RW Report: Abacus is Still Amazing

First off, I have to give the Sig-O credit for getting us some of the best RW reservations in town - Abacus, the French Room and Bijoux. All on prime days. Seriously, the RW list comes out, I make a matrix of restaurants and dates (yes, this is the only time learning about matrices in calculus has ever helped me), I hand it to the Sig-O and magical things happen. Like a Friday night reservation at Abacus or a Saturday night at Bijoux. Reservation day is pretty much like sending my wishlist to Santa.

But on to more important things, like Abacus. The folks at Abacus on Friday night outdid themselves again. The Sig-O, Sibling, the Brit, the pseudo-aunt, and I went to Aacus on Friday night and were reminded of why Abacus is still at the top of the favorite restaurant list. The charming Ryan T. was our server and he made it such a fun evening for all 5 of us.

Ryan was happy to explain that we were better off ordering a bottle of wine rather than the pairings, particularly since none of us were big dessert wine fans. A lovely Meomi Pinot Noir went well with everyone’s dishes and it was thanks to his knowledgable recommendation that we chose it.

Our favorite appetizers were the duck gnocchi and the buffalo potstickers. Since each of us had a 4th course certificate, we each had 2 of the lobster shooters. Yes, we’ve all had them before, but they really are that good. I'm curious how many lobster shooters they make during Restaurant Week because there were a number of them on every table.

For the entrees, the most popular at our table were the shrimp and girts, the Kobe hanger steak and the pork tacos. The winner for that was definitely the steak. The three at our table each ordered it to a different doneness and they all came out perfectly. The sibling insisted the pork tacos were best, but we're pretty sure that was ego defending her dinner choice. Kobe beef really can't be beat and I found myself trying to get an extra bite of it from the Sig-O.

Desserts were a sampling of several, but the standout was the Burundi Coffee Ganache. It was incredibly decadant and the first thing to disappear off the plates. There was also a great lemon cornmeal poundcake that was very good, but the once we tried the chocolate, we pretty much forgot there was anything else on the plate.

Ryan’s service was impeccable. Friendly yet not intrusive. We can’t wait to go back to Abacus and hope Ryan will help us again.

In Case You Didn't Know: Restaurant Week Is Still Going for Two More Weeks

Earlier this week, the Sig-O and I got a chance to hit our first Restaurant Week dinner. Along with the sibling and mom, we headed over to The Mercury for what turned out to be one of the better put together RW dinners we've had in quite some time.

The service was friendly and attentive, yet not intrusive. Since there were four of us, we were able to check out several different choices for each course. Winner winner, chicken dinner was really the chicken "oysters" appetizer which were fried chicken with a pea salad fantastic gravy. The Sig-O was a fan of the truffled sausage. Mom went the healthier route with the salad that featured heirloom apples and tomatoes. While that still looks like a typo to me, it was still a very good salad. The sibing went with the gnocchi appetizer that had a delicious lamb bolognese sauce. With a first course like this, The Mercury was a certainly off to a good start.

The optional 4th course was a four cheese, mushroom and shrimp spring roll. While we appreciated the creativity of the spring roll ingredients, half the table found it a bit too spicy. Not to spoil the rest of the write up, but this really was the only culinary misstep we found at The Mercury.

Entrees arrived shortly and I found an incredible braised oxtail and shortrib in front of me. This was the kind of dish that results in fork duels for those trying to take an extra taste from your plate. To top it all off, there was a soft poached egg on top. Seriously, oxtail, shortrib and egg on one dish. Life is good. Sig-O went for quail that was light and cooked perfectly. Mom opted for the lamb shank, which isn't showing on their menu online, but is certainly worth ordering if you happen to make a reservation. The sibling ordered the trout. Complete with a straberry soup and crabmeat, it elevated trout to a new level.

Desserts were also great from a light and delightful Tres Leches to the Crispy Napolean Wonton to the Apple Cobbler, and, of course, the Chocolate Mousse Cake. The four desserts made their rounds at our table and we each proclaimed our own the best choice. I guess that means they really are all that good or else the family has ego issues. I'll opt for the former in case they're reading.

While other restaurants may cheap out on RW, The Mercury certainly didn't and we'll be back again for sure. It may not be flashiest restaurant on the list, but this neighborhood gem is worth the trip north of Northpark.

Stay tuned as we still have Abacus, The French Room and Chamberlain's all to come!

Il Cane Rosso is My New Favorite Brunch Spot

I hate it when my favorite restaurants get all crowded. Yes, I love that they are successful and will continue to be around, but the waiting part sucks. Everyone knows about Cane Rosso in Deep Ellum. And for those other people who don't, they will after the Diners, Dive-Ins, and Drives airs this week. We're lucky to have these great places that get their time in the national spotlight, but as a pre-DDD customer, I cringe at the thought of the throngs of people toting their misbehaving children into restaurants I love. But this isn't about how happy I am to be 1/2 of a DINK couple (Dual Income, No Kids), it's about the amazing brunch the Sig-O and I had on Sunday.

Cane Rosso recently decided to change it up and  be open for Sunday brunch, which made me a happy camper. Yes, they had previously done Saturday brunch, but that just wasn't terribly convenient. Yes, I've been known to drink on patios before noon on Saturday, but I don't make it a regular practice because, too often, there's just a bunch of stuff I need to get done on Saturday so we can drink on a patio and become worthless for the rest of the day on Sunday. Fortunately, Cane Rosso is now open on Sunday and has a great patio, which just so happens to be dog-friendly. If the Sig-O would get around to training the demon in fur to stop being such a jacka$$ with other dogs, I'm sure we would have taken him and enjoyed it.

Moving on to brunch. The full menu is available, but the real reason to wake up and head over to Deep Ellum is the brunch menu. I started with a mimosa (duh) and the Sig-O opted for a Michelada, which is basically a bloody mary made with beer instead of vodka. We rationalized that this could actually be a healthier version of a bloody mary when done with light beer. With eight choices on the brunch menu, it's not the number of choices that makes you wonder what to order as much as the number of freaking amazing choices available. Everything sounded good. For real. So we asked our friendly waitress for her thoughts, which turned out to be a great call since she let us know that the hash wasn't going to be with hot sopressata and braised pork, but rather in-house smoked brisket. Sold! 1 million times sold! Seriously, the Sig-O was all over that like white on rice. Me, I was still debating several options, but I'm a believer that a good brunch must have good eggs benedict, so I went with the Cane Rosso Benedict.

After just a few minutes of enjoying the sunshine on the patio with our cocktails, our brunch arrived. The brisket hash was brisket(duh), 2 over easy eggs, fonduta and crostini. The Sig-O went for the first bite and it was like I had been completely replaced. I think I might have even heard proposals of marriage to that brisket hash from that side of the table. I had to try it. Reluctantly, the Sig-O let me take a bite, but only after repeating, "you know the fact that I'm sharing this with you at all means I love you, right?" I was like, "yea, yea, whatever. Less talking, more food sharing." And then I took that bite. OMG! That brisket hash was totally proposal worthy. The flavors came together perfectly. The smokiness of the brisket, the spiciness of the chilies in the gravy, the eggs. Seriously, this is the kind of brunch food that keeps a restaurant at the top of your brunch choices even when the suburbanites and their broods invade your brunch patio.

The Cane Rosso Benedict was not about to play second fiddle to some hash. With the over easy eggs on top of crispy pancetta and fried polenta, topped with Calabrian chile gravy and complemented by delightful oven-roasted breakfast potatoes, this benedict is a force to be reckoned with that most assuredly puts Cane Rosso on my list of best brunches in town. There was even Jimmy's crumbled sausage in that chile gravy. I get pancetta, sausage, eggs, fried polenta, and breakfast potatoes with that amazing gravy all in one dish? This isn't brunch, this is amazing. In case you're not already full from licking your brunch plate clean, they do offer dessert. Sig-O and I just couldn't manage that one for brunch, but I highly recommend the S'mores calzone as I've shared it with coworkers at lunch and we found ourselves fork sparring for the last bits of chocolate and marshmellow goodness.

It's been quite some time since the Sig-O and I found ourselves both saying Wow to a brunch, but Cane Rosso deserves it. And they deserve to be featured on Triple-D. I just hope I can still snag a patio table after it airs.

Go. Preferably tonight. www.ilcanerosso.com/

Why The Grape is Still One of My Fave Restaurants in Dallas

The Grape. We all know it. We've all been there. And we all like it. I was reminded on Saturday night just how much I love this restaurant. Often given the label of being a "neighborhood gem," I think this is inaccurate. It's really more of a Dallas institution. Even if it's not on someone's regular restaurant rotation, simply suggesting going to The Grape immediately results in a, "Oh yes, I love that place. Let's go there." That was pretty much what happened this last weekend when the parental units were in town.

Let me start out by saying that the fabulous customer service from The Grape stars before you even show up. Courtney gave me a call to confirm our reservation on Saturday afternoon, which isn't terribly uncommon. But when I asked if it was possible for our party of six to be seated on the patio that evening, she happily told me she had already made sure of it. Yes, it's likely that I've made reservations before and requested to be on the patio, so it's in my profile on their computer, but this attention to detail is really where The Grape excels.

So the six of us show up on Saturday night and are seated at a very nice table on the patio. (Note: having six people show up on time is a little bit like herding cats.) Our server was friendly, starting us off with cocktails and giving us plenty of time to review the menu. The Sig-O opted for am East Side Sour, which was pretty darn good if you're looking for a good whiskey cocktail. Sig-O seems to be gravitating toward those old fashioned cocktails that fancy mixologists all over town are making. Me, I'm still a solid wine and vodka kind of girl. Not together, that would be gross. My younger sibling opted for the Grape's Boursin Martini, which isn't much more exciting than a martini, except that it included house-made boursin stuffed olives. It's a shame there were only two olives, because I think the rest of us would have enjoyed them, but she wasn't feeling like sharing. But she did report they were very, very good. And really, boursin stuffed olives? I'm not sure how that could ever not be good. The parental units and I stuck to wine that evening. The Grape always has an interesting wine list. Courtney has done her homework to put together an approachable list with interesting options that will have you stepping out of your typical comfort zone, yet still leave you enjoying each glass.

Ever onward we went into the meal, starting out with the frittered baby artichokes. Not to be missed, and surrounded by baby arugala and prosciutto, we needed two orders of them to make sure everyone got to enjoy. And of course no trip to The Grape would be complete without a fantastic cheese and charcuterie plate. We asked the waiter to let the chef decide what to put on the plate and we weren't disappointed when we received the creamy housemade boursin, marinate chevre, 4-year cheddar, rabbit mortadella, and spicy sopressata, complete with olives, grapes, crackers and the usual accouterments you'd expect for a well done cheese plate. The house boursin is always good at The Grape. The Sig-O was a fan of the sopressata and I was a fan of the rabbit mortadella. Seriously, how often do you find rabbit on a cheese plate? Dad, you missed out on that one.

After working our way through the appetizers and our first of several bottles of wine, our entrees arrived. Wanting to make sure we saved enough room for dessert, there were a few "share-sies" around the table. The parentals split the Texas Shrimp and Lemon Chili Sausage on polenta, and when I reached across the table to steal a bite, I found quite the version of shrimp and grits. Call it what you may, but when you put shrimp on top of polenta, it still becomes shrimp and grits. Not that I'm complaining, since it's certainly a favorite dish and this one was prepared quite well, even with the surprise of the sausage. The Bro-In-Law, BIL, had the Bistro Steak Frites and was not into sharing. I managed to snag a couple frites and he told me the steak was really good, but still didn't want to share. Note to Fam: we should consider reevaluating BIL status. The Sig-O chose what I originally thought would be a rather uninspired choice with the Coal Miner's Pasta. I was wrong, really wrong. Complete with cream, spinach, bacon and an egg on top, this spaghetti might have been the winning entree for the night. I kept reaching over for "just one more bite" of the creamy, cheesy, bacony goodness. If you know a coal miner, and this is how they cook, you should go to dinner there. And invite me. The sister, belonging to the BIL with now questionable status, and I split the Prime Pork Chop. Billed as the Grilled & Mopped Prime Pork Chop, it came with hominy gratin, slaw and green beans. The chop was tender and juicy. The kitchen was even kind enough to split it in the kitchen and still bring it out with a lovely presentation. Was it a good pork chop? Yes. Did I still end up fork sparring with the Sig-O for more coal miner's pasta. Yes.

But wait, dinner with the Fam isn't over until we've had dessert, so Mom and I perused the list and ordered the Valrhona Chocolate Terrine, Bananas Foster Bread Pudding and the Caramel Popcorn Sundae. Oh, and I think the table may have sampled all the post-dinner drinks The Grape offers. We were already down two bottles of wine by that time, so just take my word for it that the dessert cocktails were also very good. The terrine was a dense dark chocolate mousse with french brandied cherries. Smooth and rich, it was as expected and a definite must for any chocolate lover. The bread pudding was the perfect density and texture, with no need to be drowned in a superfluous sauce. It was popular, but let's be honest, everything played second fiddle to the Caramel Popcorn Sundae. I know, you don't know if that actually sounds good, trust me, it is better than good. It's fan-freaking-tastic. Think buttered popcorn ice cream, sea salt caramel and caramel popcorn tuille. There wasn't a single bite left of that one. People who classify themselves with the "I'm not a dessert person" label even loved this dessert. The flavors and textures married so well, I'd recommend ordering this and taking notes from it rather than some expensive blah, blah, blah pre-marriage counseling.

 If you're looking to make dinner plans, I'd certainly recommend visiting The Grape. With Courtney running the front of the house and Brian crafting amazing food in the back, you really can't go wrong. I know I'll be back soon, I've already told the Sig-O we're going back for a charcuterie plate and the caramel popcorn sundae.

Lunch Quick Bite: Green House Food Truck

I wanted Green House to wow me for lunch. It's sunny, it's 70, and the lines weren't that long. The Arts District Food Truck area has actually moved over in front of the Winspear, which is a much better location than the previous parking between the Belo Mansion and a parking lot/construction zone. The scene was pretty much perfect for wowing, but it just didn't quite do it.

I'd heard that Green House was doing short rib sandwiches, and I immediately wanted to check it out. It's officially a beef short rib sandwich with horseradish cream and baby greens. So I wandered over, enjoyed the sunshine and waited in line. Watching the guy taking the orders try to do math in his head and then have to write it down didn't inspire a whole lot of confidence in his charging abilities, so I added up the cost of my sandwich, chips and drink on my own. Except I couldn't. Not because I'm math retarded, thanks. The short rib sandwich was a special and didn't have a price listed. Looking at the fact the other sandwiches were in the $7-$8 range, I figured it would be about the same. So, when I get to the front of the line and order from the math wonderboy, he told me the total was $14.07, I was like what? How much is that sandwich? He tells me it's $9.50. (Add in chips for $1.50 and drink for $2. Really? $2 drink?) Um, ok, not normally what I'd spend on a sandwich, particularly one that doesn't come with chips. Seriously, it's kind of annoying to be expected to pay almost $10 for a sandwich and only get . . . a sandwich. Yes, I know I can go other places, but I didn't. They call my name a few minutes later and I snag my food and a spot to eat. (Dear Dallas Arts District, you could invest in some more picnic tables and nobody would complain)

I open up their environmentally friendly clamshell (points for being green.) and the short rib sandwich was pretty. Big meaty pieces of short rib and I was excited for the first bite. So I took it. It was good. The short rib was tender and clearly cooked well. The horseradish cream could have used a little more horseradish. And the baby greens, well, they were just mixed greens. There's clearly some creative license in the menu creation for most places, so nobody is getting beaten up on that one. The sandwich was good. It really was. But for freaking $9.50 just for a sandwich, I think I should be allowed to expect better than just good.

And yes, I'm whining about the prices. Not because I mind paying for good food, but because their prices are higher than other food trucks. $14 for lunch at a food truck just seems a little high. But I make these sacrifices so you get to know what's going on out there. You're welcome.

Definitely not disappointed to have spent the calories on that sandwich, but a little disappointed that I paid almost $10 for it. Would I give Green House another short, probably. But that's because I'm still enjoying the sugar high from Limonata Pellegrino I got there.

The Food Truck Parade Continues - Jack's Chowhound

The intern walks into my office around 11:45 and tells me she's going to Subway for lunch. I say, "um, are you sure you wouldn't rather join me on my foodtruck adventure?" "Another one? Is it a different one" she asks.(she went on the Gandolfo's adventure last week and got tricked into eating a spicy kimchee fry yesterday, how was I to know she didn't like spicy, but she did, so it was fine.)  "Yes, another one. Jack's Chowhound is here today. No, I don't know exactly what they serve, but I'm sure it will be good." She said ok, but I think it's b/c she's now counting the hours until she's done with this fabu internship and she's going to miss us like bunches and bunches. Or maybe we'll miss her like that, but I digress.

So, intern and I trek through the death heat over to the food truck. Jack's Chowhound it is. Their menu includes pulled pork grilled cheese, spicy steak sammmies, portabello burger, meatball sliders, a Texas dog and several other offerings including fresh fries - either plain or with cajun seasoning. I opted for the pulled pork grilled cheese and the intern went with the portabello burger. Before I get to the food (spoiler alert: it was awesome!), I need to talk about the price tag. Her burger was $7 and my pulled pork grilled cheese was $8. Add on a bottled soft drink ($2), and all of a sudden my meal is $10. I don't mind the $10 price tag THAT much, but come on, couldn't they throw in a side of fries or chips? Just seemed a little steep for a sandwich.

Moving on to said pulled pork sandwich. It was amazing. Like, for real deal, A-MA-ZING. Texas toast, plenty of pulled pork, a little BBQ sauce and melted gouda cheese. Good call on the gouda, boys. Yes, I griped about the price, but it's only b/c the sandwich I like at Samar is also $8 and it comes with a side salad. See, I'm just saying. But the fantastic combo of pulled pork and grilled cheese was pretty darn amazing and I may grab the Sig-O and go up to Inwood Tavern for one on Thursday or Friday night (that's when they hang out there selling their yummy upscale bar food).

Intern thoroughly enjoyed her portabello burger, which says a fair bit since she's a picky eater. And she didn't share, which generally means someone really likes their food. Again, she wasn't thrilled by the price tag (she's an intern, they are poor by nature and by lack of salary), but she said it was a damn good burger. Ok, she didn't say damn, but she meant to. It's a heck of a burger for being meatless.

All in all, another successful food truck adventure. Jack's may be prowd of his food, but he's got every damn right to be. Next time I'll just have Sig-O take me there.

First Look/Restaurant Review: Mesa

I usually have a deluge of emails in my inbox each morning, which I diligently skim to let you know all the best deals, steals, and you know the rest. Then there are the emails that come in later in the day that I might take a little more time to read, and I’m glad I did just that on Friday, as I found out about the soft opening for Mesa. The official opening party is on Wednesday, and it’s worth the trip to the OC.

The location, on Jefferson, makes you double check to make sure you locked your car, but once you’re inside the nicely appointed space, you completely forget where you are. There are few tables, so be glad when you snag one. The dark brown chairs and banquettes coordinate nicely with the orange accent wall and orange bottles of water placed on your table.

Sig-O and I were warmly greeted by the hostess and the chef owner, who continued to check on us throughout the evening. The service was prompt and friendly, letting us know that they weren’t serving their signature cocktails yet, but the bar was a still available. Their cocktail list is impressive, involving a number of house made ingredients that made us want to return to enjoy the bar. After taking our drink order, the server told us that he’d bring out the Surtido Veracruzano , an assortment of appetizers, so we could try a number of things, as well as their ceviche. The plate includes enmoladas, enfrijoladas, platanos fritos, picada and an empanada. The empanada was the standout appetizer, but I’d certainly recommend getting the sampler plate so you can try things on your own. But the ceviche, with house-made tortilla chips really stole the show. The bright flavors seemed to dance in your mouth. I even bargained with the Sig-O to make sure I could have a little extra ceviche.

After the large appetizer we had, Sig-O and I decided to split the Camarones Enchipotlados. Described as whole Galveston shrimp sautéed in chipotle sauce and served with jasmine rice, we found that we had chosen wisely again. The smokiness of the chipotle sauce married well with the tender shrimp. The side of sautéed vegetables included onion, zucchini and corn. Our charming server also brought out some fresh tortillas, which were wonderful. Since we were splitting, I’m sure that bringing three tortillas would have been perfect for one person, but a restaurant pet peeve of mine would be those that bring an odd number of tortillas to a couple. It would just be nice to have them throw in an extra tortilla. Not as much a complaint about Mesa, but just a restaurant comment. You know, it would just help avoid that awkward, “oh, I took the last one, is that ok?” moment.

Since Sig-O and I had split our entrée, and they had two desserts available that night, we opted to try each. The first was Arroz con Leche. It was wonderful, just the right amount of sweetness with the texture of the rice. But the winner for the entire night was the flan. Sig-O isn’t even a fan of flan, yet the plate kept going that direction. I don’t want to sound crass, but this dessert was like sex on a spoon. It was fantastic. With a creamy texture, rich mouth feel and a touch of orange flavor, this will most certainly be on my must have list.

On another note, Mesa has done a very good job of indicating gluten-free and vegetarian options on their menu. It’s always nice to see the attention to detail. I’m so glad that we got to go to Mesa before the crush that will undoubtedly ensue. I’d recommend heading over there ASAP so you can enjoy it too. Check out their site here and make your reservation!

Could BEE Really BEE the Best Enchiladas?

I’ll freely admit that I’m a fan of Monica Greene’s restaurants - RIP Ciudad, we still miss you and are waiting to see what in the world ever happens with that shopping center. I enjoy Monica’s Aca y Alla in Deep Ellum for lunch and brunch (hello, cheap mimosas and margaritas), and I’ve even ventured up to her place in Aspen courtesy of a family trip, thanks mom and dad. But when I hear that BEE was really an acronym for Best Enchildas Ever, I was like really? Really? Seems a little arrogant, so the bar was officially raised for this adventure.

Sig-O and I ventured down to Bishop Arts District, as this seems to be blossoming with foodie hangouts – hello Decanter and Dude Sweet Chocolate, but our mission this time was to check out BEE. We found the brightly colored building on Davis to have ample parking, made easier since we hadn’t ventured out until close to 2 p.m. We walked in and were cheerfully greeted and asked if we knew what we were doing. Yes, I get the concept of enchiladas, but ordering at BEE is reminiscent of Which Wich, complete with an order card so you can personalize everything. Sig-O and I each grabbed one a proceeded to fill out our cards. There are a lot of choices, so at some point I just started checking things. You get to choose between four different kinds of tortillas, 6 different fillings, 10 different sauces and four cheese toppings. That’s a mind-boggling 920 possible combinations, so you’ll understand why I just started checking. And that doesn’t even include the taco choices.

I went with a blue corn tortilla, carnitas filling, queso blanco sauce and Oaxaca cheese. Sig-O opeted for corn tortilla, chicken tinga filling, chipotle crème sauce and queso fresco. We also decided to get a beef picadillo taco in a corn tortilla, as well as chips and queso blanco. We hand over our cards to the friendly cashier who twists our arms into getting BEE margaritas. BEE also has a good selection of domestic and foreign (Mexican) beers, but he told us that we’d be glad we got the best $4 margarita in town, and we were, after the brain freeze wore off just in time to watch our enchiladas get made in front of us.

You’ll watch as enchilada making experts carefully craft your handmade enchilada to your exacting specifications, followed by your selection of additional toppings in case you feel like making mom proud and throwing some veggies on top(lettuce, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, carrots). Sig-O is a purist, but a cilantro fan, so has them throw a dash of cilantro on the enchilada. Now it’s my turn – the enchilada master makes my enchilada and I decide to make it pretty with everything, seriously, it makes it fun and colorful. Then there comes the taco, and the chips, and the queso. Thanks to the Sig-O for making me write all of that on mine, so I look like the fatty, but that’s neither here nor there.

We find a table on the patio that looks like it would be in the sun if we had ventured out earlier, which provides a good view of people and car watching. Winner for the day – woman driving the Aston Martin convertible with the fluffy white dogs in her lap. Back to the food. The queso blanco is the same queso Monica serves at Monica’s, and it’s still great. Thin chips were tasty, but required a rescue mission or two when they snapped under the weight of the queso. The beef picadillo taco was good with authentic flavors shining through as an opening act.


The star of the show was the enchiladas. The blue corn with carnitas was a very good choice. The pork was tender and flavorful, and the queso on the top was the same one we had with the chips. Sig-O had already delved into the chicken enchilada and didn’t look terribly interested in sharing, but thought better of it and switched plates for the obligatory taste test. The chipotle chicken was moist and well complemented by the chipotle crema sauce, which I had to keep myself from licking off the top of the enchilada. Seriously, it’s that good. Around that time, the Sig-O insisted I hand the enchilada with the magical sauce back over. I did, and then went back to enjoying my own yummy enchilada.


When our friendly cashier came by to check on us, we asked if that was possible to get the chipotle crema in a cup instead of queso to go with our chips next time. We got a questionable look with a raised eyebrow. I think that means it might be ok, but we’ll have to come back again to find out. And that’s not a problem.


Best enchiladas EVER? Don’t know that I can judge that without tasting enchiladas throughout time and space, but these just might be the best I’ve had.

Restaurant Review: Watel's Bistro

So, this last weekend was the celebration of my final sub-30 year. It was fantastic. Sig-O went above and beyond, arranging 3 fabulous celebrations for me. I’m a lucky girl. But this blog isn’t about my personal life as much as sharing with you the things that will serve you well as you wine, dine, date and save your way through life, particularly in Dallas. Which brings me to my fabulous Saturday night dinner at Watel’s Bistro.

Watel’s occupies the former York Street spot at Live Oak and Skillman, and there must be magic that stayed in that kitchen. The space is small, quaint, but well-appointed, with a chalkboard listing the evening’s specials (but everything on the menu is special too, we were told). It is a welcome change of scenery in a town full of loud restaurants where you have to yell across the table and your older dining companions have to pull out cell phones to read the final bill because it’s so dark. We were able to have lovely conversations between the two of us, as well as periodically chatting with the table next to us who kept looking over to see what we had just ordered. Tables are close together, but not uncomfortably so. They have certainly done a good job of putting in as many tables as possible without making it feel cramped.

The wine list is friendly, approachable and very reasonably priced. It’s quite easy to find a good bottle under $30, and certainly under $40. They do feature a number of the Times Ten Cellar wines, who just happens to be a close neighbor. But we were celebrating my birthday, so what to drink? Bubbly! Of course! We selected a Brut Rose Cava, and our waiter reminded me that it’s a rose. “Yes,” I said. “It’s pink,” he said. “Yes, I know,” I replied. This isn’t some sweet pink sparkling wine that you make fun of people for drinking. It was a flavorful and very fun accompaniment for the entire meal.

Watel’s features American cuisine with a French twist. They also do you a favor by allowing you to order your meal pre fixe. Two courses for $29, Three for $36 and Four for $43. It’s a very reasonable way to have a wonderful evening without blowing through your entire entertainment and food budget for the month. The Sig-O and I elected to both start with salmon. I went with the smoked salmon with caviar (did I mention it was my birthday, of course I picked caviar) and the Sig-O went with the Salmon Roesti. Both were perfectly prepared and presented beautifully. The presentation was consistently beautiful for all three courses. It’s a bit of a lost art form and I wish more places would showcase the beauty of the food rather than go for the presentation shock value. For our main courses, I ordered the scallops, which were perfectly seared. Sig-O went with the beef shoulder medallions, which came out as a textbook medium rare and seemed to melt in your mouth.

Then came the last challenge – choosing dessert. They have quite a number of desserts that were very tempting. (Are we allowed to do three courses of desserts? Probably not.) We asked our charming waiter what his recommendations were and were told that we needed to order the waffle and the chocolate terrine. (Side note: the menu on their website isn’t updated, so I don’t have the official fancy names, but just go with it) We asked what he thought of the warm bread pudding, which he said was quite good. We opted for the waffle and bread pudding, which they brought out, along with French press coffee that complemented dessert well. He then came back with a slice of the chocolate terrine, telling us, “That one is on me. I just thought you needed to try it too.” What a nice surprise. And he was right. The Sig-O and I got to share all three, and the table next to us was eyeing what we had ordered, asking what our recommendations were. The waffle and chocolate terrine. Hands down.

As the Sig-O and I were finishing dessert and the last of our cava, our waiter then brought over two more glasses of champagne, saying, “your glasses were getting dry.” Such wonderful service and attentiveness made it a wonderful birthday celebration.

I’m not one who normally wants to oooh and aaah over every aspect of a restaurant, but I truly had no complaints. The food was fantastic, the service was superb and the experience was a joy. I think I have a new favorite restaurant in town. You can visit their website and make your reservation here: http://www.watels.com/

Quick Bite: Three Sheets

Sunday morning, the Sig-O and I wake up not sure what time it is because of that pesky daylight savings time change, which is kind of irrelevant since really we were just hungry. Being in the know comes with benefits, so I say, "How about we go check out the brunch at Three Sheets?" Sig-O, "Huh, where?" Me, "On Ross, and it's free this weekend and the mimosas are $1" Ok, let's go.

So, we get over to Three Sheets, which still requires you to valet on Sundays, which I'm not crazy about, but whatever. We go in, it's kind of dark, but I'm not complaining since it's a Sunday after a certain friend's birthday party and there might have been grown up jello and grown up watermelon. We venture to the patio anyway to check and see if there's a table, no such luck. Sig-O is more than ok with returning to the indoor bar cave, so we did. A cheery waitress came up and told us it was free brunch (food only) and $1 mimosas, along with some other drink specials I didn't listen too because it was too early to think about jaeger or patron. The brunch menu covers most of your basics - eggs, toast, breakfast tacos, biscuits and gravy, and breakfast pizza, as well as the obligatory sides of bacon, sausage and home fries.

I went with the breakfast pizza, which essentially was like an omlette on a pizza crust. I'm not complaining at all. The crust on that breakfast pizza made me want to come back and try their dinner pizzas (which are free on Monday nights). It included sausage, mushrooms, broccoli and cheese. It was good. I imagine it would be particularly good at helping one get over a hangover without having all the extra-greasy food. Sig-O went with the biscuits and gravy with a side of bacon (it's free, live a little!) Not as pleased with the biscuits and gravy, which could have used another biscuit or two added to this small serving. I know, I know, our servings are too big, but this one was kind of small and the presentation was lacking. The gravy tasted good, but wasn't quite warm enough, probably due to that extra lap around the dining room that it took. But the bacon. Holy goodness, the bacon. Cooked perfectly - that not crispy, but not too soft doneness, along with the fantastic smoky flavor, I'm all about ordering the bacon every time.

And there were a few mimosas. At $1 each, what do you expect? That alone would get me to return to Three Sheets. The bacon and food are bonuses.

Oh, and sorry, your brunch won't be free because last weekend was the last one. I know, I should have told you about it, but I didn't even know until Saturday night. My apologies. But really, this place is so cool I'm hitting it up for happy hour later this week. Catch you there!

Restaurant Review: Dining at a Crossroads

The corner of Walnut Hill and 75 has been in severe need of good food for quite some time. It’s not that we don’t love Dave & Busters for wings and beer while watching a game or attempting to rack up enough tickets for that XBOX 360, but Crossroads Diner, with its sticky bun mural on the side of the building, is an entirely different ticket.

When the Sig-O and I walked in on a Saturday morning, the place was full and we were politely told by the hostess (who chose green as the color of the day – shirt, hair and eye shadow) there would be a 15-20 minute wait. No worries, we each grabbed a section of the paper, did the usual read, switch, read, our buzzer went off and we were seated easily within the 15 minutes we were told.

The Sig-O was in need of the caffeine after a late Friday night and Crossroads brews an excellent cup of Joe, or Illy as the case may be. I’m not a huge coffee drinker, but have had enough to know when there’s a good cup worth drinking. Full disclosure- I’d read a review of Crossroads and was told to order the Sticky Bun to split as an appetizer. While I’m not one to normally choose a breakfast appetizer, I went with the advice, as well as the proof on every other table, and ordered it. Good call. The sticky bun is good, like really, really good, like Sig-O was going to get a fork in the back of the hand if I didn’t get the last bite.

As we perused the menu, everything sounded good. Breakfast is served all day, with lunch kicking in at 11 a.m. It should also be noted that Crossroads is only open for breakfast and lunch. Crossroads does frittatas rather than omelets, but I’m good with that. I finally chose the one with chorizo, red peppers and goat cheese, and I asked for grits rather than toast. The other half ordered the waffles.

The frittata was light, fluffy and topped with nuggets of yummy goat cheese. The chorizo was also flavorful and a wonderful friend to the goat cheese. The disappointment came around on the grits. I love grits, I’m all about grits. Toast as a side? No thanks, I’ll sub that for grits. So I was so sad when the grits showed up with what looked like melty cheese grease on top. Mixed it up, still no better. Sig-O, who’s not so much the grit connoisseur, asks, “Are grits supposed to look like that?” I reply, “Negatory, but share that waffle?” The waffle is done perfectly. Crunchy on the outside, yet soft on the inside and wonderfully absorbing the melting butter and syrup. “Trade you for the grits?” I offer. “Not a chance, but you can have another bite,” I get in response. Not a bad settlement there.

While we only had a chance to try the breakfast offerings at Crossroads, the lunch choices sounded quite good with various sandwiches, gourmet salads and burgers that would make your mouth water. The service was friendly and the people watching is fantastic. Whether it’s the Lake Highlands family enjoying breakfast before a soccer game, the cute 30-somethings grabbing a bite after a workout (it justifies the sticky bun), or the HP couples with the baby who decided to venture out of the bubble, Crossroads Diner seems to fill the void of good food at this crossroads.