CuriousDish: Love of Stephan Pyles’ Restaurants in Dallas

Posted on February 22nd, 2011 12:11pm by George Lewis
Filed under best of big d, Celebrity Chefs, Chefs, Restaurant 101

Heaven and Hell cake at Stephan Pyles. Photography by Kevin Marple.

Have you ever known a Stephan Pyles restaurant that you didn’t love?  In a recent post– Which Dallas Restaurant Would you Revive?–Dishers showed lots of love for Chef Pyles’ concepts.

First we loved Routh Street.  The Baby Routh, the restaurant that signaled the uber-upscale Routh Street wasn’t going to play well in the early 90s recession.  Star Canyon, with its brilliant in its food, energy, and design came along in the mid-90s.  I admit I didn’t quite get AquaKnox in the late ’90s but recently Chef Pyles is delighting Dallas with Stephan Pyles, Samar by Stephan Pyles, and Fuego at Stephan Pyles.

Which one is your favorite? Have you “had” them all?  Tell us.

8 comments

  1. I am pretty sure I have been to most if not all of SP’s incarnations. Besides the obvious I enjoyed FishBowl (Asian theme located on Knox with a very open kitchen design) and the Taqueria Canonita where he made some particularly great tacos — well before it was a hipster obsession. About the latter, my spidey-sense tingles ‘revival’. You can still find at least one Canonita open in Vegas today.

    @ 12:35 pm on February 22, 2011

  2. I still remember the calamari appetizer at AquaKnox, long before calamari became ubiquitous and the new fried cheese.

    @ 2:12 pm on February 22, 2011

  3. Yes, had them all including Star Canyon Vegas. My personal favorite was Baby Routh because we could go there more frequently, and not break the bank. I got one of their menu covers when they closed and I love it on my bookshelf. People recognize it!

    @ 5:23 pm on February 22, 2011

  4. Baby Routh, new affordable tastes with a comfortable feel

    @ 5:51 pm on February 22, 2011

  5. I think I’ve been to every Stephan Pyles restaurant (at least the ones in Dallas) and I’ve loved them all. Routh Street was very special but I must say I really enjoy Samar today. I went to Fuego a few weeks ago and it was killer! Congratulations on your James Beard nomination Stephen.

    @ 10:40 pm on February 22, 2011

  6. Star Canyon – hands down. It was an incredible experience. Pyles needs to do one like that again!

    @ 7:02 am on February 23, 2011

  7. Stephan Pyles restaurant is the best

    @ 3:13 pm on February 23, 2011

  8. Fuego!!

    @ 7:20 pm on February 23, 2011