Cool River Café, Irving, USA

1045 Hidden Ridge
Irving, Texas 75038
Tel. 972-871-8881
http://www.coolrivercafe.com

While I’ve been to Dallas and Irving, TX quite a few times on business, I hardly ever had the time to scout for good restaurants. For those of you who visit vibrant Irving on similar business trips, I thought I’d add this restaurant, as it has been my best experience in terms of food quality in the area so far – and it is definitely better than the average steakhouse or Chinese restaurant you are lured into because it is soooo conveniently located just next to your hotel.

As most restaurants in the Dallas area, the Cool River Café is situated in a standalone building next to a highway. The restaurant itself is huge, with room for probably about 300 people in various rooms. The cuisine is “American”, which in this case means a blend of Italian (Beef tenderloin bruschetta, tomato and mozzarella salad, shrimp pasta with sweet peppers and spinach, Calamari, Veal Scalloppine), “Asian” (Ahi Tuna, Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna) and Steakhouse (Delta Blues Barbeque ribs, NY Strip, Rib eye etc.). On my first visit I went for the shrimp pasta (USD 21), and was positively surprised: The pasta was nicely al dente, the sauce was well balanced and the combination of sweet pepper, red onion and spinach in a shrimp pasta was at least new to me. The service was almost prompt, the ambiance not too much that of a train station main hall, and the location is definitely convenient to reach. When I visited the place it was crowded, so it might be advisable to reserve in advance.

Visited: November 2007

Panevino, San Diego, USA

722 Fifth Avenue
Phone 619-595-7959

Located in the somewhat crowded “Gaslamp Quarter” of San Diego ("this is where the singles and tourists go out"), Panevino offers a variety of Italian, Osteria-style dishes, mostly from Tuscany.

The menu features classics such as lasagna bolognese and even bistecca fiorentina, as well as dishes with a more modern twist, for example their Fettucine Michelangelo (fettucine with artichokes, prosciutto and Shitake mushrooms). In addition to a quite extensive menu, Panevino features an impressive wine list, including 13 different champagnes, 14 Chardonnays from the US, and a number of great Italian wines (Sassicaias, Solaias, Gajas). The fettucine - a giant 1/2 order for USD 10- were excellent, and the Shitake added a nice exotic touch to it. The second dish I tasted were Strozzapreti with fava beans, dried tomatoes, chopped fillet mignon and goat cheese, in a veal reduction (USD 21). Pasta with slices of beef has often the tendency to be less full-bodied in taste. This was also the case with the strozzapreti, even though the veal reduction was great. My colleague Ming was happy with his Seabass (USD 31, the biggest we had seen so far), and after the giant portions we were ready to head for the San Diego nightlife.

The service was authentic Italian, friendly and only once forgot to bring us additional water. Altogether, Panevino is a slightly pricy but nevertheless nice Italian experience.

Visited: August 2007