With Family Weekend upon us, parents coming to visit might raise an important question, especially for new students. Where do you take your parents to eat?
We have a few options for you, depending on your mood, as far as showing your parents around Dallas and sampling all the good food it has to offer. We will outline, depending on the type of food, some of our favorites, and give you some options for this weekend.
Our first recommendation is Reikyu, located on the second level of Mockingbird Station. Not only is it just across the expressway from campus, it is an excellent sushi restaurant and bar. It has a trendy, dark and cozy atmosphere with a great selection of wine and sushi rolls. Our personal favorite is the Nine roll.
Overall, Mockingbird Station is a great place to plan a whole night. It has shopping, great food and the Angelika theater for catching a movie after dinner.
If you are willing to go a little further and show your parents other parts of Dallas, Mattito’s is a great choice. Its Tex-Mex is second to none, leaving you satisfied and full. We recommend the Bob Armstrong dip (even though it is not on the menu) to start and the fajitas or the tortilla soup for the main course. For parents who like to enjoy a beverage or two, the Rumba Rita is a sure fit. Get a pitcher for the whole table and enjoy the refreshing blue drinks.
For an elegant dining experience, try our favorite, La Duni. It has a classy ambience with wonderful entrees and award-winning desserts. There is also an outdoor covered patio to experience if it is a pretty night and a valet service so you don’t have to worry about parking.
If you are looking for a great place to get a steak, we are in Texas, so that won’t be difficult. Kirby’s Steakhouse on Greenville Avenue is one of the best options. Kirby’s has an elegant yet casual atmosphere, and its excellent service and prime steaks are ranked among Dallas’ best. You can choose to dine in a unique atmosphere that combines elegance with the feel of a friendly Texas steakhouse, or by a fire-pit while dining on an outdoor patio.
Some of you may just want a relaxed spot to take your family and enjoy each other’s company. There are two restaurants that are fun, inexpensive, always offer a great ambiance and most importantly, great food.
The first is Celebration. Many of you may not have heard of it, but Celebration provides a home-cooked family meal away from home. The restaurant started in an old, brick house and has expanded into two other houses and includes an outdoor patio with a waterfall and a fireplace.
Celebration has family-style serving, meaning you can go back for seconds. You can pick something else from the menu of equal or lesser value if you finish your first entree or do not care for it. They bring out as many steamed vegetables and as much homemade bread that you can eat. The food is terrific and is served in a very fun and inviting atmosphere.
The second relaxed spot, Campania’s Italian restaurant, is for those who really want to keep it simple but still have a great time. This is one of our favorite places and has a certain attribute that makes it different than all the places we have listed above: You can bring your own alcohol.
Campania’s serves pizzas that are to die for and amazing Italian dishes. They have a great, relaxing outdoor patio where you can enjoy whatever wine or beer you’ve chosen to bring (they will bring you wine glasses and an opener). It is located in the ritzy and fun Uptown area, which allows you to show your parents a different side of Dallas.
These are just a few suggestions of where to take your parents out for dinner while they’re in town. We’re sure it will be a great Family Weekend, and hope the food will be as good as the company.
