Da Lat…Pho

Da Lat also known as the capital of Lam Dong province in Vietnam is also a newish Pho restaurant off of Fitzhugh in East Dallas. I say newish because it’s been there a while and already has a decent amount of reviews established. I took a rather long hiatus with my food blogs. My camera phone sucks and I lost my motivation.

Let me start by saying I am Vietnamese, and I grew up eating my Momma’s Pho. Now, my palate isn’t very picky so take my review with a grain of salt if you wish, but I enjoyed the few times I have been to Da Lat.

It definitely opened up around the time that the Pho trend was popping up around E. Dallas. They do have a different concept with the condiment bar where you can find herbs like cilantro and basil, scallions and your staples of limes, onions and bean sprouts. I enjoy this method because I tend to enjoy adding A LOT of fixin’s to my Pho.

Reviewing on the taste alone, I have really only tried the traditional Bo Pho which is Pho with beef. I like how they use the traditional thin slices of raw beef sitting on top of the steamy broth. It is a decent heaping of noodles and meat. The price though could be adjusted – it shouldn’t cost $8-9 for a bowl of Pho but hey its E. Dallas and those white kids don’t know any better. Sometimes I like to be real fancy and add the extra meat for $1.50 more. I think the key to Pho is what you add to it. I like a lot of hoisin sauce, sriracha sauce and limes.

Recently though I did try the Chinese Sausage with Sticky Rice – the server we had suggested adding a fried egg on top of the dish and that was a great recommendation!

Reviewing on the service – every single time I have visited this restaurant – it has never been fully packed or crowded. HOWEVER, you would THINK that the servers were busy because once the food is delivered you hardly see them. There is a fine balance between being attentive and being overbearing. I don’t need servers to check on me 5 times during my meal. I do need them to pay attention though and notice when my water is empty. I hate sitting there with an empty glass. I also used to be a server and find it really irritating when a server would fill glasses RIGHT next to my table, glance over and not offer to fill mine too. Sure sure, I know you aren’t directly getting my tip – but hey be a teammate!

All in all – the price doesn’t keep me away. I do think that the appetizers are overpriced for the amount you get – I also think the Pho dishes itself could be cheaper. But its still a trendy little hotspot and I prefer this place now over Vietnam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alligator Cafe Review – Lakewood

A quick google search will bring up Alligator Cafe “Dallas Best Cajun Food” and though I can’t say I venture out to eat Cajun often, but I would have to agree.

Watching the Food Network prompted this visit. Originally I was going to get pho. I have always seen Alligator cafe driving to work, it’s located on Live Oak very close to my apt and in the Lakewood area. It amazes me I am so close to all these great restaurants and never really stop to try them. IT was delicious!!

YUM!! Fried Cajun food heaven!

This post will lack pictures, because though the food was amazing, their customers* can suck it and so I didn’t make it such a point to snap pictures. It was kind of a impersonal setting. I had no idea that it was set up that way, I thought it to be more of a restaurant. Instead its more like fast food, you wait at the counter to order, then they give you a number and you find a place to sit. The tables were like cafeteria style so usually you were sitting next to other people. (Not that I usually mind, but in this particular  case, the people surrounding me sucked ass)

I wanted everything on the menu, but instead. I got  Calamari and Melissa and I split the Fried Okra, Fried Catfish Nuggets, and Atchafalaya.

Hands down…the Atchafalaya 11.95 (Two blackened catfish fillets smothered with your choice of crawfish or shrimp ettouffee and served over rice, we got shrimp) was the best! It was so full of flavor, I wish I was eating it right now so I could describe to you the tastiness of it. The fillets were definitely delish and the shrimp ettouffee poured over the top, such a hearty meal.

I probably would not recommend the Catfish Nuggets (5.95 comes with fries and hushpuppies) they were just your average run of the mill fried catfish, however I felt they were a little fishy, is that normal?

Fried Okra (2.19 for a small) I need to really stop hoping for amazing okra. It’s all the same. They just will never ever have the crisp and crunch, must be all that slime in the center. I mean basic okra and not a bad price.

Fried Calamari (5.95) I think you get 6 tubes? Yeah..tubes. Not the sliced up fried calamari that you would be familiar with. But battered and fried calamari tubes. Which I mean, sure that’s okay. But one bite and you are ripping off all the batter, which is the best part. I was a little disappointed, I mean they could have really made that basket of calamari look way more plentiful if they had just chopped those suckers into thirds.

At the condiments counter they have “gator sauce” and “tartar sauce” and ketchup, hot sauce and sriracha sauce!

The gator and tartar look and taste identical?

I would recommend this, it’s not often that I think to get Cajun but I would go back!

*There was this fat old dude that was sitting at the very end of the cafeteria type table to my right. To my left was a family about 6 people and having to pass all of them would have been more difficult than going towards my right so I could get my condiments. He seemed really perturbed, even on the first request. When I had to do it 2 more times he made an off-handed comment similar to “the 3rd time I am going to have to get you to buy me my dinner” or some stupid old fat man comment. The whole time he kept starting at me and my friends peering over his newspaper. Then there was a women diagonal of me that was leaning in so close to my friend and listening to everything we were talking about.

Nandina Asian Tapas Review – Dallas

I would assume that most people that live in this area are already all too familar with this restaurant, or have at least seen it on their drunken drives home from the bars. What some people may or may not know is that Nandina opens until 3am EVERY DAY. If you have a late night sushi craving, or thai food, or some spring rolls, then this is where you need to be calling in. THEY DELIVER!!! They have a very extensive menu with tapas, manin entrees and sushi. The price is fairly reasonable, I find most places are compraable to price, heck, at 2am on a drunken friday I think most of you would pay any dollar.

Nandina : Basil Chicken Wraps

I started with the Chicken Basil Wraps. These are delicious!!!!!!! Wrapped in the tradtional rice paper (that you are familar with in Vietnamese Spring rolls) these delicious bites are made with a seasoned minced chicken, basil leaves (of course), chopped water chestnuts and onions. It is served with a sweet and sour type sauce. You get 5 rolls to an order.

I can’t help it, if there is Pad Thai option on the menu, it is quite difficult for me to resist the urge and stray away from the amazingness that is Pad Thai. I find that this lemony sweet flavor isn’t appeaking to some people but personally I can’t get enough!

They have Shrimp Pad Thai, Chicken, Beef, Seafood Combo or Combo (which comes with Beef, Chicken and Shrimp) they also have a Tofu version for you Vegetarians out there. AMAZING. Pad Thai traditionally comes with, Red/Green onion, Bean Sprouts, Eggs, Grounded Peanuts. In the past I have modified my dish before to add Spinach and Mushrooms. I just like more color in my dish and I love veggies.

I ordered the Combination Pad Thai. Hellooo anyone that knows me knows that I almost never turn down the option for more meat! BIG CHUNKS of Chicken, BEEF and maybe 3 or so shrimp. I added mushrooms to mine and I also like to drench mine in a lot of lime juice so I always ask for extra. I am taking quite a liking to making sure I spice up all my dishes, so of course I asked for medium spicy. This is a heaping huge serving so you can definitely make this into two meals. I would suggest this, unless you want a Pad Thai food baby.

Nandina – Drunken Noodles with Chicken

Melissa got the Drunken Noodle. It is made with flat rice noodles, comes with eggs, tomatos, bell peppers, fresh onion, chilli, and fresh basil. Wow typing out that description makes me wish I had ordered this instead!

Definitely go to Nandina’s after a night out of drinking..or just whenever you have a craving for Asian tapas, Sushi or Thai