Glowing Praise for Casa Rubia, & More Reviews

Nancy Nichols reviewed Casa Rubia: The Trinity Groves Spanish restaurant from Driftwood's Jonn Baudoin and Omar Flores "has been mobbed since it opened," and for good reason: "Dallas hasn't experienced tapas like those served at Casa Rubia." Small plates here "run from $12 to $17, but the quality and variety of flavors are worth every dime", like "luxurious jamón Ibérico de bellota paired with a dry fino sherry, "brilliant rabbit pâté," fried artichokes with saffron aioli and "chopped maiitake mushrooms on a pool of warm Idiazabal cheese sauce topped with a farm-fresh egg." Meals are "paced expertly" thanks to well-trained servers. The dessert to order is the chocolate cremoso, a "bowl of decadent sin." [D]

Mark Vamos reviewed Shinsei: The Asian fusion fare here "may not be authentic ... but it's imaginatively and carefully prepared, and often delicious." Menu highlights include super-fresh nigiri and standout tempura including green beans and calamari; the wackier sushi rolls like the fried spicy tuna "are imaginative, if a little odd." A Thursday special of Peking duck served with steamed buns is "inauthentic but mighty good." Other entrees like braised short ribs "tilt more toward Texas than Tokyo." Service is "generally sleek and professional" with some small missteps. [DMN]

Scott Reitz tried Everest Restaurant in Irving: This BYOB "Nepalese hole in the floor" in Irving "is not the type of place you go if you want to be blown away by opulent decor." Rather, go there for the "spicy Himalayan cooking" including standouts like fried goat dumplings, rice and curry dishes called thali, "freshly baked tandoori breads," and, for the more adventurous, fried goat head. Don't miss the onion bhaji or "chile pakora that will remind you of jalapeño poppers except they're filled with potato curry." Most dishes are under $10. [Observer]

ELSEWHERE: D reviewed Chino Chinatown; The Cheap Bastard went to Fogo de Chao; City of Ate raved about the lamb brisket at Woodshed Smokehouse; Daniel Vaughn tried Petty's BBQ in Killeen; DFW.com evaluated California Pho & Grill in Arlington; Fort Worth Weekly checked out Chuyito's Texican Burger & Cantina; Confection Confessions tried the high-tech ice cream at iCream in Frisco; The Barbecue Fiend went to Longoria's in Everman and Plano's CattleAck Barbeque.

[Photo: Garrett Hall/EDFW]