Yelp recently released a list of the best new ramen restaurants in the United States and coming in at No. 9 in the top 25 is Dallas’ Moriya Shokudo, a Japanese street food spot. It’s tucked away in a Koreatown food court off Harry Hines and opened last May…
Carly May Gravley
Source link
In an ironic twist, Dallasites who prefer to go out to dinner by themselves are not alone. Restaurant reservation app OpenTable released a list of the best cities for solo diners and travelers, and Dallas came in at No. 14…
Carly May Gravley
Source link
Oreste’s, a fast-casual Italian and breakfast spot, is now open in the Trinity Groves complex in West Dallas. The restaurant is described as a quick-serve version of Saint Rocco’s, an old-school Italian restaurant also located in Trinity Groves, and is named for the dog belonging to the Catholic saint for whom the original restaurant is named…
Carly May Gravley
Source link
La Neta Cocina y Lounge (2525 Elm St., No. 175), a Las Vegas-based Mexican clubstaurant at The Epic in Deep Ellum, is getting a makeover. “We’ve learned a lot over the past year, listening to the feedback from our guests, and knew we needed to change some things,” said Ryan Labbe, founder and CEO of 81/82 Group, in a statement to the press…
Carly May Gravley
Source link
We popped in on opening day, which was admittedly a mistake on our end. The space was packed with people who shared our curiosity, and it was standing room only by the time we arrived. Since we were unable to order any food, we ordered a couple of drinks and took the opportunity to soak in the atmosphere.
We holed up in a corner, sipping on both Watermelon Lemonade seltzer and Strawberry Lager. The lager was solid, and the seltzer exceeded expectations. Seltzers tend to have a bad reputation for having only a whisper of a memory of fruit flavor, but the Watermelon Lemonade had a strong and refreshing taste.
Voodoo Brewing Co.’s model encourages its franchisees to put their own spin on their locations and that was immediately apparent at the Plano location. The first thing your eye is drawn to is a colorful and surreal mural by local artist Andrea Holmes, which presents skeletons, tigers and crawdads aboard a train in the desert. The menu offers Cajun-inspired additions like boudin balls and hush puppies along with the pizza and burgers seen at most locations.
Voodoo is a serviceable spot to hang around and have a drink with friends, but we were still wanted to check out the menu and sit-down experience so we returned for round two a couple of days later.
Sunday night was moderately busy, but we were still able to place our order and find a seat immediately. As we sat down at around 7:45 p.m., we were informed that the kitchen would be closing in 15 minutes, an hour before the 9:00 closing time.
As former service workers, we respected the hell out of this and have to give props to a business that cares more about letting its staff out on time than kowtowing to people who think it’s okay to roll in and loiter at the end of the day.
The blue sapphire cocktail and pineapple cider are a few more options on Voodoo Brewing Co.’s drink menu.
Carly May Gravley
An obvious perk of spreading our experience over two visits was the chance to try more drinks without going overboard. On Sunday, we ordered a Blue Sapphire cocktail (Big Springs Spirits vodka, strawberry, blackberry, blue spirulina and lime juice) and a Pineapple Cider. With the four drinks we tried, Voodoo Brewing Co. has a flawless track record.
The best pairing for boozy drinks, in our humble opinion, is snacks and pizza. We ordered the Giant Pub Pretzel (served with a signature beer cheese and a tangy house beer mustard) and Fried Mac and Cheese Balls. The mac and cheese balls had a flavorful batter that complemented the gooey cheese, and the pretzel had the perfect amount of salt and moisture. Any soft pretzel enthusiast can attest to how tricky this balance is.
The crust for Voodoo’s pizza, in another sweet, local twist, is provided by Bread Street Boys, a bakery in Plano. The crust is airy and chewy, but still firm and not overly doughy. The ingredient ratio is ideal for those who like their pizza on the saucy side.
The pizza gets additional credit for originality. Flavors include “Voo-Dill Pickle,” a pickle and pesto creation you’d be hard-pressed to find at your average pizzeria. The “Big Easy Cheesy” isn’t your mom’s cheese pizza, either, substituting traditional pizza sauce for roasted garlic pesto.
But basic customers need not fret: there is a build-your-own “Voodoo-It-Yourself” option.
Voodoo Brewing Co. is a welcome addition to downtown Plano, and we’ll back to Voodoo it again as soon as possible.
Voodoo Brewing Co., 1001 14th St., No. 500, Plano, Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Carly May Gravley
Source link
“Boulevardier’s run these last nearly 12 years has been simply amazing. We have had more fun, made more great memories, made more great friends, and stayed open longer than we could have ever expected,” the restaurant posted. There’s still time to stop in, as Boulevardier expects to close in “either very late March or early April,” according to the post.
Boulevardier’s cozy French bistro has been one of our favorite dining spots for over a decade.
Xochitl Gonzalez
Brothers Brooks and Bradley Anderson opened Boulevardier in 2012 and, along with Chef Nathan Tate, quickly earned a bevy of accolades for their inspired French cuisine and impressive wine list. Many a Bishop Arts happy hour began at Boulevardier, where Fridays meant discounted oysters at the peak of freshness and half-priced bottles of wine. Tuesdays through Fridays also offered a happy hour with $7 cocktails, a welcome respite when $20 cocktails are becoming the norm. A brilliant restaurant is one thing, but Boulevardier managed to pair it with one of our favorite bars in Oak Cliff too.
While an all-out dinner at Boulevardier could be a pricey proposition, the restaurant was generous with specials throughout the week. In search of discounted eats for each day of the week, our own Angie Quebedeux listed Boulevardier’s Tuesday special of 33% off all steaks as one of the city’s best deals. The steak frites, topped with horseradish chimichurri, hand-cut fries, local greens and a bearnaise aioli, for only $29 on Tuesdays struck us as quite the bargain. Boulevardier’s brunch was equally popular: mimosas and French continental brunch favorites flowed as easily as the sunlight streaming through the windows.
The Andersons’ first restaurant, Veritas Wine Room, opened in 2008 and closed in December 2023. Attorneys by trade, the Andersons went on to open Boulevardier in 2012, followed by Rapscallion on Greenville Avenue in 2015 and Hillside Tavern in Lakewood in 2019. Rapscallion closed its doors in 2022, so the closing of Boulevardier leaves only Hillside Tavern in the Andersons’ portfolio.
That decision appears to be by design, as the Andersons expressed a desire to return focus to their law practice, according to their Facebook post. In addition to working as restaurateurs, the Andersons have continued to practice law and now want to focus on the legal side of the commercial real estate business, which includes working with small business owners to find spaces to set up shop.
Hillside Tavern remains open for now, with a more bar-centric food menu and possibly one of the better wine lists you’ll find in most casual bars. In the meantime, you’ll probably find us at Boulevardier for one last hurrah over a namesake Boulevardier and a plate of bone marrow, or perhaps their ridiculously delicious burger topped with bacon, caramelized onions and Gruyère. Please don’t judge us if it looks like we’re crying.
Boulevardier, 408 N. Bishop Ave., No. 108.
Chris Wolfgang
Source link
Obviously, everyone has their own tastes and interests when it comes to restaurants and dating in general. The way we see it, however, is that some choices are objectively weird, whether you’re on a first date or celebrating a wedding anniversary. Some of our readers feel the same way. We put out a call on Threads for terrible date night suggestions and several of their responses made our list.
Here are some restaurants that are less than ideal for setting a romantic mood.
Multiple locations
These massive chain restaurants have a bad reputation when it comes to planning a date, so much so that we could’ve stacked this list with them and received zero backlash. In fairness, however, they’re not all so bad. Red Lobster has an ironclad co-sign from Beyonce, and there’s no denying that Olive Garden’s breadsticks go hard. While we may like Applebee’s Dollarita season, it’s particularly in our crossfire here due to the Walker Hayes single “Fancy Like,” where he brags his wife is so low-maintenance she doesn’t protest Applebee’s dates.
Post by @angiemckee71
View on Threads
505 N. Good Latimer Expressway
Bottled Blonde is a lot of things, but a good place to get to know someone isn’t one of them. The rowdy nightclub vibe makes holding a conversation nearly impossible. But if a little noise doesn’t deter you, this spot’s reputation for discrimination towards patrons, confusing dress code policies and frequent instances of customers getting robbed just might. If all of these things scream romance to both you and your date, congrats on finding your soulmate. There really is someone for everyone.
Multiple locations
There are all kinds of date night spots that combine food and games that we wholly recommend. The difference is that places like Dave & Buster’s and Barcadia are not only more oriented toward adults than Chuck E. Cheese, but they’re also not bankrupt shells of their former selves. Those of you who haven’t dined with Charles Entertainment Cheese since his heyday in the ’90s may have fond memories of seemingly massive spaces with state-of-the-art games, towering play structures and performances from the world’s greatest animatronic rodent band. The remaining locations boast only a handful of games, no play area and no animatronics. A date here speaks for itself.
13464 Dallas Parkway
American Girl Place is the dream destination for a child to have tea and snacks with their American Girl doll. But as far as date night spots for adults, the vibes could not be more rancid. It’s impossible to have flirty banter when you’re surrounded by the blank, soulless stare of Samantha, Molly and friends. If you, for whatever reason, don’t think a date at this spot is creepy as hell, don’t worry. All of the children and their parents do.
2211 N. Lamar St.
Everyone knows the deal at Dick’s Last Resort. The waiters are comically rude and make you wear hats with insults on them. We’re not saying it’s a bad spot for a couple with a sense of humor, but we are saying that if you despise and resent your date, drive the point home by agreeing with every insult the servers hurls at them. You could say things like, “Sorry, babe. I didn’t think they got so personal.” What a fun and quirky way to start a fight.
Love Field
Here’s our best bad date idea: Surprise your partner by waking them up at the crack of dawn and announcing that you’re going to the airport. They’ll be dazzled by the prospect of a surprise vacation. When you get to Love Field, walk them through baggage claim, then up escalators where you’ll find a Dunkin’ Donuts and the Sky Bar Lounge. (No boarding passes or security checks are required in this area.) The Sky Bar has a full bar and hot dogs on a roller. And then immediately go back home. To quote ourselves about 100 words ago, “What a fun and quirky way to start a fight.”
1929 Preston Road, Plano
We understand the appeal of serving food in a grocery store. If you’re out shopping with your family, it’s a quick and convenient spot to grab chicken, mashed potatoes and mac and cheese. But this is undeniably a bizarre spot to bring a date, especially if you don’t live or shop for groceries together. But why Market Street? And why this specific location? Two words: personal experience.
2021 N. Stemmons Freeway
Jousting, Andalusian horses and eating roasted chicken with your hands while watching a sword fight — what’s not to like? Plus, at Medieval Times drinking and screaming are highly encouraged. To make the show even juicier, according to Reddit, there’s always backstage drama with the cast: “There was a night where the bar staff got a section to consistently boo one of the nights [sic] for cheating on his then girlfriend who happened to be a princess who was performing that night.” But never underestimate the magnetism of a winning knight who gets to crown the prettiest dame. Inside everyone is hoping the winning knight picks them out of the crowd. Big knight energy for the win every time. You don’t stand a chance.
10530 Spangler Road
Strip clubs and Medieval Times have a lot more in common than you may think. They both have a specific vibe and a performance element that not everyone considers romantic. If you and your partner are both down to hang out there for a date night, have at it. However, if your partner isn’t so keen, tell them The Lodge has a $40 dinner-for-two deal and $6 lunches, and play the “inflation is killer” card. But for the love of God, don’t pitch this to someone if you’re not certain they’ll be cool with it.
Survey says!? The place most readers voted as the worst place to take a date was simply Arlington. Just don’t tell FIFA, which just awarded the city nine World Cup games at AT&T Stadium. As much of a gift as this is, it was followed with a slap: they’re going to call it Dallas Stadium for the tournament. There is some great Vietnamese food in Arlington, though.
Carly May Gravley
Source link
