I can't say that I can give Coal Vines a full review yet. I dropped by Monday only to pick up a pizza on my way somewhere. Still the place deserves some merit.
This isn't Pizza Inn. This isn't even Campisi's. The owner, Joe, dressed in a casually-expensive way greeted me at the patio. The place itself is a tight fit - maybe a dozen tables plus the bar. Where there weren't floor-to-ceiling shelves of wine, there were paintings. There was one television, a widescreen HD showing a ballgame.
From what I encountered, the service was very friendly. I could tell they were well-trained.
Parking is scarce. I nabbed the open spot for take-out. The rest were devoted to valet for Medici. This made me a little nervous, considering I drive a cheap car, had a bunch of Roland equipment in the backseat, and Joe was hanging out in the lot on his phone checking out the new Mercedes next to me. So I was constantly looking over my shoulder while I was waiting at the bar. At any rate, I'm sure it's not too hard to find a spot on the streets around there and walk a short distance.
As for the food? Well I didn't get to eating it until I arrived at my destination. By then, the pie was starting to get cold, although I could still get a feel for the flavor. New York style crust, long slices of red and green peppers and large chunks of sausage. Reminded me of some of the stuff I got in Corsica in way.
I'm going to have to go back for a table, get a proper menu, and wash it back with some wine.
20070712
20070710
Kenichi at the W
My wife and I went to Kenichi this weekend for her birthday. Kenichi is number four in a US chain of Japanese restaurants. This doesn't surprise me since nothing in Victory Park is an original except the American Airlines Center. Moving on...
The food was good. The service was good. The atmosphere was good. I think the real problem with the circa $150 tab for two was that in Dallas, this doesn't stand out. There are a number of established Japanese restaurants in the area that provide a hip atmosphere, the freshest fish, and creative twists on traditional cuisine.
Granted, I should go back and try more of the cooked menu since we stuck mostly to the sushi. My wife did rave about the Godzilla roll, what I remember to be a Caterpillar Roll with strawberries on top, but it didn't really hit me. And the place was hopping with younger energy. As we were leaving, we passed a crowd of seemingly single folk in the late-20's or early-30's bracket drinking by the bar. If I were single and drove a Porsche too, then I would totally be joining them.
Finally, the valet was subsidized by the restaurant at $5, a fair price considering folks heading to shows down there would pay upwards of $15 for parking. There's also the option of taking the special-event line to Victory Station, but you have to plan your return trip with the exodus of the evening's major event. But it won't be long until 2009 when the station is a permanent stop on the future Green and Orange Lines.
Follow-up: Kenichi called the following week to make sure we enjoyed our dinner. Service++.
The food was good. The service was good. The atmosphere was good. I think the real problem with the circa $150 tab for two was that in Dallas, this doesn't stand out. There are a number of established Japanese restaurants in the area that provide a hip atmosphere, the freshest fish, and creative twists on traditional cuisine.
Granted, I should go back and try more of the cooked menu since we stuck mostly to the sushi. My wife did rave about the Godzilla roll, what I remember to be a Caterpillar Roll with strawberries on top, but it didn't really hit me. And the place was hopping with younger energy. As we were leaving, we passed a crowd of seemingly single folk in the late-20's or early-30's bracket drinking by the bar. If I were single and drove a Porsche too, then I would totally be joining them.
Finally, the valet was subsidized by the restaurant at $5, a fair price considering folks heading to shows down there would pay upwards of $15 for parking. There's also the option of taking the special-event line to Victory Station, but you have to plan your return trip with the exodus of the evening's major event. But it won't be long until 2009 when the station is a permanent stop on the future Green and Orange Lines.
Follow-up: Kenichi called the following week to make sure we enjoyed our dinner. Service++.
20070628
Joe T's
Alright, so I went Joe T. Garcia's in Ft. Worth last night. Sort of a Tex-Mex establishment over there. Personally I'm not impressed.
No restaurant is worth waiting as long as we did...probably 20-30 minutes, although we did have a party of eight. There were only two choices on the menu, fajitas or enchiladas. I had the chicken-beef fajita combo. At best this is average, but the chicken was so dried out it might as well have been beef. There are number of better places to go for Tex-Mex, so I just don't see the appeal.
Last night was a special occasion, of a sort I will not describe here. Let's hope it did the trick.
No restaurant is worth waiting as long as we did...probably 20-30 minutes, although we did have a party of eight. There were only two choices on the menu, fajitas or enchiladas. I had the chicken-beef fajita combo. At best this is average, but the chicken was so dried out it might as well have been beef. There are number of better places to go for Tex-Mex, so I just don't see the appeal.
Last night was a special occasion, of a sort I will not describe here. Let's hope it did the trick.
20070626
Who's Who
Where can you get a delicious kobe beef cheeseburger for $7? Who's Who in Highland Park. And really, that's the reason to go. Phil Romano says so, and I completely agree.
According to unsubstantiated rumor, you can also donate $100 to the charity of the house that will permit your signature on the wall. I suppose you could make that your reason to go, like Luke Wilson did. But really, in the words of Mr. Brown, I'm just here for more food.
According to unsubstantiated rumor, you can also donate $100 to the charity of the house that will permit your signature on the wall. I suppose you could make that your reason to go, like Luke Wilson did. But really, in the words of Mr. Brown, I'm just here for more food.
20070622
Return of the Mass Transit
The wind was blowing the rain at a 60 angle toward me. I tilted my umbrella forward a little, but little did this help. My shorts were already getting wet.
It didn't help when a late-model Dodge Ram drove quickly through the curbside lane. I could see him coming, spraying a six-foot-high wave of gutter water onto the sidewalk but thought he might have the courtesy to switch lanes. Never underestimate the thoughtlessness of your fellow citizen.
Yes folks, I have returned to the DART after almost a year. With the Live Oak exit gone until 2009 (will it ever come back?), Central has turned into a consistent nightmare. At best, the freeway gets me home in 45 minutes, which means I might as well take Greenville Ave. And I don't really want to do that for the next two years. Note the irony that DART's construction on the Live Oak exit is prompting me to ride DART.
Side note: Sol Irlandes is the establishment that took over the Thomas & Leggitt space. It's actually a much preferable, casual tex-mex joint to the across-the-street Iron Cactus. The fish taco wrap is irresistible and the burger is bordering on good and unique. They also allegedly feature live music on Saturday nights.
It didn't help when a late-model Dodge Ram drove quickly through the curbside lane. I could see him coming, spraying a six-foot-high wave of gutter water onto the sidewalk but thought he might have the courtesy to switch lanes. Never underestimate the thoughtlessness of your fellow citizen.
Yes folks, I have returned to the DART after almost a year. With the Live Oak exit gone until 2009 (will it ever come back?), Central has turned into a consistent nightmare. At best, the freeway gets me home in 45 minutes, which means I might as well take Greenville Ave. And I don't really want to do that for the next two years. Note the irony that DART's construction on the Live Oak exit is prompting me to ride DART.
Side note: Sol Irlandes is the establishment that took over the Thomas & Leggitt space. It's actually a much preferable, casual tex-mex joint to the across-the-street Iron Cactus. The fish taco wrap is irresistible and the burger is bordering on good and unique. They also allegedly feature live music on Saturday nights.
20070207
Deep Ellum Burger Roundup
A couple months ago I made it back to Local for their fancy buffalo burger. Completely worth the $22 listed on the menu, the meat, special sauce, yellow tomatos, lettuce and caramelized onions were perfectly matched with the recommended Chimay. Delicious.
Also returned to Twisted Root, this time retrieving fries that were quite good. Would be much better if I dined in.
So that's the belated Deep Ellum Burger roundup. We'll be lucky if they're still open next month at the rate everything is closing there. Thank you Dallas city council.
Also returned to Twisted Root, this time retrieving fries that were quite good. Would be much better if I dined in.
So that's the belated Deep Ellum Burger roundup. We'll be lucky if they're still open next month at the rate everything is closing there. Thank you Dallas city council.
Car smash / Shrimp tacos
I have returned for a quick post. Today, after I was nearly murdered on 635, I was unsurprised when a car rear-ended me at the Mockingbird exit on the Tollway.
The shrimp tacos at Fernando's are mighty tasty.
The shrimp tacos at Fernando's are mighty tasty.
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