Let's talk Chowda - Boston, MA

New England Clam Chowder at the Barking Crab Restaurant.

Home to the Freedom Trail, Hester Prynne, and some serious New England clam chowder, Boston is a pescaphile's paradise. Perched on Fort Point Channel, The Barking Crab Restaurant is an iconic seafood shack in Boston. The menu focuses on fresh seafood, of course. And not a dish did disappoint.

Beer in Boston seems only appropriate; I began with the Ipswich Ale. The well-written menu (graciously appealed to the tourist crowd) gave great descriptions of the beer selections and their origins. The ale, named one of the World's Best Beers by Wine Spectator, was medium bodied and slighty hoppy with a malt aftertaste. By the weekends end, it became one of my favorite regional beers.

Next up: New England Clam Chowder, you can't get a more traditional and revealing food item. It was soupy - as a true chowder should be, no cornstarch thickening here- with meaty chunks of savory clam, potato and celery. All in all, it was simply prepared, a very flavorful classic. For our main coarse, we had the Barking Crabburger. Surely, the namesake crabcake burger was served with a spicy aioli on a "bulkie roll". (Note: I had to Wikipedia this one, it is a traditional New England crusty sandwich roll.) A very good crabcake but it paled in comparison to the paper thin, oh so greasy, fried onion rings.

Service was brusque, perhaps even "barking", but adequate. Dishes were served as they came out of the kitchen- an notion I greatly appreciate. All in all, The Barking Crab is an ecletic introduction to casual New England seafood.

FYI: Ask to sit on the patio/pier; a difficult request during the busy lunch and happy hour times but worthy of a wait.

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"The Best Fish Tacos You've Ever Had" - Pagosa Springs, CO

Sorry for the absence. I've been on the tour de America (actually, there was no biking involved but I have been traveling to Colorado, Boston/Lakes region, NH, and Austin). I will attempt to post on some of my favorite food finds from the past ventures.

To start off, I want to disclose that I have found the best fish tacos... ever. No joke, folks.

Situated in front of a humble Shell station, there is a firetruck red mobile kitchen known as Degelman's Red Wagon. The Red Wagon is a local lunchtime favorite and in typical Colorado fashion, hours of operation are posted but loosely obeyed. Word to the wise: show up around noon any weekday during the summer and prepare for some fried goodness.

Step up and order a fish taco ($3.00) and fries ($1.75). Chef "Degs" will probably exclaim that you are about to enjoy "the best fish tacos you've ever had". And he is right. Both the white flaky fish and fresh cut fries are beer-tempura battered and perfectly flash fried. The fish taco, 1 comes to an order, is wrapped in a corn tortilla, just fried- yes, frying is a reoccurring theme here. Enveloped with crispy red and green cabbage slaw, fresh avocado slices, chipotle cayenne crema, and a bottom layer of shredded queso oaxaca-just slightly melted from the heat of the fresh fried shell. In my opinion, the queso oaxaca is the key ingredient and most unexpected element of the composition. Its mild, just slightly salty and the creaminess is a perfect foil to the crunchy beer-tempura batter of the adjacent fish. Traditional baja style fish tacos are cheese-less. But to a tried-true Texan, cheese + tortilla = love. The fries, albeit not my typical order, are exceptional. I have heard rumors (from Mom and Austin) of wonderful breakfast tacos, offered inside the Shell station, and state fair-worthy fried Twinkies.Moral of the story- next time you are passing through Pagosa Springs on 160, a stop at Degelman's Red Wagon is a must.

If you know Chef "Degs" or have tried any of his other delicacies, share your thoughts!

Degelman's Red Wagon
Corner of 160 and North Pagosa Road
970-946-1927

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Gluten Glutton, Pagosa Brewing Company

The Hugger, Pizza at Pagosa Brewing Company

It was a damp, chilly evening, perfect for pizza and beer. Outside, the beer garden is largely covered – thankfully, covered – by an event tent. At opposing ends, a large stage and sound booth take up a good quarter of the covered space. When we arrived the inside was fairly empty and a few tables under the tent were occupied. By the time we left, the place had filled up and the air was warming around the buzz of good food and company.

Pagosa Brewing Company is a local company that produces award-winning microbrews and soda pop. The “tasting room and beer garden” feature the PBC brews and food from Farrago, a popular market/cafe in downtown Pagosa Springs. In the summer, the beer garden is a favorite local hang out, especially on concert nights where professional musicians play (for a small cover charge) under the festival tent.

We arrived early enough for pizza; I had heard of the famous pies but on my last visit, they sold out by the time we arrived for dinner. However, this Friday night was starting off slowly and there were no shortages in sight. We began with the beers (of course); I had the Wolf Creek Wheat, a British-style wheat beer. To me, this was a very enjoyable drink, it was smooth, hearty enough with a good yeasty quality. I always get nervous when I order wheat beers, because I have a love-hate relationship with the good ol “hefes”. On one hand, I love their wheat, starchy qualities but I hate the way they fill me up as if I’ve just taken down a whole freshly baked loaf. But alas, the Wolf Creek Wheat triumphs and leaves plenty of room for the real meal of pizza.



To begin, we ordered the Thai Curry Hummus, the texture was thick and nutty but the flavor was flat. I struggled to find any bit of “curry” or “Thai” in the hummus. It was served with a side of spicy, citrus-pepper dressing; was this supposed to be added to the hummus? It would make sense that this dressing combined with the hummus might just qualify as “Thai hummus” but still, no curry to be found.

One by one, our pizzas arrived. Large, chock full of toppings, and wonderfully cheesy, these pies are not to be missed. At our table sat both camps of pizza eaters: the thin crust fans and the thick crust fans. And both camps were pleased, although Farrago’s pizza has a noticeably thick outer crust, the bottom of the pies stayed pleasantly thin and crunchy. We ordered two varieties of pizza: The Mahoney and The Hugger. The Hugger, the “girls” order, is a veggie pizza with mushrooms, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, tomatoes and whole roasted garlic cloves. This pizza is memorable for a few reasons: the whole roasted garlic cloves pepper the pizza (it is not unusual to find 3 or 4 whole cloves on ONE slice), the feta cheese and sun dried tomatoes steal the show. They are scattered over the top and act as creamy/crunchy sweet foils to the savory scene. The gents all enjoyed the Mahoney, a “man’s” pizza of sweet peppers, Italian sausage, pepperoni, kalamata olives and red onions.

Rain or shine, Pagosa Brewing Company’s Tasting Room and Beer Garden is the perfect place for a summer evening. Enjoy good beer, pizza (I hear the burgers are great), and live entertainment.

Pagosa Brewing Company
“Your Hometwon Mountain Brewery”
100 N. Pagosa Blvd.
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
970.731.BREW

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Lunch in the Black Forest - 08.06.09

Henk's Chicken Pesto Sandwich

Another Thursday lunch with Heather, this time we ventured to Henk's European Deli & Black Forest Bakery. Tucked away behind the massive Half Price Books on Northwest Highway, this charming deli serves up authentic German American breakfasts and lunches everyday (dinner is served on Friday and Saturday evenings only). The store is part restaurant, part bar, part bakery, part market and all kitsch. If you arrive at noon or shortly after, it will be crowded and you may have to wait. This will give you the perfect opportunity to wander the market aisles where you will find an eclectic mix of wine, authentic Manner wafers and - my personal favorite - a revolving tower of Dutch black licorice! The east side of the store is devoted to its bakery and deli counters, each a display of beautiful, European delights.

Service and seating is simple: seat yourself, menus are on the table and you pay the cashier before you leave. For lunch, I questioned the server about the "broodje/brotchen" sandwiches on fresh baked hard rolls. After all, we were at a German deli, shouldn't I order something that at least sounds German? She quickly pointed us to the grilled sandwiches, as "they come with cheese". Was it that obvious? Did we just scream "turophiles*"? Alas, we both succumbed to the grilled sandwiches, I to the Chicken Pesto and Heather to the Hot Amsterdam (gotta love that name). Soon thereafter, the sandwiches arrived with a side of classic Ruffles and a sour pickle. The bread was perfectly toasted and golden, the color which can only come from a smear of real butter just before its being pan fried. Inside, there was moist chicken breast sliced deli thin, just a few roasted red peppers and an appropriate amount of basil pesto, all sandwiched between these aforementioned bookends of fresh white bread. Now I must tell you the best part about this sandwich was indeed the cheese. My Chicken Pesto came with Swiss cheese, not just your typical one slice of melted, stringy Kraft Swiss. No, there lay two deli-thin slices of Jarlsberg, with enough thickness to be the creamy counter of the sweet peppers and salty pesto and enough melt to glue the whole sandwich together.

Please, I beg of you, try Henk's. You may be forced to wait and wander the market aisles, but time (and money spent impulse shopping for stroopwaffles) is well worth every penny. Besides, you can afford to waste a few pennies when the sandwich, enough food for two days lunches, is only $6.50.

*Turophile- a lover of cheese, derived from the Greek word for cheese "tyro"

Henk's European Deli & Black Forest Bakery

5811 Blackwell

Dallas, Texas 75231

214.987.9090

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being catty - 07.31.09

Interior of Parigi Restaurant, Artwork by Shane Pennington

The phrase “local and seasonal” has become such a standard philosophy (read: trendy tagline) among this city’s chefs, it has almost lost its appeal. But this is not the case with Parigi’s owner Janice Provost and chef Chad Houser. Once the menu is placed in your hands you become immediately aware that local and seasonal are not merely popular tags, but a reflection of the purposeful and deliberately chosen ingredients strewn across the following pages.

For over 20 years, Parigi has been delighting Dallas diners in their humble abode off Oak Lawn Avenue. It is easily and often overlooked, but after your first visit you will never pass by the Paris-inspired café without a pang in your heart and stomach. It is a narrow space, with an handsome bar and lounge at the entrance and a small strip of a dining room. The dining room is elegant and cosmopolitan, largely due to the abstract horizontal panels painted by Dallas artist, Shane Pennington. Pennington’s art is also on view at Steel, W Hotel in Dallas and private collections around the globe. Amid this modern interior, the amiable servers, eager to make recommendations, create a relaxed and intimate atmosphere. The service and ambiance set the stage for a lovely evening. And a lovely evening it was, indeed.

I took a quick glance at the wine list, only two of us ladies were drinking so we opted for wines by the glass. I chose a glass of Adami Prosecco, the wine list described Prosecco as “a wine to be enjoyed in the company of friends” and I thought it only fitting as I was doing just that. The Prosecco was a great value, citrus notes, acidic but a refined finish.

Glancing over the menu, the first page makes a point to recognize the local purveyors that supply the Parigi kitchen, the list includes: Lemley, Bluebonnet, La Cuesta Farms and Dallas Mozzarella Company. Also on the first page are the “special starters”, changing accordingly with the farm fresh supply. While waiting, our server dropped off a warm, assorted basket of breads and creamy beurre to placate our whetting appetites. If I had one complaint the entire evening it would be this: the kitchen was moving at a leisurely, Parisian pace. C’est la vie.

A signature element of Parigi’s dishes is the Eiffel tower outline, beautifully painted on the pristine plates. My tomato/feta salad was garnished with a balsamic reduced Eiffel tower. It was simply composed, almost a tower of casually tossed ingredients. But it proved to be a memorable summer salad, honoring the ripe Lemley pear tomatoes as tiny little gods, dressing them up with sweet basil robes and salty feta jewels. As much praise as my salad deserves, each of my dining companions felt the same way towards their own choices. As we concluded, Ninny’s salad described as “Chad’s Mom’s Award Winning Creation” was indeed the award winner around our table. It was adorned with the lightly fried okra (not the typical fried okra slivers, but whole pieces of tiny okra) with more fresh tomato.

Quite a bit of time elapsed between the departure of our salads and our main courses arrival; enough time to think we may have missed the flight altogether (read: server forgot to put our order in on time). Here comes the embarrassing part: I’ve forgotten what I ordered exactly, I just remember it was the grilled fish of the day and it was very good, but obviously not memorable enough! However, I do remember my companion’s Beef Tenderloin with creamy whole grain mustard sauce and smashed potatoes, not to be confused with mashed potatoes. As this is a nicer, more sophisticated place, it is important to remember not to lick your plate. And it is also important to remember that you must order dessert while dining at Parigi.

Famous for good reason, the Half and Half is a sweet yin yang of their renowned Chocolate Glob and Peach Cobbler. Chocolate Glob? The name makes me think of that black and white movie from the 50s, where the massive, gelatinous glob moved around and chases people. Gelatinous and massive? Yes, but the Chocolate Glob, a wonderfully undercooked, dense chocolate cake, lives up to all its hype- not always easy to do. The Peach Cobbler was teeming with sweet, fresh peaches (Georgia peaches, if I had to guess) and topped with a sugar flecked, butter rich crust. To top it off, literally, was a healthy scoop of vanilla bean ice cream from Henry’s Homemade Ice Cream, made in Plano. Three individually satisfying components, that could well stand up by themselves; they were sublimely combined for a great ending to a great evening.

La vie est trop courte pour boire du mauvais vin. “Life is too short to drink bad wine”, even if drinking good wines means you might forget what you ordered (which is a very bad thing if you are an aspiring food writer).


Parigi
3311 Oak Lawn Ave. Suite 102
Dallas, TX 75219
214.521.0295

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Bite Me - 7.23.09

Smoked Pecan Baby Back Ribs, Coleslaw, Potato Salad, and don't forget the Big Red.
From Off the Bone Barbecue.

Note: This is the beginning of a new series of quick blurbs from my husband. After two plus years of marriage, he has finally grown accustomed to my "questionin'" (as he puts it). Every time he goes somewhere new for lunch I bombard him with about 20 questions on the food, atmosphere and overall dining experience. Being the smart man he is, he has started sending me one picture of his meal and short "review". I love this! and I'm going to start posting them as they come my way...

Off the Bone Barbeque
1734 South Lamar Street
Dallas, Texas 75215

" Good stuff. Could be the best locally I have had over Sammys, Sonnys, Dickies, Rudys, etc. BBQ sauce is vinegar based, cole slaw has blue cheese in it and beans are cooked with a pecan bbq flavor with pieces of bacon inside. Ribs fall off the bone literally. A meat, two sides and a drink is $10 out the door. "


Seriously, I think he may generate a closer following than me. Read more!

Lunchtime- 7.17.09

Kosher Dill potato chips are one of the many varieties offered at The Great Outdoors. These,in particular, evoked a favorite memory of my dining partner's childhood.

For $0.55 more (than your five-dollar foot long), you can have an exponentially better sub sandwich and enjoy your surroundings at The Great Outdoors. Inside the walls are donned with murals of trees, tree trunk columns lining the queue, comfortable green banquets- everything evoking the feel of “great outdoors”, indoors. The only downside to this earthy, predecessor of Subway is the line; it moves pretty slowly, probably due to its drive thru operations. But it is well worth the wait.

The history lesson (because I love everything that has a story): The Great Outdoors first opened in downtown Dallas in 1973, by New Jersey native Jerry Oliverie. His mission was “to fill the authentic eastern style submarine sandwich void”. Today, there are 8 locations of The Great Outdoors around DFW and they have begun to franchise.

In a nutshell, everything tastes and looks fresh. The best part of the prep line is that you can actually see the source of all their deli meats, cheeses, and vegetables. It’s not fancy, just straightforward. The subs come three ways: Regular, Double Meat or Chef Salad. I had the Turkey, Cheese (house cheese is Provolone) on Wheat, toasted. I added lettuce, tomatoes – which were the freshest, red beefsteaks I’ve ever seen in a sandwich shop, black olives, alfalfa sprouts (Toto, I don’t think we’re in Dallas anymore, Austin maybe?) and honey mustard. They offer pickles in three ways, too: ¼, ½ and whole. I had ½ pickle and drink. The total was $8.34, not too bad for two days worth of lunch; I could only finish half.

The menu is full of many more great offerings including: “great awakenings” which are breakfast subs, some of the largest croissants I’ve ever seen, housemade cookies and brownies, and Henry’s Homemade Ice Cream, hand dipped.

These are Great Outdoors, indeed.

The Great Outdoors
6918 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, Texas
214.739.1928


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being catty - 7.17.09

Iced Vietnamese Coffee (Not Pictured at Mai's)

Hydraulic El Camino in Parking Lot? Check. Barred Windows and Doors? Check. Crack House Across the Street? Check. I have a newfound appreciation and slight obsession with “dives”. Mai’s Vietnamese Cuisine has all the outside elements of a “dive”, but inside the restaurant is surprisingly neat. Now don’t misunderstand me here, Mai’s is no substitute for Lemongrass, Tei Tei or other fashionable Asian locales. But much like its food, it is comfortable and enjoyable.


On a Monday night, the restaurant has about 10 parties dining and picks up throughout the evening. There are still plenty of tables to spare but the crowd looks worldly and relaxed; they must be regulars. Mai’s is another BYO restaurant and if you know me well enough you know I’ve done my research for food and wine pairings. I’ve learned that white wines like Grüner Veltliner, Gewurztraminer, and Riesling are great with most Asian food as their slightly sweet nature contrasts to the salty, spicy heat of the cuisine. We brought a German Riesling from the Mosel region.


Our server greeted us and was a little anxious to take our orders. As we often do, we ordered many different things to share. Both of us are adventurous diners, but for two very different reasons: I like to individually taste as many things as possible to get an overall sense of the restaurant and learn about the food and he just likes to combine as many different food items as possible onto one plate/bowl at the same time. (Yes, you can see me shaking my head now; dining together was VERY difficult at the beginning of our relationship. I am over it now. Well okay, not completely over it, but I’m working on it.)


We began with a variety of their rolls ($1.00ea): Fried Vietnamese- much like your typical egg roll, a bit too greasy, served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce; Grilled Pork Imperial Roll- tender slices of pork with lettuce, rice noodles tightly rolled in a thick rice paper, with hoisin-peanut dipping sauce, topped with chili paste; Shrimp Imperial Roll- just like the Grilled Pork version but with boiled, slightly boring shrimp. The Imperial Rolls were crunchy and refreshing and a little indulgent with the sweet-spicy peanut dipping sauce; they are the perfect summer finger food.


Onto the next course: a cup of Pho. Pho is a traditional Vietnamese soup, influenced by Chinese and French cuisines. It is typically made with beef stock, different cuts of meat and sometimes rice noodles. They are served with a garnish plate of bean sprouts, variety of herbs, jalapeno peppers, and limes so that the diner can customize the flavors of the soup. We ordered the Chicken Pho ($2.95-cup) but unfortunately, only the bowl or larger sizes come with the garnish plate. Nonetheless, the Pho was warm and soothing as it should be, but it lacked the depth of rich, beefy stock.


For our main course, we shared a Chicken Curry Clay Pot ($7.95). Clay pots are another traditional Asian cooking method; cooking in the pot itself creates a moisture lock and the food inside stays tender, piping hot and surprisingly healthy. No additional oils are needed to cook with the clay pot, so the food is lower in fat and the vegetables retain more nutrients as they are not overcooked. The presentation of a clay pot is impressive in itself; the pot is rustic, sometimes colorfully painted and the server removes the top to unveil a steaming, (hopefully) tasty dish. My favorite part about a clay pot dish: the rice at the bottom of the pot is nutty, slightly burned with a nice crunchy texture. The Chicken Curry Clay Pot was a conglomeration of rice, chicken, mixed vegetables in a coconut-yellow curry sauce. This is probably one of the most Americanized- Vietnamese dishes on the menu, but it’s my favorite of the evening. Forget mac n’cheese, this is the best comfort food I’ve had in a long time! The sweet coconut milk and spice – and a good deal of it, too – of the curry complement one another perfectly. The chicken and vegetables are tender, indeed.


For dessert, don’t miss the Vietnamese Coffee. Our fellow diners ordered it over ice; I mean, it’s only 104 outside! Vietnamese coffee is made with a simple, filter style pot. They are individually brewed inside the little chambers, making a strong coffee that falls somewhere between espresso and an Americano. The best part of the coffee, it is served atop a nice, thick layer of condensed milk. Yes, you heard me right, the condensed milk sweetens and thickens the coffee, transforming into something downright holy.


Mai’s is pho’ sho the best value for Vietnamese food in Dallas, so get there in a curry hurry and roll on in.

Mai’s Vietnamese Cuisine
4812 Brian Street, Suite 100
Dallas, Texas 75204
214.826.9887

Photo Credit: InFusion Coffee & Tea Gallery

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being catty - 6.19.09

Don’t be turned off by it’s proximity to Condom Sense and Gizmo’s Tattoos, Izmir Deli and Market is a wonderful place for a quiet and quaint Mediterranean meal. Izmir Deli belongs to a larger restaurant group/family that owns the popular Cafe Izmir, just up the street on Greenville.


As I entered, the space reminded me of the cafes and espresso bars that dominate the European cities. Four or five small tables are fill the front quarter of the narrow store. Then a bar/countertop lines the entire right-hand side, leading back to the semi-open kitchen. On the left-hand side, starting at the same point as the countertop, retail shelves line the wall.


You place your order with the friendly little man behind the counter (who runs the place with an ease and accent that suggests he owns the joint). Avert your eyes from the mini-display of desserts beside the cash register; it holds beautiful brownies the size of bricks and perfectly flaky baklava. Take your seat at one of the aforementioned tables or at the counter, the man (let’s just call him Max, short for Maximus) will bring your drinks and silverware.


I like this place. It is as simple as that; time seems to slow down a bit inside Izmir Deli. I am transported back to better days (not really “better”, but writers incorporate nostalgia to generate empathy from their readers) when life was easy, when we walked to the school barefoot and come home to house filled with the scent of freshly baked cookies. Back to business, Max will deliver your food as soon as it hits the kitchen window. “Can I get you anything else?” I knew it; he saw me eyeing those brownies that sneaky devil. “No, thank you.”


Hummus, Eegra, and Russian Chicken Salad. I ordered the Mezza Platter (serves 1) choose any three tapas, 4 oz. each, served with pita bread for $7.99. The “whipped” hummus has an incredibly smooth texture, unlike any hummus I have ever had. I enjoyed it thoroughly, but I must admit something here: my favorite hummus to this day is found in the wonderfully corporate Central Market deli. Theirs is unusually coarse for hummus with bits of chunky chickpeas, very light on the tahini and olive oil. A rustic hummus, if you will. Nonetheless, this hummus would be perfect for a party; it is a real crowd-pleaser. Next up, eegra is “a grilled eggplant dip” served warm, it is stewed with tomatoes and the secret spices. Eegra, scary as it sounds, is smoky, spicy and seductive. This was my favorite part of the platter. I ended up just taking a spoon to the eegra. Done and done. Last stop is Russian chicken salad. Now, this was the only dish that I ordered solely based on its fame and Yelp popularity. Lame, I know. It was a monochromatic ‘ice cream’ scoop of boring chicken salad. I was pleased to come across the occasional sweet pea, but other than that, it was not memorable. Served alongside the tapas was a basket full of pita bread, warm, fluffy and freshly baked. It was the ideal accompaniment to the hummus and eegra.


So ideal, in fact, that I wrote a little diddy for the trio:


We go together
like hum-hum-hummus and eegra and pita
Remembered forever
as Max’s massive brownies and buttery baklava
Chang chang...
Okay, you get the point.



Izmir Deli and Market
3607 Greenville Ave
Dallas, Texas
Phone: 214-824-8484


Photo Credit: DMN Guidelive.com Read more!

being catty - 6.05.09

Make new friends but keep the old. This classic nursery rhyme speaks perfectly to Royal China. As they claim to be “the oldest family owned Chinese restaurant in North Dallas”, Royal China continues to serve incredible, traditional “old” Chinese cuisine and only falters when it comes to the inexperienced, “new” waitstaff.


To begin, we were warmly greeted at the door and sat on a spacious, comfortable banquette. I must point out that far too often banquettes are crowded, stiff and render the entire experience strained. Who wants to hear the Preston Hollow Junior Leaguers gossiping about the new committee co-chair? “Not I,” chimes the chorus. I think I must have been overwhelmed by the friendliness of the greeter, because I had not even taken time to look over the recently remodeled interior.


This was our first visit, so we couldn’t accurately compare to the older interior. But as a Chinese restaurant was established in the 70’s, I have some pretty good clues: fish tanks and Chinese calendar placemats. (I’m an ox; we make great hairdressers and surgeons. No, seriously though, we do.) Back to the restaurant, the interior was refined, modern with some funky Asian accents.


As I briefly noted in the introduction, we did not have the best server in the lot. Although very familiar with the menu, she was slightly pushy and attempted the “up-sell” at several points during the meal. We began with “Dumpling Sampler” ($8), pan-seared. They were served with a soy-based garlic dipping sauce, good but forgettable. The dumplings were very good and each unique both in filling and wrapper. The favorites were the shrimp dumpling with sweet beet wrapper and veggie dumpling with the spinach wrapper. At about this point, the SigO and I noticed that we were missing the complimentary crunchy wontons; everyone else had them! Quickly, he pinned down the server and asked for “those crispy noodles with the sauces”. I found these to be boring and a waste of a lot of calories, but he, on the other hand, recalled these as a key part of the meal.


And then our main dishes arrived. I had the “Flat Noodles with Chicken” ($11) and he had the “Dry Stirred Beef” ($13). My flat rice noodles had a wonderfully smooth texture and at the risk of being too starchy, they were surprisingly light. The noodle bowl, stir fried with cabbage, onion, bean sprouts and carrots, seemed like the ultimate “Chinese comfort food.” The SO’s dry stirred beef claimed to be “the all time favorite” on the menu. And I can see why: the beef was perfectly crispy on the outside with a tender, flavorful bite in the middle. The real test, at least for me, is the “steamed” broccoli. How many times does the broccoli turn out to be limp and overcooked? “Too many!” you answer. Yes, but alas, this broccoli came crisp and clean.


I must end on a sour note, because our meal ended on a sour note. Throughout the meal, our server was aloof and flirting with the bartender. Either she had full confidence in the kitchen or she just didn’t care. Probably the latter, because it took us forever to get the check (Lady, I know how long that takes on Micros, you are not fooling anyone here) and forever to get it processed.


As I am feeling right now and as those fair fortune cookies sometimes read,

“A conclusion is simply the place where you got tired of thinking.”


Royal China
6025 Royal Lane, Suite 201
Dallas, Texas
Phone: 214-361-1771


Photo Credit: DMN Guidelive.com Read more!

being catty - 5.29.09

Good afternoon, kids. Let’s begin with a brief history and geography lesson. Campania is a southern region of Italy, the laces of the boot if you will. It’s capital is Naples and Naples is famous for two things: Pizza and Grime, I mean, Crime. Authentic Neopolitan pizza, or pizza napoletana, is governed by the Associazone Verace Pizza Napoletana, the closest thing to a policing body in all of Italy. As I briefly mentioned last week, to be a certified producer of pizza napoletana there are several guidelines. In brief, you must use “the proper ingredients” (San Marzano tomatoes, fior de latte or bufala mozzarella, fresh basil and “00” flour) and the pizza must be cooked in wood-burning oven.


Having said all of this, it is only appropriate that a local pizzaiolo, Jay Jerrier, named his first pizza restaurant “Campania Pizza”. Campania has been deemed one of the best pizzerias in town by many different critics and publications. And I concur. Let’s get to the point here, kids are interested in pizza not geography. To start, Campania is BYO, which makes my husband as giddy as a schoolgirl. (Sorry, I just had to say it! And no, dear, no one thinks you are an alcoholic, just one cheap bastard.) Note: They have recently added a $5.00 corkage fee. The atmosphere at Campania is two-fold: the inside is awkward but almost humorous, thanks to wobbly tables and kitchy felt tomato-vine appliques hanging from the rafters. The patio is as enjoyable as the weather, and made more comfortable in the winter by the addition of a large fire pit.


As experienced diners at Campania, we know that splitting a salad and medium pizza is PLENTY of food for the both of us. But on this special occasion and for the purpose of my review, we splurged. To begin, we shared the Caprese salad ($10), the least spectular dish of the evening. The baby arugula was a pleasant foil to the creamy mozzarella and fresh olive oil, but the tomatoes, not quite in season, and the overly generous dousing of dried (!) oregano leaves left me disappointed. I had such high hopes for this salad.


Alas, our mains arrived. We were adventurous and ordered the “Doso” pizza blanco ($14) and Calzone Luciano ($12). At this point, I need to describe the issue of sizes. The pizzas come in two sizes, Medium and Large, the Medium is 12-14 inches while the Large is 18-20 inches. The Medium is perfect for two people to share or one person to have another meal of leftovers. We like leftovers.The “Doso” is described as “the Owner’s favorite”, cherry tomatoes, spicy olive oil, mozzarella, crushed red pepper and garlic. It was wonderful. Simple, quality ingredients that allow you to taste and appreciate the most painstaking process of pizza making, the dough and crust. Like a snowflake, each pizza is unique. From the intense heat of the wood fired oven, blistered in spots but delightfully chewy and thin throughout. The Calzone Luciano, all 16” of it, was the highlight of the meal. An oversized pocket of love: sweet ricotta, large pieces of ham, basil, more mozzarella and parmesan. We did not expect to like or even love this dish, for one thing I don’t even like ham and the SigO doesn’t like “bread”. By and large (large enough for 3 days of leftovers), Campania was a very good meal and value, try the pizzas, calzones and try another insalata.


As they say in Napoli, Ciao!


Campania Pizza and More, West Village
3800 McKinney Ave., Suite 150
Dallas, Texas
Phone: 214-780-0605

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being catty - 6.12.09

On Fridays, I sent out a weekly newsletter for the Techcon office, "A Collection of Plates". In this newsletter, I include one weekly restaurant impression. My new series has been pointedly titled to allude to my style of writing. I will be straight-forward, honest, and yes, of course, “catty”.

This is from last week's newsletter, June 12, 2009.





If you saw the bruise on my arm the past few weeks, you would rightfully conclude that I do not eat enough red meat. Before I moved to Dallas two years ago, I couldn’t remember the last time I had a hamburger. Gasp! Never had a burger in Dallas?! Being a born and bred Dallasite, the husband insisted that I eventually try the “great burgers of Dallas.” So we began the mission. Slowly but surely, I have had three half (and 1 set of minis) burgers in Dallas now.


Last Sunday, we decided to enjoy the beautiful day by lounging on Jake’s scenic patio with a good midday burger and fishbowl to share. I was pumped up and excited for my deviant dietary plans. But once we got there, I couldn’t do the fishbowl thing; it scared me. Who was I kidding? I can’t break ALL the rules at one time. Instead, we opt for watered down and weak margaritas on the rocks. Stick with the draft beers here. The peppy, sometimes pretty, but always friendly female staff are really quite enjoyable. Our sweet sixteen server, donning purple braces this week (I wanted to ask what color retainer she had chosen, but this might be crossing the line), highly recommended the new “fried pickle chips”. Before I could respond, the basket of spicy, crunchy pickle chips arrived with that ever present dipping sauce, ranch. If they had been just a smidge less greasy, they would have been perfect. But they were pretty darn good just as they were, seasoned with a touch of cayenne, crispy fried with a still cool pickle center. I felt a budding friendship with Jake.


Then for the burger. As usual, we split the “house” burger and the establishment’s most popular side item. We ordered the “Jake’s Burger” (double meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato and thousand island dressing) and their famous sweet potato fries. Jake’s burger patties fall under the “thin meat” category and up until this point, I had never formed an opinion on the patty predicament. Alas, the clouds parted and it was revealed to me: I prefer the “thick meat” burger mostly for the cooking temp. of the burger. I found the thin meat Jake’s Burger a little dry and overcooked. However, the poppyseed laden buttery bun and a heavy handed douse of dressing did an excellent job of masking this misstep. Perhaps, that’s why its the namesake burger. But I’ve saved the best for last, the sweet potato fries. They are crinkle cut, (I love that!) and just sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and bit of salt.


Jakes Old-Fashioned Hamburgers, Uptown
2702 McKinney Ave. #101
Dallas, Texas
Phone: 214-754-8001

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