Misti Norris

Far Out, Dallas, 8/13/25

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sign in parking lot – 1906 S Haskell Ave, Dallas, TX 75223

We last attended a whiskey tasting with dinner at Far Out but wanted to get back to try the regular menu.  It was less crowded, especially being a weeknight and we went quite early but people continued to trickle in but the outdoors wasn’t getting any takers in the Texas heat.  The large window on the entrance wall let in lots of sunlight but the air conditioning did a good job keeping the large space well cooled.  Music was in the background and a ton of plants decorate the walls.  The tables are fairly small but I was truly thrilled that our excellent server Ashleigh did as she promised and only brought a couple plates at a time, not overloading the space or us.  Chef Misti Norris is the Culinary Director and you can sense her touch on the fun, changing menu of shared plates.  She may not be in the kitchen but her Chef de Cuisine Mery Aguayo and staff are producing some fun tasty dishes.  I applaud their use of seasonal options and our server was nice enough to tell us what was newest and what were favorites.  It was a wonderful dinner with lots of flavor.  I hope to get back to try more things soon.  Hope you’ll let me know what you try when you go! Continue reading →

Far Out, Dallas, 5/21/25

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from the parking lot – 1906 S Haskell Ave, Dallas, TX 75223

Far Out is a flexible place.  A patio, private tasting rooms and the main dining room are the different spaces available for rental or open to the public Tues through Sat evenings, with the bar open later than the kitchen.  The large Quonset hut that houses the main dining room was formerly Wriggly Tin but was re-opened this year by Caroline and James Lee promising a culinary adventure.  For their most recent menu they drafted James Beard nominated chef Misti Norris, of Petra and the Beast, to be in charge.  I’m anxious to get there and try her regular menu but this evening she was crafting a tasting to pair with drinks from the Andalusia Whiskey Co. out of Blanco, TX.  Ty Phelps, the lead brewer was on hand to introduce his liquors, straight and in cocktail form.  The large space had tables around the center bar with one end being glass looking out to the patio seating.  Lots of plants and other objects decorated the space and music was in the background.  Televisions were mounted on the wall opposite the glass one but sound was thankfully muted.  The whiskey was not my usual taste but the couple of cocktails were tasty however, as a rule I’d prefer wine with my meal.  That said. I won’t comment more on the drink but do encourage you to get down to this place and try some of Norris’s interesting and tasty cuisine.  I sure will. Continue reading →

Petra and the Beast (update), Dallas, 9/28/19

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IMG_7730
Frankie checked the herb in the cocktail

It’s been a year since we tried the tasting menu offered only on Saturday nights. The rest of the week they serve off a chalkboard menu.  Reservations for the tasting are hard to come by, there is a waiting list for most every one of them, since the little restaurant and Chef Misti Norris have been getting lots of critical acclaim and notice in national publications.  The interior has added more tables and seats.  The little alcove that was the cocktail stand now contains tables too.  This is good for the public but it does create a lot more noise in the interior that makes conversation difficult and hard to hear any presentation by the server.  Water is still provided but if you want wine or other flavored beverage with your meal you need to bring your own.  They have opened up a few more parking spaces in an adjacent lot but a lot of guests appeared to be dropped off by a car service.  In general my impression was that the food had less intense flavor than the last visit but everything was good it just didn’t cross over to the great that I had first sensed.  I got more of that intensity when visiting other nights but the service is far less refined with most dishes being presented in plastic coated cardboard boxes.  They asked if I’d share their website, which is <https://www.restaurantji.com/tx/dallas/petra-and-the-beast-/&gt;. Continue reading →

Petra and the Beast, Dallas, 9/1/18

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entrance
entrance

Petra and the Beast opened last April and is two restaurants in one.  During the week (closed Monday and Tuesday)  they have a chalkboard menu where everything is a la carte for lunch and dinner but on Saturday night they produce a tasting menu for 18 lucky people.   This menu included things not on the regular menu and changes every week.  Seating was communal with 3 tables each seating 6.  It is BYOB at all times.  We were there for the Saturday evening tasting.  The building used to be a service station but chef Misti Norris has transformed the space into a pleasant space decorated with dried herbs and flowers and lots of jars of ingredients.  A high tin ceiling was above the exposed ductwork and the bare wood tables, set with metal chairs, were all slightly different.   It was a setting full of hard surfaces and so the noise level could be a bit high.  Seating was not assigned so it’s a fun opportunity to meet some new people also interested in food.  Arrival time was 7:00 but then there was a period for you to look around and enjoy a welcome cocktail, which is given to you after you’d taken care of the evening’s payment.   Continue reading →