City of Ate from p13 breakfast items like eggs Benedict, pancakes, and shrimp and grits. The place gets very busy on the weekends, and reservations are strongly encouraged. Oddfellows 316 W. 7th St. (Bishop Arts) Oddfellows in the Bishop Arts District is a nice mix of hipster, casual and comfort- able. If you’re able to snag a seat on the pa- tio, you will have won the weekend brunch lottery when it comes to people- watching. On the weekends, be prepared to wait for a table as it is first come, first served. But the wait is worth it when you’re able to partake in dishes like bread pudding French toast ($13), beignets ($10), shrimp and grits ($18) and eggs Benedict ($15). And if you’re impatient and don’t like to wait, just grab a mimosa (or a carafe) from the cocktail window, and all will be right with the world. Chris Wolfgang VOTE FOR US BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT BEST OF DALLAS 2022 12817 Preston Road, Suite 105 • 972-392-0190 indiapalacedallas.com VOTE FOR US BEST OF DALLAS 2022 INTRODUCE YOUR DALLAS FORK TO THE TASTE OF Smithy on Henderson 2927 N. Henderson Ave. (Knox-Henderson) No one sets out to have a hangover unless, of course, it’s the Hangover 2.0 ($18) at Smithy’s. Habanero fried chicken, bourbon maple syrup, cage-free eggs, sausage, brown sugar pecan bacon, crispy hash browns and roasted poblano cream gravy, all layered in a jumbo buttermilk biscuit, makes for booze- soaking comfort food at its best. Other brunch options include the salmon Benedict ($19), grilled tamales ($16) and the farmer’s omelet ($17). And if you need a hair of the dog, they have mimosas, palomas, Bloody Mary’s and other craft cocktails that are sure to cure all that ails you. Meddlesome Moth 1621 Oak Lawn Ave. (Design District) Known as one of Dallas’ original gastropubs, Meddlesome Moth offers a perfect place to get your brunch festivities started. You can dine beneath the famous stained-glass win- dows while you indulge in brunch classics like sticky buns ($11), biscuits and sausage gravy ($10) and the ever-popular Mother and Child Reunion ($18), with buttermilk- fried chicken, jalapeno gravy, homestead grits and scrambled eggs. We love the Bloody Mary, as it’s served with a beer chaser. And since this is a gastropub, the 40- plus craft beer selection is always interest- ing. There are also gluten-free and vegan options available. NY DELICATESSAN RESTAURANT & BAKERY 5 DFW LOCATIONS 14 CINDISNYDELI.COM 2 Jonathon’s Diner 1619 N. Beckley Ave. (Oak Cliff ) While we love the iconic chicken and waf- fles at Jonathon’s Diner, which has diners lingering outside waiting for a table on the weekends, don’t overlook the chicken and house-made peppered biscuits covered in a peppered gravy. The Danger Dogs are made with turkey sausage wrapped in pancake batter. Even the burgers are stellar (we rec- ommend “The Nooner,” with a half-pound patty, bacon, ham, Swiss and American cheese, and a fried egg). While the from- scratch dishes draw the crowds, the $5 mi- mosas keep them there. Groups get louder as the afternoon wears on, clearly partak- ing in the budget-friendly cocktail options. Ebb & Flow 2651 Commerce St. (Deep Ellum) and 7300 Lone Star Drive (Plano) Ebb & Flow’s brunch isn’t for nursing achy heads or a quiet start to your day. Brunch here is more of an event than sustenance — but don’t get us wrong, that sustenance is spot-on. Start with a Salty Brew, which is Salted Caramel Crown Royal and cold brew topped with Baileys Salted Caramel foam. Then dig into a plate of chicken-fried chicken and eggs ($12.99) with a ranch-bat- tered chicken breast half the size of the plate and covered in thick sausage gravy along with two eggs. ▼ FIRST LOOK THE BISHOP ARTS DISTRICT HAS A NEW SPEAKEASY. BY CHRIS WOLFGANG BRANCA ROOM ON THE DOWN LOW to find. Regardless, Dallas’ bar scene has be- come inundated with speakeasies, a term that today refers to a style of bar focused on swanky decor and craft cocktails rather than any attempt to dodge regulators. If there’s an air of secrecy involved in getting in the door, the drinkers of Dallas seem to be all for it. The latest spot to capitalize on the Y trend is the Branca Room in Bishop Arts. It’s tucked in the back of Chimichurri Bis- tro on Seventh Street. Sure, patrons can walk through the restaurant and find the hidden bar through the wine cellar, but the true speakeasy experience requires you to slip down the alley just south of Seventh Street, between Dallas Grilled Cheese Co. to the east and Eno’s to the west, and look for the red light hanging above an unmarked door. Step inside, and Branca Room’s space is lit mostly by a crystal chandelier overhead and color-changing lights in the trim and be- hind the bar, all of which highlight the color- ful murals that span the longest wall. Branca Room is the brainchild of James Slater and Chimichurri owner Jesus Car- es, we know it’s been 89 years since Prohibition ended, so there’s no le- gal reason to make your bar difficult Branca Room is Bishop Arts’ newest speakeasy. mona. The two met several years ago when both worked at Knife. Carmona previously ran Tacos Mariachi, which closed during the pandemic, before opening Chimichurri in late 2020. Carmona had always planned for a speakeasy in the restaurant, and Slater tells us the idea behind Branca Room was to style a bar with a blend of European and South American influences. “I wanted a bar that felt very European. We make our own amaro, our own ver- mouth, so we can come up with some really different cocktails,” says Slater. Creative cocktails are half the appeal of Branca Room. There’s the Rosae Crucis ($16), made with mezcal, amaro, turbinado sugar and lemon. The cocktail is served in a bird-shaped glass with a sprig of lavender that makes the bird’s tail. The smoky mezcal and lavender might be the perfect summer drink, and drinking out of a bird’s beak adds to the vibe. Or you and a friend can order the Amaro Transfusion ($24), a blend of amaro, ver- mouth, rye whiskey and jasmine that is served in an IV bag on a stand and poured into a glass with a large single cube of ice. Don’t expect privacy if you order this, as strangers will become friends who drop by your table to ask what you’re drinking. The other half of Branca Room’s appeal is watching Slater hop from bar to table, mak- ing cocktail suggestions, taking and bringing drink orders, all with a wide smile on his face. Slater’s laugh is infectious, and patrons of the Branca Room can’t help but be swept up by Slater and the team’s joyous mood. On the Friday night we visited, Branca Room had a steady mix of patrons who popped in for drinks as well as groups that were posted up at the bar. Slater tells us that he’s always wanted to open a bar like Branca Room, and he’s grateful for its popularity thus far. “This has really gone better than I hoped,” Slater says. “We’ve really been blessed.” Branca Room, 324 W. Seventh St. (inside Chimichurri Bistro). 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