The Eberhard - Now serving lunch on Fridays!

The Eberhard on Henderson... typically known as a cool bar scene. They have chandeliers, leather sofas, high ceilings, and a gigantic wall of bottles. However, did you know they also have good food? I went to check out their brunch sometime last year and was pleasantly surprised by all the options and food quality. And now they've opened up lunch on Fridays only. It used to be only dinners and weekend brunch. I believe lunch runs from 11AM-4PM every Friday now. The crew at @bestfooddallas were invited to go check out the new lunch menu. They said we could go at any time, so I went last Saturday night with my husband.

I've always loved the decor here. Especially the chandeliers. Just makes you feel fancy! :P

The Eberhard
2107 N. Henderson Ave.
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 821-1100
www.theeberhard.com
Price (for lunch): $-$$$

We had an early dinner at 6PM. The place was still pretty empty. There was only one other table dining and a few people at the bar. We were immediately seated and our waitress, Barbara, came to greet us. She was super nice. Knew what we were in for and we were definitely well taken care of.

We started with some drinks.

My husband got the Knox Your Typical Old Fashion (Crown Royal, blackberry basil) $10~ He's normally super picky on drinks but he really liked this one. He actually finished it!

I normally don't drink. But I remembered a while back one of the @bestfooddallas Community Leaders went and featured a frozen cocktail with a popsicle in it. I asked if that was still available and she said yes. It's normally on the brunch menu, but I'm sure you can request it at other dining times.
Frozen Stoli Crush (Stoli orange, white wine, peach puree, tropical Red Bull, mimosa popsicle) $10~ She told me the popsicle flavor changes, but the frozen cocktail only comes in one mix. It is so cute!! And soooo delicious! I'm so glad I got it. Tasted like a peach slushie. And fresh peaches too... not just peach flavored syrup. The popsicle made it so much fun and kept it cold for a really long time. The mimosa popsicle on its own was great too. For once, I didn't need other people's help on finishing it. haha.

Our appetizers came out soon after our drinks. All of their lunch appetizers and flatbreads are $5 during lunch btw. Such a great deal.

Chef's Fancy Mac & Cheese $5~ I think Barbara said there's 5 different cheeses in here or something? It was really good. And definitely cheesy. We told ourselves not to finish it so we can have room for the other food but we ate it all... ha.

Avocado Toast (Toasted French baguette, avocado spread, roasted corn salsa, shaved asparagus, fresh radish) $5~ 

I always love avocado toast. I liked that this had a DIY element to it. You can top your toast with the corn salsa, asparagus, and/or radish. All the toppings were fresh and refreshing. I also liked that the bread wasn't super hard/crunchy. Most of the time baguettes are just too hard imo. Again... we weren't able to save any of it. haha.

For the entrees I chose the Duck Confit (confit of duck breast, savory bread pudding, butternut squash) $19~ 

My husband wanted this too but let me get it so we can try something else. (He ended up getting the better dish though. haha.) The plate was pretty. I was excited about all the elements. The portion of the duck was a little small but it's also the lunch menu. I was almost full anyways from all the appetizers. haha. The flavors were all very good, but the duck could've been seared a little more. The skin was not crispy at all. And the meat itself was a little dry, but still very tender... I also wished the bread pudding had some crispy parts. It would add a variation in texture. Overall the flavors were great but lacking in texture. I probably wouldn't order it again.

Corned Beef & Cabbage (confit of corned beef, steamed cabbage, potatoes in demi-glace) $14~ 

My husband chose this as his 2nd option. OMG. It was amazing. First of all, huge portion. And you can see the marbling in the corned beef. It was basically like thick slabs of brisket. The dish had so much flavor. I'm not sure what was on those potatoes, but they were yummy. The corned beef is made in-house and it was fork tender. Then I realized I've never actually had corned beef on its own. It's always in a sandwich or hash of some sort... But they just let the meat shine, and it was glorious! I would eat this any day. We ended up taking half of it to go because we were both full. (I made fried rice with it the next day... it was magical.)

We were stuffed! But of course... when you're checking out a new menu, you have to get dessert too. Fudge Brownie (a la mode). 

They were out of our first choice... an Oreo Brownie Bar or something. The dessert was actually the least remarkable of the whole meal. I expected the brownie to be thicker when I hear "fudge" brownie. But I did like the cookie-like crust on the bottom. That added a nice texture. It was ok. I think also we were just way too full. But I would rather get another Frozen Stoli Crush as my dessert next time. hehe.

Now... I know what you may be thinking... $19 is a bit steep for lunch. And it is... but we both ordered from the "entrees" section. They also have a "sandwich" section that has sandwiches, burgers, and wraps... all $10, which is very affordable for the quality.

My husband and I really enjoyed ourselves. It was like a little date night. And we both liked our drinks! That's a miracle in itself. haha. Get the Corned Beef. Seriously. Do it. Barbara was great. She answered all my questions, checked on us often without being too aggressive. I think the manager came around a few times too. He was in a blazer so I'm guessing he's the manager. Also super nice and made sure we're having a good time. Throughout our dinner, people started coming in. Most of them went to the side with the sofas though. Only 2 other tables were actually eating there. They have good food, people! Go eat there, but still get a drink. hehe. :)

**This was a comped meal, but all opinions are my own.**

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Foodie Brunch Crawl

I recently went on my first brunch crawl with the other two Community Leaders of MyFab5 (IG: @bestfooddallas), and another food Instagrammer/blogger from NYC (@moodyfoodyadventures). For those of you that don't know. I'm part of a team of 3 Community Leaders for MyFab5, with the Instagram @bestfooddallas. We bring you food recommendations and delicious food photos 7 days a week. Be sure to follow us!! You should also follow our individual Instagram accounts: @chompdallas @thediningdino @phileats_ and see food all day everyday!! :D

@moodyfoodyadventures was coming to Dallas and reached out to us to meet up for brunch. It's always great to meet other foodies! And since we all love brunch so much, one place is just not enough! :P

We met up on a rainy Saturday. The weather was dreadful but that's not enough to stop our eating!

Our first stop was at Meddlesome Moth. I had only been there for dinner before but their brunch menu looked awesome. Unfortunately, we found out that they don't have brunch on Saturdays, so we were given the lunch menu. Oh well..

Meddlesome Moth
1621 Oak Lawn Ave.
Dallas, TX 75207
(214) 628-7900
www.mothinthe.net
Price: $$$+

It wasn't busy at all that day. So we were able to get a seat by the window... for better photo lighting and all. Kinda sucks that it was so overcast outside.

Catalan (Prince Edward Island mussels, Spanish chorizo, charred tomato, fresh garlic) $15~ 

The Moth always has some great mussels. They have several flavor selections. This was yummy, as always. That broth is everything.

The One-Eyed Jack (Webster City bacon, pit-smoked ham, Tillamook cheddar, cheddar jalapeno bread, nested egg; served with fries) $11~ 

 

First time I've had this... always love a runny egg on anything! This made for some delectable pictures. #yolkporn The sandwich itself was pretty good... a tad salty. But I was starving so it was delicious. haha. The fries were good too. I had to remind myself that this was only round 1 so I forced myself to stop eating the fries.

Shrimp & Homestead Grits (jalapeno gravy) $24~ 

We all knew they had great shrimp and grits. One of my favorites in Dallas I think... it's totally the jalapeno gravy. The shrimp was nice and plump. The gravy was a vibrant green. It's truly a beautiful dish. And tasty of course.

It was a great start to the brunch crawl. Didn't overeat and got to make new friends! On to the next!

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Round 2 was at Kessler Park. I had never heard of the place at all. It's really close to Bishop Arts District. Driving up, it looks like a simple diner type place. Walking in... it's totally a diner. Wasn't much to look at as far as decor, so I really didn't know what to expect. There weren't that many customers in there either.

Kessler Park Eating House
1619 N Beckley Ave.
Dallas, TX 75203
(214) 782-9273
www.kesslerparkeatinghouse.com
Price: $$

We started looking at the menu, and they actually have a bunch of stuff that sounded amazing. We wanted to try so many things but had to edit down because we had a third location. hehe.(...but we failed. ordered to much. hahaha)

Chicken and Waffle (Chef Jon's tabasco brined chicken tender, fresh baked Belgian waffle, and peppered gravy) $11.50~ 

 

This was on their specials menu. Who doesn't like chicken and waffles, that was a must. It was a great looking dish. The waffles were soft and fluffy. I wished they were a little crispier on the outside, which is how I like my waffles, but it was still good. The chicken was fried nicely. I liked the fresh slices of jalapenos on top too, added a nice pop of color. It was a yummy dish, we all loved it.

Hunka-Hunka Burning Waffle (fresh baked Belgian waffle with peanut butter fluff, fried bananas, and bacon) $13~ 

It's Elvis' favorite! This was also on their specials menu. It's got waffles, peanut butter AND bacon! So we HAVE to get it! This was my favorite of the day. It's got all my favorite things. Again, nice and fluffy waffles (wish it was crispier). But that peanut butter fluff... not sure how they made it. It's more like a crumble... but it's like crack. I wanted a bucket of this. So. Freaking. Good. The saltiness of the bacon complimented the sweet elements well. Lurrrrrved it!! I'd soooo get this again.

Coconut Cream Waffle (toasted coconut waffle, coconut cream, whipped cream, toasted coconut) $11.50~ 

 

We were only gonna get the 2 other waffle dishes, but at the end of ordering, we threw this one into the mix. THREE waffle dishes. hahaa. But it was a win cuz all their waffles were fantastic. This was really good too. I'm not a fan of shredded coconut, but even I liked it. It was like a coconut cream pie, but in waffle form! The cream was fluffy yet still rich. It was some of the other people's favorite dish.

Chilaquiles (crispy corn tortillas with roasted chicken, smothered in tomatillo sauce with 2 eggs) $13~ 

This seemed like the odd man out. haha. 3 waffles and a chilaquiles. hahaha. It was HUGE! We definitely over-ordered. But everything was good. This dish barely got touched though since the waffles were sooo awesome. These were good, loaded with toppings, but was completely outshined. I ended up taking 3/4ths of this home.

This was an amazing find! Thanks to @moodyfoodyadventures. Otherwise I would've never known about this hidden gem!

Chocolate Cherry Muffins (with almonds and chocolate chips) Free~ 

So they were having issues with the register and credit card machine. We weren't in a rush so we were just hanging out. They came over and gave us a couple muffins on the house. They were big and packed full of stuff! Oh man, we were already full but I had to try some. We decided to cut one and save the other. This is one fluffy and moist muffin. I loved the combo of the chocolate chips and large chunks of cherries. They made this in-house. I'd say one of the best chocolate muffins I've ever had. And I got to take the other one home! A few seconds in the microwave the next day... ohhhh baby. :P

Loved this place. The service was warm and friendly. Large portions and yummy food. Definitely get something with waffles in it, you won't be disappointed!

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Round 3. Boulevardier. Always a great spot for brunch. I have yet to go for dinner, but it's on the list!

Boulevardier
408 N. Bishop Ave., #108,
Dallas, TX 75208
(214) 942-1828
http://dallasboulevardier.com
Price (for brunch): $$-$$$

We were almost all at full capacity so we ordered light.

Legs and Eggs (crisp duck leg confit, sunny-side up farm eggs, homestead stone-ground grit cakes, huckleberry preserves) $16~ 

 

I've had this dish before, it's one of their most popular brunch dishes I think. This time it seemed like the duck was a little drier, but still tasty. The grit cakes totally stole the show. Soooo good, everyone agreed. Just gimme a plate of those next time, thx. hehe.

The others wanted Raw Oysters. I'm not a fan of oysters in general, plus I was super full. So I passed. They said it was good so I'll take their word for it. :P

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Oh man... we were done! ...or were we? Since we're in Bishop Arts, we had to go to Emporium Pies. We HAD to!! So we stood in line... as usual, and slowly made our way to the front. I got 2 pies to go. I thought the others were gonna do the same, but they all got pies to eat there! Beasts! I was done... haha. Luckily a table opened up and we were able to sit down.

It was a great day. Meeting new people, eating great food, and taking lots of food pictures! hahaha. Sounds perfect.

Don't forget to check us out on Instagram!
@chompdallas
@thediningdino
@phileats_
@moodyfoodyadventures
@bestfooddallas


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Gemma

Last year we celebrated Valentine's Day a week late because we were both out of town the weekend of Vday. We decided that we would do it again this year so we're not fighting the crowds on Vday weekend.

The dinner location was a surprise. I let him handle the reservations and stuff. (Although I did give him a list of restaurants I wanted to try, to choose from.) hehehe. :P

We had a super early reservation since this place is pretty new and books up really fast. I kinda figured it out but I was still really excited because it was at the top of my list. I've been hearing nothing but good things about them! We ate a fairly light lunch so I was totally ready for our early dinner!

Gemma
2323 N Henderson Ave, #109
Dallas, TX. 75206
(214) 370-9426
http://gemmadallas.com/
Price: $$$$

We pulled up to the restaurant and you pretty much have to valet. The self parking is 1 hour only. That sucks. But they do validate your valet so it's complimentary.

The outside is really cute. They have a small outdoor seating area. The front of the space is bright and simple. I really like their logo of the "G" from a rose. We were warmly greeted by the host as we walked in. I loved the decor. Kind of rustic, beachy, but yet sophisticated. A lot of nautical accents. We were actually 20 minutes early to our 5:30 reservation. There was only maybe 2 other tables filled so far so we got seated immediately. The space is pretty small but cozy. I liked the large mirrors on the walls which make the place look bigger.

After we sat down, a waitress came and greeted us and got us some water. We took a look at the cocktail menu and each got a drink.

On the left is the Fennel Rickey (Fords Gin, Meyer lemon, lime, Yellow Chartreuse, fennel fronds) $12~ Fresh and bright and just sweet enough for me. Really enjoyed this. Strong too!

On the right, Jade Goddess (Oolong tea infused Vodka, Meyer lemon, honey) $12~ It was sweet but had a bitter aftertaste, not sure from what. And the flavor of honey was pretty strong which I don't particularly like. But was still good enough to finish. hehe.

I couldn't decide between the 2, but the waitress highly recommended the Jade Goddess so I got that. She said it was sweeter, which I like. So my bf ordered the other so I can try it too. I ended up liking the Rickey better. I think I just like gin better.

We had a different waiter for dinner service. He was super nice. He gave us the specials of the day and told us that they typically take all your orders so they know how to time everything coming out. I like that. It means they pay attention to the timing of your dining experience. We also asked him to take a picture for us. And by "a picture" I mean like 4 or 5 cuz I wanted to redo them. hahaha. He obliged with no complaints and told us that he just wants the customers to have a great time. :) That's the spirit!

We were given some bread to start. I think it was a slice of rye and a Gouda & Fig Scone.

 

The scone was DIVINE! I have never had a better savory scone. I'd call it more of a biscuit because of it's flaky buttery-ness. The outside was just crispy enough and the inside was warm and buttery with a hint of sweetness from the fig and saltiness from the Gouda. Sublime. I could've been happy just eating that for the rest of the night!

For dinner, we went straight to the entrees.

He got the Duck Breast and Confit Leg (barley "fried rice", scallion, pickled daikon, carrot) $29.50~ 

That was one of my choices too. I'm so glad we have the same preferences for food for the most part cuz we always like what each other gets! The duck was great. The breast had a lot of flavor, but the star was the leg. It was fork tender and awesome. I really enjoyed the barley fried rice too. I like anything with texture and barley had just enough chewiness against the tender confit leg. The pickled veggies on top was a nice splash of brightness against the heavier meat. Plus it was also a pretty plate!

I got the Braised Veal Cheeks (Tokyo turnips, baby carrots, cippolini onions, bacon, black pepper spatzle) $31.50~ 

Can't say I've had many veal cheeks in my life, but I do know that the cheek of anything tends to be the most tender meat. It was like buttah! Totally didn't need a knife and almost didn't even need to chew it. So freaking tender! 

And I totally loved the spatzle. The texture was great, and it soaked up all the flavors from the veal and veggies. I did wish there was some sort of fresh veggies or herb salad on top though. It was a heavy dish and a tad greasy so some brightness would've been perfect.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts (with bacon) $7.25~ 

Gotta get Brussels sprouts whenever I see it! These were yummy. Not as great as Village Kitchen but still good. There were large chunks of bacon in there. The bacon was a tad salty on its own but paired well with the sprouts.

Roasted Acorn Squash (garlic, lemon thyme) $6.25~ 

A nice compliment to all our dishes. It was tender and slightly sweet. Helped balanced out all the savory elements of everything else. It was especially good when I paired it with the spatzle.

We wanted to save room for dessert so we actually took some of the food to go. My bf mentioned to the waiter that we absolutely loved the scones and asked if he could get one for me to go. The waiter smiled and said he'll see what he can do to get us 2!! YAY!! :D GIMME GIMME GIMME! hahaha.

Can't end a meal without trying dessert! We were pretty full so we just got one. Although I would've been perfectly ok if we got two! :P
Chocolate Caramel Pine Nut Tart (toasted marshmallows, vanilla bean ice cream) $10.50~

 

It was such a gorgeous plate. Everything looked so elegant and perfect. The tart was amazing. Usually my bf doesn't like dark chocolate but with the addition of the caramel on the inside, he loved it. The pine nuts were inside the tart and you can really taste them with the chocolate and caramel. The ice cream had a really great consistency and the marshmallows were so cute. Every flavor paired well together and there was a lot of different textures. The creaminess from the caramel, ganache and ice cream to the gooeyness of the marshmallow and then the crunch from the crust and also some sort of chocolate crumbs under the ice cream. Fantastic.

It was another great Valentine's Day dinner. I had really high expectations for Gemma and it definitely lived up to it. The service from the host to the waiters were so welcoming and spot on. Our water glasses were always filled, our waiter was just attentive enough without being overbearing and everyone was so friendly. The food of course was fantastic. The portion size were good too! Not those teeny tiny portions in some other fancy restaurants. We thoroughly enjoyed it. I definitely recommend Gemma for a nice dinner out or special occasion but just make sure you give plenty of time for reservations! They were completely filled up for the night and I hope business continues to stay that way. :)

**Just a side note. I ate the scone yesterday for dinner. Warmed it up in the toaster oven for a bit and it was still amazing!!! I want MORE!!!!!!!**

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