Neighborhood Services

Let me preface this post, I have had two glasses of wine tonight, I think that will make for a more honest post. If you know me...even slightly...you would know that two glasses of wine into an evening, will indeed do the trick.........oh dear.........I think I have actually had three!

Anyways....I love Neighborhood Services in Dallas on Lovers Lane. You approach the restaurant, and it is surrounded by antique stores, bakeries, and other various services stores. It is rather unassuming from the outside. There is just a faint glow from within the frosted glass door and tiny lettering on the exterior wall, just a small hint of the deliciousness inside.  It is like a modern day speakeasy, like a private club which you stumble upon, and want to return to as often as possible. What a wonderful evening.

My husband, Bunker, travels about 4 nights a week, however, he has basically been gone for a full 2 weeks, and finally came home, therefore, we had a bit to catch up upon, and I am super selfish with his time when he finally comes home. What better place to have a yummy dinner and quiet evening conversation than Neighborhood Services? One of two tips: (1) You will wait about an hour for your table...just fine for us as we wanted to have a cocktail at the bar and chat before we sat down for dinner. (2) If you are from Dallas, you will see someone you know, something of which I consider a delightful treat to catch up with someone during an unexpected encounter.

We had a very kind and incredibly knowledgeable waitress, who even thanked us for being her table at the end of the evening....I suppose we are rather intriguing diners. I love engaging waiters and waitresses, as I worked at Lobster Ranch during my summers in college. Yes indeed, it was called Lobster Ranch, it was a Romano concept, one which did not succeed. I know, so glamorous sounding, Lobster Ranch. It was in Preston Center, where Snuffer's is now located. Anyways, being a server in a restaurant is one of the most difficult jobs, something I think everyone should experience, a job in which you really must be charming and upbeat for hours on end, regardless of your personal life, regardless of how clients or fellow workers act.

All that being said, we had a fantastic evening at Neighborhood Services, from the bartenders who were incredibly responsive and friendly to the rather large and demanding crowd, to the warm and intimate atmosphere, our fabulous waitress, and our tasty dinner. I ordered my once a year hamburger, and honestly, I am going to up my hamburger intake to a minimum of 20 a year from Neighborhood Services based upon how delectably delicious this hamburger was. The only things I omitted were the Mayonnaise and the pickles, and I had it cooked to medium. Oh my goodness, it was juicy, flavorful, rich but not greasy, topped off with sharp melted cheddar cheese, atop a soft and fresh bun and accompanied by crisp and perfectly seasoned and clearly fresh cut potato fries.

What a fantastic evening! Thank you to Neighborhood Services for being the perfect venue to let us chat about life and exceed the expectations of our taste buds! Go tomorrow night, and build in an expectation of an hour of cocktails before you can sit down for dinner, at least one of you must order the burger, and engage your waiter or waitress in conversation (honestly, you should do this at any restaurant, it will make your evening more interesting and more enjoyable...and will make life a bit more interesting). Enjoy!

Shafer says hi!!

PS.....Here are some pictures of our front yard....this took like 6 hours! But well worth the effort!