After the Round – Jack & Harry’s
Dallas has no shortage of great steakhouses. From top-to-bottom, Big D offers some of the best beef in the entire nation. But, if you are in the mood for a great steak with some New Orleans charm, then Jack & Harry’s might be the spot for your next evening out.
This 5,000-square-foot space, which sits in upscale Snider Plaza and dates back to 1945, offers great charm, warm wood accents and extraordinary attention to its Creole roots. The polished brass fixtures and antique lanterns immediately transport you and your party to Rue Bourbon as if you stepped foot in a time machine to the early years of the “Big Easy.” As you enter Jack & Harry’s, you are immediately met with a friendly greeting from staff and the view of the lively bar top featuring around 25 comfy, crescent-shaped bar stools. This is a perfect spot for your next date night with someone special, or a happy hour with friends. NOLA-themed artworks adorn the walls, with jazz music playing subtly as you enjoy your drinks.
The cocktail selections are anything but standard. These Southern-inspired drinks will delight any palate, with a selection of martinis like The Hemmingway, which is extra-chilled Tito’s vodka with lime and sugar. It’s simple, but timeless. If you are in the mood for something a little different than a martini, try the Pimm’s Cup. This cocktail is made with gin, ginger ale and lemon juice, garnished with a cucumber wheel. As you prepare to sip, you get the nose of the cucumber garnish, followed by a sip that will light up your senses with a tremendous medley of refreshing flavors. It is one of the best gin cocktails I have ever tried, and one I highly recommend for these blazing summer months. Plenty of wine options are also available by the glass or by the bottle, many of which stick to the theme, being French inspired.
The appetizer menu at Jack & Harry’s is straight from the “Creole City.” Crayfish bread is a wonderful opener to your meal, with plenty of roasted garlic, cheese and a touch of sweetness from the crayfish. Fresh oysters are also served a couple ways, shucked on the half shell, or flash-fried and topped with melted brie and peppers. You can’t go wrong with either.
If you like shrimp, then a great jumbo shrimp cocktail is available, or you can try the barbecue shrimp, which is a house specialty. Believe me when I tell you, if you are a shrimp lover, you don’t want to miss these massive crustaceans, swimming in a savory, slightly sweet sauce, served up with some dirty rice and some toast points for soaking up all the goodness.
Should you be unable to go the shellfish direction due to allergy reasons, give the Cajun-stuffed mushrooms or the steak tartare a try. The mushrooms are filled with andouille sausage and topped with paprika-toasted breadcrumbs. The steak tartare is Creole inspired with a flavorful vinaigrette and served with a grilled baguette as a toasty vehicle to deliver the delicate steak from plate to your mouth.
One absolute must-try is the crab cake beignets, which give traditional crab cakes a French Quarter upgrade and have the mouthfeel of a crab cake/hushpuppy combo. They are light and fluffy on the inside, with a nice crunch on the outside and a little hint of sweetness from the crab. They are phenomenal, and alone worth a visit to Jack & Harry’s.
While not technically on the appetizer portion of the menu, the andouille sausage & chicken gumbo is also a great starter to your meal, with succulent chicken, andouille that explodes with flavor, all bathing in a dark roux with some okra. There won’t be a drop left, I can guarantee it. For my money, this is a no-brainer to bridge the gap between cocktail and entrée.
A trio of salads are also available, including the Harry’s salad, which is hearts of palm, avocado, shrimp and crab. Although available in small or entrée-size portions, this salad is a meal regardless of size. A simple house or the little gem Caesar are also on the menu, and while I didn’t sample either, a gentleman a table over was delivered the Caesar, and he said the house-made dressing was as good as any in the city.
Entrée options can be simple, or ultra-unique. On the simple, but delicious side, try Harry’s De Luxe Steak Dinner. This is a gorgeous cut, topped with a mountain of Parisian-style fries and topped with a creamy herb-based sauce. It’s steak frites done right, and at just under $40, it’s a real value for fine dining. This comes in limited availability, so be sure you get in early to take advantage. Another simple preparation is the broiled U.S.D.A Prime Filet. No-nonsense, great cut, and can come served with any number of sharable sides, which we will discuss momentarily. You can get it cooked any way you like it, and you know you’re getting quality with prime beef.
There is one steak preparation on the menu unlike anything you will find anywhere else in Dallas. Jack & Harry’s French onion filet. This is the same prime filet, topped with melted Raclette cheese and sourdough and served surrounded by a savory onion broth. You might think that covering a filet with melted cheese is sacrilege, but the dish really works, and although it’s a heavier menu option, it is really unique and delicious.
For those who might be looking for something other than beef, Jack & Harry’s offers some additional choices that are true New Orleans to the core. Prince Edward Island-sourced mussels are available and come with some of those out-of-this-world crispy fries. The mussels are served in a broth of white wine, fresh herbs, onion and cherry peppers. If you love mussels, they are perfect for a meal or to share among the table as a starter.
The grilled Branzino is one of the most popular on the menu, and comes with salsa verde, avocado oil and fresh herbs. Branzino is a mild white fish and offers sweet, flaky meat that is succulent and won’t weigh you down. Another wonderful fish option is the Gulf redfish, which is offered up blackened with some grilled lemon and a pair of those spectacular crab cake beignets. Oftentimes, when fish is blackened, chefs use so much of the seasoning it overpowers the flavor of the fish, but not here. The seasoning is there, but not overbearing, and the broil is perfect, keeping the fish moist, but still adding just a little bit of the crispy edges that make it a great combination of flavor and texture. Squeeze a bit of the grilled lemon over the top and add a little acidic bite for the full flavor spectrum. It’s one of the best pieces of fish I have tried this far inland.
There are several sides served family style to accompany your menu selection. The rosemary carrots are a player, and our server admitted that before she tried these, she wasn’t a big fan of carrots, but now orders them almost exclusively when she is able to dine in the restaurant. The dirty rice and okra pilaf is perfectly cooked and is a perfect addition to any meal. We went straight for the loaded potato au gratin, which was creamy, cheesy and topped with some extra crunchy bacon that brought a little salty note. You can’t go wrong with any of the additions from the sides menu.
The desserts, should you have any room left, are simple but outrageous. There is a crème brûlée, some various sorbet flavors, a bananas Foster served tableside, and a phenomenal ice cream sandwich, which we chose, that features chocolate cookies surrounding cookies and cream ice cream and comes served with a canelé of whipped cream on top. This is a perfect sweet finish to your meal, and you will think about it long after you have been to Jack & Harry’s.
Overall, the vibe and ambiance at Jack & Harry’s is a Dallas-based trip to the French Quarter. There is a dress code that requires pants and no ball caps (cowboy hats are welcome), but don’t think that means it will be a stuffy experience at all. The dining room is cozy, and while a tad bit noisy, is comfortable from start to finish. The whole menu is bold and flavorful, as New Orleans-style cuisine should be, while still taking some traditional Texas beef and elevating it to new heights. Jack & Harry’s is a welcome addition to the Dallas upscale dining landscape, and one you don’t want to miss. It’s a taste of NOLA, without the hassle of getting there.