Let’s clear up a few misconceptions before we dive into the snootyfoodie recommendation for Nana.
You think: Only old people go to Nana for dinner.
We say: Then you haven’t been in quite a while.
You think: People only go there after wedding receptions.
We say: Yeah, the bar is pretty well known for that but hardcore foodies frequent the place too.
You think: It’s too expensive.
We say: As far as supremely talented chefs with tasting menus go, this is one of the best deals in town.
You think: It’s a pain in the ass to valet and take an elevator up 27 floors to go to dinner.
We say: If walking across a lobby and pushing a button is too labor intensive, call Domino’s tonight.
You think: Nana is one of those special occasion only places.
We say: By special occasion you mean it’s a Wednesday night and you’re hungry for incredible food? In that case, we agree.
You think: Hmm. Maybe I should try Nana tonight.
We say: Glad you’re starting to see things our way.
One knock we hear from many globetrotting foodies is that, in the world of fine dining, Dallas is a gastronomically challenged third world country. The restaurants and chefs here play it too safe, the menus are too predictable, and nothing or no one is teetering close to the culinary cutting edge. Well, ladies and gentlemen, we’d like to introduce you to Chef Anthony Bombaci.
We’ve heard Tony Bombaci’s food described as collision cuisine, avant garde light, or as just plain ‘out there’ from less adventurous foodies. We’ve certainly made no secret that we are fans of restaurants that get ultra fresh ingredients and keep things simple, but there is definitely a spot in the snootyfoodie world for a left brain, outside the box thinking chef that uses his culinary flair to create something that we’ve never seen before or a combo we’ve never heard of or could ever hope to duplicate at home.
So, if you’re wondering why we’ve waited so long to put our Nana recommendation up, well, it’s simple. We kept going back to see what else Chef Bombaci could and would come up with! And, as you’ll read, he never disappointed.
A lot of chefs have a knack for pairing up ingredients that wouldn’t seem to work but match up beautifully. Others just know that this goes with that and that goes with this so I just have to turn on the burner and cook it right. But as the chemical phenomenon known as molecular gastronomy has become more popular, we’ve unfortunately found chefs to either be 100% in or completely out of the systematic cooking camp, rarely finding a chef that is judicious in their use of M.G. Well, Chef Bombaci has convinced us that he’s that rare master that can adeptly meld things both simple and scientific transforming a mundane dish into a deliciously abnormal one. But as much mad scientist as there may be in the recipe, there’s an equal dose of a keep it simple stupid focus to the flavors he puts on a plate. Chef Bombaci calls it his Triangle Food Philosophy, incorporating purity and respect for the product, use of the highest quality ingredients, and marrying them with interesting flavors and contrasts. Okay, so enough of the build up – let’s get to the food.
Rather than go through a normal tasting menu like we’ve done in other recommendations, we decided to showcase several dishes that we’ve over-enjoyed on our few most recent visits (with our colorful commentary included of course!).
We had the appetizer portion of Iberico ham on one of our last visits. Nana was the first restaurant in town to have this delicacy on their menu and it was an unequivocal hit at our table. Slivers of the zillion dollar ham from the pigs that only eat acorns somewhere in Spain were served simply on top of grilled bread with just a tiny drizzle of olive oil and a dab of diced tomato. Taste the crunch of the bread, the delectable tang of the amazing Jamón ham, earthiness of the tomatoes and the silky splash of oil and this was a perfectly presented and decidedly un-weird presentation.
Smoked Trout caviar with green apple sauce, celery sorbet, and wild rice popcorn. The technique for this dish is quite unique. For the applesauce he takes the apples with some syrup and acid and seals them in a bag to “cook” for several days. The result is a raw apple that has broken down into a sauce. And the wild rice is tossed in a smoking pan until it pops – Orville Redenbacher eat your heart out! Sure this reads a little left of center but, at its core, this is a classic combination of salty (caviar), sweet (applesauce), balance (sorbet), and texture (rice). Okay, maybe that’s a 4 sided triangle, but his dish rocked!
Seared Maine Lobster, Mozzarella and Truffle Oil “Bikini”, Corn Cream. This was quite a playful presentation, draping a split lobster with a rectangle of mozz with truffle oil (the real T.O. in our book) and a corn pureé. Think of it as an itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow truffle dot bikini…with succulent lobster underneath.
Cherry Gazpacho with marcona almonds, olive oil, goat cheese and basil. Served traditionally cool, this could’ve easily been a dessert course but was a refreshing starter on a warm summer night. Bing cherries were pureed with just a touch of olive oil. A dob of creamy goat cheese found the middle of the bowl and chopped almonds and a basil chiffonade rounded it out. The cheese cut the sweetness and, well, anything is better with Marcona almonds isn’t it?
Day Boat scallops, coconut water, green apples, celery Thai green curry oil. We’ve made our love for simple scallops quite clear and despite all the ingredients listed, this was anything but complicated. Perfectly seared scallops were surrounded by a spoonful of coconut infused water, a confit of green apples, and a swirl of spicy curry oil. I just wish I was eating it on that beach in Bora Bora I was transported to when I inhaled the last bite!
Atlantic salmon, lentils, short rib ragout, sherry vinegar geleé. Consider us guilty. After a 7 or 8 year hiatus, we are slowly becoming salmon fans again. And we love to see it used in “meaty” sort of ways like this. Pan crisped salmon over hearty green lentils and luxurious strands of short rib, foiled by a sweetly acidic geleé was a flawless combination and allowed the salmon to have a cameo instead of the lead role. Every bite we maneuvered onto our fork was as perfect as the last.
Slow Roasted duck breast with foie gras “truffles”, orange coulis, and carmelized bananas. Okay, I don’t believe there was a better serving of duck in the city of Dallas last year. The duck was left alone, just roasted up to mid rare with a nice, simple salt and pepper crust. The foie gras truffles were amazing. Marble size hunks of foie gras are quickly cooked then dusted with cocoa powder. Sitting next to the caramelized bananas, you’re prepared for a chocolate truffle (and Tony has the balls to go there) but when you pop them in your mouth, WOWZA! Sprinkled with chopped pecans this dish on its own encapsulates our love and admiration for the cuisine that Chef Bombaci is churning out.
Seared pork belly, Mediterranean chimichurri, garrotxa cheese and seared prawn. This is when Chef Bombaci’s 9 years of cooking in Spain really slapped us in the face (thank you sir, may I have another!?). Predictably, the pork belly was crusted up with perfection and was fork tender throughout. A drizzle of the chimichurri - which still had plenty of cilantro but also had basil and oregano blended in to warrant its Mediterranean label - proved a great compliment to the meat. Garrotxa is a goat’s milk cheese from the Catalonia region and is one of those cheeses you’d love to just bring up to room temperature and enjoy it with a mammoth glass of Rioja. But, it also was pretty tasty with the pork and prawn.
See?! This isn’t cuisine you’d find on the set of The Jetsons!
The menu allows the diner to order a la carte or do a 7 course ($85, $121 w/ wine) or 10 course ($100, $145 w/ wine pairing) tasting with or without wine pairings. We’ve done it both ways a few different times and have been equally pleased. And as we said earlier, as tasting menus go Nana’s is a relative bargain.
The wine list at Nana rivals any in the city. From its depth to the by the glass, half bottle, and large format offerings it is simply stellar. Overseen by wine steward Vincent McGrath, France, Italy, Spain, and the good ole U.S. of A are all very well represented and dictate that you allocate plenty of time for your selection if you opt to make your own wine choices. Or, you can do like we did and just let Mr. McGrath pair up our meal with selections of his choice.
Chef Bombaci’s bio reads something like this. His grandfather was an immigrant from Sicily and inspired him with the Old World cooking culture (we call this the slow food movement now, back then it was just..well…the way you cooked). His parents owned a bar in Wisconsin where young Tony washed a few dishes and caught the culinary bug. He graduated from the CIA in NY in 86 and set out on his culinary voyage. After working in different spots across the country, he trained under famed chef Gary Danko at the Ritz in San Fran. From there he jumped the pond and worked in España for 9 years, as executive chef at Enoteca Bombaci toward the end of that stint. An Italian with extensive training in Spain?? Sí and Sí.
Service, service, service. On our last 3 visits, our waiters have worked at Nana for 17, 20, and 22 years. Certainly that says a lot about the place right? And leading the team is GM Mark LaRocca. Yep, you recognize his name from York Street, Stephan Pyles and others. His 30 years of front house experience coupled with his growing interest and expertise in wine make him and Chef Bombaci the most gastronomically lethal duo on town.
After exiting the elevator on the top floor of the Hilton Anatole, guests are greeted by a massive Buddha and what we’re guessing are millions worth of Asian art from the Crow Family. As you step down into the dining room, the timeless elegance of Nana engulfs you as you gaze out at the most breathtaking view of the Dallas skyline you’ll ever see. And, yes, the bar at Nana is legendary for people watching, post wedding hook ups, dancing, and that naked lady painting over the bar. It’s just another reminder that Nana isn’t your grandparents hang out.
Pure and simple, Nana should be on the short list for each and every foodie in Dallas. Chef Bombaci doesn’t play it safe. He’s an envelope pusher that amazes us every time we sit down at his restaurant. And for those that have written off his cuisine as intimidating, well, maybe you’re the one that should stop playing it safe.