Thursday, March 28, 2024 Mar 28, 2024
73° F Dallas, TX
Advertisement
Publications

Review: Old Warsaw

At this Dallas dining institution, romance—albeit schmaltzy—comes easily.
By Nancy Nichols |

How lovely to be fiftysomething and still feel twentysomething giddy about celebrating a birthday with a romantic dinner for two. Even lovelier is the fact that, at Old Warsaw, you can close your eyes and taste 20 years younger, because our senses don’t lose memory like our brains lose cells. Continental classics pour deux are l’affaire du jour at Old Warsaw, and romance, albeit schmaltzy, comes easily. The pianist still plays love songs; the waiters still roll trolleys and prepare dishes tableside. At least we thought so. Like love-struck merrymakers we sat side by side in an elevated booth on the side wall. We ordered everything pour deux: Caesar salad, Chateaubriand, and cherries jubilee, then waited for the show to begin. In the center of the room a waiter parked a cart, picked up a large wooden bowl and a gravy boat, poured a prepared dressing, and tossed the salad before he divided it into two plates. He headed in our direction and placed the salads in front of us. “Hey,” we whined. “We want the whole show. Please prepare the Chateaubriand at our table.” Back to our intimate party we went. Our salad plates were lifted and replaced by larger ones with an identical arrangement of meat (cooked perfectly medium rare), and vegetables. No fanfare. “Please flambé the dessert so close that the flame singes our eyebrows,” we pleaded. Strike three. The warm crepes covered with cherries arrived after being flambéed in the center of the room. Our waiter explained that dining room preparation happens only in the center of the room, because it’s too difficult to negotiate the corners with the trolleys. I’m no spacial-relations expert, but the aisles were wide enough for two of us to walk side by side, and the tables we passed were empty all evening. A little extra effort would have encouraged us to plan a sixtysomething celebration.

Get contact information for Old Warsaw.

Related Articles

Image
Arts & Entertainment

Here’s Who Is Coming to Dallas This Weekend: March 28-31

It's going to be a gorgeous weekend. Pencil in some live music in between those egg hunts and brunches.
Image
Arts & Entertainment

Arlington Museum of Art Debuts Two Must-See Nature-Inspired Additions

The chill of the Arctic Circle and a futuristic digital archive mark the grand opening of the Arlington Museum of Art’s new location.
By Brett Grega
Image
Arts & Entertainment

An Award-Winning SXSW Short Gave a Dallas Filmmaker an Outlet for Her Grief

Sara Nimeh balances humor and poignancy in a coming-of-age drama inspired by her childhood memories.
By Todd Jorgenson
Advertisement