Fearing’s—Dallas, TX
You figure out this is going to be an experience when you pull up to the valet at the Ritz Carlton and there are four (four!) neatly parked Lamborghinis facing you—a gentle reminder of how fortunate you are to be dining amongst the truly privileged (and in case you missed them, the Bentley pulling up behind you is an additional clue). For a change, our table was ready at reservation time, but the second indication of the special experience we were in for came as we made the trek to be seated. At the entrance of our dining room (there are five, to suit all tastes), none other than Chef Fearing himself! He greeted us with a friendly smile as big as Texas: “How y’all doing. Thank you so much for joining us tonight. I am here to see that y’all have a great time.” Say what you will about celebrity chefs, this one knows hospitality. He checked in at our table two more times…once during the main course and once again after dessert. His presence is a bit larger than life, but it never felt intrusive. He probably picked up on our enjoyment of his attention—why not? It’s nice to see how the other side lives every once in a while!
The restaurant is rumored to have cost $35 million and it looks like it. We were seated in a brightly lit hexagonal space that was classy without being over the top. A relatively cool evening made it possible to open the 20 foot windows where our table overlooked the reflection pool and a very cool outdoor dining area. It was all elegant but not at all stuffy. The ladies in our party objected to a low seat at our first table and we were quickly (like in 30 seconds) whisked to another one they found more to their liking. I think this is my new favorite dining space in the city—it certainly beats Charlie Palmer’s and Craft, two of my other favorites for décor.
Now for the food. It was like fireworks. Fireworks, mind you, are one of my favorite things. I am always excited in anticipation, and when the show is good, I am superbly content. This is the food equivalent to the best of fireworks displays. You will notice the presentation first, but put it in your mouth and you will know its special in unique, gastronomically creative way. 
The appetizers were a good start. From merely good to out-of-this-world-fantastic: tortilla soup (perhaps the only disappointment, since it is supposed to be Fearing’s personal specialty—the soup that launched him to fame and fortune); fried oysters, and Big Eye Tuna ceviche. The oysters were simply amazing, crispy and salty and a perfect way to start a meal…until you realize the tuna was even better. Its basically slices of top-notch sashimi with a light citrus-coconut marinade, mango, and cucumber, and it is sublime. The pragmatic genius I married calculated each bite at $4. And then declared it worth every penny.
I thought it would be difficult to improve on the starters, but the maple and peppercorn buffalo tenderloin, accompanied by a simply incredible butternut squash taquito that was crispy and original and tasty was an excellent entrée. Its only failing however may have been its size—it was the only stingy portion of the night, and I was sad to see it go after I vacuumed it off my plate. The other problem with the buffalo was not its own doing, but can be attributed to the chef nonetheless: Fearing’s interpretation of surf and turf defies language—I don’t have superlatives to describe this dish. Maybe with some expletives and superlatives combined I could do it, but I am afraid I still could not do it justice. And, after all, this is a family blog!
Should you take my advice and order this entrée, here is what you can expect: a pan roasted “spiced” filet that is cut like a jewel (or at least with the same precision and craftsmanship) and tastes amazing. My wife declared it the best she’s ever had, and I would easily put it in my top five. Accompanying the special steak is a chicken fried Maine Lobster. Chicken. Fried. Maine. Lobster. The ladies in the party thought it delicious but a bit heavy, to which the guys responded “Are you @#$% crazy! Hand it over!”. This is a brilliant culinary creation and it deserved a spot in the hall of fame. Lest I forget, the Queso Fresco corn potatoes are pretty special on their own. Suffice it to say that I have dreams about this masterpiece on a plate.
Oh yeah, there was dessert! One of my fellow diners was having a birthday so they brought out a slice of chocolate birthday cake. That cake alone would have been worth the visit. I would implore management to make it a permanent menu item so I don’t have to lie about having birthday-people with me in future visits. Two of us gave it the ultimate superlative: Best birthday cake ever. A chocolate trio and a plate of American artisan cheeses rounded out a very, very memorable meal. Both were good, but next to the decadence of the cake they sort of faded into the background. I am fairly certain Chef Fearing puts some marvelous but illegal controlled substance in it—I am hooked.
Service was consistent, elegant and unobtrusive throughout the night. A rare Odysseus Ribera Del Duero brought smiles to all our faces, and the sommelier out to the table to compliment my choice as one of the more rare and best value selections on the list. While I can’t say whether he was genuine in his praise or not, he sure made me feel good! To top it off, perhaps as a reward for the good choice, he recommended another Ribera del Duero for our second bottle that was not as good but still a hit. Why is this unusual? Because the second bottle went for half of what the first did. When was the last time a sommelier tried to down-sell you?
The only negatives came at the end of the night when we decided to check out the bar. It was packed and nobody came to offer a drink. But we felt out of place as married couples. Furthermore the average age of the men probably exceeded by at least 20 the average age of the women there, which led some in our party to question the intentions of both. But the bar is the bar and the restaurant is a marvelous experience. I even waited two weeks to write this, to make sure I wasn’t too over the top and my excitement had subsided. It’s that good.
Highly recommended.
