Summer dining has two rules: if you can avoid heat- ing up your own kitchen, do it. And two: great cock- tails are a huge bonus. Casa Pollastro offers Italian food the way the southern Brazilian gauchos enjoy it. In this case, that means a four-course feast for $35.99 (and during the summer, every fourth guest eats free Sundays through Thursdays). Cocktails in- clude the Italian Margarita, which pairs well with just about everything and features silver tequila, ama- retto, lime and orange. Book reservations online at casapollastro.com. Craving a satisfying meal but dreading raising the temps in your kitchen? Let Cindi’s New York Deli come to the rescue with a wide-ranging menu at any one of their DFW locations. The beloved New York-style deli offers homestyle delights, including fried chicken and chicken fried steak. In the mood for something lighter? They’ve got all your favorite cold sandwich options, from corned beef and pastra- mi combos to New York reubens. Try the Greek salad with chicken or the stuffed avocado with chicken or tuna salad. And of course, Cindi’s offers a full break- fast menu including pancakes, bagels, omelets and .......... Ebb and Flow, with locations in Deep Ellum and Pla- no, is an easy-breezy go-to for brunch, lunch or din- ner. Chill with one of their signature salads: try the Buddha, with kale, sweet potatoes, quinoa, brocco- lini, almonds, sprouts, avocado, lemon and a fresh vinaigrette; or their vegetarian Southwest salad, with Beyond meat, jicama, pico, black beans, roasted corn, avocado and salsa ranch. For summer-appropriate cocktails, order up the Garden Margarita, with Her- radura Silver, Cointreau, cucumber, cilantro, jalepeño, agave, lemon and lime; or the Watermelon Mule, with watermelon vodka, ginger beer and lime. Do you like having a little control over the heat? Well, .................................................. tomize the heat at Hattie B’s Hot Chicken. Call the shots when it comes to the spice level on your bone- in chicken, tenders or chicken sandwich: you can order it totally chill and polite (the “Southern” level) or hotter than the asphalt in a Deep Ellum parking lot (AKA “Shut the Cluck Up”). Finish up with a cool bowl of banana pudding and a glass of Hattie B’s fa- mous iced tea. Ozona Bar and Grill has always been one of our fa- vorite summer destinations, thanks to their beauti- ful Greenville Avenue patio and their equally lovely build-your-own Bloody Mary bar (featured promi- nently during brunch on Saturdays and Sundays). We’re here for the mile-high garnish and generous- .................................................. we’re also pretty happy about the omelets, migas, Ebb & Flow COOL EATS 14 DALLAS OBSERVER • SUMMER GUIDE 2024
