The Resy Guide to Eight Essential Dishes in Dallas and Fort Worth

The dish: O.D. Burger

If it seems unlikely that you’d find one of the quintessential burgers in Dallas-Fort Worth at Zoli’s, better known as the off-shoot Italian-focused sibling of Cane Rosso, then you’re vastly underestimating owner Jay Jerrier’s concept.

The foundation of the O.D. is its skinny double patties (made with an 1855 chuck-brisket-short rib blend) but the star is the cascading American cheese and farmhouse cheddar, which enrobe the whole two-hands-please enterprise. A Thousand Island-esque sauce adds depth, while the horseradish pickles are so magnificent they should get their own award. They’re even better plucked off the burger, TBEL (to be enjoyed later).

The dish: Literally any pasta

The pasta at Lucia is the stuff of many a Dallasite diner’s dreams. And for good reason. Made in-house daily, the selection is ever-rotating, from baked rigatoni with ‘nduja, breadcrumbs, and stringy stracciatella di bufala cheese; to tagliatelle with ragu; and even seaweed trotolle with clams, scallions, basil, and green chile.

If the latter entrée, with its corkscrew-like shape clinging to bits of spice and veg don’t have you convinced, then it’s official: You don’t like pasta. There’s no bad pasta order here, only varying degrees of greatness, and as spring reaches its peak, no better time to take advantage of the bucatini with spring onion and guanciale and/or the fava-bean agnolotti.

The dish: Frites

At this Knox-Henderson French bistro, the escargots come out piping hot, and the mussels are to-die. But alongside any entree, you must have the fries. Delivered in a cone-like bowl, these almost-shoestring-thin specimens are crunchy, salty and elevated to even new heights once dipped into garlicky aioli. And the serving size is huge, as any great side of fries should be.

For further enjoyment, ask for a side of Dijon mustard, and your virtual trip to Les Halles will be complete.

The dish: Pecan veggie burger

One of the very best renditions in North Texas, this sandwich destroys both the notions that veggie burgers are boring, and that Texans can’t do without beef. Made with a sticky rice, oat and nut mixture, the thick patty features a sweet glaze and a melted slice of Swiss. Lettuce, tomato and purple onion top the burger, which is enveloped by a brioche bun.

What strikes as remarkable here are the flavor combinations and juxtaposition of the lightly-packed patty and crunchy vegetable garnishes. The burger just-almost falls apart if you pick it up, which makes it all the easier to savor, if you knife-and-fork it. We won’t judge.

The dish: Daily bread

At this new modern Brazilian restaurant from noted chef Junior Borges, people are talking about … the bread. The staple is more than just that here, however. Borges’ riff is offered as Our Daily Bread, served with marbled butter, whipped ‘nduja and a ricotta and ramp relish.

However your slather your slice, the bite is otherworldly, and offers an exciting glimpse into other items on the outstanding menu, from the “snack” of sesame garlic pancakes (with caviar!) to the blue-prawn moqueca, which has charred plantains and coconut broth alongside steamed rice.

The dish: Sriracha pork belly

It’s hard to go wrong with beef at chef and restaurateur John Tesar’s ode to dry aging. Tesar uses cuts of Angus from Cameron, Texas’s 44 Farms, and whether it’s a 240-day aged bone-in ribeye or the Ozersky burger (so simple, so perfect), you’ll be swooning.

And yet. Tesar’s sriracha pork belly manages to elevate the unctuous factor, with a toasted steamed bun, hoisin sauce, sriracha and pickles adding depth and flavor. This is one dish you’ll want all to yourself.

The dish: Tacos — any of them

Chef Regino Rojas’s Fort Worth import Revolver has upped Deep Ellum’s taco game. But at La Resistencia, his tangential tasting-meal operation, the sheer breadth of ingredients — tortillas use corn from indigenous family farms in Oaxaca, for instance — yield extraordinary flavors thanks to his expert preparations. The Michocan-style birria tacos (served with the requisite consome) are a cut above the buzzy examples from other taquerias, which clutter foodie Insta feeds the world over. These really are the real deal.

The dish: Omakase

It’s hard to pinpoint a favorite item on Tei-An’s omakase menu; just know that everything is next-level, as the kids say. The Japanese restaurant, which opened in 2008, aims to offer a “modern Tokyo” experience in downtown Dallas, and this hushed temple of soba noodles delivers, every time.

A crowning touch to the intricate tasting menus here are those noodles, served at the end of the meal. And as you meander to the end, seasonal sashimi, grilled octopus with lobster roe sauce, and golden miso marinated Shimane beef will keep you very good company. Call 214-220-2828 for reservations.