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It’s worth flying south By
JUNE NAYLOR RODRIGUEZ WAXAHACHIE
— The flight continues. Eager
to escape traffic, crime and most other stress-inducing urban elements, folks
are running away from the city to slower, simpler places like Waxahachie; If
not for life, then at least for a day. Waxahachie
is a smart choice among escapists, as its wealth of 19th-century attributes adds
up to diversion. About 45 miles southeast of Fort Worth and 30 miles south of
Dallas, it’s a perfect antidote to chain dining and mall shopping. One of the several spots we found all dolled up in Victorian. Christmas charm on a recent weekend was The Dove’s Nest. It is inside a restored 1913 hardware store and saddle/tack room just a half-block south of the renowned courthouse. The Dove’s Nest out-grew its former tearoom space about a year ago and became a country French restaurant serving about l00 people daily. Even
before we ordered, we understood how the tearoom’s popularity had forced
such a move. ~warmth radiates from understated period decoration, and subtle
lighting lends a gentle glow; a nice bonus is the adjoining antiques store. On
top of that, every person we encountered was really
sweet. The
owner, Cindy Burch, immediately produced wine glasses and
a corkscrew for the bottle of chardonnay we brought (it’s a BYOB policy,
with a $1 corking fee per person), and. expertly opened the bottle while discussing the menu.
Selections aren’t numerous, but the attractive descriptions had us struggling
to make decisions. Our
first appetizer, a special offering, was the Durham House peanut bisque
($3.95), named for a beloved but defunct Waxahachie culinary institution. The
soup was remarkably rich and flavorful, with tiny pieces of roasted peanuts
adding texture. Easily
as successful was the Chile re1ieno ($4.75), which my friend and I might have
fought over if we hadn’t been in such a refined atmosphere. Bursting with a
mixture of-finely chopped chicken breast and apricot bits, the delicately battered
and fried Anaheim Chile rested in two excellent sauces. The first was a smoky
tomato-curry sauce and the other was a smooth black bean. Along
with these starters, and throughout the meal, our breadbasket was steadily
refilled with Empire Baking Co. goodies, including the addictive walnut bread. After
a false start, the house salad ($4.50) drew high marks. It first
arrived without dressing and some ingredients, but once complete the plate
of field greens was aptly topped with hearts of palm, crisp bacon, pine nuts and
a sweetish vinaigrette. Entree
selections include two fish (salmon and trout), one beef, one pork and. one
chicken; we opted for chicken and pork and would do so again. My grilled pork
tenderloin ($15) was tender and light,
even dressed in a dried cherry-port sauce. Alongside there was a sinful
serving of blue cheese mashed potatoes, and a slightly redemptive mixture of
squash-carrot confetti. My
friend’s chicken breast ($14) bore a delicious if strong flavor from being
smoked with pecan wood. Stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes, the silky slices of
breast formed a crescent around cheesy jalapeno spoonbread, offset by steamed
fresh asparagus spears. The
kitchen....worked wonders again in the dessert department. Between delighted
“ooohs,” we split the gooey chocolate cake ($4.25), served warm, and indeed
gooey; on top was a scoop of espresso ice cream, strewn with Kahlua chocolate
sauce. If
only we could wrap it up and put it under the Christmas tree. By Patricia Rodriguez Where to eat: Waxahachie's downtown is rich with small, independently owned restaurants. A longtime favorite is the Dove's Nest (105 W. Jefferson; (972) 938-3683), treasured for New American fare like chicken apricot salad, with chunky chicken, toasted almonds and sherry-simmered apricots in a rosemary dijon mayonnaise; portobello mushroom sandwich with havarti cheese and a roasted garlic aioli; and smoked turkey, jack cheese and avocado on jalapeno corn bread.
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