Category: Dallas

Nobu

by The Impatient Traveler, posted in Dallas, Dallas, Nobu, Uptown

I was first introduced to Nobu at the New York City, Nobu 57 location in 2010 (prepare for old photo below!). I was spending the summer with friends in Connecticut and we took a long weekend to venture around the city. Before seeing a show on Broadway, we went to Nobu 57 for one of the best dinners I’ve ever had. Not only was it my first time seeing a show on Broadway, it was also my first time experiencing a tasting menu. My, was it exciting and delicious!

Outside of Nobu 57 in NYC

A tasting menu is a series of small portioned courses arranged by the chef so that you can experience a wide variety of the best a restaurant has to offer. Typically, there are 2-3 versions of menu at different price points based on the number of courses and the proteins in each selection. I have had some tasting menus with 8 courses and, like in the case of Gaggan in Thailand, some with 18! Each course is a surprise and you get to try things you never would have tasted other wise.

A sampling of sushi at Nobu, Dallas

With such nostalgia for the NYC location, once I heard there was a Nobu in Dallas, I just had to try it! The first time was for my birthday over July 4th weekend in 2014. I remember it like it was yesterday. We had gone to a birthday pool party that afternoon and I had warned Ryan not to eat too much since we were getting the tasting menu that night. 3.5 hot dogs, chips, and a pizza Lunchable later, he was so full that he couldn’t have drinks at dinner so he could save stomach-space to try all of the food! *Sigh*. At least he learned his lesson! We had a delicious dinner that night and have been lucky enough to go back for tasting menus multiple times. With over 40 dishes tried at Nobu, I have never had a bad one – a pretty good track record in my opinion!

A sampling of sashimi and crab at Nobu, Dallas

I have met fellow Nobu enthusiasts while raving about how good it is. One of my very dear friends actually got the opportunity to meet Chef Nobu Matsuhisa at the Dallas location and invited us along! Matsuhisa co-owns the Nobu restaurants with actor Robert De Niro, and it was quite funny hearing Matsuhisa refer to De Niro as Bobby (a typical nickname for Robert).

Meeting Chef Nobu at Nobu, Dallas

We had some perfect sushi appetizers while socializing with Nobu
and then had another amazing dinner topped off with a tempura fried sea-bass specially flown in for the event! Not only was the plating incredible, but it was so delicious and something I would have never thought of trying otherwise.

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Overall, Nobu is an unforgettable tastebud experience that you will not regret. If you go, branch out from the normal and trying something new, either in a tasting menu or via your wait-staff’s expert recommendation. They have locations all over the world so find one near you and enjoy!

Trinity Groves, Dallas, Texas

Trinity Groves, Dallas

by The Impatient Traveler, posted in Dallas, Dallas, Dallas Eats, Eats

If you haven’t been to the Trinity Groves area in Dallas, it is an adorable little area across the Margaret Hunt Hill bridge, consisting of one long warehouse full of little restaurants. There is a patio that goes the length of the warehouse which you walk down, passing each restaurant and it’s menu along the way, to pick out the perfect cuisine for your evening. This place is perfect for progressive dinners with friends or a delicious date night!

Some of my favorite spots there are listed below with links to their sites and my corresponding blog posts on what to get at each place:

I would love to hear your suggestions and experiences too so feel free to comment away!

Trinity Groves, Dallas, Texas

Sushi Bayashi, Trinity Groves

by The Impatient Traveler, posted in Dallas, Dallas, Dallas Eats, Eats, Trinity Groves

I love sushi, but unfortunately, my boyfriend does not. To get around that, I always suggest getting sushi when catching up with my friends or doing girls nights to get my fix. Fortunately, I was lucky the other night when one of my friends replied  “yes!” to meeting at Sushi Bayashi in the Dallas Trinity Groves area.

Sushi Bayashi in the Dallas Trinity Groves

We started with some happy hour sake since their happy hour is from 5-7 everyday, even on the weekends! Love that. And after perusing the menu of tempting entrees, we decided on three rolls:

  • A spicy tuna roll – this roll was yummy but a typical tuna roll. If you are into the basics, this roll is not a bad option.
  • A coconut crusted soft shell crab roll – Soft shell crab is, by far, one of my favorite Japanese dishes and, mixing those flavors with coconut and a peanut dipping sauce, is a culinary feat. I will be day dreaming about this roll until I go back for more!
  • An eel roll with basil cream and eel sauce drizzle – You must try this roll! My dinning companion had never had eel and couldn’t get enough of this roll, so naturally, we had a chopstick fight to determine winner of the last few pieces. The picture of this roll, featured below, does not to it justice (got to love ambiance lighting that doesn’t bode well for picture taking), so feel free to order it, take a picture of your own, and post it below with how much you love this roll too!

Eel roll with basil drizzle

A few things to note –

  • The rolls range from $7-$24, a little more pricey than usual. Our specialty rolls were about $14 – $15 each but totally worth every penny.
  • The online menu is complete from the entrée side, but not for sushi. I heard great reviews about this place but was a little worried after looking online and not seeing many roll options. Rest assured, the sushi menu is much more flushed out when you are actually at Sushi Bayashi.

Overall, if you are a sushi lover like me, Sushi Bayashi is basically guaranteed to be a winner in your book too!

Chocolate Art

by The Impatient Traveler, posted in Dallas, Dallas, Dallas Eats, Eats, Trinity Groves

I have a habit of being early to things and, the other night, I was about 20 minutes early to a dinner at Sushi Bayashi in the Trinity Groves area of Dallas. I decided to walk around and check out the area and came across Kate Weiser Chocolate. I am a self-proclaimed choco-holic – 100% addicted to coco – so of course, I had to go in.

The chocolates in the display case were little pieces of art. I started chatting with the lady behind the counter and she told me all about how the chocolates are all hand painted. They were in the process of painting some of the chocolates while I was in the store and invited me back to watch their process. It was really interesting and I couldn’t wait to see if the chocolates tasted as delicious as they looked. The chocolatiers paint on a regular basis and you can see the process take place from the shop, so I definitely recommend watching the process when this happens!

From Caramelized Pineapple, Mango Habanero, Lavender Apricot, to Fresh Mint, the flavor profiles are creative and delightful. I bought some Strawberry Basil, Passion Fruit, and Truffle Honey chocolates they completely melted in my mouth. Absolutely delicious.

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In all, if you are looking for a tasty chocolate treat for you or a loved one, Kate Weiser Chocolate are sure to take you to choco-holic heaven.