Sneak Peek at Decanter

Chef Tony Gardizi promises that even if it’s two minutes before midnight on Halloween, Decanter will open it’s doors in the Bishop Arts District in the month of October – although he’s hoping it will be even earlier. Filling the spot that became vacant when Cafe Madrid closed it’s doors (408 North Bishop, Suite 108), Decanter is billing itself as a restaurant and wine lounge.

In the hopes of getting a sense of the type of food we have to look forward to, I stopped Gardizi’s other restaurant,  Capriccio, for dinner last week. After enjoying a beautiful 4 course meal, I’m comfortable saying that Decanter will be a great addition to the Bishop Arts District and to the Dallas restaurant scene in general.

Pan seared Ahi tuna.

The first course was a beautifully pink pan seared Ahi tuna with a peach and apricot salsa and a light orange glaze. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more perfectly seared piece of tuna in Dallas, and the flavor was excellent.

This was followed by a wild berry and herb salad with pickled pistachios and a rose water vinaigrette. The rose water was an unexpected flavor but seemed to nicely compliment the berries and greens. The main course was a pepper dusted pork tenderloin served with a cherry chutney and long grain rice, and I concluded the meal with a mango and chocolate mousse.

Pork tenderloin with cherry chutney.

Gardizi likes fruit and integrated it creatively throughout the meal. It’s this sort of attention to detail and interesting combinations that should make Decanter a popular foodie destination. But it’s not just about the food. Gardizi has been hard at work on developing a wine program for Decanter that should be the broadest in North Oak Cliff.

Don’t expect to see your favorite big brand names on the list, however. They have assembled a menu of over 100 wines from around the world, many coming from smaller production vineyards that offer a great value with high quality. You can expect to get friendly with the Decanter wine director, JP, who hopes to build a one-on-one relationship with diners to “connect good people with great wine”.

The Decanter website offers an opportunity for those interested to sign up for an announcement on the ‘Grand Opening Party’. We’ll be sure to pass along the details once we’ve learned more.