About a month ago, we attended one of the opening nights at Perry’s Steakhouse—a new import from Houston. We had a good time, a lot to drink, and left feeling pretty positive about the whole experience. And then came the backlash. Not being so steakhouse savvy, I was unaware that since 2001, Dallas has had its own Perry’s. A completely separate company, they were forced to change their name to “The Place at Perry’s” when the Houston-based Perry’s Steakhouse moved in. Got that straight? Not the same.

Well, diligent readers and fans of “the original” Perry’s were up in arms and insisted we pay a visit to the first Perry’s. And what’s the fuss about? So there’s a new restaurant in town that makes the local guy change his name? Why should we automatically vilify the bigger restaurant, just because they’re big? After all, they’re family-owned and Texan too! So this weekend, we visited The Place at Perry’s and it didn’t take long for me to realize why so many people had rallied behind it. This is a really special place in Dallas—a destination worth getting a little defensive over.

Dinner was impeccable. We hardly ever mention our servers, but Levi was the best of the best. He was kind, considerate, really knowledgeable, and offered some spot-on menu recommendations. Case in point? The crab cakes: plump crab meat, ever-so-lightly breaded, and served in a peppery sauce that was equal parts spicy and tangy. That was all his idea.

The blue cheese wedge salad—a steakhouse standard—was better than average, but what we really loved was the mozzarella, heirloom tomato, and basil salad. Perry’s uses a lot of local ingredients, including farm-grown tomatoes and mozzarella from the The Mozzarella Co. in Deep Ellum. The cheese was undeniably the highlight of the salad. Probably some of the creamiest mozzarella I’ve had. The The Mozzarella Co. actually offers tastings and hands-on classes, which I definitely want to look into now.

When it comes to steak, The Place at Perry’s is really impressive. They are the only restaurant in Dallas that exclusively serves naturally and humanely raised steaks from Niman Ranch. The filet was melt-in-your-mouth tender. I’m rather an amateur when it comes to cooking steak, but I can tell you this was the most uniformly cooked steak I’ve ever had. At medium-rare, the outside was perfectly seared, while the inside was juicy, red, and just slightly warm.

They offer a long list of sauces to accompany your steak. Choose anything from a creamy tarragon béarnaise, to a rosemary demi-glace, or a roasted shallot au jus. Try one or even two. It’s nice because the sauces are served on the side. They’re a great addition, but not a necessary one. The naked steak, with just a little pepper, was perfect as is.

As far as sides go, I was told ahead of time that I needed to try their mac & cheese. No wonder. It’s the most sinfully delicious incarnation since… well, maybe ever. (And I’ve made Barefoot Contessa’s recipe which involves a stick of butter and about 6 cups of cheese.) The sides are served family style, so there’s definitely enough to share.

Dessert ended the evening on a ridiculously high note with another recommendation from Levi: their apple pie, individually cooked in brown paper bags. I’m not sure if it was just the quality of the crust or the brown bag technique, but it was so crunchy and amazing. To be honest, I think it even trumped the steaks. And of course, they didn’t serve it with just any ice cream. Vanilla ice cream from Henry’s Homemade Ice Cream in Plano was the finishing touch.

I left The Place at Perry’s happy, very full, and completely understanding of the loyalty their customers have shown. It’s a fantastic restaurant with a refined charm that didn’t once strike me as gimmicky or over-thought. I left rooting for them too, but you know what? There are a ton of steakhouses in Dallas. The new one in town with a similar name might make googling a little more complicated, but beyond that The Place at Perry’s shouldn’t have a worry in their mind. They stand apart perfectly on their own.

Visit their site to check out their full menus including affordable lunch options, happy hour specials, and their new Sunday brunch. A great option for a date night would be their Summer Performing Arts Menu featuring a prix fixe three-course dinner for two. For $50 a couple, dinner includes soup or salad, two entrees from a daily menu, and a dessert to share. It’s served early enough (4-6 PM daily) so you can go from there to a show with no problem. (P.S. Get the apple pie.)

The Place at Perry’s
2911 Routh St.
Dallas, TX
214.871.9991

Even though it’s out of step with the season to be roasting root vegetables, I was inspired by this NY Times article to make roasted radishes in a bagna cauda sauce. Radishes are great, perhaps even more so after they’ve been roasted. It takes all the sassy bite out and leaves them sweet and mellow. According to the NY Times, they’re becoming pretty popular around the Big Apple now. In the article, Melissa Clark mentions a dinner party where they were served to her “slathered in an anchovy-and-garlic-laden bagna cauda sauce.” A what?

While researching bagna cauda, the first thing I noticed is how simple the ingredients are. I also realized how serious people get about which ingredients you should use to make the most authentic bagna cauda. It’s got a long history which originates from the Piedmont region of Italy. Peasants would make it and use it as a dip for bread or vegetables. It’s typically kept over a low heat when served, basically like fondue.

Fast forward a bunch of years and you’ve got hot-shot chefs like Michael Chiarello adding pepper flakes and listing anchovies as optional. (Both of these are apparently infuriating. One of the recipe comments mentions their grandfather rolling in his grave.)

Other recipes recommend using a pint of heavy cream, which was sort of terrifying to me because of the calorie count. To my relief, I found more comments online challenging the authenticity of this version. Happy to drop the cream, I found that most of the “respected” recipes for bagna cauda include both olive oil and butter at about a 1/1 ratio.

I whipped it up really quickly and instead of dipping the radishes into the sauce, I coated them with it while roasting and then put a little more on top at the end. (I threw in some potatoes to roast as well. Why not?) The sauce had an excellent flavor—rich, garlicky, and salty. The only thing that bothers me is that I’m not sure if I did it correctly. The recipe talks about the sauce being “creamy.” However that didn’t happen for me. In the sauce pan it stayed the consistency of oil and melted butter. Really, really thin. Part of me wonders how people would ever use this as a dipping sauce. Another part of me feels like it must be that way because this recipe is so simple. There’s not many ways to mess it up. Weird things happen though… Does anyone know about bagna cauda and how it should look?

Bagna Cauda (from Nigella Lawson)

1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 to 5 cloves garlic, peeled and microplaned or minced
12 anchovies preserved in olive oil, drained and chopped
1/3 to 1/2 cc. unsalted butter, cut into chunks
A variety of raw vegetables, including fennel, cauliflower, Belgian endive, sweet peppers and zucchini (for dipping)

Put the oil in a pan with the garlic and anchovies and cook over low heat, stirring, until you have a melted, muddy mess. Everything should begin to meld together. Whisk in 6 tablespoons of butter, and as soon as it has melted, remove from the heat and give a few more beats of your whisk so that everything is creamy and amalgamated. Taste, and if you feel you want this as a dipping sauce – which is meant to be pungent but not acrid. If you want the sauce a little more mellow, whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Pour into a dish that, ideally, fits over a flame so that it does not get cold at the table. Dip in the crudites and eat.

Avocados are a pretty sexy vegetable fruit. They have a lovely creaminess, a rich mouthfeel, a delicate flavor—all due to their natural fattiness. A large part of their allure also comes from their versatility. Avocados have an excellent imagination. To chop for a salad or tuck into a sushi roll? With all the possible combinations, they come with a spark of culinary inspiration (unlike say, a brussels sprout.)

Avocados are about possibilities, and in a roundabout way they’re what landed me three seats away from Kent Rathbun for a private dinner at Abacus. (I know! I admit I was pretty star-struck.) There he was, in all his full Iron Chef glory talking about the night he created his legendary lobster shooter while cooking at the James Beard House and the time he prepared dinner for over 27,000 people at George W’s inaugural ball. Pretty amazing, especially for someone like me who almost jumped out of my seat seeing Tom Colicchio and Wylie Dufresne on the last episode of HBO’s Treme.

So what does all that have to do with an avocado? Hosted by the California Avocado Commission, the night was a celebration toasting of all its lovely possibilities.

The first course featured diced avocados atop a king crab salad in a sea of chilled lemongrass gazpacho. A light dish with a nice balance between the richness of the king crab and sweetness of the soup. It’s a great starter for Summer, especially because that’s the peak of the avocado growing season.

Second course was a twist on the traditional shrimp and veggie tempura. Thick spears of avocado and rock shrimp rested in a creamy tofu-based yuzu sauce. Excellent flavor, but a little overwhelming. Fried avocado? You can imagine how just a little is more than enough.

The dinner went from asian inspirations to the Southwest with a chipotle bacon-wrapped duck roulade. In the center? A slice of apricot and avocado, of course. A spicy maple & black pepper glaze was spread across the plate. While it was delicious, I was most intrigued with the side of spring pea & pearl couscous. It was so creamy, it was almost a risotto. Divine!

Moving along with more of the Southwestern flavors, the fourth course featured the lightest and best sope I’ve ever had. Smothered with a smoky, roasted guacamole it was topped with fresh pico de gallo, green chili gravy, and cumin-cured hanger steak medallions cooked rare. It was the highlight of the dinner for me. I was convinced that it couldn’t get better… until dessert arrived.

I guessed that the avocado dessert would be an ice cream because of its nice fat content (and the fact that I’ve seen it several times on Food Network.) I was only half right. Dessert did feature a very subtle meyer lemon and avocado ice cream. Underneath it was the best blackberry sage tart. Probably of all time. Ever. Call it dramatics; that’s ok. But trust me, the crust was applaudable.

The night left us with more than just fond memories and an increased knowledge of the Persea americana. I left with three of the prettiest avocados to take home. Right now they’re waiting on my counter while I make plans for them. Of course after last night, I’m feeling pretty inspired…

Back from Summer vacation it’s theeeee littleeeee diiiiiiish *roar!* Apparently Dallas keeps running without us, which is good news for everyone. So what have we missed? Well, there is an important update for all carnivores who will be dining soon in the Arts District. Perry’s Steakhouse, a fine Texas establishment, officially opened their Dallas location yesterday. Too bad we couldn’t have made it… Oh wait, we’ve already been. (You probably saw that twist coming.)

My friend Matt and I had the great pleasure of attending a sneak peek dinner at Perry’s last weekend. Cocktails in the lounge occupied us while we waited for our table. They have a nice, long list of specialties that are more than deserving of a return trip. I had a peach cocktail with a cinnamon sugar rim. The name doesn’t even matter as long as you remember it’s delicious.

While the food was great, the highlight was probably the two women (whom we’ll respectfully and affectionately call cougars) sitting at the table across from us. Over the course of the evening, we watched them flirt with the waitstaff, shovel their food, and proceed to get very, very intoxicated. As we heard (more than once) the blonde was newly single. (“Who needs a man, anyway?”) And the brunette? Well, she’s in LA a lot and knows everyone. She whispered (not so quietly) that she recognized my friend Matt. (“I know that guy with the camera. He’s a famous food critic.”) He’s not.

We started with appetizers, as is custom. First, spicy calamari with just enough breading to dress it up without overpowering it. The “signature” fried asparagus arrived topped with a rich sauce and colossal lump crab meat. We broke the rules of etiquette and slid every piece of asparagus across the plate to absorb as much of the sauce as possible. (Cougars did as well, so we were in good company.)

Lobster bisque and a chopped applewood bacon salad were nice precursors to the meal, although a little conventional. I must say that I should blame myself for that though. Their soup and salad menu did feature a more adventurous option: turtle soup. I decided to play it safe and turtle friendly.

Being unfriendly to cows, however, we had the filet mignon. Beautiful Texas Akaushi Kobe beef, swimming in butter. In the words of my hero Ina Garten: “How bad can that be?”

Crème brûlée is a favorite of mine, so it was a given for dessert. However, many of Perry’s desserts are served a flambé tableside. To get the full experience, we decided to try the Nutty D’Angelo as well. (We’re serious journalists like that.)

Highly recommended by our waiter, it’s a gigantic ball of vanilla ice cream covered in white chocolate with pecans and almonds flambéed in brown sugar and brandy. It was rich end to a great meal. (Plus, it’s really fun to say. Nutty D’Angelo.)

The bad news is I don’t think Perry’s has the cougar-duo on retainer. However, even without the guarantee of entertainment, it is a nice addition to the neighborhood. The atmosphere is distinguished. A rich color palette, dark wood—it’s very much what you expect from a steakhouse. And in many ways that describes the overall experience at Perry’s. It is straight-forward in its offerings and skilled in its execution of them. There is a time and a place for fusion menus and experimental cuisine. And for times when you don’t want to leave things to chance, like a first date or dinner with your boss, there is Perry’s.

Perry’s Steakhouse
2000 McKinney Ave., Suite 100
Dallas, Texas 75201
214.855.5151

Full disclosure: Before becoming a writer, I worked at this restaurant briefly in 2002 about a year after it opened. It was my first and last stint as a waitress. I (as it turns out) was not very good at it. Anyway, the restaurant was named Blowfish back then and was really good. I have no “kitchen horror” story whatsoever to share. I’ve been back a few times since, but because of the fast-paced nature of the industry, it is like an entirely new restaurant when I go in now—a new name even! All new faces, new sushi chefs, new menu items. So, I write this review as a once-but-no-longer semi-insider.

On sunny afternoons, there are few things I love as much as sushi. I can probably count the times I’ve eaten sushi during the winter on both hands. Whether it’s the fresh taste or light texture, there is just something about sushi that makes it more fitting for warmer weather. Today was lovely, so I decided to swing by Piranha Killer Sushi because it’s been a small eternity since I’ve eaten there. (If you talk to people who like sushi without all of the fuss of fancy dining, they’re bound to mention this place.)

I picked up the lunch Maki Bento Box (to go!) and was, in a word, delighted. It’s a lot of food for 9.95: miso soup, tuna roll, cucumber roll, 1/2 california roll, and a tuna sashimi side salad. It’s not the finest sushi I’ve ever had, but it’s a definite solid standard that tasted very fresh. The miso soup had a great flavor, but was the weakest part of the meal for two reasons. One, the tofu squares were almost non-existent. I think I got two. Also, the seaweed pieces were cut very large and were really chewy. I dodged them and enjoyed just the broth.

The basic rolls were great and simply prepared. The nori wrapping was fresh (I hate chewy ones!) and the rice had a great texture. The tuna in the rolls was rich–beautiful in color and texture. The highlight for me was the tuna sashimi salad. The (generously portioned) tuna pieces were laid upon a bed of mixed greens and then drizzled with a spicy red chili sauce and some sort of creamy aioli (maybe with a hint of ginger?). Roe and sesame seeds were sprinkled on top to finish it off. Beautiful.

Price: 9.95

Piranha Killer Sushi
851 N.E. Green Oaks Blvd.
Arlington, TX 76006
817.261.1636

(Second Ft. Worth location)
335 W. 3rd St.
Fort Worth, TX 76102
817.348.0200

I’ll come right out with it. I’m a big, big fan of the blue cheese wedge salad. Studies have shown, if on your menu somewhere, you have the words salad, blue cheese, and wedge, in a semi close proximity, there’s a 87% chance I’ll order it. It really just depends on the last time I had a blue cheese wedge salad, and if it wasn’t at breakfast, then there you go. Anyway, at the Cliff Cafe next to the Belmont in Oak Cliff, I found a version of said salad and it wasn’t the best or perfect BCWS I’ve ever had, but it definitely had some promise. My two major concerns were the over cooked bacon that felt like little rocks in my mouth, and the absence of a blue cheese dressing on the menu — it was served with a balsamic vinaigrette (everyone’s trying to be different). Now the former sin cannot be forgiven — over-dried crunchy as hell bacon has no place in a fresh salad or anywhere else in the world of eats. The later problem wasn’t too much of an issue, but I definitely could have gone for a nice spicy blue cheese dressing instead. The main fault that ruined an otherwise tempting display of ingredients, was that the salad was not dressed, but rather drowned in the balsamic dressing which overpowered every other aspect of the dish. Seriously, you can’t tell from the picture, but this thing was swimming.

I’m not usually one for ‘dressing on the side’ bit, but at the Cliff Cafe my recommendation is to go that way, or try the ranch instead. It’s also a great salad to share, so step up to it as a starter on your next date to the Cliff Cafe. Then head over to the bar at the Belmont for a nice time getting boozed up on their friendly patio. It’s definitely one of the official drinkeries of the Little Dish staff.

Price: $5 – $7

Cliff Cafe
901 Fort Worth Ave. | Dallas, TX 75208
214.393.4141