The more I eat at Oddfellows the more I love it. They’ve put out a new menu for dinner and as this was my first time eating dinner there I can’t speak to the changes, but I can tell you everything we had at our table we loved.

Started out with some Crispy Pickles that were accompanied by a creamy ancho sauce.

I ordered the Buffalo Mac & Cheese and loved every bite. It was a dish I had heard mentioned and hyped around the food-sphere so I couldn’t pass on it. I really wanted to try the fried chicken as well and luckily my friend who was eating with us decided to order it.

The Chicken & Waffles were amazing. My friend couldn’t stop talking about them and said as he was enjoying them, “bite by bite, they were slowly climbing his best-dish-ever-list”.

The Asian Carnitas Tacos can be found on the Small Plates section of the menu, but they are anything but small. Each taco was filled to the brim with sweet delicious pork and topped with a spicy chili ginger sauce to give it that Asian twist.

If you haven’t eaten at Oddfellows yet, you are doing your palette a disservice. If you need more convincing check out our brunch review we ran last week.

Oddfellows
316 West 7th Street
Dallas, TX 75208
(214) 944-5958

Smoke has been on our ‘brunch hit-list’, since it was transformed from the Cliff Cafe a while back. We finally were able to get over there on a Sunday afternoon and it turned out a lot of other people like to go there for brunch too.

We started out at the bar with their all-you-can-drink mimosas, which helped us pass the 45 minute wait. After scoping out all the plates that kept passing us at the bar, when we were seated we knew exactly what we wanted to eat. “One order of Biscuits & Gravy and an order of Heavy Handed Blueberry & House Made Ricotta Cheese Pancakes please!”

The B&G came out looking delightful. Two giant hand-made biscuits, cut in half and covered with a thin white country gravy. The biscuits were large and crumbled nicely when forked apart. While the texture was nice, the biscuits were on the sweet side, as was the gravy, so the combination of the two was more sweet than savory. To attest to the size, I couldn’t even finish the whole plate, although it’s a perfect dish to share. My only complaint lies with the ‘spicy sausage’ gravy. There was absolutely no spice to the gravy and I’ve had my fair share of spicy gravies. The sausage was also missing in action. I’m not even sure I got one bite of sausage on my plate. For Smoke being known for their meat selection, it was a bit of a disappointment. Look at the picture for yourself, do you see any sausage?

The pancakes were a hands down winner and decedent beyond my expectations. From the description I knew we were in for sensory overload. The combination of fresh whipped cream, unbelievably thick pancakes bursting with blueberries, and the plethora of vanilla poached apricots, was overwhelming to say the least. It was one of the best pancake dishes I’ve ever had. Some people might find it too sweet, but I’d recommend to share the dish with someone and get something else to accompany your meal if that’s the case. The menu has plenty of options and they all looked like good choices.

We’ll definitely be heading back into Smoke to try some of the other menu items. Check it out for yourself before you go. I was sad to see Cliff Cafe go, but Smoke seems to be a hit and I’d definitely add it to your shortlist for weekend brunch spots. Unlimited mimosas for $11, plus a menu full of great tasting options is a recipe for a wonderful Sunday afternoon.

Smoke
901 Fort Worth Avenue
Dallas, TX 75208-1710
214.393.4141

Velvet Taco is a new eatery that has taken up residence in the old Church’s Chicken on Henderson & 75. In my opinion, their imaginative take on Tacos is a welcomed addition to the Dallas food scene. I’ve read plenty of people’s cries about various topics concerning Velvet Taco: the prices, ‘oh, another taco place’, and my favorite gripe of ‘these aren’t authentic tacos!’. Ridiculous on all counts. The price point is the same as Torchy’s which serves a similar brand of tacos and Velvet matches them in freshness and size (almost). They also aren’t trying to masquerade as a fancy version of an authentic taco joint, so why try and compare them to that. What they are serving are fresh ingredients in inspired and crazy combinations, like buffalo chicken and blue cheese tacos, or their fried paneer tacos which a tikka & raita crema. The only ‘authentic’ menu items I see are the fresh frozen margarita made from a lime sorbet base and the ‘elote-style corn’. Two items that I can fully get behind.

On our trip we sampled the #3, Crisp Fried Chicken Taco, a generous portion of chicken smothered in buffalo sauce, topped with blue cheese crema, celery leaves, and carrots. It tasted delicious. We also ordered a #7 which was the Chili Rubbed Pork Taco and featured cotija cheese, picked veg, cilantro, and an ariracha aioli. This was definitely my favorite of the three. Plenty of delicious moist pork, plus the fresh vegetables on top added a nice crunch against the flavorful meat. I did add in a bit of house hot sauce to spice it up a bit, but I just wanted a taste of heat. Lastly we tried the #6, a Pan-scrambled Egg Frittata Taco, with queso blanco, wild mushrooms, pea tendrils, and roasted tomato chutney. It looked like a mini omelet wrapped in a corn tortilla. It’s one of their veggie options and it tasted great as well.

As for drinks, we ordered a margarita and it did not dissapoint. They are made fresh daily and at the price point of $5 for a 16oz cup, you can’t go wrong. They aren’t too sweet either and the fresh lime sorbet base gives it just enough of a twist to set it apart from all the other frozen margaritas out there. The soda situation at Velvet Taco is next level as well. The only ‘regular’ soda they offer is Diet Coke, with the rest of the options rounded out with drinks from Oogave Natural Sodas as well as Maine Root Handcrafted Beverages. The Strawberry Rhubarb was our favorite of the bunch and we are looking forward to heading back to try the Rootbeer & Mexi-Cola from Maine Root. I’d take handcrafted & naturally sweetened over mass produced & corn syrup every time, so count this as a giant plus for Velvet Taco.

Overall we had a great experience at Velvet Taco. The interior is warm and cozy, with community type high-top tables running through the middle, and bar counters that run along the edges of the space. Giant windows make up the west wall of the building, letting in the setting sun as well as offering a nice view of the Dallas skyline. They also have a small patio space that I imagine will become prime real-estate once the weather cools off. They are also currently open till 3AM on the weekends and plan on becoming a 24 hour establishment in the coming months. Apparently they’ve been SUPER busy with Henderson bar crowd so if you show up late at night, be prepared to wait in line.

I’ll definitely be frequenting Velvet Taco so I can try the many different tacos that they offer. There really isn’t anything to complain about. They are serving up delicious tacos made from fresh ingredients, and doing it with style and at great price point. Go in and try it for yourself.

Velvet Taco
3012 N Henderson Ave
Dallas, TX 75206
214.823.8586

Oddfellows is a relatively new restaurant in the Bishop Arts area of Oak Cliff with some notable features that make it quite unique. For instance, their kitchen closes down everyday from 2pm-5pm even though they are still open. I haven’t confirmed this yet, but I’m assuming they turn into a coffee bar during those times, because another feature that sets them apart is their dedication to coffee. They house a $24,000 Italian-made La Marzocco Strada espresso machine which in the world of coffee aficionados is a big deal. I’m not super into coffee so I don’t have much to say on it, but my two cents is that if you like coffee, you owe it to yourself to at least check it out.

Anyway, some friends and I went down to enjoy a nice brunch this morning and we all had a great time. The food was wonderful, the atmosphere was pleasant and the wait was minimal. I’ll definitely be going back because everything on the menu looked good and that was only at brunch. They also serve dinner and lunch, but I think the menus share a lot of items between them. Onto the food!

I’ll eat beignets wherever I can get them. Served with honey and lemon, the perfect compliment to your brunch-time coffee.

Oddfellows Benedict

Wonderful French Toast Bread Pudding. It was extremely rich, basically a bread pudding made from french toast, then reformed into little squares and grilled. Amazing. With the fresh fruit and a bit of whip cream, the syrup wasn’t even neccessary. Some of the best french toast in Dallas.

The biscuits and gravy were excellent. The thick and creamy gravy was spread generously over chunky and crusty buckwheat biscuits. A bit of cracked pepper on top and it was a perfect breakfast.

So head over to Oddfellows for brunch, lunch, breakfast, dinner or even just a coffee. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Oddfellows
316 West 7th Street
Dallas, TX 75208
(214) 944-5958

I love that On The Border is trying to trick people into paying crazy high prices for ‘authentic’ street tacos that you normally would be paying $1.00 to $1.50 apiece for. Plus these tacos don’t look that good anyway. Why is there a sauce on everything? What’s with the crispy onion strings on the fajita-looking tacos? Is that BBQ sauce on the Brisket tacos?

The price also seems prohibitive, ranging from 7.99 up 13.59 depending on what style of tacos you get. This is all highly suspicious on their part and anybody living in an area with a population of hispanics and thus a local taco stand, should be appalled at this offering. Maybe this is to benefit the midwest where the Mexican food offering is pathetic and they don’t know any better. As for people living anywhere else, I dare you to tell me that these tacos taste delicious and are worth the high price On The Border is asking for them.

Hopefully I’ll get a chance to head into an On The Border and try these tacos soon. Once I do, I’ll update with my thoughts. In the meantime, anybody who’s had these let us know what you think? I’m dying to hear some opinions.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

The question of best burger in Dallas should be put to rest now.

From Applebee’s:

Grilled chicken breast seasoned with BBQ spices then topped with shaved ham, Applewood smoked bacon and melted cheddar cheese. Served atop two corn cakes with a BBQ demi-glaze and a side of cheesy corn (contains bacon).

Full disclosure, I haven’t eaten this dish.

This is one of the grossest looking dishes I’ve ever seen. I’m not sure what flavor Applebee’s is going for here, but this looks like a bucket of slop. I hope America is ready for this.

Meddlesome Moth serves a really good burger. Not many frills to be found here, but the fresh cut pickles, aged cheddar and grass-fred ground beef make up for its simplicity. Couple it with a one of the many delicious beers on tap and you have a winning combination.

If a big chunk of meat is not your thing, there are plenty of other great items on the Moth’s menu. Most of them are meant to be shared tapas style. They serve up some remarkable mussels, salads, and meat pies. It’s a pretty diverse menu for a place that considers itself a bar first, and a restaurant second. Their beer selection is one of the best in the city: with 40 draught beers on tap and plenty of bottles as well. The atmosphere is definitely casual and they have a beautiful patio that you should get out and enjoy before the Texas summer stifles all outdoor activity.

Meddlesome Moth
1621 Oak Lawn Avenue, Dallas
214.628.7900

I’ve discovered a place that has generous servings of great hangover food – Max’s Wine Dive. I ventured over here for a girl friend’s birthday brunch. Thankfully, when you eat out with a bunch of foodies, you get the opportunity to try several dishes. And I’ll let the food speak for itself:

Frito Pie Omelet – prairie fire chili, fritos, Texas white cheddar and sweet local onions, with homefries.

The SXSW – a large bowl of jalapeno cheese grits topped with spicy pulled pork, fresh tomatoes and cilantro.

Chicken and waffles – Thigh, leg, & breast marinated in jalapeno buttermilk, deep fried low & slow, on a big ol’ waffle. I prefer their chicken n’ waffles over 24 Hour Diner’s. Their waffle is fluffier and chicken is more savory.

Pan Borracho (drunk bread)- torn sourdough baguette, prosciutto, fresh thyme, garlic and yellow onion soaked in a savory white wine custard with gruyere, mozzarella and Grana Padano cheeses – all baked until bubbly and gooey.

Max n Cheese – Cavatappi pasta tossed in truffle cream with fresh mozzarella, white cheddar, cotija, and Grana Padano cheese blend.

Deep Fried Eggs Benedict – two poached eggs with prosciutto crusted in bread crumbs and fried golden, served with arugula, asparagus & hollandaise.

I’m slowly falling in love with runny yolk, it’s so velvety and delicious.

We finished it all off with their Half & Half – (left) white chocolate brioche bread pudding with Amy’s Mexican Vanilla ice cream (right) double chocolate ganache brownie with a hint of ancho chile, with Amy’s Dark Chocolate ice cream.

There is something for everyone – including some sangria and mimosa to complete your brunch spread

Max’s Wine Dive
207 San Jacinto
Austin, TX | 78701
512.904.0111

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a guru when it comes to barbecue, but I do know what tastes good and the food from Lockhart in Oak Cliff is something to be reckoned with. The meats are served in the traditional Texas style: no forks, no sauce, wrapped in cutting paper for you to carry away. The Lockhart pedigree runs deep. The owner has family ties to the renowned Kreuz Market down in Lockhart, TX (BBQ capitol of the state) & the pitmaster was previously the protegee of the pitmaster at Kreuz Market. Suffice to say, they know what they are doing. Coupled with the fact they bring up their sausages from Kreuz Market and then smoke them onsite, you have the ingredients for one hell of a barbecue place.

These were some of the best sausages I’ve ever eaten. Both the plain and jalapeno versions were mouthwateringly delicious. I can see what all the fuss is about when it comes to Kreuz Market. I’m really thankful Lockhart has shortened my 4 hour drive to little under 20 minutes now.

They serve brisket, sausage, chicken and ribs, as well as some assorted sides such as slaw, baked beans, and potato salad. There’s also a bar and plenty of tables and chairs in their dining area, so you’ll always have a place to sit and enjoy your pile of meat. I can’t recommend Lockhart Smoke House enough. As I said, I haven’t eaten enough barbecue to be an expert yet, but a friend of mine who’s born and raised in Texas and who’s eaten his fair share loves it, and says it’s definitely the best BBQ in Dallas.

Lockhart Smoke House
400 W. Davis St. | Dallas, TX 75208
214.944.5521