I suppose the original idea of dining out came from the desire to have someone else prepare a familiar meal and all that goes with it. You know, the cooking, the presentation and, of course, the clean-up.
Now the idea has expanded to dining on something that you can’t cook at home, such as Thai or Russian food.
“Down-home” food is something many of us can’t get at home anymore, but several East Dallas restaurants are filling the void. Some, such as the Lakewood Café, specialize in favorites like biscuits and gravy, while others, such as Natchez and Ruby’s Café, offer the basic idea of home cooking with a nouvelle flair.
Natchez, a relative newcomer to the neighborhood, replaced Bohemia at 2810 N. Henderson (821-4552). The restaurant has been remodeled to appear representative of an old Southern dining room. It is an intimate dozen-table room, light and airy.
The menu is small but complete, and the food is terrific. The salad list begins with shrimp remoulade, and includes Natchez, spinach and house salads. All are made fresh daily and are meals in themselves. Salads range from $3-$6, while soups (tasty and fresh daily) are priced from $1.75-$2.75.
Entrees, which are served with soup or salad, include salmon, filet mignon, catfish, chef’s pasta, grilled chicken, New York strip and sautéed scallops. A fresh fish usually is among the specials. Entrees also are served with grilled vegetables and freshly baked bread and are priced from $7.95-$10.95.
Natchez’ wine list is unusual and moderately priced, while the desserts are just like Grandma used to make.
Ruby’s Café, which makes its home in the former Gus restaurant at 1916 Greenville (826-4910), is small and intimate, complete with plants and red-and-white-checked tablecloths.
Ruby’s Café offers weekend brunch, and lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Brunch includes items such as Welsh eggs, a mixture of shrimp, crab and scallops in a cheddar-cheese sauce. Also offered are Ruby’s breakfast tacos, carne adovado and egg burrito, and even a breakfast special. The breakfast and brunch foods have some ethnic background; prices range from $4.75-$7.75.
Lunches include black bean soups and cooling Vietnamese chicken salad, as well as standard lunch fare. At dinner, you’ll find such down-home items as chicken and dumplings with dill or Ruby’s chicken-fried steak.
On the nouvelle end is grilled lumberjack lamb or the chimayo combination plate. Prices range from $7.95-$15.95.
The Lakewood Café, 2111 Abrams (823-0313), has just the right touch for that good, home-cooking atmosphere. Waitresses are friendly, and you can sit anywhere.
The menu includes diner favorites such as bacon-egg-and-biscuit breakfasts, hamburgers, French fries and chicken-fried steaks. The prices are about what you’d expect from a real neighborhood diner – inexpensive.
At the Lakewood Café, you’ll feel like you’ve pulled up a chair at Ma’s table, any time of the day or night.
