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With an endless amount of steakhouses in and around Dallas, one genre that hasn’t been tapped is a bar with a meat centered menu. In short, a watering hole where a guest can enjoy a Notary (similar to an Old Fashion) while hanging out at a meat counter. This constitutes for personal jubilation.
At The Blind Butcher, Goodfriend owners Matt Tobin and
Josh Yingling, kept the interior simple, yet classic. It has the welcomed appearance of a prohibition era saloon,
but also offers neighborhood warmth fitting for Greenville Avenue.
Upon entering, you'll notice all furnishings are painted black,
and there isn’t much light beside the soft glow from wall lamps and flatscreen
TVs. Taking a seat on a barstool will guarantee a bartender's introduction with a handshake
and you may catch yourself people watching via the bar’s giant mirror. I imagine a small room full of cigar smoking, fedora wearing gamblers tucked
in the rear but in reality, a spacious patio with another bar.
Big Meat board (photo by Greg Cella)
After several visits since February, I’ve been impressed each time with both new items and the consistency of previous items ordered. The front of the menu is divided by snacks (appetizers rather), boards for sharing, and hand cranked sausages. Aside from the cocktail and beer menu, I find this to be all one needs to enjoy their inaugural experience here. Actually the only two items we ordered from the back of the menu was Pork Belly Poutine and Duck Fat Fries.
The Pig Ears, served with a side of orange aioli, are fried with an unassuming chewiness due to a thin piece of cartilage within. During our last visit, an agreement among the table was an improvement on the already great tasting snack. The house-cured Pastrami eggrolls were also still a favorite.
Ordered on the second visit was the Big Meat Board. This is your man’s man dish. Having enough meat to feed four, the protein is a selection of daily specials. What stood out on this evening were the bison short rib and stuffed chicken.
When it came time to sample the sausage, you cannot simply deny an opportunity to devour Duck Foie Gras sausage with chutney. For a less pretentious sounding choice, the bacon bratwurst with sauerkraut was also carefully selected.
Tangent: Bacon is the cornerstone of the American way of life by celebration of gluttony. The only way to disrespect bacon is to fry it. Sure, throw rocks at me. Then go make your own bacon and ovenize it. After this, you will never ever purchase Kroger bacon again or fry it. If you do, be prepared for my rock hurling.
Poutine's popularity in Canada is equivalent to Hawaii's obsession with Spam. Because of it's recent arrival on local dining tables, the Blind Butcher has three styles to choose from. While sparse of meat and not quite as tender, the Pork Belly Poutine was unique in the flavor delivery. In addition to the belly, layered on a pile of fries was a smoky gravy and cheese curds.
Blind Butcher wall menu (photo by Greg Cella)
I found this to be a choice go-to dish after a few late night beers from their sexy menu of libations. The Chips and Beer cheese were also lightly decorated with duck pastrami and beer goat cheese, on what seemed to be generic potato chips.
Chef Oliver Sitrin has quietly carved a spot in the upper echelon of local meat purveyors with his unique menu and specialty sausages. The Blind Butcher is a must for meat aficionados to engage their digestive system. But most important is that you can shop for hand cranked sausage – while sipping a Notary.
