Campesino

Interim Posting - Olivellas

2008-10-24T14:08:00.003-05:00

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...

2008-10-15T13:47:00.006-05:00

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

2008-10-03T11:03:00.002-05:00

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

2008-09-25T15:37:00.003-05:00

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

2008-09-22T15:22:00.004-05:00

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)...

2008-09-11T16:35:00.001-05:00

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)...

2008-09-11T16:25:00.004-05:00

Online Surveys & Market Research

Its finally ready…

2008-09-09T14:55:00.009-05:00

The brain trust at Campesino has been in the basement the last week or so finalizing the Dallas Burger BCS list and its finally ready. We spent the month on an exhaustive search for Dallas’ best and I think we’ve come up with what we think are three categories that best describe the experience we’ve had.

The first and highest acclaimed category is our BCS Bowl Group – these were the best of the best. Matching them up against one another provides hours of debate as the subtle nuances of each and their merits can be discussed ad nauseam. The elite three that made this group are (in no particular order):

Twisted Root

Wingfields

Angry Dog

The next set of competitors in the Dallas Burger BCS challenge were not quite good enough for the BCS Bowl Group – but rather were just below that in a mid-tier bowl – like the Cotton Bowl. These guys are good – but not quite ready for the big-leagues just yet. They include (these are in order):

The Records Building Cafe

First & 10

Jake's

Chip's

Adair's

Uptown Bar & Grill

Jack's (Hillcrest location)

The Porch

Club Schmidts

Balls

Should something change at one of these locations – they could jump up to the bigs –but for now they are right in the middle – solid, very good burgers, but they won’t knock your socks off.

Finally we come to the bottom end of our list – those burgers that are more Division 3 than Division I-A. Actually, you may have a better experience at your local Whataburger than these spots. Again – in order from best to worst:

Moo-Yah Burgers

Strong's

Gazebo Burgers

We thank all our fellow Campesino readers for your help in voting for your favorite spots in our poll – which by the way Jake’s won in a very close race over Angry Dog and ‘Other’.

Thanks again and check back soon for more updates at Campesino.

Get Your Hatch On

2008-08-28T15:58:00.005-05:00

If you’re looking for something to grill this Labor Day, cruise on over to Central Market and check out their once-a-year Hatch Chilefest. Last weekend I picked up some Hatch Chile Burgers, and they were fantastic. The meat was tender and juicy, and the Hatch Chiles added a great smokey favor. Hatch chiles, if you are not familiar, are green chiles which are harvested in Hatch, New Mexico. They are definitely on the milder side of chiles (close to the Anaheim chile) which makes them great for adding to burgers or making a sauce to top grilled chicken or eggs.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Hatch Chile read on:

Hatch, NM Propaganda

General Info

Recipes

Hatch Chilefest runs through Labor Day at Central Market.

Burger BCS review - Wingfield's

2008-08-27T16:08:00.004-05:00

A lot has been written about Wingfield's down in Oak Cliff - and after visiting - rightfully so. It's a hike getting down there - definitely a big commitment for a burger. However, after arriving we ran into a caravan of two families from Frisco! that had make the trek down to the OC for the very same burger. Definitely a good sign.

The place itself is not much to speak of - its basically a little green and white shack w/a counter and a cash register. Not really any room at all to eat inside the place. So if you are headed down there - then I suggest one of two things - go when the weather is nice and you can eat outside in the parking lot or leave your a/c on and sit in your car to have your meal. Eating outside was not really an option this past weekend as it was hot as balls - so we opted for the second choice. Additionally, with Pancho Jr. along for the ride we really did not have any other choice.

Now to the burger - its huge and its good. Unfortunately, with everything going on in the car, I did not get a chance to whip out my trusty Campesino Camera to take a pic of said burger - but take my word for it - its damn big. The bun was toasted and not too doughy. The pattie was a little on the loose side - but seasoned fantastically. I thought it was a little light on the cheese side, but I honestly found very little to criticize about this burger. Fries that come with the burger were of the crinkle variety - but way too soggy. The strange thing about them was that they tasted like bacon - which helped me get past the soggy-ness issue.

I really liked the burger here as you can tell - but would I say its the best in Dallas? Probably not. Its worth the time to trek down there to experience Wingfield's, but I don't think its going to take the Dallas Burger BCS crown. Also - bring cash, you'll need it. I'll definitely add it to my rotation though.

The Savannah State of Dallas Burgers

2008-08-24T12:00:00.003-05:00

College football is nearly upon us. Can I hear an "Amen!" For those fans who haven't already memorized their favorite team's schedule, late August is the time of year that everyone looks (and laughs) at their team's season opening opponent. Case on point: Those beloved Texas Longhorns start with cupcake Florida Atlantic, the Sooners host Chattanooga, and #1 ranked Georgia plays a tier 2 team in Georgia Southern. All guaranteed wins, right? Right! Don't expect another Michigan/Appalachian St. for a long time.

So in search of Dallas Burger BCS glory, Campesino ventured over to Preston/Royal to give Gazeebo Burger a shot at the title. What we found instead was the Savannah State of Burgers. Savannah State, as ranked by Jeff Sagarin, is the worst team in College Football. #245 out of 245. A team even SMU might be favored to beat.

Gazeebo Burger burst onto the Dallas burger scene 10 or so years ago with much fanfare and accolades. I didn’t quite get what all the hoopla was about back then, and its prior lackluster performance was confirmed during my most recent visit over the weekend.

First, the meat-to-bun ratio was a shocking 1-4, maybe even 1-5. So much bread overpowered any of the other flavors. Furthermore, the bun was barely even toasted, which accentuated the doughyness of the burger. It was like eating a loaf of Mrs. Baird’s white bread with a tad of butter. Second, the meat was dry and had very little flavor. I even tasted the meat separately from the bun to see if the burger had a chance of being saved by ordering it with double meat. Nope, it really had nothing going for it. Finally, the much talked about sides-bar only included lettuce, tomatoes, raw red onions, pickles, jalapenos, and some pico. If you’re going to have a condiments bar you need to go a little further than just offering the basics. How about some blue cheese and grilled onions? If I can get jalapenos at the Whataburger in Weatherford then you’re not getting credit for offering it.

On the positive side, our order came out very quickly and the fries were hot, but this wasn’t enough to make me want to get my burger fix at Gazeebo again.

So as the Longhorns, Sooners and Bulldogs rush to add Savannah State to their 2012 football schedules, Dallas burger titans will line up to compete against Gazeebo Burger in the opening round. My prediction: Gazeebo blown out by the end of first quarter.

Campesino Random Review – Herrera's on Denton

2008-08-21T16:58:00.006-05:00

(The better half of the #1 plate)

I'm actually a bigger fan of the Maple location of Herrera's - but this past week I made a stop at the Herrera's on Denton to check it out (but really b/c its closer to my house). This one is much bigger, almost feels like a Knights of Columbus hall on the inside - but the music coming out of the juke box along w/the fact that it was pretty crowded gave the place a pretty good feel.

Its no surprise that I love Mexican food, or Tex-Mex or whatever you want to call it, I grew up on it and usually gauge a place by a few simple items - the beans, the enchiladas and the tacos. When I looked at the menu I was immediately worried about how much stuff was on there. I'm normally a little skeptical about a place that offers so much - how can they do it all well? The answer usually is they don't.

At Herrera's, I ordered the #1 Plate - a mix bag of one enchilada, one taco, one tostada and one tamale. The tamale and cheese enchilada were actually pretty good - reminded me of the stuff I grew up on in South Texas, it was the other half of the plate that I had a problem with. The taco shell was miserable - tasted like the shells you used to get in the cafeteria back in elementary school on taco day. No love at all was placed into the making of those shells. The tostada came on an equally uninspired tortilla - and was pretty bland.

(the not so good part of the #1 plate)

The beans and rice weren't bad, but they were nothing to write home about. If you are craving Mexican food - this would def. hit the spot - but only after a long night of drinking at two in the morning or the next day when you're nursing a terrible hangover. Sober and on a Sunday night, it didn't quite cut the salsa. I would give it two chiles on a five chile scale.

Campesino Random Review – Baker’s Ribs

2008-08-12T13:12:00.003-05:00

I know it seems like we have been living in Deep Ellum at Campesino, but the fact that most of these postings have come from that area is pure coincidence – I swear. Now on to the review:

I think there’s a reason they named this place Baker’s Ribs and not Baker’s BBQ or Baker’s Brisket. The ribs at Bakers are good – probably the best I have had in my Dallas eating experience. The rest of the meat however was not quite up to snuff. The sausage was just slightly above average – you could probably get the same result at home with a decent store bought pre-smoked link. The brisket was a tad on the dry side and not very smokey.

For me, when I hit a barbecue spots the sides are pretty important to my overall dining experience – and at Baker’s there were a few high points and one low point. The potato salad and mac and cheese were two standouts. The potato salad was creamy, but not over the top and had a touch of dill – which I found worked really well with the salad. The mac and cheese was done pretty well – but make sure you steer clear of the beans at Bakers. They were miserable. No real flavor, a little on the cold side, just really a piss poor effort from a place in Texas that should have the beans thing down by now.

I think if you’re in this part of town and craving bbq – Baker’s definitely will hit the spot – just stick with the ribs. I wouldn’t say its my favorite spot in Dallas – I think Peggy Sue’s may still have Baker’s beat – but I may be a bigger fan of the experience at Baker’s a little more.

Burger BCS review - Twisted Root Burger Co.

2008-08-08T13:57:00.008-05:00

Auspicious beginnings – Amazing endings.

On my way to lunch today to check out this week’s Dallas Burger BCS entry, I was pretty excited to revisit Twisted Root. I had not been there in well over a year and on the suggestion of one of our loyal readers, I decided to give it a shot today. As I was making my way through uptown I was pinched by one of Dallas County’s finest – for the expiration of my car’s registration sticker.

It was a terrible start to what was supposed to be a laid back Friday lunch. The fine on the ticket $117 – so immediately I knew this was going to be an expensive burger. I pulled up to Twisted Root to find that there was a gigantic line out of the front door with about 15 people waiting outside in the sun (and some shade) for their burger. I took it as a good sign – these people were waiting in August, in Dallas, outside for their burgers. True dedication.

I took my place in the line and waited. It only took about 15 minutes to get through the line and order – based on the recommendation from the dude at the register – I went with the blue cheese and buffalo wing sauce burger and a side of fries. I didn’t mind waiting in line to order my burger for 15 minutes, nor did I really mind the relative lack of seating (it was lunch on Friday) – what did start to grate on my nerves was the unending chatter by the food runner over the loudspeaker. The your order names are quirky and are supposed to be fun, but that guy really powers me down with all his impressions, which come at the expense of some pretty good tunes over the sound system.

Then came the burger. It was pretty damn good. I know I thought last week’s burger was going to be tough to beat – but this one took on Adair’s like Antonio Margarito took on Miguel Cotto two weeks ago and knocked its socks off. I honestly remember thinking as I was finishing the burger that I did not want it to end. I could almost not take another bite – but I was still a little sad it was all about to end.

That my Campesino friends is the way a burger should finish – just a little sad its all over and excited about the next time you get to come back. Thoughts of the earlier ticket had been completely erased from my mind as I walked back to the Campesino-mobile.

Finally, as I relayed the ticket story to Mrs. Pancho, she informed me that my NEW registration sticker is waiting for me at the house. Now I just need to figure out how I’m going to get the Justice of the Peace to waive my fine!

This burger could easily end up being the best in Dallas. Tune in later this month for our exciting conclusion and don’t forget to cast your vote HERE.

Burger BCS review - Adair's Saloon

2008-08-04T08:44:00.006-05:00

Strong showing from our latest entrant into the Dallas Burger BCS competition and it comes from an old standard – Adair’s Saloon. The atmosphere at Adair’s definitely is one of their strong points - cold beer, a small menu focused on what they do well, writing on the walls - it’s a bar that serves a damn good burger.

Now about that burger: the bun was soft (not too doughy) and the burger had a peppery taste with just the right amount of mustard on the bun – it was definitely solid. The jalapeño that comes atop every burger was a fantastic touch, it really added the perfect amount of heat with every bite of my burger. There are two things that were missing in my estimation from the Adair’s cheeseburger – any presence of onion and the burger paddy might have been a little too big for my taste. However, this burger was leaps and bounds better than the last entry.

It will be interesting to see how Adair's stacks up vs. the rest of Dallas – its definitely making a strong push early on and I have a feeling we'll be hearing more from this place as we narrow down our BCS picks.

Don't forget to cast your vote for Campesino's Dallas Burger BCS by clicking here.

Beat the heat...

2008-08-01T16:06:00.004-05:00

Its going to be hot as balls this weekend - our suggestion at Campesino? A margarita - that way you can beat the heat and relax at the same time. I know I'm going to put more than a few down this weekend.

Here's a link to a couple of recipes along with a tequila primer and a little backstory to the drink itself.

Snider Plaza Balls Serves Up its Last Little Leaguer...

2008-08-01T08:49:00.006-05:00

It's been almost a week since Balls closed its doors, and many long time patrons are still wondering exactly what happened. The widely-reported short answer is that a Dunkin Donuts is slated to replace the UP Hamburger joint which was a family fixture in Snider Plaza for almost two decades. The longer, more troubling, storyline which Campesino learned straight from Ball's owner Richard Hobrecht, is that Balls wasn't even offered a renewal for its lease, told only to pack up and be moved out by the end of July. To lose a one-of-a-kind local restaurant is bad enough, but the way this went down just doesn't seem right. Can the donut chain survive squeezed between SMU and the UP Pool? Only time will tell, but rest assured this Campesino will withhold our dining dollars just based on principle (not to mention that Mustang Donuts is just 2 blocks away). Give me local flavor over a chain any day of the week. As my family walked out from our ceremonial last trip on Sunday, I saw Richard outside with camera in hand; slightly choked up he says to me, "I've been here for 19 years and I don't think I've ever taken a picture." Sad to see you go.

**Richard will be working the counter at Balls' one remaining location, located at NW Highway and Midway**

An interesting note from today's NYT on Chinese food...

2008-07-31T12:58:00.004-05:00

Chinese food is a classic campesino cuisine - getting to know its history here in the States is no easy task. This article from the NYT helps shed some light on the complexities that go into labeling 'Chinese food'. I imagine we will be tackling a lot of these dishes in and around our fair 'burg - so might as well brush up on the topic now...

Burger BCS review - Strong's Tavern

2008-07-31T09:55:00.005-05:00

The first challenger in this month's Dallas Burger BCS is Strong's Everyday Tavern. Its a relative newcomer to the burger scene and to Uptown in general - but its definitely a nice space. Actually, the location and the space itself are probably the best things Strong's has going for it. I decided to go with the originally named Strong's Burger - which came with two cheeses (Gruyère and Blue), and fried leeks. About half way through the burger I realized I was not that impressed with it - but decided to finish off the second half just to make sure I wasn't missing anything. My biggest problem was the meat itself - I feel like there really wasn't much to it, also consistency was a problem - the patty crumbled and had a hard time staying together. Additionally, fries were an issue here - if I leave any on my plate something is wrong and I left half. Overdone and too skinny were the culprits for the fries. Overall, this place is not ready for the BCS - probably a second tier bowl like the Holiday Bowl.

Be sure to cast your own vote by clicking HERE.

August Burger BCS

2008-07-30T15:17:00.005-05:00

This August Campesino is going to bring you its Dallas Burger BCS rankings in advance of the much anticipated college football season. We will spend the dog days of summer evaluating the best of the best that Dallas has to offer from a burger standpoint.

We hope you take the time to vote in our little survey so we can compare the results from all you campesinos to those tabulated by Pancho y Lefty.

Adios Monte Cristo...

2008-07-30T14:36:00.004-05:00

Maybe it was rising food costs, maybe its the economy - I think it was probably a lack of flare that did in Bennigans. Either way - you are going to have to head elsewhere for your Monte Cristo fix after today. True campesinos should feel no effect from the events...

New York Times Carne Asada

2008-07-30T13:48:00.005-05:00

The NYT has added a recipe for their version of Carne Asada. Given the lack of quality Mexican food in the city its probably needed - but true campesinos should know that the best carne asada is so easy to come by - just head to your local Michoacana, El Azteca or Ranch Market. No need to mess with Oaxacan chili pasilla sauce - plus you can pick up your fresh tortillas in the ice chest.

Campesino Manifesto - First Post

2008-07-30T13:29:00.002-05:00

At Campesino we are looking to help others navigate the murky waters of the Dallas food scene. On our journey we are not looking for Michelin stars but rather for food that we all know and love – the food for the rest of us.

We are going to try a few fun things with Campesino and we hope that you will join us and add your opinions as much as possible. We will be on an unending search for Dallas’ best locations for your favorite foods, hunting down the best taco shop in town, and trying to discover some hidden gems that most of us have not had a chance to try just yet. Finally, we’ll add any and all interesting food items of note from around the interwebnet. We hope you join us for the ride.

Los Campesinos.