The Commissary

I will preface this entry by saying that I went to The Commissary at 5:30 for dinner. Some call this a geriatric schedule. I call it - I have a baby and 5:30 is sometimes my dinnertime. *please note, I did not bring my baby to the bar - just my appetite.
My experience was wonderful; the staff was friendly and not exasperated to answer my menu questions. There were several work related Happy Hour events going on that looked like a lot of fun. There were swanky couches with fireplaces in the background outside that looked charming. I chose a booth/table combo inside because humidity and my hair don't usually mix.

The $8 valet may have struck me the wrong way, but the happy hour discounts on apps and wine made it a draw. So...I started with the Parmesan popcorn. Tillman's has been my favorite for ages because their popcorn has that little gift of truffle oil. Well, this heaping platter of popped goodness also had the truffle oil PLUS Parmesan - and I didn't have to shame myself in asking for seconds. Ha!


For dinner, there are many options, but the burger choices dominate the menu. My dining pal tried the California burger. No complaints there. She especially loved that you could choose your burger size. This is the 6oz.


I tried the beef short rib burger with collard greens. Oh my gosh! The photo below doesn't really do it justice. This was outstanding. I would order this again in a heartbeat. The skinny fries served alongside were also pretty decent & not at all what I was expecting.


I finished off my eating event with the Pistachio and Strawberry Financier. While not traditionally served, it was pretty darn good. Strawberry ice cream was at the end of a trail of pistachio mousse, & all of it was off set by a cookie bits.


Up next, i want to try "The Table". Click here for more info!

The dish: The Rib Burger is amazing!

Steve Fields Steak and Lobster Lounge

Last week we braved the storm and headed north to Plano. We typically don't travel outside of "the loop", but we had to try Steve Fields Steak and Lobster Lounge. We got off to a rough start with the hostess. We made a reservation, but due to the weather apocalypse we were a tad late (please note our exasperation with this situation). She notified us, in not quite polite enough of a tone, that our table had been let go. Luckily, our friend "the bar" had a few seats open, as well as some generous pours of Chardonnay. At this point, we were in love with the little lobster lights on the wall and the piano player with his eclectic selections (George Strait then right on in to Elton John). When we were seated 20 minutes later, there were plenty of available tables in the dining room. We're still stumped on why the 16 year old hostess hated us.

Luckily, our waiter made up for the hostess stand. He had enthusiasm for the menu and was very helpful and smiled a ton. We were immediately brought warm foccacia bread sprinkled with sea salt and rosemary complete with a side of butter and dipping oil. We liked that they provided us with bread accoutrement options.


For an appetizer, the house made potato chips and brie dipping sauce caught our eye. This was amazing. The chips were thin, salty, and crispy and the dipping sauce was creamy and warm. Our rough start was improving. We decided to order the lobster bisque and the macaroni and cheese for entree number one. The lobster bisque was wonderful. It came with a hefty serving of lobster meat in the center of the bowl. It was rich and flavorful! Next up, we enjoyed a side of macaroni and cheese! This was cheesy, creamy and served with a toasted panko crumbs.

Entree Number Two: the steak was served with a loaded baked potato, that is always a welcome addition to our plate. And while the steak wasn't magnificent, it was pretty solid. Probably a B- if we were to give it a grade.

We liked that they were not crabby about swapping sides. If you didn't want a loaded potato, you could add whatever you fancied.

So overall, if we lived closer to Steve Fields, we might drop in more frequently. We are glad that we went so that we could see if D Magazine really knew what they were talking about. Turns out, they were on the right track.

The dish: the lobster bisque! Definitely worth a try.

Company Cafe

Precious table adornment at Company Cafe

Sometimes you come across a new restaurant in your neighborhood that you are ecstatic to discover. You almost don't want to talk about it for fear of not finding a table the next time. That's our feeling about Company Cafe. This place is about to explode! Located on Greenville next to the best hummus place on earth (Sevan G&G Cafe), this is a cozy location that is quite a find.

There is valet parking (ugh, Dallas!), but the lot is so tiny, it's actually a relief to have someone else deal with it. The venue offers inside and outside seating - we chose outside. Cute wooden picnic tables, some with umbrellas, add adorable detail. We were there around eight and the breeze was nice, not a bug to be found.

The staff is so friendly and very willing to talk about their place; we got the lowdown and were on board with their theories and their ideas. We loved that things from the menu can be found locally. We loved that it was all fresh. But most of all, we loved the price points. Wine by the glass topped off at $7, a rare restaurant find these days. Best of all, the wine was good (we tried the Eve Chardonnay - highly recommend!).

We had our mind set on chicken and waffles, but there were a ton of items that tried to sway our vote.
We started with the loaded sweet potato fries. If you go to Company Cafe, you absolutely must order this. The fries were good on their own - the salt to fry ratio was magnificent. On top of those delicious fries: white cheddar, bacon, and green onions. It was an instant crowd pleaser.



The chicken and waffles were also out of this world. Word of mouth had ranked this dish as the best in Dallas. It didn't come with gravy, which might deter some c&w enthusiasts, but gravy has no place here. The delicate flavors would be overwhelmed and you would miss out on something spectacular. The waffle is gluten free, and it is prepared with jalapeno and bacon cooked into the batter. It is then topped with a pan fried chicken breast - so it's not grease overkill. Served alongside syrup, this trifecta of goodness cannot be improved.


The dessert case looked amazing, but there was no room in the inn at that point. We will definitely be back, though, and we will come prepared next time.

The Dish: loaded sweet potato fries will blow your mind!