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First post of 2017, y'all! I'm really going to try hard and do consistent posts this year. #newyearsresolution :P
I had the pleasure of dining at Beto & Son this past weekend with another food blogger friend of mine. I was invited through @bestfooddallas. :) The restaurant knew we were coming and we were supposed to meet with Chef Julian. Chef Beto and his son Julian opened their new restaurant in Trinity Groves just 2 short months ago. The place was packed when we arrived! They call their concept "next generation Mexican food", everything's from scratch, locally sourced, and had a "chef-to-table experience".
Beto & Son
3011 Gulden Ln #108
Dallas, TX 75212
(469) 249-8590
www.betoandson.com
Price: $$-$$$
We were warmly greeted by the hostess when we walked in. I gave them my name and that I was supposed to meet with Chef Julian. The hostess seated us quickly and sent over our waitress, Bree (sp?). She was super nice, got us our drinks and menus and gave us some info on the restaurant concept while we waited. Chef Julian showed up soon after. He was super friendly as well. We didn't really know what to expect from this visit... I was just thinking we each order and entree or something but he told us he would just send out some stuff so we can get a variety and feel of the food. And if we wanted anything else, we can just ask. He also brought out the dinner menu, which had more items so we can try everything. (We went for lunch.) The only thing we requested was one of their noodle bowls. We've both been perusing the pictures on Yelp and both wanted to try that. He mentioned the dinner menu has a Salmon Noodle Bowl and we were sold!
So we just kinda sat back and waited to see what surprised they were going to bring out! :)
We got started with some Housemade Tortilla Chips (with salsa and bean hummus).
This is complimentary for every table. Everything is made in-house. The chips were fantastic. They were super thin and light and crispy. Chef Julian says the idea is to keep things light so people don't fill themselves up on just chips. That bean hummus though.... OMG. It was awesome and interesting. The texture reminded me of the black bean dip from Glorias which is amazing. I think I can slather this bean hummus on everything.
Chef Julian brought out 3 appetizers. He personally served every course by the way. It made us feel so special! And he explained every dish, their ideas behind it, what the elements were, and how they were made. I always love the background info on what chefs are thinking when they create something. You can definitely tell he takes pride in all their food.
Mexican Poutine (scratch crafted masa fries, chicken tinga, queso blanco, tomatillo sauce, queso fresco, pico, fried egg) $11.99~
Sooooooo good!!!!!!!!!! Definitely one of my favorite dishes of the meal (I had lots of favorites...haha). Totally loved the potato/masa blend of the fries. I think it created a better texture than just pure masa. So many different flavors but all blended so well. That perfectly runny egg was just the cherry on top. Yolk porn, y'all! I can totally order this as my entree.
Gulf of Mexico Ceviche Tower (shrimp, slaw, avocado, pico, mexican cocktail sauce) $14.99~
A play on the sushi towers you find at every Japanese restaurant. Any food in stacked form is cool I think. This was very refreshing and the Mexican cocktail sauce added just a hint of heat. The slaw was crunchy, avocado was creamy, and the shrimp was cooked well. It was a nice contrast to the Poutine which was heavier. It went really well with the tortilla chips.
Street Elote (charred shaved corn, garlic aioli, chile de arbol, queso fresco, crema cilantro) $6.99~
Yesss!!!! I love me some elotes. This is their take on it. Loved the charred corn with a hint of smoky flavor. The aioli and crema added the creaminess. An explosion of flavor! Another favorite!
We had to fight the urge to keep eating it all. Since we only just got started! We asked them to pack most of the appetizers away so we wouldn't be tempted. haha.
Before the entrees came, our waitress told us another table had ordered the Liquid Nitrogen Mango Margarita. It is made table-side and it's pretty freaking cool! They use liquid nitrogen to make the frozen margarita. So much smoke!! Definitely a fun thing to do when you're out with friends. :)
Time for the entrees!
Sour Cream Chicken Tinga Enchiladas (shredded chicken tinga, sour cream sauce, melted cheese, avocado, pickled slaw; served with achiote rice and charro beans) $11.99~
They decided to do an open faced enchilada. What a great idea because you get so much more tortilla real estate to put stuff on! They use white wine in their sour cream sauce to add a different flavor and also make it less heavy. The addition of the pickled onions and watermelon radish brightens up the entire dish and adds vibrant colors. I don't like corn tortillas so I never really order enchiladas. I liked the idea of it being stacked and I think if they did it with their bomb flour tortillas, it would be that much better!
Fajita Skillet (caramelized peppers and onions, chimichurri, calabacitas, fried onions, chile de arbol glaze; served with fresh tortillas, achiote rice, and charro beans) Chicken $15.99~ or Fajita Steak $19.99~
The skillet came out sizzling and the smell filled the room. Ahhhhhh. We got a combination so we can try both meats. Both the chicken and steak were tender and flavorful. The fried onions are coated with a Mexican seasoning. It is reminiscent of cajun... tons of flavor and complimented the meats well! Their housemade flour tortillas were magnificent. It just about stole the show! So light and soft but doesn't tear, however much you fill with goodies! When our meal was over, Chef Julian said he would give us each some tortillas to go. Yay! If he hadn't offered, we would've asked anyways. hehe.
Tropical Salmon Noodle Bowl (roasted fideo pasta, seared salmon, calabacitas, chipotle cream, pickled onions, avocado) $17.99~
Dinner menu only. This was the one thing I really wanted to try... the noodle bowls. I didn't realize they had a salmon version until Chef Julian mentioned the dinner menu. I'm so glad we got this one. The pasta is toasted first then cooked in the same stock they use to make their tortilla soup so it already has a bunch of flavor. The toasting process makes it a little nutty. And that salmon...oh the salmon. I KNEW it was going to be amazing before I even cut into it. It was cooked PERFECTLY. Pink on the inside, fork tender, and so moist it just flaked right off. One of the best pieces of salmon I've eaten to date. Not just recently, but my whole life. And I've had a lot of salmon, y'all. Highly highly recommend this dish!
What an amazing meal. I loved all the variety their menu offers. I never get Mexican food because I find it to be the same thing most of the time. Here... you have a ton of choices. I challenge you to pick just one!
Of course the meal can't end without dessert. I was hoping he would bring out the flan and he did. I love flan!
Luna de Noche Flan (chocolate cake, flan, whipped cream, cajeta) $7.99~
The presentation was great. I normally don't care for the half cake half flan thing. Since the flan is always so much more moist than the cake, it makes the cake feel even drier. Not the case here. The cake was just the right thickness, it melded into the flan. And that cajeta (caramel sauce)... oh man. A dessert lover's dream! The flan is a good size too, totally shareable. But if you don't, I won't judge. hahaha.
Thanks to Beto & Son for having us out. It was more than what I expected for sure. Chef Julian showed us a great time. His choices of dishes gave us a really good range of their menu. And that salmon.... ahhhhhhh! Like butter! The place has a fun vibe, but the lighting wasn't great for food photos (hence the rating). But I'll be back for sure. Food trumps lighting! haha. :P And you should definitely check it out!
Quality of Food:
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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
Back in Feb, my coworkers and I went out for lunch to celebrate one of my coworker's 10 year anniversary. My boss was going to be out of the office so put me in charge of making the plans. I gave my coworker a few restaurant suggestions and we decided on Mesero on Henderson. I drive by this place weekly when I go work out and always wanted to check it out. Plus I've heard that their Cinco Leches cake is no joke. :)
Mesero - Henderson
2822 N Henderson Ave.
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 821-6426
www.meseromiguel.com
Price: $$-$$$
Since the lunch was on the company, we kinda let loose. hehehe.
Chips and Salsas. There were 3 types of salsas. I can't accurately tell you which is which but I liked the middle one most cuz it was chunky. I liked the texture of their chips too.
Micorita (herradura "el jimador", frozen or rocks) $11~ We only got 1 for like 6 people. But shhhh... don't tell the boss! ha! :P
Queso Mesero (queso chihuahua, spinach, artichoke, poblano pepper) $10.95~ Yum! This queso was rich and cheesy. Paired well with the guac.
Aguacates "Guacamole" Tipico (avocado, lime, tomatillo) $10.95~ Loved it. I'll eat avocados any way.
Shrimp Ceviche (tiger shrimp marinated in citrus fruit, serrano pepper, heirloom grape tomato, avocado) $14.95~
Totally not what I expected. Upon first glance, it looked like a block of avocados. Not that I'm complaining. But once you scoop into it, you find the large chungs of shrimp. They definitely didn't skimp on the shrimp. it was perfectly plump and fresh. And more avo! We probably had about a dozen avocados during this meal. hahaha. Plus this dish is just beautiful. Full of vibrant colors.
Las Combinaciones (crema queso chicken enchilada, tejano enchilada, arroz rojo; served with choice of black or pinto beans) $11.95~ One of my coworkers ordered this because he loves crema queso chicken enchiladas. He said it was really good.
The rest of us did family style and ordered a bunch of different things to share.
Crispy "Daily Fish" Tacos (fish of the day, lightly battered, roasted corn, tomato, spicy ranch sauce, mesero slaw, arroz blanco) $12.95~ I'm not sure what the fish was but this was one of my favorites. Loved the charred corn in the tacos. The slaw was yummy too!
Pollo Tacos (roasted achiote chicken, iceberg, tomato, avocado, sauteed onion, arroz rojo) $11.95~ Also good, and very large.
Carne Asada Especial (10 oz grilled skirt steak, onion, serrano pepper, arroz rojo, pinto beans) $21.95~ Yum! The steak was cooked well. Quite tender even though it didn't look it.
Brussels Sprouts (serrano mango glazed) $7~ I'm allergic to mango so we got it without the glaze. A little greasy but still yummy. I'm a sucker for roasted brussels sprouts.
OMG. This was a ton of food but we had to have dessert!!!
Pastel Cinco Leches $7~ The one I've heard so much about. It did not disappoint. It was so moist and fluffy and it wasn't even drowning in milk like some other places try to do. I hate it when they drown it in milk and the cake itself is STILL dry. This was perfect. Not too heavy. Everyone loved it.
Choco Flan (chocolate cake, caramel flan) $7~ This was cool looking. But honestly, I could've done without one or the other. The flan was great on its own. And the chocolate on its own. Together, it didn't blow me away.
It was a great meal. Everything was yummy and fresh and soooooo much avocados! haha. Our waiter checked on us a lot though out the meal. It was definitely a great team outing. And save room for the Cinco Leches cake!
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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
Continuation of my Florida trip...
We found this place across the street from our hotel. It's freaking awesome and the food is amazing. It's right on the beach, they have a section in the sand with lounge chairs, hammocks, and games... like a day club. Too expensive for us to partake, but we managed to have dinner, lunch, AND breakfast there over the course of the weekend. And yes, in that order.
Hyde Beach Kitchen + Cocktails
111 South Surf Rd.
Hallandale Beach, FL 33009
(954) 699-0901
http://sbe.com/restaurants/locations/hyde-beach-kitchen-cocktails/
Price (for dinner): $$$
We had actually had dinner already and was just going for drinks... But there were a few items on the menu I just had to try, since there was a big chance we won't be back again for dinner.
Some of my friends did get drinks. hehe. They tried several but I only took a picture of the Hibiscus Punch (bacardi 8 year rum, freshly pressed lime juice, wild hibiscus syrup, licor 43, orange flower water, splash soda water, muddled fresh strawberries, muddled lime wedge) $14~ It was pretty cool looking.
Pumpkin Butter Rolls (maple butter, rosemary, salt) $7~
This just sounds amazing. I had to get it. We were all pretty full but I got another friend to agree to help me eat. It was better than I expected.. the texture was like a Hawaiian roll, but better! Slight crispy top and soooooooo warm and fluffy in the middle. It was dark, but looking at the picture I realized how orange it was. I loved the sprinkling of salt on the top, paired with the sweetness of the maple butter. FANTASTIC!!! I can eat this all day!
Oxtail Bucatini (red wine braised oxtail ragout, garlic bread crumbs) $16~
I wanted to try this as well. I love oxtail, you don't see it often, and I love Bucatini... also not a common pasta. It's basically like a thick spaghetti, but hollow. The texture of the pasta was on point! And I expected them to just have a ragout where the meat was pretty much blended in the sauce, but no! There were large chunks of super tender oxtail in the dish. And the cherry on top was the garlic bread crumbs. Such bold flavor and added an awesome crunchy texture to everything. Every element was perfection. I was so full but couldn't stop eating. Another friend tried a bite. She's usually not a fan of pasta and was already super full, but she couldn't stop eating either. hahaha. I have to say this is one of the best dishes I've had in a long time.
Sooooo freaking delicious. I really wish we had time to go back for an actual dinner, but we didn't have time. :(
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Saturday Lunch:
Price (for lunch): $$
The sun finally came out on Saturday!!! It had been raining since we landed. So we went to the beach!! Yeah!!!! Gettin' my tan on!
We decided to walk over for lunch. For breakfast and lunch, they only allow seating outside, and on the first floor. The second floor is opened up just for dinner. It was a beautiful day so sitting outside was perfect. I shall continue my much needed tan.
Ceviche (corvina, leche de tigre, tortilla chips) $9~ Pretty small portion but pretty. My friend didn't like it though... it was way too sour. And I agree.
Fish & Chips (cod, tartar sauce, malt vinegar; fries) $11~ Deeeeelicious. The fish was super moist and tender and fried well. The fries were awesome. And I loved their tartar sauce. I really wanted to finish all the fries but it was a little heavy while sitting outside in the sun.
8oz. Prime Burger
(aged cheddar, lettuce, tomato, mustard, onions, dill pickles; fries)
$11~ Pretty good burger, needed more seasoning. Although the natural
flavor of the beef patty was nice.
Rock Shrimp Taco (guacamole, pico de gallo, chicarrones) $7~ Really pretty tacos and fully loaded. Yum.
Mini Lobster Roll (butter brioche bun, home made chips) $9~ Truly a "mini" lobster roll. It was so cute! haha. Not the best I've ever had, but was good.
Two of my friends got cocktails. Ginger Mojito $14~ and Strawberry Mojito $13~ They came in these plastic cups and were pretty small. Same price as dinner cocktails but smaller, not a very good deal.
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Sunday Breakfast:
Price (for breakfast): $$
Our last day there, a few of us really wanted breakfast/brunchy food. So we got up early and hit up Hyde Beach for breakfast. Check out our spread!!!
Pumpkin Maple Sticky Bun $7~
I'm obsessed with pumpkin and since their pumpkin rolls were so good, I had to try these. Also delicious, but the rolls were better. I wish the top with the syrup was more caramelized with a crunch. Other than that it was yummy.
Mushroom Toast (sauteed mushrooms, sunny side up, greens) $7~ I also got a savory dish. Love, love, loved this. All different types of mushrooms, sauteed in this sauce. It was so flavorful!
Very Berry French Toast (brioche, mixed berries, mascarpone whipped cream, side of maple syrup) $11~ Plus side of Egg +$4~ The $4 egg was pretty ridiculous. haha. But the french toast was good. Nice sized portion, lots of fresh berries.
Green Eggs & Ham Benedict (french ham, basil hollandaise, English muffin, spinach) $12~ The basil hollandaise was delicious. The eggs were poached well, but I guess they didn't drain it well enough cuz there was excess water. But other than that, my friend loved it. It was just what she was craving for.
I absolutely loved this place. The food is fantastic. The setting is awesome being beach-side and all. The service was also great. I wish I could go there everyday!!
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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
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