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Last month, I had dinner with a friend. He was headed to Asia for several weeks so we met up before he left. We decided to try Dough, on Preston and Forest, since I would be in that area after work. I see this place all the time but had never been. I've heard good things about it though.
Dough Pizzeria Napoletana
11909 Preston Rd, Ste 1444
Dallas, TX 75230
(972) 788-4600
www.doughpizzeria.com
Price: $$-$$$
This place was more casual in decor than I expected. But I'm not sure why I always had the impression that it was fancier? haha. There wasn't too many people there on a Wednesday night, but it wasn't that empty either. They specialize in Neapolitan style pizza which is cooked at a very high temp for a very short period of time. The crust is usually pretty thin.
Sausage & Pistachio Pizza (fresh Panna, house-made sausage, bloomed onion, pistachios, Parmigiano Reggiano) $13~ To get some greens in the meal, we added fresh arugula on top.
Neither of us has had pistachio on a pizza before so it sounded really interesting. OMG. It's like the most awesome topping on pizza ever! (well not really... but it's pretty dang tasty. haha) The pistachios added a nuttiness that perfumed every bite. LOVED IT!! The sausage were in small pieces so they were crisped up like it was bacon. And the arugula on top was a nice touch... added some freshness and just the right amount of bitterness to balance out the cheese and meat. Normally I like thicker crusts on pizza since I like the doughiness. The crust on this was great. It wasn't super thin so it still had that chewiness. But the crust was thin enough so you don't feel as heavy eating all the carbs. We decided to only get 1 pizza and share since we wanted to get dessert. hehe. It was just the right amount. I'd totally get this pizza again. In fact, I wanna add pistachios to all my pizzas from now on. haha.
Pumpkin Polenta Cake (with torched marshmallow cream)
I don't remember how much this cake was, but it was totally worth it. Maybe $8? Super interesting and yummy. The texture was fantastic... you get the slight graininess from the polenta but it was still super moist. The outside had a really nice crisp crust. My friend and I both absolutely loved it. The marshmallow cream was not only a visually stunning pairing, but also tasted great. I think they normally offer a polenta cake, but the pumpkin addition might be seasonal. So better go check it out before the holiday season is over! I'll have to go again to try the regular polenta cake.
Really great meal. I'm glad we tried this place. And always a fun time catching up with friends. Dough is close to my work too... so maybe I'll take my co-workers there for lunch some time.
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The place we wanted to go for dinner in Ft. Worth ended up being closed for a private party that day. Blahhh. So we decided not to stick around and just head back to Dallas.
I took the opportunity to suggest Bishop Arts District. I love that area, but it's just so dang far to go usually. As we were driving back, I went on OpenTable.com and made a reservation at Tillman's Roadhouse. I had only gone once for brunch and once for dessert, so I've never had dinner there.
Tillman's Roadhouse
324 W 7th St.
Dallas, TX 75208
(214) 942-0988
www.tillmansroadhouse.com
Price: $$$$
We arrived for our reservation by 6PM. The place was only about 30% full. By the time we got our food, it was packed. I'm glad we went early. I always love the decor here... especially the chandeliers. Western/cowboy meets fancy chic. haha. We were seated immediately, in this square table that was wayy too big for us. haha. We got drinks and quickly browsed the menu.
Chicken Fried Steak (buttermilk whippers, bacon braised green beans, charred poblano gravy) $28~
One friend ordered this after I described it to her. I've tried it before. Instead of normal, pounded down beef cutlet, Tillman's uses thick cut pieces of steak. The meat is super tender and the outside is nice and crispy. She loved it, and ate IT ALL. I was so impressed. haha.
Charred Baby Back Ribs (bacon mac & cheese, chive, house chipotle barbeque) $26~
This looked so yummy. I loved the mac and cheese, good texture and flavor. The ribs... flavor was good, but was quite dry. It definitely needed the bbq sauce.
Flat Iron Steak (char-grilled flat iron steak, wild mushrooms, chimichurri, tobacco fried onions) $28~
My fiance got this. The steak was tender. There were different types of mushrooms which he really enjoyed. The chimichurri added a splash of brightness to the dish. Overall very good.
I finally decided on the T Burger (house ground beef, tillamook cheddar, texas farms mixed greens, tomato, fresh mayo, potato bun; side of truffled tater tots) $13~
I subbed the tots for Bourbon Sweet Potato Fries (fresh sweet potato fries, bourbon salt, house spiced ketchup). The fries pieces were small and short, didn't look that great, but it was really tasty. Especially loved the housemade ketchup. It was sweet, and the texture was kind of like apple sauce. I slathered that on my burger too, made it better. The burger was great! Definitely not the best I've had, but enough to satisfy my meat craving. I ate it all!
Before we even got to the restaurant, I said we had to get the tableside s'mores. I've heard so much about them but never tried it. Luckily they have a full and half version, cuz two of my friends were too full to help. And neither of them liked marshmallows... what?!?!
Tableside S'mores (marshmallow duo, cinnamon grahams, dark chocolate bark) Half $8~
Maple and Strawberry marshmallows. This was a lot of fun. Everything was made in house. The marshmallows were nice and fluffy and you can actually taste the different flavors. We both liked the maple better. I loved the dark chocolate paired with the cinnamon and marshmallows. Yum! Definitely a fun way to end the night.
At some point I'll have tried all the restaurants in Bishop Arts... may take years, but I'm gonna make it happen! haha.
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This place has been bookmarked on my Yelp for awhile now. Even though we were super full from dinner, we still had to go. How often are we in Houston? And it was only like an 8 minute drive from dinner. They have rotating flavors for each season and some of them are super unique. I really had my eye set on the hazelnut miso.
Cloud 10 Creamery
5216 Morningside Dr.
Houston, TX 77005
(713) 434-6129
http://www.cloud10creamery.com/
Price: $
Unfortunately they did not have the hazelnut miso, or half of the seasonal list actually... booo. But since we're here. Still gotta try something. It's a cute place. Bright walls/decor, fun.
My fiance's sister got the Mascarpone-Blueberry Tart (almond shell, mascarpone cream, blueberry compote, pink peppercorn) $5.25~?
Very interesting looking. Although it was premade and prepackaged. It was kind of like a shortbread cookie with cream and compote inside. It was frozen so quite hard to bite through. I wonder if it would be better if it was thawed out a little. Cool looking, but eh.
I got a Small Scoop in Waffle Cone (2 flavors: nutella marshmallow and passion fruit with white chocolate). $3.85 + cone $1.35~
The small scoop comes with 2 flavors. Both of my choices were really great. I particularly loved the passion fruit. It was really refreshing yet still creamy. Still bummed they didn't have the flavors I initially wanted to try, but it was still good. Not the cheapest place though. I guess next time I will call ahead to see what flavors are available before going.
We also tried the Marzipan ice cream, which had an almond flavor. Delicious. We got a pint to take back to his parents. $10 a pint! OMG! In Dallas we can get a quart...
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For Father's Day, my sister and I treated my parents to dinner at Perry's Steakhouse. My dad has been asking us to take them downtown somewhere for awhile and I thought this was the perfect opportunity. I love Perry's and have been trying to go back. Also, they had a Father's Day special 3 course deal that was too good to pass up!
Perry's Steakhouse & Grille
2000 McKinney Ave, Suite 100
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 855-5151
www.perryssteakhouse.com/
Price: $$$$+
Our reservation was at 6PM and we arrived on the dot. We were immediately seated so I texted my sister that we were there. She responded that my parents haven't even gotten to their house yet! (they were carpooling). Uh-oh! Apparently my parents thought the reservation was at 6:30. I informed our waiter, Demetrius, and he was so cool with it. "I'm not worried," he smiled and shrugged. Whew, I feel better. :P
So what to do for the next 20 minutes while we wait for them to arrive? Drink!! haha. I wasn't planning on drinking that night since I had some cocktails the day before but they had some yummy sounding drinks and we had some time to kill.
Glenmorangie Ginger Blossom (Glenmorangie 10 year old (scotch), lemon juice, honey water, fresh ginger; shaken and served with a lemon twist) $12~ This was pretty strong. Scotch is not my thing, but it was still quite tasty.
Blackberry Basil Smash (blackberries, fresh basil and pineapple muddled with Cinco vodka, Dekuyper Amaretto, and lemon juice; shaken and served over ice) $12~ This was soooo delicious. Also strong enough for me, plus on an empty stomach it hit pretty quickly. But so good, I could've had 2 more! My bf and I fought over this one. hehe :P
Our waiter brought us some Bread (with whipped butter) before our cocktails came. It's probably a good idea to eat something before drinking. haha. The bread was warm and fluffy. And I think all butters should be served whipped. It definitely helped ease the waiting since I was starving!
Finally everyone arrived. More drink orders were taken and Demetrius told us all the specials. I was already very happy with our waiter, very friendly and just made us feel so welcomed. He was very knowledgeable of the specials too.. and there were a lot of them. We decided to get an appetizer.
Appetizer of the Day: Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms (breadcrumbs, Chilean Sea bass, crab, (and some other fish), in a creamy tomato sauce) $10.95~
It comes 5 to an order. I asked Demetrius if we can get an extra one since there are 6 of us. He said he would try and ask the kitchen. Unfortunately the kitchen couldn't accommodate but they did pick out the 5 bigger mushrooms for us. Yay. I appreciate his effort! The mushrooms were super stuffed.
None of us really tasted any of the seafood though, mostly just breadcrumbs, but the flavors were good. I liked the browned crumbs on top. And especially loved the cream sauce on the bottom. I scraped it up with a fork. haha. And even dipped some bread in it. I asked Demetrius what was in the sauce and he said Alfredo and marinara. So easy... I should make it at home. hehe.
So the deal for Father's Day turned out to be their regular Pork Chop Sunday (your choice of salad, Perry's Famous Pork Chop, and dessert trio) $24.95~ I didn't know it was offered every Sunday! I think for Father's Day they had it available all day whereas normal Sundays it's only from 4-9PM. Man.. we need to come on Sundays more! I absolutely LOVE their pork chops. (I included the normal a la carte price on each item, so you can see what an amazing deal this is...)
5 of us ordered the pork chop special. We each got a salad. All the salads are pretty big. I was almost full after I finished mine! haha
Warm Spinach & Bacon Vinaigrette Salad (normally $9.95~)
My dad's choice. It was really flavorful from the bacon vinaigrette. The only thing about using bacon grease as a dressing base is that it is quite heavy. But sooooooo good. haha. I'd say it's worth having every once in a while even though the salad is technically not that healthy anymore. :P
Chopped Salad with Applewood-Smoked Bacon (normally $8.95~) Nice crisp lettuce with crispy bacon. Came with the house vinaigrette which was awesome.
Field Green, Pear & Candied Pecan Salad (normally $9.95~)
I got this. Also came with the house vinaigrette. It was really fresh. I loved the sweetness and brightness from the pear and mandarin oranges. The candied pecans added a crunch. I think this was my favorite out of the 3 salads.
Perry's Famous Pork Chop (hand selected in the Midwest specifically for Perry's Steakhouse, this prime chop is cured, roasted, slow-smoked and caramelized; served with homemade applesauce) (normally $35.95~)
This dish is to die for. Especially if you are a pork lover like me. Pork is my favorite kind of meat. I've had it once before, 3 years ago I think? And I've been dreaming to have it again. It is a 3 bone-in.. yes THREE.. pork chop, and they carve it for you table side. Love the presentation. Table side service always adds some drama! The thing is like 5 inches thick. And the carving knife slices through it like butter. The meat is so tender and juicy! Once carved and served the waiter explained to us the different sections. The small piece topped with lime wedge is called the "eyelash". It is the most flavorful cut and has a nice layer of fat on it. Followed by the ribs, which is my personal favorite section. The slab of meat on top of the ribs is so juicy. The last, and biggest piece is called the "eye". It has a lean section, which is normally known as the tenderloin, and the other half has layers of fat in it. The applesauce that came with the dish is mainly for the "eye". It smelled and looked amazing. Since I was the only one that had been to Perry's before, they were all staring with their mouths open. I had tried to prepare them for it, but I guess it exceeded their imaginations. haha. My bf said he was so glad he got this (he was debating between the ahi tuna, which is his favorite thing). It was everything I remembered it to be. I started with the "eyelash" but took bites out of every single section. The chunk of meat on top of the ribs is my absolute favorite. The rub was so flavorful and I love the combo with the sweet apple sauce. Only complaint? There were no veggies on the side to cut the heaviness of the dish. I had thought about ordering a side dish, but decided it was too much food. In hindsight, I still should've. I love meat and all but I need something else to balance it out. However, I still made a good dent in it... got through about half! I'm so proud. haha. None of us was able to finish, but Demetrius told us that no one really finishes this dish, even linebackers. haha. The pork chop has defeated us, but you know what, we've got delicious leftovers for the next 2 days so it's still a win! :P We were talking about what to do with the leftovers. Demetrius suggested we slice the "eye", put some pickles, cheese and mustard on it and make a killer Cubano. I was thinking the same thing! This guy is awesome. haha. Oh yea, I had the rest of my pork chop pieces for lunch yesterday and today. Still amazing after being heated up in microwave. I want MORE!!
My sister got the Seafood Symphony Kabob (a hanging presentation of blackened tuna, seared scallops, grilled shrimp, smoked salmon, and pan roasted sea bass; accompanied by a creamy ginger sauce for dipping) $39.95~
Available for a limited time. We thought at least 1 person should get something different. This was one of the specials Demetrius told us about. When he was describing it, we were all drooling. Sounded amazing and the presentation was so cool! It was a hanging kabob. (I apologize for the blurry pictures, it was swinging and my camera apparently didn't focus! XP) Another waiter came and removed all the pieces from the skewer.
I only tried a bite of the sea bass. So freaking tender, it melted in my mouth. The ginger sauce was slightly sweet and tangy, a good pairing for the seafood. My bf got to try a bite of the ahi tuna, he loved it. My sister (with help from her bf) finished the entire plate. Impressive! Since she normally doesn't eat very much. Overall she said it was good but not spectacular. I guess I just got to try the best part!
Dessert Trio (vanilla bean creme brulee, Grand Marnier chocolate truffle, praline cheesecake) (normally $9~)
This came with the pork chop deal. Cute little trio. I only ate the creme brulee because it was harder to take it home. It was really good. I typically don't order creme brulees but I'd recommend this one. You can see the specs of the vanilla bean throughout. The bruleed sugar shell on top was crunchy and added nice texture to it. My bf LOVED the creme brulee... he ate his, part of mine, and the rest of my parents' too. hahaha. He scraped those plates clean! We took the other 2 desserts to go. I had the praline cheesecake yesterday. It was super rich and decadent, that small bite was plenty for me. It was very cheesy! Almost had a hint of savoriness with how cheesy it was. Me likey. I always like some savory with my sweet!
I just had the truffle today. It's a solid piece of dark chocolate. Really rich and so sinful. You can really taste the Grand Marnier too. A touch of citrus in the rich chocolate.
Rocky Road Bread Pudding (butterscotch bread pudding with chocolate chips in a caramel sauce, topped with candied walnuts and toasted homemade marshmallow) $9~
This is the reason why we took the rest of our desserts to go. I had seen a picture of this on Perry's facebook page earlier in the week and I sent it to my bf. We both said WE MUST GET IT! haha. We were pretty full but how often do we get to go to Perry's? So we said why not. :P Such an impressive looking dessert. The bread pudding was soft and gooey and full of chocolate chunks. My sister and her bf both said they normally don't like bread puddings but he kept going back for more. haha. I guess he just never had a good one! Even my mom, who normally doesn't like sweets said it was really good. My dad, my bf and I totally loved it (we are the 3 with the biggest sweet tooth.) hehe. I did wish the marshmallow was toasted even more so it had that crisp shell on the outside. Delicious and soooo photo worthy! :P We thought we'd be taking the majority home with us but actually we made it through about 3/4 of it.
What a fantastic dinner! The food was spot on. We were all stuffed! And best of all, it was one of the best service I've had in a long time. Demetrius was the perfect waiter. And he made my top 3 best service in Dallas. Ever! :) When I go back in the future I will be sure to request him if I can. Great service can make a dining experience even better even when the food is already really good.
Oh.. just a side note. Demetrius told us that the Sunday pork chop special is sharable! What?! That just makes the deal even better!! We'll definitely be back in the future.
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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
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