Interim Posting - Olivellas

I tried a new place last night in search of some contenders to the Dallas pizza hierarchy. Olivellas came recommended as a place I should try from a source who is a fellow food-lover (and contributor to the blog) and so I gave it a shot. I am so happy I did.

I'm not sure how long this cougar-laden den has been in business in University Park - but if you didn't know it was there, its easy to see how you could miss it. Its tucked away on a side street, just off of Hillcrest (McFarlin Blvd) - just south of Snyder Plaza. Again, I opted for the to-go option because of these ease of doing so compared to bringing the 17 month old little Campesino to the restaurant. After walking in, I really wished I had come with the Mrs. on a date night. It is a quaint little spot with a few tables, a little bar and an open kitchen. The place smelled great, and given that it was a Thursday night - it was jammed with a cougars drinking what looked like copious amounts of wine as they prepared to stalk their prey later in the evening.

We opted for two 'small' pizzas - a regular Margherita pizza and the Amante Della Carne - which is Olivellas' version of a meat lover's pizza. Both were spectacular. Even though I am big fan of cured italian meats - I think the Margherita was my favorite and has immediately bolted to the top of my list for best pizza's in the city. It had a crispy wood-fire crust - but the toppings are what made this pizza spectacular. The homemade mozzarella and the pizza sauce were fantastic. The sauce was sweet and tasted fresh - but was not over the top in terms of amount that could have overpowered the pizza - just the right amount. The cheese was fresh, milky and very stringy - it was unlike any other cheese you get on a pizza in Dallas.


The Della Carne was fantastic as well - but it was a little soggier due to the copious amount of meat on the pizza itself. I imagine if you get this one at the restaurant - its much better.

As I mentioned earlier, this place was a pleasant surprise and will now enter my rotation for pizza joints in the Dallas area. I think its probably a better 'date-night' location - then a 'take the wife and kids' spot - but if you are desperate for a great pizza - you may just say 'what the hell' and deal with the headache and drown the kid stress with some wine and a great pizza.

Finally, apologies for the quality of the shots - my camera was out of batteries and the crackberry camera had to suffice for this round.

Interim Posting - Fireside Pies...

First posting from the next Campesino challenge took awhile – but its ready. Last weekend, I hit the new Fireside Pies on Inwood. I have to admit I usually like to eat at the place I’m reviewing and not bring it home – but with pizza I feel like this is an acceptable review format since so many of us order it to go or have it delivered.

I have been to Fireside a couple of times before – always at the Knox location and it had been a year since my last visit. I decided to keep the order simple and go with what I’ve always had in the past – an Italian salad and the Triple Roni pizza. In the past, I had been disappointed with the pizza at Fireside – particularly with the Triple Roni because it was so soggy towards the middle. Additionally, the truffle oil they added on top of the pizza after it had been cooked I thought was a bit over the top. It did not serve to enhance the flavor – but just added extra greasy-ness that wasn’t required on top of all that cheese and pizza.

(Triple Roni pictured before the basil was added)

I’m happy to report that the guys over at Fireside have alleviated most of the soggy-ness problem at their new location. The pizza was much better than I remembered it from prior visits. The pepperoni was thicker than you would expect, it was also spicier and crispier – all of which were added bonuses. The crust was crispy on the edges and for as thin as it was – it did not get very soggy, except towards the very middle of the pizza, which I think may have something to do w/the 10 minute drive home and 5 minute dinner set up.

As far as my thoughts on where this place ranks in the pantheon of Dallas pizza joints – I would say it probably ranks in the top 5 – it will have a tough time breaking past that level – but it’s a solid choice. Atmosphere at the Knox (and even Inwood) locations probably work in its favor, along with pretty good drinks as well – but when looking for the absolute best pizza – atmosphere and drinks, although important, take a back seat to the main course.

We’ll keep searching – and reviewing – you keep giving us your suggestions and any feedback you may have.

- Campesino.

Next Campesino Poll – Dallas Pizza

In a tight race over the last two weeks – our most recent Campesino poll did not produce a consensus winner for our next Dallas food challenge. When that happens – we here at Campesino reserve the right to break the tie with an executive order. We’ve exercised that privilege and decided that we will tackle pizza next.

Some may say that the phrase ‘Dallas Pizza’ is an oxy-moron, but I beg to differ. In my experience I’ve found that the greater Dallas area has some fantastic pizza options. Our challenge over the next month or so will be to sort out the best that the city has to offer and bring you our pick for who serves up the best pizza in town.

If you have any suggestions please feel free to leave them in the comment section of the blog.

Thanks and be sure to check back for updates soon…

- Campesino

Campesino Random Review - Cowboy Chow

I hit up Cowboy Chow this past week, which is a newer restaurant from the same guys that brought us Twisted Root Burger Co. The restaurant menu offering can best be described as ‘brisket 12 ways’. Most of the items on the menu had brisket involved in some way – whether it was the main ingredient or more of a meat based condiment, depended on the dish. I had the grilled cheese w/brisket and onions where the brisket took a back seat to the great Texas toast and cheddar used to make the sandwich. Overall, the grilled cheese and the homemade potato chips were pretty damn good. Again, I think it might have been just as good with out the brisket - which I didn’t really think was quite smoky enough. It was more of a French dip sort of roast beef than a true Texas brisket.

Others I was with, were really happy with the chicken pot pie and the mashed potato parfait (with brisket!). The cowboy nachos – homemade potato chips with queso fresco, and southwestern ranch on top were pretty good – but very small – order a few if you have more than two people. Additionally, the restaurant charged us 75 cents for a side of ranch – which I might not have been so upset about had it not been served in a thimble sized receptacle.

Overall this place is a solid lunch spot – I doubt I would make the effort to go here for dinner, but if its Friday afternoon and you want something a little different from your run of the mill Friday burger experience, Cowboy Chow is a good (not great) alternative.

Campesino Road Trip – Mother’s New Orleans

Campesino hit the road last weekend and ended up in one of our favorite cities in the world – New Orleans. We were only in town for a short period of time – but we did have a chance to stop by Mother’s for lunch on our first day. Everyone I talked to said you need to go for breakfast – but when we arrived, all I could think about were po’ boys. After waiting in a short line for about 10 minutes I ordered up a Ferdi Special – which had Mother’s famous ham, roast beef, debris and gravy. I also decided to try a side of gumbo and jambalaya.

The po boy was great. It was unlike anything I have had before – however, in hindsight I think I like my po’ boys with fried seafood a little more than I did the Ferdi Special. Don’t get me wrong, the sandwich was great – it just wasn’t exactly the salty, crispy po’ boys of my dreams. The bread gets a little soggy with all that gravy and debris, which again, was good – but not life changing. The gumbo and jambalaya though were some of the best I’ve ever had. The sausage in both of those items was spicy and exactly what andouille should taste like, while the gumbo itself had just the right amount of rice and salty roux.

We tried to hit Mother’s again the next morning for breakfast before heading out to the airport – but alas, the line was way out of the front door and there was no way we could make it and this catch our flight. It left us with an empty feeling in our stomach and a longing for a breakfast that still exists only in our minds.

Campesino Reader Poll (Pt 1)...

Now that we have finished with our first poll – the unreal Dallas Burger BCS – we were hoping our loyal readers will help us decide which area of the Dallas food scene we should tackle next. We are open to any and all suggestions – except a nudie bar ranking.
We know that you all will give us some interesting ideas – so if you vote ‘Other’ – please leave your suggestion in the comment box. Thanks and we look forward to getting back to everyone in a few days with the answer to our next ranking (SEE POLL BELOW IN NEXT POST).

Campesino Reader Poll (Pt 2)...

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