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LEGEND IN ITS OWN TIME:
Though Arthur's has only occupied
its current location since 2001,
the restaurant proudly bills itself as
"A Dallas legend since 1948."
That's when founder Arthur Bates
opened his fine-dining establishment
on McKinney Avenue. In the ensuing
55 years, the restaurant has weathered
a couple of moves and a few ownership
changes. (Mohsen Heidari, brother of
Old Warsaw owner Al Heidari,
has owned it since 1988.) The current
incarnation retains its Continental style.
LET THERE BE LIGHT:
The setting is rich and sophisticated
with a few exceptions.
Rich, dark woods and a gargantuan crystal chandelier strike an
ornate tone not carried through in the large wall of
aquariums that separates the main
dining room from the bar and dance floor.
Nightly live music makes the bar
area a draw, but the tunes – a medley
of everything from Cher to Elton John
to Santana covers on our visit – didn't
match the gracious mood in the dining
room. Nor did our logo-adorned
wineglass, a needlessly tacky touch.
And while the dimly lit room may be
suitably romantic, it also makes for
uncomfortable menu reading. We would
have appreciated an extra watt or two.
REVISIT THE CLASSICS:
Arthur's menu, now under the
direction of executive chef
Michael Ewald Scholz,
leans heavily toward timeless Continental cuisine, with offerings
such as steak tartare ($11), shrimp cocktail ($11) and veal Oscar
($22).
A starter of seared Hudson Valley
foie gras ($15) was perfectly cooked. The sinfully creamy duck
liver
melted on the tongue and was accompanied by a luscious, chunky
mushroom ragout.
CHAMPAGNE WISHES,
SASHIMI DREAMS:
A bowl of champagne brie soup ($6)
was smooth and lush, the richness
of the cheese nicely tempered by the
wine-infused base. Tuna sashimi ($9)
was beautifully presented, but the rosy
slices held a slightly fishy taste
and the accompanying dipping sauce was overpowering.
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PRIME NUMBERS:
Arthur's steaks are USDA prime
and range from an 8-ounce filet mignon ($22) to a 16-ounce
rib eye ($22) or New York strip ($26). One decadent beef option
is the tournedos Rossini ($26),
a petite fillet served with foie gras
and black truffles.
FISH, FOWL & MORE:
A mixed grill entree ($25) included
venison, lamb chops and quail,
served with whipped potatoes and
asparagus. The lamb was tender and the venison pleasantly gamey,
but smoky grilled quail was the standout. The potatoes were
a downer,
though: stiff and bland.
Pink peppercorn-crusted sea bass ($22) was built around a fine
piece of fish, but the bold
peppercorns crushed the delicate flavor of the seafood. Tiny,
tasty asparagus spears and more stiff
potatoes rounded out the dish.
JUST DESSERTS:
Soufflés ($7) are the house specialty,
available with Godiva chocolate or
Grand Marnier. Ours was dense and eggy, but our waiter overburdened
it with melted chocolate to the point where the soufflé
became little more than a Godiva-soaked sponge.
SERVICE SNAFUS:
Service started out top-notch, but glitches soon became
apparent.
After we asked for a few more minutes to decide on an
appropriate wine, our waiter disappeared and didn't return for
our bar order until two courses
later, when our entrees appeared. Perhaps he was spread too
thin
that evening; he was noticeably
scarce throughout our meal, though busboys did an admirable
job of delivering and removing our dishes.
And when we received our bill, we had been double-charged
for one appetizer. That was quickly
remedied when we brought it to our server's attention.
Arthur's is still a worthy dining destination,
but its legendary status could use some polishing.
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