Last week while in the Virginia Shenandoah, we moseyed into a diner (the only place to eat in downtown) in Basye, VA. The kitsch-filled place was fun, but the order took forever (we were told the cook didn't show for work) and when it came, it was pretty sad. One burger was overcooked (they did take it off the check, as we didn't want to wait for a replacement), my Pulled Pork Sandwich was dry and overcooked. Enough said, AVOID the Diner in Basye!
Yesterday, I arrived in Dallas and had a yen for Barbecue, so I headed right to SONNY BRYAN's BARBECUE House, which is now all over the are and has been in business for ages. I started with the ONION RINGS and homemade Barbecue Sauce (served in a Corona beer bottle) which were perfect. They were not over battered and I loved the fact that you could bite all the way through the ring and not end up slurping out the entire onion on the first bite! The sauce was supreme. My $11 or so entree was made up of two choices of barbecue (you can choose from one to seven from Sausage, Turkey, Ribs, Ham, Chicken, Pulled Pork and Beef Brisket). I chose the last two and the pulled pork was a billion times tastier that in Basye, but the Brisket was one of the best barbecues I have ever had with its own tasty sauce. The entire assemblage is served in blue plastic melamine that is so adorable you want to buy the set and take it home. The selection of sides is mind-boggling and they come in matching blue bowls on the large plates. I had the yummy cole slaw and the spectacular GREEN BEEN CASSEROLE which is like the kind your mom (or grandma) might have made in the 60's with a creamy base and sprinkled here with freshly fried onion pieces. It has a strong peppery influence for flavor that I adored. The huge buttery biscuits are great for pushing the pork or making a small sandwich of your own, and the lemonade was tangy and cold with UNLIMITED refills (when was the last time you had that? except in Basye, VA. last week!).
All this for $22 including tax and a very large tip (the waiter suggested the brisket)!
After the opera, we decided to try CRU, a trendy wine bar and dining spot at 3699 McKinney Ave only minutes from downtown Dallas (there are several in the area). The SEARED AHI TUNA was tasty and served with an odd but good Warm MEDITERRANEAN SALSA, Balsamic Reduction and small salad of fresh micro-greens. The highlight here are the wines. We sat next to a wall that had at least 30 bottles priced over $200 each! I tried the flight of three "SEXY REDS" (they offer 13 different flights for $11-20). These were three Napa Valley blends: O'BRIEN "Seduction" 2003 which had a huge nose and a nice smooth finish; CAIN CONCEPT 2002, with a smaller nose, but bigger body from the Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Petite Verdot and Merlot; and ROSENBLUM "Lyons Vineyard" 2002 that was the biggest and most exciting, described well as "jazzy...smoky..and a burst of raspberry jam" in their notes. I would love to return to CRU for a full dinner, but have to head to Ft. Worth today.
Phyllis on the road again
