APRIL: Del Frisco's & CHOMP! 10th Anniversary

Did y'all know that this is the 10th year of my blog, CHOMP!? Woohoo! But apparently the actual anniversary month was Feb... which I totally missed. *face palm* So I'm going to make April my anniversary post! It's my birth month AND this restaurant feature is a great one!!! LET'S CELEBRATE!!

My choice for April was an easy one. The EPIC 5 course media dinner at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse in uptown. Meant for 7 people but due to weather, only 3 of us showed up! Haha. Lucky us! We had undivided attention, so many fantastic dishes, and the bad weather never even happened!

Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse
2323 Olive St,
Dallas, TX 75201
(972) 490-9000
delfriscos.com/steakhouse/dallas/
Price: $$$$$+
Dress Code: Business Casual

I had never dined at Del Frisco's before so I was SO psyched when I got invited. The location is quite convenient as they have complimentary valet as well as a parking garage where you can get validation. Upon walking in, the space is sophisticated and upscale. There are large windows in the dining area so lots of natural light. We (the 3 of us) were sat at a big round table... originally meant for 7. When we realized no one else was coming, we got to spread out. Yay! And the table was just the right size for all the food they were bringing out. Our awesome waiter, Jerome, warned us not to fill up on the bread. Which was very good btw. But I just had one bite. He told us that they were just going to bring stuff out, so we can sit back and just enjoy ourselves.

There was a cocktail served with every course. Not specifically a pairing though. I told them no cocktails for me. I would DEFINITELY not be able to drive home if they did! :P So I'm not going to comment on the cocktails very much. Other than the fact that they were all very beautiful and the other 2 people loved almost all of them.

FIRST COURSE:
Double Eagle Margarita (Casa Dragones Blanco, Grand Marnier, Lime, Monin Agave) $18.50~

Charred Octopus (gigante beans, tomatoes, olives, capers, lemon, cold pressed olive oil) $19.50~ 

When they served these 3 dishes, I think I actually jumped out of my seat with excitement. First of all... I LOVE octopus and this looked divine! The end of the tentacles were perfectly charred and crispy. The rest was just cooked to perfection! One of the best octopus dishes in Dallas for sure.

Seared Rare Wagyu Beef Carpaccio (baby arugula & shaved fennel salad, capers, parmesan, Creole mustard aioli) $18~ 

Carpaccios are hit or miss for me. This was definitely a hit! The beef quality was amazing and paired so well with all the toppings and flavors. The meat was melt in your mouth tender.

Thick-Cut Nueske's Bacon Au Poivre (bourbon molasses glaze) $16~ 

I actually clapped when I saw this. I was SO HAPPY! This is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen! That thick pepper crust with the sweet glaze was heaven. One of the top bites of the night for sure. And only $16?!? I'll just go by myself one day and get this as my entree. Ha!

SECOND COURSE:
The Plum Rose (Wheatley, Amaro Montenegro, Lime, Plum Preserves, Sparkling Rose) $15.50~

Heirloom Tomatoes & Burrata (aged balsamic reduction and pesto) $15~ This is gluten free! I love a good burrata. And this was very good. My favorite out of all the salads.

Blue Cheese Lettuce Wedge (iceberg, cherry tomatoes, crisp bacon, Danish blue cheese dressing) $11.50~ I wasn't a huge fan of this... Blue cheese is very iffy for me and I think this one was just too strong. The iceberg lettuce was crisp and fresh though.

Del's Salad (mixed greens, tomatoes, shaved carrots, croutons, crisp bacon) $11~ Pretty standard salad. Loved whatever that green dressing was on top. Green Goddess dressing, perhaps?

THIRD COURSE:
Pomegranate Martini (Tito's Handmade, Pama Pomegranate, Cranberry) $15.50~

Seared Chilean Sea Bass (crab fried rice, black bean garlic sauce) $47~ Absolutely gorgeous piece of fish. Both of the fish actually. This one was just a tad better cuz of the freaking crab fried rice. I mean... just give me a bowl of that on its own!

Bay of Fundy Salmon. Normally this would be served with crab hash and lobster tomato jus. Perfect crust on top and beautifully pink in the center. Just needed a tad more salt on the whole thing.

FOURTH COURSE:
Blood Orange Manhattan (Redemption Rye, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Solerno Blood Orange, Angostura) $15.50~

14 Day Dry-Aged Colorado Prime Lamb 22oz $58~ I don't like lamb. Can't really stand the smell or taste... but it LOOKED impressive! It makes me wish I liked it. That crust looked delicious.

Wagyu Tasting (Japanese A5, Australian, Rosewood (TX) 3oz each) $160~ 

OMG! A wagyu flight? Get outta here! This has been such a dream already. So buttery, every slice. Loved the coarse salt to dip in... totally heightened the flavors of the meat. My palate was already in overdrive so I can't be sure, but I think I liked the Japanese and Australian better than the Rosewood. If I had to choose... they're all great.

Tomahawk (long-bone ribeye) 32oz $110~ 

OH. EM. GEE. I've only had tomahawks a few times in my life. This is the best one ever. THIS IS THE BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE! Hahaha. Wow, this steak is beyond amazing. I think we all agreed that it just might be better than the wagyu flight! So much flavor on that crust, the meat was SO tender, and you can taste the beef itself. It's wonderful. And you know what? Reheated in the microwave the next day and it's still as tender as ever.

Our last course came with several side dishes. They were served to us by several waiters/waitresses while we took a million pics and videos of the steaks. So I didn't get great pictures of the sides.

Chateau Mashed Potatoes $12~ There were chunks of truffle on the potatoes. CHUNKS, not slices. CHUNKS! Wow!

Creamed Spinach (smoked bacon, egg, mushroom, aged sharp cheddar) $12.50~ I am a huge fan of creamed spinach!
Sauteed Wild Mushrooms & Pearl Onions $14.50~ Loved this. You can really taste mushroom flavor. So rustic!

FIFTH COURSE:
Del's Delight (Nocello Walnut Liqueur, Creme de Cacao Chocolate Liqueur & Vanilla Ice Cream) $11~ Basically like a boozy milkshake. Pretty awesome.

Lemon Cake (6 layers, lemon buttercream icing, lemon glaze) $12.50~ Dense and rich and so lemony. We were so full though! So most of the dessert were taken to go.

Butter Cake (butter pecan ice cream, fresh whipped cream, caramel sauce) $11.50~ Wowow! Fantastic crust on the butter cake. Definitely recommend this!

Thank you SO MUCH to Del Frisco's for having us! This has been one of the best dining experiences I've had in a while! Wonderful service, superb food, and I'm glad I got to enjoy it with 2 of my friends. Will definitely be back for that bacon and tomahawk. And FYI... they have HH on M-F 3-6:30PM!

~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

Niwa Japanese BBQ

My good friend, @basicbrunches, was moving at the end of June. *Tear* So that means we gotta send her off with style! The two of us along with @catchows decided to go to Niwa for her farewell dinner. Thanks so much to Niwa for hosting us! It was the perfect dinner to send off a food blogger, and she this was her first Japanese BBQ!! What an experience!

Niwa Japanese BBQ
2939 Main St.
Dallas, TX 75226
(214) 741-6492
www.niwabbq.com
Price: $$$+

The owner, Jimmy, came and greeted us after we were seated. He, along with another waitress, took care of us the entire meal. We all felt so honored that he personally took care of our table and introduced all the dishes. He basically told us that he was just going to send out a bunch of things he thinks we should try. He also asked if we were adventurous eaters, and YES! We are! :D (Note: a lot of these dishes are reduced portions since we were trying so many things, but the prices I'm posting are for the full portions on the menu.)

We started with some drinks...

(On the left) The Hummingbird (tropical citrus, Benedictine, hand crafted grenadine, Hum liquer, Hayman's Royal Dock Gin, house bitters; served over ice) $15~ @basicbrunches said it was good, and strong, I think.

(On the right) Okinawa Ice-Tea (passion fruit, cloudy apple, citrus, cold-brewed green tea; shaken) $8~ Both drinks were cute. The tea was a little tart for my taste but quite refreshing.

Hot Genmai Tea $3~ I decided to stick with my standard hot tea. :)

Spicy Edamame (with chili threads) $5~ I really enjoyed this. This is the first time I've had edamame with sauce on it and it's delicious! It's not really spicy but it had so much flavor. A solid starter to get your appetite going.

Niwa Salad (green cabbage, radish, corn, carrot, tomato, hard-boiled egg, roasted sesame dressing) $7~ This was my favorite out of the 2 salads. I think it was mostly because of the sesame dressing and corn. The dressing was slightly creamy and I loved all the flavors of the elements together.

Wafu Salad (seasonal greens, cucumbers, arare, daikon, Japanese wafu dressing) $7~ My two friends liked this one better. I mean, I liked this too, but I liked the other better. hehe. I always eat my greens! The arare (crispy rice balls) were a nice touch on top for some crunch.

Buta Kakuni (braised pork belly, ginger, mustard, ajitama egg) $9~ 

Jimmy had asked if we specifically wanted anything from the menu and this is the first thing I asked for. I freaking love braised pork belly. That egg on top was great. Perfectly soft boiled and had lots of flavor. The pork belly was tender and fatty, just the way it's supposed to be. I really wanted a bowl of rice to go with this and it would just totally bring back childhood memories. The only thing is that there was something in there that was a little too sweet. I think it was the mustard greens, I can't be sure. But that threw me off a little.

Horenso No Goma Ae (sesame seed cold spinach) $5~ 

I got really excited when we got served this dish. You don't typically see this in Dallas... at least I don't know where to get it. The only time I've seen it was in Japan, and also a Japanese restaurant in Brooklyn that served a traditional Japanese set meal. The sesame gave it a nice nuttiness. Loves it!

Spanish Octopus (fingerling potatoes, aji amarillo, shiso coulis, sudachi aoili, nasturtium leaves) $12~ 

We found out this dish is actually not on the menu. The kitchen prepped it just for us. And it was one of our favorite dishes of the night. Gorgeous colors. The char on the octopus was fantastic. And it was super tender... None of that typical octopus chewiness. I also loved all the various flavors of the different sauces. It was a bold dish, and very well rounded. Hopefully with all the rave reviews, they'll actually put it on the menu?

Sweet Butter Corn (soy butter) $5~ 

This was kinda fun. It was served in a foil pack and placed on the grill to heat up. Once the bag puffs up a little, the waitress came to empty it into a bowl. Such a simple dish... it's just corn. But you can definitely taste the butter and it goes so well with the steamed rice.

Ribeye, NY Strip, Hanger, Beef Belly, Berkshire Pork Sausage. 

We got a sampler platter with a bunch of different meats. I remember the belly was my favorite. It was so thinly sliced and the strip of fat adds so much flavor. The other meats were marinated. The hanger was the most tender if I remember correctly. But I loved the marinade on the ribeye. The pork sausage was just like a hot dog. A mini one. hehe.

Filet Mignon (cherry wood smoked, butter) $12~ Very cool presentation. It comes in a covered bowl to keep the smoke in to flavor the meat. We all had our cameras out to video when he pulled off the lid. hehe. You get just a hint of the cherry wood. It wasn't overwelming at all.

Beef Tongue (shallots, green onions, garlic, lemon) $10~ 

I love beef tongue. It was a first for @basicbrunches and it took some getting used to. haha. I don't think I've had tongue in such big slices before. You can basically see the sections/muscles of the tongue! TMI? :P It's delicious! It wasn't the most tender beef tongue I've had but I enjoyed the texture. It was also served with a sesame oil/salt/pepper mixture to dip in since this wasn't marinated.

A Miso Soup Intermission... :P

Outside Skirt (miso marinade) $10~ and Short Rib (karubi marinade) $10~ 

These were Happy Hour portions. HH Pick 2 Meats is $11~ Their happy hour specials are pretty killer y'all. So if you can go M-F between 2-6PM, you are getting a really good deal. I loved the flavor of the skirt cut. The short rib was a little tough. But by this time we were all getting really full so I wonder if the enjoyability was diminishing too. haha.

Berkshire Pork Jowl (with housemade Yuzu Kosho) $11~ 

Yuzu Kosho is a paste typically made from chili peppers, yuzu peel, and salt. They made theirs in house and it was done with Thai chilis. That means it's got a kick to it! Loved the combo. And seriously... any cheek or jowl on any animal or fish is the most tender. Trust me.

We were finally winding down. Oooooof. So full! But we haven't had the Pièce De Résistance... the Wagyu!

We got to compare the American vs Japanese Wagyu. Can you guess which is which??

Texas Wagyu (Chuck Flap; 2 oz.) $18~ From A-N Ranch in Sherman, TX. It had beautiful marbling and color but sliced thinly, you can't really appreciate the quality. It was not soft like butter... but was still tasty.

A-5 Japanese Wagyu (NY Strip) $47~ From Miyazaki, Japan. OMG. This is the real deal. We lightly seared it on each side and it basically melted in my mouth. Didn't even need sauce or anything, just wanted to cherish the pure beefy goodness. It was amazing, and was perfect to end our wonderful meal. Guy and girls, take note, if you want to impress your date, get this! It's foodgasmic!

We were down for the count. But of course they sent out desserts. Deep breath! We can do this!!

Panna Cotta (Madagascar vanilla, yuzu strawberry coulis, chilled raspberries and a matcha sugar). 

Beautiful presentation. The panna cotta was soooo jiggly! We had fun with some videos of that. hehe. So light but you still definitely get the vanilla flavor. I'd say eat this one first if you get multiple desserts just because the flavors are so delicate. I think this just edged out as my favorite of the night.

Semi-Freddo Cheesecake (Lemon cheesecake, ginger blueberry compote, lemon curd and a graham crumble). It's like a super rich cheesecake ice cream. Again, beautiful plating. If I wasn't so full I would've killed it. But it's quite rich so I finally gave up. haha.

Coffee Jelly (Full City Rooster's Guatemalan coffee, sweet cream, hazelnut powder and candied almonds). 

This was very interesting. It tasted just like a tiramisu. But the texture of the jello threw me off. It's a very light dessert. The flavor makes me want a denser cake or something instead of the light jello. But then again, I tend to gravitate towards more decadent and rich desserts anyways. This is @catchows's favorite.

What a fantastic meal. We expanded @basicbrunches' culinary horizon and sent her off properly. Thank you so much to Jimmy and the Niwa team for taking such great care of us. I highly recommend checking them out. The Happy Hour specials are a great way to try it without spending the big bucks. Or just go all out if you want to impress someone. And this is a great place for a date... they have suction vents right at the rim of the grill so all the cooking smoke gets sucked in. So you don't smell like you've just been standing next to a smoke grill. haha.

Also, I wanted to mention a series of Sake tasting events they are currently hosting. The first 2 have passed but there are 2 more!! July 23rd and August 6th. Sake Nights. They feature 5-7 sakes for each date. Every date has different ones so the point is to go to all of them to try it all. Plus you get this cool booklet to document your notes from your tastings. Sounds like a fun event with friends!

*The meal was comped but all opinions are my own.*

Quality of Food: 

Service: 

Ambiance: 

Value: (comped)

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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~