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Happy New Year Everyone!
Initially I wanted to do a "CHOMP! 2017 Top 5 Best Eats" until I started going through all my pictures and realized there's NO way I can narrow it down to just 5! I mean, c'mon! I've had wayyyy too much good food this year! So now I've split up between Sweet vs Savory, and it's going to be CHOMP! “Top 10” Best Eats. Hehe. :P (And letting y'all in on a secret... I chose "10" because that's the max number of photos I can include on a single post on Instagram. hahaha. All for the gram, amiright?)
First up! The Savory! I chose these places, some for really obvious reason likes "I go there, literally, once a week", and others because it was just very memorable. And tbh I often don't remember what I ate 2 days ago because it's almost always something new and different. haha.
I don't really want to rank these because they are all fantastic in my book, so I will list them by how often I visit them.
1. Pōk (West Village).
I mean... are you even surprised?! I basically went 1-2 times a week for a good 6 months straight. I literally have 20+ folders on my computer of photos from every visit. I freaking love this place and I actually crave it. They have the BEST poke bowls imo, plus the best matcha drinks… My favorite being the Matcha x Coco. I always build my own bowl.
Here's my go-to combination:
- Base: Bamboo Rice + Kelp Zucchini Slaw
- Protein: Salmon
- Sauce: Spicy Ponzu
- Toppings: Edamame, Kale (no longer on the menu, so I switched to Napa Cabbage), Pickled Ginger, Crispy Onions
- Premium Toppings (+$1): Avocado and/or Seaweed Salad
I rarely deviate from this. It's just TOO good! And guess what? I just had it for lunch today!
2. Pōk the Raw Bar (West Village).
I only had the chance to sit in front of Chef Jimmy Park twice at the 5 seater raw bar. I'm sad he's not at Pok anymore... it was definitely the best sushi experience I've ever had other than when I was in Japan. The Omakase/"chef tasting" was freaking amazing. I got to try many things I've never had before. I anxiously await what he's working on next.
3 & 4. Commissary (Downtown).
This place only opened back in November but is already one of my favorite spots. I started going there weekly as well and each visit would cost me around $50 because I just wanted to buy everything! XD Also, most of the time I’m there by myself so I get a lot of stares from other people. It's just me... and a whole table of food. haha. This takes spot 3 and 4 because I love their Rigatoni (pork sugo, parmesan) and their Pulled Pork Sandwich (slaw, pickles, chipotle BBQ) is the BEST I've ever had, no joke.
5. Oni Ramen (Deep Ellum).
I've only been to this location, which is his second. This location only opened back in Sept but I've been there at least 5+ times already. Each time I go, I take new people because it's so good I have to tell everyone! BEST ramen in Dallas, hands down. All the different broths are super flavorful without being super salty. And most of the bowls come standard with a ton of toppings, you rarely have to add anything else, so it's more affordable than a lot of other ramen spots. My current favorite? The Rich Tonkotsu, plus a soft boiled egg. Yum! If you want even MORE flavor? Get the Kyushu Tonkotsu (with black garlic oil).
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| That pork belly tho.... |
6. North Italia (Legacy West).
I freaking love the entire Legacy West center. All the eateries there are fantastic. But I have a weakness for pasta and North Italia has got that down! Every single pasta dish I've had there has been on point. One of my favorites being the Short Rib Radiatori (parmesan cream, fresh horseradish, wilted arugula, herbed breadcrumb). The name for the pasta is just like it's shape! Like an old style radiator! haha. But seriously, can't go wrong with ANY of their pastas.
7. Haywire (Legacy West).
I told y'all I loved this area. Haywire is one of the newest additions, only opened at the end of November. The newest member under Front Burner Restaurants who also own winners such as Sixty Vines, Whiskey Cake, The Ranch in Las Colinas, and more! I was immediately impressed walking in. 3 stories high, each floor is decked out in unique Texas decor, and they have a killer patio (and an Airstream) on the 3rd floor. Not to mention the people here are so nice, I felt so welcomed. And the food? Amazing! My favorite dish right now is the TX Whiskey BBQ Baby Back Ribs... it's off the bone tender and comes with the 2 best sides they have... the mac n cheese and the cornbread. OH the cornbread! It's amazing. I will always order one for myself. They're only a buck each! It's absolutely my favorite thing there. In the span of 3 weeks, I went 3 times. Did I mention that it's about an hour drive for me from home to Legacy West? Worth it!
8. City Hall Bistro (The Adolphus Hotel).
Probably one of the most gorgeous spaces I've seen this year. It's hidden inside the newly renovated, and so beautiful, Adolphus hotel. The food is killer and unique. They change up their menu though so my favorite item is no longer on there... Atayef (savory Lebanese pancake, duck confit, pear, black garlic aioli). But that's ok, because everything else on the menu is also amazing. Pasta game is strong!
9. Mudhen Meat & Greens (Dallas Farmers Market).
I was obsessed with this place for a while. Their food is healthy yet tasty and filling. I don't go as often as I'd like because their weekend brunch gets pretty packed so I have to plan ahead and make reservations. My favorite brunch dish here is the New English Breakfast (two eggs, applewood bacon, chicken sausage, sweet potato mash, roasted heirloom tomato, toast, and dressed arugula). So many colors, flavors, and textures on this plate. And it's pretty healthy too. I never feel heavy or overly full after leaving here.
10. Edith's French Bistro (Mockingbird Station)
This is a hidden gem. I never used to go to Mockingbird Station much because there wasn't a whole lot, but I'm loving this new addition. First of all, one of the CUTEST places, decor wise. And secondly, the food is bomb! I've only been there 3 times but I haven't had anything bad. I especially love their sandwiches. I've gotten a different one on each visit. My favorite being The Pastrami (apple fennel sauerkraut, avocado, white american cheese). I always get the Caesar salad as the side. So freaking good!! Also make sure you save room for dessert. They have a crepe station as well as several cases of cakes and pastries on display.
So many other great restaurants and dishes in 2017... I wish I could include them all. It took me several hours today to finally get it down to 10! And here's to so much more deliciousness in 2018!!!
I'll be posting the Sweets tomorrow! Stay tuned! :)
~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
I kinda wrote this out of order... but oh wellz.
For NYE Eve, my fiance and I went to Roy's... our favorite place for special occasions. :) Also because they recently put out a new prix fixe menu which sounded awesome! We already had plans for NYE to eat dinner with my parents, so this was our fancy night out.
Roy's - Plano
2840 Dallas Parkway
Plano, TX 75093
(972) 473-6263
www.roysrestaurant.com/locations/tx/plano
Price: $$$$+
We arrived early for our 6PM reservation... we're old farts.. I know. :P I prefer to eat dinner pretty early. The place was pretty packed when we got there. So he went to the bar and hit up the happy hour while we waited for our table. Their hh goes until 6:30 or 7PM everyday. :)
Soon we got seated. Our waitress was super nice, as usual. We rarely have bad service here. And we already knew what we wanted to order.
We got the normal edamame with shichimi for the table. But they also brought out some compliments from the kitchen: Fried Duck Dumplings.
Oooooo! Amuse-bouches are not standard here... although I've had a few since I've been there so much. The plate was so cute! The outside was fried nicely and the inside was creamy and rich. It was a good little bite. :)
We came here to try the new Creative Northeast Asia Prix Fixe menu. The 3 course meal is $36.95~ (not including tax or tip).
We started with the Grilled Filet Mignon Yakitori (shoyu, cucumber, yuzu kosho).
It was a pretty big appetizer I thought. And although I found the meat to be a little underseasoned, it was sooooo tender. I was about to cut it with a knife, but it was completely unnecessary. Super super tender!!
Pumpkin Seed Crusted Ahi (kabocha squash dumplings, bok choy, citrus emulsion).
The plating was very pretty and colorful...but not a big portion. The tuna was fresh and I liked the pumpkin seed crust. The kabocha dumplings were pretty good, similar to gnocchi in texture I'd say. But the plate lacked seasoning overall. It was very light in taste. I wish there was more sauce than that little smear in the middle of the plate. However, my fiance had a genius plan. He asked for extra wasabi cream sauce that they use in the Misoyaki Butterfish (which I ordered for myself) and it was awesome. That sauce can go on anything! The manager came over at one point and we got to chatting and he actually said he's put that sauce on mashed potatoes before! Sounds divine!
Apple Tasting (five spice cake, bruleed apples, apple gelee, caramel sauce).
Since we got a dessert with the prix fixe, we didn't order another one. When the waitress brought it, I was like "whoa!" It's a pretty big cake! And it was very pretty, I loved the different types of apple chips, bruleed apples, and apple skin? on top. She did say the skin was more for decoration... may not be good to eat. We both really liked the bruleed apples with the crunchy layer of burnt sugar on top. I also really liked the gelee and sauce, gave the cake the moisture it desperately needed. I can totally taste the five spice and I liked the flavors overall, but the cake itself was too dry. And there wasn't enough sauce to make it better. I think a bit more caramel sauce, maybe a few dollops of whipped cream would work wonders. Or even better... a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Mmmm. Just a thought. :P
Of course I got the Misoyaki "Butterfish" (Alaskan Black Cod, baby bok choy, furikake rice) $34.60~ It's my absolute favorite, can never go wrong. The fish was melt in your mouth tender. And the sauce is always amaze-balls and the green is gorgeous on the plate. Thumbs wayyy up!
Ohh.. and the cherry on top... the couple in the table next to ours gave us a $25 off coupon as they were leaving. They got 2 in the mail and said one was to give to a "friend". Thanks friends!! It definitely made our night even better. :)
Another great meal. Everyone was so friendly, the food was good.... my butterfish still trumps all! Can't wait to go back again. Maybe I'll try something new next time... haha.
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Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all had an awesome holidays/vacation/staycation/etc...
So we had some crazy cold front come on NYE eh? Kinda sucks but my friends and I stayed in and had a house party. It was a great time. New Year's day was just cold and dreary as ever. I think it's nature telling us all that vacation is over and back to real life we go. Booooo. And perfect weather to stay in and sleep. But I had a friend in town and we planned to meet up for a late brunch. Luckily, the roads didn't freeze and traffic was very light. It didn't take long for us to get to our destination.
Savor Gastropub
2000 Woodall Rodgers Freeway
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 306-5597
http://savor-relish.com/savor/
Price (for brunch): $$
I've wanted to try Savor's brunch for awhile now so I suggested it to her. Plus they take reservations. Yay. So we met there at 1PM. Parking there is pretty sparse, plus it was cold and wet, so I opted for valet. It's complimentary, so why not. It was pretty quiet in there. I guess most people decided to stay home. We were seated after everyone arrived. The restaurant was quite cold... since the entire place is glass windows. haha. But once we got some food in us, it was better.
My fiance ordered the Short Rib Tortilla Hash (short rib, fingerling, salsa verde, sunny-side up egg, chipotle hollandaise) $17~
I wanted to try that one too. The portion was quite big. He just cut up the egg and mixed everything together. It was yummy. The short rib was super tender. I liked all the flavors. It was a very comforting dish...good for a cold day like New Year's day. The tortilla was already mixed in, so it was pretty soggy. I wish they would've topped it, so it would be crunchy to start with. Other than that, I'd totally have this again.
I decided to keep it lighter. I got the Farro Salad (charred red onions, cherry tomato, pine nuts, basil mint vinaigrette) $13~
It was more like a plate of farro, than a salad. There was one big leaf of lettuce under all this. hahaha. But I didn't mind. The farro has incredible chewy texture. The flavors were light but not at all bland. And I loved the basil mint vinaigrette. Not heavy, but a little is enough to add great flavor to everything.
Brussels Sprouts (with bacon) $13~
I remembered the first time we came, their Brussels sprouts were really good. I didn't see it on the brunch menu so I asked the waitress if we can still order it. She says usually it's only available for dinner service... but she'll check with the kitchen. And YES! They'll do it!! :) It's considered an appetizer, that's why its $13. But it's a pretty big portion. I'd say about x3 what other places serve as sides. So the price balances out. Delicious!! The bacon gave just enough meat for my meatless farro salad. I'll probably order this every time I go.
Deviled Eggs (pepper relish, spiced pecan brittle) $8~ One friend ordered this to start. It was a very pretty plate. And it was very good. I really liked the spiced pecan brittle on top, added a crunchy texture.
He also got the Chicken Fried Steak (bacon and maple gravy, crispy breakfast potatoes, over-easy eggs) $19~
I got a bite of the chicken fried steak. It was pretty good, but in that bite I felt like maybe the meat was a little overcooked? I can't fully remember since there were so many other dishes and flavors going on all at once. He seemed to enjoy it though since he cleaned his plate. hehe.
Lemon Ricotta Stuffed French Toast (brioche, blueberry jam, spiced pecan brittle) $14~
Another friend ordered this. It was what I wanted... but opted for a healthier route. The waiter had said it was his favorite on the menu. It was so pretty... and looked AMAZING. And it tasted AMAZING! The whole thing was like a cloud, so fluffy!! The brioche was light and airy, the lemon ricotta filling was fluffy. Nothing was overly sweet, so it wasn't heavy at all! I ended up eating a fourth of her dish. hahaha. :P Oh man... next time I go, I'm totally getting that!!
Fried Chicken Salad (romaine, cheddar, cucumber, avocado, spiced pecans, tomato, honey mustard dressing) $16~ I didn't try any of this. Seems pretty standard... But there are lots of big chunks of fried chicken. :)
Nicoise Salad (coriander seared tuna, saffron aioli, olive tapenade, tomato, deviled egg, mixed greens) $19~ I didn't try this either but it looked really good. My fiance was sad that he didn't see that this had seared tuna in it.. his fav. hehe. My friend said it was good, but the salad part had a bit too much dressing, so he didn't finish that.
It was a wonderful brunch despite the yucky weather outside. I got to see people I haven't seen in over a year! Tried a new place for brunch and loved it! So far 2015 is looking pretty positive. :) And Savor is such a cool looking restaurant, definitely a good place to people-watch when the weather is nice.
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Happy New Year Everyone!! :)
Hope your 2015 is filled with delicious goodies and fun times!
(unfortunately I had to wake up early to work today... boooo.)
~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
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