Village Kitchen

Last weekend we went glassblowing with my sister and her bf. It was freaking cool! My sister had bought a Groupon months ago, and we finally got to go. It's worth trying at least once. I don't usually post anything not food related. But go check them out, it's a lot of fun! http://www.marrsart.com/

Anyways, on the way to glassblowing, we decided we should go check out Village Kitchen since it was on the way. Village Kitchen took over the old Marquee Grill spot by Highland Park Theater. The same chef, Andre Natera, from Marquee Grill is heading up VK. They basically revamped the decor and menu to move away from fine dining to more comfort food.

Village Kitchen
33 Highland Park Village
Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 522-6035
http://hpvillagekitchen.com/
Price: $$-$$$

We actually got there before dinner service started (which is at 5:30PM) so we had wait a while. But once they opened up the dining room we were seated immediately. Our waiter was very friendly and took our drink orders.

Bf thought this sounded interesting... VK Housemade Soda: Mint Ginger Beer $3~ 

So we asked for a little sample. I didn't see the menu item at first so I thought it was actually beer. It's not, it's just soda. And it was delicious!! Not too sweet and super refreshing. You can taste the ginger and the mint and both balanced well with nothing overwhelming the overall flavor. My bf had a slight stomach ache and this actually helped soothe it some too. Ginger is good for digestion! :)

We got a few things to share.

Pecan Lodge Smoked Brisket (burrata cheese, pickled vegetables, BBQ sauce) $13~ 

Since I don't know when we'll ever get a chance to go to Pecan Lodge, we can at least have a sampling of it on their flatbread. It was really good. I thought the portion size was great for the price. The brisket was definitely smokey and tender. I loved the melted burrata cheese on top. The pickled vegetables added a nice acidity with the rich meat and cheese. And I also liked the crust. Sometimes I don't like flatbreads because they make it too thin and crispy. This was more like a thin crust pizza, with just the right amount of chewiness in the dough but still thin.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts $7~ 

This is what we actually came for. haha. We remembered having it when it was still Marquee Grill and we both agreed that it was one of the best Brussels sprouts we've had. I'm soooo glad they kept it on the menu. It was still delicious. I don't know how they get the char on there and what all the flavors are but it's fantastic. I can eat like 3 of these. haha. We never actually understood why they closed down Marquee Grill. It was one of the best food we've had in Dallas. :( But at least they kept this dish in Village Kitchen! I'm happy. hehe.

Arctic Char (bok choy, mushrooms, miso butter sauce) $28~ 

The waiter informed us that this was the special fish of the day. As soon as we heard bok choy, my bf wanted to get it. For me, it was "miso butter". haha. So we got one to share. I love arctic char. It looks like salmon but it's not. I really enjoyed the crispy sear on the skin but I felt like the fish was just a smidgen overcooked than my preference. Still good though. The miso butter was delicious. But my favorite part was actually the mushrooms with the sauce. It had so much flavor! My bf was disappointed in the amount of bok choy. haha. I had a feeling it was just going to be more like a garnish but he had his hopes up. Overall a good dish, but not sure if I'd pay $28 to have it again... wasn't anything special.

For dessert we got a Fruity Pebbles Milkshake $5~ to share. 

My bf said we had to get it cuz he loves Fruity Pebbles. I like it enough, I'd rather some Cocoa Pebbles though. hehe. It was cute served in the jar. And I liked the garnish on top making it super colorful. It was good, I wish it was thicker. But it was like drinking cereal milk, which is pretty much what I expected. My bf wasn't blown away by it either but I think it's worth a try at least.

It was a delicious meal. I got my Brussels sprouts so I was happy. I think the 2nd thing I really liked was actually the mint ginger beer soda! haha. But the service was good, our waiter was very attentive. I will definitely go back to try more things. :)

Quality of Food:

Service:

Ambiance:

Value:

Overall Experience:

~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~