Goodwins opened in May 2024 in the space previously occupied by a Mexican restaurant (Blue Goose Cantina) for almost 40 years.  A trio of local business partners, Austin Rodgers (Alamo Club), Jeff Bekavac and David Cash are behind the concept that wants to provide an upscale neighborhood restaurant and named it for the corner where it’s located – Goodwin and Greenville.  It’s a large space divided by a massive long bar and set with lots of cozy booths and tables.  The plan is to open an even darker cocktail bar next door (Goose Bar), which looks to be another fun space based on my preview.  Presently it’s only open for dinner every day but they hope to add lunch by mid-summer.  The interiors are all new but well done with wide plank wood floors and dark beams overhead.  There are a few windows to the street but otherwise the lighting is lowered, art is on the walls and music is in the background.  The open kitchen makes up the back wall in the room without the bar.  There is valet parking in the lot behind the place.  It was crazy busy but not so much you couldn’t talk to your dining companion.  Service was first rate – friendly and efficient – and I can’t wait to go back and I suggest you put it on your list when in Dallas.

Set-Up

Food

I tried their Goodwin Martini which was made with Bombay Sapphire or Grey Goose and dry vermouth.   They come pre-batched from a 12-degree freezer ready to be poured in your glass.  It keeps them fabulously cold without dilution.  I will have these again.

The martinis were excellent with a 6 oysters on the half shell.  They came with a lemon wedge, pink peppercorn mignonette and old bay cocktail sauce topped with fresh horseradish.  Tonight the oysters were from Maine and I enjoyed them.  My husband thought they were slightly dry but I did not have the same issue.  The cocktails sauce was the adornment I preferred.

We split the Bleu Cheese salad.  it was made with chopped iceberg, sliced tomato, smoked bacon, red onions, crispy shallots and Maytag dressing.  They were nice enough to put it on two plates in the kitchen.  The crisp lettuce was nicely chopped and almost made me think it was Bibb rather than iceberg.  The dressing had tons of taste and the salad had lots of textural contrast with the crisp shallots and bacon.  It was filled with flavor and even though the tomato was not that flavorful it was nicely red.

The filet was a 8 oz. centercut, cooked in a cast iron skillet, butter brushed and served with potato pave and a choice of sauce.  For the sauce I wanted bourbon peppercorn.   Filet is a fairly dull cut but tender, however when you pair it with a fabulous sauce it can be quite good.   And this was a fantastic sauce -rich, flavorful and with a bit of spiciness.  The meat was cooked nicely too.  The potato pave was a tasty accompaniment.

The cookie butter sundae is made with Henry’s vanilla bean ice cream, cookie butter, chocolate sauce, biscoff cookies, whipped cream and a cherry.  This is wonderful ice cream and I adore biscoff cookies and then it was topped off with an Amarena cherry.  This was a sweet way to end a fine meal.