Thursday, August 7, 2008

Lili's - For Dinner

Have you been to Lili's yet? Did you get the golden gorgonzola burger that kills you with happiness? If not, then why are you reading this? Is it just to make me feel good? That's cool.

As you've heard from me and everybody else, Lili's is a terrific place down on Magnolia. Its a skinny restaurant with an open kitchen, great staff, and the best food you can get for the price. Lunch time allows you to eat for under $10 (without a tip) and you'll be full enough to sleep through the afternoon. But I've covered that.

Now its time to talk about dinner. I have wanted to head to Lili's to eat dinner for months. I don't know why it took until now to get there, but it did. Actually, I know why...I'm cheap. No more. I plan on having two kids, just to sell them for funds so that I can eat at Lili's for dinner. Not that its that expensive. I just plan on going every night they're open. Seriously.

If you've been during the day you'll notice the tables are metal and the napkins are paper. If you go at night, you get table clothes and cloth napkins. Also, the wait staff is dressed a little classier and they pronounce everything with an elitist accent. Or not. I forget.

Mrs. FWHITW and I headed over there last week and decided to start the night off right - with hooch. So we got a bottle of wine. The wine prices are very affordable here (markup is only two-three times retail). We also got the polenta fries. If I'm not mistaken, this is polenta, cut into sticks, fried and served with a delicious romesco sauce. This is what a fancy McDonald's would serve. Imagine if Westover Hills had a McDonalds tucked beneath one of the Bass families' garage. It would have polenta fries instead of those dirty potato fries you commoners and Irish eat. Polenta is all I eat now.

Because we're fancy, the Mrs. and I each ordered a large plate. She got the beef tenderloin medallions and as you can probably expect, I out Lili-ed her. If you're not familiar with this, I generally always make better menu selections than her. But this time it was close. Her food was delicious. The tenderloin was perfectly cooked (medium-rare) and the mixed grilled veggies looked delicious. The only reason she got out Lili-ed was because Lili ran out of black pepper gnocchi. Not a problem. I'm the one writing the review, not her.

I ordered the dessert fish - Macaroon Flounder. Its a flounder, in a macadamia nut and coconut crust, topped with honey-ginger-lime sauce. Seriously, until I got to the sauce, the thing tasted like a cookie. I love fish cookies, so this was perfect. But then I got to the sauce and I never wanted another cookie in my life. This dish tasted like what macadamia nut and coconut crusted angels taste like. Along with the de-lish fish, I also reached one of my seven life goals - I ate Caribbean rice. Its a great compliment to the fish, but I think if Lili cared about us, the rice would be macaroonized. All in all, a wonderful plate of food.

What if they macaroonized polenta? Why do I write this blog instead of cookbooks?

It is no secret that Lili's is a treat we here in the Fort are fortunate to have. But now that I have told the masses (my parents and the one person who constantly posts comments with different names), Lili's will have customers for life. If you haven't been to Lili's yet, please read my previous posts and I promise you will want to go. Everybody I have ever sent to Lili's has loved it. You will too.

One side note. They just got booths a couple weeks ago. I'm not sure how I feel about this. They look good and you have a little more privacy while dining, but I sort of like the rambunctious feel of the tables like they were. Plus, you could combine four tables and make people glare at you while you gobble on a house burger. And Lili will come by and tell you thanks for stopping by (I don't know who Lili is but I think its either the large black man cooking or the smaller white guy walking around shaking hands).

Please feel free to let me know if there are non macaroonized dishes worthy of trying. If you've had the black pepper gnocchi, Mrs. FWHITW is wondering how out Lili-ed she was.

Lili's Bistro on Magnolia on Urbanspoon

11 comments:

Unknown said...

I have never been there but I believe you've inspired me to go there for lunch and/or dinner tomorrow. Thanks!

Zee said...

Lili's is my current favorite restaurant and has been for months now (I didn't know about it until this spring!!!). My favorite meal is the ztatziki (sp?) plate. It's basic, but it's cucumber yogurt dip with yummy pretzel bread, and then tabouli and bulgar and berries. Yeah, I don't eat meat, but I like Lili's better than Spiral, if that tells you anything. Overall, the bulghar and berries is the best thing ever. I love it and you MUST try it next time you go. Sometimes I just get that. It's amazing.

p.s. someday I'll try something different there ... someday ;)

Anonymous said...

Random:

I went to the Cupcake Cottage this weekend. In general, I agree with your review that they're nothing special, considering the price ($0.99/ babycake [darn cute!], $2.49/ standard cupcake). The cinnamon chocolate was a yummy unique flavor, though.
-pam

FortWorthHoleInTheWall said...

I've had the bulghar and berries and I thought it was delicious. For some reason I thought I mentioned it here but I can't find the discussion so I must not have.

Cute dog.

Anonymous - yeah as far as cupcakes go, I'm not a pro so I don't know how they'd score nationwide. But, they have some great flavors and the babycakes are the way to go.

Thanks for reading.

bourgon said...

cupcake cottage -yeah, nothing special. Swiss Pastry Shop makes far better for far less ($.88 for chocolate? I'm _so_ there). And ing-day ong-days!

Zee said...

Thanks, FWHITW.

I asked the chef for the recipe on the Bulghar and Berries and she emailed it to me - still seems so much easier to just go buy instead. :)

As for cupcakes, I've had the baby one from the cupcake cottage and it was okay. The prettiest and most fun cupcakes are from Sprinkles. There's one in Dallas. My favorites there are the Chai (only on Fridays), Chocolate Banana, and Vanilla. My friends love the Red Velvet and the Dark Chocolate. They are very expensive ($3.25 each), but they are a nice treat when I actually make it to Dallas.

Locally, the bread, cookies, and muffins from the Artisan Bakery (in River Oaks or at the Cowtown Farmer's Market on Saturday and Wednesday mornings) have the greatest stuff. I haven't tried everything, but wish I could. Their cinnamon raisin bread is like velvet. Their oatmeal cookies are to die for, and even their bran muffins are wonderful.

Virginia said...

I just found your blog and I really like it! Just wanted to let you know that.

Oh I also feel the need to tell you my husband and I always say the same thing about getting out restauranted (out Lilied) I told that to a coworker and she didn't get it so I am glad to see there are other people out there as big of dorks as we are.

Keep up the great reviews!

Anonymous said...

I have had the black pepper gnocchi and it is the main reason why I order that dish!! Don't get me wrong, the beef medallions are to die for, but the gnocchi is heaven, perfectly cooked. In fact, go ahead and consider the beef medallions the side dish and the black pepper gnocchi the main dish. Yeah, she would have totally out-Lilied you.

Anonymous said...

Went to Lili's this weekend and LOVED it. While we went for dinner, I had to go for the house burger and didn't regret it. Enjoyed the tabouli, the service, the ambiance, etc. Can't wait to go back. Now, one silly question...is it pronounced "leelee's" or "lilly's"?

Anonymous said...

You're kidding right? This place is terrible. How much did they pay you to write this ... I'm lying in bed with food poisoning just thinking about how I will never eat there again. Save your money and time and pick something else on Magnolia Ave ....

FortWorthHoleInTheWall said...

Sickly Anonymous, sorry you had such a bad experience. Lili's currently pays me $30,000/year for posting positive comments about their restaurant. Overall, this blog brings in approximately $985,000 in revenue annually.

Get better soon, because I've got another place you just have to go try.