Located in East Dallas at the former Backyard Beach Bar, The LOT has transformed the space into a inviting oasis filled with seating for 180 people and beautiful outdoor patios. Longtime restaurateur John McBride has teamed up with culinary consultant Sharon Hage and designer Hatsumi Kuzuu to bring you American fare that out does any other restaurant around.
“We have revived the best lot in town, a tranquil, two-acre spot designed with unique common spaces to ensure everyone feels welcome,” says managing partner John McBride, whose family started and previously owned and operated El Fenix. “The idea is to create a modern-day third place, giving our neighbors a new place to unwind and savor a meal that’s unique and extraordinary — a place they can call their own.”
The outdoor beer garden will be a the busiest patio around that includes children’s play area that has been furnished with repurposed farm equipment and an herb garden. the LOT will begin lunch services on March 25th. I was honored to have the chance to come taste test part of the menu. I tried everything from Yuca fries and Beef Tongue, and it was all beyond delicious.
We started with Guanciale Almonds. They were served hot and literally melted in your mouth. For those of you wondering, Guanciale is an unsmoked Italian bacon prepared with pig’s cheeks. It tasted just like bacon but with much softer texture.
The number one selling appetizer so far is the Yucca Fries. The Yucca Fries were among a table favorite, they went perfect with the garlic may dip served on the side.
I’m a huge fan of bison meat and an even bigger fan of boneless buffalo wings so when we were told that the next menu item we were tasting was Buffalo Style Buffalo, I was stoked. The bleu cheese added the perfect touch.
Cayenne flavored Cauliflower was a great light appetizer to snack on that wouldn’t fill you up too much before your meal. Don’t let the Cayenne pepper scare you away, the cauliflower wasn’t spicy. This appetizer, like all the others, are great to share with the table.
As many of you know, Brian Luscher from The Grape has started a “Luscher’s Post Oak Red Hots” that offers delicious hand made hot dogs. The LOT has teamed up with Luscher, and is serving Luscher’s Red Hot Minis. I highly recommend ordering them for your table.
If you’re looking for something on the lite side, how giving the Shrimp Greek Salad a try? This large salad has Gulf white shrimp, feta, gold beets, black olives, tomato, white oregano and tzatziki. It was full of flavor and very filling.
Are you hungry yet? The next item I tasted was the House Ground Cashew Butter Sandwich served with house made sweet hot pickle mix. I wasn’t too excited about this menu item until I tried it. This sandwich would be a perfect lunch or brunch dish.
This next menu item that I tasted isn’t your usual sandwich that you would find at any restaurant, but The LOT said that they have sold many more than expected. Wagyu Beef Tongue made everybody stop in their tracks and think twice before taking a bite. The tongue smelled just like roast beef and had the same texture. This sandwich was served on Rye bread with melted swiss cheese, red onion and a fried egg.
The star of the show will be The Chicken, a whole or half rotisserie chicken marinated in roasted garlic, hot peppers and fresh herbs, which will also be available to-go. The chicken fell off the bone before we even touched it. It was perfectly tender and a great option to order ahead of time and take home to the family.
Gluten-free Skillet Biscuits were served. The skillet was nice and warm so the butter melted in perfect time. Nothing is worse than cold butter, right?
The perfect ending to my meal was the Butter Pecan Sweet Skillet Cake with a scoop of Carnival Barker’s vanilla bean ice cream. You can also try the Chocolate Brownie or Cinnamon Apple Skillet Cake. You can’t go wrong with this dessert!
I stopped by during lunch time so I opted out of drinking. But their bar offers a wide selection of wines and bottled beers, plus 16 drafts rotated seasonally. House drinks include Lakewood Lemonade (Maker’s Mark, lemonade, ginger, mint), East Dallas Iced Tea (Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, Peach Schnapps, house-brewed iced tea), and White Rock Martini (Pinnacle Berry Vodka, Triple Sec, cranberry juice). For those counting the calories, fresh-pressed juices can be spiked with Tito’s Vodka, Cruzan Rum, Tanqueray Gin or Jim Beam Bourbon.
It’s safe to say that The LOT offers something for everybody whether it be food or drinks. The LOT is currently opened for dinner daily and will start their lunch services on March 25th. Be sure to stop by and check out East Dallas’ newest Restaurant and Bar. The LOT, located off the Santa Fe Trail at 7530 East Grand Avenue, will be open Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to midnight (kitchen open until 10 p.m.), and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. (kitchen open until 11 p.m.).
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