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Approaching The Restaurant
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As a journalist who lives in the “Windy City” I’ve got a supreme carnivore reputation to protect. After all, Chicago is the former home of the stock yards and has its share of fabulous steak restaurants. Yet when I am in Dallas, Texas, I head for the best steak dining experience in the US . . .
Pappas Brothers Steakhouse.
Both my professional and family life draws me to “Big D,” so I visit often and never miss the opportunity to dine at what I consider to be
the best little steak house in Texas, or anywhere, for that matter.
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Steaks Ready to Serve
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Pappas Brothers Steakhouse describes its focus to be on a total quality dining experience; in the food they offer, its preparation and in the service they provide…quality that knows no short cuts. They boast at their restaurant that they remember the pleasure of dining the old-fashioned way the original founders of their business (brothers: Jim, George, Tom and Pete Pappas) served their guests over 60 years ago at the original restaurant location. And, it shows!
Today’s generation of Pappas brothers, Harris and Chris, own and operate their family- held business that includes two Papp
as Brothers Steakhouses, one in Houston and one in Dallas. These third generation restaurateurs also own and operate
Pappasito’s Cantina, and
Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen.
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Steak and Lobster Display Case
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The steakhouse at which I dined with family seats 450 patrons in a setting that is warm and welcoming. The tone of the restaurant is sophisticated yet casual. The dining areas are broken up into spaces that are large enough to be festive and small enough to be conducive to conversation. There are four private dining rooms as well, in one of which we were seated called the ‘Wine Room.’
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Diners
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Speaking of wine,
Pappas Brothers offers an extensive cellar with over 2500 wine labels totaling 34,000 bottles to complement your meal and four expert sommeliers to suggest which fine wine will enhance your entrée and mood. The Master Sommelier, Barbara Werley, is one of only three in all of Texas and is one of sixteen female Masters in the US. The fact is that only 156 master sommelier diplomas have been issued worldwide. Our sommelier, Jason Hisaw, was most helpful in suggesting our wines. As a special treat, he took our photographer on a tour of two wine storage areas where he was shown a $50,000 3-liter bottle of vintage 1993 Screaming Eagle.
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Wine Cellar
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Vintage wines from some of the best producers in the world are offered. Among them are 1968 vintage Martha’s Vineyard, California Grace Family Cabernets, Williams-Selyem Pinot Noirs, French Bordeaux from Chateau Petrus, Lafite, Latour, Mouton, Margaux, Cheval Blanc and Haut Brion dating from their 1900 vintages. One could say that the grape is well represented.
Our wait staff was attentive but not intrusive. They were there when you needed them and were gracious at all times. Our photographer, being unaccustomed to haute service, was perplexed when he returned from photographing the dishes in the kitchen, found that his napkin has been retrieved from his chair and neatly folded at his place setting. Now that’s what I call service.
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18oz. Australian Cold Water Rock Lobster Tail
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Though the restaurant calls itself a steakhouse, the menu includes seafood selections which rival any I have eaten anywhere. Side orders of appetizers, soups, salads and vegetables are prepared and served at the peak of quality. In particular, their cold water rock Australian lobster tail and lobster bisque could make you weep with joy. Veal chops, double lamb chops, turtle gumbo with aged sherry, fried oysters, caviar, roasted wild mushrooms, creamed spinach and au gratin potatoes are just a few of the other selections. The variety of dishes will satisfy every protein and carbohydrate yen anyone could possibly have.
When I took a look at the dessert cart display I wanted to start with dessert as my first course. I craved immediate sweet gratification but held off until the final act of our dinner. The many scrumptious desserts includes an enormous slab of what is possibly the very best chocolate cake ever as well as cheesecake, moon pie and more calories too high to count. Everyone was watching their respective waistlines so we opted for one piece of chocolate cake and four forks. In retrospect I could have polished off an entire piece but didn’t want to make a glutton of myself.
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The Busy Open Kitchen
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All of the mouth-watering preparations of the foods are expertly crafted by a large staff of cooks headed by James Johnson, executive chef. He states his job is to maintain the highest culinary standards and create innovative dishes to entice patrons to come back for more. Chef Johnson, a native Chicagoan, after culinary school served as senior sous chef at the Mansion on Turtle Creek and as chef at other Dallas fine dining establishments.
At
Pappas Brothers Steakhouse, Chef Johnson is responsible for their status, according to
The Dallas Morning News, as a four-and a-half star restaurant and for maintaining their reputation with Zagat Survey as a top Dallas restaurant.
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Executive Chef James Johnson
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All the beef at Pappas Brothers is dry aged. The dry aging beef process removes the water in the muscle which allows the taste of the steak to become more intense and also allows natural enzymes to partially break down the protein structure, thus rendering the steak extra tender. This information was given to me by Rick Turner, the General Manager of the restaurant. Rick leads a staff of over 100 by example. Turner is a model of service to his staff and has spent his entire professional career perfecting the art. He has been working within the Pappas enterprises for eleven years and considers himself part of the Pappas “family.”
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My Dining Companions
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All of my dining companions as well as the other patrons at the restaurant and in the bar area seemed pleased and sated with their dining experience in this most wonderful restaurant. I, for one, cannot wait to be assigned to Dallas again to revisit the restaurant and once again experience the hospitality of
Pappas Brothers
Steakhouse.
Far-be-it from me to proffer advice to our 43rd President, however now that his home is no longer on Pennsylvania Avenue in DC but in Texas, when hankering for a good meal, and his wife Laura wants a night off, take her to
Pappas Brothers Steakhouse. Reservations are recommended.
Photos: Joel P. Shrago and Pappas Brothers Steakhouse
Pappas Brothers Steakhouse
10477 Lombardy Lane
Dallas, TX 75220
(P) 214-366-2000
(Fax) 214-366-2222
Catering: 972-669-0364
www.pappasbros.com
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