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Articles about First Take

First-Take Restaurant Review: Carbone’s

Cannolis (photography by Desiree Espada)

Carbone’s, a week-old Italian restaurant, is already turning into a neighborhood destination for Park Cities residents eager to try Julian Barsotti’s interpretation of Italian-American food. Customers have been trickling into this part-grocery store, part-deli in a steady stream ever since Barsotti’s grand opening last Tuesday, keeping his staff on its toes. “It’s been very busy. I didn’t anticipate being this busy right off the bat,” says Barsotti.

When I visited Carbone’s on Wednesday, it was 1 PM and all the tables (save two, maybe) were taken. Barsotti was crouched down next to an elderly couple, easy to spot in his Adidas shoes and red plaid shorts, and probably on the receiving end of the couple’s congratulations for the elegant layout of his store.

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posted by Carol Shih | April 24th, 2012 1:57pm | filed under First Take, italian food | 17 Comments »

First-Take Restaurant Review: Chicken Scratch + The Foundry

Interior seating for Chicken Scratch (left); Home-style buttermilk biscuits served family-style (right) [photos by Desiree Espada

A funny thing happens when you pull into the parking lot that leads to Chicken Scratch, a week-old restaurant conceived by masterminds Christopher Zielke, Christopher Jeffers, and Chef Tim Byres of SMOKE. First, the smell of fried chicken strikes your nose like hot oil; second, you hear birds chirping (and suddenly a sense of guilt washes over you for what you’re about to eat); and third, after you get out of your car, you find yourself passing through an enormous structure that looks like a gigantic chicken coop. It might as well have a sign plastered to the front that reads, “Welcome, little chickadee, to the world of chicken.”

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posted by Carol Shih | April 5th, 2012 1:18pm | filed under First Take | 19 Comments »

First-Take Restaurant Review: Bridge Bistro

Shrimp and crawfish enchiladas (photography by Desiree Espada)

What to Expect: “For a long time, I wanted to have a fun, casual neighborhood destination,” says Kay Agnew. The long-time restaurateur closed down Margaux’s after 22 years and opened Bridge Bistro with her daughter. Loyal diners can rest assured that their favorite dishes are still on the menu, and new diners will be pleased with more sandwich and salad options.

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posted by Carol Shih | January 31st, 2012 2:15pm | filed under Desiree Espada, First Take, It's just lunch, bread | 4 Comments »

First Take: Oak in the Dallas Design District

Oak Restaurant in the Dallas Design District. Photography by Desiree Espada.

What to Expect: To be knocked out by the interior design and the food. The space, designed by PLAN B (Royce Ring & Alex Urrunaga) worked closely with owners Richard and Tiffanee Ellman to create a modern, contemporary living room where couches replace booths. Veteran Tommy (Candleroom, Sunset Lounge, The Dram) DeAlano, also a partner, oversees the day-to-day operations. The threesome have created the perfect attitude for Oak’s location in the Dallas Design District.

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posted by Nancy Nichols | January 19th, 2012 11:20am | filed under First Take, Openings, Restaurant News | 10 Comments »

First-Take Bar Review: Sundown at Granada

Pull up a chair at Sundown's cozy bar. (photography by Jason Acton)

Sundown Tea (photography by Jason Acton)

The Concept: Sundown at Granada is the Granada Theater’s neighboring restaurant and bar with a long list of draft beers and hand-crafted cocktails. Although I’m sure you can grab a bite pre-show, I would be filled with panic watching a line get longer next door while shoveling down the last forkfulls of food and chugging the rest of a beer. This is a perfect spot, however, to discuss your favorite act post-performance and perhaps mingle with band members, who are sure to wander over for a bite.

Who’s There: Thirty-somethings interested in enjoying some quality time together. (Rather than 20-somethings hollering over their third round of Jager bombs.)

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posted by Raya Ramsey | January 10th, 2012 3:29pm | filed under Bars, Beverages, Brews News, Drinking, First Take, Mixology is fancy for bartender, Nightlife, Openings, Reviews, Tea, beer, cocktails | 6 Comments »

New Bolsa Mercado Opens in Oak Cliff This Morning

Bolsa Mercado. Photography by Elliott Munoz

Just dropped into the new Bolsa Mercado this morning for its public debut and — wow — this place is a game changer for anyone shopping for quality groceries south of the Trinity. It fulfills the market part of the original Bolsa vision offering Tom Spicer greens, local cheeses, organic meats, house made sausage and pastries, a boutique wine/beer selection, gourmet dry goods, and more. Bolsa Mercado also offers sandwiches, panninis, gourmet to go items, and a first-rate coffee bar. Eventually, chefs Jeff Harris, Matt Balke, and team want to make as much in-house as possible and will offer catering from the market’s enormous kitchen, more than double the size of the tiny one at its sibling restaurant located two doors down. Happily, there’s enough diversity and everyday goods to encourage repeated visits. In fact, I’m already plotting my lunchtime return to try the wild boar tart.

posted by Todd Johnson | December 12th, 2011 11:04am | filed under Dallas Foodie, First Take, Groceries, oak cliff | 20 Comments »

First Take: Bistro 31 in Highland Park Village

The interior of Bistro 31 in Highland Park Village. Photo by Desiree Espada.

The interior of Bistro 31 in Highland Park Village. Photo by Desiree Espada.

Loren Means gives us a snapshot of what to expect at Bistro 31, Alberto Lombardi’s newest creation in Highland Park Village.

What to expect: Prolific restaurateur Alberto Lombardi’s newest creation is in the heart of Highland Park Village. The restaurant is named to honor the year the original structure was built in: 1931. On my trip to the bistro, the Village was packed with shoppers and locals enjoying the holidays. With the holidays in full swing, you might be pressed to find a parking spot but there is valet parking available next door.

Pisco sour. Photo by Desiree Espada.

Setup: The interior is sleek and elegant without feeling stuffy or fancy. Beautiful chandeliers, which were immediately identifiable as Murano glass, hang from the ceilings above the marble topped tables. The floors are oak herringbone, the booths are covered in cream-colored leather, and abstract paintings on the white walls create a very European feel. The open-air patio, tiled floors, and two tops spilling out onto the sidewalk create a true bistro feel. You could be in Italy or the south of France. We opted for a sidewalk table. The weather was perfect for outdoor dining and the ceiling of Christmas lights from all the trees created a lovely atmosphere. If you choose to dine al fresco during the day, I would forgo the sidewalk option as you may feel like you’re eating in a parking lot without the night sky and Christmas lights to disguise it. Additionally, the actual patio has heating and air conditioning as well as a retractable roof that will keep you dry should the weather take a turn. (more…)

posted by Nancy Nichols | November 29th, 2011 1:52pm | filed under First Take, Restaurant News | 19 Comments »

First-Take Review: Rohst Opens Quietly Yet Flavorfully on Greenville Avenue

Korean BBQ short ribs with scallions (Photo by Desirée Espada)

The set-up: Raise the flag on the rebirth of the corner of Greenville and Goodwin as Rohst (phonetic for roast) opens in the spot next to Dodie’s (and across from The Grape and Blue Goose). Although this new eatery is still in the soft-opening phase, we paid a visit (undercover, of course) to find out how the new concept—one with a consortium of owners and (gasp) not one celebrity chef in the kitchen—would fare against the ultimate judge and jury: our taste buds.

First of all, hats off to the design team. Even though the frontage would benefit from lighter tint on the windows, the interior’s high ceiling and low lighting provide textbook relief from the oven-like heat outside. We love the mezzanine-style second level, two-story stone mosaic, rough-hewn wood accents, stone flooring, and drum-pendant chandeliers. (Although I wasn’t crazy about the upstairs mural, I do have to give the design team snaps for trying to create a back story involving ancient Korean cave drawings.)

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posted by Sarah Reiss | July 26th, 2011 9:00am | filed under First Take | 9 Comments »