While we would love to enjoy fine dining on a nightly basis, it’s just not within our budget. Or the strength of the elastic in our waistbands.
So there are a select few restaurants that we have in our Little Black Book of Destination Dining. And Abacus is always there. For more than a decade, Chef Kent Rathbun has been sending out plate after plate of innovative cuisine, consistently delivering flavor and perfection in every bite.
The holiday season is the perfect time to splurge on a meal that you will likely remember for years, so if you’ve yet to make any celebratory dinner plans, now’s the time.
Start with a Big Daddy martini and some pressed sushi. Our aversion to nori (the nasty seaweed in nearly every piece of sushi out there) is addressed in this layered version. Our fave is the snow crab, shrimp and avocado.
Then work your way through the dinner menu, filled with seasonal ingredients and inspirations. The warm Sonoma Mushroom salad is one of the best salads you’ll ever eat, thanks to rich, earthy flavors and chunks of mushrooms that are satisfyingly filling.
Scallops are always done right at Abacus. Exquisitely seared, they’re served with curried lentils for a healthy and hearty combo. Ditto the smoked paprika grilled duck breast with a side of crispy ham-wrapped rock shrimp paella is equally delightful.
In between courses, make sure to save room for the bread service. The basket of classic and unusual offerings is probably the best of any restaurant in town. Because if there’s one thing that’s a sure sign that it’s Christmastime, it’s our mass consumption of carbs.
It’s what Baby Jesus would want.
Abacus
4511 McKinney Avenue, Dallas
(214) 559-3111
www.kentrathbun.com/abacus
