Dallas Alice's Profile
MUST TRY!
Being from Austin, you might want to go to Chuy's on McKinney at Knox (very close to SMU). If you didn't like it in Austin, you can skip it here, or vice versa.
Best Vietnamese in the Dallas area?
We finally went to Nam Hua for dinner with a group(10 total), and used LH's extremely helpful translations to order from the Specials Menu. Everything was fantastic. The biggest hit was the Thai Beef Salad, but we loved everything: the Bo Luc Lac, grilled mussels, grilled escargots, coconut crepes, and on and on. They brought us, gratis, a coconut tapioca dessert with potatoes and carrots -- really tasty.
And, by the way -- if you ask for their take-out menu, it has the Specials Menu translated. Go figure!
First Time Dallas Visit!
It's unclear just what you're looking for, and where you are staying and whether you'll have a car makes a difference, but I'll take a shot.
As far as things to take home, I'd first go to Central Market and get some Texas salsas, hot sauces, chips, beer, wines, and other goodies (they have a helpful staff, just ask). CM makes good tamales, get some of those. CM also sells local cheeses by the Mozzarella Company, but if you go to their store in Deep Ellum, there's a better selection. If you can take home perishables, just down the street from Mozz Co is Rudolph's, a butcher shop that makes their own, great sausages. Likewise, Kuby's, in Snider Plaza, makes incredible German wursts; and Jimmy's Food Store makes wonderful Italian sausages and meatballs. Jimmy's also has a small section of locally made pickles, sauces, etc. You should have a sandwich at Jimmy's in any case; it may well be the best meal you have in Texas.
Most folks from the great frozen north think of barbeque and Mexican food when they think of Texas. Dallas doesn't have great barbeque, but we've got some pretty good stuff -- try Pecan Lodge in the Farmer's Market (Shed 2, Thurs - Sun only), or Lockhart Smokehouse in Oak Cliff.
You also need to have a real taco (e.g., baracoa, al pastor, lingua), and not at some white-bread place. Try Taqueria El Si Hay in Oak Cliff or the spot at Fuel City (yes, its in a giant truck stop with longhorn cattle). For real Mexican cuisine (not Tex-Mex) go to Komali or, in Oak Cliff, Mesa or Vera Cruz. There are a ton of Tex-Mex places: El Fenix, Mia's, Herrera's, Avila's, Manny's Uptown, Nuevo Leon, Mi Cocina, Chuy's, I could go on and on.
For a good, down-home breakfast with a side of biscuits and gravy, go to the Original Market Diner on Harry Hines Blvd or John's Cafe on Greenville Ave. Just good, hearty greasy spoons.
Should you want to try Southern soul food, go to the South Dallas Cafe or Sweet Georgia Brown's.
For upscale southern cooking, go to Hattie's in Oak Cliff or the Screen Door in the Arts District.
For fancy restaurants, there are any number of threads on this board to guide you.
Welcome to Dallas.
Dallas bound for chowhound
Try Local, in Deep Ellum.
+1 for Stephen Pyles.
Fearing's
I'm not a big fan of Samar, although I know that puts me in a small minority on this board.
Restaurant food you've taken home to the dogs
Whenever we go to some large event where a seated dinner is served -- usually a charity or political fund-raising event of some sort -- I always take a plastic baggie along. The protein -- be it rubber chicken or faux beef or some pinkish thing they call salmon or whatever -- usually is inedible, but the dogs are especially happy to see (and smell) us when we get home.
Birthday dinner in Dallas
+1 for Hattie's
Also, you might try The Screen Door for upscale Southern:
www.screendoordallas.com
Sissy's on Henderson - Needs lots of work
Went to Sissy's last night for Mr. Alice's B-day. Looked promising walking in. The place is looking good -- nice bar, new tiled floor, just generally spruced up from Hector's, which had gotten a little shabby over the years. That's the good news.
The bad news: mediocre food, terrible service. Examples: Asked for club soda with lime and a glass of white wine. Took five minutes to get the wine, then another five minutes later, got a large bottle of Pelegrino with a glass of ice and wedge of lemon. Wedge salad ($8) is a small portion and nothing special. Chili-fried oysters $12 for 6) were the best item we tried, although the cane sugar green sauce was a little cloying (the spicy mayo had a nice kick). The salad and oysters were served several minutes apart, however. After the apps were taken away, we waited 30 minutes for our entrees. 30. Minutes. The roasted redfish was a very small portion, and basically tasteless. $22. Had two bites and took the rest home for the dogs. The fried chicken -- the house specialty -- was over-battered and over-fried. When bitten (or cut) into, the crust shattered and sprayed in all directions. Somehow, they managed to dry out dark meat. $11 for 2 pieces and slaw. Bubba's serves serves superior fried chicken (with excellent biscuits). We didn't bother to order any sweets.
By the way, if you want any biscuits or corn bread -- $7 extra.
On the plus side, our waiter and the floor manager both apologized profusely and comped the fried chicken. They swore our experience was an abberation, and I'm inclined to believe them. That said, it was our experience, and not a fun way to celebrate a birthday. The place was busy for a Monday evening, but not that busy (we were walk-ins, and didn't have to wait.) I know they haven't been open long, but that doesn't explain the (poor) quality of the food -- especially at their price points and for the serving sizes.
The only way we'll go back is if folks we trust (including other 'Hounders) give it reviews indicating Sissy's has turned it around. We live in the area, and would like to see it succeed.
Super Bowl Menu
I think the most appropriate dish would be clam chowder -- tomato-based Manhattan clam chowder if you're pulling for the Giants, or cream-based New England chowdah if you want the pats to win. Or both. Reuben sandwiches, Boston baked beans. Beers from Sam Adams and Brooklyn Brewery. Eat and cheer.
Good Indian Food?
Madras Pavillion is vegetarian AND kosher. Who woulda thunk that combo?
TAKE-OUT NEAR CONVENTION CENTER?
You can also take the green line DART train to Deep Ellum, where there's excellent pizza, good burger joints, and a variety of other restaurants.
Tacos in Dallas are shameful
From DallasFood.org, a list of fried-to-order crispy tacos:
"Closed" style crispy tacos:
- Mia's
- Rafa's Cafe
- Mi Cocina
- The Loon
- El Fenix
- Luna de Noche
- La Jaivita
- Primo's
- Avila's
- Carolina's Mexican Cuisine
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"Open" style crispy tacos:
- Gonzalez Restaurant
- Pepe's & Mito's
- Mattito's
- Desperados
- Escondido Restaurant
- Tupinamba Restaurant
- Las Ranitas
- La Palapa Veracruzana (no longer available)
- Taqueria Arandero
One night in ... Richardson?
In that same strip center, I love Royal Szechuan. And, for dumplings, Jeng Chi. First Chinese BBQ is always good -- although it's better if you go with a group (so you can share and taste many dishes).
10 best things to eat in Dallas
+2 for Elaine's. The goat curry and jerk chicken are great.
Lunch near the Brooklyn Museum? Need recs.
We're going to be in NYC over the holidays, and plan a visit to the Brooklyn Museum. Suggestions for a nearby place to have lunch would be greatly appreciated. Any type of food, no price restriction -- just great chow. Thanks in advance!
Tx / Mex in Big D
+1 for Gonzales. Ask for the salsa fresca with your chips. Also on Jefferson is Mesa (dinner only for now) and La Hechizeria (tortas and huaraches). Nearby, in the Bishop Arts area, is Vera Cruz.
Cafe San Miguel is more Mex-Mex than Tex-Mex, but is really good no matter how you characterize it.
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Cafe San Miguel
1907 N Henderson Ave, Dallas, TX 75206
Lakewood
Lakewood is something of a culinary wasteland. Once, it had York Street, but, alas, no more. Ali Baba is popular. Ginger Thai (SEC Mockingbird and Abrams) is worth a visit (BYOB). Friends tell me that the fish and chips at Molly Maguire's is very good, but I've never had it. Cigarz on Gaston has really good pizza and some good Greek dishes, but is take-out only.
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Ali Baba Cafe
1901 Abrams Pkwy, Dallas, TX 75214
Ginger Thai Restaurant
6434 E Mockingbird Ln, Dallas, TX 75214
Dinner Close to the Fairmont Hotel
Stephen Pyles is next door. I wouldn't go in a t-shirt and flip-flops, but you certainly don't have to get all dressed up. Maybe not casual, but business casual is fine.
Best place to eat between Boston and Amherst?
heading to Amherst for a day or two and need suggestions on where to eat brunch/lunch. Any type of food, cost not an issue. Thanks in advance.
Lucia Now Open
We had dinner at Lucia a couple of nights ago. It was wonderful. Let me put it this way: about a week ago we had dinner at Del Posto in NYC. For one course I had the duck. Really, really good. I also had the duck at Lucia. Better. Yes, Del Posto blew us away in some respects (not just butter with your fresh-baked bread -- pork fat, too! And the two pasta courses were transcendent), but it also cost three times as much. Other than being a tad loud for my taste (how can so few people make so much noise?), we enjoyed everything about Lucia. It's a real gem.
BEE - Best Enchiladas Ever
I agree with dfwtexex, with this exception: I think the enchiladas are worth the money -- they are fresh, tasty, made-to-order, and substantial. It's the sides where you get gouged ($1.75 for a small order of rice? Same for beans? Come on, Monica . . . ). Still, a nice addition to the area.
Downtown Dallas Tunnels
Unfortunately, there is not much worth eating in the tunnels. Given that you will be at the Plaza of the Americas end of the tunnel system, you might want to try Treebirds in the PoA foodcourt -- they have decent gumbo, ettouffee, jambalaya, and red beand and rice. Otherwise, the tunnel is mostly mediocre chains and even less impressive sandwich shops and Chinese eateries. Sorry to disappoint.
Really confused about what range to get.... Please help!
I'm with you on induction. Not only does it cook better and more efficiently than gas or electric, it is much easier to clean.
New York Times comes to North Texas for something decent to eat
The NY Times' food critic, Sam Sifton, on North Texas eateries:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/01/sports/football/01dallas.html?_r=1&ref=sports
Where is the best biscuits and gravy?
Original Market Diner. Mmmmm,
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Original Market Diner
4434 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75219
Steak Frites
The Old Monk. Skinny and tasty. They don 't serve steak, but their frites come with their mussels, or you can order them as a side with something else.
One Night in San Diego
I relied, in part, on the suggestions in this string for choosing restaurants this past weekend on a brief visit to SD, so I thought I'd give you some feedback. Our first evening, we asked the conciege at the hotel (we stayed at the W) for a suggestion; he said Osetra. Average food, overpriced; a disapointment. The next evening, we went to George's. Great view; we loved listening to the seals bark. Not great, but very good. The food was well-executed, although nothing was memorable, and the service was prompt and friendly, even for a busy weekend evening. Our last dinner was at Cafe Chloe, which was easily our best meal. Everything was wonderful, and the real joys were in the details -- the white wine gelee that accompanied the cheese plate, the caramel espresso sauce that went with the pistaccio bread pudding, the little pumpkin appetizer -- everything, including the service, was exceptional. We also loved the fish tacos at El Pescador in La Jolla -- that place is a gem.
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Cafe Chloe
721 9th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
Dallas dining at the bar
You can eat at the bar at Local. (Doesn't overlook the kitchen.)
Need Recs for Excellent Chow Near Rittenhouse Square
I will be visiting Philadelphia on business next week and will be staying near Rittenhouse Square. I'd like suggestions for really good restaurants within walking distance for a small group (4 or 5). Nothing real formal, but good food/wine a must. A nice bistro would fit the bill. Anything distinctively Philly would be a plus. Cost not really an issue.
Thanks in advance. It's been a long time since I've been to your fair city, and am really looking forward to my visit.
Visiting Dallas From NYC For 3 Days - What should I not miss?
The last time I was at La Me, it was disappointing. I think they may be under new management. I prefer Zander's House, Saigon Block, and Nam Hua for Vietnamese.
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Zander's House
2300 N Central Expy, Plano, TX
