One meal. One visit. One chance to get it right
BACK TO BRUNCH | Primebar has had a year to polish its style, and the classic cheeseburger, served with thick-cut fries on a brioche bun with fresh tomato, shows skill.
ARNOLD WAYNE JONES | Life+Style Editor
Primebar
Last year, I reviewed Primebar, noting at the time that it didn’t quite know if it wanted to be a bubba-friendly sports bar or gay-boy brunch hang: “What is Primebar?” I asked. “Ecumenical Uptown eatery? Sports bar-cum-gastropub? Meta-gay bar with cool hetero clientele? I haven’t figured it out yet. I doubt it has, either.” I suggested giving it time to work it out.
Well, a year has passed. So it was time for a drive-by tasting to see if its personality has come through.
I’m happy to say that, at brunch at least, it seems more gay than ever. The boys were out in force on a recent Sunday, and despite golf and Formula 1 racing flickering on the TVs, the blaring soundtrack was pure disco and dance-club hip-hop.
Brunch is a convenient time to check out any restaurant: Usually there’s the full menu available plus the house specialties offered only on the weekend.
That’s certainly true of Primebar’s exquisite bottomless mimosas, which run $8 for a full four hours of imbibing — do it right, and they can average about 50 cents a glass. (But proving its gay credibility, the mimosas may be bottomless, but not the clientele.) I felt comfortably at home.
The menu has also changed. The crispy calamari — which I described last year as “crisp as a corporal’s dress shirt with a flavorful lemon aioli and spicy cocktail sauce” — is different now. Those spicy sides have been replaced by an orange glaze a la Chinese restaurant, with blanched cilantro verda on the side. The flavors are nice, though the heart has been replaced by sweetness, completely altering the flavor profile. Also, since you don’t dip the calamari, it soggies up the breading slightly.
They still stack some of their burgers with patties rather than attempt single thick-cut burgers. But the kitchen seems to be trying something heartier: on the Primeburger (which comes with a slice of gouda), the patties double up, while the basic burger suffices with one big patty and vivid fresh tomatoes. Both come with thick, deeply browned fries; I prefer the crispiness of shoestring juliennes, which tend to be less greasy, but these pack in taste.
The wedge salad is a refreshing culinary diversion on a summer day, and the unusual gumbo Benedict slathers on a rich shrimp ragout over toasted English muffins — still a unique take on a traditional brunch item.
The personable men’s room attendant is a welcome treat in a casual eatery, but service remains problematic: Our waitress was friendly, but had to be reminded of orders more than once. And “bottomless” is only truly bottomless when you refill the carafes as fast as we can drink them.
We’re gay men at brunch, folks — keep the liquor rolling.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition September 6, 2013.