Returning home: restaurants and ramblings

[Scargo]

Almost fifty years in Dallas, then five in Connecticut, leaves me with a new perspective. Diversity comes to mind. Unless we go into NYC there is so much more good food to offer in Dallas. The DFW metroplex is about the same size as Connecticut.

This trip home we went to Ama Lur, Rockfish, Blue Mesa Grille, Bugatti’s and Poor Richard’s for breakfast.

Some of my logic for the restaurant decisions may sound strange. I so enjoyed my three or four experiences at Star Canyon (late 90’s) that, when I saw “Stephan Pyles” connected to Ama Lur, I wanted to go there. Also, I watched the Gaylord Texan being built from my patio, overlooking Grapevine Lake. What a complex! Had I known it was a little like a Texas theme park I probably would have had second thoughts. It is a fantasy world inside a bubble. What a contrived ambiance! You sit out in the open, with a glass roof way up over your head. There is at least one large table in a “covered” area for a large group to experience more intimate dining. There was a live group playing jazzy Carribean/Mexican influenced music. The wine list was good and the food was excellent. Two of our party of five had an excellent, fried, soft-shelled crab, on a bed of spicy masa, much like an open-face tamale. The calamari with cascabel aioli was good, too. Between us, we had salmon, sea bass, coriander cured pork chop and marinated and wood-grilled ahi tuna. All were done properly and all were very tasty. I'm not sure what the point was in serving purple, Peruvian potatoes, but hey, live large and forget "local, sustainable food resources".... We finished with key lime crème brulee and flan. Service was excellent. It is a weird setting: you feel somewhat like you are outside, yet it is a perfect 72 degrees.

We ate lunch at Bugatti’s because D Magazine rated its patio dining on its “top 10 list”. What were they thinking? It was too hot to be out there for lunch, but that’s beside the point. It is right beside Lemmon Avenue and at the end of a main Love Field runway. As we went in the planes and vehicle traffic were making quite a racket. This is not the impression you get from the D magazine article. The food was acceptable but unimpressive and uninspired. I believe the owner was sitting in the corner, smoking. We complained and he quit smoking. Service was good.

We have eaten at Rockfish (Mockingbird and Central) three times, now. I think it is great for what it is: a classy fish café featuring Cajun influences. This place may be an underrated secret. They have a small outdoor seating area.

Hmmm. What can I say about Blue Mesa Grille? Excellent salsas, great margaritas and good, solid entrees. I’ve been there at least three times in the last eight to ten years.

Since we were staying at the Richardson Hotel (which is quite nice, BTW) we went to Poor Richard’s (in Plano) several times for breakfast. This is in the style of a classic Texas café. Good food and far cheaper than the hotel!

We went to Austin for two days and ate at Bouldin Creek Coffee House where they serve breakfast and vegetarian meals (as well as good coffee). I should mention that my son cooks there as well as going to UT while finishing up his art degree. The highlight was Shoreline Grill. This is an out of the way place tucked between the Four Seasons and ?, overlooking Town Lake. It’s on San Jacinto, off First and Congress. It is tucked away in the back. We ate outside and had a perfectly wonderful, very expensive meal. The stuffed pork chop at $30, is an example. There were four of us and the meal was fantastic, including service. The outdoor ambiance is very nice. You get a limited view of the water because of the trees. It is up high, so it is private and intimate.

The best BBQ in a long time was had in Elgin, Texas at Southside Market & BBQ on 290, which is part of Meyer’s BBQ; famous for their sausage…. The brisket and sausage was as good as I’ve had anywhere! The brisket was flavorful, tender and juicy. I liked their sauce, too; slightly hot and slightly vinegary. Everything was well smoked and flavorful. I have eaten Q all over the Hill Country and twice at Cooper’s in Llano. I think this brisket measured up to all of them!

We're fat and happy now and heading back to Connecticut. Cheers!

[Richard Kilgore]

Thanks for the report, Scargo. I agree that the Gaylord Texan is a bit of a strange experience, especially for someone who lives here. It's primary function is for business conferences and meetings I assume. Otherwise it strikes me as similar to the Key West theme park in Florida -- saves you from going to all the trouble of actually going to Key West.

I have also found Rockfish to be a dependable, inexpensive Cajun-influenced local chain.

[Scargo]

I'm about to return to the mother ship and visit brothers and sister. Guys have circled their wagons around North Dallas where we grew up. One in Las Colinas and two in Carrollton. The sister is exiled in Tulsa. We'll be spending four days in Tulsa and five in Dallas.

Having now reached the eight year mark in CT, the newness is wearing off; I am acclimating myself to the food and customs. What I can't get accustomed to is what they sometimes call chili and BBQ. I've been looking around the forums for what is new or good for Q in Dallas and I would settle for any Sonny Bryan's in a heartbeat! When we left DFW the last time we took leftovers with us from SB's in Grapevine. Several people on the plane were moaning and swooning and I think I heard the drip of saliva. I felt guilty of torture. We didn't share...

What I was thinking when I started this post was whether any Q lovin', God fearin' Texan had ever used the term "falling off the bone" as a positive characteristic for ribs? Up here it seems to be required that they be mush, akin to braised ribs. I've heard New Englanders complain that if you have to tear the meat off the bone it is tough, dry, undercooked or just bad-wrong. Personally, I still have teeth and can chew my meat. And here, cornbread is too sweet and I never see jalapeños in it. So there!

Do Q savvy Texans ever say, "the ribs were so good they were fallin' off the bone"?