By James A. Reid
R+D Kitchen
Continuing the “and” theme in the name of the restaurant, Ibrpresent you with one of my go-to dining spots, R+D Kitchen in Dallas, which isbrone part of the Los Angeles-based Hillstone Restaurant Group.
R+D Kitchen is tucked away in thebrback of a high-end shopping center in North Dallas — near a Hillstone locationbr(flagship restaurant of the group). According to Dallas Executive GeneralbrManager Francis Luttmer, the original R+D location is in Newport Beach, Calif.,brand the concept began by constantly “Researching” and “Developing” (hence thebrR+D) new dishes that led to a constantly changing menu. Customers complainedbrwhen favorite dishes disappeared off the menu, so the restaurant now sticks to itsbrmost popular dishes on a pared-down menu.
Fresh, handmade ingredientsbrprepared daily result in consistent excellence no matter what is ordered offbrthe menu. That same attention to detail is reflected in the bright yet cozybrinterior. A curved wood slat ceiling is the signature design feature in thebrrestaurant, while strategically placed windows allow natural light to flood thebrspace. Additionally, direct and indirect lighting provide a glow in the spacebrat night. There isn't a great deal of seating in the restaurant, so be preparedbrto wait outside or at the bar for one of the cozy booths to open up.
As I mentioned, this is one of mybrfavorite spots to dine for brunch, lunch, dinner or anytime in between. It is abrmust to begin any meal at R+D with the dip duo, which is a platter of house-madebrtortilla chips that comes alongside freshly prepared guacamole and a mound ofbrchilled queso. Yes, chilled queso. Itbrhas the texture of pimento cheese, but tastes like top-notch queso. Don’tbrforget to ask for a refill on the chips — you will need them.
From the sushi options, you cannotbrgo wrong with the Thai Tuna Roll. Fresh Ahi tuna rolled with rice and seaweedbris combined with macadamia nuts for a twist of flavor, texture and crunch.
From the sandwich section of thebrmenu, order the Rubenesque Sandwich, which is definitely big enough for two.brStacks of corned beef are piled high in between slices of Swiss cheese andbrthick slices of toasted corn rye bread.
If you prefer a lighter choice, thebrpopular Newporter salad could be one of the best salads anywhere in thebrMetroplex. The salad features mixed greens tossed with bacon, cashews, choppedbregg and roasted chicken in a bacon vinaigrette dressing. The ingredients arebrsimple, but the combination offers amazing flavors and texture. Finally, thebrchicken meatballs and spaghetti offers up a tomato sauce that balances thebrright amount of tangy bite with a hint of sweetness. The perfectly seasoned,brhand-rolled meatballs are also offered as a side item because they are strongbrenough to stand on their own. Foodie Fellow tip: Get the broccoli on the sidebrrather than tossed into the spaghetti.
Well-prepared food in abrcomfortable, relaxed setting served up by extremely professional andbrknowledgeable wait staff is a winning combination. I hope R+D Kitchen becomes abrfavorite destination for you as well.
R+D Kitchen
8300 Preston Center Plaza, Dallas
214-890-7915
Hillstone.com
Marcona Kitchen
Dynamic chef duo starts new catering company
Two former chefs for the Dallas Cowboys have set up shop inbrSouthlake, offering two distinctly delicious businesses out of the samebrbuilding on the corner of Davis Blvd. and Southlake Blvd. Gabe Valdez and KatiebrKennedy, who spent five years cooking food for luxury suites and all cateringbroutlets at AT&T Stadium, have owned and operated custom cake studio ThebrCakery for two years and started catering company Marcona Kitchen in August ofbrlast year.
“Webrrealized that the catering market here was virtually untapped, with manybrresidents looking to Dallas or Fort Worth for their catering needs,” Kennedybrsays. “We thought Southlake would be a great opportunity for us to reconnect onbra more personal level with many of our clients and offer premium qualitybrservice right here in the neighborhood.”
Marcona Kitchen is named after thebrMarcona almond, a Spanish almond with a unique, rich flavor. The boutiquebrcatering service, which has created superbly crafted dishes like beefbrtenderloin crostini and heritage-braised pork belly, works directly withbrclients to create a menu based on specific themes and flavors they are lookingbrfor. “Whatever the clients' visions are,brwe try to help them create a unique event that exceeds their expectations,”brKennedy says.
Both Valdez and Kennedy havebrexperience with all levels of catering, from VIP dinners of four people to foodbrservice for thousands. “We have cooked for many celebrities and professionalbrathletes,” she adds, “and our culinary opportunities were endless — citrus andbrchile-braised short ribs, Australian rack of lamb, pan-seared Chilean sea bass,brliquid nitrogen ice cream and inside-out s'mores pops.” One of Kennedy'sbrfavorite culinary memories? Super Bowl XLV in 2011, when she executed more thanbr100,000 desserts from scratch.
Marcona Kitchen
2001 W. SouthlakebrBlvd., Southlake
817-912-1270
MarconaKitchen.com