“Dallas is saturated with steak houses,” Samuel said. “Jon [Stevens] and I were approached to do some consulting at Bailey’s at NorthPark. Obviously the restaurant has some culinary issues and I am starting an interim menu tonight.”

Under Samuel and Stevens direction, Bailey’s will feature lower-priced appetizers, salads, and seafood dishes. “They are dishes you don’t normally see in a steakhouse and are more family friendly. Especially the prices.” Samuel has moved chef Ryan (Lazare, Redfork) from Nosh over to be the chef at Bailey’s. Samuel and Stevens will be in the kitchen tonight and this week.

I asked Samuel how far the partnership with Bailey will go. Will Bailey put money into Avner’s company? Will Avner save the kitchen at The Chesterfield (apparently the kitchen staff walked out on Friday night)? “I really don’t know what’s happening there. I think it’s funny as hell. It [chefs walking out] happens all of the time I remember a similar fight at the Mansion 30 years ago. We’ll see how this goes. If I am asked to help I would consider it, but right now all I’ve been asked to do is NorthPark and so I am concentrating on NorthPark as a consultant. For now, it’s one thing at a time.”

Owner Ed Bailey has also hired Cristy Rather, Mark  Lindberg, and Ken Kuczwaj from Bob’s Steak and Chophouse. However, former Bob, Bob Sambol, is not involved with Bailey’s.

Photo taken Sunday April, 29th, 2012 in Dallas.

Photography by Desiree Espada

I think I may be the last person in Dallas to dine at NOSH Euro Bistro. There was a wine dinner at Nosh in Dallas, and I was fortunate to have a media invite. That meant that I got to sit at the counter at the front of the kitchen. I had a cockpit seat into the pandemonium and work that is a meal of this size. Here is some of the action as the team served the diners (every seat sold, and a waiting list, BTW!):

Believe me, you’ll want to jump for some serious food photography by Desiree Espada.Plating the Seared Diver Scallops (Brussels sprout leaves, buttermilk potatoes, pancetta and kumquat preserves):

The result on my plate…

The scene: Customers drinking wine and making merry.

Action Stations: Soon-to-be execuchef Ryan Carbery plating the duck confit (roasted root vegetables, caramelized pear and puff pastry)

The duck confit…

Next was Expresso Braised Short Ribs (pommes “Robuchon”, braised dino kale & baby shitakes)

The Dark Chocolate Tart (EVOO, flake salt & candied pistachios)

A good time was had by all. And, just for the record, Andrew Bell leaves around mid-year to EC the new Nosh in Austin. Ryan Carbery takes over as EC at Nosh Dallas. Is this a chain? Frame this quote: “Five NOSHs Only,” Avner Samuel.

It's not a beautiful day in this neighborhood.

I did not go to The Magic Time Machine for haute cuisine. When I packed up a good portion of my family, including three kids, and headed to the popular restaurant known for servers dressed as Peter Pan, Superman, or Jack Sparrow, I had no expectations of getting a decent meal even though the prices for entrees run from $13 to $23.99.  I did expect to dine in a safe and clean environment. Or at least a restaurant that was not so filthy it caused my 12-year old niece to turn to me, dirty fork in hand, and say, “Uncle Nancy, I think you should write about how dirty this place is.”

We walked in at 5:43PM on Sunday night. We were greeted by the stench of stale air. It was like walking into an old house without windows: the smell of musky furniture combined with lingering cigarette smoke trapped inside for years. The dark carpet was littered with bits of paper (toilet?) and napkins. Nobody had bothered to vacuum between shifts (days?). I spotted a plastic Gerber baby food container tucked behind a round light to the right side of the front door. The contents were dried and cracked. As I watched my 3-year old nephew run down the short hallway, I noticed a lamp cord connected to an extension cord lying perilously on the rug about a foot from the wall.

Do a shot of Pepto Bismol and jump hard.

Restroom: 6:00PM on Sunday night.

We were seated in the Library Room. At first I thought the dust on the books had been sprayed on for effect. Not so, it was real. Many of the books once glued to the wall were ripped off and  the unpainted wall was exposed. The wallpaper on one wall was worn through to the dry wall and you could run a knife down the outside and peel off a layer of crud. At 6:00PM on a Sunday night, the trash cans in both bathrooms were overflowing with used paper towels and the salad bar, which is displayed across the top of an old car, was surrounded by dropped ingredients.

Old baby food container tucked behind the light by the front door.

Servers dressed in tacky costumes were whirling around with huge trays of food and bubbling red, green, and yellow drinks. I never saw anyone replenish the anemic bowls at the salad bar or anyone attempt to wipe up the dressing, which dripped down the car door, or the black olives strewn across a plate of beets. The restaurant was maybe half-full.

I’m not going to get into the food except to say whatever you order will taste like nothing, including the tough-to-cut prime rib. This is not my first time to The Magic Time Machine. It has been open since 1973 and was once a hot place for dates (still is) and birthday parties (ditto). The costumes used to better: the ones I noticed looked like they’d been thrown together for a pre-school play: all felt, tights, and glitter.

Here’s the catch $23.99: the kids had fun. They didn’t have to pay the bill or endure the incredibly shoddy visuals. I wonder how long it has been since the someone has shampooed a rug, had the upholstery cleaned, or scrubbed a bathroom. I also wonder the last time a fire marshal or health inspector visited. They could walk in with in their uniforms on and nobody would even notice them! Adults shelling out big bucks in a dirty restaurant with kids’ handprints (not going there!) all over a greasy salad bar would appreciate the gesture. At least force them to put a bottle of Purell next to the ketchup.

Three feet from the front door. The main hallway.

The cruddy, worn-out wallpaper in the library.

Dirty, worn-out forks.

Bailey's Prime Plus Execuchef Grant Morgan

Execuchef Grant Morgan and sommelier Jennifer Jaco have settled in to their relatively new jobs at Bailey’s Prime Plus. Earlier this week, Bailey’s held a media dinner at their Park Lane location to showcase their new winter menu and tell us about enhancements to the wine program.

The wine program enhancements are exciting. The number of selections on offer has doubled from 300 to over 600 and Jaco is now building a series of ‘verticals’  (i.e. several vintages of the same wine) to offer depth as well as breadth. These numbers are in the ballpark for receiving a ‘Best of Award of Excellence’ certification from Wine Spectator magazine. There are only 907 restaurants in the world with this designation or better (and only 5 in Dallas) so it confers considerable prestige. The other side of the wine program is the acquisition of some interesting bottles from ‘off the wall’ places. She served us some with the meal (more on that below). The bottom line is that Bailey’s is serious about the quality of their wine program.

Jump for the bounties of winter. (But first a juicy tidbit: Jennifer Jaco is the girlfriend of Michael Ehlert, the chef Ed Bailey lured from DBGB Kitchen & Bar in New York. I spotted Ehlert in the kitchen at Bailey’s where he’s busy testing his menu for the soon-to-open The Chesterfield.) Okay, let’s eat.On the food side, Bailey’s is first and foremost a steakhouse and will not waver from that commitment. However, non steak eaters are by no means second class citizens. Grant Morgan showed how to present non-standard proteins in a fashion to create broad appeal. The positive reaction of our group to the duck breast, for example, is likely typical of how Bailey’s diners will see it.

On to the menu, which we present in 5,000 words (i.e. 5 pictures).

Raw Bar: Shrimp, Oysters, Crab Claws, Clams, Lobster Claws + Three Dressings

The remoulade sauce was especially good. This dish was served with sake, not wine. Masumi Arabashiri, Jumai Ginjo.

Mushroom Ravioli, sage Brown Butter, Chestnut, Aged Sherry Vinegar

Served with 2010 Chapoutier Belleruche Blanc, Côtes du Rhone. Look for southern Rhone whites on wine lists for crisp, earthy whites that go with non-red sauce pasta dishes, poultry and seafood. They are often lower priced than mainstream varieties like Chardonnay.

Scallops: Roasted Apple Purée, Butternut Squash, Black truffle Demi

Served with 2010 K Vintners Viognier, Columbia Valley, WA. Founded by former rock band manager Charles Smith, K Vintners wines have  become a cult phenomenon.

Broiled Venison Chop: Caramelized Turnips, Carrot Purée, Black Pepper Demi

There was a choice of main course. I had the venison and thought it wonderful. The extensive use of root  vegetables at this time of year is very good thing to see. It was served with 2009 Prima, Toro, Spain. A 90% Tempranillo/10% Garnacha in a highly extracted style. Can be drunk now or given a few years to soften.

Pan Roasted Duck Breast: Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Caramelized Onion, Cranberry Reduction

I did not taste this unfortunately. It was paired with 2006 Fontinafredda Barolo, Piedmont, Italy. Welcome in showing a little age but needs more time.

Michael Ehlert is slinking around Bailey's kitchen getting ready for The Chesterfield.

The winter menu is available now at all four Bailey’s Prime Plus restaurants.