16 September 5 - 11, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Be a Little Afraid Haunted Castle Cafe opens in Plano. Does it have a ghost of a chance? BY DANIELLE BELLER F ollowing Community Impact’s initial report in May that a gothic haunted house-themed restaurant would be popping up in Plano, we’ve kept our ears open and eyes peeled for when it’d finally open its doors.With the approach of Hal- loween and fall, the Haunted Castle Cafe chose to host its soft opening on Aug. 15. Given how many of us love to revel in all things spooky during this time of year, we imagine this timing will work in the restau- rant’s favor. Eventually. Maybe. With an atmosphere that seems to make guests feel as though they’re eating and drinking inside Hangman’s House of Hor- rors, this spot could be such a fun and novel concept if done well. So, full of anticipa- tion, we stopped by to try it for dinner on a weeknight. Evidently, we’ve not been the only bunch anticipating its opening. Many guests have already taken to Yelp or Google to write re- views that rake the young establishment over the coals, with complaints about ser- vice and a menu offering grown-up entrees in a kid-friendly atmosphere. We found our- selves with a qualm or two (or three) as well. We don’t expect perfection from such a new restaurant. It’s challenging for both diners and owners when significant hype surrounds an opening, and such hype can drive up expectations. Let’s be gracious and say there’s much room for the restaurant and its concept to grow. One common sentiment among online reviews is that it might not have been pre- pared to open. It’s been open just shy of two weeks, so perhaps a bit of time is needed for the restaurant to find its legs. On its website, the Haunted Castle Cafe promises an “eerie experience” and a “spooky ambiance,” and on that it certainly delivers. Anticipating an overall dining experience along the lines of Medieval Times or The Magic Time Machine, we didn’t have the highest expectations for the taste and qual- ity of the food. Our excitement lay mostly in the vibe, decor and service. No one visits Medieval Times expecting a Michelin-star quality meal; a decent meal and a fun time watching people fight with swords on horseback is good enough. As we entered, our eyes adjusted from daylight to the restaurant’s decorations glowing under blacklight: faux cobwebs, life-size figures of characters from horror movies, coffins and lush, gothic-inspired furniture in the waiting area. What it’s done with its 10,000-square-foot space is fun and immersive. The host handed us menus and pointed us toward the bar, which we understood meant we were to seat ourselves. With an impressive Nosferatu-looking fellow loom- ing overhead and vintage-looking light fix- tures, the bar is a highlight, and its drink menu is one of the restaurant’s redeeming qualities. Its list of themed cocktails in- cludes the coffin roasted espresso martini and Smashing Pumpkin, which combines pumpkin spice with bitters and bourbon. It wasn’t busy when we stopped by: maybe six tables and one (very) gleeful pack of children in costumes running around be- neath mylar balloons that suggested a birth- day celebration. Theirs were screeches of joy, but they were screeches nonetheless. The couple who ended up across from us at the bar seemed to think they might have been able to quietly cozy up with their drinks. They appeared a little perturbed. We went with a few appetizers, including the beef empanadas ($12), calamari ($15) and a fig and goat flatbread ($18). The cala- mari was ... adequate. The lemon aioli served alongside it wasn’t well-received; a dining companion remarked that it tasted like “plastic bottle.” It certainly didn’t taste fresh. A side of marinara paired better. Next up was the fig and goat flatbread ($18), which didn’t quite live up to its poten- tial. The menu doesn’t have descriptions un- der many of its items, and we asked what toppings came on the flatbread. The bar- tender described it as a margherita pizza with tomatoes, spinach and figs. The upside of this pizza is that it didn’t skimp on the cheese. Its downside was that it, like the restaurant itself, pulled in a few too many directions. The crust of the flat- bread was nice, but the addition of tomato- based sauce and cherry tomatoes introduced an acidic and savory flavor that clashed with the sweetness of the figs and tanginess of the goat cheese. Marinara and figs just wasn’t our favorite combo. Next up were the empanadas. Their fill- ing had an odd texture reminiscent of a fro- zen burrito, with beef that seemed to have been processed enough to be blended into a smooth paste. Almost worse was that their temperature was inconsistent — some cold and others warm — making us a little afraid that they’d either been microwaved or left sitting under a heat lamp for a long while. In terms of service, there wasn’t much. Our bartender was friendly and smiled at us when they could. Though there were few ta- bles, it seemed as if the staff was struggling to stay out of the weeds. It’s not entirely clear what this restaurant is trying to be. Is it trying to be a spot that uses its theme to attract children’s birthday parties, or is it a place that aims to attract adults for nice dinners and craft cocktails with a $45 Chilean sea bass entree on its menu? It tries to do both, and in the words of Taylor Swift, “Chase two girls, lose the one.” If you choose to stop by, perhaps give it a few weeks. Love, care and time might im- prove it. Haunted Castle Cafe, 1900 Dallas Park- way, Plano. Daily, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. ▼ FIRST LOOK LAND OF BIG FLAVORS LYARI CAFE BRINGS A WHOLE SUBCONTINENT OF FLAVORS TO NORTHWEST DALLAS. BY AAREN PRODY A s Indian food continues to evolve around Dallas, we’re humbled every day by the endless amounts of chicken biryani, naan and thick mango chut- ney there are to try in any given neighbor- hood. But it’s not every day that you get access to the cuisine of the entire Indian subconti- nent, which is what Lyari Cafe brings to Dal- las. The cafe’s namesake is a neighborhood of Karachi, Pakistan, along the Arabian Sea. In- spired by the melting pot of cultures and fla- vors, Lyari Cafe showcases authentic Indian and Pakistani halal cuisine using locally sourced ingredients. We were eager to try a variety of foods from the menu, as we are still dipping our toes into the complex flavors of the region. Naturally, we grabbed samosas to start: aalu, chicken and beef. Our favorite was the aalu (spiced potato and pea), but all three of them had a variety of ingredients that brought complex flavors and a wish that we had doubled our order. The three sauces on the table? Also good. We didn’t catch the names, but they’re each very different. The first is a refresh- ing, yogurt-based sauce with mint and other herbs; the middle man is a type of tamarind chutney; the last one is chili- heavy in all the right ways. Adding any or all of these only adds to the flavors of whatever you put it on. If, like us, you don’t have much knowl- edge about this regional cuisine, ordering is a touch interesting. None of the menu items have descriptions, so in a way you order blind, but you won’t be disappointed with the outcome. If you need help, the employ- ees are happy to explain any dish and give personal recommendations. Also, there is crazy value in the menu. Where else are you going to get a basket of freshly made naan for $1.99? Let us know. We’d love to stop in. For mains, we ventured outside of the typical butter chicken order and tried ni- hari beef, a rich, slow-cooked meat stew, and beef behari, a popular Pakistani street food made with thin strips of marinated beef that are finished off with coal smoke. Accompaniments were house-made mango lassi and two types of naan, garlic and butter. What’s deceiving about Indian food is that at a glance it’s easy to assume basic flavors are happening in any given dish, but one bite proves the cuisine is a feast for the senses. There are so many different flavors hap- pening at any given time, and they can be transformed further by sopping up some curry with a piece of naan, adding sauces or something as simple as a fresh element on top of a rich stew. And when it tastes home- cooked like these dishes do, you can never get enough. If you’re familiar with desserts outside of the scope of the U.S., you know the most common trait among them is that they’re never too sweet. Our two desserts, kheer and gulab jamon, were exactly that. Kheer is a type of rice pudding in which the grains, whole milk and sugar are slow cooked to a creamy consistency. A bit like oatmeal but not nearly as soggy. Cardamom, saffron, jaggery and pistachios are added for a complex flavor. Gulab jamun are a classic dessert in the region made by frying milk-based dough balls and soaking them in a syrup made with green cardamom, saffron, clove and rose wa- ter. It’s straightforward in concept, but many of the steps and ingredients added to the recipe are done to ensure the dough balls hold structure and don’t get too soggy while in the syrup. All of the desserts are premade and served in tiny to-go containers, which makes it easy to pick up another two or three on your way out the door. You’ll be more than tempted to. Lyari Cafe, 11641 Harry Hines Blvd. Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Fri- day – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Danielle Beller The decorations, including a fog machine, are on point. | CITY OF ATE | ▼ Dish
