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Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas, Eats Beat Column: Deep Ellum Gets a Taste of the Real New Orleans

Posted on: Wednesday, 22 February 2006, 12:00 CST

By Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas

Feb. 22--We don't have the perfect Cajun restaurant yet.

But Dallas does have two new Creole soul-food restaurants featuring New Orleans chefs.

This isn't a Mardi Gras party suggestion. Neither chef will throw a big punch-drinking bash, lead a parade or give away beads. But if you want to try some native Creole etouffee, gumbo or seafood, head for Deep Ellum and try Crustaceans or Daza's.

"There wasn't any real New Orleans food here until we got here," said Brian Wright, a partner in Crustaceans with chef Ronald "R.J." Honore.

"There was some fake New Orleans food at a few places," Wright said. "But for someplace to take the family, all you had was" -- he sighed -- "Pappadeaux. Now we're doing something truly authentic."

Honore owned Crustaceans locations in New Orleans on Frenchmen Street and on Orleans Avenue near the legendary Dooky Chase. He decided to move his family to Dallas and start over after Hurricane Katrina.

The new Crustaceans moves into 2711 Elm St., which housed a former Asian restaurant.

I haven't tried it yet, but it's open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily except Sunday, featuring dishes such as seafood-stuffed bell peppers, red beans and rice, and Southern fried chicken. Call (214) 747-0900.

Nearby, Daza's has moved to Dallas from a church cafe in New Orleans' old landmark Shrine temple on St. Charles Avenue.

The Patin family promises a "mixture of gospel and greens." The praise continues into a Sunday brunch, offering red beans, gumbo, jambalaya and extras for $15.95.

I've tried the gumbo. It's definitely authentic New Orleans. And I'm eager to try the promised home-style pecan pralines.

Daza's is open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays and serves dinner 6 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; the Sunday hours are noon to 5 p.m. It's at 2931 Commerce St.; call (214) 744-3292.

One Eats Beat request: Please be patient with these folks. These are both small, family-owned soul-food restaurants run by Louisianans still adjusting to Texas.

It's chocolate week in Grapevine.

The second Chocolate Fest, promoting chocolate desserts to raise money for a travelers-assistance charity at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, is Saturday.

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Founders' Building, 701 S. Main St., a $15 ticket buys 10 chocolate dessert samples from a lineup of Grapevine bakeries and restaurants. The day ends with a $75 charity dinner and port wine tasting at 5 p.m. at Main Street Blues Room, 814 S. Main St.

For tickets or more information, call (817) 410-3185; www.grapevinetexasusa.com/chocolate.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas)

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