Hail Tesar!

House of Plates recently sat down with Chef John Tesar, who has had a part in two of the most exciting (if not controversial) restaurants openings in Dallas for 2011:  as the owner of the Commissary in One Arts District, and as the original consultant/chef for the Cedars Social.  While the Cedars Social has soared in popularity, the Commissary has struggled somewhat with service centric-issues, despite delivering on uniquely phenomenal food.  According to Chef Tesar, who previously made his mark in Dallas as the Executive chef for the Mansion, the perfect restaurant would be some combination of the two. 

For Cedars Social, Tesar wanted to boldly cook and experiment on everything that was cool in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.  From gnudi to pigs ear milanese, if they didn't know how to make something, they were going to learn and make it like the best, and by all accounts, they've succeeded, serving up masterful dishes like crisp pork belly, flaky lobster pot pie, and mouth watering sliders!  

For the Commissary, the opening represented a sort of return to his childhood in Long Island, where Tesar fondly remembered growing up on great burgers and seafood.  At the heart of the menu at Commissary are a variety of very exciting burgers and sandwiches, including perfectly cooked 6 or 8 oz beef patties steamed to an exact medium rare in a c-vap oven (similar to sous-vide, only instead of "boiling" at perfect water temperatures, steam is used), chicken fried chicken sandwiches, lamb tandori burgers, and a sort of pig tribute burger, that includes all things great pork: pork belly, pigs tail, and ground pork, in one burger!  All are absolutely delicious, and at prices from $7-$15, they are quite the lure that Chef Tesar intended them to be.  

With his cooking technique, technology, and attention to detail, the overcooked burger is a thing of the past - rather, every sandwich or burger comes out perfectly moist.  Chef Tesar has hopes of one day moving his concept to the "burbs" and becoming a sort of sous-vide Whataburger.  On Sunday evenings, the Commissary offers a Lobster Bake which includes steamers (clams), a 1 ¼ lb Lobster, a potato/chorizo dish, corn on the cob, and salad, all for $35 (reservations only). 

Tesar plans on bringing back his 12-seat tasting menu by September 15^th.  Despite all of this, critics (both professional and Yelp amateurs) have been slow to embrace the Commissary, frustrated by slow wait times, inattentive wait staff, and the lack of a take out option. John remains focused however, and fresh off his win on the Extreme Chef show on Food Network, he's looking forward to his first experience cooking in a food truck. The Camarena Tequila Company is touring the US in their own food truck and after trips to LA, Chicago and New York, they'll also be in Dallas through the month of August, four days a week. Chef Tesar is developing and serving four of his recipes, which are likely to some combination of gourmet tacos and ceviches that incorporate the Sponsor's tequila.  

You can follow either Chef Tesar (@The_real_JTesar) or the Camarena Tequila Company (@CamarenaTequila) on Twitter, to find out truck times and locations.  And look for new burgers to roll out this fall at the Commissary, and a possible future New York style pizzeria and pasta joint by Chef Tesar.

-photo courtesy of DMN