20 April 18 - 24, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents The Old Monk 2847 N. Henderson Ave. Dallas-favorite Irish pub The Old Monk has a hidden brunch menu that’s small but mighty. Indulge in a spread of eggs Benedict, breakfast tacos or Irish-smoked salmon ba- gels, all with a side of crispy pub brunch po- tatoes. Don’t miss out on the chicken and biscuits topped with jalapeno-cheese-sau- sage gravy, or the famous bread pudding, crowned with a dollop of whipped cream and housemade whiskey sauce. Five-dollar mimosas don’t sound too bad, either. Parigi 3311 Oak Lawn Ave. This Dallas gem has become a recent favor- ite for its hearty brunch menu, patio seating and stellar service. The menu at Parigi is seasonal, even daily, so there’s always some- thing new to try. Standouts include the chef’s daily risotto and French-inspired pate, served with unlimited complimentary bread. Don’t ever leave this place without getting the Chocolate Glob, a Dallas institu- tion. Brunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Revolver Gastro Cantina 2646 Elm St. Revolver is all about tacos and parties six days a week, but save Sunday for brunch when they serve up one of the best authentic Mexican spreads in the city. If the menudo and freshly made corn tortillas don’t cure whatever ails you, then you’re not curable. Everything is traditional Michoacan style and amazing. Carnitas, guisados, chilaquiles, wagyu bistek — the whole menu is listed on their website. Brunch is $35 and is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday only. Standard Pour 2900 McKinney Ave. The Standard Pour serves a classic Ameri- can brunch early on the weekends and transforms into one of the city’s best bars at nighttime. An unfussy menu of omelets, Benedicts and biscuits gives the food an al- most nostalgic feel, and the customer-favor- ite cinnamon buns topped with vanilla glaze and berry compote, or the red velvet pan- cakes, which come shaded a deep red color, are sure to please. Clever drinks like the strawberry-basil mimosa flaunt exotic fla- vors and strong potencies. What’s a brunch visit without a few standard pours? TacoLingo 2301 N. Akard St. Find a uniquely Tex-Mex brunch spread at TacoLingo, which offers brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends. Start with the signature smoky queso or homemade guaca- mole, which pairs naturally with a plate of chicken-and-waffle tacos or breakfast bur- rito, brimming with scrambled egg and slow-roasted brisket. A must-try brunch cul- minates in a plate of house-made churro do- nuts, dusted with sea salt and served with a dollop of horchata icing. Enjoy it all with a $3 mimosa, froses and bloody marys. Or per- haps one of each. Toulouse 3314 Knox St., Dallas, and 7301 Windrose Ave., Plano A French-inspired restaurant in Dallas and Plano, Toulouse is quite the obvious pick for a uniquely French brunch in Dallas. Prices are on the higher end, but fresh ingredients and an iconic setting — dotted with antique French paintings and trinkets — justify the price and the time spent. Start with an or- nately decorated slab of avocado toast gar- nished in smoked salmon and caviar, or the quiche of the day, crafted with seasonal in- gredients. For $12, add a basket of Tou- louse’s signature croissants, served flaky and warm. Yo! Lobster 33B Highland Park Village Seafood-themed brunch is a must-try at least once in Dallas, and the perfect oppor- tunity presents itself at Yo! Lobster, a lob- ster-centric brunch spot in Highland Park. Brunch lasts from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on week- ends and starts with smoked salmon toast, eggs Benedicts, sandwiches or cheese-filled omelets, any of which can be topped with a serving of hot buttered lobster for a hefty (but justified) premium. Classic or grape- fruit mimosas, prosecco spritzers and bloody marys enhance the visit. Ida Claire 5001 Belt Line Road, Addison “Fine Southern” is the cuisine at Ida Claire, an Addison gem that dabbles in everything hot, fried and uniquely Southern … but with a fine dining twist. Sample from shareable plates like the Nashville fried cauliflower dressed in sesame seeds, or the fried oysters served with the restaurant’s signature Comeback Sauce and an addicting lemon butter. Ida’s fried chicken plate is a safe op- tion, as is the specialty quiche, crafted with a mix of uniquely Southern ingredients. Still hungry? Try the signature french toast, an ultra-fluffy creation adorned with the kitch- en’s choice of seasonal ingredients, or the pull-apart cinnamon roll, which boasts a messy topping of toffee sauce and toasted pecans. Yellow Rosa Cocktaileria 2901 Commerce St. The Sunday Funday vibes are 10 of 10 at Yel- low Rosa, and the mariachi band is live on the aux (although somehow never too loud, perhaps because of the super high ceilings). The chef pulls straight from his Mexican roots with vibrant traditional dishes. Every brunch starts with a basket of bread and fresh fruit. Go for the guiso rojo, a hearty and rich dish and full of redemption. Or you can go Americana traditional with avocado toast or chicken and waffles. This is a great spot for birthday celebrations, too — well, for the 21 and older crowd. Shots! Shots! Shots! Shots! ▼ OPENINGS NEW ITALIAN PHOENIX-BASED HASH KITCHEN AND THE SICILIAN BUTCHER TO OPEN NEAR FORT WORTH. BY CARLY MAY GRAVLEY H ash Kitchen and The Sicilian Butcher, two splashy Arizona-based restaurants from chef Joey Mag- giore, will debut in Fort Worth near Alli- ance Airport this spring. Hash Kitchen, a brunch spot known for its build-your-own bloody mary bar, is slated to open on May 2 at 3200 Tracewood Way. The Sicilian Butcher, a modern-casual Italian place serving from-scratch pasta and “craft meat- balls,” is projected to open right next door in June. More of these restaurants are set to open across the state, including closer to Dallas, over the next year. Maggiore says Fort Worth felt like a natural place to launch his restaurants in Texas. “I love the market. I’ve got family down in Plano, my uncle and cousins, and so I spent a lot of time there” Maggiore tells the Observer. “I love the new area in Fort Worth. I like that there’s other great restaurants in the area. It’s very fun, it’s new. It reminded me of Scottsdale, in a sense, so I was familiar with kind of the market.” The restaurants will be located in a new retail center just west of the new H-E-B. Torchy’s Tacos, Shell Shack, Firebirds and Chuy’s are nearby. The restaurant business runs in Maggio- re’s family. His father, Tomaso Maggiore, was a titan of Phoenix’s food scene, operating To- maso’s Italian Restaurant from 1977 until his death in 2021. The elder Maggiore remains a major source of inspiration for his son. “When I started cooking, I trained under my father and you know it’s never easy work- ing with your father, but I idolized what he did,” Maggiore says. “He used to make a dish, bring it to people and they would get all ex- cited and say, ‘Wow, what an amazing meal!’ And I wanted that for myself.” The Sicilian Butcher (and its accompany- ing bakery, The Sicilian Baker) is where Maggiore’s Italian roots have a chance to shine. The “craft meatballs” alone have made its three locations in the Phoenix area well-documented favorites of local foodies. “The Sicilian Butcher offers an unprece- dented range of meatballs, one that will ap- peal to the child or stoner in everyone,” wrote Chris Malloy of the Phoenix New Times when the restaurant debuted in 2017. Maggiore describes it as having an “old school” and “super sexy” vibe. Hash Kitchen, on the other hand, seems like the Instagrammable brunch spot to end all Instagrammable brunch spots. The inte- riors of previous locations feature bold, eye- catching walls that make the perfect backdrop for a selfie. And if you’re too hum- ble for selfies, the frittatas, pancakes and cocktails look pretty enough to co-star in your #SundayFunday post. Maggiore calls Hash Kitchen his “super fun, out-of-the-box, crazy brunch concept.” Dallas knows how to brunch, so that statement made us skeptical. However, 24K gold-flaked Billionaire’s Bacon and Brunchi- lada Stack Hach looks sufficiently out-of- the-box. Fair enough. The Ham(mer) Time sandwich is made with carved brown sugar ham, American cheese, hash browns and a fried egg Courtesy of Hash Kitchen Order a bloody mary and they’ll throw in a meal of sorts. Katie Appleton Brunch options at the Standard Pour. City of Ate from p19 >> p22