MAD FOR HATTIE’S On my first visit to Hattie’s, a brand-new restaurant in Dallas’ Oak Cliff area, I ordered the prosciutto-wrapped figs stuffed with Maytag blue cheese and walnuts just because the combo sounded different. Wham! Salty, sweet, pungent—this was no appetizer to trifle with. Hmmm. How to mellow out after something that powerful? Well, maybe with a nice little salad of mixed winter greens in a roasted-tomato vinaigrette. Bam! We’re talking one assertive dressing here. Lisa Kelley, the chef at this stylish New American bistro, is obviously feeling her oats. An alumna of Parigi, the Hotel Crescent Court’s private club, and the Angelika Cafe, Kelley, 42, has put her stamp on this two-month-old place. What I have loved: a smoky tomato bisque accompanied by a teeny grilled cheese sandwich made with slices of baguette; a fresh sauté of tomatoes and asparagus; and a piece of dense, flourless chocolate cake in a luscious orange crème anglaise. As Kelley explores and defines her approach, diners from around the city are finding their way to her outpost south of the Trinity River. They can’t wait to see what she’ll cook up next.
