Eatzi's spaghetti (photos by Carol Shih)

This Thursday, eatZi’s is opening its third location along West State Hwy 114. Phil Romano’s gourmet market and bakery is expanding its chain just north of Dallas where suburbanites can also get a taste of simple comfort foods made fresh daily.

At the eatZi’s preview night yesterday, the new store swung its doors open for some local shoppers. Its storefront, which had previously been plastered with a Luby’s Cafeteria sign, looked like a carbon copy of the Oak Lawn location. The inside is also exactly the same as the other two locations, with a few exceptions. “What we did was we took the best of both stores and combined them,” says Elis Droubi, the General Manager. A coffee bar greets you in front because eatZi planners noticed that it did well there in the Lovers store, and salads and sandwiches have a big presence at the Grapevine store.

Jump for preview photos.

Besides getting rid of the produce wall that you can find in the Oak Lawn location, the Grapevine eatZi’s is meant to give you the same feeling as the other two stores. Classical music plays through the loud speakers while you shop for those famous meatballs, indecisively waiver between buying a ciabatta or sourdough boule because you love both equally, and order those crunchy green beans amandine with almonds from behind the ready-made glass counters. It’s the same concept, same type of food, and still has the same quality.

“We wanted people to feel like they were at other stores,” says Droubi. He eagerly anticipates eatZi’s May 17 grand opening day at 10 a.m. There will be a great deal of free samples in the store throughout the entire weekend.

And while Grapeviners might be rejoicing right now, Droubi tells me that Plano also has something to look forward to. The fourth eatZi’s will certainly be making its way there.

Crab cake samples

Cellar selections

“SNACK will feature small plates with recipes from around the globe. The cocktails, wine and beer list will reflect and complement the globally influenced menu, while at the same time remaining at a low price per ticket average.” The menu will change frequently and two large blackboards, (5 ’x 8’) against the sidewalls of the restaurant,” says Samuel, “Whatever the market will bear that day will be on the menu.”

This joint is open nightly seven days a week and will provide brunch service on Saturdays and Sundays. The Kitchen is open until midnight, while the bar closes at 2 AM.

Tomato soup with shrimp (photography by Desiree Espada)

Everyone in Los Cabos (and even those who aren’t) will tell you that you must try Manuel’s Creative Cuisine, a restaurant located along the Sea of Cortez. Now chef and owner Manuel Arrendondo uses his 30 years of experience in the kitchen to open his first location in Dallas along Cedar Springs Road. These windows don’t look out to calming sea waters, but the minimalistic style and gastronomic experience  at his Dallas location is much the same.

Jump for more creativity.

Manuel Arrendondo and his wife, Virny

How exactly did a nice couple from a resort area in Mexico decide to move to Dallas?

Chef Manuel: “I have a dear friend, Jay Robinson, who visited my restaurant in Los Cabos, and he kept saying, ‘You need to move to Dallas; you need to move to Dallas.’ I told him, ‘If you find me a space, I will come.’ Two days later, he sends me an email and tells me this space is open.’”

Shrimp hor d'oeuvres (photography by Desiree Espada)

At the restaurant’s opening party on Saturday, Chef Manuel and his wife, Virny, served wine, cocktails, and little bites of creativity. The food, Virny says, is mostly organic. Everything is homemade, and the meats come from local sources.

“We’re very respectful of the seasons, and we want to sell foods that are healthy for the body. In this way, we feel we are contributing something.”

The front doors

I noticed that I was the only media person at the opening party. Virny and Chef Manuel had not done much to advertise their new restaurant; instead, they surrounded themselves in an intimate gathering of friends and family who, Virny says, “love us and give us well-wishes.”

Chicken kebabs in a coconut base (photography by Desiree Espada)

Manuel’s Creative Cuisine officially opened doors on Monday, March 19. The beautiful red, white, and black interior provides a simple and modern landscape for pleasurable dining experience. Chef Manuel and his wife want their customers to mostly focus on the food.

“Dallas is a great city. There’s a lot of people looking for healthy and creative cuisine, and I think we fit that,” says Virny.

Even though the couple has lived in Dallas before for six months, this time they are settling down and calling it home.

Main dining room (left); screen porch (right) [photos by Micah Nunley)

It’s no secret that I avoid fried chicken like a bad disease. Something about fried chicken makes me want to look, sniff, and throw it back inside the KFC container it came in. Yet Sissy’s fried chicken is something else entirely. Paired with a fresh housemade Sriracha sauce, this Lisa Garza special has that hard-to-find balance you seek in any good ‘ole piece of Southern fried chicken: crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside.

At the media lunch I attended last week, I split a family-style meal with three other persons, and it took no small amount of self control to remember my table manners and share the amazing plates provided by Sissy’s Southern Kitchen and Bar.

Jump for some more Sissy’s love.

Owner Lisa Garza (photo by Micah Nunley)

Owner Lisa Garza explains, “Growing up, Sunday afternoon was the day we’d have fried chicken. And being from the south, this was one of those things I grew up loving. My favorite birthday dinner – when I first started dating my husband – I told him, ‘I want to stay home with you, and I want a bucket of chicken and a bottle of champagne.’ There’s just something about it that takes me back to being a kid and my grandma and Sunday supper after and the whole comfort of fried chicken.”

The lovely lady behind this homey Southern kitchen and bar decided on the name “Sissy’s” because that was the term of endearment her younger brother used to call her. Back when she still owned Suze and her little brother (“Bubba”) attended school in Mississippi, there was this one day when he and his roommate had no food left in their room. Bubba told his roommate not to worry. “My Sissy will feed us,” he said. He drove all the way from Mississippi to Lisa’s restaurant with only a gas card, and left Texas that day with a whole car packed to the brim with food. Sissy made sure her Bubba wouldn’t go hungry for awhile.

Deviled eggs with crème fraiche and tobiko caviar (Photo by Micah Nunley)

Customers can rest assured that Garza and her dear friend, Chef Jeffery Hobbs, will also take care of them. The bar features plenty of old-school Southern libations like the Moonshine Punch (Original Moonshine whiskey, lemon, orange, grenadine, blackberries) and Sissy’s Tequila Sipper (El Jimador, kaffir lime, lemongrass, ginger), while the food consists of staples you can’t afford to miss. Sweet jalapeno jelly accompanies golden-brown squash puppies, the spread trio with pimento cheese and pickle chow chow goes nicely down with angel biscuits, and Grandma’s layered salad is a holy trinity of egg, cheddar, and sweet peas.

Squash puppies with whipped Texas honey guild butter and jalapeno jelly (photo by Micah Nunley)

Smart folks will bring their whole family to share the ten-piece fried chicken bucket for $20 instead of paying $11 for two pieces. Get ‘em house spiced, buttermilk soaked, pressure fried with the choice of sloppy slaw or whipped potatoes; dark, white, or mixed. It’s best to eat them out in the climate-controlled screen porch on a warm spring day, picking them up with two hands instead of using the mismatched silverware that reminds you fondly of your Grandma’s own collection.

“It’s an homage to my family and to my southern roots,” says Garza, “I was like the second mama. By third grade, I was making Sunday supper for my whole family after church. I want people to feel the same love that I shared with my siblings.”

Sissy’s officially opened on Monday, February 27. Brunch service, offered six days a week, starts in about a month.

Ahi tuna nachos with red chili and wasabi paste (photos by Jason Acton)

The old Place at Perry’s (from what I’ve heard) was dark and stuffy. No windows. No light. After three months of shutting down its entire operation, the Place at Perry’s has now reopened in a new location at 2680 Cedar Springs Road. Same owner, same chef Jaime Corona, but a completely new staff and vibe. The new building is swanky, hip, and modern. And it’s definitely worth checking out.

Jump for pretty pictures by Jason Acton.

Entryway: An edible garden in the patio area that Chef Corona uses in some of his dishes.

In the front of the restaurant: a striking red glass piece called the “Crimson Cascade” by artisan David Gappa, an opening dining area with moderate natural light, and pops of color among grey neutral furniture.

In the back: a hidden-away 1920s speakeasy bar where two bartenders serve gastronomy cocktails. There’s a separate entrance to the bar; it’s dark and has the same feel as the old Place at Perry’s for old, loyal customers.

Good eats: At this media event I was invited to, the Place at Perry’s served finger foods that customers can find on their menu. There were jumbo crab cakes with mustard remoulade, shrimp and grits with green onion, seasonal tomatoes with mozz, and my favorite: the ahi tuna nachos. The nacho skin was thin and crispy, which paired perfectly with the fresh ahi tuna.

The final say: Plenty of space for diners, love the speakeasy feel, and I can’t stop thinking about those ahi tuna nachos.

Place at Perry’s
2680 Cedar Springs Rd.
Dallas, TX 75201
214.871.9991

Brisket taco with cheese, pico, salsa, cilantro, sour cream

The Palindrome (pronounced oh-ka-taco) by Maple and Motor’s Jack Perkins officially opened last Thursday for lunch. Even though the menu is short, it’s good for people like me who can’t really decide what to order. Three meat options – tender brisket, pulled pork, and chicken – are plenty enough, thank you. And, of course, I’ll take mine with a side order of chips and salsa.

Jump for more ocaTacocaTacocaTaco.

Store front

My lunch buddy and I were rather pleased with the array of toppings we could add to our tacos. Everything we could ever want and ever need (pico, guac, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, pickled jalapenos, onions) was just a fingerpoint away. Both of us ordered two tacos because we didn’t want the three-taco combo ($7.75, comes with a 32 oz. drink) and opted to pay $2.35 per taco instead.

One black cherry Dublin soda (32 oz.) and four greasy tacos later, we sat contentedly eating our chips and salsa ($1 extra, booyah). Chunks of onion floated in our peppery, warm salsa, which was the real winner of the entire meal. The creamy chipotle sauce came in a close second.

If you’re not exactly sure how to find ocaTaco, let me direct you to taco heaven. If you’re going north on Harry Hines, turn right on North Exchange Park St. at the Chase building before you hit Mockingbird. There’s a visitor parking lot to your left and ocaTaco’s inside a food court behind a door labeled “6333.” It’s not too hard to locate once you get there. Once you see a bunch of firefighters, policemen, Chase people, and Southwestern workers piled into one place, you know you’ve made it to Jack’s kitchen.

Current taco hours: Mon – Fri, 10:30 AM – 2 PM. Hours will expand as time goes on.

“Dallas, don’t be surprised if you see a Moose driving down the highway or floating in the sky. Dallas will have its share of “Moose sightings” this month due to the Grand Opening of Dallas’ first Smiling Moose Deli location in West Plano at Hebron Parkway/Park Boulevard, one block west of Midway. The Colorado based company will be one of Dallas’ hippest new delis providing patrons with breakfast, lunch and dinner selections, hearty portions and fresh ingredients far superior than their competitors…all served in a warm, (sic) décor with hints of both Colorado and Texas, as seen by (sic) their ski, snowboard and professional sports collections.

Grand Opening Day is this Thursday, September 15th from 8:00 am – 9:00 pm. Festivities will begin when Mo the Moose (the official mascot of Smiling Moose Deli) arrives as Dallas’ newest resident by air in a giant 6 story tall hot air balloon.

But wait, there’s more…

Official hot air balloon arrival time is 10:30 am so get your cameras ready. Daryl “Moose” Johnston (co-owner of the deli and former Dallas Cowboy legend and current Fox commentator) will be there to greet him as he lands…

… Following Grand Opening Day, look for additional Moose Sightings as Mo the Moose (or his sidekick Mini Mo) takes to our DFW highways in a motorcycle sidecar as he learns his way around our fabulous city. When you spot his sidecar, be sure and look for the QR code which will link you directly to the Smiling Moose website for information and coupons. The deli will also be catering to kids and families throughout the weekend with fun giveaways such as: t-shirts, food, Moose antlers and Smiling Moose footballs.

My husband and I have been watching Wild Salsa be built for the past few months, so we decided that even if there was a wait, we were going to try it out. Turns out, there was no wait.

The exterior of the place confused me. Someone said the sign looks like it belongs to a tattoo parlor. I agree. And then they put up a big Day of the Dead mural next to the gorgeous doors. So I was a bit more confused. To the right of all that, you can see into the kitchen. And you can also see that the windows are to be opened. That’s because they’re going to serve tacos from those windows and have seating available outside (and dog treats for those with furry friends).

Okay. So they’re starting to win me over.

I liked the interior. Again, the whole theme is Day of the Dead, and there’s a lot of dark wood on the walls, a few TVs, and some beads. I really enjoyed the whole ambiance. The staff was great. One hostess took all the guests around on a tour of the restaurant. There were no huge slip-ups, which is impressive considering we were there within the first two hours of it opening.

The drinks were delicious. And I really wish I could reference a particular drink, but I didn’t write it down. And they don’t have an online menu yet. So just know that the drinks are delicious.

We ordered a salsa trio with a mango salsa, a poblano pecan pesto salsa, and a third one, which was the recommendation of the waiter. The mango salsa was light and fresh. The pesto was a bit heavy but unlike most of the salsas I’ve tried. And the one the waiter recommended (again, really wish I would have taken notes) was smoky and delicious. Though all the salsas were a treat, I loved the salsa that comes with the chips. It’s a house sauce with an uncooked blend of tomatillo and Serrano peppers bound together by avocado. It’s smooth, but has a bit of a kick. I also ordered the mango, arugula salad that comes with cotija cheese and guajillo chile vinaigrette. Though I didn’t see it mentioned on the menu, it also came with chicken or beef. That combined with the bowls of chip and salsa was enough to require a to-go box.

The prices on the menu were a bit confusing. Overall, it’s a very reasonably priced place.  Unique salsas run about a dollar a piece. My salad was only $8. But then one of the guacamoles costs $12. And there are a few dishes (filets, fish) that cost more than $22.

At first, when I heard another Mexican restaurant was moving downtown, I thought, Do we really need this? We already have Iron Cactus and Sol Irlandes. I didn’t think we needed another. But Wild Salsa isn’t Tex-Mex, it’s Mexican cuisine with some infusion from chef Kelly Hightower.

I love this place. And I’m so excited it’s downtown. I just feel bad for my friends. They now live right above a restaurant.

UPPITY DATE: Hark! A press release just in from In-N-Out. Jump.

IN-N-OUT BURGERÒ

OPENS IN DALLAS, TEXAS

IRVINE, CA — In 1948, Harry and Esther Snyder founded In-N-Out Burger, California’s first “drive-thru” hamburger stand.  Today, hamburgers are still made-to-order, shakes are still made with real ice cream and In-N-Out associates are still treated like family.  Beginning June 23, 2011, In-N-Out hamburgers, shakes and fries will be served in Texas at our newest location in Dallas.

As with all locations, fresh ingredients will be supplied to the restaurants from In-N-Out.  Hamburger patties are made from 100% pure American beef and whole chucks are boned and ground by In-N-Out’s own butchers.  All patties are produced and delivered fresh throughout the week to the restaurants and are never frozen.  French fries are made from fresh, whole potatoes and are hand diced.  A warehouse and a state-of-the art patty production facility have been established in Dallas that will allow In-N-Out to serve all of Texas.

Stephen Kirk, who has been a veteran of In-N-Out for 20 years, will manage the new restaurant located at 7940 N. Central Expressway.  The restaurant will employ approximately 60 In-N-Out Burger Associates with a starting wage of $10 per hour.  There will be one drive-thru lane, with seating for 99 guests.  All In-N-Out Burger locations are open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. and until 1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

In-N-Out has locations throughout California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Texas.  In-N-Out expects to open 10-12 locations in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex within the next 12 months.  In-N-Out is still owned and operated by the Snyder family and none of the units are franchised.

The corporate offices are located at 4199 Campus Drive, Suite 900, Irvine, CA, 92612.

No doubt the combination of hipster magnetism and free booze will whip up a frenzy on both sides of the Trinity—and this is not a big place—so come prepared for a little waiting, a little posing, and a lot of jostling. The reward may be hard won, but, dare I say, worth it.

The Cedars Social is open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. for lunch and dinner and on Saturday and Sunday for brunch.