DECEMBER: Smithy on Henderson

What do you do when you have 4 hours to kill at the airport? You update your blog. Lol! Seriously though, can you guys believe January is almost over? We are one month into 2020, a new decade! Crazy!

So continuing with my monthly features... my December favorite was Smithy on Henderson! I had heard lots of good things since they opened but never got the chance to go. Then out of the blue, they invited me in! That's the best feeling. My friend and I went on a Tuesday night so it wasn't too crowded. Walking up to the restaurant, I saw that they had a really cool covered patio area. It reminded me of Ebb & Flow which I featured in Nov.

Smithy
2927 N Henderson Ave.
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 316-1984
https://smithydallas.com
Price: $$$-$$$$

The interior is really cool. I loved the art on the walls, the use of dark wood and iron... it used to be a former ironwork/blacksmith shop! Hence the name Smithy. I like that! It was bigger than I expected! They have a private party area all the way in the back of the restaurant.

We were greeted by the owner who sat down and chatted with us for a while. Did you know this is the sister restaurant to Woolworth in downtown Dallas?

To start, my friend got the Quite Frankly (frankly organic vodka, dolin blanc, strawberry, jalapeno, lemon, ginger) $11~ Served in a mason jug, it's a pretty big cocktail. And it was really good. I don't drink much but I can appreciate that you tasted all the different ingredients in this drink. The addition of heat from the jalapeno is a nice touch.

I got the Frozen Irish Cream. It looked super delicious but alas was not sweet enough for me. I also prefer sweeter drinks than the norm. 

Just FYI... During their Happy Hour (Tue-Fri 11AM-7PM), craft cocktails are $8 and frozen cocktails are $6! And YES, it starts at 11AM and basically goes all day! What a freaking good deal!

Flat Bread (heirloom cherry tomato, champagne grapes, capers, basil, arugula, EVOO, boursin cheese, feta, naan) $12~ Can be prepared vegetarian. 

This was our appetizer. It was delicious!! Using naan as the base was kind of awesome. The texture was great. I don't like it when flatbread is too thin like a cracker. The toppings were so flavorful. I can easily have this as my entree.

Truffle Fries (white truffle oil, shaved pecorino, house ketchup) $9~ Can be prepared gluten free and/or vegetarian. 

We thought this was going to be a much smaller portion but I guess the one we saw coming out of the kitchen was a side dish for a burger or something. Haha. This is definitely big enough for a group! The fries were fried well and I freaking LOVED their house-made ketchup, but the truffle flavor was lacking. Needs more.

Cedar Salmon (verlasso salmon, cedar plank, maple mustard, wood fired Brussels sprouts, bacon sherry cream) $28~ 

My friend got the salmon. Beautifully cooked and presented... sitting on a cedar plank. The Brussels sprouts were also fantastic. I've never had it like this in a cream sauce before. Definitely worth a try!

Luke's Hot Chicken (peri peri spice, local honey, gin pickles, white bbq sauce, cavatappi pasta, pancetta, four cheese sauce: gruyere, pepper jack, monterey, pecorino) $24~ 

I wanted to eat light... but then saw this on the menu. Lol. Oh well. YOLO. Haha. This is one of their crowd favorites and I can see why. Holy Crap! It was a big plate. Perfectly fried chicken stacked high on perfectly cooked pasta. The breading on the chicken was amazing. Crisp, yet light, and not overly greasy. I could not get over how awesome it was. AND, finally, a hot chicken that was actually spicy! Not super spicy but it had a kick. And that's all I want if I'm ordering a "hot" chicken. The pasta is basically like a 4 cheese mac n cheese. But it wasn't swimming in sauce. It was perfect. I loved every bite and had enough leftover for another meal. 100% would get this again.

Hula Pie (chocolate cookie crust, macadamia nut ice cream, espresso ganache, ghiradelli hot fudge, toasted macadamia nuts, whipped cream) $12~ 

Holy moly. We were stuffed but wanted to try dessert. This was enough for 4! The espresso ganache was to die for... my favorite element on this dessert. My friend said it tasted like the name... definitely reminded her of Hawaii.

What a fabulous meal. We also had exceptional treatment and service. I definitely want to go back and try more things. Or maybe I'll just end up getting the hot chicken again. Haha. And they also rolled out a new brunch menu last month!

Thank you so much for having us, Smithy! Hope you stick around Henderson for a really long time!

*The meal was comped but all opinions are my own.*

~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

NOVEMBER: Ebb & Flow

One of the most fun event I went to this year would only be fitting for my last post for 2019! My November pick is the newly opened Ebb & Flow in Deep Ellum. First of all, I loved the decor of this place. The gorgeous front covered patio has flowers all draping down the ceiling. Definite wow factor. The interior is just as pretty!

Ebb & Flow
2561 Commerce St.
Dallas, TX 75226
(972) 913-2322
ebb-flow-restaurant.business.site

This was a media event. The whole restaurant was closed for this private event. So fancy! I arrived a little late because traffic and parking were horrible, but I got there right when they were serving the appetizers.

My friends had already started with various cocktails. This was one aspect that impressed me a lot. Y'all know I don't drink much at all. I'm pretty sure I'm allergic, so I'm very picky when it comes to alcohol. It's only worth it if it tastes good to me. I freaking loved their drinks. I had 3 different ones (didn't finish them all cuz I'm lightweight, but still!!) Their cocktails are unique, beautiful, and the flavors are very well thought out.

Cocktails:
Velvet Butterfly (Deep Ellum vodka, Velvet Falernum, Butterfly Pea Flower, lemon, bubbles). The purple color is so gorgeous... these pictures definitely don't do it justice. Depending on the lighting they came out bluish but the 2nd picture is closer to the actual color.

Influx (Ford's gin, ginger liqueur, blood orange, lemon, Paychaud's, Aquafaba). It's SO pretty!

Undertow (vanilla vodka, Kahlua, Nobel Coyote cold brew coffee, lavender, Baileys, Almande foam). I think this is the best coffee cocktail I've ever had. Usually it's either too bitter from coffee or too much alcohol. This was perfectly blended, rich and frothy. I can probably drink the whole thing.

ElderFlow (frosecco, pear vodka, elderflower liqueur, lemon; served frozen). One of my favorites of the night. First of all, it's frozen which makes it fun. And so bright and refreshing!

Cocoloma (coconut tequila, cream of coconut, sparkling grapefruit, tajin). This wasn't my thing cuz I don't like tequila or tajin. My friend was obsessed with it though. I have to agree it's a very creative concoction. Lots of complex combinations of flavors.

Appetizers:
I think the appetizers were the best course of the night. All the dishes we had were solid and I'd happily eat any of them again.

Toasted Ravioli (beef ravioli with spicy marinara and parmesan). Each order comes with 4 pieces. The raviolis are fried and seasoned well. The sauce was a great pairing. 

Stuffed Jalapenos (jalapenos stuffed with brisket, pimento cheese, wrapped in bacon). Also four to an order. What can go wrong with bacon, jalapeno, and pimento?? Yum!

Cubano Egg Rolls (pork, ham, swiss cheese wrapped in rice paper and fried; spicy mustard, chipotle bbq sauce, pickles). My absolute favorite food of the night. It was perfection. I've had "cuban egg rolls" before and it wasn't good. The flavors were muddled and the wrapper was greasy. This was definitely WAY better than that. Perfect crispy outside, layers of flavors inside. I can taste all the elements of a Cuban sandwich in every bite. Highly recommend!!

Salads:
Sal's Salad (romaine, hard boiled eggs, crispy salami, blue cheese, cucumber, tomato, pickled red onion, avocado, chicken, house ranch). The crispy salami made this dish. A hearty salad. Lots of great ingredients and flavors.

Southwest Salad (beyond meat tossed with jicama, pico, black beans, roasted corn, avocado, salsa). Ebb & Flow serves Beyond Meat, y'all! If you haven't tried beyond meat yet, it's pretty good. Before this, I've had it in burgers and tacos and even noodle bowls. This was a nice topping to the salad. It definitely added more substance to the salad.

Handhelds:
The Burger (two 3oz akaushi beef patties with smoked cheddar, shredded lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, brioche bun). I have to be honest and say that the highlights for me were the cocktails, appetizers, and salads. Everything after was just ok... for various reasons. For example, the burger patty was lacking in seasoning. So the burger is fine but not the best. Maybe because we got smaller sample sizes of all the entrees... Hmmm. 

Mahi Mahi Wrap (blackened mahi mahi with mango pico, avocado and slaw, garlic tarragon spread). I was told this was really good but since I'm allergic to mango, I did not taste it.

Sides:
Garlic Parmesan Fries. Loved the fries but I think they were over fried, which was great for me cuz I love crispy fries. Haha. 

Tater Kegs. Basically giant tater tots. Very tasty. 

Mac & Cheese. Was more like pasta with some cheese on top. Was quite dry but pasta was cooked well.

Plates:
Stuffed Chicken Breast (whole chicken breast stuffed with spinach, mushrooms, parmesan, alfredo sauce; broccolini). My favorite element on this dish... the broccolini! So much flavor. The chicken was again, fine, but not spectacular. 

Salmon Piccata (8oz pan crusted salmon, angel hair pasta tossed in light lemon vinaigrette with caper cream sauce). This was pretty good. The salmon was cooked well and the cream sauce was tasty. I, personally, am not a huge fan of angel hair pasta.

Dessert:
Trio of Gelato (vanilla, mint chocolate chip, salted caramel). The mint chocolate chip was my favorite. They were nice colors on the side of the carrot cake.
Carrot Cake (homemade). Apparently this is an old family recipe. If you like carrot cake, you'd most likely love this one. I've heard several people say it's amazing. I don't like carrot cake though, so it was fine. :P

Despite the height of the food peaking half way through the meal, I had a blast at this event. The vibe was great, the cocktails were flowing, and to be honest, I was already full after the salads anyways. Lol. And I loved seeing all my blogger peeps! I would definitely go back and I would give them another chance on their entrees. Thanks so much for having me, Ebb & Flow!

~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

OCTOBER: Disney Dinners - Haunted Mansion by The Rose Table

As we head towards one of the biggest holidays of the year (Thanksgiving, duh), I thought what better time to write about the last holiday we just had! How fitting is it to make my October post about Halloween?! I've chosen to feature the amazingly spooky and fabulous Haunted Mansion Disney Dinner hosted by The Rose Table. It just so happens to be the 50th Anniversary of The Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland, so she did a THM themed dinner party just in time for Halloween.

Home of The Rose Table
* These are private dinner parties for her friends/family.
* No, she doesn't take reservations. 

If you follow my Instagram, you've probably seen me attend several of The Rose Table's Disney Dinners. These are always SO fun and SO creative. I absolutely loved the menu, decor, and presentation of the Haunted Mansion dinner. It was one of my favorite tablescapes. How easy and cheap is it to get a bag of spiderweb from the craft store? But it made one of the coolest table runners I've seen to date. The color scheme is on point and she even projected skeletons dancing on her wall.

The food fit the theme so well... as usual. Starting with the Foolish Mortal Cocktail (Midori, elderflower liquor, pineapple juice, dry ice). 

Dry ice cocktails are always super cool. The smoke and bubbling lasted all the way through the appetizer course! This is my favorite cocktail I've ever had at any of her Disney Dinners. I mean... I don't really drink... mostly because I'm probably allergic to alcohol as it makes my face red plus all the other horrible side effects, but I also don't really like the taste of alcohol. This, however, was delicious, and just so much fun. The green was so vibrant and the dry ice kept it super cold for a really long time. What a fantastic drink for a party and I would have one again in a heartbeat!

For the appetizer, we had Ghost & Coffin Hand Pies (filled with brie and cherry jam) on top of Spinach & Blackberry Salad (with pumpkin seeds and balsamic vinaigrette). 

This salad is great. It's so light but full of textures... tartness of the berries, crunch from the pumpkin seeds and paired beautifully with the buttery hand pies. And can we just go "D'awwwww" at the cute little ghost? It's adorable.

Graveyard Pasta (bucatini pasta, alfredo sauce colored black, topped with toasted panko bread crumbs) Toasted slices of bread as the tombstones. 

Her alfredo sauce is so versatile. I'm not sure if I've had it 2 or 3 times now but every time it's so easily infused into the dinner theme and gave a different vibe. For her Captain Marvel dinner she had dyed it a brilliant blue, but for the Haunted Mansion it's gotta be spookier! What's more ghoulish than black? You can do this with squid ink pasta too, if you're fancy. But black food coloring is more accessible. This might look scary to you, but trust me, it's delicious. Just be careful slurping it, as the black will literally go everywhere. Haha.

Minnie Mouse Ear Cakes (chocolate cake, vanilla frosting, topped with a black fondant bow, edible flowers, and purple sprinkles). 

The dessert was super iconic. Everyone in Disneyland wears Mickey or Minnie ears. She use the Haunted Mansion colors to make it on theme. I loved the shade of the purple. And look closely... how cool is the rose pattern on the bow?

Such a fun dinner. I've never done anything like this and it definitely put me in the mood for Halloween. Usually this is a holiday I kind of skip over... I was very impressed with how she transformed her dining room. I think she said this was the cheapest dinner she's ever decorated for! If you want the recipes and watch the full episode of the Disney Dinner, check out therosetable.com!

I'm so honored to be friends with such a talented individual and have gotten to be a part of all these wildly creative experiences. Here's to many more! Also... check out the attendees at the dinner. We definitely had some fun with the theme and lighting. And thanks to Jacob for the amazing photo editing! (He's wearing the Mickey ears.)

~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

JUNE: Table 13

Now that July is almost over... I guess I need to post my June pick. Haha. I'm starting to doubt my ability to do this "one post a month" promise I made myself. The new job is great but SUPER hectic. It's hard to get anything personal done these past few weeks. Anyways... here goes!

I knew once this dinner at Table 13 started, that it would be my June favorite. It's got a great vibe with live music, creative cocktails, and amazing food. What a great find too... cuz my new job is about 8 minutes from the restaurant!

Table 13 - Addison
4812 Belt Line Rd.
Addison, TX 75254
(972) 789-9558
www.table13addison.com
Price: $$$$

Walking in, this place had an older/classic vibe. The theme is reminiscent of early 1960's, so it definitely fits. While waiting for the rest of the group to arrive, people ordered some drinks! The cocktails were pretty and had cute little animal decorations on them. Fun! We did a mini photoshoot with the drinks and lighting. Everyone else said the drinks were fantastic.

In the Pocket (Herman Marshall, HM80 whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup, Malbec floater, cherries) $12~

Giggle Water (Absolut Elyx vodka, lime juice, Chareau, Martine Honey Suckle, topped with prosecco and cucumber garnish) $12~ I didn't get a cocktail, but if I had, it would probably this one.

All the Buzz (Western Son Grapefruit, Italicus Liqueur, lime, ginger beer, lime wheel) $10~

Daddy Old Fashioned (angostura bitters, Larceny Bourbon, Gomme syrup, orange twist, bing cherry) $12~ And look at the cute giraffe!

Our media dinner was in their Continental Room. Oooo, fancy! Get ready for a 7 Course Meal!

We got to meet the Executive Chef, Chef Curd. (I'll never forget his name btw, cuz it's a food. Haha.) And he went over the tasting menu with us. It sounded great. And I liked that there wasn't too many carb heavy items.

Amuse-Bouche -
Watermelon Cube (with basil chiffonade and balsamic). I don't like watermelon. It's becoming a well known fact. But... OH EM GEE, this was my favorite course of the meal. (I think) Chef Curd told us he picked the best watermelon from his farm in Rockwall and it was the best watermelon I've had in a LONG time. The pairing with the balsamic and basil was perfection. And that basil chip was kind of amazing. Anyone who can make me like watermelon is a culinary genius in my book! Wow... can't wait to try the rest of the courses!

Appetizer -
Seared Ahi Tuna (with Thai peanut sauce, Asian vinaigrette, seaweed salad, and pickled ginger). Again, LOVED! Everything just worked together so well and interestingly this was the first ahi tuna paired with seaweed salad that I've had. Makes so much sense to put them together but most restaurants don't do that combo. I can definitely have a larger portion of this as an entree.

Soup -
Lobster Bisque. Creamy, rich, and large lobster chunks. Yes!

Salad -
Greek Salad (with lemon thyme vinaigrette, crumbled feta, kalamata olives, tomato, bell pepper, and pepperocini). Yummy! Not your typical Greek salad. I think I like this version best. :)

Not on the tasting menu, but someone requested Deviled Eggs, and we got Deviled Eggs. I won't ever say no to a deviled egg. Hehe.

Entree 1 -
Petite Filet Mignon (garlic whipped potatoes; topped with truffle mushroom demi). Super tender meat. The crust on the steak was amazing. The whipped potatoes didn't look like much, but oh man, it paired perfectly. Delicious.

Entree 2 -
Red Snapper (spun vegetables al fresco). Light but full of flavor. I love that there were so many vegetables incorporated into this meal. The courses weren't heavy so I wasn't stuff yet at this point.

Dessert -
Chocolate Mousse Torte. Luscious dark chocolate. There were 2 layers... one was light and creamy, the other was dark and thick and fudgy. Freaking wonderful.
Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt (with fresh lemon curd). For the people who want a lighter dessert. Personally I prefer the rich chocolate, but this cake was great too.

Thanks to Table 13 and Chef Curd for a spectacular meal. I ate the whole thing without feeling like passing out. I think that's a win in and of itself! Plus the watermelon... swoon! Definitely go check this place out, y'all. They've also got a pretty great lunch menu. $13 with a lot of options and includes a complimentary glass of champagne or chef selected dessert! You bet I'll be there for this at some point!

*The meal was comped but all opinions are my own.*