Home, home on the range...

I had to go 560 feet in the air to learn that sometimes, the best food is right in your own backyard. The Ranch at Las Colinas was our second Restaurant Week menu selection; and with it’s western atmosphere and Texas hospitality, it blew Five Sixty out of the water. The Ranch is known for its unbelievably fresh food and inventive interpretation of classic southern fare. I began my meal with a “Texas Tea”, which was similar to a long island iced tea.... but with a significantly larger amount of tequilla. Despite the ambiance, the wine list offered a large selection from all over the world, with bottles costing up to $500.

The first course offered a choice of either fried oysters, chicken and waffles accompanied by whipped sweet potatoes or Gulf shrimp with “jacked” grits. I selected the fried oysters because I rarely have the opportunity to eat them and I dislike waffles. Justin opted for the shrimp and grits, (there is nothing he loves more than cheesy grits), to give me a bite of the grits he had to break the long string of cheese that just kept stretching! I don’t think I have seen that much cheese in grits before, it was so full of flavor and creamy, I almost wish I had ordered the same. The fried oysters were crispy and flavorful,with breading that held together in thick dipping sauce. For the main course we both ordered the garlic stuffed beef filet with creamed corn on the side. After the horrific ordeal the night before, I felt anxious about ordering steak so I made sure to specify “medium”. When the juicy steak arrived, it looked so appealing and not rare, I was excited to dive right in! The chef prepared the filet perfectly; inside, roasted garlic heightened the dish to a new level. In a cast iron dish came the creamy, creamy creamed corn that I could not get enough of; I would not let the waiter take my plate away until I scraped it clean. (It was almost embarrassing)
 
For the final course we had the choice of toffee cake or pecan pie with homemade ice cream. Justin chose the cake, which was fine, I am not a huge toffee fan so the pie rounded out my meal splendidly; the homemade vanilla bean ice cream topped off the pie perfectly. Needless to say, this was by far the best meal of Restaurant Week! I will be enthusiastically returning to The Ranch, and because of the overall experience during Restaurant Week, I plan on trying a variety of dishes.