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micastio, anonymous:

Overall:

• Quality:

  5/5

• Vibe:

  4/5

• Service:

  4/5

• Value:

  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.

DC, anonymous:

Overall:

• Quality:

  3/5

• Vibe:

  2/5

• Service:

  1/5

• Value:

  1/5

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.

DC, anonymous:

That was a top shelf garnish of lettuce.

mjr092, anonymous:

Overall:

• Quality:

  4/5

• Vibe:

  3/5

• Service:

  4/5

• Value:

  2/5

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 

DC, anonymous:

I like that you're anti-everything.

nina_chawla, anonymous:

Overall:

• Quality:

  5/5

• Vibe:

  5/5

• Service:

  5/5

• Value:

  4/5

I love this relatively new addition to the Knox Henderson area. The menu is average with a twist. The mac and cheese is creating a buzz all around Dallas. Its like down home comfort food, but with Uptown flavor. Go after work and you can barely hear yourself think. Escape to the patio to relax and eat great food. Last time I was there, I spotted Troy Aikman eating with his wife. Good times!

WhatsUpPorkchop, anonymous:

Overall:

• Quality:

  5/5

• Vibe:

  5/5

• Service:

  4/5

• Value:

  4/5

I am a mere simpleton but I love good food and drink to the point of excess and I am a big fan of The Porch. In fact, I think it may be the best casual restaurant in Dallas. Let me tell you 10 reasons why you should think so too:

(1) Always Friendly Atmosphere: I have been to The Porch for dinner and drinks with the wife, weekend lunches and weekday dinners with the whole family, business lunches and just hanging out in the guys. In every instance and in each situation, including my first visit, The Porch has provided a welcome atmosphere and familiar feeling. Despite its continued popularity and weekend evening crowds, it seems to have avoided the pretentious, too cool for itself air that often infect other Dallas restaurants at the height of their buzz.

(2) Great People Watching: In my opinion, The Porch has the best mix of 20-40’s crowd. You get the benefit of being able to leer at all of the sorority girls in the short skirts, tight tops and skinny jeans, plus you have enough of the surgically enhanced and still looking to keep you from feeling old. What’s even better is that The Porch seems to attract the kind of large groups of women for dinner and drinks you normally only see at a Sushi Bar or an overrated upscale pizza joint serving salads with micro greens.

(3) Upscale Comfort Food Done Right: Upscale comfort food is a popular trend in Dallas right now, with the likes of Screen Door and Neighborhood Services following The Porch. I think the Porch’s menu is the best top to bottom (and I think I have had just about everything at one point or another) with choices ranging from a Stodg Burger to Chicken Parm to Pan Roasted Trout. My personal favorite entrees are the Fish and Chips (which my daughters devour), Short Rib Stroganoff (which eats more like a hearty stew than the classic creamy pasta dish) and the Baby Back Ribs. During lunch, you can’t go wrong with the Fried Chicken Cobb which is absolutely loaded with chicken and blue cheese, the Clubhouse Melt or the Three Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup. On more than a couple of occasions, I have even made a meal out of the BBQ brisket sliders served with a nice tangy BBQ sauce, The Porch’s excellent cole slaw and exactly one pickle slice each along with side of the smoky mac ‘n cheese. Not only do I not recall ever having had a bad meal here, I can’t even think of something which I have ordered but would not order again.

(4) Enticing Specialty Drinks: I am a one trick pony when it comes to cocktails, and I am not only usually unimpressed but generally repulsed by the over-fruity-infused-vodka cosmotiniritas that litter most bars’ specialty drink landscape. However, even I have partaken in the offerings at The Porch with my personal favorite being the very girly spiked pink lemonade. You should order one if only so you can get your significant other to give it a try. Trust me, she’ll love it and want to have one of her own. Give it some time, and soon the liquor which has been cleverly hidden by the homemade juices and syrups will have her saying things like “Wow, this is delicious. It hardly tastes like there is any alcohol.” This is, my friends, is the golden ticket as it often precedes things like “Oh, my God, I am so drunk,” “Is your roommate home,” and “Wanna have sex in the car.” Be mindful, though, as it can quickly spiral out of control into “I think I am going to sick.”

(5) Solid Blackboard Specials: For many restaurants, the special(s) of the day involve some dubious creative outlet of the chef based on whatever they happen to have too much of, especially when it comes to fish. No so at The Porch, where the blackboard specials truly provide a great diversion to the regular menu and, I’m told, the daily dock specials are actually fresh fish. Count yourself lucky if you are there on a day when they are serving up the chicken fried steak, a perfect version of the Texas classic topped with awesome jalapeno cream gravy, or their take on the chicken tortilla soup, which is creamy with a late but lively kick. Actually, you don’t have to get lucky. Just ask the always helpful wait staff to put you on their email list, and The Porch will actually notify you when your favorites are being served.

(6) Hip Location: The Porch helps anchor the Consilient Group empire on Henderson Avenue and part of what seems to be an ever-expanding set of excellent bars and restaurants on the East Side of 75. If you happen to have had your fill and have decided not to continue to spend time at the bar, you are only stumbling distance from the Old Monk (a great English style pub with its own patio and fantastic Fish and Chips), Cuba Libre (for those of you on the young side who still go there), Victor Tango’s, or late night drinks and white man dancing at Candle Room. You are also not far from the developing lower Henderson where you can find personal favorite Louie’s as well as Barcadia and the relatively new Blue Collar. I am lucky enough to live fairly close, but I will give you a free tip -- If you are leaving the valet lot behind The Porch, you cannot turn left across Henderson. Either circle the block or, better yet, walk or take a cab to avoid those flashing lights which will definitely ruin the evening.

(7) Going with its Namesake: The porch at The Porch is reminiscent of an actual covered front patio. It may not be as big as others around town, but I love the way it opens up to Henderson and is accessible regardless of the weather.

(8) Fresh Cobblers: I am of the mind that almost all fruit is better when it is cobbled, and I love that cobbler is a fixture on the menu. Better still, The Porch changes its Farmers Market Cobbler regularly to account for what is in season. Although sometimes I like mine with a bit more crust, the versions at The Porch are loaded with fruit, have the right amount of sweet and, of course, are served ala mode (by the way, it drives me crazy when a restaurant asks me if I want my cobbler with ice cream; this should be the default; if you do not want ice cream you should be required to ask to have it removed so everyone can stare at you and laugh). If something is wrong with you and cobblers just aren’t your thing, the gooey Hot Fudge S’mores Sundae and Bourbon Pecan Pie are also winners.

(9) The Massive Bar: This stainless steel masterpiece backed by a wall of mirrors is the ideal backdrop for all that people watching and spiked lemonade drinking. Their wine list, including their wines by the glass, aren’t bad either. Although the bar area can get crowded, the bar itself and the few tables are well spread out and the bar is adequately staffed so you very rarely have to wait very long for your drink. I also like that that the two flat panel TV’s are on opposite ends of the bar and offer a great line of site to watch a game throughout the bar if you can distract yourself enough from staring at the hot group of women behind you via the mirror so as not to be so obvious.

(10) No Mere Mint: Forget the ubiquitous after dinner peppermint. The Porch keeps a bowl full of starburst which just brings a smile to my face as I grab a few when I leave (unless they are all lemon), and provide a solid bribe for the kiddos. As if the awesome fruit cocktail was not enough.

http://www.heymanwhatsup.com/main/200...

sunsetmirage, anonymous:

Overall:

• Quality:

  4/5

• Vibe:

  5/5

• Service:

  3/5

• Value:

  3/5

Try the three grilled cheese and tomato soup - which people seem to rave about. I've only been once and only had this dish, but boy was it delish! Provolone, aged cheddar and port salute (semi-soft pasteurized cow's milk cheese) on brioche is a fantastic combination to dip in the tomato basil soup! Nice hip atmosphere, many young professionals milling about - great bar area to hang out if you aren't in the mood to sit and eat a whole meal!