sike101's Profile
Bakery Recommendation - Downtown/Convention Center Area
Rush Patisserie is a 2 minute drive across the river (houston st. viaduct). She makes excellent french based pastry. Her croissants are some of the best in town too.
Lockhart BBQ
Smitty's is my favorite. But might as well stop at all 3 and bring a cooler to bring some home, in case you fall into a meat coma before sampling all of them. Then go to Lockhart Smokehouse in Oak Cliff and see how close they're getting. Elgin (Southside Market, my favorite sausage) and Taylor are sorta on the way home to Dallas, at least that's what I tell my wife.
Chargilled Oysters on the Half Shell
I had some at Ellerbe's in FW last year that were excellent. I'm not sure how frequently they're on the menu, as it changes often. In my few visits there they've always had oysters and always some creole references throughout the menu too.
I'm with Jon, do 'em at home. I fill a big cast iron skillet with kosher salt so they stay upright and don't spill (easy for serving too). If you're cooking over hardwood/charcoal they pick up a great flavor rather quickly.
Oysters DFW
Sadly, McCormick & Schmick's has closed; one less place to get a good plate of oysters. A health food restaurant is reportedly going in it's place, to add insult to injury!
Best Wine List in Downtown Dallas?
Charlie Palmer at the Joule Hotel. They use an electronic tablet for a wine menu, make sure and ask for it if it's not offered.
Oysters DFW
FYI: Central Market has wild Maine Belons/flats for their Passport France month. I picked up some yesterday and they're excellent. I don't recall ever seeing them in Dallas, restaurants or fish markets, I'm guessing because they apparently have a brief shelf life. These were as good as any I've had on the East Coast, super briney, not for the casual oyster eater. $2/pc.
Prior to Tests at Baylor....BEST STEAK RESTAURANT ???
Completely agree on Al Beirnat's. I do know people that love Pappas, and if I went back 98 more times I'm sure it'd be great, but with so many great steak places around, when I've got $200 to part with, I'm going to a place that's batting 1.000, not where I'm 1 of 1000.
By the way, never had a bad meal at Bob's, but it's not that exciting either, the carrot just doesn't do it for me. I do like the old-school grown-up waiter at a steakhouse, 20 years in the industry, discreet and understands the value of a dollar, generally rare in this town. I miss Smith & Wollensky, but I guess I'm among the few.
Prior to Tests at Baylor....BEST STEAK RESTAURANT ???
I've had the exact opposite experience at Pappas (and I really do like the rest of the chain), and at this point won't go back. First bad experience was being served a cut of ribeye that must have been from the end of the roast because there was a giant vein of gristle running through the middle and WAY too much fat under the deckle/cap for a $50 steak, should have never come out of the kitchen. Didn't notice till I was well into the steak because it was SO dark in there. Would have pointed it out, but was with clients and didn't want to embarrass them. Next time, got blown off by our 20 year old waiter because we didn’t go for his suggested $150 bottle of wine. And I really don’t find the sides all that interesting. Much like 3 forks, I think the place is too big, too easy to fall through the cracks.
IMO, although fun to read, D and Texas Monthly are on the take with their rankings and Restaurant Row is a wasteland for tourists. Then again, I'm a little jaded.
Prior to Tests at Baylor....BEST STEAK RESTAURANT ???
IMO a prime steak is a prime steak, if a restaurant has made it a few years in this town charging $40+ per steak, they're probably pretty good. All the places suggested will be quite good, no doubt. But if location matters at all, Dallas Chop House downtown (a stone's throw from Baylor) is up there with the best. Beautiful dining room and patio. Plus right across from the park for an evening stroll. Otherwise Al Biernat's or Del Friscos...
Good luck with your tests.
Family Graduation Dinner
Congrats! R+D Kitchen In Preston Center might be on the upper end of moderate, but I think they do a great job serving excellent American fare (something for everyone), plus sushi, in a modern but relaxed dining room, without the volume of a chain (nearby sister restaurant Houston's does as well). Enjoy your special occasion, wherever you go.
Birthday dinner tonight: Best Hamburger or Pizza place to eat in and around Arlington?
+1 for Mama's! There's also a new pizza place called Old School on Abrams across from UTA that's pretty good too, with a good beer selection.
Simply Burgers on Green Oaks. Twisted Root downtown.
Dallas / Ft Worth - 1 Night - Mid Week - Suggestions for a beer, a walk about and some good food
Yep, the Stockyards/Northside is a bit of a tourist trap (some of us don't even own cowboy boots or horses), but there are some good restaurants down there like Joe T's, Lonesome Dove and Love Shack. 7th Street might have been an option if you were looking to do some people watching.
Glad you liked RJs, it doesn't get much local chatter because the West End is also quite touristy, but it's not bad at all.
Better luck next time, stay for the weekend, and stay in the city if you can.
Looking for name of restaurant?
What, you don't know any Ellerbes? Yea, actually, me neither.
Gloria's is in an old fire station. Sweet Georgia Brown's in in an old fast food spot. Otherwise, I'm stumped.
Looking for name of restaurant?
It sounds like Ellerbe Fine Food in FTW, which is excellent. Only eaten there twice, but don't remember there being seatings, although I might have been oblivious to it.
best fresh tomatoes
The Marfa tomatoes at Jimmy's this weekend were pretty darn good, not huge or out of this world, but the price was right.
Incidentally, Spicer had fiddleheads, ramps and goose eggs among other things.
Dallas / Ft Worth - 1 Night - Mid Week - Suggestions for a beer, a walk about and some good food
Sundance Square in Fort Worth is a nice place to walk around, grab a bite. There is good mexican food at Mi Cocina or upscale "Texas" fare at Reata, or a Steak at Bob's, and grab a beer at the Flying Saucer. All well within walking distance.
Or Uptown in Dallas, grab a beer at the Katy Trail Ice House for many local beers, and walk nearby to Matito's for mexican, or Nick & Sam's for more upscale steak. You could also walk over to McKinney Avenue for bars and mid-range restaurants and take the trolley into downtown (plenty to eat down there).
Visiting Plano (from NYC), recommendations please (Researched)!!
Good list. El Si Hay is a take-away taqueria, with a solid street taco, no melted cheese, so guess that'd make it more mex-mex (mex-mex v. tex-mex is not always black and white down here, more of a continuum IMO). Don't overlook the elotes guy with his cart off to the side. It's not exactly haute cuisine, but an authentic local bite nonetheless, especially after many cervezas.
I love Gonzalez, the cake-like flour tortillas are worth a trip alone, but if I were coming from out of town, for tex-mex I'd go to El Ranchito, it's the total experience.
Mesa is good for sure, but also consider Veracruz Cafe in Bishop Arts. It's not getting the buzz that Mesa is right now, but I think it's every bit as good (and cheaper).
Lockhart Smokehouse and Pecan Lodge are the only two BBQ places I'd drive out of the way for, locally. Don't be tempted by sonny's, dickey's, etc.
Smoke for sure, and the big rib is great, hope you can taste a few dishes though. The charred broccoli rabe on the hummus plate is my favorite new thing I tasted last year, silly as that may sound, really shows Chef Byres' genius. I'd go for breakfast, no kidding, the brisket hash is great. Might as well stick around Oak Cliff and eat all day, half your spots are down here! Keep an eye out, the guys from Smoke/Bolsa are opening a fried chicken beer garden joint called Chicken Scratch just down the street any day now, I'd be willing to bet it'll be great.
Visiting Plano (from NYC), recommendations please (Researched)!!
As of early this year, the josey lane cuquita's was still open and great. I still prefer Nuevo Leon across the street for what seems like a broader menu, but I might be in the minority.
best fresh tomatoes
I'm not normally a big tomato guy, but those giant Marfa tomatoes from Bolsa are some of the best I've ever tasted. Hopefully they'll show up at Bolsa Mercado this season. Incidentally, I'd put the Mercado’s Italian sausage up next to Jimmy's any day, heresy, I know, but true.
I've never paid much attention to the produce at Jimmy's, except buying the occasional squash blossoms when available. With Spicer next door, I usually skip right over it. Meats, cheeses, wine and sundries are usually what I'm after. But any chance to find those tomatoes and I'll be paying attention from now on.
best fresh tomatoes
Thanks for the Jimmy's tip. If they're anything like the Marfa tomatoes they serve on the bruschetta at Bolsa, they're bound to be awesome. Yet one more reason to frequent Jimmy's!
Oysters DFW
Thanks for the heads up on Becker's. I haven't been down to the FM in a month or more, are they new? What else are they selling?
$1 each, shucked, is not too bad. I follow Bourdain on this, you usually get what you pay for when eating raw seafood.
Oysters DFW
Thanks Jon, you're definitely the seafood expert around here. Do you notice a difference between cold water and warm water oysters? I feel like I can tell a fresh oyster from one that's been sitting around awhile, albeit alive and cold.
I eat oysters on the half-shell anytime I can, especially when I travel. I have been told by shuckers and mongers, when in other parts of the country, that there are two reasons you don't see gulf oysters much outside the region: 1) people just don't prefer them, 2) they don't ship well, in part because of the seasonality of gulf harvests. Whereas you see East Coast oysters on the West Coast and vice-versa. I ate >40 different varieties of oysters last year throughout the US (yes, I'm a nerd, I keep a list), and never saw a single gulf oyster offered. I grew up eating gulf oysters, but only prefer them grilled or fried these days.
Oysters DFW
Not that they're inferior to Texas oysters per se, although I've never been impressed with them, even at nice restaurants in FLA. My point is that they're shipped a farther increasing the time to plate. IMO, closer you are to the source the better when it comes to shellfish. So when Texas oysters are available, that's usually what you see at restaurants in Dallas.
Oysters DFW
As of late last fall, Red Tide had closed Texas Gulf oyster harvesting, not sure if that has changed at this point. The effect was that Gulf Oysters had to be imported from other states, like Florida, and drove the price up with probably a lower quality product, since they have to travel farther, etc. Otherwise, I think it's those strange, unnatural pasteurized oysters.
Oceanaire typically has several varieties of east and west coast oysters (my preference on the half shell), and they used to do a half priced happy hour, which worked out to about a $1 or so a piece. Not sure if they are still doing that. Since Landry's bought Oceanaire I have had two dissapointing visits, hope that was just a fluke.
Best restaurants on or near the Greenville St Patrick's parade route?
Ozona's not a bad choice. Everything, of course, will be a zoo, but they open early, have an awesome patio and a bloody mary bar. Their CFS was once voted the best in Dallas, IMO it's top 10.
First Charlie Palmer, now Nana.....
I might be crazy, but Nana was starting to seem dated to me, both the menu and especially the decor (I know, this is a food site, but those things matter for a restaurant's viability). Of course the food was good/great, but kinda late 90's without a real discernable theme IMO; is it italian, asian, french, contintential? And, sadly, steaks sell in this maket, especially to tourists, and the Anatole is a huge hotel for that.
CP has always seemed just a tick away from a steakhouse anyways, with a half dozen meat offerings on any given night. Surely the wine program won't change with the name.
Looking for downtown Dallas recommendations.
Um, don't the best sandwiches in Philly have Cheeze Whiz on them?
Kidding, enjoy Dallas. Pyles is the must-try on these lists, IMO. You can walk to the Meyerson from there. I wouldn't rush a full dinner at SP, but a seat at the ceviche bar (other small plates are available too) would be less of a time commitment.
TAKE-OUT NEAR CONVENTION CENTER?
A couple of block walk to the Farmer's Market might be in order. Pecan Lodge there is definitely worth the short walk for some of the city's best BBQ. Also, La Popular for tamales and Old World Sausage for cased meats and sandwiches, etc. are both pretty good. Check the hours on weekdays.
Be a little vigilant in the blocks between the CC, City Hall and the market, there is a big homeless shelter and soup kitchen or two around there so there can be a bit foot traffic and the occasional panhandler, but it shouldn’t scare you off. Walk up the north side of Young, then right/south on Harwood.
Cindy's for serviceable deli and bagels is one block from the CC.
If you get adventurous, you can check out the tunnel network downtown. There is a dumpling shop called Kuai and a Noodle shop called Nexus that will satisfy a fix. Also a place called Tree Birds for Cajun, try the rice and beans. Most of this is shut down after hours. There are various other fast food and sandwich shops that are probably not worth mentioning.
Here’s a map of the tunnels: www.noahjeppson.com/downloads/tunnel_map_0112.pdf
Late Lunch, Tuesday, Downtown Dallas Area - Thinking Bolsa
Bourbon! Actually I think their wine menu is really good, and easy.
I have had a few of their cocktails (mostly bourbon based) and all were good.
My favorite place for craft cocktails is Cedars Social. The food is great, crowds are manageable, and a ton of great new and classic drinks.
Late Lunch, Tuesday, Downtown Dallas Area - Thinking Bolsa
All a bunch of my favorite places. But, I can't sit down at Bolsa for less than $40 (drinks are always big chunk though). In fact it might be tough to do under $10 at many sit down places that you mentioned
If you have kids in tow, I'd skip Nova, it's basically just a bar, with good food.
Of course you can't go wrong with Smoke. If you want to stay in OC, you could try Eno's. The pizzas aren't your garden variety and might be a hit with kids and adults alike. Calle Doce, El Ranchito and Gonzalez all have reasonable lunches and are go-to spots for tex-mex.
If you're downtown, I'd suggest Medina in Victory. The food is great and might be inticing for your budding foodies.
