Mufso Dining Guide To Some Of The Best Restaurants In Dallas

Nation's Restaurant News, Sept 17, 2001

Pappas Bros. Steakhouse

10477 Lombardy Lane, (214) 366-2000. The Pappas Brothers of Houston have brought their upscale steak concept to Dallas on a large scale, seating 500. Expect the Pappas' classic attention to detail. Dinner.

Razzoo's Cajun Cafe

2504 Airport Freeway, Bedford, (817) 318-0002. This is the prototype for the vibrant Cajun chain, a 1999 NRN Hot Concepts! winner, and its future development. With a miniature bayou in front and a cavernous, high-volume space inside, Razzoo's has a gator by the tail. Lunch and dinner.

Salve!

2120 McKinney Ave., (214) 220-0070. Sleek and sophisticated, the Italian menu is as polished as the decor. The owners are longtime restaurateurs Janet and Phil Cobb. Lunch and dinner.

Samba Room

4514 Travis St., (214) 522-4137. This creation of Carlson Restaurants Worldwide provides a quick trip to Havana without clearing customs. The atmosphere is bustling, and the food is an amalgam of Latin American flavors. From ceviches to exotic desserts, Samba transports dinners into a sleek Ricky Ricardo world. Lunch and dinner.

Sambuca

2618 Elm St., (214) 744-0820. Now expanding to other cities, this Mediterranean bistro still offers jazz nightly along with a menu of pastas and other dishes. A second location is in Addison. Lunch and dinner.

Sonny Bryan's

2202 Inwood Road, (214) 357-7120. This is the original Texas barbecue joint. For more than 40 years the toothsome brisket, smoked ribs and mammoth onion rings have pleased customers, who willingly sit at school desks or on the hoods of their autos to savor the classics. More locations have been added, but this is the original. Lunch, but other locations offer dinner.

Star Canyon

3102 Oak Lawn Ave., (214) 520-7827. Texas food goes classy at this polished, elegant Southwestern eatery. Now under the umbrella of Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, the concept has expanded to Las Vegas, but this original still offers such signature dishes as ribeye steak with onion strings. The decor has touches of smile-inducing wit amid the polish. Dinner only.

Steel

3102 Oak Lawn Ave. (214) 219-9908. This very hip Pan-Asian, Asian-fusion restaurant has a sleek decor and a slavishly stylish clientele. The small sushi bar complements the steel and wood decor. Lunch and dinner.

Sullivan's Steakhouse

17795 Dallas North Tollway, (972) 267-9393. Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon's midscale concept has hooked a large following in the steak-intensive area of North Dallas. The wine list is a winner, too. Dinner only. Closed Sunday.

Taco Diner

4011 Villanova, (214) 696-4944. Fashioned as an upscale taqueria, the restaurant has sleek surroundings that are as sophisticated as the tacos. A variety of sauces come with the various versions, from pork to fish. The creator of the concept was Michael "Mico" Rodriquez, who owns and operates several popular Mi Cocina Mexican restaurants in the area and is creating something of a restaurant empire. Lunch and dinner.

Texas Land & Cattle Co.

3130 Lemmon Ave., (214) 526-4664. With a high-kitsch, Western decor, this Dallas-based steakhouse chain ropes in customers with nicely priced steaks and interesting side dishes, such as baked sweet potato. The fireplaces provide a lodgelike setting that satisfies those hungry for steaks and a bit of the Wild West. Lunch and dinner.