8 January 1 - 7, 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Farewell to a Tasty 2025 Our best bites of 2025 from a pizza special to wagyu dino ribs. BY COURTNEY E. SMITH AND LAUREN DREWES DANIELS W e’ve had a lot of won- derful meals over the year, but some stood out. From pizza to ribs and squash blossoms, below are the dishes we keep thinking about all year. ✪ Lunch Special, Pizza and Salad CENZO’S 1700 W. 10th St., Oak Cliff The leading pizza, not just of New York-style pies or Oak Cliff pies, but the damn best pizza in this town continues to be Cenzo’s. One of my best and most satisfying meals of the year was the $8 lunch special there: a large serving of the house salad, generously slathered in freshly made, very herby ranch dressing, alongside one gigantic slice of pep- peroni pizza that was basically a quarter of the pie. It’s the delicious deal of the century. – Courtney Smith ✪ Saag Paneer CHUMLEY HOUSE 3230 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth Of all the stellar bites at this Fort Worth steakhouse with British and Indian inspira- tion, the dish that haunted my dreams is the saag paneer served in a spicy tomato cream sauce and topped with a handful of roasted, crispy chickpeas. It’s a deep, warmly spiced take on the steakhouse classic creamed spin- ach that pays homage to, without directly replicating, the classic Indian dish. – Court- ney Smith ✪ Wagyu Dino Rib KAFI BBQ 8140 N. MacArthur Blvd, Irving I don’t even like ribs, and rarely order beef ribs, but the wagyu dino ribs and Kafi BBQ are the exception — because they are excep- tional. Everything about them — from the high-quality of the meat to how pitmaster Salahodeen Abdul-Kafi smokes them, creat- ing a crunchy, shattering bark that sits on top of the softest bite of beef that falls right off the bone — makes them stand out. – Courtney Smith ✪ Cabbage with Black Sesame Tahini QUARTER ACRE 2023 Greenville Ave., Lower Greenville I had so many great bites at Quarter Acre this year, but the cabbage with black sesame tahini that chef Toby Archibald added to his tasting menu for a stretch in the summer and fall is the one that haunts me. In this version, a quarter head of cabbage is smoked, seared, and drizzled with an umami-rich sauce. Another bite of crisped cabbage accompanied it, along with the same sauce. The complexity of the flavors is amazing, highlighting what a great carrier cabbage can be. – Courtney Smith ✪ Truffle Blue Cheese Kulcha SANJH 5250 N. O’Connor Blvd., Irving Sometimes simplicity is the best thing. At Sanjh, the truffle blue cheese kulcha, a sim- ple appetizer of Punjabi flatbread stuffed with blue cheese topped with herbs, is a lux- urious play on monkey bread. There are only a few ingredients, and the freshly baked bread arrives at the table piping hot. Sim- plicity is indeed the ultimate sophistication. – Courtney Smith ✪ Foie Gras Snickers THE DEVONSHIRE CLUB 5757 W. Lovers Lane, Park Cities There is one dish you absolutely have to or- der here if you like chocolate: The foie gras “Snickers” topped with a sprinkle of Maldon salt. The chocolate will smear all over your fingers, but the salty, indulgent foie gras in- side makes the perfect complement. Prepare to lick your fingers clean. – Courtney Smith ✪ Caviar and Lobster Lumpia THE MANSION RESTAURANT 2821 Turtle Creek Blvd, Oak Lawn My mind keeps returning to the caviar and lobster lumpia that chef Charles Olaia put on the menu here. These Filipino spring rolls reach new heights, with lobster wrapped in fat rounds, much like a cigar. It is topped with sauce gribiche (mayo, eggs and capers) that’s tangy enough to hold a dribble of caviar. Grab the shiso plated under each roll, wrap it around, and devour it in three bites — while it’s still hot. – Courtney Smith ✪ Fried Squash Blossoms KNIFE ITALIAN, RITZ-CARLTON 4150 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving On the opposite end of this pasta and steak- centric restaurant at the Ritz are the squash blossoms, which now appear to be off the menu (funny how the best dishes are sea- sonal, huh?). These delicate flowers were slightly sweet, with a dollop of warm, creamy cheese hidden deep within the pistil. These made us pause and ponder eating more flow- ers. The only complaint is that these little bursts of late summer sunshine aren’t served by the dozen. – Lauren Drewes Daniels ✪ Parmigiana de Melanzane PARTENOPE 1903 Main St., Downtown and 110 S.Green- ville Ave., Richardson The parmigiana de melanzane at Partenope is a long-term relationship. Now you have two options for this dish since there’s a sec- ond restaurant in Richardson. Baked egg- plant and dollops of smoked mozzarella are drowning in a spicy marinara. It may seem simple, but this is a substantial dish. It’s served with house bread, but level up with a focaccia. – Lauren Drewes Daniels ✪ Foie and Sea Island Corn Bread MERIDIAN 5650 Village Glen Drive Meridian 2.0 opened in The Village late this year. We’d met the chef, Eduardo Osorio, at a charity event where he made this luxurious corn bread; people at the table almost fought over it. We were relieved to see it on the menu at his new restaurant and promptly made reservations to make sure it was as good as we remembered. It was. The blue corn bread base has shishitos, white ched- dar, brown butter and spiced honey, plus an optional dash of caviar (yes, get it). It’s sweet, salty, comforting and elevated. ▼ OPENINGS UPSCALE GREEK A LOOK AT MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT, ZON ZON, NOW OPEN IN NORTH DALLAS. BY AAREN PRODY Y ela Concepts, known for Darna in Legacy West and Baboush in West Village, has opened a new contem- porary Mediterranean restaurant, Zon Zon, at 5455 Belt Line Road. The new neighborhood spot is a moody and intimate space with a refined take on Mediterranean dining with an upscale take on classic dishes. Dallas-based Coeval Studios helped de- sign the 2,130-square-foot interior and 735-square-foot patio; the group is also be- hind many Dallas hotspots, including Boo- gies, Goodsurf and Quarter Acre. For Zon Zon, the team chose clean and contempo- rary lines with warm undertones. There’s an open kitchen, modern woodwork and rich details throughout. The small menu prioritizes quality and flavor over quantity, offering a take on Mediterranean cuisine with a touch of American influence. Everything is created to be shareable, a little elevated and com- forting. Menu Highlights The menu has something for the conserva- tive and adventurous diner. There’s an inter- esting tahini Caesar salad, as well as a roasted beet and burrata salad. Many dishes have a small twist that allows people to discover new flavors without feeling too experimental. A braised lamb comes with apricot, cin- namon, sesame and roasted pepper cous- cous. The chicken shish kebab ($22) is prepared with a ras el hanout, a North Afri- can spice blend, and preserved lemon. A prime ribeye seasoned with Za’atar chimi- churri and served with whipped potatoes and roasted vegetables rounds out the en- trees and costs $56. For sides, Zon Zon will have saffron rice, pita, French fries, harissa broccolini among others. A signature baklava crowns the des- sert section and is made with goat cheese, burnt pineapple, mixed nuts and is served with vanilla gelato. They’re also serving ma- helbi, a milk pudding with coconut, straw- berry compote and pistachios for dessert, and a chocolate pot de crème that has a touch of espresso and urfa (mild Turkish chili flake). Cocktail Menu Fragrant herbs, warming spices and bright citrus notes are used throughout the drink menu, like the Rosemary Sunset Spritz made with orgeat and orange peel, coffee-kissed Midnight Istanbul and a margarita that’s made with burnt pineapple and ras el hanout. Zon Zon will open for lunch and dinner service on Monday, Dec. 22, and brunch of- ferings will come soon after. We are eager to dine in and come back with a full review. Zon Zon, 5455 Belt Line Road, Monday - Sunday 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | CITY OF ATE | ▼ Dish Courtney Smith Above: Truffle blue cheese kulcha at Sanjh; Left: Parmigiana de Melanzane at Partenope Lauren Drewes Daniels
