In response to a couple of requests for Dallas recommendations, some Dallas restaurants I currently like.
ASIAN
Arc-en-Ciel (355 Walnut, Garland, in far north suburb). Classy place
with great Vietnamese (and good Chinese) fare. Inexpensive to moderate.
Curry In a Hurry (4302 Bryan). Used to be a good Vietnamese place named La
Pagode. New Indian proprietors kept the former owners on. Result:
very good Bombay home cooking combined with a good Vietnamese menu.
Inexpensive.
BARBECUE
Baker's Ribs (2724 Commerce in Deep Ellum). Inexpensive.
Riscky's (1701 N. Market in West End). Good smoked catfish as well as
barbecue. Inexpensive.
Sonny Bryan's (302 N. Market in West End). As good as the Inwood original,
but has real tables and longer hours. Inexpensive.
CAJUN
Cafe Margaux (4527 Travis in Travis Walk). The best of the upscale Cajun
places. Inexpensive lunch; moderate dinner.
Crescent City Cafe (2730 Commerce in Deep Ellum). Best of the Cajun coffee
shops. Inexpensive.
CARIBBEAN
Carib-B (2012 Greenville). Authentic place with an emphasis on Trinidad fare.
Inexpensive to moderate.
Paradise Club (2920 N. Henderson). 40's Miami Beach nightclub atmosphere with
vaguely Cuban cooking. Food is pretty good; atmosphere is fun. People tend
to dress up here. Moderate.
FRENCH
Chez Gerard (4444 McKinney). Moderate to expensive. Parisian atmosphere
with low-key but classy cooking. Reservations advised.
French Room (1321 Commerce in Adolphus Hotel. Expensive to very expensive.
In the grand hotel restaurant tradition. Neoclassic cooking (i.e. offers
interpretations of classic French cuisine with reduced fat and new
ingredients: tuna au poivre for example). Reservations advised.
Juniper (2917 Fairmount). Smart new, mainly Provencal, restaurant. Excellent
cooking. Expensive to very expensive. Reservations essential.
ITALIAN
Arcodoro (2520 Cedar Springs). Hip cafe-bar with casual pizza-sandwich-salad
menu. Inexpensive to moderate.
Mi Piaci (14854 Montford in far north Dallas suburb). Only first-class Italian
cooking in town, if you can stand the noise and lousy service. Expensive.
Reservations advised.
Osteria da Momo (2704 Elm in Deep Ellum). Atmospheric setting with decent
(sometimes very good) food. Moderate.
LATIN AMERICAN
Cafe Latino (10233 E. Northwest Highway). Peruvian; some dishes from other
South AMerican countries. Very good. Inexpensive to moderate.
El Gallo de Oro (4114 Maple). Good Guatemalan food. Don't be put off by
hole in the wall exterior. Inexpensive.
Gloria's (600 W. Davis in Oak Cliff). Good Guatemalan food in pleasant setting.
Inexpensive.
MEDITERRANEAN BISTRO
Adelmo's (4537 Cole). Good seafood, veal chops. Moderate to expensive.
Tiny place; reservations advised.
Blind Lemon (2805 Main in Deep Ellum). Inexpensive to moderate.
The Grape (2808 Greenville). Wine bar with food that has been all over
the map in the last few years. Seems to be heading back in a
Mediterranean direction with more French-style butter and cream
sauces. Moderate to expensive.
Main Street News (2934 Main in Deep Ellum). Part deli, part bistro.
Generally very good food with southern French and northern Italian
accents. Imaginative salads. One of the happening places right now.
Moderate.
Sambuca (2618 Elm in Deep Ellum). Very good food. Jazz nightly. Moderate.
MEXICAN
Cuquita's (2326 N. Henderson). In easy-to-miss old house. Inexpensive. Home
style Tex-Mex.
Eduardo's Aca y Alla ((2914 Main in Deep Ellum). In spot offering Tex-Mex
with nouvelle twists. The music can get loud on weekends. Moderate.
La Calle Doce (415 W. 12th in Oak Cliff). Excellent Mexican seafood.
Inexpensive to moderate. No reservations; go early or be prepared to
wait.
Mia's (4322 Lemmon). Classic Tex-Mex. Be prepared to wait, but it's worth
it. Popular with Dallas Cowboys, other celebrity types.
Mi Cocina (11661 Preston). Run by son of Mama Mia. Good "healthy" Tex-Mex.
Inexpensive.
NATURAL
Agnew's Natural Grill (3011 Routh). Ambitious low-fat menu. Sometimes just
good; often spectacular. Interesting wines by the glass. Moderate.
NEW AMERICAN
Actuelle (2200 Cedar Springs in the Crescent). Very expensive. May be the
best restaurant in Dallas right now. Reservations essential.
Avner's (2515 McKinney). Moderate to expensive. Much of the offerings have
a Pacific Rim influence at the moment. Reservations advised.
Baby Routh (2708 Routh). Sibling of Routh Street Cafe offers good
Southwestern menu in classy casual setting. Moderate to expensive.
Reservations advised.
Buffalo Club (2800 Routh in the Quadrangle). Expensive evening; inexpensive
lunch. The quality varies and service can be slow, but the $4.99 weekday
lunch deal is hard to beat.
Landmark Cafe (3015 Oak Lawn in Melrose Hotel). Expensive. Restaurant has
recently become a contender with the hiring of a great new chef. Only
current drawback is that hotel (but not restaurant) is being renovated.
Reservations advised.
The Mansion (2821 Turtle Creek. Very expensive. The best deal here is the
$26.50 two-course Sunday brunch. Wine and dessert can drive the total
up above $50, though. The chef seems to be into high-class versions of
home cooking at the moment. Reservations essential.
Routh Street Cafe (3005 Routh). Very expensive. Consistently on national
best restaurant lists. Go before 7 pm Tuesday-Friday for the $35 special
deal: three courses and a glass of good wine. Reservations essential.
SPANISH
Cafe Madrid (4501 Travis). Great authentic tapas plus nightly specials.
Good paella on weekends. Moderate.
Tom Jacob
Department of Computer Science
University of North TexasDallas, TX
Dallas Restaurants
Hey, Tom. Thanks for the list! I thought I'd add my comments to a few of the listings; the ones that I feel strongly about. Tom J. wrote: - ITALIAN - - Arcodoro (2520 Cedar Springs). Hip cafe-bar with casual pizza-sandwich-salad - menu. Inexpensive to moderate. Quite good food, but it's noisy; almost as noisy as its sister, Pomodoro, next door, which means you can't really have a real conversation. I'm convinced by the decor that they do everything they can to make it seem crowded via the noise, even when it's not. - The Grape (2808 Greenville). Wine bar with food that has been all over - the map in the last few years. Seems to be heading back in a - Mediterranean direction with more French-style butter and cream For a wine bar, the wine list here is very, VERY, mediocre. - Main Street News (2934 Main in Deep Ellum). Part deli, part bistro. - Generally very good food with southern French and northern Italian - accents. Imaginative salads. One of the happening places right now. - Moderate. I really wanted to like this place, I swear, and I went there *FOUR* times, three times at dinner, and once for lunch. I *never* had good food, including one trip where both appetizers and one entree had to be sent back. I once had some "faux" cassoulet, with pork and white beans, the only problem being that it was almost all white beans; two, count'em, two pieces of stew size pork. The service is also very lackluster, IMNSHO. IN ADDITION, the sous chef for MSN now writes the restaurant column for the Dallas Observer. When questioned about this, the Observer stated that she would not be reviewing her own places. Sure. Why not just have William Faulkner review an Ernest Hemingway novel. It's the same thing. - Avner's (2515 McKinney). Moderate to expensive. Much of the offerings have - a Pacific Rim influence at the moment. Reservations advised. I've been here twice, and enjoyed it both times, although the tables are *very* close together. The Pacific Rim influence is liable to continue forever, according to published interviews with Samuel Avner. - Baby Routh (2708 Routh). Sibling of Routh Street Cafe offers good - Southwestern menu in classy casual setting. Moderate to expensive. - Reservations advised. I know the chef here, so I'm not unbiased. The food is very good, but the wine list, while containing some very good choices, is among the most expensive that I've seen in any city, including New York. I guess people don't mind paying $34 for a $10 bottle. My recommendations? I can't really say that I have any. All in all, I think that while there are many restaurants in Dallas, an *enormous* number, good, well-prepared food in a pleasant setting at even reasonable prices, including wine, is hard to find. I like Good Eats foremost of all places. Simple food, to be sure, but it's well prepared and it tastes natural, like food should taste. There's no real atmosphere to any of them, though, but the food is better than either Dixie House or The Blackeyed Pea. The Dream Cafe is also a once-every-other-month haunt, which is frequent for me. The food is good, but the portions are on the small side, and I have to have soup, salad, entree, and dessert to fill up. This, plus wine, can easily run $75 for 2. Avners, above, is a place I'd go back to; the food is very good, and it's only a little more expensive, all in all, than the Dream Cafe. As far as Mexican food goes, there's plenty of it, and it comes in all flavors and all price ranges, from Javier's to Pappasito's to Chuy's (my favorite) to La Suprema, the "natural" Mexican restaurant, a contradiction if ever there was one. Dallas does do Mexican food well, unlike (IMO) Italian food. You simply have to like Mexican food.
A few remarks about Jeff Baron's comments: -- denotes my original posting - denotes Jeff's comments -- Arcodoro (2520 Cedar Springs). Hip cafe-bar with casual pizza-sandwich-salad -- menu. Inexpensive to moderate. - -Quite good food, but it's noisy; almost as noisy as its sister, -Pomodoro, next door, which means you can't really have a real -conversation. I'm convinced by the decor that they do everything -they can to make it seem crowded via the noise, even when it's not. I agree completely about the noise. -- The Grape (2808 Greenville). Wine bar with food that has been all over -- the map in the last few years. Seems to be heading back in a -- Mediterranean direction with more French-style butter and cream - -For a wine bar, the wine list here is very, VERY, mediocre. Also true. This is an old standby and I may rate it a bit too high, but I always enjoy going there. I forgot to mention earlier that you can get reduced servings of most entrees at a reduced price. -- Main Street News (2934 Main in Deep Ellum). Part deli, part bistro. -- Generally very good food with southern French and northern Italian -- accents. Imaginative salads. One of the happening places right now. -- Moderate. - -I really wanted to like this place, I swear, and I went there -*FOUR* times, three times at dinner, and once for lunch. I -*never* had good food, including one trip where both appetizers -and one entree had to be sent back. I once had some "faux" -cassoulet, with pork and white beans, the only problem being that -it was almost all white beans; two, count'em, two pieces of -stew size pork. The service is also very lackluster, IMNSHO. I think that Jeff and I have a fundamental difference here. I'll admit that I was probably a little too enthusiastic in calling the food very good -- generally good is more like it. I've been there about 6 times and always liked it, including the white beans with pork (mine had about 3 oz of pork). It's not the best dish on their menu though. -IN ADDITION, the sous chef for MSN now writes the restaurant -column for the Dallas Observer. When questioned about this, -the Observer stated that she would not be reviewing her own -places. Sure. Why not just have William Faulkner review an -Ernest Hemingway novel. It's the same thing. The Observer made a big mistake here. So far I have not been too much in disagreement with her reviews and she's probably trying her best to be objective, but you just can't help thinking that a lack of complete objectivity is going to be there. Too bad. Dallas could use a good restaurant reviewer; we haven't had a decent one since the Times-Herald folded. -- Avner's (2515 McKinney). Moderate to expensive. Much of the offerings have -- a Pacific Rim influence at the moment. Reservations advised. - -I've been here twice, and enjoyed it both times, although the -tables are *very* close together. The Pacific Rim influence -is liable to continue forever, according to published interviews -with Samuel Avner. This is probably my favorite Dallas restaurant right now. -- Baby Routh (2708 Routh). Sibling of Routh Street Cafe offers good -- Southwestern menu in classy casual setting. Moderate to expensive. -- Reservations advised. - -I know the chef here, so I'm not unbiased. The food is very -good, but the wine list, while containing some very good -choices, is among the most expensive that I've seen in any -city, including New York. I guess people don't mind paying -$34 for a $10 bottle. If the chef Jeff is referring to is Kevin Rathbun, then he has moved to the Landmark Cafe in the Melrose Hotel (my other favorite Dallas restaurant right now). Rathbun is just back from several weeks in Bangkok, so his food is heavily Pacific rim right now. -I like Good Eats foremost of all places. Simple food, to be -sure, but it's well prepared and it tastes natural, like -food should taste. There's no real atmosphere to any of -them, though, but the food is better than either Dixie House -or The Blackeyed Pea. I should have mentioned Good Eats in my earlier post. I agree with Jeff, EXCEPT that I like Lucky's (in the original Good Eats location on Oak Lawn) better than Good Eats right now. To me, it's more like the old Good Eats that I knew and loved than the current Good Eats are. -The Dream Cafe is also a once-every-other-month haunt, which is -frequent for me. The food is good, but the portions are on -the small side, and I have to have soup, salad, entree, and -dessert to fill up. This, plus wine, can easily run $75 for 2. This is a place that I deliberately left out of my original list. Except for breakfast, which is great, this place has always disappointed me. I can't recommend it for lunch or dinner. -As far as Mexican food goes, there's plenty of it, and it comes -in all flavors and all price ranges, from Javier's to Pappasito's -to Chuy's (my favorite) to La Suprema, the "natural" Mexican -restaurant, a contradiction if ever there was one. Dallas -does do Mexican food well, unlike (IMO) Italian food. You simply -have to like Mexican food. La Suprema is another place I find disappointing. I should like it, as well as the Dream Cafe (we cook natural most of the time at home -- my wife seems to be returning to her California roots and dragging me with her), but their food just turns me off. For "natural", I prefer Agnew's, the Bluebonnet Cafe in Whole Foods Grocery, or Phil's in Deep Ellum. I agree completely about Italian restaurants. As I said in my original post, Mi Piaci is the only place with really good Italian food, but it is a very flawed restaurant. Osteria da Momo and 311 Lombardi are acceptable but no better than that. And don't even bother looking for a good espresso in Dallas. Tom Jacob Department of Computer Science University of North Texas
Someone wrote:
>What are great restaurants in Dallas, other than the Mother Tucker type?
The Palm, on Ross Avenue in the West End, is my favorite steak and lobster place in Dallas.
JackSomeone wrote: > What are great restaurants in Dallas, other than the Mother Tucker type? > > Jim Hicks, [email removed] > Do you like steak? I have eaten at many restaurants and have never, ever had a steak as good as the one I had at Del Frisco's Double Eagle. There are 2 of these in Dallas. Everyone that I know that has been there agrees it was the best steak they ever ate.
Jim H. wrote: EE>What are great restaurants in Dallas, other than the Mother Tucker type? Cafe Pacific in the Highland Park area. Absolutely phenominal restaurant. .....Gil [email removed]
Philip W. wrote: > As promised - broken down by type - > Eduardo's Aca y Alla ((2914 Main in Deep Ellum). In spot offering Tex-Mex > with nouvelle twists. Themusic can get loud on weekends. Moderate. now known as monica's following eduardo's trans-genderification. the following are all deceased: > Baby Routh (2708 Routh). Sibling of Routh Street Cafe offers good > Southwestern menu in classy casual setting. Moderate to expensive. > Reservations advised. the chef kevin rathburn is heading to atlanta. > Paradise Club (2920 N. Henderson). 40's Miami Beach nightclub atmosphere > with vaguely Cuban cooking. Food is pretty good; atmosphere is fun. People > tend to dress up here. Moderate. now the yegua creek brewery, one of two brew pubs in dallas. > Main Street News (2934 Main in Deep Ellum). Part deli, part bistro. > Generally very good food with southern French and northern Italian accents. > Imaginative salads. One of the happening places right now. Moderate. > Agnew's Natural Grill (3011 Routh). Ambitious low-fat menu. Sometimes just > good; often spectacular. Interesting wines by the glass. Moderate. > Avner's (2515 McKinney). Moderate to expensive. Much of the offerings > have a Pacific Rim influence at the moment. Reservations advised. avner is now at a greenville ave restaurant and enigma is now quartered in the space. > Routh Street Cafe (3005 Routh). Very expensive. Consistently on national > best restaurant lists. Go before 7 pm Tuesday-Friday for the $35 special > deal: three courses and a glass of good wine. Reservations essential. stephan pyles is now running his own shop at star canyon. it should be noted that typing past 80 columns, as the original post, is real bad form. cheers, james, [email removed]
J.A. P. wrote: > Philip W. wrote: >> As promised - broken down by type - > >> Eduardo's Aca y Alla ((2914 Main in Deep Ellum). In spot offering Tex-Mex >> with nouvelle twists. Themusic can get loud on weekends. Moderate. > > now known as monica's following eduardo's trans-genderification. > > the following are all deceased: > >> Baby Routh (2708 Routh). >> Paradise Club (2920 N. Henderson). >> Main Street News (2934 Main in Deep Ellum). >> Agnew's Natural Grill (3011 Routh). >> Avner's (2515 McKinney). >> Routh Street Cafe (3005 Routh). Also deceased: Atchafalaya River Cafe Texas Tumbleweeds Curry in a Hurry (changed back to La Pagode last time I checked). Chris Simon [email removed]
WA>I'll be in Dallas on business for a few nights in the next WA>two weeks and am looking for some good, new places to WA>enjoy. WA>Looking for Italian food, barbeque and/or seafood. Try the Cafe Pacific in Highland Park. Great ambience, service and food. Don't go without a reservation. ...Gil [email removed]
The hottest place in town at the moment is Star Canyon- run by Stephen Pyles who started Routh Street Cafe years ago. It is "Noveau Texas" cuisine- really upscale- entrees are $18-24. Decor is Texan, presenation is gorgeous. Reservations are very difficult to get on Wed through Sat. Phone number is 214 520-7827. It is located in the Centrum on Oak Lawn & Cedar Springs
Weiner A. wrote: > I'll be in Dallas on business for a few nights in the next > two weeks and am looking for some good, new places to > enjoy. > I have been to the Mansion on Turtle Creek and Baby Routh's. Baby Routh and Routh St. Cafe are now deceased. Stephen Pyles new southwest influenced restaurant is Star Canyon. > Looking for Italian food, barbeque and/or seafood. Italian: Pomordoro/Arcodoro, Strictly Tabu, Flip's, Parigi BBQ: Sonny Bryan's Seafood: There is good seafood in Dallas but I am hard pressed to recommend coming to the center of the north Texas plains to eat frutti di mare. Cheers, james, [email removed]
>WA>I'll be in Dallas on business for a few nights in the next >WA>two weeks and am looking for some good, new places to >WA>enjoy. I posted a very similar note a couple of months ago and someone sent me a great recommendation. The name of the place is Anzu, and it serves "nouveau japanese" cuisine. I had seared tuna with wasabi mashed potatoes and carrot teriyaki glaze. If that sounds interesting, you really should try it out. It is on the west side of town. Happy eating. Peter
Peter W. wrote: > I posted a very similar note a couple of months ago and someone sent > me a great recommendation. The name of the place is Anzu, and it serves > "nouveau japanese" cuisine. I had seared tuna with wasabi mashed > potatoes and carrot teriyaki glaze. If that sounds interesting, > you really should try it out. It is on the west side of town. Thanks Peter that was my tip. Anzu is actually located on McKinney Ave. north of Knox which is north of the Dallas city center. The Knox/Henderson section of town is host to many good restaurants: Yegua Creek Brewery- dallas brew pub Cafe Madrid- spanish tapas Chuy's- tex-mex Sushi on McKinney- hamburgers ;) Gaspar's- french, very fine BTW in my original followup to this current thread regarding seafood in Dallas I was less than enthusiastic. It should be noted that I moved to Dallas from Boston so my expectations are a bit high. I do have a soft spot for Thai Toy's ginger whole flounder. Bon Appetit, james, [email removed]
> Peter W. wrote: > >WA>I'll be in Dallas on business for a few nights in the next > >WA>two weeks and am looking for some good, new places to > >WA>enjoy. > > I posted a very similar note a couple of months ago and someone sent > me a great recommendation. The name of the place is Anzu, and it serves > "nouveau japanese" cuisine. I had seared tuna with wasabi mashed > potatoes and carrot teriyaki glaze. If that sounds interesting, > you really should try it out. It is on the west side of town. > Happy eating. > > Peter > > > >>>> Try City Cafe, Chaplin's or, if you can get a res, York Street. All three are super and will be an enjoyable evening. The new "hot spot" is Stephen Pyle'e new eatery, Star Canyon. If you're on a big expense account, The Mansion on Turtle Creek is always 5 star. If you're into big steaks and red meat, try Del Friscos, excellent. Good luck and good eating. While it's not San Francisco, Dallas does have some fine dining. [email removed] (bob)
For middle eastern food at a great price: Ali Baba's on Lower Greenville Rd. The food is great, cheap and there is plenty. My favorite restaurant in Dallas has to be Star Canyon. This is Stephen Pyles new adventure and the food is incredible. You need to make reservations early because they are always busy. The food is nuevo texas grub. maddie
In [email removed] (Charles Klein) writes: > >Looking for your reviews and suggestions for Dallas restaurants to >recommend to clients for convention in May. >-- >Chuck Klein >"Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand," Homer > The new "in place" is Star Canyon in Oak Lawn area. The chef and co-owner was the chef at Routh Street Cafe years back. A definate must; however you need to make reservations NOW!!! (Del Friscos is the best for red meat lovers.)
>I would appreciate receiving recommendations on places to eat in Dallas >(both for lunch and dinner). I usually prefer independent, mom-and-pop >places as opposed to chain restaurants. Thanks for the help. > > > > > > > > Here are my favorites: Barbecue: Sonny Bryan's--funky, hole in the wall at original location on Inwood, but fantastic Italian: Angelo's--neighborhood restaurant in Lakewood area with great lunch buffet as well a full menu Campisi's Egyptian--longtime family place that supposedly had a Mafia connection years ago Home Cooking: Vern's Place--great soul food near State Fair Barbec's--White Rock Lake area-yummy chicken fried steak and big juicy cheeseburgers-fantastic beer biscuits too Mexican: Matt's Rancho Martinez--absolutely the best TexMex in town-beyond belief chili rellenos, cheese enchiladas, tacos-right across the street from Angelo's-family owned and operated Seafood: Daddy Jack's--cozy place with great food,but only open for dinner Joe's Seafood--east Dallas eatery with good shrimp, oyster and catfish Hope this helps. Cissy
No Beating around this bush if you are in the telecommunications corridor(n. of 635 / s.of plano) right at I-75 and Campbell inside the Omni Hotel is The elegant and quaint Pheasant Room.
GJN I. wrote: >We will be in Dallas in April, and hope for a few good meals. We will be >downtown and without a car. Gourmet a preference, and love those ribs Dakotas Restaurant (A+) 600 N Akard ST (214) 740-4001 The Mansion On Turtle Creek (A+++...) 2821 Turtle Creek Blvd (214) 526-2121 Robert Harmon
You might want to try Star Canyon. Make reservations now! maddie GJN I. wrote: > > We will be in Dallas in April, and hope for a few good meals. We will be > downtown and without a car. Gourmet a preference, and love those ribs
The Stone Trail Steak House and Jazz Club....
If you are in Dallas you MUST go to Red, Hot, & Blue - it is the ONLY place to get ribs and all around good bbq.
In article , [email removed] (Sue Jarrell) wrote: > Can anyone recommend any exceptional restaurants in Dallas? I'll be > there at the end of the month and I'd like to have at least one great > meal while I'm there. Any creative cuisine will do. > > Sue J. The Mansion on Turtle Creek <Chef Dean Fearing> is considered one of the finest restaurants in the country, if not the world. Priced accordingly. More reasonable, and every bit as wonderful a dining experience, is Stephan Pyles' Star Canyon. He along with Fearing are among the top chefs from Texas. The room and the menu are incredible. We encountered a service glitch last time <they gave away our reserved table for a family celebration of my recent nuptials!> and they handled it fabulously. When we were finally told the straight scoop we decided to leave and go somewhere else <Dallas is full of great restaurants>. They promptly found us a table for 8 <we were a party of 5> and treated us to a bottle of J champagne and the most obscene display of desserts I have ever seen. Highly recommended. Some indigenous eats if you have the time: Herrera Cafe (I prefer the location on Maple Ave near Oak Lawn) is my favorite TexMex in the world. It's in a dry zone, so take your own beer or wine. Sonny Bryan's BBQ is legendary, a favorite of Julia Child! They have branched out with a number of locations around the Metroplex, but the original location on Inwood a bit north of Harry Hines is an experience not to be missed. Go early as they close when they run out of meat, usually 2 or 3 PM. Go for the chopped brisket sandwich<es> and a side of onion rings. You will buy some sauce to take home with you! I'm originally from Big D <haven't lived there for over 15 years, but still have family there>, so I'd love to hear about your impressions of the city and your meals! Bon Appetit! LS
La Valentina De Mexico in Addison (972) 726-0202. Not inexpensive, but defintiely one of the best "mexico" restaurants around. Mexican food - not tex -mex. Make reservations - best margaritas around. Or just go to the bar and have a margarita. Right around the corner is Chow Thai - one of the best thai restaurants in Dallas. If you want chinese - try May Drag (my personal favorite) also in Addison.
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Date: Thu, 29 Sep 1994 06:33:34 GMT
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As promised - broken down by type -
MEXICAN
Ta's (in plano) Tia's is an above average chain, that caters more to the Tex-Mex side of things. They do have a couple of interesting veggie choices. Two of my favorites are Xavier's, an up-scale MexicoCity style place and El Guyo De Oro, a cheap Mexican/Guatamalan place with wonderful food. Both these retaurants are in Dallas, north of downtown. My yuppieometer tends not to redline in those places.
El Fenix (which is also all over), and Cafe Mexico (on North Central, a mile or so north of LBJ). El Fenix was OK; I thought Cafe Mexico was wonderful.
La Copa Campo Verde (Mexican - Arlington)
Cuquita's (2326 N. Henderson). In easy-to-miss old house. Inexpensive. Home style Tex-Mex.
Eduardo's Aca y Alla ((2914 Main in Deep Ellum). In spot offering Tex-Mex with nouvelle twists. Themusic can get loud on weekends. Moderate.
La Calle Doce (415 W. 12th in Oak Cliff). Excellent Mexican seafood. Inexpensive to moderate. No reservations; go early or be prepared to wait.
Mia's (4322 Lemmon). Classic Tex-Mex. Be prepared to wait, but it's worth it. Popular with Dallas Cowboys, other celebrity types.
Mi Cocina (11661 Preston). Run by son of Mama Mia. Good "healthy" Tex-Mex. Inexpensive.
Mercado Juarez (1901 W Northwest Highway) has been suggested by a couple of respondents. It's a good place, but since they started branching out I think the quality has gone down a bit. A similar local mini-chain is Uncle Julio's (4125 Lemmon).
The best homestyle Tex-Mex :
Cuquita's (2326 N. Henderson),
Herrera's (4001 Maple)
Mia's (4322 Lemmon), in that order.
Avila's (4714 Maple) and
El Gallo de Oro (Guatemalan/Mexican, 4114 Maple).
All are small family run places.
Arguably the best Mexican restaurant in Dallas is La Calle Doce (415 W. 12th), which has great Veracruz style seafood.
Stay away from On the Border, Tia's, El Chico. If you have to go to a mainstream local chain, Try El Fenix.
One solid suggestion for Mexican in Dallas that I always give is Mercado Juarez (on Northwest Highway just a little West? of the Stemmons Freeway, which is I-35E). It is not upscale. But, to me, it represents Mexican food that would be served in Mexico. The menu is very interesting and reasonably priced.
Mercado Juarez (1901 W Northwest Highway) has been suggested by a couple of respondents. It's a good place, but since they started branching out I think the quality has gone down a bit. A similar local mini-chain is Uncle Julio's (4125 Lemmon).
Pappasito's - Large servings. Located on the east side of Central Expressway north of the LBJ (635) interchange.
LATIN AMERICAN
PERUVIAN - Cafe Latino (10233 E. Northwest Highway). Peruvian; some dishes from other South American countries. Very good. Inexpensive to moderate.
GUATEMALAN - El Gallo de Oro (4114 Maple). Good Guatemalan food. Don't be put off by hole in the wall exterior. Inexpensive.
Gloria's (600 W. Davis in Oak Cliff). Good Guatemalan food in pleasant setting.
Inexpensive.
SPANISH - Cafe Madrid (4501 Travis). Great authentic tapas plus nightly specials.
Good paella on weekends. Moderate.
BBQ
Sonny BryanÕs - By far the best BBQ in the USA! This place was written up in the Food and Wine magazine as one of the top 10 BBQ places to visit! By all means, go to the Inwood location. But don't blink, you may miss it. Look for the smoke and the huge selection of cars! The F&W says to look for a variety of cars in front of any BBQ place to determine its worth. If the place draws VW's and limo's--parked side by side--you have your best!! In fact, on my first visit to Sonny Bryan's, there was a beat-up Ford Galaxy low-rider next to a stretch limo! Get there early--they start serving BBQ at 10:00 am, and stop selling when it's all gone--about 1:30 pm. Get the onion rings and a Lone Star Beer, and you are set! There are warming trays with additional BBQ sauce (put some on the rings), and the old school desks are the ideal place to enjoy the "scenery!"
The best place is still Sonny Bryan's. The original location (2202 Inwood) would be my choice, but they're only open for lunch, so you can try their West End branch (302 N. Market, much more touristy but same great food) at night.
Sonny Bryan's (302 N. Market in West End). As good as the Inwood original,
but has real tables and longer hours. Inexpensive.
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Also good is:
Baker's Ribs (2724 Commerce),
Gene's Stoen Pit (3002 canton),
Riscky's (1701 N. Market in the West End),
Solly's (4801 Belt Line).
Colters - Located all over Dallas. There is one very close to Copeland's.
Baker's Ribs (2724 Commerce in Deep Ellum). Inexpensive. Riscky's (1701 N. Market in West End). Good smoked catfish as well as barbecue. Inexpensive
Avoid Tony Roma's, Spring Creek, Dickey's.)
If you get over to Fort Worth, Angelo's is worth a try (second only to Sonny Bryan's in my opinion). Angelo's (BBQ - Fort Worth)
CAJUN
Cafe Margaux (4527 Travis in Travis Walk). The best of the upscale Cajun places. Inexpensive lunch; moderate dinner.
Crescent City Cafe (2730 Commerce in Deep Ellum). Best of the Cajun coffee shops. Inexpensive.
Atchafalaya - Located in Addison.
Copeland's - Just south of Prestonwood Mall.
Only been there once, other than to walk from one end of the airport to the other, but the Atchafalaya River Cafe might be just what you're looking for. It's kind of a loud, boisterous sort of place, but fun, and the crawfish were better than average, especially for any place outside of Louisiana. Don't know my way around out there well enough to locate it for you (there may be more than one in town; it's a small chain).
IMO the best Cajun restaurant in Dallas is Cafe Margaux on Oak Lawn. Its one of my favorite restaurants and the food is _always_ outstanding!! Prices are very reasonable, too. Highly recommended!
I am not overly excited about any of the Cajun places in Dallas. You might try Dodie's Seafood Cafe (2129 Greenville), Shuck 'n Jive (5315 Greenville), or Razzoo Cajun Cafe (13929 Central Expressway at Spring Valley in Richardson). Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen (3520 Oak Lawn), a new branch of a Houston chain, has been getting raves, but I fail to see what all the shouting's about. Cafe Margaux (4216 Oak Lawn) is great for lunch, but at night seems a little too expensive for what you get. Great food though.
FRENCH
Chez Gerard (4444 McKinney). Moderate to expensive. Parisian atmosphere with low-key but classy cooking. Reservations advised.
French Room (1321 Commerce in Adolphus Hotel. Expensive to very expensive. In the grand hotel restaurant tradition. Neoclassic cooking (i.e. offers interpretations of classic French cuisine with reduced fat and new ingredients: tuna au poivre for example). Reservations advised.
Juniper (2917 Fairmount). Smart new, mainly Provencal, restaurant. Excellent cooking. Expensive to very expensive. Reservations essential.
Le Chacarel (French - Arlington)
The best restaurant that I've ever been to is San Simeon--but that was three or four years ago. It was an interesting meal which started with venison sausage and quail, lobster and pumpkin bisque (the best soup I've ever had),wild pheasant, then creme brullee (sp?). I liked it better than the meal that I had at L'Hermitage in Beverly Hills...
STEAK
The most renouned Dallas Steakhouse is Del Frisco's on Spring Valley (N of the Galleria Shopping Center. The place is pricy, but if on expense acct., what the heck.
A real Texas dining experience (even if a bit corny), go for steak at either Traildust (Walnut Hill Lane off Stemmons) or Texas Tumbleweed (Midway at N. Beltline in Addison?). Both often have live C&W for dancing and are noisy, bustling steakhouses with all the atmosphere.
I second the recommendation of the Trail Dust (Stemmons at Walnut Hill). The nearby Old San Francisco also has good steaks and a fun atmosphere. Neither has the best steaks in town but both have good atmosphere (Trail Dust is more Texan, Old S. F. more gay '90s).
Lowry's (Prime Rib - Dallas)
ITALIAN
Arcodoro (2520 Cedar Springs). Hip cafe-bar with casual pizza-sandwich-salad menu. Inexpensive to moderate.
Mi Piaci (14854 Montford in far north Dallas suburb). Only first-class Italian cooking in town, if you can stand the noise and lousy service. Expensive. Reservations advised.
Osteria da Momo (2704 Elm in Deep Ellum). Atmospheric setting with decent (sometimes very good) food. Moderate.
Milano's (Italian - Arlington)
Macaroni grill (in addison)
Victoria's Cuisine, just south of the LBJ on the northwest side of town. More specifically, near the corner of Webbs Chapel and Forest Lane. Good; affordable; but not great.
Campisi's (Egyptian Lounge) - Located on Mockingbird Ln. just east of Central Expressway The pizza is a must. Expect long lines during peak hours. If available ask for seating in the back room.
SOUTHWEST
Baby Routh (2708 Routh). Sibling of Routh Street Cafe offers good Southwestern menu in classy casual setting. Moderate to expensive. Reservations advised.
BURGERS
for fast food burgers: burger street (all over dallas) ...they're the best
Chapp's (Burgers to die for - Arlington)
Snuffers - Lower Greenville Ave area (not far from Campisi's) Burgers are good and so is the Chicken sandwich.
SEAFOOD
Vincent's - I can't remember exact locations but there are 2-3 in Dallas area.
INDIAN
The best Indian restaurant, IMO, is India Palace (Preston Rd. at I-635 in Dallas), but it's also the most expensive. Avoid their lunch buffet on weekdays, though--the selection is not very good. Dinner is excellent.
Next on my list would be Akbar, which is the flagship restaurant for the Ashoka chain (they have about six locations, with various names, including one or two in Ft. Worth).
Finally, there is another Indian restaurant (I think it's called Madras Cafe, but I don't remember exactly) on Central Expressway (US 75) in Dallas. I've been there a couple of times and I was somewhat disappointed on both visits.
ORIENTIAL
Arc-en-Ciel (355 Walnut, Garland, in far north suburb). Classy place with great Vietnamese (and good Chinese) fare. Inexpensive to moderate.
Curry In a Hurry (4302 Bryan). Used to be a good Vietnamese place named La Pagode. New Indian proprietors kept the former owners on. Result: very good Bombay home cooking combined with a good Vietnamese menu. Inexpensive.
MISC.
Gershwin's - Classy piano bar. Located on upper Greenville avenue. Other good places: Sfuzzi, Jakes, Old Warsaw, Taiwan, El Phoenix.
Jennivine's. Nice cozy British pub atmosphere, but sophisticated food. Great for lunch.
Edelweiss (German - Fort Worth)
The Windsor (continental - Arlington)
Maq's B&G (Arlington)
chains with good food: Black Eyed Pea
CARIBBEAN
Carib-B (2012 Greenville). Authentic place with an emphasis on Trinidad fare: Inexpensive to moderate.
Paradise Club (2920 N. Henderson). 40's Miami Beach nightclub atmosphere with vaguely Cuban cooking. Food is pretty good; atmosphere is fun. People tend to dress up here. Moderate.
MEDITERRANEAN BISTRO
Adelmo's (4537 Cole). Good seafood, veal chops. Moderate to expensive. Tiny place; reservations advised.
Blind Lemon (2805 Main in Deep Ellum). Inexpensive to moderate. The Grape (2808 Greenville). Wine bar with food that has been all over the map in the last few years. Seems to be heading back in a Mediterranean direction with more French-style butter and cream sauces. Moderate to expensive.
Main Street News (2934 Main in Deep Ellum). Part deli, part bistro. Generally very good food with southern French and northern Italian accents. Imaginative salads. One of the happening places right now. Moderate.
Sambuca (2618 Elm in Deep Ellum). Very good food. Jazz nightly. Moderate.
NATURAL
Agnew's Natural Grill (3011 Routh). Ambitious low-fat menu. Sometimes just
good; often spectacular. Interesting wines by the glass. Moderate.
NEW AMERICAN
Actuelle (2200 Cedar Springs in the Crescent). Very expensive. May be the best restaurant in Dallas right now. Reservations essential.
Avner's (2515 McKinney). Moderate to expensive. Much of the offerings have a Pacific Rim influence at the moment. Reservations advised.
Baby Routh (2708 Routh). Sibling of Routh Street Cafe offers good Southwestern menu in classy casual setting. Moderate to expensive. Reservations advised.
Buffalo Club (2800 Routh in the Quadrangle). Expensive evening; inexpensive lunch. The quality varies and service can be slow, but the $4.99 weekday lunch deal is hard to beat.
Landmark Cafe (3015 Oak Lawn in Melrose Hotel). Expensive. Restaurant has recently become a contender with the hiring of a great new chef. Only current drawback is that hotel (but not restaurant) is being renovated. Reservations advised.
The Mansion (2821 Turtle Creek. Very expensive. The best deal here is the $26.50 two-course Sunday brunch. Wine and dessert can drive the total up above $50, though. The chef seems to be into high-class versions of home cooking at the moment. Reservations essential.
Routh Street Cafe (3005 Routh). Very expensive. Consistently on national best restaurant lists. Go before 7 pm Tuesday-Friday for the $35 special deal: three courses and a glass of good wine. Reservations essential.
Arcodoro (2520 Cedar Springs). Hip cafe-bar with casual pizza-sandwich-salad menu. Inexpensive to moderate.
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It deserves mention to the Dallas visitor to check out Las Colinas. Especially the Mustang sculpture at Williams Square.
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Someone wrote:
: What are great restaurants in Dallas, other than the Mother Tucker type?
: Jim Hicks, [email removed]