As a countdown to the Dallas Observer's "Best of Dallas" 2010, City of Ate is serving up 100 of the favorite dishes we crave, savor and hope to scarf down again soon. These dishes are in no particular order. Some are little known, others celebrated. Some are pricey, others can be eaten on the cheap, but all are delicious to the extreme. Don't hesitate to share your own nominations in the comments. More of the dish's tasty details are after the jump.
No. 17: Cuban Sandwich at Jimmy's Food Store
Back when we Observer-ed downtown (really, don't bring it up ... or else), Jimmy's Food Store on Bryan was but a few-minute drive -- long enough to call ahead and have waiting for us upon arrival a pressed Cuban sandwich wrapped in tin-foil, like a Christmas present made of roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mojo sauce. It was, way back when, a way-too-regular on my weekly menu, though that was also when I knew what a "gym" was (did I even spell that right?), so it was less a guilty pleasure than a necessity -- man can't live on coffee and cigarettes alone, so I've discovered.
Doubtless you've had or heard of the Jimmy's Cuban by now -- it's constantly ranked among The Best Sandwiches in Town by anyone with a mouth, damn right. How to describe? Sweet. Sour. Spicy (do watch the mojo -- it's best served on the side, if only so it doesn't consume the whole package's heavyweight punch). Smoky. Not a "real" Cuban, sure -- this ain't Miami, and Jimmy's ain't Versailles, home of the finest media noce this side of Havana. (The bread's the real giveaway -- as they'd probably tell you at the International Bakery on Josey Lane, the real thing needs a sweeter touch.) Still, I just called ahead. See you in 15? OK, then. Tomorrow too.
Jimmy's Food Store 4901 Bryan St. 214-823-6180
See the full list below:
No. 100: Oatmeal Pancakes at Legal Grounds No. 99: Shanghai Buns at Jeng Chi Dumpling House No. 98: Mashed Tater Parfait at Cowboy Chow No. 97: Chicken and Waffles at Victor Tango's No. 96: Colorado Lamb Osso Bucco at Hibiscus No. 95: Flatbread Pizza at Dish No. 94: First Chinese Barbecue in Richardson No. 93: Elotes at Fuel City No. 92: Summer Platter For Two at Big Shucks No. 91: Chicken Gizzards at Sushi Yama No. 90: Bob Armstrong Dip at Matt's Rancho Martinez No. 89: The Angry Dog at Angry Dog No. 88: Sliders at Dish No. 87: Spaghetti Bolognese at Urbano Café No. 86: Vietnamese Pork Panini at Lumi Empanada & Dumpling Kitchen No. 85: Cheese Fries at Snuffers No. 84: Tres Vasos at Samar No. 83: Quatro Leches at La Duni No. 82: Pad Pak at Bangkok City No. 81: Brisket Sandwich at Maple and Motor No. 80: Lunch Express at Dream Cafe No. 79: Apple Crisp at Salum No. 78: La Vaca Loca at Good 2 Go No. 77: Shrimp and Grits at Screen Door No. 76: Meatball Sub at Jimmy's No. 75: Baja Chicken at Mattito's No. 74: Fried Port Salut Cheese at The Porch No. 73: Lobster Roll at Rex's No. 72: Fried Green Beans at Local No. 71: Shaved Ice at May's Ice Cream No. 70: Shredded Pork Sandwich at Mojitos No. 69: Tom-Yum-Gai at Bangkok City No. 68: Paella at La Calle Doce No. 67: Bacon Cheeseburger at Wingfield's Breakfast and Burgers No. 66: Original Nachos at Fuzzy's Taco Shop No. 65: El Aragón at Tortas La Hechizera No. 64: The Cheeseburger at The Grape No. 63: Dungeness Crab Dip at Hibiscus No. 62: Sweetbreads Made Two Ways from Restaurant AVA No. 61 Asado De Puerco Rojo at Chitos No. 60: Basil Chicken at Genroku No. 59: Capricciosa Pizza at Il Cane Rosso Truck No. 58: Shrimp and Chicken Curry Clay Pot at Mai's Vietnamese Restaurant No. 57: The Grilled Cheese and Chili at Highland Park Pharmacy No. 56: Meatloaf Blue Plate Special At Norma's Cafe No. 55: Carne Asada Plate at Taqueria El Fuego No. 54: Pork Carnitas at Matt's Rancho Martinez No. 53: Lacquered Chinese Duckling at Five Sixty No. 52: Fritto Misto at Cibus No. 51: The Californication at Buzzbrews Kitchen No. 50: Enchiladas Suizas with Off-The-Menu Salsa at Veracruz Café No. 49: The Steak Bomb at Kenny's Burger Joint No. 48: Prosciutto-Wrapped Figs at Hattie's No. 47: Truffle Butter Popcorn at Tillman's Roadhouse No. 46: Hamburger at Adair's Saloon No. 45: Bone-In Short Rib at Stephan Pyles No. 44: Ricotta Cheese Blueberry Pancakes at Villa-O No. 43: 911 Roll at Oishii No. 42: Fried Chicken at Babe's Chicken Dinner House No. 41: Sausage Pizza At Oak Cliff Pizza No. 40: Black Truffle Pizza at Neo by Olivella's No: 39 Pastrami Sandwich At Deli-News No. 38 Mussels at Neighborhood Services No. 37 Double Cheese Potato Cakes At Red's Patio Grill No. 36: Chocolate Cake at Al Biernat No. 35: Fried Tofu with String Beans in Lemongrass Sauce at Caravelle Chinese and Vietnamese Restaurant No. 34: Pollo Con Mole at Carolina's Mexican Cuisine No. 33: Quail Salad at Fearing's at the Ritz Carlton No. 32: Vegetable Platter at Roti Grill No. 31: Chicken-Fried Steak at AllGood Cafe No. 30: Lengua Taco at Taco King No. 29: Cioppino at Chef Point Cafe No. 28: Black Bean Enchiladas at Avila's Restaurant No. 27: Sliced Brisket at Pecan Lodge No. 26: Lomo Norteño at Veracruz Cafe No. 25: Salads at eatZi's Market & Bakery No. 24: Chopped Brisket Sliders At The Porch No. 23: The Stodg Burger at The Porch No. 22: Coconut Soup at Mi Tierra No. 21: Cachapa at Zaguan Latin Cafe & Bakery No. 20: Black Bean Dip At Gloria's No. 19: Root Beer Creme Brulee at the Green Room No. 18: Especial De Tacos at Tacos El Viajero
