For the last two years, Restaurant Beatrice has been the closest thing to Commander's Palace in Dallas. This makes sense, as executive chef Terrance Jenkins cut his teeth at the New Orleans institution and owner/chef Michelle Carpenter was born to a Cajun father and leans on childhood food memories steeped in that cuisine. Beatrice has become a go-to for contemporary Cajun in Dallas and earned a James Beard nomination for best new restaurant last year. It remains a solid choice.
You know we're going to judge a Cajun restaurant on its gumbo. Thankfully, Jack & Harry's offering is on the mark.
Chris Wolfgang
In Snider Plaza, Jack & Harry's looks to expand our options when we want a taste of Louisiana closer to home. What Jack & Harry's may lack in provenance is made up in effort. Step inside, and you'll find the charming decor feels like New Orleans. There's exposed brick, warm cherrywood trim, polished brass lights and banquette seating upholstered in a verdant leather. Jazz plays on the speakers overhead, sliding in and out of your consciousness as the conversations of a hundred patrons ebb and flow.
Yes, we said 100. On a recent Friday night visit, Jack & Harry's was packed with people. Arriving slightly early for a 7:30 reservation, we still waited 20 minutes for our table to open up. It's not busy just because of the looks; the menu shows some real skill in its interpretation of an upscale New Orleans steakhouse.
Fear not if you can't find a seat at the bar (we tried), because cocktails are just as good tableside. There's a New Orleans gin fizz, a Hemingway daiquiri or our personal go-to, a Vieux Carre ($15.80) that might have been poured at Hotel Monteleone and teleported to the Park Cities. A wine list gives equal attention to reds and whites by the glass.
Naturally, we're going to judge a restaurant with Cajun aspirations by its gumbo, and the bowl ($9.80) at Jack & Harry's hits its mark with aplomb. It's full of thick chunks of okra, shredded chicken and andouille swimming in a dark and savory roux that will likely have you scraping every last drop from the bowl with your spoon. We also came away impressed with the crab cake beignets ($19.80), which take the classic crab cake appetizer and jazz it up with a French Quarter twist.
The press release for Jack & Harry's promised a "place for a weeknight steak or an elegant family meal," so it's not surprising to see various steak cuts dominate the menu, in a range from a French onion and raclette-topped filet mignon for $48.80 to a 28-day-aged porterhouse for $76.80. Slightly more affordable is Jack & Harry's "De Luxe Steak Dinner" of steak frites for $39.75.
Our steak medallions arrived cooked to our requested medium, but the "delicate and creamy herb sauce" the menu promised is closer to a bathtub's worth of liquid in which the steak sits. The sauce and steak combo is quite tasty, but we think the proportions could be tweaked. The same can be said for the shoestring fries on one side of the plate, which easily towered 6 inches over the dish. We've never seen a more generous piles on similar dishes.
Entrees are rounded out with several seafood dishes. Trout amandine ($31.80) immediately jumped out as a dish we've had many times in New Orleans but is hard to find locally. Jack & Harry's interpretation is close to what we've had in the Big Easy, with a flaky and well-cooked trout fillet that was perfectly seasoned, then topped with a lemon butter sauce and slivered almonds, served over blanched green beans. Service at Jack & Harry's is generally solid, especially given how busy the restaurant has already become. There were some longer gaps between orders being placed and food or drinks being delivered, but we're wiling to bet those wrinkles get ironed out as the restaurant gets a better handle on its peak times. Our waitress was friendly and knowledgable about the menu and able to guide us with recommendations throughout our meal.
Jack & Harry's does aim upmarket with the food and the price point, but that's a business plan that fits part and parcel in Park Cities. Nevertheless, a night out here is cheaper than plane tickets to New Orleans, so it's a price we're willing to pay when we've got a craving for the French Quarter and can scratch the itch in our own backyard.
Jack & Harry's, 6833 Snider Plaza. Daily, 4–10 p.m.
