Tag Archive | Bistro

Boulevardier

Aug3

Dallas, Texas

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I will readily admit that I am a big fan of Chef Nathan Tate’s restaurants. I enjoyed Ava, love Rapscallion, and had high hopes for Boulevardier. I was not disappointed!

Boulevardier is located a little off the beaten path in the Bishop Arts District in Dallas. It is a very stylish, but casual, upscale French bistro and bar. The restaurant has a cozy, exposed brick interior with a wrap-around bar in the front. There are wine racks lining the walls, modern artwork, gold-framed mirrors, sleek tables, colorful booths, and an outside dining area.

The dinner menu is varied with French-inspired dishes as well as more typical American foods. Choose from French bistro fare such as onion soup, steak frites, crawfish beignets, duck wings, and bouillabaisse. If those items don’t appeal to your taste buds – try the oysters, pork chops, burgers, or steaks selections. Bouldevardier seems to have something for everyone, including  a long list of classy craft cocktails and an extensive wine list. 

 

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My husband and I dined here for the first time last month and had an outstanding meal. We each ordered wines by the glass from their impressive wine list and enjoyed both of our choices. We choose the Cheese Board to share as our appetizer and it was outstanding. It contained four types of cheese, bread, crackers, nuts, fruit and honey. I don’t think I have met many cheese boards that I didn’t like but this one was exceptional! These selections rotate periodically at the chef’s choosing.

Next up were our entrees. My husband ordered the Wild Boar Ragout Pappardelle and it was delicious. Luckily he is a kind man and shares his food, so I graciously sampled a bite or two (or more!). This dish had house-made pasta, tender meat, local greens, parmesan cheese, and was topped with house-made ricotta. It was very tasty. I decided on the Crisp Chicken Paillard for my entree  and it was amazing as well. This dish consisted of a thin, breaded chicken breast cutlet topped with greens, haricot verts, heirloom tomatoes, olives, capers, cucumber slices, parmesan, and a peppadew vinaigrette. The chicken was tender, cooked perfectly, and the overall combination of flavors was spot on. I enjoyed every bite! We has also ordered a side of Mac & Cheese (our waiter’s suggestion) and it was also amazing. This was a large portion of  pasta, creamy mornay, gruyere, parmesan, garlic and fresh thyme sprinkles – think comfort food 2.0.  This made great leftovers the following day!

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Never ones to refuse desserts (even when full and satisfied), we decided to order and split Nancy’s Bread Pudding (one of my favorite desserts). It came beautifully plated with a large portion of sweet bread pudding, huckleberry jam, bourbon butter sauce, and was topped with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. It was a perfect end to a perfect meal. 

 

We really had a most enjoyable meal this particular evening. From the convenient valet parking – to the lively ambiance – to the service and food, it was a dining experience we look forward to repeating very soon.  I would love to try their brunch next – the menu looks quite appetizing.

I hope you will be inspired to dine at Boulevardier in the near future for brunch or dinner. We may see you there. Cheers!

 

Crumbzz

Jul11

Forney, Texas

This little European-style bistro is located in the heart of historic downtown Forney.  Open since 2011, my girlfriends and I have made several visits to Crumbzz for breakfast and lunch. I recently took my husband David there for brunch and decided it was time to let other foodies know about this little hidden gem.

The interior resembles a little chic, uptown Dallas cafe. There is seating along the Italian marble bar where you may sit and watch the live action in the open kitchen. The front area has several cozy round-topped aluminum tables and comfy leather chairs. The decorative ceiling, slate floors, succulents on the tables, and stage lighting add to the ambiance. The walls are usually lined with nature photographs or colorful paintings by local artists. 

I highly suggest that you not be in a “fast food” frame of mind when you dine at Crumbzz. All of the food is made to order and takes a little time. Order a cup of their delicious custom blend coffee or iced green tea and sit back, relax, and chill for a few minutes. Chef J Stephen Sadler will proudly tell you that every item is fresh, prepared on site and made from the finest natural ingredients. Most of his butter, eggs, dairy products and produce comes from local producers. Many of his spices and flavorings are imported from all over the world.

Ham & Egg sandwich
lemon ricotta pancakes

When David and I dined here for brunch a couple of weeks ago, we started our meal with a delicious, very smooth, vanilla latte (notice the cool asymmetrical coffee cups). Our first order was the Taylor Ham & Egg Sandwich which was delicious. Taylor Ham comes from New Jersey and is similar to the country ham I grew up eating in Mississippi, just not as salty.  The eggs were cooked to perfection and the fresh ciabatta roll and melted Gruyère cheese made this breakfast sandwich a hit.

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Gaufre Liege Waffle with Cinnamon Streusel Butter

Next up was one of my favorites – the Gaufre Liege Waffle. This is not your normal waffle-maker waffle! This is a dense and rich waffle that is made from caramelized brioche-based dough. It is chewy, tasty, and no topping is necessary – but  fortunately, it is served with a cinnamon streusel butter that melts as your spread it on the waffles and elevates this dish even more. Yum!

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Gruyere Egg Souffle

The entree that keeps me and my gal pals coming back to Crumbzz is the Gruyère Egg Soufflé. It takes a little longer to cook, so order this first thing. This soufflé is a light and airy, golden-colored delight. The Gruyère cheese gives it a rich saltiness and parmigiano-reggiano enhances the flavor. The fluffy, cheesy bites literally melt in your mouth. 

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Tomato Basil  Soup & Sandwich

If you are not in the mood for breakfast foods, try one of Crumbzz’s house made soups. The Tomato Basil and the French Onion are standouts. I have also enjoyed their Tuna Salad and Fribourg Grilled Cheese. There are several lunch specials that include soup, half of a sandwich or salad. The menu seems to have something for everyone.

small Crumbzz cakes
Large Crumbzz cake

Chef J Stephen, owner and executive chef,  frequently comes out of the kitchen and visits with patrons. He seems to enjoy his customers and is a joy to talk to.  He has made a name for himself and gained notoriety for his crumb cakes. These tasty cakes are made to order and ship nationally and internationally. This crumb cake recipe is a 400-year-old Sadler family recipe! When dining at Crumbzz, there are usually five flavors available each day: cinnamon, raspberry, apricot, chocolate, and a “flavor-of-the-month.” The fresh crumb cakes come in several sizes, so save room for one of the small individual sizes for dessert before you leave. Or better yet, take home one of each flavor to sample!

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Ladies enjoying lunch with Chef J Stephen Sadler

 

 

Mercat Bistro

Feb22

Dallas, Texas

sign out front
drinking a Peche Mignon

Mercat Bistro is located in Uptown Dallas but feels like you are dining at a little sidewalk cafe in Paris, France. It is tucked into a little building off Harwood and is located on the corner next to St. Anne’s Cafe. This small eatery serves contemporary French and American cuisine and is now one of my favorite brunch places. It is an intimate venue that is perfect for couples, friends or family. The noise level is energetic and the service has been very attentive when I have dined here.

The main dining room is quite small with very cozy marble-topped tables. The artsy, hand-lettered menu is located over the bar. The decor is European modern with touches of antiques and recycled items throughout…I feel safe calling it “French Charm.” There is an outside covered patio that truly looks as if it is steps away from the Metro in Paris. The metal scrollwork and open air dining is very indicative of an authentic French cafe. There is a beautiful view of Uptown from the patio as you overlook a spacious lawn, shady trees, fountains, strings of lights, etc.

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delicious Peche Mignons

The cocktails at Mercat Bistro are magnifique! You can order delicious Mimosas by the carafe. On my first visit, I enjoyed the Santa Rosa – a very refreshing cocktail made with St. Germaine and champagne. The “star” for me was the Peche Mignon (pictured above). Champagne was poured over a frozen fruit ball made of muddled berries, orange juice, pineapple, peaches, and Creme de Violette Liqueur. It was light and delicious and as the fruit melted – it sweetened the dry champagne. Be sure to ask for a spoon to eat the remaining ice ball when your glass is empty….it was yummy!

Croque Madame
Green Chile Crepe

The menu had a nice selection of pastries, salads, sandwiches, wraps, egg dishes, crepes, quiches and desserts. Their Ricotta & Honeycomb dish was my favorite appetizer. It consisted of creamy ricotta cheese, a fresh honey-filled honeycomb and crostinis. My only complaint was that I wanted more! The Green Chile Crepe was also impressive. It was a thin crepe filled with scrambled eggs, green chiles, cheddar cheese and herbs with a creamy mornay sauce and was served with roasted fingerling potatoes on the side. The Strawberry & Mascarpone Crepe was so light and delicate that it literally melted in my mouth. One word -DELICIOUS!

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Strawberry Mascarpone Crepe

For those of you looking for a cool new brunch place to try and would like to experience a little piece of Paris, put Mercat Bistro on your list. Portions were on the smaller side but the quality was top notch…I guess this just gives you an excuse to order more! 

Valet parking was available in front of the restaurant and across the street. I am looking forward to returning and trying out lunch and dinner. They have a wonderful dinner menu and also feature live music a couple of nights. I hope to see you there. Au revoir!