Get the ezme at Alania Mediterranean and try not to eat the whole basket of pita before your meal comes.
Lauren Drewes Daniels
I often get asked where I’ve eaten recently — what’s good? — and sometimes people don’t like the answers. I like dives and off-the-beaten-path spots (mostly, but not exclusively), Tex-Mex and bars with great burgers. But I’ve been to several spots recently that I really want to share with the world. They all just made me happy. In various ways. They’re not the latest openings and probably not the subject of TikTok reels, which is perhaps why I love them.
Puntas Nortenas from Monterrey Mexican Restaurant
Monterrey Mexican Restaurant
10920 Garland Road, Dallas
The son of the owners emailed me to come try his family restaurnat. I slipped in one Saturday (on my own, not an official visit). Lito and Eva Nava have been running Monterrey Mexican Restaurant on Garland Road for almost 25 years. Lito worked his way from a busboy to a dishwasher, saving up enough money to open his own restaurant. Many of the dishes come straight from his family Rolodex of recipes. Outside, the space might look a bit tired, but inside, a party awaits. Brightly colored chairs and wall art are all emblematic of Mexico. The vibe is 11 of 10 and the cocktail list is a literal party. But the dishes are comfort food — or the best hangover cure. Maybe both. If you grew up eating authentic Mexican dishes, you’ll feel at home here.
Pro tip: The menu is pretty large; use my strategy and go with the first thing that looks good. A plate of puntas nortenas and enchiladas with rice and beans felt like home cooking. We wish we could have stayed longer for more cocktails. Plan a nap for after.
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Spicy wontons from Dumpling Queen.
The Dumpling Queen
1050 Flower Mound Road, Flower Mound
The Dumpling Queen is a new restaurant in Flower Mound (1050 Flower Mound Road). It’s in a nice if not ubiqutous strip center; service is very nice, and the vibe is mostly casual. You can dress it up or down.
According to a DMagazine interview from this summer, the founder, Lulu Du, worked at a high-end resort in China for decades before moving to North Texas. I tried several dishes on a recent visit. Between bites of dumplings, I texted a friend to schedule my next visit. The menu, while based on traditional techniques and recipes, gets playful with dessert dumplings; Chocolate Lava Bao are stuffed with banana and chocolate.
Pro tip: Most reviews love the xiao long bao (classic soup dumplings) and steamed dumplings. A bowl of hand-pulled noodles tossed with garlic and chilis was amazing. The spicy Sichuan wontons are a must. I passed on the scallion pancakes on my first visit but will definitely try next time.
Alania Mediterranean Grill
4812 Bryan St., Dallas
Alania Mediterranean Grill in East Dallas might be my new favorite restaurant. This spot wooed me. Wooed. Inside, it was a touch more classy than the exterior suggests. The servers are emotionally attached to menu items: Ask questions, and they’ll gladly guide you to a feast you won’t forget.
Pro tip: Go with a group and go hungry. They offer a full bar, including Turkish wines for a nice pairing. The adana kebab (minced lamb) was stellar, and the portions are generous (something we all appreciate these days). Start with the Anatolian Ezme and save some to dabble on the lamb.
Pumpkin French toast at TasteProject in Arlington.
TasteProject
200 N. Cooper St., Arlington
If you’re around Arlington or just really like doing nice things for your community, head to TasteProject for lunch or brunch on the weekend. This nonprofit restaurant is open to anyone regardless of financial means. You pay what you want, including what you think is fair for your meal or extra to cover someone else’s meal. I bought a seat to the fall tasting menu, and it was a delight. Along with their sister concept in Arlington, they’ve served almost 350,000 meals.
The fall menu of small plates includes: a fall salad with chicken breasts and toasted farro, roasted fennel, apples and grapes; a miso roasted vegetable salad with kabocha squash and sweet potatoes; a butternut squash bisque; ribollita, an Italian-style soup; and quesabirria tacos. There’s also a section of full plates, but you get the idea.