RESTAURANTS & BARS

CELEBRATIONS

CELEBRATIONS This month the Hard Rock Cafe celebrates Its 20th anniversary as a purveyor of big burgers and classic rock ’n’ roll. The first Hard Rock opened in London In 1971 to rave reviews- the rest, as they say, is history. But Hard Rock’s more than a restaurant chain-it’s a real hamburger joint with good food and good prices and a healthy serving of good music on the side. Its pro-environment stance Isn’t bad either.

THE DRIVE-IN

ICONS Drive-ins are an American cultural institution-an institution in which we’ve managed to combine two national obsessions (cars and \ food) into one abiding example of functional kitsch. While the drive-in’s heyday was most certainly the Fifties and Sixties, a few places still exist as playful reminders of our pasts. (A personal favorite is Keller’s.) As teenagers we went to drive-ins in fast cars, intent on serious flirtations with the opposite sex. As adults we go to drive-ins to eat. (Note the generational difference.) Once one is past the age of 30, the automotive ambience of the drive-in takes on new meaning, becoming a favored dining destination of moms and dads and kids in sensible cars. On any given summer evening, at any given drive-in, you can find an array of station wagons(the families) and Camaros (the teenagers)all queuing up under the requisite neon sign topartake of a slice of pure Americana,hold the onions, please. -Anne Warren

Back to Ba Le



ON THE ROAD In February 1990, we called your attention to a little treasure of a Vietnamese eatery tucked away in an obscure corner of old East Dallas. Ba Le was its name, joyously authentic fare was its game, and its owner, Hai Van Tram, was proud of the fact that he, his wife, and two sons, starting from scratch, had built their tiny business to debt-free independence since their arrival in this country as penniless refugees eight years earlier.

Less than a month later, Van Tram was murdered and his wife wounded outside the restaurant by a robber who shot them both after Van Tram defiantly refused to hand over the day’s receipts. With the help of her sons, the widow tried to keep Ba Le going, but her grief was too great, and the place passed into other hands.

Now the story takes a different turn: With some help from friends, Ba Le has been reborn-this time in Haltom City, just east of Fort Worth. The name now is Ba Le French Sandwich Shop, but the food’s not limited to sandwiches. For starters, “sandwich” to the Vietnamese can be anything from ham, cheese, paté, and vegetables on a crusty French roll to a vast bowl of hearty beef stew served with the roll on the side-sort of a build-your-own sloppy sub arrangement; both versions are scrumptious. So are crisp-skinned eggrolls, enough-for-four seafood soups, and delicate soft rice loaves stuffed with shrimp. On our visit, we sampled all the above plus brewed-at-table iced coffee for under $20. From Dallas take I-30 West to Beach, then right to East Belknap before it reaches Fort Worth. 4950 E. Belknap St., Haltom City. (817) 838-8377. Open daily, 9-9. No liquor, cash only. -Betty Cook<BR>

An Address Change for Actuelle



BUSINESS In the press releases announcing the move of top-rated restaurant Actuelle from the Quadrangle to The Crescent you have to read between the lines to get the real story. The mild-mannered PR covers up a rancorous dispute chronicled in a 4-inch thick sheaf of documents down at the courthouse. Read all about it, and try to understand- I’m not sure I did: Actuelle is seeking damages from Dallas Quadrangle Partners, Ltd. for terminating its lease, and DQPL is seeking damages because Actuelle refused to leave when asked. Actuelle says, among other things, that the 8.0/KERA courtyard concerts last summer hurt the restaurant’s business and violated article 27 of their lease, which guaranteed them “peaceable and quiet enjoyment and possession of the premises.” DQPL says that Actuelle charged a fee to customers sitting on the balcony during those concerts. Actuelle asserts that DQPL suggested the restaurant close on Saturday nights if management didn’t like the concerts.

What counts to Dallas diners is that Actuelle is closing its doors on May 17 and reopening them in June-with a few changes in menu and style-at its new location in The Crescent (at press time this was the location). Meanwhile, Buffalo Club is moving into the Actuelle space at the Quadrangle. -Mary Brown Malouf

CHEAP EATS



FUDGE F I X

The B hot-fudge sun-dae. summer’s greatest indulgence, may be hard to find, but It’s worth the hunt.

Baskin-Robbins creates custom variations, but best marks go to straight vanilla blanketed In really fudgy hot chocolate slathered with whipped cream, chopped almonds, and a traditional cherry. 4428 Lemmon Ave. $2.37.

Brasserie Cafe, our fave late-night sundae stop, produces the classic version In a heavy, soda-fountain tulip glass. It’s been dropped from the menu, but the nice people here still make it if you ask. The Fairmont Hotel, 1717 N. Akard. $3.50.

Hunky’s. The Ice cream is Blue Bell, the fudge holds its heat, and this peanut-topped pretty would qualify as perfect if It weren’t served In Styrofoam. Even so, it’s no slouch. 400O Cedar Springs. $1.75.

I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt offers a con-science-quieting version with its creamy new Yoglace and a with only two grams of fat. The whole thing clocks in at under 125 calories. Multiple locations. $1.85.

White Rock Yacht Club serves up single dips In a crockery soup cup that holds late’s heat nicely under whipped cream ruffles ($1.95). 7324 Gaston Ave.. Suite 301. -Betty Cook

NEW RESTAURANTS



Fort Worth’s New Seafood Emporium



WATER STREET Water Street brings to mind an old Yogi Berra quote: “Nobody goes there-it’s too crowded.” Nobody except everybody, it seems, in early-to-dine Fort Worth: Our arrival at 7 p.m. on a weekday found this spacious new University Drive seafood emporium merrily mobbed. By the time we were seated 45 minutes later, two catch-of-the-day specials and the day’s vegetable were being erased from the blackboard listings that supplement the printed menu.

Plenty remained, though-Water Street offers a catholic collection of baked, grilled, and blackened specialties as well as assorted fried dishes. Oddly enough, it was the last category that yielded the greatest delight of our two visits: Oyster-stuffed shrimp, wrapped in bacon and deep-fried sans batter, were bite-sized bliss available in appetizer or entree portions. Other fried dishes were estimable, if less exciting-an order of oysters was rather limply battered, and salmon cakes in a bread crumb coating needed some dicedveggie crunch for texture, but both were zestily accompanied by the house tartar sauce, a cayenne-spiked Creole version.

Having experienced perfection in one visit’s grilled salmon fillet, we were moved to give blackening a fair chance next time around. We shouldn’t have: The pure succulence of fresh swordfish was totally lost in a horrid coat of harsh, dark spices that reminded us why the whole blackened-anything craze phase was such a brief flash in the pan as far as food trends go.

Side dishes and entrée accompaniments were a hair above humdrum-bread was fresh-baked, rice pilaf was crunchy, sautéed squash only slightly overcooked, and a kind of Mexican chicken-vegetable-rice stew called Caldo Xochitl offered a hearty alternative to the standard seafood gumbo. New Orleans bread pudding was no great shakes; a bunuelo bowl, caramel-sauced ice cream in a crisp tortilla shell dusted with sugar and cinnamon, was a better choice.

Service, like the cheerfully noisy ambience of the place, was engaging. So is the wide-open decor, with rose-gray carpet, brick-wall dividers, blond wood, and surfboard bar tables. The restaurant is dominated by a Remington-inspired wall mural depicting a corral full of cowboys bronc-busting a saddled swordfish. Faces on the cowboys are those of corporate principals of Water Street, which also has locations in Corpus Christi and San Antonio. 1450 S. University Drive, Fort Worth. (817) 877-3474. Sun.-Thur. 11-11, Fri.Sat. 11-midnight. All credit cards. Moderate.

-Betty Cook

Dining in the Southern Hemisphere



LATINAMERICAN CAFE With so many Mexican restaurants dominating the dining scene in Dallas, other styles of Latin American cooking have had little chance to make their way here. Perhaps the spiffy little Latinamerican Cafe will begin to reverse that pattern. Little flags from all the countries in the hemisphere mark the only decorative touches in the Spartan white decor. The food is similarly simple and representative of Latin America. Many of the dishes on the long menu hail from Cuba, but recipes from all over Central and South America dot the culinary map.

There are a few tasty appetizers-chicken soup of a rich golden hue; a cocktail of shrimp decorated with pimento, pickles, and bright toothpick banderillas; a zesty seafood ceviche. But it’s probably better to stick with the main dishes. The varied cuisine seems almost the opposite of Mexican food. Instead of chips and salsa, baskets of an addictive garlic bread come to the table as fast as you can eat them. Nothing is remotely picante; the emphasis here is on meats-first marinated, then grilled. Beefsteak receives several such treatments, from the Latinamerican Special (to which the marinade gives a wonderful flavor, but which comes from a rather chewy cut) to the churrasco Argentina (a slightly thicker, more tender piece of meat but less interestingly seasoned).

By no means are all of the dishes grilled, though. The pechuga rellena is a chicken breast stuffed with ham and cheese then deep-fried, and the camarones en salsa verde bathe huge, tender shrimp in a mildly herbal sauce. If you want something more assertive in flavor, try one of the most famous Cuban dishes, ropa vieja (“old clothes”)-a mixture of shredded beef, boiled and very soft in texture, with spices, tomatoes, and onions. A variety of side dishes accompany the entrées. With many you have a choice between white rice and black beans (separately) or the two mixed together in what the Cubans call moros y cristianos (Moors and Christians).

Desserts at the Latinamerican Cafe run to very dense puddings flavored with anise- okay for those with a tolerance for licorice. The welcome is warm, and the people-watching superb. The city’s Cubans and Latin Americans found the café very early, and so, it appears, did the general public. 4436 Lemmon Ave. 526-4436. Mon.-Thur. 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri.-Sun. 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. No credit cards. Moderate.

-W.L. Taitte



Down Under in Arlington



OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE This new spot is not far from Arlington Stadium or Six Flags, which may explain why we saw so many folks who looked like athletes and why the whole experience seemed like a visit to a theme park. The theme, of course, is Australian-there are boomerangs and such on the walls, and the dishes tend to be named after down-under places and creatures. But, in the absence of a developed Australian cuisine, the menu really conjures up American chain enterprises rather than South Pacific voyages.

The virtues of the Outback-besides cleanliness and efficient, friendly service- are big steaks, well grilled and flavorful, mostly cooked to order. The simpler accompaniments like baked potato and tossed salad seem dependable, too, and the desserts made of ice cream and chocolate certainly qualify as fun food.

As for more elaborate concoctions, an appetizer like kookaburra (a.k.a. Buffalo) wings would be hard to find objections to, and the Gold Coast coconut prawns are nicely cooked for those who like their desserts before their entrees. We always feel guilty eating those big onion mums (here called Bloomin’ Onions), but if your conscience can stand all that cholesterol and cayenne, the version here is good. Avoid, though, the Walkabout Soup (gloppy onions and gloppier cheese). And don’t order thebarbecued ribs or barbecued chicken unlessyou like your meats drenched in sweet, hotsauce. 2102 N. Collins, Arlington. Metro817-265-9381. Sun.-Thur. 4-10:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 4-11:30. All credit cards. Moderate toexpensive. -W.L.T.



Greetings From Baja



CABO GRILL This place seems to have been dreamed up with nearby SMU students in mind. That is, the requisites of student appeal-a patio, cheap margaritas, and beer-are here, bolstered with mediocre food and placed in a casually cool setting. A big map of the Baja peninsula (the tip of which is called Cabo) in the style of the old “Greetings from…” postcards is painted on one wall, and a big bar dominates one end of the room. On the night we were last there, Norm Hitzges was calling the first baseball game of the season on the color TV. As the evening progressed, his voice was tuned out and only the visuals remained against the background sounds of Jerry Jeff Walker and other college drinking crooners. You get the picture-this is the kind of place that makes thirtysomething people-and others-feel a little creaky.

Still, it is comfortable, and for good food I’d put up with being made to feel like a fuddy-duddy. Unfortunately, though the management has come up with the catch phrase “Fresh-Mex” to describe the menu’s offerings, we found nothing particularly fresh-in terms of imagination or execution-on our plates. I suppose because of the geographical reference, there is a discernible seaside influence-tequila-grilled shrimp among the appetizers and Cozumel tacos, soft tortillas stuffed with shellfish. The charcoal-tailed shrimp came swimming in butter sauce with a pallid, soft, baked tomato and some lime wedges on the side. The tacos were Tilled with a dry hash of shredded crab meat and chopped shrimp, topped with melted white cheese and hot green sauce. Chicken Manzanillo, a grilled breast, was fine. The “grilled” vegetables that came with it were actually steamed. Better was the straight-ahead Tex-Mex stuff: cheese enchiladas; the trio of chicken enchiladas in a mild bechamel topped with white cheese and mild verde sauce; and the rojo relleno, a mild, cheese-stuffed pepper, smothered with red ranchera sauce and baked in an individual casserole like American lasagna till the ingredients melded into a vegetable stew. 3707 Greenville Ave. 824-9900. Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-2 a.m., Sat.-Sun. 9 a.m.-2 a.m. All credit cards. Inexpensive.

-Mary Brown Malouf



Italian with a Classic Accent



AURELIO’S Location is a tricky business. In almost any conventional neighborhood, amiably low-keyed Aurelio’s could count on near-certain success. On the upper edge of restless Deep Ellum? One can only hope.

Despite unchanged exterior accents (rooftop neo-cacti, ornate iron grillwork surrounding the corner patio), one also hopes the inbound hungry will notice that the building’s former Mexican-food occupant has been replaced. Inside, freshly sponge-painted pink walls and crisp white tablecloths set a warm, European-feeling scene for what owner Aurelio Bustos calls classic Italian cuisine.

If classic means fresh, nicely prepared, and comfortable in concept, Bustos’s label is accurate. Every ingredient of the dishes we tried on two visits could have come from that morning’s market, and except for one example of veal scallops my companion insisted were tenderized rather than pounded thin, no corners appeared to have been cut on quality.

A sampling of the three appetizers listedyielded tender bites of squid in crisp-friedbatter, toothsome steamed mussels in goodmarinara, and firm shrimp in garlickywhite-wine lemon butter. On both visits, thecatch-of-the-day seafood was the standoutentrée-moist grilled grouper in oneinstance, delicate red snapper in the other,both graced with a smooth gilding of lemonwhite-wine butter sauce and accompaniedby a crisp mixed-vegetable sauté and lightlysauced tube pasta. Linguini PescatoreDiavalo lavished the pasta with oysters,shrimp, clams, scallops, and artichokehearts in spicy mushroom-tomato sauce.Chicken Parmesan’s boneless breast was atrifle dry under a rubbery crown ofmozzarella-our only real disappointmentexcept for the unavailability of manicotti orravioli owing to problems with the kitchen’spasta machine. One other small quibble:Garlic bread loaves, though brought pipinghot, were soft, unbrowned, and textureless,with all their butter gone to the bottom;we’d have paid extra for sturdier stuff. We’dhave liked the cannoli’s ricotta cheesestuffing a tittle sweeter and less dense, too,but the crème caramela was flawless. As wasthe service, which-struck a perfect balancebetween caring and correctly professional-a rarity in Dallas, especially in anestablishment where most entree prices arewell under the $17 top listing. 2935 Elm St.749-0208. Lunch Mon.Sat. 11:40-2; dinnerMon.Sat. 5:30-10. All credit cards.Inexpensive to moderate. -B.C.

D REVISITS



BURGERS



D Revisits Chips. We strayed from the straight, narrow.and dependable burger path on our last visit; one of us triedthe new Philly-style sandwich (an unmanageable but tastyconglomeration of griddled chicken strips, cheese, lettuce,etc., on a big bun), and the other opted for the pig sandwich(Southeastern pulled pork piled high on a bun). Not muchelse has changed here. The line was long at lunch but movedfast; the patio, feeing construction on Central Expressway,is the noisiest in town; the French fries are excellent; and theshoestring onions, skinny slivers battered and fried, are impossible to finish. 4501 N. Central Expwy. 526-1092. Inexpensive. -M.B.M.



CAJUN



D Revisits Louisiana Purchase. The crowds offolks milling around the entrance area all seemed to beordering the big platters of freshly boiled crawfish when theyfinally got tables. Strangely enough, those little mudbugsseemed the least satisfying things we tasted here-the boiledcritters on the “Crawfish Three Ways” platter were soggy-fleshed, far less appealing than either the crunchy fried tailsor the smooth, well-balanced crawfish étouffée. The mariners platter here will awaken happy memories of eating friedseafood on the shores of Lake Ponchartrain in New Orleans,and the rockfish Ponchartrain is a reasonable-and reasonably priced-facsimile of Louisiana Creole tooting. Unusual desserts like French silk peanut butter pie and peach andsweet potato pie also have genuine New Orleans roots, anda whole table full of people can try (hem cheaply in asampler plate that also includes a decent version of breadpudding. 1901 N. Central Expwy., Piano. 423-0533. Inexpensive to moderate. -W.L.T.



CHINESE



D Revisits May Dragon. The dining area, brokendown into a maze of intimate areas dressed in subtle (onesof plum and gray, leads you to expect a sophisticated approach to Chinese cuisine. And the kitchen has done a better job than most others at keeping up its own initial highstandards. It’s not that there are many out-of-the-way disheshere, it’s that even the most ordinary things, like spring rollsor beef-on-a-stick appetizers, are executed with unusualcare. Many favorite items are slightly spicy, though none arelikely to satisfy those with a true passion for peppers. Thefive-flavor shrimp coats deep-fried prawns with a fireengine-red ginger sauce. May Dragon sesame chicken is atender variation on orange chicken, and scallops with garlicsauce toss silky coins of seafood with crisp vegetables. 4848Belt Line, Addison. 392-9998. Moderate. -W.L.T.



FRENCH/CONTINENTAL



D Revisits L’Ancestral. This is a lovely, calm spot;family portraits on the mirrored walls, dried arrangements.lace curtains, and carpet combine to make a comfortable.well-bred, grandmotherly setting. Service is properly pro-fessional, and the food is dependably excellent. I can neverresist the appetizer onion tart with its hint of orange peelamong the tangle of caramelized onions; the odd-soundingsalade de Mais, a mayonnaise-bound mélange of cubedapples, cheese, cabbage, and ham is also a favorite. Thepommes frites (contenders for the best fries in town) withlamb mignonettes, a rare pepper steak, or the excellentgrilled swordfish. followed by clafoutis or smooth crèmecaramel are my first choices for cultivated comfort food. 4514 Travis. 528-1081. Moderate. -M.B.M.



GERMAN/EASTERN EUROPE



D Revisits Franki’s Li’l Europe. For one reason and another, we had not visited the McKinney Avenue spinoff of the popular Casa Linda Franki’s, and 1 was embarrassed to have taken so long. Now. I’m embarrassed that 1 didn’t wail longer-for whatever reason, the inner-city sibling can hardly claim kinship, let alone cloneship, with the original. To be fair, appetizers and desserts were all we could have hoped-Sarma, a Yugoslavian cabbage roll, was excellent, tender ground beef baked in a juicy leaf with robust tomato sauce. One entree. Seafood Marco Polo, was acceptable, although its scallops were its only element not overcooked: its shrimp and angel hair pasta were almost mushy in their basil-breathed cream sauce, and the accompanying squash well-done. My own choice, Franki’s schnitzel, was virtually inedible, a leathery sheet of unbreaded pork unaffected by its decent parsley-cream sauce, unhelped by a side of tough, overcooked spaetzle. although sweet red cabbage and steamed broccoli were both first rate. So were a silken flan and a pig-out wedge of chocolate mousse cake. 2215 McKinney Ave. 953-0426 Inexpensive to moderate. -B.C



HOME COOKING



D Revisits Brent Place. Stepping through the gate intoOld City Park is a sweet trip back in time for sure, and theidea of marking the journey with lunch in the 1876 farmhouse named for its original owners, the James MonroeBrent family, romantically intriguing. Some effort towardserving food at least partially derived from the home’speriod has been expended by Spice of Life Catering, whichsupplies it. but we found little to lake us back on a recentvisit. The soup, an asparagus cream, was pleasant; the saladwas not, its rather limp lettuce awash in oversweet Frenchdressing. Smoked breast of chicken on spinach proved to beanother salad, the meat shredded on a large mound ofvarious greens; firm shrimp were nicely grilled, but theiraccompanying snap peas were soggily overcooked. Thesame peas came with a chicken pot pie that had been micro-waved-its inner crust had gone leathery in the ordeal,Blackberry cobbler was a tart delight; bread pudding withsabayon sauce was dense with coconut: butterfinger pietasted exactly like the candy bar. crushed and baked in acrust. 1717 Bano St., off St. Paul, in Old City Park. 421-5141or 421-3057 Inexpensive. -B.C



D Revisits Mama Taught Me How. Talk abouthomey-Mama didn’t allow no highfalutin puttin’ on of airsin her kitchen, and her daughters’ place follows suit. Youorder lunch at the counter here, choosing from a half-dozenentrées and assorted vegetables and an equal number ofhomemade desserts, all of which are delivered to your table.Chicken-fried steak was fine and crisp-edged, mashedpotatoes fluffy under not enough cream gravy; chicken divanwas the decades-old classic, moist-baked with broccoli incream of mushroom soup and crowned with skinny fried-onion crisps on a bed of rice. Piece de résistance, of course,was the exquisite house-specialty yeast biscuits, pale-goldbeauties good enough to qualify as currency in the country1 come from-so fine, in fact. I was almost willing to forgivethe kitchen’s faux pas in putting sugar in the pinto beans.Chocolate chess pie whs a knockout, dark, rich, and not loosweet, and the iced tea in pint fruit jars tasted home brewed.Pepper Square Shopping Center, #512. 14902 Preston Roadat Belt Line. 490-4409. -B.C



INDIAN



D Revisits Shalimar. Indian restaurants hereabouts seem to have particularly tangled histories, and Shalimar is no exception. The original owners of this place now own another by the same name in Carrollton, This location at North Central Expressway and Belt Line is now under new management. Thank goodness, though, it still serves the South Indian dishes that make it one of the Metroplexs unique restaurants. Masala dosa wrap lacy lentil crepes around a potato mixture bright yellow with turmeric, and vada arc little lentil cakes, fried like miniature doughnuts, for dipping in a soupy, spicy sauce. Shalimar does well by North Indian dishes, too-unusual ones like chole bhatura (puffed bread topped with garbanzos and curry) and the old standbys like tandoon chicken. For those who love hot food. the beef vindaloo here is as incendiary as anyone could want. 35 Richardson Heights Village, N. Central Expwy. at Belt Line, Richardson. 437-2858. Inexpensive to moderate. -W.L.T.



ITALIAN



D Revisits Sfuzzi. With all the new Sfuzzis that have fanned out across the country, one could fear that the original might have acquired a formulaic feeling. One needn’t-Sfuzzi’s service is New York-suave and beautifully tuned and timed to suit the crowds that collect here at different hours of the day. We joined the cosmopolitan power-lunch bunch this time, rather than subjecting ourselves to the somewhat fevered exuberance of evening, and found food worth lingering over well into the afternoon. Grilled bruschetta with tomato and pesto was crisp and lusty; a thin-crusted pizza laden with cheeses, tomato, and basil wasslightly scorched but meltingly flavorful nonetheless. Three-cheese manicotti was a delectably tender wrap under one ofthe freshest, lightest tomato sauces I’ve encountered, and aRomano-crusted chicken breast lay succulently alongside aldente linguini delicately bathed in basil-spiked tomato sauce.Tiramisu was an unusual variation, but successful: a multi-layered disc of cake and creamy filling, topped with icecream on a burnished sauce of golden caramel. 2504 McKinney Ave. 871-2606 Moderate. -B.C.



MEXICAN



D Revisits Loma Luna. The menu here has settled into more of a Tex-Mex mode than when it started, but the soft adobe pinon-scented interior still evokes Santa Fe, and there are some fairly authentic New Mexican dishes here. The grilled shrimp stuffed with cheese and chili is not one, though it was excellent, the shellfish juicy and fresh-tasting-shrimp are unforgiving little creatures, and it’s hard to get tricky without ruining them. The Sandia Range chicken was good, moist and smoky; the stacked chicken enchiladas were excellent; and the green chili stew, a New Mexican staple, though a little bland, held plenty of soft-cooked pork and wedges of red-skinned potatoes in the mild green sauce. Too much cinnamon overpowered the natural caramel of the cajeta sundae. 4131 Lomo Alto, 559-4011, 8201 Preston. Suite 100 (at Sherry Lane). 691-1552. Moderate. -M.B.M.



D Revisits Mia’s. If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy, These days a restaurant might consider changing thatmotto to “If the customer ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”And we were only sort of happy on our last visit to this restaurant. The highly inconvenient cash-only policy, slow andcareless service (forgotten water), and a long wait in the half-full room added up to too many gripes for happiness. Forthose who don’t mind a little neglect with their tacos, Mia’sis fine because the food is excellent. Standard Tex-Mexdishes are no news, but they’re practically perfectly prepared. We had tacos al carbon made with soft tortillas andsmoky, grilled beef strips. A trio of rolled tortillas lookedlike a Tex-Mex still life: a ruddy cheese enchilada, a palegold soft cheese taco, and a creamy chicken taco with sourcream brightened by green peppers and parsley. 4322 Lem-mon Ave. 526-1020. Inexpensive. -M.R.M.



D Revisits Zuzu. This is still some of the best news inMexican food. The specialty gorditas, little cornmeal pat-ties filled with black beans, shredded chicken, lettuce, andcrumbled white anejo cheese and drizzled with cream area favorite snack, and undoubtedly this is the best quesadillain town: the thick cheese-stuffed tortilla lightly fried andtopped with salad. Chicken tacos, free-form tortilla tubesoverflowing with fresh chicken, grated cheese, and salad,are a great lunch ladled with the green salsa. The rich, thickflan is spooned out of a big pan-everything here is handmade and you can tell. Again, though, too much plastic foampackaging is a problem-fast food needs to go in recyclablecontainers. 6423 Hillcrest. 521-4456. 5940 Royal lane.739-1312. Inexpensive. -M.B.M.



SEAFOOD



D Revisits Jozef’s Seafood Restaurant. My memory had this venerable seafood establishment painted in fairly pompous, Old-Dallas colors. Either my memory misfired, or Younger Dallas has discovered Jozef’s in the lastcouple of years; though darkly dignified in decor, the placehummed with casual good humor on our recent visit. Andthe food was as fresh and well prepared as remembered,albeit with a minor bobble or two. Portions seemed whimsically sized: A tall-stemmed wine balloon held enoughpuckeringly piquant ceviche for two; pricier crab meatRemick was a tiny few mouthfuls, delectably sautéed withpimentos, shallots, and brandy, less delectably studded withmany fragments of shell. Bouillabaisse was a fine, heartyheap of perfect mussels, scallops, shrimp, salmon, andwhite-fish in rich broth, topped with rounds of rouille-spreadtoast; firm shrimp with garlic and lemon juice sparkled withflavor, but the serving was modest enough to make uswonder if we hadn’t been served the appetizer-sized version,also offered, by mistake. A praline parfait dessert, though,was lavished with pecan-laden caramel, and espresso wasrobust. 2719 McKinney Ave. 954-0407. Moderate to expensive, -B.C.



D Revisits Atlantic Cafe Too! Now that its original Knox Street namesake has become something else, is it too much to hope that this Addison spinoff might drop the odiously coy “Too!” from its name? Perhaps not-certainly,with new chef Don Baete at the helm, the food has undergone noticeable improvement since the place opened,although a few inconsistencies remained on our recent visit.Clams Casino, for instance, were overbreaded. but their buttery spiking of peppers, shallots, and garlic was heady stuff,and accompanying cilantro linguini was perfectly splendid.Salmon carpaccio was beautifully fresh, if rather flavorlessdespite its plateful of pretty garnishes. Caesar salad was excellent, the romaine young, the dressing subtle; tomato-basilsoup was a sunny joy, fresh and zingy as the season itheralded. Only one dish was shockingly awful-silken scallops, nicely sautéed, were insulted with an onion concasséeof such vile strength that my companion could not stomachthem: a day’s special of grilled white tuna, on the other hand,was moist and lovely as any I’ve tasted, the dinner’s highpoint. 14866 Montfort, Addison. 960-2233. Moderate to ex-pensive. -B.C.



SOUTHWEST



D Revisits Sam’s Cafe. This is not the hot spot it oncewas-there was plenty of available seating at prime time ona recent Saturday night. But the soft, Southwest setting is stillappealing, especially at night with the tall windows. And themenu is a little more conservative than it used to be. Our appetizer portions were extremely large, making the entréeswe had already ordered superfluous. Crawfish cakes weremeaty with lots of lingering spice-one of the best versionsof this menu staple I’ve had in a while. Raviolis stuffed withyams and black beans were targe, cooked just al dente, andthe smooth filling was slightly sweet, slightly savory. An individual pizza was plenty for four-the pic du jour heldchunks of beef, goal cheese, and cilantro on a sweet wheatcrust. Entrées and desserts were less satisfactory, perhapsbecause we were already satiated. 100 Crescent Court, Suite140. 855-2233. Expensive. -M.B.M.



STEAKS



D Revisits Lawry’s The Prime Rib. After suffering several tasteless, spongy-textured hunks of meat that oilier restaurants have fobbed off as “prime rib” recently, it was reassuring to return to Lawry’s, where you can get the real thing. In the evenings, roast beef-carved from massive slabs brought to your table side in casketlike carts-is the only entree here. Your only choices are whether to have it cut into delicate slices, English-style, or into huge and huger slabs- and whether to have it rare or more thoroughly cooked. You do have to stretch your brain, though, to consider whether the extra tariffs are warranted for the alternatives to the house salad and the mashed potatoes that come with the beef. The alternate salad, though good, is probably not worth the extra cash, but the mammoth baked and oniony oven-roasted potatoes surely are. For those with a sweet tooth, it requires no internal debate at all whether to order the rich desserts like banana coconut-cream pie or the berry-Tilled English trifle. 3008 Maple Ave. 521-7777. Expensive. -W.L.T.



VIETNAMESE



D Revisits East Wind. I don’t know what magic lampis being rubbed in Bust Wind’s kitchen, but every dish wetried cast its own special spell of joy. One in particular, billedas carpaccio, involved lean raw beef as the name suggested,but shredded rather than sliced, and hotly spiked with chilimarinade under its crown of crushed peanuts. Served withtwo fiery sauces, plus sliced cucumber and tomato to soothethe happy pain, it was a superb surprise. Ditto a salad ofcharbroiled chicken strips with much vegetable crunch in aperky ginger dressing. One entree plate held charbroiled catfish fillets, crisp-edged, succulent, and smoky-flavored, witha gentle medley of sautéed al dente vegetables plus rice.Another piled crispy noodles with shrimp, scallops, chicken, and many vegetables-an elegant interplay of flavors andtextures. Even such standards as spring rolls and hot andsour soup rose above their genre, as did the splendidlycreamy iced coffee. 2711 Elm St. 745-5554. Inexpensive tomoderate. -B.C.



D Revisits La Pagode. This pioneer Vietnamese restaurant in East Dallas has undergone some changes since I was there last-in personnel. I’m told, as well as decor: Dining space is larger, and a lunch-buffet table stands near the door. Inevitably, some of (he food has changed, too, but the charbroiled whole catfish venerated in my memory was every bit as splendid as 1 hoped, crisp-edged and succulent to the last shred. Beef underdone, another favorite, has undergone a transformation involving eye-watering pepper heat added to the shredded raw beef along with scallions, garlic and mint; if we’d known it was that fiery, we’d have asked that it be modified, as the menu suggests. Ah, well, our introductory shredded pork rolled with fresh cilantro in rite paper was mild and lovely as ever, as were shrimp gently swathed in soft rice; and the charbroiled banana we shared for dessert was a proper sin. lavished with sweet condensed milk and roasted cashews. 4302 Bryan. 821-4542. Inexpensive. -B.C.



RESTAURAN

D RECOMMENDS



AFGHAN

Safi’s Afghan Cuisine. 14849 lnwood, Addison. 991-9292. Moderate.



BARBECUE

Austin’s Barbecue. 2321 W. Illinois. 377-2242. Inexpensive.

Bakers Ribs. 2724 Commerce. 748-5433. Inexpensive.

Peggy Sue BBQ. 6600 Snider Plaza. 987-9189. Inexpensive.

Riscky’s Barbeque. 1701 N. Market. Suite 104. 742-7001. Inexpensive to moderate.

Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse. 2202 lnwood. 357-7120. Inexpensive.



BRITISH

Jennivine, 3605 McKinney Ave. 528-6010. Moderate to expensive.



BURGERS

Ball’s Hamburgers. 3404 Rankin in Snider Plaza. 373-1717. 4343 W. Northwest Hwy. 352-2525. Inexpensive.

Cardinal Puff’s. 4615 Greenville Ave. 369-1969. Inexpensive.

Club Schmitz. 9661 Demon Drive. 902-7990. Inexpensive.

8.0. 2800 Routh St. 979-0880. Inexpensive.

Hard Rock Cafe. 2601 McKinney Ave. 855-0007. Moderate.

Prince of Hamburgers. 5200 Lemmon Ave. 526-9081. Inexpensive.

Snuffer’s. 3526 Greenville Ave. 826-6850. 14910 Midway. Addison. 991-8811. Inexpensive.

Texas Hamburgers. 1606 Market Center Blvd. 747-2222. Inexpensive.



CAJUN

Arcadia Bar & Grill. 2114 Greenville Ave. 821-1300. Inexpensive.

Atchafalaya River Cafe. 4440 Belt Line, Addison. 960-6878, Moderate.

Cafe Margaux. 4216 Oak Lawn. 520-1985. Moderate.

Crescent City Cafe. 2730 Commerce. 745-1900. Inexpensive.

Dodie’s Seafood Cafe. 2129 Greenville Ave. 821-8890. Inexpensive.

Nate’s Seafood and Steakhouse. 14951 Midway Road. Addison. 701-9622. Moderate.

Red’s Cajun Queen. 3701 W. Northwest Hwy. 350-9777. Inexpensive to moderate.



CENTRAL/SOUTH AMERICAN

Gloria’s Restaurant. 600 W. Davis. 948-3672. 9386 LBJ Frwy. at Abrams. 690-0622. Inexpensive.



CHINE

August Moon. 15030 Preston at Belt Line. 385-7227. 2300 N. Central Expwy. Piano. 881-0071. Moderate.

Cafe Panda. 7979 Inwood, Suite 121. 902-9500. Moderate.

Cathy’s Wok. 4010 W. 15th, Piano. 964-0406. Inexpensive.

Canton. 400 N. Greenville Ave., Suite 25, Richardson. 238-1863. Inexpensive.

Chef Wang. 9330 N. Central Expwy., United Artists Plaza. 373-1403. Moderate to expensive.

Chu’s Restaurant. 15080 Beltway, Addison. 387-1776. Moderate.

Crystal Pagoda. 4516 McKinney Ave. 526-3355. Moderate.

Elm St. Shang-Hai. 2807 Elm St. 651-8988. Moderate.

First Chinese B-B-Q. 1ll S. Greenville Ave., Richardson. 680-8216 Inexpensive.

Grand Taipei. 216 W. Campbell, Richardson. 907-1027, Moderate.

Henry Chen. 3701 W. Northwest Hwy. 956-9560. Moderate.

Hong Kong Royale. 221 W. Polk, Richardson, 238-8888. Moderate to expensive.

Restaurant Jasmine. 4002 Belt Line. Suite 200, Ad-dison. 991-6867. Moderate.

Szechwan Pavilion. 8411 Preston. 368-4303. 1152 N. Buckner. Suite 128, Casa Linda Plaza, Garland Road at Buckner. 321-7599. Inexpensive to moderate.

Taiwan Restaurant. 4980 Belt Line. Addison. 387-2333. 6111 Greenville Ave. 369-8902. Moderate.

Tasty China. 3514-A W. Walnut, Garland. 276-1999. Inexpensive.

Texas Jade. 3227 McKinney Ave. 871-8898. Moderate.

Tong’s. 11661 Preston. Suite 143. 361-6588. Moderate.

Tong’s House. 1910 Promenade Center, Richardson. 231-8858. Moderate.

Uncle Tai’s. 13350 Dallas Pkwy., in the Galleria. 934-9998. Expensive.



ETHIOPIAN

Dallul. 2515 Inwood. 353-0804. Inexpensive to moderate.

River Nile. 7001 Fair Oaks. 363-1128. Inexpensive to moderate.



FRENCH/CONTINENTAL

Addison Cafe, 5290 Belt Line. Addison. 991-8824. Moderate to expensive.

Cafe Le Jardin. 4900 McKinney Ave. 526-0570. Moderate to expensive.

Chez Gerard. 4444 McKinney Ave. 522-6865. Moderate to expensive.

Clair de Lune. 5934 Royal Lane. Suite 120. 987-2028. Moderate to expensive.

Epicure Highland Park. 69 Highland Park Village, Preston a! Mockingbird. 520-8501. Moderate to expensive.

Ernie’s. 5100 Belt Line. Suite 502. 233-8855 Moderate to expensive.

Ewald’s. Stoneleigh Hotel. 2927 Maple. 871-2523, Expensive.

The French Room. The Adolphus Hotel. 1321 Commerce. 742-8200. Expensive.

The Grape. 2808 Greenville Ave. 828-1981. Moderate.

La Madeleine. 3072 W. Mockingbird. 696-0800. 3906 Lemmon Ave. 521-0182. NorthPark Mall. 696-2398. lnex-pensive.

Le Brussels. 6615 Snider Plaza. 739-1927. Moderate.

L’Entrecote. Loews Anatole Hotel, 2201 Stemmons Frwy. 748-1200. Very expensive.

Les Saisons. 165 Turtle Creek Village. 528-1102. Expensive.

The Old Warsaw. 2610 Maple. 528-0032. Very ex-pensive.

Pierre’s By The Lake.3430 Shorecrest. 358-2379. Moderate to expensive.

The Riviera. 7709 Inwood. 351-0094. Very expensive.

St. Martin’s. 3020 Greenville Ave. 826-0940. Moderate

Watel’s. 1923 McKinney Ave. 720-0323. Moderate to expensive.

York St. 6047 Lewis, 826-0968. Moderate to expensive.

GERMAN/EASTERN EUROPEAN

Belvedere. 4242 Lomo Alto. 528-6510. Expensive.

Bohemia. 2810 N. Henderson. 826-6209. Moderate.

Cafe Athenee. 5365 Spring Valley at Montfort. Suite 150. 239-8060. Moderate.

The Chimney. 9739 N. Central Expwy. 369-6466. Expensive.

Franki’s Li’I Europe. 362 Casa Linda Plaza. Garland Road at Buckner, 320-0426. 2515 McKinney Ave., Suite 150. 953-0426. Inexpensive to moderate.

Hofstetter’s. Plaza at Bachman Creek. 3840 W. Northwest Hwy., Suite 400. 358-7660. Inexpensive to moderate.

Kuby’s Sausage House Inc. 6601 Snider Plaza. 363-2231. 3121 Ross. 821-3121. Inexpensive.



GREEK

Athens Cafe. 5290 Belt Line. Suite 118, Addison. 991-9185. inexpensive to moderate.

Augustus. 15375 Addison Road. Addison. 239-8105. Expensive.

Goldfinger. 2905 Webb Chapel Extension. 350-6983. Moderate to expensive.

Greek Bistro. 2014 Greenville Ave. 826-8989. Inexpensive to moderate.

Kostas Cafe. 4914 Greenville Ave. 987-3225. Inexpensive.

Little Gus’. 1916 Greenville Ave. 826-4910. Inexpensive.

Theodore’s Seafood Restaurant. The Corner Shopping Center, 8041 Walnut Hill. Suite 810. 361-1922. Moderate to expensive.



HOME COOKING

Bishop Arts Cafe. 316 W. Seventh St. 943-3565. Inexpensive to moderate.

The Blue Onion Restaurant. 221 W. Parker Rd., Suite 527. Piano. 424-2114. Inexpensive.

Celebration. 4503 W. Lovers Lane. 351-5681. Moderate.

Chubby’s. 11333 E. Northwest Hwy. 348-6065.

Farmer’s Grill. 4015 Lemmon Ave. 521-2281. Inexpensive.

Fox Hunt Pub & Grill. Manor House, 1222 Commerce at Griffin. 748-6686. Inexpensive to moderate.

Gennie’s Bishop Grille. 308 N. Bishop. 946-1752. Inexpensive.

Highland Park Cafeteria. 4611 Cole at Knox. 526-3801. 300 Casa Linda Plaza at Garland Road. 327-3663. Lincoln Plaza. Second Floor. 500 N. Akard. 740-2400. Inexpensive.

Highland Park Pharmacy; 3229 Knox. 521-2126. Inexpensive.

Mama’s Daughter’s Diner. 2014 Irving Blvd. 742-8646. Inexpensive.

The Mecca. 10422 Harry Hines. 352-0051. Inexpensive.

Roscoe’s Easy Way. 5420 Lemmon Ave. 528-8459. Inexpensive.

Rosemarie’s. 1411 N. Zang. 946-4142. Inexpensive.

Theo’s Diner. 111 S. Hall. 747-6936. Inexpensive.

Tolbert’s. One Dallas Center. 350 N. St. Paul & Bryan. 953-1353. 1800 N. Market. 969-0310. inexpensive.

Vice Versa. 6065 Sherry Lane. 691-2976. Inexpensive.



INDIAN

Akbar. 2115 Promenade Center. Richardson. 235-0260. Inexpensive (lunch) to moderate (dinner).

Ashoka. 5409 Belt Line, Prestonwood Creek Shopping Center. 960-0070. Moderate.

India Palace Restaurant. 12817 Preston, Suite 105. 392-0190. Moderate to expensive.

Kebab-N-Kurry. 401 N. Central Expwy., Suite 300, Richardson. 231-5556. Inexpensive to moderate.

Kebab-N-Kurry. 2620 Walnut Hill. 350-6466. Inexpensive.

Sagar. 1492 W. Spring Valley, Richardson. 644-3577. Inexpensive to moderate.

Shushmi. 859 N.E. Green Oaks, Arlington. (817) 860-8728. Moderate.

Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant. Caruth Plaza, 9100 N. Central Expwy., Suite 179. 692-0535. Moderate.

ITALIAN

Acapella Cafe. 2508 Maple. 871-2262. Moderate.

Alessio’s. 4117 Lomo Alto. 521-3585. Moderate to expensive.

Cafe Italia. 5000 Maple. 521-0700. Inexpensive to moderate.

Caffe Paparazzi. 8989 Forest Lane. Suite 136. 644-1323. Moderate.

Capriccio 2616 Maple. 871-2004. Expensive.

Chianti Restaurant and Pizzeria. 9526 Webb Chapel. 350-7456. Inexpensive.

Fausto’s. 300 Reunion Blvd., in the Hyatt Regency Hotel. 651-1234. Moderate.

Ferrari’s. 703 McKinney Ave., in The Brewery. 954-1112. Moderate to expensive.

Flip’s Wine Bar & Trattoria. 1520 Greenville Ave. 824-9944. Moderate.

Joey Tomato’s Atlantic City. 3232 McKinney Ave. 754-0380. Inexpensive to moderate.

La Tosca. 7713 Inwood. 352-8373. Expensive.

La Trattoria Lombardi’s. 2916 N. Hall. 954-0803. Moderate.

Lombard!’s at Travis Walk. 4514 Travis Walk. 521-1480. Moderate.

Lombardi’s Expresso. 6135 Luther Lane. 361-6984. Inexpensive to moderate.

Massimo da Milano. 5519 W. Lovers Lane. 351-1426. 2121 San Jacinto. 871-0400. 901 Main Place in the NCNB Building. 761-6350. Inexpensive to moderate.

MoMo’s Italian Specialties. 9191 Forest Lane. Suite A2. 234-6800. 2704 Elm St. 748-4222. 3309 N. Central Expwy., Suite 37, Plano. 423-1066. Moderate.

Momo’s Pasta. 3312 Knox. 521-3009. Inexpensive.

Nero’s Italian. 2104 Greenville Ave. 826-6376. Moderate.

Pasticcio’s. 4527 Travis. 528-6696. Moderate.

Partrizio. 25 Highland Park Village. 522-7878. Inexpensive to moderate.

Piccola Cucina. 1030 NorthPark Center. Suite 330. 691-0488. Moderate.

Pizzeria Uno. 2811 McKinney Ave. 855-0011. 4002 Belt Line. Addison. 991-8181. Inexpensive to moderate.

Pomodoro. 2520 Cedar Springs. 871-1924. Inexpensive to moderate.

Ristorante Savino. 2929 N. Henderson. 826-7804. Moderate to expensive.

Romano’s Macaroni Grill. 4535 Belt Line, Addison. 386-3831. Moderate

Ruggeri’s. 2911 Routh St. 871-7377. Moderate.

Scuro. 2713 Elm St. 741-0111. Inexpensive to moderate.

311 Lombardi’s. 311 Market at Ross. 747-0322. Moderate to expensive.



JAPANESE

Fuji-Ya. 13050 Coit. 690-8396. Inexpensive to moderate.

Hana Japanese Restaurant. 14865 Inwood. 991-8322. Moderate.

Hibachi-Ya Japanese Restaurant. 3850 W. North-west Hwy., Suite 510. 350-1110. Inexpensive.

Mr. Sushi. 4860 Belt Line. Addison. 385-0168. Moderate.

Nakamoto Japanese Cuisine. Ruisseau Village, Suite 360, 3309 N. Central Expwy., Piano. 881-0328. Moderate.

Sakura Japanese Restaurant. 7402 Greenville Ave., Suite 101. 361-9282. Moderate to expensive.

Shinano Japanese Restaurant. 8830 Spring Valley. 644-1436. Moderate.

Shogun of Japan. 5738 Cedar Springs. 351-2281. 3455 N. Belt Line. Irving. 594-6911. Moderate.



KOREAN

Kobawoo. 3109 Inwood. 351-6922. Moderate.

Koreana. Highpoint Village, 12101 Greenville Ave., #107. 437-1211. Inexpensive to moderate.



MEDITERRANEAN

Adelmo’s. 4537 Cole, 559-0325. Moderate to expensive.

Monte Carlo. 15201 Dallas Pkwy., in the Grand Kempin-ski Dallas Hotel. 386-6000. Expensive.

Scampi’s. 2704 Worthington, 220-2115. Moderate to expensive.



MEXICAN

Anita’s Mexican Cantina. 7324 Gaston. #319. 328-9639. Inexpensive.

Blue Goose Cantina. 2905 Greenville Ave. 823-6786. Moderate.

Cantina Laredo. 4546 Belt Line. Addison. 458-0962. 8121 Walnut Hill. 987-9192. Moderate.

Casa Dominguez. 2127 Cedar Springs. 742-4945. Inexpensive to moderate.

Chuy’s. 211 N. Record. 747-2838. Moderate.

Desperados. 4818 Greenville Ave. and University. 363-1850. Inexpensive to moderate.

El Asadero. 1516 Greenville Ave. 826-0625. Inexpensive to moderate.

El Ranchito. 610 W. Jefferson. 946-4238. Inexpensive to Moderate.

Flamingo Joe’s. 2712 Main at Crowdus. 748-6065. Inexpensive to moderate.

Grandpa Tony’s. 3130 W. Mockingbird. 357-1531. Inexpensive.

Javier’s. 4912 Cole. 521-4211. Expensive.

La Calle Doce. 415 W. 12th. 941-4304. Inexpensive to moderate.

Las Cazuelas. 4933 Columbia. 827-1889. Inexpensive.

La Suprema Tortilleria. 7630 Military Pkwy. (at Loop 12). 388-1244. Inexpensive.

Los Arcos. 3308 Ross. 826-5020. Moderate.

Mario & Alberto. LBJ Frwy., at Preston. Suite 425. 980-7296. Moderate.

Mario’s Chiquita. 4514 Travis. Suite 105. 521-0721. 221 W. Parker. Suite 400, in Rosa Village, Piano. 423-2977. Moderate.

The Martinez Cafe. 1900 Preston (Preston Park Village). Plano. 964-7898. Inexpensive.

Mart’s Rancho Martinez Mexican Restaurant. 6312 La Vista. 823-5517. Inexpensive to moderate.

Mercado Juarez. 1901 W. Northwest Hwy. 556-07%. 4050 Bell Line. Addison. 458-2145. Inexpensive to moderate.

Ml Casa Tex Mex Restaurant. 8301 Westchester, at Luther Lane. 890-9939. Inexpensive to moderate.

Primo’s. 3309 McKinney Ave. 520-3303. Inexpensive.

Uncle Julio’s. 7557 Greenville Ave. 987-9900. 4125 Lem-mon Ave. 520-6620. Moderate.



MIDDLE EASTERN

Hedary’s Lebanese Restaurant. Promenade Center, 15400 Coit, Suite 2500. Richardson. 669-2112. Moderate.



NATURAL

Bluebonnet Cafe & Dell. 2218 Greenville Ave. 828-0052. Inexpensive.

Dream Cafe. 2800 Routh St., Suite 170. in the Quadrangle. 954-0486. Inexpensive.



NEW AMERICAN

Aransas Pass. 2912 N. Henderson. 827-8650. Moderate to expensive.

Aristocrat Hotel Bar & Grill. 1933 Main. 741-7700. Moderate to expensive.

Beau Nash. 400 Crescent Court in the Hotel Crescent Court. 871-3200. Expensive.

Bravo. 2621 McKinney. 871-2786. Moderate.

The Bronx. 3835 Cedar Springs. 521-5821. Inexpensive to moderate.

The Buffalo Club. 2723 Elm St. 748-2400. Moderate to expensive.

By George! 2900 Greenville Ave. 821-1538. Moderate.

Chaplin’s. 1928 Greenville Ave. 823-3300. Moderate to expensive.

City Cafe. 5757 W. Lovers Lane. 351-2233. Moderate.

Conservatory. Hotel Crescent Court. 871-3242. Very expensive.

Dakota’s. 600 N. Akard. 740-4001. Moderate to expensive.

Deep Ellum Cafe. 7706 Elm St. 741-9012. Moderate to expensive.

Dover’s Grille. Doubletree Hotel at Park West, 1590 LBJ Frwy. 869-4300. Moderate to expensive.

Gershwin’s. 8442 Walnut Hill at Greenville Ave. 373-7171. Moderate to expensive.

Huntington’s. Westin Hotel. Galleria, 13340 Dallas Pkwy. 851-2882, Expensive.

Kathleen’s Art Cafe. 4424 Lovers Lane. 691-2355. Moderate to expensive.

Landmark Cafe. Omni Melrose Hotel. 3015 Oak Lawn. 522-1453. Expensive.

Laurels. Sheraton Park Central Hotel, 12720 Merit Drive, off Coit near LBJ Frwv. 385-3000. Expensive.

The Mansion on Turtle Creek. 2821 Turtle Creek Blvd. 526-2121. Very expensive.

Malibu Cafe. 4311 Oak Lawn. 521-2233. Moderate.

Parigi. 3311 Oak Lawn. 521-0295. Moderate to expensive.

The Promenade. 2821 Turtle Creek Blvd. 559-2100. Moderate to expensive.

Pyramid Room. 1717 N. Akard in the Fairmont Hotel. 720-5249. Very expensive.

Quadrangle Grille. 2800 Routh St., Suite 180, in the Quadrangle. 979-9022. Moderate.

Routh Street Cafe. 3005 Routh St. 871-7161. Very expensive.

SEAFOOD

Aw Shucks. 3601 Greenville Ave. 821-9449. Inexpensive.

Cafe America. 4346 McKinney Ave. at Knox. 559-4441. Expensive.

Cafe Pacific. 24 Highland Park Village. Preston at Mockingbird. 526-1170. Expensive.

Dinger’s Catfish Cafe. 8989 Forest Lane. 235-3251. Inexpensive.

Fishmonger’s Seafood Market and Cafe. 1915 N. Central Expwy. at Chisholm. Suite 600, Piano. 423-3699. Moderate.

Hampton’s. Preston Center, 8411 Preston. Berkshire Court. 739-3474. Moderate.

Maine St. 6348 Gaston. 826-8264. Inexpensive to expensive.

Newport’s Seafood. 703 McKinney Ave. in the Brewery- 954-0220. Expensive.

Oyster’s.4580 Belt Line, Addison. 386-0122 or 387-4231. Inexpensive to moderate.

Rusty Pelican. 14655 N. Dallas Pkwy. 980-8950- Expensive.

S&D Oyster Company. 2701 McKinney Ave. 880-0111. Inexpensive to moderate.

Yoli’s. 9220 Skillman, Suite 124 off LBJ Freeway. 341-3533. Inexpensive.



SOUTHWESTERN

Baby Routh. 2708 Routh St. 871-2345. Moderate to expensive.

Blue Mesa Grill. 5100 Belt Line at Dallas Pkwy. in Sakowitz Village, Suite 500, Addison. 934-0165. Inexpensive to moderate.

Brazos. 2100 Greenville Ave., at Prospect. 821-6501. Moderate to expensive.

Cisco Grill. 6630 Snider Plaza off Hillcrest. 363-9306. Inexpensive.

Zuma. 2701 Stemmons Frwy. 631-3050. Moderate.

SPANI

Cafe Madrid. 4501 Travis, 528-1731. Inexpensive to moderate.

The White Swan. 2307 Abrams. 824-8122. Moderate.



STEAKS

Arthur’s. 8350 N. Central Expwy., Campbell Centre, Suite M 1000. 361-8833. Expensive.

The Butcher Shop Steakhouse. 808 Munger, off Lamar. 720-1032. Moderate.

Del Frisco’s Double Eagle. 4300 Lemmon Ave. 526-9811. Expensive.

Old San Francisco Steakhouse. 10965 Composite (off Walnut Hill, east of I-35). 357-0484. Moderate to expensive.

The Palm Restaurant. 701 Ross. 698-0470. Very expensive.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House. 5922 Cedar Springs. 902-8080. Expensive.

Wellington. 2408 Cedar Springs. 748-1291. Expensive.



TAKEOUT/DELI

Al’s New York Style Dell. 3301 Oak Lawn, Suite A (entrance on Hall). 522-3354. Inexpensive.

Another Roadside Attraction. 2712 Elm St. 761-9135. Inexpensive.

Basel Emporium. 7522 Campbell. 248-0608. Inexpensive.

Bagelstein’s. Northwood Hills Shopping Center, 8104 Spring Valley. 234-3787. Inexpensive to moderate.

City Cafe To Go. 5757 Lovers Lane. 351-3366. Moderate.

City Market. 2001 Ross. Trammell Crow Center, Suite 200. 979-2696, Inexpensive.

Crescent Gourmet. 400 Crescent Court. 871-3223. Inexpensive to moderate.

Dell News. 15775 Hillcrest, Suite 502. 392-3354. Inexpensive.

Marty’s. 3316 Oak Lawn. 526-4070. Moderate.

Pat’s Park Cities. 6617 Snider Plaza. 363-7797. Inexpensive.

Polio Bueno. 3438 Samuell Blvd. 828-0645. Inexpensive.

Tommaso’s Fresh Pasta. 5365 Spring Valley, Suite 158, at Montfort. 991-4040. Inexpensive to moderate.



THAI

New Siam. 2415 Willowbrook, Suite 108 (at NorthwestHwy. and Harry Hines). 358-5679. Inexpensive to moderate.

Sala Thai. 4503 Greenville Ave. 696-3210. Moderate.

Thai Cuisine. 1915 Central Expwy. (off Park), Plano. 422-5219. Moderate.

Thai Lanna. 1490 W. Spring Valley, Richardson. 690-3637. 4315 Bryan. 827-6478. Moderate.

Thai Nipa. 4315 Lemmon Ave. 526-6179. Inexpensive.

Thai Soon. 2018 Greenville Ave. 821-7666. Inexpensive.

Thai Taste. 4501 Cole. 521-3513. Moderate.

Thai Toy’s. 4422-B Lemmon Ave. 528-7233. Inexpensiveto moderate.



VIETNAMESE

Arc-en-Ciel. 3555 W. Walnut, Garland- 272-2188. Inexpensive to moderate.

Cafe de Saigon. 5617 Lovers Lane. 350-8767. Moderate.

Mai’s Cuisine. 4814 Greenville Ave. 739-5424. Inexpensive.

Mekong. 430! Bryan. 824-6200. Inexpensive.

Saigon. 1731 Greenville Ave. 828-9795. Inexpensive.



LAS COLINAS/MID CITIES

Bistro Bagatelle. (French) 406 W. Abrams, Arlington. Metro 817-261-0488. Moderate to expensive.

Cacharel. (French) Brookhollow Two, 2221 E. Lamar, Suite 900, Arlington. Metro 817-640-9981. Moderate.

China Terrace. (Chinese) 5435 N. MacArthur, Las Co-linas. 550-1113. Inexpensive to moderate.

Esparza’s. (Mexican) 124 E. Worth St., Grapevine. Metro 817-481-4668 Inexpensive.

Gaspar’s. (New American) 150 S. Denton Tap Road. Coppell. 393-5152. Moderate.

Jinbeh. (Japanese) 301 E. Las Colinas Blvd.. Suite 301. Irving. 869-4011. Moderate.

La Margarita. 3636 N. Belt Line, Irving. 570-1137. Inexpensive to moderate.

Tandoor. (Indian) 532 Fielder North Plaza. Arlington. Metro 817-261-6604. Moderate.

Via Real. (Mexican) 4020 N. MacArthur, Irving. 255-0064. Moderate to expensive.



PORT WORTH

Benito’s. (Mexican) 1450 W. Magnolia. (817)332-8633. Inexpensive.

Cafe Aspen. (New American) 3416 W. Seventh. (817) 877-0838. Moderate to expensive.

Ciao. (Italian) 2455 Forest Park Blvd. (817) 924-2426 In-expensive to moderate.

Kincaid’s Grocery. (Burgers) 4901 Camp Bowie Blvd. (817) 732-2881. Inexpensive.

Hedary’s. (Lebanese) 3308 Fairfield at Camp Bowie Blvd. (817) 731-6961. Moderate.

Juanita’s. (Mexican) 115 W. Second. (817) 335-1777. Moderate.

Le Chardonnay. (French) 2443 Forest Park Blvd. (817) 926-5622. Moderate to expensive.

Papl’s. (Puerto Rican) 2239 N. Main. (817) 625-4413. Inexpensive.

Reflections. (New American) The Worthington Hotel, 200 Main. (817) 870-1000. Expensive.

Saint Emilion. (French) 3617 W. Seventh. (817) 737-2781.Moderate to expensive.

Tours Restaurant. (New American) 3500 W. Seventh.(817) 870-1672. Moderate to expensive.

Tuscany. (Italian) 4255 Camp Bowie Blvd. (817) 737-2971. Moderate to expensive.