Que pan tan bello!!*



Bandeja Paisa

 The ice on the streets is melting (yes!) …..and it is going to refreeze later (dang!). This means that anything to be done outside, needs to be done during the day. That is exactly what we did. Lunch out - one of our very necessary errands - was at El Portal today.

I discovered El Portal some time ago (maybe a year?) through a Venezuelan coworker. Ironic it wasn’t through a Colombian person, wasn’t it? After knowing there was a Colombian “panadería” here in the Metroplex, I immediately made time to go and buy some bread. We were beyond happy with what I got: an assortment of roscón, pan aliñado, and almojabanas. There has been no turning back since then.



Sopa de Costilla.  Served with rice, avocado and patacon.



This place offers more than bread, however. If you are hungry, try some of the dishes they offer. What you see in the pictures are a “Bandeja Paisa”, a combination of steak, chorizo, rice, beans and an arepa. It is a very traditional Colombian dish. The other is a “Sopa de Costilla” (Rib Soup). The latter was the lunch special for just $6.99, and an excellent choice to keep warm. What are you waiting for? Come with a friend or your family and taste Colombia. We dare you not to love it!

Visit El Portal on Facebook or their website.

Their physical address is 2810 E. trinity mills #191

Carrollton, TX 75006

* This is listed as El Portal's Favorite Quote on their FB page.

Japanese Food

We had lunch at Hanaki today.    If you are looking for authentic Japanese food, this is it.  Today we had salad, miso soup, chirashi and green tea ice cream.  The price?  Drum roll….. $10.00!!  Have you had authentic, delicious sushi for that price before?  It is a very good Sunday lunch special!  We drive a number of miles to get our Japanese food, but it is definitely worth it!

In the Mood for Marshmallow Soup?



Rise No.1 Front Entrance

It is a cold, rainy day here in Texas. One of those days to wear your favorite sweater (or pj’s) and stay at home warm and cozy. Yet there is one place that made us go out and face the cold. Raise No. 1. Believe me, it is worth it.

This one-of-a-kind place is located in the middle of a busy sector of Dallas, close to SMU and a good number of other stores and restaurants. Rise No. 1 embraces the old and traditional to expose their clientele to a unique experience. Observe the linens and embroidery of their napkins. I loved them! Get drunk in the smell of the cheese and soufflés. Pick up a book to read while you wait for your food, peruse the merchandise, or just hang out in the nice sofa by the entrance. If you happen to go wash your hands before you eat…. (I know you will) check out the sink.

Now, let me tell you about the food. The soufflés are out of this world! In this winter day, the weather called for soup, however. I had this rich and savory tomato & marshmallow soup. The “marshmallows” are pieces of cheese. (Check out the picture below) Not in the mood for tomato? Try the French onion soup. It is one of the best I have tried (in and out of Big D). For dessert, we shared a fluffy pumpkin soufflé….

Are you ready to go yet?

Yum!!

Want to know more about Rise No.1? 

Visit their website at  Rise Souffle.

No car?  No problem!

Use Dallas by Rail to plan your visit.