Thirty Years of Dining in Dallas

[Raynickben]

D Magazine Food Editor Nancy Nicholas recalls 30 years of some of the great restaurants in Dallas. I've been here for about half of those years and it was mindblowing to remember just some of the places that have come and gone. Remember Sfuzzi? Yikes!

30 Years of Dining

My favorite was not mentioned: Enigma. This was the place where you never saw the same thing twice, even at the same table. The menus were each different, the presentation and the cooking methods were different, and the china and silverware were all mis-matched. And no one knew who owned the place either! It was fun.

[misstenacity]

I noticed the article called Monica Greene the "energizer bunny" of the local biz. I had the great opportunity to meet her and spend several hours talking about food and restaurants when I was in Dallas last winter. I ate half the items on the Pegaso menu, which prompted her to come out and talk with me (thinking I was a reviewer, perhaps?). We hit it off and talked for an hour before meeting up later for more gossiping. As it happened, this was the same week that the local rag had the big spread on her and her 'revival' in the local industry, so perhaps she was just wanting to hide out with a stranger who didn't already know everything about her. :-)

Truly a great person - I haven't been back to Dallas since then but think about the food I had there often - at Lola and at Pegaso.

Andrea, in ABQ

http://tenacity.net

[Richard Kilgore]

Interesting piece, which concludes with

2004: So Far so Good

The economy is still feeling the effects of terrorism (and the ban on smoking), but during the last 30 years, Dallas has become a destination for foodies. The City of Dallas and our mayor are now spending money to promote the town as a great place to eat. Restaurants define the city, and the city has a defined cuisine. We spend $4 billion a year on dining out, we’ve got defined neighborhoods for Korean and Chinese food, and our chefs are on national cooking shows and magazine covers. Stephan Pyles has plans to open a new restaurant, and it won’t be long before Kent Rathbun brings home a coveted James Beard Award. Everything old will be new again.

I am not sure about the idea that "the city has a defined cuisine". But the historical dining memories of 30 years make it a fun and interesting read.

[fifi]

Interesting piece, which concludes with

I am not sure about the idea that "the city has a defined cuisine". But the historical dining memories of 30 years make it a fun and interesting read.

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I was scratching my head on that one, too. I sure couldn't define a "Houston cuisine".

[Raynickben]

I absolutely agree that Dallas has a defined cuisine. Maybe the fact that I've come here from NJ, moved back to the east, then back to D, moved to the west, and moved back to D that the cuisine of Dallas is clear to me. I have lived in NYC which offers cuisine so over-the-top next to the most basic of diners in block after block after block that it is overwhelming. You tend to stick with what you know. I have lived in places where the best restaurant in town is the place where at least you know you won't get food poisoning but doesn't get any fancier than baked ziti.

Dallas has restaurants it can be proud of. Not only is there innovation abounding but there is COMPETITION among restauranteurs to continue this innovation. Competition leads to high quality in food and presentation, attracts new talent, attracts new business. Des Moines (for example) might have one or two great restaurants but Dallas has countless great restaurants. It's exciting to be a foodie here. And most importantly, it is accessible. Anyone can go to any restaurant here from The Mansion on Turtle Creek to a Lebanese bakery and feel welcome.

I think when they stated that Dallas has a defined cuisine they weren't saying Dallas is known for it's "breaded xyz" they meant that this town has a great past, present, and future in the food industry and we are recognized in the top echelon of food cities. I agree.

[fifi]

Dallas has restaurants it can be proud of.  Not only is there innovation abounding but there is COMPETITION among restauranteurs to continue this innovation.  Competition leads to high quality in food and presentation, attracts new talent, attracts new business.  Des Moines (for example) might have one or two great restaurants but Dallas has countless great restaurants.  It's exciting to be a foodie here.  And most importantly, it is accessible.  Anyone can go to any restaurant here from The Mansion on Turtle Creek to a Lebanese bakery and feel welcome.

I think when they stated that Dallas has a defined cuisine they weren't saying Dallas is known for it's "breaded xyz"  they meant that this town has a great past, present, and future in the food industry and we are recognized in the top echelon of food cities.  I agree.

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I can characterize the Houston scene in just about the same words. We have tremendous competition, some great chefs, a rich and varied ethnic dining scene, and a casual attitude that makes more than most folks feel comfortable in whatever venue. I think our two cities are very much alike in that respect.

If I have a nit to pick (and a very small nit at that) it is the use of the word "cuisine". I guess in my mind cuisine means distinctive food... French, Italian, Tex-Mex, etc., with many of them having regional sub-sets. If you say Naples, I think of certain foods. And I have never been there.

I would like to see a similar retrospective on the Houston dining scene. That would be fun.

[Richard Kilgore]

I would agree with most of what you are saying, Raynickben. But I think it's a stretch to say Dallas has "countless great restaurants". I think we have a small number of truly great restaurants and a larger number of exceptionally good restaurants. Not to mention a large number of very, very good, solid restaurants of all types. This may be a matter of how much value we put on the word "great".

And "Restaurant culture" or something similar may be what Nancy Nichols meant, but she said cuisine, which has other meanings. No way to know for sure without her clarifying it.

[Richard Kilgore]

Does the D Mag list stir up any culinary memories? Anything left out that you would list on your personal Big D restaurant history?

[irodguy]

Okay a few of the classic places that were left off.

Andrews - Where else could you get a caviar burger?

Fujiya - One of the first "real" sushi bars on Coit & 635

San Francisco Rose - Dallas first fern bar.

Jamies - The inventor of the "fancy burger" and I would argue the most single import restaurant in the US burger scene. It's where Larry Levine got the idea for Chilis. He and a friend of mine had a club in the same Medallion center. He "cloned" them and came up with Chilis.

Left out Chinese

The Joy Inn on North West Highway. Probably the first kind of real Chinese in Dallas.

Vincents Seafood. Again one of the originals

Goldfinger - Again a really cool place in the mid 70s

[irodguy]

Oops left out a couple of things.

Let's not forget the original Steak and Ale. That's right the very first one on Lemon.

And an honrable mention for other chains spread from Dallas. Like Black Eyed Pea. All though personally I liked there other chain Dixie House much better, where you could get a piece of prufrock pie (think that's how it was spelled). Profock was the name of the holding company and everybody at the time wanted a "piece of the pie"

I fully agree on the original Kirby's. When I was in Highschool if you wanted to really impress the girls that's where you would take them.

[fifi]

Oops left out a couple of things.

Let's not forget the original Steak and Ale.  That's right the very first one on Lemon.

And an honrable mention  for other chains spread from Dallas.  Like Black Eyed Pea. 

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Now, see there? I didn't know that either. Is Dallas the nation's incubator for chains?

I do have to say that I used to like Blackeyed Pea. Then they quit making their signature salad some years ago and I have been mad at them ever since.

[irodguy]

In fact I still miss Jamies and Andrews. Darn it I now need to make my own caviar burgers.