To prepare for this fall's Best of Dallas® 2012 issue, we're counting down (in no particular order) our 100 Favorite Dishes. If there's a dish you think we need to try, leave it in the comments, or email me.
Maple and Motor gets a lot of attention for their burgers -- Jack Perkins has built a small shrine to ground and grilled beef on Maple Avenue -- but it's the ultra-humble sandwich fashioned from bad deli meat that really strikes a chord with me.
I'm talking bologna, a childhood arch nemesis or sorts. (Why would anyone want to eat slices of cold hot dog?) Except that the bologna isn't cold here, it's sliced thick and grilled hot. Perkins has his cooks cut little nicks into the perimeter of the slice to keep it from curling up like peperoni on a pizza. The slice lays flat when it cooks and develops a deep, rich, crust across the exterior, while hundreds of burgers searing nearby lend their fatty flavor.
It's a humble sandwich for sure, but lettuce and a tomato slice freshen things up a touch. This is not the bologna of my youth.
Hungry for more? Check back every morning for another dish, and download our Best Of App for Android and iPhone for more picks on the go.
No. 100: The Cleaver and Block Burger at NHS Tavern No. 99: The Bone Marrow at the Meddlesome Moth No. 98: Arepas at Zaguan Latin Cafe No. 97: Jalapeno Poppers at City Tavern No. 96: Elotes: Everywhere No. 95: Dan-Dan Noodles at Royal China No. 94: Smoked Ham Mac and Cheese at The Porch No. 93: Chicken and Waffles at Jonathon's Oak Cliff No. 92: Regina Margherita At Cane Rosso No. 91: Devils On Horseback At The Chesterfield No. 90: Ginger Soy Baby Back Ribs at Tei Tei Robata No. 89: Croissants From Rush Patisserie No. 88: The Reuben At The Cock & Bull No. 87: The Brisket at Pecan Lodge No. 86: The Roast Chicken At Bolsa No. 85: Chicken-Fried Egg at Union Bear No. 84: Brisket Tacos At Manny's No. 83: The Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes at Smoke No. 82: The Oxtail Ragout at Central 214 No. 81: The Italian Beef At Jimmy's No. 80: Pulled Whole Hog BBQ Eggs Benedict at Smoke No. 79: Veal Cheeks At Bijoux No. 78: Sweet Shrimp At Yutaka No. 77: Pho At Lemongrass No. 76: Shanghai Buns at Jeng Chi Dumpling House No. 75: Pepper Bomb At Goodfriend No. 74:Veracruz Cafe's Sopa de Atlahua No. 73: Fish and Chips at the Londoner No. 72: Italian Combo At Carbone's No. 71: Breakfast Schnitzel At Crossroads Diner No. 70: Berkshire Pork Belly Buns at Howard Wang's Uptown No. 69: Bolognese At Princi Italia No. 68: Cabrito a la Parrilla at El Ranchito No. 67: Kimchee French Fries At sSahm Food Truck No. 66: Just About Any Burger At Off Site Kitchen No. 65: St. Pete's Chili Dog No. 64: Mesa's Enmoladas No. 63: Pork and Octopus at Oak No. 62: Spicy Crispy Wings At Malai No. 61: Spicy Fish Soup At Korea House No. 60: Deviled Eggs At R&D Kitchen No. 59: Falafel At Fadia Bakery No. 58: Bistec Con Queso At El Tizoncito No. 57: The Burger At Local No. 56: Patty Melt At NHS No. 55: Guisado Verde Tacos At La Nueva Fresh And Hot No. 54: CFS At All Good Cafe No. 53: Ramen At Tei-An No. 52: Fried Chicken At Sissy's No. 51: Sampler Plate With Samoon at Judi Bakery No. 50: Dolmas At Pera Turkish Kitchen No. 49: The Sloppy Taco At Off Site Kitchen
