Author Archives: Susie O

The 2nd Floor Spring Menu

The 2nd Floor Bistro is constantly reinventing itself thanks to its incredible culinary team.  The latest change comes to us in the form of their new spring menu boasting bold, inventive dishes.  SDD Contributor Rico and I were lucky enough to get the chance to preview the new menu items a couple weeks back and were blown away.

The new dinner menu includes items like Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras (I’ll be back to get this … believe), Grilled Block-cut Akasushi NY Strip, and Crispy Confit Salad and the lunch menu offers a few Rustic Pizzas.

The evening started with some of their new cocktails thanks to their mixologist Seth Brammer.  They passed some of their new options around and one of my favorites was the House Tonic & Gin–a classic made amazing thanks to their house tonic.  We also enjoyed the Cucumber Sip (Crop Organic Cucumber Vodka, elderflower, strawberry, and soda) which was perfectly refreshing after experiencing humidity that you could cut with a knife that day.

Other new cocktails include: Muzzle of Bees (Rittenhouse Rye, lemon-infused honey, lemon bitters, and fresh black pepper), Meet Me in Rome (Deep Eddy Grapefruit Vodka, Cappelletti, Cocchi Americano, and bubbles), and the Quick Pittance (Four Roses Bourbon, Giffard Apricot Liqueur, lemon, mint, and ginger ale).

The meal began and we were delighted by item after item.  The appetizers that I died for were the Quail Wings, Deviled Eggs (WITH LOBSTER!) and the Potato, Leek, & Kale Soup.  (I can tell that the soup is one of those dishes that will pop into my mind at some point and I won’t be able to sleep until I get my mouth on some.)

Chef Scott Gottlich and his team joined us before each entree to tell us about the amazing new items they dreamt up in excruciating detail. (I mean that in a good way … we couldn’t wait to sink our teeth into them once we’d been teased with the explanation!)  Of this group, the Pork & Seeds was the dish that really made a strong impression.  It was Executive Chef Andrea Maricich’s take on the dish she had as a child complete with housemade mustard to give some kick to the perfectly crispy pork belly.

The dishes kept coming and our bellies started to grow weary … but our palates didn’t.  Each dish had such unique flavors that each bite let us discover the depth of each ingredient.  I’m not usually a Shrimp & Grits fan, but they added Grilled Kaffir Lime to the giant Gulf Prawns which completely revolutionized the dish.  (And don’t get me started on the accompanying saffron cauliflower grits.)

Dessert, as always, comes too late in the meal.  Your stomach realizes by this point what you’ve decided to it with the previous courses and it’s usually too difficult to give it your full attention and appreciate it for how brilliant it really is.  We were given bites of the 2nd Floor’s take on Carrot Cake which was actually a cake filled with cream cheese accompanied by a pine nut cookie.  Take that, cupcakes!  My favorite of the two items was the Bananas Foster Pudding.  While not a huge bananas Foster fan, I thought the silkiness of the pudding really lent itself nicely to the taste.  I’d order the crap out of it again.

As usual, The Second Floor Bistro didn’t disappoint and intrigued me to the point that I’ll need duck back in to try out some of the new dishes for the spring.

To find full menus, visit their website.


The Second Floor Bistro
thesecondfloorrestaurant.com | @2ndFloorBistro
13340 Dallas Parkway (in the Galleria – Westin entrance)
(972) 450-2978

Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro (Las Vegas)

Brunch in Vegas. Perhaps one of the lesser considered meals in Sin City, but one of my new favorites. On a recent trip, a couple colleagues and I ventured into Morels in The Palazzo. I love everything French (wine, bread, macarons, kisses …), so I was stoked about trying this place out. Not only did it have he promise of a great hangover cure (because hair of the dog is necessary in Vegas), but it ups the ante with a view of the strip.

We started with a fancy bloody mary at the stately inside bar. While they offer a traditional version of the brunch cocktail, they also offer a few remixed version including a Surf & Turf Bloody Mary, complete with bacon (obvi) and a jumbo shrimp. Their bloodies have a nice flavor and aren’t weak in the least. If ordering off the menu isn’t your style, you can have them make you one to your specs when you order the bloody mary cart!

We moved outside after our first round of drinks to enjoy the view of the Strip complete with some serious people watching along with some . I started hacking away at their offer of bottomless mimosas for $25 (damn decent sparkling along with four options of juice). Soon enough, everyone at the table joined in on the bottomless challenge offering, so they brought us our own bottle of sparkling and carafes of each juice. (Gotta love that self-serve life.)

The menu offers plenty of French-inspired items and I couldn’t pass up the Mushroom & Gruyère Crepe with cream sauce. The rest of the table opted for the Pan-Seared Scottish Salmon and the Crab Oscar Benedict–both were amazing. We all shared bites of our entrees and agreed that I made the best choice (though all were ah-mazing).

Without asking, dessert and much-needed coffee was sent out (the worst, no?) All three of us were absolutely full, but made room for the Mixed Berry Crumble and Classic Profiteroles. And damn … I’m glad we did. The crumble was perfectly warm (you can tell that I didn’t get the picture before it started melting the ice cream) and the topping was nice and crispy. The profiteroles sandwiched candied vanilla almond ice cream and came with a side of malted chocolate sauce and topped with house-made whipped cream.

Overall, the brunch was amazing. All three of us agreed that it was a delightful change of pace from the all-you-can-eat buffets and smokey casinos (not that I’d ever leave either of those behind, but sometimes it can be nice to go and enjoy some nice food, besides if I ever wanted to place some money into a betting game I could do so using a website like Casino-Korea whilst still enjoying my delicious food!). The entire staff was courteous and amenable and the restaurant was beautifully light and airy. I’d go back in a second to get my hands on one of their steaks (we saw a few go by and … ohhhh my), cheese and charcuterie platters, and seafood towers. They offer iced seafood and freshly-shucked oysters.

Morels’ weekend brunch is served Saturdays and Sundays from 8am to 4pm, giving you plenty of time to sleep off the haze from the night before.

MORELS FRENCH STEAKHOUSE & BISTRO
www.morelslv.com
3325 Las Vegas Blvd (in the Palazzo)
(702)607-6333

 

JEM Beverage Company’s New Facility

JEM Beverage Company (makers of Western Son Vodka, Red River Whiskey, South House Moonshine, and more) has shed its Carrollton roots and moved to Pilot Point, Texas to expand its distillery!

They offer distillery  tours Fridays (4pm) and Saturdays (1pm, 3pm & 5pm).  Oh  … and you get half off your tour if you arrive on horseback.  I kid you not.

Some of the #SDDContributor team and I stopped by their grand opening party this past Saturday, May 23 to celebrate.  Check out the trouble we got into!

Dallas #BoozeNews: May 27, 2015

JEM Beverage Company (makers of Western Son Vodka, Red River Whiskey, South House Moonshine, and more) has shed its Carrollton roots and moved to Pilot Point, Texas to expand its distillery!  Some of the #SDDContributor team and I stopped by their grand opening party this past Saturday to celebrate.  Check out what we got into and learn more about the distillery.

Dallas institution Snookie’s on Oak Lawn will close its fifth and last-standing location on May 31 as the shopping center it’s in will be demolished.  It will close on the heels of its 26th birthday.  Don’t miss their closing parties Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May 30!

Paul Martin’s American Grill is opening in North Texas!  The California-based restaurant concept will hire 125 and will have 6,000sf of restaurant and will serve contemporary American food.  Stay tuned for a location and opening date!

Uchi Dallas will open June 1 at 5pm! Check out the beloved Austin sushi transplant at their newest of four locations at 2817 Maple Avenue! Their “signature menu offerings include hot and cool tastings, makimono, yakimono, tempura and, of course, sushi and sashimi.”

K.T. Burger, a new concept from the Katy Trail Ice House in Highland Park Village, is NOW OPEN in the former Marquee Grill/Village Kitchen space.  Expect burgers (duh), salads (boring), and some brats.  Oh … and beer, wine, and some booze.

Chef Vijay Sadhu

Chef Vijay Sadhu

Cook Hall at the W Dallas Victory named Chef Vijay Sadhu as the new chef.  His talents that were honed across the globe and most recently at Samar by Stephan Pyles will take up residence at the upscale eatery in June.

Samson’s Gourmet Hot Dogs has added burgers to their lineup.  The dog shop with 31 topping options will offer regular ole burgers and stuffed ones … stuffed burgers, y’all.  The Magnum sounds pretty amazing –it’s stuffed with roasted jalapeños and smoked chipotle cream cheese and topped with smoked chipotle sauce.

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Asador’s New Menu Items

Ok, y’all … it’s no mystery that I have a pretty serious obsession with Asador.  (Evident here, here, … and here.)  I was lucky enough to be invited in to try some of their new menu items from their Executive Chef, Brad Phillips.  They update their menu so often (like … sometimes daily) that they’ve decided to print their menus in-house so they don’t have to wait for a printer.

Some things are always amazing and can’t be missed, like their cocktails which are mixed using infused liquors inspired by the ever-awesome Tyler. (P.S. she’s a lady and she’s awesome.)  One of my contributors, Laura, joined me for the meal and swore that she’d be back as soon as should could be … it was that good.

To start … cocktails … oh, the cocktails.  I started with the Mellow Honey (Honeydew and cucumber-infused gin, fresh lemon juice, and prosecco), and it is, no doubt, the perfect light cocktail for spring.  The infused gin was so delicate without letting the other flavors mask it–truly amazing.

We enjoyed the Farm Salad to start that will be different every time you order it.  They go for fresh, so they only put the best stuff in there.  The “croutons” on this were absolutely craveable. The Pork Belly served with sunny side-up quail eggs were perfectly crisp and incredibly flavorful and the kimchi BBQ sauce made it just to die for.  This is a bacon and egg combo that I can seriously get behind.  These seriously can’t be missed.  The PEI Mussels with ginger, cilantro, lemongrass in sambal broth were so good that I nearly asked for a straw for the broth.  We actually did ask for more bread to soak it up–and that’s no crime.  They paired the mussels with a crisp glass of white wine that really hit the spot.

Stop in and try some of the new options that they’re slinging from the bar and the kitchen … I promise you’ll be impressed.

ASADOR
asadorrestaurant.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
2222 N Stemmons Fwy (in the Renaissance Hotel), Dallas
(214)631-2222

C’Viche

There’s a new chico in town … and his name is C’Viche.  Get your ass into this play ASAP, because it’s f**king delicious.

Their cocktails pack a punch and are a perfect complement to their Mexican and South American food.  They have an extensive full bar with some more exotic options, so you can get traditional margaritas or get a little crazy with Pisco drinks.  Check out some details of my visit below.

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We started with their complimentary chips & salsa while we poured over their menu.  Their food options are limited in the most perfect way–they don’t do all that much, but what they do, they do really damn well.  Their menu is literally five simple sections … ceviches (obvi.)and crudos, specialties, quesadillas, “snacks”, and tacos.

In the meantime, we ordered a couple drinks with the help of the owner and chef, Randall–Jackie* went with their mojito and I opted for a Pisco Sour … because Pisco.  Jackie hadn’t tried Pisco, so we were given small tastes to sip.  If you want to know more about Pisco, check out #SDDContributor Brian’s review or mine from ages ago!

Their bar is pretty extensive, offering “100% agave Mexican tequilas & mezcal, Caribbean rums, Brazilian cachaça and Argentinian Pisco”. You can also opt for their local or Mexican & South American beers on tap or some wine.  But, when in C’Viche …

Their food is unexpectedly good.   Though, they’re owned by the same guy as Clark Food & Wine Company, so I should have known better … because that place is legit.)  The food is inspired by Mexican and South American cuisine and makes the food its own in a special and delicious way.

My absolute favorite food item we tried was the Tuna Crudo “Poke Style” (tuna crudo, tamari, ginger, and scallions).  Jackie and I had a little fork fight over who got the last piece … I kid you not.  We also got into some serious queso business along with their Street Style Corn and Avocado Fries.  Not to be missed is their fresh fish, which you can choose which fish you prefer, chopped (ceviche) or sashimi style (crudo), which style you’d like (Baja, Peruvian, island, or Asian), and you can even have them make it into a salad for just $2.

The atmosphere is decided casual thanks to the nice natural light it lets in, red metal bar stools, industrial lights, and cement floors.  The music keeps it light and the staff lights to kid around … which just makes things a little more fun.

Stop into C’Viche soon and get you some of their tuna crudo to accompany their new happy hour specials.
C’VICHE & TEQUILA BAR
www.cvicheandtequila.com
1922 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 238-3509

*Jackie is my new friend who happens to be a fellow blogger … check her our at Pretty Petals! You’ll hear about her again.

Lobby Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental (New York City)

My sister and I remembered the amazing experience we had more than eight years ago at this bar.  We were there with friends and were absolutely floored by the view overlooking Central Park from the southwest corner in the Time Warner building.

The service is impeccable and the drinks are well-mixed.  Order a drink and a couple of their tapas-style appetizers and watch the sun set over the park.  It really is one of the best places to do it in the city.  Just make sure to get a spot by the window!

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Lobby Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental
MandarinOriental.com
80 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023
(212) 805-8800

HOURS:
9am – 1am (Sun – Thu)
9am – 2am (Fri & Sat)

TEA: 2:30 – 4:30pm (Daily)

 

Hilton@Play: Nick Jonas

Hilton has started a new series, Hilton @Play, a partnership with Live Nation, where Hilton HHonors members can experience private events at their properties.  It’s part of an effort to give their hardworking guests the chance to play a little.  (I like it.)  HHonors members have the chance to reserve tickets with their points on the HHonors website.

For their Dallas Hilton @Play event, the brought Nick Jonas to the Hotel Anatole for a private concert.  When you arrived, there was a red carpet experience followed by a VIP-style reception, complete with a live DJ, plenty of food, an open bar, a photo booth, and plenty of people with which to mingle.

The concert itself was so small that everyone got a great place to watch.  Even better, there was a bar inside the venue (sweet) and enough video coverage that you could see every second of the show in full HD glory.

Nick did his thing on stage and, I’m not the crazy Nick Jonas fan like the girls in front, but I really enjoyed the show.  (He is really damn talented, after all.)  The girls went extra wild when he mentioned that Dallas is his hometown — because we do breed talent in the Big D.

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During the concert, they replaced the appetizers and savory food with a smorgasbord of deliciousness for concert-goers to enjoy after the show.  On the way out, we even got goodie bags and the chance to snap a couple pap photos on the red carpet again.

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