24 December 12 - 18, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents tne plans to add to specialty cocktails. The own- ers are all too happy to help first-timers get to know Sri Lankan food, and their hospitality is first-rate. 13920 Josey Lane, Farmers Branch, 469- 629-9191, spicyzest.com. Sushi Robata: This North Dallas Japanese res- taurant is an all-rounder, serving very good ex- amples of just about everything you could want. The ramen is some of the best in Dallas — more flavorful and less aggressively salty than bowls from many ramen specialists — and the spe- cialty sushi rolls don’t go over-the-top. They do include unusual preparations, though, like multi- ple rolls with crawfish. Robatayaki-grilled meats and veggies are solid bets, too, as are ultra-tra- ditional sushi rolls like big, thick futomaki. Sushi Robata is across-the-board reliable in a wide ar- ray of Japanese cuisine. 4727 Frankford Road, Dallas, 972-930-9428, www.sushirobata.com. Taco Y Vino: One of Bishop Arts’ most welcoming neighborhood hangouts is dedicated to the proposition that tacos pair well with wine. This isn’t your grandmother’s wine bar; it’s a super-ca- sual spot that takes all the elitism and exclusion out of wine-drinking. Have a glass on the lawn during loteria night and pair your bubbles with a dish inspired by owner Jimmy Contreras’ up- bringing in San Antonio, like shrimp-stuffed jala- peños or crispy carnitas tacos. 213 W. Eighth St., Dallas, 469-372-0022, www.tacoyvinodallas.com. Tei Tei Robata: This Japanese bar on Henderson Avenue specializes in robatayaki, the technique of grilling food over hot charcoal. Chefs at the bar tend to the grill, turning out excellent skew- ers of meat and vegetables, as well as crisp- skinned and fork-tender whole fish. There is sashimi on offer, too, and it’s at the same high quality. Once part of Teiichi Sakurai’s empire, Tei Tei Robata is still living up to that legacy of per- fectionism, and the entrance, tucked away from Henderson in a small garden terrace, feels sur- prisingly secluded given the busy neighborhood around it. 2906 N. Henderson, Dallas, 214-828- 2400, www.teiteirobata.com. Tei-An: The most influential figure on the Dallas dining scene might be Teiichi Sakurai, who is do- ing his best to build one of America’s best Japa- nese food markets. His ramen shop Ten is a cult favorite. But Tei-An is his masterpiece, one of the few restaurants in America to make its own soba noodles from scratch. The soba is spectac- ular however you try it, from plain noodles with a trio of dipping sauces in bowls to a “bolog- nese” riff that bridges the gap between Japan and Italy. Tei-An flies in fresh seafood daily straight from Tokyo, making sushi and sashimi essential orders. Tasting menus offer a good chance to try everything, including the excellent tempura. 1722 Routh St., Dallas, 214-220-2828, www.tei-an.com. TEN Ramen: This small ramen bar in West Dallas, an offshoot of Teiichi Sakurai’s Tei An, has gath- ered a cult-like following for silky broth and suc- culent noodles. Ten Ramen’s menu is compact: two ramens, two rice bowls, a broth-less maze- men and a lobster miso, along with a rotating weekly special. Yes, there’s only standing room for a dozen or so patrons inside, where you’ll rub elbows with your fellow ramen fans. But the snug, no-frills interior and intricate flavors in each bowl of ramen are both steeped in Tokyo traditions, just as Sakurai intended. 1888 Sylvan Ave., Dallas, 972-803-4400, tenramen.plaimanas.co. Thunderbird Pies: Thunderbird’s specialty is De- troit-style pies, straight out of a seasoned 10-by- 14-inch steel pan, with almost-burnt cheese crust edges, loaded with Wisconsin brick cheese, top- pings and, always, sauce on the top. 328 Gaston Ave., #110, Dallas, 469-577-1077, www.thunder- birdpies.com. TJ’s Seafood Market: There are few seafood mar- kets in Dallas as good as TJ’s. So go ahead and ogle the counter cases, with their beautiful and impeccably sourced cuts of fish, scallops, crab, lobster and more. Yes, shopping here can be more expensive than a trip to Tom Thumb, but that’s because TJ’s buys from ethical purveyors and sells an exceptionally high quality of product. Oh, wait, we’re supposed to be talking about the restaurant side. If you’re feeling lazy, sit down at a table and have them cook the fish for you. The philosophy at TJ’s is exactly what it needs to be: Keep the recipes simple, stupid. Let the spotlight shine on the ingredients. 6025 Royal Lane, Dallas, 214-691-2369, tjsseafood.com. Town Hearth: Let’s get one thing clear right away: “Town Hearth” is not at all a cozy den for the people to gather about for warmth; either metaphorically or physically. Rather, it’s the chandelier of restaurants in the middle of the bedazzled city, over the top in almost every way (even the bathrooms are amazing). From the Ducati over the bar to the $175 42-ounce bistecca (a short loin porter) to a tater-tot side dish topped with Dungeness crab and hollanda- ise sauce, this steakhouse exemplifies Dallas ex- uberance. As with all of chef Nick Badovinus’ restaurants, it’s a devilish take on opulence. Be- cause why not? 1617 Market Center Blvd., Dallas, 214-761-1617, www.townhearth.com. Via Triozzi: There’s a common refrain that, for all its talent, Dallas doesn’t have many real Italian restau- rants. Via Triozzi aims to change our minds by checking a lot of requisite Italian boxes: an exqui- site lasagna, daily house-made pasta and several other well-executed Italian basics. Naturally, there’s an impressive, red-heavy wine selection and a full bar with an inspired assortment of crafted cock- tails. Via Triozzi’s space is lovely, with every detail considered, and meals there feel like you’ve been invited into the home of your long-lost Italian fam- ily. It all adds up to an Italian restaurant Dallas can be proud of. 1806 Greenville Ave., Dallas, 469-897- 5679, www.viatriozzi.com. Will Call: On approach, this spot has straight sports-bar vibes. TVs deck the walls, all tuned into a game; wings and Philly cheesesteaks are heavy hitters on the menu. However, you should start with a salad, which would be odd at a sports bar, right? That’s the first sign that some- thing here is “different.” The bowl of fresh greens with a delicate dressing and spicy pe- cans is remarkable. Then, bite into a wing with its house-made sauces and rubs, and you’ll know you’ve been bar-food fooled. That might make more sense once you learn that the chef, Josh Farrell, worked under Bruno Davaillon at The Mansion. 2712 Main St., Dallas, 972-755- 3490, willcalldallas.com. Wu Wei Din: Some of the best noodles, wontons and soups in the area are served at Wu Wei Din, a Plano spot with Taiwanese roots. Many of the regulars are devotees of pork chop fried rice — a decent bowl of fried rice topped with an entire deep-fried pork chop — but beef noodle soup topped with pickled mustard greens is another hit, the beef ultra-tender and the broth well- spiced. Look out for vegetable specials that might be hand-written onto the bottom of the menu; they’ll be cooked simply and flawlessly, with copious garlic. Wu Wei Din has even tweaked its recipe for soup dumplings to make better takeout, adding just a gram or 2 of dough to each dumpling so they don’t spill or fall apart on your drive home. Call in an order and you’ll be able to pick it up at a table in the parking lot. 2909 W. 15th St., Plano, 972-985-1688, www.wuweidinchinesecuisine.com. Yia Yia’s House of Gyros: The original Mesquite location of this charming family-owned mini- chain is a tiny dining room full of proof of chef Vasili “Bill” Kaprantzas’ Greek immigrant roots. There’s a poster of the chef’s grandmother, quo- tations hand-scrawled on the walls and, of course, a bottle of Windex displayed with pride. The Rockwall location, in a shiny strip mall, man- ages the impressive trick of replicating the origi- nal dining room’s homey feel, complete with even more quotes, like “Let’s Make America Greek Again.” Nowhere else in Dallas feels like such a true portal to the Aegean Sea and its food. 904 E. Davis St., Mesquite, 469-802-9797, facebook.com/TheHouseofGyros. Zavala’s Barbecue: Texas barbecue gets influ- enced by Mexican heritage at Zavala’s, and the results are deeply satisfying. Every Friday is taco night, but every barbecue tray can be converted into a taco plate if you ask for torti- llas. This might be a hot take, but tortillas are a better barbecue accompaniment than white bread. A slice of Zavala’s lean brisket nestled in a fluffy tortilla, topped with cilantro-heavy house salsa verde, tastes just about perfect. The ribs are perfectly cooked, too, especially with a house barbecue sauce that leans heav- ily on spice. A Sloppy Juan taco bundles chopped meats into a tortilla with a tomato- based sauce that, as the name suggests, tastes exactly like a sloppy joe. Jalapeño pep- pers find their way into a number of menu items, including sausage links and the creamy-but-spicy coleslaw. Making the whole experience even better, Zavala’s is housed in a tiny 1967 building in Grand Prairie’s mid-cen- tury downtown, with a big canopy hanging over the picnic tables out front. It’s an archi- tectural gem, and a metaphor for the way that Zavala’s takes past traditions and uses them to build new traditions of its own. 421 W. Main St., Grand Prairie, 817-330-9061, zavalasbarbecue.com. Zoli’s: Zoli’s, with its Star Wars artwork, sassy signage and boundary-pushing pies, still sets the standard for pizza in the Dallas area. The restaurant’s cult following — just try walking around the Bishop Arts District, where the res- taurant was originally located, wearing a Zoli’s T-shirt — is fully matched by the intense deli- ciousness of pies like the Christian Pescroni, with double pepperoni and a jalapeño pesto. If you somehow need anything else, there’s room on the menu for fried mozzarella balls, garlic knots and big bowls of chopped salad. 14910 Midway Road, Addison, 469-754-9654, www. zolispizza.com. Alison McLean Via Triozzi feels like dinner with Italian family. Alison McLean Will Call excels at the Philly cheesesteak. Top 100 Restaurants from p23
