Mi Dia from Scratch

Chef Gabriel DeLeon has held a special place in our hearts since he opened Masaryk in Addison. That was one of our favorite spots with delicious drinks and unique dishes. But things didn't work out in Addison, and Chef Gabriel closed his doors. Sad.

We were excited to read, however, that he has risen like a phoenix from the ashes and opened a new spot, Mi Dia from Scratch, in Grapevine. The new location is gorgeous. Huge windows, comfortable seating that feels intimate, rich colors - we were immediately impressed with outward appearances.

The chips were warm. The salsas were a unique presentation of smoky and spicy served together. Doubly impressed.

Our waiter was nice, but slow. He went over the specials - all which sounded amazing. The Tequila Pesto Enchiladas and the Pollo Agave are on my radar for the next visit. I, however, had my heart set on one particular dish: the Applewood Smoked Bacon & Chipotle Chicken Fajitas. These are spicy, but so worth the heartburn aftermath.

Bacon, fajita chicken, and caramelized onions are smothered in cheese and Chipotle sauce , served with the freshest, burning hot flour tortillas, and the regular set up of rice, beans, guac, and sour cream. These fajitas put all others to shame, there is no doubt about it.

To finish up, we went with the Mexican S'mores. Though it says so plainly in the menu, I missed that this dish involved goat cheese. I'm sure that other people would dig it - the parts that weren't cheesed up were good. However, goat cheese is a forbidden food, so that blew up the s'mores for me. Since I was already unpleasantly full, I didn't let that bother me.

All in all, Mi Dia has some kinks, my IBC root beer was served warm and when I asked for a cold one, the waiter said they didn't have any. However, I would give them the benefit of the doubt. Make a reservation! This place is hopping.

Townhouse

The Galleria has a new watering hole: Townhouse.
Are you going to find something new and extraordinary here? Probably not. But you will find some solidly made dishes and some classic plates that won't disappoint.

We started with the sliders. The short rib sliders were what we ordered, but due to some switch up, the pork sliders landed on our table. You know what? Not a problem. The pork sliders were a very good presentation of flavors, complete with a pickle and onion strings.

pork sliders at Townhouse

When the very accommodating and kind manager brought us the short rib sliders later in the evening, we found that, despite the delicious horseradish sauce, we liked the pork sliders better.


We also taste tested the blue cheese potato chips. In my mind, I had Jasper's blue cheese potato chips all plated and served. These were as different as night and day, but equally as good. These homemade chips had more accoutrement, which changed up the flavors, but still impressed.


The salmon was solid - my husband's only complaint was that it was served with a lot more "stuff" than was mentioned in the menu. He expected something simple and grilled and was presented with this (please note, it did not deter him):


Our dining companions tried on the burger and fries - check plus on taste and delivery!!


...and the balsamic chicken with arugula (this guy needs some plating presentation work, but is large enough for three grown men...).


The macaroni and cheese was the dish I chose, but neglected to photograph. It's a shame, too, because it was decently pretty! Topped with bread crumbs, this toasty number had a good blend of cheeses and firm noodles - it just needed a little salt to help out in the taste department.

Overall, Townhouse got our vote for a comeback. They have some neat backlit menu's for beer and wine. The wait staff was super friendly and totally agreeable about our substitutions and questions. They have a good looking location - lots of dark woods and quiet lighting. It's not too busy yet, so give them a try.

Momo Italian Specialities

This week we decided to try a spot that has been in existence for quite a while- Momo Italian Specialities. On their website, they claim to only make authentic Italian cuisine and after dining there, we believe them. They also claim to be the best kept secret - well, we're letting the cat out of the bag on this one.

The restaurant is located off of Forrest Lane and Greenville avenue in an unassuming shopping center. It is neither fancy, nor crowded. Instead you will find a wood burning pizza oven and a roaring fire in the front room.

We were served warm foccacia bread with a pesto spread on the side. Then, we ordered the house salads to start. These were served as generous portions and topped with marinated tomatoes, fresh celery,walnuts and a balsamic vinaigrette. All around good flavor without being saturated.

For the entrees, we were in the mood for cheese. We ordered the quatro formaggi risotto and the quatro formaggi gnocchi. The risotto had a very home cooked flavor served with peas and carrots mixed in. At first glance, you may think that they used a short cut with frozen veggies; upon the first taste you realize that you were wrong. The vegetables were crisp and just the right texture to pair with the rich risotto.

The gnocchi were wonderful potato puffs served in a decadent sauce of Fontina, Gruyere, Gorgonzola, and Parmesan. The gnocchi weren't too dense and the sauce was one of those things I wish I could make at home, but then again, I'm glad I can't. Delicious. We traded dishes back and forth, and neither of us could predict a taste test winner. They were both wonderful and well prepared.

This spot is BYOB/W, so make sure you stop by the store on your way to dinner. Also - take a look at the dessert menu. We were too full to properly do it service, but several items were appealing.

Thanks Momo Italian Specialities, for a warm and cozy winter meal.

The Dish: If it has four cheeses, give it a go.

Texas Spice

Texas Spice is located in the Omni downtown and they have a lot going for them. The decor is worth seeing. Rustic, but charming, we loved the rough hewn look paired with a stunning view of the Dallas skyline. There were seats outside and a long fireplace, which made us long for those two days in April/October when you can both sit outside AND sit by a fire.

Texas Spice boasts locally grown ingredients - everything on your table pretty much comes from a specified radius in Texas. Most of the dishes are southern, so we found ourselves right at home.

The bread basket was a beautiful presentation and perfect to snack on while we looked over our options.


For starters, we enjoyed the Kuby's jalapeno sausage pizza. Fresh basil, sliced tomatoes, and mushrooms filled out the pizza toppers and we loved the flavor combinations. The brisket pizza paired with blue cheese appealed to us, too - but we left that one for next time. Everything on this pizza was done well - right down to the crust. Very solid beginning.


For our entree we enjoyed the chicken fried ribeye. As any good southern plate should, it was paired with potatoes. These smashed potatoes were amazingly like mom's - very dense and buttery, some still with their jackets on. Well done! The corn was straight from the cob and was the only thing that tasted a little off to us.


We put up a good fight, but still requested to go boxes by the end of the evening. Texas Spice was a real treat and we look forward to a return visit. With a private room and some extraordinary views, this is a spot you should make sure and see!

Del Frisco's Grille

Del Frisco's Grille recently opened on McKinney and it is a hot spot right now. Wednesday presented a wonderful opportunity to give it a try. Across the street from Frankie's sports bar and next door to the new Private Social, this is one place that we were actually pleased to find valet parking.

We made a reservation, which was a good call. This place was packed with people two and three deep all around the bar. Busy! We were seated in a booth on the backside of the restaurant that faced the kitchen. Our waiter was very nice and offered up several opinions about the best of the best.

We started with the ahi tacos and they were fantastic. The shells are extra crisp, which brings a nice contrast to the texture of the tuna. Stuffed with avocado and topped with spicy citrus mayo, these unique tacos are something that you should definitely try out.

From there we moved on to the crabcake. Made with generous pieces of real crab, this cake was lightly seared so that you weren't overwhelmed by the fried taste. The peppers gave it a nice flavor, but the sauce brought the dish home. Spicy, but not overbearing, it was a great combination.

The Pimiento cheese fritters were delicious little balls of gooey cheese served alongside chipotle ranch sauce. Making your cheese fritters with pimiento cheese is actually genius because it gives the cheese a little extra punch.

The wild mushroom flatbread seemed like a good choice, but it wasn't our favorite. The dough tasted off a little - maybe frozen? - and something was missing from this dish. Fontina cheese, caramelized onions, and baby arugula are usually a home run, but this was lackluster.

We were also a little disappointed by the jalapeno mac and cheese. We expected something more from this dish that boasted both jalapeno and bacon, and instead decided that it was a little Velveeta-tasting. I'm not going to lie - we ate the whole thing - but it felt like a dish that had very little thought going into it.

We were also a little disappointed at how quickly the staff wanted to turn over our table. On four different occasions, people (who weren't our waiter) tried to clear our plates when they obviously still had food on them. My wine glass was taken away with wine still in it (crime of crimes). We were interrupted repeatedly by the staff, and it got to be a distraction. We get that it's popular, but we still dropped a pretty penny in there and that was something we didn't appreciate.

Luckily, the coconut cream pie finished our meal and made our taste buds beyond happy. Generous white chocolate shavings, a huge dollop of whipped cream, and everything else good that goes into a coconut cream pie, this dessert was both visually appealing and so, so tasty!

Now, the noise level in this place is intense, and it is super crowded (make sure to get a reservation and you might request a table so that you're not directly next to the bar crowd?), but it makes for a fun evening. We will definitely be back and hope for better/less service.

The Dish: ahi tacos and coconut cream pie were our favorites!

Bijoux

We hesitate to mention it, but Bijoux offers Twitter Trivia on Wednesdays and if you answer correctly/first/whatever the stipulation, they generously provide you a $50.00 credit. We love Bijoux, so we, of course, play compulsively...But everyone can be a winner because on Monday nights, Bijoux is now offering a three course dinner for $39.50.

We had to check this out; Monday night found us with our cocktails in hand, perusing the menu.

First, they brought us the amuse bouche which was a petite portion of pate topped with a delicious sauce. Then, they came around with a bread basket offering olive, rosemary or raisin/pecan bread. They are all served warm and you can have as many slices as your heart/stomach desires.

For starters, we had the whipped carrot soup with a marshmallow cracker. This was truly amazing- frothy and almost like sweet potato pie, it wasn't heavy enough to deter us from eating the rest of our meal, but it was very tasty.


Going the opposite direction, we also got the chipped brisket appetizer. Chipped brisket, an egg, and a light sauce all served on toast points with a shaving of white cheddar- we would order this again in a minute.

Next, the main courses: we ordered the truffle stuffed chicken served with mashed potatoes and celery. This tasted like a true home cooked meal, deliciously lumpy potatoes and all. The chicken was served with the skin on- what a rare and caloric treat!

We also tried the basil risotto with pine nuts. The risotto was flawless and the pine nuts offered a nice contrast.

And finally, dessert - the blue cheese plate was served with tiny toasts, chopped nuts and julienned apples. Lovely presentation!

We were served a kiwi palate cleanser and were ready for our final dessert. This was an upside down quince cake served with whipped cream and house made chamomile gelato. This dessert rivaled the chipped brisket for our favorite part of the evening.

The Dish: We love Bijoux and we love being able to visit for only $39.50. It's like Restaurant Week without the disparaging parts! Give their Monday menu a try.

Jonathon's in Oak Cliff

After being published in Food & Wine magazine for their Friday beer cheese soup special, we HAD to try out Jonathon's in Oak Cliff. We decided to get there pretty early (11:15 am) in case everyone else read the same article; by the time we finished our lunch, the place was certainly filling up.

We each started with a cup of the beer cheese soup and loved it. It was flavorful and creamy, but wasn't too rich. As described in the magazine, there were hints of bacon and jalapeno - making this the best beer cheese soup we've ever had.

We deiced to split the chicken pot pie for our entree. Again, we were very pleased. The presentation was lovely and homey. The pie itself was even better! The crust was buttery and flaky and the flavors were wonderful, a true bite of fall with peas, carrots, a solid gravy, and shredded chicken.

We wrapped up our lunch with a delicious pumpkin chocolate chip muffin topped with cream cheese frosting. A nice end to our carb-y lunch.

Our gentleman server could not have been nicer and the food got an A+! We are excited to have another favorite in the OC!

The Dish: Friday beer cheese soup is worth the lunch break, but don't forget Jonathon's serves up some delicious brunch (chicken and waffles), too!