The Critics Feast on Classic French Fare and Korean Food

Leslie Brenner reviewed Saint-Emilion: Want to "imagine you’re on vacation in a small town in southwest France" without even needing to use your passport? Head to this 30-year-old Fort Worth restaurant that's "the opposite of trendy." Classic French fare populates the menu, from housemade duck pate and escargots in puff pastry to Dover sole meunière and steak au poivre. Roast duck, "its honey-glazed skin burnished to crisp mahogany," is a standout. However, the kitchen has a tendency to run out of things, especially later on in the evening. For dessert, go for the floating island ("a puffy cloud of meringue in a puddle of spot-on crème anglaise") or the tarte tatin. [Dallas Morning News]

Tim Rogers checked out Spork: Take it from a dad: Dads really like this "tiny piece of funky Oak Cliff" dropped into an old North Dallas Sonic. He highly recommends the bulgogi fries, and topping your burger with a panko-breaded soft-boiled egg. Skip the pretzel-crusted chicken tenders and the pulled pork sandwich. And please, "be patient during peak hours," as "waiters are, in some cases, neighborhood kids who are learning their first jobs." [D Magazine]

Scott Reitz went to Seoul Garden: At this popular Korean barbecue destination in Koreatown, the critic recommends delving a little deeper to find the "most interesting and flavorful" dishes — such as the doeji bossam, cabbage leaves you stuff yourself with steamed pork belly and raw oysters. He recommends slathering everything in ssamjang, a "chunky soy-based condiment." Pro tip: "When your server arrives with scissors or tongs in hand, politely wave him off and say you'd like to cook your own meal. Employees tend to crowd the grill, resulting in meat that simmers or steams more than it sears." [Dallas Observer]

ELSEWHERE: D Magazine ate sushi at The Mercury, breakfast at Crossroads Diner, and tacos at Sugar Skull Cafe; City of Ate raved about the burger at Rapscallion; Daniel Vaughn ate great barbecue from the Not Just Q truck; The Star-Telegram checked out grilled cheese spot Tom + Chee; Fort Worth Weekly went to Chicago export Gino's East in Arlington.