There’s a new hip restaurant in Dallas called District 30 Craft Bar and Kitchen and it’s officially open and ready to delight you with their unique cuisine.  This new “gastropub” features American, Italian, and combines Tex Mex with comfort food in the most surprising ways.  There is something for everyone here – from standard fare such as burgers, crab cakes, pizza, and salads to unique and creative recipes.

My husband and I recently went for a dinner preview and we had a wonderful experience from start to finish.  The staff was friendly and welcoming and the atmosphere of the restaurant is warm and inviting with wood paneling and décor and big comfy booths.  This will be the place to go this fall to watch the big games because they have lots of TV’s throughout the restaurant.

Everything we were served was delicious and thoughtfully prepared.  For appetizers our favorites included the unique ahi tuna mini crisps that are served with wasabi spiced avocado and pickled  ginger (my husband’s favorite), tasty tempura asparagus sticks, and the stuffed Portobello mushroom caps filled with garlic, spinach, and cream cheese (my favorite).

Next up we were absolutely delighted to sample the restaurant’s incredible Chicken and Jalapeno Dumplings.  This is where Tex Mex meets comfort food at District 30.  The dish features pan roasted chicken breast with jalapeno dumplings cooked in a creamy cilantro sauce.  My husband and I agreed that this was one of our new favorite dishes and we will absolutely be going back just for this fabulous creation.

For the main course we sampled District 30’s signature dish which is the braised beef short ribs.  The short ribs are slow cooked in a red wine sauce over mashed Yukon gold potatoes with green beans.  The ribs were incredibly tender and the wine sauce is rich and to die for and the pairing with mashed potatoes is perfect.  The spring lamb lollipops are pan seared with a cashew and mini pesto crust and are interesting and favorable.  They are served with roasted fingerling potatoes and vegetables.  Also of note were the grilled mahi mahi served with a pineapple pico de gallo and the seared scallops with sautéed spinach, Portobello mushrooms with a really yummy roasted corn and vanilla bean cream sauce.

We followed up with desserts which included a great chocolate nut brownie and a different twist on bread pudding – don’t miss this dessert when you go!  It’s made with orange juice and is much denser than a lot of bread pudding.  And yes I finished the whole thing and part of my husband’s.

If craft beer is your thing they have a great selection and they also have some pretty creative cocktails with names like Ginger and Mary Ann – love it!

Here’s a little background:  District 30’s kitchen is directed by the gifted Chef Mike Smith who has worked as sous chef at The Green Room and in the kitchens of Arcodoro/Pomodoro, Restaurant 2900. and The Common Table to name a few.  He also created the healthy menu at Utopia Food and Fitness.  There’s a lot of talent in the kitchen at District 30 and you will reap the benefits when you go.

District 30 has a perfect location – right on the corner of Oak Lawn and Hall Street.  It has a great patio with a view of what’s happening in this popular area.  And did I mention that the menu is reasonably priced?  Final Conclusion?  This is a great happy hour spot which just happens to have some really wonderful food.  You can’t go wrong here and I’m betting that this place will be a hit.

If you want more information before you go here it is:

https://www.district30dallas.com/ or go to Facebook: www.facebook.com/district30dallas/