I’m sure Dakota’s Steakhouse, across from the Dallas Fairmont Hotel on the corner of Akard and San Jacinto streets, may be in the running today to be considered the best place to dine in the DFW metro area, certainly for lunch. . I have eaten there half a dozen times in the last twelve weeks; I’ve never been disappointed. In fact, I’ve been delighted every time, and have decided that the venerable Dakota is doing a better job than many of the newer (and flashier!) additions to the Dallas dining scene.

I was first invited to Dakota’s more than twenty years ago, at a dinner for twelve in honor of a visiting Peruvian diplomat. The place itself is striking, and indeed there is an interesting story behind Dakota’s magnificently lush underground space. Dakota’s was built in 1984 by Lincoln Property Company, who built a sleek modern glass tower that still stands next door. The owners wanted an upscale restaurant on the street, but the land on which the building stood was purchased from a neighboring Baptist church, and the deed contained a legally binding clause absolutely prohibiting the sale of alcohol on the former property’s grounds. church, in perpetuity. .

Everyone understood that a “dry” restaurant couldn’t compete in modern Dallas. So a group of lawyers from Lincoln Property Company debated the difference between the phrases “on the ground” and “underground,” and the result of that discussion was an excavation twenty feet below street level to create the restaurant. underground we find today. Its “roof” is the rough asphalt of San Jacinto Street. An elevator looms above ground at street level, with valet parking. Dakota’s can also be reached through a series of air-conditioned tunnels that connect it to the Fairmont Hotel and all neighboring buildings. In the tropical heat of summer, you don’t need to pick up your wrinkled clothes to eat there!

In the dozens of visits I have made to Dakota’s, I have never heard the sound of a car or truck above me. That’s because Dakota’s is encased in a very solid material: The restaurant takes its name from the eight million pounds of mahogany-colored Dakota granite that was used to isolate this golden cave from the noisy outside world. It is a stone fortress.

The last time I had dinner at Dakota’s house was this week. The lunch menu is traditional and rich and I never tire of it. For starters this time, I ordered the giant crab cake served with mashed sweet corn and a hint of cilantro. It was absolutely breadcrumb free, pure slivers of delicious crab, done exactly the right way. My partner ordered a field vegetable salad served with walnuts, wonderful chunks of snow white goat cheese and lightly drenched in blackberry vinaigrette. I stole some bites. Both dishes are wonderful ways to whet your appetite.

For my main course I ordered what I have ordered consistently in my last three visits to Dakota’s, which is the excellent six ounce filet mignon. I asked that it be prepared with intense, scorching heat so that the exterior would blacken and form a crust while the tender interior remained pink. Dakota’s chef is picky about the cuts he uses: His steaks are corn-fed beef supplied by Allen Brothers. The filet mignon at Dakota’s is always perfect, with a black pepper crust. I was offered a choice of green beans, broccoli or mashed potatoes. I always have the mashed potatoes, which are creamy Yukon Gold potatoes served with Layla Farms butter and a hint of garlic. They are the best in town.

My partner had the Atlantic salmon, which was seared with a light tomato jam crust, perfectly cooked, complemented by asparagus orzo. It was a very thin cut of premium salmon briefly exposed to such intense heat that a delicious light crust formed on the surface of the fish. I confess that I stole a bite. I had an espresso after my meal while my partner had coffee.

The restaurant fills up quickly around noon with a crowd of local businesses, mainly lawyers and well-to-do bankers. I usually request a different table each time I visit Dakota’s, and have occasionally dined alfresco in the sunken patio, which is open to the sky above Akard Street and has a lovely little waterfall. Part of the fun of Dakota’s is enjoying the decor and atmosphere.

Dakota’s was built with no expense spared and no visitor should stop enjoying the restaurant while enjoying the food and service. The floor is hand-cut Italian Carrera marble in a basket weave, the paneling is dark tropical wood with brass gas lamps and some attractive wooden columns that were salvaged from a Dallas stately home of the last century. Get up and wander around a bit while you wait for your food. Dakota’s is worth not just one visit, but many.

Dakota’s Steakhouse is at 600 North Akard Street in downtown Dallas. It is always advisable to make a reservation, especially for dinner. Call 214-740-4001.

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