Photo by Lauren Drewes Daniels
Audio By Carbonatix
LadyLove Lounge certainly has its talents. The cozy listening lounge that draws lines down the alleyway on weekends has quietly become one of Dallas’ favorite places to vibe and dance. Janet Jackson, Doechii and The Marias have all stopped by for a visit. It’s not a VIP-only club; it’s for anyone and everyone who appreciates music and a chill time.
Recently, I stopped by early in the evening for a post-dinner cocktail with no intention of eating another dinner, since, as I mentioned, I’d just eaten. But sometimes, when you have a culinary obligation to a city, these things happen. Fortitude is key.
The New Menu
LadyLove has introduced a tight menu with about a dozen items, most Asian. There’s a lovely banh mi, Feral Fries for Feral Women, rice bowls, a Hawaiian mac salad and some protein options. Pop Chicken is chicken thighs with kimchi, cucumber salad and serrano garlic. Bacon and eggs is pork belly with soy-marinated jammy eggs on hot honey toast.
Photo by Lauren Drewes Daniels
LadyLove co-owner Kate Siamro says it’s important to her that their guests are well fed while they party. They also want to change the mindset of late-night kitchens (that they can be really good). To do this, they’ve enlisted Thomas Tilton-Heylin and Tiny Martinez, who have been working on the menu and recipe development for a while.
The menu is priced for a late-night meal; the most expensive item is the $16 shrimp banh mi (and is enough for two people). Feral Fries are just $7.
The Three-Day Banh Mi
The pork belly banh mi comes with a house-made honey-garlic giardiniera, nuoc cham cabbage, chipotle aioli, cucumber and jalapeños. This two-handed sandwich is thick, messy and wonderful.
“Our pork belly is made in a three-day process,” Siamro says. “It starts with a 24-hour marinade in soy sesame oil, mirin [sweet Japanese rice wine], Coca-Cola, piloncillo, lemongrass, oregano, thyme, shallot, ginger, garlic and scallion. The meat is then braised for five hours in the marinade and rested in the braising liquid overnight before portioning.”
They then reduce the braising liquid and add butter to create a demi-glace.
Feral Fries for Feral Women are crisp and slim. They toss these in a house-made chili crisp oil. The mound is topped with house-made chipotle aioli, “a bunch of dried chilis from Fiesta” Saimro says, and cilantro and fresh jalapeños.
Photo by Lauren Drewes Daniels
Our finale featured a Mapo Tofu Tostada with two small bricks of perfectly panko-fried tofu. Guajillo, pinto beans, chili crisp, jalapeños, cucumbers and togarashi are all part of this creation as well. I’ve never been this excited about tofu. It’s a lovely late-night snack.
DJs usually start playing at 8 p.m. at LadyLove, and another goes on at 10 p.m. At other times, the staff keeps a record player spinning behind the bar. Every last Saturday of the month is 30-and-over only, and they do card everyone, so don’t cry about it.
Go early to check out the menu before it gets too busy. Make it easier on everyone and grab an Uber if possible.
LadyLove Lounge and Sound, 310 W. Seventh St. Monday – Thursday 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Friday – Sunday 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
