Tag Archives: The Porch

The best Dallas food of 2011

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So many best of 2011 lists you don’t know what to do with yourself. But, listen up Dallasites. D Magazine did their best new restaurants of the year, and so will I. But mine are in no particular order. Buckle up.

Oh, p.s. this is the last blog post of the year and it happens to be my 100th blog post!!!!

Thank you to all my readers. I can’t wait to see what 2012 brings. Much more blogging.

Best Restaurants of 2011

(simply click on the name of the restaurant to see the review I wrote for each restaurant)

Disclaimer: these restaurants aren’t necessarily new, but they were new to me this year.

As New York City taught me, if the restaurant has a one word name, it’s usually trendy and almost always delicious. Same applied for Dallas apparently.

1. Local.

The personable service combined with a melt-in-your-mouth kind of sensation at every bite, this place is a go. I was first drawn in at the concept of only serving up local ingredients, but was completely impressed with every detail of the evening. It’s a must.

2. The Porch

My go-to for cocktails, appetizers, main courses, desserts, you name it. Although, if I’m trying to be “good” and eat really healthy, I tend to avoid this place. I can’t resist their creamy spinach and artichoke dip and a strawberry basil cocktail on the side. Yummiest combo especially when enjoyed on their porch.

3. Smoke

A bit of a drive outside the SMU bubble, but completely worth it. Even though I’m not a huge meat-eater, I just love being inside the warm restaurant. It’s got that wonderful BBQ smell, it’s comfortable, the service rocks and so does their brunch. The food is outstanding.

4. Oddfellows

A new find for me, I’m always wanting to go back to the Bishop Arts District to continue trying eateries around the area. Although it may not appear to be the best neighborhood, the quaint little streets lined with local restaurants and business is very attractive to me. Oddfellows is a perfect spot for any meal, but mostly brunch with their giant coffee machines. Yum, yum.

5. Mr. Mesero

Owned by Mr. Mi Cocina himself, this place boasts authentic Mexican and actually does it right. Delicious everything, and Mi Cocina patrons, have no fear. You can still order your Mambo Taxis here, but they’re disguised as “El Santo”.

Have you all tried these awesome Dallas eateries? Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think and….
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Bon appétit,

ThatFoodieGirl

And we’re back to What I Ate Wednesday!

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Happy Wednesday, foodies! I’m finally back to participating in the big Wednesday link party– What I Ate Wednesday. I hope you enjoy my eats from yesterday… (it wasn’t as healthy as I would have liked)

BREAKFAST

I couldn’t decide if I wanted cereal or yogurt, so I had both. It was kind of a weird mix of flavors and consistencies, but I just can’t get enough of Vosko’s Greek Yogurt, honey vanilla bean flavored. It’s so delicious and filling. The cereal is also new to me–gluten free and somewhat sweet, maybe a little too sweet but I love the crunch of it.

LUNCH

Lunch was at one of my favorites in Dallas: The Porch. I met up with two of my very best friends (we’ve been friends for almost 11 years!) and had a nice relaxing time. I had their three cheese grilled cheese with a side of tomato basil soup. So good and satisfying.

DINNER

Yeah, dinner was boring. I didn’t get to have dinner til late, and by that time, I wasn’t feeling too foodie inspired. I had spelt whole grain spaghetti with pesto, and a side of my favorite honey crisp apples.

And finally just for fun…

My sweet boyfriend took me to go look at puppies last weekend, and I can’t seem to get this one cutie off my mind. I’m waiting until graduation (May) to get one, but I absolutely love these golden doodles. Anyone have one? What are they like?

Delicious eats at The Porch

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The Porch

What: trendy American

Where: Knox/Henderson, Dallas

One of my favorite restaurants along the trendy Knox/Henderson eatery mecca, The Porch never ceases to satisfy. Little known to many, The Porch is just one sibling in a family of food awesomeness. Consilient restaurants, owned by Tristan Simon, also owns Hibiscus, Fireside Pies and Alma, all awesome restaurants right around the corner on Henderson.

Although this was my first time to actually get to dine on the porch itself, I usually enjoy the ambiance on the inside as well. A giant bar that takes up the entire wall of the back of the restaurant, tall wooden bar stools and bar tables, paired with booths and cozy tables, always makes me feel right at home. Because Dallas has gotten a sudden week of fall-like weather, I decided to take advantage of the “cool” weather (a.k.a. under 100 degrees). Because it was just two of us, we got lucky and got a table outside, which made for a casual and fun evening. Since The Porch is so popular especially on the weekends, they don’t take reservations (which is a bummer), so I’d recommend getting there early to snag a great table al fresco.

We started with my favorite cocktail in Dallas: the strawberry crush. Anything with fresh fruit in a cocktail is a go for me. Muddled strawberries and mint with vodka, St. Germain Elderflower, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and ginger ale. If the photo doesn’t make your mouth water, then you probably wouldn’t like it. My guess is you now know where you’re stopping by this weekend! This beverage is refreshing, relatively light and not too sweet. Perfection.

As an appetizer, we went with the spinach and parmesan dip. I’ve had it before and it was awesome, this time no different. A huge portion of spinach dip, I think it’s a good amount for four or more people at least. A creamy concoction with parmesan baked on top and a side of tortilla chips, it’s like heaven. Do not skip out on this appetizer.

For the entree, we got so full on the spinach dip, that we decided to split the pan roasted chicken breast. As you can see from the photo, they split the dish for us, and it was the perfect amount. The chicken is so tasty and perfectly seasoned, it melts in your mouth. The potatoes are a nice pairing, and the spinach adds a bit of a nutritional value. A repeat entree for me means consistent goodness- The Porch does an amazing job at keeping its dishes delicious.

Speaking of nutrition, as if we hadn’t had enough food as it was, we couldn’t pass up dessert. We had the salted caramel & chocolate bread pudding. Enough said. So rich and decadent I forgot to take a photo of it. Mmmmmmm.

Prices are a bit high, but in my opinion, worth it. The service is always great and the food reminds me of little corner cafes in NYC. So, if you’ve never ventured over to the Porch, grab some friends and make a night of it. And try to avoid weekends if you can.

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Bon appétit,

ThatFoodieGirl