It can be tough to find great seafood in Dallas. The places that do it well often fly their catch in daily. Avra Dallas is one of those spots. Located near the Crescent Hotel at Crescent Court in uptown, you simply won’t find a more unique meal anywhere in the city. Other places do seafood well, but it’s often simple and straightforward. At Avra, everything is not only fresh, but also offers dynamic flavor profiles with a magnificent Mediterranean flair. Over the past 25 years, the Avra brand has expanded from its beginnings in New York City to multiple locations across the country, including Beverly Hills, Miami, and Dallas, with Boston coming soon.
As you walk into Avra, you are met with an interior that is well lit and bustling with activity. Crescent Hotel guests and those who snagged a reservation are comfortably seated with servers guiding them through the menu with knowledge and meticulous precision. The warm wood ceilings and vibrant artwork are as welcoming as they are distinctive, offering diners a comfortable yet elegant setting for their meal.
As with most of the menu, the cocktail program at Avra offers a Mediterranean twist on some standard spirits. The Cyprus Ranch Water is a prime example, crafted with Maestro Dobel Diamante Tequila, agave, lime, a touch of habanero extract and topped with Topo Chico. The agave and lime add a touch of sweetness on the front end and the habanero and tequila add a subtle burn on the back end. It is exactly what a Ranch Water should be and is a perfect way to begin your evening at Avra. Another favorite is the Mykonos Breeze, which is described on the menu as “the Island for non-stop party.” This light, fruity concoction is a combination of Stoli vodka, Velvet Falernum, passionfruit with a lemon twist for a little citrus bite. Light, fresh and flavorful, this smooth, stunning spirit is perfect for those that don’t like the alcohol burn in their beverage.
Avra also features one of the most extensive wine lists in the 214, with hundreds of selections that run the gamut from simple by-the-glass pours to ultra-rare bottles well into the mid-four figures. There is something for everyone.
Appetizers really flex the Mediterranean flavors at Avra. Every table gets a starter of hummus, with some warm pita bread, calamata olives, radish and roasted peppers. It’s creamy with a great garlic aroma, and the briny olives and roasted peppers compliment it wonderfully. Other apps include a decadent Halloumi, zucchini and eggplant chips with tzatziki, or calamari. Although simple, they offer dynamic notes that are quintessential rustic and balanced for this style of cuisine. If you are looking for something a bit more complex, or perhaps you are popping in Avra for a power lunch and want something quick … check out the Chilean Sea Bass Souvlaki. These skewers offer the fatty yet flaky Sea Bass and are served with a roasted red pepper sauce. You would be hard pressed to find a better seafood appetizer in the city. The grilled charred profile compliments the fatty fish wonderfully and the pepper sauce offers a great fruity note on the back end.
Avra also features a sashimi and ceviche portion of the menu which offers classics like salmon, Hamachi, yellow tail and a vibrant lavraki ceviche. On this part of the menu, the spicy tuna crispy rice is worth the price of admission, with crispy rice, sweet chilis and a Sriracha aioli, these little nuggets of flavor are hard to beat, as each one offers a great textural element with the crunch of the rice and the silky mouthfeel of the tuna coupled with the creamy aioli.
If you aren’t a seafood person, or if you have an allergy, you can peruse the “From the Land” portion of Avra’s menu. From the organic roasted chicken to the lamb chops, ribeye or 8oz grilled filet, you will absolutely find something you can’t resist.
It’s high time we discussed the star of the Avra show, and that is the fresh seafood. Flown in every single day, there are several choices you have likely heard of before, and a handful you may not be as familiar with. Ask your server to check out their raw bar which displays all the seafood options right in front of you. Your server will answer any questions you might have and offer suggestions of their own should you need a little guidance. Your servers are basically sommeliers … but for fish.
Avra suggests about one pound per person, so the price can fluctuate a bit depending on market price and whether a fish is available in a size that allows for a one-pound portion. Each catch can be charcoal-grilled, served sashimi-style, salt-crusted, or lightly dusted with flour and gently pan-fried.
You have probably heard of Black Sea Bass, Snapper, Dover Sole or Branzino … Avra offers all of those options, and they are as fresh as any fish you’ve ever had. Some of the more exotic options include Tsipoura, which has a mild, sweet flavor and is particularly sensational when char-grilled. Barbounia is another of Avra’s options. This flaky white fish is often considered a Greek delicacy, and like the Tsipoura, has a sweet, yet buttery note to its flesh.
Shellfish is also bountiful at the raw bar, with selections like Maine lobster, Scottish Langoustine and King Tiger Prawns, you have multiple crustaceous options from which to choose. East or west coast oysters are also available as an app or as a compliment to any entrée.
The sides at Avra stick to the regional theme, with options such as their Horta, which are steamed wild mountain greens. The spanakorizo spinach and rice is also a popular choice, as are the simple grilled veggies or the truffle fries. For something truly unique, go for the “Gigantes,” which are lima beans braised in a rich tomato sauce. Even if you aren’t a lima bean fan, you want to give these a try. Even the sautéed spinach is packed with flavor, cooked with some garlic and extra virgin olive oil sourced from a small farm in Peloponnese, Greece.
If you fancy something sweet to complete the meal, then Avra has a multitude of options that will satisfy your sweet tooth. The coconut pie is the most popular choice, featuring coconut buttercream a coconut cookie crust, served with coconut sorbet. It’s ALL of the coconut, and delicious … but be sure you have more than two people for this behemoth slice, as it takes a whole plate to serve. The server mentioned the butter cake as a popular choice and of course with the other Mediterranean offerings, you knew a baklava would be on the menu. But the 16-layer chocolate cake is a must for any chocoholic. Stacked almost to the ceiling, this massive, coco-fueled megalith is so substantial, the table’s legs must have been fabricated with additional reinforcements. This slice is plenty for at least a table of four, or enough to take some home for an additional sugar rush at a later date for those dining as a couple.
Avra Dallas is the latest in a long line of successful restaurants over a quarter century. The seafood is some of the best in the city, and the playful use of ingredients to tip the cap to Mediterranean roots are well utilized without interfering with the fresh, delicate flavors of the fish. It’s well worth the money for a night out, or for a great power lunch. A three-course prix-fixe brunch recently launched and is already rapidly gaining in popularity with selections like caviar latkes, lobster pasta and skillet hash.
Overall, Avra can get pricy, but in this world, you get what you pay for … and because fresh seafood is so tough to find in DFW, naturally you are going to need to pay a premium. But the atmosphere, staff and overall stellar menu make Avra every bit worth it.