FOOD CZAR REVIEW #59: MAGUIRE'S RESTAURANT

A restaurant entices with intrigueability, perhaps an unusual logo or interesting location, particularly so if it's one you pass by on a regular basis, and when you see it you exclaim, "That place looks interesting; I've always wanted to try it out!" But you continue to motor on, bent on achieving your appointed tasks, until one day curiosity gets the best of you and you determine to investigate. Maguires Restaurant, hard by the Tollway and Restaurant Row in North Dallas, is one such place, because I've always been intrigued by the logo and signage and because I've never been able to successfully figure out what kind of restaurant it is. Steakhouse? Bistro?? Upscale lounge??? Finally, spurred by a positive review from one of my colleagues and driven by the necessity of a birthday celebration. I loaded my lovely wife The Rock Star, her sister The Wild Thing, and their formidable mother The Momma into my conveyance and made the trip up Tollway one recent Saturday eve.

Atmospherically, Maguires is set up on the circular concept: A ring of booths on a sort of raised platform around the perimeter, interspersed with staff areas where waiters conduct their business, bisected by lines of tables and a central aisle. Stylish decor, not overly trendy or stuffy. We were seated by a window in the perimeter, where the energetic Joanie took charge of us.

At Joanie's insistence, we began our meal with the flatbread appetizer. Crispy sesame lavash with Buffalo chicken and sauce toppings, it was the perfect size for sharing and disappeared quickly. Breaking with convention, The Wild Thing decided to make a meal of starters with the tenderloin crostini, the baked, stuffed artichoke, and Maguires mixed greens salad. She let me try the tenderloin, a filet medallion with bearnaise. The menu promised melt-in-your-mouth goodness, and the crostini delivered, the meats silken bite playing perfectly with the tang of the bearnaise, and the crispness of the crostini. The mixed greens salad proved a delicate blend of bleu cheese, greens, apples, roasted pecans and Maguire's poppyseedish dressing. A nice, light prelude to the repast that followed. The Rock Star adored her massive, double-cut pork chop since it was prepared similar to pork tenderloin and not at all greasy, with excellent Southwest creamed corn, wilted spinach, and an unusual but effective champagne mustard seed gravy. Very nice, and not too dry. The Momma's request for a medium well done filet was rewarded with a medium well done filet. It was prepared to her liking and what more can be said? I love steak au poivre and was presented with a pepper-crusted filet perfectly medium rare as requested, sided by white mashed potatoes, toothsome asparagus spears, and cognac peppercorn sauce. While researching this post, I discovered that chef Brahmi was classically trained in his native France. That fact certainly showed in his beef treatment, as the beef was prepared with loving care. Throughout our lengthy stay, we washed our respective meals down with a good pairing pinot grigio, and very good claret, and an especially good bottle of Layer Cake Shiraz, which we will no doubt purchase for home consumption. Finally, we split a chocolate lava cake and took our leave.

Joanie proved quite attentive throughout the evening, and her enthusiasm was truly infectious.
Website is http://www.maguiresdallas.com/, if you're at all interested in that sort of thing.

Overall, a good time was had by all (there's a classic Texas saying), and we have definitely satisfied our curiosity about Maguires Restaurant and plan to return soon. Satisfy your own curiosity today, and remember:

LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!

Quickie Review #43: McSwiggans Irish Pub

Irish pubs are some of the best and most fun establishments in the world. They make no bones about what you are there for (to drink, watch sports, and comingle with fellow pubbites) and deliver what you need accordingly. Every neighborhood should have one. My lovely wife the Rock Star and I have been making the drive for years to Lochrann's Irish Pub in downtown Frisco, and the Irish Rover Pub, which is a bit closer, but we not-so-secretly longed that someone would build one in our neighborhood. Well, our wait is finally over, as we now have our very own pub straight from Boston, McSwiggans Irish Pub.

Walking in (taking special care with the extra-heavy door as you enter), you will notice that McSwiggans wears its pub heart proudly on its sleeve with the authentic-looking decor featuring a forest of dark wood, blackboards featuring the numerous Irish beers on tap, and the expected profusion of flat-panel TVs. What you won't see is an excess of sit-down space; McSwiggans may hold 30-40 people tops and you may be hard-pressed to find a place to squat on weekend nights. Still, you may want to go there early for dinner and a pint (or three), as the food is quite good. Bangers and mash feature savory sausages straight from the Old Sod, and Shepherd's Pie is the ultimate comfort food, with warm ground beef and veggies under its whipped potato crust. Most recently, I sampled the Fish and Chips, which consists of Icelandic Haddock filets served in a crispy batter and accompanied by good steak fries, which went well with my Magic Hat and Murphys Irish Red ales, both on tap. (They serve the fish with tartar sauce, but also bring along a condiment caddy including malt vinegar, Tabasco, and Colemans and Dijon mustards.) My lovely wife the Rock Star is a fan of the Kobe sliders, which are served char-grilled to order (if you want pink in the middle, you get pink in the middle) on tiny brioche buns. Service is very accomodating, whether you sit at bar or booth, and McSwiggans opens early on the weekends to serve the Premier League, college, and NFL football fans who care to enter. (Needless to say, they are serious Red Sox and New England Patriot fans.) Website is www.mcswiggansirishpub.com. Discover your own swatch of the Old Sod soon, and remember:

LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!

Wine Corner Review #57: La Mano Mencia Roble

In the all-consuming search for wines that won't bust my budget, I've learned to leave America behind at times and investigate the rich terroirs of such far-flung places as Argentina, South Africa, and Spain. Until recently, Rioja Spanish wine garnered all the press, but lately such stalwart seekers as Robert Parker have kept up the quest for other values from the Iberian peninsula. The astute Mr Parker has awarded 90 points to today's selection, and while I think that may be a tad generous, I still have to put forth my own recommendation on a value-conscious tipple of Espana, namely the La Mano Mencia Roble.

The Robe of the La Mano Mencio Roble is burgandy onyx, in other words, quite opaque until you swirl it a bit in the glass. The nose suggests dusky plum, cherry, and minerals. Black cherry and currant wash over the palate, finishing ever-so-slightly with mint. As you quaff, you'll probably note the similarities between mencia and cabernet franc; in fact, mencia was once thought to be distantly related, but that notion has been disproved with DNA testing. Mediterranean cuisine would be a natural match; spicy kabobs, gyros, and souvlaki would play well against La Mano's somewhat muted flavor profile. In an all-too-familiar turn of events, I could find no website, but I did discover some usable info at http://www.spiritofwine.blogspot.com/. Put forth your own recommendation soon, and remember:

LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!

FOOD CZAR REVIEW #58: CAFE AMORE

Celebration day. My lovely sister-in-law The Wild Thing has a new job, and most of her family and friends have descended upon Richardson to wish her well in her new endeavor. Many of the usual suspects in my previous posts were there: The Wild Thing, of course, her sister aka my lovely wife The Rock Star, her formidable mother The Momma, Beaners the nonstop niece and her husband, and a veritable plethora of lifelong friends too numerous to name. So, where did my sister-in-law want to go for her celebration brunch? The Mansion? The French Room?? Abacus??? None of the above. You see, despite her Troggs-inspired nickname, The Wild Thing is rather a simple sort of girl, and wanted a restaurant with a great, inexpensive food and homey ambiance. So it was that we piled ourselves into various and sundry conveyances and drove the few short blocks to Cafe Amore, an Italian restaurant that has often filled the bill for celebrations and such.

Speaking of places like The Mansion, if you want ultrachic, Art Deco-inspired decor and the like, you will not find it at Cafe Amore. Everything about this neighborhood gem speaks volumes of homespun, from the open brick kitchen to the rather simple scenes of Italianesque life plastered on the walls. We were quickly shown to a table for a dozen near the front of the establishment where we immediately engaged in copious conversation and leisurely menu perusal.

Leisurely is indeed the word of the day at Cafe Amore, and the decidedly slow service is one of our only ongoing quibbles with the restaurant. Our waitress proved quite capable throughout, yet it was obvious that she was assigned too many tables, probably half-a-dozen in addition to our party of eleven. Luckily, it was Sunday brunch, and none of us were in a hurry. The Wild Thing insisted that everyone start their repast with the Mozzarella and Tomato ala Caprese. We've had this appetizer on many occasions in the past and have always enjoyed the simple blending of flavors: fresh mozzarella, basil, fresh tomato, red onions, extra virgin olive oil and cracked black pepper pleased our crowd; oddly enough, I found it a bit drier than usual. One couple ordered the Seafood Fritte and urged me to try it. This was better, and the fried calamari and baby shrimps served with aoli constituted a simple pleasure, as it was not redolent of frying oil. I wondered for a moment why more restaurants don't serve this satisfying combination, but it was soon time to move on. Basic yeasty rolls with butter were brought, good for sopping up juices, a great pairing for the entrees to come. For our main courses, my wife and I decided on the Cremora preparation; hers with shrimp, mine with veal. Sauteed jumbo shrimps and veal scaloppini respectively were served with fresh mushrooms, green onions, and chopped tomatoes in a brandy cream sauce that was plate-licking good, the delicate cream bathing the tender meat and seafood with a light, gentle kiss. I wish I could tell you some of the other entrees we enjoyed, except that by this time both the wine and the conversation were freely flowing and my thoughts were engaged elsewhere. I can only report with accuracy that Beaners and her husband ordered something with mussels, because I remember eyeing them enviously, and that The Momma ordered lasagna because she always orders lasagna when dining Italian. This seems as good a time as any to tell you that Cafe Amore is BYOB, and that we took full advantage, which to me is an excellent selling point for this neighborhood gem. My wife and I concluded our repast with the Cappucino Pie, a coffee, ice cream, and pastry bomb that reminded us just how much we enjoy basic Italian desserts when done right. Again, I can't report on this course for anyone else, except that I kept hearing contented sighs of "heavenly tiramasu" emanating from the other end of the table.

Service improved throughout the course of the day, as lunchtime diners departed, and as noon bled into afternoon, no new ones took their places, so our waitress was better able to keep pace with the needs of our large party. No website per se, but you can go to http://www.allmenus.com/, which will give you the menu and at least some of the essentials of Cafe Amore.

Overall, Cafe Amore did an excellent job of providing great food and ambiance that served as the backdrop for The Wild Thing's celebration day. Stage your own party there yourself, and as always:

LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!

FOOD CZAR REVIEW #57: EL RANCHITO RESTAURANT

There's no doubt that I'm a proud Texan. I love the people, the atmosphere, and most of all, the cuisine. Yet, I once left the state for a couple of years and had to do without my beloved barbecue, Tex-Mex, and chicken-fried steak, and even though my destination city had its own culinary charms, most notably much better pizza than we had at the time in DFW, still I suffered serious withdrawal pangs. As you can probably tell, I've since moved back to the Lone Star State, and while I often harbor dreams of living in such wonderful places as Seattle or Las Vegas, I'm sure I would miss Texas dishes. But as I delve more and more into exploring the cuisines of other states and countries, I'm finding many similarities to our native specialties. For instance, do you know that while chicken-fried steak is in many ways uniquely Texan, it actually closely resembles dishes in other countries, such as German wiener schnitzel or Italian cottolette alla Milanese? In fact, milanese is a generic term that applies not only to the pride of Milan, Italy (hence the name), but also the breaded-and-fried beef, chicken or veal treat that is actually quite common in Europe and South America, not to mention Mexico. Therefore, to make a (very) long story short, I discovered that El Ranchito Restaurant in Oak Cliff serves one of the best milanesas I've ever encountered under any name. Unfortunately, my lovely wife the Rock Star was attending to other business when I pointed my vehicle and made the long journey south to Jefferson Street.

First off, you should know that parking in Oak Cliff can often be a tricky situation. Therefore I would suggest if you go there for lunch, you get there very early or late. I got there well before noon and the smallish lot was almost full. Luckily, one space was left. Upon entering, I found that there was no need to worry about finding an empty table, as El Ranchito is quite large. I was quickly seated within site of the in-house Torterilla Sanchez (the lovely lady who actually makes all the tortillas used by El Ranchito) where I began to peruse the colorful array of murals, fiesta decorations, and other trinkets.

In this case, I really did not peruse the menu, as I knew what I wanted. Mondays at lunchtime, El Ranchito serves milanesa, and I had determined in advance that I must have it. First, very good chips and salsa found their way to my table, the latter a red variety with just enough kiss of fire to make for good eating, but not so much that I had to reach for my ice tea glass every few seconds. Next I was presented with an excellent cup of caldo de res, with zucchini and other vegetables floating in a savory broth with fork-tender stew meat. A bowl of this soup would make a marvelous meal by itself, particularly on a cold day. Then, the daily special was brought, a substantial slab of milanesa pounded very thin and served under fried papas and alongside some of the best rice and beans I've encountered in this fair city. Coupled with the in-house-made corn and flour tortillas and a small salad, this lunch proved to be a Tex-Mex meal to remember, as I savored every luscious, slightly peppery bite of the fork-tender beef. I spooned on salsa instead of cream gravy and noticed how easily the breading melted away at my touch. Soon enough, I boxed my leftovers and left.

Service was quite nice and accomodating, and I noticed a great variety of patrons, from families to business partners to solo diners. Website is http://www.elranchito-dallas.com/, and I fully intend to return to try some of their more exotic fare such as cabrito.

Overall, I think that El Ranchito Restaurant served me one of the best lunches I've had all year, and at about ten dollars for all that food, one of the best bargains as well. Discover your own reason to stay in Texas soon, and remember:

LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!

Wine Corner Review #56: Oops Sauvignon Blanc

Bordeaux has long been recognized as one of the worlds premier wine growing regions. Six noble grapes established its reputation as a haven for great red wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Carmenere. Sadly, the phylloxera aphid attack in the 1860's wiped out the great grapes, and while the others were replanted with the help of Texas root stock, only the Carmenere could not be resurrected, so it is rarely found in Bordeaux today. Luckily, Carmenere had been sucessfully transplanted to Chile, where it thrived so well that it was mistaken for Merlot. Then, in 1994, viticulturist Jean-Michel Boursiquit discovered the grape deception. Oops! Carmenere contines to make great wines today, sometimes bottled solo, but more often used as a blending grape, such as in this affordable little quaff we are considering today, the Oops Sauvignon Blanc.

The robe of the Oops Sauvignon Blanc is pale gold with touches of peach. The nose suggests many citrus fruits, tangerines and nectarines, and a whisp of minerals. The taste suggests some of a typical sauvignon blanc's grassiness, but more complex and rounded, with parsley and clove thrown in, and resolves in a peachy finish. This blanc would be equallly at home with picnic foods such as ham as well as the more usual seafood, particularly fresh fish. Website is http://www.oopswines.com/, where you can read the entire history of Carmenere on its wordy label. Discover your own happy wine mistake soon, and remember:

LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!

Adventures in Tasting #3: Fearing's Restaurant

Dean Fearing. Rock Star chef. One of the original Gang of Five who basically sat down in a kitchen over the course of several evenings with fellow chefs and food writers Stephan Pyles, Anne Greer McCann, Avner Samuel, and Robert Del Grande and, in an Algonquin Round Table, Rat Pack style summit meeting, pretty much invented Southwestern Cuisine. Winner of more food and cooking awards than you can shake a stick at. The man who elevated lobster tacos and chicken tortilla soup to an art form. Recently, I was invited to dine at his rather new Ritz-Carlton establishment as a part of the Go Texan week celebration, and since my lovely wife is also known as The Rock Star, I knew she should be included in the festivities. So it was with high hopes and eager palates that we motored down the tollway one recent evening to Fearings Restaurant, near where uptown meets downtown and shakes hands.

After leaving our car with the valet (How can you not valet park at the Ritz-Carlton?), we were guided through the stately hotel lobby to Fearings endless series of bars and dining rooms. The main room with its open kitchen beckoned, but we heard the word "patio" and knew our choice had been made. After all, it was a crisp Fall evening with temperatures in the 70's, and Fearings patio resembles a lush English garden, so we quickened our step and were soon seated in a prime spot to begin our usual menu perusal ritual.

Actually, not too much perusal was needed on this evening as we were presented with the tasting menu. We started with an amuse bouche of a poblano shooter, which tasted just like a chili relleno in a shot glass. Next, Dean's "million-dollar baby" chicken tortilla soup, paired with Seven Hills Riesling. The acidic-crisp sweetness of the wine offset the tomatoey bite of the soup perfectly. Then, the Barbecued Shrimp Taco, loaded with sweet baby shrimp and Southwestern zing, played off against a Bret Brothers Pouilly Vinzelles, a thankfully-unoaked chardonnay that was quite up to the task. After that came the Peach Barbecue Glazed Bob White Quail (from Texas, of course, as this was a celebration of local products), served with an iceberg wedge and Cider Braised Bacon, which turned out to be pork belly. Just a whisper of peach sweetness offset the quail and bacon nicely, with help from the Zeni Teroldengo Trentino, a varietal not usually planted, and one which added a nice wisp of smoke to the dish. At this point, we went full throttle with the Dublin Doctor Pepper Braised Short Ribs, brushed with just enough old-fashioned soft drink goodness to remind me of my beloved grandmothers Coke salad. Most often, beef short ribs are not a favorite of mine because they are too tough, these were braised into fall-off-the-bone submission and presented to us with Robert Foley Charbono, another vino made from an uncommon varietal. Already, we had eaten one of the best meals of our lives, then we were presented with the crowning touch: English Cut NilGai Antelope on Jalapeno Wild Game "Bangers and Mash", the spicy bite of sausage matching beautifully with the antelope's lean lushness. We were equally pleased to see an old friend poured with this dish, the Inwood Estates Texas Tempranillo-Cabernet, which proved to be the highlight pairing of the evening. (Nice to see the Texas tipples giving the boys from Napa and Washington state a run for their money.) Then, like all fine establishments, Fearings presented us with a cheese course, San Pedro cheese from Lucky Layla Farms in Plano, matched with Gruet Brut Rose. Finally, sweet relief in dessert in the form of a warm blueberry crisp with vanilla ice cream, and a fried lemon pie that should make all state fairgoers jealous, and another wine highlight, Quinta Do Noval Silval port. We finished up with several cups of Fearings excellent coffee and a vow to visit again soon.

Throughout our evening, we were assisted by a veritable army of waiters and graced with a visit from The Man Himself. In particular, baby-faced Wine Captain Jeff Bradley stood out for his enthusiasm for life, his job, and food and wine in general. He will go far in this business. Website is http://www.fearingsrestaurant.com/. Once again, the Go Texan website is http://www.gotexan.org/, and you still have the rest of this week to take advantage.

In sum, if this was not our best meal of the year, rest assured that it is firmly placed at or near the top of a very short list. Conduct your own tasting soon.

GO TEXAN!