Oh So Tasty: DISH Preston Hollow

Jumbo scallops with poached egg at DISH

DISH on Cedar Springs is a restaurant best known around town for its bawdy Drag Brunch service (held the last Sunday of every month) so when Tim McEneny, of NL Group (DISH Cedar Springs, Front Room Tavern, Dakota’s) announced that a new location for DISH would be opening at the northwest corner of Hillcrest and Northwest Highway, I was curious how they would fare in the much more conservative neighborhood of Preston Hollow.

DISH was kind enough to invite me over this past week for a dinner service to get a first-hand look (and taste) at the concept. Walk in the door and the first impression is pretty great. The space is beautiful and sleek with a great use of different textures from wood, granite, glass to polished steel and ceramic tiles.  Totaling 5000 square feet, the interior dining room seats 110 guests. The patio seats 34 including the outdoor bar. I particularly loved the long bar that ran along the back wall of the main dining room. The dark wood and leathers combined with the smokey blue upholstery of the chairs gives the place a manly feel that made my husband want to hunker down in our booth and stay for awhile.

I found it highly amusing that our waiter was named Brandon Smoot - I mean, how many people have you met with the name Smoot!? To diversify this location from its predecessor, Chef Andrew Bell has added several unique dishes to the Preston Hollow location while executing the signature dishes of the original menu from Cedar Springs. According to CultureMap, "that means Bell will pick up signature dishes from Cedar Springs — such as BBQ-braised short ribs, grilled cauliflower steak and lamb lollipops — and add his own. Among the items new to Preston Hollow are oil-poached tuna salad and a veggie burger with fried green tomatoes and pickled zucchini." Out of several dishes that we tried, I thought the standout was the jumbo scallops with poached egg, sweet corn, bacon and pearl couscous (pictured above). Pastry chef Alison Morse (Front Room Tavern) created the dessert menu for chef Bell. Although Morse is on-premise is at Front Room Tavern, she acts as head pastry chef for both DISH Preston Hollow and Front Room Tavern. I was bitterly disappointed to be told that her toffee butter cake was not available the night I was in, but it gives me a reason to go back. Next time I want to be seated on the patio parked in front of their amazing fire pit...

DISH Preston Hollow is located at 8611 Hillcrest Avenue, Suite 100, Dallas, Texas 75225, 214.363.3374. www.dish-dallas.com Complimentary valet parking. Lunch: Monday – Friday 11am - 4pm Dinner: Sunday – Thursday 4pm - 10pm; Friday & Saturday 4pm – 11pm Brunch: Saturday and Sunday 11am - 4pm

photos: Kevin Marple