Eater Dallas: The 38 Essential DFW Restaurants Summer 2019

[C-Man 27777]

Enjoy.

https://dallas.eater.com/maps/best-dallas-restaurants-38-essential

[Landomatic 3813]

List doesn’t change a whole lot.

[C-Man 27777]

1 hour ago, Landomatic said:

List doesn’t change a whole lot.

Interesting to not see The Charles or any of Barsotti's places on there. And give me OG Al's over Knife any day of the week and twice on Tuesday.

Had no idea Malibu Poke was a Matt McAllister joint.

Edited July 22, 2019 by C-Man

[Landomatic 3813]

1 hour ago, C-Man said:

Interesting to not see The Charles or any of Barsotti's places on there. And give me OG Al's over Knife any day of the week and twice on Tuesday.

Had no idea Malibu Poke was a Matt McAllister joint.

Yeah those are some strange omissions.  And I’m with you on Knife.  Every time I see that place on any best of type list, I’m perplexed.

Didn’t know that about Malibu Poke either.  It’s pretty damn good.  Haven’t made it into his new Homewood place yet.  Drove by there once a while back and a couple members of the staff were out front...in their denim and leather aprons and beards.  They looked like they were trying pretty hard to make it look like they weren’t trying very hard.

[ztejas 44223]

Cane Rosso is overrated. I think Midici is better and it's a nationwide chain. Grimaldi's is easily better. 

Is Uchiba basically the same thing as Uchiko? Went in Austin last week and it was very on point. Drank about a half litera sake with my uncle. 

Also, has anyone been to revolver taco? Is it good enough to be the only taco entry on an essential list? 

Strange lack of Mexican in general it seems. 

[C-Man 27777]

2 hours ago, ztejas said:

Cane Rosso is overrated. I think Midici is better and it's a nationwide chain. Grimaldi's is easily better. 

Is Uchiba basically the same thing as Uchiko? Went in Austin last week and it was very on point. Drank about a half litera sake with my uncle. 

Also, has anyone been to revolver taco? Is it good enough to be the only taco entry on an essential list? 

Strange lack of Mexican in general it seems. 

I disagree about Cane Rosso. It's terrific. Personally, I prefer the Neapolitan-style but Grimaldi's is excellent.

I don't know what Uchiko is but can say that Uchiba is terrific.

Revolver is pretty bad ass. I like El Come Taco as much, probably, but I'm sure the Purepecha offering in the back is what puts them on the list.

[Landomatic 3813]

3 hours ago, ztejas said:

Cane Rosso is overrated. I think Midici is better and it's a nationwide chain. Grimaldi's is easily better. 

Yeah, I'm with @C-Man on this.  Cane Rosso is great.  As is Grimaldi's

Quote

Is Uchiba basically the same thing as Uchiko? Went in Austin last week and it was very on point. Drank about a half litera sake with my uncle. 

Uchiba is the upstairs sister restaurant to Uchi which is the same thing (or really close) to Uchiko in Austin.  It's all one company.  Uchiba is a little more casual and a little more limited with the menu.

Quote

Also, has anyone been to revolver taco? Is it good enough to be the only taco entry on an essential list?

Haven't been yet, but I suspect it has something to do with the fact that last year, it was the only James Beard nominated restaurant in Dallas.

Quote

Strange lack of Mexican in general it seems. 

Agree, but I also think the Dallas Mexican food scene in general has grown a little tired.  Not even sure who I'd say needs to be on there.

[ztejas 44223]

4 hours ago, Landomatic said:

Not even sure who I'd say needs to be on there.

Yeah that was kind of what I was thinking too. Most of the Mexican in town is above average to good - but I'm rarely surprised or blown away.

I'll have to give Revolver a try. 

Thanks boys.

[Landomatic 3813]

10 hours ago, ztejas said:

Yeah that was kind of what I was thinking too. Most of the Mexican in town is above average to good - but I'm rarely surprised or blown away.

I'll have to give Revolver a try. 

Thanks boys.

In the past, I have generally trusted Eater.  But I think they're going more and more toward the pay to play model lately, which sucks.  This "Essential 38" list, for example, is something they've had for years and generally has included kind of the 38 staple restaurants in town.  There were always a few one could argue with, but I could always understand where they got the vast majority of them, even if they weren't all my cup of tea.  This most current rendition, however, looks to be a mix between some staple restaurants in town plus a few new trendy places and some older more established places that definitely don't fall into the "essential" category.  There are several I've never even heard of, which is odd for an "essential" list right off the top.  Then aside from the glaring omissions already discussed, Knife and Town Heath the only "essential" steak houses in town?  Sasseta the only "essential" Italian place in town other than Lucia?  Petra and the Beast "essential" at all?  And there are a few others I wouldn't consider even all that great, let alone "essential" to the Dallas restaurant scene.