The Big "D"

I adore Austin’s honky tonk arts culture but for an infusion of mature urban delights Dallas delivers. Once we passed the roadside porn trailers, fresh turkey buffet, and I do mean fresh, like in the pen behind the restaurant, and an accidental and delightful detour through Bell Branch, where blue bonnets, indian paint brush and buttercups lined the road, we were greeted by the Dallas skyline. Norman Mailer said the skyline looked like “a bunch of Kleenex boxes stacked on their ends.” True enough – but under those Kleenex boxes lies these treasures…

Dallas Museum of Art

We gravitated toward the European Masters, Van Gough, Picasso, Manet, Monet, Gauguin and the Texas impressionism, including a massive collection from the Blue Bonnet Landscape tradition.

York Street
You are looking at a whole roasted barramundi. We shared this dish, boar ribs, sun choke and brown butter soup, beats, spinach, oysters and wine pairings. Critic, Bill Addison wrote this about chef Sharon Hage's restaurant, "...such are the enchantments at York Street, which is housed in a building so lithely modern and discreet that you might mistake its exterior for a small graphic design firm. Ms. Hage purchased the 42-seat East Dallas restaurant in 2001, allowing her the freedom to cook in a perpetually evolving and personal style. Her food isn't Texan, and, though intensely fresh, it isn't Californian, either. Yet its soulful individuality registers as distinctly American."

We met Chef Sharon after our meal. Emboldened by the Syrah I gushed to her, "that was the best meal I've ever had. Your restaurant is Che Panisse evolved!"

Balcony Club
Live jazz and an intimate booth at Balcony Club rounded out our night in Dallas. A mixed clientele, we've not seen the likes of since our dates at the 5th Amendment in Oakland, superior music, friendly and professional service and an extensive yet affordable bar left us giddy and wishing that Austin had a comparable venue.

Bread Winners Café and Bakery

Continuing our charmed rendezvous in Dallas, we sailed into this coveted brunch spot where we were seated in the atrium. We cured our hangovers with eggs benedict, chicken fried steak and Italian roast coffee. Yum! To top it off we had our first Texas star sighting. That is right, just across the room sat Ron Livingston of Office Space and Sex in the City fame with his Standoff co-star and possible love interest Rosemarie DeWitt of Mad Men , a must see show on AMC.