DC Anonymous

I like that you're anti-everything.

1 month, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

mjr092 Anonymous

Food: 4/5  Vibe: 3/5  Service: 4/5  Value: 2/5  Overall: 4/5

I’ve only just started submitting reviews for a few restaurants because I’ve just moved to Dallas and checking out the restaurant scene (so far seems lacking, but that’s not quite fair because I haven’t really been everywhere so I’ll reserve further judgment) I ate here last night (6.4.08) and I have to admit that I liked this place better than Charlie Palmer at the Hotel Joule. They are in two different leagues but I'm giving The Porch a 4 overall, but it's really around a 3.5. I’m knocking a half point for pricing. We went at about 6 o'clock, skipped the valet and did the street parking and walked a couple blocks. Got seated right away on the actual porch and watched people, watched traffic, watched near-miss car accidents. They have the misters on the porch, but it was still pretty warm out there. I had the drink that was the vodka, sweet tea & lemonade, it wasn't nearly strong enough though I could taste the alcohol and too sweet, but I should have ordered something else then if I didn’t want very sweet, shouldn’t I? (this is more personal preference than a complaint, as I am more of a bourbon or straight vodka on the rocks girl and not a strawberry margarita girl). I ordered the Flat Iron steak with green peppercorn sauce and the sea salt fries. The steak was tender and juicy, seasoned well and the green peppercorn sauce was really knock out! Peppery, spicy and buttery – all good things. I ended up sopping up my fries with that instead of ketchup. For dessert had the East Texas Peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream, it was nicely done, dusted with cinnamon, crispy warm biscuit crust and the ice cream had vanilla bean seeds and tasted homemade. I was happy with the meal, decent portion size, maybe too decent because I was really full afterwards I ate too much!, and the service was attentive but not clingy. My only complaint is that the prices are still too high for what you get. Drink - $9; Entree - $19; Dessert - $10 – (c'mon, man!). If it were about 20% less I'd be here all the time. Nice and casual vibe, typical K-H trendy crowd. I’m kinda anti K-H, anti-everything. I enjoyed my meal there, but still think it costs too much so not that highly recommended, but recommended nonetheless. Anyway, on to the next restaurant. The Old Monk across the street looked interesting, but methinks I should check out more hole-in-the-wall type places just to balance it out 

1 month, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

DC Anonymous

That was a top shelf garnish of lettuce.

3 months, 1 week ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

DC Anonymous

Food: 3/5  Vibe: 2/5  Service: 1/5  Value: 1/5  Overall: 2/5

Why do we keep doing this to ourselves? Really, we should know better.

Anyway, it's a weekend afternoon and through some series of events we're back at K-H. This time, what the hell, here we are at Porch, why not?

For some reason the girl at the front wants my whole name.

"DC"

"ummm"

"Yes, D-E-E S-I"

"oook"

I can only imagine they then rush to the back to check your name on Dallas CAD to see what zip you live in and how much your your house was appraised for. They then tailor the service accordingly.

Since "DC" probably doesn't pop up, I imagine they saw us as "alternative couple renting in co-habitation." We got the waiter I like to call 'uncomfortably familiar.'

Admittedly, we were just looking for lunches, but of course, we're subjected to the stupid 'for the table' sides. As well known, I hate this. You and I both know that this serves to increase the total bill by jacking your entree price and adding sides that are too large for two, but too small for four. Hate it hate it hate it.

Whatever, I order the chicken parmesan, sorry "Parm." I suppose by shortening the name it makes it more casual and cool. It also means you don't have to train the staff how to pronounce Parmigiana. This dish I describe as a kind of soggy chicken slab. They may actually have left it out in the rain to achieve a texture less 'juicy' and more 'laundry.' It does come with the advertised salad. However, said salad is a sprig of gourmet bag lettuce, 4 mini tomatoes and a couple of mozzarella chips.

The pan roasted trout and squash has basically the same amount of vegetable accompanying the fish as my chicken did. It looks like it's been pounded flat, but the skin is still intact on the underside. I don't have a problem with it, but with the sauce slathering all over it, there's some dexterity to dissecting the flesh from the skin.

Both dishes came with lemon in cheese cloth - oh yeah, old school like Flavor Flav yyeaaahhhbbooyyyyeeeee!

As far as our server goes, he basically slouches around sighing a lot. Excessive eye rolling appears to be de rigueur amongst the staff. I'm not sure if he really is disaffected or if the place is so superficial that they have the staff act like they are your friends' bored brother who's forced to clean up after you.

That's it, something like $40 for lunch, and that's sharing a root beer and leaving hungry. Oh, dinner is basically the same menu, but they jack the price by a couple dollars a plate because food is more expensive when it's dark outside.

Should've seen that one coming.

3 months, 1 week ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

micastio Anonymous

Food: 5/5  Vibe: 4/5  Service: 4/5  Value: 4/5  Overall: 4/5

This is one of my favorite new places. Definately a step up from the Barley House. Went on a friday night and it was packed to the point of being annoying. There's not enough seats at the bar and the bar's not separate from the dining space, so you just kind of stand there. The food though is worth it. Had ribs for dinner and was licking my fingers. We had some good mac and cheese too. Of the restaurants in this area this is one of the better ones right now.

4 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )