The #1 Restaurant in Dallas?

A week or so ago, our dear friend J's brother B was in town.  We'd heard about each other for years but never met due to time and travel constraints.  On a recent cross country road trip he stayed with his elder sister in her exquisitely appointed, suburban manse and requested a night out with us. Not sure why, perhaps he'd heard we were charming and witty or possessed  unusual lingual skills like ventriloquism or the ability to talk like a pirate in fluent French. I don't really know but when we are summoned to dinner by Lady J, we do as we are told.

It was a Monday night, so our Go To option for out-of-towner, first time dinner meet-ups, DISH, was a non-starter since they are closed on Mondays. I'd remembered reading, somewhat surprised, that D Magazine had rated NHS Bar & Grill (aka Neighborhood Services) #1 out 100 restaurants in Dallas. Really?  Better than FT-33?  Better than Lucia?  Or even though it's not my personal favorite, the ultra-glam Fearing's?

We'd been to its short-lived sibling, Neighborhood Services Tavern on Henderson during the few months it was open and thought it was okay but we never went back so I guess we kind of voted with our feet. We'd not been to NHS and guessed it must be 1000% better to have ranked so highly in our city's most successful lifestyle magazine, if success is measured by the volume of ads for plastic surgeons, designer footwear and suited-up realtors standing in front of tract mansions.  I congratulated myself on thinking this the perfect opportunity to show brother B a good time at the best place in town.

Most of the food critics in town have this thing for the owner and chef of NHS, Nick Badovinus.  No clue why except that he looks like a blond rock star, has a funny sense of humor, opens wildly successful restaurants and his teeth sparkle like he's starring in a Dentyne commercial. I've never met Chef Nick but I'd like to because I think I'd like him based on articles and interviews I've read. Therefore, I hope he doesn't read this because I am about to go all Emperor's New Clothes on him. NHS is certainly not the #1 restaurant in Dallas.  It's not even #10.  If I had to hazard a guess I'd put it somewhere in the mid-30's with a slightly receding hairline and the beginnings of a paunch.

Don't get me wrong, it is not bad.  Service is brisk and efficient, not overly warm, but pleasant enough. The interior is small and cozy. The menu is written in a humorous, self-mocking way that I really liked. The food was good, although I had to go to the website and pull up the menu to try to remember what we ate and I still can't.  Sorry, Charlie, but I can still remember every layered flavor of the garlicky hummus and house-made ricotta at Cafe 43 several months ago, and the exquisite juniper roasted lamb loin I had at the French Room in 2006 but I can't even  recall what I ordered at NHS one week later.

Every critic, reviewer, blogger and self-described foodie is entitled to their opinion, and on a rainy Monday night, NHS was jam-packed.  It looked like a super busy Saturday night in most Dallas restaurants. So maybe the four of us were entirely clued-out, but we just didn't get how this little workaday, neighborhood friendly, pretty good restaurant could outrank all the other hot spots in town.  It doesn't push the culinary envelope like the food forward revolution going down in the Design District nor is it all dolled up in marble and crystal and other shiny objects we attractive urban swells of Dallas appreciate so much.  It's in a strip mall in an upscale neighborhood.  It's not super expensive.  And it's owned by a charismatic chef who apparently knows how to shop for new clothes befitting an emperor.