by David Donalson
photos by Jackee Donalson
Yesterday was a special opportunity for me. I was able to enjoy a dinner prepared by Sharon Hage. This may not be a big deal to some people but it should be. She is one of the best chefs in Dallas and now that York Street is gone, the chances to eat her cooking are far too rare. Here is what she served, prepare for food porn:
Starter
Chopped Chicken Liver and Devilled Goose Egg with toast
Course 1
Gumbo Z’Herbes
Green Gumbo with Sweet Corn, Local Mustards and Micros
Course 2
Jack Stallings Black Bass
Two Asparagus Vinaigrette with Arborio Rice
Course 3
Pepper Seared Bonsmara Ribeye
Marrow-Melted Leeks, Roasted Baby Carrots and Kalmut Pilaf
Course 4
Small Sweet Bites
Chocolate truffle, Chocolate Pistachio Bark, Peanut Butter cookie, Pecorino with Honey
Chopped Chicken Liver and Devilled Goose Egg with toast
We started with that chopped chicken liver spread across a toasted disc of walnut cranberry wheat bread. It was the essence of umami; fatty, earthy, rich with a slightly grainy texture that was perfectly accented by the nutty and tart bread. I was also told if you mixed it with the devilled goose egg mixture, it was simply divine but I could not stop eating the liver. Our table actually was presented a second starter plate that disappeared as quickly as the first.
“This is Sharon.” – The Brad.
Next we had a green gumbo with local greens. The gumbo had a rich base but the star of the show was the mixed greens on top. When the dish was presented to the table, the greens were fresh and crisp but as they sat in the warm gumbo, they slowly wilted down. That progression from fresh to wilted made every bite of the gumbo unique and enjoyable.
Green Gumbo with Sweet Corn, Local Mustards and Micros
Hands down the best course of the night was the black bass. It was sitting in a pool of pureed Arborio rice next to segments of both white and green asparagus. There was mint, lemon and chives mixed in, giving the dish too many adjectives to describe how good it was. The Brad put it perfectly when he said “Fact: that was f-ing amazing!” The sauce was so good, the whole table was slurping it out of the bowl and I saw a few other tables searching for bread to soak it up. Fantastic!
Jack Stallings Black Bass
The last savory course was a beautiful piece of beef, paired with marrow-melted leeks with very al dente Kalmut pilaf. The pilaf was fairly hard and chewy, more al dente than I am used to but after a few bites, I could understand what Chef Hage was trying to do texturally. The leeks were amazingly rich and tender, almost like butter over the ribeye.
Pepper Seared Bonsmara Ribeye
For dessert, we were each given a gooey dark chocolate truffle, chocolate pistachio bark, peanut butter cookies and pecorino laced with honey. All were absolutely delicious and it was hard finding a favorite for the table. The consensus was that the cookies were ethereal, leaving us craving milk and the chocolate bark (my favorite) was perfect with the Grenache we brought.
I wanted to thank Mitch from Urbano Cafe for allowing us get as close to the late York Street as is even possible now. If you have not tried Urbano, Ke’o is doing some great food there as well, plus it is BYOB. This is a hidden gem sandwiched between Jimmy’s Food Store and Spiceman’s 1401. Well worth the visit.
We had a great time – The bass was so surreal! Thank you for the writeup to let me relive my wonderful meal –
Matt