Guide to Dallas’ Favorite Dishes Dallas is built on beef, smoke, gravy and queso. If you’re visiting for the World Cup, skip the tourist traps and eat like a native. BY LAUREN DREWES DANIELS T here’s a lot of great cuisine in Dallas. We go high and low, near and far; Michelin omakases to cheap tacos, Middle Eastern to our own made-up category of Tex- Mex. Our steakhouses can wine and dine with the best in the world. And our barbecue is like nothing else in the world. This list is specifically dedicated to what we do best: Tex-Mex, steaks, barbecue and chicken-fried steak. This is for visitors from all over the world to experience the re- gion’s distinctive foods. Best Barbecue in Dallas Barbecue in Texas means (mostly) brisket. There’s also sau- sage and ribs, which, along with brisket, make up our Holy Trinity, but brisket reigns. This thick cut from cattle’s lower breast is smoked for hours, slow and low, yielding fall-apart tenderness. Usually encased in a peppery bark, when done properly, angels sing. So, while scouring North Texas for barbecue, focus on brisket. Here are two spots to get in line for. Cattleack Barbeque 13628 Gramma Road, Farmers Branch Our Messi of brisket is Cattleack. The only problem here is that it’s open only Wednesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cattleack is in the Michelin Guide with a Bib Gourmand distinc- tion noted for its sausage, brisket and daily specials. You can’t go wrong here. Order as much as you can and dive in. Might want to plan for a nap after. Zavala’s 421 W. Main St., Grand Prairie Zavala’s is between Dallas and Arlington, which might work well for some ticket holders. Zavala’s is interesting because it fuses to- gether two amazing creations: Mexican cuisine and smoked meat. The brisket has an extra pep in its step, and a cilantro-heavy green sauce and fresh warm tortillas make for a beautiful partner for a slice of brisket. It’s a somewhat small space, and sometimes there’s a cooler of beer out for those waiting in line. Get a Sloppy Juan: chopped brisket rolled in a tortilla. Chef’s (and we don’t say this often) kiss. Slow Bone 2234 Irving Blvd. Slow Bone is just west of downtown Dallas and was featured on Diners, Drive-In and Dives last year. Guy Fieri loved the sandwich. The menu at this chef-driven restaurant includes off-the-beat- en-path specials like pit tacos, chicken sand- wiches and pork chops on Thursdays, which takes a week to prepare. They, like any other place worth their weight, smoke brisket every morning. Take note: Slow Bone closes at 3 p.m. daily. We have many great barbecue spots, includ- ing Baby Back Shack, Off the Bone Bar-B-Q, Kafi (Halal), Hurtado, Oak’d, Smokey Joe’s and Terry Black’s. Find the full list at dallasobserver. com Best Tex-Mex in Dallas Las Palmas 2708 Routh St. Las Palmas is Tex-Mex with a Fendi bag. The glowed-up space in Uptown Dallas makes a plate of beans and rice seem rich. The service is fast and BRISKET AT CATTLEACK BBQ IN FARMERS BRANCH CLARENCE COHENS’ BABY BACK SHACK IS AN ESSENTIAL STOP FOR BARBECUE IN DALLAS. GAVIN CLEAVER NATHAN HUNTSINGER DALLAS OBSERVER • QUEST FOR THE CUP 25
