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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Pepper Smash

I went to a friend's bday lunch this past Saturday. They chose to try Pepper Smash in the Shops at Legacy. It's been open for awhile now and I still haven't been, so I was looking forward to it. It seems like they're known for their mixology, the drinks all have interesting names and looked fun. I was hoping the food would be good too.

Unfortunately we had another event before lunch so we were going to be about 45 minutes late. Everyone else was meeting there at noon. I told them don't wait up.

Pepper Smash
7200 Bishop Rd.
Plano, TX 75024
(972) 943-0499
http://www.peppersmash.com/
Price (brunch): $$

We arrived around 12:50PM. We had 2 tables close to the patio. It was such a nice day to sit outside. We joined one table and it seemed like they were almost done eating. However, we realized that the other table hadn't even gotten their food yet... eh?

We asked around the table to see what was good... We got responses of what NOT to order... :-/

(Sorry I don't have pictures of other people's food since they either ate them or were at another table... )
Chicken Mmm' Biscuits (real deal buttermilk biscuits, secret recipe fried chicken, habanero honey butter) $10~ Was strongly advised not to get this as it is super dry. I saw him take the last bite and it did look really dry. And coincidentally he coughed when he was answering us... haha. Like swallowing dry crumbs or something. :(

Black & White - BLT (blacken'd white fish, crisp bacon, pepper aioli, shredded romaine, tomato on focaccia) $10~ I was told this was super salty. She only ate half of it. But the fries were good.

They said the flatbreads are good though. One guy ordered one. Either the Mediterranean or Spiced Lamb Sausage.

We finally got around to ordering for ourselves. And this is also when the other table's food started arriving... wow.. that really took a long time.

Spicy Beef Katmandu (ginger, lemongrass, Thai chili, cilantro) $9~ This was really tasty. The beef is flash fried and it's really got a kick in flavor. And it's spicy for those who like spicy. I almost ordered this, but I asked the waitress if it came with anything... rice? bread? naan? and she said no. So I nixed it. I don't know how you can eat a dish like this with out some sort of carb to go with it. Or maybe some lettuce wraps??

Ceviche Tostadas (shrimp, crab, mango, jalapeno, cilantro, red onion, lime) $10~ This was a joke. And the guy who ordered it didn't try to cover up his disappointment. It was 4 little triangles of corn chips topped with a tiny bit of ceviche. $2.50 a pop eh?? That's just ridiculous. He ended up ordering a burger cuz he was hungry.

Hummus & Naan $8~ Was told this was good.

Oh... something cool that they did when the group first got there was pour liquid nitrogen on popcorn. It's all smokey and cold and when you eat it, smoke comes out of your mouth. Since we got there late, I asked if they could do it for us. It was a fun experience. :) 

Oh-M-P (fat stack of three cakes; choose 2 ingredients; maple syrup, whipped butter) $10~

 

I chose blackberry and bacon. Sweet and savory baby! Our food took about 35+ minutes to come out. Kind of ridiculous. But I was happy with my selection. The pancakes were crazy big and fluffy. I have no idea how they made them this way. Maybe a special pancake maker or mould or something. It fell apart pretty easily.. the consistency was more like a cake than normal pancakes. But yummy! It wasn't too heavy. There were large chunks of bacon throughout, could've used more blackberries though. I noticed the middle layer was burnt on the bottom, but it didn't affect the flavor much so I didn't mind it. The pairing with the whipped butter and maple syrup was delicious. My bf realized that he didn't like bacon mixed into the batter. But I do! hehe, that means more bacon for me! :P Apparently a girl from the other table ordered this when they first arrived. When it finally came, her pancakes were undercooked in the middle, so she had to send them back. Her new pancakes didn't make it out until we got our food...

Whiskey Chick Stack (grilled chicken marinated in house smoked whiskey white cheddar, caramelized onions, chipotle mayo) $10~ 

My bf ordered this. Tiniest piece of chicken on a sandwich ever!! But the flavors were good so we kinda overlooked the size. Fries were good, not the greatest, but yummy when dipped in the chipotle mayo.

Triple M's Explosion (pineapple and strawberry infused vodka, frozen with liquid nitrogen) $10~ 

He also got a drink, since this place seems to be known for their cocktails. It's pretty cool cuz it's made with liquid nitrogen and comes smoking when served. Aside from the cool assembling process, it was ok. It was like a strong strawberry daiquiri, not really worth the money.

So I'd say this place was a bust. They didn't have much business while we were there. We were 2 of maybe 4 tables and the wait for food was just ridiculous. Our waitress was good though. At least we got frequent refills on our water. And it's not her fault that the kitchen was slow or messing up orders... I'm glad I enjoyed my food, but just seeing how everyone waited almost 45 minutes to get the food, and the overall quality was just sad. Needless to say, we won't be returning. That location hasn't lasted long in the past. So they better shape up!!

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Chicago: Day 2 - Revolution Brewing

Later on Sunday, after some more sightseeing, we stopped by Revolution Brewing to get some snacks and watch the football game. My friends really recommended this place. They said they brewed their own beers and the food was good as well.

Revolution Brewing
2323 North Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 227-2739
http://revbrew.com/
Price: $$

For some reason I had pictured a dingy hole-in-the-wall. But it was definitely not. haha. It was actually a pretty big place. It was clean and open and I liked some of the accents of their decor.

The guys ordered some beers and we looked over the menu. I was pretty full still so we just got a few things to munch on.

My friend had to order the Bacon Fat Popcorn (bacon, crispy sage and shaved parmesan) $4~

It was pretty good! I thought it was just going to be popcorn with bacon flavor but it actually had large pieces of bacon in there as well. The bacon flavor on the popcorn was subtle, but you can definitely taste it. Yum!

Crispy Calamari (brussel sprout leaves, almond, romesco sauce, parmesan, arugula) $9~

It was kind of a small plate but I liked the presentation with the greens. It added a nice contrasting color. The flavors were really good and I liked the addition of brussel sprouts, arugula and almonds. It was a different take on your normal calamari appetizer.

I chose the Pecan Tart with Zucchini Bread Ice Cream (warm pecan tart, zucchini bread ice cream, Eugene hot fudge) $7~

I don't normally like pecans but it was the ice cream that really captured my interest. Zucchini bread flavored ice cream...how cool! And it really did taste like zucchini bread! Who would've thought that a bar would have such interesting flavors! The pecan tart and hot fudge was good as well. The plate was just a bit small...

And the beers were good! I'm not a beer drinker so I'm taking the word of others. hehe. It's a cool, chill place. The waitress was fast and attentive. It's a good place to hang out with your friends. :)

Plus the Cowboys won! Woot! And later that night the Rangers!! Go Dallas!! :P

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Tillman's Roadhouse

We went to Tillman's Roadhouse for dinner after Bar 828. I went there earlier this month for brunch but I've always heard their dinner is much better!

Tillman's Roadhouse
324 West 7th Street
Dallas, TX 75208
(214) 942-0988
http://www.tillmansroadhouse.com/
Price: $$$

Since we snacked a bit beforehand, I just planned on getting dessert and mooch off some of my friend's food. hehehe. :P

We were seated outside on the patio. The weather was super nice to dine outside. Our table was in the corner and kinda small though. Cute...but not practical for eating dinner on.

We were given some Truffle Popcorn to start. I liked it a lot. I think truffle is either love or hate since it's quite potent. It definitely added some complexity to the popcorn.

One friend got the Chicken Fried Steak (roasted garlic mashed potatoes, poblano cream gravy, bacon lardons, haricot vert, cherry tomatoes) $25~

I've heard great things about their Chicken Fried Steak. Also the picture on the website looks amazing!! It was a little surprising when it came.. I pictured a flat piece of chicken fried steak, like how most other places prepare it. This one, however, came in 3 smaller pieces, quite thick in size. They pretty much took 3 pieces of steak, battered them, and fried them. Not like your typical pounded out versions. The steak was cooked really well...super tender. I liked the batter but it kinda fell apart from the meat. It had great flavor and crunch though. The poblano cream gravy was really good with the steak and potatoes. I also really liked the haricot vert (green beans). They were a little salty, but I liked the flavor and they were cooked well. The quality of the ingredients were really good, but I think I still prefer the regular way with the flat pounded out steaks.

Quesadilla Caddie (smoked brisket, black beans, chihuahua, oaxaca, cilantro, caramelized onion, charred tomato salsa, avocado creme) $11~

I think they've changed this but didn't update the online menu? The quesadillas we had were assorted. I think there was duck and chicken and maybe brisket? The duck one was awesome. You could totally taste the duck flavor. They weren't greasy and had a nice crisp outside with the grilled tortilla. The other meats, however, were just normal...nothing too standout-ish about it.

My other friend and I ordered the Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Cookie Tower (banana ice cream, chocolate icing & chocolate sauce) $13~ for the table.

But either of the other guys really helped us eat it...WEAK!! :P So the 2 girls had to eat it all! It was pretty huge. The giant PB cookie on the bottom, with 3 scoops of banana ice cream, topped with chocolate chip cookie, chocolate frostin, and another chocolate chip cookie. And chocolate sauce on the side. Sugar overload! The chocolate sauce was awesome. I think that was my favorite element of the dish. Next would be the chocolate frosting on the chocolate chip cookies. The chocolate flavor was intense. I thought the chocolate overwhelmed the banana flavor in the ice cream, but my friend said she could really taste the banana, and that was her favorite element. The PB cookie had good PB flavor, but it was just a little too thick. We ate everything, but couldn't finish the PB cookie. My friend said overall it was just ok. I enjoyed it...but definitely needs to be shared with more than just 2 people next time!!

Man, I was so full after that. All that sugar and fried stuff... Even though everything was good, I think my expectations were too high going in because I wasn't really blown away by anything. They've still got some other stuff I want to try though, so I'll definitely be back in the future.

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Restaurant Week #2 - The French Room

French Room
1321 Commerce Street
Dallas, TX 75202
(214) 742-8200
http://www.hoteladolphus.com/adolphus_dining.aspx/
Price: $$$$+

Ahhhh….so I FINALLY get to go to the French Room! I’ve been wanting to go for like 2 years now just never could afford it. So when I found out that they were participating in Restaurant Week, I totally jumped on the opportunity. I called them the morning the list was posted at like 10am! Hahaha. :P I was shocked when I was able to book my party of 10 at the time I wanted! Niceeeee!

The French Room is located downtown at the Adolphus Hotel. It serves modern American cuisine using classical French cooking techniques. The décor was also very traditionally European with the arched and painted ceilings and sparkly chandeliers. The host/hostesses were extremely friendly…part of the group was running late, but they went ahead and seated us anyways. The service was very good…it’s the type of place where they place the napkin in your lap, pull out and push in your chair, and keeps the water glasses filled, etc. Our waiter was an older European guy, very nice, unfortunately I couldn’t really understand his thick accent, and also the restaurant was quite noisy.

While we were waiting for the rest of the group to arrive, they gave us some bread baskets.







Now it’s time for the food! I’m going to talk about what I ordered first then on to other people’s dishes.

For the appetizer, I got the Dominion Farms Pork Belly (Five Spice Glaze, on a bed of Beluga Lentils).

If there’s pork belly on the menu, then I must order it. Hehe. LOVE LOVE LOVE pork belly! The French Room certainly did not disappoint. The pork belly was perfectly cooked…so silky and velvety. The glaze added a little sweetness and the lentils added some contrast in texture. I ate it very slowly so I could savor it… :)

I got the Red Snapper (with Spinach Risotto and Romesco sauce) as my entrée. The fish was cooked very nicely. The colors on the plate were beautiful…with the orange sauce and the green risotto. The risotto had lots of flavor and was cooked nicely as well…al dente…just the way it’s supposed to be. I enjoyed the dish…I’m not a big seafood person so I wasn’t as excited about it as like a pork chop or steak, but it was very good.

For dessert I was initially gonna go for the chocolate, but I asked the waiter what he recommended and he insisted on the Popcorn Pot du Crème (with Salted Caramel Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce). I took his suggestion and was very pleased. It was basically like a cup of flan/crème brulee type custard...insanely silky and creamy and full of milky caramel flavor. Caramel covered popcorn topped the custard and added a nice crunch to the creaminess of the dessert. The caramel ice cream on top just made it all the more creamy and luscious! YUM!!

I was incredibly full after the meal…the portions didn’t look very big but they were definitely filling.

Now here are all the other dishes around the table…

APPETIZERS:
Texas Yellow Corn Soup (with Duck Pot Stickers, Crimini Mushrooms and Paprika Oil). I got to try a little sip of the soup. OMG. Soooooo freaking delicious. It was rich and creamy and smooth…plus the sweetness of the corn. Mmmmmm… I almost wished I had gotten that instead…but I liked my pork belly too!

Jumbo Lump Crab Cake (in Lemon Grass Lobster Sauce and Tomato Jam ($5 additional). This was also very good. It’s FULL of crab…unlike most crab cakes that have a bunch of bread crumbs as fillers.

ENTREES:
Atlantic Salmon (with Green Peppercorn Whipped potato and Parsley Sauce). This was cooked very nicely and the flavors all worked together very well. And just like the snapper, the colors on the plate were vibrant and pretty.

Herb-Roasted Pheasant Breast (with Saffron Linguini and Champagne Cream Sauce). This was the biggest entrée, portion wise. I didn’t get to try the pheasant but I did try the linguini. I think it was made in house which is good…but I thought it was just slightly overcooked. It was softer than I like my pasta to be, but still very good.

DESSERTS:
Peach and Amaretto Cheesecake with Raspberry Sorbet.

The cheesecake was sooo good. It was more light and fluffy instead of normal cheesecakes that are denser. The pairing between the raspberry sorbet and the cheesecake was also very good.

Mocha Espresso Torte with Coffee Ice Cream. This was very good as well. Super silky…like really fine mousse. The coffee flavor really adds a kick to the dessert. I was happy with my dessert choice but either one of these would’ve been good as well.

So overall, the appetizers and desserts were wonderful. The entrees were good (the Butterfish at Roy’s still has to be my favorite fish dish of all time though). The service was great, very friendly and attentive. But I think I had such high hopes for the restaurant that I was a little underwhelmed... But in the future, when I can afford to go there for regular menu, I will most definitely go again.

Bon Appétit!

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~~CHOMP CHOMP~~