List News

Dallas celeb chef eatery makes NY Times list of 50 exciting restaurants

Fried chicken from Roots Southern Table.

Photo courtesy of Roots Southern Table

Dallas' celebrity chef Tiffany Derry is basking in the national spotlight: The New York Times selected her new restaurant, Roots Southern Table, as one of the 50 American restaurants it's "most excited about right now."

Published Monday, October 11, the list spotlights "the 50 most vibrant and delicious restaurants in 2021 . . . They’re not ranked, but together they reflect the rich mosaic of American dining," the article states.

It's rendered in alphabetical order and extends from Sofra Bakery and Cafe in Cambridge, Massachusetts, all the way to Paju in Seattle.

Four other Texas restaurants also made the list:

Birdie's, a natural wine bar and cafe in Austin
Fish Lonja, Mexican seafood restaurant in San Antonio
Blood Bros. BBQ, a creative barbecue joint in Houston
Sylvia's, a taqueria in Brownsville

The list includes short profiles of each restaurant, with nods to special dishes.

Times food reporter Priya Krishna hails the Louisiana-influenced Southern food chef Derry is serving at Roots Southern Table, writing "If eating [Derry's] cornbread with smoked butter is like a warm embrace, the duck-fat fried chicken — which should certainly be ordered with a side of duck-fat-fried potatoes — is the equivalent of a bear hug."

Krishna also covers Fish Lonja, praising San Antonio chef Alejandro Paredes for his creative approach to Mexican seafood. Citing dishes such as shrimp aguachile and a shrimp-and-chorizo quesadilla, Krishna writes that the restaurant's food "tastes so fresh, you might wonder if San Antonio is a coastal town."

Writer Brett Anderson profiles Houston's Bood Bros., stating, "The daily changing menu at this strip mall barbecue restaurant in a Houston suburb is a product of the seemingly endless ideas for cooking Texas barbecue whirling through the brains of the owners and staff. One day, brisket burnt-end steam buns and smoked chicken karaage. The next, char siu pork banh mi and Thai green curry boudin balls."

Anderson also praises Birdie's chef Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel’s "bright, graceful food" that includes steak tartare, roasted eggplant, and vanilla soft serve, describing the wine bar as "the leading edge of what makes eating great in this booming town."

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Seafood News

Dallas chef brings seafood to Trinity Groves via Pesca restaurant

Pesca

Pesca Trinity Groves

A veteran Dallas restaurateur has a new seafood restaurant at Trinity Groves: Called Pesca Coastal Cuisine and Cocktails, it’s in a space with seafood history, in the former Amberjax Fish Market space at 3011 Gulden Ln. #107. According to a release, it opened on December 13.

Pesca comes from Jesus Carmona, owner of the taqueria Milagro Tacos and Argentinian restaurant Chimichurri. Carmona is among the lucky restaurateurs in Dallas who've been featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners Drive-ins and Dives, and he was also on Good Morning America’s taco cook-off.

The menu includes fish grilled or a la plancha, plus spicy shrimp shooters, oysters Rockefeller, tuna crudo, crab croquettes, chowder, shrimp enchiladas, linguini frutti di mare, and lobster rolls.

They also offer desserts, such as Florida Key lime pie and coconut cream tarts, plus cocktails and a selection of beer and wine. Prices range from $6 for a cup of soup to $29 for salmon succotash.

The design features natural wood tones, ocean-inspired hues, and nautical accents, plus bold elements, pops of color, and playful twists.

“I designed this space and menu to invite people to experience my variations of delicious coastal dishes,” says Carmona in a statement. “Pesca will provide new food options for West Dallas, a community very close to my heart.”

Carmona, originally from Mexico City, began his career at the age of 12, working in the family business. Carmona earned his food and beverage degree from Miami Dade College and he attended the San Francisco Culinary Academy. He has more than 30 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry.

“Jesus has provided Dallas communities with quality restaurants and food experiences, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Trinity Groves,” says West Dallas Investments partner Sam Romano in a statement. “Pesca allows him to show us his talents with coastal cuisine - something that is not currently being offered in West Dallas.”

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