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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 ~~
Did you know that Tommy Bahama has restaurants?? All I've ever known of the Tommy Bahama brand are those really festive, colorful, tropical shirts. Well... they DO have restaurants, and we got one this year at Legacy West in Plano. And you know what? The food is good!!
Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar - Legacy West
7501 Windrose Ave.
Plano, TX 75024
(214) 501-3600
www.tommybahama.com/restaurants/plano
Price: $$$+
I was invited to go check it out. Excited! I went on a Saturday for lunch with a friend. The last time I had seen the space, it was still under construction. Now it's got the retail store, with the restaurant, with a HUGE covered patio next to it. And it was a beautiful day. We opted to sit inside because there were less people. The inside decor was very tropical. It felt like you were at a resort, on vacation, and I liked that very much.
Our waiter was pretty awesome and took great care of us from the beginning. He went over the cocktail menu with us. Neither of us really drink much alcohol so he was giving us recommendations.
I really liked that they had a mocktail section called "Zero Proof" for people like me who want pretty drinks but none of the alcohol. :P I chose Blue My Mind (muddled blueberries, passion fruit, scratch lemonade) $6~
It was very pretty. The yellow of the passion fruit was super bright and fun. It was a bit more tart than I would've liked, but then again, I can't take a whole lot of sour. I wished the blueberries were more muddled like in the description. They were mainly whole. But were very pretty in the drink, and were nice and plump.
My friend got the Handcrafted Pina Colada (bacardi, muddled pineapple, coconut, gosling's black seal float) $10.50~ She wanted something pretty sweet, and pretty. And this fit the bill. It was very good. It made you feel like you were sitting on the beach.
Our waiter also explained the whole menu to us. While he said everything is delicious, he pointed out some of their most popular items.
World Famous Coconut Shrimp (papaya-mango chutney) 4 pieces $11.50~
There's a bigger size to this.. I don't remember if it was 6 or 8 pieces, but that's $16.50~ I did notice that that prices for dishes here are a bit high, at least in my opinion, but they also have the same menu for lunch and dinner so it's gonna seem a bit more steep for lunch. The shrimp was fantastically fried. The fried coconut was very crispy and the shrimp was tender. I would totally eat it again. But the dish was a bit expensive for the amount.
Bread (cinnamon butter). I always love it when restaurants give bread. Their bread was a funny shape. Hehe. Yes, I'm being immature. But it was yummy. Warm and fluffy on the inside, it paired really well with the whipped cinnamon butter.
For our entrees we decided to get a sampling of different things. Land and sea... and sandwich. haha.
Cuban Sandwich (house roasted pork, ham, gruyere, pickles, sriracha mustard, jerk yucca fries) $13.50~
I love Cubans. At first glance, this looked a little sad.. the half on top kind of drooped over the bottom half. However, it is delicious! The bread was also pressed nicely. I think the bread was just a bit thin that's why it draped over the other half. Loved the pickles in there. The meats were tender. The yucca fries were fried nicely. They were dense though, so I couldn't eat too many. Yucca is a very dense and starchy root vegetable. The slaw was good. Not overly dressed and nice and crunchy. But I feel like they use this as a default side to everything. Would've been nice to have had different dishes along with different sides. The slaw was on every dish, including the appetizer...
Kona Longboard Fish & Chips (fresh catch, island tartar, jerk yucca fries) $22~
I love fish and chips. In their case, the chips were actually yucca fries. I wish we had subbed one of the yucca fries for something else. It was definitely too much! The fish was SO fluffy on the inside and the tempura batter was nice and airy and thin. It was a good fried fish. And I love tartar sauce. Gimme a jug and I'm happy. :P
Grilled Baby Back Pork Ribs (sweet & spicy blackberry brandy BBQ, island slaw, cauliflower-potato mash) Half Rack $19.50~
I'm so glad we got this. I was debating between the fish and chips and this. Smart that we got both. haha. The blackberry brandy BBQ sauce was oh so good. The meat on the ribs was super tender. I actually think this was my favorite out of the entrees!
We made sure to save a little room for dessert this time. Since they had the dessert display front and center when I first walked into the dining room. Their desserts were huge!! But our waiter told us that we can actually get half portions for everything, except the pineapple creme brulee. I really appreciate them giving that option!
Malted Chocolate Pie (chocolate cookie crust, mocha mousse, english toffee crumble) Half Portion $6.50~
The whole portion is basically the complete pie. I liked the half portion presentation better actually. It's so cute, being cut into little wedges. And man... 1 little wedge is enough! It was so decadent. Freaking delicious, down to the chocolate sauce they decorated the plate with. I made sure to eat a bit of the sauce with each bite and it made a difference. The crust had a great texture and paired with the smooth mousse perfectly. This will satisfy ANY chocolate lover.
Pineapple Creme Brulee (tahitian vanilla bean, caramelized pineapple) $9.50~
As soon as we saw this, we knew we were getting it. Even though it was the full size and we were getting full. It was just so pretty! And I typically don't choose creme brulee if there's a cake or something as another option, but I'm so glad we did. Not only is is beautiful, it is THE BEST creme brulee I've ever had in my life. Hands down! Nothing comes to mind from any previous experiences that can beat this. I mean, I love pineapple, but I always prefer more chocolate in desserts. This was light, you can see and taste the vanilla bean, and it has small chunks of pineapple under the custard. Lots of texture, with the fruit chunks and sugar crust. The pineapple was incredibly fresh too. And the base of that pineapple "bowl" is actually a whole slice of pineapple. I used my spoon and dug into that as well. LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEED IT! I will go back just to get this.
We had a great time. The food was good, but the price point was a little high for me to go back frequently. But the desserts? Another story. Seriously, TAKE ALL MY MONEY when it comes to the desserts. I cannot wait to go back for the creme brulee and try something else. Their drinks are also on point, presentation especially. If you want to feel like it's still summer or pretend you are at the beach, this is the place to be.
Thank you so much, Tommy Bahama, for having us. And introducing me to the dessert that CHANGED MY LIFE! :P You know you'll see me again.
*The meal was comped but all opinions are my own. Plus, always tip your wait staff even if you get a free meal!*
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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
Part 2 of my Barley & Board experience.
I could not stop thinking about the amazing experience we had back in Feb. Especially that burger!! Plus we had gotten there too late to partake in their Sunday brunch menu. So for my birthday this year, my only wish was to go back and have brunch. I had been on a month long diet all of March to prep for the wedding, but for my birthday (4/2), I made an exception and Barley & Board was what I wanted. I also really wanted to take my then fiance to try this place...cuz I can't stop talking about it. haha.
Barley & Board
100 W Oak St.
Denton, TX 76201
(940) 566-3900
http://barleyandboard.com
Price: $$-$$$
I connected with Narciso and he said they were happy to have us come out again. He was there at the restaurant to greet me, and I even got to meet Jason Lee (one of the investors). Yes, the Jason Lee, the actor. He was super nice and chill. Just having brunch with his family in a corner booth. How cool!
We didn't go AS crazy with the ordering this time, but still ordered enough to feed a family of 4. hahaha.
He got the Sarah Brown (vodka, kahlua, maple syrup, half & half) $8~ It was yummy. Like a White Russian, but with maple syrup. It's a great brunch drink. And it matches their plates (which I totally love)! Thought that was fun.
Truffled Portobello Fries (mustard aioli) $10~ This was amazing! Super thick cut portobello fried to perfection. Can you believe this was just ONE portobello cap?!?! Them and their giant produce! haha. We wanted to finish the whole plate but had to remind ourselves that this was the first dish. hahaha.
Kind of Blue Pancake (blueberry, lemon maple, with homemade whipped cream) $12~
Narciso highly recommended this. I can't say no to pancakes. I love them. This blew our minds. Both the presentation and the flavor. This was literally a pan "cake". It was over an inch thick, sitting in a lemon maple syrup and topped with a mound of homemade whipped cream. It was so epic we could not stop staring at it. Even tables next to us were staring at it. haha. And it was so good. Nice and fluffy, I felt like I could eat the whole thing. I didn't... but I could've. :P That syrup was bomb. When they boxed up the leftover pancake, we asked them to pack us some extra syrup.
Mi Masa (masa corncake, chorizo, sunny side up egg) $12~ Another pretty dish. I love it when restaurants stack food. I realized I'm not a fan of masa tho. I've only had it a few times but it reminds me of corn tortilla, which I don't like. But the other parts of the dish was good. And it was some serious #yolkporn!
I thought their brunch items were reasonably priced. Their menu has a good range of prices. They have a lot of options under $15 each, but also has dishes around $30 a plate or so.
Sweet Pig & Angry Bird (half rack ribs, brazen quail, slaw, b&b pickles) $28~ They had just added this to the menu. I definitely wanted the quail again and this way I get to try the ribs too. The quail was great. It's good that they are consistent with their quality. It was too spicy for my fiance so all for me! :D The ribs were great. Nice and tender. And those pickles!!!!!!!!!!
B&B Burger (sweet onion, b&b pickle, house sauce, american cheese) $12~ Can't come to Barley & Board and not get their burger. It's just like I remembered. My fiance bit into it and said I didn't exaggerate on how good it is. Don't believe me? Go try it for yourself!
Another successful visit. We were stuffed and had a lot of leftovers for the rest of the weekend. Our waiter was awesome and took care of us well. Again, the meal was comped... Happy Birthday to ME! But we gave a nice tip. Sigh, if they were closer I'd make monthly, or even weekly visits. So jealous of Denton right now! XD
I love you, Barley & Board!
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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
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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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
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