Dakota’s Steakhouse is a Dallas gem

I’m sure Dakota’s Steakhouse, across from the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas at the corner of Akard and San Jacinto streets, can compete today to be considered the best place to dine in the DFW metroplex, hands down for lunch. I’ve eaten there half a dozen times in the last twelve weeks; I’ve never been disappointed. In fact, I’ve been delighted every time, and I’ve decided that venerable Dakota’s is doing a better job than many of the newer (and flashier!) Additions to the Dallas food scene.

I was first invited to Dakota’s more than twenty years ago, at a dinner for twelve in honor of a visiting diplomat from Peru. The place itself attracts attention, and indeed there is an interesting story behind Dakota’s magnificently lush underground space. Dakota’s was built in 1984 by the Lincoln Property Company, who built a sleek, modern glass tower that still stands next door. The owners wanted an exclusive restaurant at street level, but the land on which the building was built was bought from a neighboring Baptist church, and the deed contained a legally binding clause that absolutely prohibited the sale of alcohol on the grounds of the old church, in perpetuity. .

Everyone understood that a “dry” restaurant could not compete in modern Dallas. So a group of Lincoln Property Company lawyers debated the difference between the phrases “on the ground” and “underground,” and the result of that discussion was an excavation twenty feet below street level to create the restaurant. underground that we found today. Its “roof” is the rough asphalt of San Jacinto Street. An elevator looms above ground at street level, with valet parking. Dakota can also be reached through a series of air-conditioned tunnels that connect it to the Fairmont Hotel and all neighboring buildings. In the tropical heat of summer, you don’t need to wrinkle your clothes to eat there!

In the dozens of visits I made to Dakota’s, I never heard the thunder of a car or truck on top of me. That’s because Dakota’s is wrapped in a very solid material – the restaurant takes its name from the eight million pounds of mahogany-colored Dakota granite that was used to isolate this golden dining cave from the noisy outside world. It is a stone fortress.

Last time I had dinner at Dakota’s this week. The lunch menu is traditional and rich and I never get tired of it. To start, this time, I ordered the giant crab cake served with mashed sweet corn and a touch of coriander. It was absolutely free of breadcrumbs, pure slivers of delicious crab, done exactly the right way. My partner ordered a field vegetable salad served with walnuts, wonderful chunks of snow-white goat cheese, and lightly drenched in blackberry vinaigrette. I stole some dicks. Both dishes are wonderful ways to whet your appetite.

For my main course, I have ordered what I have consistently ordered during my last three visits to Dakota’s, which is the excellent six-ounce filet mignon. I asked for it to be prepared with intense, scorching heat so that the exterior would blacken and crust over while the tender interior would remain pink. The Dakota’s chef is picky about the cuts he uses – his steaks are corn-fed beef supplied by Allen Brothers. The filet mignon at Dakota’s is always perfect, crusted with black pepper. They offered me a choice of green beans, broccoli, or mashed potatoes. I always have mashed potatoes, which are creamy Yukon Gold potatoes served with Layla Farms butter and a touch of garlic. They are the best in town.

My partner had the Atlantic salmon, which was seared with a light tomato jam crust, perfectly cooked, complemented by asparagus orzo. It was a very fine cut of premium salmon briefly exposed to such intense heat that a delicious light crust formed on the surface of the fish. I confess I stole a bite. I had an espresso after my meal while my partner had coffee.

The restaurant fills up quickly around noon with a crowd of local businesses, mainly lawyers and bankers. I usually order a different table every time I visit Dakota’s, and have occasionally dined al fresco on the sunken patio, which is open to the sky above Akard Street and has a lovely little waterfall. Part of the fun of Dakota is just enjoying the decor and atmosphere.

Dakota’s was built with no expense spared and no visitor should miss visiting the restaurant while enjoying the food and service. The floor is Italian Carrera marble hand cut in a basket weave, the panels are dark tropical hardwood veneer with brass gas lamps and some attractive wooden columns that were salvaged from a last century Dallas stately home . Get up and wander around a bit while you wait for your food. Dakota’s is worth not just one visit, but many.

Dakota’s Steakhouse is located at 600 North Akard Street in downtown Dallas. It is always advisable to make a reservation, especially for dinner. Call 214-740-4001.