Gershwin’s mahi-mahi with fennel cream (Photo by Mark Davis)
Did the mention of Gershwin’s bring back a flood of memories and, perhaps, the faint taste of its famed mushroom soup? The restaurant was an icon of the neighborhood for nearly two decades at the corner of Walnut Hill Lane and Greenville Avenue. It first opened in 1985 as one of the pioneers of new American cuisine in Dallas, and it quickly became a neighborhood hotspot.
It was the often considered the “fancy place” to eat in East Dallas — where you’d go to celebrate an anniversary or graduation, perhaps, and undoubtedly end your meal with Gershwin’s signature “chocolate sack” filled with fresh berries, white chocolate mousse and whipped cream.
It shut down in early 2000, only to be re-opened again a few months later by John and Nick Natour, the team behind Enclave. The Natours kept their vow to keep it the same, but it wasn’t enough to keep the restaurant alive.
For the fans, here’s the recipe for one of Gershwin’s most popular dishes, first published in the Advocate in August, 2000.
Pecan and walnut crusted mahi-mahi with fennel cream
Serves six
Mahi-mahi
Six 8-ounce mahi filets
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons pecans, chopped
Flour the mahi, then egg wash. Bread the filet in the bread crumb/nut mixture and pan sear in olive oil. Finish in hot over (450°) for about 10 minutes.
Fennel cream
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon shallots
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup white wine
¼ cup Pernod (anise-flavored liqueur)
1 fennel bulb
2 cups shrimp stock
Combine all ingredients and cook for one hour. Process in blender and finish with ½ cup of cream. Thicken with cornstarch as necessary.
Gershwin’s served this dish with fresh vegetables and shrimp ravioli.
