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!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
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!
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