A Celebration of 50 Posts at R+D Kitchen

Bunker, Suzie, Staci and Robert celebrating our 50th post.

Tonight's post marks the 50th post for A Thyme to Eat, and to celebrate, Suzie and I, along with our husbands, Bunker and Robert, enjoyed a lovely dinner at R+D Kitchen. In the past, I have started blogs for my personal life and have never posted with the level of consistency and dedication that we have achieved on this blog. To me, 50 posts is both a significant milestone and merely the beginning as I fully anticipate many more posts and milestones to come.

R+D Kitchen opened in Dallas a few years ago, and it has quickly become a favorite of Robert and mine. In recent months we have gone from being occasional diners to weekly regulars. R+D provides us with several items that we find essential in a regular dining spot: a wonderful patio, a dining room with plenty of natural light, attentive service and food that is well prepared and with great variety.

We started the evening at the bar as we waited for our table to be ready. Suzie and I enjoyed a glass of Times Ten chardonnay and the boys enjoyed their selections from the bar's extensive collection of scotch and bourbon offerings. We have found that if you arrive for dinner after 7, you will likely have a wait of about 30 minutes during the week and as much as an hour on a weekend. With this in mind, it's good to go with the expectation of enjoying a drink and some conversation at the bar while you wait.

Once our table was ready, we ordered two appetizers, the dip duo and the Thai tuna roll. The dip duo is a combination of guacamole and a southwestern cheeseball served with tortilla chips. The guacamole is a little chunky and contains the right amount of spice, just the way I like it. Additionally, the cheeseball is a little more on the spicy side and serves as a nice contrast to the cooling nature of the avocado in the guacamole. Our second appetizer, the Thai tuna roll, is actually an off menu sushi roll that is often the reason Robert and I crave a night at R+D. In step with Thai cuisine, the roll contains peanuts that give the roll an unexpectedly delightful crunch that is a perfect contrast to the softness of the tuna, rice and avocado.

For my entree, I enjoyed the chicken meatballs and spaghetti, taking great delight in the freshly made spaghetti pasta. Unlike most restaurants that offer spaghetti and meatballs, I enjoy the lightness of the chicken meatballs and the addition of the broccoli florets to provide me with a little less guilt when enjoying what can often be a heavy and rich meal. Robert ordered the cheeseburger, an entree we often split and enjoy together. I firmly believe that R+D has the best burger in Dallas. They grind their beef fresh daily and use a combination or mayonnaise, mustard and hickory sauce to adorn the burger. Paired with shoestring french fries, this meal is great comfort food for me. Suzie and Bunker ordered the "West of Paris" roasted chicken and the carnitas sandwich, respectively. While I have yet to try either option, both looked delicious and I have no doubt would be as good if not better than they look.

All in all, it was a great night. Good food, close friends, delightful conversation and a reason to celebrate, all the ingredients you need for a wonderful evening out. If you've not yet enjoyed an evening at R+D Kitchen, do yourself a favor and, next time you're in Dallas, give it a try. I think you'll be glad you did.