Each year KRLD is responsible for bringing together some of Dallas’ most exclusive restaurants in an effort to provide a chance for you to get a great meal while helping to raise funds for the North Texas Food Bank. Not only is this a great cause; it’s also a great opportunity for the diner as the pricing is fixed at $35 for a 3 and sometimes 4 course meal (which in most cases is well below what a typical meal will cost at these establishments). So imagine what this type of event does for a food loving citizen of Dallas such as myself!

When I got this year’s list restaurants participating in the KRLD restaurant week I couldn’t wait to hit a couple of Dallas’ crème de la crème restaurants! As I ran through the list like a little kid opening his Christmas present early I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Al Biernat’s at the top of the list!

Al Biernat’s (for those of you who don’t live in Dallas) has become one of Dallas’ seen and be seen restaurants. With Dallas celebrities ranging from Aikman to Dirk and many other VIP’s Al Biernat’s has become known as a hot spot in this city. Their menu also reflects their rise to stardom as well with entrees alone ranging from $24 – $47.

I quickly made reservations for my wife and I and counted down the days with a large X on my calendar every day in anticipation of our special event.

When we arrived at Al Biernat’s I was already under the impression that we had possibly come on a bad night. The place was packed (the line for the valet was about 10 cars deep). While this could be seen as an indication that this place really lives up to the hype it could also mean that it wouldn’t be the quite and intimate dinner my wife and I were expecting.

Upon entering Al Biernat’s we were immediately greeted by a sports bar. Two large TV’s are posted on each side of a bar that was packed with people waiting for their tables. I must admit I was a little put off by how loud it was. Even after being seated you knew whenever Oklahoma scored a touchdown as the place erupted with cheers and sneers.

We had reservations for 8:30 (thank goodness because I don’t think we would have gotten in otherwise). After a few moments wait we got our table at 8:50 which was no big deal to me. I’m use to restaurant running late with reservations.

As we were whisked through the dining room by our host something immediately occurred to me, the tables were much closer then what we were expecting. When I visited the website I saw a picture of the restaurant that shows some tables evenly distributed throughout the dining room allowing guests to have a quite and intimate dinner.

However, this was not the case, a bunch more tables had been added to the room in a fashion that left guests sitting on top of each other. How close were we? Well let’s just say it reminds me of a touristy Italian restaurant where you can hear the conversations of your neighbors more then the conversation in which you are participating. Don’t believe me? Well our diners to the left were a young couple from SMU on their first date. I could tell the guy was a little nervous as he started each sentence with “So…” Our fellow diners to the right were a couple that had been out on a few dates, the gentleman was a big investor in commodities and had been working some late hours as of lately and was looking forward to a vacation he had coming shortly. Ambiance aside my wife and I were really here for the food.

I was going to post a link to the menu for this article but they unfortunately took it down at the end of the restaurant week. There were quite a few choices to choose from which I liked seeing as how many of the restaurants participating in the KRLD restaurant week had a pretty limited scope.

I decided to go with the Prawns in a cilantro lime and habanero sauce as my appetizer. While the combinations of flavor were pretty good, I liked how the spiciness of the sauce was contrasted by the cooling effects of cilantro and lime, I must confess that I have been to Australia and had jumbo prawns before. These were not jumbo prawns; in fact the size was closer to that of regular shrimp that had been relaxed to appear a little larger then what they really were. I had brought my camera in hopes of capturing pictures of our evening however, the lighting was such that all of them pretty much looked like pictures they were taken at night and pretty much indistinguishable. The dish to me was okay. The flavors were unique yet I was still left craving more as the size was petite. Something that is completely okay in my book as it is an appetizer and is not meant to be extremely filling.

Everywhere I read stated that Al Biernat’s was more then a steakhouse. Seeing as how I have had my fair share of Dallas steakhouses (they are overkill here in Dallas as you can imagine). I chose to go off the beaten trail (as they suggest) and ordered the salmon. What it was topped with I cannot exactly say anymore (as again they took down the menu), which is I guess okay in that what I would say about it is that it wasn’t really anything that stood out as a wow food. It was cooked well but really, how hard is that?

The dessert was the Grand Marnier Crème Brulee. Both my wife and I got this and were equally impressed. It really made up some ground work on the meal. The flavor of the Grand Marnier really stood out and the Brulee was perfectly caramelized.

In all I would say that our experience at Al Biernat’s was a little disappointing, which is hard for me to say seeing as how I like to visit an establishment a couple of times before I really make a decision about it.

For the price I was expecting a little more intimate dining experience with food that really stood out. Maybe it was the fact that we were picking form the KRLD menu, maybe it was just an off night because it was a packed joint however, Al Biernat’s really didn’t stand out as a place that was exemplary of what we had heard before. If you’re a person that is a seen and be seen type of diner then this is definitely the place for you as you will definitely be seen. However, if you’re in the search of great food for the price you might want to keep looking.

As I set out the other day in a quest to finish a long list of errands that have been piling up since last year (as they seem to do every year) I didn’t really make any plans for lunch that day. I knew that I would be pressed for time and figured that I would just stop at whatever place seemed like it might have something edible; little did I know I was about to stumble upon Dallas’s greatest burger house!

I’m completely smitten!

In a well willed effort to make it through one of my lists (I think I have around 200 of them) I rushed out the door that morning without taking time to eat breakfast. I was finally starting to make a small dent in what seemed like a titanic sized list of errands when the hunger from within forced me to my knees (similar to that of a professional wrestler).

As luck would have it I was forced off the road at the corner of 75 and Campbell to finish off one quick list item. As I pulled into the shopping center my stomach growled and I knew this would be the last errand I could complete before my stomach began to eat me from the inside out. I started to seek out a parking spot when I noticed a big white banner that read “Grand Opening!” and much to my surprise it was a new Twisted Root!

“How lucky was that?” I thought. I can grab something to eat and possibly knock out another burger review at the same time (I remember hearing from a friend who lived down town that I really needed to check Twisted Root out if I wanted to find the best burger in Dallas). The only problem with that is I live about an hour north of downtown and it’s a pain to trek all the way down there during a lunch hour. But this new one happens to only be 30 minutes from my house.

Little did I know that I was about to enter the greatest burger house ever created by man. Twisted Root is everything I think a true burger house should represent. It will be the gold standard to which all other burger serving establishments will be judged!

I am so in love with this place I don’t know where to start. When you walk in you immediately realize the owner’s sense of humor as they have written things like “Get your butt in here” written all over the walls. In addition to that, instead of handing you a number when you place your order, they hand you a little piece of paper with a name on it. Mine happened to be “Mr. Tambourine Man”; others included the likes of Bruce Wayne, Mr. Anderson, Homer Simpson and so on. It definitely gives the place a fun and friendly atmosphere.

The atmosphere however, is not the only thing that makes a great burger house, a great burger house. They have to have a burger menu that puts all others to shame. Twisted Root happens to have just that. Their menu contains burgers ranging from the normal hamburger and cheddar burger to the wildly exotic burgers such as Elk, Venison and Ostrich and the burger of my choice that fateful afternoon; The “REAL Buffalo Burger”. They even have a black bean burger (pictured below) for the vegetarian in your life or a Turkey Burger for those keeping to their New Year’s resolutions. My wife opted for the Black Bean Burger (for a healthier choice) which she said was equally as good.

Every burger is handmade to perfection. My real buffalo burger came perfectly cooked with all the toppings one would expect to find on a great burger. What I really love about this joint is they make everything from scratch, from the barbeque sauce to the ice cream to the root beer; it has all been made by hand.

When I took my first bite I damn near fell out of my chair it was so good. The real buffalo meat combined in perfect harmony with the fresh barbeque sauce and veggies to create the best burger I have ever tasted! So good in fact that this will be the burger I order when I’m on death row enjoying my last meal (not saying that I’m going to be on death row, but you know, if I was going to be, that would be what I would order). As if the great atmosphere, and awesome burger weren’t enough on their own, they also decided to switch up the way they do chips and fries. Instead of getting the traditional chip fair I opted for their sweet potato chips. They were perfect! Sweet and crispy with a great flavor structure to them.

I know this post is getting way long but I couldn’t really help it (like I said. “I’m Smitten”). In my final words I will say this, if it wasn’t for the fact that this place only exists 30 minutes to an hour from my house I would eat there damn near every day (No joke). So the only request I have is for Twisted Root to hurry it’s ass up to North Dallas because I’m getting hungry!

Ever since I was a little kid I have always loved discovering those “whole in the wall” joints known for their great food! I have my grandfather to thank for this because he has always been a huge fan of “mom and pop” type shops. He always said that those places put a little more time and effort into the preparation of their food then that of your local super chain like Fridays (amazing what years of wisdom can do)!

So the other day I was flipping through the channels when I happened to stop on Food Network’s Guy Fieri’s show Diners Drive-ins and Dives (I must admit that I personally love this show). Each week Guy brings us to off-beat local eateries that are known for great food, enticing atmospheres and all the aspects of a home town feel (a great concept if you ask me).

For some reason every time I watch one of Guys episodes I get jealous wishing he would do an episode that I didn’t need to plan a long weekend to go eat at. I don’t know if it’s because of his crazy hair or big personality, but he makes these places seem like diamonds in the rough that you just HAVE to visit and if you don’t you will have lead a completely insignificant and wasted life.

So imagine my excitement as I discovered that the show was showcasing restaurants here in the Dallas area! I finally have a chance to live a life worth living (at least for a little while)! After watching the show the one place that I found myself literally salivating over was Louie’s. I called up some friends and made plans to visit Louie’s that very next night!

As we pulled up we began to wonder if the small dilapidated white building with a faded sign outside that read “Louie’s” (which has seen better days) could really be our destination. I must admit I was a bit hesitant to go in as a whirl wind of thoughts began to race though my head. I pondered the possibility of Guy not really having a freakn’ clue of what the hell he is talking about and that I might have wasted hours upon hours of my life watching a show that is completely off the mark. If you don’t know where this place is located then there is a good chance you might just miss it. It is definitely the definition of “hole in the wall”. Louie’s might be a small white building on the outside, but it opens into a small town bar (one with pictures on the wall of past and present patrons) that makes the place feel warm and friendly. It’s a place that you could see yourself coming to for years.

Louie’s is a bar/restaurant that has been serving up some of Dallas’s best pizza and drinks for quite some time. The “lounge” as they call it; was started by two brothers (Louie and Chris), from Chicago, who really know how to make a great pie! To start their masterpiece they begin with a thin crust (which is the only way a truly great pizza can be made) then top it fresh tomato sauce and all the ingredients you can handle. The pizza is then masterfully baked to perfection with a crispy crust and warm gooey toppings that melt in your mouth! I choose to top my masterpiece pizza with onion, black olives, fresh tomato, Italian sausage and pepperoni (I highly suggest you do the same). It’s somewhat obvious that this pizza was delicious as my friends and I couldn’t even keep our fingers off it long enough to take that photo (note the missing slices)!

In all, I feel this is definitely not the place for you to go if you are looking for that world class dining atmosphere. However, if you are looking for one of Dallas’s best pizza joints to visit with some friends to have a beer and a great pizza (or even catch a game) then I highly recommend you stop in when you get the chance!

Maybe Grandpa and Guy really do know what they are talking about after all! “Phew”

I love birthdays! What better excuse to get together with friends who are close to you to enjoy some of the finer things in life? What I don’t understand is why it takes something as “special” as a birthday to get everyone together. Why isn’t it the standard for every weekend? Well unless you have the stamina of a college student you need some rest! After having a couple of nice and restful weekends we had the pleasure of being invited to a good friend’s birthday. Her destination of choice? Vino 100 for a wine and cheese tasting extravaganza! What could possibly make this better? How about an unusually warm streak of weather here in the Dallas area? With the weather a comfortable 65 degrees it was a perfect night to taste some fantastic cheeses, wine and conversation with friends on the patio!

The Vino 100 concept to bring limited production, artisan crafted wines at affordable prices is a great one. The walls are literally lined with a fantastic selection of red and white wines that range from fruit to dry, light to bold. Their Wine Barometer as they call it allows even a wine novice to pick a wine to their liking with very little effort.

When we arrived we decided on their Formaggio della Casa selection of cheeses. This selection was a tasting of Asiago, Havarti and Sage Derby cheeses with assorted crackers. While our cheese selection was on its way we dropped in and picked up a bottle of Kyos a fantastic Sauvignon Blanc. Unfortunately, lost in the moment of the occasion I was not able to get a good picture of the bottle and therefore, have lost the details as to its origin and other fun facts. However, I can tell you this. I did find it to be greatly in line with what you would expect from a good Sauvignon Blanc. I believe that this complimented the smooth sharp cheddar flavor of the Asiago cheese perfectly!

We also picked up a bottle of Morgan Chardonnay a fruity wine from the Napa Valley region. Our selection of this wine was to be paired with the mild and creamy flavors of the New Zealand experiment that is Havarti. The helpful staff at Vino 100 couldn’t have been more right. They definitely pointed us to a combination that could be consumed for hours and hours until you have died from a serendipitous experience.

After a few hours of drinking and dining with friends, a little birthday cake (hey your never too old for birthday cake) it was time to retire to our estate to get some shut eye. I would like to leave this post on this note. Next time your wondering what to do for your next birthday, or other special event, take a trip to Vino 100 and you will be setting the scene for a perfect night of eating, drinking and conversation with friends about the mysteries and complexities of the world and this funny thing we call life.