Crushcraft Thai Street Eats

Earlier this month I was in Uptown for something in the afternoon. So instead of fighting the rush hour traffic back to Plano, I asked a friend if he wanted to have dinner in the area. He works downtown so it was only a short drive for him. We decided to go check out Crushcraft, neither of us had been. I've been hearing a lot about this place since before it even opened. I think I have some friends that are friends with the owners?

Crushcraft Thai street Eats
2800 Routh St #150
Dallas, TX 75201
(972) 677-7038
www.crushcraftthai.com
Price: $$

I love Thai food, but honestly, most of the places in DFW are all about the same. There are a couple bad ones, but for the most part, they are usually pretty good for my taste. Very rarely do I find one that really stands out to me. My current favorite is Koung Thai in Rockwall. Who knew Rockwall would have a hidden gem! :P And lucky us, it's like 5 minutes from my fiance's house.

Walking into Crushcraft, I already knew their decor was pretty interesting from photos I've seen. It's very casual, and I liked the ribbons/streamers that decorate their main dining area. It's very festive. They have their menu on the wall as you walk in. Then you order at the counter. They take your name, and announce it for you to pick up the order. The drinks are self serve, along with 6 different types of chilis/hot sauces you can take at your heart's content and spice the hell out of your food. Yasss!! Love it. We took a bit of every kind. I love spicy! 

They also have a pretty nice patio area if you wanted to sit outside. I attract mosquitoes so I tend to stay in. hehe.

We each ordered an appetizer just to try.

Grilled Mou Tad Pork Fritters $3.75~ 

3 meatballs on a skewer. You get 2 skewers with an order. I thought that was a good amount for the price. I'm not sure how this is a fritter... It's mostly just a pork meatball. But it's very tender. The flavor is slightly sweet. Dip it in some sriracha or chili sauce and it's pretty good. Meat on skewers, definitely makes me think of street food!

Thai Fried Boiled Eggs $3.95~ 

These were a bit lackluster. I'm not one to be picky about eggs. I'll pretty much eat them any way. And I ate these too. But it was kinda chewy. I found the "fried" part to be unnecessary. It wasn't crispy or anything so I didn't get the point. The flavoring is ok. I pretty much just mashed them up with my rice. And why give us 5 halves?? Where does the last half go?? I thought that was dumb. Not worth the 4 bucks imo.

#3 Kra-Pao (jasmine rice, ground pork, fried egg, basil, mortar smashed chili, green peppers, onions) $7.99~ 

This was my entree. I asked them to put bean sprouts in there too. I think that was an extra 50 cent charge. Oh well, I wanted more veggies. It was good! Tons of flavor, maybe a bit too salty towards the end because there was more sauce. But bold flavors are always good in Thai cuisine! The fried egg on top was just sad though. It was so puny. My friend joked that it was the other half of the egg from the boiled egg appetizer. hahaha. Of course I doused everything with different types of chili flakes/sauces. I found the best combo for this was the dry chili flakes and then the chili oil. Mmmm! Spicy! It was a good portion. I finished it all and was very full.

#5 OG Phat Thai (rice noodle, chicken, tofu, tamarind, bean sprouts, garnish, lime wedge, toasted peanuts) $8.99~ 

I love me a good Pad Thai. This was ok. Pretty standard. I thought it was a tad sweet. Which doesn't bother me, but compared to other places it's a little sweeter than I would prefer. Seemed to have lots of tofu and chicken pieces which is good. I liked sriracha with this one.

It was a good meal, but we both thought the food here was pretty standard. Didn't stand out from the rest of the other standard Thai places in Dallas. Other than the fried boiled egg, I'd eat the other ones again. But I wouldn't drive out of my way to go there. If I'm ever in the area again, sure, I'll go back.

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Brunch at Smoke

I'd have to say brunch is probably my favorite meal of the day. My bf and I were on our way to Ft. Worth this past Saturday for a wedding so we stopped at Smoke for some brunch! Ever since we went the first time, he's been wanting to go again. Can't blame the guy. It was soooo good! :)

Smoke
901 Fort Worth Ave.
Dallas, TX 75208
(214) 393-4141
www.smokerestaurant.com
Price (for brunch): $$

We arrived around 12:30PM. My sister and her bf had already checked in with the hostess and she told them it was a 45 minute wait! :( But I'm hungry now! haha. But like last time, they quoted us some ridiculous wait time but it was so much shorter than that. Within 10 minutes from our arrival, we were seated. Woohoo!

My bf knew exactly what he wanted. Smoked Brisket Cornbread Hash (with poached egg and green chili rajas) $14~ 

Same thing he got last time. It was really good, I totally would have it again. And this time it didn't disappoint. He gobbled it up so fast... This dish just has so much flavor and texture. The soft poached egg with the smoky brisket and slightly crunchy cornbread. I'd say this is the best dish on the brunch menu.

Hungry Bear Smoked Ham Steak & Farm Egg Fritter (with sweet corn griddlecake and Dr. Pepper Red Eye gravy) $12~ 

 

I had several options but chose this one. The farm egg fritter really sounded interesting. Turns out it was a poached egg that's breaded and fried. YUM-O! It was definitely a sweet and savory dish. Totally up my alley. The ham was savory and smoky with a hint of sweetness. Plus the slight sweetness from the corn in the griddlecake. And I really enjoyed the Dr. Pepper gravy. It was a lot of food. I had to leave some ham and griddlecake on the plate because I was full! Oh no! :P I enjoyed the combination, however, I think they should do a version with their thick cut bacon instead of the ham steaks. hehehe.

The Full Monte (steak, eggs, biscuit, potato cakes and peppercorn gravy) $15~ 

My sister and her bf shared this because it had a little bit of everything. They were awesome and split the plate for them (so the picture is only a half portion). I got to try a bite of a few things. The steak was a bit overcooked since he liked it more medium well (we like it med rare, so they settled on medium). The potato cakes were kind of hard, not a fan. But they seemed to enjoy the overall plate.

They also got some sides to share:
Thick Cut Pork Belly Bacon $3.50~ If you love bacon, can't go wrong with this. I think ALL restaurants should serve bacon like this. Thick cut and tons of flavor.

Cheese Grits-Hominy Casserole $3.50~ Tried this for the first time. The addition of hominy was interesting and good. It added an extra texture in the grits. And it was cheesy and creamy. Went well with my ham steaks.

Once again it was a great brunch. We thought this time we'd try their desserts but didn't have room... haha. Oh well, that just means we have to return another time!

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NOSH Plano

I went to NOSH in Plano Sunday night for dinner. I've been wanting to go there forever!!

NOSH
4701 W. Park Blvd, Suite 101
Plano, TX 75093
(972) 612-3200
www.nosheurobistro.com/
Price: $$$

I really like the decor inside and out. It has a cool seating area around the kitchen so you can watch what they are doing in there. But the weather was pretty nice so we chose to sit outside.

Our waitress, Sarah, was really nice and informative. She was very thorough in telling us about their specials and they do have a lot of specials!

A lot of stuff looked good but she says we can't lose with the Maine Lobster Fritters (with mandarin tartar sauce) $9~ or the meatball appetizers. We went with the fritters.

It was really good. The outside was super crispy but very light. And then you bite into it and it becomes really creamy and rich. The tartar sauce had hints of orange and citrus in it to add complexity in flavors. You can see the bits of lobster in there but I wish they were a little bigger. A very good starter nonetheless.

I decided to get a Specialty Cocktail: French Fizz (Hangar One blueberry, elderflower, champagne) $11~

I had tried my friend's elderflower cocktail at Townhouse a few days earlier and really liked it. This wasn't as good though because it wasn't sweet enough for me. My bf liked it though so he finished it for me. hehe.

For the entree, it was very hard to me to choose cuz everything looked so good but Sarah helped me decide on the Grilled Bay of Fundy Salmon (sweet corn salad and smoked paprika aioli) $23~

The plate was a bit small but it was delicious. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the aioli was fantastic with it. The corn salad was a cold salad and was very refreshing. It was nice since it was still a little warm sitting outside. It was a very light entree. The flavors were simple and you can taste the ingredients themselves. I really enjoyed it.

My bf went with the Grilled Kobe Beef Bavette (tomato vinaigrette and blue cheese potato chips) $23~

It was also recommended by Sarah. The beef was cooked perfectly medium rare. It was super tender and the light seasoning allowed us to taste the beef itself. The chips were cut and fried in house. The blue cheese was also made in house. The flavors in the chips were really good. The chips could've been a little crispier though.

I love brussels sprouts so I had to get the Side of Brussel Sprouts & Bacon $6~

There was so much bacon in here it was crazy. I never imagined I would think something had TOO much bacon! haha. But I did want more brussels sprouts.

We ended the meal with the Warm Chocolate Souffle Cake (with s'more ice cream) $7~

It was small but so rich it doesn't leave you wanting more. I did want more ice cream though! The cake was so rich and chocolatey and just melted in your mouth. YUMMM!!

It was a great meal. My expectations for NOSH was exceeded. I was especially happy with the service. Sarah was great. She was informative, attentive and offered good suggestions.

So...something kind of embarrassing. The strap on my sandal broke just as we walked into the restaurant. OH NO! So I was walking around all weird trying to keep it on my feet and finally gave up and picked up my shoe. I had to do the same when I went to the restroom... I really tried to hold it but couldn't. haha. Sigh~ Half way through the meal, another waitress asked if I wanted a stapler. She must've seen me walk to the restroom earlier. hahaha. I said that would be GREAT! Sarah brought the stapler and it totally worked. I was able to keep the strap attached to at least walk out of there with some dignity. hahaha. I was really happy that they were trying to think of ways to help me instead of just laughing at me or something. The service there just elevated the food even more.

I will definitely go back again. And I will request Sarah as my server. :) Also, I've heard wonderful things about their brunch. Maybe that's what I'll do next time!!

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Q1 Dinner @ Salum

Last Friday, one of my quarterly eating groups decided to go check out Salum (pronounced sah-LOOM). It's located on Fitzhugh and Cole Ave. in Uptown.

Salum
4152 Cole Avenue # 103
Dallas, TX 75204
(214) 252-9604
www.salumrestaurant.com
Price: $$$

It's a cozy little place...basically a square room with a bar on the side. Our reservation was for 8pm and it was packed when we arrived. It took them a couple minutes to get our table together. We had a party of 9 people and they squeezed us in 2 small square tables pushed together. Oh well...seeing how busy they were, I guess it's ok. haha.

The waitress came around for our drink orders and they gave us a couple of bread baskets. The bread was nice and warm. :)






So being the food addict that I am, I had already looked over the menu online multiple times. haha. :P I already knew what I wanted going into dinner.

I ordered the Butternut Squash Bisque (Chorizo Corn Fritter, Chili Creme Fraiche) $12~ for appetizer.
It's a little pricey for soup but it just sounded so tasty and the cold weather just makes me wanna have soup. It was delicious! The soup was creamy and sweet. The corn fritter had a nice crust on the outside and the sweet corn with the salty chorizo was awesome. The entire combination with the bisque, fritter, and creme fraiche was so yummy. It didn't feel heavy either. The only complaint was the portion size. The bowl/plate was sooo shallow...the soup portion size was more like a "sauce". And there was only one fritter. I think a reasonable price should be under $8 for the portion size.

Other appetizers ordered were the Texas Goat Cheese, Roasted Elephant Garlic (extra virgin olive oil) $10.50~ and Serrano Caprese (Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella, Serrano Ham, Balsamic and Olive Oil, Pesto) $8.50~ I got to try a little bit of both. The garlic and goat cheese were paired with some slices of bread. The garlic had lots of flavor and the goat cheese was creamy and not too pungent. I really liked the Serrano Caprese. Everything was really fresh and with lots of fresh flavors. The balsamic wasn't too strong and everything blended together very well. If you like tomatoes and mozzarella, I think this would be a good choice.

Next up are the entrees! I ordered the Seared Scallops (Pancetta White Balsamic Pan Sauce, Sundried Tomato Tapenade Risotto) $29~ This was disappointing... The portion was sooo small. Three small scallops over 3 piles of risotto. You would think for the price, they would give you larger scallops... The first one I dug into...was sandy. :( I could feel the sand crunching when I chew. BLeh! The texture was good but needed more of a sear. The risotto wasn't what I expected either. I didn't taste or SEE much of the sundried tomato. And it seemed really oily.. I expected risotto to be more creamy and cheesy. Overall the flavors were decent, but for $10 a scallop, I expect this dish to be amazing!

I also got to eat some of the Braised Beef Short Ribs a la Bourguignon (Roasted Fingerling Potatoes) $26~ which was my other choice of entree.
The short rib was pretty tender and paired well with the potatoes. The potatoes were a little overdone but I actually liked the harder crispy outside. The only missing from this dish was more sauce. There wasn't enough sauce so it made the beef and potatoes a little dry.

A friend of mine ordered the Australian Rack of Lamb (Dijon Truffle Crust, Mushroom Bread Pudding, Lamb Demiglace) $28~ This was the best entree in my opinion...and that's saying ALOT! Because I don't like lamb and it's gamey taste. But I was assured that there wasn't the gamey flavor so I tried a bite. It was really good! The lamb was cooked very well and the crust was amazing. The mushroom bread pudding was interesting...I've never had savory bread pudding like that and I really enjoyed it. It was full of flavor and I liked the chewy texture. Not only was this the best dish, I think it was also the best deal out of all the entrees. There was a good amount of meat, sides, veggies, and LOTS of sauce (which the short ribs lacked).

Another friend (who would like to be referred to as my 'Guest Correspondence'...hehe) ordered the Grilled Beef Tenderloin (Gruyere Mashed Potatoes, Green Peppercorn Cognac Demiglace) $32~ He said the beef was tender, juicy, and had good flavor. I totally agree! He also said the mashed potatoes were really flavorful. This is probably my #2 entree of the night.

Another friend ordered the Roasted Lobster Tail (Marcona Almond Couscous, Cara Cara Orange Salad) $34~ I didn't get to try this dish, but he said he enjoyed it...but the lobster was slightly overcooked.

So far everything's a little hit or miss. It's all up to dessert to be the deciding factor. My favorite part!! :D

I ordered the Bourbon Bread Pudding (Creme Anglaise, Toasted Almonds) $7~ After I saw this on the menu online, I was set on ordering it. None of the other options looked as good...I even bypassed the chocolate one! O.O haha. I'm sooo glad I chose this. It was delicious! The portion size was good, and presentation was nice. The bread pudding was just out of the oven...when I dug into it steam came out! YUM! The creme and berries paired very well with the soft texture of the bread pudding. I enjoyed it a lot. I would definitely recommend this.

Other people ordered the Chocolate Caramel Tart (Almond Crust, Espresso Gelato) $8~ and Apple and Berry Crisp (Creme Anglaise) $10~ The chocolate tart was bursting with coffee flavor. It had a nice texture as well. I liked it. The Apple Crisp was awesome! It was really big! The crisp on top was amazing. It was a perfect topping on the fruits.






So the desserts definitely gained some points for the night. hehe. But it was a great ending to the meal...
...until the check came... The waitress gave us one check for the whole table so we asked her to split it for us. She tells us that their system doesn't allow them to make changes once the check is printed, and proceeds to hand us a pen to mark on the check. WHAT?!?! I was stunned. First of all, we had 9 people with different people ordering wine, cocktails, some had dessert, some had coffee... I cannot BELIEVE she expected US to deal with it. Second, for such an expensive restaurant, you would think they would have a more updated system where you can make changes to customer checks. OMG! So we attempted to figure it ourselves but just took too long. We waved her back over and asked her again to split it. She told us again that the system doesn't do that and...this is where it makes me SUPER mad...she told us that usually if large parties wanted separate checks, they would say so beforehand. I was like...if YOU are a good waitress, YOU should've asked!!! OMG...what is this?!?! Especially if you have such a sucky system. So then she's obviously annoyed, comes back with a pen and paper and writes down all our orders again. Saying, AGAIN, that she has to do this manually because of their freaking system. OH boo-hoo... the customer is always right. It's not like we're paying <$10 a person...this is more like $50+ a person...we shouldn't have to handle our own check and deal with her attitude. That really killed the night. Up til then she was getting pretty high marks, but now it's all gone. Overall, the ambiance and food was nice...but I thought portions were small and prices were high. Plus the waitress put a damper on things. :( The food wasn't too spectacular for me to really recommend this place. But if you do go, definitely get the couple things I mentioned that were good. :)
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