Newsletter sign-up: 
Get Breaking News on your cellMy RW adventure: Craft
5:38 PM Mon, Aug 25, 2008 | Permalink |
E-mail News tips
 |
 |
 
|
|
September 2008
Recent Posts
Pay your final respects to Doughmonkey Doughnut report: Oates Donuts, and other thoughts GermanDeli.com retail store to move from Southlake to Colleyville Grill 4 Hundred closes in Bishop Arts Brass plates make raw restaurant seafood safer Fairmont's new Pyramid aims for locavore palates Thailand takes cooking *very* seriously Categories
GuideLive.com
Entertainment Blogs |
So I decided to check out Craft in the W Hotel for RW on my own dime. Craft is a restaurant that cooks to my personal taste - yes, it's spendy, it's a splurge for my personal budget, too, but I love their respectful way with salads and vegetables, and I'm very keen on pastry chef Shannon Swindle's dessert aesthetic. How would the RW menu measure up to my numerous "normal" experiences? Photo of Craft's RW tomato salad by "Ralphie" Well, first off, it should be noted that the restaurant was about three times as busy as I've ever seen it before. The host stand staff had a system where they literally shuffled incoming parties straight to the bar across the hotel's lobby. We waited about 35 minutes to be seated. But once at the table, we had a fairly seamless experience (and I'm about 98.4% confident I don't get recognized here). It was a generous spread for $35. It started with two salads and a nibble, including a plate of tomatoes that were, hands down, the ripest and meatiest I've had in a restaurant this year. They were served properly, near room temp, as well. There were beautifully dressed mixed greens with so-creamy La Cuesta goat cheese spread stylishly across the bottom of the plate. The trio also included a modest portion of smoked salmon rillettes, an appropriately light variation of traditional pâté-like rillettes made with pork. (Scroll down this page for a great, easy smoked fish rillettes recipe.) We had four options between the two of us for entree proteins; we chose skate wing and hanger steak in Bordelaise sauce. The skate wing was a tad salty, but it had that delicate, crab-like texture that makes this fish such an odd, winning pleasure. And the hanger steak, cut in thick slices, came out precisely cooked, and it wasn't overly chewy (or salty). Simply roasted vegetables (broccolini, asparagus, carrots and cipolinni onions), a hefty square of potato gratin and a mix of roasted mushrooms accompanied the seafood and meat. They were all lovely, but I will admit the lobster risotto we ordered extra from the truncated regular menu was by far the most memorable side. We didn't even remember about the fourth course coupon option, so we went straight into dessert. The menu posted outside the restaurant's doors had advertised an almond-berry tart (if memory recalls), so I was jazzed when we instead received a lemmon pudding cake scattered with pudgy blueberries, which is something I would gladly order separately. Moist and served warm (along with a couple ice creams and some cookie pieces), it only buoyed Mr. Swindle's good name. Of course, by the time we'd done the ol' this-is-cheap-so-let's-rock-it-out-on-wine indulgence, it wasn't an inexpensive meal, but still. I see perusing comments that some folks had great meals at Craft and others had decidedly less-than-perfect experiences. I can only vouch for us: The service was smooth and steady, in some ways more so than it is regularly, and everyone seemed very upbeat and not at all "over" the RW-goers. But I think the most telling comment came when my tablemate, who is my most frequent companion on review meals, looked up in the middle of our main course and said earnestly, "Dude, this is the best we've eaten in a while." Sold - I'll be back to Craft for RW next year. |
 | |
|
Spotlight
|
|
Comments
Posted by cs @ 7:34 PM Mon, Aug 25, 2008
I went to Craft last Thursday and I couldn't agree more. I sincerely believe that this is my favorite restaurant in Dallas. And the risotto? Sublime.
And as for the restaurant week "value" (both quantity and quality), Craft is easily the best that I've visited. This is the first time that I've felt like I've completely underpaid on a restaurant week visit.
Posted by AC @ 10:24 PM Mon, Aug 25, 2008
if Italian places in this town would just take a cue from Craft on how to correctly make risotto, then they'd have something to talk about.
Posted by An Observer @ 11:42 AM Tue, Aug 26, 2008
"Restaurant Week(s) in Dallas fascinates me: It's a way more popular phenomenon here than in other cities I've lived in, and so many more restaurants participate"
Perhaps that is because in some of those cities people don't need a special week to enjoy their restaurants' craft.
Posted by meaders @ 2:00 PM Tue, Aug 26, 2008
While I didn't attend restaurant week, I couldn't agree with you more as to Craft's style and food. I also find that they also have a great attitude about restaurant week, and it obviously shows in the way the staff performs during this week.
Posted by JK @ 2:52 PM Tue, Aug 26, 2008
My wife and I had such a great experience during RW last year at Craft that we have returned 3 or 4 times this year at full prices.
We also dined at Craft again this year and took friends with us who were also blown away at just how great everything was.
I had never considered Craft prior to visiting last year during RW, this just proves that if you take the time to do things right you can develop some long term customers from that experience.
Posted by Monica @ 4:58 PM Tue, Aug 26, 2008
I dined at Craft for the first time on Saturday night during the first week of RW. I took friends with me who didn't even know there was a restaurant in the W.
We all thoroughly enjoyed all of the food and the stellar service. They did RW right, and we will be back.
Posted by Fred & Gwen @ 8:33 PM Tue, Aug 26, 2008
My wife and I have dined at York St.,Bijoux,Craft,
Abacus, and Stephan Pyles during the first two weeks of "Restaurant Week". The service in each restaurant was impeccable - not one restaurant staff member treated us as second class for dining
during these busy weeks. I give a slight nod to Stephan Pyles for a great Central Market second course of perfectly cooked Salmon in Hoja Santa with black bean-roast banana mash. Also, Thumbs up
to York St.'s imaginative wine pairings. I agree with BA on the tomatoes from Craft. Fred & Gwen
Posted by leadbelly @ 9:00 PM Tue, Aug 26, 2008
"York St., Bijoux, Craft, Abacus, and Stephan Pyles..."
Looks like you picked the most expensive ones on the list (minus The Mansion). How often do you two dine at these places non-RW?
Posted by Margie @ 12:36 PM Wed, Aug 27, 2008
Why does it matter how often they dine at those places non-RW?
Posted by Margie @ 12:44 PM Thu, Aug 28, 2008
I'm glad to see you had a good RW experience, Bill. Now I wish I would have gone to Craft, too.
Posted by CP @ 2:02 PM Fri, Aug 29, 2008
Went to Craft for RW this yr, along w/Abacus and Salum. Have been doing RW for 5 yrs now. I know it's all a matter of taste, but I'm not sure I understand all the raves about Craft. While it was OK, I'd rate it #3 of 3 this yr, and in the middle third of all RW dinners I've been to. Not that anything was unacceptable or unpleasant, nor would I pan the food, surroundings, or service; I'm glad our group of 6 went there. But there was nothing so notable that would cause any of us to return pay full price. But I guess that's the beauty of RW, isn't it?