17 December 22–28, 2022 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Month XX–Month XX, 2014 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER | Contents | Unfair Park | sChUtze | featUre | night+Day | CUltUre | Movies | Dish | MUsiC | ClassifieD | Best Things We Ate This Year Twelve months and many pounds later, we recall the food highlights of 2022. by Lauren Drewes DanieLs A t the end of each year, the food writers at the Observer like to reflect on the dishes that left a lasting impression on us over the past 12 months. Things we just keep thinking back on as we’re going about our daily affairs, buying bigger pants and trying to breathe through the girth. Here’s what we got for 2022. Chris Wolfgang, Hank Vaughn, Angie Quebedeaux, Nick Reynolds and Anisha Holla pitched in on this article. Smoked Pork Chop Slow Bone 2234 Irving Blvd. Slow Bone’s pork chop is a meat marvel that has been in the works for three weeks by the time it lands on your tray. Slow Bone’s Jef- fery Hobbs digs deep into his bag of culinary tricks for this special that’s available only on Sundays and Mondays. The chops are brined for two weeks, then hit the smoker before getting vacuum sealed and aging for another week. Day of service, they go back in the smoker to warm up and get finished on the flat-top just before serving. It’s the most densely-flavor-packed bite of pork we’ve ever had, where salty, smoky, crunchy and juicy come together with each forkful. Chris WolfgAng Kouign Amann (or any baked good) Bresnan Bread and Pastry 301 E. Louisana St., McKinney Matt and Jenna Bresnan opened the brick- and-mortar storefront of their bakery in downtown McKinney earlier this year, after two years of online ordering and baking in commercial kitchens. The shop is a gem and is now open Wednesday through Sunday. Carb lovers will rejoice at the plethora of breads and pastries, and it’s nigh impossible to make a bad choice. We’re partial to the kouign amanns, which showcase Matt Bresnan’s skill and artistry in laminating pastry. Never had a kouign amann? Imagine if Rembrandt worked in sweet flaky and but- tery pastry instead of oils and canvas, and you’d be close, but it’s better to head to Bresnan and try one for yourself. CW Reuben Fries Harwood Arms 2850 N. Harwood St. Whether you believe money has the ability to buy happiness may largely depend on your checking account balance, but we’re happy to share that, for just $6, you can get a close ap- proximation of bliss with the Reuben fries at Harwood Arms. Available during happy hour Monday through Friday, a pile of delicately fried shoestring potatoes is tossed with A Bar N corned beef, then held together with melted Swiss cheese, a creamy Mornay sauce and Thousand Island dressing. It’s the per- fect salty and savory snack to go with a pint or two, and Harwood’s splendid service comes free of charge. CW Star Pizza Mister O1 3838 Oak Lawn Ave. The eight-point pizza from Miami pizza import Mister O1 was an unexpected treat. The entire dining experience at this new spot is good, including the fresh focaccia bread, but there’s one particular bite that I keep thinking back on. The unique way the crust is pinched together at different points creates a tent-like home for warm cheese. This tent of velvety ricotta cheese is simply glorious. Why haven’t we been making pizza stars for centuries? lAuren DreWes DAniels Corned Beef Melt The Fifth 2701 Custer Parkway, Richardson This mammoth corned beef melt can turn a bland day shiny, a whatever Wednesday to the best day ever. The folks at The Fifth in Richardson soak an Angus corned-beef bris- ket in house brine for five days (five) with Prague powder, juniper berries, allspice, mustard seeds and some Shiner Bock. Swiss cheese, coleslaw and a house dressing called Louie help bring it all together between slices of toasted La Casita seeded sour- dough. Put this sandwich on your calendar soon. lDD Peanut Butter Paradise Southside Steaks & Cakes 3125 Al Lipscomb Way This Big Tex Choice Award winner is no joke. Here, a honey bun is rolled in funnel cake batter and injected with caramel be- fore getting a dunk in a deep fryer. It’s then topped with peanut butter and chocolate, which absorbs heat and turns oozy. After winning a blue ribbon at the fair, the own- ers of Southside Steaks & Cakes added it to the menu at their restaurant in South Dal- las. Be warned: this is a monster dessert and it would be wise to bring a friend to share. lDD Spanish Grilled Octopus Monarch 1401 Elm St., 49th Floor (The National) Monarch is a special occasion destination to be sure, occupying the 49th floor of The Na- tional in downtown Dallas, a spot with ex- pansive views and prices to match. However, occasionally one gets what one pays for, and the Spanish grilled octopus definitely qualifies, especially since it’s con- sidered a “shared plate” and priced a bit lower. Enjoy tender grilled pieces of octopus tasting of the sea and a wood-burning oven, with confit potato, roasted almond romesco sauce and crispy Italian cured pork cheek. The stuff of dreams, really. hAnk VAughn Short-Rib Grilled Cheese Sandwich 940s Kitchen & Cocktails 219 W. Oak St., Denton Sure, you have to venture north to the hin- terland that is Denton, but you’ll be re- warded at 940s Kitchen & Cocktails with some decent cocktails such as the Gingered Beet or Smoke and Citrus, and we still re- member fondly the wonderful short-rib grilled cheese sandwich. A blend of Ameri- can and fontina cheese melted on grilled sourdough bread with juicy slow-cooked short rib, all topped with a perfectly fried sunny-side-up egg, served semi-open faced since there’s simply too much goodness at the party to allow otherwise. hV Chicken Karaage Ramen Izakaya Akira 2540 King Arthur Blvd., No. 126, Lewisville This ramen spot in Lewisville serves up a great bowl of pork shio ramen, but it was the chicken karaage, one of the side dishes, that made an indelible mark upon our pal- ates this year. Several pieces of some of the most tender and flavorful fried chicken we’ve had in a long time, coated in potato starch and then deep-fried in oil to just the right degree of doneness, yielding a terrific crackly skin and batter texture. It’s served with an aioli that complements these little bites if you’re into that sort of thing, but we kept it simple. hV X-Tudo Burger Meridian 5650 Village Glen Drive The smash-style X-Tudo (sheesh-tu-du) uses freshly ground Rosewood wagyu beef with a maitake aioli spread and perfectly melted gruyere cheese oozing between the layers of beef and topped with shallot mar- malade and malagueta pickles that From top left, clockwise: short-rib grilled cheese sandwich; Reuben fries; star pizza; Spanish grilled octopus; smoked pork chop; cacio e pepe pizza Catherine Downes | City oF Ate | t Dish >> p18 Hank Vaughn Alison McLean Hank Vaughn Chris Wolfgang Angie Quebedeaux Lauren Drewes Daniels
