My sister and I had a conversation the other day about breaking our habits of ordering the same things all the time. I’ll try almost anything once in the name of new discoveries, but when it comes to everyday eating, I tend to gravitate towards the same types of foods. At lunch, I’ll go for any variation of the turkey sandwich. A meatball sub? Are you kidding? So far from what I’d go for.
So during brunch at Hattie’s, in the spirit of adding variety, I passed on my original choice (french toast with bananas foster sauce) and went for the unconventional Sunday’s special: Chicken and waffle.
A nice, juicy piece of fried chicken resting on a fluffy belgian waffle arrived with the accompanying chili pepper maple syrup for drizzling. Interesting, but in a good way. The combination was a perfect balance of savory and sweet. I liked it and really glad I tried it. And since my sister ordered the french toast, I got to try that too. Everybody wins!
418 Bishop Avenue | Dallas, Texas 75208
214.942.7400
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Staycation: \stā-ˈkā-shən\ noun. A respite or time of leisure spent in one’s own city instead of traveling to another, as opposed to a vacation.
Watch the news or read a blog and you’re likely to find the new buzz word, staycation, especially if they’re discussing high gas prices. I really like the idea, even though seeking out great fun things to do in your city is hardly a new concept. There’s lots of times I’ve visited somewhere in Dallas or Ft. Worth—be it a neighborhood (like the Bishop Arts District) or a museum—and felt transported to another city, long before I heard of staycations. I think people should explore their cities and seek out what makes them unique, especially those of us living in the Metroplex that has so many diverse offerings.
So where am I go with all this pro-hometown propaganda? Well, after visiting the Impressionist exhibit at the Kimbell, we ended up (sort of by chance) eating at Joe T. Garcia’s…
I had known about this place in a very vague sort of way. I knew that it’s been in Ft. Worth a long time and that they have “a great patio.” Well, both of these statements are true. The restaurant has been in Ft. Worth since 1935. However, saying that they have a “great patio” is like saying the Dallas City Council has “disagreements.”
On a Friday night, even early, the parking lot was a zoo. We were confused. Is this lot all for the restaurant? Do they share parking with a venue or something? A movie theater? Throngs of people walked towards the restaurant, forming a waiting line that looked (in length) more like one that forms behind a velvet rope than a hostess stand.
Things there move really quickly (more on that in a moment) and we were seated almost immediately. During the long walk towards our table, one thought entered my mind: This is totally a staycation restaurant.
The “fiesta gardens” patio is huge. It can seat over 1,000 people. It’s quite beautiful and has a certain “you might be at an amusement park” feel. Hanging baskets of plants, covered terraces, tiered fountains, and strolling mariachi create such an incredible ambiance. You definitely don’t feel like you’re in DFW anymore.
The fact that the patio is so mammoth makes for an interesting dining experience. The people watching is great, and the service was (surprisingly!) really quick. The only form of tender accepted is (brace yourself) cash. As for the menu? Well, let’s just say that efficiency is definitely at play here. There is no menu. For dinner, there were two choices: fajitas and an enchilada platter with lots of items. For people who hate waiting while their dinner partner agonizes over a six page menu, this is your place. Although we did notice that there can be a little flexibility with this menu, as some nearby tables had nachos, etc.
Food is served family style and didn’t taste at all like it was mass-produced. It was really good, straight-forward Mexican food—nothing fancy or really out of the ordinary. The fajitas were better than the enchilada platter; the meat was tender and well-seasoned. Their margarita pitchers were a good deal ($25) and quite strong. No watered down limeade action here!
No slight on the food, but it’s a great place to go because of the surroundings. It’s fun and would be great for large parties. (Hey, that’s what they do here.) Next time the weather is bearable and you want to spend an evening on a patio with a good margarita, this is the place to go.
Price: $9.25 enchiladas, $10.50 fajitas
2201 N. Commerce St. | Fort Worth, Texas 76164
817.626.4356
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End note: You really should visit the current Kimbell exhibit, The Impressionists: Master Paintings From The Art Institute of Chicago. Some of the true highlights from Chicago’s collection are there, including some of my very faves. Awesome.
Recently, my sister baked the most delicious chicken pot pie for us. After helping myself to another serving, I asked if she’d be willing to write up her version of this classic recipe… It’s a special guest edition on the little dish!
It seems like comfort food is misunderstood. Often the label is applied to foods that are anything but comfortable: heavy, dense, fat-laden dishes that leave you with digestive unease and a vague sense of guilt. This is especially true when you try to capture comfort food in frozen form, and the chicken pot pie is a prime example of this. I can’t think of a time I’ve eaten homemade chicken pot pie, so my memories of it are mostly influenced by the Marie Callender individual portions in faux-foil cardboard saucers. A heavy, overly-rich crust dominates the thick filling and one look at the nutrition facts is enough to induce heart palpitations…
But chicken pot pie can be a truly delightful dish, and when I made it at home I was reminded of what comfort food can really be. The process is… a little labor intensive (not a 30-minute meal, by any means!), but there is something almost therapeutic about making a dish so simple, flexible, and downright wholesome. Chopping fresh veggies, poaching chicken — nothing tedious going on here, but it does require work. Thankfully, time invested is definitely rewarded. The resulting pot pie was flavorful, light, and delicious. The recipe uses phyllo dough layered on top instead of a heavy, bread-y crust, and this substitution makes all the difference. Crispy, flaky, light layers of phyllo complement the warm and flavorful filling, resulting in chicken pot pie as it should be.
Now the original recipe I started with from Martha Stewart is great, but I there are a few alterations I would definitely suggest. First, the recipe omits the important step of *cooking* the vegetables before combining with the chicken and topping with the crust. Although it bakes in the oven, the veggies don’t get much softer during that step, so it’s essential that you cook them on the stove until they’re soft.
Second, I like my chicken pot pie with potatoes! Martha didn’t include any, but I felt they were necessary. (The great thing about this recipe is its flexibility: you can adjust the elements in the filling as you please. I added more salt and pepper as well.)
Third, I like a creamier, saucier sauce, so I substituted a cup of whole milk for 1/2 cup of the chicken stock. Finally, possibly because of the addition of potatoes, or because of the size of pan I wanted to use, I had enough filling for two separate pies. I assembled both of them and then only baked one, saving the other for the next day’s dinner. I see it as a bonus dinner.
Chicken Pot Pie
Based on this recipe by the one and only, Martha Stewart
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus 1/4 cup melted butter
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup reserved stock from Poached Chicken
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 medium carrots, cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 medium celery stalks, cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 Russet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Poached Chicken [recipe below]
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus about 1/2 cup leaves for crust and sprigs for garnish
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 cup slightly thawed frozen peas
6 sheets phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
Flaked sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in milk and 1/2 cup stock. Whisk remaining 1/2 cup stock into the flour in a small bowl. Whisk into shallot mixture. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce to a simmer.
2. Add carrots, celery, potatoes, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender, 10-15 minutes. Stir in chicken, peas, and additional stock or milk if filling is not creamy enough. Return to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in chopped parsley and tarragon, and season with salt and pepper. Let cool slightly. Transfer to a 2-quart (8 1/2-by-12-inch) baking dish, or two 9-inch round casserole dishes.
3. Brush 1 sheet of phyllo with melted butter. Sprinkle with parsley leaves. Repeat with remaining phyllo, parsley, and butter; do not sprinkle parsley on final layer. (Keep unbuttered phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel.) Drape crust over cooled filling; tuck in edges. Cut four 4-inch slits in crust for vents. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.
4. Bake until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and recut vents. Serve immediately in shallow bowls.
Poached Chicken
Makes enough for 1 pot pie
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
2 celery stalks, cut into 4-inch pieces
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 4-inch pieces
1 medium onion, quartered
6 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 cans (14 ounces each) low-sodium store-bought chicken broth
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1. Place chicken in a large stockpot. Add remaining ingredients and enough water to cover chicken. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam; discard. Reduce heat to low; simmer until chicken has just cooked through, about 25 minutes.
2. Transfer chicken to a plate, and let cool slightly. Pour stock through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Set aside 1 cup stock for pot pie; reserve remaining stock for another use. Tear chicken into bite-sized pieces. (You should have about 4 cups.) Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use, up to 2 days.
I’ll admit it. When it comes to shopping, if the package is pretty, I’m interested. Call it being a victim to marketing or just liking cute things, either way it’s alright with me. Sometimes, a product’s design alone is reason enough to buy it. That’s basically the story behind this soda. I was browsing the drink cases at Jimmy’s Food Store (official Italian market of the little dish!) when this pretty shade of light purple caught my eye. The bottle is so charming, I was settled on buying it before I even read the label. Once I did though, there was no question. “Soda: Lavender. Soft lavender essence. Subtly sweet. All natural.” Of course, I’m sold!
The lavender soda was very refreshing, but I wished it was more along the lines of a sparkling water than a soda. It was a little too sweet and that sweetness overpowered the lively floral taste of the lavender. I liked it, but what it made me realize is that I want someone to invent a lavender sparkling water. San Pellegrino Lavender? Yes, please! If you like the idea of a sweeter beverage though, definitely try it. The all-natural soda comes from Seattle’s DRY Soda Co. They make four very fresh flavors of soda that you don’t see everyday: kumquat, lemongrass, rhubarb, and lavender. (All are sweetened with pure cane sugar, which is a plus.)
The most interesting part of these sodas is the pairing suggestions and drink recipes offered on the site. For the lavender soda, they suggested pairing it with cheese courses, pork, roast duck, and chocolate. It’s fun to think of pairing soda in the same terms you think of a wine. I’d like to try that. Also, the drink recipes sounded completely amazing.
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It’s a baking success! This week, I made a birthday cake for a friend of mine from work: three layers of basic chocolate cake with raspberry preserve filling between each layer. On top, I made a fantastic chocolate frosting I saw Ina Garten make on Barefoot Contessa. To finish, I decorated the cake with pink buttercream frosting and a row of fresh raspberries around the bottom. I’m immensely proud of how great the cake turned out, especially the frosting! The only thing I would add to this recipe is that you should chill the frosted cake until you’re ready to serve. It will keep you safe (there’s a little raw egg in this frosting) and keeps the texture really nice. Just take the cake out about twenty minutes beforehand and it’ll be perfect!
Beatty’s Chocolate Frosting
From Barefoot Contessa
6 oz. good semisweet chocolate (recommended: Callebaut)*
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tbs. instant coffee powder
Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don’t whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.
*Note: I just used semisweet chocolate chips
Hattie’s is a beautiful, uncomplicated bistro in the Bishop Arts District whose fare is best described as “white-tablecloth Southern food.” The menu consists of rustic, traditional favorites from the South that have been infused with a charming sense of refinement and polish. I was really excited about trying this place.
To start, fried green tomatoes seemed to be the only real choice—not from lack of options, because there were other very tempting choices on the menu like proscuitto-wrapped black figs with bleu cheese and walnuts. (YUMM!) However, my heart was set on fried green tomatoes because for me, few foods could symbolize Southern cooking any better.
In a word, they were delightful. The tomatoes themselves were incredibly flavorful and ripe. Dipped in a cornmeal batter, they were perfectly coated and crispy. It wasn’t a greasy mush that hid the natural goodness of the tomato, it was a golden-brown crunchiness that celebrated it. The buttermilk ranch dressing drizzled on top was light, not thick as a usual dressing, but almost like a white sauce that complimented the tomatoes so well. A true Southern classic with an upscale touch—such a good fit for Dallas.
Price: $7.50
418 Bishop Avenue | Dallas, Texas 75208
214.942.7400
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[So I know the 'Best Burger In Town' thing has been done before and probably before that, and there even a few dedicated sites dealing with just the burger. Despite all that, the little dish feels like we need to weigh in on the subject. Being from California, home of the In-N-Out, I grew up loving cheese burgers. Since then I have always been a fan, and as a fan, I am always searching for the best and tastiest burger around. Moving to Dallas presented a new opportunity in the wake of a travesty (no more In-N-Outs). So not being able to get my weekly fix of Double-Doubles, I needed to make amends with my stomach and search out some suitable replacements here in the Lone Star state. I'm happy to say I have found some, and over the next month or so I will go over my favorites. I've tested burgers far and wide, expensive to cheap, beef to turkey and these are my findings...]
You might be noticing a trend here with the blue cheese. Now while I don’t discriminate against a burger if it doesn’t have any, I do prefer blue cheese and try to order a variation of it whenever I’m somewhere new. While you might think it’s unfair to compare a regular burger to one with blue cheese, I do promise to be as unbiased as possible in my overall judgment and comparisons.
The BC burger at the Meridian Room is a thick, thick burger. I’ll warn you now, it’s probably the thickest of the burgers on this round up, but in overall weight it’s comparable. It reminds me of a baseball filet: juicy, round, tall, and delicious. Now the burger is no Filet Mignon, but usually eating such a thick patty of ground beef is a tad unappetizing to me — this burger on the contrary had tons of flavor oozing out after every bite. (A warning: they seem to undercook their burgers so make sure you order it a little extra done. I order it medium which is usually perfect, but on occasion it will come out a tad too pink.) The handmade patty was seasoned to perfection, a little spicy but nothing to cause alarm. The blue cheese was top notch and was melted across the entire expanse of the burger, and when coupled with perfectly cooked meat, it resulted in a moist bite on every munch.
My sole complaint on the burger was the bun. They don’t use your standard hamburger bun here, but rather a thin-ish brioche roll. Although it’s great through the first few bites, after a little longer it gets soggy and starts to disintegrate. Now as a whole, that’s a small complaint to make, but it is definitely something to note. This is not a clean burger.
I would like to recommend their sweet potato fries. They are AWESOME. Not too sweet, and crunchy till the last one. You have to request these over the regular fries, so make sure you speak up get the right ones.
Value wise, this burger can hold it’s own against the bunch. 8 dollars flat for a delicious burger and enough fries to share. You definitely won’t be going home hungry after this meal. Another thing to note is that on Wednesdays they have half-priced food all day and night. Yeah, anything on the menu, half off. So get there early cause the place fills up quick, but you can always get a nice stiff drink while you wait, since the place is after all, a bar too.
Price: $8
The Meridian Room
3611 Parry Ave | Dallas, TX 75206
214.826.8383
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In the world of fashion and music, the mash-up/collaboration has been all the rage for the past few years. Reebok shoes mixed with Monopoly or Elton John vs. Jay Z. They are everywhere. They don’t always improve upon a product but in some cases magic happens and the public is presented with a new item to change the landscape of consumerism.
Behold, the Chelada is such magic. Simplifying the age old combo of beer and tomato juice into a one stop, time saving combo. I’ve spent years of my life waiting for this. Usually I’m deterred by the extra effort it takes in making this drink so I just settle for the beer, or sometimes the tomato juice. Sometimes when you make that quick run to QT they don’t always have cold Clamato, putting on a cramp on my late night drinking. But alas, the problem has been solved. Convenience has won out. I can now drink my Clamato and Bud with ease. Oh thank you America.
Now if only I liked to drink Budweiser. Someone get on that.
