Brenner Awards Front Room Tavern Four Stars & More Reviews

Leslie Brenner reviews Front Room Tavern: "Already on its third name and fourth chef," the restaurant has finally found a keeper in Hibiscus alum/chef Michael Ehlert, whose "Modern American cooking is fresh, thoughtful and original, exactly right for the space."  From "slices of pickled Fuyu persimmon" with Burrata to "a pretty jar of dill-flecked pickled shrimp," Ehlert's stylish dishes are "much more than an afterthought," and in fact prove that Front Room has moved beyond hotel diner food into something far more inviting and "exactly what Dallas needs more of."  Bonus points for a killer dessert line up from pastry chef Alison Morse. Must order items: Cavatelli with lobster (and pretty much any seafood dish), herb-flecked butter lettuce salad, Reuben tartine. Four stars. [DMN]

Scott Reitz skewers VH Oak Cliff: Though Bistro 31 alums Eric Brandt and Victor Hugo found promise in this rather cursed Oak Cliff location (formerly of Campo and Outpost fame), recently opening their moderately priced new hub for casual dining/cocktails, Reitz finds the newcomer to be "not a terribly interesting restaurant." Some of Brandt's dishes seem a tad dated with a heavy emphasis on butter/cream sauces, though the pot roast is amazing as are a few appetizers, proving the kitchen does indeed "have the chops," but they need "to leave a lasting impression" to survive. [Observer]

Elsewhere: DFW.com gets down with kolaches at Bohemian Cafe and with buzzy burgers in Aledo; TMBBQ road trips to Triple J's in Houston; City of Ate checks out the "Jean Claude Van Damme in Bloodsport" of burgers at Cold Beer Company; Side Dish finds "an ethos, not just an aesthetic" at Harvest Seasonal Kitchen.