The next time you’re in the mood for a pizza, why not go for the alternative and order a quesadilla instead?
Nestled on Greenville Avenue next door to Café Brazil is Quesa D-Ya’s, a one-of-a-kind restaurant, which features everyone’s favorite Mexican treat. The restaurant, which is small by stature but huge by taste, has a two-fold menu system. There are a variety of quesadillas, created to fit whatever a customer is craving. There is a Seafood D-Ya featuring fresh tortillas filled with sautéed shrimp, crab, cream cheese, basil, spinach, zucchini, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.
A Bruschetta D-Ya, which combines fresh tortillas, grilled chicken, roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, a balsamic glaze and mozzarella cheese, fills those in search of Italian delights. The most popular item on the menu is the Smokey Mountain D-Ya, which gives customers a choice of either chicken or pulled pork, bbq sauce, rice, bacon, ham, caramelized onions and a smokey cheese blend.
I tried the Smokey Mountain and it definitely tasted amazing and leaves you wanting more. My friend had the Veggie D-Ya, which has black beans, fajita peppers and onions, corn salsa, fresh pico de gallo and a three-cheese blend. We both agreed that the Smokey Mountain was the best out of the two.
D-Ya’s customers should try any of the delicious dipping sauces, which come in four flavors. I highly recommend the Jalapeno Ranch sauce, which is sure to delight one’s palette.Costs vary depending on what size is ordered. The individual costs $7, the medium feeds 2-4 people and costs $12, and the large feeds 3-5 and costs $15.Customers also have the choice to build their own D-Ya. There is no limit on the amount of ingredients one can include, and the cost is based on size.
For those not in the mood for a D-Ya there is a large grilled burrito bowl, a field green salad and a low-carb bowl to satisfy their hunger. There are also extra’s such as queso, guacamole, desserts and drinks to go with each meal. Free chips and fire-roasted salsa are included with every order. D-Ya’s uses fresh ingredients produced by local growers in all of their tortillas.
The company also adopts the green movement by offering separate trash receptacles for trash and for recycling. Although pizza boxes are not recycled by the city of Dallas, the delivery boxes at D-Ya’s say “think green please recycle” on them.
Co-owner Paul Oltmann said the idea behind Quesa D-Ya’s is to change the way people think about quesadillas.
“Quesadilla’s are exactly the opposite of pizza. With pizza, all you get are little extras and lots of bread. With our Quesa D-Ya’s you get a great grilled sandwich with a thin piece of bread,” Oltmann said. “This is an original idea; there is nothing like it in the U.S.”
Oltmann said pizzas are all about coupons. “We try to offer something similar to coupons, which is also beneficial to the community,” he said about the donation drive benefiting children, which the restaurant continually hosts. Customers get 2 percent off their bill for each item they donate, including toys, clothing and baby food.The items collected at the restaurant are either donated to Jonathon’s Place or to the North Texas Food Bank.
Students receive 10 percent off with a valid student ID card, and customers can sign up for coupons by joining the company’s e-mail list online. The Dallas Observer recently chose Quesa D-Ya’s as the Reader’s Choice for “Best Take Out.”
There is something for everyone at Quesa D-Ya’s. I highly recommend visiting this restaurant or calling them to deliver something scrumptious the next time your hungry. There is a $12 minimum for delivery.
