19 December 12 - 18, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents An adventurous, affordable selection of wines and cocktails backs up pretty killer renditions of skillet cornbread, Texas red chili, hot fried quail and summer okra succotash. Some of the mains, such as the big-boned pork chop, are over-the- top in a good way. Alongside Knife and Town Hearth, this is one of the best places to take out- of-town guests who ask for a stereotypically Dallas experience but still care about the food being good. 2386 Victory Park Lane, Dallas, 214- 296-2610, www.billycancan.com. Cafe Momentum: Cafe Momentum is a non- profit venture that employs juveniles previ- ously involved in the justice systerm and pays them fair, living wages to help teach them life skills, leadership and, of course, how to work in a restaurant. Because of the employees’ fair wages, any tips left behind are considered do- nations to the mission. As such, it’s easy to praise the restaurant without ever mentioning food, just by dwelling on the life-changing ef- fects it has on young people who deserve this chance to work and grow. But here’s the thing: Cafe Momentum is a genuinely good restau- rant, one that consistently manages to stand out from the glut of Southern kitchens around town. 1510 Pacific Ave., Dallas, 214-303-1234, cafemomentum.org. Cattleack Barbeque: In an industrial park in Farmers Branch, Cattleack Barbeque lives up to every bit of hype it’s received. Fabulous fatty brisket and extraordinary pulled whole hog are the stars of the show, as is a vinegar-based cole- slaw. Grab another bite of slaw and you’ll be prepared to tackle that next slice of Texas hot link. 13628 Gamma Road, Farmers Branch, 972- 805-0999, cattleackbbq.com. CheapSteaks: There’s a long list of new, glitzy restaurants in Deep Ellum. CheapSteaks is not one of these. Here you’ll get honest food and strong drinks at a fair price, a reflection of the original neighborhood’s gritty character. True to its name, CheapSteaks offers up a trio of beef cuts that punch above their weight class. Light and crispy truffle french fries are the default side choice, but flavorful Brussels sprouts or a baked potato can be subbed for a couple of bucks more. And every night of the week, Cheap- Steaks hosts live music that helps burnish its Deep Ellum bona fides. 2613 Elm St., Dallas, cheapsteaks.net. Cosmo’s Bar & Lounge: Tucked away at the cor- ner of Skillman and Live Oak since 2000 is Cos- mo’s, a restaurant and bar boasting no nonsense, one of a kind hospitality. With a ‘60s lounge vibe, specialty cocktails and an eclectic menu with everything from gourmet pizzas to Vietnamese dishes, Cosmo’s has something for everyone. When you’re there, browse through their extensive VHS collection and make a re- quest or step outside to their patio, which feels like a little oasis outside the noise of the city. 1212 Skillman St., Dallas, 214-826-4200, cosmos- loungedallas.com. Cris and John: Cristina Mendez and John Pham opened Cris and John in 2017 in a North Dallas strip mall — bookended by a 7-Eleven and a laundromat — and have stood out with a cre- ative blend of Vietnamese and Mexican street fare. The center of Cris and John’s menu is the phoritto, which piles all the goodness of a bowl of pho into a warm and crispy tortilla. From there, the menu expands to bao, tacos or banh mi with a variety of fillings, or more traditional pho and ramen. Want loaded fries and spicy wings too? Cris and John’s has you covered, blending cuisines like few others in the city. 5555 Preston Oaks Road, Dallas, 972-803-4750, www.crisandjohn.com. Damasita Izakaya: In its first incarnation, Dama- sita was a tavern with fried foods and bar drinks. After a change of ownership, the dining room has calmed down and become homier, and the menu focuses on traditional cooking. Grab the city’s best gimbap to go — the two-inch-wide rolls, which resemble extra-large maki sushi but with added vegetables, make a perfect picnic food — or enjoy comforting noodle soups. Ex- cellent chive pancakes have just barely enough batter to hold the veggies together. 2564 Royal Lane, Dallas, 469-575-8782. Del Sur Tacos: Oak Cliff’s newest taco sensation is the second location of a business that first opened in McKinney. But Del Sur Tacos has upped its game to compete with Jefferson Bou- levard’s crowd of rival taquerias, with inspired specialty tacos featuring fillings like a chile rel- leno, excellent carnitas, cochinita pibil and birria. Grab some mulitas, too, and enjoy a dish of meat, beans and stacked tortillas that is tragi- cally rare in the Dallas area. 720 E. Jefferson Blvd., Dallas, 972-982-0004 Ebesu Robata & Sushi: Ebesu has been one of Dal- las’ hottest restaurants since its opening, an all- around excellent Japanese spot with no weaknesses and some unique strengths. Most ex- citingly for many diners, it brought the kind of ex- cellence and attention to detail usually associated with Tei-An and Tei Tei Robata, in central Dallas, to the suburbs with its location in downtown Plano. Now suburbanites, too, can enjoy great grilled fish collars, exquisite specialty sushi rolls and boxes of rice topped with salmon roe. 1007 E. 15th St, Plano, 972-212-4564, ebesu-usa.com. Edoko Omakase: Chef Keunsik Lee, a Nobu vet- eran, presides over a thoughtful menu at this hid- den spot in Irving. Some of the sushi items are traditional, but others reflect his Korean heritage or his decades of living in Texas, like the incorpo- ration of wasabi into salsa verde, or the choice to top a spicy tuna roll with dollops of guacamole and yucca chips. If you want, you can even have your sashimi served on corn tortillas as a taco. 1030 W. John Carpenter Freeway, No. 100, Irving, 972-600-8626, edokolascolinas.com. El Carlos Elegante: From the Dallas-based group Duro Hospitality, think of El Carlos Elegante as The Charles’ Mexican cousin. The restaurant is nondescript outside, but inside is a vibrant and lively space, serving authentic Mexican and South American fare with an upscale polish. The best of El Carlos’ dishes center on anything made with house-made masa; the mushroom tetelas or chorizo molotes are brilliant examples. A visit to El Carlos Elegante borders on “special occasion” spending, but the brilliant dishes are worth the price of admission. 1400 N. Riverfront Blvd., Dallas, 214-277-1800. El Come Taco: If you like Tacos La Banqueta but hate waiting in line, try El Come Taco, an Old East Dallas taco joint that’s well on its way to be- coming an institution. Everything at El Come is good, even the simple Jose taco with beans, cheese and avocado, but look out for unusual offerings like tripe, lengua, sesos (veal brains) and chapulines (grasshoppers). Big projectors make this a good place to watch a soccer game, too. 2513 N. Fitzhugh Ave., Dallas, 214-821-3738. El Pueblo: Some of the best enchiladas verdes in Dallas can be found here, and if you agree with us, you can order them in an enormous platter of six; or just get two as they come with sides of ride and beans. There are other hits on the menu too, including picadillo gorditas, lengua tacos and divine mole. Stacks of tortillas make a carni- tas platter or a plate of pollo en mole even more enticing. This is some of Oak Cliff’s best Mexican comfort food. 525 E. Jefferson Blvd., Dallas, 214- 946-3070. Encina: When Encina opened in the fall of 2020, there wasn’t just the pandemic working against them, the restaurant was also taking over the former space of Bolsa, a beloved decade-old North Oak Cliff favorite. It had big shoes to fill. But with the leadership of owners Matt Balke and Corey McCombs, the menu and drink pro- gram are hitting it out of the park. The menu changes somewhat, but you can get the likes of tender pastrami, a decadent turkey leg confit you could share (but you won’t want to) and perfectly crisp chicken thighs. The prices may say this is a place for a special night out, but the equation is there for a good neighborhood res- taurant: food you crave, consistent service and a space you want to be in. 614 W. Davis, Dallas, 469-620-3644, encinadallas.com. Fat Ni: Fat Ni is fun. Everything about it is fun. Well, it’s in a strip mall, but aside from the lo- cation, it’s a good time. To order you’ll get a sheet of paper on which to check off boxes, almost like ordering Girl Scout cookies. It al- lows newbies to get familiar with the options. Then, in the open kitchen you can watch the skewers of meat cooking over the grill. Each skewer is brought out as soon as it’s done, making for a parade of offerings to the table. “Oh! Scallops!” 2528 Old Denton Drive, Suite 310, Carrollton, 469-900-8887. Fattoush Mediterranean Kitchen: Fattoush is tucked away in an obscure strip mall in the even more obscure town of Pantego that somehow earned squatters’ rights in the mid- dle of Arlington. The chef here, Bashar Al Mud- hafar, emigrated to the U.S. in 2010 after befriending American soldiers who frequented his Baghdad restaurant. One meal led to an- other, and after applying for and receiving ref- ugee status, Al Mudhafar is serving some of the best Middle Eastern food in North Texas. Try the grilled lamb chops dusted with ground pis- tachio or a fire-kissed kebab made with in- house ground lamb (he uses 5-10% beef and fatty pieces of lamb for more flavor). Anything from the Iraqi Grill section of the menu is a surefire winner. 2304 W. Park Row Drive, Suite 25, Pantego, 682-321-7650, www.fattoushmedi- terraneankitchen.com. Gemma: When Gemma opened, it was a Dal- las pioneer, bringing along the dressy-casual seasonal cuisine from co-owners Allison Yo- der and Stephen Rogers’ last home in Napa. In 2023, they updated the space and refreshed the menu with American, French and Italian comfort foods, although they kept some of their best hits like the rabbit on pappardelle pasta. Grilled salmon over a French lentil salad with an avocado puree is a light and satisfying dish with brilliant pops of flavor. 2323 N. Hen- derson Ave. #109, Dallas, 214-370-9426, gem- madallas.com. Gorji Restaurant: Gorji is nearly a one-man show, with chef-owner Mansour Gorji buying the ingre- dients, answering phone calls for reservations, greeting each table and cooking dinner with the help of a tiny handful of waiters and >> p20 Alison McLean Del Sur Tacos: El Santo, Sanchez, Maximo Alison McLean Ebesu Robata & Sushi’s Ryo-Shi-Meshi
