Showing posts with label spicy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spicy. Show all posts

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Komali Contemporary Mexican Cuisine

Mexican food. It doesn't matter how many times I eat it or places I go, I just never grow tired of it. Lucky for me, Dallas seems to have a never ending supply of Mexican restaurants! I first heard of Komali from my new favorite iPhone app, Scoutmob. Basically, Scoutmob has coupons for different local restaurants throughout the U.S. It is only available in some cities, but the company is new and continuing to grow. This was my third Scoutmob restaurant, and they have all been delicious! Plus, I got 50% off... can't beat that! The other reason I had heard of Komali, is that they were just voted #1 by D Magazine for best margaritas in Dallas. So I was more than excited when I walked into Komali to try it out for the first time!

When Lindsay and I wandered into dinner around 6:30pm, we realized that we were lucky enough to beat the dinner rush, and catch the tail end of happy hour. The decor was very clean cut and modern, but still had a bit of a homey feel to it with the relaxed bar setting and the mosaic fireplace in the corner. As we walked to our table, I had that slightly uneasy feeling of, "this restaurant looks really nice... I hope I'm not horrified at the prices when I open the menu." This feeling only intensified as we sat down and our waiter placed the napkins in our lap. When I mustered up the courage to take a peek at the menu, I was pleasantly surprised! Not to say that Komali is cheap, but most of the entrees ranged from $10-$15, with a few of the more expensive dishes getting up to $28. For an upscale restaurant in Dallas, I was impressed.


Not wanting to miss out on what was supposed to be the best margarita in Dallas, we both promptly ordered one. Lindsay ordered "The Komali," the award winning margarita with prickly pear puree, mango, and lime juice. It was good, but personally I preferred my pineapple infused tequila margarita, with chunks of fresh pineapple (both $7 at happy hour). It was refreshing, sweet, and packed a punch.






When the waiter came by to take our appetizer order, we were in desperate need of suggestions. The appetizer selection was not your typical nacho, queso, chips and salsa type menu. Instead, we found ourselves deciding between tamales, sopes, and what sounded like a Spanish version of goat cheese bruschetta. In the end we chose the Queso Fundido ($8). Do not be fooled, this is not your typical nacho cheese queso. It is fresh melted Oaxaca cheese, where we chose to mix in some chorizo and poblano rajas. The dish came out hot with a side of fresh corn and flour tortillas, which led to us making little mini tacos. The appetizer was spicy, flavorful, and delicious. We ate every bite.

We had an equally as difficult time choosing our entrees. In the end, Lindsay ordered the Chicken Enchiladas de pollo en Salsa verde ($14) and I ordered the Chile relleno de Jaiba ($16). My chile relleno was a definite success, not too spicy, fresh and flavorful. My only issue with it was, it was supposed to be a pepper stuffed with crab meat. Each bite I took I thought, is there really crab in here? It looked and tasted like shredded beef to me. I have nothing against shredded beef, but where was the crab? So aside from my disappointment in the lack of crab, I still fully enjoyed my dish. My plate also came with some fresh tortillas, so I could cut a bite of chile relleno, add some rice, and make a mini taco. Again, delicious. Lindsay enjoyed her massive plate of enchiladas as well.


When our meal was over I noticed that Komali had filled up. We went from being one of the only tables to a full restaurant through the course of our meal. The manager came by with our bill to ask us how our meal was and we talk about our Scoutmob coupon. We were sure to let him know that we loved our meal, thought the restaurant was great, and would definitely recommend it to others. So if you have a date night planned, want a nice dinner out, or just want to grab a margarita and some appetizers, this is the place for you!

Komali
4152 Cole Ave
Suite 106
Dallas, TX 75204
(214) 252-0200

Price: $$ - $$$
Rating:

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Royal Thai


If there is one food I never stop craving, it is Thai food. I am constantly on the hunt for some good curry. My all time favorite Thai restaurant, Thai Basil, was left behind in Phoenix when I moved out to Dallas. So I have been in desperate need of a replacement! Luckily, after a little internet research, I found one. Who knew that Googling "best Thai food in Dallas" could be such a success! So Lindsay and I decided to check out Royal Thai, and also celebrate her recent engagement :-)

When we first walked into Royal Thai, it looked like everything I would expect a Thai restaurant to look like, but definitely on the more upscale end. The restaurant was pretty empty when we arrived at about 5:30pm, but by the time we left at about 8pm, it was packed full. It was obvious from the crowd, as well as the reviews I read online, that Royal Thai has definitely made itself known in Dallas for its good food and service.


Lindsay and I started off our meal with some spring rolls ($5.50). They were the deep fried kind, which of course only added to their deliciousness. I am never really sure what sauce it is that they bring out with spring rolls, but I know that I like it!

Our main course was the Gaeng Keowan ($10.95), or green curry as most would know it. For those that are not familiar with curries, there are many different types of curry. The most popular Thai curries are green, red, yellow, and panang (peanut) curries. Each has their own unique flavor and usually a different set of vegetables as well. Thai curries are also very different than say your Indian curries. I guess I'll have to blog about an Indian restaurant soon to get into that comparison more!


Anyway, green curry has always been my favorite, and this green curry was no let down! The bowl of curry had chicken, eggplant, bamboo shoots, bell pepper, jalapenos, snow peas, and basil leaves, and of course came with a side of white rice. The dish had great flavor and the perfect amount of spiciness! The dishes are generously sized, and I thought I would be saving my leftovers for lunch the next day, but I ended up eating just about every bite. We also paired the dish with a glass of Riesling ($6.50). The sweetness of the wine was a perfect offset for the spiciness of the curry.

Overall, I can safely say that I loved this restaurant. The food was great, the atmosphere was great, and the service was great (if not too eager, I kept having to say no, don't take my food, I'm still eating!). The prices weren't bad either, spending about $20 for an appetizer, entree, and a glass of wine. I will absolutely return to this restaurant.... in fact, maybe tomorrow!

Royal Thai

5500 Greenville Avenue # 608
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 691-3555

Price: $$
Rating: