Ida Claire strikes gold
Featuring southern charm, Ida Claire located in Dallas has become a hotspot for people around campus that want to try something outside of the norm.
October 23, 2018
Ida Claire is like no other southern cuisine restaurant. With the enchanting, ethnic atmosphere and the worldly twist on traditional southern food, Ida Claire fits the world and its cultures into a hole in the wall in Dallas.
The diverse atmosphere is attractive, but the culinary secret to this one of a kind restaurant is the ethnic inclusiveness of the food. Each dish is wonderfully unique. From trout imported from northern Ireland to Nashville fried chicken, Ida Claire provides the most multicultural southern cuisine around.
First up, a light appetizer of Crawfish Corn Beignets. Imagine a well seasoned and fluffy hush puppy with corn and crawfish inside, served with a side of savory smoked mustard remoulade.
Next on the menu for this visit was the Nashville hot chicken: a plate of spicy fried chicken breasts served with a thick slice of pimento cheese toast. Spices coated the chicken, specifically in the breading, but they weren’t over powering in the slightest as can often be the case with this dish. The spices added an ethnic taste to the dish. The chicken was a bit on the saltier side, but overall it was tender, seasoned and not your average fried chicken. However, the pimento cheese bread was a bit soggy and it had a tart aftertaste.
Next up was the chicken and waffles. The waffle was bursting with authentic maple flavor. It was thick, fluffy and soft from the syrup. Featuring bacon inside, there was a subtle smoky flavor and a satisfying crunch. The chicken had light crust that was softly flavorful. It was lightly seasoned and a good accessory to the waffle. The meat of the chicken was tender and sweet yet still maintaining the typical chicken flavor.
The dishes at Ida Claire are nothing like southern cuisine many diners may be accustomed to and the prices are bearable with the Crawfish Corn Beignets $9.50, Nashville Hot Chicken $14 and the chicken and waffles $13.50.
Ida Claire is like no other southern restaurant. This multicultural eatery struck gold with its incorporation of universal cooking techniques and its ethnic atmosphere that separates it from all other southern food diners.
