Silver Fox

Tonight's dinner: Silver Fox - located on Oak Lawn and Cedar Springs. No valet is a plus. Underground parking garage is a plus. Experience over all...not a plus.

I started out with an alcohol-free cocktail, mixed up by the bar. It had pineapple juice, grenadine, and a touch of carbonation. I appreciated the effort; it was very refreshing.


We then progressed into the Appetizer Medley. This little plate came with a Shrimp Cocktail, a Shrimp Remoulade, a scallop, and a crab cake. Of the plate, the crab cake was the winner and in the future - I would skip everything else and go straight for that.


We then progressed into the soup/salad course.
The lobster bisque was delicious - just the right ratio of lobster meat to soup so that you weren't constantly have to chew things, but still got the nice clean lobster taste. This soup was five star. It was a salty mix, but I thought that added to the overall appeal.


The Three Forks Salad was up next. With pecans, apples, blue cheese, and a light vinaigrette, this salad was decent, but not a show stopper.


The main course came - a Filet Mignon served with whipped mashed potatoes and a side of vegetables. The steak was okay, definitely not the best I've ever had (Nick & Sam's). The potatoes tasted just like grandma used to make and had little pools of butter - they were straight from Heaven. The vegetables were not memorable.



We were anticipating our side dishes, as per usual.
The off the cob creamed corn was surprising, and not necessarily a good surprise. Usually when creamed corn is "off the cob", there is a little more starch to the starch: a good crisp bite mired in sauce. This corn was a little soggy and the roux wasn't fantastic.
The macaroni and cheese was passable, but the cheese was very sharp and briny. The salty flavor really overpowered everything else that might have been going on with your palate.


Overall, I think we would agree that this was a disappointing experience. As many steakhouses as Dallas boasts, you really have to be exceptional to stand out. Silver Fox isn't exceptional.

All of that being said, we were served by the most courteous wait staff. We could not have been happier with the service we received during our visit. We just had higher hopes for what was being served!

Kozy Kitchen

Since I have given up bread for lent, I am extremely drawn to cake. When I saw this on the menu listed as "OMG cake", I couldn't resist ordering it! As you can tell, this thing has some serious layers. In the middle is a fudge brownie that is surrounded by peanut butter mousse. The mousse is surrounded by chocolate cake and the whole thing is iced with a cream cheese icing. Finally, cocoa powder is sprinkled on top. WOW!
Did I mention all of Kozy Kitchen cakes are gluten free? Somehow that made me feel better about eating every last bite!!

Dish on the Road: San Antonio: Dolores Del Rio Ristorante & Grill Room

Tuesday night I was in San Antonio and we decided to go to Delores del Rio Ristorante and Grill Room. This place is a tiny hole in the wall restaurant. Honestly, you could easily walk right by and miss the place! One of my co-workers used to live in San Antonio and suggested that we try it out for ambiance and fabulous italian food. Apparently, they occasionally have belly dancers to entertain you while you dine. Sadly, they weren't there on a Tuesday evening. Upon arrival, you immediately head up a staircase and are in the middle of the dining room. The place is small, but cozy. They even have a key board player that sings classic love songs up on a tiny stage! We were seated and served garlic bread. I couldn't partake, but apparently it was pretty tasty. I ordered the caprese salad to start. It had generous portions of marinated tomatoes and mozzarella. I think the key here was that both the tomatoes and the mozzarella were the same size.

I had the chicken and gnocchi. The chicken was grilled and topped with a garlic pesto sauce and surrounded by gnocchi. The gnocchi were pretty large, but managed to still hold lots of flavor. I liked the dish a great deal. The other two ordered the massive eggplant parmesan and the italian ribeye steak. They seemed to both be content with the entrees. Finally, we ended the meal with tiramisu. It was covered in a chocolate sauce and that was comparable to the crispy top on creme brulee. We liked it, but it reminded us more of a boston creme pie.

If you are ever in San Antonio and DON'T want mexican food, I would give this authentic place a try!

Little Katana

Last Friday night we had a group dinner at Little Katana with some of my favorite people! We arrived a little early, so we decided to sit at the bar and have a drink. One drink turned into two as we had to wait for 40 minutes past our reservation. To be fair, when I called to make a reservation they let me know that they did have two big parties that night. That aside, we were seated and ordered two appetizers ( after they finally decided to send over a waiter) and a bottle of wine. We ordered the Katana shrimp and crab cakes as well as the ahi tower. I have had the ahi tower the last time that I dined here and was impressed. I suggested it to the table, and I think everyone was pleased. They basically bring over all of the yummy ingredients ( avocado, ahi tuna, sesame seeds, onions, etc. all mixed up with a spicy sesame sauce) layered into a tower form and then ask if you would like to have it mixed together. Once they do that, it is plated in a nice square and ready to eat! The shrimp and crab cakes were pretty tasty, too!
They were plated on a bed of greens and topped with an asian sauce. These were crispy and delicious!
Next we decided to order an assortment of rolls for the table and another bottle of wine. As someone who is just experimenting with sushi, this is a great way to go. We ordered two specialty rolls and then a spicy tuna and avocado roll. What a presentation! The far right roll was topped with a generous portion of crab meat and a creamy asian sauce. It was filled with tuna, yellowtail, and avocado on the inside. The middle roll was surrounded by thin cucumber pieces which made the entire roll extremely fresh! The avocado roll was a creamy and perfect with a dip of soy sauce. Finally, the spicy tuna roll rounded finished out the roll feast! We all got to try something a little different and found new things that we liked.

As mentioned, I am trying to branch out and experiment with different types of raw fish. It was suggested that I try the yellowtail nigirishushi. I was pretty skeptical at first - this looked liked a pretty large piece of raw fish with a tiny portion of rice tucked underneath. I was completely surprised. This was absolutely scrumptious. It was creamy and sort of just melted away in your mouth with no fish taste at all.

For the finale, we tried the mango cheesecake. This came served with a generous portion of whipped cream (my favorite) and a mango puree on top. Even after all we devoured for dinner, this was gone in seconds and a true crowd pleaser.

After a rough start, our dinner turned out to be quite superb!

Berry Berry

Another short and sweet post. Literally. Last Friday I needed something quick and sugary for lunch, so I stopped in to Berry Berry. Lately Dallas has been inundated with yogurt shops and I have slowly been trying them all. This one is different in that you can’t serve yourself. I think this might be a good idea since self serve can get quite expensive! I tried the original yogurt and also the chocolate. Since it was Friday- two toppings seemed appropriate. I went with strawberries and granola. I was beyond pleased with the end result. This definitely made for a nice afternoon treat!


If you cannot get enough, apparently they have free refills on same day of purchase!

Lucky Leaf Peanut Butter Strawberry Pie

Two confessions before we begin:
#1: I eat a pb & strawberry jelly uncrustable for lunch almost every day.
It's a craving, so blame the baby.
#2: I am horrible with pies. I love to eat pie, mind you.
But when I try to make a pie, it is always a horrible fail.

I know this mission of this blog isn't about what we're "cooking up", because, really, Katie and I are great cooks and we could fill this blog all day long with our ventures in the kitchen.
However, this pie was simple, easy, and GOOD...so I wanted to share.

The link to the recipe can be found here: Strawberry Peanut Butter Pie
Since I'm a librarian married to a patent attorney, I'm not going to copy the recipe for you - but just click on the link for step-by-step instructions. In the meantime, here is my photographic journey of pie numero uno. Enjoy!

1. Mix pretzels, sugar, and butter.
2. Put it in a pie plate and call it a crust.

3. Get a helper. Gather ingredients: pb, conf. sugar, and cream cheese.

4. Mix it up!
5. Fold in Cool Whip, uh-hem, I mean "whipped topping".

6. Get your crust out of the fridge where it's been chilling and top with half a can of Lucky Leaf Strawberry Pie Filling.
7. Spread that peanut butter goodness over the crust/pie filling.
8. Top with remaining pie filling.

And you're done....maybe 30 minutes INCLUDING clean up. Really, it can't be beat. :)
Chill 2 hours.
Enjoy.

Let me know what you think...

Yummy Donuts

While I was getting a manicure this morning, I sat watching throngs of people traveling to the joint next door: Yummy Donuts.
I frequently want to stop in there - how can you boast such a name??? - but their hours haven't seemed to match up with mine...until today.
Manicure done, my iPhone and I decided to take it in.
You can see by the case that this joint is popular.


However, I wonder if that is because true "donut" stores are hard to come by when you live downtown-ish?


(apple fritter and a dozen donut holes)

I asked the server what her favorite donut was, of those left. She recommended the apple fritter. It was good - crisp where it should be and decently cinnamon-y. I wouldn't go out of my way to get it, though. The donut holes were just ok.

The standard by which Katie and I judge all donuts is a little joint in Rowlett off 66 and Rowlett Road. It is a simple black and white sign that reads "DONUT". I don't even think there are any tables. But those donuts are light and airy with a superfluous amount of well done glaze.

I have yet to find something that can hold a candle to it.
Yummy Donuts - you were okay - but it's a good thing you don't live in the 'burbs.

Dallas Chop House Part II

I am a huge fan of Dallas Chop House, so I decided to try it again. This time for lunch! Again, all we had to do was ride the elevator downstairs and we were there. No valet, no parking, and no waiting! They just recently opened for lunch and I'd say that was a pretty great decision. At 11:30, this place was starting to fill up fast. After being seated, we were immediately brought billowy warm pop overs with whipped garlic butter. Did I mention that I gave up bread for lent? I desperately wanted to go back on my decision, but I couldn't. Not on day one anyways. Everyone ELSE at the table loved them.
On to the second torturous portion of the meal. Everyone ordered a sandwich that I would have LOVED to have ordered as well. It was served with avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, and lump crab meat in an aioli sauce. All between two buttery pieces of toasted brioche. You have your choice of either having sweet potato fries or potato chips as a side.

That said, they do offer lovely salad options for those who don't want a heavier lunch. I ordered the chop chop chicken salad with the dressing on the side. Carrots and celery were mixed in with iceberg lettuce and roasted shredded chicken. This was topped off with crispy won ton slivers and served with a roasted red pepper vinaigrette.

I was pleased with the service and ambiance of this place once again. This will be one of my first spots to visit following the Lenten season! My mouth is already watering...

Jimmy's Food Store

This is a short blog post, but I had to share! If you haven’t been to Jimmy’s Food Store it is definitely an experience. It is a quaint Italian market hidden in East Dallas. They have tons of authentic food and wine for purchase and you can even eat there! I highly recommend going to try it out for an abundance of reasons, but the #1 reason why I LOVE Jimmy’s is for their heart shaped ravioli stuffed with cheese.


How precious are these? Incorporate this into your next Valentine’s meal and you will truly make someone's holiday special!

World Piece

Last night's dinner plan was to find World Piece on Lower Greenville and give it a try.
I am still trying to sort out the right words to explain how much I love and adore this new restaurant.

The seating is precious. Tables or table/booth combos are offered up. Overstuffed pillows are there to make your stay more comfortable. Brick walls and cement floors could give this place an austere feel, but the decor and the color scheme make it feel so warm.

(the bread basket with unsalted butter - our favorite)

We started off with the butternut squash soup. Garnished with pepitas, this soup was spectacular. It had a silky texture, it was the perfect temperature, and the pepitas were such a nice, nutty contrast compared to the mellow taste of the squash. I wanted to order a bowl to go so that I could enjoy the soup again for my lunch today, but they had sold the last bowl by the time I got around to placing my order!



For our second appetizer we tried Kobe Meat Balls & Harissa Aioli. Wow! Such flavor in such small morsels. We were very impressed with the way these little guys took charge of the plate.


Done with our small plates, we moved on to the large plates. We tried Grilled Salmon with Coconut Milk and Curry and we tried Flemish Beef Carbonades. Both dishes were phenomenal. The nice thing about World Piece is that the portions are a good size. We aren't talking about a giant man steak of grilled salmon, but a solid piece plated with vegetables that spectacularly complimented the main course.
The flavors of the salmon and the sauce really popped and made this dish unique.


The Flemish Beef Carbonades was billed as a type of beef-beer stew. The dish was served in a red Le Creuset ramekin with lid. The beef was tender and delicious - again, a generous portion without being overkill, so enjoyable I didn't want to put my fork down. I even ate all of my vegetables - if they tasted like that at my house, veggies wouldn't be a problem!



(ta-da! The unveiling of the dish!)

All I can say about this place: Give Piece a Chance.