Modern, Small, stylish, and delicious, is what you’ll come to experience at Gemma, one of Dallas’s hottest restaurants in the heart of burgeoning Henderson Ave. Gemma is the project of Rogers and his wife, Allison Yoder, transplants from sunny California. The restaurant features Chef Rogers’ well crafted, yet fairly simple, modest menu, highlighting scrumptious small plates and a eclectic space perfect for a small group of friends or a romantic date night. The restaurant has the appeal of a new East Austin restaurant with a Dallas vibe. The space is small yet modern with a diverse, eclectic crowd of diners that’s a mix of local socialites and well dress hipsters.
MENU
The menu is inventive and inspiring reflecting a balance of fine dining and New American style cuisine. Dishes like the Duck Breast and Leg Confit which includes barley fried rice, scallion, pickled daikon, and carrots, and the Striped Bass with fennel, kohlrabi, and niçoise olives, and a spoonful of tzatziki spiked with charred radishes. The house-made Pappardelle was our favorite – tossed with pancetta, Swiss chard, a touch of thyme, and braised rabbit, I could eat it every day for the rest of my life and disregard any other pasta dish that lands in front of me.
PAPPARDELLE braised rabbit, pancetta, Swiss chard, thyme – 26.75
I’d say this was my favorite restaurant on our Dallas Food Tour and perhaps the very first restaurant I’ll return to when I’m back in town. The service is outstanding and extraordinarily charming, and the vibe is stylish and relaxing without being stuffy or pretentious. I suggest grabbing a couple of seats at the bar and dive in to the Fried Castelvetrano Olives mixed with warm Texas pecans with an order of Roasted Baby Artichokes topped with a poached egg and a drizzle of vinaigrette with a provençal accent.
Gemma I’ll be seeing you in my dreams.
What To Order:
Roasted Baby Artichokes topped with a poached egg and a drizzle of vinaigrette with a provençal accent
Pappardelle- braised rabbit, pancetta, Swiss chard, thyme – 26.75
