Good food for a bad day

December 10, 2013January 19, 2016 ~ Sarah ~ Leave a comment

I did not have a good day.

My initial reaction, however potentially psychiatrically unsound, is usually to hermit in my own emotional cave all night long, but I decided I could poke my head out for a minute to tell you about a few of my favorite things. Just for you. Feel special.

To stock up for my evening watching Netflix in bed, I stopped by two of my favorite Lower Greenville establishments: Sevan G&G Cafe and Company Cafe.

If you live in Dallas, you must go to Sevan. The most precious Armenian couple own it, and even though I’ve never gotten their names (and now we’re far past the socially acceptable number of encounters to ask due to my Mediterranean food addiction), we’ve reached the point where the quiet husband and wife will actually both come out front and chat whenever I pick up my to go order. The Kafta Kabobs are heavenly.

Of course, it’s not a pity party without dessert, so I had to stop by Company Cafe to buy whatever gluten free baked good they had available. I ended up going home with a chocolate chip cookie bigger than my hand, so I’d say the additional minutes in the post-icepocalypse Dallas temps were well worth it. …Is it strange that my phone autocorrected to accurately spell “icepocalypse”?

The down side of coming home so hungry (always) and eating so fast (standard) – I now feel like a balloon someone filled with cooked oatmeal.

But…I have Shiner Cheer, White Collar Season 4 on Netflix, a fiancé who listens sympathetically to my unintelligible, tearful call and a double date with my space heater and bed. So I’d say things are looking up.

Making the Most of a Rainy Day

February 10, 2013January 2, 2017 ~ Sarah ~ 1 Comment

weekend outfit company cafe gluten free french toast sticks company cafe greenville dallas project rebrief

Can we all just agree that today was the shortest Saturday ever? I can’t believe the day’s nearly over. It’s been grey and misty in Dallas today, the kind of day where you just have no choice but to pull up the covers and and sleep in. Of course, one of the side affects of turning into an adult is now “sleeping in” only gets to me to about 9:30 a.m. tops.

I fought off a near-debilitating combination of laziness and boredom to find some comfy clothes and brave the Texas ‘cold’ for a working brunch. Now cozied back up in my apartment, I may be making a trip downstairs soon for some prosecco to keep me company for a night in with Project Re:Brief, a documentary pictured above about how a couple advertising professionals revisited their most iconic ads from the sixties to create engaging digital campaigns for today’s world. I might even go really crazy and throw in some Netflix. Look out, Dallas…

Today also solidified my previous suspicions that Company Cafe is my favorite brunch restaurant in Dallas. At some point I’ll have to branch out and try out the rest of the menu, but so far their pancakes, brisket tacos, breakfast tacos, gravy and as of today, french toast sticks are all amazing. And it’s all natural and gluten-free! Not just gluten-free, but great tasting and gluten-free, which is easier said than done. My post allergy-diagnosed diet is having me live wheat-less for a little while, so this is particularly good news for my carb-starved soul. Don’t worry, I’m no food critic and I know it, so you don’t have to fear some elaborate, overly descriptive story a la Yelp-style is going to ensue. Just know it’s amazing, and you should go. Plus, you’re supporting local farms and food suppliers, many dedicated to great social causes like Impact Foods, a gluten-free granola company that donates food packs to children for every bad of granola sold. Food that tastes good, makes you feel good and does good…how can you say no to that? (Plus, all their servers at both locations have always been nice, helpful and down to earth. Okay, okay…I’ll try to stop raving now.)

P.S. Lucia was amazing. I’ve fully bought into the hard-to-grab reservation process and high price tag after last night’s meal. Go there, too.

Brunching Dallas

December 6, 2012April 10, 2017 ~ Sarah ~ 2 Comments

I first heard the term “brunching” in New York City.

Lydia and I were ‘warned’ (as if late breakfast could ever be a bad thing) before a visit to New York last April that brunching was truly epic in the city. Something about turning the word into a verb (already a fond pastime of mine) made the idea of brunch extra charming, and I was definitely intrigued by what could make a meal so “epic.” Long story short, we discovered said epic-ness in our own way and have pretty much been hooked ever since. Our ongoing addiction to prosecco only predisposed us to this obsession.

So when it became clear that Dallas was going to be my city for awhile, I set out on a mission to become an avid bruncher…well, as avid as one can be on a tight (read: negative) budget.

I’m proud to say I have made this dream a pretty regular reality. It’s been like living in a whole new city as I get to know different parts of Dallas with each restaurant. I’m a sucker for sugar, carbs, a good soy latte and affordable mimosas, but my favorite part of brunching is the company. Let’s face it, brunching by yourself is really just eating and drinking breakfast a little later than usual. Getting to spend quality time with both my longtime and new favorite people has gone a long way in helping me find my Tiffany’s.

Here’s some of the Dallas brunch spots I’ve hit so far:

Bloody Mary’s and Mom on the Vickery Park patio (with apple and pear french toast)

Vickery Park Brunch

Company Cafe at Katy Trail (The ultimate A+ menu for both my gluten-free friend and full-carb-eating self after morning yoga at Klyde Warren Park)

Company Cafe

Oddfellows with an old friend – a beautiful 78-degree December day exploring Bishop Arts…Some pancakes, breakfast tacos, gouda grits, lattes and mimosas later.

Oddfellows