Category Archives: Pet Friendly

bartaco in Preston Center

Bartaco may be new to town, but they’re not new to the game. Margaritas and tapas-style taco bites are their specialty, and they know how to do them right. With a uniquely Asian flair, bartaco has something for everyone.

We started with margaritas, specifically the Pomegranate Margarita and the Classic Margarita, both of which were delicious and smooth. The Pomegranate Margarita is actually part of their “Margarita March” promotion, but more on that later on (skip to the bottom if you really can’t wait that long).

: Classic Margarita

: Pomegranate Margarita

I would suggest starting your meal with some salsa roja and corn tortilla chips, which you get to break yourself; and the duck quesadillas, which are tender and served in a blue corn tortilla. If you’re looking for something lighter, the tuna poke is a colorful and refreshing option.

Everything ordered at bartaco is served family style in small tapas form, so you can order as much as you want and not feel guilty about it at all! Each taco will run you $2.50 – $3.50.

We tried a ton of tacos—the baja fish, spicy chorizo, falafel, fried oyster, glazed pork belly, carne asada, and Brussels sprout. All of the tacos were delicious, but the crowd favorite was the Brussels sprout taco … which isn’t even officially on the menu! It comes with a sweet balsamic glaze and spicy carrot purée, which tastes more like a sweet potato mash and works beautifully with the other ingredients. This taco was so good that we ordered a second to share.

We supplemented our taco frenzy with a side of Asian slaw and black beans with sofrito. Sides are easy to add on at just $2.50 each!

Round two of drinks hit the table to help us finish our meal. We (greatly) enjoyed the Mojito Tinto (Flor de Caña silver rum, winter spiced sangria, lime, mint, and sugar) and, of course, the Smoke on the Water (Banhez mescal, Pisco, pineapple, lemon, bitters, and egg white), pictured below. bartaco also serves bottled and canned beers, wines by the glass, and sangrias by the glass or liter.

If you’re anything like me and need to end your meal with something sweet, then the platanos fritos are the way to go. They come with a side dish of a mayo dip, but I personally think they taste better dipped in chocolate gelato. If anyone has tricks for kicking a bad sugar habit, I’m all ears.

Now, back to the Margarita March news that we’ve all been waiting for. Each week in March, bartaco will feature a different specialty margarita, like the Pomegranate Margarita mentioned above (Liber grapefruit cordial, lime juice, lucardo marascino, and Libelula Joven Tequila*). The drinks are only around for one week each in March, so grab your friends, order some tacos, and get to living the #bartacolife!

Photo courtesy of bartaco

BARTACO
bartaco.com
6130 Luther Lane (Preston Center)
Instagram | Twitter

*This tequila was selected specifically for bartaco by Destilladora Bonanza and is crafted in the highlands of Jalisco (obviously … or it wouldn’t be Tequila!)

Chelsea Corner

Chelsea Corner is BACK!

The McKinney Avenue and Monticello corner spot from the 70s is back in it’s old stomping grounds, and it has just the right mix of nostalgia and shiny new offerings. The owners wanted to bring it back to its former glory but also provide customers with food for today.

We were curious what we’d see when Corner Bar shut its doors last year, and they’ve made some really fantastic improvements to the once dingy space. First, everything has been completely overhauled. It’s clean, and aside from the general layout, there’s no sign of the previous dive bar to be found. (Thank goodness.)

The bar has individual rooms to give a “house party” feel with video DJs playing oldies videos on all 17 TV screens around the restaurant and bar. The vibe of the whole place is laid back during the day, but can get wild in the evenings. You’ll see anyone from college students to empty nesters to business men stopping in for a drink (and a quick glance at some PYTs) after work. You might see one guy popping a bottle right next to another guy popping a bottle … of milk for his kid.

Overall, the new Chelsea Corner is a neighborhood bar that’s all about the neighborhood with environments to pay love to the area … with a bit of a naughty side at night.

: Classic Margarita

May 19th marks the opening of their new 3500 square foot dog-friendly patio that seats 90 people with a back entrance off of Monticello. It will be perfect for day drinking with friends and pets.

The menu features classic Chelsea Corner bites such as giant pretzels, pizza, and burgers. A few personal favorites:

Big Daddy’s White Pizza – fresh ricotta cheese and oven dried roma tomatoes
Twisted Fried Chicken Sandwich – crunchy fried chicken breast, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and house-made honey mustard
Best Darn Steak Sandwich – beef tenderloin, chelsea brandy butter, caramelized onion, and manchego or blue cheese (pictured below)

: Photo courtesy of Chelsea Corner

Brunch is served Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30am to 3pm (beignets are a must), and on Tuesdays they have live jazz and 1/2 price bottles of wine and champagne.

Don’t even think about leaving without ordering the warm chocolate chip cookies. You can thank me later …

CHELSEA CORNER
www.chelseacornerdallas.com
Facebook | Instagram
4830 McKinney Avenue (Knox/Henderson)
(469) 726-2211

Mon 4p – 12a
Tue 4p – 2a
Wed 4p – 2a
Thu 4p – 2a
Fri 11a – 2a
Sat 10:30a – 2a
Sun 10:30a – 12a
**brunch sat & sun 10:30a-3p

Shake Shack Plano is here!

Shake Shack Plano is now open for business! Blazing the trail for a lineup of pretty amazing restaurants planned for the new Legacy West development, the Plano Shack marks the second DFW location for the NYC chain; the first was in Uptown.

ShackBurger, Link Burger, and Fries

In addition to Shake Shack’s classic lineup of juicy burgers, crinkle cut cheese fries and frosty shakes, the Plano location features a special selection of locally inspired menu items. Sink your teeth into a Link Burger, topped with a Pecan Lodge jalapeño cheddar sausage link, and wash it down with something cold and local from Four Corners Brewing Co. or Deep Ellum Brewing.

Brat Burger

Oh, and by all means, save room for dessert. Locally inspired offerings at the Plano shack include a tempting lineup of custard concretes: the West Slide (vanilla custard, Sugar Ray’s old fashioned strawberry cupcake, and strawberry puree), the Top Twirl (chocolate custard, Top Knot banana chocolate cake and miso caramel) and the Pie Oh My (vanilla custard and slice of Emporium Pies seasonal pie).

PRO TIP: If you’re running by during your lunch hour, use the app to preorder and skip the line!

SHAKE SHACK PLANO
shakeshack.com
7401 Windrose Avenue, Plano (in Legacy West)

Opening Hours:
11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Sunday – Thursday
11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Friday & Saturday

Shake Shack is here!

— post collab: words by Rachel Farrar, pictures by Susie O. —

It’s finally here! NYC’s very own burger Mecca, Shake Shack, has opened up shop in Uptown, smack dab in front of The Crescent. Admittedly, I was a little taken aback. Being a Shake Shack virgin, and I wasn’t really sure what to expect. Was there any possible way burgers and shakes could live up to the hype? The short answer is: Yes.

As soon as I sunk my teeth into my ShackBurger, I understood. My burger was juicy but not greasy, perfectly seared, and amazingly flavorful. Shake Shack uses freshly ground 100% natural Angus beef, featuring a proprietary (read: delicious) “Shack blend”. The soft, fresh potato bun snuggling my burger + toppings was the perfect accompaniment. Equally delicious, the decadent hand-spun peanut butter Shake I sipped on alongside my meal.

: Link Burger, French Fries, Cheese Fries

: ShackBurger, Link Burger, and Fries

Shake Shack Uptown has incorporated a few menu offerings that highlight local favorites, including the Link Burger, topped with a Pecan Lodge jalapeño cheese sausage link (pictured above), and the Dallas Pie Oh My, a custard concrete blended with a slice of seasonal pie from Emporium Pies. (Look for pumpkin … just released today!) Oh My, indeed.

: Pumpkin Pie Oh My

Some bonus items:

Local beers are available on tap along with Abita’s absolutely delicious root beer.
It’s dog-friendly and they even offer a couple of menu items for dogs. (Suh cute.)
Their Shack-cago Dog is real damn delicious thanks to the 100% Vienna beef dog … but watch out for the pepper. That’s some unexpected spice, my friends.

As if the food wasn’t enough of a draw, it also bears mentioning that the Shake Shack Uptown location is incredibly cool. With plenty of patio seating available under the shade of towering oak trees, this is a perfect spot for al fresco grubbing, relaxing, and people watching. Lawn games like Bocce Ball are also available, if you are so inclined. Even cooler?

Shake Shack – Uptown Dallas
shakeshack.com
2500 N Pearl Street (in Crescent Court), Dallas
214.983.1022

Hours
11AM – 10PM, Sunday – Thursday
11AM – 11PM, Friday & Saturday

Lazy Dog Restaurant – Brunch

Dallas does brunch well. What makes a boozy brunch better? Having your dog along for the ride. Luckily for you, if you have a canine sidekick, I rounded up a list of pet-friendly patios in Dallas and beyond. (Because sometimes we all need a seeing eye dog to get us to our Uber after a four mimosa brunch.)

Lazy Dog Restaurant is one of the most dog-friendly restaurants in DFW, complete with a menu meant just for Fido and plenty for (thirsty) homosapians, too. In true local brunch fashion, Lazy Dog offers quite a few alcoholic brunch options including a housemade sangria sampler (white peach, raspberry moscato, and pomegranate red which can also be ordered by the glass and pitcher), a bloody mary, Peaches & Moonshine (Stillhouse Moonshine, peaches, cranberry juice, peach schnapps, ginger beer and mint), and more.

: White Peach, Raspberry Moscato & Pomegranate Red

: Peaches & Moonshine (Stillhouse Moonshine, sweet peaches, cranberry juice, Dekuyper Peach Schnapps, housemade ginger beer and mint)

While they do have a dog-friendly menu, the menu for us humans is pretty damn incredible and even include gluten-free and family-style options. The weekend brunch menu offers some really amazing options that were, quite frankly, surprisingly good. I couldn’t say no to the Housemade Carnitas with Tater Tot Hash served with a roasted poblano pepper sauce that was perfectly light and savory. The Sunny Side Up Pizza was, while a brunch cliche, was baked perfectly and the eggs were exquisitely runny. They offer more traditional brunch options like (dog bone-shaped) pancakes and french toast, too … because brunch should have a sweet side.

: Housemade Carnitas + Tater Tot Hash

: SUNNY SIDE UP PIZZA

: Country Chickens & Biscuit

: French Toast

While I’ve never had room for dessert after brunch (who wouldn’t finish pancakes and chilaquiles?!), we were treated to a couple of their dessert options–their Key Lime Cheesecake and Peach Crumble–both amazing bookends to our meal.

As mentioned, Lazy Dog offers a dog menu. Though it’s not as extensive as I’d hope it would be, lacking even a simple dog bone, it was a nice treat for our furry brunch buddy who gobbled it up so fast that I couldn’t even get a decent picture. Our waitress was very kind to cater the meal to her dietary needs, too, which was very helpful.

Pop into Lazy Dog, with or without a dog, and experience their quality options for you and Fido. Just don’t get too squeamish if you find a dog hair in your food—it happens when the dogs on the patio nearly outnumber their owners!

Thanks for providing the “talent”, Katherine Hollon!

Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar

There’s a new kid on the block in Addison: Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar. With restaurants constantly popping up in the neighborhood, it’s got to be challenging to find ways to stand out; and yet, Lazy Dog manages to do just that.

As the name suggests, Lazy Dog is, of course, pet-friendly. This alone makes this spot a welcomed addition to Addison, as the area is surprisingly devoid of dog-friendly patios. Yes, Lazy Dog allows pooches on their patio, yes, they have a selection of doggy menu items available, and yes, your pet will be served a complimentary bowl of water while you dine. That said, please do not mistake Lazy Dog for a “dog restaurant that happens to serve food”. On the contrary, Lazy Dog is first and foremost focused on creative scratch cooking with fresh ingredients, tasty beverages, and a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere in which to enjoy all of the above.

The restaurant is warm and inviting and CEO & Found Chris Simms based Lazy Dog’s rustic decor on his beloved family ski vacation spot, Jackson Hole. A sprawling bar area divides the main dining room and the large covered patio, and a glassed in exhibition kitchen spans the length of the restaurant.

Chris Simms interviewed a veritable cavalcade of chefs to run his kitchen before he found “the one,” who turned out to be Gabriel Caliendo, formerly of the Ritz Carlton. Chef Gabe and Chris have curated a menu of dishes they have dubbed “cravable classics,” largely consisting of comfort foods prepared with “approachable innovations”. Many of the recipes have deep personal meaning, right down to his grandmother’s turkey meatball recipe.

I was excited to have the opportunity to sample a variety of menu items at Lazy Dog earlier this month, and by the end of our meal, I was feeling a little lazy myself. Everything we sampled was delicious, from start to finish.

We started out with a St. Ruby cocktail, prepared with Deep Eddy Ruby Red vodka, St. Germain, and fresh grapefruit juice, and it was every bit as sweet and refreshing as it sounds. I also sampled a cocktail from Lazy Dog’s “Clean Cocktail” menu, which offers five libations prepared with under 150 calories each, made with no artificial ingredients and no added sugar. The Clean Coconut Mojito is prepared with Malibu coconut rum, 100% pure coconut water, fresh mint, lime, and sparkling water. It tasted like vacation in a glass; delicious. Overall, I was the most impressed by Lazy Dog’s housemade Sangria Sampler, which features White Peach, Raspberry Moscato, and Pomegranate Red sangrias. Each of the three was bursting with intense flavor without being too sweet, and it was impossible to pick a favorite. (BONUS: the sangria sampler is served in an adorable little caddy with metal dog tag labels. I mean…how cute is that?)

: Sangria Sampler

: Clean Coconut Mojito

I got to sample an imposing number of dishes from Lazy Dog’s menu, and every single dish I tried was just as Chef Gabe and Chris intended for it to be: craveable. We started out with:

the interesting and flavorful Hummus Trio, a trio of walnut-pesto, sundried tomato and traditional hummus served with garlic flatbread, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes
Grandma’s famous Sicilian Turkey Meatballs, prepared with pine nuts, golden raisins, and housemade marinara
Hatch Chile Bacon Mac ‘n’ Cheese, topped with a green onion crumble and served in a cast iron skillet
the particularly addictive Togarashi Edamame, wok-seared with zesty citrus and Japanese spices. The edamame were the crowd favorite

Entree offerings we sampled included: Maggie’s Snake River Salad, (a beautiful salad prepared with hickory smoked bacon, Laura Chenel goat cheese, dried cranberries, tomatoes, and candied walnuts), Hawaiian Sticky Ribs served with slaw and umami fries- both the ribs and especially the fries were crowd favorites, Chimichurri Mahi Mahi (pan roasted on a bed of black beans, stacked with sauteed veggies and a chimichurri sauce), the Black & Bleu Pizza (topped with blackened chicken breast, smoked bacon, mozzarella, caramelized onions, bleu cheese, and tomatoes, perched atop a perfectly garlicky, buttery crust). The pizza alone warrants a return trip for me!

: Hawaiian Sticky Ribs

: Chimichurri Mahi Mahi

: Black & Bleu Pizza

I will tell you that you will definitely want to save room for dessert at Lazy Dog, after trying their signature Butter Cake, which was topped with strawberry compote and vanilla ice cream, and tasted every bit as rich and decadent as it sounds. Also delicious was the seasonal Pumpkin Cheesecake, made with a moist graham cracker crust, and drizzled with housemade caramel, chocolate sauce, and a cinnamon sugar walnut crumble.

: Pumpkin Cheesecake

: Butter Cake

Needless to say, by the time I rolled out of here, I was feeling a bit like a Lazy Dog myself.

Lazy Dog’s Happy Hour features a variety of specials on beer, wine, and cocktails, plus a broad selection of small plates, all ranging from $3-$7 (bar and patio only).

Monday through Friday, from 3-6pm
Sunday-Thursday 9pm-close