The November Hit List: National Anthem, Elephant East, Tango Room, and More

In the resurgent East Quarter, National Anthem is aiming to reign supreme, with a menu that already has us pledging allegiance. The new restaurant from Nick Badovinus (Town Hearth, Neighborhood Services) has all of his hallmarks. There’s an outstanding burger (the Prime Double’s got brisket, short rib and chuck, topped with American and a secret sauce), an ode to seafood (the Raw Bar has chilled shrimp “My Way” and oysters on the half-shell), and an overall playful use of ingredients. You didn’t have steak tartare served with a stack of salt and vinegar Pringles on your Bingo card, did you? A bevy of beverages is along for the ride, from house-mixed drinks that skew strong (the Mezcal has the liquor conspiring with cherry, orange, lime, and mint notes) to stronger (vodka hi-balls), all in a laid-back setup that stands up to the up-and-coming district.

This new-to-Trophy Club neighborhood wine bar, from the people who gave us HG Sply Co., is a darling — and welcome — addition to the area. Like its sister location on Lower Greenville in Dallas, Leela’s features dozens of wines on tap, plus an attractive menu to match the gleaming jewel-tone proceedings. Toasts and elaborate charcuterie plates, plus tapas-like items (mussels, Texas wagyu carpaccio) are highlights on the menu, all of which complement the vino, available in six- or nine-ounce glasses, or by the bottle. And just like its Dallas location, this one is available for private parties, all the more reason to keep the party going.

This year-old-plus restaurant from Sarah Castillo (Taco Heads, Sidesaddle Saloon) is quickly becoming a Southside staple due to its charm, plus a small-yet-winsome menu that spans potato taquitos and birria tacos to “larger-format” plates such as the house specialty rotisserie chicken and spicy, crispy duck carnitas. The half-chicken, smoky and a perfect foil to pickled veggies, creamy pinto beans and straight-off-the-press corn tortillas, is a shareable sensation. As is the crispy octopus — not something any Fort Worthian would ever venture would be served in these parts. The chewy, charred tentacles share space with potato slivers and chorizo all in one heavenly bowl. The brunch menu shows similar vim and vigor, with carafes of mimosas and baskets of tamales good choices. A coveted table on the rooftop patio is tops, so reservations are a good idea.

Sister is, well, the new sister restaurant to Design District-heavy The Charles. But this baby is hardly naive, with an Italian and Mediterranean-inspired menu that aims to “seduce the senses and be a little edgy while still approachable,” all in a location that once housed the legendary The Grape. Yet this new offering from Duro Hospitality hopes to vibe as more neighborhood eatery than fine-dining establishment. Expect wood-fired meats, fish, and pasta, with Greek and Lebanese accents.

Inasmuch as a steakhouse can be sexy, this new addition from Headington Companies (The Joule, The Porch, etc.) gloriously succeeds. Its luxuriously anointed dining room (and menu) embraces all that is lavish and enticing. Everyone’s talking about the lobster corn dogs, for good reason, yet don’t lose sight of the seared foie gras and the celery root soup, the latter served with black truffles and brioche croutons. The tangy duck wings (with a chipotle honey glaze and ranch dipping sauce), the duck fried rice with crispy garlic, and the roasted peking duck grant the menu an eclectic state of mind. The caviar trifle (Kaluga plus Kennebec potato chips, $275) might make you lose your mind.

Chef Matt McCallister’s beloved scratch-made sanctuary is still going strong on Oak Lawn. While many of the items on the comfy-cozy menu strike familiar, the preparations, not so much. Witness the spaghetti, which has a barbecued maitake mushroom carbonara. Or the green beans, which are fermented and served with a charred shallot aioli. Above all, McCallister is known for putting ingredients on a pedestal, but the menu also has fun with diners. The Fancy AF beef tartare ups the ante on the classic, adding osetra caviar and potato chips to the proceedings, and beef short ribs get the pastrami-spice treatment. Dessert is also outstanding, whether it’s the chevre cheesecake or the banana cremeaux and peanut pizzelle, topped with cajeta and a coffee meringue.

This clubby, Hollywood-inspired spot on Lovers offers both a suggested attire and a veritable mandate for having fun. Sounds about right for the owners behind the effort, Vandelay Hospitality Group and founder Hunter Pond, whose star has taken off since his days elevating the humble sandwich at his first SMU-adjacent foray, East Hampton Sandwich Co. At this locale, the food is equally as fun and good, from General Tso’s cauliflower and the Vin Scully fries (cheddar, bacon, and ranch — ’nuff said) to the honey truffle chicken and mashed potatoes. Classic mac ‘n’ cheese and an old-school Caesar salad are sure to strike the right chord alongside virtually any entree choice.

This brand-new high-end Asian concept takes its theme seriously, with hidden elephant motifs throughout the indoor and outdoor space. More important, it’s readily apparent that the menu is not playing either. Begin with a Spring Snow cocktail with lavender-infused sake and base dinner around the curried Singapore noodles, housemade dumplings, and the made-for-Instagram Bubble Waffle Sundae. The latter of which features a chocolate gelato bear, chocolate truffles, caramelized milk, whipped cream, Pocky sticks, and sprinkles. All of which seems right at home in this endearingly ritzy ring ‘round Uptown.

The beloved barbecue chain, now with a location on Lower Greenville, is the only other location outside of Southern California where you can savor this 70-year-old Japanese tradition. Most of the fun centers around the action — grilling at your table beef, pork, veggies, and seafood — but the quality is revelatory too. Sirloin, tri-tip, U.S. Prime and U.S. Kobe rib eye, and short rib are top-notch, while beef tongue and Kuroge wagyu (black hide Japanese beef) are flavor bombs — especially when dunked in the signature dipping sauce.

Husband and wife owners Stephen Rogers and Allison Yoder’s Knox-Henderson bistro is reliable and refreshing. Seasonal dishes flourish here, and the dinner menu shows the bounty. The mahi-mahi ceviche with hibiscus agua chile, radishes and a sunflower-seed crumble intrigues, and adds buoyant contrast to the heartier goat cheese tortelloni and braised-rabbit pappardelle pastas. Meanwhile, the duroc pork chop with panzanella and the brodetto verde with an array of seafood and late-summer veggies all work, making sense for a North Texas November.