| CITY OF ATE | ▼ Dish World at Your Door Where to find Netflix’s Midnight Asia dishes in DFW. BY DIDI PATERNO long haul flights to six different countries. Who’s got both money and time anyway? You’re not Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk. But we’re #Blessed to live in North Texas in 2022, and we regular folk can make that trip in our cars and enjoy the treats. Even in the daylight. S Lugaw or Arroz Caldo from Manila You may need a personal invitation to a Fili- pino home to get a bowl of lugaw (rice por- ridge) or arroz caldo (chicken rice porridge). Fortunately, we have people like Anna Swann, a second-generation Filipino Ameri- can, of Ulam Dallas: Modern Filipino Kitchen, who puts her own spin on tradi- tional Filipino fare. She recently did a pop- up at Sandwich Hag’s that offered this comforting dish. Follow her on the socials to find her next pop-up for this perfect balm to cold and rainy days. You also can visit your nearest Filipino restaurant such as Kabayan Filipino Store and Cafe in Lewisville (2305 Texas 121, #165) or make the drive up to ORC Filipino/ Asian BBQ in Princeton (10424 County Road 1099). It may not be on the regular menu, but do take a chance and ask if it is on the steam table or a special. Pav Bhaji from Mumbai You better love butter to truly enjoy a pav bhaji. This bowl of spiced mashed vegetable and tomato gravy is topped with a pat of but- ter and served with a side of chopped raw red onions, a lemon wedge and two dinner rolls sliced in the middle. Squeeze the lemon into the gravy, mix in the melting butter and onions, butterfly the buns open to expose the crisp interior, browned over a buttered griddle. Even after you rip off a piece of bread and dip it into the gravy, it still re- mains crisp. Down with filtered kapi, strong milky coffee served in a stainless steel cup nested inside a bowl, which are both used to pour then stretch the liquid to create its sig- nature froth. Drive over to Sankalp: Taste of India in Plano (3680 Texas 121, Suite 300) or Kwality Kabab and Grill in Carrolton (2548 Dicker- son Parkway, Suite 124) to fulfill your pav bhaji dreams. o you’ve binged on the entire Midnight Asia series on Netflix. Now you’re hungry and curious to try all the dishes featured in each episode but can’t take the Did Paterno Fried Chicken from Seoul The other KFC, Korean fried chicken, is no stranger to DFW. At bustling K-Towns in Dallas and Carrolton, you’re sure to find at least one restaurant out of several. Bb.q Chicken (1827 SW Green Oaks Blvd., Arlington) serves its double-fried chicken in variations: cut-up whole chickens, wings, even boneless strips or just fried or dressed in sticky dressing that never makes the breading soggy. Bring friends to share over local beers or a bottle of Soju, a Korean li- quor. Then choose two to three of many fla- vors that range from the original golden olive to sweet and savory soy garlic to mild- spiced Gang Jeong to four-chili rated Wings of Fire. Oyster Cake from Taipei Taipei Station Cafe (930 W. Parker Road) is one of Plano’s Taiwanese culinary stalwarts. Crispy on the edges, doused in a sweet-sa- vory sauce and filled with plump oysters, the oyster omelet is soft enough to be sliced with chopsticks. Taipei Station remains takeout only for now, but call ahead, get cash and pick up. Should you desire a wider selection of street food as if in the Ningxia night market, Hoja Bubble Tea and Asian Street Food at Spring Creek and Alma is the place to be. Izakaya from Tokyo Walking through the doors of Mr. Max Iza- kaya (3028 N. Belt Line Road) is like walking into Narnia, except that it takes you to a cor- ner of Tokyo. An Authentic Japanese Res- taurant institution certified by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Mr. Max has been serving the good traditional stuff for years. While there is a set menu of Japanese staples and bar snacks, order the trio of appetizers, which are chef’s choice, with an ice-cold glass of draft Asahi beer. Try the niku dofu, braised thin slices of beef and tofu served in an iron pot, to stay hot through the coldest of days. Mr. Max is often packed during week- ends, so make reservations a day before to guarantee a seat by the bar. Moo Pla Ra from Bangkok While DFW has a generous selection of Arroz caldo(chicken rice porridge) from Ulam Dallas Thai restaurants, the moo pla ra on Midnight Asia is available in only one restaurant: Too Thai Street Eats (2540 Old Denton Road, Carrollton). The moo pla ra, grilled pork with fermented fish sauce, doesn’t come on a stick as in the series. Instead, chunks of grilled pork and the bowl of pla ra — mashed with chilis, tomatoes and eggplant — is served on a platter surrounded by fresh veg- etables: cabbage, string beans, cucumbers, lettuce and eggplant and sticky rice. This dish is designed to be eaten with your hands, so take a bit of pork with rice and veg- etable and dip it into the pla ra, then shove into your mouth to get the full-on crunch and squish, funk and heat. Round out the experi- ence with an ice-cold bottle of Singha beer, the country’s most popular lager. ▼ OPENINGS SHORT BUT SWEET vorites. February was not as jam-packed as January, but we have gathered 10 of our fa- vorite openings. February started with the opening of the J sleek and sophisticated Wits Steakhouse in the Design District. The South African-in- spired restaurant joins an already crowded steakhouse scene, but as Observer writer Eric Mayne says in his first look, “Once the servers get more training, Wits Steakhouse could be the South African gem we never knew we needed.” Another Dallas steakhouse, Knife, is back open for lunch, but for the midday meal, the restaurant is a more casual concept called Knife Burger. While a bit pricey, we applaud this burger concept. Farm + Feed opened its gaming-centric restaurant in the Shops at Legacy North in Plano. The restaurant and bar is an 8,000-square-foot space with a post-apoca- lyptical theme for gamers and geeks alike 10 BEST NEW DALLAS RESTAURANTS THAT OPENED IN FEBRUARY. BY CHANCE TOWNSEND anuary was packed with the opening of new restaurants in Dallas, along with some closures of old Dallas fa- and has a menu designed by Riot Games’ ex- ecutive chef Matt Yuen. That same day , though, Eater Dallas reported on the closing of the nationally acclaimed Khao Noodle Shop in East Dallas. The Laotian restaurant called it a quits for their Dallas location, but in their farewell message, the owner said they’re not “completely gone yet.” There’s more hot chicken in our future. Two bakeries made their debuts this month. The first is Bresnan’s Bread and Pas- try in McKinney. The husband and wife duo of Matt and Jenna Bresnan has been baking and taking online orders since 2020 before finally opening their small storefront on Louisiana Street. They’re only open on Sat- urdays for now and still have a Saturday De- sign District pickup location, but keep an eye on their website for extended days and hours. The second new bakeshop is the highly regarded Doughregarde, a new place inside Roundhouse Food Hall at The Village. Apart from making their own pastries, they also make bread for several other spots in The Village, including Meridian’s daily bread, which if you haven’t tried you should. If you crave tacos with a side of hip-hop and rap, Soulful Tacos had its official open- ing on Feb. 25 in farthest North Dallas at the corner of Marsh Lane and Trinity Mills. They’re a Black-owned establishment with a Black culture-inspired interior and drinks and cocktails made with Black-owned wine and liquor brands. And good tacos to boot. In late February, Toussaint Brasserie opened up in Downton Dallas in the Renais- sance St. Elm Hotel. Named for New Or- leans writer, producer and performer Allen Toussaint, the French-inspired restaurant is a classy and chic fine-dining experience that combines French and Asian flavors. For fans of fried chicken, Nashville Hot Chicken joint Hattie B’s finally landed in Dallas, in Deep Ellum. We got invited to a preopening party and the heat is no joke. Hattie B’s is family-owned, and the father- son team who runs the chain has plans to expand to Houston next year. Don’t skip the sides here. Speaking of sister locations, the Ameri- can-Chinese spot Hei Hei (pronounced “hey hey”) has opened in Lake Highlands from the owners of the popular Cedar and Vine. Hei Hei is unashamed in its creative twist of Chi- nese food with a heavy American accent, and we highly recommend checking them out. Finally, Chicago-themed DL Mack’s re- cently opened in Park Cities. While the pizza isn’t 100% authentic Chicago pizza, the Ob- server’s Amy Meyer says, DL Mack is worth a reservation “if you’re looking for a solid meal with a cozy upscale-tavern setting.” ▼ FIRST LOOK ALL THE GLITTERS ... L THERE’S A NEW KID ON DALLAS’ FANCY-STEAKHOUSE BLOCK, WITS STEAKHOUSE. IT’S SOUTH AFRICAN. BY ERIC MAYNE ike pickup trucks and chili, steak is synonymous with the Lone Star State. Although Texas didn’t invent the idea of cooking a large slab of beef on an open flame, it has definitely helped perfect the art form. >> p20 19 19 dallasobserver.comdallasobserver.com | CONTENTS | UNFAIR PARK | SCHUTZE | FEATURE | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | MOVIES | DISH | MUSIC | CLASSIFIED | CLASSIFIED | MUSIC | DISH | CULTURE | UNFAIR PARK | CONTENTS DALLAS OBSERVER DALLAS OBSERVER MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2014 MARCH 10–16, 2022
