This chapter of Dallas restaurant news is a real stick-to-your-ribs kind of deal. There's barbecue news, pimento cheese fritters, prix fixe meals, and sweet potato desserts. In between the lines here, you can feel the fall in the air.
Here's the latest in dining news:
Jalisco Norte, the new authentic Mexican restaurant opening at Turtle Creek Village, has an opening date: November 2. Chef Jose Meza's resume includes stints at Rene Redzepi's NOMA in Copenhagen, Denmark; Enrique Olvera's Pujol in Mexico City; and acclaimed Hotel Nizuc. Dishes include tuna tartare tostada, a rice tostada with tuna tartare, avocado, alfalfa, and a macha salsa; nachos Norte, with refried beans, guacamole, cheese, pico de gallo, and tortilla chips; and arroz con leche, a classic Mexican dish with vanilla ice cream, tequila raisins, and walnuts. Cocktails by beverage director Trevor Landry and bar manager Ravinder Singh, will focus on agave-distilled spirits including tequila and mezcal, as well as sotol and bacanora. The restaurant will initially open for dinner only; coming soon will be lunch, weekend brunch, and Lonchería, a walk-up market window.
18th & Vine, the barbecue restaurant in Uptown Dallas, is now being managed day to day by chef Scott Gottlich and his wife Gina, leaving pitmaster and co-owner Matt Dallman in charge of anything to do with "smoked" or "meat." In addition to streamlining the experience, service, and hospitality, the Gottliches have buttressed the barbecue with salads, pastas, salmon, and smoked lobster thermidor. They've also added a family-style dining option called "The Whole Sha-Bang," with starters, barbecue, sides, and desserts that serves 4-6 people for $135.
Water Grill has a new three-course prix fixe menu for those seeking a quick meal before shows in the Arts District or games at American Airlines Center. Starters include New England-style clam chowder or mixed greens. Entrees include blackened Texas redfish with braised red cabbage and roasted fingerlings; mahi mahi caponata; an 8-ounce filet mignon with a watercress salad; and chicken with couscous. Dessert options include bread pudding, pot de crème with chocolate sorbet and biscotti, or maple cheesecake with sour cream ice cream. The menu runs from 4-7 pm and is $48 per person.
Knife has launched a new menu of fall-inspired desserts and cocktails using sweet potato, pecan, cherries, and lavender. Sweet potato tart comes with whipped sorghum sream, milk chocolate pecan crumble, and sorghum ice cream. Brie cheesecake comes with cherry sorbet, Marcona almond sponge, and compressed cherries. Pear confit comes with mascarpone ice cream, pork fluid gel — wait what? — and whipped walnut cream. Cocktails include the chameleon with suerte, chamomile syrup, lime juice, and lavender bitters; and the hummingbird with Roxor gin, hibiscus syrup, lime juice, and grapefruit juice.
Mirador, the restaurant atop Forty Five Ten in downtown Dallas, is now doing a special three-course menu for Thursday nights, with choice of appetizer, entrée, and dessert for $45. Appetizers include choice of cod cake, summer squash, or curly endive Caesar. Entrees include choice of red snapper, chicken paillard, or braised beef with rice grits and kale. You can also order from the regular menu, and no reservations are required.
Main Event Entertainment, the Dallas-based fun-and-eating destination, is launching a new menu of chef-driven sandwiches and specialty margaritas at all of its 38 locations. Three new sandwiches include chicken breast with caramelized onion-bacon jam ranch dressing; roast beef dip sandwich with horseradish mayonnaise on a buttery garlic knot bun with a side of au jus; and ham and cheese with Virginia ham, Swiss cheese, and honey mustard. Three new margaritas include one with prickly pear, another with strawberry puree and strawberry slices, and a spicy jalapeño mango 'rita with mango puree and fresh jalapeño slices.
Hide in Deep Ellum has a winter menu with 7 new dishes and 10 new cocktails. Drinks first: One combines bourbon with fig, chipotle, and clarified lemon. Another combines rum, plum, vermouth, and oloroso sherry. One stars tequila blanco, with cardamaro, lemon, earl grey, egg white, and mole bitters. Bougie Sips – vodka, crème de cacao, calvados, clarified lemon, and mole bitters. Food offerings sound really good. They include pimento cheese fritters, warm pretzels and queso, hot spiced nuts medley, and a chicken club sandwich with seasoned hand-cut fries. Sweet and salty popcorn has bacon and candied pecans. Grilled cheese sandwich comes on Parmesan crusted sourdough, with triple cream brie, white American, provolone, green apples, bacon, and fries.
Razzoo's Cajun Café, known for their Cajun specialties and unique ingredients like alligator, enters its second quarter century with a new menu, available at all 19 locations. New menu items include peel & eat shrimp, chips with a loaded cheese dip, blackened shrimp over cheddar corn grits, shrimp salad lettuce wraps, and Andouille po'boy sliders with cole slaw. A pimento cheese burger has bacon and fried onion strings. Jalapeno pork chops come with moonshine apples.
Zoës Kitchen has some menu items, including bowls with choice of "power grains" or oh-so-trendy cauliflower "rice." Thre are also pita sandwiches featuring two of their new proteins, lamb kafta and harissa salmon.
Perry's Steakhouse & Grille is celebrating the 10th offering of its Private Reserve wines with two new vintages, hailing from vineyards in Sonoma County: 2016 Chardonnay and 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon. Perry's has also debuted magnum and larger format bottle sizes in addition to its elegant and original new bottle design.
Tillman's Roadhouse has a new executive chef. Gerald Smith comes to Dallas from Hogsalt Hospitality in Chicago, Illinois, and is described in a release as a "dynamic modern American chef" who borrows from French techniques, Asian boldness, and Italian richness. Smith is expected to bring innovative changes to the menu of the long-standing Oak Cliff restaurant which takes a modern spin on the classic roadhouse. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Smith has studied under and worked with celebuchefs such as Jean George Vongerichten, Mario Batali, Stephen Starr, Rich Melman, and Brendan Sodikoff.
City Hall Bistro at The Adolphus hotel has hired Jeramie Robison as executive chef, who will oversee its Southern Europe-themed menu. Robison has worked at a number of restaurants including Shinsei, Uchi, Oak, and HoYa Korean Kitchen. He'll lead the kitchen serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.
