Bon Appétit just released its list of 50 nominees for the best new restaurants of 2015; come August 18, it will whittle that list down and publish its “Hot 10.” On the list of nominees are four Texas restaurants: Gardner and Dai Due, both in Austin; and Dallas’ own Small Brewpub and Luscher’s Red Hots. Here are my knee-jerk, snap-reaction-response reviews of both restaurants:
Small Brewpub? Are you kidding me? That’s not a restaurant. They serves snacks. Last time I went there, they served me, like, three pieces of beef jerky tied together with responsibly sourced twine, served atop a slate shingle. Could this place be more Portlandia?
And Luscher’s? Really? REALLY really? I ate there last Wednesday. I had a hamburger. And a 16-ounce can of Lone Star. They were playing Cheap Trick or some other lousy metal band that Brian Luscher remembers from his youth. You know the staff has to say “pop” when referring to soft drinks, right? You know, because Luscher is from Chicago. How precious.
(I’m kidding. I consider Brian Luscher a friend. Our daughters attend school together. His Uncle Herky burger is a thing of beauty. And Small Brewpub makes me wish I lived in Oak Cliff. Love their selection of beer. If you’ve never been, it’s worth the drive from Frisco. Congrats to both joints.)
