EATING AROUND CURRYING FLAVOR

Akbar



★★★★★ No, this is not a first restaurant venture of cartoonist Matt Groening, who frequently chronicles the adventures of Akbar and Jeff in his Dallas Observer cartoons. It is instead the third eating establishment opened hereabouts by the owners of the Kebab ’N’ Kurry on Walnut Hill and the Tandoor in Arlington.

The third time must be the charm, because Akbar is also the best Indian restaurant we’ve seen yet in this area. (How delightful it is to have half a dozen or so competitors for that title. When I moved to Dallas in 1979, there was only one Indian restaurant in town-the now-deceased India House.)

If Indian food is new to you, and chances are that it is (according to the National Restaurant Association, only 21 percent of American restaurant-goers have tried the stuff), the $5.95 weekend buffet is a great, cheap way to check it out.

Old India hands, however, will want to thoroughly explore the byways of Akbar’s menus. That’s plural-there are two of them, the regular menu and the snack bar menu.

From the regular menu, saag paneer, a combination of spinach and cubes of firm homemade white cheese sauteed with curry sauce and cream, is savory enough to please Popeye. Curries range from the suave korma, cooked in a mild cream and almond sauce, to the incendiary masala, saueed with potatoes and chilies.

The tandoor oven at Akbar also turns out some terrific fere, including murg ke tikke– scarlet, succulent boneless chicken kababs-and eight varieties of fresh-baked flat breads that are an Indian staple.

Although the regular menu is praiseworthy, it is Akbar’s snack bar that conclusively-and poetically-sets it apart from its peers. Prices range from $1.50 to $3.75, and everything I tried was thrillingly good: aloo tikki, grilled potato cutlets with curried chickpeas; samosa, tender little turnovers stuffed with herbed potatoes and peas; the paneer patty sandwich, an Indian take on the grilled cheese, with herbed homemade white cheese and chopped tomato that comes with potato salad and yogurt salad; and malax kofta curry, cheese and vegetable dumplings in a cream and almond sauce, served with rice.

I have only one complaint about the snack bar menu: the desserts are identified by Indian name only, so the waiter had to give a brief seminar before I could settle on rasmalai, homemade white cheese again, this time in a sweet, cardamom-perfumed cream sauce, and badami kheer, sublimely soothing rice pudding.

One more snack bar note: you can sit in the restaurant proper and order from the snack bar menu, but they only extend that privilege until 8:30 p.m.

As if the food weren’t enough, Akbar is good-looking, too. Indian art, bright green and yellow tablecloths, and a red canopy trimmed with what appears to be giant orange, green, and red rickrack combine to good effect.

Taped Indian music is played, but it’s subdued and will not cause flashbacks of Ravi Shankar. 2115 Promenade Center at Coit & Belt Line roads in Richardson. 235-0260. Lunch: Mon-Fri II am-2 pm; dinner: Sun-Thur 5:30-10 pm, Fri & Sat 5:30-10:30 pm; buffet: Sat & Sun 11:30 am-2:30 pm. MC, Vt AE. Inexpensive.

RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS



AMERICAN



D REVISITS

BEAU NASH ★★★★ When Beau Nash opened in January, many restaurant-goers who were hoping lot a new, improved version of the Mansion on Turtle Creek were initially disappointed. But as the months have gone by. Beau Nash has come into its own identity, and its virtues seem more and more apparent. For one thing, it keeps late hours-at least by Dallas standards-and does so every night. For another, it’s a lively, entertaining hangout. And last but not least, the menu has been astutely adjusted, although not completely overhauled. Happily, the smoked salmon pizza-the perfect partner to champagne-and the Sonoma baby lamb with pesto sauce survived The addition of inventive main-course salads at lunchtime-likea Thai-inspired shrimp and calamari combo-was welcome. Oddly enough, although these dishes are of manageable size, the appetizer salads are still immense things that defy the efforts of mere mortals to finish them. Crescent Court Hotel, 400 Crescent Court. Maple at McKinney. 871-3240 Breakfast, daily 6:30-10:30, Lunch: Mon-Sat 11:30-2:30, dinner: daily 6-11:30; Sun brunch: 11-2:30. AS credit cards. Expensive.



BLOM’S ★★★★ I am not a service freak. Ordinarily, what interests me in a restaurant is on my plate. At Blom’s, however, the service is so unobtrusively terrific that it deserves recognition. As lor the food, under the direction of Scottish chef Norman Preedy. it’s interesting, if not always consistent. The results ol a recent dinner an appetizer of overly chewy marinated duck with rosemary honey and soy sauce wasn’t as interesting as it sounded. Clam chowder with roasted corn was also something of a letdown. A farm salad of mixed greens with warm bacon dressing was much better than the overwhelmingly cheesy Belgian endive and mushrooms with Gouda cheese. Things started looking up with entrees: salmon with spinach and Cabernet Sauvignon, and grilled duck breast with rhubarb chutney and sliced apples And dessert-baked-to-order paper-thin tarts – took dinner over the top into greatness. Apple was wonderful, but it was surpassed by the lush charm of pear. Partner this with blueberry goat cheese ice cream-sounds strange, tastes great-and you’ve got a dessert (or the record books. Blom’s setting – with blond wood walls, tapestry love seats, and pianist on duty-is soothing if undistinguished. Westin Hotel. Gallena. 13340 Dallas Pkwy. 851-2882. Sun-Thur 6:30-10 pm. Fri & Sat 6-10. Jackets and lies required. All credit cards. Expensive.

DAKOTA’S ★★★★ Dakota’s new lunch and dinner menus, modified by new chef Lisa Smith, include more salads and light dishes than did their predecessors. However, the emphasis is still on things Southwestern and mesquite-grilled To judge from two exemplary items from the dinner menu-grilled lamb chops stuffed with herbed Texas goat cheese with Zinfandel sauce and grilled beef tenderloin fillet with mushroom caps-this is all to the good. Also unchanged, of course, is the slick, heavy-on-the-marble decor Trivia note: Dakota’s takes its name from the eight million pounds of Dakota Mahogany granite used throughout the restaurant and in Lincoln Plaza. 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. Alt credit cards. Lunch moderate, dinner expensive.

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 !he place romantic, but not too obviously romantic. In fact, the nighttime 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-tried Idaho brook trout, blueberry crumble, and coconut cream tart The ail-American wine list is well-chosen and reasonably priced, and the availability of thirteen wines by the glass is a bonus for the relatively abstemious. 575? W Lovers Lane (just west of Dallas N Tollway) 351-2233. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner: Mon-Sat 6-10:30. Closed Sun. MC, V. AE. Moderate.

THE MANSION ON TURTLE CREEK ★★★★★ The Mansion has no competition in its melding of Dallas’s historic past and gastronomic future. In the golden glow of the restored, circa 1925 Shepard King mansion, Dean Fearing turns out cutting-edge New American Cuisine with a Southwestern accent. Current standouts: country-fried Texas quail with peanut pasta and creamy garlic sauce, Louisiana crab cakes with a sauce of smoked chilies, lobster, and blood orange; and grilled swordfish with Thai noodles and mango, cucumber, melon, and lime sauce Although it is difficult to resist the signature creme brulee with raspberry sauce, the pastry chef’s artistry makes more adventurous choices well worth ordering. 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 -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, Sat & Sun noon-2; tea: Mon-Fri 3-5.30 All credit cards Expensive.

MOLINE BAR & GRILL. ★★★★ This Wes! End bar/restaurant is a shuttered, dimly lit retreat from the literal and metaphoric heat of downtown Dallas. Here is an establishment that caters to warring temperaments: those inclined toward lollygagging will find its relaxed tenor conducive to lingering, while their Type A companions can cut deals on the tabletop telephones. Chef Mike Dunn has designed the evolving daily menu with an emphasis on Southwestern grilled fare. AH in all. MB & G is one hell of a hangout for the discerningly hungry and thirsty. 302 N Market (entrance on Pacific). 747-6430, Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner: Mon-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 5-11 – Ail credit cards. Expensive.

PARIGI ★★★★ Saturday brunch at Parigi is one of the most civilized ways imaginable to begin the weekend. (Sunday brunch, unfortunately, is not an option because Parigi isn’t open then.) In slick, post-modern surroundings, one can gather one’s forces for the usual winding-up-the-week round of shopping, errand-running, and socializing. Fresh-squeezed juice, espresso, mega-muffins, and peerless variations ol scrambled eggs (with bacon and cream cheese, for instance) are the culinary attraction. Lunch and dinner, like brunch, feature a changing menu, but the cold sliced beef tenderloin is a lunchtime constant that is always a good idea. 3311 Oak Lawn. 521-0295, Lunch: Tue-Fri 11:30-2 30; dinner Tue-Thur 6:30-10:30, Fri & Sat 6:30-11. Sat brunch. 10:30-3. Closed Sun & Mon All credit cards. Expensive.

PLAZA CAFE ★★★★ Mansion alumni Wayne Broadwell (up front) and Avner Samuel (in the kitchen) have opened what promises to be an oasis for the design ’ community in an area previously bereft of top-quality food. (Ironically, however the place is not aesthetical-ly breathtaking.) For lunch, the goal cheese pizza, grilled breast of chicken with basil vinaigrette, and creme brulee are all winners. 1444 Oak Lawn. 742-4433 Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-230; dinner: Mon-Fri 6-10, Sat 6-11; Happy hour Mon-Fri 5 pm-7 pm. MC, V, AE. Moderate to expensive.

ROUTH STREET CAFE ★★★★★ RouthStreetCafe’sformula lor national gastronomic fame: Stephan Pyles’s New Southwestern Cuisine: a sleek. Tonny Foy-designed selling; and snappy, congenial service. The five-course, fixed-price menu ($42, with surcharges for certain items) is printed daily, but certain items- such as cornmeal catfish with smoked pepper/mini mangold sauce, lobster enchilada with red pepper creme fraiche, lamb with pecan and garlic sauce, berry buckle with cinnamon ice cream, and apple-walnut spice cake-have become near-fixtures. When food-obsessed travelers come to town, this is the reservation they want This means prime-time reservations should be made wall in advance. 3005 Routh at Cedar Springs. 871-7161. Tue-Sat 6-10:30 pm. Closed Sun & Mon. Reservations. All credit cards. Expensive.

WEST END OASIS ★★★★ The new menu at West End Oasis is good news, It retains such pick hits from its predecessor as the fish soup with fresh jalapeno. sweet potatoes, and coconut milk, and the red snapper rolled in cracked peppercorns and roasted in corn husks, and it adds startlingly original choices like pasta Oasis (homemade linguine tossed with sun-dried tomatoes, capers, and New Mexico chilies) and gulf shrimp stir-fried in sesame oil with mounds of diced green and red onions. This is still the best-looking restaurant in town, with its granite waterfall, contemporary Southwestern art, and handsome woodsy setting in the restored Texas Moline Building. 302 N Market (entrance on Pacific) 698-9775. Lunch. Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner Mon-Thur 6-10, Fri & Sat 6-11. All credit cards. Very expensive.



BAKERIES



D REVISITS



LA MADELEINE ★★★ These are trying times, and from time to time one needs a judicious combination of caffeine and carbohydrates to make it through the afternoon La Madeleines strong coffee and raspberry beignets (or, alternatively, almond croissants) do the job for me There are also more wholesome alternatives along !he lines of soups, salads, and sandwiches- as well as the top-quality breads that are the true raison d’etre of the place. The rustic setting at both locations is pleasant, and the service seems noticeably less surly and disorganized than in years past. 3072 Mockingbird. 696-6960; 3906 Lemmon, 521-0182. Daily 7 am-9 pm. No credit cards; personal checks accepted. Inexpensive.



MASSIMO DA MILANO ★★★★ If there’s a bad item available at this attractive Italian bakery/cafe, I’ve yet to discover it despite exhaustive research. Although the changing pizza, pasta, and salad offerings are always alluring, more often than not I find myself opting for the focaccia sandwich, round flat bread filled with ham, cheese, leaf lettuce, and tomato slices. For dessert, there are any number of pastries to choose from, but nothing suits a cup of espresso better than the little amaretti, moist, almond-flavored cookies. These days, service for the cafeteria-style service line ranges from disorganized to efficient, which is an improvement over days past, when disjointed to chaotic were the applicable adjectives. 5519 W Lovers Lane. 351-1426. Sun-Thur 9 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 9 am-11 pm. MC, V. Inexpensive.



BARBECUE



D REVISITS



ANDERSON’S ★★ Decorated in the finest Western/schlock tradition, Anderson’s is what food in Texas used to be all about: plenty of choices of smoked meat, with a few token vegetables provided to ward off scurvy The ’cue- especially the ribs- is as it should be, and the butter beans and baked potatoes are a credit to their genre. Service was exceptionally hostile on my las! visit, but anyone who ever visited the mythical Arthur Bryant’s in Kansas City knows that the tradition of adversary counter help is almost as old as that of barbecue itself. 5410 Harry Hines Blvd. 630-0735. Mon-Fri 11 am- 7 45 pm, Sat 11 am-3 pm. No credit cards, personal checks accepted. Inexpensive.



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 roadhouse 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 10am-5pm, Sat 10 am-3 pm, Sun 11 am-2 pm. No credit cards; personal checks accepted. Inexpensive.



BIBBERS



SNUFFER’S ★★★ This burger emporium has become a Lower Greenville institution, serving tasty, high-quality food from the small but varied menu. Although the burgers are famous, the marinated chicken breast sandwich is no slouch, either. The fried mushrooms with their spicy batter are satisfying as well. But those in the mood for pure caloric self-indulgence should go straight lor the cheddar fries- a huge basket of french fries smothered in quantities of melted cheddar cheese. The dark, woodsy interior is conducive to casual conversation over a few beers with friends, but perhaps Snuffer’s strongest point is that its open till 2 a.m. every night, making it one of the few Dallas sanc-tua-’ies for late-night munching. 3526 Greenville. 826-6850. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am. Sun 11 30 am-2 am. AH credit cards. Inexpensive.



ARCADIA BAN ★★★★ First things first: the Arcadia Bar has nothing to do with the Arcadia Theater, which is across the street. The Arcadia Bar is a no-frills hangout (The music is mostly recorded, though there is sometimes a pianist) The menu is small, mostly Cajun, and all deftly executed. From a perky green salad to perfect fried oysters to New Orleans-quality dirty nee, the food is first-rate 2114 Greenville Ave. 821-1300. Daily 5 pm-2 am MC, V. AE. Inexpensive.

CAFE MARGAUX ★★★★★ The blackened-everything brigade-those trend-surfing restaurateurs who don’t know their elbows from their etouffees – have 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 etourfee, 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. Sun-Thur 6-10, Fri & Sat 6-11. MC, V.AE. Moderate.



CHINESE



CATHY’S WOK ★★ While what emerges from Cathy’s Wok won’t knock your socks off and is not worth the haul to the North land if you live in Dallas, it is a worthwhile alternative if you are a resident of Piano. From the informative menu (dishes are described in detail, complete with calorie count), we tried decent wonton soup, an egg roll that was heavy on the cabbage, peppery chicken (with plenty of green pepper in a savory brown sauce), and shredded pork with garlic sauce (with lots of julienned carrots in an overly sweet sauce) Even when the food here isn’t perfect, the ingredients are fresh (and mercifully MSG-free). and the prices are right ($3.95 for lunch. $4 95 for dinner). You can eat on the premises, which, with its trellis motif and while bent-wood chairs, resembles a yogurt shop more than a Chinese restaurant, or drive through and pick up your order. 4010 W 15th, Piano. 964-0406. Mon 11 am-8:30 pm. Tue-Sat 11 am-9:30 pm. Closed Sun. No credit cards; personal checks accepted Inexpensive.

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. 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 get 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 rails 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 an egregious purveyor of “beautiful music” to something more soulful. 400 N Greenville. 669-1636. Sun-Thur 11:30 am-3 am, Fri&Sat 11:30 pm-5 am. MC, V, DC. Moderate.



D REVISITS

CRYSTAL PAGODA ★★★★ One of the oddest facts of dining in Dallas is that although there are more Chinese restaurants around than any other kind, we don’t have a single one that approaches the greatness of, say. New York’s Siu Lam Kung. Crystal Pagoda doesn’t match that standard, but it’s as good as Chinese food gets in Dallas-which is quite good. The shredded beef Szechwan-style and the moo shu pork are two es-peciaJly good choices here The service and setting are both extremely pleasant. 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. Moderate.



DYNASTY ★★★★ This elegantly appointed Chinese restaurant keeps on getting better as it matures. Instead of a lot of set-price dinners, the menu now concentrates on such interesting dishes as the steamed vegetable dumplings. Pink Lady (shrimp coated in crab roe and fried), and chicken with macadamia nuts. The Dynasty Orange Beef is an excellent version of that now classic dish. Our only complaint is that the very Western pastries we were served for dessert tasted stale from lengthy refrigeration Garden lnn, 4101 Belt Line. Addison. 385-7888. Sun-Thur 11:30 am-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat 11:30 am-11:30 pm. All credit cards. Moderate.

FORBIDDEN CITY ★★ Late Saturday night in Addison, and after two false starts – one restaurant with an hour-long wait for a table at 10 p.m. and another with a wedding in progress – my unwilling companion (who is skeptical of any venture north of Mockingbird anyway) and I were in the zone of dangerous hunger and getting testier by the moment. It was. therefore, with a sense of relief and thankfulness that we found Forbidden City open (until 3 a.m. on weekends) and uncrowded. Egg rolls were nothing special, and an order of orange beef was unacceptably tough, but the uninformatively named chef’s chicken was remarkably good: innocent-looking shredded chicken stir-fried in an incendiary sesame sauce and served on a bed of bean sprouts. 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. Moderate.

HAN-CHU ★★★ Han-Chu is a great restaurant for anil-licit 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-Thur 11:30 am-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat 11.30 am-11.30 pm. All credit cards. Moderate.

SZECHWAN PAVILION ★★★ With its sophisticated peach and gray color scheme, Szechwan Pavilion is an aesthetic knockout. At its best, 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, kung pao shrimp with red pepper and peanuts might be in order. Two dishes to avoid, dry, nearly tasteless hot spicy lobster sauteed 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 11-11, Sat noon-11 pm, Sun noon-10:30 pm. MC, V, AE. Moderate to expensive.

TONG’S HOUSE ★★★ We all have our quirky quests in life, and that of my best friend is to find dan-dan noodles that are worth a damn in Dallas. Provoked by reports that Tong’s House serves first-rate dan-dan, we scoured Promenade Center for Tong’s easily missed entrance The news on the dan-dan front was disappointing: while this version of thin noodles with sesame-peanut sauce was better than most, it still didn’t live up to Chinatown’s finest. Still, an exceptionally tender, flavorful version of orange beef Szechwan style was worth the search Tong’s definitely belongs on the must try list for ethnic-food fiends who delight in discovering restaurants that are authentic enough to frighten their more timid friends. While Tong’s doesn’t look quite seedy enough for their purposes, it does have a certain down-at-the-heels charm, and the presence on the menu of such appetizers as pig’s stomach with bean soup, cold cattle stomach, jellyfish, and beef tendons in hot sauce should make this a required North Dallas stop on the adventurous-eating trail 1910 Promenade Center. Richardson. 231-8858. Tue-Sat 11 am-9:30 pm. Sun 11 am-9 pm. Closed Mon. All credit cards. Moderate.

UNCLE TAI’S HUNAN YUAN ★★★★ Uncle Tai’s is the highest of high-end Chinese options in town For prices consistently higher than any other Chinese restaurant in town, the customer gets such off-the-beaten-path dishes as sauteed sliced pheasant, frog’s legs with gingko nuts, and sliced duck with young ginger roots The quality of ingredients is very high, although the level of saltiness continues to be problematic. Gallena, Suite3370. 934-9998. Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11 am-10:30 pm, Sun noon-10 pm. Jackets required for dinner. All credit cards. Expensive.



DELI



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-funkeFs 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-plain, 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. Inexpensive.



D REVISITS

KUBY’S ★★ After recovering from the shock of seeing the elegant spareness of Ceret (the restaurant that previously occupied the space) turned into a Bavarian bad dream. I rallied to enjoy Wiener schnitzel and potato salad at Kuby’s new location downtown in the Brewery There are innumerable sandwich and sausage options, but whatever else you order, potato pancakes and apple strudel are in order as accompaniments To judge from the lunchtime crowds, the new -Kuby’s promises to join the old one (which has been around since 1961) as a local institution. 703 McKinney. 954-0004 Mon-Thur 11-11, Fri 11 am-2am. Closed Sun. MC. V, AE. Inexpensive to moderate.



FRENCH/CONTINENTAL



CHEZ GERARD ★★★ Now that Calluaud’s has laid down its life to become a parking lot for the Hard Rock Cafe, it’s a safe bet that former Calluaud’s regulars will be joining the already healthy crowds at Chez Gerard (which is also a Guy and Martine Calluaud operation) The highlights of my most recent dinner checkup visit were topflight treatments of sauteed lamb chop with parsley and garlic and floating island (poached meringue floating atop vanilla custard). Shrimp remoulade, cassoulet (a stew of white beans and sausage that Francophiles adore and the less reverent refer to as the Gallic version of beans and weenies), and creme caramel were less distinguished, but still well within Chez Gerard’s range ol dependable quality The sim-pie, casual decor, while nothing extraordinary, comes closer to achieving the atmosphere of a bistro than any other French restaurant in Dallas. 4444 McKinney. 522-6865. Lunch; Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner Mon-Sat 6-11. Closed Sun. Ail credit cards. Moderate to expensive.



D REVISITS

CAFE ROYAL ★★★★ Romance may be invaluable, but a romantic dinner shouldn’t cos! more than a used car. Cafe Royal’s $34.50 fixed-price dinner, which changes daily, is reasonably priced and, thanks to the lovely setting and skillful service, unreasonably romantic. The run-down on one night’s uniformly well-prepared options: an appetizer of a salad with quail breast or an artichoke bottom with lobster ragout and caviar butter sauce; a green salad or red-wine sorbet; an entree of sliced loin of lamb with wild mushrooms and a shallot and sage sauce or fillet of John Dory with angel-hair pasta and lemon thyme sauce; and a choice of dessert. Plaza of the Americas. 650NPearl 747-7222. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2. dinner: Mon-Thur 6:30-10:30, Fri & Sat 6:30-11. Closed Sun. Jackets and ties required. All credit cards. Expensive.



THE FRENCH ROOM ★★★★ With its cherubs, vaulted ceiling, and trompe l’oeil garden, the rosy-hued French Room is far and away the most baroque-looking restaurant in Dallas. In the five years since its opening it has had its culinary ups and downs: happily, however, a recent visit suggested that it is in an up cycle. From salads (green bean and green salad with goat cheese croutons) to entrees (salmon and rack of lamb) to dessert (apple tart), the food was all that one could ask for. What’s more, the sommelier is both congenial and well-informed; he is as happy to advise customers on a single glass of wine as a rare bottle. Adolphus Hotel, 1321 Commerce. 742-8200. Mon-Sat 6-10. Jackets and ties required All credit cards Expensive

THE GRAPE ★★★★★ The Grape’s setting-dark as a candle-lit dungeon, with red-checked tablecloths and touches of vinous kitsch – makes it an ideal hangout for Lower Greenville’s resident Bohemian yuppies The Grape paraphernalia displayed near the door-includ-ing T-shirts and a cookbook-suggests that what we have here is not so much a restaurant as a way ol lite. Although the Grape still serves the cheese and pate offerings that were its specially when it opened in 1972, pasta and fish specials are the ticket these days. The no-reservation policy drives Type A’s mad, but is a backhanded blessing for those lackadaisical individuals who don’t know on Wednesday where they will want to eat on Saturday. You may have to wait, but at least you’ve got the same shot at a table as everyone else. 2808 Greenville at Goodwin. 823- 0133. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner: Sun-Thur 6-11, Fri & Sat 6 pm-midnight. All credit cards. Moderate.

L’AMBIANCE ★★★ Although the renovated gas station setting is unimpressive, the food was fine on a recent dinner visit. A suave potato-leek soup and watercress salad with bacon, mushrooms, and goat cheese made for excellent appetizers. Fish has never been a good main-course bet here, so we opted for lamb chops and duck with the fruit sauce of the day. Both were memorably well-prepared the red bell-pepper garnished lamb chops crusty on the outside and juicy on the inside, with a subtly garlic and basil-spiked natural juice sauce, the duck with crispy skin and moist meat, lifted to the realm of transcendence by the vibrant taste of the raspberry sauce. Even the vegetables- scalloped potatoes, carrot coins, spinach, and green beans-were out of the ordinary. For dessert, floating island with pecan praline and chocolate souffle cake enlivened by coconut and macadamia nuts served with vanilla sauce were both enchanting variations on what can be boring themes. 2408 Cedar Springs. 748-1291. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner: Mon-Sat 6-10. Closed Sun Jackets required for dinner. All credit cards. Expensive.

L’ENTRECOTE ★★★★ After a long sliding spell. L’Entre-cote has, as the French say, pulled up its socks. Thanks to the efforts of chef Michel Platz, the Loews Anatole’s French restaurant is once again one of the best in the city Watercress and endive salad with pink grapefruit was an exceptionally refreshing appetizer. Gratin of crawfish tails with ginger was light and satisfying, and loin of lamb with rosemary and shallot coulis was a must for lamb fans Finally, dessert – banana beignets with coconut mousse-was a killer. Loews Anatole Hotel, 2201 Stemmons Frwy. 748-1200. Daily 6-10:30 pm. All credit cards. Expensive to very expensive.

PYRAMID RESTAURANT ★★★ On our last visit to this doyenne of Dallas restaurants in the Fairmont Hotel, the table d’hote menu looked so tempting we ordered exclusively from it. The crawfish and lettuce salad disappointed us by excessive subtlety-there just wasn’t a sufficiently assertive flavor- and the hot duckling pate en croute turned out to have the texture of a pot pie. Sad to say, the potage sante tasted all too healthy. The Grand Trio of seafood-red Spanish shrimp, scallops, and a patty of crab meat in a red wine butter sauce-proved by far the most memorable of the dishes we sampled Some things have improved at the Pyramid-the sorbet is no longer alarmingly sweet, the harp is easier to live with than the former, noisy grand piano, and !he sommelier rarely sings arias as he climbs the ladder to fetch the wine. But the cuisine at this local legend is not in its prime Fairmont Hotel, 1717 N Akard. 720-2020. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2, dinner daily 6-10. All credit cards. Very expensive.

THE RlVIERA ★★★★★ 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 while 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, Grand Marnier creme brulee was outshone by the ethereally light apple tart with almond cream and caramel sauce. This is one for the Dessert Hall of Fame. 7709 lnwood 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. Very expensive.

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. Martins 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 (Pinot 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 creme caramel. 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. Moderate to expensive.



GERMAN/EASTERN EUROPE



BELVEDERE ★★ Perfectly tender Wiener schnitzel is what keeps me coming back to Belvedere, a Swiss/Austrian restaurant that adjoins the CrestPark Hotel, a residential hotel Unfortunately, this time around the rehsteak Hubertus, a Montana venison preparation that I had fond memories of from past dinners, was dry and uninteresting I had to console myself with an extra order of spaetzle (fat. freshly made dumplings) Salads, appetizers, and desserts, while not egregious, have never been advisable here unless you’re extremely hungry. The setting, with its warm brick and cream color scheme, is pleasant and unimposing, as is the service. 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. Expensive.



D REVISITS

BOHEMIA ★★★★ Have you heard the one about Czech food? A week later and you’re hungry again. At Bohemia, the attraction is sturdy Eastern European food-like Wiener schnitzel, pork roast, and bread dumplings- served in delicately charming surroundings (lace curtains, tulip lamps. Viennese waltzes). Two bonuses: the by-the-glass wines are well chosen, and service is efficient and unobtrusive. With one notable exception (being under a quilt with your sweetie), there is no better place than Bohemia to be on a nippy day 2810 N Henderson 826-6209. Sun & Tue-Thur 5:30-9:30 pm. Fri & Sat 5:30-10:30 pm. Closed Mon. All credit cards Moderate.



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. Salanka, an intensely flavored broth with bits of beef, sausage, and vegetables accompanied by pirozski, 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 Montfort. 991-9550. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner. Tue-Thur 5-10, Fri & Sat 5-11. Closed Sun. All credit cards. Inexpensive to moderate.

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 for our daring The herring salad was both too sweet and too sour, and neither the crab meat in our appetizer nor that served with our veal entree tasted fresh. The schnitzel Holstein (a veal cutlet with a fried egg on top and accompanied with anchovies and capers) was crisp and greaseless but undersalted. Both chocolate desserts – the Sachertorte and the mousse cake – were pleasant but lacked that richness that attracts the loyalty of diehard chocolate fans. 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 5-10:30, Fri 5:30-11, Sat 5:30-11. Closed Sun. All credit cards. Expensive.



GOURMET CARRYOUT



MARTY’S ★★★ What I like about Marty’s: the handsome setting, the well-chosen wine selection, and the consistently rewarding food A harried Saturday afternoon was much improved by rabbit and hazelnut pate, pasta salad with pesto, smoked mussels, hearts of palm salad, poached salmon with green mayonnaise, peach tart, and ginger cookies Marty’s takeout menu changes each Wednesday, and is designed to make at-home gastronomic glory possible even for the culinary illiterate: the suggested menu includes serving instructions and suggested wines. A recent development is the luncheon case, with pre-packaged sandwiches and salads ready to go tor lunch. What I don’t like about Marty’s: the hours. Here in Dallas, land of the workaholic, it’s frequently hard to get out of The office by Marty’s 630 closing time. 3316 Oak Lawn. 526-4070 Mon-Sat 10 am-6:30 pm. Closed Sun. All credit cards, Marty’s charge. Expensive.

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 feta cheese pie (no complaints), and raspberry-peach cobbler (fit for 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 10:30 am-7 pm, Sun & Mon noon-6 pm MC, V, AE; personal checks accepted. Expensive.

RICH CHICKS ★★★★ Theresa Alexander, whose previous ventures include the Stoneleigh P and The Lounge in the Inwood Theatre, had an idea for a new sort of last-food establishment-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 coated with spices (fennel predominates), then slowly roasted and carved to order The accompaniments consist of an uncooked tomato sauce (rather like a thick gazpacho), 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 and is good either hot or cold. You can also call in your order ahead of time for faster service. Northwest Corner ol Preston Royal Shopping Center, next to the post office. 691-7424. Daily 11 am-9 pm. No credit cards; checks accepted. Inexpensive.



INDIAN



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 naan) are perfect for the more cautious, 13360 Preston. 392-0190. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11 -2. Sat & Sun 11:30-2:30; dinner: Sun-Thur 5:30 pm-10 pm, Fri & Sat 5:30 pm-10:30 pm. All credit cards. Moderate.

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 (rice 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 naan (flat bread). Dessert was a lesson in the outer limits of sweetness-if there is anything on the planet sweeter than gulab jamun (pastry baits 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 & Sat 5:30-10:30: brunch: Sat & Sun 11:30-2.30. MC, V, AE. Inexpensive to moderate.

KEBAB ’N’ KURRY ★★★ We suspect that part of Kebab ’n’ Kurry’s secret lies in the comparatively limited menu. There are really only a few delights of North Indian cuisine offered, but they are done superlatively well, from the chicken korma (rich, creamy, and mild) to the shrimp in a tomatoey curry sauce. Paradoxically, you can find the rarest treasures here at the weekend lunch buffets. They offer such unusual delicacies as curried fresh black-eyed peas and lamb ribs (bony but magnificently sauced), for the ridiculously low price of $6 95 for all you can eat, including a dessert like the barely sweet rice pudding. 401 N Central Expwy, Suite 300, Richardson, 231-5556. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner: Sun-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-10:30; brunch: Sat & Sun 11:30-2:30. Ail credit cards. inexpensive to moderate.



D REVISITS

TANJORE ★★ Tanjore is an unprepossessing-looking place, and the weekday fare-including a lunch buffet – ranges from above-average to run-of-the-mill It is on weekends when Tanjore becomes interesting to Indian food connoisseurs. That is when south Indian vegetarian fare is served: savory little fried doughnuts, rice cakes (called idli), curried lentils, and fresh coconut chutney The extremely satisfying masala dosa – a crisped crepe wrapped around a filling of curried potatoes-is worth a trip in itself. Prestonwood Creek Shopping Center, 5409 Belt Line Rd. 960-0070. Lunch. Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner: daily 6-10; brunch: Sat & Sun 11:30-2:45. MC, V. AE. Inexpensive to moderate.



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 weather-beaten. 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: Sun-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 5:30 pm-midnight. MC. V, AE. Inexpensive to moderate.

ALESSIO’S ★★★★ Not all top-notch restaurants have the proprietor on the premises more often than not, but nearly all of them do. Alessio’s is a case in point. If you’re not happy with your meal at Alessio’s, it will only be because you have failed to apprise the ever-watchful Alessio Franceschetti of any problems. Happily, on a recent visit, there were no problems to report (other than the aesthetic one of the inelegant decor). Crab cannelloni, an appetizer of the day, was estimable enough to warrant on-the-menu status. Shrimp proven-cale, with mushrooms and tomatoes, was quite good, if not as seductive The subtly dressed romaine lettuce salad that accompanied entrees was simple perfection. Linguine with shrimp and scallops in a delicately spicy tomato sauce was agreeable, though not as meritorious as the perfectly breaded veal parmigiana accompanied by buttered, parslied mostaccioli. For dessert. amaretto macaroon ice cream was extremely sweet but still easy to finish off 4117 Lomo Alto. 521-3585. Tue-Sat 6-10:30 pm, Sun & Mon 6-10 pm MC.V.AE. Moderate to expensive.

CAFE 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 Cafe 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 makes one inclined to overlook such minor glitches as flabby garlic bread and flat San Pellegrino water. I tried entr6es 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. Inexpensive to moderate.

ClAO ★★ New Wave pizza may be the featured attraction at Ciao. and they are well and good, but the smart money is on the calzone. a sort of pizza turnover filled with fresh riccotta, Italian sausage, and herbs. One of these and a perfectly simple green salad, and you won’t be in the market for dessert. 3921-B Cedar Springs. 521-0110. Mon-Sat 11:30 am-midnight, Sun 3 pm-midnight. MC. V. AE. Inexpensive.

LA PERGOLA ★★★ In a glossy deco-effect setting, La Pergola offers some great pasta, such as 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. 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 is another good option. Zabaglione fantasia – orange slices in a Champagne-orange liqueur sabayon sauce, is the refreshing dessert of choice 1800 McKinney. 871-4943. Lunch. Mon-Fri 11 am-2:30 pm; dinner: Sun-Thur 6-10 pm, Fri & Sat 6-11 pm. All credit cards.

MOMO’S ★★★ Momo’s is small, plain, and disorganized – none of which matters to devotees of its pastas and pizzas At lunch, mostly pizzas- including a wonderfully forceful-tasting one of tomato, mozzarella, and gorgonzola- are available. At dinner, the menu is more extensive. (Pasta, such as tortelli di spinaci, is a much better idea than veal, which can be dauntingly chewy.) You can have any wine you want at Momo’s as long as you bring it yourself 9191 Forest Lane. 234-6800. Lunch. Mon-Fri 11:30 am-1:30 pm, dinner Mon-Thur 6-9:30 pm. Fri & Sat 6-11 pm. Sun 5:30-9 pm MC, V. Moderate.

HERO’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 thai ol’ debbil ambience. Nero’s is made to order for dates or get-reacquainted-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. Moderate.



D REVISITS

PIZZERIA UNO ★★★ The service here could most charitably be described as dingy even during off hours. And when the place is packed – which is any time near lunch or dinner-Job-like patience is required of customers However, to judge from the mobs willing to traverse the far end of Belt Line and suffer the service, serious pizza-seekers care about what’s on the plate, not how long it lakes to get there. They may have a point: these are terrific buttery-crusted Chicago-style pan pizzas. The menu warns: “Be careful when you order. Each Uno pizza has about twice the food content as the pizzas you are probably accustomed to.” The menu is right, and the reason is the vertical quantity of ingredients, not the diameter A regular pizza, which the menu recommends for two, looks smallish when it arrives, but only two would-be wart hogs could finish it in one sitting. 4002 Belt Line, Addison. 991-8181. Mon-Thur 11-11, Fri 11-12:30, Sat noon-12:30, Sun noon-10:30. MC. V, AE. Moderate.



311 LOMBARDI’S ★★★★★ What is the Italian translation of “good karma”? Our waiter didn’t know, but 311 Lorn-bardi’s has achieved it. Here, surrounded by the glow created by creamy apricot walls, happy hordes of downtown workers get what may well be the best Italian food in town at reasonable prices. No pasta was visible in the pasta and bean soup, but it was a hearty, herb-enlivened delight anyway. A pizza with leeks, pancetta. goat cheese, and mushrooms could have held its own against New York’s best. The next stop on the menu was good enough to be required eating for potato-philes: potato gnocchi with two sauces (tomato and irresistible gorgonzola) A tender, thin veal cutlet tapped with arugula and diced tomatoes was simply immense Dessert of raspberry ice cream and respectable espresso rounded off a repast that was pure pleasure from start to finish. 311 Market. 747-0322. Mon-Fri 11 am-midnight, Sat 5 pm-7 am, Sun 11 am-10 pm; Sun brunch: 11 am-3 pm. All credit cards. Moderate.



JAPANESE/KOREAN



KOREA HOUSE ★★ As always, we were welcomed hospitably by !he Korean ladies who run this place. This time we skipped the appetizers and went right to a selection of mam dishes and were rewarded by a satisfying meal. We always enjoy kalbi gui, Korean barbecued 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 complemented by the delightful Korean cold vegetables: vinegary cucumbers, bean sprouts touched with sesame, and, ol course, kimchee, the Korean five-alarm spiced cabbage. Promenade Center. Coit at Belt Line, Suite 610, Richardson. 231-1379 Daily 11 am-10:30 pm. MC, V, AE. Moderate.

MR. SUSHI ★★★ Now that it has expanded in size, Mr. Sushi is more than ever Dallas’s most enjoyable Japanese restaurant. If you’ve picked up the taste for raw fish ,the sushi bar enables you to pick and choose among the juiciest morsels. Yellowfin tuna is a consistent winner, and this time we found an interesting concoction of scallops in a mayonnaise-like dressing wrapped up in seaweed. If you prefer to sit at a table, the service is extremely polite. You can choose among appetizers such as 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 5:30-10:30, Fri & Sat 5:30-11, Sun 5:30-10. All credit cards. Moderate.

SHOGUN ★★★ Shogun serves commendable versions of the standards of Japanese cuisine – lightly battered tempura, juicy teriyaki chicken, and fresh-tasting sushi (commonly referred to as “bait” by nan-aficionados)-in a pleasingly serene atmosphere. The only element of the plentiful, reasonably priced lunch that took me aback was the unidentified soup. For all I know, it was superb by the standards of the East, but it resembled primordial ooze from my Occidental viewpoint. This small restaurant is exceptionally pleasant, thanks to the quietly efficient service. 5738 Cedar Springs. 351-2281. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-1:45, dinner. Mon-Thur 6-10:30, Fri & Sat 5:30-11, Sun 5:30-10:30. MC, V, AE, Moderate.



LUNCH



CITY MARKET ★★★★ City Market has acquired a loyal following of downtown habitues hungry for fresh, imaginative soups, salads, sandwiches, and desserts. However, in the past the pleasures of this light, airy, upscale cafeteria were unpredictable. If, for instance, you loved the marigold mint chicken salad, it might be weeks before you and it were on the premises on the same day. Now, with the advent of menus printed every week, City Market regulars can predict with assurance when it will be possible to eat pasta salad with Indonesian peanut sauce or marinated beef salad with multi-colored bell peppers Whatever else you get, the light, souffle-like apricot-raisin bread pudding should not be missed. Alas, the coffee that is available is weak stuff. Given that this is the only complaint that can be made about the place, City Market is worth a trip even if you don’t work downtown (park in LTV Center parking and bring your ticket with you for validation). 200 LTV Center, 2001 Ross at Harwood. 979-2696. Mon-Fri 7:30 am-4:30 pm. MC, V. inexpensive.

PACIFIC EXPRESS ★★★★ Pacific Express, a chic eighty-eight-seat cafeteria, makes the hasty downtown lunch 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 Parigi will recognize the peach cobbler offered for dessert (The mother-daughter restaurant team of Marilyn Romweber and Andree 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, 1910 Elm. Suite 103. 969-7447. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 pm. Closed Sat & Sun No credit cards: personal checks accepted. Inexpensive.

THEO’S DINER ★★★ Although the lyrics don’t specify Theo’s by name, I suspect that Theo’s grilled ham and cheese sandwich is what Janet Jackson has in mind when she makes musical reference to nasty food in “Nasty Boys.” With its garlic-buttered Texas toast, this is the ultimate grilled-cheese thrill. As for the fries, some people think they’re the best in Dallas. Others disagree: they think they’re the best on the planet. Then there is the ambience, which could hardly be more intimate – there are just nine seats around the counter. One more attraction: the proprietor’s plot summaries of “All My Children.” 111 S Hall St. 741-9130. Mon-Fri 7 am-4 pm. Sat 8 am-2 am. No credit cards. Inexpensive.



MEXICAN



ANTONIO’S ★★★ Although one has to order with care to assure hitting the highlights, Antonio’s is worth a trip for anyone serious about Mexican food. Recommended: nachos, which are made with first-class ingredients (black beans, white cheese, fresh-tasting guacamole, jalapenos, and real, runny sour cream), rich-tasting black bean soup, shrimp with a subtly nutty pumpkin-seed sauce, coconut flan, and merengue (whipped cream or chocolate ice cream sandwiched between two layers of egg-white pastry), 14849 Inwood (south of Belt Line). Addison. 490-9557. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11 am- 2:30 pm: dinner Sun-Thur 5:30- 10:30pm, Fri & Sat 5:30-11:30 pm. All credit cards. Moderate.

BlUE GOOSE ★★ When Big Hungry Boys wan! to eat Tex-Mex, the Blue Goose is where they head. The sheer quantity of food that appears at the table is enough to make those of normal appetite gasp with disbelief, Quantity, however, is not the end of the story here. The quality is surprisingly high, in light of the low prices. The chicken fajitas are the best in town, and the beef fajitas are more than respectable. The flour tortillas that accompany both are admirably thin and fresh. The standard Tex-Mex is standard, with the exception of great rice and poor guacamole 2905 Greenville. 823-8339. Mon-Fri 11 am-2:30 pm & 5:30-11 pm. Sat & Sun 11-11. All credit cards. Inexpensive.

CAFE CANCUN ★★★ Cafe Cancun was a Mexican food trailblazer in Dallas, one of the first to offer black beans and white cheese as an alternative to pintos and day-glow Cheddar. In recent years, however, quality control was a problem, and many Cafe Cancun fans lost faith. Brethren, it is time to rejoin the fold: on a recent visit, everything – from the warm, fresh tostadas to the enchiladas verdes with chicken to the luscious coconut ice cream-was very good. 4131 Lomo Alto, 559-4011: Caruth Plaza. Park Lane at Central Expwy, 369-3712 Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm. Fri & Sat 11-11. 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. All credit cards. Moderate.

CANTINA LAREDO ★★★★★ A belief shared by many Mexican food enthusiasts hereabouts is that great Mex can only be found in grungy. time-worn establishments located in the vicinity of Maple Avenue. However, holding to this belief would mean missing out on Can-tina Laredo, which is situated in a clean, new building in -yes-Addison Standard Tex-Mex combinations are available here, and they’re quite good, but the com-ida casera- home-style food-is where the smart money is. Standouts include the tacos at pastor filled with marinated pork, cabrito (baby goat to you. gringo), mesquite-grilled shrimp with garlic butter, and red snapper with lime butter 4546 Belt Line. Addison. 458-0962. Sun-Thur 11-11. Fri & Sat 11 am-midnight. All credit cards. Moderate.

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 terra cotta tile floors, melon-colored watts, 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 am-3 pm & 5-10 pm, Fri 11 am-3 pm & 5-11 pm. Sat 11 am-11 pm. Sun 11 am-10 pm All credit cards. Moderate.

CNIQUITA ★★ My first review of a Dallas restaurant was of Chiquita six years ago On the basis of a recent lunch, I can say that Chiquita falls into the Restaurant That Time Forgot category. Other than minor changes in the menu, I’m not sure that I could tell the difference between the two experiences hart a dozen years apart The place is still packed and noisy; the service is still overtaxed; the decor is still exuberantly pastel; and the food still requires an insider’s knowledge to skip what is lackluster – essentially all the standard combination-plate items-in favor of what Chiquita does best-specialties like pollo en crema. pieces of marinated, grilled chicken breast in a parsley-, pecan-, and paprika-enlivened sour cream sauce. 3810 Congress. 521-0721. Mon-Thur 11:30 am-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat 11:30 am-11 pm. Closed Sun. MC. V. AE. Moderate.



D REVISITS

CHITO’S ★★★ A New Yorker I know loves Mexican food more than life itself Chito’s (on Maple) is where I took her on her las! stop in Dallas, and she found its funky setting (tattered orange booths, window-unit air conditioning, and lime green and acid yellow walls) and low prices (guacamole has reached $7 in one Manhattan Mexican restaurant) inordinately satisfying. The food-especially the bean, cheese, and guacamole quesadil-las- is good enough to please even native Dallasites, who are accustomed to the Tex-Mex way of life. 4447 Maple. 526-9027; 3747 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. Inexpensive.

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 of 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 smiling every time. 5815 Live Oak at Skittman. 827-9590. Mon, Tue & Thur 11 am-10:30 pm; Wed & Sun 11 am-12.30 pm; Fri & Sat 11 am-11:30 pm. All credit cards. Moderate.

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-style 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 vaneties 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. Daily 7 am-9 pm. All credit cards. Inexpensive.

LA BOTICA ★★ 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. The food – Mexican staples with a hefty addition of beef dishes-is fine but rarely exciting. Particularly good: the tangy enchiladas verdes. the simple tacos, and the spicy chicken soup Our otherwise happy visits met with two disappointments: the ho-hum and smallish carne asada and La Botica’s tendency to be out of things we want to order. 1900 N Haskell. 824-2005. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner Mon-Thur 5-10. Fri & Sat 5-11. Closed Sun. All credit cards. Moderate.

MARIO & ALBERTO ★★ The standards of Mario Leafs second restaurant don’t 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 fa-jitas 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. Moderate.

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. The kitchen turns out several excellent renditions of shnmp-our favorite is a ring ol 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 cinnamon-flavored pralines. 221 W Parker. Suite 400. Flano 423-2977. Mon-Thur 11:30am-10:30pm. Fri & Sat 11:30-11:30. Closed Sun. MC. V, AE. Moderate.



MIDDLE EASTERN



D REVISITS

MR. SHISHKABAB ★★ The namesake kabab dishes-iamb. beef, chicken, or shrimp skewered and broiled with mushrooms, onions, tomato, and green pepper- are fine here, but the vegetarian options are where the real culinary excitement is. The smart money is on hummus (a dip of pureed chickpeas-also known as gar-banzo beans-served with pita bread), the falafel sandwich (fried balls of mashed, seasoned chickpeas with lettuce and sesame sauce in pita bread, described on the menu as “Elizabeth Taylor’s favorite”), and lemony tabouleh salad (marinated cracked wheat with parsley and tomato). Both the setting and the service are pleasant, if not exceedingly impressive. 9454 Marsh Lane, just north of Northwest Highway. 350-9314. Tue-Sun 11 am-3 pm & 5.30 pm-11 pm. Closed Mon. All credit cards Moderate.



NATURAL



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 Bluebon-net Natural Foods Grocery, and as the name of the establishment indicates, the food tends toward the healthful. 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 spacey. and the customer isn’t allowed to take a look at the specials at the steam table. Still, the lure of sequential grocery shopping and nacho noshing makes Bluebonnet a useful stop on the yuppie trail 2218 Greenville. 828-0052. Daily 9 am-10 pm. MC, V, AE. Inexpensive

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 taste 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 menu 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 am-9 pm, Fri 7 am-10 pm, Sat 8 am-10 pm. Sun 8 am-5 pm. Closed Mon. No credit cards: personal checks accepted. Inexpensive.



SEAFOOD



ATLANTIC CAFE ★★★★ Unlike bad relationships, restaurants sometimes do change for the better. In the case of 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 for 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, creme caramel, and strawberry or banana crepes. 4546 McKinney at Knox. 559-4441. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2:30; dinner: Sun-Thur 5:30-10:30, Fri & Sat 5:30-11; Sun brunch: 11-230. All credit cards. Expensive.

AW SHUCKS ★★ For many good reasons, this disarmingly 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: Village at Bachman Lake, 3701 W Northwest Hwy. Suite310. 350-9777 Mon-Thur 11-11, Fri & Sat 11 am-11:45 pm. Sun 11:30 am-10 pm at Greenville and Northwest Hwy locations; Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm. Fri & Sat 11 am-11:45, Sun 11:30 am-10 pm at Maple location. No credit cards. Inexpensive.

BAY STREET ★★★ Bay Street has made some efforts toward climbing aboard the Cajun bandwagon with such dishes as Cajun popcorn (fried crawfish tails), gumbo, and crawfish etoufiee. Still, these Cajun upstarts, while respectably prepared, are outshone by the non-Cajun seafood choices like a simple charbroiled swordfish, which was impeccably fresh and juicy on a recent visit (And if you are optimistic enough to order swordfish on a regular basis, you know how rare it is when the meaty fish does not emerge with the texture of fish jerky) Bay Street does well with bread and dessert, but (alls down in the salad department because of heavy use of tasteless iceberg lettuce and the presence of weird strips of what appears to be fried dough Bay Street’s service is young and tries hard, and the setting is a handsome, hangar-like space. 5348 Belt Line, Addison. 934-8502. Sun-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11-11. MC, V. AE, DC. Moderate.

CAFE PACIFIC ★★★★ At its best. Cafe Pacific does a great job with seafood. A perfect piece of swordfish on my last visit demonstrated this. However, at less than its best (as in the case of eggs Benedict with an English muffin so tough it was almost inedible), Cafe Pacific can be disheartening. However one’s gastronomic luck is running, the setting is attractive and the service is competent. 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. Expensive.

GULF COAST OYSTER COMPANY ★★★★ Dallas now has lots of good seafood houses, but only one Greek seafood place. This narrow, bustling restaurant serves the Greek caviar dip. taramousalata. before all entrees and offers a Greek appetizer platter, too (with crunchy fried squid and shrimp). 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. The baklava for dessert, though, proved slightly stale. Corner Shopping Center. 8041 Walnut Hill Lane. 361-1922. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2.30; dinner Mon-Thur 5-10, Fri 5-11, Sat noon-11. Closed Sun. MC. V, AE. Moderate.

NEWPORT’S ★★★★ When Newport’s hits, as it did on an order of trout amandine on my last visit, it’s as good as any seafood restaurant in town. Unfortunately, on this same visit, swordfish kebabs were below par. However, such instances are anomalies in my experience. Which is a good thing, because unlike its competitors for serious seafood-Atlantic Cafe and Cafe Pacific – Newport’s can’t rely on a gorgeous setting (the vast, woody setting is merely inoffensive) or polished service (the waiter was bungling). 703 McKinney in the Brewery. 954-0220. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30. dinner Mon-Thur 5:30-10:30, Fri & Sat 5:30-11:30. All credit cards. Expensive.



D REVISITS

RUSTY PELICAN ★★★ You cant judge a restaurant by its decor – or its nomenclature, either, at least not in the case of the Rusty Pelican. Given the corny name and time-warped (from somewhere in the mid-Seventies), heavy-on-the-wood-and-earth-tones look of the place, my expectations of the Rusty Pelican were somewhere between zip and zero. To my happy surprise, two of tour things ordered-shrimp cocktail and trout amandine- were excellent, and the other two- shelled Dungeness crab and mahi-mahi breaded with hazelnuts-were more than edible, if less than eledrifying. 14655 Dallas Pkwy. Addison. 980-8950 Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner: Mon-Thur 5-10. Fri 5-midnight, Sat 4-midnight, Sun 4:30-10 pm. All credit cards. Expensive.



SHUCKER’S ★★★ Usually, a dramatic overhaul of a menu suggests that a restaurant is floundering to find its audience. It was, therefore, with a heavy heart that I trudged to Shucker’s. formerly a fried-seafood emporium, now a purveyor of Continental-style seafood. However, after a good green salad, an unlikely-sounding but successful swordfish dish with a red-wine vinegar and currant sauce, decent fried shrimp (there is still a token fried section on the menu), and desserts of blackberry pie and chocolate bread pudding that were excellent far beyond the call of duty, my heart was considerably lightened. Now, if only Shucker’s would learn to make less sodden french fries and save the George Winston “December” tape for that month, everything would be copacetic. 4620 McKinney. 522-7320. Mon-Thur 11-11, Fri & Sat 11-midnight. Sun 5 pm-11 pm. All credit cards- Moderate to expensive.



SOUTHERN



BUBBA’S ★★ Forget the catfish, forget the chicken-fried 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 wilt 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. Daily 6:30 am-10 pm. No credit cards; personal checks accepted. Inexpensive.

CELEBRATION ★★★ My friend suggested that we should have an argument at dinner to make Celebration authentically family-style. Even it you can’t manage to stage a family feud. Celebration is likely to live up to its billing. The simple concept-Southern fare, with salad, rolls, muffins, vegetables, and most entrees in all-you-can-eat quantities- packs them in every night of the week. The delectable, if oversweetened, little biscuits and muffins and the immense wooden bowl filled with green salad would be enough lor those of normal appetite. Still, most patrons press on to such entrees as pot roast (Mom never did better) or chicken-fried steak (Mom did much better) and vegetables (broccoli, squash, and mashed potatoes on our visit). For dessert, peach cobbler was pleasingly doughy and cinnamon-scented. Celebration’s rustic, woody setting is comfortable, and service is pleasant and efficient. 4503 W Lovers Lane. 351-5681. Lunch: daily 11-2:30; dinner: Mon-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 5-11. Sun 11 am-10 pm. All credit cards. Moderate.

CRESCENT CITY ★★ Crescent City serves the best muffa-Ierta sandwich in the area. It may well be the only muffaletta 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-topped 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 Mon-Sat 6:30 am-10 pm, Sun 7:30 am-10 pm. MC. V Inexpensive.

HIGHLAND PARK CAFETERIA ★★★★★ standing in tine at HPC and moving past the portraits of the presidents is a ritual of unmatched resonance in Dallas dining. HPC is a treasured local institution, from the Southern classics on the menu to the line staff, some of whom have been on the job for decades. Even the concessions to technology are homey on the video screens that display the menu. there is offered a Bible verse du jour along with information about the employee of the month. Perhaps as a result, many regulars believe that heaven itself will resemble HPC, with hairnetted attendants querying, “Serve you?” and booths always available The menu on cloud nine: ham or chicken-fned steak, green beans, mashed potatoes and cream gravy, a jalapeno corn muffin, and cherry cobbler. The Addison and downtown branches have their virtues, but they don’t reproduce the allure of the original Knox Street location 4611 Cole, 526-3801; Sakowitz Village, 5100 Belt Line at Dallas Pkwy, Suite 600. 934-8800; downtown. Akard at San Jacinto. 740-2400. 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: Mon-Fri 6:30 am-3 pm at downtown location. No credit cards; MC, V. AE for takeout and buffet orders ol more than $10. Inexpensive.

MAMA TAUGHT ME HOW ★★★★★ Here is a down-home dream come true: lovingly prepared versions of the greatest hits of Dixified cuisine That name, incidentally, is no trumped-up product of marketing strategy Mama is Doris Alexander, her daughters are Judy Sharp and Vickie Piland. and together they run the place with a combination of charm and warmth that is as specific to the South as are grits Standouts include the red beans and rice, chicken-tried steak (both available every day), chicken and dumplings, and coconut cream pie (which are available only on some days). 14902 Preston Rd. #512 (SE corner ol Preston & Belt Line) in Pepper Square 490-6301. Mon-Fri 7 am-2:30 pm, Thur 5-8 pm No credit cards. Inexpensive.



STEAKS



DEL FRISCO’S ★★★★★ In this age of Perrier. fish, and steamed vegetables, every so often it is important to balance the system with red wine, beef, and baked potatoes. Del Frisco’s, a straight-ahead steak house with premium fare and prices to match, is made for just such occasions An appetizer of shrimp remoulade was as good a version as you’ll find this side of New Orleans (which happens to be where owner Del Frisco hails from). I was quite happy with my softball-sized eight-ounce filet until I tasted the twelve-ounce rib-eye that my partner in cholesterol had ordered. This was a steak to remember -a supremely flavorful piece of meat Some things to bear in mind: your steak will arrive in a pool of melted butter unless you nix this idea Side dishes are ordered a la carte, and in portions im-mense enough for lour. And bread pudding fans are advised to plan their meal to allow for Del Frisco’s version with raisins, coconut, and Jack Daniel’s sauce. 4300 Lemmon 526-2101. Mon-Thur 5 pm-10 pm. Fri & Sat 5-11. Sun 5 pm-9 pm MC, V, AE Expensive.

HOFFBRAU ★★ It’s tough enough to find a good steak these days, much less one for under ten bucks. This restaurant, chock full of things Texana, is living proof that not everyone these days is turning to chicken and fish No wonder. The specialty here is definitely meat, and judging by the crowds at both lunch and dinner, Hoffbrau’s tasty steaks are no secret. All dinners here include a large salad (with a house dressing), a ptale of bread and crackers, and pan-fried chunky potato slices. Waitresses clad in T-shirts and blue jeans set an informal atmosphere. Good food, good service, and good fuck finding a parking place. 3205 Knox. 559-2680. Mon-Fri 11-11, Sat noon-11 pm, Sun noon-10 pm. All credit cards. Moderate.

LAWRY’S THE PRIME RIB ★★★★ Finding myself once again on the verge of the big NB (nervous breakdown). 1 decided on dinner at Lawry’s. The only choices are prime rib, prime rib, and prime rib-in three cuts-so the stress of ordering is minimal. And the fare is hard-core comfort food that takes the overwrought diner back a couple of decades to the Sunday-dinner fare of a simpler time. The beef, carved to order from a trolley that resembles R2D2, was tender and flavorful; and the accompaniments – including a salad of Romaine, iceberg, and watercress; mashed potatoes; and creamed spinach-were admirable. At lunch there are also chicken, fish, and salad options, but prime rib is the point here At lunch or dinner, the look of Lawry’s is sur-really baronial, with tapestry and massive furniture abounding. 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. Expensive.

THE PALM ★★★★ The floors are littered with sawdust, and the decorations consist mainly ol 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 the “cottage fries” are potato chips). Appetizers and desserts are mostly not worth the additional (hefty) expense. At lunch there is a much more reasonably priced menu. 701 Ross. 698-0470. Mon-Fri 11:30 am-10:30 pm, Fri 11:30 am-11 pm. Sat 5-10:30 pm, Sun 5-9:30 pm. Alt credit cards. Very expensive.



THAI

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 mint, 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 all-time great Asian restaurants. Northwest Corners Shopping Center, 2415 W Northwest Highway #108 [accessible from Harry Hines]. 358-3122. Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11-11. Closed Sun. All credit cards. Moderate.



VIETNAMESE



MAI’S ★★ Lunch specials at Mai’s are a great, inexpensive way to be introduced to Vietnamese food, if you haven’t discovered it The garlic shrimp or the subtly fiery lemongrass chicken makes for a great lunch, especially if you follow it with Vietnamese-style iced coffee with condensed milk. (Finish this stuff off, and the paperwork will be flying from your desk for hours afterward) You don’t come here for the atmosphere: Mai’s decor is distinctly utilitarian. 4812 Bryan, Suite 100 (at Fitzhugh). 826-9887. Wed & Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11-11, Sun 11 am-10 pm. Closed Mon &, Tue. MC. V. Inexpensive.

D REVISITS

SAICON ★★★★ Situated where Yolanda’s used to be on Lowest Greenville, Saigon is definitely the best-looking Vietnamese restaurant in town. II also promises to be the best Vietnamese restaurant in town, period. Everything I tried on three visits was impressive, but shrimp wrapped around sugar cane was particularly laudable. As usual at Vietnamese restaurants, the beverages of choice are fresh lemonade and/or iced coffee. 1731 Greenville. 828-9795 Tue-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11 -11, Sun 5-10. MC, V. AE Inexpensive.



LAS COLINAS/MID CITIES

CACHAREL ★★★★★ Jean-Claude Prevot, former proprietor of Jean-Claude, one of Dallas’s best, longest-running restaurants (before it closed last year), has turned his attention to this new restaurant atop the Brookhollow Two building in Arlington. The result is a pretty establishment, with a glassed-in exhibition kitchen and a fixed price of $10 for lunch and $22 for dinner. The fare- including such Gallic classics as green salad with goat cheese, asparagus soup, scallops with an assertive tarragon sauce, and lamb with a natural-juice sauce-would be worth twice the tariff. 2221 E Lamar, Suite 910, Arlington. 640-9981. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner Mon-Sat 6-11. Closed Sun. All credit cards. Moderate.

CEDARS VILLAGE CAFE ★★★★ I am still trying to figure out how it took longer (specifically, |ust under an hour) to get from Dallas to Arlington than from Dallas to Fort Worth. All turnpike travail aside, the voyage to Cedars Village Cafe resulted in food that was well worth the effort: hummus (a dip of pureed chickpeas served with pita bread); potato salad (dressed with lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic); grape leaves stuffed with rice and ground sirloin, falafel (fried balls of mashed, seasoned chickpeas); and rosewater-flavored rice pudding topped with pine nuts. There is a “tight” lunch special that offers a choice of appetizer, entree, and salad for $3.89 that is one of the great bargains in the Metroplex. 5801 Green Oaks Plaza, Suite 360.5801 W 1-20. Arlington. (817) 483-1988. Mon-Thur 11-3 & 5-10. Fri & Sat 11-11. Sun noon-5. Ail credit cards. Inexpensive.



D REVISITS

ENJOLIE ★★★★ In most parts of the country, hotel food is something to be endured by travelers and ignored by locals. Hereabouts, however, some of the best restaurant fare around can be found in hotels. The Mansion, the Hotel Crescent Court, the Adolphus, and Plaza of the Americas all offer first-rate food close to or in downtown. Enjolie also belongs in the category of great hotel restaurants, although it is somewhat removed from its peers in terms o( distance from the heart of Dallas. Nevertheless, the drive is a brief one. and worth it for the likes of pheasant mousse with cranberry puree, chilled cream of celery and smoked shrimp soup, peppered chicken breast served with a shallot and Zinfandel reduction, beef with Bourbon sauce, and chocolate and coffee pots de creme. Mandalay Four Seasons Hotel. 221 E Las Colinas Blvd. Irving. 556-0800, ext 3155, Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner Mon-Sat 6-10:30. Closed Sun. All credit cards. Expensive.



LA DELI ★★ An honest-to-goodness Lebanese restaurant in the middle of the old Hackberry ranch? Well, the proprietors think so And so do we, except that the menu has been more or less Americanized. You can begin and end your meal with the Generous Tray alone: eighteen (count ’em) dishes of assorted salads and appetizers, from rolled and stuffed grape leaves to fresh yogurt. This is a very enticing-and filling-be-ginning. Our favorite is the crushed eggplant in which you dip steamy pita bread. But be sure to leave some room for an entree The combination dinner is a good choice because you can sample some of Lebanon’s most famous (and sometimes unpronounceable) dishes: kibbi. falafel, and shish kebab 5433 N MacAr-thur, Irving. 580-1163. Lunch. Mon-Sat 10:30-3:30; dinner Tue-Sat 5-10 Closed Sun. All credit cards; personal checks accepted. Inexpensive.

TANDOOR ★★ Fighting words for fans of non-Western cuisines: “You wouldn’t like it.” Intrigued by the idea of jeera pani, a harmless-sounding aperitif of cumin, mint, and lemon water on Tandoor’s menu, we practically had to arm-wrestle our waitress to obtain a glass of the advised-against liquid One by one, we three die-hard gastronomic tough guys tasted humiliation as we choked down a sulfurous concoction that could have passed tor Trinity River water. Our waitress whisked away the evidence of our defeat, and we moved on to a superior assortment of appetizers: minced lamb patties, vegetables fried in chickpea batter, potato/chili patties, turnovers with potatoes and peas, and cheese fritters stuffed with mint chutney A tomato and coconut milk soup provided a pleasurable interlude before our main dishes, which were a relative let-down: tough curried lamb, slightly overcooked tandoori chicken, and dull cheese and vegetable dumplings Tandoor’s setting, with dim lighting and blue walls, is plain but pleasant. 532 Fielder North Plaza, south of I-30, Arlington. 261-6604. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner: Sun-Thur 5:30-10. Fri & Sat 5:30-10:30; brunch: Sat & Sun 11:30-2-30. MC. V, AE Moderate.

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 (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. Town North Centre. 3591 N Belt Line at Northgate, Irving. 255-0064. Lunch: Mon-Sat 11-2. dinner: Sun-Thur 5-10. Fri & Sat 5-11; Sun brunch 10-2. All credit cards. Moderate.



FORT WORTH



ANGELO’S ★ How much of Angelo’s reputation is warranted 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 our most recent excursion. The extras here have never been worth hooting about, so that didn’t leave much besides the cold beer and the folksy sawdust on !he floor to make our visit memorable. 2533 White Settlement Rd (817) 332-0357. Mon-Sat 11 am-10 pm. Closed Sun. No credit cards Inexpensive.

HEDARY’S ★★ Some things at Hedary’s were better than ever on our last visit, including the service by the members of the Lebanese-American family that owns the place The assortment of appetizers was nothing short of spectacular, with definitive eggplant and chickpea dips, falafel, vegetables, 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 Fairfietd 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. No reservations. All credit cards. Moderate.

JUMITA’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-onthe-ancho-chiles enchiladas to shrimp in “fiery” garlic butler 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-2 am. Sun noon-1 am MC, V. AE. Moderate.

D REVISITS

LE CHARDONNAY ★★★★ Former Ceret chef Philip Lecoq is a co-owner of this new bistro, and its combination of serious food and an informal atmosphere is reminiscent of that late, lamented establishment The lamb chops topped with goat cheese, served with a rosemary sauce and accompanied by herbed french fries, are a standout 2443 Forest Park Blvd, Fort Worth. (817) 926-5622. Mon-Fri 11:30 am-10:30 pm, Sat 5-10:30 pm. Sun 11 am-10:30 pm. MC, V. AE. Moderate.

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 excellent straight-ahead French food. Considering the four-course fixed price of $20 per person-a great 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 (or a great start (Order the last with the boneless quail and you’ve got the snail-and-quail special.) Only the over-complicated quail stuffed with Belgian endive was less than impressive. Juicy swordfish provencal and nicely roasted duck with cherry sauce were all one could ask for. (Actually, one could ask that the duck be boned.) For dessert, pass on the fluffy, lightweight chocolate mousse and opt for the extraordinary creme caramel. 3617 W Seventh. (817) 737-2781. Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2 pm & 6-10 pm, Sat 6-10 pm. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE. Moderate.



NIGHTLIFE



ACAPULCO BAR. Acapulco’s popularity proves that Upper Greenville is alive and well. Here’s a great bar for the over-twenty-one partier three blackjack tables with dealers, a waitress who offers tequila shots from a holster, lots of color on the walls, and even more colorful characters on the dance floor. 5111 Greenville. 692-9856. Tue-Fri 5 pm-2 am, Sat 7 pm-2 am. Closed Sun & Mon. Cover Tue-Thur $1. Fri & Sat $4. All credit cards.

AMIR’S. The great old beer joint of Dallas continues to pull in its rednecks, loud-mouthed attorneys, chic city women who act country, and all-around fun-loving people who like to drink beer and spill it on the pool tables. Since Adair’s moved to its Deep Ellum location, cynics have been predicting its demise. But the half-pound hamburgers and whiny jukebox still draw a crowd. 2624 Commerce 939-9900. Mon-Sat 10 am-2 am. Closed Sun. No credit card’s.

AMNIZIA. A perfect name for this location, because who can remember how many nightclubs have come and gone along here? This latest addition, with its Madonna-esque dance music bouncing off the fluorescent painted walls, is going for the young singles crowd. More Camaros than BMWs here; you won’t find the chic types who hang around Upper Greenville But the music is the same, and the dance floor is just as crowded 2829 W Northwest Hwy. 351-1262 Tue-Thur 7 pm-2 am. Fri & Sat 7 pm-4 am, Sun 7 pm-2 am. MC, V.AE.

ANDREW’S. Why mess around with a successful formula? Andrew’s still features obscure folk singers on the guitar, serves its well-regarded hamburgers, and offers its strong specially drinks with ridiculous names Although there are now four Andrew’s locations in Dallas, only the McKinney location offers live music. It’s still a kick to see the yuppie crowd that packs this comfortable nightspot listening to the old Joan Baez tunes. 3301 McKinney. 521-6535. 14930 Midway, 385-1613; 7557 Greenville, 363-1910; 10723 Composite, 357-9994. Mon-Sat 11:15 am-2 am; Sun 10:30 am-2 am. All credit cards.

ARTHUR’S. The ideal spot for you to meet that rich middle-aged man, Arthur’s has for years been the sophisticated gathering place for the single upper-class crowd in their forties and up who don’t believe that wearing a thick gold chain around your neck is the way to show your charm. 8350 Central Expwy. Suite M-1000. 361-8833. Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2 am; Sat 6 pm-2 am All credit cards.

BABY’S. The slickest new dance club in Dallas is (surprise!) found amid the laid-back nightlife on McKinney Avenue. It will probably bother some that most of the clientele is gay-but there are sprinklings of all the eclectic types here. This place has every trapping of Cool-a sunken dance floor (a la Starck Club), video screens, neon lights, a separate room in the back for a quiet drink, and bottom-shaking music. 3501 McKinney. 521-4748. Wed-Sat 9 pm-4 am, Sun 5 pm-4 am. Closed Sun-Tue. AE.

BARNEY OLDFIELD’S Barney Oldfield’s relentlessly pushes on, no matter what other clubs are doing, with its “straight from Las Vegas” theme. Everyone who appears on the stage seems to be either from Reno or Vegas. But while other similar supper clubs in Dallas have only had short lives, this one continues to thrive with its basic pop music act. 1893 W Mockingbird. 634-8850. Mon-Thur 11 am-1:30 am. Fri 11 am-2 am, Sat & Sun 4:30-2 am. Shows: Sun-Thur 8:30 & 10:30, Fri & Sat 9 & 11:30. MC, V, AE. DC.

BELLE STARR. With wave after New Wave of music rolling in yearly, the old country-western culture might be fading Are you kidding? Belle Starr, packed with a middle-aged boot-kicking crowd, continues to be a huge money maker There are bands every night, urban cowboys everywhere, and women in those tight-fitting jeans that would make any good old boy swoon. There’s also free beer Tuesday through Thursday, which means you’ll have trouble squeezing into the place, 7724 N Central at Southwestern. 750-4787. Mon-Sat 7 pm-2 am. Sun 4 pm-2 am. All credit cards.

BIFF’S. If you’ve lived in Dallas longer than five years, you’ll recognize the unique thing about Biffs. It’s the only Greenville club north of Park Lane that has not changed its name Since 1978, Biffs has provided mingling at the bar, a menu of about any food you can name, and upscale clientele. Now it adds another popular feature, an outdoor veranda overlooking a grove of trees, not a parking lot. 7402 Greenville. 696-1952. Mon-Fri 11 am-midnight, Sat 11 am-1 am. Sun 11 am-6 pm, MC. V.AE.

BOMIWILK BEACH CLUB. You thought preppies were dying out? Head over in your BMW to Boardwalk and you will find them, hiding out from the real world More than 1,000 of the prep set, from college kids to holdovers in their early thirties, jam the place every weekend night. The disc jockey plays good beach music, if you can hear it above the noise of the preppy talk. Dress is essential to a successful bar evening here, so button down tight, 6332 La Vista 823-5340. Mon-Fri 11 am-1 pm; Thur & Sat 7 pm-2 am, Fri 5 pm-2 am. MC. V. AE.

BOWLEY & WILSON’S. If you’re looking for a place to have your church social, don’t come here. Not for the faint of heart or timid of ear, Bowley and Wilson dish out hysterical music and humor that landed them in jail on one occasion. If you’re looking for a reasonably priced, humor-filled evening, Bowley & Wilson and the Blue Bathroom Humor Band are for you. You can win free drinks by being a good sport when they ask you to join in the act Win free Kamikazies by successfully singing “Old Ben Lucas” in front of the audience. 4714 Green-ville. 692-64 70. Tue-Sat 7 30 pm-2 am. Show starts at 9:30. Cover varies. MC, V, AE.

BRIO. It’s amazing how the herd instinct works at these Upper Greenville dance clubs. Just when you think one of these places is going to become an institution, wham!, another one opens down the street and the fast-and-sexy singles crowd shifts allegiance The latest one that is mounting incredible business- lines snake out the door almost every night – is Brio, where the hot-and-hungry do the predictable: sneak glances at one another, buy each other drinks, ask each other what they do. and then, after a dance or two. talk about what a wonderful thing it is to meet someone special at a place like this! Then they return the next night to do it all over again. 5500 Greenville, Suite 403. 361-9517 Mon-Thur 4 pm-2 am, Fri 4-4. Sat 7 pm-4 am, Sun 7 pm-2 am. M, V.AE.

CAFE DALLAS, The club that was the hottest disco in town back in 1980 has overhauled its image to bring back clientele But Cafe Dallas has stuck with its dark decor and driving dance music and the same drink specials – and amazingly, has staged a sort of comeback on the always-changing Greenville strip. 5500 Greenville in Old Town Shopping Village 987-0066. Mon-Fri 4 pm-2 am. Sat 8 pm-2 am Closed Sun. MC. V, AE.

CALLAGHAN’S. Ah, the sweet mysteries of Dallas nightlife. At Callaghans, part of the West End live music renaissance, you used to get pure Irish music. Now you never know what will be coming out of the loudspeakers. The little Irish bands play sporadically, and there’s jazz on Sundays, but the rest of the week could be anything. When we went, there was a Top 40 group early in the week, then a flat-out rock ’n’ roll group by the weekend. But it’s still worth the gamble. 1701 Market at Ross. 761-9355. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 am. Sat noon-2 am, Sun 4 pm-2 am. AE, DC, CB.

CHELSEA CORNER. In the block where upper McKinney Avenue runs into Highland Park, this is the perfect club to blend the two cultures. A quiet, candle-on-the-table place, with little sandwich or quiche dinners, all kinds of colorful fruit drinks, and a guitarist playing folk-pop songs on an elevated stage. Chelsea Corner is great for a peaceful moment before you hit the fast lane or a way to unwind if you’re coming off it. 4830 McKinney. 522-3501. Mon-Sat 11:15 am-2 am. Sun 5 pm-2 am. Live music Tue-Sat MC, V, AE. DC.

CLUB CLEARVIEW. Tired of the Starck Club, that million-dollar setting for the teased-out New Wave generation, where happiness is hanging out in the bathroom lobby? Well, now you have a veritable carnival of trendy activities in one nightclub, with none of the uptight posturing found at Starck. This Deep Ellum club has avant-garde sculpture and hip art (like an “artistic” depiction of a bum’s home on a city street). There is great dance music in one part of the club, and then a warehouse in the back where bands play, the standard coed bathrooms, and a place upstairs to make out with someone or make sure your purple wig is on straight. 2625 Elm. 939-0006. Thur 9 pm-2 am, Fri & Sat 9 pm-4 am. Closed Sun. AE.

CONFETTI. Look what’s happened to Dallas’s major meat market, it went upscale No more wild-looking waitresses in nasty outfits No more best-body contests. No more barely legal boppers. Now sleekly redesigned for the young office crowd, the club still throws a good party. 5201 Matilda off Lovers Lane 369-6969, 369-6977. Mon-Thur 8 pm-2 am, Fri & Sat 7 pm-4 am, Sun 7 pm-2 am. Cover varies. MC, V, AE, DC.

DAVE & BUSTER’S. “There’s nothing quite like it” is Dave & Buster’s slogan, and they’re not kidding. The place is enormous, but the brass and dark wood decor adds a degree of sophistication. Head for the umpteen pool tables lining the walls; try shuffleboard, darts, Pente, or backgammon; or just sip a cool one at the large bar on the main floor. 10727 Composite, near Walnut Hill at Stemmons Frwy 353-0649. Mon-Thur 11 am-1 am, Fri 11 am-2 am. Sat noon-2 am. Sun 11:30 am-midnight. All credit cards.

THE DEN. The great all-time dark bar of Dallas is the place to go for your after-work liaison. You can barely see past your own table, and the bartender pours doubles all night at singte-drink prices. The Stoneleigh Hotel, 2927 Maple 871-7111. Mon-Sat 11 am-1 am, Sun noon-1 am. All credit cards.

EMRELD ClTY. We have no idea why one of the most popular dance bands in Dallas, Emerald City, decided that the name of its new nightclub would be spelled differently than the band’s own name. Nor did we understand when the club’s manager labeled the club’s hot pink-and-black interior as “erotic art deco ” And we know what a gamble it is for the same band to play one nightclub five nights a week, three weeks a month, and hope to keep drawing larger crowds. But Emerald City, which has been playing in Dallas for seven years, can put together a super-charged set – and it’s worth a trip. 4908 Greenville. 361 -2489. Tue- Sun 5:30 pm-2 am. MC, V, AE

FAST & COOL After a meteoric rise to stardom, Fast & Cool is now undisputably the King of Lower Greenville. Apparently, the management has decided that patrons dont want to hear an eleven-minute “dance-mix” version of the latest pop-chart bullet. The music here is predominantly Motown sound and authentic soul from artists like James Brown and Ike and Tina Turner, The dance floor is the center of this tiny universe, and it has a magnetic effect on anyone who walks in the door. Its hard to imagine even the most hard-core Baptist resisting this dance floor. Unlike countless dance clubs that have come and gone on Greenville Avenue, this place has staying power 3606 Greenville. 827-5544. Sun & Tue-Thur 8 pm-2 am, Fri & Sat 7~4. Closed Mon. Cover S3 Thur $4 Fri & Sat. MC, V, AE.

500 CAFE. Everyone likes to think they’re part of the eclectic crowd, but you can find the real thing here a combination of the city’s intelligentsia, New Wavers, and Deep Ellumites. This little bar near Fair Park offers live entertainment Thursday through Saturday and such unusual delights as poetry readings and short films during the week. 408 Exposition Ave. 821-4623. Wed-Sat 8 pm-2 am. Closed Sun-Tue. AE.

GREENVILLE AVENUE COUNTRY CLUB. Take one step inside the door of this low-key, easygoing place, and the name “country club” takes on a new meaning. Drinks are served inside the “clubhouse,” where the surrounding; are warm and comfortable. But the only big shots at this country club are the ones poured into your glass. 3619 Greenville 826-5650 Daily 11 am-2 am. MC. V, AE.

GREENVILLE BAR & GRILL. This no-frills bar still remains the centerpiece ol the Lower Greenville crowd. After we hit all the funky nightspots on the strip, we always seem to head back over to the Bar & Grill for one last drink or hamburger. Hal Baker’s Gloomchasers continue with Dixieland music on Sundays and Thursdays. 2821 Greenville. 823-6691 Mon-Sat 11:30 am-2 am. Sun noon-2 am. MC. V, AE.

JAZBA. When you’re in the mood for serious jazz, step down the inviting marble stairs into the sleek Jazba at Ratcliffe’s. Unwind in one of the big, comfortable chairs and tune in to some of the best late-night jazz in Dallas. The drinks are plentiful and the food on the after hours menu is several cuts above the average bar fare 1901 McKinney 871 -2900.Fri & Sat 9 pm-1 am. Cover:$5, MC. V, AE.

KNOX STREET PUB, Here, across the street from such yuppie delights as On the Border and Hoffbrau, is a bar still fighting to be laid back. And what is laid back these days? How about a varied jukebox with rock ’n’ roll, English New Wave, country/western, and Sixties pop? How about terrible restrooms and old pool tables? How about a motley clientele? The pub is a classic neighborhood bar, a vanishing species. 3230 Knox. 526-9476 Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am, Sun 5 pm-2 am. No credit cards.

THE LIBRARY. An elegant spot in the renovated Melrose Hotel, this bar has done some sprucing up of its own. It opened the windows and doors and put in a soothing, quiet piano-jazz act. Perfect for a comfortable after-work drink. Melrose Hotel, Oak Lawn at Cedar Springs. 521-5151. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am, Sun 11 am-midnight All credit cards.

THE LOUNGE. Want to throw down a beet with young intelligentsia? Here’s what you do first, dress chic, but don’t let it look elegantly chic. Casual chic is the style here (unless you’re in the New Wave crowd and you come in so everyone can have a look at what they’ve been told is “gloriously outrageous” fashion). Then, you’d better see one of those foreign movies playing next door at the lnwood Theatre so you’ll have something to talk about at the bar. And you’d better show a little poise This is as close as Dallas gets to one of those sophisticated, high-tech upper West Side bars in New York where you wish you could eavesdrop on the conversation at every table 5460 W Lovers Lane. 350-7834 Sun-Thur 5 pm-1 am, Fri & Sat 5 pm-2 am. AE. DC, CB.

MEMPHIS. Don’t let the tiny dance floor (literally about the size of a two-door foreign car) and the dark hue of the bar disturb you. People dance in the aisles, on the chairs, by the bar – mainly because this is the best live jazz-dance bar in North Dallas Great local groups are regulars-like Emerald City and Schwantz Lefantz. Quorum Plaza, 5000 Belt Line, Suite 500. 386-9517. Mon-Fri 4 pm-2 am. Sat & Sun 6 pm-2 am. Cover: S3-$5 All credit cards.

MILO BUTTERFINGER’S. This is one of the few remaining “bar” bars on the Upper Greenville strip Milo’s has outlived the disco and the fern – even the upscale meat market. It’s a comfortable joint where you can wear your jeans (even if they’re faded) and play a game of pool, foosball. or shuffleboard with a buddy while sipping a longneck. A few years ago, owner Ned Smith moved Milo’s off of Greenville to a spacious, but modest, location around the corner. But judging by the fresh-faced college clientele, you’d sweat he’d moved into the basement of the SMU student center. 5645 Yale- 368 9212. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 am, Sat & Sun noon-2 am. MC, V, AE.

MlMI’S. This is the perfect spot for European beer lovers. Also Asian beer lovers, Caribbean beer lovers and, if you must be boring, American beer lovers At this quiet spot, in the heart of the noise-blasting Greenville clubs, you can play a game called “Around the World,” where you drink beer from dozens of countries – more than 130 brands Mimi’s also has fine sandwiches and snacks. Bartender plays albums (not singles) and is open to any request. 5111 Greenville. 368-1994. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am, Sun noon-2 am MC, V, AE.

MlSTRAL The all-slick, high-tech dance club with the video screen larger than the side of a barn has gone completely “new music,” which is a nice way of saying that the music is not pop and we can’t always figure out if the song has a tune. But hey, we’re hip, and this crowd, especially early in the week, is truly hip (which means everyone wears androgynous black clothing with hair that is a cross between astronaut crewcut and Johnny Rotten). But you’ll still find your basic sprinkling of suburbanites and hotel guests who come in to gawk at the music videos and the twenty-year-olds who sing along to hits by such charming groups as The Fine Young Cannibals, Loews Anatole. 2201 Stemmons. 760-9000. Tue 8 pm-3 am, Wed& Thur 8 pm-2 am, Fri 8 pm-4 am. Sat 7 pm-4 am. Cover: $5 Thur & Fri, $10 Sat. All credit cards.

NANA. It’s hard to imagine a hotel bar that’s romantic, but elevator up to the twenty-seventh floor of the Anatole. In one of his racier moves, Trammell Crow had a huge painting of a nude woman named Nana put behind the green marble-topped bar You’d probably stare at the painting, but the view of Dallas through the huge windows is better. Fine jazz trio plays Thursday through Sunday. Loews Anatole Hotel. 2201 Stemmons Fwy. 748-1200. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 am. Sat & Sun 6 pm-2 am. Ail credit cards

THE PALM BAR. If you’re downtown, few places are as nice as this for a drink after work. If you’re not downtown, it’s worth the trip The decor is elegant but not pompous, the drinks are excellent and reasonably priced, and the service is flawless. If you work late, beware-this place closes at 7 p.m, Adoiphus Hotel, 1321 Commerce. 742-8200. Mon-Fri 11 am-7 pm. Closed Sat & Sun. All credit cards.

PLUS FOURS McKinney Avenue provides a sophisticated gathering spot for a group other than the yuppies. With an English-styled, woodsy interior, it almost seems that the “intelligent” thing to do is watch the non-slop sports you find on the bars televisions. Opened recently. Plus Fours has already proven immensely popular. There’s also great Sinatra music on the jukebox. 2504 McKinney. 871-2757. Mon-Fri 11 am-midnight, Sat 5 pm midnight. Closed Sun. All credit cards.

POOR DAVID’S PUB. In a city where live music clubs close quicker than real estate deals, Poor David’s has been hanging on for eight years It’s still the leader in blues artists, progressive-country singers, and touring folk singers. 1924 Greenville. 821-9891. Mon-Sat 7 pm-2 am Closed Sun. Cover varies. No credit cards.

POPSICLE TOES. After taking one look at the seamy exterior, people have been afraid of walking in here, which is a mistake. Featuring rhythm and blues and funk bands like Phyrework, Popsicle Toes brings together a lively group from every social strata. This is one of the best places to dance you’ll find, 5627 Dyer. 368-9706. Tue- Thur & Sat 8 pm-2 am; Fri 4 pm-2 am; Sun 7 30 pm-midnight MC. V.AE.

PRONIBITION ROOM, Long regarded as the place in the basement next door to the Starck Club, the Prohibition Room has developed an aura of its own For one reason, it has begun to regularly draw some of the top local bands, like Robert Lee Kolb. When you enter, you’ll think it’s another pool-and-shuffleboard bar, but when you run out of quarters, go to the back by the stage and listen to an evening’s worth of fine music. 703 McKinney in the Brewery, 954-4407. Mon-Fri 4 pm-2 am. Sat 8 pm-2 am. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE, DC.

PROPHET BAR. Haunted by the threat of nuclear war? The lines of Dylan Thomas? The lines at the Starck Club? If you’re tired of that scene, then retire to the peaceful artistic confines of the Prophet, where people gather coffeehouse-style to discuss, oh. what they did last night at the Starck Club This is a fine Deep Ellum-watchmg place, which means you try to guess who over at table three is the real artist and who is the downtown office worker who just likes to play dress up. But by 11. you don’t have to worry about “cool” talk The live music will-thank God-drown you out. 2713 Commerce 742-2615. Sun-Thur 6 pm-2 am Fri & Sat 6 pm-4 am, Sun 3 pm-2 am. AE.

REDUX. The green frog band has come down for good and Tango is no more But luckily. Redux has risen from the ashes Unlike its predecessor. Redux has become the top nightclub for live, very upbeat regional music in less than a year, drawing the best Southwest bands and solo acts 1827 Greenville. 827-1591. Wed-Sat 8 pm-2 am. MC, V, AE.

RlCK’S CASABLANCA You would think such a liny club couldn’t come up with such consistent and slick enter-nent. But it’s true, and the word has spread-just try getting in here on a Monday night. The management has. thank heavens taken down all the palms that were supposed to make you think about Casablanca. And they’ve spread out the stage so that, to go to the bathroom, you have to literally walk right between the people in the band the best reason we’ve heard yet to powder our noses 1919 Greenville. 824-6509 Daily 6 pm-2 am MC, V, AE.

SRO. What would the yuppie downtown business crowd do if they couldn’t have an after work drink at SRO (which should stand for Smashingly Resplendent-ly Ordinary)? Here, you may tap your manicured fin-gemails against the sleek bar and wonder who that handsome man is in the Armani suit or what kind of soul lurks beneath that Neiman-Marcus mannequin look-alike who is sipping wine by herself Everyone looks good in the track lighting of SRO. That, of course, doesn’t help the food, and you’d better be ready to talk banking or real estate principles if you want to last here. 2900 McKinney 748-5014. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am. Closed Sun MC V.AS

STAN’S BLUE NOTE. The best beer-drinking joint on Lower Greenville, this place has been discovered mostly by the post-SMU crowd. But you’ll still find your quota of eccentncs and plain old barflies who love the shuf-fleboard and pool tables and the surprisingly lively atmosphere 2900 Greenville. 824-9653. Daily 11 am-2 No credit cards.

STUDEBAKER’S. Can this good-times emporium be slipping so soon into senescence? Say it ain’t so, Elvis. Actually, news of Studebaker’s demise may be greatly exaggerated. True, new clubs have cut deeply into its crowds, the patrons are older and less chic than before But the passion (or nostalgia seems undying, so aging rock lovers still gather at such shnnes to bop and stroll their way to bliss. The non-stop mix of cutesy rock (“Hand Jive.” “Hokey-Pokey,” etc.). Motown, and the old gold of various Frankies and Bobbies can still pack’em m And don’t forget the generous happy hour buffet NorthPark East, 8788 N Central Expwy 696-2475. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 am, Sat 7 pm-2 am. Sun 5 pm-2 am. MC. V. AE.

TANEETI’S. In the continuing push toward live music on Greenville Avenue, Taheeti’s. formerly a comedy nightclub, has gone to live music five nights a week, Though Dallas comics still perform on Saturdays and Wednesdays, the feature attraction is the dance band. A lot of groups come through here-to its credit. the nightclub will take chances-but you can always count on old reliables like Backstreet, 2106 Greenville. 823-6626. Wed-Sun 8 pm-2 am. Cover $ 1 Sun-Thur, $2 Fri & Sat .MC. V,AE.

TERILLI’S. Ah, yes. that great Lower Greenville tradition- sipping wine, Baling Italian, and listening to that smooth, soft kind of jazz that makes you start snapping your fingers like Mel Torme. Wait a minute! This is on Lower Greenville? Goodness, class is popping up everywhere. With the kind of black-and-white art deco decor that looks super expensive, a cozy bar area where you can meet someone who is (incredibly) not in real estate, and live jazz groups every night except Monday, you can actually drink something other than beer and not worry if others are making fun of you. 2815 Greenville. 827-3993 Mon-Sat 11: 30 am-2 am. Sun 11 am-2 am MC. V. AE.

VIDEO BAR. If you’ve watched MTV once during the last year, you owe it to yourself to go to the Video Bar. They have found music videos that you never see anywhere else-even some absolutely weird stuff that is all fraught with significant meaning and whatnot. II you consider yourself part of the new scene-and if you promise not to wear anything resembling penny loafers- this is your Deep Ellum kind of place. All the funky regulars from the old “On the Air” bar have already found their spots, so be prepared to wait in line. 2812 Elm. 939-9113. Daily 8 pm-2 am. MC, V, AE.

ZANZIBAR. A fresh face on the burger-spattered strip of Lower Greenville Avenue, Zanzibar offers drinks and good deli food in a colorful cafe setting. The decor -neon, glass bricks, and pink-and-green walls – is odd enough to work. And even though Zanzibar looks cosmopolitan, it has a neighborhood bar feel to it that leads to discussions among perfect strangers from table to table 2912 Greenville 828-2250 Mon 11: 30 am-1 am, Tue-Sat 11: 30 am-2 am. Sun 3 pm-midnight; Sun brunch: 10: 30-3. MC V, AE.



FORT WORTH NIGHTLIFE



BILLY BOB’S TEXAS. This huge country/western club in the Fort Worth Stockyards has a lot going for it: two res-taurams forty-two bar stations, a real bull-riding arena, and several shops, It’s bigger than Gilley’s, more citified than the Longhorn Ballroom ever was, and a “must-see” if you’re in Fort Worth. 2520 N Commerce in the Stockyards. Metro 429-5979 Mon-Sat 9: 30 am-2 am. Sun noon-2 am MC. V. AE.

THE BLUE BIRO. Even when the band’s not playing, you’ll feel like dancing at The Blue Bird: the jukebox is the best in Fort Worth. But then. the patrons of this near-South Side club don’t want that to get around, they know a good thing when they’ve found it. The club is packed nearly every weekend with regulars dancing to the infectious music of Robert Ealey and the Blues-blasters This is rhythm and blues at its finest, but sssshhh! 5636 Wellesley. (817) 732-6243. Fri & Sat 7 pm-2 am. No credit cards.

CAMP BOWIE COUNTRY CLUB. Give us a break! We come to Fort Worth, expecting only the best in blue jeans, boots, and conversation about patching the fence, and dadgummit if they haven’t fallen in love with the new music scene. Fort Worth kids, who we thought would never change, are dressed in the latest high-tech, dancing from the moment they walk in the door to that kind of energetic music no one has found a name for Occasionally you’ll find a lost button down soul wandering aimlessly through the two-story club, but the night we were there, we didn’t see one person chewing tobacco. Is civilization lost? 4615 Bryce Ave. (817) 737-5227 Daily 6 pm-2 am Cover and live music on Tue & Thur-Sun MC V. AE

CARAVAN OF DREAMS. Caravan of Dreams, which covers three floors of a chic Sundance Square building, has excellent live jazz/blues (and a bar) on the first floor, a theater with movies and live drama (and a bar) on the second floor, and an outdoor patio with a cactus garden (and a bar) on the roof 312 Houston. (817) 877-3000. Wed-Sat 5 pm-2 am. Sun 6 pm-midnight. Closed Mon & Tue Cover lor shows MC. V. AE. DC.

The White Elephant Saloon, In 1887. Luke Short, then the

owner of the White Elephant, shot it out with a former U.S. marshal. Today, the Elephant has couniry/western music six nights a week. 106 E Exchange. (817) 624-8273 Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am. Sun noon-midnight. Happy hour Mon-Fri A am-7 pm. MC, V, AE.