skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Having out of town guests means going out to eat! But then again... it also just means it's the weekend. hahaha. What else is new? :P
My fiance's parents were in town last weekend so I had made a reservation at Casa Rubia in Trinity Groves for Saturday night. I talked so highly about it the first time I went, my fiance really wanted to try it. Also, we wanted to show his parents the downtown cityscape. Usually when they come visit, we just end up staying around Rockwall. They've never really seen our downtown! Plus at Trinity Groves, you get the best view of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, which is probably one of the coolest structures we have in DFW! :)
Casa Rubia in Trinity Groves
3011 Gulden Ln.
Dallas, TX 75212
(469) 513-6349
www.casarubiadallas.com
Price: $$$-$$$$
We arrived on time for our 7PM reservation and was seated immediately. Our waiter greeted us and was very friendly. He took our drink orders and introduced the restaurant concept to everyone.
He asked if we'd like some Bread (with tomato and garlic spread) $8~
I had this last time I was here. It's not on the menu and one of the ladies I was with had to ask for it. This time the waiter suggested it. So that was cool, cuz we wanted to order it again. Although he also didn't tell us how much it was going to be. So for a second I thought maybe they started serving it as complimentary bread for the table. haha. Oh well, it wasn't free, but it sure was delicious! The bottoms were nice and crispy and the bread was warm and fluffy. The tomato/garlic spread had so much flavor.
We knew we were getting the Paella... which you can't order unless you have 4 or more people, btw... so take your friends and/or family with you. So we just got 2 other dishes. It's all tapas style so all the dishes are not super big.
Pulpo a la Plancha (Spanish octopus, duck fat potatoes, pickled onions, smoked tomato-jerez vinaigrette) $16~
My favorite from last time, so we had to order it again. Again, it was super tender. I don't know how they cook it to be sooooo tender. The sauce was a little tangy and paired well with the duck fat potatoes. A great dish once again. My fiance's dad even liked it. He's more of a meat and potatoes guy. Yay. Win! :)
Costillas Cortas de Cerdo (heritage pork short ribs, coriander-tomato jam, charred onion, rainbow chard, porcini emulsion) $17~
We also wanted a meat dish. This was soooo good. The meat was seriously falling off the bone tender. No need for a knife! My fiance liked this better than the octopus. I can't choose... I love them both!
We had a little time to chat and digest and then the finale arrived. Paella del Dia (squid ink, chicken, clams, mussels, shrimp, kale, peas) $50~
This takes 35-40 minutes to make, so make sure you order it early. And the price is market price, just FYI. When the waiter described it to us, he said it was black rice. I was thinking forbidden rice... but it's actually rice colored by squid ink. Score!
Both my fiance and I love squid ink. I've even had squid ink ice cream once. :P It was soooo yummy. The rice was cooked perfectly. I was a little disappointed that we didn't have as much chicken this time as last. The chicken was one of my favorite parts of the dish. The squid ink added a savory, sea-like quality... umami. Yummm! And I love the aioli the include on the side. Adds a tanginess and creaminess to the dish. We each got a pretty big plate full... and we still took half of the pan to go. Yea, this is why you need to take more people with you. But for us, we got leftovers for the next 2 days! Woohoo!
For once, we didn't over stuff ourselves! So we MUST get dessert! :P
Pan Calatrava (vanilla bean flan, Texas blueberry-almond bread pudding, ginger ice cream, sea salt caramel) $8.50~
I had this last time too. It was so good, I couldn't get myself to order a different dessert. Still just as good. That crust on the bread pudding is fantastic. So much complexity in texture between the creamy, silky flan and the bread pudding. And that caramel sauce just pushes it over the top. Deeeelish!
It was a fantastic dinner once again. His parents were so impressed, and we got to take a stroll by the bridge after. :) Service was great as well. I will definitely be back again.
Quality of Food:
Service:
Ambiance:
Value:
Overall Experience:
~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
Saturday night after all the wedding activities we drove to Fell's Point to check out the area. Parking on a Saturday night is atrocious!! OMG! It took us at least 35-40 minutes to finally find parking!
I wanted to check out Pitango Gelato because they had a lot of exotic flavors.
Pitango Gelato
802 South Broadway
Baltimore, MD 21231
(410) 236-0741
http://www.pitangogelato.com/
Price: $
The place was pretty tiny and there was a line! They have all the available flavors on the wall. So many interesting flavors!! Like Rhubarb, Spicy Chocolate, and Quince to name a few.
They also scooped out the gelato from these canisters, I've never seen that before. The gelato texture seemed kinda sticky too. It was cool watching them scoop it out.
I got a Large Cup (3 flavors: Spicy Chocolate, Sicilian Almond, Cardamom) $6.50~
It's definitely pricey!! :( The Spicy Chocolate had a really good kick to it. It reminded me of this Tabasco Chocolate my friend got me in the past. The heat just lingers in the back of your throat. An interesting sensation. The Almond was good but the Cardamom was my favorite out of the 3. It had that slight warmth and spice but not too much. I should've opted for something other than the spicy chocolate even though I enjoyed it because it ended up overpowering the other two flavors.
It was a new type of gelato to try and I liked all the exotic flavors, but I'm still partial to my Paciugo back in Dallas. hehe.
Quality of Food:
Service:
Ambiance:
Value:
Overall Experience:
----------------------------------------------------------
Afterwards we looked for a place to chill and get some snacks. We ended up at Tapa's Adela. The sign was what attracted me since it was red and lit up.
Tapas Adela
814 South Broadway
Fells Point, MD 21231
(410) 534-6262
http://www.tapasadela.com/
Price: $-$$
I wasn't really even hungry after the massive sushi buffet we had during lunch but some of my friends wanted some "real" food (other than gelato) haha.
They ordered several dishes... (and I ended up trying all of them...of course. haha) I don't eat to satisfy hunger. I eat because I love food!
Pan Seared Diver Scallops (pistachio & sage vinaigrette, roasted cauliflower, garlic baby spinach) $10.95~
The scallops were good and my friends loved the dish but I liked the cauliflower even more. I thought that was the star of the dish.
Maryland Jumbo Lump Crabcakes (sage sofrito, citrus aioli) $14.95~
The cakes were full of crab...almost no other fillers. Which was great! I loved the flavor and the sauces. YUM!
Beef Short Rib Cocas/Flatbreads (horseradish aioli, bacon bits, shaved Manchego) $10.95~
This was meh. The flatbread was a bit dry as was the short rib. I don't recommend this.
I ended up getting Albondigas de Calamari (calamari & pork meatballs, squid ink rice, lemon aioli) $8.95~ because it sounded so interesting.
The rice was puffy and slightly crispy. I loved the texture! Almost like the crispy rice in Korean Bibimbop. That stole the show for sure. The meatballs were good. I like the crispy outside. But I actually like the combination of the crabcakes with the rice even more! hehe.
The food was pretty good, a little expensive for the portions we got. It's quite dark inside and kind of loud so it wasn't such a good place to talk. The service was eh. They were just there to take our orders and serve the food...nothing spectacular.
Quality of Food:
Service:
Ambiance:
Value:
Overall Experience:
~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
This past weekend I went with my bf and 2 of my friends to Baltimore for a friend's wedding. We flew into DC on Friday to see some sights. But before we see all the famous monuments, we gotta have some lunch! hehe.
I was thrilled to find out that not too far from all the sights was Graffiato, Chef Mike Isabella's restaurant. He was on Top Chef Season 6 and also Top Chef All-Stars. As most of you may already know, I'm a die hard fan of Top Chef so this was super exciting for me. Season 6 was one of the toughest seasons because of the caliber of talent...one of the best seasons in my opinion.
Graffiato
707 6th St NW
Washington DC 20001
(202) 289-3600
http://graffiatodc.com/
Price: $-$$
Graffiato is located in Chinatown. It was cool to see all the store/restaurant signs translated into Chinese. I liked the decor of the restaurant, casual, urban yet rustic. We were warmly greeted by the hostesses and immediately seated. We could see the chefs cooking from our table. That was pretty cool. I asked the hostess if the Chef was in but she said he had just stepped out. But he was supposed to come back and she would definitely send him over if he did. I was really hoping I could meet him!!
We chose to sit downstairs because I had read about the $20 pick 3 lunch special (downstairs seating only) on Mon-Fri Noon-4PM. Graffiato is like tapas style but for Italian food. All the dishes are small but shareable with the table.
Two people ordered the $20 prix fixe...(the prices next to each item are if they are ordered individually).
Prix Fixe Combo 1:
Broccolini (spicy pepper relish, walnuts, feta) $6~ This was delicious. It was a cold dish, surprisingly. The broccolini was cooked perfectly tender and the flavors were very bright and refreshing.
Atlantic Striped Bass (potato, smoked eggplant, pine nut relish) $12~ The fish was cooked nicely and the presentation was so quaint. The smoked eggplant was really interesting. The color reminded me of squid ink.
Panna Cotta (caramel, chocolate, pretzel) $7~ I LOVED the pretzel crumble on this. It was by far the best part. The chocolate ganache/sauce was rich and dark and amazing. The panna cotta however wasn't the typical texture. It was more gelatin than creamy and the flavors were overwhelmed by the rich chocolate.
Prix Fixe Combo 2:
Charred Brussel Sprouts (pancetta, maple, egg) $7~ I love brussels sprouts and this did not disappoint. It was beautifully charred (which I haven't been able to achieve when I make it at home...) The delicate egg was an interesting touch on top. And there was a slight tanginess to the sauce which added another layer of flavor.
Jersey Shore (fried calamari, tomato, provolone, cherry pepper aioli) $16~ This was interesting. I've never had calamari on a pizza before, but how bad could fried calamari and pizza dough be together?! I liked how the pizza was lightly sauced and sprinkled with light cheese. The dough texture was great and the slight crunchiness from the calamari was a good contrast in texture. It totally worked! Yum!
Blood Orange Cheesecake (Passion fruit, basil) $7~ This was a very refreshing dessert. The fruit flavors were all very present in the dish. The blood orange cheesecake was light and fresh. My favorite part was the passion fruit sauce. It was super refreshing!
The other two of us just ordered individual dishes.
Hand Cut Spaghetti (olive oil poached cherry tomatoes, basil) $9~
This was a pretty small dish... The pasta was made in house and you could taste that. The texture was awesome. It was a very simple dish but good. My friend really enjoyed it.
Crispy Potato Gnocchi (wild mushrooms, stracciatella) $12~
I had to get the gnocchi...it's what Chef Isabella is kind of known for on Top Chef. It was a cute dish, the gnocchi were small and delicate. The flavors were simple and light. I liked the stracciatella (a type of soft mozzarella cheese) on top that tied everything together. It was also kind of small, but I'm really glad I got to try it.
The food was great and I thought it was a really good deal for lunch. Our waiter was super nice and they were very prompt about cleaning up the empty plates and refilling our waters. It was a relaxing meal. I was just disappointed that I never got to meet the Chef. :( I almost told my friends to just leave me there while they go sight seeing so I could meet him. hahaha. Oh well. I guess I'll just have to make another trip to DC in the future. We all enjoyed the lunch. I thought the style of the food and restaurant really reflected Chef Mike Isabella, casual and simple but good quality.
Quality of Food:
Service:
Ambiance:
Value:
Overall Experience:
~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
CHIC from Barcelona
11909 Preston Rd # 1426
Dallas, TX 75230
(972) 239-2442
www.chicbarcelona.comPrice: $-$$ Had dinner with some friends earlier this month. We chose to go to CHIC From Barcelona. I've come across its website many times and always wanted to try it. It specializes in Rotisserie Chicken and Barcelona influenced flavors. It's tapa style, small plates meant to be shared. I love Spanish and Latin food so I had high hopes for this place.
Walking in, I noticed they had a pretty cool patio seating area. But it was raining so decided to sit inside. We sat in a booth...where there was no air flow. :( It was quite hot and humid.
Everything on the menu sounded pretty good. We ordered a bunch of things to share between the 4 of us. (I don't remember the exact prices, and the prices on their website don't match their actual menu...I'll include a general price with the dishes...)
Veronica Salad (spinach leaves with strawberries, glazed walnuts and orange vinaigrette) Big Size: $7ish~
This was pretty good. The spinach and strawberries were pretty fresh. The vinaigrette was sweet and also added a tangy kick to it. The walnuts added a nice crunch.
Vegetable Paella (Tapa size) $3.50ish~ 
I haven't had enough Paella to tell what is good or what is authentic. I liked the flavor of this dish, but the rice was a little too soft for my taste. It was a pretty good side for all the other dishes.
Croquetas (Croquettes) (Cheese, Bacon, Chicken, and Egg) Four for $5ish~ 
We got one of each flavor. When they served it, they didn't explain which was which. So we had to taste and guess. I think I could tell 2 or 3 of them...the bacon one for sure. haha. Despite not being able to tell them apart, I really enjoyed these. Can't go wrong with fried potatoes! :P
Patatas Bravas (fried irregular cut potatoes with garlic mayo and red spicy sauce) $5ish~ 
I would say this was one of the favorites of the night. The garlic mayo and spicy sauce combo-ed the potatoes well. I think the 'red spicy sauce' was actually ketchup though. haha.
Meatballs (in tomato sauce, comes with bread) $5ish~ 
The meatballs had good flavor and were very tender. They were a little too soft for me, but everyone else enjoyed it a lot.
Tony Botella's Rotisserie Chicken (Half chicken with roasted apples) $10.95~ 
This is their specialty. Rotisserie Chicken with a Mediterranean flair. The chicken was super tender and the flavors were bold. However, I thought it was too salty. I wanted some sort of bread/rice/pasta to cut some of the saltiness. The roasted apples helped a bit. The slight sweetness of the apples were a good contrast to the chicken. I wouldn't say this was the best rotisserie chicken in town...according to their website...
Dark Chocolate Cake (crispy chocolate cake with whipped cream and ice cream) $6.95~ 
We got this because the description sounded interesting. Big Fail! The cake LOOKED really good until we tried to dig into it. The outershell was pretty hard...but not crispy... And it seems like it should have molten chocolate inside...but no.. Sigh~
Crema Catalana (creme brulee) (Creamy dessert with lemon aroma. The most authentic Catalan dessert) (full size) $5.95~ 
They accidentally gave us the wrong dessert so they let us keep it. I'm glad it was free. The lemon flavor in it made it weird. It created almost a slight sour/bitter flavor. It wasn't too great.
Flan (full size) $5ish~ 
This was the best dessert out of the bunch. The flan was denser than some others I've had in the past but it was ok. The flavor was very good. I love flan! :)
Overall, an enjoyable dinner...not great, but some elements were pretty good. I think it's worth trying but I probably wouldn't go back in the future.
Quality of Food:
Service:
Cleanliness:
Value:
Overall Experience:
~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
Posts
