Tag Archive | Addison Restaurants

Kenny’s Wood Fired Grill

May8

Dallas, TX

Menu logo
Tenderloin Crostini

This restaurant is one of Dallas’ best kept secrets. It is located in a commercial strip mall next to a Jason’s Deli and you would never guess from the outside what a little jewel this is on the inside.

You walk in the front door into a “chophouse” setting – well-lit bar, dark woods, cozy booths and tables, and low lighting. It is a classy, warm, and relaxed atmosphere. Kenny’s offers a very nice setting without being the least bit stuffy.

interior dining
bar area

There are three things that make Kenny’s one of my favorite places to dine. Number one: when you make reservations, your server promptly addresses you by name…”How are the Brysons this evening?” I was impressed! Number two: you can order anything on the menu in any amount. You want to try just two coconut shrimp appetizers instead of six? You may.  Do you care for only one grilled oyster to taste? Just ask. I love this idea! Number three: When you are halfway through drinking your martini, your waiter comes by and pours the remainder of your drink into a new ice cold glass. Are you impressed yet?

martini
brunch menu

We have dined at Kenny’s for both brunch and dinner and both are equally good. Our very first visit was for dinner. After our waiter discovered that this was our first time to dine at Kenny’s, he brought us two artichoke wontons, two coconut shrimp, and two tenderloin crostini as free appetizers. What a great way to get a customer hooked! Next we were served their fresh popovers with butter. These big warm rolls are certainly not the most attractive things but they are light, airy and delicious. Ask for two!

popover
tenderloin crostini
wedge salad

There have not been any dishes that we did not enjoy at Kenny’s. The Grand Marnier French Toast and Eggs Benedict were both delicious brunch dishes. The Eggs Benedict entree is served with either salmon, steak or a crab cake. For dinner, the French Onion Soup and Wedge Salads were both very good choices for appetizers. The Wood Grilled Oysters were fantastic – smoky and well-seasoned. The Pork Ribs were PERFECT – meaty and fork-tender with a great BBQ sauce. We are not usually huge meat fans, but the large pork chops and thick steaks being served all around us looked quite appetizing. The Brussels Sprouts and Bubbies Potato Cakes were great sides.

Eggs benedict with bacon
Grand Marnier French toast
Pork ribs

This is one of those restaurants that keeps you coming back. The impeccable service, the great food, and the friendly and attentive servers make for a perfect combination. Check it out!

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Ida Claire

Feb7

Addison, Texas

signage
bar area

When I first heard of this restaurant called “Ida Claire,” I knew instantly that this was for me! While growing up in Mississippi, I know I heard my grandmother exclaim, “Well, I declare!” hundreds – if not thousands – of times throughout her life. With this phrase meaning “I am surprised to hear that” or “my goodness!”, those words brought back memories.  This was definitely a restaurant calling me back well south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Airstream
upcycled lighting

Ida Claire is located in Addison off Beltline Road and the Tollway. The building itself is the warehouse style that is quite popular now. The interior is very open and welcoming. The noise level is energetic. The design and upcycled decor can be described as quirky and/or funky. There are beautiful hanging lamps, bird cages, decorative plates, blackboard signs, open books nailed to the wall, an Elvis bust and Buddha statues. Right outside the front door is an Airstream trailer used as a cozy “hippie-esque” dining space. There is also a well-lit outdoor dining area with tables and umbrellas. It is quite eclectic and very appealing.

Oh Beehave & Hurricane Punch
Margarita julep and fried green tomatoes

The two times we dined here the service has been really impressive. We had brunch the first visit and dinner the second time. The cocktails were very enjoyable. The Bloody Mary, Pear-fect Martini, Margarita Julep and Hurricane Punch were all cold, strong, and delicious. For appetizers, we sampled Ida’s Biscuits (with butter & jam and bacon gravy), Fried Green Tomatoes (with lemon herb dipping sauce) and the Low Country Chopped Salad (fresh butter lettuce, okra, pickled peppers, boiled egg, bacon and a honey mustard dressing). All were delicious, but this Southerner will readily return for the fried green tomatoes – perfection!

Low Country Salad
Muffuletta

We enjoyed sharing the Coffee Crumble Pancakes for brunch and did not leave one single bite. These pancakes were light & fluffy with a blueberry & cardamom topping, maple flavored butter, whipped cream and toffee crumbles. Delicious! The Muffuletta with sweet potato chips was very good. The Wild Isles Sea Trout was very similar to salmon and was served with yellow and red roasted beets. The Nashville Hot Fried Chicken was my favorite entree. The chicken was moist and very flavorful (think Buffalo style) and was served with pimento cheese toast, pickled cucumbers and onions. The smaller brunch portion was also served with a crunchy okra salad. The chicken was quite spicy…..thankfully I had plenty of ice cold rum punch to cool my mouth off. 🙂

brunch portion Nashville Hot Chicken
Dinner Nashville Hot Chicken

For dessert we ordered Ida Claire’s special Vice Cake. Wow! It consisted of a huge slice of stout cake, layers of coffee buttercream icing, and chocolate ganache topping. It was decorated with a piece of candied bacon (yep….I ate that too!).

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Vice Cake

If you are looking for a new place to have brunch or dinner, I hope you will try Ida Claire’s. They do have a bit of a limited menu, but what we have tried so far has been delicious. The restaurant also serves burgers, shrimp & grits, sandwiches, turkey & biscuits, crawfish beignets, etc. They have definitely taken Southern food, updated it and added a twist. I think there is more of a Louisiana feel to their dishes – rather than just pure ole “Deep South” cuisine.

Both of our dining experiences here were quite enjoyable. More fried green tomatoes and okra, anyone?

If you have eaten at Ida Claire’s, please share your experiences in the comment section. I would love to hear from you! If you enjoy reading my dining and travel blogs, please subscribe in the upper right hand corner.  Thanks.