Going out to eat? Here’s information to help you choose. This editorial list changes monthly; we base it on noteworthiness, ambience, the current menu, quality and the seasonal appeal of the food.
KEY TO SYMBOLS:
$…Inexpensive, dinner entrees under $10
$$…Moderate, most entrees $10 to $25
$$$…Expensive, most entrees $25 or more (Based on a typical dinner fur one, not including drinks, tax and tip.)
Downtown
311 LOMBARDl’S 311 North Market Street at Ross, 214-747-0322. Lunch weekdays, dinner every night. Homesick Easterners will snuggle into this New York-style Italian eatery. Start with homemade focaccia bread from die wood-fired oven. Then share a Tuscan seafood stew brimming with lobster, calamari, mussels, and scallops over linguini so there’s room for tiramisu, Cioccolato con Cioccolato (chocolate with chocolate cake), or New York-style cheesecake. Chef David Sonzogni, a member of the U.S. Culinary Olympic Team, hails from New Jersey; now that’s Italian. $$
ITALIAN
650 NORTH Plaza of the Americas Hotel, 650 North Pearl at San Jacinto, Dallas, 214-855-1708. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner 365 days. Prize-winning chef Mario Reyes from Toronto’s Four Seasons Inn has a special knack with seafood: pan-seared sea scallops with two-pepper sauce, sword-fish and tuna with gazpacho fondue are the starred heart-healthy entrees. Check on Chef’s Table classes: learn your dinner! $$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
ANTARES Reunion Tower, 300 Reunion at Hyatt Regency Drive, 2)4-712-7145. Lunch and dinner, Sunday brunch 10:30 a.m. to2:30 p.m.Open 365 days. Our town’s only revolving restaurant. Usually-one is more than enough, but this one breaks the cycle: the food is great anyway. Try grilled shrimp basted with lime and chilies, or order the “Southwest Feast of Life”: a whole personal buffet with shrimp, clams, scallops, chicken, and green chile Camarilla salsa. Other picks: pecan crusted snapper with dried cranberries or mahi mahi piled with passion fruit chutney. Southwest influences everywhere. Take the kids; they’ll love it. And the feeling is mutual: half size, half price. $$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
DAKOTA’S 600 North Akard at Ross, 214-740-4001. Lunch and dinner.Underground patio with waterfall and garden. Most popular: swordfish, lamb, five-pepper chicken. Signature dish: lamb chops with minted angel hair pasta. Menu lists calories and tar on the Dakota signature dish: citrus-marinated chicken with herbed wild rice and asparagus. Go for die vegetable lasagna. Then use the saved calories for vanilla bean cheesecake with gingerbread crust and minted pistachio sauce. Or apple pecan chimichanga. Can you believe it.’ There’s even Kahlua low-fat, mile-high pie made with Haagen Dais frozen yogurt. $$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
THE FRENCH ROOM Adolphus Hotel, 1321 Commerce at Akard, 214-742-8200, ext 191. Dinner closed Sunday. Flawless food and impeccable service have always been the hallmarks here, bur a meal was more like a coronation. Unless you really were royalty, you couldn’t help but be uncomfortably awed. All that’s changed: carpets ripped out, heavy drapes swept open, bright flowers everywhere. Cuisines lighter, too. “Neoclassic” is lighter French, not so austere as the old “Nouvelle”: boneless quail tilled with wild mushrooms, roasted tuna au poivre. Coilde Nast Traveler readers’ poll: top 50 in USA. Afternoon tea: cucumber sandwiches and petits fours on Villeroy and Boch china. $$$
FRENCH NEOCLASSIC
MONICA’S ACA V ALLA 2914 Main at Oakland, 214-748-7140. Lunch Monday to Friday, dinner Tuesday to Thursday 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m., Friday, Saturday, and Sunday late night to midnight. Business crowd attracted to Deep Ellum at lunchtime. Dinner draws singles, young professionals; weekends, couples, large groups enjoying a night out. Latin, jazz, dancing; anything from tuxedos to Bermuda shorts. This trendy spot used to be know as Eduardo’s Aca Y Alla, but after “extensive remodeling,” it has a new name: Monica’s Aca Y Alla. (You figure it out.) Southwest and Tex-Mex dishes, plus pasta. Most popular: Greene Pasta, Mexican Lasagna. Signature dishes include Pumpkin Ravioli, fat-free black beans. $$
MEXICAN
NEWPORT’S SEAFOOD 703 McKinney Avenue in The Brewery, 214-^34-0220. Lunch weekdays, dinner weeknights and Saturday, closed Sunday. Seafood is the feature here, prepared simply or lavished with spicy sauces and seasonings. Best bets: chipotle tuna or blackened snapper with crab-meat, topped with lobster sauce. Always bustling and busy, hut expect good service. Tablecloths, fresh flowers and soft jazz combine for a relaxing ambience. Call for wine dinner schedule. $S
SEAFOOD
OPUS RESTAURANT Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora, 214-670-3721. Open for performances. No need to restaurant-rush before the concert. The Meyerson has appropriately classy choices at excellent prices: dinner buffet with carved-to-order certified sterling prime rib. Opus à la carte is up-to-date, for example: grilled breast of chicken in cranberry cream with ginger-pear chutney. Pasta Pavilion in the lobby assembles trendy concoctions to your order. Moderately priced wines. Smoke free. $$
NEW AMERICAN
OUTBACK PUB 1701 North Market, 214-761-9355. Lunch and dinner seven days, open to 2 a.m. Steaks with quaint Aussie-inspired names (Alice Springs, Fair Dinkum Deal). Chicken-fried steak turns up on this menu as “Chook steak.” Plus oversize meat pies (called “pasty” here), Dundee stew served in a hollowed-out loaf of bread the size of a bowling hall; fish ’n’ chips, but no shrimp on the barby. For dessert: pavolo-va, the Australian marshmallow meringue cake (you can feel the cavities forming already). Great beer list. $
AUSTRALIAN
PALM RESTAURANT 701 Ross at Market, 214-698-0470. Lunch and dinner weekdays, dinner Saturday and Sunday. Enormous lobsters and hubcap-six steaks are the feature here in this quirky clone of the New York City institution. Here they still have sawdust floors and walls tiled with celebrity caricatures. Megabites of protein on every plate; so if your appetite is normal, consider sharing (or take home a doggy bag). Even the spinach is high calorie, but wonderful. Bustling bar, lots of booths. $$
STEAK
PLANET HOLLYWOOD 603 Munger in the West End, 214-749-7S27-Lunch and dinner 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Newest of the food-as-entertainment glit-zoramas, a virtual museum of movie memorabilia: Bonnie and Clyde’s bullet-ridden getaway car; Dolly Parton’s best whorehouse outfit; Batman’s jumpsuit; life-size nearly nude replica of part-owner Sylvester Stallone. Film clips are great. If you care, get in line. No reservations. Pizza, pasta, burgers, bar. $
AMERICAN
THE PYRAMID ROOM AT THE FAIRMONT HOTEL 1717NorthAkardatRoss, 214-720-5249. Lunch and dinner daily, dinner only Saturday and Sunday, brunch Sunday. Conde NasT Traveler readers ranked the Pyramid among the top five restaurants in Dallas (1/94). Extensive, pricey wine selection; the restaurant wins the Wine Spectator Great Wine List Award. Classic French dishes predominate in the regular menu, but the daily specials are more eclectic: tilapia créole, monkfish with sunflower seeds, roast duck with cantaloupe. Most popular choices: lobster bisque, chunky crab cakes, rack of lamb. Signature dishes: Dover sole and beef ribeye. $$$
CONTINENTAL
RED HOT & BLUE 9810North Central Expressway at Walnut Hill Lane, 214-368-7427, Lunch and dinner every day. The next best thing to a trip to Memphis. Here’s where Texas folks, surrounded by music memorabilia, can sample the sweet fragrance and melting texture of hickory-smoked pork and ribs sauced with the sound of blues. Authentic Tennessee-style dry-seasoned ribs, pulled pig, pink from slow-smoking over hickory wood. Take out and catering available. $
BARBECUE
SAMBUCA CAFE AND JAZZ BAR 2618 Elm, 214-744-0820. Monday to Friday lunch and dinner, late night Sunday to Wednesday, open to 1 a.m., Thursday to Saturday until 2 a.m., closed holidays. Live jazz every night, enclosed terrace. Most popular dishes: salmon served over spinach and gor-gonzoia, spinach-tomato linguine with smoked chicken, shrimp and harissa, gnocchi with wild mushrooms, Couscous Marrakesh. Thirty-something trendsurfers flock to this Deep Ellum spot, possibly for the food, which is exceptional. $$
MEDITERRANEAN
WALT GARRISON RODEO BAR AND GRILL Adolphus Hotel, 1321 Commerce, 214-742-8200. Lunch and dinner. Closed only on selected holidays. Namesake owner is native-born rodeo and football star. Carnivorous tourists will enjoy the cowboy ambience. Writ-by-hand “Bubba Menu” features Cattle Baron’s steak, smoked barbecued ribs, even chicken-fried steak, ail in good fun. After all, this is the Adolphus. Appealing meal-size salads: grilled chicken greens with spicy noodles, cashews, and honey-mustard dressing. $$
COWBOY
YEGUA CREEK BREWING COMPANY 2920 North Henderson, 214-824-BREW. Lunch and dinner. Pig heaven for beer aficionados, appropriately paired with adroitly prepared entrees with a Southwest sting. Try salmon in beer batter and “beerhecued” buffalo brisket tacos, or black bean ravioli topped with Asiago cream sauce. They’ve outdone themselves with pizza ideas: smoked venison and boar sausage with ancho chilies and wild mushrooms. Its a bucket o’ fun. $
SOUTHWESTERN
Northwest
ADELMO’S 4537 Cole at Knox, 214-559-0325. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and holidays. You’ve never had veal until you’ve ordered Adelmo’s 20-ounce USDA prime veal chop with green peppercorns, priciest pick on an otherwise moderate menu. (You pay for the side of beef it could have been.) Rack of lamb, lobster ravioli, crab cakes spiced with hot harissa and pesto, lamb sausage on couscous, gnocci with gorgonzola cream sauce, crème brulée for dessert. Fall feature: antelope, venison. Cuisine an artful blend of French, Italian, and Middle Eastern. $$
MEDITERRANEAN
ANZU 4620 McKinney Avenue at Knox, 214-526-7398. Lunch and dinner weekdays, dinner only on Saturday and Sunday. An East meets West menu featuring lemongrass-grilled shrimp with Bloody Mary granita; rare seared tuna strip steak with wasabi mashed potatoes, jumbo scallops; salmon in a lotus leaf with tomatillo-ginger sauce. Giant pot stickers with spinach-ricotta in Italian plum tomato sauce. Wonderful and trendy. $$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
ARCODORO BAR 2520 Cedar Springs at Fairmount and Routh, 214-871-1924. Lunch and dinner to midnight, (2 a.m. Friday and Saturday). Pomodoro’s little sister shares chefs Victor Orms and Salvatore Gisellu, who serve up thick pizzas, roast chicken from their wood oven, plus lots of vegetarian choices, and tiramisu for dessert. Latin music (at times loud) and Italian frescoes bring loyal following of locals and European expats who ear late. Full bar. $
ITALIAN, NORTHERN
AVANTI RISTORANTE 2720 McKinney at Worthington, 214-871-4955. Lunch and dinner daily; Thursday to Sunday midnight to 4 a.m., live jazz and moonlight breakfast, $ 10 minimum. Pretty spot with white and turquoise tablecloths, flickering candles, lots of plants and flowers, soft jazz playing in the background. Covered patio with ceiling fans. At the McKinney Avenue trolley stop. Best bets: calamari, ceviche, spinach three-cheese lasagna. Fall: osso buco. Upcoming five-course Mediterranean style turkey dinner. At lunch, business crowd; dinnertime, couples and romantics. Late night, music lovers. $$
MEDITERRANEAN
BAY TREE GRILL Stouffer Hotel. 2222 Stemmons, 214-631-2222. Dinner. Rhapsodic menu of solid classics updated wirh trendy touches: red pepper Dijonnaise crowns the rack of”lamb; the lobster is grilled with Caribbean spices; the swordfish is cloaked with “virgin tomato sauce.” Really? (It’s the olive oil that’s virgin; neither the fish nor the tomatoes have taken vows.) Prime pick: pork tenderloin spiced with barbecue com sauce. $$$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
BEAU NASH/THE CONSERVATORY Hotel Crescent Court, 400 Crescent Court, Maple and McKinney, 214-871-3242. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner 365 days, Sunday brunch. Classy brasserie, up-to-the-minute menu. On target for power breakfasts or exec lunches, late night jaz: and weekend brunches, big band Sunday night. Yummmm: mustard-seared ahi tuna with black linguini-herbed mascarpone; Thai shellfish risotto with green curry, eggplant with Paula Lambert’s feta. Wine Spectator Great Wine List Award. $$
INTERNATIONAL
BOB’S STEAK AND CHOP HOUSE 4 300 Lemmon at Wycliff, 214-528-9446. Dinner, closed Sunday. Dark wood and leathet booths, white tablecloths, Frank Sinatra and Patsy Cline in the background. Most popular: filer mignon. Signature dish: cote d’boeuf. Bob’s brings business people on weekdays and special occasions. “Cigar friendly.” $$
STEAK
BOMBAY CRICKET CLUB 2 508 Maple across from Hotel Crescent Court, 214-871 -1333. Lunch and dinner. Veddy British sporting decor, menu similar to India Palace. $
INDIAN
BUFFALO CLUB 2800 Routh, 214-220-2465. Lunch and dinner weekdays, dinner only Saturday, closed Sunday and holidays. Another trendy spot for culinary adventurers, where the menu may be worth the tradeoff in din. Red snapper on black bean chili, seared fresh tuna steak served rare, pan-fried buttermilk-breaded chicken, angel hair with grilled shrimp and tomato basil fondue. $$
ECLECTIC
BUGATTI’S ON BACHMAN CREEK 3802 West Northwest Highway at Marsh, 214-350-2470. Lunch and dinner weekdays until 10 p.m.; dinner only Saturday and Sunday until 11 p.m.; closed holidays. Contemporary Italian cuisine in a sleek and stylish setting; pretend you’re in Bologna. Perfectly grilled, thick veal chops, lemon-drizzled fresh fish, imaginative pastas tossed with seafood, cooked on demand and served with cool proficiency. Just the ticket fora business lunch. Private rooms available. $$
ITALIAN
CAFE MADRID 450! Travis, #133, at Armstrong, 214-528-1731. Dinner six nights, closed Sunday. Very casual Spanish taverna serving home-style meals. Mamma’s in the kitchen dishing up real Spanish omelets (flat potato frittata), marinated beef on skewers, octopus vinaigrette, clams in wine sauce. For fall: rabbit in onion sauce, roast leg of lamb, veal stew. Check the blackboard; no menu. With a stand-up tapas bar and al fresco dining, you’ll swear you’re in Spain. Ole! $
SPANISH
CAFE MARGAUX 4242 Lomo Alto at Lemmon, 214-520-1985. Lunch and dinner, Monday through Saturday; Sunday brunch. Veteran restaurateur Kay Agnew has settled into the voluptuous setting formerly occupied by the Belvedere, wisely keeping some of its classics while putting a stylish spin on her own Commander’s Palace-type refinement of Cajun-Creole. All the traditional dishes plus salmon with dill, beer-battered snapper in lemon-caper butter, Veal Forestière with brandied wild mushrooms. $$
NEW ORLEANS TRADITIONAL
CAFE PACIFIC 24 Highland Park Village at Preston and Mockingbird, 214-526-1170. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and holidays. Loyal locals come for the fresh seafood, notably hot smoked salmon with sesame spinach and Pommery mustard sauce, succulent shrimp crunched with orange pepper, perfectly grilled catch of the day with a selection of sauces. Indulgent desserts. White tablecloths, fresh flowers, marble floors, original art, gentle music. Well-selected, fairly priced wine list. $$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
CAFE PANDA 7979 Inwood at Lovers, 214-902-9500. Lunch and dinner. Spicy Szechuan dishes and other favorites including Peking duck, quail, hearty Hunan beef, tangy seafood chowder, sweet and sour tangerine beef. Tablesidc col-fee and tea ceremonies, fried ice cream, classical musk, pink tablecloths, and excellent service make this a pleasant dining experience. Gourmet take-out and fax orders for nearby delivery. $
CHINESE
CALLUAUD’S 5405 West Lovers Lane at Inwood, 214-352-1997. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday. Smoking permitted only in bar area. Innovative “Gourmet Léger” menu offers terrine of pheasant and vegetables, fresh ravioli with wild mushrooms, eggplant caviar style wrapped in smoked salmon, veal tenderloin coated with fresh herbs and roasted with feta and sundried tomatoes, boneless quail on baked apples and pilaf. For fall there’s classic (non-“leger”) cassoulet. Favorites: lobster souffle, rabbit, sweetbreads, escargot, classic onion soup. Wonderfully presented rack of lamb, Dover sole. $$$
FRENCH
CARRELLI’S RISTORANTE 12219 Coit at LBJ and Forest, 214-386-7931. Lunch and dinner weekdays, dinner Saturday, closed Sunday and holidays. Decor: Ristorante baroque. Roman columns, fountains, chandeliers, gold leaf, enough to stage a Godfather movie wedding. Yes, they do wedding parties with practiced precision from antipasto freddi to zuppa inglesa. Veal from picatta to parmigiana; 13 pasta permutations predictably sauced, layered or filled; a cioppino that emptied out the Mediterranean. Low-cost wines. $$
ITALIAN
CELEBRATION 4503 West Lovers between Inwood and Lemmon, 214-351- 5681. Lunch and dinner, closed holidays. Real home cookin’ served family-style in a big ol’ house (actually three old houses, merged). Hearty down-home tare: chicken-fried steak, fried catfish, pot roast, country vegetable plate. Specialties: “Chicken St, Caroline” (grilled breast, mushrooms, and mozzarella), hot fruit cobbler, New York-style cheesecake. $
HOME COOKING
CHEZ GERARD 4444 McKinney at Knox, 214-522-6865. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and holidays. Cozy, softly lit, romantic Taris bistro atmosphere. Fresh flowers, soft music, rose-pat-remed tablecloths, candles, patio seating in nice weather. Most popular: “Tournedos Felix Faure” (black peppercorn mushrooms and cream sauce). Also on the menu: rabbit, veal, liver, sweetbreads. Moderately priced French and California wines. $$
FRENCH COUNTRY
CITY CAFE 5757 West Lovers Lane, 214-351-2233. Bustling, unpretentious bistro; Chef Katie Schma offets a polished take on new American cuisine with French and Mediterranean touches. Wine Spectator Great Wine List Award for its wide selection of reasonably priced wines. Winter menu features such choices as wild game, lamb shanks, pork roulade, lots of root vegetables, and tempting desserts. Take out and catering. $$
AMERICAN
CRYSTAL PAGODA RESTAURANT 4516 McKinney, 214-526-3355. Lunch and dinner. A lovely setting with food to match, including a splendid selection of spicy Szechuan dishes. $$$
CHINESE
ENIGMA 2515 McKinney at Routh, 214-953-1111. Dinner only. Open to 2:30 a.m., closed Sunday, major holidays. Here’s the enigma: 800 different plates, 22 different menus, 60 different entrees. How do they do it ? You can even reserve your favorite tableware (mine would be the Baccarat crystal). Call and request something special, like the pan-seared emu or ostrich or buffa-lo. Orsomething easy like venison, pheasant quail, duck, lamb. $$$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
EUREKA! 401 Villanova, 214-369-7767. Lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday. Sunday 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Right in tune with the times, this sleekly stylized cafe has a crisp black and white color scheme and a high flavor, low-fat Pan-Cultural menu that’s garnering rave reviews everywhere. Try veggie “Eurekalbobs” or the “Eureka! Wrappers”: Armenian bread rollups. Prices are as low as the calories. There’s no wine, so you can even B.Y.O.B. $
NEW AMERICAN
EWALD’S IN THE STONELEIO.H HOTEL 2927 Maple at Wolf, 214-871-2523. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner 365 days. Celebrating 25 years, Swiss-schooled Dusseldorf native Ewald Schotz is our longest-running chef. Still frying parsley, he’s totally fad-proof. Come with us now back in time, where fetfuccine Alfredo is lisred as “lighter fare” and the menu promises “Tomedos St. Mont:,” Veal Oscar, Vichyssoise, white asparagus and fish à la “Bonne Femme,” “Chateaubriand Bouquetière Sauce Béarnaise,” “Swiss Raclette” with cornichons and new potatoes. Where do you find food you can capitalize these days? $$
CONTINENTAL
GASPAR’S 4900 McKinney at Monticello, 214-528-5100- Lunch and dinner weekdays, dinner Saturday. Chef-owner Gaspar Stantic, the namesake of this and the other Gaspar’s, achieves new culinary heights. With refined execution and luxuriant touches, the menu varies with the season: squab rests with wild mushroom pirogi; die yel-lowfin tuna is pan-seared with rare morel and crepes and served in a merlot sauce; tenderloin is sauteed with earthy porcini, garnished with spinach gnocchi. Thick veal chops come with Tuscan bean salad anointed with 50-year-old balsamic vinegar, die real thing. The wine list boasts suitable companions. Strudel desserts, deftly made, are a specialty. $$$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
GOING GOURMET 4345 West Northwest Highway at Midway, 214-351-6773. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday. This is die little gourmet take out shop that grew. Bur not much; it’s still tiny. Now it’s a popular bistro with an eclectic menu: Mediterranean, California influence. Pizzas and pastas are popular. Best loved: angel hair pasta with crawfish and artichokes in a lemon pepper-based sauce. Or penne tossed with gorgonzola, spinach, and walnuts, paella with lobster. For the fall they feature game with wild mushrooms, osso buco and polenta, three cheese risotto, half-pound pork rack chop with Venetian tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, and fresh veggie pasta. B.Y.O.B. ($2.50 corkage, $10 minimum per person). Pretty setting with candles and fresh flowers. $$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
HARD ROCK CAFE 2601 McKinney at Routh, 214-855-0007. Lunch and dinner, 365 days. Original of the food-as-theme-park establishments, still going strong. Rock ’n’ roll memorabilia from the ’50s to the ’90s, people-watching, and, oh yes, they do serve food: “Tennessee pulled pork sandwich,” burgers, grilled fajitas; vegetarian garden burger. $
AMERICAN
HARRY’S AMERICAN BAR-B-OUE 3910 Maple at Oak Lawn, 214-522-4433. Lunch and dinner, open to 1 a.m. Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday. Austin-style beer garden/BBQ-shack features ribs, {pronounced rih-yubs), smoked turkey, brisket, Harriette’s not-quite-famous Oak Cliff potato salad, custom smoked meats. Harry lists himself as “king”/chef and describes his clientele as “blue collar, lawyers, admen, computer dweebs, doctors and nurses, interior decorators.” No nonsmoking section. Live R&.B, C&W Wednesday to Saturday nights. $
BBQ
HIGHLAND PARK CAFE 69 Highland Park Village, Mockingbird and Preston, 214-521-7300. Lunch and dinner, closed Monday. French, Italian, Mediterranean spices flavor the strong Middle-Eastern influences on the menu here: lamb over tabouli, salmon with a cilantro vinaigrette, tri-color linguine with lamb sausage. Favorites: Harira soup (lentil and garbanzo beans), vegetable terrine with goat cheese, Escargot Forestière, salmon carpaccio. Try the meal-size French green bean salad with smoked chicken. $$
MEDITERRANEAN
HOFSTETTER’S 3840 West Northwest Highway, #400, at Marsh and Midway, 214-358-7660. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday. Classic Beef Wellington, Wiener schnitzel, jager (veal) schnitzel, veal Zurich, bratwurst are the standbys. Fall brings game: pheasant, wild boar, venison, and rabbit. For vegetarians there’s a richly indulgent vegetable platter with spaetzle ( then follow it with Viennese pastries). Forest green tablecloths, French windows, lots of plants make this a Iunchtime favorite with senior male execs during the week- Other times, a mix of families and couples. (Kindermenu for children.) $$
GERMAN
HOTEL ST. GERMAIN 2516 Maple at McKinney, 214-871-2516- Dinner Friday and Saturday with reservations and other nights for private parties. What a romantic setting: soft classic;)! music, candlelight, French damask napery, lavender roses, crystal chandeliers sparkle from 14-foot ceilings. In nice weather there’s a walled NewOrleans-style courtyard. It’s the perfect place to indulge on crab custard and creamy bisques, fresh seafood. They claim to serve the best potatoes in Dallas. Regular clientele, mostly local prosperous business people who appreciate the polished old world service. Special prix fixe dinner for $65 arranged specially in advance. $$$
FRENCH NOUVELLE
INDIA PALACE 12817 Preston, #105, 214-392-0190. Lunch and dinner. Tandoori lamb and chicken, curried lobster, shrimp vindaloo, crisp vegetable samostis (fried patties), chicken tikka masala-all fire and spice! Wonderful vegetable dishes: saag paneer (homemade fresh cheese chunks in a creamy spiced spinach mixture) and kashmiri kufta (fresh vegetables and cheese in dumplings). Authentic desserts include gajar (carrot) halwa. Indian breads arrive hot and puffy or crisp and fragile. Same menu at sister restaurant: Bombay Cricket Club. $
INDIAN
JAVIER’S RESTAURANTE MEXICANO & CANTINA 4912 Cote at Monticello, 214-521-4211. Dinner, closed holidays and Christmas-New Year’s week. Colonial Mexico decor: plants, flowers, candles. Soft jazz and Bosa Nova music background. Mexico City upscale menu borrows from continental cuisine: Filete Cantinflas (beef tenderloin stuffed with Chihuahua cheese, then topped with chile and avocado). Or Barro de Navidad jumbo shrimp tucked into a spicy orange /tomato sauce. Cahrito fajitas are a winner. $$
MEXICAN-CONTINENTAL
JENNIVINE 3605 McKinney at Lemmon, 214-528-6010. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and holidays, it they had beds and served breakfast, this could be a B&B: Olde English ambience in restored turn-of-the-century home nestled in a traditional garden where Jenni picks herbs. If you think Brit food is boring, sample Jenni’s roast duckling with mangos and homemade marmalade. Relishes, salsa, fruit vinegars, and chutneys simmer in the kitchenand sell well in the shop. $$
ENGLISH
JUNIPER RESTAURANT 2917 Fairmount at CedarSprings,214-855-0700.Dinneronly,closed Sunday and Monday. French country inn amhi-ence. Imagine you’re in Provence while you savor sunny flavors in such dishes as herb-infused rack of lamb, rosemary-scented chicken, pheasant breast with wild mushrooms and Madeira pepper sauce, grilled tuna with pistachios and sun-dried tomato butter. The menu even includes vichys-soise, the classic potato soup. Decide early and order a soufflé. Nice wine list features many French finds tor few francs. Outdoor dining avail-ahle.$$
FRENCH COUNTRY
KATHLEEN’S ART CAFE 4424 Lovers Lane at the Tollway, 214-691 -23 5 5. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Funky fun place with art on the wall and meat-loaf in the oven. Homestyle warmth comes paired with originality: Self-taught chef-owner Kathleen Ellington loves to bake and comes up with such delights as ancho chili fudge pie (fudge with a kick), sesame-cnisted catfish, meatloaf pizza, chili rellenos, smoked pork chops with apple brandy- wonderful early morning breakfasts and brunches, too. Lots of inexpensive Texas wines to try. Down the street at Kathleen’s Art Bakery, most dishes are available as take-out. $
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
L’ANCESTRAL 4514 Travis Street at Knox, 214-528-1081. Lunch and dinner, closed Sundays. Attention traditionalists: Escape the current culinary din and glitz with a trip to the French countryside: herb-scented lamb chops, hearty country paté, garlicky snails in cognac and cream, even sweetbreads. Everybody loves the steak au poivre, pounded with cracked pepper and flamed with brandy. Desserts ate traditional: clafouti (baked country pudding), crème caramel, even “Floating Island” for heaven’s sake. $$
FRENCH COUNTRY
LANDMARK AT THE MELROSE HOTEL 3015 Oak Lawn at Cedar Springs, 214-522-1453. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner six days; Sunday breakfast and brunch only, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The menu features “fusion” creativity, the mix of Asia and the Americas. Wildly creative dishes incense with flavor. Examples: lobster tacos with orange chipotle butter, macadamia nut-crusted scallops with pasta shells anointed with basil-saffron oil. Most popular: smoked chicken, masa soup, Texas crab cakes with com sauce. Extensive wine list moderately priced. Weekday gathering place of the “power breakfast” corps. On Sunday the brunch is very popular. Fall: venison and game. $$
AMERICAN
LAURELS RESTAURANT Sheraton Park Central Hotel, 12720 Merit Drive at Coit and LBJ, 214-851 -2021. Dinner nightly, except Sunday. Lighter, healthier fare with flair and flavor. Chef David Reardon’s imaginative menus have a Southwestern kick in such dishes as lobster-shrimp black enchiladas, Texas antelope. Game for game ?Call about the price-fixed $.35 game dinner. Twentieth-floor view of North Dallas. Piano lounge. $$
NEW AMERICAN
LAWRY’S THE PRIME RIB 3008 Maple at Carlisle and Wolf, 214-521-7777. Lunch and dinner (no lunch on Saturday), Sunday btunch, closed Christmas. Edwardian English dining room with brass chandeliets, unique dome ceiling. There are potted palms, fresh flowers, silver dining carts, all geared to make you feel pampered and privileged. The bar is like an upscale cozy pub. Prime rib, thick steaks, and enormous hand-carved roast beef sandwiches are the main features. Too busy to dine? You can even get take-out or evening delivery. If you save room for dessert, it should be the English trifle with strawberries. Winner of the Wine Spectator Great Wine List Award, Lawry’s boasts an extensive list that’s moderately priced. $$
STEAK
LOMA LUNA CAFE 8201 Preston, 214-691-1552. Lunch and dinner. Like a trip to Santa Fe without the air fare. Warm adobe decor suggests a hacienda. Smoke-sweet scent sharpens your appetite for the house specialty: meats, seafood, and chicken, gently grilled over pecan shells. Have yours Santa Fe style with posole (hominy) and beans. Desserts are unique: Indian bread pudding or cajeta sundae (homemade vanilla ice cream sauced with sweet caramelized goat’s milk). $
SOUTHWESTERN
THE MANSION ON TURTLE CREEK 2821 Turtle Creek, 214-559-2100. Lunch and dinner. Antique-filled historic ltalianate mansion, with spectacular carved inlay ceiling. World famous and full of surprises (the wine cellar is a silver vault). Conde Nast Traveler readers place it among the top 50 restaurants in the U.S. Its vaulted stature is due in part to executive chef Dean Fearing. Not yet 40, he’s the acknowledged originator of what has come to he known as Southwest cuisine. He’s wildly imaginative in combining Southern, country, Western, and regional ethnic influences, then tempering them with the refined techniques of his classical training to create the stylish dishes that set the gastronomic world on its heels. Consider: wild boar with cumin black beans and watermelon relish; homemade venison chorizo with cracked mustard, a Southwestern vetsion of veal piccata on tomatillo rice, savoty Louisiana crab cakes. Very extensive and pricey wine list. $$$
SOUTHWESTERN
M AT TITO’S CAFE MEXICANO 4311 Oak Lawn, #100, at Herschel, 214-526-8181. Lunch and dinner, closed Christmas. Upscale casual fiesta decor. Lovely bar, covered patios, private catering, heart-healthy low-fat vegetarian dishes, veggie fajitas, beef tenderloin chicken fajitas, fat-free cowboy beans. Most popular: chile rellenos stuffed with jack cheese, raisins, and Texas pecans. Kiddie menu. $
TEX-MEX
MlA’S 4322 Lemmon at Wycliff. 214-526-1020. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and major holidays. Mia, short for “Mama Mia” (my momma), co-owns this Dallas standard with her husband, Chef Butch and son, Manager Paul. $
TEX-MEX
NANA GRILL, LOEWS ANATOLE HOTEL, 2201 Stemmons at Market Center, 214-761-7479. Lunch and dinner seven nights, Saturday dinner only. Sunday brunch. Now orchestrated by Paul Pinnell, formed? of J Pinnell. Victorian setting: rose tablecloths, glowing oil lamps, African violets, strolling violinists. Named for the nude portrait in the bar, Nana offers food that’s every bit as appealing. Venison with wild blackberry sauce, pork chops with green posole, pecan-crusted double lamb chops, veal crowned with woodland mushrooms. Sumptuous desserts: “millionaire’s pie” {baked Alaska and berries in a crust) and Key lime crème brulée. Call for wine dinner schedule. $$$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
NATURA CAFE 2909 McKinney at Howell, 214-855-5483, Breakfast Saturday and Sunday, lunch and dinner even,1 day, closed holidays. High energy, environment-conscious, fun atmosphere. Go see the 10-foot tall faux asparagus forest in lieu of a palm tree. Bar with fireplace; open-style kitchen in the dining room. Most popular: red snapper tacos, chicken penne pasta, smoked tomato sauce, ahi ground tunaburger on kaiser roll, shrimp with black beans. $$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
OLD WARSAW 2610 Maple, 214-528-0032. Dinner seven nights. Continental dining the way you remember it: lush surroundings, hushed service, menus enfrancais, the twinkle of candles and diamonds, the scent of flowers and Joy. Carts glide tahleside as salads are tossed, various viandes are flamhéed, crepes are jubileed. There’s foie gras and caviar, steak tartare, and “Salade Cesar.” (The only Intrusion on your reverie is the updated price list.) Wine Spectator Great Wine List Award. $$$
CONTINENTAL
PARIGI 5311 Oak Lawn at Hall, 214-521-0295. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and Monday. Upscale bistro with marble tables, fresh flowers, open kitchen. The kind of menu that sounds appealing and healthy at the same time: whole wheat fusilli with herbs and feta in a red pepper sauce, chive-mush room fettucini with chicken, crimini mushrooms and com in a ginger-lime cream sauce. Then there’s tri-coior linguine with shrimp, yellow tomatoes, sugar snap peas, and basil pesto. Most popular: tenderloin with coarsegrained mustard and roasted “shallot-smashed potatoes.” Fun first course: make-your-own pizzettas (mini pizzas). Limited wine list $$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
PEGGY SUE BBQ 6600 Snider Plaza at Daniels/Hillcrest, 214-987-9188. Lunch and dinner. The local favorite. Lean, smoky brisket, meaty baby kick ribs glazed with brown sugar, juicy melt-in-your-mouth chicken pink from the smoke, Southem squash casserole, new potato salad, veg-gies steamed with lemon butter, complain and simple. The chicken-fried steak is bartered in buttermilk; pinto beans are fresh, not canned. If there’s no tomorrow, try Texas Torpédos: cream cheese-filled, breaded, deep fat-fried jalapenos, or the fried pie, or peach cobbler in cinnamon batter. Club membership required for drinks. $
BARBECUE
POMODORO 2520 Cedar Springs at Fairrount and Routh, 214-871-1924- Lunch and dinner week-nights, dinner Saturday, closed Sunday. Northern and regional Italian; clean, white tiled interior, yellow tablecloths, paintings by Sardinian artist, modern Italian music. Fans rave about the bruschetta, signature pastas, the risotto made with buffalo mozzarella. $$
ITALIAN
POPOLOS CAFE 707 Preston Royal Shopping Center at Preston and Royal, 214-692-5497. Lunch and dinner, Sunday brunch. Smoking only at the bar. This is the comfortable sort of place where you could happily eat every night: white tablecloths, candlelight, fresh roses on each table, quiet jazz at low level, original paintings, and the kind of food you never tire of. For a pretty perch, nestle into the heated/cooled screened sun porch built around a huge tree. Chef Mark Gonzales shows his Napa Valley roots in his able version of Italian nuova cucina with lots of low-fat, low-cholesterol entrees. Many enticing vegetarian dishes, too. Try the extra hot and spicy “pizza for the brave,” or meatless lasagna with wood-fire grilled vegetables. Most popular dish: angel hair pasta with shrimp. Festive for fall: mushroom risotto. $$
MEDITERRANEAN
QUADRANGLE GRILL 2800 Routh, 214-979-9022- Lunch and dinner. Sunday brunch. Good selection of wines by the glass, including Texas wines. Smoke-free at lunch. Grazer’s paradise: wonderful jalapeno corn bread, trendy pizzas on homemade herhed focaccia bread (smoked chicken, spinach, pine nuts, red onion, and goat cheese). Great grilled vegetables served over rosemary fet-tucine. Coffee bar with latte includes Thai-iced espresso (steamed with sugared milk and topped with foam). $
AMERICAN
THE RIVIERA 7709 Inwood, 214-351-0094-Dinner only. Smoke free. The Riviera continues to flag down awards with its practiced rendition of classics: updated rack of lamb with chutney, escargots with torrtelloni, quail, and polenta. It’s one of the top five Dallas restaurants according to readers of Cond Nast Traveler. It’s also won the Wine Spectator Great Wine List Award. $$S
FRENCH/ITALIAN
RODIZIO’S RESTAURANT 2621 McKinney, 214-740-9970. Lunch and dinner. A real Rio-style restaurant with authentic dishes. The place to try feijoada, Brazil’s national dish, a casserole of black beans, bacon, pork, sausage, and other fresh meats garnished with rice, collard greens, peppers, and orange. Or come for “churrasco,” all-you-can-eat rotisserie of meats: steak, pork loin, honey-cured ham, smoked sausage, and chicken, served with beans and rice, fried yucca, and polenta. $$
BRAZILIAN
RODOLFO’S ITALIAN AND SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 5956 Royal at Preston, 214-368-5039. Lunch and dinner. Hearty but heart-healthy low-fat main courses list calorie counts. Many vegetarian choices, including spinach ricotta dumplings (“meatless meatballs”). Outdoor dining in good weather. Namesake Rodolfo and brother Re-nato Sperandeo celebrating 11 years. Limited, reasonable wine list. $$
ITALIAN/”TAL-LITE”
THE RUSSIAN ROOM 500 Hotel Crescent Court, 214-922-3333. Dinner. Closed Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. A surprising treasure upstairs over the deli. First-class Russian restaurant serving shashlik, stroganofr, chicken Kiev, traditional herring with dill potatoes, stuffed potatoes, stuffed cabbage, homemade blinis rolled in salmon roe or caviar. Live entertainment, imperial surroundings, food fit for a czar. $$$
EASTERN EUROPEAN
RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE 5922 Cedar Springs at Inwood, 214-902-8080. Dinner only. Most popular: cornfed steaks. Signature: shrimp rémoulade, BBQ shrimp. Yes, there is a vegetable platter, even though it’s not on menu. Business and professional people, special celebrations. This is the home of serious steaks. Country French building overlooks meandering stream. Upholstered antique church pews in the oak bar; white tablecloths and brass candles with frosted shades in the dining room; 1,200 bottles of wine on view behind an arch foretell an extensive wine list. $$$
STEAK
S & D OYSTER COMPANY 2 701 McKinney at Boll, 214-880-0111. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday, holidays. Southern Gulf Coast and New Orleans style seafood; red-checked tablecloths. Casual, bustling oyster bar with freshest seafood, thick and steamy gumbo, fresh fish simply broiled to perfection. $$
SEAFOOD
SlPANGO 4513 Travis, 214-522-2411. Lunch and dinner. Ron Corcoran, Keith Jones, and Matthew Antonvich have hit upon a recipe for succès, which has made this among the trendi-est restaurants around. The entire menu is imaginative, from the pastas with a definite Mediterranean flair to selections from the oak fired grill to the wood – fired oven pizzas. Even if you feed on the attention, you’ll enjoy the tastes. $$
CALIFORNIA/ITALIAN
STAR CANYON RESTAURANT 3102 Oak Lawn, *144, at Cedar Springs, 214-520- 782 7. Lunch and dinner. Here’s where the stars at night shine big and bright, but none more sparkling than home-boy celebrity chef Stephan Pyles himself, presiding over restaurant’s open kitchen where a scurry of young chefs slice, dice, stir, and whir native ingredients into jalapeno-stuffed smoked quail, wood-roasted rabbit enchiladas, Gulf Coast red snapper on Texas jambalaya dolloped with chilip-iquin aioli, chile relleno filled with black bean chili, steak ’n’ cowboy beans, all with attitude., .the ultimate Dallas dining experience at accessible prices. $$
NEW TEXAS
TANA 3701 West Northwest Highway, #173, at Webbs Chapel, 214-350-3234. Lunch and dinner seven days, late night to 2 a.m. and live entertainment Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Even confirmed chiliheads can be challenged by searingly spiced Ethiopian cuisine, but at Tana they’ll tame it for the tender tongued. Doro wot is a curry-like chicken mixture served on the traditional “injera” bread, a spongy sourdough crepe. Traditionally, yuu tear off pieces and use it as a carrier. Vegetable dishes are great. “Greens” like kale hint at the African tie with down-home southern veggies. Italian. American, or Middle Eastern foods are served, too, for the timid. Ethiopian entertainment. $
ETHIOPIAN
TONY’S WINE WAREHOUSE AND BISTRO 2904 Oak Lawn at Gillespie, ZH-520-WINE. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday. What better surroundings for a wine lover. Candles, flowers, white table-cloths, classical music. Simple bistro fare, beautifully executed: filet mignon with brandy and peppercorns, spicy shrimp on pasta, catch of the day simply grilled, redolent garlic soup. Crème brulée for dessert. Waiters are multilingual; foreign travelers frequent the place in search of wine buys. Wine classes. $$
FRENCH BISTRO
UNCLE JULIO’S 4125 Lemmon at Douglas, 214-520-6620. Lunch and dinner, closed Christmas. Traditional hacienda style; portions large enough to feed the entire village. Mesquite-grilled meats and poultry, cabrito, fajitas, spicy ribs, quail among the favorites, served with freshly made tortillas (they make their own). Signature dish: Plato Gordo (literally “fat plate,” be forewarned). Extensive plants and landscaping; festive (read: loud) atmosphere. $
MEXICAN
WATEL’S 1923 McKinney at Harwood, 214-720-0323. Lunch and dinner weekdays, dinner only weekends, closed holidays. Southern France is the inspiration for many of the dishes chef-owner Rene Peeters offers at this charming bistro. Fresh fish flawlessly grilled, hearty bean dishes, herb-scented lamb, rabbit, game and seasonal choices, even the organ meats beloved by the French but hard to find in American restaurants. $$
FRENCH/MEDITERRANEAN
THE WINE PRESS 4217 Oak Lawn, 214-522-8720. Lunch and dinner six days, Sunday brunch 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appealing, eclectic New American menu to complement a great selection of wines by the glass in a charmer of a setting. $$
BISTRO
YAMAGUCHI’S BAR AND SUSHI 7713 Inwood at Lovers, 214-350-8660. The sushi’s perfectly prepared, but there’s a lot more to sample: wonderful, rosy salmon flash-seared and served in a ginger-spiked lime haste, marinated duck fragrant with brandy and apricot essence, pork with an Asian pear filling, all artistically presented. $$
JAPANESE
ZIZIKI’S RESTAURANT AND BAR 4514 Travis Walk at Armstrong, 214-521-2233. Lunch and dinner until midnight, closed Sunday. Cross a Greek diner with a Soho-style bistro and a trendy wine bar, throw in some Italian blood and a Hawaiian upbringing and here’s what you get: Chef Costa Arabatzis’ eatery. Fad-free fusion that scours the Mediterranean and Aegean for inspiration, then lightens up on the oil. All your Greek favorites plus pasta originals. Open kitchen with Italian tile hand-crafted bar. $
MEDITERRANEAN
Northeast
AL DENTE CAFE 1920 Greenville, 214-821-6054. Bargain neighborhood place with the kind of Italian fare you remember (even to the prices). Mussels and calamari, veal cacciatore, baked ziti, Gamberoni Fra Diavola. Got the picture? When you’re in the mood for candle-in-a-Chianti-bot-tie cuisine, this place won’t disappoint. Lovely oak bar, intimate dining. $
ITALIAN
ARANSAS PASS CAFE 2912 North Henderson at Central Expressway, 214-827-8650- Dinner Tuesday through Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday. 6-11 p.m. Fresh gulf seafood and Texas-style dishes stat: honey-jalapeno glazed pork loin a winner! Or, sweet com chile relleno, Thai-style tuna taco, Maine lohster with sea scallops. Sweet indulgences: “Beeville Honey”: cinnamon-dListed tortilla with home-made ice cream; sautéed bananas with strawberries. Owners met working at Four Seasons. Great patio; weekends live music. $
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
CAFFE PAPARAZZI 8989 Forest at Greenville, 214-644-1323. Lunch and dinner, closed hoiidays. Contemporary black and white decor softened with tropical foliage and oil lamps; soft Mediterranean music. Specialties: lamb, seafood, and pasta nova. Most popular: spinach mushroom asparagus lasagna. Vegetarians rejoice! Luscious gnocchi and canneloni, too. Lunchtime favorite of nearby medics. Outdoors on nice days. Full bar, booths. $$
ITALIAN, NUOVA CUCINA
CARIB-B 2012 Greenville, 214-824-3395. Lunch and dinner.You’ll imagine soft breezes, swaying palms, and pounding surf when you sample jerk chicken, fresh fish, and goat prepared in the island manner $
CARIBBEAN
CHAPLIN’S 1928 Greenville, 214-823-3300. Dinner seven nights. Northern Italian with New American sensibilities: freshly made pastas, rack of lamb, inviting desserts in an amiable setting. $
ITALIAN, NORTHERN
FLIP’S WINE BAR 1520 Greenville at Ross, 214-824-9944- Dinner to 2 a.m. every night. “Serious Italian food” as the menu claims, coupled with a nice selection of reasonably priced wines by the glass plus 25 different draft beers and an equal number of imports. The wine list includes champagne and sparkling wine, port, sherry, and dessert wine. Mix and match pastas with sauces, or order one of the inventive pizzas on whole-wheat or focaccia crust. $$
ITALIAN
FRANKI’S L’lL EUROPE 362 Casa Linda Plaza, 214-320-0426. This is the only place in Dallas where you can sample Cevapcici, the Slavic version of a cheeseburger, only spicier. The last time we tried it was in Yugoslavia…uh, make that Croatia. Or is it Serbia’ $$
EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE
GERSHWIN’S BAR & GRILL 8442 Walnut Hill at Greenville, 214-373-7171- Lunch and dinner. White tablecloths, oil lamps, fresh flowers on every table, the romatic tinkle of the piano, stylish samplings for appetizers, an au courant menu: tenderloin with garlic-whipped potatoes, blackened salmon, grilled yellowfin tuna with avocado cilantro sauce, snapper en papillote, “Beggar’s Purse” filled with lobster and shrimp in a creamy bisque. Trendy pizzas and pastas. Popular Sunday brunch; outdoor dining in good weather. $$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
KOKOPELLL BY VIA REAL 9090 Skillman, Suite 158A, at Audelia, 214-503-0242. Lunch and dinner; closed holidays. Sister to Via Real in Las Colinas, this is another visually satisfying setting with an adobe design in warm Southwest tones, strategically placed waterfalls, and pueblo motifs. The menu is more Mex than Tex or Southwest, with style and sophistication. Most popular: squash enchiladas, fajitas, bacon-wrapped scallops, ceviche, and the carefully grilled pescado del dia (catch of the day). There’s an extensive vegetarian menu, including garlic butter beans and rice. Extensive wine list, well priced. $$
SOUTHWESTERN/MEXICAN
MATT’s RANCHO MARTINEZ 6312 La Vista Drive at Gaston, 214-823-5517- Lunch and dinner, closed Monday. Busy, popular place puts a healthy new spin on old standards: flautas are grilled, cowboy beans are fat-free. “Lite” fajitas, even all-veggie fajitas. But then there’s buttermilk-battered chicken-fried steak, frog’s legs, chile rellenos stuffed with beef, chicken, shrimp, or vegetables, plus Texas pecans, raisins, and jack cheese. $
MEXICAN
NERO’S 2104 Greenville at Prospect, 214-826-63 76- Dinner every night. Fresh seafood with pasta or rice, and veal chops an inch and a half thick with your choice of sauces: Masala-mushroom, port wine spiked with cracked pepper, or a zesty green peppercorn butter. Most popular: Linguini fra diavola: pasta with sea scallops, shrimp, and mushrooms. But don’t miss the chicken breast stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, and spinach, all topped with creamy garlic sauce. The “pink garlic bread” gets its color from tomato and grated mozzarella. $$
ITALIAN
PINOT’S WINE BAR AND CAFE 2926 North Henderson, 214-826-1949. Dinner. Small spot; interesting wines by the glass. Limited $32.50 fixed-price menu includes a kittle of house wine married to such choices as roast lamb, herbed swordfish, chicken Santa Fe, or Pork Marchand de Vin ( includes soup, salad and dessert ). Call for wine dinner schedule. $$
ECLECTIC
PREGO PASTA HOUSE 4930Greenville, 214-363-9204. Lunch and dinner weekdays and Sunday, no lunch Saturday. Every kind of pasta dish plus spaghetti house standbys: chicken piccata, veal parmigiann, pepper steak, but no seafood except crab claws and scampi. $
SOUTHERN ITALIAN
RISTORANTE SAVINO 2929 North Henderson, 214-826-7804. Dinner every night. Closed major holidays. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Savino welcomes with attentive, generous service; entices with wonderful veal dishes, saddle of lamb with fresh herbs, and other creations of chef Chris Svalesen, CIA grad, previously at Bronx II Restaurant. Most popular: lasagna with bay scallops, escargot, angel hair pasra with lobster sauce, focac-cia pugliese, farfalle with smoked salmon and vodka. Italian ice creams made daily. One of the best grappa selections in the area; somewhat pricey wine list. $$
ITALIAN
ROYAL TOKYO
7525 Greenville, 214-368-3304-Lunch and dinner, Sunday buffet 11:3Ca.m. to 2:30 p.m. Authentic sushi bar, the largest in Texas. Tatami room offers kimono-clad servers in the tra-ditonal manner (wells for your feet; no need to sit cross-legged!) Hibachi food cooked at your table. Big draws: Black Angus beef, the karaoke bar. Extensive, well-written menu explains cuisine and customs to Westerners. $$
JAPANESE
SAN FRANCISCO ROSE 3024 Lower Greenville at Monticello, 214-826-2020. Lunch and dinner, late night to 2 a.m., Sunday brunch 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., complimentary buftet Monday to Friday, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Grandaddy of the Dallas sports bars; daily happy hour, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Trophy room for sports fans; patio for outdoor dining in nice weather. $
SPORTS BAR
SINBAD’S PALACE 9220 Skillman, 214-340-4445. Sunday to Friday lunch, dinner every night. Fragrant spices and the scent of lemon, garlic, and herbs make Middle Eastern food so appealing. Try baba ghanouj, the dip made of roasted eggplant and sesame paste, or hummus (chickpea dip), feta cheese pies, stuffed grape leaves, shish kebah, stuffed roasted veggies, couscous and baklava tor dessert. Entertainment on weekends. $$
MIDDLE EASTERN
ST. MARTIN’S WINE BISTRO 3020 Greenville, 214-826-0940. Lunch and dinner, Sunday-brunch. Extensive selection of wines by the glass, moderately priced, to pair with such elegantly executed entrees as shrimp and scallops in a creamy wine sauce, baby lamb chops with Dijon-garlic bordelaise, tournedos, fresh pasta, homemade paté, excellent cheese choices. Check the blackboard specials. $$
FRENCH
TERILLI’S 2815 Greenville at Vickery, 214-827-1993. Lunch and dinner, late night to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, Sunday brunch 11:30 a.m.to 3 p.m., closed Christmas. Business lunch spot by day; Italian bistro/supperclub by night. Live jazz nightly. Chicken primavera most popular. Try the “Ital-chos,” nacho-stze chips of pizza crust with a variety of Italian toppings. Outdoor dining, too. $$
ITALIAN
TIPPERARY INN 5815 Live Oak at Skillman, 214-823-7167. Dinner and late night, open 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Open every day except Christmas. Wednesday to Saturday nights, Celtic music. A bit o’ the ol’ sod here on the plains. Irish-horn Martinand Anne Lombard looked for an Irish pub in Dallas to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Finding none, they decided to open one. Chef David Lafferry won rave reviews with a very different kind of menu at his last place in Connecticut. Here he good-naturedly serves up a stylised version of Guinness beef stew, seafood boxty (potato crepe), Irish smoked salmon and sure, corned beef and cabbage. Whiskey bread pudding made with Irish soda bread; the soups are hearty, and so’s the crowd. $
IRISH
Oak Cliff
BISHOP ARTS CAFE 316 West Seventh, 214-943-3565. Lunch and dinner weekdays, dinner Saturday, brunch Sunday, closed Monday. Tiny Oak Cliffplace with lots of style; inventive blackboard menu. Fabulous fresh filet of salmon with lemon and dill usually available. Pumpkin soup is the seasonal hit. White tablecloths, candles and fresh flowers; bring your own wine. Popular with downtown professionals and business people. $$
ECLECTIC
Far North
ADDISON CAFE 5290 Belt Line, #108, at Montfort, 214-991-8824. Lunch and dinner weekdays; dinner only Saturday, Sunday. Appealing French bistro-style dishes are perfectly turned out in this tiny treasure. This fall try roasted rabbit “grandmother style,” or duckling with peach bigarade sauce. Then there’s the grilled salmon with a lemon-caper couscous. Can’t miss the classic onion soup. Don’t pass up the desserts: this season, warm apple tart topped with caramel bourbon sauce {and French vanilla ice cream for the truly decadent). $$
FRENCH BISTRO
BEALE STREET 4291 Belt Line Road at Midway, 214-458-9477. Lunch and dinner seven days, closed holidays. Urban chic: gold walls, black accents,bright florals, subdued lighting. Blues and jazz live 7-11:30Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights. Outdoor dining. Most popular; Cajun seafood, Memphis BBQ; tuttomare (shrimp and crawfish tossed fettucine in cream sauce), crab cakes, spicy voodoo-sauced (cayenne, garlic, beer, butter) seafood or chicken, crab cakes. $
ECLECTIC CAJUN CREOLE
BLUE MESA GRILL 5100 Belt Line at Tollway, Addison, 214-934-0165. Lunch and dinner 365 days. Worth the trip just for the two versions of nuevo adobe pie: chicken, cheese, and roasted peppers baked in fresh corn masa, and a vegetarian version with whole black beans, tomatillos, and mushrooms. The digs are adobe style with Southwest artwork, mesa colors, lots of cacti, Santa Fe-styte outdoor dining. $$
SOUTHWESTERN
BOLERO GRILL 5290 Belt Line at Montfort, Addison, 214-490-8686. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday. Limited but well-chosen, inexpensive wine list. Most popular: Harira (lentil) soup, kebab. Signature dishes: cappelini primav-era with grilled lamb sausage, pan-seared tilapia, grilled veggies over orzo pasta with sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. $$
MEDITERRANEAN
CAFE ATHENEE 5 365 Spring Valley at Montfort. Dallas, 214-239-8060. Lunch and dinner six days; closed Sunday and holidays. Romantic English library decor: dark paneling, white tablecloths, warm chandeliers, fresh flowers, potted palms, soft music. Senior execs and affluents come for business lunches, quiet dinners. Most popular: gypsy appetizer platter, homemade Romanian sausage. Signature: sole à la scorpio, chicken martini (low fat), grandmother’s stuffed cabbage, white caviar salad. $$
EASTERN EUROPEAN/CONTINENTAL
CAFE CAPRI 15107 Addison at Belt Line, Addison, 214-960-8686. Lunch and dinner weekdays; dinner only Saturday, closed Sunday. Romantic setting with tinkly harp music in the background,classic French and Italian dishes care-fully prepared, beautifully presented. Let them make a fuss over you and order the peppered filet mignon flamed at your table. Pleasant lunchtime choice, too. $$
CONTINENTAL
CHAMBERLAIN’S PRIME CHOP HOUSE 5330 Belt Line, Town Hall Square at Montfort, Addison, 214-934-2467. Dinner, closed Sunday. Free valet. Fashioned after a ’50s style European brasserie: polished brass, dark woods, deep burgundy. Most popular: tenderloin stuffed with portobello, lamb and horseradish-mashed potatoes, peppered venison steak, slow-smoked prime rib. Dallas-bom namesake chef (Mansion, Crescent Club and Agnew ver) is co-owner. $$
STEAK
CHUSI 5290 Belt Line, #144, at Montfort, 214-960-2999. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday.The $5.75 daily lunch buffet is a great value that attracts local business people. Evenings: couples come to share grilled lemnngrass chicken or fish with steamed oriental broccoli, white tablecloth, candles. Try the charbroiled chicken salad on a bed of lettuce with spicy vermicelli noodles. Or flat rice noodles with lean beef and black mushrooms. Take-out and delivery. $
VIETNAMESE-CHINESE
DEL FRISCO’S DOUBLE EAGLE 5251 Spring Valley at the Tollway, 214-526-9811. Dinner, closed Sunday. The carnivore’s castle. White tablecloths, candles, lots of tourists, frequent flyers, and visiting firemen in search of the quintessential Texas steak experience. Here it is. Mega-lobsters, too. $$$
STEAK
DOVIE’S 14671 Midway, 214-233-9846. Lunch and dinner. Open every day including major holidays. The setting is die real treat. Housed in the former estate of WWII hero/movie star Audie Murphy, it’s been lovingly restored. Seven different dining rooms range from casual to outright romantic. Menu specialties include rainbow trout with lemon butter, “Chicken Ryan” crusted with pecans and basil on a ginger-scented orange sauce, king salmon with pineapple relish, plus old fashioned favorites prepared the way Audie would probably like them. $$
AMERICAN TRADITIONAL
GASPAR’S 150 South Denton Tap Road at Sandy-Lake, Coppell, 214-393-5152. Lunch and dinner weekdays, dinner Saturday, closed Sunday. Chef Steven Pilat picks up the gauntlet here with signature dishes: pork schnitzel with lemon and capers, red snapper topped with shrimp and scallops in a lemony dill sauce, San Francisco-style crab cakes, lobster and crayfish napoleans, smoked salmon served with corn pancake, lamb chops grilled with chive-infused olive oil. $$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
HUNTINGTON’S AT THE WESTIN HOTEL 1 3340 Dallas Parkway at LBJ, 214-851-2882. Lunch and dinner weekdays, dinner Saturday, closed Sunday. An elegant respite m a beautifully appointed dining room with lots of greenery and fresh flowers, wingback chairs. You’ll be cradled in comfort, surrounded by soothing music, and spoiled with attentive service. The menu promises Dover sole meunière, rack of lamb, wild hoar and other game, longhorn beef, even pan-seared ostrich with sun-dried blueberry chutney. Winner of the Wine Spectator Great Wine List Award, it offers an extensive yet moderately priced selection. $$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
KOBE STEAKS 5000 Belt Line off Dallas Parkway, Addison, 214-934-8150. Dinner 365 days. Steak is the star here, U.S. prime. Choose the filet mignon and have it chop-chop-chopped, sizzled, and stirred before your eyes with fresh veggies. Other choices: Teriyaki beef or chicken, shrimp, scallops, even a lobster/filet mignon combo (think of it as a stir-fry surf ’n’ turf). Halt-price for half-size portions for the kids. They’ll find it great fun. $$
JAPANESE
MAY DRAGON 4848 Belt Line at Inwood, Addison, 214-392-9998. Lunch and dinner 365 days. One of the most scrutable Chinese menus ever; descriptions so complete you can use it as a cookbook. Almost as many dishes, too! Most popular: sesame chicken, crispy whole red snapper in Hunan sauce, Peking duck, Hong Kong-style steak. Roll your own: lettuce with shrimp, chicken, or pork or vegetarian. Giant fortune cookie filled with chocolate mousse. Piano music Friday and Saturday nights. $$
CHINESE
MEOITERRANEO 18111 Preston at Frankford, 214-447 -0066. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and holidays. Smoke-free dining room; smoking in bar only. Classy continental decor (lighting won a design award). This is the more casual sister restaurant to The Riviera; exec chef David Holben creates menus far both. CIA grad scholarship program took him to France to work in famed kitchens: Roger Verge, Paul Bocuse in Lyon, the George V Hotel in Paris. Most popular: capellini crab pancake, double cut lamb chop, polenta-crusted salmon. $$
MEDITERRANEAN BISTRO
Ml PIACl 14854 Montfort, Addison, 214-934-8424- Lunch and dinner Monday-Friday, Saturday and Sunday dinner only. Homemade Bologna-style pasta (with eggs) and hand-stirred risotto dishes with imported short grain rice are featured. Try the salmon and sea scallop risotto. Or the cappellacci: giant ravioli filled with fresh crabmeat, finished with lemon cream and asparagus. Brodo frutti di mare is the classic fishermen’s stew, enough for two. Simple pleasures: new potatoes roasted with rosemary and olive oil. $$
ITALIAN
MONTE CARLO AT THE GRAND KEMPINSKI
15201 Dallas Parkway, 214-386-6000. Dinner. Attractive special occasion setting with a satisfying menu drawn from sunny Provence and die Mediterranean; lovely seafood, lightly cooked vegetables, indulgent desserts. $$$
FRENCH
MR. SUSHI 4860 Belt Line, Addison, 214-385-0168. Lunch and dinner. Sushi in the best tradition exquisitely prepared and adroitly presented. For a real feast, order the 12-course banquet (and never gain an ounce). For fun, have shabu-shabu: wafer-thin beef, yam noodles, tofu cooked at your table in a fragrant broth. Appetizer list great for adventurers: Asari in sake, boiled sea snail. Except for tempura, most items are low in fat. $$$
JAPANESE
PICASSO’S RISTORANTE 3948 Legacy at Coit, Piano, 214-618-4143. Lunch and dinner, closed Christmas. Traditional neighborhood “ristorante fare” in a pleasant setting; low entree prices, and you can bring your own wine. Kid-sized servings, half-price. Lots of veal and seafood dishes; thin crust Neapolitan style pizza, too. Chicken rollatine wrapped around crabmeat is the specialty. $
ITALIAN
ROTISSERIE AT THE GRAND KEMPINSKI HOTEL 15201 Dallas Parkway at the Tollway and Arapaho, 214-386-6000. Dinner every night. New, low-fat menu and new name, replacing “Brasserie.” More casual than its sister restaurant, the Monte Carlo, but both share the same chef and Mediterranean focus. Here the meats, fish, and chicken are roasted and grilled with no fat added. Salads are offered with fat-free dressings. To try: Afghan bread pizza with veggies, no-fat ratatouille, grilled vegetable plate, bruschet-ta with tapenade, Rosie’s fat-free chocolate cake topped with raspberry coulis. $$
MEDITERRANEAN, LIGHT.
TUPINAMBA 12801 Midway, #503, 214-243-2355. Lunch and dinner. Traditional Tex-Mex fare, the way it always was: fried tacos. lots of gua-camole and sour cream, retried beans, frosty salt-rimmed margaritas. Embueltos are foot-wide Tortillas filled with chicken, deep far-fried, then topped with cheese. Close your eyes and imagine it’s 1940. $
MEXICAN
UNCLE TAI’S HUNAN YUAN 13350 Dallas Parkway in the Galleria. 214-934-9998. Lunch and dinner, closed holidays. Upscale stylish setting with menu to match {outside seating more casual). Located on the third floor of the Galleria. Menu selections include venison and pheasant. Spicy prawns in chili sauce is our favorite. Take out available. $$
CHINESE
Midcities-Fort Worth
BENTON’S AT THE HARVEY HOTEL Esters Boulevard at Highway 114, Irving, 214-929-4500, ext, 1255. Near D-FW. Skip the airline food and stop here tor herb focaccia with garden tomatoes, Southwest chicken pizza on flour tortillas, tamales with crème fraiche, mesquite-smoked ultra lean sirloin, or smoked salmon. Sous chef Gunison Coe grows all the fresh herbs in his Fort Worth garden. $$
SOUTHWESTERN
BISTRO BAGATELLE 406 West \i I MIS, Arlington, 817-261-0488. Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Friday, dinner only Saturday and Monday, closed Sunday. Mediterranean and country French influences in this gem of a restaurant tucked away in a charming house. Brittany-style mussels, duck leg confit with herbed potato patties, wild mesclun salad, lump crabmeat cakes with angel hair pasta, roasted salmon with fennel and artichoke, lamb tenderloin with spinach and feta all await you. Sorbets are intense and desserts irresistible: crème brulée, pecan chocolate cheesecake, even traditional floating island. $$
FRENCH COUNTRY
CAFE CIPRIANI 220 East Las Colinas Boulevard at O’Connor, Irving, 214-869-0713. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and holidays. Classic European glass and brass lift descends to high style dining. Best sellers: salmon with pink peppercorn sauce, veal dishes and Cioppino Livornese, a seafood feast soup/stew enough for two. Candles, orchids, soft Italian music, live piano weekends. Popular with tourists from nearby Omni Mandalay. $$
ITALIAN, NORTHERN
CAFE MATTHEW 8251 Bedford-Euless Road, Airport Freeway Loop 820, North Richland Hills, 817-577-3463. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and holidays. A near-airport experience that turns out to be surprisingly good. Cafe Matthew serves up spicy, sophisticated Southwestern fare in a stylish second floor perch in Old Town Square. Breast of quail arrives on a texture-rich base of fruit and nuts. Mocha crème brulée is the dessert of choice. $$
SOUTHWEST/CONTINENTAL
CACHAREL 9th Floor, Brookhollow Two, 2221 East Lamar at Highway 360, Arlington, 817-640-9981. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and holidays. 100 percent non-smoking. Imagine a country French penthouse! This one serves escargot, house-cured salmon on haricots, pesto brushed swordfish, tenderloin Perigordim sauce. Most popular: duck breast with cranberries, filo with white chocolate mousse and raspberries. Fall features: venison, pheasant. Conde Nast Traveler magazine’s reader poll placée Cacharel among the top 50 USA restaurants (1/94).$$$
FRENCH COUNTRY
CAFE DOR OMNI MANDALAY HOTEL, 221 East Las Colinas Boulevard at Mandalay, Irving, 214-556-0800. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner 365 days. Popular lunchtime setting for area business people, overlooks Mandalay canal, courtyard view. Fresh flowers, candles at dinnertime; festive, extensive holiday buffet planned for Christmas. $$$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
CAFE ON THE GREEN FOUR SEASONS RESORT, 4150 North MacArthur, Irving, 214-717-2420, Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Polished presentations, serene surroundings: a prime choice for social or business occasions. A bounty of creative pasta dishes, many available as appetizers for sampling. A favorite: lemon pepper linguini with gulf crab cakes and purple basil infused olive oil. Alternative low-calorie cuisine is tops: seared grouper with crayfish cornbread stuffing, open face ravioli layered with asparagus, artichokes, mushrooms and balsamic tomato sauce. The wine room seats 10-16: glassed-in cellar and cafe views. Wine Spectator Great Wine List Award. $$
NEW AMERICAN
EN JOLIE OMNI MANDALAY HOTEL, 221 East Las
Colinas Boulevard at Mandalay, Irving, 214-556-0800. Dinner, closed Sunday and Monday. Soufflés are a specialty: Dover sole soufflé stuffed with Maine lobster and scallops. Or a variety of soufflés for dessert made to order. Other picks: potato crusted sea bass with merlot sauce, Texas venison with seasonal relishes and chutney. Fresh flowers, white tablecloths, soft music, private dining available. Canal view. $$$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
SAINT- EMILION 3617 West Seventh Street, Fort Worth, 817-737-2781 – Dinner seven days a week. Pretty country French decor and traditional dishes, lovingly prepared. The price-fixed full menu at $28.75 is a great find. Choose rotisserie duck, sage-scented roast chicken in the country style, boneless lamb, smoked beef tenderloin, imported Dover sole in lemon butter. Start with the coarse-textured country-style paté. $$
COUNTRY FRENCH
VIA REAL 4020 North MacArthur at Las Colinas Plaza, Suite 100, Irving, 214-255-0064. Lunch and dinner seven days, closed holidays. Mexican cuisine with Santa Fe style in a lovely Las Colinas setting; menu is right on target. Black ceiling gives the illusion of an outdoor courtyard at night. Spanish balcony, water spilling from urn to urn. The show continues with gulf shrimp on serrano chile fettuccine, almond-crusted chicken in a spicy orange-.-*: en ted sauce. Squash enchiladas, mushroom tacos for vegetarians. Bargain-priced wine list. $$
MEXICAN
Multiple Locations
AUGUST MOON 15030 Presron at Belt Line, Dallas, 214-385-7227. 2300 North Central at Park, Piano, 214-881-0071. 1401 North Obtins at Six Rags, Arlington, 817-861-1369. Lunch and dinner, 365 days. Dim Sum lovers rejoice! Homemade Formosa sausage. Pot stickers, “Su-Mai” (Cantonese: meat in crepes), spicy chicken in lettuce cups. Entrees: five-flavor shrimp, Szechuan-style sizzling plate, orange chicken, shrimp with asparagus and tiny eggplant, Formosa rice vermicelli.
CHINESE
CANTINA LAREDO 4546 Belt Line, Addison, 214-458-0962. 8121 Walnut Hill, Dallas, 214-987-9192. Lunch and dinner. Noisy, festive, and touristy-tipico: crooning waiters, strolling mari-achis, but the food’s great anyway. Ask for the secret salsa: green napalm for sadomasochists. Best bets: cabritoal homo, slow-baked goat meat slow-roasted to melting tenderness, flavorful camitas (roasted pork), mesquite-grilled quail, or Tampico-style orange roughy topped with lime butter, poblano, jack cheese, and gua-camole. $$
MEXICAN
CRESCENT CITY CAFE 2615 Commerce at Good-Latimer, 214-745-1900. Monday-Thursday lunch only, Friday and Saturday dinner and lunch, closed Sunday. 2822 McKinney Avenue, 214-969-1885. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Most popular: muffaletta and po’ boy sandwiches. Signature dish: Crawfish étoufée. Don’t miss the beignets. Children’s menu: mini-sandwiches, com dogs, chicken fingers. Muffaletta hot on 8-inch, fresh-baked Italian bun with salami, mozzarella, provolone and olive salad topping. Real steal: one-quarter muffaletta and gumbo, $5.50. $
CAJUN CREOLE
DEEP ELLUM CAFE 2706 Elm, 214-741-9012. 5001 Belt Line, Addison., 214-392-0894. Lunch and dinner. Trendy spot with a trend-surfer’s menu to match: Singapore-style noodles, jerked pork chop marinated with scotch bonnet (habanero) chilies, lime and Jamaica spices served with grilled bananas, coconut rice, Vietnamese grilled chicken salad. Plus Mom-style stuff: pot pie, chicken and dumplings, chicken-fried steak, grilled banana bread with vanilla ice cream and ginger butter sauce. $$
ECLECTIC
DELI NEWS 500 Crescent Court at Maple/Cedar Springs, 214-922-3354. 15775 Hillcrest at Arapaho, 214-392-3354- Breakfast, lunch and dinner; to 2 a.m. Saturday night; closed Sunday night. Homesick New Yawkers can quit kvetch-ing; here’s their pastrami fix. Also corned beef, chopped liver, nova, and the best smoked white-fish since we stood in line at Wolfie’s in Miami. Plus latkes, blintzes, kreplach, piroshki, even chicken soup, the kind that cures colds. Complete with cutesy sandwich names and real bagels, even bialys (a kind of soft bagel without the hole). $
DELI
6.0 BAR AND RESTAURANT 2800 Routh, 214-979-0880, Dallas. 111 East Third at Commerce, Sundance Square, Fort Worth, 817-336-0880. Ocho quesadillas with spinach and mushrooms. “Mas Chicken Salad,” with balsamic sun-dried tomato vinaigrette, veggie enchiladas, chipotle chili made with Shiner Bock beer, sweet jerk chicken. Too much? Try the “Green Plate” (vegetarian). Quirky cuisine; it’s mix of Cajun/Creole, Southwest, Tex-Mex, Italian, and much more. $
ECLECTIC
MASSIMO DA MILANO 2931 Irving Boulevard, *106, 214-630-4683. Newest: Preston Center, 6109 Berkshire, 214-989-2782. 6333 East Mockingbird, Suite 106, 214-826-9456. 710 NorthPark, 214-739-3933. 5519 West Lovers, 214-351-1426. 2121 San Jacinto, 214-871-0400. 5100 Belt Line, Suite 208, Addison, 214-661-5255. 4000 North MacArthur, Irving, 214-579-3463. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, Sunday brunch and take-out, closed Christmas, Fresh flowers, bright setting, classical soft jazz belie the fad dial this is a bakery and take-out shop cum cafeteria. Never mind, the food is good, and a great value, too. Most popular: pasta salads, canneloni, eggplant lasagna, thick pizzas (cry the signature tomato-free albino pizza), even low-fat pizza. Fall feature: osso buco. Bakery features fresh specialty breads, pumpkin pies, cheesecakes, holiday cookies; 65 percent of their customers are women, many for take-out. Gourmet coffees, kid’s menu. $
ITALIAN BAKERY/CAFE
MOMO’S PASTA/OSTERIA DA MOMO 2704 Elm, 214-748-4222. 3312 Knox, 214-521-3009. 5290 Belt Line, Addison, 214-386-7373. Lunch and dinner. Once strictly pasta, now Momo’s offers a marvelously complete (and completely descriptive) menu of classic Italian dishes. All three share the same menu, expert preparation, and bargain prices. Wine available, but you can also bring your own. Unusual pastas, for example tagliatelle al cocoa. It’s tossed with peas, Gruyère, and pro-sciutto. $$
ITALIAN
PASTA PLUS 17194 Preston, Suite 150, at Royal, 214-713-7181. 225PrestonRoyalEast,214-373-3999. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and holidays. Italian bistro with a gourmet take-out shop specializing in fresh pastas, all prepared exclusively with olive oil, fresh ingredients and no preservatives, no tomato paste, roux, or thickening agents. Breads, desserts, and low-fat sausages made on premises. There’s also an alternative “light” menu that trims fat and calories by substituting skim mi Ik cheeses, less oil. Does this sound like denial: eggplant florentine with grilled polenta? $
ITALIAN
PATRIZIO 25 Highland Park Village at Preston, 214-522-7878. 1900 Preston Park Boulevard at Preston and Park, 214-964-2200.Lunchand dinner, closed holidays. Original art, tile floors, oriental rugs, marble tables, fresh flowers on the mantel over the fireplace. Charming outdoor patio at Highland Park location, Don’t fill up on the peppemni bread, you need room for baked ziti or tiramis.u. Updated pasta and pizza plays to a crowd at these yuppie feeding grounds. $
ITALIAN
ROMANO’S MACARONI GRILL 5858 West Northwest Highway, 214-265-0770. 4535 Belt Line, Addison, 214-386-3831. 700 Highway 114, Grapevine, 817-481-1339.1670 West 1-20, (South) Arlington, 817-784-1197. 2019 1-30, (North) Arlington, 817-261-6676. Lunch and dinner. Popular open kitchen with everyone’s favorites, freshly made. Busy, bright and bustling. Tables covered with butcher paper, fresh-cut gladiolas. Opera singers, festive Italian atmosphere, oak-burning ovens. People flock here for the big portions, good values. $
ITALIAN
SAM’S CAFE 100 Crescent Court at McKinney and Maple, 214-855-2233. 8411 Preston Road at Berkshire Lane in Preston Center West, 739-2288. Lunch daily and Saturday, dinner every night, Sunday brunch. Southwest style grill with an imaginative menu, including chili-rubbed fresh tuna, crayfish cakes with pico de gallo and black beans, and a Southwest style calione stuffed with chicken, roast pepper, and goat cheese. The cinnamon bunuelo is filled with Mexican vanilla bean ice cream and warm caramel. $$
SOUTHWEST
SFUZZI2 504 McKinney at Fairmount, 214-871-2606 (Chef Steve Singer). 15101 Addison at Belt Line, Addison, 214-960-2606 (Chef Kevin Ascolese). 2408 Preston at Park, Suite 704, 214-964-0700 (Chef Dan Drayer). Lunch and dinner every day, brunch on Sunday, closed Christmas. Pizzas from wood-burning oven, lush raviolis plump with smoked chicken, tagliatelle in gorgonzola cream. Fall Pasta Festival dishes, seasonal features. Frozen Sfuzzi (a frosted bellini). Inexpensive wine list. The available and semi-available begin gathering at the bar immediately after work in search of Mr. Right or Ms.Right Now. $$
ITALIAN
SONNY BRYAN’S 302 North Market, 214-744-1610. 2202 Inwood, 214-357-7120. 325 North Saint Paul, 214-979-0102. Plaza of the Americas, 214-871-2098. 4701 Frankford, 214-447-0102. Lunch and dinner. The best-known name in Dallas barbecue. Huge portions of smokehouse meats: beef brisket, pork ribs, sausage, ham, pulled pork, with traditional “sides.” For mini appetites, try a sandwich and two vegetables. Bottomless pits really get their money’s worth for $16: a full collection of all seven smokehouse meats or a full side of ribs plus slaw, fries, and a salad. $
BARBECUE
WHITE SWAN CAFE6334 La Vista Drive, 214-824-8122.3888 Oak Lawn in TurtleCreek Village,214-528-7028. Lunch and dinner. (Oak Lawn location closed Sunday night. ) Pastas and paella share the menu with Cuban tamales, citrus-marinated steak, traditional Cuban sandwiches. $$
CUBAN
LOCATION GUIDE
DOWNTOWN: Bounded roughly by 1-30,1-35, Woodall Rogers, and Central Expressway, also includes Deep Ellum.
NORTHWEST: The area west of Central Expressway, north of downtown, and south of LBJ. Includes the Oak Lawn, Lemmon Avenue, and McKinney Avenue areas as well as the Park Cities.
NORTHEAST: The area east of Central Expressway and north of I’30. Includes East Dallas, Lakewood, Garland, and Mesquite.
OAK CLIFF-SOUTH: The area south of 1-30. Includes all southern suburbs.
FAR NORTH: The area north of LBJ. Includes Addison, Cairollton, Richardson, Piano, McKinney, and Sherman.
MIDCITIES-FORT WORTH: Arlington, Bed-ford-Euless, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie, Grapevine, and Irving.
FOODS WINE NEWS
SEND SOMEBODY OUT TO DINNER
Can’t send steaks? Send sizzle. Ruth’s Chris Steak House has come up with a unique gift certificate: a box with a standard-sized audio cassette that starts with the sound of a sizzling prime steak, then goes to a voice-over by Ruth herself.
Big finish: You can tape your own message, like “You’re really prime with me.”
Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 5922 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas, 214-902-8080.
Other Dallas area restaurants offering holiday gift certificates for dining: Patrizio, Cafe Pacific, City Cafe, Kokopelli, Via Real, and Che: Gerard.
FOOD & WINE NEWS
WINE WATCH
December I, 7 p.m. Morton’s or Chicago-Cakebread Cellars Winemaker’s Dinner, featuring chateaubriand and chocolate velvet cake, $92 per person, 214-741-2277.
December 5 and 6, 7 p-m. Siuzzi-Jordan Wine Dinner. December 5 is at the Dallas (214-871-2606) and Piano (214-964-0700) locations; December 6 is in Addison (214-960-2606).
December 8, 7:30 p.m. Tony’s Wine Warehouse and Bistro “Jazz Dinner in the Bistro,” five courses, 10 wines, and the Vicho Vicencio Jazz Combo, $49 per person, 214-520-WINE.
