Sake Toro Frisco Date Night

So we were in Frisco Saturday night to see a friend's artwork on display. Naturally, we were thirsty and in need of a tasty bite to eat somewhere without a lot of kids. Sake Toro in Frisco Square seemed to fit the bill so we headed over.

We slipped in and immediately admired what appeared to be some original artwork in the entry. This is a cute, intimate spot with a modern vibe. The music is a little on the loud side so bring some earplugs if you're uptight about that sort of thing. We were promptly greeted and repeatedly checked on throughout the visit by genuinely nice staff. Overall, it feels like a nice place to be and we never felt rushed.

The martinis were solid which is always a plus for us. We started with some gyoza and miso soup, this being date night and all. Again, solid soup - nothing extraordinary in our estimation but a tasty bowl nonetheless. The dumplings were nice and crispy on the bottom with a delicate dough that wasn't too thick. Of the rolls we chose, we were surprised to enjoy the Ultimate Veggie Roll the most. Really nice flavor and texture with the tempura asparagus.

Is it super cheap sushi? No, but it's not going to break the bank either. So we're puzzled why such a fun, cute place with nice food and drinks wasn't very busy on a Saturday night.

Steamin' Hot Dumplings

MomNextDoor is a self-admitted dumpling slut and DadNextDoor would give it all up for the perfect bowl of soup. We were giddy with excitement last week when we enjoyed brunch at Jeng Chi Restaurant in Richardson. This glorious hideaway is the perfect place to indulge both our vices. 

The hot & sour soup was the perfect balance of flavors and the broth wasn't laden with thickener like many Americanized places can tend to serve. Tender tofu and crispy vegetables provided a great texture contrast. The dark broth beef soup was both rich and at the same time refreshing. The chewy, tender beef worked well with the wilted greens and complex broth.

                                                                                       Onion Pancake


The most perfect accompaniment to our soups was the onion pancake. This was our first experience with this amazing treat and we were anticipating something more along the lines of a crepe or tortilla. These wedges of goodness are crispy on the outside and oh so chewy in the inside. Dipped in our hot, salty and spicy broth, the scallion pancake was nearly foodgasmic.

Finally, to finish us off, we doubled up on dumplings. One cannot skip the juicy steamed dumplings. These bundles of goodness have a flavorful pork filling, bathed in salty broth, all embraced by a fluffy steamed dumpling. They are the perfect bite all on their own. The pork and napa dumplings rocked our socks too but they definitely benefited from a generous lather in the ginger vinegar dipping sauce.

                                                                  Juicy Steamed Dumplings


We were stuffed and spent at the end of our Sunday brunch, our wallet only about $25 lighter. We have temperamental tummies which showed no signs of MSG induced crankiness.

This unassuming little family restaurant, tucked away at the back of a shopping center at Greenville & Apollo, is one of our new favorite gems. Can't stop thinking of all those steaming hot morsels ... thinking we'll find ourselves there again this weekend.