Dallas - Sun, Steak and Sauce

So I've been to Dallas about three times in the last year to visit friends and continue to be stunned by the amazing food I have each and every time. While I have to say on past visits I have been neglectful with taking photos and chronicling what I eat (I know bad me) I have attempted to redeem myself by highlighting my favorite places that I find myself continuing to return to.

Breadwinners
Breadwinners is best known for brunch and dessert. This was one of the spots I hit up for brunch back in October. If memory serves me I ordered the veggie scramble and then removed half the vegetables and added meat. I had a hangover. I get to be fussy once in awhile. I still remember the perfectly toasted toast, the slightly soft piping hot eggs and the crispy potatoes. The vegies were fresh and also crisped making it a delicious brunch meal. Also if it's a nice day make sure to sit outside (oh and there is parking in back).

Photo Credit: Breadwinners Facebook Page

Perry's Steakhouse
Many have told the story of the famous Perry's Porkchop. And it is famous for a damn good reason. The beef is hand-selected for the restaurant and is cured and then roasted, smoked and caramelized (is your mouth watering yet?) to that it drips off the bone onto your plate. I'm making myself salivate just writing this review. Your dish is served with three pieces of meat carved at the table - four bone ribs, a leaner center cut filet and the softest part called the "eyelash." Add a side of mac n' cheese if you can manage. I could barely finish half of it!

I guarantee you won't have room for dessert so order the Dessert Trio to go along with an order of chocolate-covered strawberries if you feel so inclined (I did). The trio comes with vanilla bean creme brulee, Grand Marnier chocolate truffle and praline cheesecake.

The atmosphere is very chic, almost a little too much for me but I was too focused on my plate to care if I was underdressed. Definitely a martini business lunch or engagement dinner kind of place.

Photo Credit: Perry's Website

Photo Credit: Shaggybevo.com

The Mansion at Turtle Creek
The Mansion restaurant ranks as one of my all time favorite restaurants in life ever. The atmosphere is elegant yet homey, the staff is formal yet friendly, and the food is gorgeous yet delicious. I could gush for hours but I'll stick to the basics. There are three main rooms - the main dining area (picture one), the outdoor patio (picture two) and the lounge (picture three). If it's nice grab dinner on the patio and after dinner head into the lounge for more drinks and live music. It's like living in Mad Men I kid you not.

Photo Credits: Mansion Website

I've eaten most of the menu but I thought I'd treat you guys to a detailed description of the latest chef tasting menu with wine pairings. The chef, Bruno Davaillon, is up for the James Beard award this year and if this menu has any bearing on him winning I'd say he is a shoo-in.

We started the dinner with an amuse bouche of fish with fruit (sorry I didn't catch exactly what it was) which was soft and flavorful.

The next dish was gougere with black pudding and lardo paired with a glass of Cava La Dama, Naveran, Penedes, Spain 2010. The gougere was fine (I didn't think there was much taste to it) but the wine was spectacular. I love Spanish Cava.


Next was a smoked consomme with pulled leg, fava, poached quail egg and ossetra caviar paired with a glass of Amontillado Los Arcos, Emilio Lustau, Jerez. Amontillado is a dark, sweet sherry that was perfectly matched with the savory, slightly salty consomme. The caviar was a tasty final touch and the temperature of the soup was ideal - not too hot, not too cold. It also came with a fair amount of meat which was nice.

The next dish was braised shoulder with vadouvan, green tomato chutney, yogurt and mint and a glass of Pinot Gris reserve, Gustave Lorentz, Alsace 2009. This was by far my favorite dish and one of the most memorable of my life. I wish it was a bigger portion! The mixture of the vadouvan with the meat was SO flavorful and tempered just enough by the yogurt.


Next was the slow roasted rack & loin with wild white asparagus, ramp puree and rhubard relish with a glass of Barbera, Palmina, Santa Barbara 2009. This is a wine favorite of mine but the meat was also delicious. I was still reeling from the last dish which may have overshadowed this one slightly. The asparagus side was slightly too mushy for me but otherwise another win.

The next dish was a mystery dish! I looked back at the menu and it seems that brought us out an extra (we know the manager pretty well - go us). It was some sort of meat with a sweet sauce and slices of green apple. Also delicious.


Last but not least - dessert. The whiskey molasses parfait with bacon nougatine and black sesame caramel was paired with Anejo Rum Anniversario, Pampero. The rum was too overpowering for me so I passed after a sip or two which was fine because the parfait took my full attention. They had me at bacon nougatine I'm afraid. My only wish as usual is that there was more ice cream!


Overall yet another incredible meal at this restaurant. Bruno I'm rooting for you!


Smoke
So this restaurant is a little fuzzy for me in terms of remembering all the things I ordered but I do remember the appetizers! We had the trio of smoked sausage which includes pork andouille, all spiced rabbit and beef paprika with fennel seed. If I remember correctly I think I liked the pork the best because it was a little spicy and the rabbit was good as well. We also got an order of the mac n cheese which was incredible and the mescal and key lime meringue pie for dessert. The dessert was okay - I'm not a huge fan or meringue but I love key lime so I gave it a try. Also pretty positive I had some sort of meat dish like the pulled pork burger or the lamb chop since that's why we went. All I remember is the atmosphere is laidback but nice and the food was delicious so I wanted to include it.

Photo Credit: DailyCandy.com Website

Saint Ann's
Another favorite on the Dallas list, this restaurant/bar probably best fits the appeal of a twentysomething. I highly recommend just going with appetizers here because they are famous and delicious.

Photo Credit: Saint Ann's Website

Must-haves include the marinated chicken and jalapenos wrapped with bacon and served with ranch dressing and the dates stuffed with chorizo also wrapped in bacon and piquillo. The first is almost a little too spicy and the second a little too sweet so I order both and alternate. Highly recommended!

The pork tacos with guacamole, lime, and cilantro are also delicious as is the pasta which changes every so often. This time it was pappardelle with tomato, meat sauce and parmesan. The pasta was cooked perfectly but it could've used a little more sauce. As usual I was stuffed by the time we left!



Fearings at the Ritz
Another one that is from a past trip but I remember enjoying my meal here so I included it. Dean Fearing is also a pretty famous chef (probably why his restaurant is part of the Ritz - just a guess). They have a gorgeous patio to eat or drink on and the food was delicious even if the plates themselves weren't memorable. Whatever I had for dessert here was excellent. I would say that if I had to choose I'd pick the Mansion over Fearings ten times out ten just because it feels more boutique and the dishes are more interesting. However, I encourage you to try both and tell me which one you prefer!

Photo Credit: Ritz Carlton Website

Del Frisco's Grille
This was the one newbie to the group on this last trip and boy did it measure up! There's also a Del Frisco's in New York I just learned so I will definitely be visiting the sister restaurant. This place was pretty "sceney" as well which I actually don't mind especially since the service was impeccable. Our waiter even let me make my own dessert and then didn't charge me for it. What a champ!

Photo Credit: Del Frisco's Facebook Page

Yet again we just ordered a bunch of appetizers because we all know appetizers are more interesting anyway right?


First up were the pimento cheese fitters with chipotle ranch sauce. They were nicely crisped on the outside but the cheese was a little too bright orange Velveeta for me. I'm also not a huge fan of fried cheese things like cheesesticks, etc, so maybe it was just me.


The next one was the cheesesteak eggrolls with sweet & spicy chili sauce and honey mustard. Um HELLO you are tasty! I almost fought my friend for his half of the dish. Seriously was about to get the nails out. Hands down best "bar food" dish I've ever had. I'm still licking my fingers. I love Texan food oh god yes I do.


Next up were the lollipop buffalo-style chicken wings with avocado ranch dressing. The waiter said they weren't spicy at all as wings tend to be and I believed him. Turns out they were fairly spicy although not inedible. Goes to show that when you ask a Texan if something is spicy be warned that their palate is not the same as yours! As you can see from the picture they were aptly named "lollipops" too which I thought was fun.


Of course we ordered a round of mac n cheese in order to maintain the streak we clearly have going. And lastly we washed it all down with a carafe of white sangria made with pinot grigio, white peach puree, peach schnapps and fresh strawberries and blueberries. First off, I usually hate sangria because it is too alcoholic-tasting or too sweet. This stuff was PERFECT. I would've guzzled more if I didn't need to make my plane.

This place literally transformed me into high-level vacation mode. I will be back.


The Common Table
Another Dallas favorite of mine, this place has two appetizers that I love and a whole bible worth of craft beers to try. You could spend all day hanging out on the deck enjoy a multitude of different flavors. There's also live music (hello it's Texas) most of the time as well so it's a great summer hangout to waste away a Sunday in the shade.

Photo Credit: The Common Table Website

First up on the list of top appetizers are the pulled pork spring rolls with ponzu sauce and sweet chili garlic. Perfectly crisp on the outside and perfectly flavored on the inside. And the sauce adds an extra slightly spicy layer to a crunchy good time.


Second on the list are the tuna nachos with sesame soy ahi tuna, wasabi, pickled ginger on crispy wonton. The serving is a little small for my appetite but the wasabi added an extra kick that slows me down a little. The wontons are crunchy and the tuna is nice and soft.



Medieval Times
Yup it's on here simply because it is soo entertaining and I still maintain the food is pretty good - especially the whole chicken you eat with your hands! However, just to be jackasses we ordered "mead" not thinking that was a real thing. Next thing we know we have a bottle of mead which if you didn't know is 100% fermented honey and tastes AWFUL. It's like really really sweet cough syrup. GROSS. Still to the finger-licking good food and regular beer. It's also a ton of fun to adopt an Old English accent for the duration of your visit. Totally touristy and still makes the list!


Crust
Last but not least I was SUPER surprised by this restaurant which can only be found in the Delta Terminal at La Guardia airport in New York. I was hungry and a waitress was wandering the terminal seats and offered me a menu. It was pretty expensive so I went with the $4 piece of toast with ricotta and herbs. She brought me two relatively large crostinis heaped with ricotta. It was DELICIOUS. Kind of blew my socks off to be honest. I even looked to see if this was a real restaurant anywhere else and apparently it only exists at the airport. Open one in Manhattan stat!


Dallas Arboretum
For my last two entries I wanted to remind myself and you that this is afterall at TRAVEL blog so I wanted to recommend a couple other fun activities I got around to doing while in Dallas. The first is the Dallas Arboretum which has outdoor concerts throughout the summer even as late as October. The bands aren't terribly great from what I witnessed but you can bring food and booze and have a grand ole time outside with friends. Highly recommended as a cheap fun activity!


Katy Trail
The Katy Trail is a nice little trail that runs along the river with multiple entrances depending on where you want to start. It's peaceful and pretty and a nice respite from the downtown area without having to travel too far. Also it's concrete so you can walk, run or bike. A free, fun alternative to day drinking!

Photo Credit: Activerain.com

Overall I can't say I would ever want to live in Dallas but it is a very fun place to visit and to gorge yourself on incredible food. Give it a try and let me know what you think. If you hate it, rent a car because Austin is only three hours away!

NYC Weekly Blog Post - 4.9.2012

Breakneck Ridge Trail

So this week I actually have some TRAVEL news! Yes that's right I managed to make it out of the lovely city of Manhattan about an hour north along the Hudson River to Breakneck Ridge. Aptly named this trail starts with a harrowing climb up a smooth rock face (hiking shoes definitely recommended) that ends with a gorgeous view of the Hudson at the top. Continue along the ridge through a forest of deciduous trees (no leaves this time of year but must be beautiful in summer and fall). There are a ton of trail options but below you can see the path that we took. All-in it was about a 4 hour hike.

Basically you take the train from Grand Central station and get off at Breakneck which is literally just a tiny platform on the side of the railroad. You have to make sure you go to the back train compartment or you will miss it as they only open the back two doors. Jump down onto the platform and walk up to the road and turn right. The trail head is just up the street.

The route we took was the white trail up to where it meets blue. The white trail is primarily the rockclimbing-esk portion of the trail. Once you hit blue you are just meandering through the woods primarily. Keep an eye out at this point because we must have missed a sign and ended up by the bigger lake at the top of the image. If it weren't for iPhone service we would've gotten lost for sure. Take the blue down along the side of the smaller lake and hook a left across the ridge. Once you hit green follow that all the way down into the town of Cold Spring.

Below is a view from the top of the first dicey rock climb.

Once in Cold Spring wander around the town looking at the antique stores, little churches and quaint houses. You definitely aren't in Manhattan anymore! I literally felt like I was on vacation somewhere and all I had to do was a take a train an hour north.

For lunch we ate at the Depot which is a fun restaurant right next to the train station. The train back to Grand Central passes through almost every hour so you can time which one you want to jump on. For lunch I had the southern-style fried chicken which was very tasty and I followed it up with a scoop of delicious, refreshing chocolate ice cream.

Thanks to the beautiful weather, my hardy hiking buddy, iPhone service and a delicious lunch, I will definitely be back here again!


CHELSEA

Frying Pan
Everyone's been telling me I'd love this place. Turns out; I do. The Frying Pan is literally a boat docked at Pier 66 on the Hudson River which is at West 26th street. They have a bunch of table seating and a little bar that sells pitchers of beer and buckets of Coronas. Be warned those with uneasy stomachs as the boat does roll and pitch a bit so if you have one too many you may be running for the bathroom stairs. With the sun shining down on you and a beer in your hand it's like the Manhattan version of a Corona commercial. This will clearly be a summer favorite although you gotta get here early or bear the massive line to get in - it's not a big place.



LOWER EAST SIDE

Family Recipe
The name of this little restaurant echoes the origins of Chef Thurnauer's passion for cooking. The food here was delicious although ended with a potentially fatal accident.

We started with the kale salad with pomegranate and candied pistachio. It had the perfect amount of spicy dressing and was a large portion making it a great start to our dinner.


Next came the fried cod tacos with mango salsa and guacamole. The fish was fried crisp on the outside but was flaky and soft on the inside. The presentation was nice and the mango added just the right dose of flavor. Another win.


Then came the okonomiyaki, which is a Japanese thick pancake filled with different ingredients. This restaurant changes it up every day and on the menu this week was a turkey bacon and egg and a rock shrimp okonomiyaki. We ordered the turkey bacon one due to my deathly shellfish allergy. It showed up piping hot and covered in fish flakes. YUMMY. I loved these things ever since my trip to Japan. I dived right in. We were halfway through the pancake when my friend poked at something with her chopstick. It was a full shrimp. We both freaked out and began clawing through the remaining pancake were two or three other shrimp appeared.


This devolved into me having a panic attack while my friend researched nearby hospitals. I keep trying to think back as to whether I'd eaten one (I'm terrible with chopsticks and have to concentrate really hard on what I pick up and so I felt like I would've noticed if I'd eaten one).

After 30 minutes it appeared that I hadn't eaten one because I wasn't dead yet so we both picked at the final plate that came which was slow-cooked grass-fed short ribs with spring onion and hot sesame miso sauce. It tasted like sawdust thanks to my near death experience.


All that being said you'd think I would never come back here. HOWEVER, the food was amazing and the staff upon realizing their mistake apologized profusely (as they should), offered to take me to the hospital and then finally comped our entire dinner. Smart move. So, in closing, I would certain suggest this restaurant although be aware of what you eat!


Los Feliz
My friend suggested this place on Saturday night and I thought it was one of the cooler looking places I've been to in New York City. There are three levels essentially - a bar up top, a restaurant with bar in the middle and a club-esk lounge at the bottom. You have to check your coat to go in the lounge I'm assuming because it is so small.

My favorite hangout with the bar/restaurant area (they clear out the tables as it gets later) because the decorations make you feel like you are in a Spanish cave. It felt dark and mysterious yet cozy. Weird right?

The margaritas are also delicious, interesting and STRONG. I tried the Strawberry + Ginger Margarita with house infused Herradur blanco tequila, strawberry, ginger, organic raw agave, and fresh lime juice. Tasty. I will definitely come back here although the crowd that night was a little strange...

Photo Credit: Los Feliz Website

Macondo
This place is right on the corner of Houston and Allen St right when you get off the subway. I passed it last week and the cozy, fun atmosphere immediately attracted me so we decided to get dinner there this weekend.

Photo Credit: Macondo Website

We had the carne con yuca (grilled skirt steak, yuca fries, cabrales cheese and chimichurri), the cocas tuna (sliced sashimi tuna, white bean puree, sesame soy oaxaca cheese, white fish roe, onions and jalapenos on flatbread) and the arepas pato (duck confit with collard greens, figs and guava demi sauce on a sweet corn pancake).

The skirt steak was well-cooked but there wasn't enough chimichurri sauce and the overall dish sort of lacked flavor. I felt like I was eating it because it was there and not bad but not memorable either.


The next dish was the tuna flatbread which was a step up! The bread was a little too soft for me, I prefer crispy flatbread, but I thought the combination of the tuna with the jalapenos and the sauce was good. I just wish there was MORE toppings.

The last dish, the duck arepas, was delicious!! It was definitely the perfect finale to this meal. The duck was so succulent and matched the sweetness of the pancake. I wish there'd been more than one fig though. I was already relatively full by the time this came and still couldn't stop myself from shoving more down my throat. A must get when you come to this restaurant!

Lastly, I don't usually comment on prices at restaurants. This is because most places in NYC I feel like are outrageously priced as is so I feel like if you are going to eat in Manhattan, get over it. That being said this meal was really good and only cost $44 a person which I thought was a great price considering we got three dishes and shared a bottle of wine!

La Montanara by Forcella
This place is so new I don't even think it has a website yet (located at 168 Ludlow)! It's gotten some press recently and after trying the pepperoni pizza I can see why! The pizzas here are "fried" but not in the way you think! Basically the pizza dough is "flash fried" in hot sunflower oil and then baked a brick oven with toppings. This pizza was MOUTHWATERING...and open late.


No Fun
Another brand new opening, No Fun (yup that's actually the name) was a ton of fun! They had some random good beers on tap and lots of seating which was nice. It was a Tuesday night so the vibe was pretty neighborhood-y but they do have a dancing room in the back that looks like it could heat up on the weekend. I'll probably hit this place up again.

Photo Credit: No Fun Tumblr Page

UPPER WEST SIDE

Boat Basin
Another place that has been touted as a go-to for summer, Boat Basin is ALLLLLLL the way up at West 79th street. You can access it easiest by walking along the Hudson until you literally run into the outdoor cafe area. I was there a little early in the year on a Sunday so not a huge crowd yet but as the weather gets warmer I will definitely be back for some day drinking. The strawberry daiquiris are fully blended into a frozen smoothie consistency that you need a spoon to eat but it masked the rum which was a bonus. I ordered the grilled, marinated Mahi Mahi with shredded cabbage and salsa verde in soft tacos, which were kind of soupy and made me feel sick to my stomach later. The burger and the chicken fingers looked like better options...

Photo Credit: Boat Basin Website

WEST VILLAGE

Wilfie and Nell
A local hangout near my house I feel like I always end up here late night. This time I actually ordered food which took forever (I almost forgot about it and left!). I ordered the Guinness lamb shepherds pie with a mashed potato crust which was sooo good. In fact I brought the rest home and poured it over pasta for a gourmet "Hamburger Helper" style meal the next day. Beware it comes in HOT - I burned the crap out of my tongue so be careful!

On a total side note I've also tried the corned beef & Gruyere sandwich with cabbage slaw and mustard and it too is delicious. Hands down some of the best bar food I've had in Manhattan.

Photo Credit: Mark G. on Yelp.com