We continue our look back at ’13 with a list of the people in North Texas arts and culture who helped define the year
The standout new restaurants of 2013
ARMS AND THE MANIA | The octopus at Pakpao was a tender creation, and one of 2013’s most memorable bites.
ARNOLD WAYNE JONES | Life+Style Editor
Unlike most other best-of lists, my best new restaurants — Top 10 Tables I call it — doesn’t follow a strict calendar year, since it sometimes takes a while to experience, explore and even discover a new restaurant and evaluate it before the clock strikes. But in 2013, these were the eateries that made the most lingering impact (some opened late-2012; some 2013 openers — including Rustic, Barter and those at Trinity Groves — will be considered for the 2014 list).
And “best” isn’t even an accurate term. How do you compare exquisite street food with able but uninspiring five-star dining? The best cheap burger with the most overpriced ribeye? And how might a restaurant change over the course of the year? So consider these snapshots of the food scene in North Texas last year. (Look for reviews of several of these in upcoming editions of Dallas Voice.) Cheers!
1. CBD Provisions. Boosters have been touting the “emergence” of Downtown Dallas for decades, and the promise finally feels fulfilled now, not the least of reasons being this latest of additions to the scene, where understated elegance and earth-bound flavors unite in a way that bespeaks a Texas sensibility without resorting to clichés. In 2013, it was my favorite place to eat — and my favorite place to discover.
2. HG SPLY Co. Lowest Greenville Avenue, once a destination for middle-brow St. Pat’s partiers and occasional fine dining aficionados, has blossomed in the past 18 months as a foodie oasis, from the opening of Trader Joe’s the Truck Yard food truck concept to a spate of unique dining options (Nora, Qariah, Mudsmith’s) but the standard-bearer is surely HG SPLY Co., which has the energy of a neighborhood hang but the deftness of an accomplished gastropub.
3. Pakpao. Continuing the Design District’s rep as a foodie destination (Oak, FT33, Meddlesome Moth, Ascension), Pakpao delivered a one-two punch of spicy and smoothness, one-of-a- kinds and old-reliables in an intimate setting.
4. Savor. Easily Dallas’ most beautiful restaurant at the moment, this long-awaited glass cathedral welcomes in the light and energy of Klyde Warren Park and the Arts District while serving a fine menu of diverse dishes. Despite a disappointing cocktail menu, its wine program is stellar and it’s simply the place to be now.
5. Mot Hai Ba. Easily 2013’s tongue twistingest name is this Vietnamese boite from chefy partners Colleen O’Hare and Jeana Johnson, which took over the space where Sharon Hage conjured her cuisine at York Street. We hesitate to call the location blessed, but considering how effortlessly they turn simple dishes into unmissable ones makes us think it’s a possibility.
6. Village Kitchen. Is Village Kitchen, previously called Marquee Grill, really a “new” restaurant? Well, new name, new chef, new menu … sounds new to me. Andre Natera, who led the staff at Pyramid for more than two years and upped the game there every season, took over from Tre Wilcox and brought his inventive style to a new audience. Bravo.
7. Belly & Trumpet. McKinney Avenue has been enlivened recently with an influx of buzzy dining options and popular eateries, and the best of them is surely the polished menu here.
8. Le Bilboquet. The old L’Ancestral hadn’t created a ripple in the Dallas food scene since Kennedy was shot, so its replacement, an airy, St.-Tropez bistro, offered a great jolt of French culinary dazzle along Travis Walk.
9. Meso Maya. The second iteration of this Tex-Mex restaurant brought its sophisticated sauces and hearty dishes closer to the gayborhood, in an Uptown enclave that’s becoming a great stop for a wide range of food.
10. Ai Sushi Sake Grill. It Mot Hai Ba’s space is magic, Ai’s has suffered from a curse of rotating concepts, but the excellent preparation of the sushi here, and the attentive service, give us hope that it’s finally hit a sweet spot.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition January 3, 2014.
