The Mercury, Dallas

Friday, February 26, 2010

My best friend from Fayetteville is having a baby shower here in fabulous Dallas. I love, love the big city, it reminds me so much of my hometown. You'll remember Leigh Anne from my Chicago and A&M/Arkansas blogs. She is due to have a boy in April and I am excited to be a hostess at her shower.

But first things first, we have to have dinner, duh! My dad picked me up at Lovefield to take me to see my step-mother, who had a stroke during surgery last September in Dallas. He picked me up and we went to the rehab facility in Anna, Texas, north of McKinney. Her physical therapists all had a meeting scheduled with him about her progress and future at the rehab facility. She has made strides but it's a slow progress. We had a good visit and dad and I loaded back up for the trek to Leigh Anne's. Oh the traffic in Dallas, it's amazing. Although I complain when tractors or other large farm or road equipment pass through Birdeye at a snail's pace, I wanted to use sentence enhancers to describe those Dallas drivers blowing by us on the tollway. I think we missed paying at least two tolls because of being trapped. But when we got to Leigh Anne's, we were tired and hungry. Dad and I followed her and Doug to this culinary diamond on Preston and Forrest. It's located in the Northwest side of the Forrest Shopping Center.

We were greeted by a slew hosts and were seated immediately in a booth/table against a wall. Leigh Anne and I sat on the booth side which gave me an excellent view of this modern, eclectic restaurant. Dallas renowned chef, Chris Ward, oversees this new American restaurant with French and Mediterranean influences. Our wonderful waiter Shay, got us off to a good start offering cocktails and water. Doug got his usual vodka/soda with his signature brand of vodka, "whatever the well offers." Leigh Anne, Dad and I all had water and I have to compliment that it was cold water without ice, which was a nice touch when I always fight off a dripping glass on my clothes and an ice break on my face while drinking. As you all know, I didn't order an appetizer, but I did order the Shaved Artichoke, Fennel and Arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette. I love arugula and look forward to this year's harvest in my backyard. Leigh Anne and Doug skipped a salad but enjoyed the homemade bread and pate on the table. They replenished the bread and our water throughout the evening.

For dinner, Leigh Anne ordered the 48 hour braised short ribs with potato puree. She loved it and she added macaroni and cheese, it was served family style so we all got to try it. It was so good! It must have had Gouda and sharp cheddar cheese in it. Dad ordered the Filet, he loved it and it was gone like the rest of our food. I ordered the Pan Seared Halibut with artichoke cocktail and roasted vegetables with a truffle sauce (pic #3). Amazing, the halibut was cooked perfectly. Doug, now, he can order. He got the Prime New York Strip with watercress salad and lyonnaise potatoes. The potatoes were served in a little kettle and he loved, loved them. He said his steak was overcooked, as he ordered it medium-rare, but Doug is so classy, he didn't send it back, that's a nice touch. Doug and I both had a wonderful glass of Cabernet that I didn't write down. Our waiter offered a tasting of a Red Zinfandel and the Cab. We both agreed on the Cab, it was perfect with his steak and I loved it with my fish.

For dessert I ordered coffee, of course, and it was great and perfectly strong enough. For Lent I gave up chocolate and chips, so I steered clear of most of the choices but was thrilled with the Brioche Bread Pudding with homemade vanilla ice cream (pic #2). We got one to share for the four of us, and it was the best bread pudding ever. It was a generous warm slice with cherries, raisins and cinnamon. The ice cream was a perfect accompaniment for the dish. We all enjoyed our dinner and I loved the time with my dad, which is a rare thing since he's in Tulsa. He and Doug had lots to talk about, even though the subjects were off limits with strangers in my book...politics, religion, money...I told dad that he only skipped two more subjects. Doug could hang and so could dad. I quit fearing for my life during their conversation when Doug gave him directions to get back on Central for the trip home.
You'll love the Mercury for it's service, inventive entrees and the feel of the restaurant. But don't freak when you get the check, it was $320 for four.

The Mercury, 11909 Preston Rd., Dallas, 214-443-9898. Visit this great website, www.mcrowd.com/mercury

(My dad is amazing, we've been apart for a long time but he is my dad no matter what. I'll love him forever and I ache for him and his pain with my step-mother. My mother is a wonderful, talented woman who is hilarious, smart, beautiful, successful and the reason behind my community service. I was born a volunteer like she is. How nice it is to be blessed by her. My hope and prayers are that Chloe will be diligent in her studies, do what she loves and loves what she does, no matter what. Because after all, it's the after college experience of success that we want for all our children. Gary, my step-dad is the bomb, a real gift all these years. Supportive, quiet and good to the core)