House Of Plates

back

Sundown at Granada, A New Theory

______________

The Granada Theater occupies a deservedly renowned position in Dallas' local music scene. They craft concert lineups that rival nationwide festivals. They strike a balance between showing off their au courant taste and serving as an anchor for the burgeoning music community. It's a venue that does things right: they're focal in direction, and most respectfully, all in-house. Granada's Ryan Henry does the booking and Gavin Mulloy does the promotions. All homegrown.

When their new restaurant, Sundown at Granada, opened its doors on January 4 in the neighboring space, it was clear they were bound to break old barriers. Gone was the gaudy, former M Street Bar douchebag trap. In its place? A neighborhood beer garden with a distinctly local emphasis and a cocktail menu to stupefy even the most seasoned lush.

_____

(pictured left to right) is the Cucumber Cilantro 'Tini with Organic Rain Cucumber Vodka, fresh cucumber & cilantro, agave nectar, fresh lime and the Fiona Apple Bison with Zu Bison Grass Vodka, apple liquor, maple syrup, lemon, Maine Root Ginger Beer.)

_____

And that's not all of it. In fact, it's not even the main attraction. Teaming with Granada owner Mike Schroder and manager Marc Hopper is Chef Patrick Stark, whose successful stint as a local caterer gives Sundown some culinary heft. Stark crafted a menu that is as inclusive as its parent music hall, ingratiating everyone - from aspiring chefs to local guitarists - with its farm-to-table fare. Casual concert-goers and the upper-crust of the Dallas cognoscenti unite.

It wouldn't be a mistake to begin your evening with the Stuffed Avocados with Endive appetizer. At our most recent visit, we started off with the dish - three delicious avocado halves, each prepared differently. The Fiesta 'bowl' comes with tomato, black beans, sweet corn, and feta. Its flavor profile was brought into focus by its sharply spicy undertones. Next up was the slice stuffed with grilled chicken, blueberries, and candied pecans. It appealed to the sweeter side of the palate. Rounding out the appetizer was the avocado stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes, toasted almonds, basil and shaved pears. Don't think that the order in which we ate is the only way to do it. Feel free to start from either side of the dish; the appetizer balances perfectly no matter which way you attack.

The best of the entrees we ordered included the Sundown Surf and Turf, a 10 ounce grass-fed sirloin steak, paired with Gulf shrimp, roasted onions, chimichurri butter, and sweet potato fries. The sirloin was deeply marbled and perfectly colored. Let us paint you a picture: imagine a seared hunk of delicious meat steaming on a plate. From top to bottom: it was crispy brown, pink, red, pink, and crispy brown again. It was cooked the way it needed to be. The sweet potatoes, meanwhile, were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and infused with flavor. They weren't over-seasoned; they weren't over cooked. They were, however, delicious tubers.

Another standout is the grilled cheese sandwich. We live in an age where "artisanal" dishes are all the rage. While the Sundown's Greenville Ave. Grilled Cheese isn't burdened by that pretentious moniker, it also shouldn't be overlooked. Stark melts Vermont cheddar, goat, and pepper-jack cheese between two thick slices of fresh Paisano bread. It's simple, and not too rich. The sandwich comes with baggage: a couple of dipping sauces. Sundried tomato dip offers the diner hints of a fresh, Baja-inspired edge, while the tarragon dip tastes like a light and minty cream. Excellently seasoned French fries round out the dish.

In the past year, Greenville Avenue has proven to be more than just a place where suburbanites go to feel "urban" or where tipsy brides-to-be bar-hop. It's always been a place where refined and dignified Dallas would get a little dirty. Now, however, it's also become a hot-spot for culinary adventure: fused Korean BBQ, savvy Italian, and quick Mexican-style street tacos are but a few of the food options that M Streeters proudly call their own.

Despite this proliferation of eateries, none have truly mastered the combination of quality music and food quite like The Granada and Sundown. It's a welcome addition to the neighborhood and a restaurant that is perfectly in keeping with the reputation of its music venue big brother. Here here!

_____

Sundown listens to: