Our Favorite New Dallas Restaurants Right Now — What To Order at Scilla, Walkers’, and Palladino’s

From Duro Hospitality, this new coastal Italian restaurant in the Park Cities is a must-visit. Last month, we got a first taste of the concept and did a full review of the design and menu here. But if you just wanna know what the hits were, here is our rundown of What To Order at Scilla:

• Gnoccho Fritto with prosciutto and tomato jam
• Red Pepper Crostini
• Bluefin Toro Crudo topped with a tomato tartare, yuzu vinaigrette, and oregano
• Sweet Corn Cappelletti with caviar and Meyer lemon
• Smoked Duck Pizza (a Must-Order!) — the peach and red pepper jam atop fontina cheese is addictive
• Grass-fed Wagyu Ribeye
• Sicilian Lemon Cheesecake

This new neighborhood restaurant, wine bar, and market was recently opened by local siblings Rosemary Greene (a sommelier) and Russell Walker. Walkers’ took over the former St. Martin’s Wine Bistro space on Greenville Avenue, transforming it into a chic new destination for a glass of wine or cocktail, full-service dinner, or quick lunch. Led by Chef Aldon Reyes (formerly at Georgie and Le PasSage), the kitchen offers sandwiches for lunch and an edited menu of seasonal dishes for dinner. We recently visited the new spot for the latter. Several menu items have changed since we visited, but these are the remaining staples that we loved.

What To Order:

• Hiramasa with tomato and basil
• Beef Tartare with cherries and celery
• Beets with gold raisins and labneh
• Peach with stracciatella and country ham
• Texas Squash with salsa macha and cotija
• Walkers’ Burger (the favorite) with gorgonzola and caramelized onions

On a recent Sunday evening, my colleague Melissa Smrekar met two friends for an earlybird (5:30 pm, cough) dinner at Walkers’, where she tried — and raved about — several new additions to the menu. Her standouts? The ramano beans, nestled in a creamy pool of refreshing tahini, the hearty cavatelli with eggplant and manchego, and the bright and fresh halibut. Her group finished their girl dinner with Walkers’ giant wedge of chocolate cake, punctuated with crispy flakes of sea salt.

Nick & Sam’s co-founder Joseph Palladino debuted his new modern steakhouse in Dallas’ Preston Hollow this summer. The former NYPD police officer now calls Dallas home, but he opened his first namesake restaurant at Grand Central Terminal in New York City last fall. Led by Executive Chef Sam Hazen (formerly at Michelin-starred Veritas in NYC) and Chef de Cuisine Henry Johnson (Evelyn), the restaurant boasts a menu of prime cuts, seafood, Italian-inspired dishes, sushi, and tableside experiences. The design, executed by Rockwell Group, is also stunning.

What To Order:

• Start with the Salmon Belly Roll. Recommended by our waiter, it was our favorite bite of the evening. It’s crispy salmon belly with cucumber, avocado, and a chili crisp.
• We also had to try Chef Sam’s Meatball. It was tender and delicious, with smoked ricotta, and served with garlic anchovy bread.
• For entrees, the Disco Chicken and Miso-Glazed Chilean Bass caught our attention, so we ordered both. Solid choices, but the standout main had to be the prime filet mignon — cooked perfectly at medium rare and served with three sauces: au poivre, steak sauce, and carrot chimichurri.
• Sides are another highlight at Palladino’s. Both the mac and cheese (made with casarecce pasta) and sweet potato topped with maple sugar were delicious.
• The dessert menu has seven mouthwatering choices, making it tough to narrow down. We were so glad we chose the Cinnamon Bun Stack with Botolino‘s white coffee gelato and a cream cheese glaze, as well as the Honey Butter Cornbread with warm blueberry compote.