Sunday, October 12, 2008

The Perfect Weekend

My husband planned an absolutely wonderful weekend to celebrate my birthday, which was earlier this month. We started out with a trip to the Fair Park Music Hall to see the Tony winning play, The Color Purple. The play was beautifully done and the performances spectacular.

After leaving the play, we checked in to the Hilton Anatole and headed to the Nana bar for appetizers and cocktails. The Nana is perched high above Dallas on the 27th floor of the Hilton Anatole. The restaurant and bar boast panaromic views of the city with floor to ceiling windows throughout the bar and restaurant. At the bar, I indulged in a delicious coconut mojito. The coconut flavor was not overpowering. The drink was light and refreshing. While enjoying the dazzling city views and jazz music at the Nana Bar we shared an appetizer of Idiaazabel and Manchego cheeses with carrot star anise marmalade. The pairing was lovely and we devoured the whole thing quite quickly! After our cocktails, we proceeded to the lovely Nana dining room. The Nana has long held a special place in our hearts. We have had several romantic and memorable meals there over the years. We have not yet found a restaurant in Dallas that has a better atmosphere than Nana. We decided to try the seven course tasting menu with an accompanying wine tasting. The current Nana chef, Anthony Bombacci specializes in molecular gastronomy so his dishes tend to be very inventive with unexpected twists. I don't have a copy of the tasting menu so I can't provide detailed descriptions of all the dishes, also seven glasses of wine had a slight affect on my memory! Some of the highlights of the tasting menu were the liquid baked potato soup, seared diver scallops, and crispy pork belly. It was definitely an amazing meal and a perfect evening.

Before we headed back to the real world, we went to Sunday brunch at La Duni. La Duni is rated as having one of the best brunches in Dallas and we can see why. I've always loved La Duni for lunch and dinner but now I'm also a fan of their brunch. It was absolutely decadent. My husband and I split two entrees, one sweet, one savory. The Rollo de Canelo French toast was one of the best I have ever had. The menu describes the sticky roll as La Dun's famous pecan sticky roll vanilla batter dipped, topped with warm Rum-Pecan Pure Maple Syrup and Bacon Strips. The pecan mixture added a crispy crunch to the exterior to the French Toast. The dish was more than enough for two to share. We also ordered the brunch chile relleno. The roasted poblano pepper was filled with filled with refried Beans, 2 Scrambled Eggs with Bacon, Cheddar, Provolone and Gruyere Cheeses, Stone Ground Corn Tortilla Chips, topped with Queso Fresco and choice of Salsa. Also included were a delicious side of roasted potatoes. We thought both dishes were beautifully executed. We can't wait to go back to try several other items on the menu. It was a wonderfully relaxing way to end such a splendid romantic weekend.

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