EATING AROUND CHAPLIN’S: A STANDOUT STARTUP

Chaplin’s



Chef-owned French restaurants are common enough in Dallas, but we haven’t had all that many chef-owned New American ones. Jack Chaplin, who has cooked at City Cafe among other places, has remedied that deficiency with a bistro on Lower Greenville. It’s a little more formal in feel than you might expect from the neighborhood, though several of the diners when we were there dressed extremely casually. The service is snappy and professional, and the food seems dependable and sometimes extraordinary.

Much of the menu at Chaplin’s will seem familiar to regulars at City Cafe during Chaplin’s tenure there. This chef has a real gift for adopting the commonplace ideas of New American cooking and making them distinctively his own, especially in the main courses. All too often, New American entrees are simply grilled slabs of meat accompanied by a sauce of greater or lesser originality and appeal. Chaplin gets more interesting tastes into his dishes by using coatings and stuffings. A chicken breast stuffed with spinach, goat cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes is a standout-it’s grilled, but it has a more complex flavor than mere smoke. Pork chops, too, come stuffed (or, really, topped with a stuffing, deliciously rich, of cornbread and sausage) and sauced with Madeira. Even a more traditional dish like rack of lamb receives a stellar treatment, partly due to a Dijon mustard and crumb coating, partly to a bountiful seven-bone cut of meat cooked and carved to perfection.

The other courses here are less distinctive, but no less successful. Both corn- and crab-cakes (served with both white and red sauces) and seafood tamales have become almost cliches hereabouts, but nobody does them better than Chaplin’s-here the tamale is closer to its Mexican forebears than the too sweet, doughy ones you find elsewhere, and the chili sauce has a rewarding picante bite. Lovers of seafood bisque will similarly find a rewarding version here, with a hearty ocean tang refined by cream and wine. Everyone seems to be doing Caesar salads these days-the one here is more traditional than most. Dainty asparagus spears also make a fine salad topped with a lemony homemade mayonnaise.

Chaplin’s wife, who is running another new restaurant, makes the desserts off premises. Again you will find the same pattern of loving refinement and not-too-daring innovation. The great dessert is the version of Sachertorte-far more delicious than you can find even in this dense chocolate cake’s original home, Vienna. Here, it is moister and more flavorful, without sacrificing the heavy chocolate taste and texture that define the dish. The thick chocolate sauce that comes with it is heresy, but inspired heresy. Apple pie a la mode and the unusually light Italian-style cheesecake with raspberry sauce are exemplary, but seem dull next to the Sachertorte. The desserts, like everything else about Chaplin’s (including the reasonable prices), make this one of the most promising new restaurants to open in Dallas in the last couple of years. 1928 Greenville Ave. 823-3300. Tue-Sun 6pm-11 pm. All credit cards. Moderate to expensive.

-W.L. Taitte



Malibu Cafe



The owners here used to be associated with the Enclave, a Continental restaurant of longstanding but quiet, almost anonymous, popularity. Malibu Cafe’s menu is far more up-to-date, as is the breezy California-style decor. But the new place has learned an important lesson from the older, more establishment establishment: how to find the middle of the road. Malibu Cafe is trying to bring the innovations of New American cooking to a mainstream market. It does so without the sometimes strange experiments of Parigi and without the sometimes daunting excesses of Gershwin’s, its main Dallas competitors for this sort of food at these prices. This is New American cooking for people who want to be conservutively up-to-date-and if that isn’t a concise definition of how Dallas likes to see itself, I don’t know what is. It may be that Malibu Cafe has found a formula that will prove as long-lasting (if unexciting) as the very different one of the Enclave. It may also be a successful formula for the startup of a chain for which (rumor has it) Malibu Cafe is a trial balloon.

After you are seated, the sometimes harried but always enthusiastic waiters bring large baskets of homemade garlic bread sticks, bran muffins, and miniature loaves of whole wheat bread, all of which are replenished frequently throughout the meal. And like its rivals, Malibu Cafe offers an interesting selection of wines by the glass at prices that won’t make your eyes bulge. As an appetizer, the California pizza (which also can be ordered as a main course) is New Wave pizza for those who don’t want to go so far as salmon and goat cheese and all that weird stuff on their pies. It blends grilled chicken, mozzarella, and tomato sauce on top of its rather solid crust and conveniently places its slices of avocado and such on top, where anybody who doesn’t believe God meant for alligator pears to go on pizza can handily get rid of them. The large, fat crab-cakes are fabulous, as are the extremely spicy green and red sauces that come with them.

The main courses offer lots of grilled choices, several pastas, and some Heart Healthy items like breast of turkey scallopini and grilled mahi-mahi, both cooked in olive oil and sauced with pieces of tomato and herbs-a little bland, but good for you, The most adventuresome thing we found was the grilled pork tenderloin: the medallions of meat were pink (done enough, we think, not to pose a health hazard, but still under-cooked compared with the way most Texans eat pork). The sauce, too, prickled because of all the black pepper. We suspect most people would have found the two pasta dishes we sampled the most satisfactory entrees. The angel hair pasta was too soft to be called al dente, but it was not mushy. And the herbed garlic butter with a large quantity of tiny shrimp made a fine sauce. Ricotta-stuffed large ravioli floated in a creamy basil sauce with tiny bits of crab meat in it-the closest thing to innovation we encountered in any dish, and a delicious one at that.

Desserts at Malibu Cafe are divided between New American new standards (chocolate mousse cake and crème brulée) andOld American old ones (carrot cake withcream cheese icing and mile-high Key limepie). We were divided on which stood out.The crème brulée was thick and rich and hadthe properly crunchy caramelized top; it wascompromised, though, by a tasteless pastryshell. The Key lime pie was a more authentic version than most; it had a pastry crustrather than a Graham cracker one, and thefilling was a blend of whipped cream,gelatin, and tart lemon juice-but not so tartas to irritate the conservative, of course. 4311Oak Lawn Ave. 521-2233. Sun-Thur 11 am-11pm. Fri & Sat 11 am-11:30 pm. All creditcards. Moderate. -W.L.T.



Medieval Inn



According to my reference, the Middle Ages dragged on from the 8th to the 14th centuries A.D. The Royal Feasting Theatre half of the Medieval Inn attempts to re-create the culinary spirit of the period via a six-course, fixed-price evening meal interspersed with entertainment and served in the style of the times-that is, without the eating implements we have come to know as knives, forks, and spoons. In a moment, we will comment on that Merrie Olde Formatte; but first, let us look at the more conventional side of the inn’s operation, the Pub.

A warm, comfortable space handsomely accented with oak furnishings, the Pub serves lunch and dinner from a menu of a la carte listings as solid as their surroundings. Starters were the best of the dishes we tried: a ramekin of baked eggplant with peppers and cheese went quite nicely with crusty French bread; steamed mussels heaped generously in garlicky broth were splendid; black bean soup was richly hearty under its scallion-sprinkled sour cream dollop, although the chunks of sausage in it seemed rather dry.

Main dish-wise, a quintet of hefty shrimp, marinated in sesame sauce and barbecued on a skewer, was succulent, although its rice bed was not. A chicken breast charbroiled and served on a fine onion bun was moist and flavorful with grilled onion and honey mustard sauce. The same honey introduced an unfortunate sweetness in the too-pungent barbecue sauce that bathed five enormous Black Angus beef ribs. These last are a main house specialty; we found them heavily unappetizing. Ditto the French fries, which were fresh and home-cut and would have been lovely without the blanket of molten Swiss Almond cheese with which they were slathered. The menu refers to this combination as “unspeakable”; correctly, as it happens, although I’m sure “indescribable” is the word management meant to use.

Management in this case is newlyweds Debra and Ben Williams, and Debra’s brother Peter Seemann; their parents, Carl and Pat Seemann, perform the same functions here as at Pomodoro, which is owned by another daughter and her husband: Pat makes the desserts, Carl plays a genial host/mentor role. What they’ve created in the Pub is a clubby gathering place for dart players (three boards) and beer-drinkers (nearly two dozen foreign and domestic brews, five on tap). Yards and half-yards of ales are offered, although the sizable cash deposits required as breakage insurance struck me as off-putting, if not downright unsporting.

Once inside the Theatre, though, the ambience is playful, the bosomy waitstaff enthusiastic and willing, the revue-style entertainment more clever than not. The performers, local actors and arts teachers, are professional caliber, and one hardly minds that the first-course “cheese board” is really a cocktail tray of bite-sized bits; that the black-bean soup here is sans sour cream or sausage; that the third-course mussels are cool and fewer in number than from the Pub menu, set out to be shared by everyone at the table. (One does wish the mussels might have come before the soup: a shell would have made a marvelous spoon.) The roasted Cornish game hen halves are juicy, if pale-skinned, their companion corn-on-the-cob chunks (the only veg offered) overcooked, What I did mind more than anything else was that the wine here was a cheap white and the beer a low-budget American not even offered at the Pub bar. I’d have gladly paid extra for a mug of Watney’s, thanks.

In fairness, I should point out that nobodyelse at the long, crowded tables seemedanything but enthusiastic about the wholeadventure. Which raises the question: willDallas try anything that offers the noveltyvalue of costumed amusement? Oh, yes, atleast once. And is Dallas ready for a themetheater/restaurant that serves up a doublehelping of amiable vulgarity along with anexcess of mediocre food? Wait and see.Meanwhile, a place like Medieval Inn isbound to get more initial attention than itperhaps should-if only because it’s outrageous. 7102 Greenville. The Pub, 363-1118.Mon-Fri 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Sat & Sun5-10:30p.m. The Theatre, 363-1114. Wed&Thur 7:30p.m., Fri & Sat 8, Sun 5. Reservations required for The Theatre. MC, V, AE.Moderate. -Betty Cook



Atlantic Cafe Too!



Seriously, folks, I’m inclined to make a rule requiring new restaurants to earn any exclamation marks they add to their names- in this case added clearly purely for publicity purposes, since the sign outside this Addison offshoot of the Knox Street original reads simply “Atlantic Cafe.”

Frankly, I’m not ready to greet the new place with the breathless excitement the punctuation suggests, although Addison apparently is-the huge house was full on our visit, the bar stacked three-deep with happy revelers, the signature aquarium the only un-crowded spot on the premises. We’d been told reservations would only be held fifteen minutes; having gotten slightly lost in the churning frenzy of Far North traffic, we arrived about that late, and were vastly relieved to be kept waiting only a quarter-hour more before being seated.

Only slightly, though: perhaps to punish us for being slow to make our menu selections, our waiter disappeared for several years at the moment we were ready to order, then caused courses to be whisked away several times before we were quite ready to surrender them. His only other sin was to fill our wine glasses too full in an effort to empty the bottle before the entrees so we’d order another-a common transparency we have learned to resist.

The food was uneven in quality and execution. The day’s soup, spinach with Canadian bacon, held fresh spinach leaves in rich broth with petals of bacon that had overbalanced subtlety with too much salt. Ceviche, always a starring starter at the original Atlantic, was a mixed bag here, the shrimp and tomatoes toothsome, the bay scallops strangely dark-looking and chewy as leather. Sashimi, a generous fan of immaculate red tuna slices on cabbage and sprouts, was superb; Caesar salad was a tasteless toss of tough romaine lettuce with rock-hard croutons, dressed in zipless dressing that had no hint of anchovy.

Ah, but anchovy was the saving touch on a main dish of Wiener schnitzel: the crisp-breaded veal slices were underseasoned, their undersauce a bland, cool demi-glace; a crowning garnish of anchovy fillets gave the dish its only real flavor.

Rankest failure among our entrées was a swordfish steak that ranged in texture from too tough to pasty-textured and tasted ever so slightly less than fresh. On the plus side, Chicken Santa Fe was spicy and fresh, a tender breast stuffed with chili pesto and partnered with zippy tomato salsa. Sautéed scallops were not even kin to the grim little things in the ceviche; these were big and buttery, silken in herbed ginger-sherry sauce. The mixed-veg saute that accompanied all these was uninteresting; a side order of lemon-buttered asparagus was perfect.

So was the espresso that set the scene for desserts that earned exclamation points the restaurant as yet does not. A lush strawberry crepe, not quite up to the standard set on Knox Street, would rate only one; but a happily tart Key lime pie and a fresh-as-spring sugarless blueberry tart deserved three-bang accolades.

And I hasten to add that the main diningroom, with its arched mirrors, paintings, andbubble dome of stained glass, is a beautifulplace to dawdle over your final course. If therest of the meal can be brought up to equaldesserts, I’d be willing to punctuate Atlantic Cafe Too’s title any way they choose.14866 Montfort Drive, Addison. 960-2233.Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30; dinner Sun-Tkur5:30-10:30, Fri & Sat 5:30-11; brunch Sun11:30-2:30. All credit cards. Moderate to expensive. N -B.C.



8.0

On weekend nights, the line stretches out into the parking lot, the jukebox blares, and there’s standing room only from door to door. The reincarnated 8.0 is cutting-edge cool, like all Shannon Wynne’s “O” ventures before it, and Dallas’s trendy nightlifers make it appropriately impossible to squeeze into on Friday and Saturday.

But the 8.0 has another side. It is billed as a restaurant and bar, after all, and if you go at midday or very early evening or Sunday afternoon, you can be hip and enjoy a good hamburger, too. You can even (remember, Wynne is the father of a three-year-old) do the impossible: be hip and eat out with the kids at the same time: not only does the new 8.0 cater to the Nineties by offering a kiddies’ menu, it also provides the little ones with coloring books and crayons.

The menu is limited, concentrating on sandwiches, burgers, and salads, and stresses, by the use of asterisks and footnotes, that the foods served are as healthy as possible. Meats are nitrite-free and mayonnaise is homemade with canola oil. You can, if you’re sincerely avoiding red meat, order a turkey burger. We didn’t. We had the standard 8.0 burger-a medium-rare patty of healthy beef on a toasted bun, topped with sweet red onion, lettuce, and tomato and sided by terrific, homemade criss-cross-cut potato chips. We also tried the grilled cheese sandwich, a simple thing made wonderful by making the sandwich with Texas toast and grilling it slowly, with French fries, medium cut, fresh and crisp. The damn good black-eyed pea sandwich was a treat for a homesick Southerner: not a sandwich, but a thick slab of cornbread smothered in black-eyed peas smoky with bacon and hot with pepper. Only the grilled chicken breast-so over-salted we had to send it back-failed to please, and the second one was all it should have been, tender and juicy.

Service on both our visits was professional and accommodating-glasses refilled promptly, table kept clean, even an unfortunately full spilled Coke mopped up and replaced swiftly and cheerfully. And no, it wasn’t a three-year-old who knocked it over…2800 Routh St. 979-0880. Sun 11 am-midnight, Mon & Tue 11 am-1 am. Wed-Sat 11 am-2 am. MC, V, AE. Inexpensive.

-Mary Brown Malouf



Michelangelo’s



We thought it was great news when the little pizza place we knew in Richardson fancied itself up, gave itself a new name, and tagged itself a Mediterranean restaurant-it’s a long way from the other places selling this trendy blend of Spanish, Italian, French, and other cuisines. Michelangelo’s has a pleasant environment and an attentive on-the-premises proprietor. But sadly, it doesn’t live up to the promise of its interesting menu.

One of the most successful things here is a novel element in the already multifarious Mediterranean potpourri-an Argentinian version of empanadas, the Latin American pastry turnovers. (The proprietor has Argentinian roots.) These empanadas are filled with tiny cubes of meat and onions and come with a fiery chimichurry sauce-they’re available as an appetizer or a main dish. Another winner was the cazuela de maris-cos, a Spanish seafood stew with shrimp, clams, mussels, squid, and fish. There’s also an excellent homemade dessert called a rum raisin cake, topped with lightly toasted meringue.

That about exhausts the list of dishes we found to recommend at Michelangelo’s. The paella Mediterranean was essentially just the cazuela over some saffron rice and peas; it didn’t have the rich blend of flavors the best examples of paella can show. And the chicken Alfredo was a grilled breast and some fettuccine doused with far too much thin cream sauce.

Another disappointment was that several of the desserts were obviously commercialand undistinguished. Michelangelo’s deserves congratulations for trying to offer anew range of dishes to the suburbs. But thekitchen just doesn’t deliver consistentlyenough. 581 W Campbell Rd, Suite 129,Richardson. 238-0120. Lunch Mon-Sat 11-2.Dinner Mon-Sat 5-10. All credit cards.Moderate. N -W.L.T.



Pasticcio’s



A serenely pretty place across the street from Travis Walk. Pasticcio’s has a pleasant, courtyardy feel to it. The sound of a live piano floats through French doors; a handsome bar commands the atrium adjoining a dining room with nicely spaced tables overlooked by mirrors and paintings. The ambience, though more upscale than not, is exceedingly comfortable; not for nothing did proprietor James Aghaz spend years in the employ of some of the city’s best-known Italian restaurants before opening one of his own. The setting’s cordiality sets the mood for the food, which is Italian of the most familiar and comforting kind, executed with a generally light touch that suits the contemporary mindset against heavy, rich sauces.

I say generally-one of our starters, fried calamari, was rather too thickly breaded, although the squid ringlets themselves were baby-tender. Scampi, though, was a sunny delight, the huge shrimp barely sautéed with garlic and scallions in sherry and butter with exactly the right lemon zing. Cioppino was an excellent version of the fisherman’s stew, a mélange of shrimp, buttery scallops, and squid plus delicate bites of moist, rosy salmon-an uncommon touch. Escargots were less memorable, but flavorfully finished in garlic butter sauce with ricotta cheese.

When the kitchen’s light touch erred, it was on the side of caution: salad dressings were overmild, the house vinaigrette barely detectable, a pastel green goddess creamy but bland. Chicken Pasticcio, thin leaves of moist breast meat in lemony sherry-butter sauce, lacked the sparkle we expected.

Pastas, though, were perfect-a side of angel hair in tomato-basil sauce was exquisite and fresh, the shreds of Parmesan grated over it at tableside a delectable thatch. The day’s seafood special, a peerless Norwegian salmon fillet grilled in the ubiquitous sherry wine sauce, fairly sang with fresh flavor. Veal with artichoke and tournedos Pasticcio were standard versions, competently rendered but unexciting except for the crown of elegantly curled shrimp on the latter’s slightly overcooked slices of beef tenderloin.

Desserts ranged from celestial (incredibly wonderful raspberry cheesecake, strawberry-studded zabaglione) to commonplace (cappuccino ice cream pie, too-dense chocolate mousse). Service could not have been nicer; while we were lavished with more attention than we probably would have been if the place had been filled, none of it was Dallas women lead complicated lives. We are quietly in command from car pool to corporate boardroom, through a see-and-be-seen lunch, PTA, BARBECUE



D REVISITS



Blue Ribbon B-B-Q. The ribs here are large and meatyand flavorful, and the slices of sausage beat out the beef(carefully trimmed of fat and plenty tender, but a little bland)and the ham. Side dishes include mustardy homemadepotato salad and mashed potatoes covered with meltedcheese. Fried apple and peach pies proved a high-cholesterolfinish. The excellent overall quantity of the food along withthe convenient location and relaxed Western-style surroundings make this one of the most pleasant spots in town to eatbarbecue. 316 Hillside Village (Mockingbird and Abrams).823-5524. Inexpensive. -W.LT.



Dickey’s Barbecue. 1 don’t know how the fare is atDickey’s various other Dallas locations, but at the one onNorth Central it’s as classic-Texan as barbecue gets: brown-checked oilcloth on the tables, toothpicks on the mantel, agiant wheel of Longhom cheese set out for nibbles alongsidesweet onion rings, relish, and peppers on the service bar.The beef’s the best buy, long-smoked to succulence, slicedor chopped to order as you watch (crusty parts included onrequest), served with a tangy, non-sweet sauce. Sides, too,are a cut above most such establishments-the potato saladcarries real crunch, the fried okra ditto, the green beans ona recent visit particularly wonderful, long-simmered withnew potatoes and perfectly seasoned with bacon fat, blackpepper, a touch of garlic. For dessert, forget the cakes andpies and go for the house-made fruit cobbler. Service isstandard cafeteria style here, but the warmth that emanatesacross the counter seems to affect patrons too-the ambienceis that of some small-town crossroads family favorites wehave known and loved. 4610 N Central Expwy. 823-0240.Inexpensive. -B.C



Roscoe’s Easy Way. More ambitious than I had expected, this Lemmon Avenue barbecue bastion branches outinto brunch on weekends, with some pretty fair fare: agrilled ribeye was thin but flavorful, paired with two nicelypoached eggs-a bargain at $6.95. Barbecue’s still themainstay here, though-the sliced beef sandwich was thickand tender, sausage and ribs were juicy and flavorful, potatosalad and cole slaw were both fresh and appetizing. Frenchfries and hash browns were excellent, and a side order ofsteamed spinach proved uncommonly good. 5420 LemmonAve. 528-8459. Inexpensive. -B.C



BRITISH



Jennivine. This British-cum-French establishment is dependably creative in the daily specials listed on its blackboard menu. Alas, not everything we tried last visit was up to the restaurant’s standard: a potato-scallion souptasted more of flour than either named element, and thevenison paté seemed a bit long in the tooth, having gone dryand almost tasteless. But a warm English salad with Stiltonwas the stuff of which dreams are made-leaf lettuce andcurly endive strewn with jicama sticks and red onion, thelusty cheese suffusing a vinaigrette dressing. Poachedsalmon with tomatillo relish was a happy marriage, as wasduckling with watermelon sauce and a garnish of red chilijam. I’m a sucker for bread and butter pudding, but this one,warm and rich, struck me as superior. 3605 McKinney.528-6010. Moderate to expensive. -B.C.



BURGERS



Chip’s. At the original location on Central Expressway, at least, Chip’s still serves what is probably Dallas’s best burger. Not too thick, crusty and brown on the outside but still rarish inside if ordered that way, the patties are obviously cooked with care. And the buns are grilled, too. The fries (crisp outside, soft within), onion rings, and chocolate snakes are also pretty wonderful. We couldn’t get excited, though, about the pig sandwich-chopped pork and pickle relish on a bun. 4501 N Centra! Expwy. 526-1092- 2445 W Northwest Hwy, Suite 101. 350-8751. Inexpensive. -W.L.T



D REVISITS



Hard Rock Cafe. It seems ironic that this monument to rock ’n’ roll boasts a booster chair at practically every table-kids, from toddlers to pre teens, love this place. The atmosphere is perpetual party, and the best food is kid food: platters of nachos gooey with cheese, perfect burgers, exemplary fries, and old-fashioned sugary desserts like banana splits and fudge brownies topped with ice cream. More adult offerings, like the prime rib, aren’t as good, but who cares? There’s the world’s best collection of rock ’n’ roll memorabilia all around you, plus you get a free balloon to take home. 2601 McKinney Ave. 855-0007. Moderate. -M. B M.



D REVISITS



Prince of Hamburgers. In these changing times, somehow the Prince hangs on, one of the last bastions of strip culture on increasingly gentrified Lemrnon Avenue. Nothing but an old-fashioned drive-in burger joint, the Prince makes no concessions to trends, continuing to serve up the same burger baskets, chili dogs, and root beer in frosty mugs that they always have, and, we hope, always will. 5200 Lemmon Ave. 526-9081. Inexpensive. -M.B.M.



D REVISITS



Snuffer’s. Our last meal at this SMU hangout was a cheese extravaganza-mountainous cheese nachos (enough for four,we discovered), cheeseburgers, and cheddar fries. Real collegiate nourishment. There’s also a selection of fresh, simple salads for coeds watching their weight. All our (bod wasgood, the fries, as always, remarkably so. In the past, mymain complaint about Snuffer’s has been the noise level-now that my ears have experienced some of the new noise-is-chic spots, Snuffer’s seems almost tranquil. 3526 Greenville. 826-6850. Inexpensive. -M.B.M.



CAJUN



Crescent City Cafe. This funky slice of New Orleans inDeep Ellum has trouble getting food to the table still hot, butcheerful wait staffers always seem happy to zip things backto the kitchen for a warmup. And once reheated, they speakin the rich, authentic Southern vernacular-gumbo wassatisfyingly murky, red beans and rice were nicely textured,the oyster loaf a fine show of crisp-fried creatures in goodFrench bread. Star of the show, as usual, was the muffalet-ta sandwich, a sunny amalgam of meats and cheese spikedwith olive salad on fresh Italian bread. And the beignets,also as usual, were a drippy delight, drizzled with honey andwashed down with excellent coffee. One goes here, not fornovelty, but to reaffirm that real Cajun is alive and well. Itis. 2730 Commerce. 745-1900 Inexpensive. -B.C.



Pontchartrain. The vast, din-Filled barniness of this FarNorth Dallas establishment is off-putting at first, but onceinto the food, the place grows on you. Crawfish bisque andseafood gumbo were both heady starters, and a quartet ofoysters Pontchartrain would alone have made the visitworthwhile-moist, meaty things they were, crowned withdelicate crab meat and a melt of good cheese, billed as an appetizer but hearty enough for an entree. Catfish étouffée wasalmost as fine, if a trifle bland, and a day’s-special order offresh crab legs were the juicy real thing. Skip the bread pudding, which was bathed in horridly sweet pink sauce, in favorof the Key lime pie, which was wonderfully authentic. Actually, once the noise sorted itself out, it turned out to be thereal thing, too-frisky Cajun and Zydeco music, the happysounds of a well-fed. casual crowd-and service that hadseemed at first authoritarian defined itself as downrightmotherly (“What, you can’t eat all your catfish? Well, dear,I’ll just box it, and you can take it home!”). 13444 N PrestonRood. 385-1522. Inexpensive. -B.C.



CHINESE



Beijing Grill. From the grill we liked the Mongolian lambchops, grilled to medium rare and served with a spicy brownbean sauce. Dragon and Phoenix was an excellent rendition,with lots of lobster chunks; wonton stuffed with cheese andcrab meat was an experiment that didn’t quite work-thecheese in the fried wonton had a cloying effect. 2200 CedarSprings in The Crescent, Suite 148. 871-6868 Moderate toexpensive. -M.B.M.



China Green’s Restaurant. The food here is authenticMandarin. Hunan, and Szechwan. Smoked fish was a novelappetizer, the dry-smoked chunks firm and almost jerky-likein mildly herbed, dark red sauce. Our star entrée, one of thebest Chinese dishes 1 have ever tasted, was called exactlywhat it was: Fresh Oysters with Green Onion in Hot Plate.The plate, indeed, was sizzling; the scallions mated perfectlywith shreds of fresh ginger in a muted sauce to which theplump oysters were added for a brief tableside saute” themoment before serving. 200 W Polk St, Richardson. 680-1034. Inexpensive to moderate. N -B.C.



Crystal Pagoda. A suavely pretty fixture on McKinney Avenue, this well-orchestrated sister of Szechwan Pavilion has its country’s classics down pat Crispy shrimp balls were deliriously crunchy. cold noodles with hot sesame sauce a tongue-tingling joy. The Peking duck 1 dared to order without advance notice could hardly have been better, its skin perfectly crunchy in tender crèpes skillfully spread with hoisin sauce and garnished with green onions. Szechwan lamb was properly piquant and freshly garnished with watercress, and Dragon and Phoenix paired rich lobster chunks with peppy spiced chicken, as per tradition-although the potato nests, obviously prepared in advance, were inedible. Never mind-service was practiced and prompt, and the Chinese beer refreshingly chilled, a disappointment to my European companion, who prefers his room temp, but not to me. 4516 McKinney Ave. 526-3355. Moderate. -B.C.



D REVISITS



Han-Chu. This sleek-looking spot was one of our favorite Chinese restaurants when it opened, but a recent visit disappointed. A list of new specialties tempted us, so we orderedchicken on a metal plate-it turned out to have only a smallamount of chicken, a lot of canned bamboo, and an over-poweringly salty sauce. Crispy duck was also ordinary-dried out and not really all that crisp. The Mandarin lambhad a nice peppery bite amid all the scallions, and thetangerine beef was tasty as ever. But all the portions seemedniggardly, especially talcing into account the higher-than-average prices here. Caruth Plaza. 9100 N Central Expwy atfork Lane. Suite 191. 691-0900. Moderate. -W.LT.



May Dragon. The drive-in look of May Dragon, along therestaurant strip on Belt Line in Addison, doesn’t prepare youfor the sophistication within. A small labyrinth of intimatedining spaces in subtle colors is the setting for some of thebest-prepared Chinese food in town, served with the attention due the Last Emperor himself. The menu holds few surprises, but even a doddering standard like moo goo gai panoffers delicately cut meat and immaculately fresh vegetables.4848 Bell Line at Inwood. 392-9998 Inexpensive tomoderate. N -W.LT.



Plum Blossom. We sampled the Great Dynasty Banqueton our last visit and were impressed by the dish of wontonfilled with shrimp and chicken and stir-fried with Chinesegreens. The combination of lobster, crab claws, and prawnswas enhanced by a black bean sauce treated in a stylereminiscent of French cooking-the seasonings were blended together smoothly rather than left discrete, as is theChinese wont. But we were less impressed by the gamy-tasting frog legs and flabby-textured rabbit meat in orangepeel chili sauce. Loews Anatole Hotel, 2201 Stemmons Fwy.748-1200. Expensive. -W.L.T.



Taiwan Restaurant. Head, if not shoulders, above its sibling on Greenville, the Belt Line Taiwan is one of the two or three enduringly best Chinese restaurants in Dallas, a judgment borne out on our last visit by cliché classics as well as less-often-ordered dishes. Kuo-teh (Texas translation: pot stickers) were perfect little pouches, tender on top, crisp-fried on the bottom, delectably plump with pork andcrunchy vegetables. Aromatic beef arrived in thin slices,subtly multi-spiced. Szechwan pickle with shredded porksoup was a tart departure from the better-known varieties,and our entrees-spicy Mongolian lamb, mild and mundanesweet and sour shrimp-were each exemplary of their genre.Oddly enough, the most exciting dishes we tried were agarlic-spiked spinach, barely stir-fried, and Szechwan eggplant, the vegetable sliced and deep-fried before simmeringin a hot-as-he II sauce. Service was Continental-cordial,music was live, and the relaxed ambience bore witness to thefact that most of the business here is repeat. Even in fickleAddison. 4980 Belt Line, Addison. 387-2333- N 6111 Greenville. 369-8902. Moderate. -B.C.



Taton. The inscrutable language barrier being what it is,I’m not quite sure how a Chinese restaurant called Chin BigWong happened to segue into one called Taton SeafoodRestaurant and Club (same address, same phone number).Or how the chef of a Richardson Vietnamese eatery calledArc-en-Ciel happened to be cooking here. What I am sureof is that Richardson’s loss is North Skillman’s gain-everydish we tried on our visit was well executed, and severalwere outstanding. Fresh oysters sautéed with sliveredseallions in ginger sauce arrived plump and sizzling; orangebeef was perfectly crisped thin slices in piquant citrus sauce;a small lobster hacked into chunks and deep-fried in a crustof tangy Parmesan was hard to eat. but transcendentallyworth the effort. Worth a special trip, in tact-I urge you totry it. 9243 Skillman, Suite 104. 343-0545. Inexpensive tomoderate. N – B.C.



D REVISITS



Tong’s. When this offshoot of Tong’s House in Richardson opened in North Dallas a year and a half ago, we didn’t think it measured up to the original location. But a casual lunch here recently suggested that the cooking had improved dramatically, and a subsequent full-scale dinner confirmed it. Tong’s is now one of the more dependable Chinese restaurants around-especially welcome at a time when many old favorites seem to be slipping. The signature dish of Szechwan “Dan Dan” noodles, with a mysteriously sweet and spicy sauce, is among the many interesting noodle offerings. The kitchen also does well with golden fried dumplings. Chicken with vegetables offers a bountiful selection of broccoli and bok choy. kong po scallops are spiced up with large, leathery slices of dried red pepper, and twice-cooked Chinese pork bacon isn’t as exotic as it sounds. 1166! Preston Rd, Suite 143. 361-6588. Moderate. -W.LT.



FRENCH/CONTINENTAL



Café de France. From the outside (his looks like a small, informal bakery, but in the back there is a largish, slick-looking restaurant. You can order everything from a tasty cheeseburger-on-a-croissant (!) to a filet with Béamaise. The fettuccine alfredo is well prepared, with a rich sauce and firm noodles, but the optional slices of chicken are not an improvement. Sole meunière and a daily special of sautéed shrimp turned out to be surprisingly tasty. The choices for dessert out of the deceptively splendiferous-looking case were limited; the best was a small but perfectly satisfactory eclair. 17370 Preston Rd. 248-2229. Moderate. N -W.LT.



Café Royal. The food has changed relatively little over thenearly nine years the place has been open (except for the introduction of a less pricey table d’hote menu in addition tothe top-dollar a la carte choices). There was still a touch ofthe first days of nouvelle cuisine in the beautifully grilledshrimp and scallops surrounding a tangle of greens in an appetizer salad, and the veal here still comes as a thick, lendersteak just barely grilled to doneness. New to us was a delectable opener of vineyard snails in a winey sauce surroundinga delicate garlic custard. Vegetables still include a veryFrench little square of scalloped potatoes and (for an extratariff) giant, intricately whittled stalks of fresh asparaguscooked to perfection. Only a prosaic selection of dessertskeeps Café Royal from the very top ranks of Dallas restaurants these days. Plaza of the Americas, 650 N Pearl.979-9000 Expensive to very expensive. -W.LT.



The French Room. On a recent visit, both a la carte selections and fixed-menu offerings were superb, from a pretty complimentary hors d’oeuvre of salmon rillettes to dessert, fresh raspberries in puff pastry with crème fraiche on warm caramel sauce. The degustation menu (four courses, with a wine for each, $56) was in no way outclassedby more expensive menu choices: a confit of guinea fowllegs with mildly dressed winter greens and petal-smoothduck foie gras was a showy first course, as was my companion’s fresh foie gras sautéed with apples in Calvados sauce.Sautéed medallions of beef tenderloin under a crisp potatofan were the equal of chicken breast rounds alternated withalabaster lobster in truffle sauce. The Adolphus Hotel, 1321Commerce. 742-8200. Expensive. -B.C



L’Entraeote. This subdued, intimate space is unexpected amid the vast expanses of the Loews Anatole. The menu isamong the most ambitious in the city, and the executionmostly first-rate. The assertive taste of wild boar sausagemet its proper foil in mild Alsatian noodles in one stellar appetizer, and the fresh truffle wrapped in puffed pastry wasset off by foie gras, prosciutto, and port wine in another.Every dish is garnished with fresh herbs and edible flowers,but sometimes the herbs are used with a heavy hand in thecooking, and other disappointments can occur, like lough,overcooked noisettes of lamb. The salmon coated with ablend of cracked peppercorns, though, was perfect, and thebanana beignets surrounding an ethereal coconut moussehave become a local classic. Loews Anatole Hotel, 2201Stemmons Frwy. 748-1200. Very expensive. -W.L.T.



The Riviera. Early on, the food turned out by chefs LoriFinkelman Holben and David Holben was very good, butnot always exciting. Now there is excitement aplenty in suchdishes as the Mediterranean appetizer tart made of semolinagnocchi dough or the rich mussel soup. A halibut fillet.which can so easily turn hard and rubbery, arrives at thetable moist and tender. A mixed grill includes portions oflamb and veal beside a superb rabbit sausage-not to speakof a gorgeous array of vegetables. 7709 Inwood. 351-0094.Very expensive. -W.L.T.



Watel’s. The airy ambience (complete with a terrace) and the personal touch both in the kitchen and in the service raise expectations that aren’t quite fulfilled. Both shrimp Provencal and rabbit stewed with bacon and mushrooms lacked finesse in execution-onions were chopped too coarsely and the rabbit hadn’t been properly browned. A dish of stuffed quail also seemed too ambitious for the limited resources of the kitchen. Some of the best things here are the simplest, like the mellow garlic soup and the poached pear accompanied by fresh fruit and ices. 1923 McKinney. 720-0323.Moderate to expensive. -W.LT.



GERMAN/EASTERN EUROPE



Beivedere. The appetizer of a seafood-filled crepe is richand rewarding, and the various treatments of veal range froma crisp schnitzel to tender scallops swimming in cream andmushrooms. Accompaniments include buttery spaetzle (little homemade noodles) and crusty scalloped potatoes.Salads come with a topping of fried onion, and desserts include a sinfully dense and chewy chocolate mousse. 4242Lomo Alto. 528-6510. Expensive. -W.LT.



Hofstetter’s. Hofstetter’s half-dozen appetizers and seventeen entrées run a daily-changing gamut of fresh creativityapplied to traditional dishes, most of them Austrian, butsome straying definitely Frenchward. You might start withsteamed mussels, bathed in a bracing tarragon-Dijon sauce,then proceed to rosy slices of duck breast, crisp-skinned andsided with walnuts in thyme-scented cassis sauce, with aZinfandel-poached pear finishing off the plate. On the moretraditional side, pork tenderloin medallions (lolloped withMontrachet cheese in port sauce are partnered with delec-tably tender spaetzle and a marinated cucumber salad. Plaza at Bachman Creek, 3830 W Northwest Hwy, Suite 390.358-7660. Inexpensive to moderate. -B.C



Kuby’s Sausage House Inc. Stand in line here for therequisite noontime half-hour, and you can watch the socialset mingle meekly for a shot at German classics served exactly as they have been for twenty-seven years: plumpknackwurst partnered with pastrami-flecked German potatosalad, a brimming bowl of superior sauerkraut on the side;onion-spiked tartar steak, red as cherries (not an atom of fatin it), spread thick between rye bread slices; moist, freshcarrot cake framed in a full half-inch of buttercream icing,with a plastic tumbler of iced tea to wash it down. 6601Snider Plaza. 363-2231. Inexpensive. -B.C



GREEK



Cafe Nelu. Really more Romanian than Greek (though many of the dishes are the same), this one-man operation occupies the space a neighborhood hamburger shop was in for years. You can still get hamburgers and roast beef, but there is a reasonably wide selection of Balkan specialties. The dolmas (stuffed grape leaves) were the best we’ve ever tasted-fat and juicy and flavorful. The homemade soup ofthe day, with chicken and vegetables, also promised much.Sadly, the main dishes didn’t fully deliver. The moussakaproved a strange version, with large and rather dry pieces ofeggplant. A stuffed breast of chicken was too ambitious-the mititei, earthy homemade sausages, were a much betterchoice. 30 Arapaho Village, Richardson. 235-5387. Inexpensive to moderate. N -W.L.T.



Kostat Restaurant and Tavarna. On a lovely day, youare close enough to the shore of Bachman Lake that the outdoor tables are inviting-and inside there are the attractionsof a Greek band and bellydancers. Sampling the rather perfunctory versions of the standard Greek dishes like thespanokopita (spinach in phyllo pastry) and pastitsio (a kindof macaroni casserole) on the Greek appetizer plate, youmight think that Kostas was more notable for atmospherethan for food. But the main courses can be superb. The lambsouvloki, the shrimp in a tomato and feta cheese sauce, themoussaka (a casserole based on eggplant), and even a version of chicken parmigiana are all first-rate. 2755 Bachman.351-4592. Moderate. -W.LT.



HOME COOKING



D REVISITS



Good Eats Cafe. This West End variation on the Austin-rooted down-home theme is bigger and showier than its Oak Lawn older sibling: housed in the space that once held the West End Cabaret, the newest Good Eats has added some theatrical flourishes of its own, notably in a building-deep mural depicting well-known Texans, from Mary Kay to Willie Nelson. Service is warm, the atmosphere’s laid-back cool, and the menu, with blackboard specials supplementing a printed bill of fare, pretty much duplicates the original’s. So does the food itself, with one exception: the chicken pie, a moon-sized mélange of tender white meat, peas, carrots, and potatoes under tender crust in its original version, has always been my favorite. Here, a prettied-up pastry with a Texas-shaped cutout did not divert my attention from the fact that it covered much potato and precious little chicken. Oh, well, the catfish fillet was a marvel, thinly crumbed and perfectly fried; fresh steamed cabbage was pure joy, emerald ribbons cooked just al dente and buttered: steamed new potatoes were pure innocence, and the house salad was a happy affair of lettuces topped with cheddar shavings and nicely dressed with a vinaigrette served on the side-a thoughtful touch I appreciate, since too many places apply it either too sparingly or over-generously. Seasonings are considerate here, too-vegetables are almost virgin, leaving you to salt or not. as you choose, and butter likewise. The butter’s not butter but Country Crock, but the bread’s homemade, a choice of healthy whole-wheat rolls or rather dense com muffins. The dessert we tried was homemade, too-a praiseworthy peach cobbler heaped in a deep bow] and served warm under vanilla ice cream: its two-dollar price was as impressive a bargain as I’ve seen lately. As, come to think of it. is all of Good Eats’ food; 1 know of few places that aren’t fast-food franchises that offer so much for so little. 702 Ross Ave- 744-3287. Inexpensive. -B.C.



Highland Park Cafeteria. The original HPC is comfortingly without peer-from the scrupulously squeaky-clean dining rooms and conscientious service to the encyclopedia of Southern-style home cooking that is the menu, including jello-as-salad and overcooked vegetables for authenticity gluttons, but also a variety of really fresh salads and fruits and just-baked breads (onion-dill has replaced zucchini as the favorite muffin). Generally, smothered, stewed, and casseroled foods are better than broiled items, but you can’t go wrong with fried, either. And save room for dessert. 4611 Cole Ave at Knox. 526-3801. Inexpensive. -M.B.M.

Mama’s Daughter’s Dinar. The line stretches out thedoor into the parking lot, but it moves along steadily, so youknow the service is efficient and the tables turn quickly.Though it won’t take long for you to be served, or to eat, thisis the kind of Southern food that takes plenty of time to fix:fork-tender baked chicken with overmoist herbed dressing,crisp-crusted chicken-fried steak under stiff cream gravy.green beans simmered with bits of ham and onion, andgolden white com muffins as well as yeast biscuits. The piesmight slow you down a little-just deciding between the tenor twelve kinds baked daily requires some lime to think. 2014 Irving Blvd. 742-8646 Inexpensive. -M.B.M.



Rosemarie’s. At Rosemaries, form is strictly there for function: if you didn’t know about the meatloaf and chickenfried steak to be had inside, you wouldn’t be tempted to stop.There’s no drive-up appeal, and once inside, the service isequally lacking in flourishes. That’s okay. You’re here to eatand you won’t be disappointed in Rosemarie’s cooking. Still,even excellent meatloaf and chicken-fried steak are to be hadother places-the dish that justifies the trek to Rosemarie’sis the peanut butter pie, which is peerless. Actually, all thedesserts are extra special, so be good and eat your greens andyams so you can have the carrot cake and banana pudding.1411 N Zang. 946-4142. Inexpensive. -M.B.M.



Tolbert’s. Frank X. Tolbert was a genuine chilihead, one of the pioneers. And Tolbert’s bowl of red is still excellent-thick, rich, and meaty, not too hot or too sweet, and no beans. Besides the basic bowl, the chili comes ladled over good burgers and in an enormous salad layered with cheese, lettuce, Fritos, and scallions. Extras-fries, onion rings, nachos-and other “native” foods like chicken-fried steak are fine; we especially liked the homemade root beer and, yes. the donkeytails-cheese-stuffed hot dogs rolled up in flour tortillas and deep-fried. One Dallas Censer, 350 N St. Paul & Bryan. 953-1353. 1800 N Market. 969-0310. 8121 Walnut Hill as Central. 739-6700. Inexpensive. -M.B.M.



Upper Crust. Upper Crust has been in Olia Podrida since way back when, and its design-mismatched tables and a collection of chandeliers-fits the whole. It doesn’t seem nostalgic or cute, though, just comfortable and cozy. Mile-high cornbread, light biscuits (unfortunately served with margarine), and crusty peach cobbler were highlights of our meal. The salad was a little tired and the fried chicken fingers and chicken-fried steak tasted as if they’d started out frozen. 12215 Coil Rd. 661-5738. Inexpensive. -M.B.M.



D REVISITS



Vice Versa. This off-track little Preston Center perennial hasn’t launched the legends some of the city’s home-styled favorites have. I’m not sure why-certainly it commands a loyal following among the North Dallas business types who throng in for hearty breakfasts and heartier lunches every weekday. Maybe they’re keeping it to themselves; I can understand that-Vice Versa’s from-scratch chicken-fried steak is the equal of that in more celebrated haunts, and the daily assortment of vegetables available along its cafeteria-style line is as down-home good as grandmother’s ever was. Mashed potatoes and green beans were choice on my lastvisit, and the serve-yourself salad bowl bloomed with an exuberant mix of crisp lettuce, grated cabbage, and carrot,with sweet onion rings available. Hot rolls are housemade,but it is the desserts that capture baking kudos here-thepecan pie is authentic Texana, to die for. and a thickly frostedchocolate fudge cake took me back to my childhood. All ofwhich is pretty astounding, considering that the proprietressis decidedly European-I’d say French, if 1 had to guessfrom her accent. I don’t know where she came by her Texastouch, but it’s genuine enough to put Vice Versa’s vittles rightup there with any place of its genre in town. 6065 SherryLane. 691-2976. Breakfast and lunch only; no alcohol. Inexpensive. -B.C.



INDIAN



D REVISITS



India Palace Restaurant. Consistently excellent foodand quaintly formal surroundings make India Palace themost pleasant Indian restaurant in town. Usually the serviceis impeccable, too, though on our last visit it proved ratherslow and not quite precise-one wrong dish was deliveredto our table, but the correct one was substituted withapologies. Fans of meats cooked in the tandoor (the largeclay oven) can find no better example than those on thePelace Special Mixed Grill: flavorful cubes of fish, sausage-like ground lamb cylinders, tender and delicate marinatedlamb, and jumbo prawns in addition to the usual fire-truckred tandoori chicken. Those who like their curries really hotwill be challenged by beef vindaloo, while lamb shahi karma is soothing enough for the most timid. Don’t overlook thevegetable dishes like baigan bhuria (a puree of eggplants andtomatoes) or the comforting Indian desserts like rasmalaibangali, little ovals of homemade pressed cheese awash incream and pistachios. 13360 Preston Rd. 392-0190.Moderate to expensive. N – W.LT.



Mumtaz. Among the appetizers, vegetable pakoras, slices of eggplant, onion, and potato bartered and fried, were quite appetizing, and the paper-thin discs of papadum, the crisp lentil wafer, were sheer peppery delight. From naan, theplain leavened white, to aloo paratha. wheat rounds stuffedwith peas and potatoes, the breads were heavier and greasierthan desirable. But the entrees were outstanding. Saagpaneer, puréed spinach cooked with cubed yogurt cheese incream sauce, transcended its simple ingredients. Lamb currywas subtly spicy, the lamb cubes a tender triumph in theirmusky dark sauce. The Atrium, 3101 N Fitzhugh at McKin-ney Ave. 520-2400. Inexpensive to moderate. -B.C.



Taj Mahal. We started with the appetizer assortment, sortof an Indian pu-pu tray, and ate our way through korma, vindaloo, and biryani without a complaint. It’s all good, and,a plus for inner-city types, it’s close in-just across fromNorthPark. Caruth Plow, 9100 N Central Expwy. Suite 179.692-0535. Inexpensive to moderate. -M.B.M.



ITALIAN



Alfonso’s. Many of the customers are regulars here, asthey usually are in a neighborhood restaurant. This is a smallplace, of the red-checked tablecloth variety, serving heartyItalian food of the red sauce variety; the large portions of rib-sticking pasta, veal, and chicken keep the regulars happy andno wonder. Chicken parmigiana was a large double breastsmothered with red sauce and cheese-the meat was bothtender and juicy, and the sauce was spicy. Lasagna was a slabof pasta welded with cheese, and spaghetti came with alength of fennel-spiked Italian sausage topped with thick redsauce. Sided with a simple salad and a basket of chewy garlicrolls, this is a meal that will last you. but the real star atAlfonso’s is the pizza, a big round of yeasty crust heavy withmolten cheese. 328 Casa Linda Plaza. 327-7777. Inexpensive to moderate. -M.B.M.



Avanti. The name “Avanti” and the modem design lead you to expect fesl-forward food in the new Italian style, but Avan-ti’s style is actually traditional, with more meat and cream than has become fashionable. Mushroom caps, stuffed with a mixture of spinach, prosciutto, and crab, were sprinkled with tart feta cheese and bathed in a lackluster marinara. Of the entrees we tried, the broiled guinea hen was perhaps the best. Boneless pieces of meat, slightly tart from a lime marinade, were crisp and brown on the outside, but still juicy; they came served, unusually, on a bed of brown ricewhose chewy texture complemented the tender bird. Tour-nedos Avanti, a presentation of beef medallions in a clear,strong cabernet sauce accented with peppercorns, was veryestablishment and very good. 2720 McKinney. 871-4955.Moderate (lunch) so expensive (dinner). -M.B.M.



Campisi’s. Nostalgia is really the main draw here-without past associations it’s difficult to fathom the attraction of the dingy interior, frozen crab claws, and overcookedtomato sauce poured over most of the pasta. Soggy garlicbread was caked with inferior Parmesan; salad was choppediceberg lettuce in vinegary dressing. Only the pizza waspalatable-a crisp-crusted rectangle spread with tomatosauce, sprinkled with good Italian sausage and cheese. 5610 E Mockingbird. 827-0355. Inexpensive. -M.B.M.



Carrelli’s. The ornate setting looks like a location for someFellini fantasy. The service is welcoming and professional:the food tasty but as unsubtle as the decor, Veal alla Carrelli’sis a mish-mash of prosciutto, mozzarella, artichokes, andshrimp over the veal in a lemon, wine, and cream sauce. Aspecial of the day can bring you even more tastes on oneplate-lobster tail alla diavolo (sadly fishy tasting) next toa luscious breast of chicken in a lemon and cream sauce.Steak lovers can order prime sirloin either plain or toppedwith a spicy tomato sauce. 12219 Coit Rd. 386-7931.Moderate to expensive. -W.LT.



Cremona. There’s a funky, “found” quality to Cremona-its unlikely location, hidden at the end of Routh Street andattached to a warren of small antique shops, makes it seemlike a discovery, and the highly personal room, hung withoriginal copies of masterworks such as Renoir’s “TheBoating Party.” painted by the owner, add to its charm. It’sall atmosphere; although there are a few out-of-the ordinarymenu items, such as the homemade tortellini, most of thefood can be taken for granted. It’s the friendly service andthe offbeat room that keep Cremona regulars-there aremany-coming back. 3I36 Routh St. 871-1115. inexpensive tomoderate. -M.B.W.



Fausto’s Oven. The namesake oven is visible, flaming behind the counter of the open kitchen where cooks in Italian bicycle caps are tossing salads and pizza dough, and the food is a twist on Italian-unauthentic dishes in the Italian style, original ideas with roots. A selection of starters, a list of pizzas, and some entrees comprise the menu. But the combinations are untraditional-in addition to conventional toppings for design-your-own pizzas, the pizza list includes a “fajita pizza”; the name sounds like the worst fast food, but the layering of grilled meat, salsa, guacamole, cheese, and sour cream actually came off well. Belter yet was the Thaipizza-the same thin crust loaded with peanut butter,chicken, carrot strips, cilantro, and scailions, then glazedwith cheese. 300 Reunion Blvd., in the Hyatt Regency Hotel.741-3304. Moderate. ’ -M.B.M.



Henry St. Pizza Co. Henry St. offers a rotating selectionof entrees-spaghetti, manicotti, or jasagna-and subs aswell as two styles of pizza. Our New York style vegetarianpie was substantial: a thick, chewy crust loaded with cheese,green peppers, onions, fresh tomatoes, olives, and mushrooms, Lasagna wasn’t as good; the pasta was layered withbland ricotta and covered in a canned-tasting, herblesstomato sauce. The calzone, made from the same good pizza dough and stuffed with pizza toppings, was our favorite. 208 Henry St. 748-4455. Inexpensive. -M.B.M.



La Tosca. The food, in comparison with the newer, brighter style of Italian cooking now current, seems a trifle cutré. Some sauces were too rich and servings were too large. The low point of our meal was a crespelle appetizer, served so hot it was still bubbling and so thickly sauced both flavor and texture were buried. But 1 loved the veal chop primavera, a big cut smothered in a savory sauté of matchstick carrots, zucchini, and fresh tomatoes with a Marsala sauce. Orec-chiete all’Arrabbiata was a big bowl of little ear shapes cooked al dente and tossed with a hot, hot mixture of tomatoes and peppers. It wasn’t cutting edge, but it was delicious. A new light menu includes caloric, cholesterol, and fal counts. 7713 Inwood. 352-8373. Expensive. -M.B.M.



Mario’s. One of the oldest of Dallas’s fancy restaurantsseems better than it has in a long time. For appetizers, thecannelloni and the shrimp with mushrooms in a rich creamsauce are standouts. The veal Milanese is crisp and tender,the red snapper Mario perky in its sauce spiked with capers.For dessert, order one of the soufflés-but do so earl).because the wait can be long. 135 Turtle Creek Village, OakLawn at Blackburn. 521-1135. Expensive. -M.B.M.



Momo’s Pasta. This offshoot of the original Momo’s is a tiny, plain, no-frills place-an aquarium and some café curtains are the beginning and end of the “decor.” But the list of pastas is more exciting, varied, and complex than at most more assuming places. And on our last visit, there were no exceptions to the excellence of the food. Fusilli pomodoro, with fresh tomatoes and basil, consisted of fresh twirls tossed in a summery sauce cooked just long enough to blend the tan tomatoes and minty basil without losing their fresh -ness. Seafood linguine was a tangle of sweet shellfish andpasta, awash in another wonderful tomato sauce, Spinachgnocchi were round dumplings of spinach and cheese,tender, but with the resistance of perfectly cooked pasta, andsmothered with melted cheese-a platonic dish. 3312 Knox.521-3009. Inexpensive. -M.B.M.



Pomodoro. On a recent rainy night (the patio was empty, the restaurant was full), my dining companion was mus-ing on the mysterious way the senses seem to be linked. (Forinstance, if I am not wearing my glasses, I can’t hear verywell.) “It’s almost true,” she pursued the point, “that if myhearing is distorted, I can’t taste anything…” Thank goodness it’s only almost: the din in Pomodoro’s on a busy nightis not quite deafening enough to block out the appreciationof the food, but it definitely prevents conversation. So amidthe roar, in mutual silence we savored the buffalo milk moz-zarella (flown in every Thursday) layered with thin slices ofripe tomato, and the beautiful carpaccio, covered with shavings of Parmesan, resting on a bed of bitter arugula. Thepenne all’arrabiata was fresh and spicy, the roasted, golden.garlicky chicken breast juicy and flavorful, thanks to thebone and skin, left on. Desserts sounded unusually unexciting (maybe we just couldn’t hear properly); we finishedwith espresso instead. 2520 Cedar Springs. 871-1924.Moderate to expensive. -M.B.M



Rodolfo’s. The difference here is the “Ital-lite” menu, alist of low-fat dishes designed to meet the American HeartAssociation guidelines-sauces are made with wine andbroth instead of cream, margarine is used instead of butter.and cheeses are part skim milk. Calorie counts are given byeach listing. If all this makes eating out sound like work instead of play, rest assured. The “lite” food tastes like plaingood cooking. The vegetable lasagna was a wonderful layering of firm pasta and fresh vegetables: eggplant parmigianawas topped with a lively tomato sauce. However, [here’s alsoa list of regular Italian dishes-Rodolfo’s pizzas, especiallythe white one with herbs and olive oil instead of tomatosauce, are worth the calories. 5956 Royal lane (at Preston).368-5039. Inexpensive to moderate. -M.B.M.



Sfuzzi. On a recent revisit, the special soup, roasted eggplant, was enlivened with bits of bacon and tomato; the shrimp pizza held lots of sweet shellfish on its thick, tender crust. Imaginative entrees-grilled salmon in a sauce/garnish of grapefruit and basil, and veal crusted wilh Romano and sautéed, were good ideas well executed, and more expected dishes, such as chicken and spinach lasagna. were surprisingly distinctive. The baby chicken, served to us by mistake, was flavorless, as baby chickens are apt to be; the special grilled breast, with its complicated garniture of braised endive, asparagus, tomatoes, and basil. was more interesting. 2504 McKinney. 871-2606, Moderate. -M.B.M.



JAPANESE/KOREAN



Fuji-Ya. This little storefront Japanese restaurant just northof LBJ Freeway has managed to stay in business for a longtime, though the crowds have always seemed sparse at dinnertime. The quality of the food is mixed. There is a smallbut impeccably fresh selection of sushi, the gyoza (pan-friedmeat dumplings) are delicious, and the shrimp tempurastands out as among the lightest, crispiest, most delicate intown. But other dishes, like fatty, undercooked teriyakichicken and overboiled, tasteless sukiyaki, can be mostdisappointing. 13050 Coit Rd. 690-8396. Inexpensive tomoderate. N -W.L.T.



Kobe Steaks. Bach table has a knife-toting chef who cuts, slices, dices, and cooks your dinner before your very eyes. The flashing knives make a good show, and the resulting meal is good. too. The pre-show salad is dressed with a zippy ginger vinaigrette; the shrimp appetizer is nicely cooked. In fact, everything-beef, chicken, and vegetables-was perfectly cooked-no mean trick. Quorum Plaza, 5000 Belt Line. 934-8150. Moderate to expensive. N -M.B.M.



Mr. Sushi & Hibachi. The light, bright upstairs bar wasfull of happy minglers quaffing Japanese beer; most of thecrowd seemed to be there for the hibachi pan of the menu,and the sushi was not as pristine as we prefer. The beef andchicken from the slice-and-dice show were good, the shrimpwere tasteless, and the hibachi rice-a fried rice combination of egg. scallions, onions, and carrots-was excellent.Altogether, it was much more than a meal’s worth; most ofour fellow diners left with doggie bags. 9220 Skillman.349-6338. Moderate. N -M.B.M.



Nakamoto. The sushi bar offers a nice variety of fish of exemplary freshness. Among the cooked dishes, fish also stands out-the salmon butteryaki has a pleasantly charred moist meat. Less impressive are the slightlysoggy shrimp tempura and tough pork tonkatsu. RuisseauVillage. Suite 360. 3309 N Central Expressway, Piano.881-0328. Moderate. N -W.LT.



MEDITERRANEAN



Cassia Mediterranean Bistro-Restaurant. For appetizers we chose Quenelles St. Tropez, a rolled seafooddumpling that was marvelous on its pink salmon side, a trifle fishy in its while half. An artichoke steamed and liberallysniffed with baby shrimp was provocative finger food, interestingly sauced. House salads, included with entrées,were minimal lettuce and tomato, blandly dressed. Entrees,though, took up the slack: a traditional Spanish paella wastoothsome indeed, its saffroned rice moist and lovely, itsmussels and shrimp fresh-flavored, its chicken flavorfulalbeit a little dry. A fresh trout, impeccably boned except fora flirting upfling of tailfin. was redeemed from being slightlyovercooked by its scrumptious caper-kissed sauce. 3102 OakLawn at Cedar Springs, in the Centrum. 521-0229. Inexpensive to moderate, -B.C.



MEXICAN



Blue Mesa Grill. The abundance of such trendy items asduck taquitos and mesquite-grilled mahi-mahi on the menumight lead you to believe that you are in some expensiveNew Southwestern outpost like the Mansion. But there areenough New Wave enchiladas and fajitas ordered here to tipthis into the New Mexico-Mexican category, and the pricesare certainly moderate (though higher than Tex-Mex). Thereare a number of superb dishes like the blue com nachos andthe angel hair pasta with grilled shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes.and goal cheese cream sauce, along with others likerotisserie wild Texas boar and crispy duck served inside arelleno that sound better than they taste. Village on theParkway. 5100 Belt Line at Dallas Parkway. 934-0165.Moderate. N -W.LT.



Caliente Ranch Grill and Cantina. The recent renaming of this place from a “border cafe” to a “ranch grill” has also entailed a change in the menu. A kind of barbecue is now given equal emphasis with the sometimes far-out versions of Mexican food. The smokehouse yields “surf tacos” (grilled shrimp in flour tortillas) and overly sweet babyback ribs along with a tender, delicious (but still rather sweet) smokehouse chicken. A novel accompaniment is the green chili cole slaw, spiked with cilantro as well as peppers. The Tex-Mex platters have an unusual style; the most interesting Mexican items, though, come from Caliente’s new nachoand quesadilla bar. 6881 Greenville Ave. 369-8600.Moderate. -W.L.T.



Cantina Laredo. The homestyle Mexican dishes, like ar-roz con pollo, that were one of the glories of the menu whenthis place opened are all gone. These days Cantina Laredohas a menu and an atmosphere that do iheir best to conjureup the border-town bar/restaurants that feature game dinnersand good drinks for not very adventuresome tourists. Withinthose limits, the food remains good. Tacos al carbon on theappetizer platter come doctored up with so much spicy picode gallo that the fainthearted will demur. Grilled shrimp andbarbecued cabrito (baby goat) make a good combination forthe featured dinners; the accompanying frijoles a la charro,though, had been cooked with tomatoes as well as peppersand onions, which lent a very un-Mexican taste. 4546 BeltLine. Addison. 458-0962. Moderate. N -W.L.T.



Casa Dominguez. Tex-Mex they come. Tex-Mex theygo. but Casa Dominguez endures. The chips are fresh, hot,and replenished often. The hot sauce is flavorful and hot.The nachos are smothered in beans and cheese, the enchiladas in rich chili. The “Pete-za” is as great a combination of classic ingredients as a frito pie; taco meat, jalapenos,cheese, and onions sandwiched in a sautéed flour tortilla andtopped with a scoop of guacamole. 2127 Cedar Springs.742-4945. inexpensive to moderate. -M.B.M.



D REVISITS



Garmo y Lito’s. This little neighborhood place haschanged ownership lately, but the only way a regular wouldnotice is the additional name painted on the front of thebuilding. The menu, decor, and staff are the same as always.There is, oddly, still a list of tapas along with the expected”botanas,” from which we sampled some fiery chickenwings. The Tex-Mex is still dependably superior; on our lastvisit, we particularly enjoyed the flautas. And the service,particularly if Martin is your waiter, makes a stranger feellike a regular. 2847 N Henderson. 821-8006 Inexpensive tomoderate. -M.B.M.



Genaro’s Tropical. This “trop-Mex” place has reopened in a new and unexpected location–north of LBJ. The setting now does not have the cruise-ship chic of the original place, and sadly, the food seems to lack the old zip too. The restaurant’s most famous dish, pezespada-cubes of swordfish wrapped in spinach leaves, skewered, and grilled-seemed tired, not quite fishy but not impeccably fresh-tasting, either.The Tex-Mex standbys like chicken fajitas and combinationplates are adequate. We don’t much like liqueurs poured overice cream, but the coconut ice cream topped with Kahluahere is subtle and refreshing. 9247 Skillman at LBJ.553-8872. Inexpensive to moderate. N -W.L.T.



Gloria’s Restaurant. The best way to sample Gloria’stare is on the newly featured Salvadoran plate, which includes pupusas. flour tortillas with pork and cheese, friedplantains and sour cream, fried yucca, black beans, and riceblackened by steaming in liquor from the beans. The medleyof flavors on the plate is rapturous indeed, enhanced as it isby a tamale wrapped. Salvadoran style, in banana leaf-anoint it with eye-watering salsa and add a Salvadoran beer,and you’ve a banquet: precede the plate with a serving of therestaurant’s catfish ceviche. and ordinary Tex-Mex will bean unmourned memory. 600 W Davis. 948-3672. 9386 LBJFrwy at Abrams. 690-0622, Inexpensive. -B.C.



Herrera Cafe. The move across the street to larger quarters seems to have removed the last glimmers of mystique from Herrera-it’s hard to remember why folks used to wait in line to get in the tiny old place. The Tex-Mex isn’t bad, mind you. The thick, hand patted flour tortillas still make tempting burritos. But the enchiladas, tacos, beans, and all mostly just seem ordinary. And it was frustrating that the combination we ordered was not the one that arrived at the table. 4001 Maple. 52S- 9644. Inexpensive. -W.L.T.



Javier’s. This place, which serves a kind of internationalized Mexican haute cuisine (no tacos or enchiladas), has been around a long while now, but it seems to have a loyal clientele-mostly from the nearby Park Cities, to judge by the look of them. Our last meal showed us why. The tortilla soup and scallop ceviche were full of flavor, and the main courses were even better. Big shrimp were tossed in a sauce of orange juice and coffee. One of our party proclaimed the steak Cantinflas “the best piece of meat 1 ever put in my mouth”-tenderloin cut thin and wrapped around Mexican cheese, then cooked crisp on the outside and topped with chili sauce. 4912 Cole. 521-4211. Expensive. -W.L.T.



D REVISITS



J. Pepe’s. Whether you dine in or out. this is one of the

most pleasant Mexican restaurants in Dallas-in the summer, the patio is shady and comfortable, and in the rain orcold, the dining rooms are bright and cozy. The Tex-Mexspecialties are better than most-we especially enjoyed thesoft tacos filled with spicy shredded pork-and the serviceis friendly and helpful. Altogether, J. Pepe’s is proof thatfunk is not a prerequisite of Mexican dining. 2800 Touth.871-0366. Inexpensive to moderate. -M.B.M.



La Suprema Tortilleria. La Suprema is first of all a tortilleria-the first we have ever heard claim to use no lard or unhealthy fats in its tortillas. We believe the claim-eventhe tostadas were crisp and fresh-tasting and absolutelygreaseless. The came guisada was tender meat in a stew witha flavor that reminded a South Texas family member ofhome. There are many styles of cheese enchilada-the Te-jano style, with yellow cheese and chili with meat, had thetrue taste of Tex-Mex, while the Mexican style, with whitecheese and a bright red chili sauce, had clear blood linesfrom south of the border. 7630 Military Parkway. 388-1244.Inexpensive. ’ -W.L.T.



Mario’s Chiquita. The Piano outpost of Mario Lcal’sthree-restaurant fiefdom has never had either the critical orthe popular support the other two places that bear his namehave. It’s probably true that the standards aren’t quite as highhere, but this is still the best fancy Mexican cooking formiles around. Maybe the problem is partly with the clientele-they seem to be ordering the less ambitious Tex-Mexplates or the delicate version of chicken fojitas rather thanthe more unusual dishes that make this restaurant groupspecial. Among the specialties, the garlicky shrimp alajiltowas fine, but tablita adobada (pork in fiery chile sauce)wasn’t very tender. Cinnamon and coconut ice cream and theunusual homemade pralines finish a meal more successfullythan the sopapillas, which can be doughy. 221 W Parker,Suite 440, Piano. 423-2977. Moderate. N -W.L.T.



Martinet Cafe. This time we tried the newer far west Piano location of this much-praised Tex-Mex eatery, and found the food tasty if not superlative. The Martinez family dinner proved to be a bountiful platter of beef and chicken fajitas and pork carnitas (though the carnitas were not the crisply fried variety that would grace a taco stand in the interior of Mexico, but instead rather stringy pieces of simmered meat). Grilled fish (red snapper on our visit) proveddelightfully fresh-lasting. The enchiladas on the Tex-Mexplates outshine the crisp tacos. 3011 Routh St. 855-02401900 Preston Rd. Suite 329. Piano. 964-7898 N Inexpensiveto moderate. -W.L.T.



Uncle Julio’s. The nachos. artfully arranged around greatmounds of guacamole and sour cream, the little bowls ofcharro-style pinto beans, and the perfectly firm and juicychicken fajitas were worth the long wait for a table. Amongthe Tex-Mex planer standbys, though, only the tamales wereoutstanding; beef tacos and enchiladas were meaty buttasteless. The grilled specialties like quail and shrimpbrochettes were tasty, but not quite worth either the price orthe wait. 7557 Greenville. 987-9900. 4125 Lemmon.520-6620 Moderate. -W.L.T.



NATURAL



Dream Cafe. Lunch and dinner are more earnestlynutritious; at breakfast the approach is less purist.Bread-stuffs tend to be whole grain and “vege” sausage is onthe menu, but the latter is listed along with bacon, and whatwould be considered controlled substances by many healthfollowers-coffee and .sugar-are thankfully available. Youdo feel good about the food you eat here; “wholesome” isthe most apt description of its food value, “’delicious” fits thecreamy ricotta pancakes topped with fresh blueberries thatstarted one Saturday. 2800 Routh St in the Quadrangle.954-0486 Inexpensive. -M.B.M.



Francis Simun. This tiny place on Greenville is daunting-ly healthy-the brief selection of lunch and dinner specialsis strictly macrobiotic. The bakery case is filled with verynutritious muffins, breads, and doughnuts, made with freshfruits, whole grains, and sweetened with apple juice. Theyare better hot, but I must admit I am not a convert. I likemine with butter and honey. 3613 Greenville Ave. 824-4910.Inexpensive. -M.B.M.



NEW AMERICAN



Actuelle- Actuelle for dinner is predictably excellent;lunch can be an unexpected bargain. You can order soup andentree for under $20 and feel completely pampered. A recent menu reflected Chef Victor Gielisse’s Dutch roots-ourbeef with barley soup was a sophisticated interpretation ofa hearty classic; ragout of chicken came with a potato pancake. The Quadrangle. 2800 Routh St, Suite 125. 855-0440.Expensive. -W.B.M.

Cisco Grill. This lively little Snider Plaza hangout putsfresh color and zing into regional fare with a New Mexicanaccent balanced against down-home Texan. Onion rings andFrench fries are oversized versions, the rings cracklin’ crisp,the fries meaty and basic. Santa Fe chicken enchiladas wereconsiderably spicier than I expected from their “mild andcreamy” description, but the tomatillo sauce was subtly tartfor all that, and generously served corn salad was confetti-bright in color and flavor, zesty with diced peppers amongthe golden kernels. A basic burger was impressive, sevenounces of juicy grilled chuck on a poppy seed bun. Spiritshere can be savored only by joining the private club, butthe iced tea is one of the more potent fresh brews I’vetasted, served in huge glasses kept refilled withoutreminders. Perky little tables on a pocket-sized patio are aswell place to linger when weather permits. 6630 SniderPlaza. 363-9506 Inexpensive. -B.C



City Cafe. A fine tremor twitched the Park Cities this spring when chef Jack Chaplin left to open his own place: would his departure affect the fare at this casual enclave of the Very Selective? Not adversely, we found-on a subsequent visit, chef Brad Ryan’s version of the fresh tomato soup was as distinctive as ever, all chunky and fine. Summer vegetable salad held every seasonal vegetable thinkable, plus the surprise zip of a spirited chili sesame vinaigrette. Fresh asparagus was tender-crisp and nicely gilded with roasted red pepper mayonnaise. Standout entrées were lemon parsley linguini scented with dill cream and generously endowed with leaves of fresh-smoked salmon; and a grilled breast of chicken that was succulence itself, mated with mildgrilled leeks and spicy plum sauce. My blueberry bucklewas sweeter than I’d have liked, but my companion’s Keylime tart was a subtle triumph, and service was witty andcaring as always. The menu here, which changes everyWednesday, is keyed to regional freshness-a qualityamiable regulars seem to appreciate: the house was packed.5757 W Lovers Ln (just west of the Tollway). 351-2233.Moderate. -B.C



D REVISITS



Huntington Grill. When renamed and outfitted with huge oil paintings of horses and dogs, this top dining room at the Westin Galleria was essentially a steakhouse. Now it has evolved into a full-fledged New American restaurant, though one that still emphasizes grilled items and doesn’t fancy up things nearly to the extent that its predecessor in the space, Blom’s, did. (The prices are still way up there, though.) Both appetizers of a warm arugula salad with mushrooms and bell peppers in a tarragon vinegar and the salmon duet-smoked from Scotland and marinated from the Pacific-made refreshing beginnings to a good meal. Salmon also was the basis of a well-grilled main course, though the bland tomato sauce was untouched by the basil promised on the menu. Less routine was the smoked rack of lamb, fragrant with the woody smells of autumn and served with a side dish ragout of three different kinds of beans. Scrumptiously rich bour-bon ice cream accompanied a perfect chocolate pecan pie,and broiled berries with Italian pastry cream was a successful variation on crème brulée. A certain stolidness keepsthe food here from the achieving the heights occupied by thetop Dallas restaurants. But we prefer its pleasant reliabilityto the flighty waywardness that could ruin meals at the muchmore highly touted Blom’s. Westin Hotel, Galleria, 13340Dallas Pkwy. 851-2882. Expensive. N -W.L.T.



Lakewood Plaza Grill. Appetizers were refreshingly light and zingy-particularly a ceviche of scallops and red snapper, delicately lime-marinated and strewn with mild green peppercorns. Among the entrees, grilled salmon with tomatillo-pineapple salsa was moist and succulent, although I found the salsa a trifle sharp in tone for the fish, and a grilled ribeye steak with ancho chili butter was absolutely splendid, the meat leaner than any of this cut I’ve seen before but with that lovely ribeye richness, perfectly cooked. 6334 La Vista. 826-5226. Inexpensive so moderate. -B.C.



The Mansion on turtle Creak. Aside from an incoherent list of specials (I was tempted by an entree ofIndian-inspired yogurt-marinated lamb with curry andchutney, but couldn’t find anything to complement it), thekitchen’s work was up to par. Mansion standards-lobstertacos with yellow tomato salsa, tortilla soup, chicken bakedwith maple-pecan crust-and specials-soft-shell crab withbarbecued crust and Cajun sausage with onion pasta-scaledthe expected peak of perfection, which at these prices, theyshould. However, the front of the house didn’t measure up.Our reservation was lost and so was our waiter for much ofthe meal-errors that might be forgiven in a lesser establishment, but are inexcusable at the Mansion. 2821 Turtle CreekBlvd. 526-2121. Expensive. -M.B.M.



Pyramid Restaurant and Lounge. Chilled tomatillo

gazpacho was an emerald eye-opener, its center island of tomato sorbet mild and lovely. Arugula salad with yellowtomato vinaigrette was lovely in its phalanx of spiced,sautéed baby oysters. Sautéed medallions of axis venisonloin mated beautifully with red currant sauce, garnishedwith baby vegetables. Sautéed Dover sole boned and servedwith a lobster-scented butter-cream sauce with caviar wassubtly breathtaking, although it should have been brought totable on the sauce instead of on a can, with the sauce and ananachronistic (and puzzling) lemon half on the side. Roastedlamb was a delightful array of cuts-loin, chop, breast, andleg-with Greek olives, capers, and lime, plus a couscoustimbale. 1717 N Akard in the Fairmont Hotel. 720-5249.Expensive. -B.C.



Routh Street Cafe. A minor facelift last year restoredluster to the classic modern interior and added necessaryspace; our service was perfect, and, with minor exceptions(a too-oily salad dressing and an overpowering sorbet), sowas the food: rabbit with red chili pasta and smoked corn;chili stuffed with almonds, apricots, and goat cheese; lambloin with roast garlic sauce sided with serranos and papayaquesadillas; and all the desserts. 3005 Routh St. 871-7161.Very expensive. -M.H.M.



San Simeon. Recent rumor had it that Sfuzzi’s far flung success might have spoiled San Simeon a little-we didn’t find it so on our last visit. The food was as inventive as ever, uneven but interesting. Main disappointment was a rack of lamb disconcertingly sided by heavy, globby black beans; perhaps I’d have liked it better if it had been the dish I ordered, grilled lamb chops with mint pesto and asparagus pancakes. Starters were (lawless, though-shrimp and scallop ceviche shone delicately against tart papaya and rich avocado; tri-color penne pasta was generously studded with succulent crab meat, tortilla soup with shrimp and grilled asparagus was a refined variation. San Simeon salad was as lovely as I remembered, its multi-greens toss spiked with balsamic-kissed vinaigrette. Pan-seared sea scallops were superb in a sauce of avocado, cucumber, and asparagus- exactly the light touch the lamb dish lacked. 2515 McKinney at Fairmount in Chateau Plaza- 871-7373. Expensive. -B.C.



D REVISITS



Spatz. If you want to impress somebody with glitz and ambience, this may not be the place-Spatz is hardly more than a long bar and a big patio that can be tented up for the winter. But if you want to show ’em you have the savvy to know where to get first-class food at truly reasonable prices, Spatz turns out to be pretty impressive after all. The cooking is New American of a fairly adventuresome but utterly dependable kind-and the menu focuses exclusively on vegetarian, seafood, and poultry items without making a big issue of how healthy it all is. Both soups we sampled, black bean and a special of chilled avocado garnished with curried yogurt, are spectacular; either soup or a salad with sprouts comes with most entrees. There’s a pasta special every day, and black bean ravioli in a sauce made with spinach andpumpkin seeds turned out to be very special indeed. Alsotasty were a brochette of sword fish, scallops, and shrimpwith a pineapple-macadamia glaze and chicken scallopini.After the lightness of the entries, you won’t feel so bad aboutindulging in the desserts: fresh raspberry cobbler or cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries and dewberries. 2912 NHenderson. 827-7984. Moderate. -W.L.T.



SEAFOOD



Aw Shucks. This little oyster bar, with its tiled interior,oyster-shell “patio,” and rustic railings, has a real seasidefeeling-just pretend Greenville Avenue is the beach whileyou sip a frosty beer and munch on fresh raw oysters, orcrisp fried ones, or both. Fried shrimp are also good, withthe thick-cut fried potatoes. Crawfish in season. 3601 Greenville. 821-9449. Inexpensive. -M.B.M.



Hampton’s. Though the shipshape setting is attractive andthe service snappy, the food is the star here. Hampton’sstarted as a seafood market, and the emphasis is still on absolutely fresh fish. The simpler preparations are the best;daily specials change according to the market, and the day’s”catch,” grilled, broiled, or sautéed. is certain to be good.More elaborate preparations, with cream sauces and such,lend to seem superfluous and overdone. But seafood nachosand seafood salad, both menu standards, are delicious.Berkshire Place. Preston Center, 8411 Preston Rd. 739-3474.Moderate. -M.B.M.



S&D Oyster Company. This is Dallas’s favorite oyster bar. Before this was the hip pan of McKinney, the lines snaking around the block proved the place’s popularity, in a better mousetrap sort of way. And the food, last and dependable. holds its own. The menu is simple and has been the same for years: shrimp, oysters, and fish fillets, fried, raw, or broiled. You can also get a hamburger or a shrimp or oyster loaf-the latter two are good ideas. We tried it all on our last visit.The raw oysters were not as briny as the best, but the friedshrimp were just cooked under their hot brown crust, andthe broiled snapper was moist and sizzling under butter,lemon, and paprika. Coleslaw, good skin-on fries, andround, dry hushpuppies filled out the meal, while custardylemon pie finished it nicely. 2701 McKinney Ave. 880-0111.Inexpensive la moderate. -M.B.M.



STEAKS



The Butcher Shop Steakhouse. The West End evolution into a pseudo-Texas carnival playground dominated by franchise eateries has given this place the boost it needed-greeted by so-what indifference by the natives when it first opened, the Butcher Shop now draws droves of business visitors and conventioneers in search of hands-on Texana. They get it here in the form of a fixed-price steak dinner ($16.95) starring incredibly mammoth beef cuts (the smallest, a fourteen-ounce filet mignon, the largest a twenty-eight-ounce T-bone) with a foil-baked potato, salad, and slabs of Texas toast. The steak’s the hands-on part, you see-you can pick your own from a refrigerated display and broil it yourself over open-pit coals or, for two dollars more, the chef will do it for you. We were happy to let him do that, and happier still with the results: my twenty-ounce ribeye was succulent perfection, as was my companion’s monster T-bone. Salads were a creditable array of fresh greens, nicely dressed (the Butcher Shop has abandoned its earlier truck-stop-style salad bar, thank God), and service was well-pacedand cordial. Price-wise, the meal’s a real value, and watchingall those business-stressed out-of-towners hovering earnestlyaround the pit was as good as a floor show. They seemed tofeel good about it, but I’ll bet the chef does it better. 808 Munger, off Lamar. 720-1032. Moderate. -B.C.



Lawry’s The Prime Rib. Conservative carnivores who hadn’t even known they hungered for a kinder (on the pocketbook), gentler (on the cholesterol curve) business lunch option are benefiting from a lower prime rate at Lawry’s this season-the beef bastion has introduced pub-style sandwich service in its club-like Vintage Room, in the bar area adjoining the main dining enclave. A sort of pocket buffet presided over by a most accommodating carver, the lunch-only facility offers a variety of stacked-to-order sandwiches and suitable accompaniments: a fine, fresh potato salad loaded with celery crunch, a zesty cole slaw involving green and red cabbage, vinaigrette-dressed, plus various pickles and condiments. We found thin-sliced roast turkey breast admirable indeed and the baby back ribs smooth-textured and tasty. But the premium entree, predictably, was a prime rib presentation of satiny slices, rosy as a stockbroker’s dreams, piled on sourdough bread drizzled with jus. Something billed as homemade chili turned out to be a rather sissy concoction of fine-diced beef and beans, served lukewarm with chopped onions and cheese; a dessert wedge of chocolate mousse on damp meringue proved equally forgettable. The beef, though, made up for these minorlapses-nobody does it better than Lawry’s, and the tact thattwo can lunch on it for less than twenty dollars makes thisquick-lunch innovation a happy alternative to the standbysteak house’s full-service priciness. 3008 Maple Ave.521-7777 Moderate to expensive. -B.C.



TAKEOUT/DELI



Marty’s, Most of the space is devoted to the most recherche’ selection of wines and spirits in town, so how do theypack so much temptation into the back room devoted to allkinds of foods? The cold dishes, like the superb coarse porkpaté and the pasta salad with pesto sauce, are hard to beat.Marty’s has also become more ambitious of late in its cheesedepartment. Some of the dishes that need to be heated up,like the shrimp egg rolls, can be disappointing. We dare younot to be tempted by the sweets such as the strawberry tartand the “chookies,” chunky with chocolate. 33l6 Oak Lawn.526-4070. Moderate. -W.L.T.



Petaluma. For once all the chi chi salad combinations work: who would have thought that grilled chicken combined with black beans and a tomato salsa would be good cold, or that a stir-fried combination of scallops, snow peas, and sprouts would delight? The Cajun shrimp and rice salad is merely comforting, but even that is better than so many experiments in other places that just don’t work at all. and the spinach quiche were models of their kind. Dessertswere true to form: they looked okay, but tasted great. Theimpossibly rich cheesecake, the perfect little strawberrytarts, the brownies, and the blondies all showed that youshouldn’t judge by outward appearances. 2515 McKinney.871-2253. Inexpensive. -W.L.T.

VIETNAMESE



BaLe. There are only six tables in [his little place, the barely bilingual service is utterly friendly, and the food is some of the best Vietnamese available. Shrimp and pork rolls were lovely, fresh and tender, beef and noodle soup a strong, clear broth with thin, wide slices of meat. Tightly rolled egg rolls were packed with pork, and a big platter of fresh cilantro, serrano peppers, sprouts, and lettuce, and bowls of hot and fish sauce encouraged you to play with your food. The Vietnamese crepe turned out to be a sort of omelette with shrimp and pork; the “split rice combo” was a highly seasoned pork chop and a savory cake of egg and pork-with rice. 4812 Bryan at Fitzhugh. 821-1880. Inexpensive. -M.B.M.

East Wind. A day’s-special roast duck was succulent, buthardly seasoned at all. Charcoal-broiled pork, diced and attractively mounded on a lettuce leaf, was dust-dry; plumsauce was unpleasantly sweet. A melange of chicken,mushrooms, scallions, and vegetables cooked and served ina hot clay pot had more flavor, thanks more to its ingredientsthan to seasoning. 2711 Elm St. 745-5554. Inexpensive tomoderate. – B.C.



Mai’s. This looks like a basic coffee shop, but you won’t find any hashed browns on this menu: we started with an order of fat pork-stuffed Vietnamese rolls, accompanied by a big plate of lettuce and cilantro leaves. You wrap the roll and some cilantro in a lettuce leaf for an Asian taco-the combination of fresh and fried flavors, cool and hot, is addictive. The hot pot we tried was not the usual soupy dish, but adrier, deliciously earthy mix of rice, caramelized onions,strips of tender chicken, and straw mushrooms. The garlic-sautéed pan-fried catfish was equally successful. 4812Bryan. 826-9887. Inexpensive. -M.B.M.



LAS COLINAS/MID CITIES



China Terrace. The extensive menu is mostly Szechwanand Peking standards, but ingredients seemed fresh anddishes well executed on our recent visit. Pot stickers wereexemplary, the tender little pastry pouches plumply filledand crisply browned on their under side. Spinach bean curdsoup held emerald-fresh spinach leaves and smooth curdcubes in its delicate chicken broth. Salmon Szechwan wassuperb, a moist pink fillet sautéed and served with a bracing pepper-spiced sauce, sided with fresh broccoli. Dragonand Phoenix was an elegant if slightly downscale presentation of the traditional dish: chicken and shrimp (not lobster)were enshrined in separate potato nests, with a different,delectably subtle sauce under each. 5435 N MacArthur.south of Highway 114 at Walnut Hill Lane. Las Colinas.550-1113. Inexpensive to moderate. -B.C.



Espara’s. The food here includes definitive chili con queso, cheese enchiladas, and refried beans (especially the version served with the fajitas, cooked to crunchiness in a tiny skillet). Big chimichangas are stuffed with shredded, not ground, beef, and fajitas are well marinated and not overcooked . Our one complaint about the Tex-Mex standards is that Esparza’s has succumbed to the superannuated NorthTexas fad of the puffed taco, but at least the shell is freshlyfried. 124 E Worth St, Grapevine. (817) 481-4668. Inexpensive. -W.L.T.



FORT WORTH



Juanita’s. When this busy place in the Sundance Square redevelopment in downtown Fort Worth first opened, it seemed to be riding on the cachet of having a well-known owner (the wife of writer Dan Jenkins). The food has taken an upward turn since then, as has the now-reliable service. The menu is mostly standard Tex-Mex (with appetizers like fried stuffed jalapenos and nachos with everything imaginable on them), but there are some more original dishes, too. The quail wrapped in bacon looked awfully pale and forlorn, but they tasted better than they looked, and the accompanying cheesy green rice was delicious. Chiles rellenos receive a particularly delicate treatment here, with a light-as-air crispy batter, but the cheese inside was still cold at the center. 115 W Second. (817)335-1777. Moderate. -W.L.T.



La Marée. A deli by day. La Marée turns bistro on Fridaysand Saturdays, when it serves dinner from a sophisticatedNew American menu, Particularly seductive the night wewere there were a crabcake appetizer with a lively spicedlime remoulade; a house salad that mated mixed greens withgrapes and chopped black olives and sesame seeds inavocado-lime dressing; and an entree of pork in threeguises-smoked loin, homemade sausage, and ham-zingedwith ancho pepper sauce. 3416 W Seventh. (817) 877-0838.Moderate. -B.C.