Dallas

(From February 2012)

The cash cow at this two-sided occupant of One Arts Plaza is chef John Tesar’s casual Commissary, a bistro and burger bar. But his heart is at the chef’s table, in a tall, glass-walled room designated One Art. Recently the daily-changing menu explored rustic, assertive ingredients in a great mash-up of hand-made papardelle, local ricotta, mortadella, perfect sautéed chicken livers, and a poached duck egg. That dish’s polar opposite, a prim filet of nicely cooked line-caught cod (white) on a celery root–almond purée (white) under almond milk–honey foam (you guessed it), explored soft textures and subtle flavors in a smart but risky experiment that ultimately put the diner to sleep. Still, Tesar’s masterful technique shone in a sybaritic gratin of lump crab with herbed hollandaise. Beer & wine.

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Photograph by Daniel Vaughn

(From June 2011)

It is indeed a catering business, but Pecan Lodge is also a small restaurant located in the heart of the farmers market, the better to source its produce. We chose a stick-to-the-ribs, decidedly unvegetably plate of mes-quite-smoked brisket and ribs with a side of stellar fried okra. And though there wasn’t much room for dessert, we gave our inner child a treat with the Sweet Lupita: a spec-tacular sculpture of fried tortilla strips drizzled with honey, powdered sugar, crushed pecan, and . . . fairy dust, an edible sparkly topping!

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(From November 2011)

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(From November 2011)

Sitting down to brunch in this sunlit-space, it was hard to picture the same room throbbing with energy on a weekend night, as it’s reputed to do (imagine, if you will, a $50 punch bowl that serves up enough for twelve drinks). Although tempted by chicken and waffles, we loved our spinach and goat cheese omelet. Individual French presses kept us supplied with coffee throughout the meal, which ended with a bread pudding that confounded all preconceived notions; more like a flourless chocolate cake, it came topped with a slug of hot fudge sauce and a scoop of Henry’s chocolate ice cream. Bar.

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(From June 2011) Outside, it looks like a brick home; inside, it’s an English pub, with the obligatory dark interior, darts game, and menu of fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, and bangers. But there’s also a terrific chicken tandoori sandwich, the meat grilled with yogurt and spices, nestled in a soft pita, and bril-liantly slicked with curry mayo. And the fries are among the best in town—crisp, brown, and flecked with tiny bits of parsley. The bourbon-rum sauce paired with the airy bread pudding was subtle, not in-your-face, as is too often the case. Bar.

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(From January 2012)

The new four-course vegetarian tasting menu (only offered within the past few months) has every bit the skill and imagination of Bruno Davaillon’s regular repertoire. Delicate greens embellished with dates, pine nuts, shaved Manchego, and a subtle lemon dressing whetted our appetites, as did roasted baby beets with spring onions and zippy horseradish. For our main courses, we chose tender potato gnocchi with wild mushrooms, asparagus tips, and fresh spinach and Israeli couscous with hazelnuts, crunchy cauliflower, and a slice of grilled mango. What really knocked our socks off, though, was dessert: a hollow sphere of white chocolate, coated with raspberry purée, whose top lifted off to reveal vanilla cheesecake inside, crowned with margarita sorbet

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(From February 2012)

This is not your padre’s taquería. Even though about half the tacos have a semi-Mexican identity (roasted chicken with queso fresco), the rest take the concept and go crazy with it. Anybody for Hawaiian-style chopped raw ahi tuna with avocado, radish, and ginger-soy vinaigrette? It’s totally delish. How about cornmeal-crusted oysters with napa cabbage and fennel slaw drizzled with smoked-chile butter? Amazing. Homeboys will want the brilliant Texas burger taco, with yellow cheese, dill pickles, and applewood-smoked bacon. Definitely save room for elote (roasted corn, off the cob, mixed with crema and lime). The converted Church’s chicken outlet has been retooled with clever industrial-rustic details, including folded-metal taco holders. Beer & wine.

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(From March 2011) Someone was channeling Frank Lloyd Wright in the creation of this space; we love the linear stone and natural flow of space. And, happily, the food is the equal of the design. At lunch, we’re taken with the Cobalt sandwich, the name an acronym for its components: grilled chicken, onion, bacon aioli, avocado, lettuce, and tomato. The side of cranberry-almond couscous made this light entrée especially tasty. Certainly enough for sharing was a slice of apple-cranberry cobbler with two scoops of Tahitian vanilla ice cream. For those who are watching their waistlines, there are even Cooper Aerobics–approved entrées. For those who are watching their pocketbooks (and who isn’t?), happy hour boasts many bargains, both in libations and munchies. We’re eager to come back for dinner. Bar.

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