Where Chefs Love To Eat In Dallas
Picture it: You're eating a meal at your favorite restaurant, and every bite is reminding you why you love this place so much. You're so appreciative of the chef and their skill in the kitchen. At this point, you can't help but ask yourself: If this is where I like to go out to eat, where does the chef here like to go out to eat?
Chefs spend a lot of time in the kitchens of their own restaurants, so it's a pretty safe bet to assume that when they do get a night or day off, they aren't going to eat at their own spot. In Dallas, a city already known for its high-end steakhouses and travel-worthy barbecue joints, there's no shortage of restaurants that span the culinary globe, from elevated French and Vietnamese cuisine to burgers, sushi, and Asian-inspired barbecue. To try to put Dallas into one specific culinary box would be an impossible task — the city's diversity and appreciation for good food made with love are what are quickly turning Dallas into a culinary destination.
As culinary lovers gather at the Chefs for Farmers Food + Wine Festival in Dallas during the first week of November, we had the opportunity to speak with a few of the chefs who will be showing off their culinary talents — RJ Yoakum of Sushi Kozy, Reilly Brown of Frenchie, and Chormaic Sullivan of Pablo Pete's — and we simply had to ask them where they're getting their favorite Dallas bites. The recommendations cover the gamut when it comes to types of cuisine, proving just how big a food scene Dallas really is. Read on for their cheffy recommendations, and get a head start on planning your next foodie trip here.
Mot Hai Ba
In the Lakewood neighborhood of East Dallas lives one of RJ Yoakum's favorite restaurants, Mot Hai Ba. At the helm is chef Peja Krstic, described by Yoakum as "one of the most creative chefs in Dallas," and after one visit to Krstic's homage to French technique and Vietnamese cuisine, it's easy to understand why that's true. With a menu that changes with the seasons, Mot Hai Ba is the kind of place that balances elegance and charm with a cozy, neighborhood-gem feel that keeps locals coming back for more, eager to try new items as they hit the menu.
Kimchi and foie gras dumplings, which are made with homemade kimchi and topped with thinly sliced Texas Wagyu ribeye before being finished tableside with sizzling beef pho tallow, show off just how beautifully Vietnamese and French cuisines fit with one another. Meanwhile, a Texas Wagyu beef short rib shows that a beautiful piece of grilled meat will always have a home in any good Texas establishment.
(972) 638-7468
6047 Lewis St, Dallas, TX 75206
Mamani
"Mamani is where I go if I'm celebrating or really want some of the highest-quality food in the city," said RJ Yoakum. Inspired by the cooking of their grandmother, lovingly called Mamani, who spent much of her life traveling between Paris and the South of France, owners Brandon and Henry Cohanim have made the menu at Mamani a sort of love letter to their Mamani's passion for great food and hospitality.
A meal at Mamani could go in any number of directions, but starting with the bread, baked in-house, with Rodolphe Le Meunier butter (a favorite of Nancy Silverton, so you know it's good), and six oysters topped with tomatillo, serrano, and coriander is an ideal place to start. Starters lean into the elegance of foie gras, scallops, and Belgian endive, and pasta dishes range from a cavatelli with pork sausage to a tajarin with white truffle and more of that butter. If you're in the mood for sharing, which you really should be here, a whole duck, a veal cordon bleu, or a 20-ounce O'Connor Australian ribeye are all waiting to be shared with a hungry group.
(469) 455-1435
2681 Howell St #BU4, Dallas, TX 75204
Meridian
"When I'm not working, I appreciate restaurants that have a clear identity and execute their food really well," said Reilly Brown, and right now, one of those restaurants is Meridian. Executive chef Eduardo Osorio is the driving force behind Meridian's flame-forward menu, balancing global influence with seasonal sensibilities, and always putting the live fire of it all at the center of every dish.
"Meridian is badass," notes Chormaic Sullivan. "The menu is so fun to explore because each bite is so well put together." We imagine it's best to kick off a badass meal here by ordering a few dishes from the one-hitters section of the menu, filled with one-bite pleasures like chilled smoked clams, shrimp toast, or kohlrabi Caesar. Continue satiating with the daily house-baked bread and Rodolphe le Meunier butter, foie and Sea Island cornbread, and lamb belly, followed by pork ragu, cacio e pepe, or a chef's-cut Texas Wagyu steak. For the group that likes to eat family style, a wood-fired half chicken, 35-day dry-aged ribeye, coal-roasted dorade, or sakura pork kan kan (a bone-in pork chop) is ready and waiting to be at the center of a celebratory table.
(469) 659-6382
5650 Village Glen Dr, Dallas, TX 75206
Ichigoh Ramen
When RJ Yoakum has the opportunity to get a meal in Dallas, he's going for a warm, comforting bowl of ramen. But not just any bowl of ramen — it has to be from Ichigoh Ramen. Located in the Deep Ellum neighborhood of Dallas, Ichigoh is going above and beyond to provide an authentic ramen experience. Broths, meats, and tamago are all made from scratch. Noodles are imported from Sapporo and matured in Japanese cedar noodle boxes for up to a week before being served. That kind of attention to detail and deep respect for ramen and all its components is what makes Ichigoh such a beloved institution.
Before you get to the ramen, peruse the appetizer menu, loaded with delightful surprises to accompany your steaming bowl. Staples like edamame, shishito peppers, and avocado salad are all must-orders, but dig a little deeper and add an order of Ichigoh buns, agedashi tofu, crispy karaage, or smoked beef tongue with karashi mustard to your list of starters. Every bowl of ramen is made with care and plenty of ingredients to choose from to accompany your broth and noodles, and if you want to go outside your usual order, take a peek at the monthly specials to see if anything there strikes your fancy.
(972) 707-0732
2724 Commerce St, Dallas, TX 75226
Georgie
D Magazine has recognized Bruno Davaillon as one of the most accomplished chefs in Dallas history, and Georgie — and anyone who eats there — is lucky to have him at the helm of the kitchen. Modern French cuisine, traditional technique, and an ambitious mindset are what make Georgie one of chef Reilly Brown's go-to restaurants in the Dallas area right now, and it's easy to see why.
While you peruse the appetizers and main courses, immediately order Georgie's bread for the table and the three-bite tasting, which includes venison tartare, snow crab toast, and a Hokkaido scallop tartelette. As you amuse your bouche, put in an order of the artichoke velouté and the goat cheese and red onion tarte, all perfect warm-ups for the main course. Highlights include a roasted heritage chicken and a 60-day dry-aged New York strip, or lean into the French of it all with the dry-aged Rohan duck breast. Dessert is a must, especially with mesquite honey brioche pudding and a chocolate tart on the menu. Or, keep it ever so classic with an order of warm chocolate chip cookies.
(469) 453-4689
4514 Travis St. Suite 132, Dallas, TX 75205
Loro
It seems downright criminal to visit any corner of Texas and not eat some form of barbecue. That's where Loro steps in. With two locations in East Dallas and Addison, Loro is where Texas barbecue meets Asian smokehouse, and with James Beard award-winning chefs Tyson Cole of Uchi and Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue (yes, THAT Franklin Barbecue) behind the wheel, it's no surprise that Loro is a favorite for Dallas-area chefs.
Featured items and specials on the menu are in regular rotation, so there's never a dull moment at Loro, but if you're looking for some old reliables, you're bound to find them, too. Shareable bites for the table include smoked shishito queso, smoked wings, or crunchy sweet corn fritters served with piri piri aioli. The meats section is a divine celebration of smokehouse meats, with char siew pork belly, smoked butcher's cut brisket, and crispy Thai pork ribs being just a few of the options available. Order it on a tray with some sides, or treat yourself to a sandwich instead and indulge in any of the available meat-and-bun combinations.
loroeats.com/locations/dallas/east
(214) 833-4983
1812 N Haskell Ave, Dallas, TX 75204
Pearl Sushi
What started as a young girl's love and appreciation for a piece of Suzuki (sea bass) at a sushi bar has blossomed into the charming, downright vibey sushi spot Pearl Sushi. Located in the Knox-Henderson neighborhood, Pearl Sushi has an extensive menu far beyond a few standard sushi rolls, satisfying the desires of those looking for a truly unique and well-rounded sushi experience.
Chormaic Sullivan is a frequent visitor at Pearl Sushi, noting the lychee martinis and spicy tuna rolls as some of his favorites, so we recommend taking his advice and putting in an order for one of each immediately while you scan the menu for additional treats. Appetizers, soups, and salads abound here, with chicken karaage, uni shooters, and chawanmushi, a Japanese egg custard, as just a few of the options to choose from. Design your own sushi experience from the nigiri, sashimi, or signature rolls, or put your delicious fate in the hands of the chefs and let them create a selection of five or eight pieces for you. To accompany your sushi rolls, items from the hot dishes section of the menu, like an A5 Wagyu steak or Japanese fish and chips, are guaranteed to satisfy.
(469) 453-0033
4640 McKinney Ave, #130, Dallas, TX 75205
Doda Burger & Sushi
"I love Doda because I get my sushi, Wagyu burger, and onion ring fix all at the same time," said Chormaic Sullivan. Is it possible that Sullivan has designed the perfect meal here? Perhaps. To know for sure, a visit to Doda Burger & Sushi in Old East Dallas is a must. If you're looking for white tablecloths, dress codes, and overall fanciful dining, you won't find any of that here. But that's okay, because Doda doesn't need any of that. What it does have is the ability to satisfy one (or all) of our cravings in one place, making Doda a can't-miss spot.
The small but charming neighborhood gem is fairly unassuming, but once you go inside and experience it for yourself, you'll quickly see why it's a local favorite. Wagyu burgers and buns are made in-house daily, and since there's no more perfect combination than burgers, fries, and onion rings, it's crucial that you get both to really get the full experience — the onion rings are hand-battered, and the Doda fries come topped with Parmesan, parsley, furikake, and chili ponzu aioli, so you can see the appeal. Why add a sushi roll to that, you may be asking yourself? Well, why not? The rolls are made fresh, and the options are extensive, with shrimp tempura, spicy kanpachi, premium California roll, and a truffle salmon roll being just some of your choices.
(214) 272-7430
4029 Crutcher St, Dallas, TX 75246
Sushi Kozy
As you can already tell from this list, there's no shortage of top-notch sushi offerings in Dallas, and Sushi Kozy is another beloved option in the collection. The Michelin-recommended Kaiseki-inspired sushi bar offers a $195-per-person, 17-course contemporary omakase that changes seasonally, offering a new and exciting experience anytime you're lucky enough to grab a seat. Sushi Kozy is in the middle of the Venn diagram of people who want an out-of-this-world, truly memorable sushi meal and people who get so overwhelmed by a seemingly endless sushi menu that they can't decide what to order.
With chef-owner Paul Ko heading up the sushi elements of the menu and RJ Yoakum as his chef de cuisine, the Sushi Kozy menu is in some incredibly capable hands, working in a perfect rhythm to surprise and delight diners throughout the meal. The menu is divided between sushi and cooked kitchen items, with variation between rolls and nigiri. There are also surprises throughout, like smoked oyster flan, dry-aged tuna, and venison. While you let the omakase play out ever so methodically, treat yourself to a cocktail or two, whether it's a Japanese-inspired classic like a jasmine negroni or a hojicha Manhattan, or one of Sushi Kozy's signature mixes, like a yuzu sour or a banana Americano.
(214) 452-2777
2000 Ross Ave Suite 150, Dallas, TX 75201