#201 - The Rustic, Dallas, TX

My first few years working at OSU, I traveled with the football team to every away game. Long story short, that ended 2 years ago. At first I was really bummed, but very few of my friends travel to away games. So even if I did go, it would be like my first year at OSU where I hardly knew anyone and hung out by myself. Instead, I take the opportunity to visit friends/family, or just relax at home.  Last week I decided to go to Dallas to visit friends.

Dallas is one of my favorite cities. Before I moved to Oklahoma I think I'd only visited a couple of times, but it's still always been a favorite. Even after I moved here I didn't visit very often, but once I found friends down there I go as often as I can. I always joke that if they would just move OSU to Dallas, I would never have to leave.

I drove down last Thursday, and had an appointment near downtown. Joni works nearby, so we decided to meet for lunch. Dallas has so many restaurants that I think it would take me a couple of years of going to new restaurants every week to hit every single one. I'm not that familiar with downtown, so I went online to see what was near my appointment and came across The Rustic. They use local ingredients, it's just a few miles from where I was going, and Joni had never eaten there before either. Sold.

The Rustic is located in the heart of Dallas, just North of downtown. The interior is very casual, with wood paneling on the walls, wooden tables, animal heads on the wall above the open kitchen, and a large outdoor patio. It's a very open concept restaurant, with huge garage doors that can open from the main dining room to the patio.

As you enter the restaurant, they've also got an entire wall of different types of firewood. It's really cool, because they explain each type of wood and the flavors it provides to food

This is a very cool restaurant, with tons of character. It's a regular restaurant during the day, with lots of workers going there for lunch. After hours it's definitely a hot-spot. The backyard is huge, and they do concerts back there all the time. They've got fire pits and heaters so the outside can be used most of the year. There's a beer station at one end, next to the stage, and a regular bar at the back of the patio. We are big fans of The Truck Yard for their great patio, but this place is a very close second, if not tied. And besides, the crowd here would be closer to our age. It didn't take Joni and I long to decide we'll have to check it out on a weekend.

As I mentioned earlier, The Rustic is a locally sourced restaurant. Seafood is from the Gulf, and meat, dairy and produce are from local farmers. Even better, they offer 25% off to military, uniformed officers, paramedics, and firefighters every single day. I love restaurants like this that make a difference.

We decided to start with deviled eggs

Oh my. These were absolutely outstanding. The yolk was so light and fluffy, and had such a wonderful flavor. The red seasoning was a mixture of sea salt and paprika. The crispies on top are pork rinds. I don't think I've ever eaten those before, but they were really good. I could easily have eaten all of these myself.

We also got the cactus fritters, mainly because our server said if we liked fried okra we would really like these

Sadly, our server was wrong. When I hear fritters, I think ground stuff that's formed into balls and fried. Not huge strips. And it was beer battered, which I'm not a fan of. Our server offered to swap them out, which was very kind of him, but we declined because we had enough other food.

We decided to split the special, which was brisket quesadilla and and avocado salad

Again, oh my. We both loved the avocado salad. It's huge chunks of creamy avocado, crunchy jicama, and fresh cucumbers. It was a very interesting combination, one I've never had before, but it worked really well. Actually I don't know that I've ever had jicama ever before. It doesn't really have much flavor, but does have a very nice peppery bite. Joni got full before me, so I got to enjoy about 2/3 of the salad. The quesadillas were phenomenal. The brisket was so juicy and tender, and was absolutely bursting with flavor. There was a kick from the jalapenos, but it wasn't overpowering. I would say the only slight negative is that it didn't come with a side of guacamole. But I guess that might have been avocado overload. But seriously, does such a thing really exist?! I think not.

We were very excited to find out that the brisket quesadillas will soon be on their permanent menu. They definitely deserve to be there. 

I don't think I have to say it, but I will most certainly be back. It would be awesome to see a free concert, go to a Dallas Cowboys watch party, or just hang out on the patio on a Saturday afternoon.

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#190 - Green Door Public House, Dallas TX

In June I spent a weekend in Dallas with Joni & Tony. That Saturday morning I got up early, drove down to the Dallas Farmer's Market, and of course wrote a review. I tweeted about it while I was there, and got a retweet from Green Door Public House that they were located right nearby. I already had plans to meet Joni for lunch back in Flower Mound, but I immediately put it on the schedule for my next trip. That trip happened a few weeks ago when I was back in Dallas for Joni's daughter's wedding. 

I got to the market about 9:30, because you just never know how long it will take to walk around and check out all the vendors. They didn't have as many as were there in June, but I still bought some goodies, including baby portobella mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and okra. The guy selling fresh meat always tries to suck me in, but I stave him off when I tell him I live in Stillwater.

I finished at the market at 10:30, so I had 30 minutes to kill before the restaurant opened. I started to walk since it's so close, got the to the nursery about a block from my car, and realized how hot it already was. And how I definitely wasn't going to want to walk back after eating. So I drove over, which ended up being a very smart decision.

I was the first patron in the door. I thought about sitting at the bar, but then decided to get the full service experience at a table. The restaurant is in a very cool, old building

Photo courtesy of Green Door Public House

I love when new businesses take over old/historic buildings and preserve the look and feel of the original space. They may not have a choice because of revitalization code, but still. History is cool. They kept the brick walls and tall, exposed ceilings. The seating is a combination of a large bar, high-top tables, and regular tables. They've got lots of pictures of old Dallas on the walls, and a very cool outdoor patio

They have weekend brunch, and so of course also brunch cocktails. I went light with a mimosa, as well as a big glass of water to cool down.  The menus are short and sweet. Perfect for me, because I don't do well with huge menus. 

I had looked at some of their menu items on their Instagram page, and one of the first things that jumped out at me was the chicken tortilla soup, so I went with it to start. I know, I know, it was a million degrees outside. But I only got a cup.

Wow. This was well worth it. It was rich and super flavorful. It was so dark that I almost thought they brought me chili instead of soup. And yes, I even double checked the menu. But nope, it's the wonderful soup. The spice doesn't hit you at first, but it definitely sneaks up a couple bites in. I like that they include big chunks of avocado to help cool down the heat. I could have easily eaten at least a bowl of this.

For my entree I went back and forth on a couple of items, all of which looked so good on Instagram. I finally decided on the blackened fish tacos, with corn tortillas

Blackened tilapia, lettuce, pico de gallo, and taco sauce

The first thing I tried was the roasted tomato salsa. Outstanding. Such a great depth of flavor. I asked the server if it was made in house, and she told me that 95% of their menu is. Love it. The guacamole was freshly made as well, with fresh lime juice, and really good. The chips were light, super crispy, and lightly seasoned. The tacos were excellent. The menu states 2 tacos, and you might think it won't be enough food. But then you would be wrong. There's a whole filet in each taco, and they pile the toppings on there. The blackening provides a subtle, delicious kick, and I'm quite sure it's a homemade mix, not the stuff you would buy at the store.

Will I go back? No question. The food was excellent, and I really liked the atmosphere. And I need another bowl of the chicken tortilla soup. I can see afternoon funtivities here with Joni on my next Dallas excursion. 

Dallas Farmer's Market, Dallas TX

I love farmer’s markets. About 15 years ago I discovered one on the north side of Baltimore.  It was an hour’s drive from my apartment in College Park, and my mom thought I was nuts for driving that far when there were other markets much closer. But this one was huge.  They had dozens of vendors selling everything you can imagine and more.  And they had a vendor selling these amazing spring rolls.  Yes, I drove all the way to Baltimore for spring rolls at a farmer’s market.  But it was worth it. And I only did it about once a month and also stocked up on fresh produce. Once I moved to Columbia, it was a much shorter drive.

When I moved to Stillwater in ’07, I was so disappointed there was no farmer’s market in town.  And when I did go to OKC or Tulsa to run errands, I was hitting all the stores we don’t have in Stillwater and honestly kind of forgot about finding a market. Then I found out that Stillwater does have a farmer’s market. But the times I went it was relatively small, and it was hit or miss to find the things I wanted.

About 6 weeks ago I was on Facebook and the Uptown 23rd Farmer’s Market popped up on my news feed.  It’s in OKC, and it looks awesome.  It’s only open the last Sunday of the month, and I had big plans to go at the end of May.  But that was the same weekend OSU hosted the baseball regionals, and since we had lost Saturday we were playing the early game Sunday; therefore the market lost out to baseball. I'm definitely going this weekend.

Last week when I was planning my Dallas trip, I was online looking at restaurants.  And suddenly it occurred to me to look into the Dallas Farmer’s Market. I knew nothing about it other than it's Dallas, so figured they've got to have a big one. It's in downtown Dallas and is open Thursday evenings, and then Friday - Sunday. Monday is the resale market, where I'm guessing farmers sell to stores. 

The Farmer's Market
The farmer’s market is split into 2 sections.  The Shed is where you can find all the produce.  The Market is currently being renovated.  When it opens, it will have 4 anchor restaurants, local & specialty foods, and artisnal food vendors.

I wasn't sure what the traffic was going to be like to get down there, and I knew it would get crowded, so I arrived at about 9am.  There's a lot of free parking nearby, and I was lucky enough to find one right around the corner from The Shed.

I definitely reached at the perfect time, because there weren't more than about 50 shoppers. I love the chalkboard sign welcoming this week's farmers

Fruits & Vegetables
There are 3 rows of vendors, selling everything you can think of. In season right now are tomatoes, onions, green beans, zucchini, melons, and berries, just to name a few

The above pictures are just a sampling of the fruits and veggies they had available. What I love is how fresh everything was! And the fact that several stands were offering samples. Everything just burst in your mouth.  There's no comparison to what you normally find in the grocery store that took who knows how long to get there. 

One of the most interesting samples I came across was sugar cane juice

It's nothing but juiced sugar cane. You would think it would be really sweet, but it's not at all.  Just very refreshing, and I really enjoyed it.

A couple other items I never thought I'd see at a farmer's market were beans, peas, and mushrooms

I guess I shouldn't be surprised about the mushrooms, since they grow them.  But I really don't think I've ever seen them at a market.  The baby bellas were huge, bigger than anything you'll ever see in the grocery store. The beans definitely caught me off guard. And I saw 3 different vendors selling them. 

 

Prepared Food

I guess I really haven't been to a market in a long time because I was kind of surprised at the amount of prepared food that I saw for sale. Like the fruit, there were samples at every turn.

Mrs. Burk's Buns instantly caught my eye with their desserts.  I'm not usually a big dessert fan, but I couldn't resist these.  And when I started talking to the owners, I found out that they are located in Flower Mound! What a small word.

They have pies, cinnamon buns, and homemade caramel corn

I absolutely couldn't resist a sample of the almond toasted coconut bun. OMG. It was so good. Warm, moist, and delicious.  I was worried it might be really rich, but it wasn't at all.  And they've got lots of different flavors, so it was all I could do not to sample every single one.  The popcorn was delicious as well. I tried to be strong, but ended up buying the cinnamon bun and a bag of popcorn.

Joni and I broke into the popcorn when I got back to the house.  We devoured about 3/4 of it by Sunday morning, so I left it there so I wouldn't be tempted anymore. We held out on the cinnamon bun until Sunday morning. I wanted her to try it before I left, since they're right in her neighborhood

Even room temperature, i twas excellent. I forgot to take a picture before we dug in, so this is after 2 bites.  When I got home Sunday night, I warmed the rest up.  It was absolutely amazing.

Texas Parcel sells pizza sauce and pasta sauce.  Of course I had to stop by when I saw that they were doing samples over pasta! 

The pasta sauce was good, but the pizza sauce was fantastic.  It only has a few ingredients, but they make the sauce absolutely shine. The flavor burst of one bite is what sold me.  I bought a bottle, and can't wait to try it on my homemade pizza.

Sunnyvale Honey sells, you guessed it, honey!  They also sell different types of eggs and meat.  

I read a post the other day about commercial vs raw honey.  I used to always buy the store brand honey. But like many other things, locally made/raw/natural is better than mass produced.  I've been buying raw honey at the grocery store, but this honey was a lot better.  Very smooth, tastes fresh, and absolutely no aftertaste.  I bought a small one, but in hindsight should have gotten the bigger one.  I'll solve that when I go back in August.

The Pickle Shack Gourmet Pickles caught my eye because of the huge jars of samples as well as rows of the jarred product

I tried both the pickled cucumbers and pickles.  They were both very good, and honestly I'm not sure which one I liked better.  I considered buying some, but I know me.  I wouldn't eat them fast enough, then they would go bad, and then I would be annoyed.  So I passed.  The vendor jumped me a little when I took the picture of the pickle jars.  I didn't even really think about that, and quickly told him I'm a food blogger and that I was writing about the market.  After that he was okay, especially when I mentioned that I would write about him. Note to self: always ask the vendors of packaged foods before taking pictures! 

Sweet Companion Bakery sells duffins.  What's a duffin you ask? It's a combination of doughnut and muffin.  Duh. And they're made from scratch, just like all the products they bake.

It's basically a muffin that's filled with stuff.  Good stuff.  Delicious stuff.  I tried the pineapple filled, and it was excellent.  But when it came time to buy, I had to go with the chocolate filled.  I broke it open on Monday night to eat.

This was so good.  The sugar on top created a little bit of a crust, and it provided a really great sweet contrast to the muffin. Sometimes doughnuts are stuffed so full that all you get is the filling.  This duffin is just enough filling that it's not overpowering. I had originally planned to only eat half on Monday and the other half Tuesday.  That didn't work very well.


Freshly Cooked Food

Between missing breakfast and seeing all this food, I got hungry pretty quickly.  At the end of the first row was homemade fried pies.  He didn't have any of the spicy meat pie ready, so I waited about 5 minutes for him to fry one up for me.

It had a little kick, and was very flavorful.  But the middle was cold.  I'm talking super cold.  He definitely didn't cook it long enough; I'm not sure if it was because he was rushing to cook it since I was waiting.  I find it very hard to believe he would last long if that was normal.  I thought about taking it back, but I was hungry and didn't worry about it.

There was another food stand, this one for breakfast tacos.  I went back to that one about 30 minutes after I ate the fried pie. Every time I looked there were people ordering and eating them, so of course I had to join the crowd and try them out. I was so bummed because they were out of barbacoa.  That's what I get for waiting.  So I did one with chorizo & egg, and one with bean & cheese, and chose corn tortillas. 

The chorizo was delicious. It was a little spicy, but not overpowering. The bean and cheese was very average.  I added a little of the salsa, but that didn't help much.  It just didn't do anything for me.

What made me super happy was that they had Mexican coke!

I tried Mexican coke for the first time on my trip to Playa del Carmen 2 years ago.  I was immediately hooked. I rarely ever drink full-calorie coke, but I make the exception for Mexican.  They use real sugar, and it's so addicting. 

Pet Friendly

I've seen and heard both sides of the pet debate at public outdoor events.  I can't really decide where I stand.  I've heard friends rant that they have the right to bring their pet. Maybe. But, not everyone likes dogs. And for events that are focused on food, there could be health/safety issues.  The debate continues, and policies range from event to event.

The Baltimore market is not pet friendly.  The Dallas market, however, is. There are even several vendors selling pet products, and some that have water bowls for the dogs.

Overall

I made it out of the market without spending my entire paycheck.  Really though, the prices are really good, especially for the produce.  When I got back to Joni's house I went through all my stuff. I had some helpers immediately come running into the kitchen, thinking it was for them.

I'm really glad I took the time to visit the Dallas Farmer's Market.  I met wonderful farmers and vendors and got some great products. If I lived anywhere close I would most certainly be there every week.  I can't wait for The Market to open next spring so I can check out those restaurants and other shops.