Gemma

Last year we celebrated Valentine's Day a week late because we were both out of town the weekend of Vday. We decided that we would do it again this year so we're not fighting the crowds on Vday weekend.

The dinner location was a surprise. I let him handle the reservations and stuff. (Although I did give him a list of restaurants I wanted to try, to choose from.) hehehe. :P

We had a super early reservation since this place is pretty new and books up really fast. I kinda figured it out but I was still really excited because it was at the top of my list. I've been hearing nothing but good things about them! We ate a fairly light lunch so I was totally ready for our early dinner!

Gemma
2323 N Henderson Ave, #109
Dallas, TX. 75206
(214) 370-9426
http://gemmadallas.com/
Price: $$$$

We pulled up to the restaurant and you pretty much have to valet. The self parking is 1 hour only. That sucks. But they do validate your valet so it's complimentary.

The outside is really cute. They have a small outdoor seating area. The front of the space is bright and simple. I really like their logo of the "G" from a rose. We were warmly greeted by the host as we walked in. I loved the decor. Kind of rustic, beachy, but yet sophisticated. A lot of nautical accents. We were actually 20 minutes early to our 5:30 reservation. There was only maybe 2 other tables filled so far so we got seated immediately. The space is pretty small but cozy. I liked the large mirrors on the walls which make the place look bigger.

After we sat down, a waitress came and greeted us and got us some water. We took a look at the cocktail menu and each got a drink.

On the left is the Fennel Rickey (Fords Gin, Meyer lemon, lime, Yellow Chartreuse, fennel fronds) $12~ Fresh and bright and just sweet enough for me. Really enjoyed this. Strong too!

On the right, Jade Goddess (Oolong tea infused Vodka, Meyer lemon, honey) $12~ It was sweet but had a bitter aftertaste, not sure from what. And the flavor of honey was pretty strong which I don't particularly like. But was still good enough to finish. hehe.

I couldn't decide between the 2, but the waitress highly recommended the Jade Goddess so I got that. She said it was sweeter, which I like. So my bf ordered the other so I can try it too. I ended up liking the Rickey better. I think I just like gin better.

We had a different waiter for dinner service. He was super nice. He gave us the specials of the day and told us that they typically take all your orders so they know how to time everything coming out. I like that. It means they pay attention to the timing of your dining experience. We also asked him to take a picture for us. And by "a picture" I mean like 4 or 5 cuz I wanted to redo them. hahaha. He obliged with no complaints and told us that he just wants the customers to have a great time. :) That's the spirit!

We were given some bread to start. I think it was a slice of rye and a Gouda & Fig Scone.

 

The scone was DIVINE! I have never had a better savory scone. I'd call it more of a biscuit because of it's flaky buttery-ness. The outside was just crispy enough and the inside was warm and buttery with a hint of sweetness from the fig and saltiness from the Gouda. Sublime. I could've been happy just eating that for the rest of the night!

For dinner, we went straight to the entrees.

He got the Duck Breast and Confit Leg (barley "fried rice", scallion, pickled daikon, carrot) $29.50~ 

That was one of my choices too. I'm so glad we have the same preferences for food for the most part cuz we always like what each other gets! The duck was great. The breast had a lot of flavor, but the star was the leg. It was fork tender and awesome. I really enjoyed the barley fried rice too. I like anything with texture and barley had just enough chewiness against the tender confit leg. The pickled veggies on top was a nice splash of brightness against the heavier meat. Plus it was also a pretty plate!

I got the Braised Veal Cheeks (Tokyo turnips, baby carrots, cippolini onions, bacon, black pepper spatzle) $31.50~ 

Can't say I've had many veal cheeks in my life, but I do know that the cheek of anything tends to be the most tender meat. It was like buttah! Totally didn't need a knife and almost didn't even need to chew it. So freaking tender! 

And I totally loved the spatzle. The texture was great, and it soaked up all the flavors from the veal and veggies. I did wish there was some sort of fresh veggies or herb salad on top though. It was a heavy dish and a tad greasy so some brightness would've been perfect.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts (with bacon) $7.25~ 

Gotta get Brussels sprouts whenever I see it! These were yummy. Not as great as Village Kitchen but still good. There were large chunks of bacon in there. The bacon was a tad salty on its own but paired well with the sprouts.

Roasted Acorn Squash (garlic, lemon thyme) $6.25~ 

A nice compliment to all our dishes. It was tender and slightly sweet. Helped balanced out all the savory elements of everything else. It was especially good when I paired it with the spatzle.

We wanted to save room for dessert so we actually took some of the food to go. My bf mentioned to the waiter that we absolutely loved the scones and asked if he could get one for me to go. The waiter smiled and said he'll see what he can do to get us 2!! YAY!! :D GIMME GIMME GIMME! hahaha.

Can't end a meal without trying dessert! We were pretty full so we just got one. Although I would've been perfectly ok if we got two! :P
Chocolate Caramel Pine Nut Tart (toasted marshmallows, vanilla bean ice cream) $10.50~

 

It was such a gorgeous plate. Everything looked so elegant and perfect. The tart was amazing. Usually my bf doesn't like dark chocolate but with the addition of the caramel on the inside, he loved it. The pine nuts were inside the tart and you can really taste them with the chocolate and caramel. The ice cream had a really great consistency and the marshmallows were so cute. Every flavor paired well together and there was a lot of different textures. The creaminess from the caramel, ganache and ice cream to the gooeyness of the marshmallow and then the crunch from the crust and also some sort of chocolate crumbs under the ice cream. Fantastic.

It was another great Valentine's Day dinner. I had really high expectations for Gemma and it definitely lived up to it. The service from the host to the waiters were so welcoming and spot on. Our water glasses were always filled, our waiter was just attentive enough without being overbearing and everyone was so friendly. The food of course was fantastic. The portion size were good too! Not those teeny tiny portions in some other fancy restaurants. We thoroughly enjoyed it. I definitely recommend Gemma for a nice dinner out or special occasion but just make sure you give plenty of time for reservations! They were completely filled up for the night and I hope business continues to stay that way. :)

**Just a side note. I ate the scone yesterday for dinner. Warmed it up in the toaster oven for a bit and it was still amazing!!! I want MORE!!!!!!!**

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Vegas 2012: Carnevino

The last night in Vegas I made a reservation for Mario Batali's Carnevino. I watch him all the time on Iron Chef and The Chew! And I've heard amazing things about his restaurant. 

We arrived on time and were immediately seated. It wasn't packed at all while we were there. The place was quite big despite what it looks like from the entrance. 

Carnevino Italian Steakhouse - Palazzo 
3325 South Las Vegas Boulevard 
Las Vegas, NV 89109 
(701) 789-4141 
http://www.carnevino.com/home.cfm 
Price: $$$-$$$$$+ 

We were greeted by our waiter with menus and served some water. He later came back to give us a background of the food and their specialties. He seemed pretty knowledgeable of the food. 

After we ordered we were served compliments from the chef. Three Cheese Zeppoli (Parmesan, Gorgonzola, Parmigiano Reggiano). It was light and airy. Not bad, but I wasn't blown away... 

Another waitress came by and served us some Rosemary Focaccia (with whipped unsalted butter and Pork lardo butter with rosemary). OMG. The way she described the pork butter was amazing.. but I was underwhelmed with the flavor. They should put some chopped up bacon in there or something. haha. 

For the appetizer we got the Grilled Octopus (pickled vegetables and limoncello) $25~

This is the main reason I wanted to come here. My foodie friends have told me that they have the absolute best octopus they've ever had. The waiter also recommended this... they've won awards I think? And indeed they should. The most tender preparation of octopus I've had. Tons of flavor... hint of spice, hit of acid, it definitely wakes up your palate. Very very good. 

For the entree I already knew what I wanted. The 2nd reason I chose to come here. haha. I got the Spaghetti Nero (crab, jalapenos, and shallots) $25~ 

I love squid ink pasta and I really wanted to try theirs. I mean Mario Batali is Italian, the pastas HAVE to be good right? hehe. I liked the flavors a lot. The jalapenos added just the right amount of heat. And there was plenty of crab throughout. However, I felt the pasta was a tad undercooked. And I love al dente pasta and this was even a bit under for me. And I'm sorry to say.. I found a few crab shells in my dish. That's a bummer given the caliber of this restaurant, they should be more careful... Other than that I still enjoyed it. But I rather have the squid ink pasta at Spoon in Dallas any day!! 

My friend ordered the Spaghetti Ai Frutti di Mare (slightly spicy with clams, giant shrimp, lobster and calamari) $31~ 

It looked really good with all the seafood on top. The pasta was cooked a little better than mine. But the lobster was overcooked and dry. The sauce had nice flavor though. 

Another friend got the Veal Chop (20oz bone in; Rubbed with special blend of sea salt, thyme and porcini powder) $85~ Natural, pasture raised veal from Strauss Farms. 

He ordered it medium rare but I think it was more medium. Still quite tender but for $85 it should be spectacular. The flavor was light so you can actually taste the meat, which I liked. But all their meat dishes are a la carte which I hate. I think if you are spending big bucks on a piece of meat, the restaurant can at least give you some sides to go with it. We're poor young people so we didn't want to break the bank. hahaha. The $85 splurge was already big enough so it was just basically a piece of meat on a plate. haha. 

We were too full to have dessert. But I wasn't really into trying anything either. I guess I had really high hopes for this place with the celebrity chef I watch all the time plus the recommendations by my friends. I wasn't impressed. I would rather spend my money at John Tesar's Spoon right in Dallas!! And the waiter, even though he was professional, wasn't very friendly. It seemed like he couldn't wait for us to finish and leave just because we weren't dropping bank on this meal. It made me feel like we didn't belong there. Sigh~ The other assistant waitress/waiter were all great though. 

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The Crescent Club

Some of my friends and I had purchased a Travelzoo deal to dinner at the Crescent Club earlier this year. We decided to finally use it this past weekend.

I love the Crescent Hotel area, it's so freaking beautiful! The restaurant was on the 17th floor. And the elevator system was pretty cool, all computerized and stuff. But once you reach the restaurant, it's really old style decor. Old, traditional fancy...

The Crescent Club @ Rosewood Crescent Hotel
200 Crescent Ct #1700
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 953-4343
www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/crescenthotel/dining/the_crescent_club
Price: $$$$

The host at the front was amazingly nice. He greeted everyone who came through with such warmth. And was very patient waiting for my friend to find and pull up his coupon on his phone (took forever btw.). While waiting he showed the rest of us to the bar to hang out and wait for the rest of the party. (We arrived 30 minutes too early...)

After the rest of our party arrived, we were immediately seated. I had requested a table by the windows when I made the reservation but I guess our party was too big (6 people) for the tables by the windows. It was a great view of the city.

So the Travelzoo deal was $79 for 2 people to dine. Each person gets 1 soup or salad, 1 appetizer, 1 entree and 1 dessert. So 4 courses for about $35 a person. Not counting tax and tip of course.

Our waiter was super nice. So was the assistant waiter. However, after we ordered, the guy who brought the bread was not. He came over with a tray of bread, it had white or wheat rolls on it. Didn't even ask which one we wanted and plopped one down on my plate. My friend said, "Can I get wheat?" and he didn't even acknowledge him. So he had to say it again. The guy finally said "yea, ok" but with attitude. It was quite rude! And the bread was eh...

Anyways... to the food.

Starter:
Baby Wedge Salad (bacon, onions, tomato, blue cheese, deviled egg dressing) $10~ I ordered this. It was really fresh and the dressing was yummy. I'm glad I asked for it on the side though because my friend's salad had too much dressing on it.

Fresh Hearts of Palm (ruby red grapefruit, organic arugula, avocado vinaigrette) $11~

Baby Mixed Greens (cucumber, olives, cipollini, grape tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette) $9~

Soup of the Day: Tomato Basil $7~ It was very tomato-y. haha. A little too tart for my preference.

Appetizers:
Duck Fat-Roasted Day Boat Scallop (boudin empanada, piquillo gremolata) $12~

Most of us got this, including me. The scallops were cooked perfectly. I would've liked more sear on top though. But the flavors of the dish were great. I especially loved the boudin empanada. The crust was buttery and crispy and the inside had so much flavor.

Kobe Beef Meatballs (foie gras demi, caramelized onions, organic arugula) $12~

My other friends really liked this, but I thought the meatballs were a bit tough. The sauce was great though. Good to sop up with the bread.

Entrees:
Mustard Roasted Veal Chop (braised Swiss chard, porcini jus) $35~

One of my friends ordered this. She's had so-so experiences in the past with veal and wanted to give it another try. OMG... best piece of meat she's ever had. And I'd have to agree. The meat was fatty and juicy and cooked perfectly. And SUPER tender. The mustard on top made it a tad salty but it was still amazing. Best entree of the night.

Chilean Sea Bass (heirloom tomato escabeche, saffron risotto) $28~

I ordered this. Originally it said Asian Sea Bass on the menu, but the waiter told me they also have Chilean Sea Bass. Oooo! I was initially going to get the pork chops but he recommended the fish over that. He didn't steer me wrong! The sear on the fish was fantastic and it was cooked perfectly. Really tender. I loved the sides as well. A close second to the veal.

Harris Ranch Beef Tenderloin (foie gras demi, duck fat yukon potatoes) $38~

Kind of a standard dish... meat and potatoes. The tenderloin was cooked well and tender. But after eating the veal it was no comparison. haha. The potatoes were slightly too salty.

Colorado Rack of Lamb (sweet potato gnocchi, pea tendrils, mint demi) $37~

I don't like lamb so I didn't try it. I did try the sweet potato gnocchi though. It was good, not great. I wish they would've crisped the outside of the gnocchi or something to add some texture.

Wow... I am so full. But we still got dessert!

Desserts:
Chocolate Three Ways (truffles, candies, chocolate chunk cookies) $10~ This was ok... I don't care to have candies as dessert. And the cookies should've been served warm.

Key Lime Pie (tart key lime, triple nut crust, berry coulis) $8~ I'm not a lime person but I really liked this, particularly the crust part. And it's so cool to be served in this shape.. quite creative.

Banana Bread Pudding (studded with white chocolate, ginger creme anglaise) $8~ Pretty good and moist. You can taste the ginger in the creme anglaise which was nice. I rarely complain about bread pudding. hahaha.

Godiva Chocolate Mousse Cake (chocolate cake, dark chocolate mousse, ganache; with triple orange sorbet) $8~ This was my order. And easily the best one of the bunch. Just the right amount of cake vs mousse. It was rich and creamy and luxurious. The orange sorbet on the side was a perfect compliment. The light and refreshing orange really balanced the rich chocolate.

I thought it was a great meal. Everything I ordered was good. I'd like to have that veal and chocolate cake again. haha. So with tax and tip it came out to be about $60 a person total. A little higher than I expected... I guess I never actually sat down and did the math though. But oh well. It was still a good deal. I don't think I'll be buying one of these deals in the near future. I can't eat like this all the time! haha. It's so deadly to my diet! :P

Quality of Food:

Service: 3.5

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Picasso's Ristorante

Yesterday I went to Picasso's Italian Ristorante for a friend's birthday. Our main reason for choosing this location is because they are BYOB. Also, online reviews say the food is pretty good! But...they also said how bad the service is. Well...it's super close to my house so I've always wanted to give it a try.

We had a party of 10+ and I was able to get a reservation the night before. Good thing I did because for a Wednesday night, the place was pretty packed!

Picasso's Italian Ristorante
3948 Legacy Dr #217
Plano, TX 75023
http://www.picassosrestaurant.us/
(972) 618-4143
Price: $$

It's a family run place so it's got that kind of homey, dated look. It could be a somewhat romantic spot.

A few of us got there a bit earlier than the reservation but we were able to get seated. We got a few appetizers to start. Just FYI...they charge $1 per glass for wine. And I apologize for not taking pics of the appetizers.

We got Garlic Bread $1.50~ and Calamari Fritte (sliced calamari steaks prepared in seasoned bread crumbs, fried and served with marinara sauce) $6.95~ The garlic bread is a really good deal. It had a nice crust on the outside. The calamari however...disappointing. The calamari pieces are in no way "steaks". They were teeny and so the breading totally overpowered it. It could've used a bit more seasoning too. Eh.

On to dinner...

My bf got the Margheritta 10 Inch Pizza (fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, topped with fresh mozzarella cheese) $8.50~

This isn't really a Margherita pizza in my opinion. It's typically a thin crust pizza and this is clearly not. And it could've used more toppings on top. But, I did like the dough. The texture of the crust was nice, so as a regular pizza, it's not bad!

Many of us ordered the Spaghetti (served with your choice of meatballs, meat sauce, Italian sausage, mushrooms with tomato sauce or olive oil & garlic) $8.95~

It was a good size portion. The pasta was cooked really well...al dente, just how I like it. The meatballs were very moist and tender. I didn't care for the marinara though. It was a little too sour for me, and my friend agreed.

Special of the Day: Lobster Ravioli $13.95~

This was really good. I got to try a bite. There was a good amount of lobster inside the ravioli and the cream sauce was very nice. Not super heavy but definitely filling.

Picasso's Seafood Delight (combination of mussels, shrimp, scallops sauteed with broccoli, carrots and mushrooms in your choice of wine creamy garlic sauce or zesty marinara sauce served with linguine pasta) $15.95~

This looked really good. There were lots of seafood on top and the cream sauce was definitely better than my marinara!

Vitello alla Marsala (veal scaloppini sauteed in marsala wine sauce with fresh mushrooms served with linguine pasta) $13.95~ I didn't get to try but my friend cleaned his plate. That's a good sign!

So the food overall was pretty good! But the service definitely lived up to it's reputation from online reviews. The waitress wasn't very friendly at all and she was very slow getting everything. One of my friends asked for a refill on water so the waitress took her glass and then never came back... Also, with the entrees we were supposed to get bread. None of us at the table got bread so I asked the waitress if we were supposed to get garlic bread or some sort of bread with our meal since it's stated on the menu. She just replied "It's not garlic bread, just plain. Do you want bread?" I was thinking... DUH! I just told you that we're supposed to get it with our entrees so why are you even asking me if we want it? At the end of the meal she came around and asked if we wanted anything else. And this was another thing that ticked me off... I took that chance and told her it was my friend's birthday... Normally restaurants would offer a free dessert or something for birthdays, especially Italian places. And seeing how it's a family run place that prides itself on being a "neighborhood gem" you would think they would go above and beyond with their hospitality. She just stared at me and then asked the table again if we wanted anything else. OMG! Didn't even have any sort of reaction. Even if they are not gonna give us a free dessert, at least tell my friend "Happy Birthday" or something. Nada...

We still ended up ordering one thing to try.
Tiramisu (lady fingers dipped in espresso coffee with mascarpone cheese, eggs and a touch of brandy) $5.50~

This was praised on the reviews. It was pretty good. I liked the mascarpone cream a lot but there wasn't enough lady fingers in my opinion. We also asked for a candle for this and she said they didn't have any. Sigh~

She gave us the check all together. Initially I wanted to ask her to split it for us, but then didn't bother for the frustration and ended splitting the check myself among 12 people!

All of us were a little miffed by the service. Even if the food is pretty good, I don't think it's good enough to go back and deal with the lack of service. At least we saved a bundle by bringing our own alcohol!

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