9.0
Cafe Royal, Calluaud, French Room, Mansion on Turtle Creek, Routh Street Cafe
8.5
Cafe Margaux, Dakota’s, Enjolie,Riviera
8.0
Atlantic Cafe, Blom’s, Chez Gerard, Chez Philippe, India Palace, L’Ambiance, St. Emilion, Uncle Tai’s Hunan Yuan, West End Oasis
7.5
Cafe Pacific, Escape, Hedary’s, Jennivine, Kebab ’n’ Kurry, Michel, Ristorante Savino, Rolfs, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
7.0
Cafe Rincon, Chiquita, Han-Chu, L’Ancestral, La Tosca, Mario & Alberto, Parigi, Pyramid Restaurant. Ratcliffe’s, Renaissance, Sonny Bryan’s, Taiwan, Thai Lanna
6.5
Anderson’s Barbecue House, The Balcony of Ridglea, The Cafe, The Carriage House, The Chimney, Chu’s, Chuggs, Crystal Pagoda, Del Frisco’s, Dick’s Last Resort, Dynasty, Garden Court. Gershwin’s, Gulf Coast Oyster Co., Harper’s, Javier’s, Jimmany’s, Joe T. Garcia’s, La Casita, La Madeleine, La Touraine, Laurel’s, Mario’s Cantina Laredo,
Mario’s Chiquita, Marty’s,
Mirabelle, Mr. Shishkabab,
Mr. Sushi, Nana Grill,
Nero’s Italian. The Palm,
Rusty Pelican, Siam Orchid,
Shucker’s, Tangerine, Via Real
6.0
Abio, Adriano’s, Alaman’s, Angelo’s,
Arthur’s, Aw Shucks, Bay Street,
Benito’s, Bohemia,
Cafe de France/French Bakery,
Cafe Kashtan, Catalina,
China Palace. China Terrace,
City Market, City Park Cafe,
Firenze, Flying Lobster,
Garza Blanca, Genaro’s,
Guadalajara. The Grape,
Highland Park Cafeteria,
Hunan Dynasty, II Sorrento,
J&J Oyster Bar, Kobawoo, La Cave,
La Pagode, La Palma, La Poele d’or,
Le Marmiton, Lechner’s Brass Bull,
Massimo da Milano, Milano’s,
Pacific Pearl, Papillon, Pepe’s,
Piccolo Mondo, Plus Fours, Oysters,
Ricardo’s, Rich Chicks,
Ristorante Vincenzo, Tanjore,
Tong’s House, The Verona, Zanzibar
5.5
Alfredo Trattoria, Autumn Moon,
Baja Louie’s, Baskets Eatery,
Baccarat, Bagelstein’s, Belvedere,
Best Pacific, Cafe Cancun,
Cafe Italia, Cathy’s Wok,
Celebration, Chianti, Ciao,
Devon Seafood Grill, Don Pepe,
Dovie’s, Good Eats Cafe, Gonzales,
Kobe Steaks. Korea House,
Imperial Dragon, Joe’s Seafood,
Hoffbrau, L & N Seafood Grill,
La Deli, Les Saisons, McArthur’s,
Mia’s, Moctezuma’s, Ms. Betty’s,
New Big Wong. Panteli’s,
Prego Pasta House, On The Border,
Rheingauer Roemer, River House,
Rodolfo’s, Rocco Oyster Bar,
Rosita’s, Royal China, Salute.
Samurai, Siam Rose. Three Vikings,
Turtle Cove
5.0
Aventino’s, Cafe Acapulco, Calhoun Street Oyster Co., Chito’s, Cremona, El Gallito, Fuji-Ya, La Botica, Le Panier, No. 1 Chinese Seafood and Cuisine, Pietro’s, Pizzeria Uno, River Cafe, Sahib, Sfizi
4.5
Blue Goose Cantina, Bubba’s, Campisi’s, Crackers, El Rancho Grande, No. 1 Pearl St. Oyster Bar, Southern Kitchen
Newcomers
The Renaissance. We had hardly begun to mourn the passing of one of our favorite restaurants, Jean Claude, when this newcomer opened in the same space. The Renaissance is owned by the proprietor of Alessio’s, but the chic quotient is much higher. We suppose the menu is Continental, with Italian overtones. There is no pasta listed on the menu, for instance, though we did enjoy an appetizer special of homemade pasta with mussels (still in their shells) tossed with a delicate tomato-based sauce. There are other Italian-oriented dishes like veal scaloppine in a Marsala sauce, but with the innovation that the mushrooms were chewy slices of wild pleurottes.
But mostly The Renaissance seems as pan-European as the phenomenon for which it is named. The menu boasts a lot of interesting appetizers tike snails in a rich melange of chopped fresh vegetables, a seafood terrine with delicate pieces of shrimp and a surprisingly tasty chicken gumbo. Among the main courses, we were taken with nicely pink lamb chops, accompanied by sensationally herby eggplant and zucchini, and a moist swordfish steak perfumed with fresh sprigs of rosemary. We were disappointed with the quail-the flesh seemed overcooked and lacked flavor, and the sauce had little zing. Salads and vegetables were of unusual merit. Desserts tend toward the usual soufflés and apple tarts. A sampler of sorbets reminded us more of grainy Italian ices. Service was exemplary, except that our wineglasses were not replen ished frequently enough. The Renaissance seems a most promising new restaurant for the booming Crescent area, and the prices are reasonable. All it needs is one or two knockout dishes to add excitement to the menu. (2404 Cedar Springs. 871-0818. Man 6 pm-10 pm, Tue-Sat 6 pm-10:30 pm. All credit cards. $$$) 7.0
Del Frisco’s Steak House. This restaurant, though it doesn’t advertise New Orleans food, has a real New Orleans provenance. Like Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, this branch of a New Orleans place serves USDA Prime steaks drizzled with a butter sauce. Del Frisco’s also serves a number of other New Orleans specialties-a light, crusty French bread fresh from the oven, turtle soup, shrimp remoulade and bread pudding. Right now it is one of only three places in town (the others being Ruth’s Chris and The falm) that specializes in top-grade steaks, so its presence deserves to be taken seriously.
Del Frisco’s is the handsomest of the three high-end steakhouses, and its prices are the most reasonable. It also has a more convincing and promising set of alternatives to red meat on the menu. The steaks were obviously of the quality advertised and were cooked to order (though shaded, as at so many steak-houses, to the rare side). But they were seared a bit too hard on the outside, producing a slightly unpleasant taste and texture, and one was a bit overaged. The large shrimp in our remoulade still had bits of shell unre-moved. The broiled Australian lobster tail, though probably imported frozen, was huge and had a flavor and texture superior to many whole American lobsters that cost far more. Del Frisco’s claim to serve veal as one of the specialties, though, is most disappointing; the osso buco, the only veal dish on the menu, is underdone, dry and tasteless. Desserts include a very good bread pudding with a Johnny Walker sauce. We think that when Del Frisco’s completes its initial shakedown, it will be a major contender among local steakhouses. (4300 Lemmon Ave. 526-2101. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner: Mon-Sat 5:30-11. MC, V, AE, DC $$$) 6.5
River Café. This attempt at a Louisiana restaurant in Dallas doesn’t suffer from lack of acquaintance with the real thing. Chef Eldridge Thomas used to cook at Arnaud’s in New Orleans, then Cafe Margaux here. But somehow even his expertise isn’t enough to give life to this space that within the previous year was Nostromo and then Joe’s. The boiled shrimp were plenty spicy, but their texture wasn’t right. The bread pudding with apples and raisins sounded fine, but came out too light and fruity lasting.
The menu at River Cafe is an interesting melange of fried things, including poor boy sandwiches with fillings of fried shrimp and oysters and such, and more sophisticated recipes. The frying isn’t of a very high quality-the fried fish had little crunch, and the fried shrimp and oysters little flavor. The cooking also fails to impress with simpler things. The redfish topped with pecans was just that; the two flavors never blended into a unified dish. River Café also has a bit of a problem with service. It was not busy when we visited, but we had to fight to get much attention from the staff. Is this a jinxed location? No, it’s just a location that has never had a very good restaurant in it. (4515Travis. 528-6110. Lunch: Mon-Sat 11:30-2:30; dinner: Mon-Thur 5:30-11, Fri & Sat 5:30-mid-night. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE. $$) 5.0
No. 1 Pearl St. Oyster Bar. This is the latest splash in the deluge of restaurants that claim to serve Cajun food. Well, as best we can tell, No. 1 Pearl St. is related to seafood houses in Oklahoma City and San Antonio- not New Orleans. The scallops Bienville, for instance, are basically just au gratin, the shrimp Creole has little taste other than cayenne, and the barbecue shrimp come in a kind of barbecue sauce (not the famous butter and pepper sauce that is the signature of the dish in New Orleans).
No. 1 Pearl St. fries a lot of things, from alligator (tough and subtly raunchy in taste) to crayfish, although the so-called Cajun popcorn doesn’t come with a sherry sauce that characterizes the dish. The mixed fried seafood platter isn’t bad, but the catfish we found on it was both very bony and mealy in texture. The restaurant also blackens a lot of things. The blackened chicken breast had lit tle flavor except that of charcoal. It was bet ter, though, than the fried chicken with a heavy, sweetish gravy filled with bits of an- douille sausage-one of the great miscalcu lations of our culinary experience. To sum up, No. 1 Pearl St. Oyster Bar is a mass mar ket fish house trying to masquerade as Ca jun or Creole to capitalize on the current rage for Louisiana food. It’s slick in looks and it does have aggressively friendly service. (The Plaza on Bachman Creek, 3840 W North west Highway. 358-3353. Daily 11-11. All credit cards. $$) 4.5
RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS
RESTAURANTS HAVE been rated on a 1 to 10 scale, with a rating of 10 being the highest recommendation. Restaurants receiving a rating of 7 5 and above have been designated with a big. bold D.
Restaurant visits by our reviewers are done anonymously in order to avoid preferential treatment. Inclusion In this listing has nothing whatsoever to do with paid advertising.
The following pricing structure is based on the cost of dinner for one, including an appetizer, entree, dessert and glass of wine:
$, less than $t0 (considered a good bargain)
$$, $10-$25 (middle ground for a good meal)
$$$, $25-$50 (expensive)
$$$$. $50 (very expensive)
“Reservations” indicates that the restaurant will accept reservations.
Credit card notations include: MC/MasterCard. V/Visa, AE/American Express, DC/Diners Club, CB/Carte Blanche. “All credit cards” indicates that all five are accepted.
Bon appetit!
AMERICAN NOUVELLE
D REVISITS
D BIom’s. The setting is as elegant as ever, but the cuisine is on the move: specifical ly, in the direction of the New Southwestern Cuisine. Under the direction of the new chef Nor man Preedy, Bom’s is now turning out such dishes as black-eyed pea and partridge soup, double loin of venison with cranberries and pear-apple garnish and sweet potato and pecan crepe soufflé. The results are quite promising, if occasionally uneven. (Westin Hotel, Galleria, 13340 Dallas Pkwy. 934-9494. Daily 6:30-10 pm; Sun brunch: 10:30-2. Reservations recommended. Jackets and ties re quired. All credit cards. $$$$) 8.0
Catalina. From the owners of Zanzibar and the defunct Chickeria comes this new Lower Greenville attempt to combine New Southwestern Cuisine with various other Texas and California fads. Paradoxically, the cooking is pretty good but the food usually is odd at best. in the case of the Alamo Bay Noodles, the menu description says almost everything. Blackened Gulf prawns coated with cayenne, garlic powder and coriander are sau-téed until crisp and served on rice vermicelli noodles with black bean sauce. The best things at Catalina are grilled – a fish special of amberjack, the veal ribs and pork chops. (3707 Greenville. 821-6959. Lunch: Tue-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner Mon-Thur 6-11, Fri 6-midnight, Sal 11.30 am-midnight. All credit cards. $$) 6.0
D Dakota’s. The new chef hired on at the end of the summer raised the food here to a new level. The grilled specialties like the medallions of tenderion (accompanied by a silky sauce) and fish-of- the-day yellowfin tuna are once more reliably cooked. But more complex recipes now are even better. The daily pasta special, with scallops and wild mushrooms, has an autumnal richness that makes it one of the city’s foremost pasta dishes (600 N Akard. 740-4001. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-3; dinner Sun-Thur 5-11, Fri & Sat 5-11:30; Sun brunch: 11-2:30. All credit cards. Lunch $$. dinner $$$) 6.5
Gershwin’s. By daylight at Sunday brunch time, Gershwin’s takes on a whole new feel. The well-dressed set that gathers for live music in the evenings is joined by pinafored young ladies fresh from Sunday school. Gershwin’s regular menu offerings- which feature lots of grilled things like chicken breast marinated and flavored with fresh oregano as well as fancy pastas- are joined by brunch classics like eggs Benedict and Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream. (8442 Walnut Hill at Greenville. 373-7171. Sun-Thur 11:30 am-midnight, Fri & Sat 11:30 am-1 am. All credit cards $$) 6.5
Laurel’s. We couldn’t have been more pleased with the epicurean results on our latest visit to (he posh restaurant at the top of the Sheraton Park Central Hotel near Central and LBJ. The special entree of the evening was poached lobster with a memorable creamy, green basil sauce. The lobster was tender and shelled, and the chef had taken the time to create a beautiful shell pattern out of the sauce. We finished every bite of the beautiful, fresh blueberries and whipped cream and the ricotta cheese/sponge cake. The next best thing Laurel’s has going for it besides the food is a fabulous view of the Dallas skyline. (Sheraton Park Central Hotel. 12720 Merit 385-3000. Mon-Sat 6 pm- 10 pm. Closed Sun Reservations recommended. Jackets required All credit cards $$$$) 6.5
Nana Grill. This aerie atop the new addition to the Loews Anatole has lost the chef that made its New Southwestern Cuisine offerings so singular, but that’s not to say that the change has been all bad The menu is very much the same, and if there are less adventurous combinations now. there is also less alarm at those that don’t quite work. The grilled entrees include a fine brochette of shrimp and scallops and a large, well cooked but underseasoned porterhouse. The wild turkey is still juicy, but the garnish is less interesting than before. The new, shortened selection of desserts is much improved. (Loews Anatole Hotel, 2201 Stem- mons Frwy. 748-1200. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2:30: dinner: daily 6-10:30. Reservations recommended for dinner. All credit cards $$$) 6.5
D REVISITS
D The Mansion on Turtle Creek. Chef Dean Fearing has his own menu in place now, and the result is the most exciting cooking in town. You can’t go wrong with one of his complex salads (like asparagus, pasta and salmon), grilled fish (like Louisiana grouper with papaya-basit sauce) or any of the mouth-watering desserts. (2821 Turtle Creek Blvd. 526-2121. Main dining room-jackets and ties required. Lunch: Mon-Fri noon-2:30; brunch: Sat noon-2:30, Sun 11-230: dinner:Sun-Thur 6-10:30, Fri & Sat 6-11; supper: Mon-Thur 10:30 pm-midnight,Fri & Sat 11 pm-midnight. Promenade Room – breakfast: daily 7-10:30, lunch: Mon-Fri 11 30-2; tea: Mon-Fri 3-5:30. Reservations. All credit cards $$$$) 9.0
Parigi. This trendy place doesn’t seem quite as popular as it was when it first opened a year ago, but we find that the food and service have actually improved. There’s still the same striving for originality-to the point of shocking, sometimes – but on our last visit all the far-out recipes worked The salad of arugula and warm goat cheese was spiked with a vinaigrette with mashed black olives and sprigs o1 fresh herbs. The appetizer sampler plate included ratatouille (with yellow squash instead of zucchini) and a delicious curried tuna and pasta salad One of Parigi’s specialties is off-the-wall pasta combinations; ours of black-pepper fettuccine, chicken, candied onions, spinach and Gruyère was cooked to perfection So was the sautéed Pacific flounder, sauced with capers. (3311 Oak Lawn, Suite 102.521-0295. Lunch: Tue-Fri 11: 30-2:30; dinner: Tue-Thur 6:30-10 30; Fri & Sat 6:30-11; Sat brunch: 10-3. Closed Sun & Mon. MC, V, AE. DC $$-$$$) 7.0
D Routh Street Cafe. Ever had ethereal broiled catfish in a pecan sauce? Honeydew-tequila ice Or a sherbet with mangos and hot chile ser- rano? You can find such delicacies only at Dallas’ number-one purveyor of restaurant chic, Routh Street Cafe. Other dishes that receive the New Southwestern treatment are shrimp and lobster, veal and game, su perlative salads and magnificent desserts. (3005 Routh at Cedar Springs. 871-7161 Tue-Sat 6-10:30 pm. Lounge: Tue-Sat 6 pm-1:30 am Closed Sun & Mon. Reservations. MC, V, AE, DC $$$$) 9.0
Salute. Spots of color against black woodwork and shutters make Salute one of the handsomest places to eat on McKinney. The menu features mostly grilled and fried things, with occasional hip nouvelle-ish touches in the accompaniments. Among the most memorable are the fried banana peppers and the onion crisps. Steaks and hamburgers come oft the best among the grilled items, though both poussin (small chicken) and tuna steaks have a nice flavor, too (2909 McKinney. 871-2407 Mon-Wed 11 am-10 pm, Thur 11 am-11 pm, Fri &Sat 11 am-midnight. Closed Sun. MC, V,AE. $$) 5.5
D REVISITS
D West End Oasis. Probably the hand somest restaurant in Dallas with its granite waterfall and commissioned art, the West End Oasis boasts “cuisine du soleil”-a cross be tween New Southwestern and provencal cuisines The inventive and exotic soups and luscious des serts are almost always impressive, but the entrees (often grilled) sometimes lack oomph. (302 N Market [entrance on Pacific]. 698-9775. Lunch: Tue-Fri 11:30-2; dinner: Tue-Sun 5:30-11. All credit cards. $$$$) 8.0
BARBECUE/TEXANA
Anderson’s Barbecue House. This place used to be called Epp’s, and in fact, the sign on Harry Hines (right across from Southwestern Medical School) still reads that way But the name is really the only thing changed -the barbecue and fixin’s are still excellent, and the people are still friendly The smallish ribs have a smoky flavor, and you can ask for outside cuts of the tender sliced beef The side dishes are truly outstanding. The trench tries and okra are both fresh and freshly fried You can also find such delicacies as butter beans, green beans with ham and even baked potatoes (5410 Harry Hines Blvd. 630-0735. Mon-Fri 11 am-7:45 pm, Sat 11 am-3 pm. No credit cards; personal checks accepted. $) 6.5
Good Eats Gate. It seems odd when an interloper from Austin sporting Texas funk moves into the space formerly occupied by one of Dallas’ great bad restau rants (Phil’s Delicatessen), but it has happened and we guess we should make the best of it. Almost everything the place serves is grilled over mesquite. The barbecue is at least interesting. The sausage is our favorite, with a coarse texture and a homemade flavor, but the paprika-red chicken is tasty. too (3531 Oak Lawn 521-1398. Sun-Thur 7 am-11 pm, Fri & Sat 7 am-11:30 pm. MC, V, AE. $$) 5.5
Sonny Bryan’s. Some things never change, and thank goodness Sonny Bryan’s still seems to be one of them The barbecue is unequaled in Dallas- smoky ribs with the slightest crunch of char, beef slices with a smooth texture and a rich flavor Aside from the vinegar sparked sauce (served in dispensers kept hot on a warming plate) and fine onion rings, the rest of the food isn’t notable, but the funky atmosphere is. You order standing up in the middle of a crowd, and sit on school desks if you can find one amid the litter. (2202 Inwood. 357-7120. Mon-Fri 10 am-5 pm, Sat 10 am-3 pm, Sun 11 am-2 pm. No credit cards; personal checks ac cepted $) 7.0
CHINESE
August Moon. Even hackneyed things like spring rolls and moo goo gai pan can be extraordinary at Dallas’ best unpretentious Chinese restaurant. But don’t neglect the more unusual dishes like the seven-taste shrimp or the pork with jalapenos. The place is large and crowded at most mealtimes, but the service is gen erally efficient and polite. (15030 Preston at Belt Line. 385-7227. Sun-Thur 11 am-10.30 pm. Fri & Sat 11-11 Reservations tor four or more or for special banquets Bar by membership. MC, V, AE, DC $$) 7.0
Cathy’s Wok. When we heard that the Cathy for whom this restaurant is named is Catherine Liu, the local cookbook writer and Chinese cooking teacher, we headed eagerly for Piano to check out the operation. Liu’s restaurant concept turns out to be a kind of Chinese fast food place. The food is better-than-av- erage Chinese restaurant fare, though not the special experience we had hoped for based on Liu’s reputa tion. (4010 W 15th, Piano. 964-0406. Mon-Thur 11 am-9 pm. Fri & Sat 11 am-9:30 pm. Closed Sun No credit cards. $) 5.5
China Palace. This unlikely looking spot in a Richard son shopping center is open virtually all night long, and it proves the rule that some of the best Chinese restaurants are outstanding for a few dishes only. The mostly Asian clientele seems to have been tipped off that the fried dumplings here are the best in the Metroplex-maybe in the country. Stir-fried dishes from the regular menu are mostly only of average quality, but the version of orange beef is excellent. (400 N Greenville, Richardson 669-1636. Daily 11 am-5 am. MC, V. $$) 6.0
Chin Big Wong. You can show off your Asian savoir faire by coming here to order a whole live lobster (ours was two and a half pounds} cleavered into large pieces and cooked in garlic sauce or beet with Chinese broccoli. At lunchtime, you can order dim sum (dump lings and other Chinese nibbles) off a special menu. (9243 Shiftman, Suite 104 (north of LBJ). 343-0545. Daily 11 am-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat 10 am-11 pm. MC. V, AE, $$) 5.5
Chu’s. There are some excellent-and fairly expen sive-specialties here, such as Peking ribs (in a hot, slightly sweet sauce) and garlic shrimp (still in their shells). On the regular menu, one of the most appetiz ing dishes is the chicken with pecans. (15080 Beltway. Addison. 387-1776. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2:30; dinner: Mon-Thur 4:30-10, Fir & Sat 4:30-10:30. Closed Sun. All credit cards. $$) 6.5
Crystal Pagoda. Great Chinese kites loom on the ceil ing in this attractive restaurant, and flowers grace every table. The crispy spring rolls are excellent for those who haven’t ventured beyond them, but the crispy shrimp balls and the Bon Bon chicken are really superb ap petizers. The chefs suggestions contain no big sur prises for devotees of Chinese food-the Crystal Pagoda is no pathbreaker-but the orange beef has real character and the crispy prawns with walnuts make an admirable dish for those who like a touch of sweetness in a Chinese meal but don’t want a sweet- and-sour number. The hot spicy eggplant equals any version of the dish in Dallas. (4516 McKinney. 526- 3355. Mon-Thur 11:30 am-10:30 pm, Fri 11:30 am-11 pm, Sat noon-11 pm, Sun noon-10:30 pm. Alt credit cards. $$) 6.5
Dynasty. This elegantly appointed Chinese restaurant keeps on getting better as it matures and relaxes. In stead of a lot of set-price dinners, the menu now con centrates on such interesting dishes as the steamed vegetable dumplings. Pink Lady (shrimp coaled in crab roe and fried) and chicken with macadamia nuts. (Garden Inn, 4101 Belt Line. Addison. 385-7888. Sun- Thur 11 30am-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat 11:30 am-11:30 pm. All credit cards. $$$) 6.5
Han-Chu. One of the glossiest, and one of the busiest. Chinese restaurants in Dallas, Han-Chu does well with all aspects of Chinese cooking. If you are looking for the conventional appetizer platter, you can hardly find one more carefully prepared than here The Cantonese region gets its due in a dish of delicately pink shrimp stir-fried with tomatoes and other vegetables. Northern Chinese cuisine comes into its own with excellent ren ditions of moo shi pork and lamb with scatlions. We’re not sure what the regional origins of the tender, golden brown sautéed scallops are, but the dish is first-class anyway. (Caruth Plaza. 9100 N Central Expwy at Park Lane. Suite 191. 691-0900. Sun-Thur 11:30 am-10:30 pm. Fri &Sat 11:30 am-11:30 pm. All credit cards.) 7.0
Imperial Dragon. The reality on the plate does not always match the splendor promised on the menu. Ap petizers turn out to be mostly fried things, even the Crispy Ham is essentially just plain old shrimp toast with a strip of ham in a pretty pattern And the quality is not always exemplary – the pork balls, for instance, are dry and overcooked. But there are unusual dishes like the steamed shrimp (cleverly twisted into little knots with strips of ham and black mushroom) that do work. And there are twists on well-known dishes that yield good results, like the honey apple dessert that has a subtle taste of rum. (2901 N Central. Suite 125. Plano. 423-6766. Lunch: daily 11-2:30; dinner Sun-Thur 5-10, Fri & Sat 5-11. All credit cards. $$) 5.5
New Big Wong. When you want to eat as the Chinese do. go to the New Big Wong. Start with the winter melon soup, which also contains shrimp, chicken and other delicacies. Move on to a live lobster (from the tank near the door) cooked in ginger sauce. (The carp, eels and other sea creatures seem to have gone the way of all flesh )Add a dish of beef with Chinese broccoli (with looser flowers and a stronger taste than the European variety) or one of shrimp with garlic sauce., and you have an instant trip across the Pacific (2121 S Greenville 821-4199 Daily 11 am-3 am. MC, V, AE, $$) 5.5
No. 1 Chinese Seafood and Cuisine. Here you’ll find live lobsters in a tank (we know of only one other Chinese place around that has them) and a number of other fresh seafood dishes The lobster cooked in a chili sauce showed that the kitchen cannot boast notable re finement-the sauce contained a lot of coarsely chopped onion, never a good sign in a Chinese res taurant -but the barely cooked crustacean was de lectable. (333 W Spring Valley. 669-3166. Daily 11:30 am-2 am MC, V, AE, DC $$) 5.0
Pacific Pearl. This is one of the most pleasant Chinese places in the city It’s airy, bright and washed in soft pink colors. Our mushrooms stuffed with shrimp could have offered more taste, but everything else- from a great cola noodle appetizer in peanut sauce to eggplant in a redolent garlic sauce and a bountiful menage a trois of chicken, beef and shrimp-was first-class. And a note of praise for the service. Granted, the restaurant was far from crowded, but our waitress was attentive and instructive beyond the call of duty. (601 Pacific. 745-1688. Sun-Thur 11 am-10:30 pm, Fri &Sat 11:30 am-11:30 pm. MC, V,AE.$$) 6.0
Royal China. This neighborhood place is well worth a visit, for owner Buck Kao’s warm welcome as well as for the very good food The sizzling rice soup lives up to its name, and although the dry stir beef doesn’t-it’s saucier than the authentic version – it tastes fine, too. From the bean sprouts sauted with shredded pork to the kung po shrimp topped with peanuts, Royal China is dependable and enjoyable Service is usually ex emplary, but on our last visit it was a bit unsmiling. (Preston Royal Shopping Center, Preston at Royal. Suite 201.361 -1771. Lunch: daily 11:30-2:30; dinner: daily 5:30-10. All credit cards. $$) 5.5
Taiwan. We hit both branches of this favorite Chinese place close together and found an interesting contrast. The original location on Greenville, which seemed elegant enough when it opened, now seems a bit dowdy in contrast to the newer location and to the other fancy Chinese restaurants in town. But it is probably the best place in town to eat late at night-the sautéed scallops we tried were perfectly cooked. The Addison branch is similar in quality, but the handsome sur roundings make the experience much more festive. (6111 Greenville. 369-8902; 4980 Belt Line. Addison. 387-2333. Mon-Thur 11-11, Fri am-3 am,Sat 10:30 am-3 am,Sun 10:30-10:30 at Greenville location; Sun- Thur 11:30 am-10:30 pm, Fri &Sat 11:30-11:30 at Ad dison location Reservations recommended. All credit cards $$) 7.0
Tangerine. This is one of the oddest – but also one of the most endearing-Chinese restaurants in town. Located on the east end of the downtown Arts District, Tangerine is airily modern, serves only a few dishes on any given day and is open exclusively for weekday lunches. You can hardly find a better inexpensive meal, though. The chicken stir-fried with peppers was suc- culently tender and juicy, and the shrimp and zucchini in a thick sauce showed an enterprising Thai inspira tion. We wish the location permitted a more ambitious meal schedule and menu -these folks can really cook! (2401 Ross. 969-1011. Mon-Fri 11 am-2:30 pm Closed Sat & Sun. MC, V, DC. $) 6.5
Tong’s House, If the measure of a Chinese restaurant is how many Chinese patrons it has, Tong’s House is a clear winner. Even on a weeknight, the place is crammed full of Orientals and Occidentals alike. feasting on dishes like kung po scallops and beef with broccoli. You can usually find fresh whole fish steamed with lots of slivered ginger and scallion. and on weekends there are specials like whole crabs quartered and stir-fried with garlic and spices. Tongs House is hidden away in the recesses of Promenade Center, and it certainly isn’t fancy, but it is worth a bit of searching (1910 Promenade Center, Richardson. 231- 6858. Tue-Sat 11 am-9:30 pm, Sun 11 am-9 pm. Closed Mon. All credit cards $$$) 6.0
D Uncle Tai’s Hunan Yuan. It’s always good to see a successful restaurant trying to bel ter itself, so we were pleased to see that Uncle Tai had put a whole bevy of new specialties on the menu Of the four we tried, three were winners. The crispy quail proved a wonderful appetizer. The two main courses were extraordinary, too The venison stir . fried with hot peppers and accompanied by large chunks of zucchini had a startling, slightly gamy flavor, and the Zesty Salmon had a crusty surface and a sauce (sure enough} zesty with ginger, vinegar and wood ears The one blah novelty was the chicken and ham stirred with shreds of iceberg lettuce. One complaint: All the dishes were salty to a fault. Cur high blood pressure makes us cry Uncle! (Galleria, 13350 Dallas Pkwy, Suite 3370. 934-9998 Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11 am-10:30 pm. Sun 12-10 pm. Jackets re quired for dinner All credit cards $$$) 8.0
DELI/LUNCH
Bagelstein’s, This used to be a somewhat surly bagel factory with a few tables; now it’s a spacious, inviting deli-restaurant with a long, long menu. Maybe the menu is too long – the shrimp quiche we sampled was strong-tasting. But lots of the deli standbys are respect able: borscht, pastrami sandwiches, blintzes and cheesecake. (Northwood Hills Shopping Center, 8104 Spring Valley. 234-3787. Tue-Sun 6 am-9 pm, Mon 6 am-3 pm MC, V, AE, DC. $) 5.5
City Market. On the mezzanine of the new LTV Center, City Market offers an airy space for a chic lunch with a view. The best things are the wonderfully varied salads, available individually or in combination with each other or with soup, The meat salads include “wild tuna” (with cashews and other goodies), sausage and ratatouille, chicken (with a hefty dose of curry) and flank steak (with julienne red and green peppers) We could cheerfully gain pounds through carbohydrate overloading on the linguine salad (flavored with sesame oil for a strong Oriental influence) or the creamy new-potato salad (200 L TV Center. 2001 Ross at Harwood. 979-2696. Mon-Fri 7 am-5 pm. MC, V. $) 6.0
Ms. Betty’s. The lady has moved her kitchen from the western edge of the Park Cities to the southern one (careful, the new Turtle Creek Village location is hard to soot) The am pie fare of sandwiches (ham or chicken salad on luscious breads), soups and salads is still ex ecuted with a lovely touch, You wonder sometimes, though, how it can lake so long to dish up these spare delicacies tor so few tables. And the portions are decidedly dainty – you won’t become stout from eating at Ms Betty’s, even from the splendidly rich pies (served in halt pieces). (185 Turtle Creek Village. 526-5084. Mon-Fri 11 am-2:30 pm, Sat 11 am-2 pm. Closed Sun No credit cards; personal checks ac cepted $) 5.5
Pacific Express. It you don’t get lost on the way (the building’s address is on Pacific, but the restaurant ac- lually faces Elm), you can have a tasty lunch here amid lots of shiny chrome and oversized abstract paintings. Salad combinations include large portions of such unusual tare as salads made from wild rice or smoked chicken. Hefty sandwiches feature lots of ham and cheese on coarse textured bread The desserts are lavish, from peach cobbler to chocolate-chip cheesecake (Pacific Place Bldg, 1910 Pacific, Suite 103 969-7447. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 pm. Closed Sat & Sun. No credit cards, personal checks accepted. $) 6.0
FRENCH/CONTINENTAL
Abio. “You had dinner downtown?” It’s true, long after the power lunches have been cleared from the linen- clothed tables at Abio (located across the street from RepublicBank and on the diagonal from the post of fice), there remains much to enjoy. A gargantuan pep per steak was good, but a Cornish hen and lobster tail duo that caught our attention was disappointing, sunk in a too-heavy brown gravy that shrouded the natural appeal of both elements. Baby asparagus and a zuc chini boat stuffed with tomatoes made fresh-tasting ac companiments. Abio closes occasionally on a whim (One Dallas Centre. Bryan at St. Paul. 922-9070 Lunch. Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner: Mon-Sat 6-10 Closed Sun. All credit caras. $$$) 6.0
Arthur’s. We began with excellent crab meat-stuffed mushroom caps, which were piping hot. delicately seasoned and served seemingly without benefit of microwaves The entrees left us less inspired A fettuc- cine in cream sauce with lobster and truffles was overbearingly rich, though crammed with lobster meat. A pepper steak in a sauce “of five varieties of pepper corns” fared better Both were accompanied with crunchy green snow peas A final round of homemade vanilla ice cream with fresh blueberries ana what is humbly touted as “the best chocolate mousse cake m the world” rounded out a generally satisfactory meal. (Campbell Centre, 8350 N Central Expwy. 361-8833. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30. dinner Mon-Fri 6-11. Sat 6 pm-midnight. Closed Sun, An credit cards. $$$) 6.0
Baccarat. The escargots (with hazelnuts in the sea soned butter), the scallops in a creamy Vermouth sauce, and even the shrimp flavored with rum. tomato and time were all appetizers good enough to make us think Baccarat an interesting place to dine. Our entrees proved a mixed lot. The best was the grilled swordfish with an orange sauce that did not intrude too much on its natural flavor. (12660 Coit Road. 367-5555. Lunch; Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner Mon-Sat 6-10:30 All credit cards, $$$) 5.5
Caté de France/French Bakery. The owners have sold their Piano shop and enlarged the newer Preston Road location, turning it into much more of a full-service cafe than before. The daily specials include crusty, garlicky scampi and a lovely version of chicken cordon bleu. Desserts, of course, stare at you throughout the meal, daring you to resist a piece of lemon-mousse- and-rum cake or a crunchy chocolate chip cookie. (17370 Preston Road. Suite 505 248 2229 Sat-Thur 7:30 am-11 pm, Fri 7:30 am-midnight. All credit cards; personal checks accepted. $$) 6.0
D Café Royal. The new menu returns this place to the glory it enjoyed when it opened; if the renaissance keeps up, soon Cafe Royal will again be one o1 the very top restaurants in Dallas. We tried several dishes that juxtaposed luxurious ingre dients. Salads that combined sautéed sweetbreads and medallions of lobster, or duck liver and tiny green beans, made first-rate beginnings A thick juicy (if slightly underseasoned) veal steak was garnished with large shrimp. And a pungent sauce made a grand unity of the combination of tender, meaty quail, a breast of pheasant and hearty venison The side dish of hand- whittled asparagus justifies the extra tab. and the dessert cart offers fruit tarts with flaky crusts and dark chocolate cakes. (Plaza of the Americas. 650NPearl. 747-7222. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2, dinner Mon-Sat 630-10:30. Closed Sun Reservations Jackets and ties required All credit cards $$$$) 9.0
D REVISITS
D Calluaud. Owner-chef Guy Calluaud is at his best with the magnificent dishes of the ancienne cuisine: feather-light lobster souffle, perfectly roasted quail and pigeon in a gamy giblet sauce, rack of lamb encrusted with a coaling of bread crumbs and parsley. He can also turn a nouvelle standard like a feuillete of aspar agus into something richer and heavier by adding a soupcon of foie gras. (2619 McKinney. 823- 5380 Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner: Mon- Thur 6- 10. Fri & Sat seatings at 7 & 9:30. Closed Sun Reservations Jackets and ties required. MC, V, AE, DC. $$$$) 9.0
D Chez Gerard. If we had to name one Dallas restaurant that seems most genuinely to reflect the tastes of France, it would be Chez Gerard. Where else in Dallas can you find choucroute garnie- the French version of sauerkraut, served up with two kinds of sausage and two kinds of ham7 Or rognons de veau – chunks of veal kidney stewed with bacon and mushrooms? These hearty dishes make us forgive the forgettable first courses (sautéed shrimp, tough in a characterless sauce, and strong-lasting, chewy mus sels) and the undistinguished house wine. The desserts helped immensely, loo, especially the light-as-a-feather floating island. (4444 McKinney. 522-6865. Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner Mon-Sat6-11. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE. Lunch $$. dinner $$$) 8.0
D REVISITS
D Chez Philippe. We were not fond of either appetizer special we tried on our last visit (mussels out of their shells and large frog’s legs in a green peppercorn sauce). Thick pieces of veal garnished with plum slices were heavenly, but the new treatment of lobster (with Calvados and saffron) is not as striking as the previous one Desserts, including marvelous souffles and tarts, have much improved (5027 W Lovers Lane. 353-9444 Tue- Thur 6 pm-9:30 pm, Fri & Sat seat- ings at 6 & 9 pm. Closed Sun & Mon. All credit cards $$$$) 8.0
Don Pepe. Don Pepe is just good enough that you want it to be a lot better. Don Pepe is almost a Spanish restaurant. But the chef, who used to cook for the Onassises, is not content to be merely authentic-he has to be more Continental and refined, and that’s a shame {since we have plenty of Continental restaurants in Dallas already and no real Spanish food) (13601 Preston. 788-2266 Lunch: Mon-Sat 11-2:30; dinner Mon-Sat 5:30-10. Closed Sun. All credit cards..) 5.5
The Garden Court. As the remodeling of this stately old hotel progresses, the Garden Court becomes a more charming place to dine, with its high ceilings and its old-fashioned ambience. Sunday brunch is an especially pleasant time to try it. Complimentary mimosas or glasses of champagne (or fresh squeezed juice for teetotalers) set off a feast that includes clams and crab claws alongside the usual oysters and shrimp. Devotees of the eggs can choose between made-to-order omelettes or eggs Benedict or take both. The beef roast is, for a happy change, a standing rib, and there are delicious alternatives like stir-fried chicken with lots of vegetables, broadcasting the odor of sesame oil (Melrose Hotel, 3015 Oaklawn. 521-5151 Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner: Mon-Thur 6:30-10:30, Fri & Sat 6:30-11, Sunday brunch: 11-2. MC, V, AE, DC $$$) 6.5
The Grape. This bistro and wine bar has been around lor so long that it’s easy to forget how good it is. We en-joyed the light, fresh mushroom soup and the hearty paté with our selections of wine by the glass For something heavier, try the veal selections (the menu changes frequently). (2808 Greenville at Goodwin. 823-0133. Lunch. Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner: Sun-Thur 6-11, Fri & Sat 6 pm-midnight. All credit cards $$) 6.0
Harpers. This penthouse restaurant, with a lovely view of the city, suffers somewhat from being treated almost as an ad|uncl of its bar. We don’t think that a cocktail hour buffet or a performing band adds much to the tone of an expensive restaurant. But the mostly classic food coming out of the kitchen can be surprisingly im pressive (Hilton Inn. 5600 N Central Expwy at Mock ingbird. 823-9180 Tue- Thur 6-1 0 pm, Fri & Sat 6-11 pm MC, V, AE. $$$.) 6.5
D Jennivine. Over the years. Jennivine has lived up to its claim to be a wine bar as well as a restaurant by offering a larger selection of wines by the glass. We like to sample them to the ac-companiment of some cheese and the rich, gamy pate maison (which we like better than !he paté de cam-pagne or the salmon paté) As (or the main courses, our salmon was delicately cooked, with a mustard sauce almost too tame for the name. (3605 McKinney. 528-6010 Lunch: Mori-Sat 11:30-2:30; dinner: Mon-Thur 6-10, Fri & Sat 6-10:30. All credit cards.) 7.5
D REVISITS
La Bonne Auberge. Our most recent visit didn’t quite confirm the high opinion we had on first acquaintance with this mostly seafood, mostly French place. Overcooked dams, salmon too tart in its time marinade and a watery paella all disappointed us. (6306 Greenville. 692-6920 Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30: dinner Mon-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-10:30. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE, DC. $$$) 6.0
D L’Amboance. There’s an occasional disappointment here, but we could eat the signature dishes at L’Ambiance over and over again. On our last visit, the rich, rich seafood bisque contained lots of tiny shrimp, and the red snapper – sautéed and topped with more seafood – was poetry itself Salads are very special here, and this time we discovered that the tomato salad rivals the one with spinach, bacon and goat cheese: Firm red red slices topped with a well-made vinaigrette and basil were a celebration of summer Desserts, too, are local classics, especially the Concord cake – two slices of chocolate meringue bonded by chocolate cream. (2408 Cedar Springs. 748-1291. Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner Mon-Sat 6-10:30. Closed Sun. All credit cards $$$). 8.0
D REVISITS
L’Ancestral. Very much like a country French inn in its food and atmosphere, L’Ancestral offers good basic dishes like vegetable soup or onion tart as appetizers An interesting entree is sweetbreads with mushrooms in a sauce lightly touched with curry. (5631 Alta. 8260006. Tue-Sun 6:30 pm-1 am. Closed Mon. All credit cards $$$) 7.0
La Cave. We never took very seriously the pretensions of the original La Cave on Henderson to being a restau rant rather than merely a pleasant wine bar. But the new La Cave, located in a rather deserted corner of the West End warehouse district. serves food that clearly should be reckoned with. (2019 N Lamar, 871-2072. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2 pm, dinner: Mon-Fri 6-11:30 pm, Sat noon-midnight Limited menu Mon-Fri 2 pm-6 pm. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE, DC. $$) 6.0
La Madeleine. These bakeries boast Dallas’ fines! croissants and other wonderful goodies (an almond tart we tried recently was heavenly) The old-country am bience of the original Mockingbird location may tempt you to sit down and rest a spell, and you can order quiches and other meals to eat on site. (3072 Mock ingbird, 696-6960. 3906Lemmon. 521-0182. Daily 7 am-9 pm at Mockingbird location; Daily 7:30 am- 9:30 pm at Lemmon location. No credit cards; personal checks accepted. $) 6.5
Le Marmiton. We can’t quite figure why someone would go to the trouble and expense of creating such a pleasant restaurant environment and stick it away on a block of Lowest Greenville, but inside, Le Marmiton boasts delicate crystal and good china, fresh linens and fresh flowers. Among the appetizers, the sautéed softshell crabs heaped with toasted almonds and the seafood sausage are outstanding. The fish in three sauces boasted well-cooked scallops, sole and sword-fish, but the sauces all lacked distinction. Perhaps the tastiest dish we tried was a daily special of lamb in a marvelously garlicky herb sauce – but leg of lamb does not take well to being sliced and cooked piecemeal (the individual muscles draw up and toughen), so the texture of the dish was not as successful as the taste. (1920 Greenville. 821-6250. Lunch. Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner: Mon-Fri 6-10:30, Sat 6-11 All credit cards. $$-$$$) 6.0
D REVISITS
La Touraine, This prettiest of Dallas’ new French bistros can offer first-rate tare: smoky-tasting coq au vin, subtle creme caramel. But sometimes well-cooked dishes (like swordfish kabob or white chocolate mousse) taste like they spent too much time in the refrigerator (1701 N Market 749-0080. Lunch Tue-Fri 11:30-2; dinner: Mon-Thur 6-10:30, Fri & Sat 5:30-11. Sun 5:30-10. $$-$$$) 6.5
La Panier. Several of the limited selection of appetizers seem like something offered by ambitious little restaurants back in the Sixties-there are lots of ar tichoke hearts and olives sprinkled among the shrimp and the paté, to little purpose. The roast lamb, served in a heavy sauce with mint jelly on the, side, ate seemed more old-fashioned American than Greek to us. and the one concession to trendiness- blackened redfish, what else?-was fishy tasting, (3404 Rankin. 369-3241. Lunch: Mon-Sat 11 am-3 pm; dinner: Tue- Sat 6-10 Closed Sun. Reservations recommended for dinner. All credit cards. $$-$$$) 5.0
Las Sausons. On our last visit the food and service lacked some of the polish we’ve grown accustomed to expect. The special of the day was grilled swordfish, but the consistency of the fillet was mushy rather than flaky. The popular seafood salad was filled with crispy lettuce and very fresh shrimp, crab and avocados. (165 Turtle Creek Village, Oak Lawn at Blackburn 528- 1102. Sun-Fri 11:30 am-11 pm, Sat 11:30 am-11:30 pm. Reservations recommended. All credit cards. $$$) 5.5
Papillon. Since its move to a far North Dallas location (incongruously, in the ground floor of an office build ing), Papillon looks stately. The veal scallops with chan terelle mushrooms were one of the best treatments around of an often mistreated cut of meat. The sautéed red snapper, lapped with an ivory sauce and surround ed by shrimp, was cooked nicety, too. (Abrams Center, 9330 LBJ. 699-9788. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner: Mon-Sat 6-11. All credit cards. $$$) 6.0
D REVISITS
Plus Fours. Plus Fours tries to be a British sporting pub and a grill at the same time. You will find items like Scotch eggs. Iamb curry and the ubiquitous mixed grill. On weekends there are supposed to be larger feasts, with British favorites like roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and steak-and-kidney pie. (2504 McKinney. 871-2757 Mon-Sat 11 am-mid-night, Sun noon-3. All credit cards. $$-$$$) 6.0
Pyramid Restaurant. This classic Dallas institution is interesting again after a long slump, though not quite as good this time around as on our previous visit. A prix fixe dinner is now available and includes dishes like pasta with seafood as an appetizer and a thick veal chop as an entree. The a la carte selections, though, seem better here. (Fairmont Hotel, Ross at Akard. 720-2020. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner: daily 6-10. Ail credit cards. $$$$) 7.0
D The Riviera. A recent visit netted us a prize of smoked scallops swathed in an unctuous sauce; by comparison, the other appetizer of tortellini with escargots was a mere second best Both entrees, though, were winners: light and crisp St. Pierre (a Mediterranean fish) and perfectly cooked lamb chops, smelling of Provence with their seasoning of garlic and fresh rosemary. (7709 Inwood. 351-0094. Mon-Thur 6:30-10:30, Fri & Sat 6:30-11. Sun 5:30-10 pm All credit cards $$$$) 8.5
Three Vikings. The Scandinavian bric-a-brac on the walls had always struck us as the most ethnic thing about this restaurant – the cuisine is mostly middle-of-the-road Continental with a few Nordic touches. One thing you can’t accuse the Three Vikings of is succumbing to the trend to “light” meals Both the signature shrimp chowder and the chocolate cheese pie are undeniable heavyweights. (2831 Greenville at Goodwin. 827-6770. Lunch. Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner. Mon-Thur 6-10 pm, Fri & Sat 6-11 pm; Sun brunch 11-2. Reservations recommended MC, V, AE. $$) 5.5
Zanzibar. What a schizoid evening we had here! Everything we ate and drank was marvelous, including a tasty Lalo salad with hearts of palm, artichoke hearts and Parmesan cheese. The fettuccine Magellan, thick and chewy with shrimp, nuts and red peppers in cream sauce, was a perfectly successful mix But the service was shameful. Our waitperson hadn’t yet mastered that clever trick (we hear it’s becoming a trend) of writing down, perhaps on a little pad, just what the customer ordered Hence a ten-minute wait, in a room with fewer than ten people, for a glass of wine and equally long waits for dessert. (Us: “Could we get that cheesecake now?” WP: “What cheesecake?”) We will be back, con fident that it couldn’t be this bad again. (2912 Green ville. 828-2250. Mon 6 pm-1 am, Tue-Sat 11:30 am-2 am, Sun 11:30 am-midnight, Sun brunch: 11:30-3. MC, V, AE. $$) 6.0
GERMAN/EASTERN EUROPEAN
Belvedere. Almost everything the chef of this Swiss-Austrian restaurant attempts he accomplishes well, whether it’s perfectly preparing meaty, tender scallops, grilling a T- bone of veal or assembling a rich and colorful veal Oscar (Crestpark Hotel. 4242 Lomo Alto 528-6510. Lunch: Tue-Sat 11:30-2; dinner: Tue-Sat 6-10:30. Sun 6-9; Sun brunch: 11-2:30. Closed Mon. All credit cards. $$$) 5.5
Bohemia. The tad of “light” cooking has not invaded this little corner of Czechoslovakia, with its lace curtains and photos of Prague on the walls. The Czech version of sauerbraten is sweeter and less sour than most of its German cousins – the sauce delicately spicy but the meat not quite tender Roast duck had a gloriously crisp skin but dry, overcooked flesh Both came with bread dumplings even heavier than the liver dumplings that had graced our soup. After all this nourishment, if you haven’t room for strudel, you might try the berries glace-not exactly slimming with its combination of strawberries, ice cream, meringues, liqueur and whipped cream, but refreshingly tart. (2810N Hender son. 826-6209. Sun & Tue-Thur 5:30-9 pm, Fri & Sat 5:30-10:30 pm. Closed Mon All credit cards. $$) 6.0
Cafe Kashtan. After closing for a few months. Dallas’ only Ukranian restaurant has reopened. The worst service problems seem to have been solved, though the policy of cooking everything from scratch still makes for a slowish pace – leave plenty of time tor an evening visit For starters, the best things here remain this soups (like the tart, cold green schi or the salanka, with beef, sausage and vegetables) or the delicious beet, potato and sauerkraut salads The chicken tabaka (haff a bird flattened and sautéed) and the beef stroganoff are good choices among the main dishes, accompanied by well-dressed salads and nicely cooked potatoes, pasta or rice Desserts change dai ly. The almond cake with raspberry sauce will satisfy any sweet tooth. At lunchtime a number of unusual and inexpensive specialties are available (5365 Spring Valley Rd at Montfort. 991-9550. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner: Mon-Fri 5-10, Sat 5-11. Closed Sun. All credit cards $$) 6.0
The Chimney. The warm atmosphere, delicious food and attentive service here add up to an evening of pure pleasure. The veal cordon bleu, served with noodles and snow peas, was prepared to perfection. So was the sole amandine, so lender it crumbled at the touch of a fork. 1,000 calories worth. (Willow Creek Shopping Center, 9739 N Central Expwy at Walnut Hill Lane. 369-6466. Lunch: Mon-Sat 11:30-2; dinner: Mon-Sat 6-10.30. Closed Sun. Reservations requested. All credit cards $$$) 6.0
Lechner’s Brass Bull. Here, in a pleasant room tucked away in the labyrinthine lobby of the Regent Hotel, are the folks who bring you German specialties with a few Texas favorites. Werner Lechner, the per sonable chef, is accomplished in both old-country dishes like Wiener schnitzel and schnitzel a la Holstein and flown-in fish specialties from the seafood markets of Boston. (The Regent Hotel, 1241 W Mockingbird. 630-7000. Mon-Sat 5-10:30 pm. Closed Sun. All credit cards. $$$) 6.0
Rheingauer Roemer. Dallas is short on places that serve this sort o1 earthy German food, so the minor shortcomings don’t matter much at all. (The wiener schnitzel is made from thick, unpounded cuts of veal, and the sauerbraten lacks sparkle.) The most memorable of the desserts is the only one made on the premises, the apple cake. (European Crossroads. 352-1175. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-3; dinner Tue-Thur 6-10, Fri & Sat 6-midnight. MC, V, AE. DC. $$) 5.5
D Rolf’s. This time we decided to explore a few of the byways of the menu of this fine establishment, but we were not always rewarded by our daring. The herring saliad was both too sweet and too sour, and neither the crab meat in our appetizer nor that served with our veal entree tasted fresh. We’ll continue to go back to Rolfs with plenty of anticipation – but for the dishes like the sauerbraten and the apple cake that have never disappointed us. (Caruth Plaza. 9100 N Central Expwy, Suite 117 696-1933. Lunch: Mon-Sat 11:30-2:30; dinner: Mon-Thur 5:30-10:30. Fri & Sat 5:30-11. Closed Sun Reser-vations recommended. All credit cards. $$$) 7.5
GOURMET CARRYOUT
Marty’s. One of our writers has a lantasy of being trapped in Marty’s overnight – enslaved to a nocturnal orgy of patés and pesto, chocolate truffles and marzipan cake, endive and escargots. The chefs paté da campagne and a wonderfully creamy French Valem-bert cheese were a robust beginning to a recent picnic we packed here. They were followed by smoked sable ’ (one taste sufficed), mussel salad with hearts of palm. a pasta concoction welded with goat cheese (pungent but tasty) and a loaf of French bread. Marty’s has, it’s safe to say, everything lor the need-it-now gourmet, including fresh herbs when they’re unavailable else where, a salad assortment that is evergreen, a chang ing medley of fresh carryout entrées and an enviable selection of accompanying wines. (3316 Oak Lawn. 526-4070 Mon-Sat 10 am-6:30 pm. Closed Sun. All credit cards, Marty’s charge $$) 6.5
Mirabelle. For anyone who loves to eat, entering Mirabelle is an emotional experience. The refrigerated cases hold the most glorious-looking goodies imag inable. Treasures such as the fruit salad with fresh raspberries and the tiny chilled white beets with oranges don’t come cheap, of course, and there are a few disappointments among all the wonders But !he array of patés, cheeses and entrees to take out and heat up reward any giving in to temptation (Highland Park Village, Preston at Mockingbird, Suite 73-74. 528-7589. Tue-Sat 10:30 am-7 pm, Sun & Mon noon-6 pm. MC, V, AE; personal checks accepted. $$) 6.5
Rich Chicks. Theresa Alexander, whose previous ven tures include the Stoneleigh P and The Lounge in the inwood Theatre, had an idea for a new sort of fast-food place – one that would look classy and serve healthier food than the usual places. As you might guess. Rich Chicks serves Rich Chicks (and a few complements) to rich chicks. The chickens are butterflied and coaled with spices (fennel predominates), then slowly roasted and carved to order. The accompaniments consist of an uncooked tomato sauce (rather like a thick gaz- pacho), pita bread and a lovely lettuce-less Greek salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and feta cheese. The food all tastes fine- the chicken is juicy (except for the drumsticks, which tend to get overcooked and stringy) and is good either hot or cold. (Northwest Cor ner of Preston Royal Shopping Center, next to the Post Office. 691-7424. Daily 11 am-9 pm. AE on orders of $20 or more. $) 6.0
GREEK/MIDDLE EASTERN
Augustus. After a rough start, this Greek/Continental restaurant in Addison is making a name for itself. Two visits produced two outstanding meals. The menu features a large selection of fresh seafood, including shrimp sautéed in garlic butter and some of the tastiest broiled red snapper we’ve ever been served. But don’t forget the Greek food! The specials of the day have proved exceptional, especially the tender marinated lamb chops. Don’t miss the desserts, particularly the nutty, sweet baklava. (15375 Addison Road. 239-8105. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2:30; dinner Mon-Sat 5-11. Sun, 5-10. All credit cards $$$) 7.0
Crackers. We were once crackers about this restau rant in a refurbished old house on McKinney. but our !as! visit didn’t five up to our memories. We’re glad that the menu concentrates more heavily on the Greek spe cialties, but they could have been better The spano- kopita (spinach pie) was soggy, and the dolmas (stuffed grape leaves) undistinguished (2621 McKin ney. 827-1660 Sun-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11 am-11:30 pm. MC. V, AE $$) 4.5
Gulf Coast Oyster Company, Dallas now has lots of good seafood houses, but only one Greek seafood place Main dishes include skewered chicken and shrimp, grilled Greek-style, and shrimp cooked with feta cheese in a (too sweet) tomato sauce The fish of the day can be even better – the sweet, delicate brill (a Mediterranean fish something like a flounder) was one of our favorite fish dishes ever. (Corner Shopping Center, 8041 Walnut Hill Lane. 361 1922, Lunch. Mon- Fri 11-3; dinner: Mon-Thur 5-10, Fri 5-11, Sat 17-11. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE. $$-$$$) 6.5
Mr. Shishkabab. Finally Dallas has a really good Mid-die Eastern restaurant again complete with belry-dancer, ana we hope the hard-to-find location won’t jinx it Mr Shishkabab offers mostly the basics like then wonderful Middle Eastern dip made from chickpeas,! olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and sesame paste called hummus Both the kebabs of lamb and shrimp are delicious, and even a simple steak lakes on an interna tional flair here. (9454 Marsh Lane, just north of North west Highway 350-9314. Daily 11 am-3 pm and 5:30 pm-11 pm. MC, V, AE, DC. $$) 6.5
Panteli’s. This Lowest Greenville Avenue restaurant and wine bar gets high marks for its mostly Greek menu and relaxed atmosphere. Among the appetizers the fried potato balls shouldn’t be missed. As for the main courses, the gyro pocket sandwich with yogurt dress ing, the keftethes (Greek meatballs) and the souvlaki (a Greek version o1 shish kebab) are all excellent choices The only disappointment was our waitress, who was pleasant but inattentive (1928 Greenville. 823-8711. Mon-Thur 11 am-1 am. Fri & Sat 11 am-2 am, Sun 11-11. MC, V, AE. $$) 5.5
INDIAN/ETHIOPIAN
D REVISITS
D India Palace. This new restaurant has a larger menu than other spots and exem plary food Try the red snapper stuffed with finely chopped fruits and vegetables and piquantly sauced or the lamb shahi korma. (13360 Preston. 392-0190 Sun-Thur 5 pm-10 pm, Fri & Sat 5:30 pm-10:30 pm. All credit cards. $$) 8.0
D Kebab ’n’ Kurry. If we were forced at gunpoint to name our favorite ethnic restaurant in Dallas, this would probably be it. There are really only a lew delights of North Indian cuisine offered, but they are done superlatively well, from the chicken kor- ma (rich, creamy and mild) to the shrimp in a tomatoey curry sauce. (401 N Central Expwy, Suite 300, Richard son, 231-5556; 2G20 Walnut Hill Lane, 350-6466. Lunch Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner. Sun-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 530-10:30; brunch: Sat & Sun 11:30-2:30. All credit cards. $-$$) 7.5
Sahib. Once the finest Indian restaurant in town and still the handsomest, Sahib now offers more disap pointments than successes from the kitchen. The menu is filled with new and interesting-sounding dishes, and a few of them are worth trying, such as the shrimp Bhu- jana with lota of herbs and bits of onion and peppers, and the chicken Noorani in a curiously bright pink sauce. (Caruth Plaza, 9100 N Central Expwy. 987-2301. Lunch: Mon-Sat 11:30-2:30; dinner: Mon- Thur & Sun 5:30-10. Fri & Sat 5:30-11; Son brunch: 11:30-3. All credit cards. $$$) 5.0
Tanjore. During the week, you can find good North In dian food here (the kitchen can be slow to bring it out. but it’s worth waiting for) At lunch on weekends you can get something really unusual here: dishes from South India The dish most likely to appeal to Ameri cans is the masala dosa, a thin crepe of fermented dough cooked crisp and folded around a filling of cur ried potatoes. (Prestonwood Creek Shopping Center, 5409 Beltline Rd. 960-0070. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30- 2:30; dinner: daily 6-10; brunch. Sat & Sun 11:30-3. All credit cards $-$$.) 6.0
ITALIAN
Adriano’s. This fashionable pizzeria in the Quad rangle, with its exposed metalwork and ware house-style ceiling, hides nothing-including its bad service. Gamberetti, a combination of shrimp, shallots and chives, is a welcome departure from the typical piz za, heavy on the cheese and just the right size. The even bolder Salome. of capers, onions and goat cheese, was sharp and satisfying (The Quadrangle. 2800 Routh, Suite 170. 871-2262. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner. Mon-Thur 5:30-10:30. Fri & Sat 5:30 pm-midnight Closed Sun. MC, V, AE. $$) 6.0
Alfredo Trattoria. Our portions of fettuccine with mushrooms and ham were more than generous; the cannelloni and manicotti were somehow robust, yet delicately seasoned; only the linguine left something 1o be desired, tailing short of being cooked al dente, (5404 Lemmon. 526-3331. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2; din ner: Mon-Thur 5:30-10:30. Fri & Sat 5:30-11. Closed Sun All credit cards $$) 5.5
Cart Italia. As usual, we were stuffed when we left this tiny restaurant tucked away on Maple Avenue across the street from Elliot’s Hardware. We were impressed with the creamy fettuccine Alfredo sauce and the spicy linguine with white clam sauce. The special of the day was chicken romano. baked in light, buttery bread crumbs and covered with a creamy romano cheese sauce. (5000 Maple. 521-0700. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner: Mon-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-11. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE. $$) 5.5
Campisi’s. ft is still worth jockeying for a hard to find parking place and waiting in the inevitable long lines to dine here? We think so. Although the dimly lit dining room is cramped and noisy and the service can be haphazard, the heaping platter of crab claws drenched in garlic butter is, at $9, a bargain; the Italian dishes (we tried veal parmigiana with mostaccioli) are satisfying; and the locally famous pizza (we went “all the way”) is still the tops in town. (5610 E Mockingbird. 827-0355. 827-7711. Mon-Fri 11 am-midnight, Sat 11 am-1 am, Sun 11:30 am-midnight Reservations lor six or more No credit cards $$) 4.5
Chianti. This looks like just another neighborhood Italian restaurant, and not a very prepossessing one at that, but the food makes it worth coming from farther than just around the block. Among the appetizers, the scampi napoleone are shrimp in a pungent garlic and brandy sauce The linguine alla puttanesca features at dente noodles and a robust sauce of tomatoes, olives, capers and anchovies. (9526 Webb Chapel Road. 350-7456 Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner: Sun-Thur 5:30-10. Fri & Sat 5 :30-10.30 MC. V $$} 5.5
Ciao! This shrine to unusual pizzas sits on one of the gaudiest stretches of Cedar Springs-the view out the glass front is as entertaining as any floor show. The famous spinach pizza we found more odd than appeal ing; the combination of mounds of chopped greens with underdone strips of Italian bacon was not helped by a less than perfectly crisp crust, (3921 B Cedar Springs. 521-0110. Mon-Sat 11:30 am-midnight, Sun 3 pm-midnight. MC, V, AE. $$) 5.5
Cremona. Hidden away a! the end of Routh Street in Oak Lawn, this place gave us one of the most pleasant outdoor dining experiences we’ve had. The tiny little restaurant isn’t elegant or sophisticated, but it is com fortably casual -just the sort of place to take a friend for lunch. (3136 Routh. 871-1115 Lunch: Mon-Fn 11:30-2; dinner Mon-Thur 6-10:30, Fri & Sat 6-11. Closed Sun All credit cards. $$) 5.0
Firenze. The fried calamari is crisp and delicate and comes with a fresh-tasting light tomato sauce, and the oyster appetizer (the mollusks out of their shells, bask ing in a creamy, golden sauce) is unusual and deli cious. The green tortellini in a rosy sauce is as good as any in town, but the main dishes can be dull (The Cor ner Shopping Center. 9820 N. Central. Suite 504. 373-4700 Lunch. Tue-Fri 11-2; dinner. Tue-Thur6-W. Fri-Sun 6-10:30. V, AE,DC. $$$) 6.0
II Sorrento. In this dimly lit dining room, decorated in , an Italian piazza motif that might be a bit medieval for some tastes, we enjoyed appetizers of mushroom caps stuffed with crab meat and baked eggplant adorned with shrimp and clams. The swordfish steak was exem plary, although the veal entrée we tried was tough. (8616 Turtle Creek Blvd. 352-8759. Sun-Fri 5:30-11 pm, Sat 5:30 pm-midnight. All credit cards $$$) 6.0
La Tosca. La Tosca is still the same lovable, frustrating place it has always been – just as you think you are ex periencing one of the great Italian meals of your life, along comes a dish to disappoint you On our last visit, the octopus salad was perfectly tender; the crespelle (Italian crepes) beautifully filled ana seasoned; the tortellini alla nonna ideally creamy. But then the shrimp provencale and the veal scallops topped with choese proved lackluster (7713 Inwood. 352-8373. Tue-Sun 6-10:30 pm. Closed Mon. Reservations Tue-Thur & Sun only. All credit cards. $$$) 7.0
D REVISITS
Mario’s. Venetian glass and ruby-colored walls set the tone of elegance here The food sometimes matches that standard and sometimes doesn’t (we had a special of grilled redfish that suffered from a harsh basil sauce, for instance, on our last visit). (135 Turtle Creek Village. Oak Lawn at Blackburn. 521-1135. Sun-Thur 6 pm-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat 6 pm-11 pm. All credit cards $$$) 6.5
Massimo da Milano. Essentially, this is an Italian bakery, with cases filled with tempting breads of all sorts, baskets of cookies and sybaritic trays of pastries. Massimo da Milano also has a selection of other foods; You will find many variations on the theme of bread dough with savory toppings (none, though, is much like the pizza we are used to), pasta salads and a couple of hot dishes like a lasagna rich with a creamy bescia- mella sauce. (5519 W Lovers Lane. 351-1426. Tue- Thur 9 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 9 am-11 pm, Sun 9 am-10 pm. Closed Mon. MC, V. $) 6.0
Nero’s Italian. Foremost among the offerings here are the pizzas- if you like a fairly thick but crunchy crust. you may find these the best around One page of the menu offers all sorts of combinations, from the fairly routine to New Wave goat cheese and Gorgonzola af fairs, and the back of the menu lets you build your own. There are also ingenious appetizers, pastas available as first or second courses, nightly specials and in teresting Italian wines by the glass. (2104 Greenville 826-6376. Mon-Thur 6-11 pm, Fri & Sat 6 pm-midnight Closed Sun MC, V, AE. $$) 6.5
Pietro’s. The owners have added an enclosed porch and made some other decorative changes since our last visit, but even with the extra seating, there’s always a wait on the weekends. We sampled linguine with clam sauce, which was just right – not too fishy and not too heavy on the sauce – and one of the chefs sugges tions, chicken cacciatora, tender baked chicken with fresh tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms and green pep pers in a wine sauce with a side order of spaghetti that was pretty close to Chef Boyardee quality. We also tried a chocolate sundae with Pietro’s homemade chocolate sauce (rich and satisfying) and real Italian cheesecake. The waitress warned us that real Italia cheesecake is made with ricotta cheese, so it’s not very sweet, and she was right (5722 Richmond. 824-9403. Tue-Thur 5-10:30, Fri & Sat 5-11:30 pm, Sun 5-10 pm. Closed Mon, MC, V. $$) 5.0
Pizzeria Uno. The best things about this place for Chicago-style deep-dish pizzas are the pies themselves: buttery crusted, with inch-deep heaps of sausages, cheeses and vegetables Some come with little or no tomato sauce-the seafood pizza uses lots of garlic for flavor instead There are some pretty good side dishes, but the best accompaniments are libations from the bar that forms the heart of the restaurant The main drawbacks at Pizzeria Uno are the noise and the service, which we have found to be slow and spacey even at off hours, let alone at mealtimes, when the place is usually packed. (4002 Belt Line, Addison. 991-8181. Mon & Tue 11-10:30, Wed & Thur 11 am-11:30 pm, Fri & Sat noon-12:30, Sun noon-10:30 MC, V, AE. $$) 5.0
Prego Pasta House. Although Prego is a bit hard to peg – with a casual menu served in a simple, elegant setting-that hasn’t affected its popularity. And why should it? Here you can have the best of both worlds: Whether you’re dressed in denim or Dior, you can dine on such delicacies as linguine with white clam sauce and chicken breast piccata or opt for the inexpensive (and always enjoyable) pizza. Indulge in an amaretto freeze or a brandy Alexander for the ultimate culinary conclusion (4930 Greenville. 363-9204. Mon-Thur 11-11, Fri 11 am-midnight, Sat 5 pm-midnight. Sun noon-11 pm. All credit cards. $$) 5.5
D Ristorante Savino. For consistency and authenticity, this is probably Dallas’ finest Italian restaurant. Our latest visit gave us opportunities to taste a splendid version of vitello tuna (cold, thin slices of braised veal lopped with a sauce flavored with tuna and lemon and crowned with capers) The cro-chettes-small croquettes made of fried stuffed crepes-were less exciting, but both pasta courses were cooked magnificently: cavatelli (pasta shells in a sauce strongly flavored with tomato. garlic and cheese) and angel hair pasta in a lobster sauce. Our meat dishes – delicate scallops of veal in a wild mushroom sauce and large shrimp in a golden sauce smelling of saffron-were exemplary. And we are happy to note that desserts have improved steadily as Ristorante Savino has matured, the profiteroles are worth every calorie, (2929 N Henderson. 826-7804. Sun-Thur 6-10:30. Fri & Sat 6-11 pm. All credit cards $$$) 7.5
Ristorante Vincenzo. If we have caveats, they apply to the opening rounds. The antipasto is perfunctory, the minestrone is rather bland, the Caesar salad is short on fanfare and long on croutons. An order of fried cheese, however, was quite spectacular. Our entrees were outstanding-a perfectly charred veal steak, which was thick and juicy; and scampi aligned like a brochette with moist morsels of onion and green pepper (The Quadrangle, 2800 Routh. Suite 165.871-8898 Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-30-2; dinner. Mon-Thur 5:30-10, Fri &Sat 5:30-11. Closed Sun. All credit cards. $$$)6.0
D REVISITS
Ruggeri’s. This is in the location the ill-fated restau rants Mexico and Palermo formerly occupied, but Ruggeri’s has a new, much more formal look – and, what’s more important, much better cooking. The cioppino was as good as any we have lasted, with a rich (but not too aggressive) tomato broth in which shrimp, scallops, mussels and other shellfish swam. (2911 Routh 871-7377 Lunch. Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner: Sun-Thur 6-11 30, Fn&Sal6 pm-midnight. All credit cards. $$$) 6.5
Sflzi. This West End Italian place has really picked up steam since our last visit, when it was almost empty. We even had an unexpected 20 minute wait for our table. The menu is brief, but supplemented by a chalkboard specials menu, which the waiter brings to your table and explains thoroughly The fried calamari was a pleasant appetizer but the shrimp champignon was perhaps a little too ambitious. For our entrees, the chicken marsala was delicious as was the eggplant. The tortellini was also tasty but not served hot enough. The cannoli made an adequate dessert. The minor defi ciencies in the kitchen were compensated (or by the efficient and pleasant service, if you like concrete-floor- and-neon-light ambience, you should have a pleasant experience at Sfizi. (1718 Market. 698-9390. Mon-Thur 11-11.Fri 11am-2 am,Sat 5 pm-2 am,Sun 5-11 pm.AII credit cards. $$) 5.0
JAPANESE/KOREAN
Fuji-Ya. This tiny Japanese restaurant looks more authentic than it once did (there is now a kind of sushi bar), and the food remains a pleasant introduction to this Asian cuisine. There are the usual combinations of tempura and teriyaki, plus more out-of-the-way items like yaki soba (slightly spicy Japanese noodles), shabu shabu (simmered beef slices and vegetables) and grilled fish (13050 Coit. 690-8396. Lunch: Mon-Sat 11:30-2: dinner. Sun-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-11. MC, V, AE. $$) 5.0
Kobawoo. This Korean restaurant reopened after a fire last year. It’s bigger (if not fancier) than before, and the food seems belter than ever. The Korean barbecued beef, bulgoki, is good here, as are the fiery-hot pickled vegetables such as kimchee. Kobawoo also offers a number of more unusual dishes, such as the whole fried fish Korean-style, which we found delicious. (3109 Inwood at Cedar Springs. 351 -6922. Mon-Fri 11 am-10 pm. Sat noon-10 pm. Sun 1-10 pm. MC, V,AE.$$) 6.0
Kobe Steaks. One of the most popular places along the Addison strip, this restaurant combines food and show. Japanese cooks who look like samurai chop and flip pieces of beef, seafood and vegetables on a teppan yaki grill with martial abandon (The Quorum, 5000 Belt Line, Suite 600. 934-8150. Sun-Thur 5-11 pm. Fri &Sat 5 pm-midnight. Ail credit cards. $$) 5.5
Korea House. We always enjoy kalbi gui, Korean bar becued ribs that are more like the Mexican version, agujas, than their American counterpart. Tiny shrimp stir-fried with a myriad of vegetables and little chunks of fried chicken coated with a spicy sauce were com plemented by the delightful Korean cold vegetables. (Promenade Center. Coit at Belt Line. Suite 610, Richardson.231-1379. Sun-Thur 11 am-10:30 pm, Fri &Sat 11:30 am-10:30 pm. MC,V,AE. $$) 5.5
Mr. Sushi. Now that it has expanded in size, Mr Sushi is more than ever Dallas’ most enjoyable Japanese restaurant If you’ve picked up the taste for raw fish -we read somewhere that seven percent of Americans have taken the plunge, and our four-year-old is one of them – the sushi bar enables you to pick and choose among the juiciest morsels. You can also choose among appetizers like kara age chicken (plump chunks deep-fried – McNuggets were never like this) or tofu steak (fried bean curd sitting atop a gingery sauce). (The Quorum, 4860 Belt Line, Addison. 385-0168. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner: Mon-Thur 530-10:30, Fri & Sat 5:30-11, Sun 5:30-10. All credit cards. $$) 6.5
MEXICAN
Alaman’s. The version of ceviche is excellent, and the chicken mole is [he best version we have had in a restaurant in the United States-the sauce was obviously homemade and marvelously complex, despite the ring of pineapple on top. But we heard a waiter scaring an inquisitive customer away from the mole toward one of the less successful combinalion plates. in which the adaptations of Mexican ideas seemed to us sometimes just plain odd. (13601 Preston Road. 387-2620. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2, dinner Mon-Thur 5:30-9, Fri & Sat 5:30-10. Closed Sun MC, V, AE, DC. $$-$$$) 6.0
Baja Louie’s. This is not the first Mexican restaurant to occupy this space, but perhaps the first to do so with such pizzazz. The atmosphere is festive and loud (even on a Sunday afternoon live music alternates with music videos on a giant screen, and at night you have to be of age even to get in the door) The food probably doesn’t matter much amid the flurry, but it may well be better than it has to be Baja Louie’s fajitas may no longer be the best in town, but they certainly are honest and mealy – not overmarinated and served on a bed of onions to Keep the meat from getting burned. The Tex-Mex plates are for hearty eaters- the portions are most generous (The Corner Shopping Center, 8021 Walnut Hill at Central Expwy. 361-5192. Mon- Thur 11 am-11:30 pm, Fri 11 am-12:30 am, Sat 11:30 am-12:30 am,Sun 11:30-11:30. MC, V,AE. $) 5.5 Blue Goose Cantina. Exposed heating ducts, bare concrete floors and cases of Mexican beer everywhere give the Blue Goose a kind of high-tech-Mex atmos phere. The menu looks challenging, too, with ev erything from quail to lobster available grilled over mesquite, but the cooking often seems perfunctory. Great chunks of meat are served in huge portions, but the pork cubes we tried were underdone, and both they and the beef fajitas had been robbed of any subtlety by an excess of lemon juice. The Tex-Mex we sampled at the Blue Goose wasn’t much more convinc ing. Friendly service in an outgoing style couldn’t real ly make up for the disappointment in the food. (2905 Greenville. 823 8339. Mon-Fri 11 am-2:30 pm & 5 30-11 pm, Sat & Sun 11 am-4 pm & 5-11 pm. All credit cards. $$) 4.5
Café Cancun. We found the atmosphere of this Mex ico City-style restaurant quite airy, a pleasant departure from 1he typical close seating in most Mexican restaurants. The chicken nachos, made with black beans, Chihuahua cheese, chicken, guacamole, sour cream and jalapenos, were average, as were the fajitas and sour cream chicken enchiladas We remember when the food here was belter. (4131 Lomo Alto, 559-4011; Caruth Plaza, Park Lane at Central Expwy, 369-3712. Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri 11-11, Sat 5-11 pm, Sun noon-10 pm, at Lomo Alto location, Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11-11, Sun noon-10 pm at Caruth Plaza location MC, V, AE. $$) 5.5
Café Rincón. Flautitas (crisp tortillas rolled around spicy chicken meat) made a great starter. The red snapper was touted as very fresh, and so it was, with its garlicky sauce The came asada a la tampiquena boasted tenderloin that melted in the mouth alongside searing-hot peppers, an enchilada and a tiny cilantro- laden pot of beans (2818 Harry Mines 871-7280 Lunch. Mon-Fri 11:30-3; dinner: Mon-Thur 5-11, Fri & Sat 5 pm-midnight. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE. $$) 7.0
CantIna Laredo. Mow many places catering to gringos serve the homey Mexican dish of chicken and rice, arroz con polio? Even enchiladas (chicken), tacos (made with machaco, slivered meat) and tamales are authentic here. And the search for definitive fajItas and other grilled specialties ends right on this doorstep. The mesquite taste balances perfectly against the marination, and the accompanying grilled scallions, fri- joles al charro, guacamole and flour tortillas are all outstanding, too. (4546 Belt Line, Addison. 458-0962. Sun-Thur 11-11, Fri & Sat 11 am-midnight. MC, V, AE, DC $-$$) 6.5
Chiquita. We’d say that Chiquita- with its festive, over sized paper flowers everywhere – never changes, only the “new specialties” that are periodically rotated on and off the menu constantly add variety This time we tried the appetizer of rajas con crema – tender strips of chile poblano, tiny pieces of diced zucchini, cheese and cream The other dish new to us was the filete encebollada, strips of beef sautéed with onions and peppers. (3810 Congress 521-0721 Mon-Thur11:30 am-10:30 pm. fri &Sat 11:30 am-11 pm. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE. $$) 7.0
Chito’s. If you are looking lor authentic Tex-Mex in a down-to-earth setting and Herrera has a line down the block, you might drive on down the street to Chita’s The standard Tex-Mex items are well done- tacos and enchiladas are particularly appealing. The menu doesn’t go in for many newfangled fancy items, either, even the now standard fajitas are strictly down-home (4447Maple. 526-9027; 3437 Walnut Hill. 351-9554 Sun-Tue & Thur 9 am-9 pm, Fri & Sat 9 am-3 am Closed Wed. at Maple location: Tue-Sun 9 am-10 pm Closed Mon, at Walnut Hill location. MC, V. $) 5.0
El Gallito. We recommend sitting in the little ram forest-patio out back, you could easily be in Cancun – until the meal arrives. Then you could be at any of a hundred uninspiring Tex-Mexeries. We chose seafood special ties and basic Mexican entrees, and found them all just…okay. (4202 Ross 826-6681. Mon-Thur 11.30 am-midnight, Fri 11:30 am-3 am, Sat noon-3 am, Sun 4 pm-midnight. MC, V, AE. $-$$) 5.0
Garza Blanca. You may recognize the name as that of a famous resort in Puerto Vallarta. The ceviche is spec tacularly fresh and tasty, with a strong taste of lime, olive oil and especially capers. The chiles rellenosare a good, light-textured version, but perhaps the best choices for main dishes here are the charcoal grilled specialties, which are oddly identified by the sounds that the animals being served made when they were alive (beef is Moo, frogs legs Ribbet Ribbet-combi- nation dinners make a whole barnyard of sounds).Return visits have sadly revealed that service declines and noise abounds on a busy evening here. (2508 Maple 871-0530. Lunch Mon-Fn 11-2:30; dinner Mon-Thur 4 30-10, Fri 4:30-11, Sat 11-11 Closed Sun. MC, V. AE, DC. $$) 6.0
Genaro’s. This cool, tropical oasis would be great- for people-watching, sipping margaritas, dancing on Sunday nights-even if no food were available. But it is, and most o1 it’s quite reliable On recent visits we’ve tried ceviche, seafood nachos. flautas, the excellent torta del mar and basic Tex-Mex, and come away smil ing every time. (5815 Live Oak at Skillman. 827-9590. Sun-Thur 11 am-10:30 pm, Fri &Sat 11 am-11:30 pm. All credit cards $$) 6.0
Gonzales. Over the years, this funky little Mexican place (where you can order and drive through to pick up) has suffered both from overpraise and from too summary a dismissal Not everybody likes the exotical-ly flavored fajitas (the secret is lots of oregano), but we do. And the burritos made of all sorts of authentic fillings (such as the stews called guiso and carne guisado) are well worth investigating. (4333 Maple 528-2960 Daily 7 am-9 pm. All credit cards $$) 5.5
Guadalajara. Some of the finest Mexican cooking in Dallas can still be found in this classic dive just east of downtown On our last visit, we had an excellent Mil- anesa (which is rather like a Mexican chicken-fried steak) and a tasty, if rather tough, steak cooked with garlic and chile pequin. (3308 Ross at Hall. 823-9340. Mon-Fri 11 am-3:30 am, Sat & Sun 10 am-3:30 am. AII credit cards. $$) 6.0
Javier’s. Things like red snapper mojo de ajo (suc culent fillets dripping with buttery garlic, lime juice and while wine) and filete pimienta (mouth-watering tenderloin in a piquant black pepper sauce) don’t crop up loo often at Rosita’s. But we are blessed that they do appear with consistency at Javier’s, surely one of the most enjoyable restaurants in Dallas, (4912 Cole 521-4211. Sun-Thur 530-10.30 pm, Fri & Sat 5:30-11:30 pm. All credit cards $$$) 6.5
D REVISITS
La Casita. The two sisters and their mother who run La Casita. are capable of turning out some of the best Mexican food in Dallas, but you can’t always count on their performing up to standard. A taste of their beef enchiladas, chiles rellenos or chicken mole will probably make you forgive any shortcomings elsewhere. (1908 Greenville. 821-8151. Mon, Wed, Thur 9 am-midnight, Fri-Sun 9 am-3 am. Closed Tue. No credit cards. $) 6.5
La Botlca. The mishmash of Dallasites who have found La Botica (it’s nearly hidden on Haskell Avenue about a mile east of Central} must like it for the same reasons we do: It’s casual, fairly quiet and steeped in family-run friendliness. Particularly good: the tangy en chiladas verdes, the simple tacos and the spicy chicken soup. (1900 N Haskell. 824-2005. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner: Mon-Sat 5-10. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE. $$) 5.0
Mario & Alberto. We were in the mood for a fiesta when we last visited this restaurant, and it did not disap point We delighted in the beet dishes: alambres (Mex ican shish kebab), puntas de filete (tiny slivers of beef sautéed with garlic) and filete de la casa {a slice of rare tenderloin topped with herbs and garlic). (Preston Valley Shopping Center. LBJ Frwy at Preston. Suite 425. 980-7296. Mon-Thur 11:30 am-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat 11:30 am-11 pm. Closed Sun. Drinks with $5.50 membership charge. MC, V, AE. $$) 7.0
Mario’s Chiquita. This northernmost venture of Mario Leal (who owns Chiquita and Mario & Alberto) features a fine version of chorizo flameado (Mexican sausage and cheese melted and dolloped into a flour tortilla), ex cellent flautas and even a passable version of ceviche as appetizers, in addition to the ubiquitous nachos. We find it difficult to force ourselves to sample the various Tex-Mex combination platters (all decked out with girls’ names), because the true Mexican specialties are so much more exciting (221 W Parker. Suite 400. Piano 423-2977. Mon-Thur 11:30 am-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat 11:30-11. Closed Sun MC, V,AE. $$) 6.5
Mia’s. Every city needs its celebrated holes in the wall, and Mia’s has been Dallas’ for the last year or so. It made its reputation with the fajitas, which do have a distinct flavor (is it liquid smoke?). The little pots of stewed pinto beans soak up the tastes of smoked pork and cilantro, and the standard Tex-Mex numbers are better than okay. We like the friendly neighborhood feeling of the place but the service can be a bit scatterbrained. (4418 Lemmon. 526-1020. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 pm and 5-10 pm. Sat noon-10. Closed Sun. No credit cards. $) 5.5
Moctezuma’s. It’s a jungle out there, but no matter how many Mexican restaurants pop up around Dallas, this one will remain a staple of fine Mexican cuisine, from the hot sauce and chips to the “especiales” – specialty dishes that make this south-of-the-border menu distinc tive. (3202 McKinney. 559-3010. Mon-Thur 11-11, Fri- Sun 11 am-midnight. Reservations for parties of six or more. All credit cards $$) 5.5
On The Border. This Knox Street cantina is still a very popular spot, and there’s a reason: The food, especial ly the fajitas, is very good, and the margantas are wonderful. We could make a meal of the appetizers: chips and flavorful hot sauce, perfect guacamole and a mouthwatering layered dip of beans, onions, guacamole and sour cream lopped with melted cheese. But we find the service frustratingly slow. (3300 Knox. 528-5900; 1350 Northwest Hwy at Saturn, Gar land. 686-7867; 2011 E Copeland, Arlington. (817) 460-8000. Mon-Thur 11 am-midnight, Fri & Sat 11 am-1 am. Sun 11-11 at Knox location; Sun-Thur 11-11. Fri & Sat 11 am-midnight at Garland location. Sun-Thur 11-11, Fri & Sat 11 am-midnight at Arlington location MC. V, AE, CB. $$) 5.5
Pepe’s. Right next door to the Routh Street Cafe (Dallas’ trendiest eatery) sits this unpretentious Mexican spot. Pepe’s probably does old-fashioned Tex-Mex as well as any place in Dallas. The beef tacos, for instance, come in a light, fresh-tasting shell. (3011 Routh. 871-9445. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 30 pm & 5:30-10 pm, Sat 10:30 am-10 pm. Closed Sun. No credit cards. $) 6.0
D REVISITS
Rlcardo’s. This is a Mexican restaurant in the new polished style – the colors are rose and plum, with only a few cacti around to give away the restau rant’s ethnic orientation We enjoyed the beef fajitas (neither overmarinated nor overcharred) and the broiled chicken breast, which had a pleasant flavor and a light melting of cheese on top. (17610 Mid way. 931-5073 Mon-Sat 11 am-10 pm, Sun 11 am-9 pm. All credit cards. $$) 6.0
Rosita’s. Every neighborhood ought to have its Rosi- ta’s-but in Dallas you mostly have to go out to Mexican-American neighborhoods to find good, solid Tex-Mex. Here you can get good nachos and tacos and even chiles rellenos. The fajitas were cooked to burned-lasting crisps on the sizzling platter on which they arrived, but the delightful sopapillas and flan after wards made up for them. (4906 Maple. 521-4741; 5705 Southwest Green Oaks. Arlington. 572-1009. Mon-Thur 7 am-10 pm, Fri 7 am-11 pm. Sat 9 am-11 pm. Sun 9 am-10 pm at Maple location, daily 7 am-10 pm at Arlington location MC, V, AE. $ )5.5
Atlantic Cafe. The cooking here remained as fine as ever on our last visit, but there were a couple of problems a restaurant this good shouldn’t tolerate. Mussels, beautifully presented in a flavorful broth, were overlarge and strong tasting The halibut steak couldn’t have been more perfectly grilled-it had a crisp surface and meltingly tender flesh – but it smelled faintly of ammonia, signifying to us that it had passed the peak of freshness. (4546 McKin- ney at Knox. 559-4441. Lunch Mon-Fri & Sun 11-2:30; dinner: Sun-Thur: 5:30-10:30, Fri & Sat 5:30-11. MC, V, AE, DC. $$$) 8.0
Aw Shucks. For many good reasons, this disarming-ly casual shuckery has become one of the most popular Lower Greenville dining spots. Your search lor the perfect cattish may end here-and nobody in Dallas fills a basket with fish for a cheaper price. The same cannot be said of the skimpy shrimp and oyster combo, but skip it and “pick up a dozen”-shucksese for a dozen plump oysters on the hall shell. (3601 Greenville, 821-9449; 4535 Maple. 522-4498. Mon- Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11 am-11:45 pm, Sun 11:30 am-9 pm at Greenville location, Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11 am-11:45, Sun noon-10 pm at Maple location. No credit cards. $) 6.0
D REVISITS
Bay Street. This still looks like Charley’s of old- the Addison branch is as big and airy as ever – and the ownership is still the same. You can still buy grilled fish here, but now Bay Street claims to offer Cajun food as well. (5348 Belt Line. Addison. 934- 8502. Sun Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 11-11. MC, V, AE. $$) 6.0
Best Pacific. This new restaurant wouldn’t attract much notice if it were on McKinney Avenue, but in northwest Garland, it’s enough of a sensation that it has a lot of business on weekends. The two standouts among the entrees we sampled were the sautéed scallops-brown and slightly crunchy on top, but lender and juicy within-and the crisp, cornmeal-coated fillets of cattish, which only needed a bit of salt. (4750 N Jupiter at Arapaho, Garland. 530-1574. Mon-Fri 11 am-2:30 pm & 5-10 pm, Sat & Sun 5-10 pm. All credit cards; personal checks accepted. $$)5.5
D REVISITS
D Calé Margaux. Resist the blandishments of all those other places that claim to serve Creole and Cajun food in Dallas. This is the only one that delivers, with dishes like Cajun pop corn (deep-fried crayfish served with a sherry sauce), definitive blackened redfish and a dark bread pudding with a whiskey sauce (4424 Lovers Lane 739-0886. Lunch Mon-Sat 11:30-2:30: din ner Mon-Sat 6-10. MC, V. $$) 8.5
D Café Pacific. Glossy but relaxed, this place epitomizes the often-deceptive Highland Park mystique for us. Main dishes included a good version of the ubiquitous blackened redfish and the splendid Seafood Pacific (crab, scallops and shrimp in a creamy sauce atop puff pastry), one of the richest concoctions in town (Highland Park Village. Preston at Mockingbird, Suite 24. 526-1170 Lunch: Mon-Sat 11:30-2:30, Sun 10:30-2:30; dinner: Sun-Thur 5:30- 10:30. Fri & Sat 5:30-11. MC. V, AE. $$$) 7.5
Devon Seafood Grill. This is another out of state seafood chain trying to form a bridgehead in Texas- maybe the Bennigan’s of the sea (if only the corporate headquarters weren’t in Kansas City). The food is so wildly unpredictable that it is hard to recommend the place Appetizers, from our experience, may be the best bet. (14866 Montfort Drive 991-0533. Lunch: Mon-Thur 11:30-2:30; dinner. Mon-Thur 5:30-11, Fri & Sat 5 30-11:30, Sun 5:30-10; Sun brunch: 10:30-3. All credit cards. $$-$$$) 5.5
Joe’s Seafood. There are no tables at this serve- yourself oyster bar, just counters and stools, but the lack of amenities doesn’t hurt the taste of the seafood. The whole catfish is served with the fillets miraculous- ly peeled away from the bone, the shrimp are succulent and the oysters are sweet and lender. (4324 Ash Lane [eastbound service road of 1-30, Peak/Carroll exit], 823-3681. Mon-Sat 11 am-midnight. Sun noon- midnight. MC, V, AE. $) 5.5
Jozef’s. On our last visit to this cozy little restaurant on McKinney, we enjoyed a truly relaxing meal. Our ap petizers, stuffed mushrooms and shrimp bisque, were delicious. The shrimp du chef, shrimp in a cream sauce, was light yet satisfying, and the scallops in yet another cream sauce were fresh and very good, but a little too dense. (2719 McKinney. 826-5560. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2:30; dinner: Sun-Thur 6-10, Fri & Sat 6-11. Ail credit cards $$$) 6.0
L&N Seafood Grill. This outpost of a chain based in the Southeast, which overlooks the central courtyard of NorthPark mall, fills a valuable niche in Dallas- somewhere between the simplicities of an S&D Oyster Company and the expense of a Café Pacific. It fries well, as both the bountiful appetizer of fried calamari {served with a racy fresh tomato sauce) and the main course of mixed fried seafood attested. There are fair ly elaborate dishes like the seafood strudel appetizer and a large selection of grilled fish. (701 NorthPark Center. 363-4722. Mon-Thur 11:30 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11:30 am-11 pm,Sun 11 am-10 pm; Sun brunch 11-3. MC, V, AE. $$) 5.5
Oysters. This seafood place is cloning itself so fast we wondered if the food or service might be suffering. But. at the original location on Belt Line in Addison at least, we found things better than ever. A platter of fried seafood had sweet oysters and crunchy shrimp and scallops, and even the cole slaw and french fries were a plus. (4580 Beit Line, 386-0122; 2901 N Central Expwy at Parker, 422-2469 Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11-11, Sun 5-10 pm. MC, V, AE. $$) 6.0
Ratcliffe’s. This spiffy seafood place has a new chef named Richard Chamberlain (he does come from California, although he’s not the former Dr. Kildare, and he worked with Dean Fearing at Agnew’s before his stint on the coast). So far the menu hasn’t gone overboard with New Southwestern touches, though the specials of the day, such as striped sea bass with mushrooms and beurre blanc, seem to surpass the dishes still on the old menu (like fresh lobster in a tar too sweet Américaine sauce) (1901 McKinney. 871-2900 Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner: Sun-Thur 5-10, Fri & Sat 5-11 Reservations. All credit cards $$$) 7.0
Rocco Oyster Bar. Our friendly, efficient waitress sug gested the house specials (displayed on a blackboard above the serving bar), so we tried that trendy favorite blackened redfish, and a steamed Maine lobster The lobster was rather tough, but the redfish was a sensa tion, with a spicy, charbroiled flavor and an incredibly tender texture (2520 Cedar Springs. 747-6226. Tue- Thur 11:30 am-I0 pm. Fri &Sat 11:30 am-11 pm, Sun 11:30 am-10 pm. Closed Mon. MC, V, AE. $$) 5.5
Rusty Pelican. The specialty here is exotic fish, either charbroiled or sautéed. We found that ahi, a Hawaiian fish, look well to the grill-served pink in the center, it really did remind us of a juicy, thick veal chop. Plain old Gulf snapper, sautéed nicely enough, seemed drab next to the fancy imports (14655 Dallas Pkwy, Ad dison. 980-8950. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner Mon-Thur 5-11, Fri 5-midnight, Sat 4:30-midnight, Sun 4.30-11 pm. MC, V, AE, DC. $$$) 6.5
Shucker’s. When this outpost of an Addison seafood restaurant first opened some months ago. we were unimpressed. But a new staff has transformed it into one of the better mid-priced seafood houses in town. Fried things (the specialty of the Addison location) are still good, but the fancier dishes like the combi nation hot hors doeuvres (with two kinds of baked oysters, calamari and sautéed prawns) can be even better. (4620 McKinney. 522-7320. Mon-Thur 11-11, Fri & Sat 11-midnight, Sun noon-10 pm. All credit cards $$-$$$) 6.5
Turtle Cove. We have experienced wide swings of response to the food at Turtle Cove, and don’t believe it’s because we’re moody. Our best choice was a broiled swordfish steak, but the pleasure we took in it (and in wine from the remarkable all-American wine list) wasn’t enough to compensate for our other disappointments. (2731 W Northwest Hwy 350-9034 Sun-Thur 11 am-10pm,Fri & Sat 11-11 All credit cards $$$) 5.5
SOUTHEAST ASIAN
La Pagode. This handsome, homey little place is our favorite for Vietnamese food in Dallas The Imperial rolls and the Vietnamese-style crepe (really a paper-thin omelette stuffed with sprouts and shrimp) are bo1h wonderful ways to start a meal here. The hot pot – a rich broth brimming with morsels of meal, seafood and vegetables-is a good choice for a main dish for a small crowd. (4302 Bryan. 821-4542 Mon-Thur 11 am-10pm. Fri & Sat 11-11, Sun noon-10 pm. MC, V, DC, CB. $-$$) 6.0
Siam Orchid. On our most recent visit, the spring rolls were wonderfully crunchy and tasty, and bo!h soups (chicken with rice and shrimp in a hot-and-sour broth flavored with lemongrass) were enormously satisfying. Crunchy fish fillets swam in a red curry sauce decorated with fresh hot peppers. (1730 W Mock ingbird near Harry Mines. 631-6505. Mon-Fri am-2:30 pm & 5-10:30 pm, Sat 5-10:30 pm. Closed Sun. All credit cards $$) 6.5
D REVISITS
Thai Lanna. We have not been among those im- pressed by the original Bryan Street location of this Thai restaurant. But the new place on Spring Valley Road in Richardson has some of the best Asian food in town Try the stuffed chicken wings, the beef panang or the chicken coconut soup. (1490 W Spring Valley, Richardson. 690-3637,690-3642. Lunch: daily 11 am-3 pm; dinner: daily 5- 10 pm. MC. V, $-$$) 7.0
Si&m Rose. lt would be nice to report that the food at Siam Rose is as much a step up for Thai restaurants in Dallas as the ambience is, but sadly, the cooking is only about average. There are some interesting novelties, though The pieces of chicken cooked in cornhusks are a kind of masa-less Thai tamale, and the duck in a red wine sauce is a subtle mixture of slightly sweet and salty tastes. (5290 Belt Line, Suite 142 991-9881. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-3, dinner daily 5-11. MC, V,AE.$$) 5.5
SOUTHERN
Bubba’s. We continue to come here for the crisp, juicy fried chicken and the sweetish, yeasty rolls (dripping with honey, if you like}. But the rest of Bubba’s food is problematical. The selection of vegetables is com mendable, but the greens, green beans and pinto beans are all cooked (authentically) with salt pork, and all come out saltier than any sailor’s language. (6617 Hiltcrest. 373-6527. Mon-Fri 6:30 am-3 pm & 4-10 pm, Sat & Sun 6:30 am-10 pm. No credit cards: personal checks accepted. $) 4.5
Celebration. What’s to celebrate? Plenty. Thick, zes- ty siabs of meat loaf, succulent baked chicken and other Southern staples, supported by crunchy salads and a rotating cast of home-style vegetables. Best of all, it’s an all-you-can-eat affair at surprisingly modest prices. (4503 W Lovers Lane. 351-5681 Lunch: Mon- Fri 11-2; dinner: Mon-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-11, Sun 5-10. All credit cards. $$} 5.5
Dick’s Last Resort. For a place that is basically a bar, Dick’s Last Resort serves amazingly good food. The beef ribs are huge and mealy, a bit sweet. The spit- turned barbecue chicken is sensational, and the catfish is even better – crunchy and juicy. (Ross at Record. 7470001. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner Mon- Wed 5:30-10:30, Thur & Sun 5-11, Fri & Sat 5-midnight. MC, V, AE, DC. $$) 6.5
Dovie’s. With so much that’s new in Addison, it’s a real treat to spend an evening dining in the old, elegant ranch house of soldier/actor Audie Murphy. But, frank ly, we think Dovie’s charges too much for the am bience The specials of the day, at $15 each, included a tenderloin and a slice of charbroiled swordfish. (14671 Midway. 233-9846. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2:30; dinner. Mon-Thur 5:30-9:30. Fri & Sat 5:30-10. Sun 5 30-9; Sun brunch: 11-2:30. All credit cards. $$) 5.5
Highland Park Cafeteria. We don’t know why the Dallas Parkway branch of this venerable local institu tion cant quite keep up the standards of the original place. Perhaps the demand isn’t there- we notice you can seldom get the signature spinach salad with horse radish at the far North Dallas location. And fried chicken, usually definitive on Knox, is often soggy and tasteless uptown But even at the lesser branch, you can come away feeling coddled by Southern hospitali ty. We love to make a meat of such regional delights as chicken and dumplings, collard greens, yams with marshmallows and lemon pie. The German chocolate cake is also worth the calories (4611 Cole, 526-3801; Sakowitz Village. 5100 Belt Line at Dallas Pkwy, Suite 600. 934-8800. Mon-Sat 11:30 am-2 pm & 5:30-8 pm at Cole location; Mon-Sat 11 am-8 pm, Sun 10:45 am-3 pm at Sakowitz Village location. No credit cards; MC. V, AE for orders of more than $10. $) 6.0
Southern Kitchen. All the shrimp, crab meat and oysters you can eat (and that’s just for appetizers!) is a powerful draw. It matters little that the supposed main course (fried and barbecued chicken, fried seafood and trimmings, again in unlimited quantities) is just a bit better than good cafeteria level. If you prefer, you can order a steak or broiled swordfish instead. (6615 E Northwest Hwy. 368-1658; 2356 W Northwest Hwy, 352-5220. Mon-Sat 5:30-10 pm, Sun 5-9:30 pm. All credit cards. $$$) 4.5
STEAKS, BURGERS, ETC.
Baskets Eatery. You order at a counter, and your meal comes in-what else?-a basket, but there’s a wider choice than at similar places where you can only get burgers. Here there are shish kebabs and tried chicken as well. (4343 W Northwest Highway, 351-2575; 1603 LBJ Freeway, 484-3681. Sun-Thur 11 am-10 pm. Fri & Sat 11-11 at Northwest Highway loca tion; Mon-Fri 11 am-3 pm at LBJ location. No credit cards; personal checks accepted. $) 5.5
Chuggs. Chuggs has opened a back room and put up a mural, but it’s still the same lovable place we dis covered last year. The Chicago-style sandwiches are something special: Vienna hot dogs, huge hamburg ers, definitive Reubens. (730 W Centerville, Garland. 686-1500. Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm,.Fri & Sat 11-11, Sun 11 am-5 pm. No credit cards; personal checks ac cepted. $) 6.5
Hoffbrau. The specialty here is definitely meal, and judging by the crowds at both lunch and dinner, Hoff- brau’s tasty steaks are no secret. All dinners here in clude a large salad (with a house dressing), a plate of bread and crackers and pan-fried chunky potato slices. (3205 Knox. 559-2680. Mon-Fri 11-11, Sat noon-11 pm, Sun noon-10 pm. All credit cards. $$) 5.5
Jimanny’s. Though you can still get steak here, this is essentially a European brasserie these days (the new proprietors are Belgian). So the steaks come topped with well-prepared sauces like one of cream and pepper and another of mushrooms and brandy. Or the sauces can top the delicious spit-roasted chickens one sees turning on rotisseries. (2109 W Parker, Piano. 985-1339. Mon-Sat 11:30 am-midnight, Sat 5 pm-11 pm. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE. $-$$) 6.5
The Palm. The old-pro waiters g.ive the place a certain air. and the food is certainly the sort high rollers go for. Steaks are the number one item- our tenderloin was as delicious as it was pricey. Lobsters are another specialty, and luckily this time we found one weighing in at only three and a half pounds. (701 Ross. 698-0470. Mon-Fri 11:30 am-10:30 pm, Sat 5-11 pm, Sun 5-9:30 pm. All credit cards. $$$$) 6.5
Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Don’t be alarmed that Dallas’ premier steakhouse is part of a small New Orleans-based franchise chain – group buying is the only way to be sure of getting beef this good out of the distributors. And good it is The rib-eye is our favorite -though the indulgence in so much rich beef may raise our cholesterol for a week. (6940 Greenville. 691-6940. Mon-Fri 11:30-11:30, Sat & Sun 5-11:30 pm. All credit cards. $$$) 7.5
LAS COLINAS/MID CITIES
Café Acapulco. Even the local eateries smack of the burgeoning affluent environment, which sets the stage for Café Acapulco, a Mexican cafe done in smart white stucco arches and cool tiles. We found both the beef and chicken fajitas worthy of the recognition. (4001 Green Oaks Blvd, Arlington. (817)5 72-44 71. Mon- Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11-11, Sun noon-10 pm. AE, MC, V. $$) 5.0
The Cafe. Mom never thought about cooking like this: stuffed jalapenos, smothered steak with mushrooms and chicken-fried rib-eye- all to the beat of Motown’s best This Arlington spot is riding the crest of Fifties nostalgia with flashing neon and lots of chrome, but a second look at the impressive menu and beer list (more than 100 brands) will tell you that The Cafe is firmly entrenched in the Eighties. (715-A Ryan Plaza. Ar lington (817)261-1000 Mon-Thur 11:30 am-10 pm. Fri & Sat 11 30 am-midnight. Sun 11-10 MC, V, AE, DC. $$) 6.5
Cafe Cipriani. A brass-and-glass elevator sets the tony mood, but the food sometimes is a letdown. The mixed seafood appetizer (including tiny squid), the shrimp provencale and the earthy risotto with wild mushrooms were fine, but the crab cannelloni were bland and the [fresh lobster came served over a shockingly green (and not very appetizing} spinach sauce. (220 E Las Colinas Blvd, Irving 869-0713. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2, dinner: Mon-Thur 5:30-10:30. Fri & Sat 5:30-11. Closed ’Sun Ail credit cards $$$} 6.0
China Terrace. With its rosewood antiques and its wonderful assortment of fine Oriental ornaments. China errace creates the perfect atmosphere to enjoy fine Chinese dining. We savored the beef with broccoli and indulged in prawns so artfully arranged on our plates that it seemed a shame to devour everything so quick ly. (5435 N MacArthur, Irving. 258-1113. Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11-11, Sun 11 am-10 pm. MC, V, AE. $$) 6.0
D REVISITS
D Enjolie. Although on two recent visits we have suffered from underdone lobster and unimaginative sauces, there are still enough delightful touches like the tart grapefruit sorbet. the selection of French cheeses and (he chocolate truffles to make a visit to Enjolie extreme ly rewarding. (Mandalay Four Seasons Hotel. 221 E Las Colinas Blvd. Irving. 556-0800, ext. 3511. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner. Mon-Sat 6-10:30. Closed Sun. Reservations recommended- AH credit cards $$$$) 8.5
Flying Lobsler. Grapevine is undergoing a major facelift these days, and the Flying Lobster, with its fresh entrees and dockside decor, is among the community’s newest and best offerings. The lobster is flown in daily from Maine; the crab comes from (he Gulf. The en trees lack imagination, but freshness makes up for creativity (1321 W Northwest Hwy, Grapevine- (817) 481-4135. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner. Tue-Thur 5-10, Fri & Sat 5-11, MC, V, AE; personal checks ac cepted. $$) 6.0
Hunan Dynasty. We were most pleasantly impressed by the look of this second-story restaurant (overlooking only Highway 183, sadly), with its tasteful colors and appointments and unusual wooden furniture, The “gourmet specialties” are really mixtures of ingredients or platters presenting several different dishes from the regular menu, but it was tun to try the Jewels of Hunan, which gave us a chance to sample kung po chicken, Hunan beef and the braised shrimp in Hunan sauce, (1111 W Airport Frwy at MacArthur, Suite 201, Irving. 252-0126 Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri 11-11 Sat noon-11 pm. Sun noon- 10 pm. MC, V, AE. $$) 6.0
La Dell, You can begin and end your meal with the Generous Tray alone: 18 (count ’em) dishes of assorted salads and appetizers, from rolled and stuffed grape leaves to fresh yogurt. But be sure 10 leave some room for an entree The combination dinner is a good choice because you can sample some of Lebanon’s most famous (and unpronounceable) dishes: Kibbi, falafel and shish kebab. (5433 N MacArthur. 258-1163. Lunch: Mon-Sat 10-3;dinner Tue-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-10. Closed Sun. All credit cards. $$) 5.5
Mllano’s. The dimly lit. paneled dining room, with its intimate booths and deep cushions, spells romance. The Italian restaurant is a place tor lovers-if they have hearty appetites, We heartily recommend the veal scampi, a dish that weds huge Gulf shrimp with delicate medallions of veal Marsala The fettuccine was better than any we’ve tasted, and the appetizer of crab claws in drawn butler was scrumptious. (815 N Collins, Arlington. (817) 261-2216. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner: daily 5:30-10:30. All credit cards. $$$) 6.0
Piccolo Mondo. We were pleasantly surprised to find gnocchi on the evening’s menu at this neighborhood Italian restaurant in Arlington, Sated, we followed that great beginning with fettuccine alla putanesca and veal scallopine Virginia. The fettuccine was unusual in its light, tomatoey sauce, but the light and creamy veal was predictable. (829 East Lamar. (817) 265-9174. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2:30; dinner: Mon-Thur 5:30-10:30, Fri & Sat 530-11. All credit cards $$) 6.0
Samurai. It’s surprising how a belt of Saki will improve your outlook on life – and raw fish Dunked in the mix-ture of soy sauce and hot mustard, sashimi can be one of the best taste sensations found anywhere. All here, with the mild exception of the Yellowfish, fulfilled our expectations The large portion of salmon was a little more done than we prefer but the creamy sauce restored the dish’s vitality. The array of tempura vegetables, on the other hand, was somewhat lackluster and bland. And the marinated beet was plentiful, Out tasted as if it had marinated perhaps too long. But another belt of Saki put everything right. (West Park How, Arlington. (817) 860-2871. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner Mon-Thur 5-10 pm. Fri & Sat 5-11 pm. All credit cards. $$) 5.5
Via Real. The contents of the menu are as fresh as the look of the place-you might call the concept New Wave Mexican, with a hint of Continental Spanish in fluence. The appetizers include such novelties as crepa de salmone (thin slices of smoked salmon enfolded in crepes and served dry except for a garnish of pico de gallo) and rellenos de pescado (long cylinders of fish mousse studded with salmon and surrounded by a rich sauce). Main courses at Via Real also till toward the seafood end. with skewered scallops and swordfish among the specialties. (Towne North Centre. 3591 N Belt Line at Northgate, Irving. 255-0064. Lunch. Mon- Sat 11-5; dinner:Sun-Thur 5-10:30, Fri Sat 5-11:30, Sun 11 am-11:30 pm. MC, V, AE. $$) 6.5
The Verona. This Lincoln Square establishment is on its way to becoming a major contender in the Arlington restaurant scene. We started our meal with fresh mussels steamed in a while wine broth with herbs and garlic We decided to continue in the seafood vein with Iinguine pescatore (linguine pasta with shrimp, scal lops, mussels and crab claws in a white wine sauce) which proved to be a light but substantial entree. The scallopine alla Toscana was heavier but delicious with mushrooms, ham, artichokes and capers in a light cream sauce (226 Lincoln Square Shopping Center. Arlington. (817) 861-9492. Lunch: Mon-Fri 1130-2; dinner: Mon-Thur 5:30-10:30, Fri & Sat 5:30-10:30. Closed Sun. AE, MC, V. $$$) 6.0
FORT WORTH
Angelo’s. How much of Angelo’s reputation is war ranted and how much mere mystique? We found the sliced barbecue and the chopped beef sandwich both lacking in smoky flavor (though tender and lean enough) on out most recent excursion. (2533 White Settlement Rd. (817) 332-0357. Mon-Sat 11 am-10 pm. Closed Sun No credit cards. $) 6.0
Autumn Moon. It’s hard to understand why, on a re cent visit, we were serenaded with the sounds of a live electric guitar player throughout our dinner of crispy soup, spicy chicken and “two taste delicious,” a daring mix of spicy shrimp and pork. Our meal was, as usual, prompt and satisfying but as far as we could tell, the music was more akin to Muzak than ballads of the Far East. (5516 Brentwood Stair. (817)496-6633. Sun-Thur 11 am-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat 11 am-11 pm. MC, V, AE, DC. $$) 5.5
Aventino’s. This small West Side Italian inn is becom- ing a consistent winner with us. On our las! visit, we had some of the best tortellini in Fort Worth-perhaps the entire Metroplex. The melted-cheese appetizer (to dunk piping-hot bread in) was gooey and rich: and the live classical guitar music was a perfect backdrop for our dessert of espresso and coconut flan. (3206 Win- throp Ave. (817) 731-0711. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2; din ner: Mon-Thur 5-10. Fri & Sat 5-11, Sun 5-9. MC, V, AE, DC. $$) 5.0
The Balcony of Rldglea. Overlooking the streaming lights of Camp Bowie is even more pleasurable while you sip a glass of crisp, cold white wine and savor the piquant taste of tender Norwegian salmon, steamed and sauced with a light hollandaise. A recent visit to this West side vanguard yielded both – in ample and satisfying portions. In addition to the redfish, we also sampled a house specially, double-cut lamb chops, and found them moist and tender. perfectly cooked to order We would have stopped there, but our waiter pleasantly surprised us with a sudden availability of a Grand Marnier souffle of which we eagerly took advan-lage. It was delicate-albeit loaded with the sweet liqueur-and could have stood alone sans the dollop of whipped cream, which only added to its richness. (6100 Camp Bowie Blvd (817) 731-3719. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner: Mon-Thur 6-10, Fri & Sat 6- 10:30 Closed Sun. Ail major credit cards. $$$) 6.5
Benito’s. This funky place on the near South Side of fers real Mexican dishes rather than Tex-Mex. A wait of only a few minutes will produce an appetizer of sopes, a cousin of the chalupa with a thicker base of cornmeal dough. Fajitas come with grilled scallions in true Mex ican fashion, but they can be a bit lough. (1450 W Magnolia- (817) 332-8633. Sun-Thur 10-10, Fri & Sat 10 am-3 am. MC, V, DC, CB. $) 6.0
Calhoun Street Oyster Co. The decor and the menu at this place are borrowed from New Orleans, but the service we encountered during a recent visit had an in viting Texas flair. If you’re not set on oysters, choose from the selections on the blackboard, where fresh seafood items vary daily (210 E Eighth at Calhoun. (817) 332-5932. Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11-11. Sun 5-10 pm. MC, V, AE. $$) 5.0
The Carriage House. Leisurely service is the byword here. Nothing is rushed and given the ambition of the new menu, you need the time to carefully peruse the bountiful offerings of steak, seafood and veal. We could have made an entire meal of the fresh, perfectly seasoned pate maison. Our grilled swordfish was taken from the flames not a moment too soon, but the large tenderloin suffered under a suffocating blanket of pep percorns. Despite competition, the Old Guard Carriage House remains one of the most popular places in Fort Worth – and by our observations, it is aging as grace fully as its clientele. (5136 Camp Bowie. (817) 732- 2873. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner: Mon-Sat 6-11, Sun 6-10; Sun brunch: 11-2.MC,V,AE. $$$) 6.5
City Park Cafe. When was the last time you went to a restaurant and found the food even better than you remembered and the prices tower? If it’s been as long for you as it has been for us, then you haven’t stopped by the City Park Cafe, that quaint little strip restaurant in the TCU district, lately. We’re making a resolution not to let so much time slip by from now on. We fried a tender veal marsala in a brown sauce that was different from what we had expected but a great choice and a plate of seafood fettuccine that was as good as we’ve had in more expensive places. City Park Cafe is a jewel of a neighborhood restaurant. (2418 Forest Park Blvd. (817) 921-4567. Lunch: daily 11-3; dinner: Mon-Thur 5-10. Fri & Sat 5-11, Sun 5-9; Sun brunch: 11-3. MC, V, AE; personal checks accepted. $$) 6.0
El Rancho Grande. Our high opinion of this North Side establishment was tarnished a bit during our last visit. First we were kept waiting for more than 20 minutes before our drink order was even taken, despite a bevy of waitresses hovering over nearby tables. Then we tried to console ourselves with the house special margarita (a heavy portion of gold tequila and other li queurs), but the steep price tag drowned our some what rejuvenated spirits. Despite these disappoint ments, the beet fajitas and chicken enchiladas drenched in sour cream were still in our good graces, and the light-as-a-feather nacho chips are still our favorites. (1400NMa\n (817) 624-9206. Mon-Thur 11 am-9.30pm. Fri &Sat 11 am-10:30 pm. Closed Sun. All credit cards $$) 4.5
D Escape. The chef has not lost his touch here From the beginning shrimp appetizer, through the heavenly lobster bisque and house salad, to the delicious veal Oscar and closing cheesecake, our appetites were amply satisfied. (3417 E Wellington. (817) 738-9704. Sun-Thur 6-10 pm, Fri & Sat 6-11 pm. All credit cards. $$$) 7.5
D Hedary’s. The assortment of appetizers was nothing short of spectacular, with definitive eggplant and chickpea dips, fatafel, vegeta bles and salads. And the baklava and other desserts were light, delicate and delicious. We confess to some disappointment with our main dishes, though. Our skewered lamb was tough, and our frarej (chicken broiled in olive oil) didn’t taste as boldly of garlic as we remembered. (3308 Fairfield at Camp Bowie (817) 731-6961. Lunch: Tue-Fri 11-2; dinner: Tue-Thur & Sun 5-10 pm. Fri & Sat 5-11 pm. Closed Mon. All credit cards. $$) 7.5
J&J Oyster Bar. At J&J. you can have your seafood any way you like it, as long as you like it fried. Choles terol counts aside, you’ll love J&J It’s just what an oyster bar should be: a long bar with stools for perch ing, some “tall tops” (tall, round tables with matching stools) and waitresses in jeans who bring you plastic baskets bulging with deep-fried fish and shellfish. Purists can feast on orders of raw oysters. (929 Univer sity (817)335-2756. Mon-Thur 11-11. Fn&Sat 11 am- midnight. Sun 3-9 pm. MC. V, AE. $) 6.0
Joe T. Garcia’s. In case you haven’t heard, the stand ard Mexican dinner is the big specialty here, and it’s almost the only thing Joe T.’s serves. It consists of round cheese nachos with a sprinkling of chopped jalapenos, a couple of cheese enchiladas with a purist’s cumin-flavored sauce and a couple of tacos made the old-fashioned way, with meat fried right in the crimped- together shell. On the side, thick retried beans, a lovely guacamole and fluffy Mexican rice are served family style. (2201 N Commerce. (817) 626 4356. Mon-Fri 11 am-2::30 pm & 5-10:30 pm, Sat 11-11, Sun 1-10 pm. No credit cards. $$) 6.5
La Palma. No ritzy ferns. No cute little fried appetizer things. And no frosty margaritas -they don’t even have a hard-liquor license. But. jumpm’jehosaphat, you don’t need those frills when you have the best fajitas in town. (3810Main. (817) 626-0292. Mon 11 am-2 pm. Tue-Sat 11 am-9 pm. Closed Sun MC, V. $) 6.0
La Poeple dor. This restaurant, in its storefront location, is very small, with crowded tables, slow service and decor that’s nondescript at best. But the food is still worthy of consideration. We tried sautéed fillets of orange roughy, a fish from New Zealand, and found them delicate, and the specialty of the house (called shrimp Vance) is divine – lightly battered and crunchy crustaceans in a buttery sauce. (5718 Locke. (817) 738-6670. Mon-Thur 6:30-10 pm, Fri & Sat 6:30-11 pm. Closed Sun. All credit cards. $$$) 6.0
Le Café Bowie. This Fort Worth favorite, which is beginning to show its age a bit, maintains a high qual ity in the evenings by keeping things simple. Everyone gels soup and salad as starters, and the entrees are mostly variations on beef tenderloin and veal scallops. (4930 Camp Bowie. (817) 735-1521. Lunch: Wed-Fri 11:30-2; dinner: Sun-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-11; Sun brunch: noon-2. All credit cards: personal checks , accepted. $$$) 6.0
D Michel. Now there is a printed menu, from which you can order a la carte. And Michel also offers a nightly menu de dégustation, with five sizable courses, including dessert. When we visited, the menu de dégustation included some surprisingly . adventurous items, starting with a veal pate and then a seafood mousse. (3851 Camp Bowie. (817) 732- 1231. Mon-Sat 6-10 pm. Closed Sun. Reservations. Jackets and ties required. MC, V, AE. $$$$) 7.5
River House. The trick is to arrive early enough on a weekend night to be seated right away. That way, you’ll have the entire selection of specials to choose from. You’ll be sorry it you miss out on the King Salmon (1660 S University. (817) 336-0815 Lunch. Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner: Mon & Tue 5-9, Wed-Sat 5-10. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE, DC. $$$) 5.5
Rodolfo’s. Within minutes o1 being seated, we found ourselves in front of steaming tortellini and linguine in clam sauce The tortellini was part of a pasta sampler plate that also included manicotti and ravioli, all in a cream sauce. The linguine, basking in a highly sea soned red sauce, was like a magnet for the heavily . dosed garlic bread. (6103 Camp Bowie Blvd. (817) 731-3801. Mon-Sat 11 am-10 pm, Sun 5-10 pm. All credit cards. $) 5.5
D Saint-Emilion. There’s no doubt in our minds anymore-this is Fort Worth’s premier restaurant and a wonderful bargain The shrimp provencale is a masterpiece, and everything from salads with bacon and walnuts to the berry larts is most worthwhile. (3617 W Seventh, Fort Worth (817) 737-2781. Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2 pm & 6-10 pm, Sat 6-10 pm. Closed Sun. All credit cards $$$) 8.0
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