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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 ~~
Y'all. If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that I've found the best ramen in Dallas. I've been disappointed in the ramen scene in Dallas for quite some time, but we're actually starting to get some good ones. Some of my go-tos... Wabi House, Monta, and Santouka (inside Mitsuwa's food court). But Oni Ramen blows them all out of the water. The other ones all have their strong points, but overall, Oni shines in all accounts.
Apparently there was already a location in Ft. Worth that I wasn't aware of, but we went to the new Deep Ellum location a few weeks ago. Since then I've been back already. I rarely go back to a restaurant within a month these days. I've never been to the Ft. Worth one so this review is purely for the Deep Ellum location.
Oni Ramen - Deep Ellum
2822 Elm St.
Dallas, TX 75226
(469) 620-2162
www.oniramen.com
Price: $$
The layout of this place reminds me of ramen shops in Japan. It's pretty small. A few tables, some bar seating, and 2 tables outside in the back. You can either order at the computer screens or sit at the bar and get full service. I've gone twice now... first time we did the kiosk, second I sat at the bar. I'd have to say I prefer the bar seats because I always like to ask questions and potentially have substitutions and stuff. Yes, I'm one of "those" people. haha. Plus you get to chat with Brett, who mans the bar. He's a super cool dude. :) But seriously, you can't go wrong either way here. The food is ultimately good both ways of ordering.
The first visit. We did the kiosk orders and then went to go find seats. It's self service this way so there's a water station where you can get your own water.
At first glance, the bowls look freaking fantastic. I was impressed by the amount of toppings that come standard to their noodle bowls. And even the add-on's are reasonable in price.
Kyushu Tonkotsu (garlic-white pepper pork broth with pork belly, bamboo shoots, woodear mushrooms, mustard greens, red ginger, green onion, black garlic oil, and egg) $12~
My husband got this. First thing that draws my eyes were the 2 massive pork belly slices on top. The color on these were perfection. And they are "chopsticks" tender. I can use my chopsticks and cut right through. The broth had so much flavor, and was surprisingly not too salty. That's one of the main problems I find with ramen in Dallas, and in general... after a while it becomes too salty. This wasn't the case. The flavors were bold and rich and you can continue to taste them til the last bite. The noodles were chewy and curly. My favorite kind. The black garlic is always a good choice, it adds another depth of flavor. Plus the black looks cool. hehe.
Rich Tonkotsu (rich pork broth seasoned with soy topped with pork belly, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, woodear mushrooms, and green onion) $9~
Soft Boiled Egg +$0.50~
Leafy Greens +$0.75~
Medium Spice +$1.00~
I love that they have a lot of vegetable toppings. Another thing I don't like is typically ramen doesn't come with a lot of veggies. I really enjoyed the leafy greens in there. The soft boiled egg, a must, was cooked perfectly and actually had great flavor! I got the medium spice in the ramen and it gave a good level of heat. Wasn't super spicy so I enjoyed it tremendously. My sister got the demon spice on the side. (Oni means demon in Japanese... so they've got a demon spice add on as well as a Oni Reaper ramen.) With the demon spice on the side, my sister said it wasn't too spicy. But I suspect if she had gotten it mixed IN the broth, the heat would've built up quickly. I'm OBSESSED with their pork belly. And you get TWO!!!! They are large, thick cut, and so freaking tender.
My bro in law got the Tan Tan Men (spicy sesame seasoned dashi broth topped with tempura shrimp, woodear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, leafy greens, green onion) $11~ This one can be made vegetarian or vegan.
Chicken Thigh +$2~
The flavor on this was different than the others. You can actually taste the difference between each type of broth. He enjoyed it a lot. And this one comes with a slightly thicker noodle... also curly. :)
Second visit. I went with 2 friends that wanted to go after I told them about it.
Signature Miso (rich pork broth seasoned with sweet and nutty soybean paste topped with pork belly, bamboo shoots, buttered corn kernels, bean sprouts, and green onion) $9.50~ My friend is a ramen snob. She's really picky, and she could not stop texting people about this place. Yaaassssss!!!
Chef's Creation: Miso with Black Garlic (rich pork broth, pork belly slices, diced pork belly, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, buttered corn kernels, leafy greens, shredded leeks, toasted seaweed; soy marinated soft boiled egg).
The chef created this for me. I feel so special! The black garlic oil covered the entire surface of the broth. It was pretty damn cool. So yummy. TONS of flavor. I especially loved the black on the noodles as I pulled them up from the broth. Serious food porn here, y'all. He also gave me a mountain of diced pork belly below the slices. Tip: if you want a bunch of meat, get the diced, it's $1 less as an add on, but it's just as tender and I think you get more! This was amazing. And so far I've tried several flavors now and they are all consistently excellent.
Like I said, best in Dallas. It's legit. Speaking from someone who's been to Japan twice. And the first time in Japan, I made a point of basically doing a ramen tour... hit up more than 7 or 8 ramen shops while I was there. And comparing prices against other places in DFW, you get the most bang for your buck here at Oni. Most of the toppings come standard, and you get a lot of it. The overall portion size is good too. I have yet to finish my bowl. Although both my friends, both small Asian girls, killed theirs. haha.
You KNOW I'll be back soon. Thanks for feeding us, Chef Jesus!
Also... this is NOT HOSTED! I just love it so!
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I met up with some friends one Friday for dinner and desserts. One of my friends celebrated his birthday the previous weekend but I missed it, so this was like a make up bday dinner. I offered up several suggestions but no one really made a decision so I put my foot down and chose 20 Feet Seafood Joint. It's been on my radar for a long time but I'm just never in that area. But since the dessert place(s) we were going to were nearby, I get to try it finally! Yay!
20 Feet Seafood Joint
1160 Peavy Rd.
Dallas, TX 75218
(972) 707-7442
http://20-feet.com
Price: $$-$$$
The place is super casual. You order at the counter and then look for a table. They bring the food out to you. I snagged a table as I was waiting for my friends to show up. The place was about 50% full when I got there and continued to fill up. I'm glad I grabbed a table. Once everyone arrived we lined up to order. Everyone at the restaurant is really nice, from my interaction with them before I got the table to ordering, and they came by to check on us during our meal.
I had a few choices in mind but opted for the Grilled Bay of Fundy Salmon (udon noodle salad, baby spinach, peanut sauce) $16~
I wanted the Shrimp & Grits... but wasn't very hungry and thought the grits would be a little too heavy. I loved this dish. I asked them to make my salmon medium and it was perfect! I have to say I don't get salmon this well cooked at some fancier seafood places! So tender and flavorful. I loved the combo with the peanut sauce and udon. It was very interesting and satisfying. Just FYI, this is a cold dish. The fish is warm but everything else is cold... basically a noodle salad. I thought it was interesting that they had lots of Asian influences at a seafood joint.
Pork Ramen Noodles $12~
Speaking of Asian influences... they straight up had a ramen dish. What??? Ramen? At a seafood restaurant? Why not. haha. 2 of my friends got it. They both really enjoyed it. The egg and pork belly were ON POINT. That thick cut pork belly was delicious. My friend said their noodles and broth needed a little work. I tried the noodles and they were just a tad over cooked. Didn't have that chewiness that ramen noodles needed. I didn't try the broth though.
Lobster Roll $19~
The bday boy wanted to try the lobster roll. It came loaded with large chunks of lobster so that was good. And the lobster was fresh and cooked well. But the entire thing was pretty small...like the length of a hot dog bun. I've never been a huge fan of lobster rolls and find them insanely expensive. But he enjoyed it, so that's all that matters. But then he also had to order another dish to fill him up..
Fried Bluepoint Oyster Po-Boy $10~
2 people got this, including the bday boy. I tried a bite of the fried oyster. It was really good. And I'm not an oyster fan. I liked the flavor better than the lobster roll.
Fish & Chips $14~
I love me some fish and chips. This was really good. The fish was tender and flaky and thick. The batter was also great. Just the right amount of fry. And the fries are amazing.
20 Feet French Fries $4~
Their fries... OMG, their fries. Sooooo freaking good. It was just fried perfectly. AND seasoned perfectly. I love the addition of the rosemary. I would go back just for the fries... no joke.
It was a great dinner. Everyone loved it and thanked me for the recommendation. None of us had ever been there before. Hopefully we'll go back soon. We were all full and satisfied. And now it's time to hit up some dessert spots! :P
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Dallas, it's time to rejoice! We now have a good ramen shop. Yaaaaassss!! Just last week, the Las Vegas ramen shop, Monta Ramen, has officially opened. Now, I've never been to Monta in Vegas, but I've always heard good things about it. Plus, I've had Japanese food in Vegas (off the strip) and they have some legit Japanese food. I was very excited when I found out they were opening a location here.
Monta Ramen
800 North Coit Rd, Ste 2550B
Richardson, TX 75080
(469) 333-7777
www.montaramen.com
Price: $$
We went on Saturday, 2 days after they opened, for a late lunch. We arrived at 1:30PM and there was a fairly long line out front. I wrote our names down on the list and counted 7 groups ahead of us. On the wait list, you can indicate if you want to sit at a table or at the bar. I put both so we can potentially get in faster. The wait wasn't super long.. I'd guess about 20-25 minutes, but their waiting room had no AC... only a small fan. It was pretty damn hot.
Finally, it was our turn. Our group of 3 were seated at the bar. It was a pretty small space. Maybe 7-8 seats at the bar and about 10 or so tables of 2 in the entire space. It looked like there was a small section of the dining area not yet being utilized... maybe they'll open that up in the future. It can probably fit another 2 tables of four.
We've already been studying the menu while waiting. I wanted to try everything. This is the first time I see a menu at the ramen place in Dallas that reminded me of the restaurants in LA. They offered the same items as many LA ramen shops. Several different types of ramen broth, fried rice, and various appetizers. And guess what, the prices match LA as well! All the ramen were under $10. Now that's what I'm talking about. Ramen is NOT supposed to be ridiculously expensive. But it seems like the trend it's been taking since it's considered a "novelty" in Dallas?! Places like Ten Ramen and Wabi House where, after you add a few toppings, becomes like a $18 bowl of noodles. That's just crazy to me. You don't even need to pay over $10 for a bowl of amazing ramen in Japan!
Anyways, we decided to order a whole bunch of stuff. Whatever we don't finish is going to be leftovers for dinner. :P
Gyoza (handmade pan-fried pork and vegetable dumplings) $5.95~
These looked good. They had a nice sear on the bottom. Unfortunately, the meat inside was quite dry. I could see that it was dry when I look at it too. Flavor is not bad. They might wanna tweak their filling recipe a little.
Takana Fried Rice (mustard leaf, onions, green onions, egg, chopped chashu pork with rice) $6.95~
This is one of my favorites when I go to a ramen place in LA. Shin-Sen-Gumi makes a great takana fried rice. I like their fried rice better than their ramen. haha. Monta's was pretty good. Not LA caliber but a good fried rice still. The chunks of chashu was a little dry but overall I enjoyed it.
Chashu Bowl (slices of grilled chashu prok served over rice with green onions) Reg. $5.75~
First of all, TOTALLY did NOT look like the picture on their menu. hahaha. :( The slices were no where as impressive looking. However, the pork we did get was super tender and moist. The flavors were good too. The rice texture was nice and chewy. Maybe just a bit more pork on top would make this a good side dish, or even main dish.
Chashu Buns (steamed buns filled with chashu pork, served with Monta's original spicy bun sauce) $5.95~
My fiance really wanted these, I was on the fence since I saw a pic of them and it looked pretty sad. And they were kinda pathetic looking... Kinda flat, with a piece of iceberg lettuce sticking out. But guess what? This was the best appetizer we got. The buns were steamed perfectly fluffy. The pork was super tender and the flavors were just right. I mean... they could've put more pork, but the amount that was in there was definitely enough for the buns to meat ratio. And the lettuce added a touch of freshness. Thumbs up.
Hiyashi Chuka Cold Noodle (pork chashu, egg, cucumber, bean sprout, kikurage (woodear mushroom), and tomato. Choice of sesame or yuzu sauce) $9.50~
I got this. I've had cold ramen in the past and I've always loved it. I've always preferred dry noodles to broth since I'm not much of a soup person in general. And cold noodles are so refreshing on a hot day. This was loaded with toppings. They certainly didn't skimp on anything. The sesame sauce was good. It had a slight tang to it. It wasn't as good as the one I had in Taiwan...but then again, nothing is as good here as in Taiwan. :P The noodle texture was spot on, nice and chewy. I liked it a lot. And my fiance loved it. haha.
Kuro Ramen Black Garlic (pork broth, two slices of pork chashu, kikurage (woodear mushrooms), bamboo shoots, green onion) $8.95~
I told my fiance to get this. I also told him to get it with the thicker noodles. It normally comes with thin. He loved it. He couldn't decide if he liked this or the cold noodles better. hehe. This is the first time I've seen black garlic ramen in Dallas. I liked it a lot when I had it in NYC and Japan. This was delicious! The broth had a ton of flavor, but it wasn't too salty. We did notice half way through that it didn't come with an egg. But to add an egg is $1.50, cheaper than all the other ramen places. It does have TWO pieces of chashu though, and the meat was super tender. The thicker noodles were the same as in my cold noodles. Cooked perfectly chewy, it makes all the difference. I find the thin ones don't have enough texture and usually ruins the whole bowl for me. Personal preference... but try the thick noodles vs the thin and decide for yourself. So the ramen is good!! Definitely closest thing to ramen I've had in LA. Will definitely be back to have this again!
My friend got the Tonkotsu Ramen (pork broth, two slices of pork chashu, kikurage (woodear mushrooms), bamboo shoots, green onion) $7.95~
Normally comes with thin noodles, my friend requested thick noodles. She loved it. The broth also had a lot of flavor without being overly salty. Which seems to be a struggle for most other places in Dallas. Salt does NOT equal flavor, people!
Great first experience. They have a few kinks they need to work out with the appetizers. So I'll be back in a few weeks to test them out again. The waitresses were all very nice. And I noticed the majority, if not all, of the staff were Japanese, which is a very good sign. I also heard that they are under the same owners as Mr. Max in Irving, which is a fantastic hidden gem for Japanese food. The only big complaint was the AC... remember how I said the waiting area was too hot? The dining room barely had AC at all too. I was so glad I got cold noodles. haha.
Soooo happy the Dallas ramen scene is finally on the map now, with a place that has good ramen and reasonable prices. :) AND a great location! Yay!
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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
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