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Did y'all know that this is the 10th year of my blog, CHOMP!? Woohoo! But apparently the actual anniversary month was Feb... which I totally missed. *face palm* So I'm going to make April my anniversary post! It's my birth month AND this restaurant feature is a great one!!! LET'S CELEBRATE!!
My choice for April was an easy one. The EPIC 5 course media dinner at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse in uptown. Meant for 7 people but due to weather, only 3 of us showed up! Haha. Lucky us! We had undivided attention, so many fantastic dishes, and the bad weather never even happened!
Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse
2323 Olive St,
Dallas, TX 75201
(972) 490-9000
delfriscos.com/steakhouse/dallas/
Price: $$$$$+
Dress Code: Business Casual
I had never dined at Del Frisco's before so I was SO psyched when I got invited. The location is quite convenient as they have complimentary valet as well as a parking garage where you can get validation. Upon walking in, the space is sophisticated and upscale. There are large windows in the dining area so lots of natural light. We (the 3 of us) were sat at a big round table... originally meant for 7. When we realized no one else was coming, we got to spread out. Yay! And the table was just the right size for all the food they were bringing out. Our awesome waiter, Jerome, warned us not to fill up on the bread. Which was very good btw. But I just had one bite. He told us that they were just going to bring stuff out, so we can sit back and just enjoy ourselves.
There was a cocktail served with every course. Not specifically a pairing though. I told them no cocktails for me. I would DEFINITELY not be able to drive home if they did! :P So I'm not going to comment on the cocktails very much. Other than the fact that they were all very beautiful and the other 2 people loved almost all of them.
FIRST COURSE:
Double Eagle Margarita (Casa Dragones Blanco, Grand Marnier, Lime, Monin Agave) $18.50~
Charred Octopus (gigante beans, tomatoes, olives, capers, lemon, cold pressed olive oil) $19.50~
When they served these 3 dishes, I think I actually jumped out of my seat with excitement. First of all... I LOVE octopus and this looked divine! The end of the tentacles were perfectly charred and crispy. The rest was just cooked to perfection! One of the best octopus dishes in Dallas for sure.
Seared Rare Wagyu Beef Carpaccio (baby arugula & shaved fennel salad, capers, parmesan, Creole mustard aioli) $18~
Carpaccios are hit or miss for me. This was definitely a hit! The beef quality was amazing and paired so well with all the toppings and flavors. The meat was melt in your mouth tender.
Thick-Cut Nueske's Bacon Au Poivre (bourbon molasses glaze) $16~
I actually clapped when I saw this. I was SO HAPPY! This is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen! That thick pepper crust with the sweet glaze was heaven. One of the top bites of the night for sure. And only $16?!? I'll just go by myself one day and get this as my entree. Ha!
SECOND COURSE:
The Plum Rose (Wheatley, Amaro Montenegro, Lime, Plum Preserves, Sparkling Rose) $15.50~
Heirloom Tomatoes & Burrata (aged balsamic reduction and pesto) $15~ This is gluten free! I love a good burrata. And this was very good. My favorite out of all the salads.
Blue Cheese Lettuce Wedge (iceberg, cherry tomatoes, crisp bacon, Danish blue cheese dressing) $11.50~ I wasn't a huge fan of this... Blue cheese is very iffy for me and I think this one was just too strong. The iceberg lettuce was crisp and fresh though.
Del's Salad (mixed greens, tomatoes, shaved carrots, croutons, crisp bacon) $11~ Pretty standard salad. Loved whatever that green dressing was on top. Green Goddess dressing, perhaps?
THIRD COURSE:
Pomegranate Martini (Tito's Handmade, Pama Pomegranate, Cranberry) $15.50~
Seared Chilean Sea Bass (crab fried rice, black bean garlic sauce) $47~ Absolutely gorgeous piece of fish. Both of the fish actually. This one was just a tad better cuz of the freaking crab fried rice. I mean... just give me a bowl of that on its own!
Bay of Fundy Salmon. Normally this would be served with crab hash and lobster tomato jus. Perfect crust on top and beautifully pink in the center. Just needed a tad more salt on the whole thing.
FOURTH COURSE:
Blood Orange Manhattan (Redemption Rye, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Solerno Blood Orange, Angostura) $15.50~
14 Day Dry-Aged Colorado Prime Lamb 22oz $58~ I don't like lamb. Can't really stand the smell or taste... but it LOOKED impressive! It makes me wish I liked it. That crust looked delicious.
Wagyu Tasting (Japanese A5, Australian, Rosewood (TX) 3oz each) $160~
OMG! A wagyu flight? Get outta here! This has been such a dream already. So buttery, every slice. Loved the coarse salt to dip in... totally heightened the flavors of the meat. My palate was already in overdrive so I can't be sure, but I think I liked the Japanese and Australian better than the Rosewood. If I had to choose... they're all great.
Tomahawk (long-bone ribeye) 32oz $110~
OH. EM. GEE. I've only had tomahawks a few times in my life. This is the best one ever. THIS IS THE BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE! Hahaha. Wow, this steak is beyond amazing. I think we all agreed that it just might be better than the wagyu flight! So much flavor on that crust, the meat was SO tender, and you can taste the beef itself. It's wonderful. And you know what? Reheated in the microwave the next day and it's still as tender as ever.
Our last course came with several side dishes. They were served to us by several waiters/waitresses while we took a million pics and videos of the steaks. So I didn't get great pictures of the sides.
Chateau Mashed Potatoes $12~ There were chunks of truffle on the potatoes. CHUNKS, not slices. CHUNKS! Wow!
Creamed Spinach (smoked bacon, egg, mushroom, aged sharp cheddar) $12.50~ I am a huge fan of creamed spinach!
Sauteed Wild Mushrooms & Pearl Onions $14.50~ Loved this. You can really taste mushroom flavor. So rustic!
FIFTH COURSE:
Del's Delight (Nocello Walnut Liqueur, Creme de Cacao Chocolate Liqueur & Vanilla Ice Cream) $11~ Basically like a boozy milkshake. Pretty awesome.
Lemon Cake (6 layers, lemon buttercream icing, lemon glaze) $12.50~ Dense and rich and so lemony. We were so full though! So most of the dessert were taken to go.
Butter Cake (butter pecan ice cream, fresh whipped cream, caramel sauce) $11.50~ Wowow! Fantastic crust on the butter cake. Definitely recommend this!
Thank you SO MUCH to Del Frisco's for having us! This has been one of the best dining experiences I've had in a while! Wonderful service, superb food, and I'm glad I got to enjoy it with 2 of my friends. Will definitely be back for that bacon and tomahawk. And FYI... they have HH on M-F 3-6:30PM!
~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
I'm sooooo very excited that North Italia at Legacy West Plano is officially opening tomorrow!!! Tuesday 6/27. Have you made your reservation yet?!
I went to the Austin location about 2 years ago and absolutely loved it. From the decor to the food. It was very exciting to have North come to Dallas. :) I got a sneak peek last Thursday with a friend of mine. We were both basically squealing with excitement. hehe.
North Italia - Legacy West
7501 Windrose Ave. Suite D190
Plano, TX 75024
(214) 291-6996
www.northitaliarestaurant.com/nso/plano-tx
Price: $$$$
We arrived at 6:15PM for dinner. The place was already packed with people. We were seated immediately. I love the open space... high ceilings and wood decor. I especially love their large glass lamps. We sat in one of the booths. We were given menus and were warmly welcomed for like the third time and ready to enjoy our evening. Our waitress, Kariel, greeted us and asked for our drink orders. We asked her for some suggestions and she was very helpful. This is the first of their friends and family nights so the staff is still in training.
Neither of us really drank so my friend got the Strawberry Spice Mule (dripping springs vodka, clove spiced gran gala, lime, smashed strawberry) $11~
It was recommended as one of the sweeter options. I just took a sip cuz that's enough for me. haha. The drink is very pretty. I loved the actual muddled strawberry throughout the drink. It's very refreshing too. My friend really enjoyed it.
For our appetizer, we chose the Burrata (heirloom tomato, basil, mint, cucumber, crouton, saba) $12~
We had several items that we wanted to try... so I guess we'll be going back. haha. The burrata was gorgeous! I loved the presentation... rustic and colorful. The burrata was to die for. So incredibly creamy yet light. The tomatoes were fresh and paired beautifully. I also loved the freshness of the mint and basil. The saba (I think it's kind of a balsamic reduction/vinaigrette) was delicious. They didn't overdress it. My friend wanted more saba, but I thought it was just right.
During the course of our meal, we were greeted by several people. Bianka from Giant Noise PR came over to say Hi. So did Meredith, the general manager, and England, the manager. They were all SUPER nice and we got to chat with each of them for a while. They really took the time to make sure we were enjoying ourselves throughout the night and made us feel welcomed. :)
For the entrees, they mixed up my order and served me the Red Wine Glazed Short Rib (heirloom carrot, swiss chard, creamy mascarpone polenta) $26~
I had ordered the short rib pasta. So they quickly fixed the issue and gave us the Short Rib entree as well! Well, yes please! I never say no to extra food! :P The short rib doesn't really photograph well but I assure you it smelled divine! That mascarpone polenta was so luscious. I can eat that by itself. The short rib was tender and had great flavor. I also like that there were actual green veggies (swiss chard) in the dish. I always prefer to have some sort of green vegetables at every meal.
Short Rib Radiatori (parmesan cream, fresh horseradish, wilted arugula, herbed breadcrumb) $20~
My actual order. Amazing. It was my favorite entree of the night. I love interesting pasta shapes. The Radiatori was perfect in collecting all the cream sauce in all its nooks and crannies. And the texture on the pasta was perfect. The short rib in the pasta was even more tender than the entree I think. The addition of the horseradish was a nice touch. It brightened up the cream sauce so it wasn't too heavy. Totally recommend this!
My friend chose the Filet of Beef (crispy potato, roasted mushroom, cipollini onion, marsala) $38~
She got it medium well... booo. I think all steaks should be med rare. hehe. But you know what... even at med well, the steak was really tender and the flavor of the meat really shined. The marsala sauce paired beautifully with the beef, mushrooms, and onions. And those crispy smashed potatoes? They almost out shined the steak. Another great choice.
Diver Scallops (sweet corn risotto, asparagus, crispy shallot, pancetta gremolata) $25~
We also really wanted to try the scallops so we talked them into giving us another entree. :P (Although I have to say, we ordered this 3rd dish before we got the short rib... too much food you think? Nahhh. ha.) Beautiful vibrant colors on this dish. And you get FOUR plump scallops instead of the typical 3. We both liked it. The scallops were cooked wonderfully. But I have 2 complaints on this dish. 1) It needed a bit more acid... a squeeze of lemon maybe? or some lemon juice inside the sweet corn sauce. And 2) more sear on the scallops so the tops are crispier. Other than that, it was still a yummy dish.
We each got a box for our leftovers, because we need to save room for dessert! Duh!
Dirty Almond Chai (two shots espresso, almond milk, chai tea; shaken and served cold) $5~ This drink sounded really interesting. I don't really drink coffee but I wanted to give it a try. My friend can't handle the caffeine that late in the day so she just got a "clean" Almond Chai (without the 2 shots of espresso). Hers was delicious. Mine... wasn't sweet enough for me since I'm not a coffee drinker. But I do love that it's served cold. It almost tastes like a cold brew (according to my friend anyways).
We couldn't decide so we got 2 desserts. Cuz why not? :D
Hazelnut Torta (nutella cream, hazelnut toffee, salted caramel gelato) $8~
I can't say I've seen tortas served in this shape... it made me think of a molten chocolate cake. But it wasn't molten inside of course. Torta basically means a dense and chocolatey rich cake made with a few simple ingredients. The torta wasn't super dense which I would've been fine with either way. The salted caramel gelato was great on top. The toffee added a nice crunch. This'll definitely satisfy your sweet tooth.
Strawberry Mascarpone Tart (lemon crema, basil, almond crust) $7~
This could not be more different than the torta. This was light and fresh. The tart itself reminded me of a shortbread and wasn't overly sweet. The mascarpone added the richness but wasn't heavy. And the basil was the most genius touch. We both agreed that without the pop of basil, this dessert would be kind of generic. The brightness of the basil definitely elevated the dish. Yum!
If you can't tell... we loved it. We both had pretty high expectations going in and they definitely didn't disappoint. The food was fantastic, but I really enjoyed meeting all the people in the restaurant. We lingered a little after dinner and chatted with England and Kariel. They're both so great! I hope they'll remember us the next time we go back. :)
They officially open to the public TOMORROW!! Tuesday 6/27!!
Thanks so much to North Italia for having us. Even though I live 50 minutes away, I hope to be back really soon. :)
*The meal was comped but all opinions are my own.*
Quality of Food:
Service:
Ambiance:
Value: (comped)
Overall Experience:
~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
I had the pleasure of trying Barley & Board's Fall Menu Preview at the end of November. As some of you know, Barley & Board is my new favorite restaurant since I discovered it earlier this year. It's all the way out in Denton though, so every visit is special. This was no exception. We feasted on their new additions until we can no longer move!
I was there with my fellow food bloggers and writers. I knew like 60% of the guests that night so it was pretty awesome. Just one big party!
Barley & Board
100 W. Oak St.
Denton, TX 76201
(940) 566-3900
http://barleyandboard.com
Price: $$-$$$
The evening started off with an introduction by Chef Chad Kelley. He talked about the inspirations and ideas behind their menu and new items. He also introduced all the dishes as they came out of the kitchen. I cannot wait to see what all they have in store for us!
Some of my friends ordered cocktails. The liquor was certainly flowing that night! hehe.
Bitter Little Pe'ach (deep eddy lemon & peach vodka, lemonade, mint) $8.50~ Pe'ach is pronounced like "biatch". hahaha. I heard the waitress say it and thought it was hilarious! This seemed to have been the favorite. I kept seeing people reorder this.
Camaraderie (vodka, lemon, blackberries, champagne) $8~ Pretty!
Clara Lou (tequila, hibiscus syrup, lime, grapefruit) $10~ This was the pink ones in the martini glasses.
Sam Bass Bullet (bacon infused rye, maple syrup, bitters) $9~ My friend said he could actually taste the bacon in this. He enjoyed it a lot.
We started off with the appetizers.
Buratta Cheese (beet salad, chives, crushed walnuts) $12~
I would've ordered this myself if it wasn't part of the tasting. The buratta was like butter...basically melted in your mouth. And the combination with the raw beet salad was very interesting. I loved everything about it. It had a great combination of flavors as well as textures.
Roasted Cauliflower Flatbread (garam masala ricotta, lemon, pickled onion, capers) $13~
YUM! The garam masala added this nutmeg-y flavor. Very interesting, and oh-so-good! The lemon on the greens brightened up every bite. And if it had meat on top, I can totally make this my entree.
Second round were the sandwiches.
Harvest Turkey Sandwich (sourdough, smoked bacon, cranberry mostarda, arugula, havarti; served with house chips) $13~
Thanksgiving in a bite is what this is. Not only were the colors vibrant and festive, that tart cranberry mostarda wakes you up a little. I loved that the turkey was thick cut... none of that thin, deli sliced type of meat. And their chips... wow. Superbly crispy without being too greasy. They also reheated very well in the oven since I got one of the sandwiches to go. :P
The House Reuben (russian dressing, sauerkraut, gruyere; served with house chips) $13~
I normally don't care for reubens because I find the corned beef too salty. But the chef explained that they decided to use large chunks of beef instead of the typical thin slices. And by making the chunks bigger, they were able to use less salt while curing the meat. So the salt level was perfect. Also, the ratio of sauerkraut was just enough where it didn't overpower the rest of the ingredients. And the pickles were the perfect pairing to the meat. Loved it! I got one to-go to take home to my husband since he loves Reubens. :)
Now for the entrees! And I'm loving some of their item names. They're fun. :P
Soba-dass Noodles (yellow curry, coconut, bok choy, chickpea, acorn squash, cashew) $15~
This is a completely vegan dish so they're covering all the bases now. It had a ton of different ingredients and textures. I loved the subtle flavors... even the curry flavor was very light but still prominent. The more bites you take, the more flavors you discover. I loved the addition of the chickpeas.
Mr. Shankly (braised lamb shank, warm barley salad, jus) $25~
This dish made me wish I liked lamb. This was more than fork tender. Someone picked up the bone, and the whole thing just slid off. Knife definitely not needed! Served on a bed of barley, on top of a board... their namesake, hehe. Smart move there! I enjoyed the barley salad a lot. It was a light compliment to the heavier meat.
Scottish Salmon (horseradish crust, celeriac puree, brussels sprouts, golden raisings, dill brown butter) $22~
One of my favorite dishes of the night. That plating was gorgeous with that perfect horseradish crust on top. At first bite, the horseradish knocks the wind out of you. In a good way! But you'd have to like horseradish to like this dish. The salmon was perfectly pink and sooo tender. I loved the compliment of the brussels sprouts and puree.
We were told at the beginning of dinner that we were welcome to order anything else off the menu. So we're getting the burger! Duh!! One of the best burgers in Dallas, imo! There hasn't been a visit to Barley & Board where I haven't had the burger. :)
B&B Burger (sweet onion, b&b pickle, house sauce, american cheese; side of matchstick fries) $12~ It's just so amazing. Everything melds together so well. I can't believe I had half a burger after everything else we just ate. haha.
A friend of mine got the Mother Board (selection of artisanal cheeses, cured meats, pickles) $28~ I guess it's chef's choice since we didn't really know what all was on the board.
What a fantastic meal. As always... I was so honored to have been invited to be a part of this. It made my long drive to and from (on a week night, I might add) totally worth it. I didn't get home until 11:30PM but was still on a food high when I got home. haha. I also had a blast with my food blogger friends. And our waitress, Chelsea, was amazing! A big shout out to the PR team, particularly Narciso who always takes the best care of us. :) I highly recommend you to go check out their new menu as it is seasonal and may not be around forever. They also have some new additions to their brunch menu, I heard. I gotta make it out there to try that at some point. Looking through these pictures is making me hungry again. haha. I better go find me a snack!
*The meal was comped but all opinions are always honest and my own.
Quality of Food:
Service:
Ambiance:
Value: (comped)
Overall Experience:
~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
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