RW 2012: Eddie V's

Restaurant Week is officially over. :( I ended mine with 15 of my friends at Eddie V's on Saturday. I've never been there before. I wanted to go last year but didn't get to, and from the great reviews, I was really kicking myself over it! But yay...they were offering scallops for their Central Market 4th course again. That was supposedly the best course last year AND again this year. I had my coupons ready to go!

Eddie V's
4023 Oak Lawn Avenue
Dallas, TX 75219
(214) 890-1500
http://www.eddiev.com/
Price: $$$$

I really liked the decor of the restaurant. Modern and sophisticated yet still comfortable. The lighting was good too... not super dark. It was a fairly big place and it was completely packed! FYI. They offer complimentary valet, which is the best way to go since parking on Oak Lawn isn't the most ideal.

After the orders were taken we were given some bread to start. The bread was really good. Still steaming from the oven. It was crispy on the outside and super soft on the inside. Delicious! I would've liked the butter to be softer though. It was a little too hard to spread.

1st Course:
- Steamed Blue Hill Bay Mussels (Thai coconut curry broth).

This was the favorite of the night, most of the people at the table ordered this. And I've heard from previous diners that this was the best appetizer. It was yummy. The curry broth was really flavorful and the mussels were cooked well. It was also a really good portion as an appetizer. We also got more bread so you can sop up that wonderful broth.

- Sweet Corn Chowder (smoked bacon, potatoes, avocado, cilantro, red chile).

The rest of the group got the soup. There was also a salad option but I didn't see anyone get it. I got this as well because I LOVE corn chowder. This was fantastic. I just wished there was more! It was super creamy and chunky...full of potatoes, bacon and avocado. The avocado was an interesting addition and made it even more luxurious. And I loved the chile that gave it a really nice spicy kick. Dipping the bread in there was great as well.

Our main waiter was really good. He gave us time to look over the menus and visit with each other as well. As we looked through the menu he also offered his suggestions. He also gave additional information on the ingredients used in the dishes...such as the snow mushroom in the scallop dish. It's pretty common in Asian cuisine but I've never seen it used in any other cuisines. It was very interesting to see it here. He was great because he paid attention to the group and our conversations. At one point he joined in and gave a recommendation for another restaurant that he thought had the best shrimp and grits in town!

Next was the Central Market 4th Course:
- Togarashi-Seared Georges Bank Sea Scallop (snow mushroom and orange salad, daikon sprouts, citrus ponzu).

This is what I've been waiting for. Everyone has said this was the best course of the night. It was very good, although I think I'd pick the chowder again over this. The scallops had a great sear and cooked perfectly. The togarashi added a good kick. The sesame seeds were nice and nutty. I also liked the accompaniments to the scallops, the orange and sprouts and snow mushroom. Still very shocked to see snow mushrooms in a non- Asian dish. I have to say I didn't care for that as much. I feel like it was slightly overcooked so it wasn't as crunchy as it should be. But kudos to them for using it!

Main Course:
- Sauteed Georges Bank Haddock (in toasted Macadamia crust, Fuji apple, Meyer lemon and brown butter).

The entree choices seemed pretty even spread out between the group. I got to try some of each. I really liked the macadamia crust on the haddock. It was nicely browned and crispy. The fish itself seemed a little underseasoned and the plate overall was a bit greasy. The apples helped cut the grease a little but most of us weren't sure if the combination between the apple and fish really worked that well. Some of my friends moved the apple to the side and ate them separately. It also would've been nice to have some sort of side or vegetable on the plate with the fish.

- Garlic & Rosemary Roasted Chicken Breast (scallion crushed potatoes, pan roasted mushrooms and shallots, natural jus).

The waiter told us this dish is on the regular menu and said it's pretty good. I know that last year Eddie V's only offered seafood entrees. This year they decided to add some meat. Works out because I have some friends that don't like seafood! (Weird...I know...) But the chicken was cooked well. Very tender and juicy for breast meat. I liked the mushrooms on the mashed potatoes as well. A good dish, but nothing super interesting.

- Asian BBQ Atlantic Salmon (wasabi potatoes, baby bok choy, ginger vinaigrette).

This was my choice. The salmon was cooked perfectly. Soooo buttery and tender and I liked the sesame seeds on top. However, I didn't care for the sauce. It was a bit sweet for me. And you know I like sweet and savory... but wasn't a fan of this. The mashed potato had a hint of wasabi. I could taste it, but I wanted more kick. But this was more of a complete dish since it came with potatoes and veggies.

Dessert:
- Caramel Pecan Brownie (vanilla creme fraiche).

This was hands down the best dessert of the night. Even my friend who doesn't like nuts loved it. The pecans were finely chopped and almost had a toffee crunch to them. The brownie was rich and fudgey and just super decadent. The only complaint was the creme fraiche. It wasn't sweetened at all so that was a little strange. Would've been better to have a scoop of ice cream on top of that. But yea, overall, amazing brownie!

- Belgian White Chocolate & Michigan Cherry Bread Pudding.

I chose this. It was a really pretty dish. I really liked it because it was a dense bread pudding but wasn't too sweet at all. Almost more like a pound cake consistency. There were 2 sauces on the plate. Everyone liked the creamy one better. I think the red one was raspberry? It was slightly too tart for me.

- Mango & Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee (homemade cookie).

The size of the creme brulee was big! It was what I got in Paris, but it's rare to see such a big one in Dallas. I didn't try it because I'm allergic to mango. But my friends liked it.

Our main waiter was really great. But I didn't care for some of the assistant waiters. One guy particularly was really rough with everything...serving the dishes, clearing the table, etc. No finess. I also felt like the first half of the meal was a tad rushed. Like the time between the appetizer to fourth course to entree was extremely short. We had a good break between the entree and dessert though. And our waiter split our checks with no problems at all. He really made it easy for us for being such a large party.

Overall I had a good time. The meal was pretty great minus the entrees. I would go back again to try their regular menu. It's a cool spot to go with friends or take a date.

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