Local or Poser?

What makes someone a “local”?  

Many people have different opinions on this. I feel like if you can steer visitors in the direction of the best restaurants, shopping, attractions, etc of your city, then you can consider yourself a local. What do you think? 

PEBO and I celebrated Valentines at a restaurant called Local. I had heard good things from a couple of different people – mostly that it was a good date spot. So we decided to check it out! It was pouring down rain two Saturdays ago, but we were still in the mood for a good meal out on the town.

Local is located in Deep Ellum where the Boyd Hotel used to be. It has a tiny sign with blue lighting, so it is very easy to miss (Zero street appeal!) When you walk in, it’s a quiet, artsy kind of place with walnut chairs and furry chocolate brown drapery. Our table wasn’t quite ready, so we headed to the bar. The bartender was a bit sassy and barely gave PEBO and I the time of day… probably because she thought I was underage. Still no excuse! I ordered their delicious Champagne cocktail – Grapefruit Rosemary Sorbet + Rotari. It was heavenly! 

Local offers an upscale, modern American cuisine. For starters we ordered the Fried Green Beans with Creamy Thyme and Garlic Infused Dipping Sauce, and the Three Cheese Scratch Ravioli with Bacon and Baby Spinach. The green beans were decent. I’ve had better… (From Victor Tangos), but the sauces were really tasty.  The ravioli was mediocre. It was a bit luke warm. I couldn’t tell if it was supposed to be a hot dish or a cold dish. Hmm... kind of a disappointment. 

Onto the entrees…

PEBO ordered the Cornflake Panko Crusted Sea Bass with Creamy Meyer Lemon Spring Pea Risotto + haricot vert sauce. This dish was very good! Fresh fish, and the risotto was creamy, tasty and added the perfect texture to each bite of sea bass. He definitely ordered the best entrée! 


I decided to order the Ahi Tuna Tartare with English Cucumber Radish Slaw + Sesame Seed Cracker off the apps list… and a side of the Mascarpone Mac and Cheese. You know how I love some good MAC! Sadly, my Ahi Tuna was just okayyy. It was really fresh tasting, but I felt like it needed some lemon or something else to give it a little more pizzazz. My mac and cheese was pretty good, but I hate to say it... I was a bit disappointed. It looks awesome in the picture, but the cheese was a little too watery. Maybe it was an off night because of the rain…?

The Sea Bass!

The Ahi Tuna!

MAC!

I should’ve ordered off their entrée menu, but I was already getting full and had to try the mac and cheese. Plus Walt ordered a side of the Panko Crusted Tater Tots too – those babies were crunchy deliciousness! They brought out some homemade ketchup to go along with the tots. Loved these!

Tots!

Last but not least, we ordered dessert… the Brown Sugar Almond Upside Down Cake with Toasted Pistachio Praline + Coconut Ice Cream. I loved this cake! Almonds and pistachios?! Yes please! This was probably my favorite part of the meal! So I’m glad we decided to stuff ourselves and order dessert! We had to… it was Valentines! J

Even though our meal was just …okay… PEBO and I had a great time! I think Local is a hit or miss spot. They probably have some good nights and some bad nights. I’ve asked more people about Local since trying it, and I’ve come to find out that not very many people even know about it. I find it ironic since the name… Local. You'd think all the locals would at least have heard of it! They need to work on getting the word out if they want to be an actual local favorite. On a scale from 1-10, I give Local a 6. It’s a very pricey restaurant with small portions. I’m glad I tried it, but I probably won’t be going back. 
Local or poser… you decide! 

Ambiance: 6

Service: 4

Food: 6

Drinks: 8

Local Restaurant

2936 A Elm Street

Dallas, TX 75226

(214) 752-7500

www.localdallas.com

The Love Bird Special

Happy Valentine's Day Foodie Friends! 

I wanted to give you a couple of great date suggestions for your Valentine's Celebration! Whether you are lover or a hater, everyone needs to celebrate in some way! 

Girls Night Out or the Love Bird Special... 

SMOKE

Smoke is a great restaurant for a Valentine's Date. Even though its an upscale BBQ joint, it's located next door to the Belmont Hotel, one of the best views of downtown Dallas. The hostess will give you a beeper, so you can walk over to The Belmont for a drink or two until your table is ready. They don't take reservations, so plan on waiting for at least an hour.  

***Get the Pit Roasted Cabrito and Masa to start out - It's not listed under appetizers, but its the perfect sharing size and it's to die for... trust me. 

View from the Belmont

ENO'S

Interior of Eno's

Eno's is a great date spot because it's located in one of the most romantic areas of Dallas, The Bishop Arts District. I absolutely love this area! Even though its a bit of a drive, once you're over there, it's worth it. Eno's is decorated with Christmas lights inside all year round. Christmas lights = romance. They have an awesome selection of beers to satisfy the menfolk. After dinner, walk around the Bishop Arts area and stop by a local bar for an after dinner drink. 

***Their pizza is scrumptious! 

Hattie's is another great date spot in the Bishop Arts District. They offer a fancy home cooked meal (much more delicious than anything I could ever cook!) Hattie's has a romantic atmosphere with dim lighting - you will definitely see couples playing footsie in this cute restaurant!

***You must order the Mac & Cheese - it's amazing!

LA DUNI

Does your man work late? How about a Valentine's dessert date? 

La Duni has the most delicious desserts in Dallas... I've always wanted to go on just a dessert date! Grab a late night drink and pick out a couple of different desserts to share with each other. La Duni has an amazing coffee list as well. Order a Latte and ask them to add a little Amaretto to top it off... 

***Must try the Cuatro Leches Cake 

If you want to add dinner to this date idea, NOSH is a great date spot! It's in the same shopping center as La Duni. It's a bit on the nicer side, but food tastes as good as it costs! Everything I've ever ordered here has been amazing!

***Order the Halibut and a Dark 'N' Stormy

NONNA

Mmmm PIZZA!

Nonna is another great Valentine's Date spot. It's a quaint restaurant located near Lemmon and the Toll Road. I just tried this delish place with my mom when she came in town to visit me (Full blog review coming soon!) The menu here is always changing, and the chef is so creative! You definitely need a reservation for this hot spot, but if you want a romantic, quiet evening this is a great place to enjoy each others company. 

***Order the Grilled Heart of Romaine

560

I LOVE Wolfgang Puck restaurants and 560 is one of my favorites! This is the perfect date spot AND girls night out! PEBO and I have been on a couple of dates here, and I have celebrated many birthdays with the girls. I definitely recommend this swanky restaurant if you've never been before! It's located in Reunion Tower downtown, a.k.a the big ball that spins and makes the Dallas skyline look so very cool... 

***Order the Crispy Eggplant - melts in your mouth!

There are many other awesome date spots, too many for me to blog about! These are just a few suggestions...

Hope everyone has a fab Valentine's Week! 

I am celebrating with the girls tonight. We decided to cook a delicious meal at home instead going out to eat and watching all the love birds play footsie...

I promise PEBO and I will not being doing that on our Valentine's date this weekend :) 

LOVE YOU ALL!

Getting Frisky At Del Frisco's Grille

First of all, I hope everyone is having a great week! I cannot believe it’s already the second week of February! Time flies when you’re having fun!

I wanted to let you all know that I have decided to start a Twitter page for The Love Triangle. I haven’t had as much time as I would like to blog lately because I’m working on a couple of other projects. OF COURSE, I don’t I want to let my avid foodie readers down! With my twitter page, I will be posting quick reviews and delish pics to keep you in the know! So please follow me @KellyWynneWhite #TheLoveTriangle (https://twitter.com/#!/KellyWynneWhite). For those of you that don’t have twitter, no worries… I will still be posting full reviews! :)

Last weekend I finally tried the impossible to get a reservation new, Uptown hot spot, Del Frisco’s Grille. I have been dying to try this place ever since it opened 2 months ago! Every time I would call and try to make a reservation, the earliest available time would be 10:30… maybe that’s okay in NYC, but here? – No, thank you. It was my foodie friend, Anna’s birthday and we were able to snag a 9:30 reservation for Saturday night – ALRIGHT, I’ll take it! And I sure am glad we did!

Foodie Friends Rachel, Anna, Ann Elizabeth and Me!

Del Frisco’s Grille has such a fun atmosphere. It’s inviting, trendy, and the best place for people watching. Like any new restaurant in Uptown, it’s swarming with cougars and guidos. I would expect nothing less. This might bother some people (like PEBO), but not me. I find it entertaining and part of the Uptown wining & dining experience.

The bar is always extremely crowded. I don’t think I would come here just for a drink, unless I was guaranteed a seat. There isn’t much standing room, which makes it feel crowded and stuffy, which causes frustration when waiting for your table. Luckily, my group didn’t have to wait long.

We were starving, so we didn’t waste any time! First we started with the famous Ahi Tacos with Tuna Tartare, Avocado and Spicy Citrus Mayo. These were SO delicious. The mayo was a little overpowering, but still very, very good! Next we ordered the Cheesesteak Eggrolls with Sweet & Spicy Chili sauce and Honey Mustard. I was a little skeptical, but our waiter said it was one of the most popular menu items. So of course we had to try them! YUM, YUM, YUMM!! The menfolk will LOVE these! They taste exactly like they sound… cheese, steak and fried. The appetizers are listed as “Food to Fight Over” – very fitting!

The Ahi Tacos!

The Cheeseteak Eggrolls! 

Next I split the Pulled Roasted Chicken Flatbread with Red Skin Potato and Goat Cheese with Ann Elizabeth. We also split some ruffage a.k.a salad – specifically, the Iceberg Wedge with Bacon, Tomatoes and Blue Cheese Dressing. Y’all know I love a good wedge! The flatbread and ruffage were delish! It was very interesting to have potatoes on my flatbread, but I really liked it. I wish there had been more potatoes!

Roasted Chicken Flatbread

The only disappointment of the night was the Jalapeno Mac & Cheese. I have had some really good mac & cheese in Dallas, and this one did not measure up. I could’ve made it at home, which is saying something! :) There is nothing wrong with Kraft’s Mac, but I prefer to have it at home – not when dining out!

The Mac & Cheese

The service was excellent at Del Frisco’s Grille. We told the waiter it was Anna’s birthday, and even though she spoke up and told the guy it was actually Friday, he still brought us dessert on the house. It was a beautiful dessert - fabulous presentation! Tasted pretty good too! I’m not a huge fan of Coconut Cream Pie, but this one had a mild coconut flavor. This is definitely worth ordering. 

Coconut Cream Pie

I loved Del Frisco’s Grille! It’s the perfect place to enjoy a fun dinner before a night on the town! Make sure you check out the upstairs bar. On a scale from 1-10, I give Del Frisco’s Grille an 8. Maybe once the guidos and cougars get bored of the place, PEBO and I can go on a date here :) 

Foodie Friends Layne, Anna, Rachel, Me, Ann Elizabeth, Alison & Caroline

Ambiance: 8

Service: 8

Food: 8

Drinks: 8

Del Frisco's Grille

3232 McKinney Avenue

Dallas, TX 75204

(972) 807-6152

http://www.delfriscosgrille.com/dallas

Ketchup With Friends

My foodie friend, Lander and I decided to try a new burger joint in Uptown called Ketchup Burger Bar. I have been hearing some buzz about it, and I feel like we need some new places to grab a burger in Uptown besides Village Burger Bar and Jakes (although these are very good!) Ketchup replaced an Italian food restie located on Hall and McKinney. I can’t remember the name of the place – hence the replacement! 

Inside Ketchup, there is a full bar with red brick walls. The décor is pretty simple with a few TVs. I was expecting a little more pizzazz from the name, but it’s just your average burger joint (or so it appears). Our waiter was very attentive – almost too attentive – but he seemed to know his stuff, so I’ll give him that. Ketchup has a large selection of burgers from the traditional to Turkey, Lamb, Brie, Ahi Tuna, etc. (SO, not your average burger joint, more gourmet style burgers!) 

(Picture taken from Ketchup Website)

Lander ordered the Traditional Ketchup Burger with Tillamook Cheddar, lettuce tomato, mustard and the signature house ketchup on a baked brioche bun. I ordered the Chicken Sandwich with pepperjack cheese, pickled jalapenos, avocado, tomato, and mayonnaise on a fresh baked brioche. We cut the sandwiches in half to split them, so we could have a taste of both. The chicken was my favorite – I loved the pickled jalapenos! The burger was great too... it wasn’t very greasy which I prefer. Definitely more gourmet style burgers. We were in Ketchup for a little over an hour, so it’s no fast food place.

The Ketchup Burger!

The Chicken Sandwich!

Their specialty is obviously ketchup… so we ordered the Fry Trio. You have the choice of House Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, Garlic Chive Fries, Spicy Buffalo Fries, Zucchinni Fries, Beer Battered Onion Rings, and White Truffle Parmesan Fries. All sound so delish, right?! They give you four different house made ketchups… The House, The Green Tomato, The Smoky Chipotle, and The Spiced Ketchup. The House made regular version was the best, having a slight sweetness and a little added tang. Loved this one! The Green Tomato was overly sweet and a little vinegary. I would probably pair this sauce with the garlic fries. The Chipotle Ketchup speaks for itself… but it was a little too smoky in my opinion. I think the Spiced ketchup was a mixture of all four – not a good combo! I went back in forth between the House and the Chipotle. I’m sure they will always be reworking their ketchup. I think it’s a great concept, I just wonder how long this place will stay open with so many other good places to grab a quick burger?

We had an overall great experience at Ketchup Burger Bar. You should definitely check it out especially if you are a fries lover! They also offer “adult” milkshakes, which makes for a great Friday afternoon treat! On a scale from 1-10, I give Ketchup a 7. Go post up at the bar, order the Fry Trio & Shake, and catch up with friends at Ketchup! 

Lander and Me!

Ambiance: 6

Service: 7

Food: 7

Drinks: 7

Ketchup Burger Bar

3028 N. Hall

Dallas, TX 75204

(214) 922-8222

www.ketchupbar.com

It's My Birthday & I'll Blog If I Want To

Having a Christmas Birthday is the best! I get double the presents, and I always have at least two celebrations… one in Dallas and one at home! People think Christmas birthdays get overshadowed, but that’s not the case at all. Your friends and family feel sorry for you, so they make a big point to reallyyy send you some birthday wishes. J  And the best part of all? My mom and I share a birthday, so we always have a lot of fun!

Mom and Me!

Venturing out to Hudson’s On The Bend has become a family, birthday tradition. It’s probably one of my favorite places to dine in Austin, but we only go here once a year because it's so pricey! Since it’s about a 30-minute drive, it’s best to hire a driver or choose a designated driver in your family to chauffeur you to and from the restaurant. It's definitely a place for special occasions! This year we added two people to the birthday dinner, PEBO who you all know and love, and my brother’s girlfriend, Sarah.

Entrance!

Christmas is the best time of the year to try out Hudson’s On The Bend. It’s a quaint, restaurant in a little house, so they jazz it up for the Holidays with Christmas lights and red apples dangling from the ceiling. It’s quite cozy and delightful! The dining rooms don’t have the apples hanging, just the room with the hostess stand. The rest of the place is decorated with colorful art including some fab guitars.

Hudson’s is known for their wild game, so be ready to try new things! We made a crazy decision and started out with the Diamond Back Rattlesnake Cake in a pistachio nut crust coiled atop a spicy chipotle cream. I know what you’re thinking, and I agree with you. Even though it actually tasted pretty good, no one could get over the fact that it was green and it was snake. I probably ate the most of it just trying to figure out what it tasted like. Still trying to figure that out…

Rattlesnake?!

We decided to order two more appetizers just in case the snake wasn’t very good – glad we did! J The Smoked Duck Diablos are by far my favorite on the menu! This is always a popular item, so we got two orders! It’s duck breast, jicama, jalapeno, figs in balsamic all wrapped in apple wood bacon with a red chile dipping sauce. It’s presented as 5 bite size pieces on a stick placed in a green apple – beautiful presentation and it’s to die for! Next we ordered the Coca Cola Baby Back Ribs with chipotle BBQ sauce and mango jalapeno cole slaw. I absolutely love ribs and these were delicious! The Chipotle BBQ gave it a great burst of flavor.

Duck Diablos!

Coca Cola Baby Back Ribs!

For our entrées, three of us ordered the Hot and Crunchy Ruby Trout with mango jalapeno aioli topped with ancho paint. I order this every year because I have never been anywhere that has a dish remotely close to this one. The trout tastes so fresh and it has a hint of sweetness that makes it irresistible. What makes the crunch is sesame seeds, almonds, arbol chili flakes, sea salt, sugar & corn flakes! Yumm! If you like the sound of this, but can’t make it out to Hudson’s, they have a food truck on South Congress called The Mighty Cone that sells Hot & Crunchy Chicken and shrimp. This will definitely satisfy your craving! (www.mightycone.com)

Hot & Crunchy Trout! (You can get a half order if you don't want the whole fish!)

My brother ordered the Espresso-Chocolate-Chili Rubbed Smoked Elk Back Strap topped with jumbo lump blue crab and a lime chipotle beer blanc. Without a question, make sure someone at the table orders this entrée! It’s another to die for dish! The meat is so tender with a delicious coffee rub on the outside. The rub doesn’t overpower the meat – it’s perfect!

The Elk!

Charles Neel and Sarah!

My mom ordered the Grilled Pheasant Breast stuffed with cilantro pesto and duck tamale atop a rich San Luis Rich Holy Mole sauce and a white chocolate tomatillo sauce. Wow, this dish is very unique. There’s a lot going on here – it’s not as simple as elk and trout. It has a very bold taste with the mole & tomatillo sauces. My mom said she thought hers was the best at the table… but in my most humble opinion, hers was my least favorite. BUT with that being said, it was still very delicious! Everything I have every tried at Hudson’s has been amazing!

The Pheasant!

Mama Cat & Smaddio!

Hudson’s On The Bend is a fabulous little restaurant! I highly recommend trying this place for your next special occasion. If you are skeptical about the wild game options, I dare you to venture out of your comfort zone! You will NOT be disappointed! On a scale from 1-10, (if you can’t already tell) I give this hot spot at perfect 10. I can’t wait for my next birthday celebration, so I can go back to Hudson’s On The Bend!

You would blog to if it happened to you…!

PEBO and Me!

PEBO and Charlie with Hudson's cooking book, Cooking Fearlessly and Fired Up! You definitely want to purchase one of these!

Ambiance: 10

Service: 10

Food: 10

Drinks: 10

Hudson's On The Bend

3509 Ranch Road 620 N.

Austin, TX 78734

(512) 266-1369

www.hudsonsonthebend.com