La Pergola
Remembrance of things pasta: there used to be just one type of Italian restaurant in Dallas. It invariably featured wall-to-wall tomato sauce, red-checked tablecloths, and Chianti-bottle candleholders. It was hard to tell one Type One from another, given that the only variable tended to be the amount of dried oregano present in the ubiquitous you-know-what sauce.
Recent years, however, have seen the genesis of another type of Italian restaurant. Type Two acknowledges the range and sophistication of Italian cuisine, has no red-checked tablecloths and no Chianti-bottle candle-holders, and tomato sauce is present only when it’s called for.
La Pergola is a Type Two. Its mauve, purple, and black decor seems to be striving for a deco effect. There are those who think this is the best-looking Italian restaurant in town. I disagree: the effect is very glossy, but lacks a certain aesthetic resonance. As for the food at La Pergola, it has its ups and I downs, but on average it is among Dallas’s best Type Two fare.
Taking it from the top: the salads are adequate, though not thrilling. Bibb lettuce, radic-chio, and cucumber had the misfortune of being served with so much mild vinaigrette that they were limp. Spinach, pine nuts, and sliced mushrooms with a lemony dressing fared better. And a mixture of chopped apple, Belgian endive, and radic-chio with walnuts in a mustardy vinaigrette was interesting because of its sturdy texture and bracing bitterness.
An appetizer of baked oysters topped with spinach, bechamel sauce, and Parmesan cheese fell into the not-bad-but-not-good-enough-to-order-again category, as did the pea and artichoke soup. Moving into the pasta section of the menu, the news gets better: all pastas are made on the premises, are available in full or half portions, and were good to great on my visits. Good: paglia e fieno, thin green and white pasta in a tomato cream sauce with bits of prosciutto ham; pan-sotti, described on the menu as little pouches filled with ricotta cheese, Parmesan, and pesto, covered with tomato sauce, but looking and tasting like plain old ravioli with tomato sauce. Great: fettuccine con funghi, with a wonderfully earthy sour cream-based mushroom sauce; and ravioli dei dogi, thin pillows of pasta stuffed with crab meat and served with smooth, creamy, parsley-sprinkled tomato sauce.
Calf’s liver and onions served in a lively white-wine sauce was a winning Italianate take on the old blue-plate standard. And as long as you can manage not to think of Peter Rabbit and his brothers, the boneless roast rabbit with a sauce of rosemary-sparked juices would also be a good choice. Roast rack of lamb-three chops, cooked medium to order-was flavorful, even though its bed of overcooked spinach was pointless.
The best dessert I had at La Pergola was zabaglione fantasia, orange slices in a Champagne-orange liqueur sabayon sauce. Dense white chocolate ice cream ran a close second. The also-rans were poached pears in chocolate sauce and zuppa inglese, a rum-soaked cake with almonds, chocolate sauce, and pastry cream. (1800 McKinney. 871-4943. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11 am-2:30pm; dinner Sun-Thur 6-10pm, Fri-Sat 6-11 pm. All credit cards. $$$)
Antonio’s
Antonio’s is the brainchild of Antonio del Rincon, former manager of Javier’s. Like Javier’s, Antonio’s offers a Continental-Mex alternative to Tex-Mex. Although it cannot be recommended without reservation, the highlights are worth a trip for anyone serious about Mexican food.
The first sign of ambition at Antonio’s is the arrival of not one but two salsas at the table to accompany one’s tostadas: a green, sweetish tomatillo and a more peppery red. Nachos were made with first-class ingredients: black beans, white cheese, fresh-tasting guacamole, jalaperios, and real, runny sour cream. I would, however, have preferred them individually assembled to their “pile style” arrangement.
Queso fundido was a good, greasy melding of melted cheese, chorizo sausage, and green pepper in flour tortillas. It goes well with the rich-tasting black bean soup. Of course, if you did order both of these, it would be impossible to proceed to an entrée, and you would miss the best dish at Antonio’s: the shrimp with a subtly nutty pumpkin-seed sauce.
After that terrific shrimp, other entrées at Antonio’s were relatively disappointing: nearly flavorless tenderloin tips in a pepper sauce, sauéed salmon served with an excess of butter sauce, and a mystery beef dish (my friend ordered filete sal limon, described as tenderloin encased in Parmesan cheese, and got beef awash in a sea of what tasted like Kraft barbecue sauce).
However, all was forgiven with dessert. Coconut flan, merengue (whipped cream or chocolate ice cream sandwiched between two layers of egg-white pastry), and cheesecake with caramel sauce were all big hits at our table. The plain flan, which was perfectly respectable, was a loser only by comparison.
There’s nothing particularly Mexican about Antonio’s nondescript, though technically “nice” decor. Service was quite good on my visits, and at dinner there was a strolling guitarist. One of the many essential divisions of humanity is between people who welcome strolling musicians and people who cringe at their approach. 1 fall into the second camp, but my companions at dinner were among the first, so we were serenaded at length. The guitarist was good, and even I had to admit that some of the Jobim numbers he played were quite pleasant. (14849 Inwood Road (south of Belt Line), Addison. 490-9557. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11 am-2:30pm; dinner: Sun-Thur 5:30-10:30pm, Fri & Sat 5:30-11:30 pm. MC, V, AE. $$$)
Mai’s Kitchen
If you already like Chinese or Thai food, chances are that you will like Vietnamese food, which has been described as the nouvelle cuisine of Oriental cookery. However, I hasten to make plain that Vietnamese food is no characterless hybrid. It is a cuisine with a long, distinctive history.
Bach Ngo and Gloria Zimmerman write in The Classic Cuisine of Vietnam: “Anyone under the illusion that Vietnamese cookery is a mere variation of Chinese cuisine will discover what a fundamentally different style it has-and unforgettably different delight it is. A similar comparison could be made between French and Italian cuisine, each using many of the same raw materials with sharply varying techniques and, just as important, different flavorings and spices, with infinitely different results.”
Probably the most important flavoring in Vietnamese cookery is nuoc mam, or fish sauce. I can’t explain what nuoc mam tastes “like,” because it tastes like itself and nothing else. I can state with confidence that it tastes very good-and nothing like fish. This is important to keep in mind because I suspect that some diners-not you, fearless reader, but other cowardly sorts-might otherwise be put off by its origins.
Ngo and Zimmerman explain: “Soy sauce, the universal Chinese seasoning, is rarely seen in Vietnamese recipes, which rely on nuoc mam (pronounced nyuk mahm) instead. Nuoc mam is the product of layers of fresh anchovies and layers of salt, laid down in large barrels. The process produces a clear amber liquid, a bit salty and redolent of the sea. The literal translation into English-fish sauce’-does not come near to conveying its remarkable quality of blending. Nuoc mam is used as a flavoring in the cooking process and as a base for nuoc cham-a combination of nuoc mam, garlic, chili peppers, fresh lime, and sugar that accompanies all dishes and takes the place of salt at the table. Insidiously good, it has the unique property of submerging itself in the flavors of other ingredients, adding a strikingly delicious dimension to this exotic cookery.”
All of which is by way of introduction to Mai’s Kitchen, a small, shipshape restaurant where a small bowl of nuoc cham with shredded carrots is served with the spring rolls. The spring rolls are also accompanied by sliced cucumbers, mung bean sprouts, and lots of lettuce, which one is advised to wrap around pieces of spring roll, but which I ended up ignoring.
Fiery shrimp in lemon sauce arrive chilled and must be cooked on a little contraption at the table. The result is worthwhile, but this is a dangerous dish to order if you and a companion are hashing out matters of grave import, since inattention may result in unintentionally blackened shrimp.
Because I go to restaurants to avoid cooking, next time I’ll stick to the pan-fried noodles with shrimp and pork, a satisfying dish that fans of Thai food will recognize as being a first cousin to pud That. I also liked the marinated charbroiled pork, which consisted of skewers of tender pork on a bed of vermicelli, served with a plate of fresh herbs and sprouts on the side. The “special rice dish with pork chops” wasn’t bad, but it was essentially a pork chop on top of rice, and hence not particularly interesting.
One of my favorite things about Vietnamese restaurants is the availability of fresh lemonade and iced coffee of sufficient strength to make the dead rise. They’re both here, and worth a trip in themselves. (10560 Walnut at Piano Rd. 487-0111. Tue-Sun 11 am-10pm. Closed Mon. All credit cards. $-$$)
Recommended Restaurants
American Italic
D Beau Nash, if you haven’t made it to Wolfgang Puck’s Spago in LA, you can meet your California cuisine needs at Beau Nash, where Puck-trained Steve Singer is chet The New Wave pizzas are terrific: pizza with smoked salmon, sour cream, lemon, dill, red onion, and golden caviar and pizza with pheasant sausage, cilantro, shitake mushrooms, red chile flakes, green onions, and yellow bell peppers Fish-such as grilled swordfish with a gingery relish and grilled red snapper- is a good bet here, too. And desserts are simply dy-no-mite: pies, such as rhubarb raspberry and blackberry buttermilk custard; homemade ice creams and sorbets; and cookies Beau Nash has the look of a tropical brasserie on a Texas scale, and the dress code and service are relatively . relaxed. (Crescent Court Hotel. 400 Crescent Court. Maple at McKinney 871-3200. Breakfast: daily 6:30-10:30, Lunch: Mon-Sat 11:30-2:30; dinner: daily 6-11:30: Sun brunch 11-230. All credit cards $$$$)
D BIom’s. Every dish here stretches the imagination to its ultimate On our last visit, the ever-changing menu yielded duck liver with ginger and mango; a salad of endives, oysters, and tiny beets, rack of lamb crowned with an herb souffle and lots of fresh rosemary; and a crêpe filled with a light mixture of yams and walnuts. The wild-game terrine, the salad with goal cheese and crumbled walnuts, and the chocolata Marquise were exemplary, too. On this visit, so was the service. (Westin Hotel, Galleria, 13340 Dallas Pkwy. 851-2882. Mon-Fri 6:30-10 pm, Sat & Sun 6-10. Reservations recommended. Jackets and lies required. Ail credit cards. $$$$)
D City Cafe. City Cafe gives urban civilization a good name The setting is urbane in a clean-lined, low-key way. At night both the lighting and the recorded classical music are subdued, which makes the place romantic, but not too obviously romantic. In fact, the night time is definitely the right time for City Cafe: although lunch can be very good, it never rises to the heights of dinner. Both the lunch and the dinner menus change weekly (on Wednesdays) Pick hits from past menus include fresh tomato soup, bacon-wrapped oysters brochette, pan-fried Idaho brook trout, blueberry crumble, and coconut cream tart. The all-American wine list is well-chosen and reasonably priced, and the availability of thirteen wines by the glass is a bonus for the relalively abstemious (5757 W Lovers Lane (just west of Dallas N Tollway). 351-2233. Lunch: Mon-Sat 11:30-2:30; dinner Mon-Sat 6-10:30. Closed Sun. All credit cards. $$$)
D The Mansion on Turtle Creek. Chef Dean Fearing is doing the most exciting cooking in town. The appetizer of rabbit and venison sausage is delightfully audacious, and the rich sauces on dishes like the roast Indiana duck are unmatched. You can’t go wrong with one of Fearing’s complex salads (like asparagus, pasta, and salmon in green apple vinaigrette), grilled fish (like Louisiana grouper with papaya-basil sauce), or any of the mouth-watering desserts. Especially memorable was the chocolate-banana cream cake with orange curd sauce. One element has been retained from the old Mansion menu: to get the delicious side dishes like the truffle potato or the zucchini, eggplant, and tomato casserole, you still have to shell out extra bucks {and lots of them) (2821 Turtle Creek Blvd. 526-2121. Main dining room-jackets and lies required Lunch: Mon-Fri noon-2:30, brunch; Sat noon-2:30, Sun 11-2:30; 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. $$$$)
D Revisits
Parigi. I have a love-hate relationship with Parigi. I love its slick, post-modern looks. I hate the pained attitude of its waiters, whose hauteur can put a dent in the best of moods. I love the constantly changing menu when it works (a sublimely refreshing chicken salad with mixed bell peppers, warm peppered chevre, and toasted pecans on mixed greens with sherry vinaigrette). I hate the constantly changing menu when it doesn’t work (as in almost any of the oddball pasta options, which in my experience are ill-conceived and arrive afloat in a sea of butter). One suggestion for those who don’t like gastronomic gambles: to guarantee having a good meal at Parigi. go for lunch and order the cold sliced beef tenderloin. Desserts-including “chocolate glob” and peach cobbler with whipped cream – would fall into the “love” category for many Parigi regulars, but I find them killingly sweet and utterly out of character with the rest of the New Wave menu. (3311 Oak Lawn. Suite 102. 521-0295. Lunch: Tue-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner: Tue-Thur 6:30-10:30, Fri & Sat 6:30-11; Sat brunch: 10-3. Closed Sun & Mon. MC. V, AE. DC $$$)
D Routh Street Cafe. When this place is in top form, it is as good as any restaurant in the history of Dallas. Appetizers were especially imaginative on our last visit: deboned, roasted quail halves sat on top of a sweet potato pancake bathed in a sauce made from one of the new California dessert wines; and a ragout of lobster, sweetbreads, black mushrooms, and corn boasted a complex, creamy sauce. The main courses were the most Mexican-influenced we had ever tried here: a sauce made of tomatillos and barely cooked black beans lapped a red snapper fillet, and a half-moon of wild boar slices came with a sensational smoked vegetable tamale. As always, the little extras (cantaloupe-spearmint ice and the most delicate corn muffins in our experience) were exemplary, and desserts (blueberry tan with orange curd and blackberry buckle with cinnamon icecream) remain peerless. (3005 Routt) at Cedar Springs. 871-7161. Tue-Sat 6-10:30pm. Closed Sun & Mon. Reservations. All credit cards. $$$$)
D West End Oasis. Probably the handsomest restaurant in Dallas with its granite waterfall and commissioned art, the West End Oasis boasts “cuisine du soleil” -a cross between New Southwestern and provencal cuisines The inventive soups and luscious desserts are almost always impressive, but the entrees (often grilled) sometimes lack oomph. The tender young chicken, for instance, is grilled to juicy doneness. but in these surroundings one expects some sort of sauce or something to give an extra boost of flavor. The most outstanding main course we have tried is the swordfish Service is attentive -sometimes a bit too much so. (302 N Market (entrance on Pacific]. 698-9775. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11 30-2; dinner: Mon-Thur 6-10, Fri & Sal 6-11. All credit cards. $$$$)
Zanzibar. This Lower Greenville wine bar cum restaurant may be the hippest place in town where you can actually find good food If the youth and the sartorial exuberance of the clientele don’t faze you, try one of the long list of wines available by the glass and order from the blackboard of daily specialties, which has provided better results than the regular menu for us. The specials of the day in the pasta and fish categories are usually winners-we especially enjoyed the linguine with clams and bits of tuna. From the menu, the meal and cheese plate proved pedestrian, with no more adventuresome choices than roast beef and Swiss cheese. The house version of chicken tacos. with grilled fowl in rather soggy flour tortillas, did not excite either. For desserts there are only various flavors of cheesecake, though jobbed in from a good supplier. (2912 Greenville. 828-2250. Mon 6 pm-1am. Tue-Sat 11:30 am-2 am. Sun 10:30 am-midnight. Sun brunch: 10:30-3. MC. V. AE. $$)
Barbecue/Texana
Good Eats Cafe. This Austin transplant seems to have taken to the Dallas climate, to judge from the lines at peak limes (primarily during weekend brunch hours). The concept here is home cooking with some natural-foods influence Hence the hefty burgers-always a good bet -are served on “gravel-grain” buns that are quite lasty, though they may give pause to burger classicists. But burger classicists miss out on all manner of gratification: they also would pass on the bacon blue cheese option, which is most restorative to the troubled soul Breakfast is also a consistent winner, but venture into the area of fish, shrimp, barbecue, or vegetables and things become dicier. Wherever you sit at Good Eats, the jukebox is first-rate and the neon-accented room is airy and pleasant, but lots of luck getting seated at one of the four prized booths. (3531 Oak Lawn 521-1398 Sun-Thur 7 am-11 pm, Fri & Sat 7 am-11:30 pm MC, V. AE. $$)
Cajun
Bay Street. This still looks like Charley’s of old – the Addison branch is as big and airy as ever-and the ownership is still the same. You can still buy grilled fish here. We ordered a halibut steak off the chalkboard and found it fresh and tasty. But now Bay Street claims to offer Cajun food as well The Cajun popcorn appetizer – highly seasoned, deepfried crayfish tails-is sensational, truly as hard to stop eating as popcorn We found Bay Street out of redfish, but they cheerfully blackened some red snapper for us. The service is hard-working but not very cordial. (5348 Bell Line, Addison 934-8502 Sun-Thur 11 am-10 pm. Fri & Sat 11-11. MC. V,AE $$)
D Revisits
D Café Margaux. The blackened-everythrig brigade-those trend-surfing restaurateurs who don’t know their elbows from their étouffées- has made many local diners deeply suspicious of all Cajun food served outside a fifty-mile radius of New Orleans. Happily, Cafe Margaux is another matter altogether. A recent lunch here measured up to Louisiana’s finest: house-made rolls, green salad, crawfish étouffée. oysters Bienville, trout with crab-meat stuffing, and bread pudding were all flawless. Good news for regulars accustomed to waiting in line for the twelve tables expansion has brought the number of tables to twenty, and a well-considered selection of American wine is now available. (4424 Lovers Lane. 739-0886. Daily 5:30-10:30 pm MC. V. $$)
Decalur St. Although Decatur St. is more uneven than Cafe Margaux, its main Cajun competitor, the best dishes engender great hope for the future here. Soups- including gumbo, oyster and artichoke, and Creole chicken-are quite satisfying here. They are equaled in quality by appetizers such as shrimp rémoulade. redfisn beignets, and rabbit tenderloin with mustard sauce Among entrees, fried catfish is a standout, although blackened redfish also shouldn’t be missed For dessert there is cheesecake or bread pudding. (7015 Greenville. 361-4772. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2:30: dinner: Mon-Thur 5:30-10, Fri 5:30-11, Sal 11-11 Closed Sun. MC. V. AE. $$)
Chinese
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 -estaurant concept turns out to be a kind of Chinese fast food place. There is a drive through at the end of the strip shopping center location, and much of the business is of the telephone-and-pick up variety. An added twist is that Cathy’s Wok claims that its food is healthier than at other Chinese places-only vegetable bil is used and no MSG is added to dishes- and that every effort is being made to keep prices low. The food is better-than-average Chinese restaurant fare, though not the special experience we had hoped for based on Liu’s reputation. (4010 W 15th, Piano. 964-0406. Mon-Thur 11 am-9:30 pm, Fri & Sat 11 am-10 pm. Closed Sun. No credit cards $)
Crystal Pagoda. Crystal Pagoda is living up to its promise of becoming one of Dallas’s top Chinese restaurants. Bon Bon chicken, in a spicy peanut sauce, is a zingy appetizer for those who like hot foods- or you might try a half order of Peking duck, a bargain at $12.50. Hunan lamb, though not particularly peppery, proved subtle enough even for those who generally don’t find lamb appealing. And at Crystal Pagoda even an old standby like sweet-and-sour pork receives royal treatment. (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. MC. V, AE. $$)
Forbidden City. Instead of a whole appetizer tray, we specialized in the meaty cho-cho and the nicely fried shrimp toast, with good results Among the main courses, General’s Chicken did not prove very spicy, but the fried chunks of chicken meat in a hearty sauce were satisfying anyway. At Forbidden City, Mongolian beef is essentially strips of beet stir-tried with lots of scallion. Shrimp with cashews made a pleasing lighter contrast (5290 Belt Line. 960-2999. Mon-Thur 11 am-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat 11 am-3 am, Sun noon-10:30 pm All credit cards. $$)
Han-Chu. Han-Chu is a great restaurant for an illicit affair: the place is dark as a cave even at high noon. By Chinese-restaurant standards, it’s even sophisticated-looking: the color scheme is eggplant and burgundy, the waiters are in black tie, and there are roses on the tables On my most recent visit, I found the shredded pork with ginger sauce to be memorable, thanks to a zippy flavor and an appealing texture imparted by the presence of black mushrooms and bamboo shoots. The princess chicken, on the other hand, was an altogether forgettable aggregation of cubed chicken, celery, and water chestnuts. (Caruth Plaza. 9100 N Central Expwy at Park Lane, Suite 191.691-0900. Sun-Tnur 11:30 am-10:30 pm, Fri Sat 11:30 am-11:30 pm. All credit cards $$$)
D Revisits
China Palace. Here is a restaurant to remember the next time they’re turning on the house lights at Starck Club and it dawns upon members of your party that you haven’t eaten in days. {This is not to discount the quality of China Palace’s food, which holds its own even during daylight hours.) Do not, under any circumstances, miss the fried dumplings, which are as good as fried dumplings get on this or any other continent. After the dumplings, however, things gel a little dicier on my last visit, the shredded pork with bean curd was worthwhile, the Hunan prawns were rendered unappealing by a sweet, characterless sauce, and the spring rolls were merely edible The setting is pleasingly odd (the red and green color scheme lends a year-round Christmas atmosphere), and service is accommodating, as demonstrated by the proprietor’s willingness to change the radio station from some egregious purveyor of “beautiful music” to something more soulful. (400 N Greenville. Richardson. 669-1636 Daily 11 am-Sam. MC. V. $$)
Szechwan Pavilion. With its sophisticated peach and gray color scheme. Szechwan Pavilion is an aesthetic knockout. The food very nearly lives up to the setting. The spring rolls-crisp wonton wrappers punctuated by shrimp, sprouts, and carrot shreds- are musts to order After that, kungpao shrimp with red pepper and peanuts might be in order Two dishes to avoid: dry, nearly tasteless hot spicy lobster sautéed with ginger in chili sauce, and chicken chow mein with canned, as opposed to fresh, mushrooms. Prices are a bit higher here than at most local Chinese restaurants, but one can see, in such touches as the exotic lilies on the tables, where the surcharge is going (8411 Preston at Northwest Highway. 368-4303. Mon-Thur 11 am-10:30 pm. Fri & Sat noon-11 pm, Sun noon-10:30 pm. All credit cards. $$$)
Deli/Lunch
Bagelstein’s. Just as some albums are one-tune wonders, so are some eating establishments one-item wonders. It is. of course, possible that some customers come to Bagelstein’s for something other than the bagels and accompaniments, but then I suppose it’s also possible that some people listen to cuts on Art Gar-funkel’s Watermark other than “(What a) Wonderful World.” In any case, although Bagelstein’s has a lengthy menu of breakfast and deli options, the chewy, fresh bagels are the point of the place, and they are as good as you can get west of Chicago. The only decision, therefore, is what kind of bagel-plam. egg. pumpernickel, garlic, onion, salt, raisin, poppy seed, or sesame seed-and which variety of cream cheese-plain, vegetable, strawberry, chive, herb and spice, lox, or cinnamon raisin (Northwood Hills Shopping Center. 8104 Spring Valley. 234-3787. Mon 6 am-3 pm. Tue-Sun 6 am-9 pm. All credit cards. $)
Bluebonnet Cafe, if you are a yuppie of a certain age, here is where, to the tune of James Taylor, you’re likely to run into friends, acquaintances, or the ex-spouses of same. Bluebonnet Cafe is part of Bluebonnet Natural Foods Grocery, and as the name of the establishment indicates, the food tends toward the healthlul. Happily, however, Bluebonnet doesn’t take a doctrinaire stand. Burgers, wine, and coffee-three controlled substances at hard-line health establishments-are allowed here. I love a number of Bluebonnet’s offerings, including the strawberry-banana-papaya smoothie and the black bean nachos with white cheese and guacamole. What I don’t love is how complicated life at Bluebonnet can seem, at lunch food is served cafeteria-style, but at dinner there is table service, albeit frequently spacy, and the customer isn’t allowed to take a look at the specials at the steam table l notice that every visit to Bluebonnet includes being thwarted on some front: smoothies, for instance, may not be available The waitress suggests that the blenders aren’t working, or perhaps they haven’t been washed. I can’t quite get an explanation, but in any case no smoothies are forthcoming. Still, the lure of one-stop grocery shopping and nacho noshing makes Bluebonnet a useful stop on the yuppie frail. (2218 Greenville. 828-0052. Daily 9 am- 10 pm MC. V, AE. $$)
Dream Cafe. Dream Cafe customers seem to enjoy running into one another and talking to the “Dream family”{Mary. Ellen, John. Grady, and Michael O’Brien) as much as they enjoy consuming the sublime blueberry pancakes. Like everything served at Dream Cafe, the pancakes laste healthy and addictive at the same time. Other breakfast highlights are fresh-squeezed orange juice, tender omelettes {spinach, mushroom, and feta cheese is a winning combinaton), and real hash browns The lunch and dinner menus change frequently, but the quesadillas- whole-wheat tortillas filled with black beans, cheese, salsa, and sour cream – are a constant. Dessert (the place used to be called Dessert Dreams) should not be skipped. (3312 Knox 522-1478. Tue-Thur 7-7. Fri 7am- 10pm, Sat 8 am-10pm. Sun8am-5pm. No credit cards; personal checks accepted. $)
Kuby’s. Oh, if all of Dallas’s restaurant favorites could wear with the years as well as this Old-World delicatessen, Kuby’s Park Cities neighbors have long favored lts excellent sandwiches – the rye bread on which they are built is worth taking out by the loaf Schinkenwurst and other sausage specialties are the usual fillings, and for accompaniments you can choose between German potato salad and memorable sauerkraut. If you have room after such heavy luncheon dishes, the desserts include a better-than-average Black Forest cake (6601 Snider Plaza. 363-2231. Store hours Mon-Sat 8am-6 pm. Restaurant hours: Mon-Fri 8 am-5.30 pm, Sat 8 am-5pm Closed Sun. MC. V for purchases over $15; personal checks accepted. $)
D Revisits
Pacific Express. Pacific Express, a chic eighty-eighl-seat cafeteria, makes the hasty downtown luncri into an art form. I happen to be obsessed with the tuna salad with toasted almonds, grapes, and blue cheese in tarragon mayonnaise, but the smoked chicken salad with toasted walnuts and shallot vermouth mayonnaise has its devotees, too. Other choices include pasta salad, wild rice salad, and several sandwiches Patrons of Pangi will recognize the peach cobbler offered for dessert. (The mother-daughter restaurant team of Marilyn Romweber and Andrée Falls is responsible for both establishments) I don’t like it any better here than at Parigi, but I appear to be alone in the Metroplex in this sentiment The blueberry custard pie available on my last visit would have been pleasing had it been about half as sweet (Pacific Place Bldg, 1910Eim, Suite 103 969-7447. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 pm. Closed Sat & Sun. No credit cards; personal checks accepted $)
French/Continental
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 of the very top restau rants in Dallas We tried several dishes that juxtaposed luxurious ingredients 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 tender, meaty quail, hearty venison, and foie gras The side dish of hand-whittled asparagus justifies the extra lab, and the dessert cart offers dark chocolate cakes and fruit tarts with flaky crusts. (Plaza of the Americas. 650 N Pearl. 747-7222. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner. Mon-Thur 6:30-10:30. Fri & Sat 6:30-11. ClosedSun. Reservations. Jackets and ties required. All credit cards. $$$$)
D Calluaud. Owner-chef Guy Calluaud is at his best with the magnificent dishes of the ancienne cuisine: feather-light lobster soufflé, perfectly roasted quail and pigeon in a gamy giblet sauce, rack of lamb encrusted with a coaling of breadcrumbs and parsley He can also turn a nouvelle standard like a feuilletée of asparagus into something richer and heavier by adding a soupcon of foie gras On our last visit we also discovered some interesting salads, especially one of beautifully cooked artichoke bottoms and avocado Desserts have always been a treat here, we enjoyed both the chocolate souffle and the delicate apple tart (2619 McKinney. 823-5380. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2.30; dinner: Mon-Thur 6-10, Fri & Sat searings at 7& 9:30. Closed Sun. Reservations. Jackets and ties required. MC, V, AE, DC. $$$$)
D Chez Gerard. If we had to name one Dallas restaurant that seems most genuinely to reflect the tastes of France, it would be Chez Gerard Some of the dishes it offers might well be considered old-fashioned in the old country, but even in France getting back to culinary roots is in vogue. Where else in Dallas, after all, can you find choucroute garnie. the French version of sauerkraut, served up with two kinds of sausage and two kinds of ham? Or rognons de veau, chunks of veal kidney stewed with bacon and mushrooms? These hearty dishes make us forgive the eminently forgettable first courses (sauteed shrimp, tough in a characterless sauce, and strong-tasting, chewy mussels) and the undistinguished house wine. The desserts helped immensely, too, especially the light-as-a-feather floating island. (4444 McKinney 522-6865. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner: Mon-Sat 6-11. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE. Lunch$$, dinner $$$)
Chez Philippe. We were not fond of either appetizer special we tried on our last visit (mussels out of their shells and large frog’s legs in a green peppercorn sauce), but there is always much to enjoy at this elegantly appointed restaurant Thick pieces of veal garnished with plum sauces were heavenly, but the new treatment of lobster (with Calvados and saffron) is not as striking as the previous one. The little touches like salads, vegetable garnishes, and sorbets continue to sparkle Desserts, including marvelous souffles and tarts, have much improved Chez Philippe these days doesn’t always live up to the high standards of its departed chef, but it is still a place to be reckoned with. (5027 W Lovers Lane. 353-9444. Tue-Sat 6-10:30 pm. Closed Sun & Mon All credit cards $$$$)
D The French Room. The ornate splendor here evokes diplomatic debates that would be worthy of Versailles. Is the Pithivier of snails in its puff pastry crown and its chive sauce the king of the appetizers, or does that title go to the special of toothsome mussels and oysters in a tureen of broth’’ Should we stick to a simple salad (say, of beets with watercress and endive) or hold out for one of the complex creations with smoked salmon and the like? We agreed that the beef tenderloin topped with a mixture of marrow, breadcrumbs, and garlic, swimming in a winy sauce perfumed with thyme, could only be matched by the lordly lobster (worth every penny of its fabulous price) So we celebrated the truce with the feuilletée of raspberries and a lemon tart topped with golden meringue. (Adolphus Hotel, 1321 Commerce. 742-8200. Mon-Sat 6-10. Reservations. Jackets and ties required. All credit cards. $$$)
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 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 The various salads and the fruit table are lavish (when was the last time anybody offered you all the raspberries you could eat?), the desserts, though lovely, prove a bit of an anticlimax. (Melrose Hotel, 3015 Oaklawn. 521-5151 Breakfast: daily 6 30-10:30; Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner: Mon-Thur 6 30-10, Fri & Sat 6:30-11; Sun brunch: 11-2. Ail credit cards $$$)
DL’Ambiance. Just when we feared that this pleasant place (occupying a former filling station, no less) was settling into premature middle age. it trotted out a few new dishes- and they are as good as the old ones. The mussels appetizer at L’Ambiance has always been an extremely generous portion; on our last visit, the crustaceans were newly set out on a plate and embellished with a beurre blanc, but there still seemed to be dozens and dozens of them. Another fresh treatment brought forth shrimp in a delicate (and not too spicy) jalapeno sauce. As always, the salads were among the best in the city And we couldn’t bear to limit ourselves to one dessert apiece -if we had contented ourselves with the two fabulous versions of chocolate cake, we would have had to forgo the floating island, one of our favorite desserts in the city (2408 Cedar Springs 748-1291. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2. dinner Mon-Sat 6-10. Closed Sun. Reservations. All credit cards. $$$)
L’Ancestral. Very 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 the sweetbreads with mushrooms, in a sauce lightly touched with curry. Other main courses can be dull, like lamb chops accompanied by pommes frites or a slightly fishy fillet of Dover sole The chocolate truffle cake is very dark and not very sweet (you have to be careful not to breathe in the rich dusting of cocoa powder), but our favorite dessert is the ile flottante-a puff of meringue floating on delicate custard (5631 Alta. 826-0006. Tue-Sun 6:30 pm-midnight Closed Mon All credit cards. $$$)
La Bonne Auberge. Our most recent visit didnt quite confirm the high opinion we had on first acquaintance with this mostly seafood, mostly French place. Overcooked clams, salmon too tart in its lime marinade, and watery paella all disappointed us. A swordfish steak was broiled correctly, but its sauce seemed blah Ironically, the best dish we tried-the pepper steak-had nothing to do with the sea. Desserts are also better than average, especially the gooey concoction of fruit and sauce called the puits damour (6306 Greenville 692-6920 Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30, dinner: Mon-Thur 5:30-10, Fri& Sat 5:30-10:30. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE, DC $$$)
La Touraine. This is the prettiest of Dallas’s new French bistros with its panelled walls and mirrors. It can also offer first-rate fare: smoky-tasting coq au vin, with a rich, winy sauce, or a subtle créme caramel At lunch-time there is not much choice among appetizers for those who want to make this the big meal of the day, but there is a selection of French sandwiches and other lighter dishes for the nibblers among us. (1701 N Market. 749-0080. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2: dinner: Mon-Thur 6-10:30, Fri&Sa! 5:30-11. Sun 5:30-10:30. All credit cards. $$-$$$.)
D Revisits
Le Marmiton. If old-school French/Continental food, with its predictable range of mousseline of this and pate of that, is what you’re after, then Le Marmiton is where you want to go. Me, I’m not terribly fond of what Calvin Trillin calls “stuff-stuff with heavy” (referring to items of food stuffed with other things, underneath heavy sauce), which is why I had my doubts about Le Marmiton Business-as-usual versions of smoked salmon mousseline. duckling terrine, sole tillets stuffed with scallop mousse, and broiled duck breast with green peppercorn sauce did nothing to shake my preconceptions. However, a sprightly green salad with warm goat cheese and a really memorable dessert of pastry-encased raspberries and raspberry mousse were signs that Le Marmiton is capable of rising above the limitations of its genre. (1920 Greenville. 821 -6250. Mon-Fri 6-10:30. Sat 6-11. All credit cards. $$-$$$)
D The Riviera. I have attended Grateful Dead concerts that were quieter than the Riviera on a Saturday night, but minor hearing loss is a small price to pay for first-rate food in a charming setting. Spicy clams and lobster ravioli-two appetizers that were daily specials (listed, commendably, on a printed menu)-were relatively disappointing on my last visit, but it was all uphill from there A green salad was nicely set off by sherry vinaigrette, and came with a delectable goat cheese crouton. Sun-dried tomato and smoked bell pepper soup was satisfying, if heavy on the bacon. Norwegian salmon and sea scallops steamed with white wine and served with a light rosemary sauce was one of the best treatments of salmon I’ve ever tasted. And duck breast with intensely flavored lavender and honey sauce was worthwhile, too. For dessert the creditable, very buttery-tasting Grand Marnier crème brulèe was outshone by the-ethereally light apple tart with almond cream and caramel sauce. This is one for the Dessert Hall of Fame. (7709 Inwood. 351-0094. Mon-Thur 6:30 pm-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat 6:30 pm-11 pm, Sun 5:30 pm- 10 pm. All credit cards. $$$$)
D Revisits
St. Martin’s. This is a great place to bring your squeeze or your squeeze-to-be. as long as neither of you demands consistently first-rate food. With its pretty blue walls and flickering candlelight, St. Martin’s is a pleasant place to drink wine and think romantic thoughts, it does, however, seem odd that an establishment that bills itself as a wine bar offers unidentified varieties of wine by the glass. (Pi not Noir, for instance is listed as just that, with no clue as to the producer.) As for the food, it was a mixed bag on my last visit: flabby bread, salads that resembled taco filling, passable roast duck with peach sauce, praiseworthy swordfish with capers and mushrooms, sensually dense chocolate satin pie, and unpleasantly eggy crème caramel. The enormous cup of coffee remains the best in Dallas. (3020 Greenville. 826-0940. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2:30; dinner: Sun-Thur 5-11, Fri & Sat 5-12:30; Sun brunch: 11 -3. All credit cards.)
Three Vikings. The Scandinavian bric-a-brac on the walls had always struck us as the most ethnic thing about this restaurant – the cuisine is mostly middle-of-trie-road Continental with a few Nordic touches. The Swedish meatballs, for instance – available either as an appetizer or as a main course- are not authentically dry but come in a heavy, glutinous (though tasty) sauce. The veal Norway seems pretty close to a slutted veal Oscar to us-the hollandaise sauce is fine, but the crab meat may taste fishy; the stuffing, alarmingly, reminds us of the stuffed flounders that used to plague seafood menus hereabouts. A special of the day of sauteed salmon was much more pleasant’ One thing you can’t accuse the Three Vikings of is succumbing to the trend to “light” meals: both the signature shrimp chowder (strong with the taste of dried dill) and the chocolate cheese pie are undeniable heavyweights. (2831 Greenville at Goodwin. 827-6770. Mon-Thur 6-10 pm, Fri & Sat 6-11 pm. Reservations recommended. MC. V. AE. $$)
German/Eastern European
Bohemia. The fad of “light” cooking has not invaded this little corner of Czechoslovakia, with its lace curtains and photos of Prague on the walls. Everything served here is substantial. The choice of appetizers (beyond the salad and soup that come with an entree) is narrow; we found the beef tartare surprisingly tasty in spite of its mushy, almost blended consistency, but wondered whether the liver paté had actually been made on the premises. The Czech version of sauerbraten was 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 and sweet. (2810 N Henderson. 826-6209. Sun & Tue-Thur 5:30-9 pm, Fri & Sat 5:30-10:30 pm Closed Mon. Ail credit cards. $$)
D Revisits
D Cafe Kashtan. This is the kind of restaurant that thrills diners in search of small, offbeat ethnic restaurants. Ukrainian food, it turns out. is pretty swell stuff, to judge from Cafe Kashtan’s offerings. Each course outdid its predecessor on my most recent visit for lunch. Salanka, an intensely flavored broth with bits of beef, sausage, and vegetables accompanied by piroz-ski, a meat-filled roll, was good enough to be the highlight of most meals, but it was outshone by the kulebiaka. an utterly satisfying melange of chicken, rice, and mushrooms baked in a buttery pastry shell. And both became a distant memory with the arrival of the simple, perfect almond cake served with tart raspberry sauce. Unlike most small, offbeat ethnic-restaurant finds-which tend to be charmingly funky-looking at best-Cafe Kashtan has a handsome setting. (5365 Spring Valley Rd at Monttort. 991-9550 Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2, dinner: Mon-Thur 5-10, Fri & Sat 5-11. Closed Sun. All credit cards. $$)
Gourmet Carryout
Marty’s. Marty’s deserves its reputation as Dallas’s premier spot for buying fancy foods and wines It is always a treat to be tempted by the endless variety of foods here, from the fresh fruits to the most esoteric array of cheeses in town (we indulged in Boursault. a creamy French cheese hard to find elsewhere in town). The establishment also makes its own delicious breads and a bewildering assortment of patés (we tried wild boar with chestnuts and pheasant with pears). The selections of dips (we loved the one of green chiles), salads (the ziti was special), and desserts (the rich chocolate cake satisfied our craving for a week) are exemplary. Only the take-home entrees sometimes disappoint: the moussaka was fine, probably better than that of any Greek restaurant in town, but the game hen in an orange sauce lacked flavor. (33 1 6 Oak Lawn. 526-4070. Mon-Sat 10 am-6:30 pm. Closed Sun. Ail credit cards, Marty’s charge $$$)
D Revisits
Mirabelle. For those of us who never confuse the joy of eating with the joy of cooking, haute takeout establishments like Mirabelle are a blessing They allow us to stay home and eat well without resorting to whisk and wooden spoon Thanks to Mirabelle. i have spent some great evenings enjoying domesticity and “St. Elsewhere,” most recently with mushroom and spinach soup (too few mushrooms, entirely too much spinach), spinach and 1eta cheese pie (no complaints), and raspberry-peach cobbler (fit tor the gods). So it goes at Mirabelle; appetizers and main courses are of uneven quality and frequently suffer from having lingered too long in the refrigeration case, but desserts – especially the inventive variety of cookies – are a cant-lose proposition. Like much that one finds in Highland Park, Mirabelle is pretty and overpriced. (Highland Park Village, Preston at Mockingbird, Suite 73-74 528-7589 Tue-Sat 10:30am-7 pm. Sun & Mon noon-6 pm. MC, V, AE; personal checks accepted. $$)
Indian
D India Palace. This new Indian restaurant has a larger menu, a slightly fancier decor, and slightly higher prices than other spots. We think it is worth the extra cost to sample the new dishes and have the extra comfort. If you are feeling adventuresome, try the red snapper (stuffed with finely chopped fruits and vegetables and piquantly sauced) or the lamb shahi korma. The tandoori dishes {meats roasted in the Indian barbecue oven, served with delicious bread called na’an) are perfect for the more cautious (13360Preston 392-0190. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2, Sat& Sun 11:30-2:30; dinner: Sun-Thur 5 pm-10 pm, Fri & Sat 530 pm 10:30 pm. All credit cards. $$)
D Revisits
Kebab ’n’ Kurry. Let’s see if we can straighten this out: there used to be one Kebab ’n’ Kurry on Central Expressway in Richardson Then there was a sibling spinoff on Walnut Hill Now there are still two Kebab ’n’ Kurries, but they are no longer related In any case, a visit to the Walnut Hill K n’ K to check out the $7.95 weekend brunch was rewarding. Although a few items (mushy strawberry and banana fruit salad, fishy fish curry) didn’t send me, plenty of choices did. including succulent tandoori chicken; fragrant kashmiri pillau (riee with peas, currants, almonds, and cashews); savory palak panir (spinach cooked with homemade cheese); flavorful lamb kofta (meatballs in a mild curry sauce); and tender nan (flat bread) Dessert was a lesson in the outer limits of sweetness- if there is anything on the planet sweeter than gulab jamun (pastry balls in cardamom-flavored syrup), I hope never to taste it The dark side: service tends to be out of it. and the setting verges on the depressing, thanks to the oppressive shade of gray the walls are painted (2620 Walnut Hill Ln. 350-6466. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner. Sun-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sal 5:30-10:30; brunch: Sat & Sun 11:30-2:30. All credit cards $-$$)
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). We are fond of the chicken tanjore (a version of chicken tandoori, but not made in the clay oven typical for that dish) and the cubes of fried homemade cheese (with something of the texture of tofu) cooked in a spicy spinach sauce. These are standard items in Indian restaurants in America, but at lunch on weekends you can get something really unusual here: dishes from South India. There are riee cakes called idli and little savory fried doughnuts, curried lentils, and fresh coconut chutney. The dish most likely to appeal to Americans is the masala dosa, a thin crêpe of fermented dough cooked crisp and folded around a filling of curried potatoes. One of the nicest things about the South Indian dishes is that they are cheap enough to justify trying on an experimental basis. (Prestonwood Creek Shopping Center, 5409 Beit LineRd. 960-0070. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner: daily 6-10; brunch: Sat & Sun 11:30-3. Alt credit cards. $-$$.)
Italian
Adriano’s. Adriano’s, which seemed to be on the cutting edge of New Wave Italian dining when it opened, is looking a bit timeworn these days. The setting is still sunny and high-tech in nature, but the walls could use a paint job, and the menus are looking extremely weatherbeaten. The trademark pizzas, however, have maintained their appeal – particularly the pancetta version with fresh tomatoes and mushrooms Pasta is available, too, and it’s not bad. but you can do better elsewhere, as demonstrated by the fettuccine casa with ham, mushrooms, cheese, and a too-gluey cream sauce and slightly charred, heavy-on-the-oregano lasagna of my last visit. (The Quadrangle, 2800 Routh, Suite 170.871-2262. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner: Mon-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 5:30 pm-midnight, Sun 11:30-9. MC, V, AE.)
Alessio’s. Crowded tables and a proprietor who seems to know half of the diners can lend this Italian bistro a clubby, if claustrophobic air, but the food usually puts Alessio’s in the top rank of Dallas Italian restaurants The eggplant appetizer is like a miniature parmigiana, though less heavy, and the pasta with seafood brims with shrimp and scallops. The tenderloin in a robust red wine sauce offers an unusual option for an Italian restaurant, but the butter and hazelnut topping on the fillet of sole makes an oily fish even oilier. A refreshing dessert is the lemon ice served with sweet fresh raspberries even in the off season. (4117 Lomo Alto. 521-3585 Tue-Sat 6-10:30 pm. Sun & Mon 6-10 pm. MC. V, AE. $$$)
Café Italia. According to John Mariani in Eating Out: Fearless Dining in Ethnic Restaurants, it was Neil Simon who said there are two laws in the universe -the Law of Gravity and Everybody Likes Italian Food. The second law certainly seems to apply at Cate Italia, where they’ve never heard of nuovo cucina, and the plainly happy patrons like it fine that way Cafe Italia is informal. and prices are low. which make one inclined to overlook such minor glitches as flabby garlic bread and flat San Pellegrino water. I tried entrees of an on-the-money combination of cannelloni and manicotti and a very meaty yet unheavy lasagna. Barely sweet flan with a drift of lightly whipped cream and killer-strength espresso made for a nice finish. (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.$$)
D Revisits
Nero’s Italian. The food is good enough here, but it isn’t great, and it certainly doesn’t come cheap. What, then, accounts for the two-hour waits on weekends? I suspect it’s that of debbil ambience Nero’s is made to order for dates or get-reacquaint-ed-with-your-spouse sessions, at least if your date or spouse is a stylish, ironic character (Diana Vreeland and Catholic-school veterans should feel particularly at home here because of the red walls and the Michael the Archangel lamps.) There is an extensive menu of pasta, veal, and seafood, but the two things to concentrate on are the Italian wine-the selection is great, and the staff well-informed-and the pizza, which comes in both traditional and New Wave varieties. (2104 Greenville. 826-6376. Mon-Thur 6-11 pm, Fri & Sat 6 pm-midnight. Closed Sun. MC, V. AE. $$)
Ciao! This shrine to unusual pizzas sits on one of the most entertaining stretches of Cedar Springs-the view out the glass front is as good as any floor show. Inside, the food is good, if not overwhelming The famous spinach pizza, for instance, we found more odd than appealing and the combination of mounds of chopped greens with underdone strips of Italian bacon was not helped by a less than perfectly crisp crust. The moz-zarella (advertised as fresh) on a plainer pizza was rather rubbery. We had no complaints about an al dente order of pasta topped with a pesto sauce with plenty of basil and garlic, but a daily special of a sauteed chicken breast was boring. (3921B Cedar Springs. 521-0110. Mon-Sat 11:30 am-midnight. Sun 3 pm-midmght. MC. V, AE. $$)
Mario’s. Venetian glass and ruby-colored walls set the tone of elegance here. The food sometimes matches that standard, and sometimes doesnt. Our last visit was more down than up. The cannelloni in a cream sauce was tasty, but the seafood in a hot sauce poured over an artichoke did not complement the vegetable’s taste. We also suffered from a special of grilled redfish which had a harsh basil sauce, and a scallop of veal with shrimp had a dark sauce that seemed at odds with both main ingredients. Our favorite dish this outing was a refreshing Grand Marnier mousse. (135 Turtle Creek Village. Oak Lawn at Blackburn. 521-1135. Sun-Thur 6-10, Fri & Sat 6-11 pm. Jackets required. All credit cards. $$$)
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 U no 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&Tue11am-10:30pm, Wed &Thur 11 am-11:30 pm. Fri 11-12 30. Sat noon-12:30. Sun noon-10:30. MC. V,AE.$$)
D Ristorante Savino. For consislency and authenticity, this is probably Dallas’s finest Italian restaurant. Our latest visit gave us opportunities to taste a splendid version of vitello tuna (cold, thin slices of braised veal topped with a sauce flavored with tuna and lemon and crowned with capers) The cro-chette-small croquettes made of fried stuffed crêpes-were less exciting, but both pasta courses were cooked magnificently: cavatelli (pasta shells in a sauce strongly flavored with tomato, garlic, and cheese) and angel hair pasta in a lobster sauce Our meat dishes – delicate scallops of veal in a wild mushroom sauce and large shrimp in a golden sauce smell-mg of saffron -were exemplary Desserts have improved steadily as Ristorante Savino has matured, the profiteroles are worth every calorie (2929 N Henderson 826-7804. Sun-Thur 6-10:30, Fri & Sat 6-11 pm. All credit cards. $$$)
Ruggeri’s. This is in the location the ill-fated restaurants 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 tasted, with a rich (but not too aggressive) tomato broth in which shrimp, scallops, mussels, and other shellfish swam. The scampi livor-naise had plenty of garlic and a nice texture, and the calamari fritti came to the table crisp and hot. The lasagna verde was layered with beef, sausage, and cheese, and a delicious besciamella sauce covered one end. The tournedos miranda were fork lender and the sauce had plenty of character. (2911 Routh 871-7377. Lunch: Mon-Fn 11:30-2 30; dinner Sun-Thur 6-6-11 30, Fri & Sat 6 pm-midmght. All credit cards, $$$)
311 Lombardl’s. The food at this attractive, informal restaurant doesn’t quite live up to its looks Pasta and desserts are both weak points. One of the best bets is costoletta alla milanese, a large bone-in veal cutlet with a vinegary topping that includes cooked arugula Whatever else you order, don’t miss the focaccia bread (a kind of cheeseless. sauceless pizza) that comes from the wood-burning oven perfectly crisp and salty, tasting of olive oil and rosemary (311 Market 747-0322. Mon-Thur 11 am-midnight, Fri 11 ami am, Sat 5 pm-1 am. ClosedSun All credit cards $$$)
Mexican
D Revisits
Casa Rosa. This has long been a preppy hangout supreme, and in this instance those well-scrubbed WASPs in Ralph Lauren attire are on to something The decor is attractive – with terracotta tile floors, melon-colored walls, and a tree in the middle of the restaurant wittily decorated with red chili pepper lights. Happily, the food lives up to its setting. From chili con queso to botanas especiales (bean, chicken, and beef nachos; marinated beef strips, and flautitas with sour cream and guacamole) to the Puerto Vallarta combination (beef taco, enchilada with chili con carne, chicken enchilada with sour cream sauce, and Spanish rice) to praline cheesecake for dessert, everything (except for the underdone, too-tomatoey Spanish rice) was well-prepared, if not in the forefront of culinary innovation. (Inwood Village, Inwood at Lovers Lane, Suite 165 350-5227. Mon-Thur 11 30 am-2 pm& 5-10 pm,Fri 11:30 am-2pm& 5-11pm.Sat 11:30 am-11 pm, Sun 11:30 am-10 pm All credit cards $$)
Café Rincón. We had heard some complaints about both food and service here, but when we returned to check them out all seemed well as before. Our server was not as cordial as some we have had here, but was efficient And the food was delightful. Flautitas (crisp tortillas rolled around spicy chicken meat) made a great starter. The red snapper was touted as very fresh, and so it was, with its garlicky sauce The carne asada a la tampiquena boasted a tenderloin that melted in our mouth alongside searing-hot peppers, an enchilada, and a tiny cilantro-laden pot of beans. Flan for dessert was the only unexciting dish we sampled. (2818 Harry Hines. 871-7280. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-3; dinner: Mon-Thur 5- 11. Fri & Sat 5 pm-midnight; Sat brunch: noon-5. Closed Sun. MC, V. AE. $$)
Gonzales. Some dining establishments are as much in the business of purveying comfort as of purveying cuisine. Gonzales is such a place. Here, for very little money, one can have a beer and hunker down in the dark wood-grain booths and achieve low-budget Tex-Mex-slyle satori. This is not to say that there aren’t good things to eat available at Gonzales. There definitely are, but one needs to know the topography of the menu to find them They are most notably the numerous varieties of burritos made with fat, tender flour tortillas: the bean and cheese and the potato and egg are two good choices for those in search of hangover cures that do not require as much machismo to ingest as menudo does. The drive-through window provides a good, fast option for on-the-run diners. (4333 Maple 528-2960. Daiiy 7 am-9 pm All credit cards. $$)
Guadalajara. This classic hole-in-the-wall has moved a few blocks down Ross Avenue-and a few steps upscale. The space is now bright and airy, the service less abrasive, but the food does not seem to live up to our memories. The menu is certainly comprehensive, with everything from menudo (the traditional Mexican hangover cure of pepper-flecked tripe and hominy soup) to Tex-Mex combos. Fajitas can be gristly, and red snapper cooked Campeche styie(with a stuffing of oysters and shrimp and a sprig of cilantro) seemed slightly past the peak of freshness We can’t report on the enchiladas-the combination plate that was supposed to include them came with three tamales in-stead. (4405 Ross. 823-9340. Mon-Fri 11 am-3:30 am, Sat & Sun 9 am-3:30 am All credit cards. $$)
Javier’s. This is Yankee Mexican food: pricey, prettier than a combination plate, peculiar to natives weaned on crispy tacos Things like red snapper mojo de ajo (succulent fillets dripping with buttery garlic, time juice, and white wine) and filete pimienta (mouth-watering tenderloin in a piquant black pepper sauce) don’t crop up too 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. Oh, and don’t miss the appetizer of cheese panela (grilled Monterey Jack with Mexican sausage) flamed a tavola, or the chocolate mousse laced with Tia Maria and walnuts. (4912 Cole. 521-4211 Sun-Thur 5 :30-10:30 pm. Fri & Sat 5:30-11:30 pm. All credit cards. $$$)
Mario & Alberto. The standards of Mario Leal’s second restaurant don’! seem to have suffered with the opening of a third one – this popular North Dallas spot seemed as fine (and as busy) as ever. To start with, a tart ceviche or tortilla soup is a good choice Among the main courses, the filete de la casa (tenderloin strongly flavored with garlic, accompanied by lightly fried potato slices) remains a favorite Those who crave fajitas will find a relatively restrained version here-a manageably modest serving, and no sizzling fireworks. The Tex-Mex plates continue to run way behind the specialties in excellence Coconut or cinnamon ice cream makes a refreshing dessert (Preston Valley Shopping Center. LBJ Frwy at Preston. Suite 425. 980-7296. Mon-Thur 11:30 am-10:30 pm. Fri & Sat 11:30 am-11 pm. Closed Sun. Drinks with $5.50 membership charge. MC. V. AE. $$)
Mario’s Chiquita. A return visit confirmed that Mario Leal is doing a good job of reproducing the high quality of food and service found in his older restaurants at this one way up in Piano. The new specialties are available even at lunch, and include beef tips sauteed with onions and gently seasoned. The kitchen turns out several excellent renditions of shrimp-our favorite is a ring of large ones cooked with abundant garlic, served with a classic version of Mexican rice. If you don’t have time or room to order dessert from the menu, be sure to pick up one of the unique cinnamon-flavored pralines. (221 W Parker, Suite 400, Plano. 423-2977. Mon-Thur 11:30 am-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat 1130-11:30. Closed Sun MC. V. AE. $$)
Pepe’s. Next door to the Routh Street Cafe sits this unpretentious Mexican spot. Pepe’s probably does old-fashioned Tex-Mex as well as any place in Dallas. The beet tacos, tor instance, came in a light, fresh-tasting shell. Enchiladas have been dependable, too. Carne asada was made tram lender beef, chiles rellenos from authentic poblano peppers (though the filling proved to be unexciting) (3011 Routh. 871-9445. Mon-Fri 11 am-2:30pm & 5:30-10pm, Sat 10:30am-10:30pm. Closed Sun. No credit cards. $)
Ricardo’s. This is a Mexican restaurant in the new polished style – the colors are rose and plum, with only a few cacti around to give away the restaurant’s ethnic orientation The menu is conventional but appealing. We enjoyed the beef fajitas (neither overmarinated nor overcharred) and the broiled chicken breast, which had a pleasant flavor and a light melting of cheese on top. A few less frequently seen dishes like carne guisada (beef stewed with potatoes and green peppers) also are executed deftly. The conventional Tex-Mex plates were better than average (17610 Midway. 931-5073 Mon-Sat 11 am-10 pm, Sun 11 am-9 pm.All credit cards. $$)
Rio Grande Grill. North Greenville Avenue’s unique cross between a yuppie bar and a Mexican restaurant has new management and a new menu, but much remains the same. You still have (in a Back to the Future scenario) slender people playing backgammon at high tables. And you still have pretty good food with an alarming tendency to be drowned in an excess of glop-py cheese and indiscriminately applied sauces One might expect appetizers like the Mexican pizza and Rio Grande Dip (layers of beans, guacamole, cheese, peppers, sour cream, olives, and so on) to be soupy messes, but chiles relienos and basic combination plates should not be so overburdened with toppings. For those who cant stand to order fajitas again, there are alternatives like chicken fingers. (5111 Greenville 692-9777. Sun-Thur 11-11, Fri & Sat 11 am-1 am. All credit cards. $)
Seafood
D Revisits
D Atlantic Cafe. Unlike bad relationships, restaurants sometimes do change for the better. In the case o1 Atlantic Cafe, the big change in recent months is in service. Having heard tale after tale of insulted customers who vowed never to return because of waiterly rudeness, on two recent visits I was pleasantly surprised to observe service that was warm as well as efficient. Another change is the addition of a glassed-in gazebo area, which provides a sunny seating alternative that seems ideal lor Sunday brunch. What has not changed is the cooking, and that’s good news, since it was always admirable. Fish, presumably, is what you come here for, and it’s first-rate, at least in its sauteed and broiled forms. (The fried seafood is okay, but it’s not a strong point here.) However, Atlantic Cafe also does itself proud in other departments, such as the sourdough bread, fruit salad, eggs Benedict, crème caramel, and strawberry or banana crepes (4546 McKin-ney at Knox. 559-4441. Lunch: Mon-Fri & Sun 11-2:30: dinner: Sun-Thur 5:30-10:30. Fr\ & Sal 5:30-11. All credit cards. $$$)
Aw Shucks. For many good reasons, this disarming-ly casual shuckery has become one of the most popular Lower Greenville dining spots Your search for the perfect catfish may end here-and nobody in Dallas fills a basket with fish for a cheaper price The same cannot be said of the skimpy shrimp and oyster combo, but skip it and “pick up a dozen”- shucksese for a dozen plump oysters on the half shell. Combine with a big bowl of sure-’nuff gumbo, and welcome to New Orleans West. (3601 Greenville, 821-9449,4535 Maple. 522-4498. Mon-Thur 11-11, Fri & Sat 11 am-11:45 pm, Sun 11:30 am-10 pm at Greenville location; Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11 am-11:45, Sun 11:30 am-10 pm al Maple location No credit cards. $)
Best Pacific. This new restaurant wouldn’t attract much notice if it were on McKinney Avenue, but in northwest Garland, it’s enough of a sensation that it has a lot of business on weekends The proprietor, branching out from a small Chinese takeout place in Piano, has created an unassuming neighborhood restaurant devoted mostly to seafood. Although the recipes aren’t Oriental, there are some benefits from the Asian heritage, such as the indisputable freshness of most of the foodstuffs, including even some barely cooked green beans accompanying our entrees. The two standouts among the entrees we sampled were the sauteed scallops- brown and slightly crunchy on top, but tender and juicy within-and the crisp, commeal-coated fillets of catfish, which only needed a bit of salt. (4750 N Jupiter at Arapaho, Garland 530-1574. Mon-Fri 11 am-2:30 pm & 5-10 pm. Sat & Sun 5-10 pm. All credit cards; personal checks accepted. $$)
Newport’s. A recent excursion to this hard-to-find spot in a corner of the West End Historical District showed it still to be a pleasant place to dine, if without the excitement of its early days The ceviche appetizer overflowed with more shrimp and scallops than we could handle comfortably, and the marinated octopus, though very chewy and heavy in its oily sauce, had plenty of flavor. Fresh crab and shrimp adorned a creamily dressed salad to fine effect The main disappointments were in the main courses. Grilled tuna suffered from too smoky a taste and too dry a texture – not helped much by the accompanying beurre blanc and béarnaise sauces (the latter spoiled by too strong a flavor of tarragon). We can’t remember eating blue marlin before, and this sauteed version didnt recommend it to us for the future-the breading was soggy and the fish underseasoned. The best chocolate mousse in town -strongly flavored with rum -ended the meal on a high note. (703 McKinney in the Brewery. 954-0220. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner: Mon-Thur 5:30-10 30, Fri & Sat 5:30-11 Closed Sun. MC, V, AE, DC $$$)
Oysters. This seafood place is cloning itself so fast we wondered if the food or service might be suffering. But, at the original location on Belt Line in Addison at least, we found things better than ever. The seafood gumbo had a rich, smoky flavor, and the shrimp rémoulade (though the sauce lacked a real Creole bite) was tasty. A platter of fried seafood had sweet oysters and crunchy shrimp and scallops, and this time even the cole slaw and the french fries were a plus As a special of the day, we even tried the ubiquitous blackened fish-in this case, snapper rather than redfish. It was furiously peppery and meltingly tender. (4580 Belt Line, 386-0122: 2901 N Central Expwy at Parker 422-2469 Mon-Thur 11 am-10pm,Fri &Sat 11-11, Sun 5-10pm.MC, V.AE.$$)
Rocco. Revisiting Rocco inspires mixed emotions not unlike those one has upon seeing an old flame. The years may have taken a toll, but the magic can be recalled, at least with the aid of a couple of glasses of good Chardonnay. Which is to say that these days at Rocco. the food may not shine as consistently as in its earlier days and the stainless steel tables may be looking rather timeworn, but the |ukebox is still a blues and roots-rock treasure, the quality of light is still subaqueous, and the other-worldly Judy DeSanders manne-themed stained-glass windows are still in place. A fine, reasonably sized (one pound) and priced ($14) lobster was the highlight of my most recent meal Gumbo, crab and corn soup, a mixed fried seafood platter, and ice cream with raspberry liqueur all fell into the okay-to-moderately-good category. I iiked the relaxed, brassy attitude of our waiter – who actually pulled up a chair to the table to discuss the specials of the day – but this sort of service is not to everyone’s taste. (2520 Cedar Springs. 747-6226. Tue-Thur 11:30 am-10 pm, Fri-Sun 11.30 am-11 pm Closed Mon MC, V, AE. $$)
Shucker’s. When this outpost of an Addison seafood restaurant first opened some months ago, we were unimpressed. But a new staff has transformed it into one of the better mid-priced seafood houses in town Fried things (the specialty of the Addison location) are still good, but the fancier dishes like the combination hot hors d’oeuvres (with two kinds of baked oysters, calamari. and sauteed prawns) can be even better. Nightly specials include unusual fish like silver salmon in rich, buttery sauces. Desserts are definitely one of the attractions here, especially the unlikely sounding-but fabulous-chocolate bread pudding (4620 McKin-ney. 522-7320. Mon-Thur 11-10, Fri& Sat 11 -midnight, Sun 5 pm-10 pm All credit cards. $$-$$$)
Southeast Asian
Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai is the name of a city in northern Thailand, reputedly one of the loveliest in the country-and judging from this namesake, we are ready to believe it. The pretty decor and the courteous, helpful service make this one of the best places in Dallas to get acquainted with this delightfully exotic Cuisine. Pick hits on the menu include meaty, tender pork moo sate; masterfully spicy shrimp coconut soup, perfectly prepared red curry shrimp; light, fresh-tasting eggplant Thai-style, delicious beef basil, and textbook versions of pud Thai and pineapple fried rice. In fact, the only treacherous section of the menu is the dessert selection; Thai desserts (such as sweet syrup in which tapiocaa nodules and corn kernels float) are not tor the faint of heart. (11277 E Northwest Hwy, Suite 148. 340-4499. Lunch: Sun-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner: Sun-Thur 5-10:30, Fri& Sat 5-11:30 MC. V. AE $$)
Sawatdee. For a long time this was one of the top Asian restaurants in Dallas, but on the evidence of our last visit it has slipped considerably The stuffed chicken wing had a tough, tasteless filling and a soggy coating, and the Plar Kung (a spicy shrimp salad) proved too sour and salty. The green curry beef – in a dull, watery sauce-was similarly disappointing, and the Crab Pud Chan (a noodle dish) tasted slightly fishy. The one really fine dish, the whole red snapper with spicy sauce, boasted plenty of flavor and succulent flesh, but one had to struggle with the small fish to make sure one had removed all the bones. (4503 Greenville at Yale 373-6138 Lunch: Mon-Fn 11 -2:30: dinner: daily 5-10:30 MC. V.AE.SS)
D Siam. Gone from the scene for more than two years, Siam has returned in a new location. The signature dishes that made the original Siam’s reputation are as good as ever; the pork satay comes with peerless curried peanut sauce, the spring rolls are commendable, the beef salad is rolling in leaves of fresh mini, and pud Thai, a dish of rice noodles with shrimp, ground peanuts, and scrambled egg, tastes better here than anywhere With its new amenities and more professional service. Siam is one of Dallas’s alt-time great Asian restaurants. (Northwest Corners Shopping Center, 2415 Northwest Highway 0108 [accessible from Harry Hines] 358-3122 Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm. Fri & Sat 11 -11. Sun 5-10 pm All credit cards. $$)
That Lanna. We have not been among those impressed by the original Bryan Street location of this Thai restaurant But the new place on Spring Valley Road in Richardson has some of the best Asian food in town, and in cozy surroundings For examples of what Thai Lanna does best, try the stuffed chicken wings or the beef panang. The chicken coconut soup- a rich and mysterious blend of the named ingredients plus lots of fresh herbs-is one of our favorite dishes anywhere. The menu here is unusually varied and rewards exploration. (1490 W Spring Valley. Richardson. 690-3637. 690-3642 Lunch daily 11 am-3 pm; dinner daily 5-10 pm. MC, V $-$$)
Southern
Dick’s Last Resort. You can have more fun in this bar-restaurant than just about anyplace else in the West End historical district. There’s sawdust on the floor, New Orleans-style bands, singers, and other musicians performing on stage, and a general air of camaraderie all over For a place that is basically a bar, Dick’s Last Resort serves amazingly good food The sweet beef ribs are huge and meaty; the spit-turned barbecue chicken is sensational; and the catfish is even better – crunchy and juicy. (Ross at Record 747-0001. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30. dinner Mon-Wed 5:30-10:30. Thur &Sun 5-11,Fri &Sat 5-midn,ght.MC. V.AE. DC.$$)
Crescent City. Crescent City serves the best muffa-letta sandwich in the area It may well be the only muf-faletta sandwich in the area, but this is not to detract from the accomplishment. For those who haven’t been to Central Grocery on Decatur Street in New Orleans, a definition of a muffaletta sandwich is in order. Crescent City’s version consists of a round loaf of chewy, sesame seed-lopped bread filled with ham, salami, three kinds of cheeses, and a mixture of marinated, chopped olives and vegetables There are other things on the menu-including laudable oyster and shrimp poor boy sandwiches and eminently skippable French bread pizzas – but the muffaletta is the reason to make the trek. The beignets and cafe au lait, while reasonably good, are no rivals to Cafe du Monde’s Service is in the quick and “hon’-style tradition. (10819 Garland Rd. 321-1613. Daily 8 am-10 pm. MC, V. $)
D Revisits
Bubba’s. Forget the catfish, forget the chicken-fned steak, forget the vegetables (especially the amazingly tasteless mashed potatoes) All of these things are beside the point. At Bubba’s you will be wanting the fried chicken, a high-rise yeast roll or two, and the fruit cobbler Order this sacred trinity of Southern food. and you will be rewarded with a matchless high-cholesterol, high-carbohydrate repast You could drive through at Bubba’s and take your order home, but that would deprive you of hanging out in the lipstick-red booths that punctuate the black-and-white deco decor (6617 Hillcrest. 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 $)
Southern Kitchen. The crowds at these two venerable Dallas institutions at either end of Northwest Highway reflect the American love of plenty 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-and you might-you can order a steak or broiled swordfish instead. The homemade biscuits and Cinnamon rolls and the very hard-working service are also major attractions here (6615 E Northwest Hwy, 363-1658; 2356 W Northwest Hwy, 352-5220. Mon-Sat 5:30-10 pm. Sun 5-9:30 pm. All credit cards. $$$)
Steaks, Burgers, Etc.
Del Frisco’s Steak House. This pleasant steak house serves huge, high-quality USDA Prime steaks drizzled with a butter sauce. Del Frisco’s also serves a number of New Orleans specialties, like turtle soup, shrimp remoulade, and bread pudding. The steaks are obviously of the quality advertised and they are cooked 10 order. The broiled Australian lobster tail is huge and has a flavor and texture superior to many whole American lobsters that cost far more. Desserts include a very good bread pudding with a Jack Daniels sauce (4300 Lemmon 526-2101. Mon-Thur 5 pm-10 pm, Fri &.Sat 5-11,Sun 5 pm-9 pm.MC, V,AE.$$$)
Jimanny’s. We’re not sure why they kept the old name-this is essentially a new restaurant, with fresh owners, management, and menu. Though you can still get steak here, this is essentially a European brasserie these days (the new proprietors are Belgian) So the steaks come topped with well-prepared sauces like one of cream and pepper and another of mushrooms and brandy. Or the sauces can top the delicious spit-roasted chickens one sees turning on rotissenes. The ideal accompaniment for both is an order of crunchy fried shoestring potatoes (those craving American baked potatoes will be discouraged) Prices lor the basics are quite reasonable, but the fancier sauces tote steep price tags. (2109 W Parker, Plano. 985-1339 Mon-Fri 11:30 am-11 pm, Sat 5-11 pm Closed Sun MC, V, AE. $-$$)
Lawry’s The Prime Bib. For those who like their meat and potatoes dished up with a maximum of show, this is the place In the elegant setting (somewhat funereal appropriate to the location’s former use as a mortuary), waitresses masquerading as chambermaids from “Upstairs, Downstairs” spin salads over bowls of ice, and carvers wheel around great chrome carts bearing beef. The only choice of entree in the evening is in the size of the slice of roast – we favor the thickest, “Dallas” cut, complete with bone, and warn against anything cooked past medium Accompaniments and desserts are generally mediocre at best, but the baronial cam-piness of the place lends charm to the beef (3008 Maple. 521-7777 Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner: Mon-Thur 6-10:30, Fri 6-11:30, Sat 5:30-11:30, Sun 5-10; Sun brunch: 11 -2:30. All credit cards. $$$)
The Palm. The floors are littered with sawdust, and the decorations consist mainly of doodled caricatures of the famous (and not so famous) So what makes this a playground for the biggest spenders around? The old-pro waiters give the place a certain air. and the food is certainly the sort high rollers go for Steaks are the number one item – our tenderloin was as delicious as it was pricey. Lobsters are another specialty, and luckily this time we found one weighing in at only three and a half pounds. The accompanying potatoes of various kinds are usually tempting (though on one recent occasion we found the wafer-thin fried slices unpleasantly bitter-tasting). Appetizers and desserts are mostly not worth the additional (hefty) expense At lunch there is a much more reasonably priced menu, but do you really go to the Palm to eat shrimp salad or steak tartare? (701 Ross. 698-0470. Mon-Fri 11:30 am-10:30 pm, Sat 5-11 pm, Sun 5-10 pm. All credit cards. $$$$)
Las Calins/Mid Cities
Café Cipriani. A brass-and-glass elevator sets the tony mood, but the food sometimes is a letdown. The mixed seafood appetizer (including tiny squid), the shrimp provencale, and the earthy risotto with wild mushrooms were fine, but the crab cannelloni was bland and the fresh lobster came served over a shockingly green (and not very appetizing) spinach sauce. The veal fiorentino suffered from the same treatment, and the salmon was a tad fishy. The raspberry souffle was light and refreshing, but the German chocolate cake should have been sent back to the old country. (220 E Las Colinas Blvd. Irving 869-0713. Lunch; Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner Mon-Thur 5:30-10:30, Fri & Sat5-11. Closed Sun. All credit cards. $$$)
Cedars Village Cafe. The Cedars, a Lebanese cafe. is wedged between retail shops and across the parking lot from a teen-infested Taco Bell drive-through. But park the car and take the few steps over to a new world of take-out You can take-Out, but we prefer not to. Rather, we’re inclined to take a bottle of wine (the cafe is dry but you can bring your own) and have a leisurely meal inside on the patio chairs and table – a sort of urban picnic. Everything on the limited menu is worth a try, but the eggplant dip is especially praiseworthy. And as far as the prices go, you can’t go wrong when a complete meal for two has a hard time reaching ten dollars. (6801 Green Oaks Plaza. Suite 360. 5801 W l-20. (817) 483-1988. Mon-Sat 11-11. Sun noon-9. All credit cards. $$)
D Enjolie. Although we have recently suffered from underdone lobster and unimaginative sauces, there are still enough delightful touches like the tart grapefruit sorbet, the selection of French cheeses, and the chocolate truffles to make a visit to Enjolie extremely rewarding. (Mandalay Four Seasons Hotel, 221 E Las Colinas Blvd. Irving. 556-0800, ext. 3155. Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30: dinner. Mon-Sat 6-10:30. Closed Sun. Reservations recommended. All credit cards. $$$$)
Piccolo Mondo. We were pleasantly surprised to find gnocchi on the evening’s menu at this neighborhood Italian restaurant in Arlington. (Although it’s located in a strip shopping center off congested Collins – FM 157 – it has the feel of a quiet neighborhood place.) Gnocchi are light potato dumplings in a creamy sauce that are truly a delicious appetizer Sated, we followed that great beginning with fettuccine alia putanesca and veal scaloppine Virginia. The fettuccine was unusual in its light, lomatoey sauce (829 East Lamar. (817)265-9174 Lunch: Mon-Fri: 11.30-2:30; dinner: Mon-Thur: 5:30-10:30. Fri &Sat 530-11. Sun 5-10:30. All credit cards $$)
Via Real. Dramatic abstract pictures dominate the walls, and even the menus are original handcrafted works by the same artists. 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 influence. 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 tilt toward the seafood end, with skewered scallops and swordfish among the specialties. We found the scallop kebabs dominated too strongly by the taste of the bacon that enwrapped it, but the swordfish was firm-fieshed and tasty. (Towne North Centre, 3591 N Belt Line at Northgate, Irving. 255-0064. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner; Sun-Thur 5-10, Fri & Sat 5-11. All credit Cards. $$)
Fort Worth
Autumn Moon. This East Side establishment tries a little bit too hard to be a great restaurant when it should be content that it’s a very good one With not much ethnic competition on the East Side, Autumn Moon has a prefty clear field, so it’s hard to understand why, on a recent visit, we were serenaded with the sounds of a live electric guitar player throughout our dinner of crispy soup, spicy chicken, and “two taste delicious,” a daring mix of spicy shrimp and pork. Our meal was. as usual, prompt and satisfying, but as far as we could tell, the music was more akin to Muzak than ballads of the Far East. (5516 Brentwood Stair. (817) 496-6633 Sun-Thur 11 am-10:30pm, Fri & Sat 11 am-11:30 pm. MC, V, AE. DC. $$)
The Balcony of Rldgtea. 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 specialty, 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 advantage 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-Fn 11:30-2; dinner: Mon-Thur 6-10, Fri & Sat 6-10:30. Closed Sun. All major credit cards. $$$)
City Park Cafe. When was the last time you went to a restaurant and found the food even better than you remembered and the prices lower? If it’s been as long for you as it has been for us, then you haven’t stopped by the City Park Cafe, that quaint little restaurant in the TCU district, lately. We’re making a resolution not to let so much time slip by from now on. We tried a tender veal marsala in a brown sauce that was different from what we had expected but nonetheless a great choice and a plate of seafood fettuccine that was as good as we’ve had in more expensive places. City Park Cafe is a jewel of a neighborhood restaurant. (2418 Forest Park Blvd (817)921-4567 Lunch: daily 11-3; dinner: Mon-Thur 5-10. Fri & Sat 5-11, Sun 5-9, Sun brunch: 11-3. MC, V, A E. personal checks accepted. $$)
Juanita’s. The Juanita in the restaurant’s name is the wife of novelist Dan Jenkins. The food served in her pretty establishment is interesting, but inconsistent at this point. It ranges from blackened redfish to heavy-on-the-ancho-chiles enchiladas to shrimp in -fiery” garlic butter that lacked detectable fire. The dessert of choice is a Dove Bar – high-quality ice cream covered with a thick layer of dark chocolate. (115 W Second. (817)335-1777. Mon-Thur 11 am-1 am, Fri 11 am-2am, Sat noon-2am, Sun noon-1 am. MC, V, AE. $$)
La Poele d’or. This restaurant, in its storefront location, is very small, with crowded tables, slow service, and decor that’s nondescript at best. But the food is still worthy of consideration, even though the appetizers are unexciting and the salads are simple. We tried sautéed fillets of orange roughy, a fish from New Zealand, and found them delicate, and the specialty of the house (called shrimp Vance) is divine-lightly battered and crunchy crustaceans in a buttery sauce. The veal nor-mande was heavy but tasty, and the chicken aux champignons was satisfying, too. (5718 Locke. (817) 738-6670. Tue-Thur 6:30-10 pm. Fri & Sat 6:30-11 pm. Closed Sun & Mon Ail credit cards $$$)
Le Café Bowie. This Fort Worth favorite, which is beginning to show its age a bit. maintains a high quality m the evenings by keeping things simple Everyone gets soup and salad as starters, and the entrees are mostly variations on beef tenderloin and veal scallops. Sauces lean toward rich hollandaise and béarnaise sauces. If Le Cafe Bowie is seldom exciting, it is mostly dependable. (4930 Camp Bowie. (817) 735-1521. Lunch: Wed-Fri 11:30-2; dinner Sun-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 6-11: Sun brunch, noon-2. All credit cards, personal checks accepted $$$)
D Revisits
Michel. Is there no escape from blackened red-fish? This Paul Prudhomme-populanzed menace to restaurant menus has infiltrated even the classically French confines of menus like Michel’s. Happily, however, there were no other unseemly lapses on my last visit to this handsome, subdued restaurant. We passed on the $38 50 fixed-price menu de degustation and ordered a la carte instead. Practically everything was up to par: salad of mixed greens, tomatoes, walnuts, and creamy Stilton dressing, veal palé with hazelnuts, warm lobster terrine with beurre blanc-champagne sauce: steamed Maine lobster and crab meat in an orange, celery, and saffron sauce; pheasant breast sautéed with port sauce; crème brulée and what was described as a raspberry shortcake but was actually a Bavarian cream. The only disappointment was the grilled veal scallopini with a cilantro coulis, which had a weird dried-herbal aftertaste. Service was impressively discreet and efficient. (3851 Camp Bowie. (817) 732-1231. Tue-Sat 6-10 pm Closed Sun & Mon. Jackets and ties required. MC. V.AE $$$$)
River House. The trick is to arrive early enough on a weekend night to be seated right away. That way. you’ll have the entire selection of specials to choose from You’ll be sorry if you miss out on the King Salmon On a recent visit, this special vanished at 7.30 pm, but our order was taken in the nick of time We also tried the house scampi -twice. The first order the waitress brought us resembled curled-up snails in a brown sauce, but before we could even venture a bite, she returned to snatch the plate away, saying that this order would never do. She returned just moments later with some of the plumpest crustaceans we’ve seen in a long time. Lying on a puffy bed of pilaf, the shrimp made a big hit at our table. (1660 S University. (817) 3360815. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11 -2; dinner: Mon & Tue5-9. Wed-Sat 5-10. Closed Sun MC, V, AE. DC. $$$)
D Saint-Emilion. Proprietor Bernard Tronche grew up in Saint-Emilion, a village in France’s Bordeaux area. Happily for the sake of Fort Worth residents, he moved to Cowtown and opened a charming restaurant that serves the best straight-ahead French food in Fort Worth or Dallas. Considering the four-course fixed price of ￡20 per person-an aston ishing bargain by Dallas standards- it’s surprising that more Dallasites don’t make the trek. The last time I did, the results were impressive A thoughtfully put together salad {leaf lettuce, radicchio, watercress, walnuts, and bits of bacon dressed with walnut oil), textbook lobster bisque, rich spinach cannelloni, and creditable snails in garlic butter made for a great start. Order the last with the boneless quail and you’ve got the snail and-quail special Actually, the over-complicated quail stuffed with Belgian endive was the one entree I was less than taken with. Juicy swordfish provencal and nicely roasted duck with cherry sauce were all one could ask for (One could ask that duck be boned ) For dessert, I would advise passing on the fluffy, lightweight chocolate mousse and opting for the extraordinary crème caramel. (3617 W Seventh. (817) 737-2781 Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2 pm & 6-10 pm. Sat 6-10 pm Closed Sun. All credit cards.)
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