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The French Room. La Grande Dame.
Since my wife and I moved to Dallas from New York a year ago, we have been regaled with tales of this venerable institution, all of which seem to end with the conclusion that it is "the best restaurant in Dallas."
If we had a disappointing experience at another highly rated eatery, our friends would comfort us by assuring us that when we eventually visit the French Room, all of our culinary concerns would be at an end.
So with that background, we sallied forth on a Friday night to meet some friends at the pride of the Adolphus Hotel with great anticipation.
Greeted warmly, we were seated near the center of the room, and what a room it is! The Sistine chapel meets Versailles. Gorgeous, if a bit over the top. But that's what you're here for, right?
First encounter with the servers was pleasant enough, but a bit surprised to encounter a lack of familiarity with some of the menu ingredients and difficult to understand accents all around. Service was fine, just not 5 star fine. Had to ask for the sommelier 2 or 3 times; seems that the communication lines were crossed because he didn't appear until after our appetizers had been finished. We'll come back to that later.
All four of us had demurred on the Tasting Menu options, choosing instead the three courses for $78 a person. Appetizers were excellent; Carnivore had Dominion Farms Pork Belly with a Five-Spice Glaze and Sweet and Sour Beluga Lentils. Devoured. Carnivore's wife and I each had the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake with Lemon Grass (sic) Lobster Sauce, chock full 'o crab and lovely. My wife enjoyed the Lemon-Butter Poached Maine Lobster with a Three Cheese Ravioli in a Champagne Mustard Sauce; she said the texture and taste were perfect.
Entrees. Carnivore chose, naturally, the Black Angus Beef Tenderloin with Oxtail Risotto and Soubise Sauce. No complaints there. Or leftovers.
Carnivore's wife overcame her concern about the difficulty of preparing Halibut properly ("It's the French Room, after all...") and ordered said fish with an English Pea Risotto and White Asparagus Puree. The fish was lovely, although she felt that "the fish to risotto ratio" was off and would have preferred a more generous portion of risotto.
I chose the Duck, which is prepared three ways; sliced breast, Foie Gras and as a "Confit Croquette". Not really a winning dish, honestly. The texture of the breast was rubbery, and the fat chewy instead of melt-in-your mouth. The foie was delicious, but the confit croquette was not very nice. Whatever confit was in it was lost in the filling and the overall effect was something akin to a mildly-duck-flavored tater tot.
Wifey went with the Red Snapper with a Spinach Ricotta Ravioli, White Asparagus in a Fresh Herb Sauce. She enjoyed it very much and found the asparagus to be particularly good.
Dessert. The chocolate and the Grand Marnier souffles went over swimmingly with the wives, and Carnivore enjoyed his Sopapilla but didn't rave about it. I was brought the wrong dessert, the Strawberry Trio, which they let us keep while they retrieved the Mocha Macchiator Sabayon Torte with Coffee Ice Cream that I ordered. It was worth the wait; absolutely divine. Chocolate-lovers take note.
Wine. Once the sommelier finally arrived, he was quite gracious and helpful. Wifey is also a sommelier so they immediately initiated the wine-speak and agreed upon a bottle of 2005 Domaine Drouhin Volnay to complement the entrees. It was drinking very well, aromatic, expressive with an earthiness that was balanced by nice black cherry undertones (her words, not mine). Great acidity and an amazing silky texture. At dessert, another wine snafu as the waiter presented the cocktail list instead of the dessert wine list as requested. That straightened out, we asked the sommelier about Vin Santo since we didn't see any listed, and he quite graciously produced a bottle from the cellar which he generously poured for me and Carnivore's wife and comped.
Overall, the food was excellent, the room and service were very good, but enough room for improvement to knock one star off the overall rating. The Best Restaurant in Dallas? Maybe. But for the Best Dallas Restaurant, I'll still go to Fearings.
Lives up to the hype.
Just to give you an idea of the level of service here: Two of us were dining, and had no idea there was anybody within fifty feet of us. My companion then accidentally knocked over her (empty) wine glass, and before it could even hit the floor, a waiter seemed to materialize out of nowhere and calmly catch it. Any time we had a question about anything on the menu or wine list, a member of the staff seemed to magically appear and answer in an extremely knowledgeable and friendly manner.
It would be hard to imagine that better service exists anywhere on the planet. If it does, I certainly haven't experienced it. I have experienced food as good as this several times (including here in town at Abacus); but, from New York to Paris to Hong Kong, I have never experienced better. From the pate to the souffle (and everything in between), there simply was no lapse in quality...everything was 5-star. The decor, while not my style per se, is perfectly grandiose for this restaurant. In fact, it would be worth paying top dollar just to sit and drink water here. Oh, and have I mentioned? The prix fixe dinner is around $80, with the wine pairing for a little less. I have paid two or three times this for lesser meals in New York and California.
I can see why Zagat (that old 20th-century rating system) gives this place 29's across the board. There's really not much room between here and the top. And while I still prefer Abacus (it's more my style), I still would never fault anyone for saying that this is the best restaurant in town.
My experience was okay here--it's a tad overrated.
I had my last B-day dinner here and wasn't really blown away, my expectations may have been a little high--but they should be for those prices!!
The dinning room itself is pretty fabulous, I could stare at the ceiling alone for hours!!
They have huge bottle of house champagne in the middle of the dinning room readily available to be brought to you on demand!
You have your choices of 3 courses-which you choose to your liking, our waiter was very helpful in pairing wine with each course as well!
My meal was over salted on the whole--I ordered the lamb chops which were the prefect portion size for me but I have friends who would have laughed at the sight of 2 mini chops--it is typical french sized keep in mind.
The dessert souffle was alright, not very memorable I expected much more than what I given-- considering I have had much better souffles across town at Rise. They did however write Happy Bday on the plate and light a candle in it!--very cute!
Across the board I would say it was a miss on the food but the Beautiful environment and absolutely superb service makes the experience pleasant and def worthwhile.
I would say check it if you get a chance, the dinning room is worth it!
Visited Saturday night for Restaurant Week. Wonderful. One of those "special occassion" places. A slice of Paris France in Dallas Texas without needing to know French! Up there with The Mansion.
The decor is absolutely gorgeous and the service is impeccable. The food was outstanding, but I felt the price did not accurately represent the value of our meal. When I drop over $300 for one dining experience, I expect to eat a meal that I will remember always for not only the flavor, but for the presentation. Unfortunately, this just wasn't quite it. Excepting dessert because I'm not a huge baker, almost everything we tried (and don't get me wrong, it was all delicious) were things which I could've prepared at home with not too much effort. I wanted to be blown away and although I had no complaints, I just wasn't wowed. Having eaten at a few 5 star establishments, I do understand that you are not only paying for the food but for the whole experience. Still. Ultimately, I wouldn't recommend it for the price. Truly, it makes me very sad to say this because I REALLY wanted to love it.
The French room is everything you would expect from top-tier French dining. I imagine that any dinner I might have here would be a five star experience, but in my particular case, my night there became the most memorable of all my dining experiences ever.
My girlfriend reserved the place on my birthday -- it was going to be her gift to me. She knew that more than any material object or sexual favor she could bestow upon me, that fine gourmet food would trump all but the most lewd and perverted acts she could perform.
She lives in the Manor House directly across the street from The Adolphus, so I parked with the Adolphus valet and walked inside the restaurant before picking her up; I wanted to ensure a couple of extra surprises were in place before our meal.
I'd like to add that the valet guy looked me in the eye as if he knew it was my birthday and said, "Mr. Seeley, I'd like you to know that I will be taking personal responsibility for your automobile this evening. Please enjoy your stay with us."
Yeah. I liked that.
So after having a brief, accommodating and VERY important meeting with the hostess, I went to pick up my girlfriend on foot.
As we walked into the restaurant, we were immediately doted upon like celebrities. The hostess and the manager escorted us to our seats and politely reminded me to keep my jacket on as we dined (I was taking it off).
The next person to help us was the wine guy. I know this person has a title and I know that it's not "wine guy." Maybe somebody can educate me later. Anyway -- he was extremely approachable yet cordial. He suggested a $35 wine as though he could see right into my wallet and knew that that the price of the meal could very well overdraw my bank account as my birthday fell just short of payday and my bank account was at its usual depressing level for that time of the month.
He assured us of the wine's quality and told me it could not be found at another restaurant in Dallas. Then he told us how this particular vintage was created in honor of the vintner's daughter. Nice! An affordable yet exclusive wine -- with a backstory! You don't find those very often.
Sommelier. That's what the wine guy is called -- my coworker just told me. Pronounced - some-el-yay.
Next, our waiter greeted us. He reminded me of the chefs from Lady and The Tramp. You know, the ones who serve the dogs the spaghetti that makes them kiss each other. You know the scene. We've all tried to recreate it.
He was a characature of the typical effusive French waiter -- except he was Mexican.
"Madam and sir, My name is Rufio Dominguez de la Palma and I will be your humble server this evening. I would like to offer my compliments to the gentleman for having such a beautiful woman in his company."
Oh man. I was gonna have to tip this guy heavily.
So the rest of the meal went similarly. Our waiter explained to us the intricacies of each delicious dish that we had -- the exotic texture of the foie gras, the organic nature of the lamb chops and the reason for the choices of the "in-between-palette-cleansing" bites that were presented to us between each course.
Do I even have to tell you how exquisite the food was? You know this. It just doesn't get any better in Dallas. Only Fearing's, Stephan Pyles or Bijoux compare.
Then came the dessert. Our charismatic waiter suddenly took a very serious tone,
"My lady, for dessert tonight you MUST know that our world-renowned pastry chef slaved all day in the kitchen crafting this extraordinary masterpiece. Only the finest ingredients were used in its preparation, and he pioneered previously unknown culinary territory in the pursuit of its absolute perfection."
(no joke on the quote)
Then he crescendoed to, "And now, please allow me to present... your dessert!"
He lifted off the cover of the plate and there, sitting on a bed of orchids was an engagement ring.
My girlfriend dropped her jaw and I leaned in close,
"All I want for my birthday is for you to marry me."
She was totally shocked and almost forgot to say "yes."
(She remembered eventually, don't worry.)
A smattering of applause followed from the primarily geriatric guests that dotted the room.
"So does this mean we don't get a real dessert?" she asked.
No sooner had she asked then it was presented, and we finished our dinner.
The bill was almost $300 and I tipped Rufio heavily, so the whole thing cost almost $400. Yes, I overdrew my bank account -- I know it was MY birthday, but it's not like I could ask her to marry me and then expect her to get the bill.
I thanked everybody on the way out for their help. It was an incredible evening that won't ever be forgotten -- which is good, because I don't know if I can ever afford to go again.
Get engaged here! The French Room is everything that elite dining should be -- and more. They will make you feel like the center of the universe for one evening.
I know now why they call this place The French Room. For this style restaurant in Dallas, what else could they call it? The place prepares high French cooking - the kind that lists five ingredients on the menu, is served on plates decorated with sauces, and then garnished with an extra sauce (or two) that the waiters bring right to the table. I enjoy good food, simply prepared, so it's not the kind of place I usually eat at, but it sure was fun!
I had the three-course à la carte, starting with pork belly (amazing, sort of like barbeque duck with butter), then duck three ways (terrine not so good, but the duck breast and fois gras outstanding), and finally the Grand Marnier soufflé (this was the best part of a stand-out meal). Come to think of it, I didn't really have any vegetables tonight (except garnishes and sauces), but surprisingly, didn't miss them.
Service was incredibly attentive. I would guess they had five wait staff per table. The executive chef even visited our table before we ordered to check in with my friend who had mentioned a food allergy to the captain. He stayed and chatted for close to five minutes.
The décor is rich, over the top even, but for the type of food and level of service, it fits. Some examples: As we came in, I saw women in hats lingering over high tea (I wondered, "Is this for real?"). The lobby is stuffed with rich rugs, dark paneling, and brocade furniture. In the restaurant, the ceiling is painted like a cathedral and the floor is inlaid marble tile. Portraits of Napoleon and Josephine gaze over the jazz lounge. I wondered again, "Old money opulence or irony?" I don't live here, so you be the judge.
Here are some nice surprises to a well-prepared meal:
* Each course came with an extra -- first an amuse bouche crab dish, then a palate cleanser sorbet, next a pre-dessert (!!) champagne gellee topped with panna cotta, and finally a plate of truffles and other candies. All together, they embedded four treats into our meal.
* When I arrived, I ordered hot tea to warm myself. They brought me three pots of excellent quality tea, and charged me for just one $4 pot.
* Finally, as we got ready to leave, they brought each of us a small bag, which I assumed was the leftover bread that I had asked for (to the raised eyebrows of the man bussing the table). Instead, we had each been given a gift-sized loaf pan of a fresh-baked breakfast bread. I can hardly wait to have it tomorrow on the plane home. My seatmates will be jealous.
I swear I'm not a snob and just don't like going against popular vote to be different, but I went here on Restaurant week with some friends, and overall, it was meh to disappointing (consensus among table was only slightly higher). 1st Course on the table: mushroom soup, crab cake, and pork belly. I've had pork belly a million times at momofuku in NYC, and it's never tasted as dry as the one I ate here - probably because it was too meaty and not enough fat. The crab cake was the highlight of the meal - tasted like 99% king crab...so amazing. Everyone ordered the red snapper except me - I got the herb chicken - it was dry also!! I mean not dirt dry, but I just expect French Restaurants to at least get things cooked well/right - the salty skin was nice, but where was the moisture in my meal? I tried my friend's red snapper - it was fine but it didn't jump out like everything seemed to the night before at Abacus. I finally put my prayers on the souffle, which came nicely puffed - it was good but not amazing. The decor mirrored the Adolphus Hotel, in a fancy dated way. I've checked this one off the list and won't be coming back here.
Think Versailles meets the Sistine Chapel. The painted frescoes, crystal chandeliers, and soaring ceilings will make you think you had left Texas for the 2 hours while you're there. If chicks don't dig you after this experience, you might need to get some help.
The moment you park your car via valet, you know you're going to be treated well. Phillip greets you at the door and ushers you into the wood paneled lobby and foyer of the Adolphus. The French Room is located at the opposite end of the lobby, which is good because the long walk mentally prepares you for the experience you're about to have.
The prix fixe three course menu is a great way to sample the cuisine, although I thought it was a bit tasteless to charge an extra $10 for certain items on the menu. I would advocate making it an even $80 (vs $78) and not have an extra charge. No matter. The pork belly with truffles was divine. It's cooked in its own juices so the flavor of the pork is enhanced. I also liked the fact that it had a nice layer of pork fat like good pork belly meat should. I opted for the grass fed tenderloin for my entree for an extra $10 and it was solid. It wasn't the most spectacular piece of meat I'd had, but still very, very good. The fried chocolate cream with grand marnier was close my eyes good. I also enjoyed the mini-courses like the beet soup and fruit sorbet between courses. The most pleasant surprise, of course, is the fresh-baked mini-loaf of chocolate cherry bread they bring you at the end of the meal so that the next morning you won't think last night's dinner was just a dream.
Service was impeccable. We had 3-4 waiters serving our table. Our head waiter was very smooth...almost too smooth. He allowed us to taste several wines before we settle on an excellent glass of merlot and cabernet.
Also, I think they're running a recession promotion these days. As a patron, you get randomly drawn for a free dinner (excluding wine, tax, and tip). Needless to say, I emerged from dinner with my pockets feeling a little lighter, but it was worth every penny.
This is the best restaurant in Dallas, hands down. The food is superb; even so, there are other places that match its food (though none surpasses it). So what makes eating at the French Room such an exceptional experience? The service. The staff epitomizes graciousness. Always attentive, always anticipating what you might want, but never hovering. And in a space that is pretty over the top as far as decor goes (lots of tapestries, sconces, and painted cherubs-in-the-clouds on the ceiling), the staff manages to make you feel perfectly relaxed and welcome.
You don't go the French Room to feel at home; you go to feel special -- and the combination of food, setting, and, most of all, service -- makes you feel very special indeed.
Wow first to review this place?
The French Room is quite possibly the best in fine dining in Dallas. I have never had a foie gras as perfectly prepared as I have had at the French Room. And trust me when I say this... I've had foie gras at probably over 50 different restaurants. It is just absolute perfection. I had the duck prepared 3 ways. It's been a while since I went, but I just remember it was amazing. The portions are perfect, the wine was outstanding and surprisingly reasonably priced.
For desert I had the grand marnier souffle, the only other place that I have had a better souffle was at The Old Warsaw. I'm talking about in the world, not just Dallas. It is very nice and fluffy and the cake just soaks up the grand marier sauce just perfectly.
When I'm in Dallas and looking to go somewhere really fancy and have an impeccable meal, you can find me at The French Room.
I really like this place. The food is very good and the service is impeccable. I enjoyed nice dinner with friends while dining here. You never have to ask for a thing because the wait staff is on top of it. The desserts are wonderful as is everything else. You must visit this place just to experience it at least once!
Wow! It's hard for me to get too excited about these types of restaurants anymore, but this one really stands out. Really delicious food. I didn't think a restaurant in Dallas could do tuna or other seafood well, but I was proven wrong! One of the best restaurants that I've been to in the country.
Dallas, TX
Category: French
Dallas, TX
Category: French
Dallas, TX
Category: American (New)
Dallas, TX
Category: American (New)
Dallas, TX
Category: American (New)
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