EATS

It's officially summertime, so when better than now to pose the question: Who makes the best frozen treats in the Dallas-Fort Worth area? And by frozen treats, we're talking ice cream, gelato, frozen yogurt, sorbet and frozen custard (and any of its ilk we've neglected to mention).

Post a comment in the area below, or email us at dining@dallasnews.com. We'll publish some of these comments in a print version, which will appear in a future issue of Guide.

To settle on our critics' picks, Kim Harwell, Shannon Sutlief and I spent the last couple weeks battling brain freeze as we scoured the area, focusing mainly on independent and small chain frozen treat operations. We each finally chose three, presented below alphabetically. Look forward to reading your favorites.

On June 6, we listed our critics' picks for the eight best sushi spots in DFW and asked readers to share their favorites. Now it's time to reveal the results.

Visit the Best in DFW page to read the extended critics' picks and find out more about Best in DFW, including upcoming topics.

Read the full list of readers' comments about sushi here.

Also check out Bill Addison's column, Hot sake deserves the cold shoulder.

Photo of Zen Sushi's Nouvelle Yellowtail Sashimi by Sonya N. Hebert / DMN

Brunch is next up among the subjects we're exploring for our new series on Dallas-Fort Worth's best restaurants. Dallas, in particular, strikes me as a brunch town: Do you have a favorite Sunday (or occasionally Saturday) late-morning hangout? Post a comment in the area below, or email us at dining@dallasnews.com. We'll publish some of these comments in a print version, which will appear in a future issue of Guide.

Winnowing down the critics' choices for brunch made for a fun bit of weekend research over the last few months. Our eight picks are a diverse lot, though we also throw in one restaurant that doesn't technically offer this American crossbreed meal. But we think it's appropriate to include nonetheless.

Our critics' selections are presented alphabetically, without ranking:

On May 23, we listed our critics' picks for the eight best patio dining spots in DFW and asked readers to share their favorites. Now it's time to reveal the results.

Visit the Best in DFW page to read the extended critics' picks and find out more about Best in DFW, including upcoming topics.

Read the full list of readers' comments about patio dining here.

Photo of Joe T. Garcia's patio by Michael Ainsworth / DMN

Sushi is the next subject we're exploring for our new series on Dallas-Fort Worth's best restaurants. Do you have a favorite sushi spot that stands out from the area's many, many options? Tell us what you love about it in the comments area below, or email us at dining@dallasnews.com. We'll publish some of these comments in a print version, which will appear in a future issue of Guide.

Admittedly, this was a hard category to narrow down for our critics' picks. We did a bit of extra research, revisiting a few places that hadn't been formally reviewed recently (or, in the case of Sushi Axiom in Fort Worth, not even formally reviewed yet). Ultimately, these eight stood out as examples of restaurants that serve pristine, often interesting varieties of fish. Their preparations respect the inherent simplicity of sushi and sashimi and also exhibit inventive but appropriate creativity with cooked Japanese dishes.

Our critics' selections are presented alphabetically, without ranking:

On May 9, we listed our critics' picks for the eight best steakhouses in DFW and asked readers to share their favorites. Now it's time to reveal the results.

Visit the Best in DFW page to read the extended critics' picks and find out more about Best in DFW, including upcoming topics.

Read the full list of readers' comments about steakhouses here.

Additional steakhouse stories:
• Dry-aged steaks are uncommon in these parts but still mouthwatering to some
• A robust wine or even a Bloody Mary can be a good match for a steak

Photo: Bob's Steak and Chop House's bone-in rib eye by Evans Caglage / DMN

Hey, gang: We're tackling al fresco dining next for our new feature on Dallas-Fort Worth's best restaurants. Do you have a favorite restaurant patio? Give us the low-down. Comment below or email us at dining@dallasnews.com. We'll publish some of these comments in a print version, which will appear in a future issue of Guide.

For our critics' top spots, we were looking for qualities in patios (serene, romantic, opulent, family-friendly) beyond great people-watching, which is why none of the basic though often eye candy-filled patios of the West Village made our list. Click the link below to read our suggestions.

Photo: Mansion patio by Rex C. Curry / Special to DMN

Hey, gang, we're launching a new dining feature to spotlight Dallas-Fort Worth's best restaurants.

Every two weeks, we'll present a list of top restaurants in one category (ranging from burgers to Thai and late-night joints to ice cream shops) selected by our squadron of dining critics. We're kicking it off with - what else in Dallas? - steakhouses.

But, as has become the tradition during the Eats blog's inaugural year, we're looking for your opinion, too. So let's hear it: What chophouse most sets your carnivorous heart atwitter?

Post your picks and feedback here. Or e-mail dining@dallasnews.com. We'll publish some of these comments in a print version, which will appear in a future issue of Guide.

Click the link below to read our picks.