(From February 2011) Corporate types, UT Southwestern med school employees, police officers, and ordinary folk make this Dallas institution a madhouse at noon. If you’re thinking about the meat loaf, make sure to get it with plenty of the slightly spicy Creole sauce of onions, peppers, tomatoes, and carrots. Sides (there are more than 20) are pure comfort food; we especially like the pinto beans. A separate menu proclaims that “pie fixes everything,” and we’d have to agree after devouring our piece of chocolate–peanut butter cream pie with a chocolate cookie crust.

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(From June 2011) A bonus to the farmhand-size breakfasts and home-cooked soul food lunches dished up at this absolutely un-fancy, it-is-what-it-is Fort Worth stalwart are the lively debates on sports, politics, and weather that you might overhear at the next table. Expect the likes of grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken and dumplings, and CFS. Oh, and well-loved meringue pies. A helping of nostalgia comes with every order.

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(From June 2011)

Creative and fresh combinations are the or-der of the day at this earthy, urban hot spot (and, yes, there is a real porch in front). Locals love the “Big Board,” with its daily specials, but the regular menu is filled with American comfort food dishes. Smoked-brisket enchiladas with tomatillo rice, avocado, and fresh salsa were good and filling, as was the Porch Salad, with greens, red grapes, toma-toes, crunchy smoked almonds, and pickled on-ion. Leave room for the S’more Redux; the heavenly pillows of torched marshmallow topped with gooey chocolate lava cake and crunchy graham crackers will take you back to campfires of yore. Bar.

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(From January 2012)

Walk in and turn to the right for the “social” area, with its communal tables and small-plates menu; turn left for the “private” area, with its formal tables and full menu. Pork buns, looking like giant marshmallows, stuffed with crispy pork and slivered veggies made a promising start, while pan-roasted Louisiana sturgeon nestled in a bowl (dotted with tiny bits of pancetta and doused with a cup of blue crab chowder) was intense in a very good way. Even with closed eyes, we would have known that the small square dish of crackly crusted crème brûlée was of the sweet potato variety—subtle but distinctive; the little side of port-soaked cherries was genius. Bar.

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(From January 2012)

Talk about reason to crow. New owner and chef Tanner Exposito, along with his wife, Karolina, bring ten years of international culinary experience to this well-established spot. We sampled several specials, like a juicy meat loaf sandwich with tomato jam and fresh greens and a savory quiche with green chiles and squash, which was light in texture but filled with the robust flavors of autumn. For dessert the Double Toffee Banana Pie is a must, with layer after layer of banana custard and toffee bar.

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(From April 2011) Looking for an earthy but upscale oasis in downtown Dallas? Wander over to the historic Saint Ann School building, where Mi-chael Guerrero, formerly of Abacus, is serving up simple, crowd-pleasing food at prices that are easy to live with. Our cafeteria-style lunch—chicken breast in a creamy beurre blanc with cheese po-lenta and baked Parmesan-topped tomatoes—was a winner. But the crispy, thin-crust pizzas look appealing too. At night this chic spot turns into a watering hole with a view of the downtown lights and an expanded, full-service menu. An initial evening sampling was hardly promising—semi-raw, fishy scallops and a poor-quality filet cooked medium-well after having been ordered medium-rare—but the space is so inviting that we’d still go back for a drink and appe-tizers. Bar.

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(From January 2012)

Although they’ve continued the down-home combo plates long popular with cash-strapped UTMB students (think mains like meat loaf and fried chicken and sides like okra and mashed potatoes), post-Ike owners Rick and Trish Henson have beefed up the hamburger and sandwich offerings. We found the turkey wrap fresh and filling, and the sweet potato fries were a nice addition.

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(From January 2012)

This quintessential small-town cafe serves the most tender chicken-fried steak we’ve laid tooth to, and the crab cakes with a side of grilled shrimp and onions run a close second in our affections. The fried pickle appetizer is reason enough to make the drive, if fun is a priority with you. And then there are the pies, like chocolate peanut butter and a coconut cream that could win the blue ribbon at any county fair in Texas.

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(From June 2011)

Sodolaks Beefmasters is, quite simply, pure Texas—hefty portions of unbeatable chicken-fried steak, perfectly grilled ribeyes and pork chops, sumptuous catfish and shrimp, and such trademark Southern sides as turnip greens, black-eyed peas, and okra. Top it off with pecan, peach, or blackberry cobbler, and you’ll be loosening your belt before you get home. Scattered among the restaurant’s rustic decor are police, military, and firefighter badges—seals of approval from some pretty tough customers. Don’t come here expecting more healthy fare than a couple of salads can offer. But if you’re craving the kind of country cooking you enjoyed back in the day, you just can’t beat Sodolaks. Beer & wine.

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(From June 2011) Ah, a step back in time to the days when there was absolutely no crunch to vegetables (you do remember your mother’s green beans, don’t you?). This is old-school home cooking at reasonable prices; entrées, like pot roast and chopped steak, come with cornbread and luscious rolls, and sides run the gamut from french fries and yellow squash to applesauce and cottage cheese. We can especially recom-mend the meat loaf with tomato sauce and the pork roast with mandarin oranges. And the Bean is justly famous for its coconut cream pie. Bar.

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