22 OctOber 5–11, 2023 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents If you prefer to sip on a draught European or Belgian beer while enjoying a formidable burger, The Old Monk is your home. Also here: some of the best fish and chips in the city. It’s within walking distance of two sis- ter pubs: Skellig and Spider Murphy’s, each with its own good patio scene. . Katy Trail Ice House 3127 Routh St. The Katy Trail Ice House is a massive tree- shaded beirgarten along the Katy Trail, which means you can sit there and sip a beer and think about that time you tried jogging. (Coulda thrown a rock further.) A bad time is just not to be had here. Service is so good for such a large space; each sec- tion, even on the patio, has its own dedi- cated server who’s always hanging around while runners (the good kind) bring food and drinks out. Summer and winter, and every space in between, is fun out there. Got get some fresh air and think about that time you almost ran. Ryder Cup Grille at Omni PGA Frisco 4341 PGA Parkway, Frisco We don’t head this far north often, so when we do it’s for good reason. This is one of the new restaurants at the massive PGA devel- opment in Frisco. The Ryder Cup Grille in- side the Omni has county club vibes but the views from the patio are the real draw here. Tables overlook the new Fields Ranch golf course and a vast open vista. If your MO is a touch escapist, try the new Ryder Cup Grille. No putting required. Ferris Wheelers Backyard & BBQ 1950 Market Center Blvd. Don’t sleep on the barbecue at Ferris Wheel- ers; it’s legitimate despite any other hokey- ish features — e.g., a Ferris wheel. The large outdoor space fits almost 1,500 of your clos- est friends, but it really gets that busy only when there’s live music. During lunch and dinner, dozens gather at the picnic tables and bar for tender slices of brisket and cold drinks. They also host Cowboys watch par- ties, sound on. Paradiso 308 N. Bishop Ave. Paradiso is a summer dress on a sunny day. Square in the middle of the Bishop Arts District, the tree-shaded courtyard is tucked away from the street so that all the parking tussles just melt right away. The one-page menu has pizza, pasta and a few Mediterranean dishes, plus there’s a whole separate menu for brunch, which is, hon- estly, what Paradiso was built for. You can bring the girls here, Mom or a date. It’s a lovely escape. Cold Beer Company 3600 Main St. Cold Beer Company hides just outside of Deep Ellum a bit on the down low. We haven’t pulled out the tape measure, but it seems like there’s more space outdoors than inside. The beer list is large (24 on draft, 36 cans) and a grilled pimento cheese sand- wich helps soak it up. It’s no frills here. Just come hang out and have a drink. Maybe watch a game. End of Tweet. Thunderbird Station 3400 Commerce St. Thunderbird Station is a Dallas gem. Just outside of Deep Ellum, this bar wants to be an amazing restaurant when it grows up serving retro hits like Sloppy Joes, bo- logna sandwiches and Frito pies. Drinks are inspired by vintage treats like the Peel Out, a Push-Up Pop-inspired cocktail with vodka that is only $5 during happy hour on weekdays, 4–7 p.m. Wednesday is Mex- ican Pizza night (a la Taco Bell). The large patio often hosts local markets and DJs for a bonafide good time. Saint Ann 2514 Harry Hines Blvd. We can’t really talk about patios in Dallas without including Saint Ann. This is really more of a gardenscape made for leisurely meals with friends, with live music on occa- sion. It all adds up to something pleasant even when the weather isn’t. The menu, in- cluding brunch, is Americana. There’s a prix fixe dinner menu Wednesday through Sat- urday for $35. Try the $22 carafes of white or red wine sangria on Sangria Wednesdays. And why isn’t Sangria Wednesday a national holiday? Cafe Madrid 4501 Travis St. Cafe Madrid somehow captures an old- world charm that is impossible to invent and hard to find in these parts. If you can’t book a trip to Spain, come here for authentic Spanish tapas while sipping sangria on the patio. This is not a patio to be “seen” but a place to absorb and relax. Check out the fla- menco dances every first Friday. Chelsea Corner 4830 McKinney Ave. Chelsea Corner has a large climate-con- trolled patio, with plenty of TVs, astroturf and lounge-ish seating made comfy by plenty of fans and misters (or heaters when needed). The menus are all seasonal and the energy is always good. Happy hour (Monday – Thursday, 4–6:30 p.m., and Friday, 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.) includes a variety of craft beer for $6 and cocktails for under $9. Lower Greenville Ave. This is a bit of a copout because, well, we can’t pick just one. Lower Greenville Avenue has matured into a lovely stretch of restau- rants and bars, many with rooftops and pa- tios that offer fantastic food and even better beverages. Large trees dot the neighborhood for shade and ambiance. There’s always a just-right amount of foot traffic to keep it bustling and fun. From Vietnamese bites to pizza, ice cream and fajitas, stroll along Lower Greenville and take your pick of fan- tastic patios to enjoy. ▼ TACOS CHILANGO! SOME OF THE BEST TACOS IN THE CITY JUST LANDED IN EAST DALLAS. BY LAUREN DREWES DANIELS C hilangos recently opened its third and fourth locations: one inside The Exchange food hall (AT&T Discovery District) downtown, and another in East Dallas. Chilangos, one of our top 100 restaurants, was packed on Saturday evening. After eat- ing, we were reminded why. Chilangos’ ta- cos are just so damn good. Chilangos started when its two founders, Jon Garay and Joel Mendoza, serendipi- tously met while both were trying to bring the tacos of their native Mexico City to Dal- las. First, they had a food truck, La Botana. That grew into a brick-and-mortar spot along Harry Hines Boulevard and the change of name to Chilangos. Mendoza, who had experience in high-end kitchens in both Mexico City and Dallas, created the recipes and Garay brought the business and foodie background. Chilangos was one of the first Dallas taco spots to serve birria, which has since spread like wildfire across North Texas. The restau- rant also serves a la costra style of taco where the cheese is cooked directly on the grill and folded into a tortilla. They’ve al- ways made tortillas in-house and kept the menu focused on tacos, offering only chips or elotes for sides. A visit to the new location on Saturday shows they have not been distracted with expansion. It was over 100 degrees outside but the overflow crowd filled the spot’s dozen or so tables. Whole families packed around small tables, with red plates of tacos in front of them. There were more than a half-dozen cooks in the long kitchen, a bit like In-N-Out Burger with workers wearing red and yel- low paper hats and tidy white shirts. The trompo spins at the center of the kitchen with grills on either side. There’s also a small churro station. The space is tight, but it’s fun. Service was fast, especially consider- ing the dinner rush. Tables were cleaned and turned over quickly so the line of people at the front could grab a table. There’s a variety of taco proteins to choose from, all around $3: carne asada, pas- tor, pollo, barbacoa, mushrooms and then birria tacos, which are available on the weekends only. Plus a ribeye for a couple of bucks more, but well worth it. There are also quesadillas for about $5 each, which we haven’t tried yet, but will soon. Everything is offered “con todo” with cilantro and onions. The la costra here is one of the best tacos you’ll ever know. Cheese is slightly crispy on the outside and gooey inside, wrapped around piquant meat (diner’s choice). A lovely hongos (mushroom) taco was Kathy Tran Katy Trail Ice House is massive with good service and a view of trail passerbys. City of Ate from p21 >> p24
