Uchi - Sake Social

Everyone knows that Uchi is good. But I think most people also know that it's quite expensive. So you'll wanna read about this cuz their happy hour or "Sake Social" can save your wallet a little. :P

Uchi
2817 Maple Ave.
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 855-5454
https://uchidallas.com
Price (for HH): $$

Sake Social runs daily from 5-6:30PM. Yep, that's right, even on Saturdays and Sundays. Aside from a few holidays, they have this pretty much all year. And here's the best part... everything on the menu is LESS THAN $10... including the drinks! It's also available in the entire restaurant, not just limited to the bar. Woohoo!

I got invited to check out Sake Social back in January. My friend and I got to try a bunch of stuff! :)

Kara Kyuri (cold sake, yuzu, cucumber, thai chili) $8~ My friend got a cocktail. It sounds super refreshing. She really liked it.

Spicy Crunchy Salmon (cucumber, avocado, chili) $6~ A pretty simple roll but it was fresh and I liked the crunchy tempura flakes on the outside.

Negihama (yellowtail, negi, tamari) $6~ Also pretty simple yet fresh. I really liked the negi (Japanese long onion) in there.

Natsu Beef (squash, fennel, shortrib) $8~ What a pretty dish. That splash of green totally made the plate pop! The beef was super tender. We both loved this dish!

Gyutoro Dolma (short rib laarb, trinity puree, puffed rice) $10~ Also a beautiful dish. Just look at the colors! Especially with that blue bowl. I think this was my favorite from the Sake Social menu. I normally don't like dolmas but since this is made with untraditional ingredients, it's totally different. The puffed rice added a nice crunchy texture. The trinity puree was delicious... I think that made the dish.

Yucca Frites (yuzu kosho, labneh, herb trinity) $6~ The prettiest presentation of fried yucca I've ever seen. haha. It was fried to perfection. Each cube was delicate, crunchy, and fluffy on the inside.

Gailan (chinese broccoli, chili, white ponzu) $5~ Loved this! I'm always looking for vegetables in my meals. The flavoring in this dish was bold. And those garlic chips were everything!

We also got a few items off the regular menu.

Karaage (chicken thigh, sweet chili, seasonal pickle) $10.50~ I love their karaage, I've had it before. The sauce packs a punch. I wished it was a little crunchier on the outside though.

Foie Gras Nigiri (duck liver) $9.50~ This is a MUST at Uchi. I know the price tag is a little shocking. This is PER piece. But it's seriously one of the best bites of my life. The first time I had it a couple years ago, I actually teared up because it was so unexpectedly amazing. I'm typically not a huge fan of foie gras. But the textures, sear on the foie gras, and just the whole sensation is mind blowing. At least for me. You gotta at least try it once for yourself.

Banago (banana, black sesame, thai basil) $10~ Uchi has some really interesting desserts. They're also always really pretty. I really wanted to try this mainly because I love black sesame. It was interesting to say the least... The black sesame mousse thing was made with tofu. Not sure if I would've ordered that if I had known that little detail. I think flavor-wise, it was good... but texturally, it was a little weird for me. I loved the sesame crisps and the thai basil added a bright pop. But this is definitely my least favorite dish of the night.

All the dishes are pretty small, but shareable. We were full by the end of the meal. If you stick to the Sake Social menu, it's a pretty good deal! Our waitress, Payton, was amazing. Shoutout to her for such wonderful service. And thank you, Uchi, for having us.

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

Quality of Food: 

Service: 

Ambiance: 

Value: (comped)

Overall Experience: 

~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

Pera Turkish Kitchen

This past weekend I discovered my new favorite Turkish restaurant. On Friday night I went with 2 friends to try out Pera Turkish Kitchen on Preston (across from La Hacienda Ranch and Banana Leaf). It used to be a sushi place (I knew the owner) which used to be really good, but I think this location is not the most ideal. I've seen many businesses go in and out of this space over the past 10 years. I really hope Pera sticks around!!! 

Pera Turkish Kitchen 
17479 Preston Rd. 
Dallas, TX ‎75252 
(972) 267-4444 
http://peraturkishkitchen.com/ 
Price: $$ 

After reading some reviews on this place, I had a good feeling about it. I really hope its good!

The place was pretty empty when we arrived at 7:30PM on a Friday night. There were 3-4 other tables I think. Our waiter was a shorter, older gentleman. He was all smiles and gave great suggestions and service. :) 

After we ordered we were given complimentary Turkish bread. It was yummy! I loved the sesame on top which gave it a nice nuttiness. It came with a feta dip which had dill and tomatoes in it. 

My friend wanted to try the Dolma (homemade grape leaves stuffed with rice, pine nuts, currants, onions) $6.50~ 

She's never had it before so wanted to try it. I was hesitant and told her that I don't think dolmas are that good. I've always liked the concept of it, but every time I have it I don't care for it. It usually doesn't have enough flavor and is kind of sour. So my impression of it wasn't great. But this was so good. SO GOOD! First of all, they're not small like most places I've had. There was lots of filling inside. And most importantly, it had great flavor and no sourness!!!! I loved it! I'm so glad my friend gave it a shot. hehe. 

We also got a Humus (mashed chickpeas blended with fresh garlic, tahini paste) $5.50~ It was pretty standard humus. But went really well with the bread. 

One friend ordered Pera's Signature "ADANA" (fresh lamb, hand ground daily and marinated with eastern Mediterranean spices; served with rice and salad) $13.95~ 

She loves lamb and was really excited that they had many lamb dishes to choose from. The portion size was good. The lamb was tender. I don't like lamb so it still had that gamey-ness that I'm not a fan of. She loved it. Her husband loved it even more though. hahaha. He ended up finishing her dish. The rice was different than any I've had in other Mediterranean restaurants. I think it's cooked in some sort of stock? It had a slight yellow color to it and was really flavorful. I also liked the texture a lot since it was more of a puffy rice instead of long grain. 

My other friend got the Chicken Shish (spiced, fire roasted tender cubes of marinated chicken) $11.95~ 

Initially he was gonna get the quail but the waiter suggested this one. The chicken was white meat but super tender. The seasoning on the chicken was good too. We all liked it, but he liked the lamb better. hehe. 

I got the Salmon Kadayif (salmon crusted with shredded wheat and sauteed vegetables) $14.95~ 

It looked AMAZING!! The plate was so pretty with the green sauce and veggies and pink salmon on top. It's so cool that they pan fried the shredded wheat on the salmon. It created a super crispy crust. The salmon was cooked well. And I loved the freshness of the pea puree and vegetables. It was a hearty yet healthy dish. I would get this again in a heartbeat!! Obviously my favorite dish of the night. :) 

I was pretty full but we wanted to try the desserts. Of course! :P 

Baklava (thin layers of filo dough with walnuts in between) $5.50~ There were 4 pieces but were pretty small. It was tasty though. Sweet and nutty and went so well with the Turkish tea I had. 

Kazandibi (baked caramelized burnt milk pudding) $5.50~ This was the one I wanted to try. It was delicious!!! It was kind of like a flan, but more dense. The burnt top added a complexity in flavor. The whipped cream on the side paired so well with the pudding. NOM NOM GOOD!! 

We had a great meal! Everything was fantastic. The service was spot on, the food was delicious. Definitely my new favorite Mediterranean place! It easily exceeded my expectations and I hope it sticks around for a really long time. Everyone go check it out!! 

Oh yea... did I mention? It's also BYOB!! Holla! :P 

And guess what... It was so good that I told some friends about it. I went back with 2 other friends on Sunday (2 days later)!! I wasn't even hungry cuz I had a big lunch but I still went and got the Dolmas as my entree. Still yummy! 

One friend got the Beyti Kebab (chicken adana kebab wrapped in lavash bread then topped with yogurt and tomato sauce; served with rice and salad) $14.95~ It looked pretty awesome. And it was really tasty. I just might have to get that next time I go! Although... the salmon is still on my mind. hehe 

Quality of Food:

Service:

Ambiance:

Value:

Overall Experience:

~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~