FEBRUARY: The Henry

My favorite restaurant of February is The Henry! Very new to Dallas, it only opened in February, and it's already wowed me. This is another restaurant under Fox Restaurant Concepts, the restaurant group that brought us North Italia, True Food Kitchen, and Flower Child... some of my favorite places! So I can't say I was surprised that I loved this place.😄

The Henry
2301 N Akard St., Ste 250
Dallas, TX 75201
(972) 677-9560
Price (brunch): $$-$$$$

First of all, the decor is on point. Upon walking in, I already knew I loved it. They called this a "blend of Gatsby-era elegance and modern industrial cool". The color scheme is dark blues and deep wood. It automatically makes you wanna order an Old Fashioned and hang out. They also have a separate coffee and pastry counter. So if you didn't want to have a full sit down meal, you can just order there. And lemme tell you... their pastry selection looks GOOD! One of everything please!!

I've been to The Henry twice since they opened, both times for brunch (Sat & Sun 10AM-3PM). So I am combining the foods from both visits in this post. I highly recommend you reserve because they are slammed! There goes my idea of going there everyday to hang out/read and eat. Haha.

For those who go to brunch for the drinks :P they have a Bloody Mary Cart $13~. How fun is that? They also make mimosas at the cart too. Classic Mimosa $10~ They have various flavors for the mimosas.

Short Rib Potstickers (toasted sesame, yuzu ponzu) $14~ 

This was so tasty, I had it both times. The texture of the potsticker wrapper and meat were both great. The best thing though, that sauce! They need to use that sauce on more dishes! The only complaint... I want more than just 6! Ha!

Brussels Sprout Caesar (romaine hearts, toasted torn bread) $12~ 

Another one that was so good I ordered it the 2nd time. Perfectly dressed, not too heavy, the flavors were just right. I loved the mix of brussels sprouts in there. And you know what... dip those brussels in the potsticker sauce. Yeah! Takes it to another level. They should really do a side dish of brussels sprouts in the yuzu ponzu. *Hint Hint*

Bread Pudding French Toast (caramel apple, chantilly cream, pecan) $10~ 

This dish is Vegetarian btw. And holy crap, this plate for just 10 dollars?! I think this is the best bang for the buck on their brunch menu. We got it for the table to share. There are layers in the slices of bread... almost croissant like? The use of pecans in the bread is great too. It's like it was pressed into the bread. Freaking love this dish. Highly recommend!!

Smashed Avocado Toast (crushed egg, farmhouse cheddar, poppy seed, crispy onion) $9~

This is also Vegetarian. Beautiful toast, great flavors. I especially liked the crushed egg on top.

Scottish Salmon (toasted grain risotto, roasted beet, marcona almond pesto, sherry pomegranate molasses) $27~

I believe this is also on the dinner menu. What a beautiful dish! Vibrant colors and flavors. I loved the roasted beats with the marcona almonds. The salmon was cooked perfectly. Quite filling without feeling too heavy.

Korean Prime Skirt Steak (double egg fried rice, bok choy, snow pea, pickled shiitake, spicy ginger butter) $32~ 

This dish is Gluten Free. Loved all the flavors in here, especially that spicy ginger butter. The skirt steak is a pretty lean cut of meat just FYI. This was like their most expensive dish on the brunch menu. I think that's pretty cool.

Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich (green chile slaw, dill pickle, pepper jack cheese) $14~ 

It also comes with a side, so we chose the Parmesan Truffle Fries which were so addicting! The sandwich looked incredible! I liked everything about it except that it was not spicy at all. Haha. But it was fried well and the flavors were good. And those fries! OMG... could not stop eating them.

Since I've been eyeing the coffee/pastry counter since we arrived, I had to try some stuff right?

Go North (espresso, cocoa, cream; served neat and cold) $5~ 

I got this on the first visit. Such a dainty drink. I felt really sophisticated drinking this. Haha. Also, loved it. My husband loved it too and ordered another for himself (AFTER he drank half of mine! LOL!) It's like a frothy dark chocolate/espresso milk. Yum!

The Dropout (espresso, colombian drip, chocolate, caramel, au lait) $5~ 

The second time I chose a hot drink. Surprisingly not too sweet, which is great. My coffee of choice are mochas so this is just like an elevated mocha. Stir it from time to time though, as the caramel sinks to the bottom.


Ham and Cheese Croissant, Almond Croissant, Nutella Rugelach, and Cream Cheese Danish? 

The first time we went was during their soft opening. As the brunch service was ending, the manager came by and asked us if we wanted any pastries since they were not open for dinner. Heck yea!! OMG, she gave us EACH a box of goodies. I really wanted to try the Almond Croissant and IT WAS TO DIE FOR! Best almond croissant I have ever had. You can quote me on that. Please don't EVER change the recipe!! The other pastries were good too. And apparently the almond croissant sells out fast! I was not able to get any the 2nd time I went. T_T

Sticky Caramel Roll. 

This was the last one when I went the 2nd time, so I snagged it! It definitely lives up to its name! Very sticky and caramel-y. I kinda wished it was warmed up a little... I think that would've made it better. I liked the flavor, but it really was quite sticky, making it a little hard to eat. But the inside has layers, like a fusion of a croissant and roll.

Loved it all! The service was also top notch. They had a few kinks during the soft opening, but all the servers and managers and anyone who's walking around and working were all SO nice and accommodating. It's no wonder they call this "The Greatest Neighborhood Restaurant". I really want to hang out there all day. Their rooftop area opens at 4PM btw... it seems cool but I haven't actually made it up there to scope it out. I also think the menu offers a variety of foods to appease everyone. They have many dishes that are vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free friendly. 

I love you, Fox Restaurant Concepts. My friend from Phoenix keeps saying we also need a Culinary Dropout! *HINT HINT* :D

~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

City Hall Bistro - Blog and Brunch Edition

If you haven't noticed that I'm obsessed with City Hall Bistro, then you haven't been paying attention. haha. So when I got invited to the January Blog and Brunch, I responded pretty much instantly, and then counted down the days! So excited!

City Hall Bistro - Brunch
1321 Commerce St.
Dallas, TX 75202
(214) 651-3686
www.cityhallbistro.com
Price: $$-$$$

Love the space. Duh. :P But a tip for foodies who wanna take photos... request tables in the back, where the windows are. Instant lighting! You're welcome.

We had a big group that day... 20 people or so? Biggest Blog and Brunch I've been to. And you know what that means?! MORE food! :P We had a feast that was to die for. Keep scrolling for all the pics. Also... follow @blogandbrunchdfw on Instagram! :)

Breakfast Bread (muffin, daily bread, croissant, pain au chocolate) $5~ I didn't know where to start first! 

I wanted one of everything! But I had my eye on those chocolate croissants. Probably one of the best chocolate croissants I've ever had. Mainly because it was completely filled with chocolate. Most places have that sad little dab of chocolate in the middle. At City Hall Bistro, they're not stingy. The dark chocolate was awesome, and the croissants themselves were flaky and buttery. 

Another favorite was the carrot (and maybe banana or zucchini?) bread. I normally get turned off by anything carrot, but the way they crisped the edges of each slice... it was bomb. Texture was so good. I won't be mad if I get my vegetables that way. :P

Cheese (fruit jam, honeycomb, raisin pecan toast) $12~ I skipped this one because I'm not one for cheese boards. Need more stomach room for all the other foods!

Papas Bravas (crispy potato, garlic aioli, smoked paprika) $5~ Freaking love these potatoes. They are packed with flavor. Highly recommend!

Greek Yogurt (pomegranate, blueberry, caramelized honey, basil, blueberry meringue crisp) $10~ 

This was surprisingly one of my favorites for the day. I NEVER order yogurt at restaurants because... why? haha. But this was SO good. I actually went back 2 weeks later and got it. By myself. I mean... it's healthy! The yogurt is swirled with vanilla bean. The best thing on there is the blueberry meringue crisp. Adds a light and crispy texture to the creamy yogurt. It's not too tart, not too sweet. Just perfect. Just a note: most of the stuff we got were for sharing so they were bigger portions. Like the yogurt, the actual portion is individual sized... see photo with spoon. It's still quite filling though, just not great for sharing.

Hazelnut Waffle (nutella, banana, pure maple syrup) $12~ Always a good choice. I've already had this before. It's a solid dish if you want sweet for breakfast.

Frittata (roasted mushroom, leek, arugula, cheddar, tomato chutney) $15~ Um. Probably one of the best frittatas I've ever tasted. I don't even know how they packed so many flavors into this little slice of egg.

Mushroom Tartine (tarragon mascarpone, pickled beech mushroom, mustard seed, soft poached egg) $13~ Prettiest dish you ever did see. They were topped with edible flowers, so it's literally a garden on a piece of bread. Check out the perfectly poached egg p0rn. :P

Shakshuka (farm egg, roasted pepper, spicy tomato, ciabatta toast) $16~ I think this is my first shakshuka. It's basically poached eggs in tomato sauce and spices. Not sure if it's "authentic" but it was quite delicious. I really liked the flavor of the spicy tomato sauce.

Creme Brulee Toast (kumquat, vanilla custard, mint) $14~ I was very excited about this dish as I love french toast. However, I think it was one of the weaker dishes. The presentation is clean and pretty, but I like a fluffier french toast. It was more compact and flat...

Cauliflower (golden raisin, smoked paprika aioli) $10~ I love their cauliflower dish. Especially when served on the wood board. The addition of the golden raisins elevates the dish imo. And just a tip... you can get this during their Happy Hour for $5. :)

What a fantastic spread. My favorites still tend to favor the sweet stuff. hehe. Thank you, City Hall Bistro and Blog and Brunch, for having me. I'm ready for their new menu items now. hehe. In case you didn't know.. they change up their menu items from time to time. So most of the dishes I've had the first time I went are already not available. T_T So you better make reservations soon, if you want to try any of these!

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

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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

Florida Trip 2015: Hyde Beach Kitchen + Cocktails

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 ~~