Lovers Seafood & Market - NEW OPENING!

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Lovers Seafood & Market is officially open for lunch and dinner service, starting Monday 3/6! 
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I had the pleasure and honor of being among the group of media and bloggers that got a sneak peek last week before they opened up service to the public. This is the new concept by Tracy Rathbun and Lynae Fearing, the amazing duo behind Shinsei. With names like Rathbun and Fearing, I was so happy that I was actually invited! I've been a big fan forever! Needless to say, they were both there, along with Chef Kent Rathbun! I got a little star struck. hehe. Chef Rathbun actually sat at my table and dined with us for most of the night too. It was great hearing what influence and vision he has for the place in the future.

They've joined with Executive Chef Aaron Staudenmaier, who has been with Chef Rathbun since the beginning of his restaurants. What a great asset! He's cute too. :P Too bad he's married. haha. I'm married too, so I was curious for a friend. :P JK!

Lovers Seafood & Market
5200 West Lovers Lane
Dallas, TX 75209
(214) 414-9880
www.loversseafoodmarket.com
Price: $$$+

The decor of this place is so much fun. From the wood shingled front door to the crystal decanter lights. Lots of sea foam green and wood to give the ambiance of the sea. They will also be selling fresh seafood that you can buy and cook at home, hence the "Market" part. In addition, there's going to be a raw bar... for those of you who like shrimp cocktails and oysters... get yourself a seat at that bar. It's not a big place so you'll probably want to make a reservation. For reservations call or go on their website.

 

We had 2 long tables to sit at. Since several of the courses were for sharing, that was a good set up. Plus this way we all get to talk to more people. Once everyone arrived, got drinks, and sat down, Tracy and Lynae gave a short intro, then passed it off to Chef Aaron to give us an introduction on the concept and ideas behind the food. The fish are all flown in and super fresh. They'll feature the freshest catches so be sure to check them out and see what they've got. There's also influences from the teams' various travels... traditional gumbo from New Orleans, or tuna poke from Hawaii. I cannot wait!

To start, we got several things to share at the table.

Dill Pickle Popcorn. This is served at every table as a little pre-meal snack. The seasoning on this was yummy. Never had a dill pickle flavored popcorn. 

Ty's Warm Terracotta Pot Bread (black pepper, herb butter) $5~ 

This is the cutest thing ever and that browned crust looked absolutely mouth-watering. This totally set the tone for the rest of the evening and was one of my favorite bites of the night. The bread was so fluffy, and that crust... oh my! Full of rosemary and garlicky flavors, I pretty much ate a whole one by myself.

Grilled Shrimp Dip (focaccia croutons) $11~
Spicy Pimento Cheese Dip (focaccia croutons) $10~ 

These are fun to share with a group of people. I really enjoyed the shrimp dip while several others loved the pimento. The focaccia croutons are more like bread sticks. Airy and crunchy. Although I would've preferred more of the terracotta pot bread for these dips. hehe.

Tuna Poke (Ahi tuna, sesame, wakame, cucumber, togarashi) $15~ 

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I've been obsessed with poke lately. hehe. This was very traditional, like the ones you'd get in Hawaii. Not so much like all the poke bowls we've been seeing pop up around Dallas. The tuna was super fresh. The thin chip was perfect with it, a little added texture. I enjoyed it very much!

Gumbo Ya Ya (chicken and andouille sausage) $7/10~ 

Loved this gumbo! It was full of meat and flavor. They put Tobasco at the table but it didn't even need it. The gumbo itself had a slight kick to it. The rice was also cooked nicely, great texture. I hate it when rice becomes mushy. Chef Kent Rathbun was telling us that this recipe is straight from New Orleans, can't get more authentic than that.

For the next course we had 2 different Market Fish:
Seared Walleyed Pike (from the Great Lakes). I've never had Pike before. One of the other bloggers said it was her favorite fish. I'm excited to try it. It had a fabulous sear. The meat was very tender as well. 

Seared Red Snapper (from Florida Gulf). Sorry... no picture. I liked this one too. The meat was also super tender. It went so well with the side dishes.

Sides:

Charred Broccoli (cajun ranch) $7~ The sauce on that broccoli. Wow. This was also one of my favorite bites of the night. 

Brussels Sprouts (malt vinegar, bacon) $9~ 

I love me some Brussels Sprouts. These were good, but could have even more char. And I never thought these words would come out of my mouth, but there was too much bacon. I actually wished there would be more Brussels Sprouts to bacon ratio. haha. Another girl agreed with me. So... whew! :P

Roasted Poblano Jack Grits $8~ 

Loved this!! So did everyone else. It was so creamy and buttery. A great side to any entree!

And let's not forget dessert! We were all pretty full, but when they started bringing out the various desserts, it was like our stomachs emptied again. What a spread!

Chocolate S'mores Pie (shaved chocolate, sea salt caramel, graham). Decadent and silky chocolate, toasted marshmallows... Can't go wrong with that.

Vanilla Cheese Cake (seasonal fruit jam). This was my least favorite. It was still good, but with all the other dessert options, the vanilla cheesecake got lost among the other flavors. Without the berries, I found it a little bland. The texture was nice though. Not your typical super heavy cheesecakes.

The "Elvis" (peanut butter banana pie). This was a show stopper. I loved the presentation. The peanut butter cream was actually quite light! And there was a thin layer of chocolate between the cream and the crust. That was a nice surprise. The chocolate was hardened so it added a crunch to the crust. It was delish!

Key Lime Pie (vanilla anglaise dipping sauce). This y'all... was fantastic. I don't usually like key lime pies but I loved this. The flavors were on point. Just the right amount of tart vs sweet. I find that key lime pies typically are wayyy too tart. You can see the flakes of lime zest in there too.

What a fantastic night. Great company and delicious food, what more can you ask for?? And we only got a GLIMPSE of their menu... there so much more to try! This had been one of my favorite media dinners to date. I have to give a shout out to Ariana Hajibashi, from Adastra PR. She's sooooo much fun and definitely made the evening even better. :D Congratulations to the team behind this new restaurant. I think it will be a hit!

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

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18th & Vine BBQ

This place has been on my list since they opened. I got the opportunity to go when we had some European coworkers visiting back in March and the team was going out for dinner. Being the resident foodie, my boss told me to pick. When in Texas, you gotta have some BBQ right? Plus some people were taking our guests downtown to the AAC after for some hockey action, so this was on their way.

18th & Vine
4100 Maple Ave.
Dallas, TX 75219
(214) 443-8335
www.18thandvinebbq.com
Price: $$$+

This area is quite cute! It looks like house-turned-restaurant but also looked really new. I liked the style, but definitely not the look of a typical BBQ joint.

I was in charge of ordering. Everyone was good with doing it family style because we all wanted to try everything.

Started with Burnt Ends $13~ 
Of course!! This is one of my favorites at any BBQ place. Theirs is top notch! Really tender and flavorful. It was my favorite of the night. The pickled onions and pickles paired perfectly with the meat. 

 

Fresh Fried Okra $8~ Also pretty awesome. Fried really well and wasn't too much batter. I had to force myself to stop eating it because the entrees haven't even arrived yet!

Wood-Kissed Salmon (green split pea, warm frisee) $25~ 

This was requested by one of our guests, just to throw a fish in the mix. I liked the dish. The split pea mash was interesting. If you don't like the taste of peas, then this is not for you. Luckily, we all enjoyed it. I wasn't a huge fan of the warm frisee though. It just seemed mushy and limp. A good dish, but was my least fav.

BBQ Braised Beef Cheek (akaushi beef, creamed spinach, parsnip cacio e pepe) $32~ OMGGGGGGG... So freaking tender. Everyone was going "Mmmmmm" as they put a bite in their mouth. Loved it!

Matt's Picks (Sample 2 smoked meats chosen daily, serves 3-4, family style) Mkt price. I wanna say it was around $40ish? It's been a while, I don't really remember. The selection of the day was Brisket (we chose the fatty ones), Ribs, and Chicken. Everything was good, but not the best bbq I've had. I would've rather just ordered 4 more plates of the burnt ends. haha. I really loved their pickles and onions though.

Apple Cider Slaw $6~ I think it was good? I don't really remember, but I know it wasn't bad. Maybe just got overwhelmed with all the other good dishes.

Seasoned Fries $6~ Their fries were amazingggggg! Perfectly fried and the seasoning was great. A must!

Jalapeno Cheese Grits $6~ Love me some grits. These were comforting and cheesy.

Pit Roasted Mushrooms $6~ Lots of flavor, big portion. It was great. I'd get this again.

It was a great meal. And we ate it all! Had no room for dessert. I guess I'll have to go back again. haha. Everyone enjoyed it, so yay for me on the ordering. :P I'd say the prices were a bit high for my preference but you can't think of this place as a BBQ joint. It's a little more elevated, and less casual. I'm glad it was on the company! :D

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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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