Labeled the most romantic restaurant in Dallas for years, The Grape, with its checkered tablecloths, dark walls and candlelight, sets the mood for an engaging experience.
McDaniel and Parker became friends in New York City in the late 1960s. They enjoyed the bistros and wine bars of New York, and after moving to Dallas in the early 1970s, they saw it was lacking. Although neither had a background in the restaurant business, they decided to give it a go. In 1972, the pair opened The Grape in a building previously inhabited by a successful Italian restaurant that regularly had lines out the door. That restaurant moved down the street, and the owner leased the space to McDaniel and Parker. “The location had the magic already,” Parker says.
McDaniel says the informality of The Grape initially led many people to feel comfortable enough to bring a first date there. “It didn’t feel big, new and artificial,” she says. “You didn’t feel like you had to walk in and spend a fortune.”
In 1977, the restaurant was expanded beyond one small dining room. The partners bought most of the block on which the restaurant is located and added a bar, patio and a private party room. The menu has changed quite a bit over time as well. In the beginning, The Grape had a wine and cheese focus. It was one of the first restaurants to offer wine by the glass and featured the first blackboard menu in the city. The menu also has expanded over time. Now, a variety of appetizers, entrees and wines are available, and Executive Chef Michael Weinstein has brought some exciting new items to the menu, which changes every two weeks, according to McDaniel. “The ability to change the menu was one of the elements of success,” McDaniel says.
Parker says the Butternut Squash Soup and the Red Wine and Espresso Marinated Prime Short Ribs with Creamy Polenta and Red Swiss Chard (see recipes
on Page 21) are divine. “The short ribs melt in your mouth,” she says. She shared the recipe with a friend who had never made short ribs in her life, and the dish is now her husband’s favorite meal.
her husband’s favorite meal. “These are outstanding recipes that are easy for someone at home to prepare,”
McDaniel agrees. “It’s hearty and comfortable food.”
The great food and cozy atmosphere have made The Grape a success for more than a quarter of a century. “Everyone feels comfortable at The Grape,” Parker says.
“We have clientele of all ages and generations. There is a mystique about The Grape. There is something about the place itself that is sort of magical.”
All recipes are from Executive Chef Michael Weinstein of The Grape, 2808 Greenville Ave., 214.828.1981, www.thegraperestaurant.com.
CLICK HERE FOR RECIPES
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