Dallas, Meet the Pigg Mack at the Newly Opened Jonathon's Forestwood

In Oak Cliff, Jonathon’s Diner has been a beloved breakfast, brunch and lunch destination since 2011. Two years ago, owners Jonathon and Christine Erdeljac made an exciting announcement: the relocation of their sister restaurant, Jonathon’s Oak Cliff, to a new address at Forest Lane and the North Dallas Tollway.

Anticipation for the new location has been palpable, and now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived. On Sept. 20, Jonathon’s Forestwood opened its doors, taking over the cherished space once occupied by Kel’s Diner, which was known over five decades for its legendary chicken fried steak and other comfort fare.

During opening week, we couldn’t resist checking the new place out — not once, but twice — before word-of-mouth turns it into a bustling hotspot (which is inevitable). Despite its unassuming exterior, the interior is surprisingly spacious, with seating for approximately 150 both inside and outdoors. The dark sage green walls create a cozy atmosphere, accentuated by the 12 bright orange high-back bar stools encircling the expansive bar area.
The menu at Jonathon’s Forestwood remains faithful to the original location, with some new additions such as a seared tuna salad, cobb salad, sopapilla waffles and a sandwich that stole the show for us: the Pigg Mack.

The staff were all friendly and informative and very excited to finally be open. They raved about the menu items and were able to make quality recommendations to us. While we didn’t try it during either of our visits, one of the most popular items on the menu is the chicken and waffles ($13). Several patrons around us ordered it and by the looks of their empty plates, it should be on our list to try in the future.

We were forewarned by our server about the generous portion sizes on our first visit, and they were right. We decided to share the Club Sandwich, a towering masterpiece of ham, turkey, bacon, Swiss, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, an over-easy egg, mayo and onion, all snugly nestled between three slices of sourdough toast. Omitting the LTO from our order was a wise choice, as it allowed us to fully savor this classic sandwich without all the rabbit food and enabled us to be able to actually wrap our mouths around this mammoth-sized sandwich.
On our second visit, we arrived with voracious appetites, intentionally avoiding any pre-meal snacks. We were determined to explore several other items on the menu. First up, the Danger Dogs ($8), pancake-battered turkey sausage links served with spicy mustard. With four dogs per order, the batter was light and crispy with a funnel cake kind of texture. Skepticism turned into satisfaction as the spicy mustard surprisingly complemented the sweet pancake batter, resulting in a delightful, Texas State Fair kind of combination.
Jonathon’s biscuits and gravy ($8.50), a must-try, consisted of two pepper biscuits and their famous peppered cream gravy, with four turkey sausage links. Flaky, fresh biscuits and the pepper gravy transformed this classic comfort into a sublime treat.
Then came the chicken fried steak and eggs ($18). The steak was as large as the plate and unlike most crust that fall apart once the gravy hits, here it maintains a crunch even several hours later (leftovers). This is served with two eggs, brunch potatoes and toast; you would be remiss not to try it.

Even though the chicken fried steak was spectacular, the last item we ordered was a new dish they’ve added to the menu called the Pigg Mack sandwich ($18) and it stole the show. The spicy pork patty and pepper Jack cheese provided a nice kick, while the citrus slaw and red onions added a refreshing crunch with a zesty twist. The harissa aioli infused a smoky spiciness, while the over-easy egg crowns this jewel of a sandwich with its silky runny yolk. The combination of spicy, savory, tangy and creamy makes this sandwich unique and one that we would go out of our way to eat again.No doubt Jonathon’s will do very well in this new location and will give places like Maple Leaf Diner some stiff competition. Their reputation for fantastic brunch fare and crafty cocktails has followed them to North Dallas and by the looks of all of the filled tables, the good word is spreading quickly.

Jonathon's Forestwood, 5337 Forest Lane. Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.