The Stars at Night are Big and Bright...Deep in the Heart of Texas - Visiting Dallas October 5th and

The stars at night are big and bright…deep in the heart of Texas. My last trip to Dallas was just supposed to be a quick in and out, but boy was I able to pack a lot into this trip.

My home base for this trip was the Omni Hotel, and 1,000 room monstrosity located in the heart of downtown next to Reunion Tower and the Dallas Convention Center. To be honest, this was a pretty spectacular hotel and had all the amenities you want when looking for a hotel. Great rooms, great design, great location, great views, great food and beverage offering, and I loved how the local history and flavor of the destination was brought to life in everything they did…while maintaining the integrity and service levels of a luxury hotel.

While there are a ton of dining options in downtown Dallas, what was unique about the Omni, was that they had seven dining options just steps out your front door. The Restaurant Row on Lamar was a welcomed treat as they had everything from a German Biergarten to a Sushi joint, to Texas Steakhouse, to a sports bar.

We decided a dine around was in order and started out the day at The Owners Box, their sports bar with plenty of TVs to watch the playoffs and a great “typical” sports bar menu. They had a great patio with picnic table seating and yard games to enjoy while enjoying a beer. I opted for an Saint Arnold Elissa IPA which was a hoppy concoction from a brewery in Houston. After our predinner drink, we headed over to Texas Spice which captures the true flavor of Texas with an emphasis on local ingredients and southern style offering a twist on hometown classics. The innovative farm-to-market concept incorporates the freshest ingredients to create great food and a casual dining experience. The team I was with enjoyed their buffet which included a nice assortment of Texas specialties including tacos, salsa bar, and other delicious treats. I decided to pair this dinner with a Deep Ellum Dallas Blond which is one of my favorite Dallas breweries and beers.

The next morning I opted to wake up a bit early and do a lap around downtown. The JFK Memorial and Sixth

Floor Museum was just a short walk away through the West End which is where you will find great historical rehabbed brick warehouses and restaurants and bars. I ended up stopping at Urban Blend Coffee for a quick pick me up and while the ratings were high for this place. From the outside, this place looked like a great coffee spot near West End DART 0station. Coffee tastes great, and overall it's just clean and relaxing. The ceilings are high and there's a lot of sunlight but the breakfast sandwich I had was just ok. The had a great Costa Rican blend that was fairly priced at under $2 bucks a glass, but it was a bit strong. This place just won the “Yelp Roulette” in that it was on the route back to the hotel…but not sure I will be back.

For lunch, we stumbled upon a total diamond in the rough – 18th & Vine BBQ. Now I am from Kansas City, a total BBQ Junkie and just happened to stumble upon this joint as it was the closest restaurant to my meeting. But boy was it a deliciously wonderful find.

The restaurant was a rustic styled restaurant that smelled amazing as soon as we walked in. This menu has lots of great things on it. We decided to start with their Popular Brisket burnt ends as an appetizer. They cut the ends off of the brisket throw some more sauce over them and back on the pit and they tasted beyond delicious!. Best I have ever had, and I love Burnt Ends. I decided to order the Lester Sandwich (a brisket dressed grilled cheese) and their sweet BBQ beans. They also had great selection of craft beers including Texas finest and Boulevard Beer from KC. I opted for the Texas Ale Project Fire Ant Funeral which was and amber ale made with seven different malts and it was delicious. The chef (from KC originally) also threw in a Boulevard Wheat to make sure we never forgot where we were from:) The service here is hands down the best! The food is delicious and not a bad deal either. I recommend this place and will be back for more of those brisket ends!

While this was just supposed to be a 24 hour visit, we definitely were able to pack a lot into this trip and truly get out and experience an Authentic Dallas.