The Best Dishes Eater Dallas Ate in July

The amount of excellent food available in Dallas is dizzying, yet mediocre meals somehow keep worming their way into our lives. With your Eater Dallas editor dining out frequently, that means coming across lots of standout dishes and drinks that need to be shared.

Sachet

4270 Oak Lawn Ave.

Some foods evoke summertime. Fresh, juicy watermelon and rare-as-can-be steak that’s fresh off the grill are on the list. Both are on Sachet’s lunch menu, along with many other goodies. A recent sit-down yielded a plate of cubed watermelon with Turkish cheese very much in texture, like feta, cucumber, and jalapeno. The soft flavor of the cucumber and its crunch go hand-in-hand with the flavorful and perfectly ripe watermelon, while the jalapeno brings spice, and the cheese takes away the sting.

The steak bowl, made with arugula, lentils, tomato, muhammara (a red roast pepper dip), red onions, and a bed of hummus, was decadent, which lunch often isn’t. The lentils offered as much a feeling of sustenance as the steak, and the hummus went a long way, almost outlasting the rest of the dish.

Courtney E. Smith

Barley & Board

100 W Oak St., Denton, Texas 76201

A research trip to Denton gave reason to revisit Barley & Board after a long absence. The Cuban just sounded good, but it came out great. The roast pork and ham were as tender as can be, the bread was fresh and soft, and the jus in the sandwich was perfection — all that before even mentioning the excellence that melted cheese brings to everything (this features Swiss) and the delightful tang of mustard. It was paired with a side serving of the Lacy salad by request, which has a fall ingredient vibe but was yummy nonetheless.

Le Rêve Gelato & Patisserie

12817 Preston Rd Suite #133

Like everyone, the viral croissant craze came for us. But while researching that story at Le Rêve, we ordered beyond the excellent supreme croissant and discovered a deep love for the ham and cheese croissant (pictured on the right). Andy Pham’s croissants are all excellent, so with the base of a well-crafted piece of bread, his pairing of ham and cheese that gets crisped up in the oven is heavenly. Order this for those not into the creme-filled delights and who love a savory breakfast.

Lubellas Patisserie

10323 Ferguson Rd.

More research: updating our sandwich map required testing some sandwiches out. We already loved the pastries at Lubellas, but grabbing the ham and cheese while running from errand to errand one day shot its sandwich game onto our radar. It’s served on a perfectly made croissant that’s crisp outside but soft and buttery inside, with smocked ham, pepper jack cheese for a kick, and dijonnaise. It may be the perfect ham sandwich.