Petra and the Beast

"We visited for the a la carte experience and we're not disappointed. The interior is warm and welcoming with spacious and comfortable seating. Our server started us off with some cocktails and a detailed explanation of each dish and flavor profile. We started off with the Focaccia and Koji butter as well as the chefs charcuterie board. The Focaccia cam out warm and delicious it also paired well with some of the offerings.on the charcuterie board. The charcuterie was definitely the winner though. The selection was well varied including duck mousse (our favorite), some lovely spicy mustard and varied meats. We then opted for the whole tx lamb lasagnete and the smoked sweetbread and chèvre cappelleti. Both came out delicious and with flavors that were out of this world. If you've never tried sweetbread I would highly recommend it. The only warning to give would be on portion sizes. When detailing the menu our server made.it seem portions were on the smaller size. They are definitely not. We concluded we could have gotten away with just an appetizer and maybe one or two mains, that is how healthy the portion size are so come hungry!"

"My nephew and I walked into Petra without a rez on a Saturday night. The odds were against us. Luckily for us, we walked into the wrong door and ran right into the manager. We asked her about our odds of getting a table on such a busy night and she told us there was a 30 min wait. We had a drink at the bar and waited. We later sat at the bar and ordered the charcuterie plate, the pig tails, the picanha beef and a bottle of excellent Oregon Chardonnay. All were superb. The only other contender for #1 restaurant in Dallas was Cry Wolf, which closed. This place has delicious, creative food, excellent, professional service, and the best music play list this side of the Hudson River. The cocktails and wine list round everything out to make this place the best."

"This is a nose-to-tail restaurant created and run by Misti Norris. It's on the East side of the city, southwest of White Rock Lake (very trendy region but a little off the beaten path of Greenville's trendy bars, restaurants and stores). They have a semi-open kitchen and we reserved seats in front of a prep station so we could watch them work, which was really fun. We ordered four dishes, which I have labeled and described in the album. By far the best dish was the pig tails. The earthiness of the mushrooms and the tea and the crispy pork...perfect. I thought the tea could lead to bitterness, but no, it was very well-balanced. They were deboned and had an absolutely perfect texture. Having spent a lot of my youth in a rural area in the south I've had my share of pig tails, and these are the best I've ever had. The prawn dish was my next favorite. The pasta had amazing shellfish flavor and was fresh but had a perfect texture. I ate the crispy heads because my husband isn't a fan (more for me!). The pork shank was also a standout. The crab butter was an interesting pairing and it really worked. The grits and peas were lovely and I wish I could have photographed them better but they were underneath. Finally, the ravioli were excellent but we both agreed it was the least outstanding. I liked the smoked of the fish with the lemon oil but because we had it last I think it was overshadowed. Still, perfectly cooked housemade fresh pasta with perfectly cooked filling. Service was excellent--everyone who spoke with us was very well-informed and conversed with us about how they adjust certain dishes (like the pig tails) for the season. We went with beer instead of a wine pairing, which was a good choice because it cut a lot of the fat and worked well with most of the flavors. It was also fun watching them put the charcuterie boards together. They make rilletes in-house and cure their own meats (you can see the great deli slicer on the side of the picture I posted). They also have some of their lacto-fermented ingredients on display with labels and dates for those who are curious about the process. Overall, we will definitely be back. This is one of the better meals I've had in the area in a long time."

"Petra's recent transformation from a pop-up eatery to a full-fledged restaurant left me thoroughly impressed. Let's kick things off by acknowledging the incredibly friendly and knowledgeable staff. These servers are true food enthusiasts, and not only did they offer excellent recommendations, but we were also treated to a couple of complimentary dishes. The ambiance strikes a harmonious balance between rustic and contemporary, reflecting the unique fusion of locally sourced, fresh ingredients and on-site butchery. Very 'earthy'. Petra serves those kinds of dishes that require a few bites to sink in and to fully appreciate. With their seasonal menu changes, you can't really predict what you'll get, but here are the highlights from our visit: The pappardelle was a harmonious blend of flavors, while the perfectly cooked beef tongue paired wonderfully with its zesty sauce, although a soft slice of bread to mop up the remaining sauce would have been ideal. The Creek eggplant was a delightful explosion of flavors, putting a creative spin on the classic baba ghanoush. The smokey melon sorbet dessert is one that needs to stay on that menu for good. It was something else and was the highlight of our dinner. A blend of textures and flavours and smells- absolutely divine. Only thing I would change is the size of the melon pieces or the general portion. It was a big dessert but I finished it anyways because I'm a big boy and that's what big boys do :') I would recommend Petra and the Beast for those adventurous diners seeking a well-balanced blend of culinary creativity. Their food is a little weird, but you'll love it. I can't wait to see where Petra will be in my next visit to Dallas!"