of the grapes and mandarin orange slices. I don't like that it's served in a stainless steel bowl. When my fork hits it, I get the chills.
We eventually had a couple of guys join our party. For the record, only the girls had completed brackets. Hmmmmmm, what's up with that. A ordered the silver bowl salad as well and C ordered the turkey sandwich which looked and smelled delicious. It had sliced and pulled smoked turkey between two thick slices of bread with a side of cranberry sauce to give it a Thanksgiving feel. It was also accompanied with a good sized bowl of fruit salad. I think I'm going to order that the next time I go.
After 5 hours of game watching, I decided it was time for me to go. As I was getting up to leave, a Rolls Royce pulled up to the valet. It was like a Rolls Royce clown car because like 6 guys who all looked like they were extras for the Jersey Shore got out of the car at once. Really? It's bad enough we have the reputation in this town for our $30,000 millionaires but now we have to deal with this? Ugh. And that's my cue to leave.
While I personally prefer the food at State & Allen, I'll definitely go back to the Nodding Donkey, especially this time of year when it's nice and cool outside. Or when I get a hankering for some moonshine.
Cheers!
http://www.thenoddingdonkey.com/
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Komali - A Second Look
So K wanted to take me out to lunch to "celebrate" my new job at my new firm. I put "celebrate" in quotes because it was a celebration for me but for K, who inherited several of my crazier cases, it was bittersweet. I chose Komali because I wanted to check it out for lunch and try it out again after a slightly disappointing first look.
I arrived at Komali and was immediately greeted by a smiling Chef Salum. Have you gotten any rest?, I asked. He laughed and shook his head.
The restaurant was not very busy. I'm not sure the word has gotten out yet that Komali is opened for dinner. Well, except for the "ladies who lunch" crowd that is. All of the tables which were occupied were filled with older, HP ladies. I guess I missed that memo for the Lady Who Lunches Tour. Or maybe I'm just not on the LWL mailing list yet . . . hmmmm.
Another reason for the lack of crowd could be the prices. Komali's lunch menu is identical to its dinner menu so you're not getting any break on prices at lunchtime. I'm not sure how many people in this town want to spend $16 - $18 for lunch entrees.
We had a table of 5. Three of us ordered the chili relleno and two of us ordered the chicken enchiladas. Both dishes was very, very good. The chili relleno, which I had, was stuffed with a crab meat and pepper stuffing, and served with a side of rice and homemade corn tortillas. I loved the chili relleno. The chili is grilled, not fried, and so it had a nice, smokey flavor. There's a slightly spicy tomato sauce which the chili sits on which is very flavorful and just a hint of sour cream is squirted on top. The crab meat stuffing is what makes this dish, however. And when I say stuffing, don't misunderstand me. You aren't going to get a crab cake with a bunch of bread crumb filler inside. Nope, red and green chilis and a ton of jumbo lump crab meat stuff this chili delightfully. This dish is definitely worth the price tag. And those homemade corn tortillas? OMG. I don't think I can eat corn tortillas any place else again.
The chicken enchiladas looked delicious as well. Again, no filler. Just tortillas, chicken, and a tomatillo sauce with slices of avocado on top. I'm going to order this next time.
But the dish we absolutely fell in love with was the Chocoflan. A moist chocolate cake, topped with a dense flan, topped with a caramel sauce and pecans. You must try it. Not too sweet, but extremely moist and flavorful. It's now my second favorite dessert in Dallas (The Grape's Valhrona chocolate terrine with brandied cherries is still numero uno).
I think Komali has found its footing. I'm very happy to see that. Can't wait to go back.
Cheers!
I arrived at Komali and was immediately greeted by a smiling Chef Salum. Have you gotten any rest?, I asked. He laughed and shook his head.
The restaurant was not very busy. I'm not sure the word has gotten out yet that Komali is opened for dinner. Well, except for the "ladies who lunch" crowd that is. All of the tables which were occupied were filled with older, HP ladies. I guess I missed that memo for the Lady Who Lunches Tour. Or maybe I'm just not on the LWL mailing list yet . . . hmmmm.
Another reason for the lack of crowd could be the prices. Komali's lunch menu is identical to its dinner menu so you're not getting any break on prices at lunchtime. I'm not sure how many people in this town want to spend $16 - $18 for lunch entrees.
We had a table of 5. Three of us ordered the chili relleno and two of us ordered the chicken enchiladas. Both dishes was very, very good. The chili relleno, which I had, was stuffed with a crab meat and pepper stuffing, and served with a side of rice and homemade corn tortillas. I loved the chili relleno. The chili is grilled, not fried, and so it had a nice, smokey flavor. There's a slightly spicy tomato sauce which the chili sits on which is very flavorful and just a hint of sour cream is squirted on top. The crab meat stuffing is what makes this dish, however. And when I say stuffing, don't misunderstand me. You aren't going to get a crab cake with a bunch of bread crumb filler inside. Nope, red and green chilis and a ton of jumbo lump crab meat stuff this chili delightfully. This dish is definitely worth the price tag. And those homemade corn tortillas? OMG. I don't think I can eat corn tortillas any place else again.
The chicken enchiladas looked delicious as well. Again, no filler. Just tortillas, chicken, and a tomatillo sauce with slices of avocado on top. I'm going to order this next time.
But the dish we absolutely fell in love with was the Chocoflan. A moist chocolate cake, topped with a dense flan, topped with a caramel sauce and pecans. You must try it. Not too sweet, but extremely moist and flavorful. It's now my second favorite dessert in Dallas (The Grape's Valhrona chocolate terrine with brandied cherries is still numero uno).
I think Komali has found its footing. I'm very happy to see that. Can't wait to go back.
Cheers!
Morton's
So M and I decided to meet for dinner at the new Morton's in the old Grotto space on McKinney. Neither one of us felt much like dealing with the St. Patrick's Day chaos, so we figured dinner at a steakhouse on McKinney Avenue was the perfect choice. Ok, I know what each and every one of you are thinking, "Um, isn't Idle Rich and several other bars on McKinney?" Yes, we realized the error in our logic as we both got stuck in McKinney traffic. But it was all cool. People have to get to the chaos somehow.
I got to the restaurant a bit before M so I sat at the bar and ordered a drink. Morton's has a great happy hour menu. Lots of food choices for $5 or $6. Iceberg Wedge Bites, Mini Cheeseburgers, Petite Filet Mignon Sandwiches. And they have nice drink specials as well. I ordered a Manhattan, which seems to have become my drink of choice now that I'm wine-free until Easter, and checked out the bar scene. Meh. But it was St. Patty's Day so perhaps the usual scene was too busy drinking green beer down the street. Or stuck in traffic.
M got there and we were seated. The interior is nothing special. It's in the steakhouse style - dark, woods, wine bottles as decoration. Yawn. We checked out the wine list. Compared to Perry's, which is very, very, very proud of their list, Morton's had some nice bottles at fairly reasonable prices. Oh, wine, how I miss thee.
A giant loaf of onion bread was placed on our table with some butter. What is this, we wondered. We cut into it and were pleasantly surprised. We had expected the loaf to be fairly hollow in the middle but instead we found soft, plentiful, onion bread deliciousness. We had to call uncle or we would have completely ruined our appetite.
Our waiter arrives with a cart full of stuff. Sigh. I hate the steakhouse cart. Seeing a cut of meat on a platter wrapped in cellophane is not appetizing. And the poor LIVE lobster with its claws rubber banded together that was displayed on a platter? So very sad. And why exactly does the presentation need to include a hunk of raw broccoli and an entire potato? I know what those things are. Most toddlers do too. Thanks, but just show me the menu.
We finally received our menus and then our server presented us with a card of a great prefix "deal." You can get a starter, entree and dessert for a "great bargain" our server tells us. And as soon as he leaves us, M does the math. That great deal, gets you . . . $1-3 off the menu price!!!!!! Wow! What a deal! Not.
M and I both ordered a New York strip and then decided to share creamed spinach and button mushrooms. The steaks were, meh. Nothing special, and nothing we both couldn't do at home. I think they use soy sauce to tenderize and flavor the steaks, because you could definitely taste that (btw, Morton's does offer a soy-free and gluten free menu for those so inclined). The creamed spinach was tasteless. One bite each, and we were done. A little garlic or even a little salt would have helped immensely. The mushrooms were delicious though. I'd order those again.
So my first take on Morton's? Well, I don't think I'm coming back for dinner any time soon. Given the number of great steakhouses in this town, I'm not sure why I would want to eat dinner at Morton's when the steak was forgettable and the most tasty things I ate were the bread and the mushrooms. I'll definitely check out the happy hour scene again though, once I'm back on the vino, that is.
Cheers!
http://www.mortons.com/index.php
I got to the restaurant a bit before M so I sat at the bar and ordered a drink. Morton's has a great happy hour menu. Lots of food choices for $5 or $6. Iceberg Wedge Bites, Mini Cheeseburgers, Petite Filet Mignon Sandwiches. And they have nice drink specials as well. I ordered a Manhattan, which seems to have become my drink of choice now that I'm wine-free until Easter, and checked out the bar scene. Meh. But it was St. Patty's Day so perhaps the usual scene was too busy drinking green beer down the street. Or stuck in traffic.
M got there and we were seated. The interior is nothing special. It's in the steakhouse style - dark, woods, wine bottles as decoration. Yawn. We checked out the wine list. Compared to Perry's, which is very, very, very proud of their list, Morton's had some nice bottles at fairly reasonable prices. Oh, wine, how I miss thee.
A giant loaf of onion bread was placed on our table with some butter. What is this, we wondered. We cut into it and were pleasantly surprised. We had expected the loaf to be fairly hollow in the middle but instead we found soft, plentiful, onion bread deliciousness. We had to call uncle or we would have completely ruined our appetite.
Our waiter arrives with a cart full of stuff. Sigh. I hate the steakhouse cart. Seeing a cut of meat on a platter wrapped in cellophane is not appetizing. And the poor LIVE lobster with its claws rubber banded together that was displayed on a platter? So very sad. And why exactly does the presentation need to include a hunk of raw broccoli and an entire potato? I know what those things are. Most toddlers do too. Thanks, but just show me the menu.
We finally received our menus and then our server presented us with a card of a great prefix "deal." You can get a starter, entree and dessert for a "great bargain" our server tells us. And as soon as he leaves us, M does the math. That great deal, gets you . . . $1-3 off the menu price!!!!!! Wow! What a deal! Not.
M and I both ordered a New York strip and then decided to share creamed spinach and button mushrooms. The steaks were, meh. Nothing special, and nothing we both couldn't do at home. I think they use soy sauce to tenderize and flavor the steaks, because you could definitely taste that (btw, Morton's does offer a soy-free and gluten free menu for those so inclined). The creamed spinach was tasteless. One bite each, and we were done. A little garlic or even a little salt would have helped immensely. The mushrooms were delicious though. I'd order those again.
So my first take on Morton's? Well, I don't think I'm coming back for dinner any time soon. Given the number of great steakhouses in this town, I'm not sure why I would want to eat dinner at Morton's when the steak was forgettable and the most tasty things I ate were the bread and the mushrooms. I'll definitely check out the happy hour scene again though, once I'm back on the vino, that is.
Cheers!
http://www.mortons.com/index.php
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Celebrity Cafe & Bakery
So the next stop on my Lady Who Lunches Tour was Celebrity Cafe & Bakery in Highland Park Village (I refuse to call it HPV. That's an STD, not a place to shop and eat). It's the perfect little lunch place. Emphasis on little. It's not a big space. You order at the counter up front and, if you want to eat there, you have to either sit outside or sit at the few, cramped tables they have upstairs. I usually order my meal to go there but this time we decided to eat upstairs. We snagged the last table which had juuuuusssttttt enough room for the 2 of us.
Despite its name, Celebrity's menu isn't fancy. The menu is comprised of quite a few simple salads, sandwiches, soups and quiches. And that's usually just what a lady who lunches needs. K ordered the tuna salad plate which she describes as her "favorite lunch." A scoop of tuna salad on greens, with a few slices of avocado, a hard boiled egg, and a cup of fruit. Nothing fancy, just a nice, filling lunch. I wasn't very hungry so I just ordered a bowl of soup. Their soups change daily and today I ordered the chicken enchilada. It was delicious and tasted exactly like chicken enchiladas in a ranchero sauce. I could have used a few more vegetables and a little more chicken though.
Love Celebrity's iced tea. You have a choice of multiple flavors, green or black. I like the ginger peach the best but sometimes I switch it up and go for whatever green tea option they're pouring.
I almost passed out when I ordered my bowl of soup and iced tea and, as the cashier handed me my number, told me I owed $14.01 Wait, wha? Fourteen dollars for a bowl of soup and an iced tea? Wow, what exactly was this soup made of? Did they use the "nine effing dollar" tortilla chips from Hillstone? I asked the cashier to repeat himself and again he said, $14.01. I asked again, are you sure that's the price of a bowl of soup and an iced tea? He looked confused for a moment then shook his head and laughed. Oops. He had 14 on the brain because the number he was handing me was 14. My meal actually cost $7.01. Whew. Much better
But let's face it, the real reason we all go to Celebrity is the iced cookies. They make some of the best in town. Shamrocks for St. Patty's Day today. Yum. (Well, yum, if we had actually ordered any. K and I are both in a wedding in a couple of weeks and have dresses to fit in, so we decided to be good and go home without a sweet treat. Definitely next time).
Cheers!
http://www.enjoycelebrity.com/specialty-bakery
Despite its name, Celebrity's menu isn't fancy. The menu is comprised of quite a few simple salads, sandwiches, soups and quiches. And that's usually just what a lady who lunches needs. K ordered the tuna salad plate which she describes as her "favorite lunch." A scoop of tuna salad on greens, with a few slices of avocado, a hard boiled egg, and a cup of fruit. Nothing fancy, just a nice, filling lunch. I wasn't very hungry so I just ordered a bowl of soup. Their soups change daily and today I ordered the chicken enchilada. It was delicious and tasted exactly like chicken enchiladas in a ranchero sauce. I could have used a few more vegetables and a little more chicken though.
Love Celebrity's iced tea. You have a choice of multiple flavors, green or black. I like the ginger peach the best but sometimes I switch it up and go for whatever green tea option they're pouring.
I almost passed out when I ordered my bowl of soup and iced tea and, as the cashier handed me my number, told me I owed $14.01 Wait, wha? Fourteen dollars for a bowl of soup and an iced tea? Wow, what exactly was this soup made of? Did they use the "nine effing dollar" tortilla chips from Hillstone? I asked the cashier to repeat himself and again he said, $14.01. I asked again, are you sure that's the price of a bowl of soup and an iced tea? He looked confused for a moment then shook his head and laughed. Oops. He had 14 on the brain because the number he was handing me was 14. My meal actually cost $7.01. Whew. Much better
But let's face it, the real reason we all go to Celebrity is the iced cookies. They make some of the best in town. Shamrocks for St. Patty's Day today. Yum. (Well, yum, if we had actually ordered any. K and I are both in a wedding in a couple of weeks and have dresses to fit in, so we decided to be good and go home without a sweet treat. Definitely next time).
Cheers!
http://www.enjoycelebrity.com/specialty-bakery
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Chefs for Farmers 3
I just got home from Chefs for Farmers 3, which benefited one of my favorite charities, The Family Place. Had so much fun. It was very different from the last two CFFs, which were sit down, more formal meals. Here, we walked the line at Highland Park Cafeteria and jammed to some tunes spun by a DJ.
It was embarrassing how much I ate. I was such a glutton. To give you a complete idea of my gluttony, here's what was served. I'll highlight what I didn't eat.
Brian Luscher of The Grape
Cabbage Rolls, Liver & Onions, Butterscotch Pudding
Dan Landsberg of Hotel Zaza:
Meatloaf
J. Chastain of The Second Floor Bistro
Ambrosia, Garden Fresh Salad, Sweet Potato Hash
Jack Perkins of Maple and Motor
Chicken Fried Steak & Greens (these somehow didn't get on my tray)
Janice Provost & Chad Houser of Parigi Restaurant
Tater Tots with Pork Belly, Jello
Jill Bates of Fearing's
Vanilla Malt Ice Cream Sandwich
John Tesar
Mac n Cheese, Fried Chicken
Justin Fourton & Diane Fourton of Pecan Lodge
Burnt Ends, Maple Grits, Banana Pudding
Kelly Hightower of Nova
Crayfish Bread Pudding, Broiled Grouper
Matt McCallister
Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Green Chili Cheesy Potatoes, Rice Casserole, Mashed Potatoes with Gravy
Randall Copeland & Nathan Tate of Restaurant AVA
Wild Boar Sloppy Joes, Biscuits
Rick Griggs of Collage Bakery & Bar
Modern Strawberry Shortcake (I ran out of room on my tray)
Scott Romano of Charlie Palmer
Fresh Pasta with Duck Meatballs
Tim Byres of Smoke
Salisbury Steak with Gravy
Yes, that's my tray. How embarrassing is that? Shhhhh . . . don't tell my trainer.
There were a few standouts of the night. I'm definitely going to check out Pecan Lodge in the Farmers Market soon. Those burnt ends were simply amazing as was the super tender brisket (which I ate with a spoon after my tray ate my fork). Restaurant AVA's wild boar sloppy joes (with coleslaw on top) and the AVA biscuits were scrumptous. Chef Brian's cabbage rolls rivaled my Mom's galumpkies (although Mom's will always be my favorite). Matt McCallister's green chili cheesy potatoes was a dish I want to serve every Thanksgiving. And Dan Landsberg's meatloaf and Tim Byres' salisbury steak made me love those dishes again.
There was a ton of wine served in fun glassware and Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka was there serving drinks. It was such a fun night for a great cause. I was so glad to be part of it.
Cheers!
Il Cane Rosso
I'm starting a new job in a week. I'm not getting any time off between the old and new job so I've decided to be a "lady who lunches" as I "work" out my notice period.
The first stop on my Lady Who Lunches Tour was Il Cane Rosso in Deep Ellum. Yes, I know, most ladies who lunch wouldn't be caught dead in Deep Ellum, but, as I'm sure you've realized loyal followers, I'm not most ladies.
It was an absolutely beautiful day so we insisted on sitting outside on the patio. It's a nice, large patio with lots of seating. You really don't hear the freeway above. And in case you forgot you are in Deep Ellum, there's barbed wire surrounding one portion of the fence. You know, in case someone wants to steal pizza or something. The patio is also a nice place for lunch because you can watch some shirtless guys (or sports bra clad women, if that's your preference) in some bootcamp running past you, doing laps on Commerce (?!). I know I should probably feel guilty about scarfing pizza instead of exercising during lunch, but I really don't. I'm a lady who lunches, afterall. There's plenty of time for exercising later.
It was a Friday and I actually abstain during Lenten Fridays (see, Mom, I'm a "good" Catholic girl), so no meat for me. Pizza is always a great choice during Lenten Fridays since you can always find something to eat. We ordered the Vegetale pizza. The crust was absolutely perfect. Il Cano Rosso prides itself on its Neopolitan style pizza made in an authentic oven, imported straight from Italy. The crust is thin, crisp and flavorful, but not so much that it overwhelms the toppings. The Vegetale was served with olives, artichokes, mushrooms, and "seasonal vegetables", which I think in our case was a bit of spinach. The toppings were very fresh and were well balanced with the amount of cheese that was on the pizza.
But. . . .there was something missing -- sauce. Il Cano Rossa says their sauce is made from hand crushed San Marzano tomatoes. That's all well and good but I didn't really get any of that. I found the sauce thin and lacking in flavor. A little thicker sauce and a bit of garlic would have gone a long way. But we did finish the whole pie (which has 8 slices, fyi), so I guess it was pretty good.
So my first take on Il Cane Rosso? I liked it, especially the crust, but didn't love it. I'm going to have to go back and try a few more of their pies (with meat!) to see if my sauce-deficient Vegetale was an anomaly or simply the way they do things. Plus the patio was a nice place to hang with the nice weather here and they do have a nice craft beer selection to get your drink on.
Cheers!
The first stop on my Lady Who Lunches Tour was Il Cane Rosso in Deep Ellum. Yes, I know, most ladies who lunch wouldn't be caught dead in Deep Ellum, but, as I'm sure you've realized loyal followers, I'm not most ladies.
It was an absolutely beautiful day so we insisted on sitting outside on the patio. It's a nice, large patio with lots of seating. You really don't hear the freeway above. And in case you forgot you are in Deep Ellum, there's barbed wire surrounding one portion of the fence. You know, in case someone wants to steal pizza or something. The patio is also a nice place for lunch because you can watch some shirtless guys (or sports bra clad women, if that's your preference) in some bootcamp running past you, doing laps on Commerce (?!). I know I should probably feel guilty about scarfing pizza instead of exercising during lunch, but I really don't. I'm a lady who lunches, afterall. There's plenty of time for exercising later.
We started with the Mista salad. It was a simple salad with lettuce, grape tomatoes, and parmigiano with a basic, balsamic vinaigrette. It's served family style, with one order being just enough for about 3 people. It was a nice start to our meal.
It was a Friday and I actually abstain during Lenten Fridays (see, Mom, I'm a "good" Catholic girl), so no meat for me. Pizza is always a great choice during Lenten Fridays since you can always find something to eat. We ordered the Vegetale pizza. The crust was absolutely perfect. Il Cano Rosso prides itself on its Neopolitan style pizza made in an authentic oven, imported straight from Italy. The crust is thin, crisp and flavorful, but not so much that it overwhelms the toppings. The Vegetale was served with olives, artichokes, mushrooms, and "seasonal vegetables", which I think in our case was a bit of spinach. The toppings were very fresh and were well balanced with the amount of cheese that was on the pizza.
But. . . .there was something missing -- sauce. Il Cano Rossa says their sauce is made from hand crushed San Marzano tomatoes. That's all well and good but I didn't really get any of that. I found the sauce thin and lacking in flavor. A little thicker sauce and a bit of garlic would have gone a long way. But we did finish the whole pie (which has 8 slices, fyi), so I guess it was pretty good.
So my first take on Il Cane Rosso? I liked it, especially the crust, but didn't love it. I'm going to have to go back and try a few more of their pies (with meat!) to see if my sauce-deficient Vegetale was an anomaly or simply the way they do things. Plus the patio was a nice place to hang with the nice weather here and they do have a nice craft beer selection to get your drink on.
Cheers!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Play with Matt McCallister
I was so happy I got the opportunity to check out Play with Matt McCallister at Salum last week. See, I was at the first Play dinner at 2d Floor and didn't get a chance to write about it. During that dinner I got a text from my sister that my mom was being admitted to the hospital. After receiving that text, I don't remember much of anything about the dinner other than I have amazing friends in L & M (and I and C). Without their support, I would have never gotten through that night. Thanks guys. You're the best.
I need to put a disclaimer here. I'm personal friends with Chef McCallister and his wife, Iris. I've been to their house, they've been to mine, we've had more than a few drinks together. I say this because there are going to be quite a few raves here but I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression. Yes, I'm friends with the McCallisters but as Iris will be the first to tell you, I always tell it straight. If I'm raving, trust me, it's rave worthy.
Chef Salum was supposed to have been cooking right beside Matt that night but he's one busy man. Komali duty called and we got to see Chef Salum only a couple of times when he'd flit in and out to get a taste of what we were eating. He's still smiling. Although I think he must be sleep walking by now.
We started with an amuse bouche: carbonated strawberry mojito with shaved foie gras. Wait. Isn't a mojito a drink? How the heck is it staying on this spoon? Well, Chef had encapsulated the mojito so when you bit into it the mojito popped in your mouth, unleashing its amazing flavors. Yum-my.
The next course is described as "cauliflower, cheddar, ale" on the menu. It was cold soup with a cauliflower base and a cheddar ale consomme. The flavors were spot on but the textures were a little weird so it wasn't my favorite dish of the evening. (See, I tell it like I taste it).
Next was a "salad" of salmon, beets, horseradish, citrus, caviar and dill. Matt had changed up his desconstructed borscht that I had had before and made it even better. The citrus added just the perfect bite to this dish and balanced the sweetness of the beets perfectly. I could really eat this dish every single day.
We then had chili salt octopus, squid, brandade, and 5 minute farm egg. I really enjoyed the octopus and squid. The kick of the chili was just perfect. The farm egg was cooked perfectly but I didn't really need it for the dish. It made the dish look neat but tastewise, it didn't really add any wow.
Matt's version of a sloppy joe was next. Now, I grew up on Manwich. And I guarantee you, you can't get this flavor out of a can. Matt's sloppy joe was made with duck confit, foie gras aioli, black-pepper brioche and pickled, er, grapes. So good. A perfect bun and the duck confit won over this "not a big duck fan" girl. And the grape?! It tasted like pickles. Fun.
Sesame pork ribs with tamarind hoisin, cilantro and daikon was next. Oh My Goodness. When Matt opens up his restaurant, these have to be on the menu. Fall off the bone deliciousness.
Next up was sweetbreads with bacon, sunchoke-barigoule, red-pepper, gribiche. (Yea, I have no idea what I just said either). Ok, now I have to get my sweetbread rant over with. Dear chefs of Dallas, I'm over sweetbreads. Every chef's dinner I go to has sweetbreads on it. There's only so many times one girl can eat fried thymus. Let's move on to something else, okay? Now that I've said my peace, Matt's sweetbreads were the best I've had (sorry, Randall Copeland, yours have moved to #2).
The next dish was my personal favorite. Root beer short rib with vanilla lemon potatoes, radish and watercress. The short ribs were cooked to perfection but it was the vanilla lemon potatoes that really made this dish for me. The lemon and vanilla just added this little something extra which was just divine. I was absolutely stuffed and could have eaten 2 more helpings of this dish. So very, very good.
Then we had roast beef with black truffle, mire poix, turnip, potato and parsnip. I was so full by this point, I have to be honest, I really can't remember anything about this dish other than it was good. Ooof. So. Much. Food.
But wait! There's still our dessert courses. Yes, you read that right. Just in case we had an room (and I didn't) Matt made us 2 desserts. Our first dessert course was brioche french toast with bananas, bacon brittle, and vanilla rum ice cream. Our second course was dark chocolate panna cotta, maraschino, mint, malt ice cream. They were both really good but I was so very, very full.
Had a wonderful time. So glad I can now have happy Play memories. If you get a chance, Matt will be Play-ing with Randall Copeland at Restaurant AVA at the end of this month. I may still be digesting this meal by then.
Cheers!
I need to put a disclaimer here. I'm personal friends with Chef McCallister and his wife, Iris. I've been to their house, they've been to mine, we've had more than a few drinks together. I say this because there are going to be quite a few raves here but I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression. Yes, I'm friends with the McCallisters but as Iris will be the first to tell you, I always tell it straight. If I'm raving, trust me, it's rave worthy.
Chef Salum was supposed to have been cooking right beside Matt that night but he's one busy man. Komali duty called and we got to see Chef Salum only a couple of times when he'd flit in and out to get a taste of what we were eating. He's still smiling. Although I think he must be sleep walking by now.
We started with an amuse bouche: carbonated strawberry mojito with shaved foie gras. Wait. Isn't a mojito a drink? How the heck is it staying on this spoon? Well, Chef had encapsulated the mojito so when you bit into it the mojito popped in your mouth, unleashing its amazing flavors. Yum-my.
The next course is described as "cauliflower, cheddar, ale" on the menu. It was cold soup with a cauliflower base and a cheddar ale consomme. The flavors were spot on but the textures were a little weird so it wasn't my favorite dish of the evening. (See, I tell it like I taste it).
Next was a "salad" of salmon, beets, horseradish, citrus, caviar and dill. Matt had changed up his desconstructed borscht that I had had before and made it even better. The citrus added just the perfect bite to this dish and balanced the sweetness of the beets perfectly. I could really eat this dish every single day.
We then had chili salt octopus, squid, brandade, and 5 minute farm egg. I really enjoyed the octopus and squid. The kick of the chili was just perfect. The farm egg was cooked perfectly but I didn't really need it for the dish. It made the dish look neat but tastewise, it didn't really add any wow.
Matt's version of a sloppy joe was next. Now, I grew up on Manwich. And I guarantee you, you can't get this flavor out of a can. Matt's sloppy joe was made with duck confit, foie gras aioli, black-pepper brioche and pickled, er, grapes. So good. A perfect bun and the duck confit won over this "not a big duck fan" girl. And the grape?! It tasted like pickles. Fun.
Sesame pork ribs with tamarind hoisin, cilantro and daikon was next. Oh My Goodness. When Matt opens up his restaurant, these have to be on the menu. Fall off the bone deliciousness.
Next up was sweetbreads with bacon, sunchoke-barigoule, red-pepper, gribiche. (Yea, I have no idea what I just said either). Ok, now I have to get my sweetbread rant over with. Dear chefs of Dallas, I'm over sweetbreads. Every chef's dinner I go to has sweetbreads on it. There's only so many times one girl can eat fried thymus. Let's move on to something else, okay? Now that I've said my peace, Matt's sweetbreads were the best I've had (sorry, Randall Copeland, yours have moved to #2).
The next dish was my personal favorite. Root beer short rib with vanilla lemon potatoes, radish and watercress. The short ribs were cooked to perfection but it was the vanilla lemon potatoes that really made this dish for me. The lemon and vanilla just added this little something extra which was just divine. I was absolutely stuffed and could have eaten 2 more helpings of this dish. So very, very good.
Then we had roast beef with black truffle, mire poix, turnip, potato and parsnip. I was so full by this point, I have to be honest, I really can't remember anything about this dish other than it was good. Ooof. So. Much. Food.
But wait! There's still our dessert courses. Yes, you read that right. Just in case we had an room (and I didn't) Matt made us 2 desserts. Our first dessert course was brioche french toast with bananas, bacon brittle, and vanilla rum ice cream. Our second course was dark chocolate panna cotta, maraschino, mint, malt ice cream. They were both really good but I was so very, very full.
Had a wonderful time. So glad I can now have happy Play memories. If you get a chance, Matt will be Play-ing with Randall Copeland at Restaurant AVA at the end of this month. I may still be digesting this meal by then.
Cheers!
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