Shannon and I drove to Dallas this weekend to spend some time with my parents at their cool downtown condo. After arriving on Friday evening, we were treated to a return visit to Ravenna, where the proprietor, Milan, was excited to show my Dad his new wine list.
We began with a 2003 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro, which is an excellent, full-bodied and balanced chianti classico. It features a fruity core that leads into a long finish accentuated by notes of plums and spice.
Another fine addition to the wine list was a Franciscan Magnificat, which is an exquisite blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot. This wine boasts a deep garnet hue that’s backed up by intense, dynamic flavors, including vanilla and cloves. At the finish, the wine seamlessly melds a pleasing combination of fruit and chocolate. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to experience a bold and intense red wine.
As usual, the actual meal was excellent, with us enjoying roasted red peppers, mussels, shrimp, and various seafood entrees. Check out our prior review for a more extensive description of the food at this authentic Italian trattoria.
On Saturday, Shannon and I woke up early so that she could enjoy a fun day of shopping at Northpark Mall with her generous and stylish Aunt Cyndy. Meanwhile, I met up with my longtime friend, Matt, as we had plans to watch the England-USA World Cup match at his neighborhood pub, The Old Monk.
Although it wasn’t quite noon, we pretended like it was the college days by getting started early with some cocktails. Matt enjoyed a sazerac, which consists of rye whiskey, Peychaud bitters, and a hint of absinthe – served straight up. No need for the morning coffee with this stiff beverage!
I ordered the Moscow Mule, which is a mixture of vodka, ginger ale, and fresh lime, served on the rocks in a copper mug.
The atmosphere of The Old Monk is perfect for a soccer game, as it’s a heavily wooded interior and darkly lit, which replicates an English pub where people were likely getting “pissed” at the same time across the ocean. During the game, fans were getting rowdy, with chants of “USA! USA! USA!” intermittently bursting through the crowd.
And the food selection of mostly sandwiches and fried items fits right in, too. Matt and I enjoyed the Pistachio Fried Chicken, which were generous strips of tender, moist chicken with a crispy pistachio crust.
For a main course, I ordered the chipotle-avocado chicken sandwich. Grilled chicken was topped with melted Monterey jack cheese, chipotle salsita, and sliced avocado – quite a tasty combination with the chipotle adding a zesty touch.
Matt enjoyed the roast beef sandwich, which had an enticing presentation with the sandwiches positioned in a tower formation. Matt reported that this sandwich was excellent, with him especially enjoying the au jus for dipping purposes.
That evening, we had tickets for Video Games Live! with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra at the Meyerson Center. Since moving to Dallas, my parents have become big fans of the Arts District, which also includes the Winspear Opera House and the Wyly Theatre. On a previous visit, we’d visited the Dallas Museum of Art, which featured an excellent exhibit on the history of performance art called “All the World’s a Stage.”
On this night, we thoroughly enjoyed the symphony, which synchronized beautiful music with cut scenes from retro video games that were projected above the stage. Although Shannon pointed out that the video games often distracted us from giving the orchestra our undivided attention, we enjoyed our first experience with the DSO. The video game theme definitely brought out a quirkier crowd than usually patronizes the orchestra, as my Dad described how he often dresses up in his tuxedo for the concerts, while formal attire would’ve been out of place at the Video Games Live!
Afterwards, we grabbed a free shuttle to the nearby Dali Wine Bar. I was impressed by the brightly-lit interior and marble flooring, although I suspect the place could get quite loud when there’re more people dining. On this night, we arrived so late (around 10 pm) that we felt like the only people in the restaurant for most of the evening.
Dali features an extensive wine list, and we focused on the chardonnays this time. My Dad’s first selection, a 2007 Rombauer from Napa Valley, was fantastic, as it was full of lush, tropical fruit flavors and oak notes that linger on the palate even though the wine boasts a crisp finish. We also enjoyed a Hanzell from Sonoma, which was more hushed than the Rombauer, with citrusy fruit notes, and an overall pleasant, clean flavor.
Everyone enjoyed their food, as well, including a delectable cheese board that was accompanied by cured meats, olive tapenade, and a pesto sauce. Shannon began her meal with a lump crab meat salad for an appetizer, followed by a pan-seared Alaskan halibut that was well-seasoned, moist, and tender. For my appetizer, I selected a refreshing salad of arugula, shaved pecorino romano cheese, pine nuts, granny smith apples, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. As an entrée, a large lamb shank featured a sweet and tangy juniper berry sauce that might’ve been wasted on a cut of meat that was a little too fatty for my taste.
We finished with some delicious desserts and digestifs, although I have don’t recall much about the end of the meal due to being a tad overserved.
It was a wonderful weekend in Dallas, and I recommend that anyone who hasn’t been there in a while check out the wonderful Arts District, along with the excellent restaurants that are popping up in the area.
