by Steven Doyle photos by Rod Orta
Just last week we shared some information on how the new menu was being worked at Bailey’s Prime Plus and today we have more insight, plus news on several of the locations around DFW.
As avid readers might be aware, the Nosh team of Avner Samuels and Jon Stevens have been working with the Bailey’s group to fine tune the menu. In the past weeks they have actually revamped the offerings to the point that business has improved legions over what had been expected in the past. Last evening we stopped in for a tasting as invited guests of the management. What we found was simply nothing short of miraculous.
We are happy to report several areas of improvement for the 260 seat restaurant.
First, the food is breath-taking under the guidance of the watch of Stevens and the new executive chef Ryan Carbery. Let’s pause a moment and mention that Carbery is a fourth generation chef that has been chomping at the bit to show his capabilities. In the past months he has worked at RedFork as exec, but that spot had owner issues that caused its demise after a short time. Having worked with Stevens in the past, Carbery jumped to Nosh on Oak Lawn where he was eventually picked up as the exec at Bailey’s in a brilliant strategic move.
Seared Diver Scallops Creamed Sweet Corn, Spinach & Black Truffle Vinaigrette
Carbery’s execution of the menu is spot on fantastic and I considered this one of my favorite meals in recent history. We were offered a chef’s tasting menu, which he will happily do for anyone willing to sit through the many courses. The beef courses were of course excellent, as expected. All cuts are now actually prime, which was not necessarily the case in the past. There are also many imaginative dishes and appetizers being offered that spark. One such dish are the Seared Diver Scallops, Creamed Sweet Corn, Spinach & Black Truffle Vinaigrette. The scallop was cooked and seasoned to perfection, but the accompanying creamed corn, which is a huge play on the typical steakhouse fare, was charred and packed with creamy flavor. The black truffle shavings rose from the plate to greet us with aplomb.
Ryan Carbery
On the appetizer side of the menu the Beef Carpaccio Shaved Pecorino, Arugula, Dijon-Crème Fraiche was light yet lush. Unlike any such dish we have experienced. But the star of the evening was the Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras on a Huckleberry “Bruschetta” & Fennel Syrup. Carbery actually offered this as our final course, and that made total sense. The not-overly-sweet huckleberry and fennel syrup was the perfect sweet ending and paired insanely well with a 2008 Honig Sauvignon Blanc Late Harvest.
General manager Ken Kuczwaj does a wonderful job working guests through the enviable wine list, and offers up some special wines not normally available — or even some fairly pricey wines that he has sought out through his contacts and purchased at an great value.
One such wine was the 2007 Conn Valley “Eloge” blend from Napa. As chance would have it the Chairman of Conn Valley and Dallasite Scott Walker was dining in the restaurant and stopped by the table to share some of his thoughts on the wine. He loved it of course, but offered the fact that the wine we were enjoying was specially barrel aged and reserves this for particular clients and himself.
Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras Huckleberry “Bruschetta” & Fennel Syrup
The service was quite remarkable and our server, Guy, swept through the menu with perfect agility with his boyish charm that left our table sitting easy.
In speaking with Kuczwaj, he shared the fact that the other locations of Bailey’s would be receiving a not-so-similar makeover. The steakhouse’s menus would be revamped to compliment the neighborhoods in which they reside. For example, Cedar Hill will have a low country slant to the menu with a focus on entertainment. A new band stage has been erected and you will be able to enjoy a fantastic jazz band while you dine, giving the restaurant more of a supper club feel.
Ken Kuczwaj
The menu in Fairview will be toned down to reflect the cottage sensibilities with lower prices and offerings outside prime cuts to interest families in that area.
Kuczwaj promised sweeping changes and with his strong restaurant management background it appears that Bailey’s Prime Plus has been resurrected.
Menu may work,but service lacking.
Table next to mine ordered two bottles of wine and we became invisible. 10 min wait for check with dirty finished dishes while our waiter and manager served wine at next table and generally kissed em up.
Won’t be returning.
Avners menu will not save this albatross.