Friday, March 29, 2024 Mar 29, 2024
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Restaurant Listings

By D Magazine |

Multiple Locations

AUGUST MOON 15030 Preston at Belt Line, Dallas, 214-385-7227. 2300 North Central at Park, Piano, 214-881-0071. 1401 North Collins at Six Flags, Arlington, 817-861 -1369. Lunch and dinner, 365 days. Dim Sum lovers rejoice! Homemade Formosa sausage, Por stickers, “Su-vtai” (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 “ice vermicelli.

CHINESE

CANTINA LAREDO 4546 Belt Line, Addison, 214-158-0962. 8121 Walnut Hill, Dallas, 214-987-9192. Lunch and dinner. Noisy, festive, and touristy-tipico: crooning waiters, strolling mari-ichis, but the food’s great anyway. Ask for the secret salsa: greennapalm for sadomasochists. Best bets: cabrito at homo, slow-baked goat meat slow-roasted to melting tenderness, flavorful carnitas (roasted pork), mesquite-grilled quail, or Tampico-style orange roughy topped with lime butter, poblano, jack cheese, and guacamole. $$

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, corn Jogs, 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 :hop marinated with scotch bonnet (habanera) :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, blinties, 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

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. Fresh flowers, bright setting, classical soft jazz belie the fact that 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 (try the signature tomato-free albino pizza), even low-fat pizza. Bakery features fresh specialty breads, pumpkin pies, cheesecakes, holiday cookies, Italian specialty cakes. Take out is available. 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 a! cocoa. It’s tossed with peas, Gruyère, and proseiutto. $$

ITALIAN

MORTON’S OF CHICAGO, 501 Elm, Dallas. 214-741-2277. 14831 Midway Road near Belt Line, Addison. 214-233-5858. Dinners only. Succulent steaks, swordfish, and fresh vegetables with unique tableside presentations. The downtown location has a speak-easy feel; enter through the basement door. The Addison location has a more traditional uptown atmosphere. $$

STEAK

PASTA PLUS 17194 Preston, Suite 150, at Royal, 214-713-7181. 225 Preston Royal East, 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 milk cheeses, less oil. Does this sound like denial: eggplant florentine with grilled polenta? One of this month’s featured restaurants. $

ITALIAN

PATRIZIO 25 Highland Park Village at Preston, 214-522-7878. 1900 Preston Park Boulevard at Preston and Park, 214-964-2200. Lunch and 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 pep-peroni bread, you need room for baked ziti or tiramtsu. 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 [-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 glad-iolas. Opera singers, festive Italian atmosphere, oak-buming 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 calzone stuffed with chicken, roast pepper, and goat cheese.

SOUTHWEST

SFUZZl 2504 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. Pizzas from wood-burning oven, lush raviolis plump with smoked chicken, tagliatelle in gorgonzola cream. 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 lnwood, 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 CAFE 6334 LaVista Drive, 214-824-8122. 3888 Oak Lawn in Turtle Creek 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



Downto

311 LOMBARDI’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 the wood-fifed 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 fromNew Jersey; now that’s Italian. $$

ITALIAN

650 NORTH Plaza of the Americas Hotel, 650 North Pearl at Sanjacinto, 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, 214-712-7145. Lunch and dinner, Sunday brunch 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 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 tamatillo 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 she, 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 fat on the Dakota signature dish: citrus-marinated chicken with herbed wild rice and asparagus. Go for the 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-tat, mile-high pie made with Haagen Dazs 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, but 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. Cuisine’s lighter, too. “Neoclassic” is lighter French, not so austere as the old “Nouvelle”: boneless quail tilled with wild mushrooms, roasted tuna au poivre. Gonde Nast Traveler readers’ poll: top 50 in USA. Afternoon tea: cucumber sandwiches and petits fours on Villeroy and Boch china. $$$

FRENCH NEOCLASSIC

GREEN ROOM 2715 Elm at Crowdus, 214-748-7666. Lunch and dinner Monday through Friday; dinner only Saturday; late menu to4a.m. Thursday through Saturday. A green neon sign that states “room” is the name outside, but owners Brady and Brandt Woods call it “Green Room.” Despite the funky digs and twentysomething crowd, there’s grown-up cooking going on here under the practiced hand of Christopher Pyun, a Culinary lnstituteof Americagradwhocomes to Dallas after stints at Le Cirque and Daniel in New York City. His plan is to create French style food with less pricy ingredients. Look for spicy Creole input, too: ravioli with crayfish and andouille sausage, sword-fish with fennel in shellfish saffron sauce, crème brulée. Wines by the glass and an interesting list of beers make this a popular place. $$

FRENCH NOUVELLE/CREOLE

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, bur after “extensive remodeling,” it bas a new name: Monica’s Aca Y Alla. {You figure it out.) Southwest and Tex-Mex dishes, plus pasta, vlost popular: Greene Pasta, Mexican Lasagna. Signature dishes include Pumpkin Ravioli, fat-free black beans. $$

MEXICAN

NEWPORT’S SEAFOOD 7C 3 McKinney Avenue in The Brewery, 214-954-0220. 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, but expect good service. Tablecloths, fresh flowers and soft jazz combine for a relaxing ambience. Call for wine dinner schedule. $$

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-orter 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 con coctions 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-inspirednames(AliceSprings,Fair Dinkum Deal). Chicken-frit d 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 ball; fish ’n’ chips, but no shrimp on the barby. For dessert: pavolova, the Australian marshmallow me ingue cake (you can feel the cavities forming already) Great beer list. $

AUSTRALIAN

PALM RESTAURANT 701 Ross at Market, 214-698-0470. Lunch and dirner weekdays, dinner Saturday and Sunday. Enot mous lobsters and hub-cap-siie 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, bit wonderful. Bustling bar, lots of booths. $$

STEAK

THE PYRAMID ROOM AT THE FAIRMONT HOTEL 1717 North Akard at Ross 214-720-5249.Lunch and dinner daily, dinner only Saturday and Sunday, brunch Sunday. C mde Nast Traveler readers ranked the Pyramid among the top five restau-rants in Dallas (1/94). Clsssic French dishes predominate in the regular menu, but the daily specials are more eclectic: tilapia creole, monkfish with sunflower seeds, roast duck with cantaloupe. Most popular choices: lobs ter bisque, chunky crab cakes, rack of lamb. Signature dishes: Dover sole and beet ribeye. $$$

CONTINENTAL

SAMBUCA CAFE AND JAZZ BAR 2613 Elm, 214-744-0820. Monday to Fr day lunch and dinner, late night Sunday to Wednesday, open to 1 a.m., Thursday to Saturday un:il 2 a.m., closed holidays. Live jazz every night, enclosed terrace. Most popular dishes: salmon served over spinach and gorgonzola, spinach-tomato linguine with smoked chicken, shrimp and harissa, gnocchi with wild mushrooms, couscous Marrakesh. Thirtysome-thing 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, all 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

VEGUACREEK BREWING COMPANY 2920 North Henderson, 214-824-BREW. Lunch and dinner. Pig heaven for beer aficionados, appropriately paired with adroitly prepared entrées with a Southwest sting. Try salmon in beer batter and “beerbecued” 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. It’s a bucket o’ fun. $

SOUTHWESTERN



Northwest

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 eat 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 iazz playing in the background. Covered patio with ceiling fans. At the McKinney Avenue trolley stop. Best bets: calamari, ceviche, spinach three-zheese lasagna. At lunch, business crowd; din-lertime, couples and romantics. Late night, music overs. $$

MEDITERRANEAN

BAY TREE GRILL STOUFFER HOTEL, 2222 Stemmons, 214-631-2222. Dinner. Rhapsodic menu of solid classics updated with 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 jazz 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 4300 Lemmon at Wycliff, 214-528-9446. Dinner, closed Sunday. Dark wood and leather booths, white tablecloths, Frank Sinatra and Patsy Cline in the background. Most popular: filet mignon. Signature dish: cote d’boeuf. Bob’s brings business people on weekdays and special occasions. “Cigar friendly.” $$

STEAK

BUGATTI’S ON BACHMAN CREEK 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 snap-pet 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 OH 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. Private rooms available. $$

ITALIAN

CAFE MADRID 4501 Travis, #133, at Armstrong, 214-528-1731. Dinner six nights, closed Sunday-Very casual Spanish taverna serving home-style meals. Mama’s in the kitchen dishing up real Spanish omelets (flat potato frittata), marinated beef on skewers, octopus vinaigrette, clams in wine sauce. 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-bat’ tered snapper in lemon caper butter, Veal Forestière with brandied wid mushrooms. $$

NEW ORL EAN5 TRADITIONAL

CAFE PACIFIC 24 Highland Park Village at Preston and Mockingbird, 2l4-526-1170. 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 .ablecloths, fresh flowers, marble floors, original ; irt, 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, rangy seafood chowder, sweet and sour tangerine beef, “ableside coffee and tea ceremonies, fried ice cream, classical music, pink tablecloths, and excelle it service make this a pleasant dining experience. Gourmet take-out and fax orders for nearby delivery. $

CHINESE

CARRELLI’S RISTORANT E 12219 Coit at LBJ and Forest, 214-386-7931. Linch and dinner weekdays, dinner Saturday, closed Sunday and holidays. Decor: Ris torante 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 parmi-giana; 13 pasta permutaions predictably sauced, layered or filled; a cioppino that emptied out the Mediterranean. Low-cont wines. $$

ITALIAN

CHEZ GERARD 4444 McKinney at Knox, 214-522-6865. Lunch and d nner, closed Sunday and holidays. Cozy, softly lit, romantic Paris bistro atmosphere. Fresh flowers, soft music, rose-patterned tablecloths, candles, patio seating in nice weather. Most popular “Tournedos Felix Faure” {black peppercorn mushrooms and cream sauce). Also on the rienu: rabbit, veal, liver, sweetbreads. Moderately priced French and California wines. $$

FRENCH COUNTRY

CITY CAFE 5757 Went Lovers Lane, 214-351-2233. Rustling, unpretentious bistro; Chef Katie Schma offers a polished take on new American cuisine with French and Mediterranean touches. 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, 214-526-355. Lunch and dinner. A lovely setting with food to match, including a splendid selection of spicy Szechuan dishes. $$$

CHINESE

ENIGMA 2515 McK nney 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 buffalo. Or Something easy like venison, pheasant quail, duck, lamb. $$$

AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY

EUREKA! 4011 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 ravereviews everywhere. Try veggie “Eureka! bobs” 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. One of this month’s featured restaurants. $

NEW AMERICAN

EWALD’S IN THE STONELEIQH HOTEL 2927 Maple at Wolf, 214-871-2523. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner 365 days. Celebrating 25 years, Swiss-schooled Dusseldorf native Ewald Scholz is our longest-running chef. Still frying parsley, he’s totally fad-proof. Come with us now back in time, where fettuccine Alfredo is listed as “lighter fare” and the menu promises “Tornedos St. Monti,” Veal Oscar, Vichyssoise, white asparagus and fish à la “Bonne Femme,” “Chateaubriand Bouquetiere Sauce Bearnaise,” “Swiss Raclette” with cornichons and newpotatoes. Where do you find food you can capitalize these days? $$

CONTINENTAL

CASPAR’S 4900 McKinney at Monticell, 214-528-5100. Lunch and dinner weekdays, dinner Saturday. Chef-owner Caspar Stantic, the namesake of this and the other Caspar’s, achieves new culinary heights. With refined execution and luxuriant touches, the menu varies with the season: squab rests with wild mushroom pirogi; the yel-[owfin 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, the real thing. The wine list boasts suitable companions. Strudel desserts, deftly made, are a specialty. $$$

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 mernorabilia 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-QUE 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 and 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 tahouli, 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, Wienerschnitzel, jager (veal) schnitzel, veal Zurich, and bratwurst are the standbys. For vegetarians there’s a richly indulgent vegetable platter with spaetzle (then follow it with Viennese pastries). Forest green tablecloths, French windows, and lots of plants make this a lunchtime 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 classical music, candlelight, French damask napery, lavender roses, crystal chandeliers sparkle from 14-foot ceilings. In nice weathet there’s a walled New Orleans-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 samosas (fried patties), chicken tikka masala-alt 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 & CAN-TINA 4912 Cole at Monticello, 214-521-4211. Dinner, closed holidays. 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. Cabnto fajitas are a winner. $$

MEXICAN-CONTINENTAL

JENNIVINE 3605 McKinney at Lemmon, 214-528-6010. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and holidays. If they had beds and served breakfast, this could he a B&.B: Olde English ambience in restored turn-of-the-centur? home nestled in a traditional garden where Jenni picks herbs. If you think Brit food is bering, sample Jenni’s roast duckling with mangos and homemade marmalade. Relishes, salsa, fruit vinegars, and chut-neys simmer in the kitchen ;and sell well in the shop. $$

ENGLISH

JUNIPER RESTAURANT 2917 Fairmount at Cedar Springs, 214-855-0700. Dinner only, closed Sunday and Nonday. French country inn ambience. Imagine you’re in Provence while you savor sunny flavors in such dishes as heri-infused rack of lamb, rosemary-scented chicken, pheasant breast with wild tr tishrooms and Madeira pepper sauce, grilled tur a with pistachios and sun-dried tomato butter The menu even includes vichyssoise, the class c potato soup. Decide early and order a souffle. Nice wine list features many French finds for fewf-anes. Outdoor dining avail-able.$$

FRENCH COUNTRY

L’ANCESTRAL 4514 Travis Street at Knox, 214-528-108). Lunch and dinner, closed Sundays. Attention traditionalists: Escape the current culinary din and glitz With a trip to the French countryside: herb-scentec 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 are traditional: clafouti {baked country pudding), crèrne caramel, even “Floating Island” for heaven’s ?ike. $$

FRENCH COUNTRY

LANDMARK AT THE MELROSE HOTEL 3015 Oak Lawn at Cedar Sprirngs, 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 a mix of Asia and the A mericas. Willdly creative dishes intense with flavor. Examples: lobster tacos with orange chipotle butter, macadamiarut-crusted scallops with pasta shells anointed with basil-saffron oil. Most popular: smoked thicker, masa soup, Texas crab cakes with corn sauce. E> tensive wine list moderately priced. Weekday gathering place of the “power breakfast” corps. On Sunday the brunch is very popular. $$

AMERICAN

LAURELS RESTAJRANT SHERATON PARK CENTRAL HOTEL, 2720 Ment 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 Southweste in kick in such dishes as lobster-shrimp black enchiladas, Texas antelope. game for game? Call about the price-fixed $35 Game dinner. Twtntieth-floor view of North Dallas. Piano lounge. $$

NEW AMERICAN

LOMA LUNA CAFI: 8201 Preston, 214-691-1552. Lunch and dinner. L ke a trip to Santa Fe without air airfare. Warm adobe decor. Smoke-sweet scent sharpens your appetite for the house specialty: meats, seafood, and chicken, gently grilled over pecan shells Have yoursSanta Fe style with posole (hominy) ;and beans Desserts are unique: Indian bread pudding or cajera 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 Italianate mansion, withspectacular carved inlay ceiling. 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 be 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. Very extensive and pricy wine list. $$$

SOUTHWESTERN

M AT Tl TO’S CAFE MEXICANO 431 1 Oak Lawn, #100, at Herschel, 214-526-8181. Lunch and dinner. Upscale casual fiesta decor. Lovely bar, covered patios, private ca te ring, heart/ heal thylow-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

MIA’S 4322 Lemmon at Wycliff, 214-526-1020. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and major holidays. Mia co-owns this Dallas standard with her husband, chef Butch, and her son, manager Paul. $

TEX-MEX

MOCTEZUMA’S 2847 Henderson at Willis, 214-827-1114- Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday, closed Monday. Tex-Mex, Mex and more, especially for those partial to pasta. You, too? Try the red chile linguini. Or the Pasta de Cortez: saffron-scented shrimp, clams, snapper, and scallops in tequila cream sauce. Seafood is muy especial: the relleno del mar crams seafood into poblano peppers topped with ancho-avocado cream sauce. Cha-cha enchiladas enfold black beans and avocado, then top them with feta, Jack cheese, and tornatillo sauce. Old brick walls and antique copper lamps add artful atmosphere. $$

TEX-MEX

NANA QUILL, LOEW’S 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, formerly 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 blackherry 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 everyday, 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. One of this month’s featured restaurants. $$

AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY

OLD WARSAW 2610 Maple, 214-528-0032. Dinner seven nights. Continental dining the way you remember it: lush surroundings, hushed service, menus en francais, the twinkle of candles and diamonds, the scent of flowers and joy. Carts glide tableside as salads are tossed, various viandes are flambéed, 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 Spector Great Wine List Award. $$$

CONTINENTAL

PARIGI 3311 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: wholewheat fusilli with herbs and feta in a red pepper sauce, chive-mushroom fettuccini with chicken, crimini mushrooms and com in a ginger-lime cream sauce. Then there’s tri-color 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

POMODORO 2520 Cedar Springs at Fairmount and Routh, 214-871-1924- Lunch and dinner weeknights, dinner Saturday, closed Sunday. Northern and regional Italian; clean, white tiled interior, yellow tablecloths, paintings by Sardinian artist, modem Italian music. Fans rave about the hruschetta, 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 hisable version of Italian nuova cuci-na with lots of low-fat, low-cholesterol entrées. 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. $$

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 com bread, trendy pizzas on homemade herbed focaccia bread (smoked chicken, spinach, pine nuts, red onion, and goat cheese). Great grilled vegetables served over rosemary fettuccine. 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 tortelloni, quail, and polenta. It’s one of the top five Dallas restaurants according to readers of Conde Nast Traveler. It’s also won the Wine Spectator Great Wine List Award. $$$

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, Braid’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

THE RUSSIAN ROOM ’ 00 Hotel Crescent Court, 214-922-3333. Dinner Closed Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. A surprising treasure upstairs over the deli. First-class Rissian restaurant serving shashlik, stroganoff, chi cken Kiev, traditional herring with dill potatoe;, stuffed potatoes, stuffed cabbage, homemade bl nis rolled in salmon roe or caviar. Live entertain nent, 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 remoulade, BBQ shrim p. Yes, there is a vegetable platter, even though r ’s not on menu. Business and professional people special celebrations. This is the home of seriou; 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- $$$

STEAK

S & D OYSTER COMPANY 2701 McKinney at Boll, 214-880-0111. lunch and dinner, closed Sunday, holidays. Sout lern 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 Antonovich have hit upon a recipe for success that has made this one of the trendiest restaurants around. The entire menu is imaginative, from the pastas with a definite M editerranean flair to selections from the oak fined 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,atCedar Springs, 214-520-7827.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 er.chiladas, Gulf Coast red snapper on Texas jamba laya 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

TONY’S WINE WAREHOUSE AND BISTRO 2904 Oak Lawn at Gillespie, 214-520-WINE. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday. What better surroundings for a wine lover. Candles, flowers, white tablecloths, classical music. Simple bistro fare, beautifully executed: f let mignon with brandy and peppercorns, spicy shrimp on pasta, catch of the day simply grilled, redolent garlic soup. Crème brulée for dessert. Wine classes. $$

FRENCH BISTRO

WATEL’S 1923 McKinrey 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 baste, 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



Northea

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-tle 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 star: honey-jalapeno glazed pork loin a winner! Or, sweet com chile relleno. Thai-style tuna taco, Maine lobster with sea scallops. Sweet indulgences: “Beeville Honey”: cinnamon-dusted 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 holidays. 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

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 WING 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

FRANKl’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 romantic 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

KOKOPELLI 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, 214-826-6376, 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 zesry 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. $$

ITALIAN

PINOTS 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 bottle 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 4930 Greenville, 214-363’9204. Lunch and dinner weekdays and Sunday, no lunch Saturday. Every kind of pasta dish plus spaghetti house standbys: chicken piccata, veal parmigiana, 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 vealdishes, 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 pasta with lobster sauce, focaccia pugliese, far-falle with smoked salmon and vodka. Italian ice creams made daily. One of the best grappa selections in the area; somewhat pricy wine list. $$

ITALIAN

royal TOKYO 7525 Greenville, 214-368-3304. Lunch and dinner, Sunday buffet 11:30 a.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 am, Sunday brunch 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., complimentary buffet Monday to Friday, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Cranddaddy of the Dallassports bars; daily happy hour, 4p.m.-7 p.m. Trophy room for sports fans; patio for outdoor dining in nice weather. $

SPORTS BAR

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, 214-827-3993. Lunch and dinner, late night to l a.m. Friday and Saturday, Sunday brunch 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Business lunch spot by day; Italian bistro/suppet-club by night. Live jazz nightly. Chicken primav-era most popular Tr/ the “Ital-chos,” nacho-size chips of pizza crust with a variety of kalian top-pings. 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. Wednesday to Saturday nights, Celtic music A bit o’ the ol’ sod here on the plains. Irtsh-bon Mattin and Anne Lombard looked for an Irish pub in Dallas to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Finding none, they decided to open one. Chef David Laiferty won rave reviews with a very different kind of menu at his last place in Connecticut. Here be good-naturedly serves up a stylized 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 Cliff place with lots of style; inventive blackboard menu. Fabulo is fresh filet of salmon with lemon and dill usual y available. Pumpkin soup is the seasonal hit. White tablecloths, candles and fresh flowers; bring our own wine. Popular with downtown professionals and business people. $$

ECLECTIC

TILLMAN’S CORNER 324 West Seventh Street at Bishop Avenue, 214-942-0988. Lunch weekdays, dinner Thursday through Saturday, closed Sunday. Don’t let the laid-back look put you off; foodies are finding this place to their liking. Ricky Tillman is a talented chef who wows them with crab cakes and orange chipotle sauced pasta, grilled pork and hcrseradish-mashed potatoes, authentic cedar planked salmon, Southwest cilantro chicken with a black bean salsa, tangy Key lime pie, sinfully rich bourbon-sauced chocolate cake, and intensely flavored sorbets. He’s equally adept with vegetarian and no-fat choices, coo. Comfortable in erior with country antiques, lots of plants, scented lcandles. Wine requires a $2 membership. Call about wine dinners ($40-$50) generally on the third Wednesdays; Sunday night live jazz. $$

AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY



Far Nor

ADDISON CAFE 5290 Belt Line, #108, at Montfort, 214-991-8824. Lunch and dinner weekdays; dinner only Saturday, Sunday. Appealing French b stro-style dishes are perfectly turned out in thi; tiny treasure. This fall try roasted rabbit “gran dmother 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 7-11:30 Thursday, 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 com 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-style 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 or:o pasta with sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. $$

MEDITERRANEAN

CAFE ATHENEE 5365 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 a 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 carefully 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 por-tobello, lamb and horseradish-mashed potatoes, peppered venison steak, slow-smoked prime rib. Dallas-born namesake chef (Mansion, Crescent Club and Agnew vet) is co-owner. $$

STEAK

CHUSI 5290 Belt Line, #144, at Montfort, 214-260-2999. 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 lemongrass 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, 214-490-9000. 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 the 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 copped with shrimp and scallops in a lemony dill sauce, San Francisco-style crab cakes, lobster and crayfish napoleans, smoked salmon served with com pancake, lamb chops grilled with chive-infused olive oil. $$

AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY

HUNTINGTON’S AT THE WESTIN HOTEL 13340 Dallas Parkway at LBJ, 214-851 -2882. Lunch and dinner weekdays, dinner Saturday, closed Sunday. An elegant respite in a beautifully appointed dining room with lots of greenery and fresh flowers, wingback chairs. The menu promises Dover sole meunière, rack of lamb, wild boar 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). Half-price for half-size portions for the kids. They’ll find it great fun. $$

JAPANESE

MEDITERRANEO 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 for 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

MR. SUSHI 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. $$

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 the 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-shahu: 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. 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

TUPINAMBA 12801 Midway, #503, Dallas 214-243-2355. Lunch and dinner. Traditional Tex-Mex fare, the way it always was: fried tacos, lots of guacamole and sour cream, refried beans, frosty salt-rimmed margaritas. Embueltos are foot-wide tortillas filled with chicken, deep fat-fried, then topped with cheese. $

MEXICAN



Midcities-Fort Worth

BENTON’S AT THE HARVEY HOTEL Esters Boulevard at Highway 11, Irving, 214-929-4500, ext. 1255. Near D-FW. Skip the airline food and stop here for herb focaccia with garden tomatoes, Southwest chicken pizza on flour tortillas, tamales with crème fraiche, mesquite-smoked ultra lean sir-loin,orsmoked salmon. Souschef Gunison Coe grows all the fresh herbs in his Fort Worth garden. $$

SOUTHWESTERN

BISTRO BAGATELLE 406 West Abrams, Arlington, 817-261-0488. Lunch and dinner Tuesday-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. $$

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. $$

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. $$

SOUTH WEST/CONTINENTAL



CACHAREL 9TH FLOOR, Brookhollow Two, 2221 East Lamar at Highway 36), 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 Perigordine sauce. Most popular: duck breast with cranberries, filo with white chocolate mousse and raspberries. Fall features: venison, pheasant. $$$

FRENCH COUNTRY

CAFE D’OR OMNI MANDALAY HOTEL, 221 East Las Colinas Boulevard at Mandalay, living, 214-556-0800. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner 365 days. Popular lunchtime setting tor area business people, overlooks Mandalay canal, courtyard view. Fresh flowers, candles at dinnertime. $$$

AMER CAN CONTEMPORARY

ENJOLIE OMNI MANDALAY HOTEL, 22 1 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 re ishes 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. $$

COUNTRY FRENCH

VIA REAL 4020 North MacAnhur 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-scented sauce. Squash enchiladas, mushroom tacos for vegetarians. Bargain-priced wine list. $$

MEXICAN

MICHAELS 3413 West 7th Street at Montgomery, Fort Worth 817-877-3413. Lunch and Dinner weekdays, dinner Saturdays, closed Sundays. Trendy take on cowboy cuisine in sophisticated contemporary setting. “Bigplates” really are: afoot in diameter! Artfully arranged ranch crab cakes, Southwest style, infused with ancho chile. Charbroiled lamb chops are topped with Texas goat cheese and a raspberry chipotle sauce. Pecan crusted chicken fillets enclose a creamy goat cheese filling. More hot ideas; anch in the chocolate mousse, jalapeno in the apple pie sieved withjack cheese and basil cream. Wine dinners, cigar dinners frequently scheduled (call tor dates). $$

TEXAS NEW

PICCOLO MONDO 829 Lamar Boulevard East at Collins, Arlington, 817-265-9174. Lunch weekdays and dinner every night. Neighborhood restaurant featuring favorite Italian dishes well prepared. Standouts include angel hair pasta with seafood, gnocchi pie, traditional lasagna alla Bolognese made with a Bechamel Sauce. Don’t miss the shrimp and mushroom appetiser! Takeout available. $

ITALIAN

KIMBELL ART MUSEUM BUFFET RESTAURANT 3333 Camp Bowie Boulevard at Arch Adams, Fort Worth 817-332-8451. Closed Mondays, Lunch six days; dinner Friday nights until 7:30. Priceless treasures and classical music. Lunch or dine lightly on soups, salads, sandwiches and quiches as a prelude to Fort Worths cultural attractions. Friday night buffet features trendy pastas and pizzas, chicken dishes, fresh baked desserts, espresso, cappucino, wine and beer. $

ECLECTIC

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