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EATING AROUND TAKING IT EASY AT THE CHAISE LOUNGE

Also: Uncle Julio’s and Manuel
By Liz Logan |

Chaise Lounge



★ ★ ★ ★ Whatever the nature and extent of his legal imbroglios, Richard Chase (or maybe now it’s Chaise) knows how to make an eating establishment more than just a place to eat. He did the trick at Dick’s Last Resort, West End Oasis, and Moline Bar & Grill, and now, along with investor T. Kirk May, he’s done it again at the Chaise Lounge. You can’t miss Chase-he’s the tall one with the reddish hair, breaking up fist fights. (You can’t miss May, either; he’s the one who looks worried.)

Subtitled “This Is The Place Your Mother Warned You About,” the Chaise Lounge offers first-rate Southern fere set to the tune of live Cajun music. The music is great-everyone who heard Cajun funkadelic soulstress Queen Ida during the place’s opening festivities is still talking about her-but the food is sufficiently wondrous to warrant a hushed reception. For that, you have to eat in the kitchen, where there are a few tables.

Whether you sit in the kitchen or in the lively (to the point of discouraging digestion) main area of the restaurant, you can hardly miss with the menu, which is big enough to keep you interested but small enough to be executed wonderfully well.

Of the three soups available, the rich, satisfying corn and conch chowder lives up to its billing as “a Cays classic” (actually, the menu calls it “a Cays classich,” but I’m assuming that’s a typo); gumbo is lusty and intensely flavored (it could, however, use a little less okra, the slime king of the vegetable world); and oyster stew, with lots of plump oysters and traces of potato, is fine, if not as noteworthy as its two alternatives.

Moving on to main courses, chicken is available in two forms: pot pie and with dumplings. The pot pie is better than Mom or Swanson’s ever made; the dumplings are swell, but I would have been happier with shredded chicken as opposed to the thigh and wing I got, which required do-it-yourself extraction.

Pan-fried trout is another menu item that lives up to its description. It is indeed done here as God and Hemingway intended. Catfish and hushpup-pies are perfectly fried; ditto for the deep-fried shrimp (“this could be Jim Hightower left out in the Texas sun,” according to the ever-entertaining menu).

As if all this weren’t enough, the wine list is well chosen and priced extremely reasonably, with several good under-$12 choices. Desserts include pecan pie, sweet potato pie, and vanilla ice cream with homemade hot fudge. They’re all well and good (except, perhaps, for the sweet potato pie, which could take a lesson from Cafe Margaux’s version), but it’s the rice and raisin pudding with heavy cream that caused me to begin talking in tongues.

The Chaise Lounge used to be the Beefeater, a truly dreary restaurant, mourned by no one. How, without benefit of aesthetic overhaul, the same dark space now feels like a center of hip well-being is a happy mystery. 3010 N Henderson. 823-1400. Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner Mon-Sat 4 pm-2 am. MC, V, AE. Inexpensive to moderate.



Uncle Julio’s



★ ★ Uncle Julio’s is a descendant of Pap-pasito’s, a highly regarded Mexican restaurant in Houston. After four visits to Uncle Julio’s, I have concluded that this can only mean that Houstonians have been inhaling too many petroleum byproducts.

The decor at Uncle Julio’s is heavy on pink and purple, and the food is notable more for its quantity-portions range from generous to immense-than for its quality. The tama-les, which are available with pork and with chicken, are excellent, and it is for them that Uncle Julio’s gets its two stars. A redfish special of the day was also cooked as it should be. So much for the good news.

The mesquite-grilled specialties are uniformly woody-tasting, and to add insult to injury, arrive on violently sizzling platters. If I want sound effects with my lunch, I’ll take a sandwich to a LucasFilm production. The standard combination plates are slightly, though not shamefully, substandard. None of this seems to bother the mobs who’ve found Uncle Julio’s to their liking. It just goes to show that given a few margaritas and a few baskets of tostadas (speaking of which, the fresh-tasting hot sauce at Julio’s is very nice), you can feed Tex-Mex addicts almost anything and they’ll leave happy. 4125 Lem-mon Ave. 520-6620. Sun-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11-11. MC, V, AE. Moderate.



Manuel



★ ★ While New York has been tapas-happy for some time now, Dallas has been oddly lacking in Spanish restaurants. Unfortunately, Manuel doesn’t promise to be the establishment that will herald the advent of Spanish food as the next big thing among local restaurant-goers.

Although the food at Manuel was never less than decent on my visits, the problem was that almost nothing about the stuff seemed particularly Spanish. Instead, it seemed very predictably Continental, in the style of most Dallas-area restaurants five or ten years ago.

Thus, although a piece of grilled salmon with caper sauce wasn’t bad, it was also nothing special. Grilled Cornish hen with garlic cream sauce was dull, and veal with Monterey Jack cheese and Serrano ham suffered from extremely salty ham. All in all, the effect was dispiriting. The good news at press time was that Manuel had a new tapas menu, which I look forward to sampling. 8220 Westchester. Lunch Mon-Fri 11-3; dinner Mon-Thur 6-11, Fri & Sat 6-11:30. All credit cards. Moderate to expensive.



RESTAURANTS



AMERICAN



ARTHUR’S ★ ★ ★ ★ For the benefit of newcomers to Dallas, it should be explained that Arthur’s is a hoary old-timer on the local restaurant scene, and in recent years, the food tasted pretty solidly out of it. Since the advent of chef Jerry House, though, Arthur’s menu has moved into a rewardingly contemporary mode. Although the new fare is expensive, a dinner of steamed lobster and roast pheasant with a pear, honey, and thyme sauce was well worth the price. 8350 N Central Expwy in Campbell Centre- 361-8833- Lunch Mon-Fri 1 1:30-2; dinner Mon-Sat 6-10:30. Closed Sun. All credit cards. Very expensive.



BABY ROUTH ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ This infant son of Routh Street Cafe is a casual, relatively inexpensive alternative to the pricey, reservation-required pleasures of Routh Street Cafe. Stephan Pyles and chef Amy Ferguson (who first made a name for herself in Houston) have come up with an earthy menu that is a pleasing balance of the new and the familiar. Don’t miss the smoked com chowder with collard greens cream, the spicy honey-fried chicken, the grilled prawn and apple-smoked bacon club sandwich on toasted brioche, and the chocolate-ancho pot de crème. 2708 Routh. 871-2345. Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner daily 6-11; late-night menu Mon-Sat 11 pm-1 am; brunch Sat & Sun 11-3. All credit cards. Inexpensive to moderate.



BEAU NASH ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 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 fast but not least, the menu has been astutely adjusted, although not completely overhauled. Happily, the smoked salmon pizza-the perfect partner to champagne -survived. Hotel Crescent Court, 400 Crescent Court, Maple at McKinney. 871-3240. Breakfast daily 6:30-10:30; Lunch Mon-Sat 11:30-2:30; dinner daily 6 pm-11:30 pm; Sun brunch 11-2:30. All credit cards. Expensive.



BLOM’S ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Last time around at Blom’s, the service was as flawless as ever, and the food – always quite good in the past-was of five-star quality. The five-course, fixed-price ($38) “Taste of Blom’s” menu of the day was especially impressive: hill country venison with Cornice pear and Wisconsin blue cheese; cream of cauliflower soup; shrimp stir-fried with snow peas, ginger, and truffles; sorbets; fillet of lamb in pastry with tomato salsa and goat cheese; and a summer pudding with a strawberry sauce. Westin Hotel. Gallena. 13340 Dallas Pkwy. 851-2882. Mon-Thur 6:30-10:30 pm. Fri & Sat 6-11. Closed Sun. Jackets and ties required. All credit cards. Expensive.



CITY CAFE ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ innovative yet reassuringly homey menu (which changes every Wednesday) continues to be one of the best in town in terms of quality-to-price ratio. A recent dinner was nearly flawless: the mixed garden salad; jambalaya with ham, oysters, shrimp, and andouille sausage; chocolate quiche with shortbread crust; and crème brulée with a coconut cookie crust were all they should have been. 5757 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.



CROCKETT’S ★★ The featured attraction at Crockett’s is “small plates”- appetizers that aren’t called appetizers and that arrive all at once, rather than in sequence. The mixed-baby-lettuce salad and the dramatic black ravioli (due to squid ink, we’re definitely not in Kansas any more) are two of the more arresting choices. The selection of wines by the glass is excellent. Lincoln Centre. LBJ Frwy at Dallas N Tollway. 991-1189. Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner Mon-Sat 6-11. All credit cards. Moderate to expensive.



DAKOTA’S ★ ★ ★ ★ Dakota’s current lunch and dinner menus 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 Zintandel 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. 600 N Akard. 740-4001. Lunch Mon-Fri 11-3; dinner Sun-Thur 5-11. Fri & Sat 5-11:30; Sun brunch 11-2:30. All credit cards. Lunch moderate, dinner expensive.



DREAM CAFE ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ The bliss that is breakfast at the Dream Cafe is one of the worst-kept secrets in the Highland Park/Oak Lawn area. On weekends, the place is full of sleepy yuppies, hippies, and preppies in quest of fresh-squeezed orange juice, blueberry pancakes, and migas. What still isn’t widely known is the appeal of the Dream Cafe’s changing lunch and dinner choices, which are simultaneously heafthy, satisfying, and sophisticated. And what hardly anyone at all knows is that although the place has no liquor license, you can bring your own wine or beer. 3312 Knox. 522-1478. Mon-Fri 7 am-3 pm, Thur-Sat 6 pm-10 pm, Sat & Sun 8 am-3 pm. MC, V; personal checks accepted Inexpensive.



GERHWINS ★ ★ Like Crockett’s, Gershwin’s now offers “small plates,” which are like appetizers, except the idea is you order several instead of, rather than before, a main course. Black bean cakes with sour cream, baked goat cheese with almonds, and barbecued shrimp are some of the small-plate highlights The rest of the menu continues to be surprisingly well prepared in light of its extensiveness (usually a warning sign (or savvy restaurant-goers). 8442 Walnut Hill. 373-7171. Mon-Thur 11:30 am-midnight, Fri & Sat 11:30 am-1 am. Sun 10:30 am-3 pm & 5 pm-midnight. All credit cards. Inexpensive to moderate.



GOOD EATS ★ ★ This spiffy diner is a prime source of nutrition for many Oak Lawn residents, who rely on the basic breakfast fare, burgers, barbecue, and grilled fish that make up the menu. Nothing at Good Eats is ever truly great, but nothing is ever truly terrible, either. In any case, the juke box and sassy service seem to make everything taste better. 3531 Oak Lawn. 521-1398. Sun-Thur 7 am-11 pm. Fri & Sat 7 am-11:30 pm. MC, V, AE. Inexpensive.



HARD ROCK CAFE ★ Rock ’n’ roll memorabilia and the sense of being where it, whatever it is, is happening are the draws here, not first-rate food. Accordingly, it’s not surprising to find that the burgers, steak, and swordfish on the menu consistently emerge charred and nearly inedible. What is surprising is that the starkly named pig sandwich-a simple assemblage of bun, shredded pork, and barbecue sauce, served with pretty good cole slaw and pretty poor tries – is truly great junk food. Stick with the pig sandwich and devil’s food cake for dessert and you’ll leave happy, even if eating beneath the Beatles’ flight bags isn’t your idea of ultimate bliss. Service is so nice here it’s almost frightening. 2601 McKinney. 827-8282 Daily 11 am-2:30 am. MC, V, AE. Moderat



D REVISITS



LAURELS ★ ★ ★ ★ Two things that usually bode ill lor one’s prospects of eating well in a restaurant are height and association with a hotel. Laurels, located on the twentieth floor of the Sheraton Park Central, is an exception to both caveats. The menu dégustation, with a fixed price of $38.50, changes daily and is a good bet. A la carte choices are expensive, but choices like Maine lobster, wild mushrooms, and basil with fettuc-cine and roasted pheasant with green apple pasta and blue cheese sauce are well worth the tariff. Desserts are killers here, especially the souffle of the day (apricot with raspberry sauce on my visit). Sheraton Park Central, 12720 Merit Dr. 851-2021. Mon-Sat 6 pm-10:30 pm. Expensive.



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 Sheppard King mansion, Dean Fearing turns out cutting-edge New American Cuisine with a Southwestern accent. Current standouts: pan-fried oysters with roasted peppers; Louisiana crab cakes with a sauce of smoked chilies, lobster, and blocd orange; and chicken with a maple-pecan crust and roasted garlic potatoes. 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 Mon-Fri 7-11:30, Sat S Sun 7 am-1 pm; tea Mon-Fri 2-5 pm. All credit cards. Expensive.



901: An AMERICAn Restaurant ★ ★ ★ ★ service may be overly intrusive and familiar for my taste, but the food is nearly flawless here. Crab cakes were on the soupy side, but an appetizer of pan-fried medallions of rabbit with a spicy tomato sauce was the best treatment of bunny I’ve ever tasted. Prime rib was very nice indeed, but it was surpassed by the pasta of the day – linguine with shrimp and veal in a tomato sauce. And for dessert, although there are technically other choices, the only choice, at least as far as I’m concerned, is the Key lime pie. Forget all the sleazy, green-hued imitators of your past. This is the real thing. InterFirst Plaza. 901 Main. 747-9010. Lunch Mon-Fri 11-2:30, dinner Mon-Thur 5-10, Fri & Sat 5-10:30. All credit cards; personal checks accepted. Moderate.



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-run-ning, and socializing. Fresh-squeezed juice, espresso, mega-muffins, and peerless variations of 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. 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 5. Mon. All credit cards. Expensive.



ROUTH STREET CAFE ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Routh Street Cafe’s formula for national gastronomic fame: Stephan Pyles’s New Southwestern Cuisine; a sleek, Tonny Foy-designed setting: and snappy, congenial service. The five-course, fixed-price menu ($42. with surcharges for certain items) is printed daily, but some choices-such as cornmeal catfish with smoked pepper/mint mangold sauce, lobster enchilada with red pepper crème 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 well in advance. 3005 Routh at Cedar Springs. 871-7161. Tue-Sat 6-10:30 pm. Closed Sun & Mon. Reservations. All credit cards. Expensive.



SAN SIMEON ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Richard Chamberlain’s food maiches the splendor of San Simeon’s service and its subtly, weirdly wonderful interior. (Keep your eye on the lighting; it changes over the course of a meal.) Pick hits include a chowder of corn, wild rice, and duck sausage; chilled bow-lie pasta and prosciutto with saga walnut pesto; and Romano-crusted veal with angel-hair pasta and tomato sauce. 2515 McKinney at Fairmount in Chateau Plaza. 871-7373. Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner Sun-Thur 6-10:30, Fri-Sat 6-11; Sun brunch 11 -2:30. All credit cards. Expensive.



BAKERIES



LA MADELEINE ★ ★ ★ These are trying times, and every so often one needs a judicious combination of caffeine and carbohydrates to make it through the afternoon. La Madeleine’s strong coffee and raspberry beignets (or, alternatively, almond croissants) do the job (or me. There are also more wholesome alternatives along the lines of soups, salads, and sandwiches- as well as the lop-quality breads that are the true raison detre of the place. The rustic setting at both locations is pleasant. 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 focac-da 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 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. Mon-Tbur 9 am-10 pm. Fri & Sat 9 am-11 pm, Sun 9-9. MC, V, AE. Inexpensive.



BARBECUE



SONNY BRYAN’S ★ ★ ★ ★ Accompanied by the last two Sonny Bryan’s virgins in town, I headed for Sonny’s on a cool day-pointing out that the wood smoke and patrons eating from the hoods of their vehicles are essential elements of the experience. Reviewing ethics compelled us to order different things, but the wisdom of sticking to the awe-inspiring sliced beef sandwich was reconfirmed by the scorched ribs, rubbery sliced ham. and ho-hum beans However, that sandwich alone is sufficient to earn Sonny’s its stars. 2202 In-wood. 357-7120. Mon-Fri 10 am-5 pm. Sat 10 am-3 pm, Sun 11 am-2 pm. No credit cards; personal checks accepted. Inexpensive.



BURGERS



SNUFFER’S ★ ★ ★ Snuffers is nearly always packed with patrons who either go to SMU or look as if they ought ’ to, but this should not be held against it. The menu is small and well-prepared, with emphasis on salads, nachos, burgers, and the like. The immense basket of fries is a trademark: I wouldn’t have believed it was Bible to finish an order of the plain fries, much less se with cheese, but I have witnessed the feat. 3526 Greenville 826-6850. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am. Sun 11:30 am-2 am. All credit cards. Inexpensive.



CAJUN



ARCADIA BAR ★ ★ ★ ★ 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 some-times 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 rice, the food is first-rate. 2114 Greenville Ave. 821-1300. Daily 5 pm-2 am. MC, V, AE. Inexpensive.



CAFE MARGAUX ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ The blackened-everythmg brigade-those trend-surfing restaurateurs who don’t know their elbows from their étouffées-have made many local diners deeply suspicious of all Cajun food served outside a fifty-mile radius of New Orleans. Hap-pily, Cafe Margaux is another matter altogether. The food here measures up to Louisiana’s finest: house-made rolls, green salad, crawfish étouffée, oysters . Bienville. trout with crab-meat stuffing, and bread pudding were all flawless. Good news for regulars ac-customed to waiting in line for the twelve tables: expan-sion has brought the number of tables to twenty, and ” 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.



CRYSTAL PAGODA ★ ★ ★ ★ One of the oddest facts of din-ing 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 beet Szechwan-style and the moo shu pork are two especially 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, Satnoon-11 pm, Sun noon-10:30 pm. MC, V, AE. Moderate.



DYNASTY ★ ★ ★ ★ This relatively formal Chinese restaurant, despite its unlikely location adjacent to a motel, is among the best in the area-admittedly, a backhanded compliment given Dallas’s dearth of truly great Chinese food. On a recent visit, decent shrimp rolls and spring rolls were followed by indecently good rainbow chicken (julienned chicken, snow peas, red pepper, and Mung bean sprouts) and the equally praiseworthy, if oddly named, silver gourd savoury (shrimp, green peppers, straw mushrooms, and water chestnuts). Orange beef was too fatty, as it tends to be in Chinese restaurants all over town. 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.



Han-Chu ★ ★ ★ Han-Chu is a great restaurant for an illicit affair: the place is dark as a cave even at high noon. By Chinese-restaurant standards, it’s even sophisticated-looking: the color scheme is eggplant and burgundy, the waiters are in black tie, and there are roses on the tables. On my most recent visit, I found the shredded pork with ginger sauce to be memorable, thanks to a zippy flavor and an appealing texture imparted by the presence of black mushrooms and bamboo shoots. The princess chicken, on the other hand, was an altogether forgettable aggregation of cubed chicken, celery, and water chestnuts Caruth Plaza, 9100 N Central Expwy at Park Lane. Suite 191. 691-0900. Sun-Thur 11:30 am-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat 11:30 am-11:30 pm. All credit cards. Modera



D REVISITS



HONG KONG ROYALE ★ ★ ★ Being the only non-Orientals in the room makes Chinese food fans of Western descent very happy. This was the case when I forced a friend to accompany me to the wilds of Richardson in search of great Chinese The dim sun that we had heard enthusiastic reports on wasn’t available, so the |ury’s still out on whether this restaurant is the answer to the prayers of exiled New Yorkers who search the Metro-plex for the Chinese food they remember. However, a standard lunch of chicken with almonds and shredded pork with garlic sauce was very satisfying. What’s more, the pastel-hued decor at Hong Kong Royale is unusually pretty. Plainly, this place warrants further exploration. 221 W Post. Richardson 238-8888. Mon-Fri 11-11, Sat & Sun 10 am-11 pm. MC. V, AE. Inexpensive.



SZECNWAN 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 sautéed with ginger in chili sauce, and chicken chow mein with canned, as opposed to fresh, mushrooms. Prices are a bit higher here than at most local Chinese restaurants, but one can see, in such touches as the exotic lilies on the tables, where the surcharge is going. 8411 Preston. Suite 132 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.



UNCLE TARS 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 sautéed 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. Gaileria, 13350 Dallas Pkwy. 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.



FRENCH/CONTINENTAL



CAFE ROYAL ★ ★ ★ ★ Romance may be invaluable, but a romantic dinner shouldn’t cost 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. 650 N Pearl. 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 I’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. Adoiphus Hotel, 1321 Commerce 742-8200. Mon-Sat 6-10:30. Jackets and ties required. All credit cards Expensive.



THE GRAPE ★ ★ ★ ★ The Grape’s selling-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 – including T-shirts and a cookbook-suggests that what we have here is not so much a restaurant as a way of life. Although the Grape still serves the cheese and paté offerings that were its specialty when it opened in 1972, pasta and fish specials are the ticket these days. 2808 Greenville at Goodwin. 823-0133. Luch Mon-Fri 11-2, dinner Sun-Thur 6-11, Fri & Sat 6 pm-midnight. All credit cards. Moderate.



D REVISITS



LA CAVE ★ ★ ★ What with all the recent hoopla about the West End Marketplace and the weekend crowds resulting therefrom, hungry West End troopers would do well to remember quieter, less heralded establishments like La Cave. Although, as the name suggests, La Cave focuses on wine, with its cellar full of the stuff, the food is reasonably priced and reliably good. The standard patés and cheeses are as good here as anywhere else in town, but it’s the well-prepared daily specials that earn La Cave its stars. 2019 N Lamar at McKinney. 871-2072. Mon-Thur 11:30 am-10:30 pm, Fri 11:30 am-midnight, Sat noon-midnight. Closed Sun. All credit cards. Moderate.



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. Grain of crawfish tails with ginger was fight 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



MADAME CHANG ★ ★ ★ ★ This product of gastronomic cross-pollination – specifically, of French and Chinese cuisine – is an attractive, if very formal-feeling, place. Standouts on the menu are the sautéed breast of chicken with pine nuts, red peppers, snow peas, and ginger; grilled lamb chops with creamy mint sauce; and salmon steak and prawns with tomato-shrimp cream sauce. The Crescent. 2200 Cedar Springs. 871-3838. Sun-Thur 11 am-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat 11-11; bar open daily 11 am-1 am. MC, V, AE. Expensive.



Mr. PePPE ★ ★ ★ Mr. Peppe is not so much a restaurant as it is a mindset There exists a subset of monied, established Dallasites for whom fine dining begins and ends with Mr. Peppe. While the rest of us frantically trendy parvenus chase around from new hot spot to newer hot spot, the Mr. Peppe-ites are content to eat things like pepper steak and veal with lemon butter week in and week out. 5617 W Lovers Lane 352-5976. Mon-Sat 6-W. All credit cards. Moderate.

THE RIVIERA ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ I have attended Grateful Dead concerts that were quieter than the Riviera on a Saturday night, but minor hearing loss is a small price to pay for first-rate food in a charming setting. 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, it heavy on the bacon. Norwegian salmon and sea scallops steamed with white wine and served with a light rosemary sauce was one of the best treatments of salmon I’ve ever tasted. And duck breast with intensely flavored lavender and honey sauce was worthwhile, too. For dessert the creditable, very buttery-lasting Grand Marnier crème brulée was outshone by the ethereally light apple tart with almond cream and caramel sauce. 7709 Inwood. 351-0094. Sun-Thur 6:30 pm-10:30 pm. Fri & Sat 6:30 pm-11 pm. Accredit cards. Expensive to very expensive.



GERMAN/EASTERN EUROPE



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-Tbur 5:30-9 30 pm. Fri & Sat.30-10:30 pm. Closed Mon. All credit cards. Moderate.



CAFE KASHTAN ★ ★ ★ A recent dinner visit here was relatively disappointing, but that was mostly because my party was collectively starving and service was ex-cruciatingly slow. However, it also didn’t help that kulebiaka, that utterly satisfying melange of chicken, rice, and mushrooms baked in a pastry shell – wasn’t on the dinner menu Still, the salanka, an intensely flavored broth with bits of beef sausage, and vegetables accompanied by pirozki, a meat-filled roll, the chicken Kiev, the veal Soblianka with mushroom sauce, and the almond cake with raspberry sauce were appeasingly excellent. 5365 Spring Valley Rdat Mont-fort. 991-9550. Tue-Thur 5-10, Fri & Sat 5-11. Closed Sun. All credit cards. Inexpensive to moderate.



INDIAN



AKBAR ★ ★ ★ ★ Old India hands will want to thoroughly explore the byways of this restaurant’s menus That’s plural -there are two of them, the regular menu and the snack bar menu. Although the regular menu is praiseworthy, it is Akbar’s snack bar that conclusively sets it apart from its peers Snack-bar highlights include aloo tikki. grilled potato cutlets with curried chickpeas; samosa, tender turnovers stuffed with herbed potatoes and peas; and malai kofta, curry, cheese, and vegetable dumplings in a cream and almond sauce 2115 Promenade Center at Coit & Belt Line roads. 235-0260. Lunch Mon-Fri 11 am-2 pm. dinner Sun-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-10:30. Sat & Sun brunch 11:30-2:30. MC, V, AE. inexpensive.



CURRY IN, CURRY OUT ★ ★ ★ ★ Love the name Also love the food and the prices. This charming little family-run establishment may be somewhat spartan in appearance, but it is immaculate, and the food that emerges from the kitchen is well worth a trip to Garland, even if you don’t Iive nearby. One more incentive: prices are shockingly low If you’re serious about Indian food, Curry In, Curry Out is required eating As the name suggests, meals may be eaten in or carried out. Northwest Crossing Shopping Center. 1250 Northwest Highway. 681-0087. Tue-Thur 11 am-9 pm, Fri 11 am-10 pm. Sat noon-10 pm, Sun noon-9 pm. Closed Mon. No credit cards. Inexpensive



India Palace ★ ★ ★ I’ve given up on keeping track of the shifting, intricate lineage of who owns which local Indian restaurants, but it doesn’t matter, because they’re all quite good at the moment. India Palace is no exception to this general rule of excellence. Whether you order a la carte or opt (or the weekend buffet brunch, you’ll be happy with the food here. India Palace’s exceptionally thoughtful service is a bonus. 13360 Preston. 392-0190. Lunch Mon-Fri 11-2, Sat & Sun 11:30-2:30; dinner Sun-Thur 5 pm-10 pm, Fri & Sat 5:30 pm-10:30 pm. All credit cards, Moderate.



ITALIAN



ALESSIO’S ★ ★ ★ 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. Crab cannelloni, an appetizer of the day, was estimable enough to warrant on-the-menu status. Shrimp provencal, 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. 4117 Lomo Alto. 521-3585. Tue-Sat 6-10:30pm. Sun & Mon 6-10 pm. MC. V, AE. Moderate to expansive



D REVISITS



DlPALMA ★ ★ ★ This Italian eat-in/take-out shop/restaurant has been too popular for its own good ever since it opened. This means that Zen-like patience is required to have dinner here on weekend nights However, lunch is possible even for extreme Type A’s. The chicken sandwich is a standout-the chicken breast marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, and red peppers is grilled and served on olive oil bread with lettuce, tomato, and vinaigrette. And for dessert, you can hardly go wrong with any selection from the pastry cases. 1520 Greenville. 824-4500. Lunch Mon-Sat 11-3; dinner Mon-Thut 5-10, Fri & Sat 5-11. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE. Moderate.



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 6-11 pm, Sat 5:30-11, Sun 5:30-9 pm. MC. V. Moderate.



MERO’S ITALIAN ★ ★ ★ The food is good enough here, but it isn’t great, and it certainly doesn’t come cheap. What, then, accounts (or the two-hour waits on weekends? 1 suspect it’s that 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. 626-6376. Mon-Thur 6-11 pm, Fri & Sat 6 pm-midnight. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE Moderate.



RISTORANTE SAVINO ★ ★ ★ Savino does well on both the congeniality and the food front. A recent visit was notable for warm service and commendable versions of spaghetti carbonara, fettuccine with gorgonzola and walnuts, and vitello tonnato, that refreshing combination of veal and tuna sauce. 2929 N Henderson. 826-7804. Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner Sun-Thur 6-10:30. Fri & Sat 5:30-11. Alt credit cards. Moderate to expensive.



311 LOMBARDI’S ★ ★ ★ ★ What is the Italian translation of “good karma?” Our waiter didn’t know, but 311 Lombar-di’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 topped with arugula and diced tomatoes was simply immense. Dessert of raspberry ice cream and respectable espresso rounded oft a repast that was pure pleasure from start to finish. 311 Market 747-0322. Mon-Thur 11 am-midnight, Fri 11 am-1 am, Sat 5 pm-1 am. Sun 5-10 pm. All credit cards. Moderate.



JAPANESE/K O R E A N



MR. SUSHI ★ ★ ★ ★ it’s all raw fish to me. but a number of my friends are dedicated seekers of sushi, and the most serious of them swears by Mr. Sushi. My friend was moved by the “sushi B” dinner-tuna, white meat fish, yellowtail, jumbo clam, shrimp, salmon, smelt egg, salmon egg, cooked egg, and tuna roll -and I was appeased by the sautéed soft-shell crab and perfect shrimp tempura. The Quorum, 4860 Belt Line, Ad-dison. 385-0168. Lunch Mon-Fri 11 30-2; dinner Mon-Thur 5:30-10:30. Fri S Sat 5:30-11, Sun 5:30-10. All credit cards. Moderate.



ROYAL TOKYO ★ ★ Decisions, decisions At Royal Tokyo they start before you look at the menu. You can sit at the sushi bar. in the hibachi room, or in the tatami room (the choice for optimal conversation). Last time around, I fared better with the combination sushi dinner than the fried tempura, which could have been lighter. 7525 Greenville. 368-3304. Lunch Mon-Fri 11-2, dinner Sun & Mon 5:30-10:30, Tue-Thur 5:30-11, Fri & Sat 5.30-11:30; Sun buffet 11 30-2:30. All credit cards. Moderate to expensive.



SUSHI On McKIHNEY ★ ★ ★ As a rule, the sushi is a better bet than the cooked things at this self-styled “friendly post-modern sushi bar.” The atmosphere is lively to the point of freneticism, which is either a refreshing or a disturbing change from the traditionally quiet, subdued atmosphere of local Japanese restaurants. 4500 McKmney. 521-0969. Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-2; dinner Sun-Thur 5:30-10:30, Fri & Sat 5:30-11. All credit cards. Moderate.



LUNCH



ClTY 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. 200 L TV Center, 2001 Ross at Harwood. 979-2696. Mon-Fri 7 am-4:30 pm. MC, V. Inexpensive.



THEO’S DlNER ★ ★ ★ 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 gritled-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 at Theo’s Diner: the proprietor’s plot summaries of “All My Children.” 111 S Hall St. 741-9130. Mon-Fri 7 am-4 pm, Sat 8 am-3 am. No credit cards inexpensive.



MEXICAN



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 al 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. 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 came, 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-10pm. All credit cards. Moderate.



GENARO’S ★ ★ ★ With its tropical art-deco look, Genaro’s is the prettiest place in town for margarita consumption. Happily, for the most part the food matches the margaritas. Enchiladas Genaro, filled with snapper and crab meat, were extremely gratifying. And even if chicken with jalapeno and tomatillo cream sauce topped with pumpkin seeds arrived sans pumpkin seeds, the accompanying black beans and pea-studded rice were pleasing, anyway. And the coconut ice cream was lushly satisfying, as always. 5815 Live Oak at Skillman. 827-9590. Mon-Thur 11 am-10:30 pm, Fri-Sun 11 am-11:30 pm. All credit cards. Moderate.



GONZALES ★ ★ Gonzales is a laid-back establishment. 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 varieties of burritos made with fat, tender flour tortillas: the bean and cheese and the potato and egg are two good choices for those in search of hangover cures that do not require as much machismo to ingest as menudo does. The drive-through window provides a good, fast option for on-the-run diners. 4333 Maple. 528-2960. Daily 7 am-9 pm. All credit cards. Inexpensive.



MlA’S ★ ★ ★ For lo these many years, I have been hearing about the chile rellenos at Mia’s. And for lo these many years, I have been missing out on the chile rellenos at Mia’s I would remember that they were available only on Tuesday, but forget they were available only at dinner on Tuesday. I would remember that they were available only at dinner on Tuesday, but they would be sold out. Recently, thanks to a kind-hearted waitress who let me have her pre-reserved relleno. I finally tasted the elusive entree, stuffed with ground beef, potato, and raisins, and can report that the result was worth the wait. The rest of Mia’s menu is above-average, but it’s the relleno-and the warm service-that make the place worthy of cult status. 4418 Lemmon. 526-1020. Lunch Mon-Fri 11-2; dinner Mon-Thur 5-10, Sat 11 am-10 pm. No credit cards. Inexpensive to moderate.



SEAFOOD



ATLANTIC CAFE ★ ★ ★ The setting was as lovely as ever, and the service was fine, but, except for the sourdough bread, the food on a recent visit to Atlantic Cafe was disappointing. Sautéed sole was mushy, roast duck was stringy, and my spirits were lowered considerably as a result. I’m not ready, on the basis of one visit, to confirm the rumors that have been circulating about the decline of Atlantic Cafe, but the situation bears monitoring, 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 2 30. All credit cards. Expensive.



AW SHUCKS ★ ★ ★ Although the “fried thangs”-oysters and shrimp-that are the featured attraction at this relaxed restaurant are splendid, one does tend to feel in need of a shower after eating at Aw Shucks. But if you can handle the inherent grease factor involved in dining at an establishment fitted out with a battery of deep-fat fryers, Aw Shucks is a worthwhile destination. One exception to the rule of quality here is the fat French fries, which have hardly any flavor. 3601 Greenville, 821-9449; 4535 Maple, 522-4498: Village at Bachman Lake, 3701 W Northwest Hwy. Suite 310, 350-9777. Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat 11 am-11, Sun noon-9 pm at Northwest Hwy location; Mon-Thur 11 am-10 pm. Fri & Sat 11 am-10 pm, Sun 11:30 am-9pm at Maple and Greenville locations. MC, V.Inexpensive



CAFE PACIFIC ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ There are a lot of first-rate waiters working in Dallas, but Don at Cafe Pacific has to be in the very lop rank. Even if the food hadn’t been as close to perfection as mere mortals can approach his courtly but never pretentious manner and ability to be there exactly when you need him would still have made a recent lunch at Café Pacific a pleasure. All the same, Chinese chicken salad and a daily special of red snapper with a julienne of snow peas were all that they could and should have been. 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. All credit cards. Expensive.



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 McKin-ney in the Brewery. 954-0220- Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30, dinner Mon-Thur 5:30-10:30, Fri & Sat 5:30-11. All credit cards. Expensive.



SOUTHERN



BUBBA’S ★ ★ Forget the catfish, forge! the chicken-fried steak, forget the vegetables (especially the amazingly tasteless mashed potatoes) All ot these things are beside the point. At Bubba’s you will be wanting the fried chicken, a high-rise yeast roll or two, and the fruit cobbler. Order this sacred trinity of Southern food, and ; you will be rewarded with a matchless high-cholesterol, high-carbohydrate repast. You could drive through at Bubba’s and take your order home, but that would deprive you of hanging out in the lipstick-red booths that punctuate the black-and-white deco decor. 6617 Hillcrest. 373-6527 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 if 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 for those of normal ap-petite. 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.



Highland Park Cafeteria ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Standing in line 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 Perhaos as a result, many regulars believe that heaven itself will resemble HPC, with hairnetted attendants querying. “Serve you?” ana booths always available. The menu on cloud nine; ham or chicken-fried 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; Village on the Parkway. 5100 Belt Line at Dallas Pkwy, Suite 600. 934-8800 N, downtown, 500 Akard at San Jacinto, Suite 220. 740-2400. Mon-Sat 11 acn-8 pm at Cole location; Mon-Sat 11 am-8 pm, Sun 10.45 am-3 pm at Village on the Parkway location; Mon-Fri 6.30 am-2 pm at downtown location. No credit cards MC. V, AE for takeout and buffet orders of 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 cosine. 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-fried 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 of Preston & Belt Line) in Pepper Square. 490-6301. Mon-Fri 7 am-2:30 pm, Thur 5-3 pm. No credit cards, personal checks accepted. Inexpensive.



ROSEMARIE’S ★ ★ ★ ★ In the days when I toiled at The Dallas Morning News, one of my prescriptions for a bad morning was a quick trip across the bridge to Oak Cliff for lunch at Rosemaries These days, I don’t make it to Rosemaries quite so often, but when I do, it’s like old-home week, Rosemarie Hudson never forgets a customer, and her warmth accounts in part for the fanatical loyalty this little cafeteria-style operation inspires The terrific chicken-fried steak, mashed potatoes, yeast rolls, and peanut butter pie also might have something to do with it, 1411 N Zang. 946-4142. Mon-Fri 11-2. 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 rémoulade was as good a version as you’ll find this side of New Orleans (which happens to be where owner Del Frisco hails form). I was quite happy with my softball-sized eight-ounce filet until I lasted 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 immense enough for four. 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. All credit cards, ExpensivE



D REVISITS



HOFFBRAU ★ ★ If used to be that if you played word association, the name “Hoffbrau” would invariably be paired wth the word “steak.” Of late, a number of non-beefy items such as chicken ana shrimp have been allowed on the Hoffbrau menu. However, after sampling slightly greasy, overbreaded fried shrimp, I intend to stick to the steaks in the future. Although you don’t get meat of the caliber found at Del Frisco or the Palm at Hoffbrau, you don’t get a tad of that caliber, eiher. 3205Knox 559-2680. Mon-Fri 11-11, Sat 11:30 am-11 pm, Sun 11.30 am-10 pm. All credit cards. Moderate.



LAWRY’S THE PRIME RIB ★ ★ ★ ★ Finding myself once again on the verge of the big NB (nervous breakdown), 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 !he fare is hardcore comfort food that takes the overwrought diner back a couple of decades to the Sunday-dinner fare of a simpler time. The beef 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 surreally 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. Sal 5:30-11:30, Sun 5-10; Sun brunch 11:30-2 All credit cards. Expensive.



PALM ★ ★ ★ ★ The Palm is a weird experience for fIrst-tmers, To judge froM the comments of the friend who accompanied me on my last checkup lunch She knew it was famous for huge, expensive lobsters and steaks, and, logically enough, expected the place to be plush and serious-looking. Instead, of course, the decor, such as it is. consists of the worst caricatures ever committed to paper of the locally famous and semi-famous Lunch at the Palm, it turns out, is a really good idea. The lunch specials are not only less pricey than the choices at dinner, but they’re frequently belter, to judge from the celestial roast pork I tried this time around 701 floss 696-0470. Mon-Fri 11 30 am-10:30 pm, Fri 11:30 am-11 pm, Sat 5-11 pm, Sun 5-9:30 pm. AH credit cards. Very expensive



TAKEO



D REVISITS



CRESCENT GOURMET ★ ★ ★ The Crescent Gourmet offers some of the best baked goods in town for breakfast, The croissants, Danishes, and muffins are done right-and on the presses. Any of the aforemen-tioned, along with fresh-squeezed juice, would start any day right. At lunch, there are plenty of reasonably priced sandwiches and salads to choose from, including the knockout pizzas served next door at Beau Nash. 400 Crescent Court Suite 150. Maple at McKin-ney. 871-3223 Mon-Fri 7 am-5:30 pm. Sat 10:30 am-3 pm. Closed Sun. All credit cards. Moderate.



EVERYDAY GOURMET ★ ★ ★ ★ ★This is the takeout establishment that I’ve been waiting for-or It would be. if only it kept later hours. The food is homey in the best sense, but never tastes amateurish. The fare changes, buf peerless meat loaf and. chicken salad are two standards and the prices for this simple perfection are reasonable. 4446 Lovers Lane. 373-0325 Mon-Fri 7:30 am-7 pm,Sat 8 am-5:30 pm. MC, V, AE. Inexpensive to moderate.



MARTY’S ★ ★ ★What I like about Marty’s: the handsome1 setting the well-chosen wine selection, and the consistently rewarding food. A harried Saturday afternoon was much improved by rabbit and hazelnut paté, pasta salad with peslo, 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 1or the culinary illiterate: the suggested menu includes serving instructions and suggested wines. A recent development is the luncheon case, with pre-packaged sand-wiches and salads ready to go for lunch What I don’t like about Marty’s; the hours, Here in Dallas, land of the workaholic, it’s frequently hard to gel out of ths office by Marty’s 6:30 closing time. 3316 Oak Lawn. 526-4070. Mon-Sat 10 am-6.30 pm. Closed Sun. All credit cards. Marty’s charge. 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 Slam’s reputa-tor are as good as ever the pork satay comes with peerless curried peanut sauce, the spring rolls are commendable, the beef salad is roiling in leaves of fresh mint, and pud Thai, a dish of rice noodles with shrimp, ground peanuts, and scrambled egg, taetes better here than anywhere Now more than ever. Siam is one of Dallas’s all-time great Asian restaurants North-west 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



SlAM ROSE ★ ★ ★ ★ The wilds of Addison are not where one expects to come across ethnic-food finds. But after a shopping expedition at nearby Prestonwood, my partner in credit card abuse and i spied Siam Rose where we had a superb Thai dinner. The spring rolls were fine, but it was the pad thai (rice noodles with shrimp, bean sprouts, egg, scallions, and peanuts) and the massaman chicken. cooked in coconut milk with tamarind and curry sauce potatoes, and peanuts that were startlingly good. The sweet-natured service and quiet setting are bonuses 5290 Belt Line, Suite 142 991-9881. Lunch Mon-Fri 11-3, dinner daily 5-11. MC, V, AE. imxpensive to moderate.



LAS COLINAS/MID CITIES



CHINA TERRACE ★ ★ ★ I like to think that I will forgive almost anything for good food However, if that were the case, the well-prepared steamed dumplings, Szechwan beef, and shrimp with snow peas that I triedon my last visit to China Terrace would have left mehappy Instead, the harshly lit setting and the tough-lucK attitude of the service (a request for a beer at 9:55was refused because the bar was closed) put a signifi-cant dent in my sense of well being. 5435 N MacArthur,Irving. 550-1113. Sun-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri & Sat11-11. MC, V, AE. Moderate.



LA DELI ★ ★ You can begin and end your meal with the Generous Tray alone: eighteen (count em) dishes of assorted Lebanese salads and appetizers, from rolled and stuffed grape leaves to fresh yogurt. This is a very enticing – and filling – beginning. But if you have room for an entree, the combination dinner is a good choice because you can sample some of Lebanon’s best dishes: kibbi, falafel, and shish kebab. 5433 N MacAr-thur, Irving 580-1163. Lunch Mon-Sat 10.30-3:30, din-ner TueSat 5-10, Closed Sun. All credit cards, personal checks accepted. Inexpensive.



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



FOHT WORTH



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 estabiishment. The lamb chops topped with goat cheese, served with a rosemary sauce and accompanied by herbed French tries, are a standout. 2443 Forest Park Blvd, Fort Worth. (817) 926-5622 Mon-Thur 11:30 am-10 pm, Fri 11:30 am-10 pm, Sat 6 pm-10 pm, Sun 11 am-2:30 pm. MC, V. Moderate.



Saint-Emilion ★ ★ ★ ★ Considering the four-course fixed price of $20 per person, it’s surprising thai more Dallasites don’t make the trek to Saint-Emilion. 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), text-book lobster bisque, rich spinach cannelloni, and creditable snails in garlic butter made for a great start (Order the last with the boneless quail and you’ve got the snail-and-quail special.) 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 crème caramel. 3617 W Seventh. (817) 737-2781. Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2 pm & 6-10 pm, Sat 6-10pm. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE. Moderate.



NIGHTLIFE



ADAIR’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 cards.



ARTHUR’S. If they ever raise the drinking age in Texas to forty-one, this place could be in trouble. A tastefully appointed bar offering live entertainment, the crowd attracted here is older and sophisticated. They know that if you don’t have money, at least look like you do. Campbell Center. 8350 N Central Expwy. 361-8833. Tue-Fri 11:30 am-2 am. Sat 6 pm-2 am. Closed Sun & Mon. All credit cards.



BAR OF SOAP. We’d like to see this place make it just because of its name A combination art pub and launderette, you can do your wash in the back room while sipping your favorite beer or wine. But you’ll want to make sure you stay there long enough to hear original music and poetry readings performed on top of the “soap box.” Along with the original artwork hanging on the walls, plans are in the works to provide people a chance to show their own productions on the bar’s VCR. 3615 Parry Ave. 823-6617. Daily noon-2 am. No credit cards.



Barney Oldfield’s. Barney Oldfields relentlessly pushes on. no matter what other clubs are doing, with its “straight from Las Vegas” theme. Everyone who appears on the stage seems 1o 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 Tue-Thur 8:30 & 10:30, Fri & Sat 9 & 11. All credit cards.



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 middle-aged boot-kicking crowd, continues to be a huge moneymaker. 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.



BOILER ROOM. Walk inside and it’s easy to see how this bar got its name: it’s the actual boiler room of the old Sunshine Biscuit Company, However, this has nothing to do with its popularity as a dance club and the best new singles bar close to downtown. Some may feel in-hibited dancing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows next to the dance floor; others won’t want to leave. Part of the Dallas Alley in the West End Marketplace. 603 Munger. 988-0581. Daily noon-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 pin in the act. Win free Kamikazies by successfully singing “Old Ben Lucas” in front of the audience. 4714 Greenville. 692-6470. Tue-Sat 7:30 pm-2 am. Show starts at 9:30. Cover vanes. MC, V, AE.



CARZ. When this bar opened, it had a heavy automobile motif And. just like a car that didn’t sell, it changed this year. The bar has been divided to offer dining on one side and live music on the other. The bands vary nightly, except Sundays, when you’ll find the popular jazz band. Clockwork. It seems that for once, a slightly used, second owner is definitely better than brand new. 4830 Greenville. 691-4300. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am, Sun 6 pm-2 am. All credit cards.



CHEERS. Looking for a good dive bar to watch a basketball game? Or how about a small, casual place for a hamburger or sandwich? Well, they’re both here. The crowd was starting to make this place look like an SMU dorm Changes were made to accommodate the over twenty-one drinking crowd, and it’s working. 5118 Greenville. 692-5738. Daily3pm-2am. MC, V, AE, DC.



CHELSEA CORNER. In the block where upper McKinney Avenue runs into Highland Park, this is the perfect club | to blend the two cultures. Aquiet, 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. Daily 11 am-1:30 am. Live music Tue-Sat. MC, V, AE, DC.



CLUB DADA. You may recognize the name from the avant-garde performing group, Victor Dada. That’s because three of the members opened it. and it does have an eclectic style: new music and jazz and nightly versions of “performance art.” One of our favorites is the “Word of the Day,” or ’Monday Night Feedback,” where an improv team gives its own version of Monday Night Football. 2720 Elm at Crowdus. 744-4012. Daily 8 pm-2 am. MC, V, AE.



CONFETN. Remember when this was the place to be in Dallas? When lines snaked around the building every night? Well, now it’s not that way But the patrons of today wont be bothered Most are either from out of town or too young to remember those days. And Confetti’s policy of serving non-alcoholic drinks to eighteen-to twenty-one-year-olds could make this the best place to meet your child bride. 5201 Matilda (Lovers Lane at Greenville). 369-6969 Mon-Thur 8 pm-2 am, Fri & Sat 8 pm-4 am, Sun 4 pm-2 am. Cover varies. MC, V, AE.



THE DEN. This dark, warm, intimate bar is located inside the Stoneleigh Terrace Hotel. You never know who you’re going to see here, if anyone at all, It’s the perfect place to meet someone for a quiet conversation, And if they bore you. you can always spend your time trying to figure out whose picture is hanging next to Bob Hope’s Stoneleigh Terrace Hotel, 2927 Maple Ave. 871-7111. Man-Sat 11 am-midmght. Sun noon-10 pm. MV, V, AE, DC.



DlCK’S LAST RESORT. The customers of this restaurant/bar spend most of their time saying, over and over. “Excuse me.” The place is usually standing room only, and with good reason. It’s a fun bar offering live Dixieland music, bench seating, and decent food that comes in a bucket. As the West End grows, so will the crowds. But not at Dick’s- they can’t get any bigger Corner of Ross and Record. 747-0001. Mon-Thur 11:30 am-mtdmgnt, Fri & Sat 11:30am-2 am, Sun 1 pm-midmght, MC, V, AE. DC.



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. Sun-Thur 8 pm-2 am Fri & Sat 7 pm-2 am. Closed Mon. MC, V, AE.



ETCETERA. Think of all the names this hot North Dallas bar has been called Papagayo, In Cahoots, etc. Oh wait. The last one is actually the name of the bar now. and it’s the latest one to attract long customer lines. It’s hot for all the right reasons: search lights outside cross the sky, waitresses slink by in hand-painted uniforms, a dress code encourages expensive clothes, and most important, it’s the newest place on the street. 8796 N Central Expwy, in NorthPark East. 692-5417. Mon-Thur 4:30 pm-2 am. Fri 4:30 pm-3 am, Sat 8 pm-3 am, Sun 8 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 don’t 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, it’s 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 $3 Thur; $4 Fri & Sat. MC, V, AE.



Four Seasons Ballroom. This place offers big-band musicfor ballroom dancing. A strict dress code is enforced: dresses for the ladies and costs and ties for the gentlemen. Only setups, beer, wine, and soft drinks are served except on Fridays, when food is available. Cover vanes, and free dance wessons are offered. 4930 Military Pkwy. 349-0390. Wed 8:45-11:45 pm, Fri 9 pm-12:30, No credit cards.



FROGGY BOTTOMS. Ever wondered what a basement bar during orohibition must have looked like? This is it. A wonderful rhythm and blues club offering good barbecue and cold beer, the atmosphere here was definitely designed for good times in a very small selling The Tonny Foy decor can best be described as early flea market. The walls are decorated with graffiti ana scrap metal. Pan of Dallas Alley in the West End Marketplace, 603 Munger, 988-0581. Daily 11 am-2 am Cover varies. MC, V, AE.



FUNNY BONE. The Funny Bone is to the comedy scene what McDonald’s is to hamburgers. It’s the largest chain of comedy clubs in the country. You may not recognize all the names that appear here, but that doesn’t mean they’re not funny. Many of these comics are in the middle of long runs playing the ten cubs around the country. Tuesday nights you can catch the local improv group, “4 out of 5 doctors.” LBJ Freeway and Greenville Avenue in the High Point Village Shopping Center. 437-2000. Shows: Wed. Thur. Sun 8:30: Fri 8:30 & 10:45 Sat 7 45. 10. & midnight; Tue 9 pm. MC, V, AE.



IMPROV. Everybody loves a clown, and of late some of the funniest folks in the show-biz circus have been split-ling sides at the improv. Dallas’s newest comedy club. ft cousin of the famed L.A. nightspot, the club lakes its name from that gutsy, gonzo brand of comedy that reached its zenith with Robin Williams, wherein the comic plays without a net. relying as much on crowd response, retort and insult as on any set repertoire. When it works, the payoff car. be explosive, awe-inspiring On our visit, funnyman Byron Allen (of TV’s “Real People”) provided the yuks, feeding off the audience (with mixed results) and mining a rather dated vein of he-she humor. Somehow most of the material worked, thougn a gooa deal was just Alan King with four-letter words. The opening act, juggler Daniel Rosen, broke every law of physics by juggling a “Swiss army cat’ festooned with razor-sharp blades. One word of warning: you won’t be amused by the low-grade fried appetizers on the cutesily titled “Date Plate” and “Swinger’s Plate.” Eat around the corner at Magoo’s and show up ready to laugh. 9810 N Central Expwy (in the Corner Shopping Center), 750-5868. Showtimes Sun-Thur 8:30 pm, Fri & Sat 8:30 & 10:45. MC, V, AE.



JOE MILLER’S. The more things change, the more they stay the same, That’s certainly true of Joe Miller’s. It’s still one of the best places in town for a real drink, and as always, after work there are plenty of good conversations going on that anyone can enjoy. That is unless you can’t say anything but “Come here often?” or “What’s your sign?” It’s still (even with Joe’s passing) the number one media bar in town. 3531 McKinney. 521-2261. Mon-Fri noon-2 am. Sat 6 pm-2 am.Closed Sunday MC V. AS



KNOX STREET PUB. Here, across the street from such yup-piti delights as On the Border and Hoffbrau, is a bar still fighting to be laid back. And what is laid back these days? How adout 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 soecies 3230 Knox. 526-9476. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am. Sun 5 pm-2 am. No credit cards.



LEGENDS. The “legends” here are the least interesting thing about the club-names of Texas sports figures like Bob Lilly. A.J. Foyt. and Babe Didrikson circle the bar in a mock-up of Texas Stadium’s Ring of Honor. More interesting are the dance floors; one is a regulation boxing ring (which will also feature karate and boxing exhibitions) The other is a miniature baseball diamond, which will no doubt spawn endless jokes about scoring and striking out. But if this successor to the old Cafe Dallas proves to be mote than a Greenville mayfly, credit will go to the banks of television screens that alternate rock videos with vintage sports footage and live spotting events. It’s quite a novelty to see Magic Johnson and David Lee Roth airborne at once, or to watch Sandy Koufax firing a hummer past the head of Cyndi Lauper. Brush her back. Sandman. brush her back. Old Town, 5500 Greenville 987-0067. Mon-Fri 3 pm-2 am, Sat & Sun 11:30-2 am, MC, V, AE.



THE LOUNGE. Want to throw down a beer with young in-telligentsia? Here’s what you do: first, dress chic, but don’t let it look eiegantiy 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 Inwood Theatre so you’ll have something to talk about at the bat. And you’d better show a liltle 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.



MARIANO’S. Mariano’s claim to have invented the margarita, like so much else in this world. must be taken on faith. But if they didn’t create the drink here, you couldn’t tell it from sampling the Mercedes or Papa Mariano’s Recipe. a delightful marriage of Cuervo and Cointreau. A few of these beauties and a plate of the Mexi-canapés (with flautas, a feisty stuffed jalapeno, etc.) and you’ll gladly overlook the cheesy pastel portraits of locaf sports, entertainment, and media celebs that ring the canlina. Old Town, 5500 Greenville. 691-3888. Mon-Wed 4 pm-midntght. Thur & Fri 4 pm-2 am. Sat & Sun noon-2 am. MC. V, AE.



MEMPHIS. Don’t let the tiny dance floor (literally about the size of a two-door foreign car) and the dark hue of (he 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 Bel! Line, Suite 500- 386-9517. Sun-Thur 11 am-2 am. Fri & Sat 11 am-3 am. Cover $3-$5. All credit cards.



MISTRAL. The all-slick, high-tech dance club with the video screen larger than (he side of a barn has gone completely ’new music.” which is a nice way of saying that the music is not pop and we cant 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 Anatoie, 2201 Stemmons. 760-9000. Tue 8 pm-3 am. Wed 8 pm-3 am, Thur 8 pm-2 am. Fri 8 pm-4 am, Sat 7 pm-4 am. Cover $5 Thur & Fri, $10 Sat, All credit cards.



PINOT’S WINE BAR. You want wine by the glass, this is the place to get it – twenty-one varieties, ranging in price from $2.50 to $21 a glass. (If you’re trying to check out all twenty-one in one night, the half-glass option might be advisable.) There is a menu, and it’s more than passable, if less than awe-inspiring, but wine, not food. is the lure here. Pinot’s setting is closer to plain than plush, which doesn’t seem to bother in the least the wine and resitaurant business crowd that gravitates here. 2926 N Henderson. 826-1949. Daily 2 pm-midnight. MC, V, AE



PLAZA BAR. lt’s just like the name implies, a plaza that opens to the alley of Dallas Alley, offering indoor and outdoor seating, with food service from two different restaurants This is a great place to have a casual conversation and drink, or meet friends before tacking the West End lor the night. Pan of the Dallas Alley in the West End Marketplace. 603 Munger, ,988-0581. Daily 11 am-2 am. MC, V, AE.



PLUS FOURS. McKinney Avenue provides a sophisticated gathering spot for a group other than the yuppies With an English-styled, woody interior, it almost seems that the “intelligent” thing to do is watch the non-stop sports you find on the bar’s televisions. Plus Fours’ English motif has proved to be immensely popular. There’s also great Sinatra music on the jukebox. 2504 McKinney, 871-2757. Mon-Fri 11 am-midnight, Sat 5 pm-midriight. 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 ten 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.



PROHIBITION ROOM. Long regarded as the place in the basement next door to the Starck Club. the Prohibition Room has deveioped an aura of its own For one reason, it has begun to regularly draw some of the lop local bands, like Robert Lee Kolb. When you enter, you’ll think it’s another pool-and-shuflleboard bar. but when you run out of quarters, go to the back by the stage ana listen to an evening’s worth of fine music. 703 McKinney in the Brewery. 954-4407. Mon-Fri 4 pm-2 am, Sat 6 pm-2 am. Ctosed Sun. MC, V, AE.



THE PROPHET BAR. Haunted by the threat of nuclear war? The lines of Dylan Thomas? The lines at the Starck Club? IS 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-watching 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 “cooI” talk. The live music will-thank God-drown you out 2713 Commerce. 742-2615. Sun-Thur 11 am-2 am. Fri & Sat 11 am-4 am, Sun 3 pm-2 am, AE.



THE SALOON. If your jeans don’t come with designer labels. The Saloon may be your kind of Greenville Avenue hang-out. The atmospheres down-home. Coronas go 1or two bucks a pop, there’s live music almost every nigh! and no weekday cover charge. Music runs the gamut from rock to folk, with a hard case of blues in between The quality of the entertainment is variable – Monday is open mike night. Tuesdays feature a blues jam and songwriters strut their stuff on Wednesdays – but you can’t beat the sound when they turn off the amps and crank up the Jukebox, There aren’t many places in the metroplex you can hear Sonny Terry ana Brownie McGhee and Grand Funk Railroad for the same quarter 2818 Greenville. 823-6550. Mon-Fri 3 pm-2 am. Sat 11 am-2 am, Sun noon-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 tor Smashingly Resplendent-ly Ordinary)? Here. you may tap your manicured fin-gernails against the sleek bat 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. 2900 McKinney 748-5014. Mon-Sat 11 am 2 am. Closed Sun MC, V, AE.



STAH’S BLUE NOTE. The best beer-drinking joint on Lower Greenville, this place has been discovered mostly by :he post-SMU crowd- But you’ll still find your quota of eccentrics and plain old barflies who love 1he shuf-lleboard and pool tables and the surprisingly lively atmosphere, 2908 Greenville. 824-9653. Daily 11 am-2 am No credit cards.



STARCK CLUB. A lot of people have been wondering, will Starck survive “the bust”? Will it survive the opening o1 more and more West End bars? True, it may not be quite as crowded and it’s only open Thursday through Sunday now. but we’re happy to report that the bar that taught us how to go to the bathroom together is still going strong, Which only goes 10 prove, there is life without ecstasy. 703 McKinney in the Brewery, 7200130. Thur & Sun 9 pm-2 am: Fri & Sat 9 pm-4 am. Closed Mon-Wed. Cover $5 Thur & Sun after 9 pm. $10 Fri & Sat after 9 pm. All credit caros.



STATE BAR. One sign of a bar’s success is the sighting of T-shirts emblazoned with its logo on the persons of its patrons and would-be patrons. By that standard, State Bar is nearly as successful as-and far more hip than -the Hard Rock Cafe. What has made State Bar’s martini-glass trademark omnipresent is simple: this is a bar for low-key Bohemians who want to have civilized conversation while gazing out picture windows facing the fairgrounds across the street. The subdued lighting – there are rheostats at each booth – and moderate volume of the music make (his possible All in all. the effect is of a gallery opening without the pictures. 3611 Parry. 821-9246. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 am, Sat noon-2 am, Sun 6 pm-2 am. MC, V, AE.



STONELEIGH P. Ask someone about the Stoneleigh P. and they’re likely to describe it as one of their favorite places for a casual lunch. Ask someone else, and they’ll tell you what a great bar it is for a late-night drink. Both are right. This would be a great neighborhood bar even if it weren’t in a great neighborhood. It’s a long-time favorite of the downtown set and advertising types. 2926 Maple. 871-2346. Mon-Thur 11 am-1 am, Fri & Sat 11 am-2 am, Sun noon-midnight. AE.



STRICTLY TABU. Tuesday through Sunday, this popular iazz club/restaurant answers the burning question: how many people can you put into a small, smoke-filled, rectangular room? If the jazz weren’t excellent here, they wouldn’t put the bands in the front window for all to see. Bring an appetite for Italian food if you’re going to arrive late. Chances are the restaurant upstairs is the only place you’ll find to sit. Lomo Alto at Lemmon A venue. 528-5200. Tue-Thur 6 pm-2 am, Fri & Sat 6 pm-2 am. Sun 6 pm-2 am. Closed Mon. MC, V, AE.



TAKE FIVE. Chefs will tell you that a fine dinner will taste better if it looks good. If that holds true for music, then the jazz in this bar will sound great. Take Five has a sophisticated look done in black and live music at a level that lets you enjoy talking to the person across the table. And, unlike many clubs, there is more time devoted to music than breaks. Part of Dallas Alley in the West End Marketplace 603 Munger. 988-0581. Mon-Fri 5 pm-2 am, Sat & Sun 11 am-2 am, MC, V, AE.



TERILLI’S. Ah, yes, that great Lower Greenville tradition-sipping wine, eating Italian, and listening to that smooth, soft kind of jazz that makes you start snapping your fingers like Mel Tormé. 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. If you consider yourself pan of the new scene-and it 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. 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: am-midinght, Tue-Sat 11:30 am-2 am, Sun 3 pm-midnight; Sun brunch 10:30-3. MC, V, AE.



ZEBO’S. This is a wide-open pop-music dance bar that’sunpretentious and has a low cover charge – an increasingly rare find. Zebo’s real forte, however, is itsRockabilly Wednesday, which features live bands andpumped-in rock ’n’ roll 5915 E Northwest Hwy. 361-4272. Wed-Fri 6 pm-2 am, Sat & Sun 7 pm-2 am.Closed Mon & Tue. No credit cards.



FORT WORTH NIGHTLIFE



BlLLY BOB’S TEXAS. This huge country/western club in the Fort Worth Stockyards has a tot going for it: two restaurants, forty-two bar stations, a real bull-riding arena, pool, pinball, video games, 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 Rodeo Plaza in the Stockyards. Metro 429-5979. Mon-Sat11 am-2 am, Sun noon-2 am. MC, V, AE.



THE BLUE BIRD. Even when the bend’s not playing, you’ll feel like dancing at The Blue Bird: (he 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. Fn & Sat 7 pm-2 am. No credit cards



CARAVAN OF DREAMS. Caravan of Dreams, which covers three floors of a chic Sundance Square building, has excellen! five 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-Fri 5 pm-2 am, Sat 7 pm-2 am. Sun 6 pm-midnight. Closed Mon & Tue. Cover for shows only, MC. V, AE, DC



The White Elephant Saloon. in 1887, Luke Short, then theowner of the White Elephant, shot it out with a formerU.S. marshal. Today, the Elephant has country/westernmusic six nights a week and lots of tourists tryingdesperately to learn the two-step on a small dancefloor. 106 E Exchange. (817) 624-B273 Mon-Satnoon-2 am, Sun noon-midnight. Happy hour Mon-Fri4 pm-7 pm. MC, V, AE.

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