17 June 27 - July 3, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents In the Mood East Dallas’ Alice provides good vibes for its neighborhood and chef. BY CHRIS WOLFGANG P eople love to brag about a great neighborhood restaurant as if they’re sharing a secret with outsiders. There are no rules for a neighborhood haunt; maybe it’s a pizza place or a greasy spoon, and more likely than not the owners are front and cen- ter. Whatever the menu, the neighborhood go-to always feels welcoming. When a neighborhood is missing its signature spot to dine out, the absence is almost palpable. Alice, the Pan-Asian restaurant in East Dallas, is the kind of neighborhood joint we all secretly long for. It’s intimate, with room for fewer than a dozen at their cozy bar; an- other three dozen diners at tables would bring the restaurant to near capacity. It’s styl- ish and a little quirky, with disco balls hang- ing from the ceiling, and a DJ spinning music on most nights. It’s upbeat and never intru- sive. By your second visit or so, the staff will likely recognize you, reinforcing the neigh- borhood vibe. Alice’s executive chef, Randall Braud, adores the neighborhood that seems to return the adoration in equal measure. “I really love this neighborhood,” Braud tells us. “We get nurses and stuff from Bay- lor, and a lot of people from the new apart- ments over here.” Reservations are taken and often fill up, but Braud says they still get a lot of walk-ins. The neighbors come for a Pan-Asian in- spired menu, which Braud has tweaked and expanded since he came on board earlier this year. For Braud, the opportunity pre- sented itself at a low point in his life. Braud was close friends with Joshua Bonee, and when Braud was looking for new opportunities, Bonee invited him to come cook at Columbian Country Club, where Bonee had been con- sulting. Bonee’s sud- den death in January shocked the industry and hit Braud espe- cially hard. “I was kind of a mess, to be honest,” Braud says. “It felt weird to be cooking Josh’s recipes, and not be able to pick his brain.” Brian Rutt, who owns both Alice and Co- lumbian Country Club, invited Braud to come to Alice, which has been open since 2018 but had recently lost its executive chef. The move has helped Braud refocus, and he’s been making subtle changes to Alice’s offerings. Given Alice’s small size, reservations are a smart play. We dropped in early on a Friday without reservations, only to find the restau- rant had been booked out for a private party. A week or so later, three of us secured bar seats on a weeknight without a reservation. Your mileage may vary, but if a meal is key to your evening plans, go ahead and schedule a table in advance. Also surprising for a restaurant of Alice’s size is the impressive beverage selection. The wine list embraces eight white varieties from France, Italy, New Zealand and the U.S. and another dozen or so reds, all available by the glass or the bottle. Alice has about half a dozen craft cocktails on offer, as well as a handful of sake selections to round out the drink menu. Alice rocks a solid sushi game, and we found the nigiri platter ($28) to be an ideal meal for one on its own, or an appetizer shared for the table. The half-dozen pieces of fish, split equally between yellowtail hama- chi, ahi tuna and salmon, are cleanly sliced into hefty-sized portions. A side of house pickled ginger cleanses the palate nicely, while the cured seaweed and wasabi can add a pungent kick should the mood strike. If su- shi rolls are more your speed, Alice serves up eight that should appeal to most appetites. Beyond sushi, Alice’s entrees hopscotch the Asian culture. In the mood for Chinese? Try the steamed bao buns ($16), filled with smoked brisket, spicy chicken and pickled vegetables, wrapped in tender steamed bao that sports just the right touch of sweetness. Got an urge for Thai? Alice’s chicken pad Thai ($18) will satisfy your cravings with its pile of noodles, julienned carrots, red jalape- ños, diced peanuts and chili sauce. The fla- vors are spot on, although we’re gluttons who prefer a little more heat in our pad Thai. Braud noticed that Alice was lacking in Korean flavors, so he went to work. There are Korean-style wings ($16), glazed with sweet honey and spicy chili oil. Braud serves only the flats for the extra flavor they provide over drums, a move that pays off with each bite. On an earlier visit, we tried the skirt steak with jasmine rice and caramelized onion ($26). The steak was tender but under-sea- soned, and the onions were cooked well short of caramelization. Braud has tweaked the dish with a bulgogi marinade while swapping out the onions for steamed broccoli. It’s a dish we look forward to trying on another visit. The dessert offerings are thin, with only a Key lime pie or a chocolate pie. When we chatted with Braud after a solo meal, he told us was working on matcha cheesecake. Along with the bulgogi, it sounds like we’ll have our choices ready to go on our next visit. Braud is also working on additional menu items for Columbian Country Club and Black Swan Saloon, Gabe Sanchez’s reincar- nated bar with a new home next door to Al- ice, where Rutt is a co-owner. In the interim, Braud will keep updates coming to Alice’s menu with his keen sense of direction for dynamic flavors in Asian cuisine. This part of East Dallas is undergoing a revitalization, with new spots like Black Swan and Columbian Country Club speak- ing to a renewed belief in the area. With Al- ice, that commitment has been in place for years and the locals wildly adore it. And sometimes, a neighborhood restaurant can channel a little of that love back, helping a chef like Braud find a new home. Alice, 1623 N. Hall St. Tuesday – Wednes- day, 5–10 p.m.; Thursday 5 p.m. – midnight; Friday – Saturday, 5 p.m. – 2 a.m. t Dish Alison McLean Pad Thai (top) is comfort food at this neighborhood spot. Alice (bottom) is filled with elegant touches, a marble bar and spray paint on the walls.
