Well, it's one of my favorite times of year -- Restaurant Week! The time where I eat a lot of food at a lot of great restaurants for charity.
First stop - Loft 610, Tre Wilcox's place in Plano. I had a huge foodie crush on Tre Wilcox when he was on Top Chef which became even greater when I met him in person when he was the Executive Chef at Abacus. Total charisma. Plus, I knew that he was largely responsible for Abacus' great menus during RW when he was there, so I was totally psyched to try his place.
I've decided that Loft 610 equals a dark Abacus in far, far, far north Plano. I think they called it Loft 610 because that's how many miles it is from Dallas. It's like ikea far. We started out with a very nice glass of Moet so that made the drive to Oklahoma a whole lot easier to take. I was thinking I was going to let the waiter surprise me, but I decided instead to ask the waiter what his favorites were. He listed them and both M and I rejected them. We felt bad because we were pretty much ignoring his advice but we had Moet and didn't really care at that point.
The food was quite nice. We started with our CM fourth course -- a tomato and mozzarella salad with a balsamic reduction. It needed a little salt and pepper but was otherwise nice and fresh. My first course was the lobster bisque. It was just okay but it was my fault. I love lobster bisque -- if it is cream based. I'm really not a roux fan so I always ask if a bisque is cream or roux based. The Moet must have affected my brain, because I forgot to ask and ended up with a roux based bisque. M had the scallops and shrimp which she said were excellent.
For the main course, I had the beef tenderloin. It was perfectly cooked. And the spicy grits that came with it were delicious. I wish the wine pairing was a bit bolder though. It needed a malbec or a zinfandel rather than a pinot. M had the sea bass which she also enjoyed.
For dessert, we both ordered the blueberry and peach crisp with vanilla ice cream. I love peach cobbler and this did not disappoint. What did disappoint was the wine pairing. But again, that was our fault. We had totally spoiled ourselves with the Moet. The Etoile that came with the dessert was undrinkable by comparison. We were having such a great time, we kept reaching for the wine and forgetting how horrible it was . . . until we took a sip. You think we would learn, but we kept forgetting. Again, I blame the Moet.
Bottom line with Loft 610. If you live in the area, it is definitely worth the trip. But if you live in my hood, you can go to Abacus and get the same thing without the drive.
HORNE & DEKKER
Sigh. I was soooo excited about trying this place. It's close to home and next to my favorite wine bar, Veritas. The food was so disappointing. I ordered the vegetable pizza. It was just okay. Thin crust but nothing exciting with the vegetables. Some feta might have helped it a bit. C ordered the cedar plank salmon. It looked nice but for $20 it wasn't much food. We also ordered the side "peas and carrots." It was supposed to serve 4. 4 what, I'm not sure, because it was quite tiny. It was also not just peas and carrots. There were so many shallots and garlic that it overwhelmed the dish. We sent it back and got, well, peas and carrotts. So ordinary. C commented that it was just like "Birds Eye."
So sad. I really wanted this place to wow but it only disappointed. the search for the perfect restaurant in the hood continues . . .
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Tillman's Roadhouse
Went to Tillman's Roadhouse this week. First, it's such a pretty restaurant. Kind of rustic chic. With wood paneled walls and crystal chandeliers. Roman Holiday started playing in the bar on the back wall while we were there. Nice touch. Must remember to rent that movie one of these days.
We get brought our "amuse bouche" if you will, which isn't really an "amuse bouche" but I like saying "amuse bouche" so that's what I"m going to call it. Amuse bouche. (see how I got it in again) Two giant silver ladles appear. In one you have truffled popcorn and the other was shelled peanuts. Loved the truffled popcorn. Wish I could bring it with me to the movies. Peanuts were good and salty (sweet nuts kinda gross me out, fyi).
We ordered a bottle of some wine I can't remember the name of. I wish I did. It was good. But it really doesn't matter because it's apparently only sold at Tillman's and I'd probably recognize the name on the wine list if I saw it so I can order it again (my loyal 2 readers, on the other hand, are out of luck. Sorry, I'm a bad blogger.)
I ordered the pork chop. First, it was HUGE. One look at me and anyone can tell I'm a clean your plate kinda gal. I was only able to get through half. It was cooked well but I found the pork chop to be a little bland and the creamy sauce it had for it didn't really add anything for me. What did do something for me was the tempura (I think they were Shiner battered) green beans. Yum-my. Could eat those all day. J ordered the salmon which looked all healthy and stuff. He said the mushrooms on top were a new addition but he found the salmon to be unevenly cooked and a little too rare in places. So entrees were not a raving success. Next time, I'm going with the venison frito pie.
J insisted we get dessert. We got a half order (thank goodness they do half orders) of the smores. They give you a little block pot o' sterno which they light on fire and let you roast your marshmallows yourself! The waiter tried to explain to us how to make a smore but I shewed him away, "hello, girl scout, I got this". Behind us a table of about 8 women had already started their smores and actually broke out in "kumbaya" (they must have been girl scouts too). Not making this up! Not often I get serenaded.
The marshmallows were homemade and in 3 different flavors -- orange (my fave), maple and coffee (really strong. would taste awesome with scotch). Now I love roasting marshmallows and when it comes to roasting marshmallows, I pretty much follow the Beavis and Butthead motto of "fire, fire fire." I want the whole thing engulfed in flames until it's a charcoal briquette on the outside and sweet gooey goodness on the inside. It took awhile for the fire to get going so I didn't get my maximum flame fixation until mallow #3 but it was still fun. J and I fought over superior flame position but I think he let me win because he was afraid of me setting something on fire). They also gave you little bits of chocolate and very delicious homemade graham crackers that really put the boxed kind to shame.
After the first smore, I soon realized that it wasn't going to take me very long to become very full. But did that mean I stopped eating? Hells to the no! There were still marshmallows to incinerate! Oh, how those damned delicious marshmallows (probably aided by that truffled popcorn) expanded in my stomach. I was full for a good 20 hours later. But it was worth the bloat.
Cheers!
We get brought our "amuse bouche" if you will, which isn't really an "amuse bouche" but I like saying "amuse bouche" so that's what I"m going to call it. Amuse bouche. (see how I got it in again) Two giant silver ladles appear. In one you have truffled popcorn and the other was shelled peanuts. Loved the truffled popcorn. Wish I could bring it with me to the movies. Peanuts were good and salty (sweet nuts kinda gross me out, fyi).
We ordered a bottle of some wine I can't remember the name of. I wish I did. It was good. But it really doesn't matter because it's apparently only sold at Tillman's and I'd probably recognize the name on the wine list if I saw it so I can order it again (my loyal 2 readers, on the other hand, are out of luck. Sorry, I'm a bad blogger.)
I ordered the pork chop. First, it was HUGE. One look at me and anyone can tell I'm a clean your plate kinda gal. I was only able to get through half. It was cooked well but I found the pork chop to be a little bland and the creamy sauce it had for it didn't really add anything for me. What did do something for me was the tempura (I think they were Shiner battered) green beans. Yum-my. Could eat those all day. J ordered the salmon which looked all healthy and stuff. He said the mushrooms on top were a new addition but he found the salmon to be unevenly cooked and a little too rare in places. So entrees were not a raving success. Next time, I'm going with the venison frito pie.
J insisted we get dessert. We got a half order (thank goodness they do half orders) of the smores. They give you a little block pot o' sterno which they light on fire and let you roast your marshmallows yourself! The waiter tried to explain to us how to make a smore but I shewed him away, "hello, girl scout, I got this". Behind us a table of about 8 women had already started their smores and actually broke out in "kumbaya" (they must have been girl scouts too). Not making this up! Not often I get serenaded.
The marshmallows were homemade and in 3 different flavors -- orange (my fave), maple and coffee (really strong. would taste awesome with scotch). Now I love roasting marshmallows and when it comes to roasting marshmallows, I pretty much follow the Beavis and Butthead motto of "fire, fire fire." I want the whole thing engulfed in flames until it's a charcoal briquette on the outside and sweet gooey goodness on the inside. It took awhile for the fire to get going so I didn't get my maximum flame fixation until mallow #3 but it was still fun. J and I fought over superior flame position but I think he let me win because he was afraid of me setting something on fire). They also gave you little bits of chocolate and very delicious homemade graham crackers that really put the boxed kind to shame.
After the first smore, I soon realized that it wasn't going to take me very long to become very full. But did that mean I stopped eating? Hells to the no! There were still marshmallows to incinerate! Oh, how those damned delicious marshmallows (probably aided by that truffled popcorn) expanded in my stomach. I was full for a good 20 hours later. But it was worth the bloat.
Cheers!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
48 Nights
Went to 48 nights last night. Made these reservations months ago, thinking it was the last seating for the last night. Apparently not. A couple of weeks ago they announced that they were adding another week AND will be doing a finale. hmpf. Oh, well. So glad I went anyway. The team from Parigi was in the kitchen and they made one heck of meal.
Here we go, course by course. The theme was "street food." The menu was all over the place so wine pairings we thought were going to be a challenge. We lucked out though and somehow managed to pick the right wine for each course.
First course. Pan seared foie gras with a bacon funnel cake, raspberry jam, and cotton candy.
The cotton candy add more color and fun than taste because the raspberry jam (which I think had some sweet onions in it) had more than enough sweetness. It was a small piece of foie gras but it was cooked well and added a nice texture to the dish. Really enjoyed the bacon funnel cake. The bacon flavor was quite subtle but definitely added to the dish. J brought an 02 Brut for this course. I'm not a huge champagne girl but it was a nice complement.
Second course.
House Smoked Sockeye Salmon with Maple-Soy Glaze, Crispy
Corn Tostada, Anthony’s Micro Mizuna, Cilantro, and Napa
Slaw Sides: Farms 5 Spice Refried Beans, Elote with Home
Grown Basil Butter and Jalapeno Salt
Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum. I could eat this every day. The beans and corn (elote) weren't really sides as they were all on top of the tostada and thank goodness because they made the dish. Sockeye salmon (especially smoked) tends to be a little fishy to me but the strong fish taste combined with the creaminess of the beans and sweetness of the corn made this my favorite course of the night. At the recommendation of a sommelier friend, L brought a hearty viognier (which name escapes me). We all agreed that we probably wouldn't drink this viognier at home because it didn't have that citrusy flavor we like in our viognier. It had a more buttery flavor and that turned out to be the perfect complement to the tostada!
Third Course
Chicken n’ a Dumplin’
Housemade Asian Dumpling stuffed with Chicken, Peas,
Carrots, Onions and Celery, Veloute Sauce
Ok, I LOVE chicken and dumplings. One of my favorite southern comfort foods. So I was really looking forward to this dish. It did not disappoint. Still scratching my head as to where "asian" came in to play. The dumpling did not really have that Asian flare to me. But it was soooo good. Imagine all the goodness of chicken and dumplings IN the dumpling itself. You got just the slightest bite of carrot, celery and onion in every bite. And the veloute sauce had cracked peppercorns that added the perfect amount of spice. I wanted seconds. and thirds. And definitely wanted something to sop the sauce up with. Would have licked my plate but didn't want to embarrass myself. J brought a Del Dotto Cab for this course. Bottle was signed by Mr. Del Dotto himself. Again, a perfect complement to the meal especially when you had a little bit of that pepper taste still in your mouth.
Fourth Course
Crispy Pani Puri
stuffed with Mr. Lemley’s Peach Chutney and Rocky’s
Watercress, Coconut Vinaigrette
eh. Just didn't wow me and I thought it was a tad bit too sweet so close to dessert. Did taste the coconut at all. Worst part was it was so small we couldn't justify opening another bottle for this course. :( Of course, considering my headache this morning, that's probably a very good thing.
Dessert
Sweet Street:
Cantaloupe-Prosecco Granita
Nutella Crepes,
Milk and Cookies
Ok, technically it was ONE cookie and ONE crepe. Not sure why they made those plural. But anywho... Cantaloupe Prosecco Granita was too cantloupey. I didn't want to end the meal with a melon taste in my mouth. Cookie was kinda store bought ordinary and the milk was, well, milk. Nutella crepe was good though. If I had designed this course, I would have had the nutella crepe and maybe just a grand marnier infused whipped cream on top. I brought a 2001 Chateau de Ste Helene Sauterne for this course. It was not so sweet so as to overwhelm the crepe.
Overall, an excellent dinner with excellent wine. Lots of laughter and good conversation. What more could you ask for?
Cheers!
Here we go, course by course. The theme was "street food." The menu was all over the place so wine pairings we thought were going to be a challenge. We lucked out though and somehow managed to pick the right wine for each course.
First course. Pan seared foie gras with a bacon funnel cake, raspberry jam, and cotton candy.
The cotton candy add more color and fun than taste because the raspberry jam (which I think had some sweet onions in it) had more than enough sweetness. It was a small piece of foie gras but it was cooked well and added a nice texture to the dish. Really enjoyed the bacon funnel cake. The bacon flavor was quite subtle but definitely added to the dish. J brought an 02 Brut for this course. I'm not a huge champagne girl but it was a nice complement.
Second course.
House Smoked Sockeye Salmon with Maple-Soy Glaze, Crispy
Corn Tostada, Anthony’s Micro Mizuna, Cilantro, and Napa
Slaw Sides: Farms 5 Spice Refried Beans, Elote with Home
Grown Basil Butter and Jalapeno Salt
Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum. I could eat this every day. The beans and corn (elote) weren't really sides as they were all on top of the tostada and thank goodness because they made the dish. Sockeye salmon (especially smoked) tends to be a little fishy to me but the strong fish taste combined with the creaminess of the beans and sweetness of the corn made this my favorite course of the night. At the recommendation of a sommelier friend, L brought a hearty viognier (which name escapes me). We all agreed that we probably wouldn't drink this viognier at home because it didn't have that citrusy flavor we like in our viognier. It had a more buttery flavor and that turned out to be the perfect complement to the tostada!
Third Course
Chicken n’ a Dumplin’
Housemade Asian Dumpling stuffed with Chicken, Peas,
Carrots, Onions and Celery, Veloute Sauce
Ok, I LOVE chicken and dumplings. One of my favorite southern comfort foods. So I was really looking forward to this dish. It did not disappoint. Still scratching my head as to where "asian" came in to play. The dumpling did not really have that Asian flare to me. But it was soooo good. Imagine all the goodness of chicken and dumplings IN the dumpling itself. You got just the slightest bite of carrot, celery and onion in every bite. And the veloute sauce had cracked peppercorns that added the perfect amount of spice. I wanted seconds. and thirds. And definitely wanted something to sop the sauce up with. Would have licked my plate but didn't want to embarrass myself. J brought a Del Dotto Cab for this course. Bottle was signed by Mr. Del Dotto himself. Again, a perfect complement to the meal especially when you had a little bit of that pepper taste still in your mouth.
Fourth Course
Crispy Pani Puri
stuffed with Mr. Lemley’s Peach Chutney and Rocky’s
Watercress, Coconut Vinaigrette
eh. Just didn't wow me and I thought it was a tad bit too sweet so close to dessert. Did taste the coconut at all. Worst part was it was so small we couldn't justify opening another bottle for this course. :( Of course, considering my headache this morning, that's probably a very good thing.
Dessert
Sweet Street:
Cantaloupe-Prosecco Granita
Nutella Crepes,
Milk and Cookies
Ok, technically it was ONE cookie and ONE crepe. Not sure why they made those plural. But anywho... Cantaloupe Prosecco Granita was too cantloupey. I didn't want to end the meal with a melon taste in my mouth. Cookie was kinda store bought ordinary and the milk was, well, milk. Nutella crepe was good though. If I had designed this course, I would have had the nutella crepe and maybe just a grand marnier infused whipped cream on top. I brought a 2001 Chateau de Ste Helene Sauterne for this course. It was not so sweet so as to overwhelm the crepe.
Overall, an excellent dinner with excellent wine. Lots of laughter and good conversation. What more could you ask for?
Cheers!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Pizza Lounge
So I went to Pizza Lounge right across the street from Fair Park. Friend of a friend owns the place and we decided to check it out. There were 6 of us and we decided to get 3 pies. The guys ordered the Muchacho which was full of various peppers. Too hot for my taste but the guys really liked it. S ordered a chicken and jalepeno pizza. S likes a thinner crust so she was slightly disappointed. She liked the taste but found there was too much dough for her case. K and I ordered a pizza called the Dime Bag (appropriate name for location). It's a vegetarian pizza with spinach, broccolini and rappini (broccoli rabe) with mozzarella and provolone. K and I added some Jimmy's hot sausage to our pie and that was a wise decision on our part. I like a thicker pizza dough and this one tasted great and held up well with the toppings. One of the best pizzas I have had in a very long time.
We also ordered a "greek salad" and I really didn't like it. There was no lettuce, but instead white onions, purple onions, cucumbers, kalamata olives and tomatoes. I don't eat raw onions so I left a lot on the plate. The "salad" was also underdressed which made it kinda bland. K kept insisting that there was fennel in the salad but I couldn't see it (and ended up eating a raw onion slice to test if it was fennel instead). Then I realized there wasn't fennel in the salad but a couple of fennel seads. It was a little odd.
This would probably end up being my regular pizza joint but for the location. It's Fair Park and we had to avoid a homeless guy with a cart to get back to our car. But they do deliver. I wonder if they go as far as Lakewood. Hmmm. . .
We also ordered a "greek salad" and I really didn't like it. There was no lettuce, but instead white onions, purple onions, cucumbers, kalamata olives and tomatoes. I don't eat raw onions so I left a lot on the plate. The "salad" was also underdressed which made it kinda bland. K kept insisting that there was fennel in the salad but I couldn't see it (and ended up eating a raw onion slice to test if it was fennel instead). Then I realized there wasn't fennel in the salad but a couple of fennel seads. It was a little odd.
This would probably end up being my regular pizza joint but for the location. It's Fair Park and we had to avoid a homeless guy with a cart to get back to our car. But they do deliver. I wonder if they go as far as Lakewood. Hmmm. . .
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Bistro N
I had lunch with my friends M & O this afternoon. M suggested Bistro N, the cafe in Nordstroms in Northpark, and I jumped at the opportunity. It's actually one of my favorite lunch spots. I've never had a bad meal there. I ordered my usual -- Nicoise Salmon Salad. In addition to the salmon, it has green beans, hard boiled eggs, potatoes, tomatos, onion and capers with a balsamic vinagrette. Pretty much all that was left was the raw purple onions (that I dont really like). O had the grilled vegetable salad with the soup du jour (a spicy new potato) and M had the chicken paillard salad. We all cleaned our plates. They also have some of the best iced tea in Dallas. yum-my.
After lunch I went to go see Inception. Two thumbs up!
Going to some pizza restaurant in Fair Park tonight. Should probably go find my pepper spray . . .
Cheers!
After lunch I went to go see Inception. Two thumbs up!
Going to some pizza restaurant in Fair Park tonight. Should probably go find my pepper spray . . .
Cheers!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Bob's
Went to Bob's for a client dinner last night. Believe it or not, it was my first time there. You'd think my love for all things cow would mean I'd been there at least once in 9 years I've been back in Dallas. Anyway, it was soooooo good. I had a 9oz filet, medium rare with a baked potato. The filet was grilled to perfection and it was so flavorful. The baked potato was, well, a baked potato but they used real bacon bits which was much appreciated. And the carrot which accompanied the steak and potato was the perfect little bit of sweet.
We also ordered the onion rings which were disappointing. I appreciated that the server recommended that we order a half order because if we had ordered a whole order, I'd still be eating them now, 24 hours later. Really all the onion rings needed was a few more seconds in the fryer. They tasted fine but they were pretty limp. My client mentioned the issue to the server and she took them off our bill. Again, much appreciated.
Think I'm now going to be on the search for the best onion rings in Dallas. It's a noble quest although one my cholesterol won't care for. Baileys Prime claims they have them, but I wasn't convinced.
We also ordered the onion rings which were disappointing. I appreciated that the server recommended that we order a half order because if we had ordered a whole order, I'd still be eating them now, 24 hours later. Really all the onion rings needed was a few more seconds in the fryer. They tasted fine but they were pretty limp. My client mentioned the issue to the server and she took them off our bill. Again, much appreciated.
Think I'm now going to be on the search for the best onion rings in Dallas. It's a noble quest although one my cholesterol won't care for. Baileys Prime claims they have them, but I wasn't convinced.
Restaurant Week is Coming!!!!
So far the plan is Fearings, Loft 610 and Baileys Prime Park Lane. That may change but that's where I have reservations thus far.
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