Dallas Morning News names top 10 new restaurants for 2008

by PegNews wire

DALLAS — The Dallas Morning News released its list of top 10 restaurants for 2008, doing so in a somewhat unusual format: with a Top No. 1 Best Restaurant followed by nine more, listed in alphabetical order. The No. 1 numero-uno top-dog place was the deserving Tei An, the noodle spot in One Arts Plaza from creative, perfectionist chef (and former owner of Tei Tei and Teppo) Teiichi Sakurai; there's nothing else like it in Dallas, it's not that expensive, and it's really good.

The rest:

• Bolsa in Bishop Arts;
• Campania Pizza, the Southlake spinoff of the pizzeria in the West Village;
• the excellent Charlie Palmer in the Hotel Joule in downtown Dallas;
• Dali Wine Bar at One Arts Plaza;
• Lambert's, the restaurant collaboration from Austin restaurateur Lou Lambert and Fort Worth restaurateur Grady Spears;
• Neighborhood Services, the new place from famed chef Nick Badovinus;
• Nonna, the beloved Italian on Lomo Alto starring young chef Julian Barsotti;
• Rise No. 1, the souffle place in Inwood Village;
• Screen Door, the upscale Southern at One Arts Plaza.

I'm not a big fan of lists but most people love them, and for those people the DMN goes list-crazy with this entire year-end package. It has:

• a list of closures
• a list of "four more faves";
• another list of "upscale standouts",
• and last-but-not-least, a wrap-up of places set to open in 2009.

Since the whole point of lists is to get people talking and second-guessing, I'll do my part by proclaiming my lack of enthusiasm for Screen Door and, conversely, my avid fandom of Cowboy Chow in Deep Ellum, so I'd definitely trade those two out.

Otherwise, it's a nicely compiled list and probably the last critical piece by outgoing critic Bill Addison, who is moving to Atlanta to work for Atlanta magazine.

Posted by T.G.