Dallas & Ft. Worth eats..

[bperlow]

Going to the DFW area, and will be staying in Forth Worth from Apr 9 -11

Would like to know some suggestions for good authentic texan food..BBQ, Tex-Mex, SOuthwest cousine.. I want food I can only get in Texas! I plan to spend at most 40 -50 bucks for dinner and no more than 20 bucks for lunch.. So I would love to have suggestions for where to go. Note Im going to FW for the Kimble(Turner show) , the Amon and the Richardson museums.. SO food in these areas are where I will go to first. However if there is something 10 - 20 minuttes away, I d go for it too if its fantastic.. I also intend to go to Dallas for the day too..

Thanks for the Help

[NewYorkTexan]

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is also worth going to and is right across the street from the Kimball. The Modern

In the Modern, there is a great cafe, Cafe Modern (couldn't they come up with a more original name?). They menu is kinda basic, salads, pasta, etc. but it is excellent. It may not fit your criteria of "only in Texas", but is a good option if you want to stay close to the museums.

article about The Modern

[hwilson41]

It's been years since I lived in Fort Worth, but I grew up there, and the standard for BBQ to which all others were compared was Angelo's, down on White Settlement (that's a street name). Anybody around there can tell you where it is, and the Q there is superb, or was the last time I ate it (about 5 years ago).

THW

[Richard Kilgore]

Welcome bperlow. Glad to see you made it onto the site. Benito's is near the Ft.Worth museum district and is Mex-Tex, easily under $20 for lunch. I can recommend the huge tamales and the carne guisada. I'll dig up an address and directions if you are interested in it. The steak house in the historic hotel at the Ft.Worth stockyards also will give you a serious Texas experience, and I'll get details on that if you are interested, too. It's not that far from the museums, either.

I have not eaten at the restaurant in the Modern, but in line with what NewYorkTexan said above, it has gotten very positive reviews.

[Mabelline]

bperlow, I heartily second Richard's recommendations!

[Dana]

I second the recommendation for Angelo's on White Settlement. MY hubby and I made a detour from Dallas to eat there last summer, and the Q is delish, and the atmosphere is very 'Texas'. We enjoyed it a lot, and would go there again.

[joiei]

I would recommend The Lonesome Dove Bistro. My first experience with Tim's cooking was at a Central Market cooking class. If you have time, you might check out the Ft Worth store on Hulen, just off I-30 and Camp Bowie.

In the cultural district is a nice little French restaurant Escargot Restaurant that is quite good.

Enjoy your visit, I always have a good time when I go down for a weekend.

Dallas in one day, that will be tough.

[Richard Kilgore]

If you do a day in Dallas, you could do the three clustered museums: Dallas Museum of Art, Crow Asian Art Collection, and the Nasher Sculpture Center, with lunch at the cafe at the Nasher, which is an outpost of the Mansion at Turtle Creek. Then zip up to the Meadows Museum at SMU (largest collection of Spansh art outside of Spain) and have a number of options for dinner if you are in Dallas Saturday evening. Or you could finish seeing what you want to see Saturday morning in Ft. Worth, then do a few of the Dallas museums and have dinner in Dallas. Or do the Dallas Symphony (an architecturally and acoustically wonderful hall), which is in the arts district with the museums, followed by a late dinner. You will have trouble seeing much of anything on Sunday before you go to the airport, since most of the museums do not open until at least 11:00 a.m. on Sunday if I remember correctly. You just will not be able to see all the major museums in the DFW area in two days, so will have to decide what you want to see the most.

[Jason Perlow]

bperlow is my little brother, Brandon ... he has a taste for the insanely spicy, like I do... I don't know where he got it from but it certainly isn't in our genetics.

[bperlow]

I dont know about the insanely spicy... My friend from Korea does that.. I can only do Medium Spicy these days.. Im not 23 anymore .. BUt my tolerance is still higher than my parents.. They like it extra bland .. I think Jay is the spice stud here.. Im not going to compete with the master

[bperlow]

Thanks for the recommends .. I look forward to coming for the weekend!! Please keep em coming if you got more..

Richard thanks for the Dallas museum Recommends...

[Scott -- DFW]

Frankly, I don't think any of the "fine dining" options in Fort Worth (e.g., Lonesome Dove, Chisholm Club, et al.) are worthwhile. If you want upscale, you're better off traveling to Dallas. Fort Worth does, however, have better BBQ than Dallas (though not on par with the Central Texas all-stars, which, if you have time and a car, you should visit). In addition to Angelo's, I would suggest Railhead (which I prefer, slightly).

For Tex-Mex, my absolute favorite (anywhere in the state, actually) is Mi Cocinita. It's located in a greenhouse-like shed in a residential backyard a ways south of downtown. They don't have dinner hours and aren't open on weekends. But their beef enchiladas are sublime. Well worth the effort. For other options, consider Los Molcajetes (north part of town), La Familia (west of downtown), or reliable mid-range chains like Mi Cocina (downtown) or Abuelo's (northeast, towards the airport). (Mi Cocinita would be a must. I often take guests there, even though it means a long drive from Dallas on a business day. Los Molcajetes would be a respectable fallback.)

If you haven't been to Dallas before, consider taking a dinner or two there. The Mansion on Turtle Creek remains the quintessential Dallas dining experience. The Tasting Room at Lola (a ten table, one seating a night "restaurant within a restaurant") offers a fixed price tasting menu of 10 or 15 courses (with wine pairings, if you desire), crafted by the young and prodigiously talented David Uygur. (If I were one of the many on Texas' death row and could have a last meal at any restaurant in the state, it would have to be the Tasting Room.) There are a number of other solid upscale restaurants (e.g., Nana, Abacus, Aurora, York Street, etc.). But if I had to pick two dinner destinations, they'd be the Mansion (for its quality and distinctiveness) and the Tasting Room at Lola (for pure foodie enjoyment).

Scott

[Richard Kilgore]

Scott -- those are fine Dallas recommendations, of course, but bperlow asked in his first post for places he could spend $40 - $50 at the most for dinner (and $20 max for lunch). And he is primarily interested in "only in Texas" food. So given those requests, how would you modify your suggestions?

[Kirk B]

Good points, Richard, but I'll point out that the Tasting Room dinner at Lola (without wine pairings) is $65. Well worth a $15 to $25 splurge, in my book.

[bperlow]

I could squeeze a 65-70 dollar dinner if its among the best in state.. Im definately doing the Lonesome dove... I want game meat too! I lived in London for 3 months and I splurged a few times notably at a place called Zaika where I spent easily the equivelent..

I wouldnt mind eating at the best resturant in Dallas if its an unusual experience..

But its got to be DIFFERENT.. Some of the menu items at Lonesome Dove definately look different... More Texan flair the better..

[Scott -- DFW]

Richard,

Price: By ordering conservatively, one can eat at either of the restaurants I suggested for around $50. Ten courses at the Tasting Room are available for $55 (without wine pairings). And at the Mansion one could order one of the less expensive appetizers (e.g., the signature tortilla soup) and an average priced entree. Or an inexpensive appetizer, inexpensive entree (e.g., the vegetarian one), and a dessert. With generous portions, great rolls, and complimentary amuse bouche and mignardises, there's little chance of going home hungry. And since most of the Mexican and BBQ lunch options will come in well under the alotted $20 budget, there could be even more wiggle room at dinner.

Texas: The Mansion is a primary wellspring of Southwestern cuisine, as well as being the most famous restaurant in Texas (and, to my knowledge, the only restaurant in the state ever to have had five Mobil stars). While Uygur's work at the Tasting Room doesn't draw heavily from indigenous regional cuisines, it is, nonetheless, food that one can only get in Texas. I'm unaware of anything quite like it in the haute cuisine degustation format. And, since it is consistently excellent (on par with and often exceeding my meals at some of the most respected restaurants in the US), I can't *not* recommend it.

Mr. Perlow,

What you've termed "Texas flair" abounds in Fort Worth. Lonesome Dove Bistro has it in spades, as do the Chisholm Club and Reata. While there's a certain appeal to that (particularly for out-of-state tourists), the food quality doesn't measure up, in most cases. It's faux cornpone style over substance--more caricature than authenticity. I'm not trying to talk you out of Lonesome Dove, just giving you a heads up on what to expect. Like I said earlier, Fort Worth has some very real strengths--but fine dining isn't one of them.

Note that the Mansion usually has several game options (e.g., pheasant, venison, bison, et al.). Check out their menu online to get an idea of what it's like. ( http://www.mansiononturtlecreek.com/dine_menus.cfm ) Also be aware that jacket is required (and tie recommended)--a mild inconvenience, but one worth enduring. A good meal in a sport coat beats a mediocre one in shorts.

Enjoy your visit. The Kimbell Museum is a jewel.

Scott

[Richard Kilgore]

Since you have the flexibility in your food budget, I agree with the idea of eating serious Mexican and barbeque in Ft. Worth, but not upscale. If you want something that has a 19th century Texas writ large in Ft.Worth, I still suggest the steakhouse at the hotel at the Ft.Worth Stockyards. I'll look for a website. (I would not necessarily nix Lonesome Dove, I just would not do it if I only had 2 - 3 days here with your objectives in mind.)

Then you have a number of options in Dallas, anyone of which you may be pleased with. In addition to Scott's suggestions there is Sharon Hage's York Street (6047 Lewis Street, Dallas, TX 75206, 214-826-0968). She was recently nominated for the James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southwest Award, as was Kent Rathbun (Abacus, 4511 McKinney Avenue, Dallas, TX 75205, 214-559-3111). Sharon Hage is known for using fresh local Texas ingredients creatively, and I understand that York Street is a place that a lot of local chefs like to eat. (And it should run $40-50 w/o wine, but including tax & tip.)

If you decide to go to the Tasting Room at Lola, you should try to make a reservation right away. That's probably a good idea for any of the upscale places.

[Scott -- DFW]

A few additions to Richard's useful comments:

1) York Street continues to get attention from national critics. Hage is very much in the Alice Waters school--seasonal menus driven by the best, freshest, local and regional ingredients. It's not quite Chez Panisse, but it's a very good restaurant in that genre. Richard's admonition about getting reservations is especially true of York Street, a shoebox of a restaurant with a very loyal following.

2) The steakhouse in the Stockyards that Richard refers to may be H3 Ranch. The nearby Cattlemen's has a longer history, but isn't as good. As Richard said, these are largely "connecting with history" choices. They aren't the best steakhouses in Fort Worth (which would either be Del Frisco's or, according to some, the Chop House, both downtown) and certainly not in the Metroplex (since Dallas has a plethora of solid steak places, such as Pappas Bro's, Bob's, Del Frisco's, Morton's, Smith & Wollensky, Chamberlain's, III Forks, et al.). Be aware that most of the steakhouses in Fort Worth don't use Prime beef; if it doesn't say Prime on the menu, you can safely assume it's Choice or less. However, food quality isn't the only element in a dining experience (though my prejudice is to treat it as such). A meal in the Stockyards can be fun, just for the atmosphere.

3) Speaking of steak, Texas is the epicenter of the rising trend of Brazilian steakhouses (or churrascarias). If you've never been to one, it's worth considering, just for the unique experience (i.e., a wide variety of spit-roasted meats carved tableside on demand). The two main players in the field are Texas de Brazil and Fogo de Chão. (The former has a downtown Fort Worth location, in addition to two in Dallas. The latter is only in north Dallas.) Lunch or dinner at either will be near the limits of your "per meal" budget.

4) If you're concerned about pricing at the Mansion, consider lunch there. For a fixed price of about $35, you get your choice of soup/salad, entree, and dessert. The lunch menu isn't quite as ambitious as the dinner menu, but it's still very good. This remains one of the underexploited fine dining values in town. (And it's a snap to get in with last minute reservations on Saturdays.)

5) If you can spare the time while you're in Dallas, be sure to pay a visit to the Mozzarella Company's facility in Deep Ellum. Paula Lambert's artisanal cheeses have won countless national awards. The storefront attendants are happy to answer questions and are staggeringly generous with the samples. For locally produced foodstuffs, it doesn't get any better than this. (I just polished off some of their pecan-shell-smoked mozzarella last night. Time to go back.)

Scott

[bperlow]

The Mansion Link was great, will look into it.. Gotta look up York Street..

Unfortunately Im not a Steak Guy.. I can eat anything else that Flys, Swims or Walks, but I dont do well with Cow.. I think the most I can handle is Brisket. I seemed to inherit my father's digestive system, and I cant ingest more than 1/4 pound of Steak...

THe more rich the meat, the less I can handle it...

But I do ok with Lamb, Game and good ol' Pork..

SO if you can help me narrow my food choices to places with the food groups I like ,that will even make it easier

Edited March 31, 2004 by bperlow (log)

[Jason Perlow]

More steak for me!

[Richard Kilgore]

So, how was your trip and what did you eat? Let us know. We're a curious bunch.

[JosephB]

Rich,

Thanks for sending me to this thread. OK, where should we stay so that we can hit a superb BBQ and Mexican place on the same day (lunch - dinner). I'd like to keep the driving in the narrow range. Should we get a hotel in Ft. Worth instead of Dallas for the one night we're there?

Thank you.

[Richard Kilgore]

Ft Worth is where the West begins, and it's only one face of Texas. But for a little Texas atmosphere and history, I suggest staying at the Ft.Worth Stockyards Hotel and doing barbeque at Angelos, and there are several tex-mex and mex-tex suggestions on this thread. If you only have one day. That will leave lots of time for doing other interesting things in Ft.Worth, many of them also suggested up-thread. The alternative would be the Warrington Hotel downtown Ft. Worth, certainly a nice place, but the stockyards will be more interesting.

[bperlow]

Sorry for the long time to getting back..

I had a great time in DFW last weekend.. I drove more in 3 days than I did the past 2 weeks in LA... That says something.. I should have stayed in Arlington...

Anyway heres a recap..

Friday afternoon... Went to the Kimball and saw the amazing Turner exhibit and the very good Boucher drawings..

Went across to the Amon Carter, and had only a half an hour to see it.. Turns out they close at 5pm Friday.. Then went to the Modern... Very cool...

Went to York st to Dinner.. Took a nice 40 minute drive on the 30..

Very good food. Decent portions.. The Pork Chop was excellent.. The couscous was the best I had( and I dont like couscous) It really worked well... I had Quail for appetizer... very sublime.. It still caught me offguard the restaurant was a little house next to a auto repair shop...

Saturday.. Dallas. Did the Meadows , DMA and Nasher before 1pm... Great museums.. I love the Church painting at the DMA.. The Nasher is a beautiful little collection.. But Dallas downtown seemed pretty dead otherwise..

I drove back to FT Worth for Lunch.. Ate at the Lonesome Dove..

Had the quail quesadillas, the boar ribs, and a small salad.. The quail quesadillas wer quite good, but not phenomenal.. The ribs were good but a little to crispy... A bit too much sauce too.. The cappucino Flan was great... The service was a little slow, due to the waiter pulling double duty as bartender.. But he was friendly and helpful...

Definately agree with those who feel its more style than substance... Good food, a little overpriced but not different enough... I wish he had snake and rabbit on the menu this week...

Went to see the Amon Carter again, for a longer time, and saw the Excellent Gifford exhibit.. Definately comparable to Frederic Church's work. I then saw the Richardson collection.. Some great Remingtons on display...Took a short rest and then headed to Lola Tasting Room..

Gotta say this place is as good as anywhere on the planet... It was a great looking place and free valet.. I guess since it isnt a cheap place , they sport for parking... Thumbs up just for that..

They seat me quickly, and I order the 10 course.. Since I had to drive I couldnt do the wine tasting.. So I opted for an amber anchor steam beer... It complemented the meal competantly.. I hope I didnt commit a major faux paux on that.. But the service was quick since A) I eat fast, B) I was alone, C) small portions.. They dont call it a tasting menu for nothing.. However EVERY dish was EXCELLENT.. I cant say that alll the time with places I ve been to with multi course meals..

1st Oyster with Champagne Mignonette

I loved it.. I dont even eat oysters.. It was definately a surprise..

2) Lobster and Peeky tie crab cake with avocado and grapefruit..

THe grapefruit really added texture and another dimension to this..

Really good..

3 Fennell soup with clams and bacon

This concoction worked for me.. THe bacon really was a great contrast to add to the soup ...

4) Salad of Fava Beans and Mint...

I love mint.. And it kicked in well with the beans and vinagrette...

5) Glazed Skate with Pea leaves..

I really enjoyed this.. Reminded me of fresh water eel in its flavor and saucing..

The pea leaves gave it a proper crunch to it..

6) Risotto with Morels..

Best risotto Ive had In years.. Rivals the Zaikas in London

7) SLow Roasted Baby Lamb with a blanquette of spring vegetables..

Havent had lamb this good since eating Maroush's lamb shank.. ALmost as buttery ...

8 Rhubarb sorbet...

When will Lola make Pints of this?

Perfectly tart and complex.. Cleanses the palette, and not too sweet...

9)3 farmstead cheeses with pain d'epices and comb honey..

As a cheeseaholic I could wish a main course of this alone...

Nearly as good as some restaurants in France

10) StrawBerry Jam donut with Ice wine vinegar sabayon..

Never thought a donut could be so high class

Definatelly leagues above Krispy Kreme...

This meal was a taste adventure and definatlely top 5 for last meal on Earth

Only negative side it really is a tasting menu.. Bigger eaters like myself should consider the 15 course meal for 75 bucks.. I can guess those dishes would be just as good.. Eating alone also probably made me hungrier.. If paired with wines and lots of friends, this meal would be more filling...

I had to eat a tortilla soup an hour later at my hotel.. Quite a big bowl btw .. I was expecting a pequina portion..

My recomendation is to eat a snack about 2 hrs before so you arent too hungry.. That should be a smaller salad or sandwich, not Subway sized or half pound burger...

This is a must stop in DFW.. Youd be foolish not to go here... Eat Ramen for your other meals if you have to, but save for this splurge!

Last Day Easter Sunday..

Otherwise known as Culture Shock Day...

Most Sundays stores in Texas close.. As well as half the restaurants!

Couldnt get to Cousins or Angelos...

I went to the FTWorth Zoo in the morning and had a Mountain Lion growl at me.. Then saw it Meowing at a zookeeper.. Didnt know these cats meowed...

The Jaguar cubs were adorable..I love to keep one till it got big...

Went to a a Tennessee BBQ called Red , White and Blues.. More of a Pork BBQ..

And I prefer Pork to Cow.. I had a 5 course Lo-Carb sampler.. It had shredded pork, Brisket, Turkey, Ribs and Sausage.. I have to admit I loved the Dried Rubbed Ribs. It more meatier tasting than the wet ribs...Good for what I wanted , and great service..

I also liked the fact I wasnt in the Touristy area.. This is where the locals ate..

This was in southern fort worth near the 20Hwy...

I then drove to addison at the Cavanaugh Aircraft Musem .. I loved the fighter planes there... Great Mustangs and Spitfires.. Not to meantion a cool F-4 phantom.. All restored too..

Then drove around to the Galleria.. Only one store in the mall open.... I just figured to go to the airport since nothing much was open... In hindsite, I should have done the Cavanagh and Galleria on Saturday, and done the Ft Worth Museums and Zoo on Sunday.. Here in LA someones open on Sunday, and someone is open Easter... Great thing about ethnic neighborhoods.. Thai food during Christmas day...

I ate dinner at the Aces bar in the Hyatt at the airport.. I had a good Duck and Mushroom quesadilla and a cobb salad.. Watch the Michelson game at the bar to kill time. People seemed to get excited.. I m glad for his fans he won...

I just didnt want to sit for 2 extra hours in the airport. So killing time at the Hyatt was a good idea..

Did I mention DFW airport is Freakin Huge!

LAX does not compare...

Thanks everyone for the tips and hope you all had a great Weekend

[Scott -- DFW]

Glad to hear you had a good time. As for Lola...yeah, once you've been there, you never make the mistake of doing anything less than 15 courses thereafter.

Sorry about the Sunday dilemma. There are a few good places open, if you know where to look. I should have paid more attention to the days you'd be here.

Thanks for the report. Take care.

Scott