Mercat Bistro

Fresh tomato, Burrata, olive oil, and herbs served on grilled baguette.

A recent trip to Dallas provided the opportunity to check out a few local hotspots. I received so many great recommendations, it will take several trips down to try them all! Thanks to chef Trevor Tack for this one, I will certainly be returning!

Mercat Bistro (Harwood District, Uptown Dallas) was the perfect place to enjoy some small plates at the end of a long day at Market. The weather was unseasonably pleasant, and the restaurant offers a semi-enclosed gazebo for those who love to dine al fresco, but don't love to sweat in the Texas heat.

We opted to sample a few appetizers before deciding on an entrée. The Tomato & Burrata came first. For me, summertime means Caprese season, which is of course only made better when traditional Mozzarella is replaced by the extra richness of Burrata's creamy center. Grilled baguette, olive oil, and fresh herbs finished this up as the perfect first bite.

Next to arrive was the Ricotta and Honey. House-made ricotta cheese, served with honeycomb, fresh herbs, lemon zest, and toasted baguette slices. I love soft, fresh cheeses, and this was a great combo.

Our final appetizer selection was the Steak Tartare, which I can rarely pass up on any menu. Chopped tenderloin, mixed with whole-grain mustard and herbs, and served with a quail egg nestled in the middle.

By this point, I didn't have much room left, but we did decide to split the Steak au Poivre, just because it sounded delicious. Served with asparagus and peppercorn sauce, it was just enough to complete the meal. Sadly, it was destroyed before I could get my camera out.

Overall it was a great shared-snack meal, and I will definitely be returning.

The Blind Butcher

Love is Blind...on Greenville Ave.

A recent trip to Dallas provided the opportunity to check out a few local hotspots. I received so many recommendations, it will take several trips down to try them all! Thanks Nicci Atchley for this one, it was excellent!

I was tired. I hadn't slept well the night before departing. In fact, I just didn't feel very good. Add the scramble to pack and get on the road, plus the trip from Oklahoma City to Dallas. I was honestly tempted to just grab something quick, and start the "real" eating the next day.

Thankfully, I resisted the urge to be lazy, and instead picked one of the most recommended "must try" spots. In reality, it boiled down to the fact that I knew if I didn't go, the words "Pig's Ears" would be haunting my dreams. BTW, if anyone knows who is serving them up in Tulsa or OKC right now, please drop me a line. They are no longer on the menu at The Tavern, and I'm going through withdrawals.

The space, in the trendy Lower Greenville neighborhood was casual, and fairly crowded at the moment. I was feeling a bit cooped up after the drive, so I passed through the long narrow building, onto the back patio.

Craft beer & cocktail options were first on the agenda. I tend to have at least one Velvet Hammer
Imperial Red from Peticolas Brewing when visiting the Dallas area, and it sounded like a good match for the bar snacks I was determined to enjoy.

From the menu, I ordered the Chips with warm beer goat cheese, and goat pastrami, the crispy pig's ears with orange & fennel aioli, and the Brisket, Cheddar, and Jalapeno Sausage.

Chips with warm beer goat cheese, and goat pastrami. They had me at "goat Pastrami."

Crispy pig's ears, orange & fennel aioli. So deliciously crunchy, and the aioli was perfect

I have heard great things about the hand crafted cocktails, so I couldn't leave without giving one a shot. I went with The Notary, which came with the option of Rye or Gin. I was in a Rye mood. It was good. Boozy, bitter, and blessedly un-sweet.

House-made sausage. Brisket, jalapenos, cheddar, pickles, pretzel bun

Following my meal, I walked across the street to HS Sply Co. The view from the rooftop was lovely. Tired and cranky were gone, and I was looking forward to a great few days in Dallas.

The view of Lower Greenville, from the rooftop of HG Sply.

The Blind Butcher

1919 Greenville Ave
Dallas, TX 75206

214-887-0000

OPENING HOURS:
Blind Butcher is open every day
Mon-Thurs – 4:00pm – 2:00 am
Fri-Sun – 11:00am – 2:00am