17 February 29 - March 6, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Philly Brisket Loop 9 BBQ has created a Texas-in- spired Philly sandwich with brisket, roasted peppers and cheese. BY CHRIS WOLFGANG L ast year, Loop 9 BBQ opened in Grand Prairie’s EpicCentral de- velopment off Highway 161. Just before the grand opening, we had a chance to catch up with Loop 9 founder Larry Lavine, who may be better known for starting a little restaurant you may have also heard of called Chili’s. We ap- preciated Lavine’s dedication to barbecue, and the fare we tried definitely hit solid marks. We recently got wind of some new menu items on the Loop 9 menu board, and when we found ourselves both hungry and in the area, we stopped back into Loop 9 to check them out. Since our first visit, the EpicCentral de- velopment looks nearly complete. A massive Homewood Suites and Hilton Garden Inn combo has been completed next door to Loop 9. Outposts of Vidorra and American bistro The Finch, both from Dallas hospital- ity group Milkshake Concepts, are also part of the development. There’s ample parking, and the smell of Loop 9’s smokers fills the air as you walk towards the restaurant, teas- ing the meal that lies ahead. We were here for two new items that had us intrigued: a barbecue interpretation of the classic Philly cheesesteak and pork belly burnt ends. There are also new smoked wings and smoked half chicken on the menu, but we eschewed the fowl this time in favor of beef and pork. At first glance, the brisket Philly ($12) looks a lot like a regular chopped brisket sandwich presented on a round bun. We’d love to see a hoagie roll in place of the bun, but that may be the sandwich’s only mis- step. Between the buns is a heaping serving of chopped prime brisket, bulging out of the buns. Charred poblano peppers and on- ions are sliced and tossed in, then a slab of cheese is melted on top of the concoction. We appreciated that copious amounts of brisket bark were included in the sand- wich, and the poblanos give a subtle kick and crunch. The sandwich is a banger, even without the hoagie. We also ordered a side of pork belly burnt ends ($9). Heim BBQ may have made the pork belly burnt end a new barbecue staple with their caramelized and sweet nuggets of pork belly, but Loop 9 takes a slightly differ- ent tack. The pork belly is smoked until plenty tender, but glazed with a vinegar- based barbecue sauce instead of something more sugary. The result is a pork belly bite with plenty of rich flavor and the added zing of the vinegar sauce. Fears that we had or- dered too much food came to naught as we quickly destroyed the order of burnt ends along with our sandwich. We added a side of Loop 9’s Mexican street corn for just four bucks, which rounded out a tray of traditional barbecue flavors bumped up with quite a bit of spicy kick. To top off the experience, we had rolled into Loop 9 around 3:30 in the after- noon, a time that most lunch-only barbecue spots have either closed or long since run out of food. With hours that extend into the early evening, Loop 9 BBQ is dishing up both traditional and creative barbecue fla- vors no matter when you find time to stop in. Loop 9 BBQ, 2951 S. State Highway 161, Grand Prairie. Sunday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. ▼ FIRST LOOK SHO’NUFF SHODO IS A FUSION OF TRADITIONAL AND INNOVATIVE JAPANESE CUISINE. BY AAREN PRODY J ust when we thought the wave of su- shi in Dallas had begun to die down, Shodo Japanese Kitchen has graced the city with culinary artistry. Shodo is from Route 62 Hospitality, known for restaurants such as El Bolero and Pakpao. The focus is on high-quality and au- thentic dishes reflecting the essence of Ja- pan with a modern twist — all alongside creatively composed cocktails. New restaurant... Sushi... Cocktails... You all know the drill. Of course, we stopped by. After walking through the torii gates — the traditional symbolic entrance at Shinto shrines in Japan — the first thing we noticed was somehow not the massive snow monkey mural, but how pretty the restaurant is. The decor is a nod to many ancient cul- tural references. Two samurai guard the pa- tio. A Buddha-themed omakase room is tucked away in the back. Japanese maple trees line the booths. Light fixtures over- head appear to be topped with traditional Japanese hats. Even the artwork in the bath- room is curated. Every corner is undeniably zen and sleek. There are seating arrangements for just about any occasion. The right side calls for casual dining with high-top tables and the bar, with its extensive sake collection, Japa- nese whiskey and wine. To the left is the main dining room, with deep, crescent- shaped booths. Serious sushi lovers will find their way to the very back to sit at the sushi counter, with only four seats, or inside their private omakase room. The drink menu is divided into cocktails, sake, wine and beer. Each section has an op- tion that’s classic, interesting or unique in some way. Junmai and specialty sake come at a vari- ety of price points, climbing to the $250 bot- tle of Tentaka Silent Stream sourced from Nasu Mountains in Japan. Wine comes in sparkling, red varietals, rosé, pinot noir and whites. The beer section has global favorites like Sapporo, Stella Artois and Dos XX, plus locally brewed Community Mosaic. Cock- tails like the Green Eyes ($17), made with Roku gin, St. Germain, matcha and lemon, beckon for a second round. We started with a yuzu margarita ($16) and the Moon and Sun ($14). Yes, two drinks. Two cocktails simultaneously was a wild way to start our Tuesday night dinner, we’ll admit, but we can explain. The bartender recommended the yuzu margarita first, which is made with Herra- dura tequila, Yuzuri (citrus liqueur), ginger, agave and lime. He wanted our thoughts when he handed it to us, noting that they were still experimenting with recipes and that something was off about it. He was right. It wasn’t awful by any stretch, but there was an odd wang to it. Near-expiration lime juice ended up being the culprit, so he let us choose something to replace it. We went with the moon and the sun. He let us keep the marg, on the house. Thus, two drinks. The second is made with Mathilde Pear Liqueur, Absolut Pear Vodka, cherry and soda. It complemented our dinner well and tasted like a cross between a traditional cocktail and a seltzer. Light and refreshing with a full fruity flavor and crispy finish. Both pages of the menu offer pure and traditional Japanese sushi, with the chef’s unique plates woven throughout. From the top, there are classic starters like edamame and seaweed salad. Then it’s on to classic rolls, onigiri, signature rolls and dishes, sashimi, nigiri, hand rolls, rice bowls and riceless rolls. Not to worry if your idea of sushi caters to the likes of a California roll. There’s one roll on the menu just for you, the Philly roll, which has cream cheese. The sashimi and nigiri options take up about a quarter of the menu, with exotic and impressive options like A5 wagyu, Ora King salmon, sea urchin and flying fish roe. Fi- nally, there is a triple chocolate cake or coco- nut pineapple ice cream for dessert. We are well acquainted with the classics, so we opted for two dishes from the list of signatures: the Mango Madai Crudo ($26) and the Dual Hama Jalapeno roll ($19). Crudo is a raw seafood dish usually dressed with olive oil, citrus and, sometimes, vinegar. Ours was made with red snapper, mango, sprouts, scallions, siracha and a garlic kosho (a type of Japanese seasoning paste). The Chris Wolfgang The brisket Philly at Loop 9 BBQ. | CITY OF ATE | ▼ Dish Aaren Prody The Dual Hama Jalapeno signature roll at Shodo Japanese Kitchen. >> p18
