TASTING THE TOWN
Lusty Libations
Not to belabor a seasonal cliche, but there really is something about February-chill winds outside, warm hearts within-that tilts minds and moods toward romance. That said, it follows that the most charming, warming denouement to an intimate evening can be the after-dinnei drink that caps a memorably soul-satisfying meal. Restaurants we polled in a search for perfect post-prandial V-day potions yielded varied suggestions, each-like the restauran that serves it-romantically potent in a distinctively different way. We list them in ascending order, price-wise.
Cafe Athenee, the Romanian refuge in Addison, pours a stemmed crystal thimbleful of Sambuca, topped off with crisply roasted coffee beans- three to symbolize love, life and luck. If you’ve had wine with dinner, it’s complimentary; otherwise, ask for Sambuc; Romana-price, $3.50. 5365 Spring Valley. Suite 150.
L’Ancestral has added a French Sauteme to its recently completed new wine list, but the Travis Walk restaurant’s most popular after-dinner indulgence stirs peach schnapps and Grand Marnier together, then freezes the gilded blend in a block of ice to create a stunning presentation that’s become a house specialty. $4.50. 4514 Travis.
Chez Gerard puts its own Gallic twist on dessert-crowning coffee with Cafe Pierre. Courvoisier, Grand Marnier and Kahlua enrich the bean brew served in a sugar-rimmed glass graced with whipped cream and a dusting of chocolate powder. $4.50. 4444 McKinney Ave.
Mi Piaci salutes the growing appreciation for grappa with its own intoxicating improvement on the peasant-cum-aristocratic Italian brandy; a marinated fig version that mellows the straight stuff into near-port nuttiness, erases all traces of harshness and imparts a slight sweetness along with a delicate amber hue. S8.95. 14854 Montfort.
Buffalo Club offers a half-dozen fine old ports, but goes them one better in the romance department with Moet’s Petite Liqueur, a heady blend of cognac and Champagne mat’s as delicately spritzy as love itself and comes in an adorable fat, flat little flagon that holds exactly enough for two. $12. 2800 Routh St., Suite 125, in the Quadrangle.
Gershwin’s, which toasts connoisseurs with perhaps the city’s most extensive selection of single-malt Scotch whiskies, reserves its most-romantic nomination for 1964-vintage Abelour, a Highland infusion of complex influences-oak-cask aging, a breath of heather and hearty undertones, all brought together in a single heady snifter. $17.50. 8442 Walnut Hill at Greenville Ave.
And of course, for the effetely affluent, there’s always the loftiest love libation of all, Louis XIII cognac, the one that’s bottled in Baccarat crystal and goes for around S65 a glass in the places that serve it. We won’t name them-if you can afford this one, you know where they are.
-Betty Cook
BARS
Be Cool, Drink Cheap
Club crawling doesn’t have to cost a lot. Those who know have their calendars marked for the best bargains, Monday through Sunday. Here’s a look at where to go every night of the week.
Monday-The Lounge, 5460 Lovers Lane. Here’s where the stylish go for $1.75 kamikazes and shots of Jagermeister and Rumpleminze. 10 p.m.-l:30a.m.
Tuesday-Z-Bar, 2912 Greenville Ave. All drinks are $2, except wine. Great for people-watching.
Wednesday-2826, 2826 Elm St. 75-cent drinks starting at 10 p.m., $5 cover. “Probably the most happening place in town on Wednesday night,” according to one Dallas bar-hopper.
Thursday-Buffalo Club, 2800 Routh St. $2 highballs, martinis and house wine. plus free bar snacks, 5-8 p.m.
Friday-Club No, 813 Exposition. 50-cent draft beer, 9-11 p.m. and $2 well drinks until 2 a.m.
Saturday-State, 3611 Parry Ave. $2 well drinks from 5-7:30 p.m. $1.25 draft beers, 5 p.m.-2 a.m.
Sunday-Mick’s, 2825 Greenville Ave. $1 well drinks, domestic beer, wine, champagne and Bass Ale, 5 p.m.-2 a.m.
-Ellise Pierce
ON THE ROAD
Love at First Bite
Heart-shaped balloons hovering over weekend brunch tables? Sweetheart happy hours daily, with half-price drinks for couples only? Even without their menu’s heart logo, you’d hardly have to be told that Judy and Joe Hale’s commitment to romance is a year-round affair. Before the Hales opened Joe & Judy’s Restaurant last year, they’d covered the country for a decade supplying marble and granite for high-rise construction projects. When the building boom bombed, they settled in Fort Worth to woo diners with fresh regional specialties compiled from their travels-items like Oregon onion bale (sweet onions, beer-battered and fried into a light-as-air loaf), San Antonio Western Chili, Alaskan grilled salmon, Montana filet mignon and Cincinnati five- way spaghetti. The spiffy place itself is all that a courting couple could wish for in atmosphere – muted lighting, candle-topped tables and an up front atrium over looking a pretty garden scene. 4255 Camp Bow ie Blvd.. Fort Worth. (817) 737- 8183. -B.C.
New Restaurants
Tanks for the Anemones
EIGHTEEN-OH-ONE AT THE DALLAS WORLD AQUARIUM You enter by walking “through” the shark tank where rays, hammerheads and anemones swim all around you. Welcorne to one of the most interesting places to eat (lunch or brunch) in Dallas. Eighteen oh one (hereafter referred to as 1801) is the restaurant in the Dallas World Aquarium, the new cafe and party facility in the West End owned by Daryl Richardson.
Richardson is an avid diver and has combined his business with his hobby. Any other marine-themed restaurant would have been content with a few tanks of tetras and lots of fish on the menu but 1801 even has marine biologists on the staff.
You’d think the fish would be a hard act for the food to follow, but Richardson is a veteran. Service, in any case, was erratic- on our first visit, the timing was a little slow, but the pace picked up the next time.
The Caribbean Club-grilled chicken, bacon provolone and grilled pineapple (which didn’t taste grilled)-came with chutney mayonnaise on an onion roll.
Pineapple slaw, which comes with most entrees and which I thought was a relic of the ’50s fascination with Hawaii, was good too, topped with toasted almonds. The “Nasi Goreng” (Indonesian fried rice) of the day was chicken-a melange of pea pods, strips of omelette, broccoli, carrot and red and green pepper with rice. It was plenty for two. Soups were both thick, creamy concoctions that had little to do with fish-corn chowder one day, mushroom the next.
It’s the details that make 1801 stand out-the basket of house-made muffins and salad served in a coconut shell, topped with toasted pumpkin and sesame seeds, shredded cheese and tossed with a raspberry vinaigrette. “Shrimp on the barbie,” with a proper bit of char to them, came with a dipping butter infused with fresh rosemary and even the kids* fish and chips were cut in the shapes of fish and anchors.
1801 at The Dallas World Aquarium is an ambitious idea and beautifully done, but it will cost you. It’s $5 per person to enter the Aquarium. Add the average $8 entree, and you’ve got a pretty expensive lunch, but then there’s nothing else like this, literally, anywhere. 1801 North Griffin. 720-1801. Mon.-Sat. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Moderate to expensive. MC, V, AE, DC.
-Mary Brown Malouf
Super Heroes
The Deli Planet A simple idea, well done, has always been a formula for success. The Deli Planet, in Travis Walk, proves the point.
There’s nothing other-worldly about the Deli Planet’s food-it’s a basic list of sandwiches, soups, pasta salads and cheesecakes-but everything is made to order so cheerfully and the simple ingredients are so well chosen and the place itself is so pleasant that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Part of the charm is the place itself. It’s evident that the owner, Victoria Clary, had a career as a graphic designer from the crisp, clean look. Mismatched chairs are painted in odd pastels, miniature Mexican metal chair sculptures are on each table, and there’s a collection of bright ceramic jars for sale along with the pasta, condiments, coffee and cookbooks. The old cooler and cases that line the wall have the streamlined look of ocean liners.
But in her second life as a cook and caterer, the owner’s taste is just as discriminating. Sandwiches on square croissant sandwich buns, sub rolls, seven-grain, rye and white are can’t-go-wrong combinations of ham, turkey and roast beef with a choice of cheese. But mortadella, salami and prosciutto are combined on the Superman sandwich, and the Krypton-wich stacks up turkey, hot capocollo and pro-volone. And a “heart-healthy” special with turkey, cream cheese and apple on toasted raisin bread is exotically good. The best comes last: this is one of the few places you can buy gelato by the scoop, and it makes you remember what ice cream is supposed to be like-luxurious as butter and satin-smooth, with deep flavors resonating off the richness. The chocolate gelato with mango is a double dip to die for-better than Kryptonite. 4514 Travis (Travis Walk), No. 122. 520-0630. Mon.- Fri. 10-7 p.m.. Sat. 10-3 p.m. Inexpensive. No credit cards. -M.B.M.
Treasure Discovered in Highland Park
HIGHLAND PARK CAFE What do you do when you find treasure? When it comes in the form of a new Highland Park restaurant, there’s no way of keeping it to yourself, so you might as well celebrate it. I’ll join you-for some years now, I’ve wished that small French jewel called the Addison Cafe weren’t so far out of my way. Now, behold the wish granted: Addison Cafe owners Bahman and Kamran Ayrom have brought their delectable cuisine to Dallas-to, in fact, the seemingly jinxed Highland Park Village space that has housed Jubilee. Epicure and several others. Consider the jinx dispelled-there’s no way this lovely place can fail to attract a faithful following.
For starters, the decor makes the most of its admittedly tiny space, with an urbane little bar tucked inside the front entrance, a mirrored wall that seems to double the windowed upstairs area, tastefully rich furnishings throughout, from lacquered Italian chairs and immaculate linens to Oriental rug accents and strategically placed art deco bronzers.
The food ordained by Addison Cafe executive chef Victor Garcia equals that of the original bistro, which is saying a good deal. Presentations on our visits were beautiful from the very beginning-we started with a complimentary hors d’oeuvre nibble of pate-topped crouton enshrined among scarlet and gold pepper dice in vinegared olive oil. Nearest we came to disappointment was with the day’s soup, called cream of broccoli but actually tasting of nothing but potato despite its faint green tint. The house salad was delightful, its mixed greens surrounded by crouton ovals spread with warm goat cheese and distinctively dressed with walnut vinaigrette (although the promised walnuts were missing). One starter’s grilled shrimp and scallops were Firm yet tender in a saffron mandarin orange sauce that complemented both with interesting bittersweet bite.
Mandarin oranges appeared again in the form of sections atop perfect rare slices of grilled duck breast fanned in Grand Marnier-orange sauce on chewy wild rice. A profusion of fresh vegetables, including a particularly lovely tangle of buttered spaghetti squash, completed the entree, which was equaled but not surpassed by the day’s special, veal topped with fresh crab and cheese in a winey demi-glace. Even angel hair, that most difficult of pastas, was perfection, scented with truffle shavings and richly endowed with great, meaty slices of wild and shitake mushrooms.
Desserts sounded like ordinary French traditionals, but transcended their genres in presentation: creme caramel, a very light version, wore a crowning pouf of fine whipped cream drizzled with caramel; chocolate mousses-both dark and white are offered–came in chocolate cups on raspberry sauce and were delicious.
Service on both review visits-once with companions for dinner, again solo for lunch-was weightlessly correct and ac commodating; I had only a grilled shrimp and citrus salad on my singleton turn, but was treated as warmly as if I’d bought a banquet. And our dinner waiter’s lagniappe goodbye gift of port, besides making a great curtain call, sent us home glowing with satisfaction and resolve to return. Highland Park Village, Preston at Mockingbird. 521-7300. Lunch through dinner daily. 11-11 Expensive. AE, MC, V, DC. -Betty Cook
Catch of the Day
THE BIG ONE Ladies and gentlemen, this is an epic Gene Street/Shannon Wynne production. And if you want to know which capricious god had the gall and power to cause these two ostensible enemies to cleave together in a single enterprise, just blame it on the bass-lunkers, that is, the clear-water game fish that have Southern lakes teeming with fevered anglers. No, black bass are not on the menu (these boys belong to the catch-’em-and-let-’em-go school), but they’re everywhere in the de-con on the rooftop of the Knox and McKin-ney building, atop silly caps the restaurant sells, in trophy shelf displays-even, one assumes, in the waters of area fishing maps with which restroom walls are papered.
And whom is this macho motif meant to attract? Why, darlin’, the family trade. Billy Bob and Bubba Boomer now have children and need a comfy place for good home-away-from-home food and fun.
The Big One’s got both. On the food side, the menu’s a simple but varied compendium of honest fare, with many items available in scaled-down portions and prices for Junior Boomers. The best appetizer on our first visit charmed all ages- crispy fried chicken wings were crunchy and delicious, even without their two dips, a cool ranch style and a spicy red. Ditto a three-cheese pizza, salad plate size, on a crisp, thin crust. Caesar salad was a fine, fresh version, its very good dressing rather too lightly applied; “plain old dinner salad” was not plain old at all, but flung with ripe olives that better suited the lettuce, tomato and grated carrot than the too-sweet vinaigrette we regretted ordering.
Entrees and side dishes, all near-clones of Street’s Good Eats offerings, were a mixed lot; chicken pot pie brimmed with big chicken chunks, com, broccoli and carrot, but the present deep-dish version can’t hold a candle to the original Good Eats’ shallow moonscape; if it’s going to be deep, there should be a bottom as well as a top crust. Catfish fillets were extremely musky in a ho-hum batter, Chicken-fried chicken, brought by mistake when we ordered chicken-fried steak, was infinitely better than its corrected replacement, the chicken a tender-moist thin cut of white meat inside impeccable golden crunch- the beef was chewy and less flavorful. Black beans and macaroni and cheese were fine; sauteed spinach was pretty to look at. but dreadful in the mouth, apparently unwashed and loaded with sand.
A second visit’s hamburger rated a high seven on a one-to-10 scale, its grilled-to-order beef patty lean and pink, its thin onion redder than its winter tomato slices. The day’s soup, Mexican chili, delivered a happy surprise to the palate, awash as it was with minced vegetables and fine-ground beef in mildly spicy broth.
Dessert-wise, top honors went to a caramel-apple cinnamon pizza that was mom’s apple pie in disguise, big cuts of apple glazed with yummy spices on a crunchy crust. Homemade chocolate cake was no slouch, a towering wedge layered with melt-in-your-mouth moist frosting.
Service was sweetly attentive and the ambiance calmer than you’d expect in a place where a third of the patrons were under 12. Why, you ask? Because, I warn you. every kid of walking age was dropping daddy’s cash into video games in the TV-monitored game room that’s the fun side of this restaurant’s equation. You think you’ll save baby-sitter money here? Don’t count on it-the junior member of our group ran through more quarters than his dinner cost before his father cut him off. Ah, well, but we had peace at the table meanwhile, and isn’t that what eating out’s all about? 4544 McKinney Ave. 528-4578. Sun.-Thur. 10:45 -9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 10:45-10 p.m. Inexpensive. All credit cards. -B.C.
Musical Chairs at the Crescent
PEARLL OF THE ORIENT Can an upscale Asian restaurant prosper in the costly Crescent Hotel complex? One begins to wonder. The first occupant of Pearl of the Orient’s muted, soaring courtyard space launched an extravagant attempt to introduce French-accented Chinese cuisine to Dallas palates that should have succeeded, but didn’t. East Wind, the Vietnamese restaurant that would seem more suited to the Crescent than to its raunchier Deep El-lum location, thrives there, but languished here. Comes now a duo of Vietnamese owners, Joe Nguyen and Kim Vo. determined to raise Dallas consciousness to an appreciation of their country’s sparkling food freshness and flavors. To that end, they engaged chef Quang Ngo, a fellow Vietnamese, as a consultant to replace the sprawling East Wind-inherited menu with a shorter, more finely focused bill of fare.
Perhaps because the new menu had been so recently adopted, the kitchen’s competence failed to equal its ambition on our second visit. Our first sampling, before the change, found the food pleasant, if not earthshaking. The spicy carpaccio appetizer, a favorite of mine, was an eye-watering joy; charcoal-broiled shrimp paste on sugar cane sticks was satisfyingly exotic; a crisp-broiled catfish fillet in lemon grass sauce was truly splendid.
While the first two classics have been retained on the new dinner menu, me catfish has been replaced by a pan-fried version we didn’t try on our return. Instead, we opted to experience two bold, new entrees, and found both disappointing. Vietnamese-style bouillabaisse, which we expected to deliver the happy freshness of Vietnamese hotpots we’ve known and loved, brought instead a wasted bounty of shrimp, scallops, snapper and salmon, all overcooked to dryness in a very mildly seasoned broth. Grilled pork tenderloin with rice vinegar and sun-dried fig sauce sounded intriguing, and indeed, the pork chunks were nicely tender; but the loo-sweet sauce and leathery fig morsels that bathed the meat quite overwhelmed it. Best part of the meal, overall, was an appetizer of shrimp, chicken, scallions and bean sprouts folded into a traditional crisp-edged egg crepe.
A sunny eagerness to please erased any irritation small language barriers might have caused {to our server, “cake” and “pie” meant the same thing; the dessert in question was a wonderfully tart, but hardly Vietnamese, lemon pie). Nguyen himself was omnipresent; with a genial host so ingratiating one can’t help but hope his enterprise and courage will alter the obvi ous odds. 500 Crescent Court, Suite 148. 220-9110. Lunch, Mon.-Sat. 11-3; dinner, Mon.-Thur. 5-10, Fri.-Sat. 5-11. Garage parking validated. Expensive. All credit cards. -B. C.
American Dream Cuisine
PIZZA HOUSE OK, so the name is not exactly memorable-a hut, an inn, a house, what’s the diff? The difference is that the hut and inn in question are giants while the house is only a midget masquerading as such. Instead of a mega-chain dishing out cardboard pizza clones to the tune of a cash register, Pizza House is a mom and pop Eye-talian restaurant, to go.
Of course, you understand that mom and pop Italian doesn’t have anything to do with the Mediterranean country shaped like a boot. Any boots here are strictly Ropers. This is American dream cuisine from the time before we had seen the “lite.” Rich, red meat sauce is ladled over everything, and “everything” at Pizza House means pasta or pizza.
The pasta in the lasagna is merely a means of separating the meat and the cheese. Except for the shape, it’s hard to distinguish a serving of lasagna from one of fluffy, ricotta-stuffed cannelloni or a tangle of spaghetti-it’s all covered with red sauce and melted cheese so it looks like a Mexican combination plate. Dinners come with a pallid iceburg salad and piece of foil-wrapped garlic toast.
Pizzas, with a chewy, bread crust, are good but the piece de resistance, the reason to seek out the little Pizza House on Gaston is the incredible stromboli. A handsome. high half-moon of brown dough enclosing sausage, cheese, mushrooms, olives, green peppers and onions, the stromboli is a gorgeous thing, the dish that really makes Pizza House worth writing about. Impressive, inexpensive and filling, this would be a great item to pick up for a party. Try it with a tittle of the red sauce poured over it-but you may want to make your own salad. 4130 Gaston. 827-8808. Sun.-Thur. Il a.m.-10 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Inexpensive. No credit cards.-M.BM.
D Revisits
CHINESE
D REVISITS Szechwan Pavilion Preston Center. This pretty, peachy place has been depend able for Szechuan food since its opening; I’ve rarely had a disappointing meal here and, judging from the constant crowds, many Dallasites share my experience. Even though there are rarely any empty tables, Szechuan maintains a serenely com fortable feeling. Potstickers are always a favorite here; crisped on one side, the tender dough enfolds a mournful of savory ground pork. All the standard Szechuan dishes are offered-favorite choices are the crispy whole fish, the orange beef (a rare, un- cloying version) and the long beans. The kids love the lemon chicken, a Chinese type of McNugget with lemon sauce. 8411 Preston. 368-4303. V. MC. AE., DC. Moderate. -M.B.M.
INDIAN
D REVISITS India Palace. India Palace is lovely, especially compared to the coffeehouse decor of many Indian eateries, and the extensive menu and excellent service have placed it in the first rank of Dallas restaurants. Unfortunately, on a recent holiday evening, instead of the pleasant grace we’ve become accustomed to, the service was distinctly perfunctory and the food was only aver age. Appetizers came off the best-lamb and green pea-stuffed samosas, the frilly-looking onion frit ters called bhaji, and sheekh kebab, grilled skewer- cooked ground lamb presented like fajitas with sizzling onions. Soups-both mulligatawny and tomato coconut-were excellent. Our waiter of fered us only America premium beers until we asked for Indian Kingfisher and after the appetizers were gone there was a long wait for the entrees. The bread had evidently been waiting, too-the onion kulcha and paratha had steamed together in the bas ket. On the other hand, me tandoor lamb was still raw in me middle and we had to send it back for further cooking. The lamb biryani held none of the promised dried fruit that usually gives this dish such a spectrum of flavors and the rice was coated with a lamb-fat taste that pervaded every bite. Tan- door chicken was moist and good, but fiery beef vindaloo was gristly. We just hope this was a freak ish flaw. 12817 Preston Rd. 392-0190. All credit cards. Moderate. -M.B.M.
ITALIAN
D REVISITS Ristorante Savino. Asked whether he’s married, Vineenzo Savino will tell you, “This restaurant is my wife.” Savino is only partly joking. Like an ardent husband, the proprietor jealously minds his establishment’s virtuous reputation so well mat in the eight years the restaurant has quietly filled tables in its pretty North Henderson spot, I know of no one who’s experienced a real disappointment in food or service. Our last visit, inspired by word that former Tivoli’s chef Pierre Monticolombi had taken over the kitchen, was as rewarding as ever. Carpaccio was stellar, the paper-thin beef topped with shaved Parmesan and accompanied by the usual condiments; mussels stuffed with herbed bread crumbs and flamed with vodka were succulent. Fettuccine in Gorgonzola-scented cream sauce with nuggets of walnuts was outshone only by a to-die-for lasagna layered with silken bay scallops and basil sauce. Calf liver achieved lofty elegance sauteed with red onions and bay leaves in white wine, the rich concoction ringed with mashed potato rosettes. Thin veal rolls stuffed with spinach and mushrooms were salty, but my companion loved mem, having already expressed delight with a smooth asparagus soup that was free of cream, de riving taste and texture instead from blended stock and the vegetable only. Cantaloupe gelato and creme caramel would have ended (he meal flaw lessly enough, even if we’d been able to resist Savi ngs sly gift of after-dinner grappa-his cart holds one of the town’s largest selections, ranging from a soft Reisling to authoritative top-shelf Picolet. In Italy, Savino says, workers start their day with grappa anil espresso. In Dallas, I say, if you plan to end yours the same way, a designated driver is a swell idea. 2929 N. Henderson. 826-7804. Moder ate to expensive. All credit cards. -B.C.
MEXICAN
D REVISITS Cabo Grill. I rejected Cabo on my opening review; it seemed like a halfhearted at tempt at something that had been done better, al ready, all over town. But now l”m glad to say though, that Cabo Grill has come into its own. In stead of the energetic bustle of so many Mexican restaurants. Cabo has an easy, relaxed feel like a small-town tavern. It’s a great place to drop in for snacks, for instance, which may stretch out into a full meal. The service is efficient, and the food is good enough to go back for-delicate tostados and chunky salsa, fat enchiladas and creamy gua- camole. All the standards were satisfactory, and the seafood fare justifying the cafe’s name was equally good. 3707 Greenille Ave. 824-9900. Inexpensive to moderate. All credit cards. -M.B.M.
D REVISITS Cantina Laredo. Ask for Ruben’s salsa if you want to start with something special-the thin, dull-green, hot sauce is not merely spicy, but has a rich roasted flavor from the fired chilis. On the botanas platter, the stuffed jalapenos were stellar, the quesadillas slightly limp, the gua-camole good. This is one of the best places in town to order camitas, pork slow-cooked till it falls into shreds, which you wrap in soft tortillas with cheese and salsa. Or try the chicken, rubbed with chili cas-cabel and baked. Cabrito and guiso (Mexican stew) are also wonderful here, and you won’t be sorry if you order a plain old combination plate. 8121 Walnut Hill. 987-9192. Moderate. All credit cards. -M.B.M
D REVISITS Chuy’s. Chuy’s doesn’t have to be good to be popular-the West End location and fabulously zany playhouse decor ensure crowds. We’ve had excellent food here at times, but our last dinner was not one of them. Our waiter seemed in terested in many other things besides serving us- an engrossing conversation with a table of pretty women, for instance. Chili con queso was topped with a slick of oil; chips ranged from tough to stale. The quesadillas, filled with tiny chunks of chicken and a blend of yellow and white cheese, were hilar iously unappetizing-looking and the accompanying green-lasting guacamole only added to our 12-year- old’s punch lines. Chuy’s has several extreme of ferings, if you’re interested in quantity: The gargantuan “Elvis memorial platter” keeps up the amusing theme of the special Elvis banquette room and the “Chuychanga”-sopapillas stuffed with lots of smoked chicken-are equally fit for a King. 211 N. Record. 747-2838. Moderate. All credit cards. -M.B.M.
D REVISITS Desperados. We were pleasantly surprised to be greeted at the door of this perennial on the Tex-Mex scene, but the beginning bang dwindled to a whimper as the service became slower and slower throughout the evening. Still, service aside, we were pleased with our dinner. Desperados gets the prize for the best idea for a Tex-Mex plate: The diner chooses two or three components- tamale, enchilada, taco, etc.-to make up his own combination dinner. The menu has broadened to include a number of new vegetarian items, and two kinds of ceviche. But, carnivores that we are, we or dered the chicken enchilada with chipotle cream sauce (also a new dish) and the favorite Desperado tacos, huge puffy tortillas filled with white cheese. then fried and filled with chicken. 4818 Greenville Ave. 363-1850. Inexpensive to moderate. All credit cards. -M.B.M.
D REVISITS Mario’s Chiquita. Mario’s restaurants have always seemed too frilly for certain aficionados of Mexican food who believe that Christmas lights and beer signs are indicators of enchilada quality. But despite the pastels and flowers, this remains one of the premier Mexican restaurants in the city. Though the food lacks the greasy gutsi-ness of hard-core Tex-Mex. it achieves sophistication without losing its soulfulness. Special enchiladas were fat with cheese and covered with a creamy tomato sauce; regular cheese enchiladas are textbook-perfect and carne tampiqueno was tender and flavorful. Service was impeccable. 4514 Travis. 521-0721. Moderate. AE, DC, MC, V. -M.B.M
MIDDLE EASTERN
D REVISITS AH Baba. You’re in garlic heaven here-I don’t think there’s a dish on the menu with out a touch of the golden lily. Certainly the maza plate with its mounds of hummus and baba ghanoush is enough by itself to keep vampires away. I guess you’ll know I’m not shy when 1 say that Ali Baba is one of my favorite restaurants in town. It’s small and unassuming, located in a reju venated strip of lower Greenville, and the fare is in expensive and exotic comfort food. The thyme pies, soft pita bread spread with oil and tangy zatra, a kind of Middle Eastern oregano, are inspired eat ing. The golden baked chicken was wonderful too. with its accompanying mashed garlic potato, and the chicken sandwich, tender chunks of herbed chicken breast folded inside a soft pita blanket, so simple and so good. 1905 Greenville Ave. 823- 8235. Inexpensive to moderate. AE, V, MC, DC. DS. -M.B.M.
NATURAL
D REVISITS Bluebonnet Cafe. Contrary to the missionary mumblings of tiresomely earnest natural food zealots, you can have your health and eat for pleasure, too. Witness a recent lunch visit to Whole Foods Market’s hospitable front-comer eat ery, where we feasted on black bean-filled tamales ladled with vegetable chili, bedded on brown rice and flanked with a sunny assortment of fragrant steamed vegetables-red and green bell peppers, green and yellow squash, broccoli and cauliflower. carrots and snow peas spanned the palette of colors and flavors. The accompanying lively salsa bright ened the dreary winter day. and a Pali Powerhouse smoothie (many fruits, braced with vital minerals) offered great cool balance. A tuna salad sandwich layered with avocado and sprouts on multigrain bread was hardly less satisfying, and the house tabouleh, while not quite ethnically correct (the mix here includes cucumbers and less parsley man the Real Thing), was wonderfully fresh and filling. For dessert, we adjourned to the market’s own bakery and threw virtue to the wind with chocolate mousse cake, moistly frosted between layers and gift- wrapped in a sheet of dark chocolate that was sin it self. 2218 Greenville Ave. 828-0052. Inexpensive. MC, V, DC, DS. -B.C.
NEW AMERICAN
D REVISITS Deep Ellum Cafe. This is without a doubt the prettiest patio in town. The vine-covered arbor nestled next to an old brick wall and lit by flickering candlelight is comfortable and romantic and if you only ordered a glass of wine and lingered over the roast garlic and white cheese appetizer, you would have had a great evening. But why resist the pesto/sun-dried tomato garlic toast and olives? It’s difficult to choose from the varied menu that has always combined Thai and Viet namese influences with the flavors of the South and Southwest. The flavorful grilled chicken breast with dill dumplings has become a signature dish, as has the Thai chicken salad. But a special beef tenderloin with full-flavored chipotle sauce was just as good. Unfortunately, the mushroom-filled tortellini with broccoli and cilantro pesto didn’t quite work. The cilantro was too tart to be delicious; the broccoli {which was overcooked) needed a rounder flavor as accompaniment and the combined acidity over whelmed the mushroom stuffing in the pasta. Vanil la ice cream with Toblerone chocolate sauce and grilled banana bread with ice cream and brandy but ler sauce erased the acid memory from the palate however, and we went back to enjoying the wine and the vines. 2706 Elm. 741-9012. Moderate to ex pensive. All credit cards. -M.B.M.
SOUTHWESTERN
D REVISITS The Promenade. Chef Dean Fearing may claim the Southwestern dishes served here are based on old family recipes, but don’t you believe it-the twist put on these classic dishes makes them nothing like Mom used to whip up. On a plate of nachos. for instance, the chips were red, white and blue, the beans were black, and the cheese was white-all threateningly punctuated with pretty green slices of raw jalapeno. The taste, by the way, was fine apart from a too-piquant salsa. Cajun crawfish popcorn wore an Asian accent of light-as-air tempura crispness enwrapping the ten der morsels-one of the best versions I’ve had. A cumin shrimp taco held tiny ribbons of spinach along with red pepper flakes in a yellow tomato sal sa that was sheer joy; accompanying jicama salad was worth celebrating, too, a wealth of crisp match- sticks of jicama, yellow and red bell pepper in sprightly vinaigrette-I could have eaten a tub of it. Commeal-fried catfish was armored in a batter too hard to eat, but the fish itself was moist and meaty; black-eyed peas were overdosed with cumin, but buttermilk coleslaw was lovely in a tart dressing that held no hint of buttermilk. Dessert-wise, a tri- colored pie layered in lemon, lime and orange was picture-pretty, creamy and not too sweet; strawber ry mint sorbet was the perfect light finish to counter earlier courses’ piquance. And speaking of light ness, the Promenade, as always, offered it in am biance that is cheerfully comfortable and less intimidating than the main dining room’s, but with no sacrifice in service. Less budget-bending, too- the three-course daily lunch special could be had for a mere $13. 2821 Turtle Creek Blvd. in The Man sion on Turtle Creek. 559-2100. Moderate to expen sive. AE, DC, MC, V. -B.C.
THAI
D REVISITS Toy’s Cafe. My husband, usually known in these pages as “my dining companion,” had to step outside this diminutive cafe during dinner and was not sure for five minutes or so whether he’d ever re-enter. It’s a little dim in Toy’s Cafe, and though the lighting, along with the rush-seated stools and wood walls, adds to the romance, it can make eating hazardous: Michael had unwittingly chewed and swallowed a whole pepper and, according to him, his whole life flashed before his watering eyes out there on the sidewalk. Eat carefully, though, and you’ll have one of die better experiences eating Thai in Dallas. The rest of us unsympathetically continued to dine on green beans and tofu in chili sauce, whole fried snapper in spicy sauce, crispy rich corn patties and tempura-style fried shrimp. The menu is vegetarian, but not so you’d notice- there’s plenty offish, tofu and shellfish and the seasoning is so loud you never miss the meat. Just watch-literally-what you eat. 4422-B Lemmon Ave. 528-7233. Inexpensive to moderate. -M.B.M.
D Recommends
BARBECUE
Arnold’s Texas Barbecue. 601 N, Haskell. 826-1234. Inexpensive.
Baker’s Ribs. 2724 Commerce. 748-5433. Inexpensive.
Billy Blues Barbecue & Grill. 2020 N. Lamar ai McKinney. 871-0661. Inexpensive to moderate.
Peggy Sue BBQ. 6600 Snider Plaza. 987-9189. Inexpensive.
Riscky’S. 1701 N. Market. Suite 104.742-7001. Inexpensive.
R.J.’S Sho-Nuf. 3910 Maple Ave. 528-5230. Inexpensive.
Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse. 2202 Inwood. 357-7120.302 N. Market 744-1610. Inexpensive.
BRITISH
Jennivine. 3605 McKinney Ave. 528-6010. Inexpensive to moderate.
Outback Pub. 1701 N. Market. Suite 105. 761-9355. Inexpensive.
BURGERS
Allen Street Bar & Grill. 2900 McKinney Ave. 871-0256. Inexpensive to moderate.
Balls Hamburgers. 3404 Rankin in Snider Plaza. 373-1717. 4343 W. Northwest Hwy. 352-2525. Inexpensive.
Chip’s. 4501 N. Central Expwy. 526-1092. Inexpensive.
Daytona’s Grill and Bar. 7402 Greenville Ave.
890-7588. Inexpensive.
EZ’s. 6833 W. Northwest Hwy. 750-6677. Inexpensive. 8.0. 2800 Routh St. 979-0880. Inexpensive.
Gold Rush Cafe. 1913 Skillman Ave. 823-6923. Inexpensive.
The Green Elephant Bar and Grill. 5612 Yale. 750-6625. Inexpensive.
Hard Rock Cafe. 2601 McKinney Ave. 855-0007. Moderate.
Prince of Hamburgers. 5200 Lemmon Ave. 526-9081. Inexpensive.
Snuffers. 3526 Greenville Ave. 826-6B50. 14910 Midway, Addison. 991-8811. Inexpensive.
Starlight Diner. 2715 Elm. 747-STAR. Inexpensive.
State. 3611 Parry Ave. 821-9246. Inexpensive.
Texas Hamburgers, 1606 Market Center Blvd. 747-2222. Inexpensive.
CAJUN
Atchafalaya River Cafe. 4440 Belt Line, Addison. 960-6878. Moderate.
Cafe Margaux. 4527 Travis. 520-1985. Moderate.
Crescent City Cafe. 2730 Commerce. 745-1900. Inexpensive.
Dodle’s Seafood Cafe. 2129 Greenville Ave. 821-8890. Inexpensive.
Louisiana Purchase. 2901 N. Central Expwy., Suite 101, Piano. 423-0533. Inexpensive to moderate.
Nate’s Seafood & Steakchouse. 14951 Midway Road, Addison. 701-9622. Moderate.
pappadeaux seafood kitchen. 3520 Oak Lawn. 521-4700. Moderate to expensive.
CENTRAL/SOUTH AMERICAN
Gloria’s Restaurant. 600 W. Davis. 948-3672. 9386 LBJ Frwy. at Abrams. 690-0622. Inexpensive.
CHINESE
August Moon. 15030 Pre Mon 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. 4010W. 15th, Piano. 964-0406. Inexpensive.
Canton Chinese Restaurant. 400 N. Greenville Ave.. Suite 25. Richardson. 238-1863. Inexpensive.
Chu’s Restaurant. 15080 Beltway. Addison. 387-1776. Moderate.
Crystal Pagoda. 4516 McKinney Ave. 526-3355. Moderate.
Far East. 4830 Greenville Ave. 373-6041. Inexpensive.
First Chinese Barbecue. IMS. Greenville Ave., Richardson. 680-8216, Inexpensive.
General China. 1920 Skillman. 827-3688. Inexpensive.
Henry Chen’s. 3701 W. Northwest Hwy. 956-9560. Moderate.
Hong Kong Royale. 221 W. Polk, Suite 200 Richardson. 23S-SMXK. Moderate to expensive.
Hunan Restaurant. 5214 Greenville Ave. 369-4578. Inexpensive to moderate.
Lovers Eggroll. 5360 W. Lovers Lane, Suite 205. 358-1318. Inexpensive,
May Dragon. 4848 Belt Line at Inwood. 392-9998. Moderate.
Restaurant Jasmine. 4002 Bell Line, Suite 200, Addison. 991-6867. Moderate.
Taiwan Restaurant. 4980 Belt Line, Addison. 387-2333. Inexpensive to moderate.
Tasty China. 3514-A W. Walnut. Garland. 276-1999. Inexpensive.
Texas Jade. 3227 McKinney Ave. 871-8898. Moderate.
Tong’s House. 1910 Promenade Center. Richardson. 231-8858. Moderate.
Uncle Tai’s. 13350 Dallas Pkwy., in the Galleria. 934-9998. Expensive.
Young Shing. 3701 W. Walnut St.. Garland. 487-1188. Inexpensive.
ETHIOPIAN
Dallul. 2515 Inwood. 353-0804. Inexpensive to moderaie.
River Nile. 7001 Fair Oaks. 363-1128. Inexpensive to moderate.
FRENCH/CONTINENTAL
Addison Cafe. 5290 Bell Line. Suite 108.991-8824. 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.
Ewald’s. Stoneleigh Hotel. 2927 Maple. 871-2523. Expensive.
Frenchy Cafe. 2240 Gus Thornasson. 328-8474. Moderate.
The French Room. The Adolphus Hotel, 1321 Commerce. 742-8200. Very expensive.
The Grape. 2808 Greenville Ave. 828-1981. Moderate.
Juniper. 2917 Fairmount. 855-0700. Expensive.
La Madeleine. 3072 W. Mockingbird. 696-0800. 3906 Lemrnon Ave. 521-0183. 628 NorthPark Center. 696-2398. 11930 Preston (at Forest). 233-6448. Galleria, at ice rink level. 991-7790. Inexpensive.
L’ Ancestral. 4514 Travis. 528-1081. Moderate.
Le Brussels. 6615 Snider Plaza. 739-1927. Moderate.
Le Caviste. 5405 W. Lovers Lane. 352-6512. Moderate.
Monte Carlo. 15201 Dallas Pkwy., in the Grand Kempinski Dallas Hotel. 386-6000. Expensive.
The Old Warsaw. 2610 Maple. 528-0032. Very expensive.
Pierre’s By The Lake. 3430 Shorecrest. 358-2379. Moderate to expensive.
The Riviera. 7709 Inwood. 351-0094. Very expensive.
St. Martins. 3020 Greenville Ave. 826-0940, Moderate to expensive.
Sweet Temptations. 9090 Skillman. 503-6007. Inexpensive to moderate.
Tony’s Wine Warehouse and Bistro. 2904 Oak Lawn. 520-9463. Inexpensive.
Watel’s.1923 McKinney Ave., 720-0323. Moderate to expensive.
The Wine Press. 4217 Oak Lawn. 522-8720. Moderate to expensive.
York St. 6047 Lewis. 826-0968. Expensive.
GERMAN/EASTERN EUROPEAN
Belvedere. 4242 Lomo Alto, in the Cresipark Hotel, 528-6510. Expensive.
Cafe Athenee. 5365 Spring Valley. Suite 150. 239-8060. Moderate.
The Chimney. 9739 N. Central Expwy. 369-6466.Expensive.
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. Inexpensive.
GREEK
Cafe Greek. Preston Valley Shopping Center. Preston Road at LBJ. 934-9767. Moderate.
Cafe Nelu. 56 Arapaho Village (Arapaho and West-shore), Richardson. 235-5387. Inexpensive to moderate.
Goldfinger. 2905 Webb Chapel Extension. 350-6983. Moderate to expensive.
Kosta’s Cafe. 4914 Greenville Ave. 987-3225. Inexpensive.
The M Street Grill. 2014 Greenville Ave. 826-8989. Inexpensive to moderate.
Theodore’s Seafood Restaurant. The Corner Shopping Center. 8041 Walnut Hill, Suite 810. 361-1922. Moderate to expensive.
HOME COOKING
Backstreet. 212 N. Crowdus. 748-7191. Inexpensive.
Bishop Arts Cafe. 316 W. Seventh St. 943-3565. Inexpensive to moderate.
Brownie’s. 5519 East Grand. 824-2996. Inexpensive.
Celebration. 4503 W. Lovers Lane. 351-5681. Inexpensive to moderate.
Chubby’s. 11333 E. Northwest Hwy. 348-6065. Inexpensive.
Farmer’s Grill. 4015 Lemmon Ave. 521-2281. Inexpensive.
Gennie’s Bishop Grille. 321 N. Bishop. 946-1752. Inexpensive.
Good Eats Cafe. 3888 Oak Lawn. 522-3287. 6950 Greenville Ave. 691-3287. 702 Ross. 744-3287. 14905 Midway. Addison. 392-3287. Inexpensive.
Highland Park Pharmacy. 3229 Knox. 521-2126. Inexpensive.
Jay’s Cafe. 2912 Elm St. 761-1811. Inexpensive.
Lucky’s. 3531 Oak Lawn. 522-3500. Inexpensive.
Mama’s Daughters’ Diner. 2014 Irving Blvd. 742-8646. 2610 Royal Lane. 241-8646. Inexpensive.
Original Market Diner. 4434 Harry Hines. 521-0992. Inexpensive.
The Mecca. 10422 Harry Hines. 352-0051. Inexpensive.
Theo’s Diner. 111 S. Hall. 747-6936. Inexpensive.
Tolbert’s. One Dallas Center. 350 N. St Paul. 953-1353. 1800 N. Market. 969-0310. Inexpensive to moderate.
INDIAN
Akbar. 2115 Promenade Center, Richardson. 235-0260. Inexpensive (lunch) to moderate (dinner).
Ashoka Indian Cuisine. 5409 Belt Line. Pres-tonwood Creek Shopping Center. 960-0070. Moderate.
Curry in a Hurry. 4302 Bryan (at Peak). 821-4542. Inexpensive.
Kebab-N-Kurry. 401 N. Central Expwy., Suite 300, Richardson. 231-5556. Inexpensive to moderate.
Kebab-N-Kuny. 2620 Walnut Hill. 350-6466. Inexpensive.
Shallmar. 35 Richardson Heights Village. Central at Belt Line, Richardson. 437-2858. Inexpensive.
Shusmi. 859 N.E. Green Oaks, Arlington. (817) 860-8728. Moderate.
Taj Mahal. Caruth Plaza. 9100 N. Central Expwy.. Suite 179. 692-0535. Moderate.
ITALIAN
Alesslo’s. 4117 Lomo Alto. 521-3585. Expensive.
Amicl Signature Italian. 1022 S. Broadway. Carrollton. 245-3191, Moderate to expensive.
Andiamo. 4151 Belt Line. 233-1515. Moderate to expensive.
Angelo’s. 6341 La Vista. 823-5566. Inexpensive to moderate.
Arcodoro. 2520 Cedar Springs. 871-1924. Inexpensive to moderate.
Caffe Paparazzi. 8989 Forest Lane, Suite 136. 644-1323. Moderate.
Capriccio. 2515 McKinney Ave. 871-2004. Expensive.
Chianti Restaurant and Pizzeria. 3505 W. Northwest Hwy. 350-7456. Inexpensive.
Fausto’s Oven. 300 Reunion Blvd.. in the Hyatt Regency Hotel. 712-7144. 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.
II Nonno’s. Hyatt Regency D/FW, East Tower. 453-8400. Moderate to expensive.
Joey Tomato’s Atlantic City. 3232 McKinney Ave. 754-0380. Inexpensive to moderate.
La Tosca. 7713 lnwood. 352-8373. Expensive.
La Trattoria Lombardi’s. 2916 N. Hall. 954-0803. Moderate.
Massimo da Milano. 5519 W. Lovers Lane. 351-1426. 2121 San Jacinto. 871-0400.901 Main Place, Suite C106 in the NCNB Building. 761-6350. Inexpensive to moderate.
Ml Piaci. 14854 Montfort. 934-8424. Moderate to ex-
Mise En Place. 7011 Lomo Alto. 520-2424. Inexpensive to moderate.
MoMo’s Italian Specialties. 9191 Forest Lane. Suite A2. 234-6800. 3309 N. Central Expwy., Suite 370, Piano. 423-1066. Moderate.
MoMo’s Pasta. 3312 Knox. 521-3009. Inexpensive.
Nero’s. 2104 Greenville Ave. 826-6376. Moderate.
Patrizio. 25 Highland Park Village. 522-7878. Inexpensive to moderate.
Piccoia Cucina. 1030 North Park Center. Suite 330. 691-0488. Moderate.
Pizzeria Uno. 2811 McKinney Ave. 855-0011. 4002 Beit Line. Addison. 991-8181. Inexpensive to moderate.
Pomodoro. 2520 Cedar Springs. 871-1924. Inexpensive to moderate.
Rodolfo’s. 5956 Royal Lane. 368-5039. Inexpensive to moderate.
Romano’s Macaroni Grill. 4535 Belt Line. Addison. 386-3831. 5858 Northwest Hwy. 265-0770. Moderate.
Ruffino’s. 11661 Preston. Suite 153. 890-7555. Moderate.
Ruggeri’s. 2911 Routh St. 871-7377. Moderate to expensive,
Scuro. 2713 Elm St. 741-0111. Moderate.
Sfuzzi. 2504 McKinney Ave. 871-2606. 15101 Addison Road, Addison. 960-2606. Moderate.
Sweet Basil. 17610 Midway. 733-1500, Moderate.
Tivoli’s. 2013 Greenville Ave. 824-2013. Moderate.
311 Lombardi’s. 311 Market. 747-0322. Moderate to expensive.
JAPANESE
Fuji-Ya. 13050 Coit. 690-8396. Inexpensive to moderate.
Hana Japanese Restaurant. 14865 lnwood. 991-8322. Moderate.
Hibachi-Ya Japanese Steak House. 3850 W. Northwest Hwy., Suite 510. 350-1110. Inexpensive.
Mr. Sushi. 4860 Belt Line. Addison. 385-0168. Moderate.
Nakamoto Japanese Cuisine. 3309 N. Central Expwy.,Suite 360. Piano. 881-0328. Moderate.
Shinano Japanese Restaurant. 8830 Spring Valley. 644-1436. Moderate.
Shogun off Japan. 5738 Cedar Springs. 351 -2281. 3455 N. Belt Line. Irving. 594-6911. Moderate.
Sushi-Yama. 8989 Forest Lane, Suite 112. 234-3474. Inexpensive to moderate,
KOREAN
Kobawoo. 3109 lnwood. 351-6922. Moderate.
Korea Hometown. 10560 Walnut. 272-9909. Inexpensive to moderate.
Koreana. 12101 Greenville Ave., #107. 437-1211. Inexpensive to moderate.
MEDITERRANEAN
Adelmo’s. 4537 Cole. 559-0325. Moderate.
Blind Lemon. 2805 Main St. 939-0202. Inexpensive to moderate.
L’Entrec?te. Loews Anatole Hotel, 2201 Stemmons Frwy. 761-7410. Very expensive.
Main St. News. 2934 Main Si. 746-2934. Inexpensive to moderate.
Sambuca. 2618 Elm St. 744-0820. Moderate.
Z-Bar. 2914 Greenville Ave. 828-0352. Moderate.
MEXICAN
Avila’s. 4714 Maple. 520-2700. Inexpensive.
Balderas Tex Mex Restaurant. 3851 Cedar Springs, #A. 526-2180. Inexpensive to moderate.
Blue Goose Cantina. 2905 Greenville Ave. 823-6786. Moderate.
Cuquita’s. 2326 N. Henderson. 823-1057. Inexpensive to moderate.
Eduardo’s Aca y Alla. 2914 Main. 748-7140. Moderate.
El Arroyo. 7402 Greenville Ave., Suite 202. 363-4464. Inexpensive.
El Ranchito- 610 W. Jefferson. 946-4238. Inexpensive to moderate.
Flamingo Joe’s. 2712 Main. 748-6065. Inexpensive to moderate.
Javier’s. 4912 Cole. 521 -4211. Expensive.
La Cille Doce. 415 W. 12th. 941-4304. Inexpensive to moderate.
Las Cazuelas. 4933 Columbia. 827-1889. Inexpensive
La Suprema Tortilleria. 7630 Military Pkwy. (at Loop 121.388-1244. Inexpensive.
La Chocita. 108 University Village. Piano Road at
Belt Line. Richardson. 690-4445. Inexpensive to moder-
Mario & Alberto. LBJ Frwy., at Preston. Suite 425. 980-7296. Moderate.
The Martinez Cafe. Preston Park Village. 1900 Preston, Piano. 964-7898. Inexpensive.
Mattito’s Cafe Mexieano. 4311 Oak Lawn Ave. 526-8181. Inexpensive to moderate.
Matt’s Rancho Martinez Mexican Restaurant. 6312 La Vista. 823-5517. Inexpensive to moderate.
Mercado Juarez. 1901 W. Northwest Hwy. 556-0796. 4050 Belt Line. Addison, 458-2145, Inexpensive to moderate.
Mia’s. 4322 Lemmon Ave. 526-1020. Inexpensive.
Ml Casa Tex Mex Restaurant. 8301 Westchester. 890-9939. Inexpensive to moderate.
Ml Cocina. 11661 Preston, Suite 138. 265-7704. Inexpensive.
Primo’s. 3309 McKinney Ave, 520-3303. Inexpensive to moderate.
Tijuana Johnny’s. 2621 McKinney Ave. 871-2281. Inexpensive to moderate.
Uncle Julio’s. 7557 Greenville Ave. 987-9900. 4125 Lemmon. 520-6620. Moderate.
MIDDLE EASTERN
Barry’s Sandwich Shop. 6710 Snider Plaza. 750-0330. Inexpensive.
NATURAL
Agnew’s Natural Grill. 3011 Routh St. 720-3900. Moderate to expensive.
NEW AMERICAN
Actuelle. 500 Crescent Court, Suite 165. 855-0440. Expensive.
Aristocrat Hotel Bar & Grill. 1933 Mam. 741-7700. Moderate to expensive.
Avner’s. 2515 McKinney Ave. 953-0426. Moderate.
Beau Nash. 400 Crescent Court in the Hotel Crescent Court, 871-3200. Moderate inexpensive.
The Bronx. 3835 Cedar Springs. 521-5821. Inexpensive to moderate.
Buffalo Club. 2800 Routh St., Suite 125, in the Quadrangle. 220-2465. Moderate to expensive.
By George! 2900 Greenville Ave. 821-1538. Moderate.
Cafe Brazil. 6340 Gaston. 826-9522. inexpensive to moderate.
Cafe 450. 1802 Greenville Ave. 826-6229. Moderate.
Chaplin’s. 1928 Greenville Ave. 823-3300. Moderate to expensive.
City Cafe. 5757 Lovers Lane. 351-2233. Moderate.
The Conservatory. 400 Crescent Court in the Hotel Crescent Court. 871 -3242. Very expensive.
Crockett’s. Doubletree Hotel at Lincoln Center, 5410 LBJ Frwy, 701-5160. Expensive.
Dakota’s. 600 N. Akard. 740-4001. Moderate to expensive.
Dover’s Grille. Doubletree Hotel at Park West. 1590 LBJ Frwy. 869-4300. Moderate to expensive.
Dream Cafe. 2800 Routh St., Suite 170, in the Quadrangle. 954-0486. Inexpensive.
Gershwin’s. 8442 Walnut Hill at Greenville Ave. 373-7171. Moderate to expensive.
Huntington’s. 13340 Dallas Pkwy, in the Westin. 851-2882. Expensive to very expensive.
Kathleen’s Art Cafe. 4424 Lovers Lane. 691-2355. Moderate to expensive.
Landmark Cafe. Melrose Hotel, 3015 Oak Lawn. 521-5151. Expensive.
Laurels. Sheraton Park Central Hotel, 12720 Merit Drive, off Coit near LBJ Frwy. 851 -2021. Expensive.
The Mansion on Turtle Creek. 2821 Turtle Creek Blvd. 559-2100. Very expensive.
Nana Grill. Loews Anatole Hotel, 2201 Stemmons Frwy. 761-7470. Expensive to very expensive.
Natchez. 2810 N. Henderson. 821-4552. Moderate.
Parigi. 3311 Oak Lawn. 521-0295. Moderate to expensive.
The Pyramid Room. 1 717 N. Akard in the Fairmont Hotel. 720-5249. Very expensive.
Quadrangle Grille. 2800 Routh St.. Suite 180, in the Quadrangle. 979-9022. Moderate.
G50 North. 650 N. Pearl. 855-1708. Expensive.
SEAFOOD
Atlantic Cafe. 14866 Montfort, Addison. 960-2233. Moderate to expensive.
Aw Shucks. 3601 Greenville Ave. 821-9449. Inexpensive.
Cafe Pacific. 24 Highland Park Village. 526-1170. Expensive.
Dinger’s Catfish Cafe. 8989 Forest Lane. 235-3251. Inexpensive.
Fishmonger’s Seafood Market and Cafe. 1915 N. Centrai Expwy., Suite 600, Piano. 423-3699. Moderate.
Hampton’s. Preston Center. 8411 Preston, Berkshire Court. 739-3474. Moderate.
Jaxx Cafe. 14925 Midway Road al Beltway in Addison. 458-7888. Moderate.
Jozef’s Seafood Restaurant. 2719 McKinney Ave. 954-0407. Moderate to expensive.
Newport’s Seafood. 703 McKinney Ave. in The Brewery, 954-0220. Expensive.
S&D Oyster Company. 2701 McKinney Ave. 880-0111. Inexpensive to moderate.
Volt’s.. 9220 Skillman, Suite 124. 341-3533. Inexpensive.
SOUTHWESTERN
Aransas Pass. 2912 Henderson. 827-8650. Moderate to expensive.
Baby Routh. 2708 Routh St. 871-2345. Moderate to expensive.
Blue Mesa Grill. 5100 Bell Line at Dallas Parkwuy in Sakowitz Village. Suite 500. 934-0165. Inexpensive to moderate.
Cafe Society. 4514 Travis, Suite 133.528-6543. Inexpensive to moderate.
Caliente. 6881 Greenville Ave. 369-8600. Moderate. Cisco Grill. 6630 Snider Plaza. 363-9506. lnexpensive
Loma Luna Cafe. 8201 Preston, Suite 100 (at Sherry Lane). 691-1552. Moderate.
Ozona Grill & Bar. 4615 Greenville Ave. 265-9105. Inexpensive.
Pecan Grill. 707 Preston Royal Shopping Center.739-9007. Inexpensive to moderate.
Sam’s Cafe. 100 Crescent Court. Suite KM). 855-2233. Moderate to expensive.
Zuma. 2701 Stemmons Frwy. 631-3050. Moderate.
SPANISH
Cafe Madrid. 4501 Travis. 528-1731. Inexpensive to moderate.
White Swan Cafe. 2307 Abrams. 824-8122. Modreate.
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. 4300 Lemmon Ave. 526-9811. Expensive.
Lawry’s The Prime Rib. 3008 Maple. 521-7777. Moderate to expensive.
Morton’s of Chicago. 501 Elm. 741-2277. Expensive.
Old San Francisco Steakhouse. 10965 Composite (off Walnut Hill, east of 1-35). 357-0484. Moderate to expensive.
Palm Restaurant. 701 Ross. 698-0470. Very expensive.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House. 5922 Cedar Springs. 902-8080. Expensive.
Wellington Restaurant & Bar. 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.
Bagel Emporium. 7522 Campbell. 248-0608. Inexpensive.
Bagelstein’s. 8104 Spring Valley. 234-3787. Inexpensive to moderate.
City Cafe To Go. 5757 W. 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.
Deli-News. 500 The Crescent Court. 922-DELI. 15775 Hillcrest. 392-DELI. Inexpensive to moderate.
Gilbert’s New York Delicatessen. 127 Preston Forest Village. 373-3333, Inexpensive to moderate.
Henk’s European Deli. 5811 Blackwell Street. 987-9090. Inexpensive to moderate.
Marty’s. 3316 Oak Lawn. 526-4070. Moderate.
Polio Bueno. 3438 Samuell Blvd. 828-0645. Inexpensive.
Preizler’s Delicatessen. 116 Preston Valley Shopping Center at LBJ. 458-8896. Inexpensive to moderate.
Tommaso’s Fresh Pasta. 5365 Spring Valley. Suite 158. at Montfort. 991-4040. Inexpensive to moderate.
THAI
Bangkok City. 430! Bryan al Peak. 824-6200. Inexpensive to moderate.
Sala Thai. 2415 W. Northwest Hwy., Suite 108. 350-8945. Moderate.
Thai Cuisine. 1915 Central Expwy. (off Park), Piano. 422-5219. Moderate.
Thai Lanna. 1490 W. Spring Valley. Richardson. 690-3637. Moderate.
Thai Lanna. 4315 Bryan. 827-6478. Moderate.
Thai Lotus. 385 l-D Cedar Springs. 520-9385. Inexpensive.
Thai Nipa. 4315 Lemmon Ave. 526-6179. lnexpensive
Thai Siam. 9560 Skillman. 341-5835. Inexpensive.
Thai Soon. 2018 Greenville Ave. 821-7666. Inexpensive.
Thai-Thai. 1731 Greenville Ave. 828-9795. Inexpensive
Thai Taste. 4501 Cole. 521-3513. Moderate.
VIETNAMESE
Arc-en-Ciel. 3555 W. Walnut. Garland. 272-2188. Inexpensive to moderate.
East Wind. 2711 Elm St. 745-5554. Inexpensive to moderate.
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 910. Arlington. Metro 817-640-9981. Moderate.
China Terrace. (Chinese) 5435 N. MacArthur. Irving. 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. (Mexican) 3636 N. Belt Line, Irving. 570-1 137. Inexpensive to moderate.
La Suprema. (Mexican) 6311 N. O’Connor, Irving. 506-0988. Moderate.
Via Real. (Mexican) 4020 N. MacArthur, Irving. 255-0064. Moderate to expensive.
FORT WORTH
Benito’s. (Mexican) 1450 W. Magnolia. (817) 332-8633. Inexpensive.
Cafe Aspen. (New American) 3416 W. Seventh. (817) 877-0838. Moderate to expensive.
Kincaid’s. (Burgers) 4901 Camp Bowie Blvd. (817) 732-2881. Inexpensive.
Hedary’s. (Lebanese) 3308 Fairfield off Camp Bowie Blvd. (817)731 -6961. Moderate.
Jons Grille. iBurgers) 3009 S. University. (817) 923-1909. Inexpensive.
Juanita’s. (Mexican) 115 W. Second. (817) 335-1777. Moderate.
Michaels. (New American) 3413 W. Seventh. (817) 877-3413. Moderate to expensive.
Ristorante La Piazza. (Italian) 3431 W. Seventh. (817) 334-0000. Moderate to expensive.
Le Chardonnay. (French) 2443 Forest Park Blvd. (817) 926-5622. Moderate to expensive.
Reflections. (New American) The Worthington Hotel, 200 Main. (817) 870-1000. Expensive.
Saint Emillon. (French) 3617 W. Seventh. (817) 737-27HI. Moderate to expensive.
Tejano Mexican Cuisine. (Mexican) 5716 Camp Bowie Blvd. (817) 737-7201. Inexpensive to moderate.
Tours Restaurant. (New American) 3500 W. Seventh. (817| 870-1672. Moderate to expensive.
Water Street Seafood Co. (Seafood) 1540 S. University Drive. (817) 877-3474. Moderate.
