Saturday, November 08, 2008
Good Times at Craft in Dallas
The women of our law firm were treated first class this week as we headed to Dallas to record our very first radio show. When the limousine arrived to pick us up, I knew I was in for a fun evening! Once in Dallas, we recorded the show (The Shivaun Palmer Show on Biz Radio) then headed to the W Hotel for cocktails and dinner at Craft.
The scene at the Living Room Bar was slightly dull. Not too many trendy folks enjoying cocktails. Granted, it was early and it was a Tuesday, but I still expected more of a hip, happy hour crowd. Regardless, we had a wonderful time sipping pear martinis and cucumber & mint martinis. YUM!! Big thanks to Shivaun for treating us to these fabulous adult beverages! They were a perfect appetizer!
Moving now from the Living Room to Craft. From the second we walked into the chic, but minimally decorated, restaurant, the servers were at our beck and call. Our head server, WShane, played a large part in deciding what we ordered. Each food item at Craft is plated separately but served family style in the middle of your table.
Here is what we enjoyed per WShane's suggestion...
First course:
- Baby Spinach & Applewood Bacon Salad ($12) - Simple flavors. Good, but no Three Forks Salad at Silver Fox.
- Peekytoe Crab & Green Apple ($16) - Sweet and delicious! Definitely the first course winner.
Second course:
- Alaskan Halibut & Red Wine Shallots ($31) - Probably the best halibut I have ever had. FWPaige, this one's for you!
- Beef Short Rib & Root Vegetable ($29) - Extremely tender and tasty if you like pot roast.
- Buffalo Tenderloin & Blueberry ($48) - This was my least favorite entree because the sauce was too sweet. The overwhelming sweetness made it impossible to appreciate the flavor of the tenderloin.
Side dishes:
- Caramelized Onion & Gruyére Risotto ($14) - To die for! This was probably my favorite side item with the assorted mushrooms a close second. Although risotto is a heavy side item, to be eaten in moderation, at least one order should be shared among a group!
- Assortment of mushrooms ($18) - Loved the mushrooms! The assortment included baby shitake mushrooms (which are my fave), oyster, abalone, hen of the woods and trompette royale.
- Spaghetti Squash ($12) - topped with parmesan cheese and baked. Some enjoyed it, but I found it too sweet for my liking.
- Brussels Sprouts ($12) - I do not think I had ever tried brussels sprouts. They tasted very green and healthy. Not bad, but nothing dynamite.
Instead of ordering dessert, we each enjoyed a cup of coffee. While sipping, WShane, brought out some complimentary treats that included carmel cashew popcorn, mini fudge brownies (sinfully delicious) and mini oatmeal cookies! They also gave us complimentary muffins to take home and enjoy for breakfast. Very impressive!
Overall, the Craft experience was positivly lovely. I really enjoyed some of the food, but I must say...Craft was missing a "WOW" factor. I am glad to have gotten to go, but if I were returning to Dallas for a special meal, I don't know if I would return to Craft right away. Dallas has so many wonderful restaurants that I would probably try something new such as Kenichi or N9ne Steakhouse.
Craft - Located in the W Hotel
http://www.craftrestaurant.com/
2440 Victory Ave
Dallas, TX 75219
(214) 397-4111
The scene at the Living Room Bar was slightly dull. Not too many trendy folks enjoying cocktails. Granted, it was early and it was a Tuesday, but I still expected more of a hip, happy hour crowd. Regardless, we had a wonderful time sipping pear martinis and cucumber & mint martinis. YUM!! Big thanks to Shivaun for treating us to these fabulous adult beverages! They were a perfect appetizer!
Moving now from the Living Room to Craft. From the second we walked into the chic, but minimally decorated, restaurant, the servers were at our beck and call. Our head server, WShane, played a large part in deciding what we ordered. Each food item at Craft is plated separately but served family style in the middle of your table.
Here is what we enjoyed per WShane's suggestion...
First course:
- Baby Spinach & Applewood Bacon Salad ($12) - Simple flavors. Good, but no Three Forks Salad at Silver Fox.
- Peekytoe Crab & Green Apple ($16) - Sweet and delicious! Definitely the first course winner.
Second course:
- Alaskan Halibut & Red Wine Shallots ($31) - Probably the best halibut I have ever had. FWPaige, this one's for you!
- Beef Short Rib & Root Vegetable ($29) - Extremely tender and tasty if you like pot roast.
- Buffalo Tenderloin & Blueberry ($48) - This was my least favorite entree because the sauce was too sweet. The overwhelming sweetness made it impossible to appreciate the flavor of the tenderloin.
Side dishes:
- Caramelized Onion & Gruyére Risotto ($14) - To die for! This was probably my favorite side item with the assorted mushrooms a close second. Although risotto is a heavy side item, to be eaten in moderation, at least one order should be shared among a group!
- Assortment of mushrooms ($18) - Loved the mushrooms! The assortment included baby shitake mushrooms (which are my fave), oyster, abalone, hen of the woods and trompette royale.
- Spaghetti Squash ($12) - topped with parmesan cheese and baked. Some enjoyed it, but I found it too sweet for my liking.
- Brussels Sprouts ($12) - I do not think I had ever tried brussels sprouts. They tasted very green and healthy. Not bad, but nothing dynamite.
Instead of ordering dessert, we each enjoyed a cup of coffee. While sipping, WShane, brought out some complimentary treats that included carmel cashew popcorn, mini fudge brownies (sinfully delicious) and mini oatmeal cookies! They also gave us complimentary muffins to take home and enjoy for breakfast. Very impressive!
Overall, the Craft experience was positivly lovely. I really enjoyed some of the food, but I must say...Craft was missing a "WOW" factor. I am glad to have gotten to go, but if I were returning to Dallas for a special meal, I don't know if I would return to Craft right away. Dallas has so many wonderful restaurants that I would probably try something new such as Kenichi or N9ne Steakhouse.
Craft - Located in the W Hotel
http://www.craftrestaurant.com/
2440 Victory Ave
Dallas, TX 75219
(214) 397-4111
