EATS

It's back! We're thrilled to announce the return of the Best in DFW series. It starts right now, with the best places to take out-of-towners, from a food-lovers perspective, of course.

The series will work a little differently than it did last go-around. This time, I'll present a story that offers my choices in a dining category; the story will go up on the web that Wednesday night -- along with a boffo slide show -- and it will be published in The Guide (print edition) on Friday morning.

It's still just as important to us to include your favorites too, and now they'll be published in a separate story two weeks after my story runs.

We'll be publishing installments about once a month, but we won't adhere to a strict schedule. We're very excited about this, and we hope you are too.

So...what are your favorite places to take visiting food-lovers in and around Dallas? Tell us here, in a comment. We'll compile selections from your picks, focusing on places that weren't mentioned in the original story, and publish them in a story in Guide (and on our online Restaurants page, of course) on July 10.

Photo by Nathan Hunsinger/DMN

• Best in DFW: Places to Take Out-of-Towners
• See The Best in DFW slideshow

Restaurant Critic Bill Addison has named his best new restaurant of 2008: Tei An, the soba house in One Arts Plaza. Read the rest of his top 10 new restaurants here. And be sure to watch a video of Tei An's Teiichi Sakurai making soba here.

Want more Year in Review goodness?
• Four more faves that are worth the trip
• Five upscale standouts
• 2008 closings
• Coming in 2009

On October 3, we listed our critics' picks for the 10 best pizzerias 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.

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

Photo of Eno's Pizza Tavern's Northside Pie by Louis DeLuca / DMN

This Friday's Guide section covers the best of Fort Worth, and Restaurant Critic Bill Addison tackles Cowtown's dining destinations. Here are a few of his picks in his own words: "A sophisticated burger joint, an award-winning vegan eatery, a tiny paean to true Italian cooking, a fine-dining pillar serving a unique blend of Mexican and American cooking that reflects place and family: Some work with long-held conventions and mold them to a chef's fresh culinary inclinations, some break from the pack altogether." Read all of his picks here.

Now tell us: What are your Fort Worth faves? Where should Bill eat his next meal in Tarrant County?

Photo of Love Shack's Double Dirty Love burger with with onion rings and a strawberry shake by Tom Fox / DMN

These will no doubt incite more fighting words, but here they are, gang: Our choices for the best pizza in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Share your thoughts in the comment 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.

We've strived with this project to keep the critics' focus on those we felt were the finest, without calling out those that didn't make our cut. But knowing that this list will rankle some folks, I'll offer some insights into our selection process:

Yes, this list overwhelmingly favors more recently opened pizza places. We absolutely did our due diligence and visited many of the standard-bearers with decades of loyalty behind them, but we felt that the new wave of pizza restaurants (popping up at exciting, disarming rates) are in many cases putting out a superior product. We know many of you will disagree -- by all means, express yourselves.

Also, we did not include Chicago-style pizza in this roundup. We visited a couple deep-dish spots in Plano and environs, where the style seems to flourish locally, but we ultimately decided to make it its own category for another time. (Please, feel free to throw out your fave deep-dish spot. I'm curious to continue investigating.)

Speaking of which, this is the last Best in DFW category for the year: The project will return in 2009. If you have suggestions for topics you'd like to see us tackle, please email me at billaddison@dallasnews.com. It'll help us get an early start.

Thanks for participating all these months, and click to see the critics' favorites for pizza:

On September 12, we highlighted the chefs in upscale/special occasion restaurants that we think are doing some of the best work in the area 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.

Read the full list of readers' comments about here.

Photo from Aurora by Evans Caglage / DMN

On August 29, we listed our critics' picks for the 10 best places for Tex-Mex 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 Tex-Mex here.

Photo of enchiladas verdes at Escondido by Vernon Bryant / DMN

Fine dining is the next topic for our Best in DFW series -- but fine dining is a mighty broad category. After much deliberation, we decided to use the opportunity to highlight chefs in upscale/special occasion restaurants that we think are doing some of the best work in the area.

Turns out, when we really thought it through, there were quite of few of them: We've got high-end dining covered around here. It was difficult to whittle down this list, so we simply made it longer than usual. Important note: We left out high-end steakhouses and Italian restaurants from this round, since we've covered those in other topics.

Your turn. Tell us where you go for a local special occasion meal, and/or which upscale chef you think turns out the most memorable meals. 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.

Click to see our favorites.

On August 15, we listed our critics' picks for the seven best places for Italian food 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 Italian restaurants here.

Photo of Arcodoro and Pomodoro's Maccarrones de Puntzu by Mike Stone / Special to DMN

Tex-Mex generated mucho discussion on the Eats blog last year, but one suspects that, like burgers, it's a subject not easily exhausted in this town. (We'll tackle strictly Mexican restauants next year, after we've combed the area taquerias in earnest.)

As for our critics' picks on this ever-debatable topic: I, being a Tex-Mex outsider, wanted more than to simply consult my colleagues for their opinions and recent experiences on this one. I wanted them to talk about their favorites in their own words, which you will find below.

I add four to the roundup, including two I reviewed last year that impressed me above many others then and continue to do so now, and two in Fort Worth that any Tex-Mex-loving Dallasite should find rewarding to investigate.

So let's continue the conversation. Post a comment in the area below, or email us at dining@dallasnews.com. If your beloved spot is not on our list, tell us what makes it exceptional and what the standout dishes are. We'll publish some of these comments in a print version, which will appear in a future issue of Guide.

Click to see our favorites:

On August 1, we listed our critics' picks for the eight best places for seafood 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 seafood here.

Photo of a Dallas Fish Market's swordfish steak by Elizabeth M. Claffey / DMN

Italian food, probably more than any other ethnic cuisine, inspires fierce loyalties and obstinate opinions in American diners.

So let's hear it, gang: Tell us about your favorite local Italian spot, from red sauce joints to the pricier fine dining venues. 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 that will appear in a future issue of Guide.

We certainly performed our due diligence on this topic, power-eating through a slew of Italian restaurants in the last few weeks to compose this list. As always, some of you may be surprised at what we included and what we didn't. The inspirations behind Italian restaurants come from many different sources: Some focus on specialties true to a region in Italy; some embrace the tomato-rich fusion that typifies Italian-American cooking. These were the spots that, for us, lived up to the intentions behind the restaurant and its menu.

Here they are:

On July 18, we listed our critics' picks for the eight best places to get a burger 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 – nearly 600 so far – about burgers here.

Photo of a Wingfield's burger by Kye R. Lee / DMN

North Texas may be landlocked, but that doesn't mean we don't love seafood. Do you have a go-to spot for fried catfish and shrimp, or oysters, or an indulgent dinner of in-season salmon?

Post a comment on your thoughts about the best seafood restaurant in the area below, or email us at dining@dallasnews.com. We'll publish some of these comments in a print version that will appear in a future issue of Guide.

It took a hefty amount of driving and chowing for us to select our critics' picks: Seafood restaurants are more prolific here than one might expect. And since seafood spots are generally divided into three price and style tiers - seafood shacks/oyster bars, mid-level eateries and fine dining ventures - we took care to sample and ultimately include a broad mix. We're sure you'll have plenty to say about those we did and didn't include.

Here are our faves:

On July 4, we listed our critics' picks for the nine best frozen treat 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 frozen treats here.

Photo of Natsumi's froyo by Carter Rose / Special to DMN

That's a question we've spent considerable time researching and pondering for ourselves the last few weeks, and we're sure you'll have plenty to say about who we've included in our critics' picks and who we haven't.

So let's discuss. 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.

For us, the criteria for an outstanding burger were simple: Did the essential taste of the burger patty impress us, and did the ingredients around it reveal quality and balance? Know that, in trying the slew of sacred cows in the local burger business, we started by sampling a basic burger, but we also didn't consider ourselves purists. Bacon, cheese beyond the standard processed American variety and, occasionally, even controversial toppings like guacamole were not only acceptable but also sometimes preferred.

Also (and I know we don't really need to make this disclaimer in Texas), this is about beef burgers. Turkey and veggie burgers occupy other realms altogether.

Here are our favorites:

On June 22, we listed our critics' picks for the eight best brunch 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 brunch here.

Photo of La Duni's Huevos Finos by Courtney Perry / DMN

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.