Ladies and Gentlemen: I present Daniel Walker:
This week, I feel as though I should share with you a Dallas classic, a dish that you should not miss tasting at least once while you live in Big D. So I introduce you to or remind you of my old friend, the baked Dungeness crab dip at Hibiscus. Please excuse all typos or mistakes in the words to follow, as I am already drooling heavily on my keyboard.
Come with me.
Henderson Avenue is an utter smorgasbord of delicious food. Driving down this street on an empty stomach can be sheer torture, with each new restaurant pulling gently at your insides, enticing you to stop the car immediately to indulge. But none of these sultry Sirens sing a more seductive song than Hibiscus.Though she boasts an array of unworldly dishes, the crab dip has never been absent from my table.
It’s really difficult to say what makes this dip excel over all other crab dips. I’ve never been able to decipher any secret special ingredient. It is simply the perfect blend of Parmesan and Fontina cheeses, cream cheese, and sweet Dungeness crab. Where most crab dips tend to be overly rich and heavy leaving the eater feeling like they swallowed a bowling ball, the dip at Hibiscus manages to remain surprisingly light yet sinfully creamy. Each bite glides across your tongue, like each taste bud is getting a Swedish massage on its way down. The delectable dip is paired with thin, crisp, wood-oven-fired crackers, the ideal vessel for delivering more crab and cream into your mouth. When the entire dish is garnished with a squirt of lemon, the finished product is a magical kaleidoscope of flavors and textures.
If it’s been a while since you dropped in to Hibiscus, or perhaps you have never had the pleasure of meeting before, now is the time. Shake hands with one of the best appetizers in the city, just try to remember you are in a public place when you feel the sudden urge to lick the dish clean in order to savor every last drop of the finest crab dip you may ever eat.
