As the newest member of the ILiveinDallas team, I thought my first contribution would take place during one of the most delicious times of the year in our city: KRLD Restaurant Week. For a charitable, exciting and slightly-longer-than-weeklong event, Restaurant Week sure does have its share of lovers and haters. There are the restaurateurs who lose money, the places that get extra bodies through the doors during the otherwise slow season, the rich folks who would rather not dine with the plebes, and those not-so-rich who love getting out and pretending they are — even for just one night.

My personal opinion is that Restaurant Week can and should be considered an opportunity — for everyone involved. This is true for the diners, who have the opportunity to sample some of the best restaurants Dallas has to offer while making a donation to charity, but it’s especially true for the establishments themselves, which can show these customers that week why either A) they’ll want to come back, or B) they’ll never be back.

But that’s another story.

Thursday evening, eight friends and I donned our fancy pants and ventured to Charlie Palmer inside The Joule. Here’s my short-n-sweet recap of the dining adventure that ensued. Please note Restaurant Week experiences differ in price and unfortunately other various details, and your particular experience at Charlie Palmer may exceed mine or it may not. In other words, here’s that grain of salt you ordered.

The LOGO

The DINING ESTABLISHMENT: Charlie Palmer

The LOCATION: 1530 Main Street Dallas, TX 75201

The ACCOLADES: Top 10 Best New Restaurant, Dallas Morning News • Best New Restaurant 2008, The Dallas Observer

My apologies for the poor iPhone photo quality. Pictured: Caramelized Chicken.

The GOOD: The milk chocolate brulee cotta was fabulous and unique. Like a rich, rich flan but so much more.

The GREAT: The caramelized chicken with tomato couscous, orange glaze and poultry jus was my favorite. The flavors and textures were very well-orchestrated.

The NOT-SO-GREAT: The names and varietals of the wine pairings were not announced as they were served to guests. Poor form, in my opinion.

The SURPRISE: The waitstaff were refreshingly non-stuffy. However, our waitor might have been a bit — oh, how can I say this delicately — high. Good or bad, it was certainly unexpected, and entertaining.

The LAST BITE: The pool is on the tenth floor, and is open to the public certain nights. It’s a hip spot with a decent view. I only wish I’d brought my bathing suit…

Also, a precious few reservations remain for Restaurant Week at Charlie Palmer. Give them a call and see if they can work you in. Ask for Enam and tell him the girl in the blue dress sent you. 214.261.4498

Charlie Palmer At the Joule
www.charliepalmer.com

1530 Main St
Dallas, TX 75201-4804
214-261-4498
Get directions

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