18 December 22–28, 2022 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents provide a subtle heat. All of these ingredi- ents are placed between a soft sourdough potato bun (made at Doughregarde’s Bake Shop). The burgers are sold only during happy hour (Sunday through Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.) and they make only 10 of them each day, so plan to get there early if you want one of these coveted, melt- in-your-mouth burgers in your belly. Angie QuebedeAux Cacio e Pepe Pizza Pizzana 3219 Knox St., No. 150 Pizzana is the hot new pizza joint that opened a few weeks ago on Knox Street cour- tesy of the founders of Sprinkles Cupcakes. The signature pizza, the Cacio e Pepe, is a gift from up above, an innovative re-imagination of the classic pasta dish served on a perfectly cooked Neapolitan crust. Four simple but high-quality ingredients are used for the pizza toppings: provoloncino d’agerola, fior di latte, parmigiano crema and cracked black pepper. The flavor combination will have you returning for a repeat experience. AQ Chicken Korma Sigree Indian Cuisine 4145 Belt Line Road, No. 218, Addison Led by head chef (and co-owner) Anshu Seth, Sigree Indian Cuisine in Addison specializes in North Indian fare. From biryani to tandoor chicken to a broad range of savory curries, if you’re craving Indian, this is your place. The chicken ko- rma ($14.99), a mild creamy coconut curry with a whisper of sweetness was one of our favorite curries in recent memory. And if you’re looking for an intense appe- tizer with a fiery kick, try the lahasuni gobi ($8.99). Battered and deep-fried cau- liflower glazed in a sweet and spicy garlic chili sauce. They’re deliciously addictive. nick Reynolds An Ethiopian Feast Yenat Guada 7015 Greenville Ave. Yenat Guada, an Ethiopian diamond in the rough, dishes out some of the finest cuisine in the city. We had the vegetable combo platter for two ($28) that presented an array of classic vegetable dishes and sides, fish goulash ($16) in a spicy tomato sauce and siga tibs ($16), which are juicy beef tender- loin bites seasoned in Ethiopia’s signature chile spice blend. All are served on one plate family-style and with plenty of injera bread. It was an epic, memorable meal packed with a myriad of vibrant flavors. nR Bitterballen and Cocktails Meyboom Brasserie 2100 Greenville Ave. A newly opened, Belgium-influenced bar in Lower Greenville, Meyboom Brasserie of- fers a select list of international ales and la- gers, expertly crafted cocktails and a menu of elevated Belgium bar fare. Here you can find professional mixologist (and co-owner) Jeff Katernick working magic behind the bar. Try the Belgian Bee’s Knees ($13), a per- fect summer drink to sip on while taking in the expansive sidewalk patio. Or the robust yet oh-so-smooth espresso martini ($12). For bar bites to snack on while you sip on a Belgium ale, go with the Bitterballen: Dutch fried meatballs of braised beef thickened by roux and served with a fantastic house mus- tard blend. nR Crispy Pad Thai Asian Mint (various locations) A modern spin on the Thailand classic, the crispy pad thai at Asian Mint strikes a heav- enly balance between crunchy, soft and fla- vorful. In a pleasantly deceiving way, what appears to be your typical pad thai at first is actually made of thick, crunchy wonton strips instead of noodles. The fried goodness is drenched in a tangy and sweet pad thai sauce and buried under a heap of vegetables and egg for a filling (and addicting) meal. It’s a big plate. But we won’t be surprised if there are no leftovers. AnishA hollA Potato Curry Puffs Best Thai Signature 4135 Belt Line Road #112 The curry puffs at Addison’s Best Thai Sig- nature are buried (hidden almost) inside the restaurant’s extensive selection of ap- petizers. But once you find them, there’s no turning back. These Thai curry puffs come with a savory mix of mashed potatoes and peas on the inside. Blended with an aro- matic curry powder, you can just smell the filling even before you take a bite. But it’s the outside of the puffs here that are the real star of the show. The layer of pastry flakes to the bite in an almost ethereal way, making each bite better than the last. It comes in a portion of three puffs, but do yourself a favor and order two. You’ll want them. Ah Bonus Round: Juno The Bakery Apple croissant pastry (Copenhagen, Den- mark) A warm apple-caramel filling is enveloped by a flaky puff pastry in this ingenious work of baked art at Juno The Bakery. Baker Emil Glaser opened Juno in Nov. 2017 with high hopes of showcasing his baking skills to the rest of Europe. Let’s just say: it doesn’t disappoint. The outer shell of the buttery apple pastry is baked to a dark brown color, to allow for a perfectly crunchy exterior. You’ll feel the layers of pastry slowly flake and melt in your mouth as you bite. And what’s even better is that at the end, the layered croissant pastry gives way to a gooey, caramelized apple filling. They’re served fresh out of Juno’s oven, alongside other baked goods. Ah ▼ EAT THIS HIDDEN TREASURE Prego’s Pasta House serVes uP a toP-FLIgHt CHICKeN-FrIeD steaK. by chRis WolfgAng T here’s a certain appeal of hearing about people who find hidden trea- sures right under their proverbial nose. Every time a news story breaks about someone buying an original copy of the Declaration of Independence for a dollar at a garage sale or discovering a stash of money in the midst of a home remodel, people can’t help but open up the frames of every piece of art they own or smash holes in the drywall of their homes in hopes of finding treasures of their own. Antiques Roadshow has earned a rabid following by tapping into this same set of feelings. A hidden food find in an unexpected place may not have the same monetary value, but we still get excited nonetheless when we make a similar discovery. Earlier this fall, we sat at a table full of strangers at one of Knife’s pop up dinners, and discus- sion wandered across food from multiple cuisines. One of our dining companions mentioned that he had the best chicken fried steak at an Italian restaurant, and our ears perked up. Could this be our next foodie treasure trove? It took a few weeks to fit it into the schedule for a visit, but we’re happy to share what we’ve learned. Situated just south of the Central Market at Greenville and Lovers, Prego’s Pasta House has been plating up Italian classics for four decades. Neighborhood locals swear by Prego’s for a multitude of reasons; while some people come for the house made Italian sausage and meatballs, others keep- ing returning for the the friendly staff of long tenured bartenders and servers. Even first timers quickly feel at home when they walk in and leave with full bellies and smil- ing faces. As we sat at the bar and scanned the menu over a glass of wine, there’s nary a mention of chicken fried steak, although we did see a 14-ounce New York strip listed for $37.95. When asked, our bartender confirmed that the same strip steak can be ordered chicken fried, pounded thin, battered and fried to a perfect golden hue and served on a bed of cottage fries. It’s served with a side dish of cream gravy that Prego’s kitchen makes using the drippings from ham that’s been roasted earlier in the day. After finishing his descrip- tion, our bartender also warned us about the sheer quantity of food we were about to or- der. But our mouths were watering over “cream gravy with ham drippings,” so we plowed ahead undiscouraged. In hindsight, you should only order Prego’s chicken fried steak if you’ve spent a day in fasting, or you’ve brought a friend. Yes, $38 is a lot of scratch for chicken fried steak, but Prego’s offering can easily feed two people with healthy appetites, which helps with the value proposition. Oh, and it’s phenomenal, both in taste and visual appeal. Our only complaint might be that Prego hasn’t invested in larger plates just for this dish, as even their largest platter struggles to contain the slab of fried beef. You might think your cottage fries were left off the or- der, but trust us that they’re present and ac- counted for; you just need to lift up the steak to find them underneath, crisp rippled cut potato discs to partake in when you need a break from the steak. The New York strip is fork tender and juicy, and the batter that encases the beef is crispy and golden without being greasy. With the gravy served on the side, you can douse as little or as much as you prefer with each bite. We erred on the side of caution, chosing to dip each bit into the dish of gravy, but the gravy is so rich and fantastic that you’d be forgiven for dumping it directly on your plate. You’d also be forgiven for asking if Prego’s sold the gravy by the gallon, but they don’t — we asked. Our bartender was right — there was no way we could finish our meal, and we took more than half of it home for leftovers. A week later, we were back at Prego with some friends, and we convinced one of them to order the chicken fried steak for themselves. Then we grabbed our smart- phone when the food arrived, so we could document the shock on their face and the expletives that came out of their mouth when first laying eyes on their meal. It’s one thing to tackle this delicious dish on your own, and another to watch your friends’ reactions when they experience it for the first time. Both are experiences we highly recommend. Prego’s Pasta House, 4930 Greenville Ave- nue, open Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Friday: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Saturday, 4 p.m. - 10 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m. - 9 p.m. City of Ate from p17 Prego’s Pasta House on Greenville Avenue has been serving up Italian classics since 1982. The chicken-fried steak is top notch. Chris Wolfgang
