Best Dessert Shop 2021 | BigDash | Best of Dallas® 2020 | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Dallas | Dallas Observer
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Best Dessert Shop

BigDash

Matthew Martinez

BigDash's Middle Eastern pastries have no equal in North Texas. There's a joyous variety of baklava alone: pistachio, almond, hazelnut and more. (The hazelnut, new in summer 2021, includes a Nutella-like drizzle.) There are pastries in beautiful shapes, including little folded flowers and pie-like wedges. There are boxes of cookies to go. At one of BigDash's stores, the star attraction is kinafa, an indescribably delicious shredded pastry concoction filled with gooey cheese, pistachios and sweet syrup that gets heated on a special-made skillet. If that all isn't enough, BigDash serves ice creams, too, and they've been praised as far away as the pages of The New York Times.

Best Food Inspired by a TV Series

Lasso Cookies

Lauren Drewes Daniels

Who couldn't use an infallible sense of optimism right now? If you haven't seen the Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso that doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy these wonderful "biscuits" that play a sweet role in the show. Lemma's Bakeshop in Dallas had a clever idea and is selling quaint boxes of these Southern tea biscuits, mimicking the packaging and shapes of the ones on TV. Any boss would swoon over these. As a bonus, they're adorned with quotes from the show such as, "Be a Goldfish" and "Be Curious, Not Judgmental." Follow Lemma's Bakeshop social media and website to find these cookies around town.

Best Steakhouse

Gorji's Dallas

Kathy Tran

This fine dining, no tipping (or children) restaurant in Dallas falls into a lot of categories. The chef is an Iranian-American immigrant serving Persian-inspired flavors and a two-time Texas Steak Cook-Off Champion. Yet at Gorji, the small staff and charming atmosphere rebuke the big show found at many local steakhouses, which is even more reason why we love this place so much. At the end of the day, it's the fire-kissed meat that is cooked to perfection that draws us in and keeps us going back to this five-table gem. Be sure to make reservations and be prepared to meet the chef at some point.

Best Happy Hour Eats

LORO

Kristen Hubby

What happens when you take brisket from one of the best pitmasters in Texas and parlay it with one of the best Asian cuisine chefs in Texas? Well, you get LORO Asian Smokehouse. But, looking past the fundamental menu items like brisket served with chili gastrique and Thai herbs, or the smoked prime bavette with a shishito salsa verde, the humble LORO Cheeseburger makes happy hour happy again. A red onion brisket jam (which is 95% brisket) is piled thick and high atop a juicy patty with two sheaths of butter lettuce and Muenster cheese. The bun only lasts about halfway through, at which point you shove the rest of the burger in your mouth. Breathe it all in nice and slow. Find this burger on the happy hour menu, weekdays 2 to 5 p.m.

Best Appetizers

Encina

Alison McLean

Encina's tiny kitchen is notorious in the restaurant industry. It's got just eight burners, one pizza oven and a portable home-cook-sized deep fryer. Maybe that's why the appetizers are so creative and versatile. Take the mezze platter: It's got pre-made items like white bean hummus and goat's milk labneh dips, plus a big handful of addictive fried olives. There's a sampler of pastrami and pimento cheese, too, and a fabulous steak tartare with cutting vinegar action from pickled celery, served on big chunks of toast. To save kitchen space for the main courses, Encina has to get creative, combining fresh items, salads and deep-fried goodness, and that strategy means that the restaurant's appetizers are as cool as its cocktails.

Best Tex-Mex

Herrera's Oak Cliff

Since 1983, Herrera's on Illinois Avenue has been pushing out plates of quintessential Tex-Mex. Generations of families have sat at their tables slurping down the complimentary bowl of charros beans and, hopefully, this family tradition keeps going for a long time. Many grew up on the No. 7: two cheese enchiladas and rice and beans. It might even be in some local's DNA. The Hangover with two eggs smothered in pork guiso with a side of refried beans will make Sunday right again.

Best Bathroom

The Charles

Alison McLean

Design District restaurant The Charles is known for its excellent menu, ingenious design and dimly lit ambiance, but it doesn't get enough credit for its great restrooms. These are the safe havens where we regroup ourselves before heading back to the warfare known as first dates, not to mention the best spot to take selfies with some privacy. The Charles' toilets happen to be the best seat in the house. The bathrooms' tile and countertops are a decorator's top tier choice, and the walls are covered in fashion photography, giving it a decadent glam rock 'n' roll edge — and exactly the life we crave, even if for a quick moment in a bathroom stall.

Best Burger

LA Burger

Kathy Tran

The Lee brothers opened the first LA Burger with zero experience in the restaurant business. Their inspiration came from the Korean-Mexican fusion food truck scene in their native Los Angeles. They've created a few fusions of their own and now have six restaurants across North Texas. While we do recommend the K Town (grilled kimchi, jalapeños, lettuce, tomato and Sriracha mayonnaise), start with the simple beauty of an OG: lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, American cheese and their house-made homespread. The soft, slightly sweet buns, butter-kissed on the grill, are the crowning achievement here. Food vlogger Mikey Chen likes it! On a recent visit, he swooned over the spicy chili burger.

Best Margarita

José

Alison McLean

A good drink starts with good ingredients, no question. But a great drink is about time, place and ingredients. And when we think about margaritas in Dallas, there is a cornucopia of options. At José on Lovers they keep it simple with Avión, their top shelf, with Cointreau, lime juice and gave nectar. With an amazing menu, a large patio with a fountain in the middle, José has it all. Be sure to inquire about their seasonal frozen margaritas and enjoy beautiful food in a beautiful space.

Best Late Night Hotdog

Mike's Gemini Twin

Courtesy of Mike's Gemini Twin

Mike's Gemini Twin in The Cedars is a swanky dive bar that's struck a perfect balance for an ideal night of drinking: it's elegant enough for a dressed-up evening out, but forgiving if you spill Champagne on yourself. We imagine it's the kind of spot where Jack Kerouac would've shot back several tequilas (after his go-to, margaritas) while talking incessantly about jazz and women. But the "gem" in "Gemini" is its bar food, a late-night snack offering in the form of a simple-but-delicious hot dog. The all-beef delicacy has mustard options and fixings such as relish and can be ordered solo or as part of a meal with two hot dogs, plus two beers, two shots, candy and dessert — a prime choice for a laid-back date night or for those who know what's good.

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