12 June 19 - 25, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents the best in the area. And, all this goodness is available every day. Zavala’s Barbecue 421 W. Main St., Grand Prairie We’ll go ahead and throw out a controversial opinion: Tortillas are just as good, if not bet- ter, an accompaniment than white bread when it comes to barbecue. At Zavala’s, we long for those fluffy tortillas, either on the side or wrapping up a Sloppy Juan. Zavala’s mix of Mexican heritage with Texas barbe- cue produces brisket and ribs with an extra spicy zing, and there’s a cilantro-heavy green sauce that goes perfectly with anything on the menu. Last year, Zavala’s opened a coun- ter outside Section 121 of American Airlines Center, which means you can take in a Mavs or Stars game with a side of Zavala’s brisket goodness. What a time to be a sports fan. ▼HIDDEN GEMS HEAD TO RED OAK FOR TOP TIER LOUISIANA-STYLE FRIED CATFISH RED OAK HAS A CULINARY GEM AT PRICES THAT MAKE IT WORTH THE 20-MINUTE TREK. BY NICK REYNOLDS F ried catfish isn’t hard to find. Finding legitimately good fried catfish — that’s a different story. In Red Oak (a 20-ish minute drive south of Dallas down Interstate 35), you’ll find a small family-run outfit tucked away next to a bar- ber shop specializing in Louisiana-style fried catfish. Blink when you drive by, and you’ll miss it. Best Thing Flopping doles out some seri- ously mean fried catfish here. Which, consid- ering the lineage, should come as no surprise. Tracing the roots of Best Thing Flopping takes us all the way back to Louis “Jack” Car- roll, who founded Louisiana Fried Catfish in 1980. The Highland Hills location was leg- endary. Carroll’s daughter, Armentha “Peaches” Carroll, took over and managed it until 1994, along with her husband, Johnny Johnson. Peaches would go on to open another location in Duncanville, naming it Peaches Louisiana Fried Catfish and Chicken, which was eventu- ally passed on to Andre Baker (the location to- day is Louisiana Fried Catfish and Chicken). So, where does Best Thing Flopping fit into this? LaChristopher “Chris” Carroll, the grandson of the man who started it all (Louis Carroll), owns Best Thing Flopping. Fried catfish, Louisiana-style, runs deep in this family’s blood. And what exactly is Loui- siana-style fried catfish? It’s catfish typically soaked in buttermilk, breaded in creole- or Cajun-seasoned cornmeal and deep-fried un- til golden. Sounds simple, but there’s a magic touch to it all that separates mediocre fried catfish from top-shelf fried catfish. Browse some of the online reviews, and it’s clear they’re pros at the craft here. “The catfish is real catfish, not Swai. And it’s seasoned and cooked to perfection.” – Cedric C “I heard good things about Best Thing Flop- ping, and it’s all true.” – Sharron D “Absolutely the best REAL catfish in DFW. It’s worth the fight for a parking space.” – NeKey J “I can’t lie; being born and raised in Dallas, I’ve had my fair share of catfish around the city, and this is top-ranked. Seasoned well, fried amazingly, and the flavor is unmatched.” – Mike C “Listen … please run and don’t walk to this establishment for your fried catfish fill. I live in Cedar Hill, and I’ll gladly bypass Royal’s and The Catfish Connection to drive the extra 10 miles for this delicious, crispy catfish. Please keep serving the community fresh and perfectly fried and seasoned fish!” – Naturally Me “Perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfec- tion.” – Pamela S “You must try it for yourself. Catfish and fries, seasoned and cooked to perfection.” – Karrie D Using quotes from online reviews risks sounding like an advertisement or a restaurant press release, but we’re giving you a glimpse into why there’s competitive jostling for park- ing spots at Best Thing Flopping. Yes, we take our fried catfish seriously in the South. True to form, there was just one parking spot left when we arrived to pick up our order (you can dine in, but Best Thing Flopping leans more towards a to-go establishment). We ordered the catfish strips and shrimp combo ($23). All orders are cooked to order and served with fries, bread, pickles and pep- pers. The to-go box we were handed was ready to burst at the seams — they definitely don’t skimp on portions here. A single order fed three of us (and we still had leftovers). We won’t be able to describe the catfish better than the quotes above, so we won’t try. Just know that it’s damn good Southern fried catfish (and the fried shrimp was legit, too). Even the fries, which we typically don’t get overly excited about, were awesome (they were super crunchy and had the perfect tinge of grease). It’s easy to see why parking lot real estate at Best Thing Flopping can be limited. They have combos that feature fillets and shrimp or links, as well as catfish nuggets and strip combos. Or you can get baskets with ei- ther catfish strips, catfish nuggets, shrimp, or links. Fillets or regular bone-in catfish are available (add $2 for fishtails). For the full menu and daily specials, check out its Face- book page. Best Thing Flopping, 2506 Ovilla Road, Ste. C, Red Oak. Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. ▼CITY EATS THE 9 BEST RESTAURANTS IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS EXPLORING THE BEST DOWNTOWN DALLAS RESTAURANTS, FROM OMAKASE COUNTERS TO MODERN STEAKHOUSES AND TRATTORIAS WITH SERIOUS CULINARY CRED. BY AAREN PRODY D owntown Dallas may seem like all work and no play, but there are plenty of reasons to stick around, like two- Michelin-starred chefs serving sushi and pizza masters who immigrated directly from Naples. Longtime landmarks are making room for bold newcomers; the West End is making a comeback (didn’t you hear?); and dinner in Dallas’ core is back on the table. These are the best restaurants in down- town Dallas. Sushi | Bar & Sushi by Scratch 2115 Jackson St. & 1321 Commerce St. (inside The Adolphus) Sushi Bar and Sushi by Scratch were founded by the same chef, in the same city and are similarly priced. Both downtown Dallas sushi restaurants serve varying-course omakases, averaging around $150 before taxes, gratuity and an optional drink pairing. While the first few seatings of dinners sold out in seconds at these two spots, there’s a little more leeway now and you can get lucky week of, but abso- lutely get a booking when reservations go live the first of each month. Partenope Ristorante 1903 Main St. For two years, Partenope Ristorante has been named one of the top 50 pizzerias in the U.S. by Italian food and beverage jour- nalists, who perhaps know a thing or two about dough, cheese and perfect sauce. This Italian restaurant is owned by master pizzaiolo and Naples native Dino Santonic- ola and his wife, Megan. For the quality, the pricing is very approachable across all its antipasti, salads, pizzas and pasta dishes. Monday through Friday from 4-6 p.m. is apertivo hour where they offer $8 wines, $9 spritzes and $6 assaggini (small tastes) at the bar or on the patio. Kathy Tran Texas twinkies and birria tacos at Hurtado Barbecue on Harwood St. Kathy Tran Brass Ram is built on a love for prime rib. City of Ate from p11 has you covered. A second location in Addi- son has a bigger bar, massive patio, live music and games like skeeball and air hockey. What’s not to love? Slow Bone 2234 Irving Blvd., West Dallas A recent visit from Guy Fieri informed the rest of the world what we locals already knew: Slow Bone is the insider’s choice for some of the best barbecue in the city limits. Sure, a line forms just after opening, but it moves quickly, and the fact that Slow Bone serves barbecue seven days a week for lunch means you don’t have the rearrange your cal- endar for a visit. The sides here are the best around, with plenty of vegetarian options. Don’t miss the (very slowly) smoked pork chops either, a special on Sundays and Mon- days only. Smokey Joe’s BBQ 6403 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway When Kris Manning took over his father’s barbecue spot, his dad’s style was the only thing he knew. But as his curiosity about smoked meats grew, he learned about styles across the state and applied them to his menu back home. Today, Smokey Joe’s still has the old-school barbecue vibe but deftly shows off influences like East Texas hot links, barbecue brakes (all the ends, not just brisket) and a Central Texas brisket that would be at home in the Hill Country. On a recent visit, we or- dered a boudin link that might have been found in Beaumont or Baton Rouge, proof that Manning’s passion for learning different barbecue techniques knows no bounds. Terry Black’s Barbecue 3025 Main St. Terry Black’s Barbecue has everything a modern barbecue restaurant needs: a historic family name with Central Texas bona fides; a dining room with plenty of space for you and your friends; a full bar that serves beer, bottles of wine and its own specialty cocktail; and some sublime barbecue to boot. Save your pennies and your appetite for the beef rib, and thank us later. It might be an extrava- gance, but a perfectly smoked beef rib ap- proaches fatty, succulent and smoky barbecue nirvana, and Terry Black’s is among
