NDA Brasserie Brings Elevated Classics to the Harwood District

NDA Brasserie opened in the Harwood District earlier this year, adding to the area's culinary depth chart. The space, within walking distance of the American Airlines Center, is open for breakfast, lunch, cocktail hour and dinner. We pre-gamed a Mavs home game there recently.

NDA is across from the pub Harwood Arms at the bottom of one of Harwood Tower No. 14 — the building with the samurai collection charging down the stairs in the lobby. NDA is a brasserie by definition, which just means it's a large convivial space serving classic dishes — steaks, chicken, fish — good for soaking up booze. Back in France in the early 1900s, brasseries were usually part of a brewery.
A rich gold entryway sets the tone and carries through the space. It's opulent but casual. Past the hostess stand is a long bar and lounge area, with a black marble top bar, plush leather high tops (thank you) with big, brassie globe-like bulbs overhead.
Starters at NDA are familiar: Fried cauliflower, whipped ricotta and some sushi offerings (yes, of course, there's crispy rice). We started with sushi deviled eggs, which — eew, right? These just channel sushi, but are not made with raw fish and were some of the best we've had. Who knew that a touch of ginger and salty punches from caviar would transform this classic American holiday appetizer?
These big plates of whipped ricotta everyone has are too pretty to pass up. Plus, cheese, right? NDA's didn't disappoint, with nuts, dried fruits, honey and little hits of heat all scooped up with thick toast.

Mains get heavy, which is why you should definitely order a strong cocktail beforehand.

The bacon-wrapped meatloaf ($25) sits at the top of the entree section on the menu, not stuck in a corner like a bratty 16-year-old on summer vacation. And we're happy for this: such a dish should be center stage. Whipped russets ride sidecar here along with a boat of dark gravy. This serving is enough for two people, if you like to split dishes. But just get it for yourself because you'll want every bite.

There are just eight other mains, which we like. Who needs a seven-page menu? (No one.) By virtue of being a brasserie, there are hearty staples like pork chops, rotisserie chicken, noodles, a couple of steaks, fish and an NDA burger. Keep in mind that Harwood Hospitality has its own Wagyu beef program (the group owns a herd of cattle in Oklahoma), so any red meat options are solid. 
We went with tender lobster tortellini, the chef's special that night, for our second main. Rich and creamy, these were swimming in sauce and we could have eaten a hundred of them.

NDA has a cocktail hour Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. with $9 bites — including NDA sliders and those sushi deviled eggs — and $10 classic cocktails. Anytime we can get a $10 martini, old fashioned or Negroni, it feels like a really big win.

Thankfully, the Harwood District has expanded parking along this strip of North Harwood. There used to be just a dozen or so parking spaces in the garage for diners heading to Harwood Arms. Now, the gates have been pushed back and more spaces are available to nonresidents. Once at the restaurant, scan the QR code at the hostess stand and it'll validate your parking for a while. Bonus: if you're walking to a game at the American Airlines Center after dinner, you'll pay for only a portion of the time you left your car there, and it costs substantially less than at any lot in the area.

NDA Brasserie, 2801 N. Harwood St.