Located in the newly trendy Addison, this time capsule will have you saying “Holy Biscuits!” … at least we were. Get ready to want to move to the deep south after this down-home meal!
A little advice, make a reservation a week out! We tried to get in earlier but this place is hopping. Ida Claire is situated in Addison at the site of the old Truluck’s, and as I drove up and parked I could smell the southern twisted foodie in me bursting at the seams! This is a restaurant concept from Front Burner, but make no mistake, this is no Twin Peaks, although a few of the guests may have worked there. You will notice quickly this is a hip place, with a diverse clientele. Young people dressed to impress and older folks wanting an awesome meal all seem to fit into the Deep South modern concept. Its comfortable and casual enough to relax with friends and nice enough for a first date.
With the exception of the snooty hostess station, this place exudes great service. We sat in a corner booth and our waiter began to walk us through the menu, which was short but varied. I had to skip ahead to the drink menu, which takes some examining because of its interest and length. After hunting through it, I asked for help and the server recommended the “Vieux Carre” for $15. If you wear skinny jeans, don’t order this drink! This concoction is a real man’s drink, or the occasional lady with Ronda Rousey muscles and upper lip hair! This is a “sippers” drink; a strong drink with a powerful bourbon flavor but with a hint of sweet from the vermouth and an undertone of spice that makes it smooth, but yes, stout! I am not usually a hard liquor sipper, but I enjoyed this drink until the end. We ordered the Southern Tasting Board, only because I wasn’t brave enough to order the Duck (but I will next time), and it was a solid choice. The farm ham, the pimento and the homemade flat bread worked wonderfully together! The Turducken Sausage was good, not great, but rubbed with smoked mustard and a swig of my man’s drink and it was growing on me.
For dinner I was torn, but once I saw the red beans and rice I had no choice but to pear it with the Crawfish Ravioli. My round shaped ravioli sat nicely on a plate dressed with a creamy tomato sauce. The crawfish had the distinct taste that crawfish dishes do have, but I would have the liked the sauce to have a little more kick. I added some red beans and rice to the sauce at my waiter’s suggestion and it was perfect! These should be a permanent pair! All this to say, I was going to write in my review that the one thing missing was bread! When I have a sauce I need bread! So when the manager, Josh, asked me if I had and feedback, I couldn’t resist! I told him they needed a bread, and he brought me a biscuit…. and it was the closest thing to a perfect Biscuit you can have with your clothes on, at a restaurant in the corner booth. It was buttery, flaky and huge! I sopped up my sauce and high tailed it out of there full as a tick at a Louisiana wedding in summer. Go to Ida Claire, and ask for a biscuit, or better yet, maybe they will realize they need to add it to every meal to reach perfection! Thanks Josh!
All I can say is, “oh my holy biscuits”! No seriously these had to be some of the best biscuits I have ever had!!!
Okay so let’s go back to before the biscuits. This place is so neat! Their patio is on the front of the restaurant and has a laid back quirky feel. With 50’s era retro table and chairs, an outdoor movie screen, music and an airstream trailer with a table to seat a large party you cannot help but feel like you have been transported somewhere southern and extraordinary! It was a little warm for us on the patio this evening so we enjoyed our cocktails inside but have no fear the décor is just as unique. He had a vieux carre which was every bit worth the steep $15 price. This is definitely a drink to be slowly enjoyed. I had a Brown Derby which was crisp and light with bourbon, grapefruit and honey. Does it get any more southern than that? Along with the cocktails we ordered the southern tasting board which consisted of turducken terrine sausage, a hearty southern sausage, farm ham, the best pimento cheese I have ever had (and I am not a pimento cheese person), smoked grainy mustard and sweet tomato jam all the be eaten on grilled pita bread and crackers. There was also some pickled okra and relish that with the salty and sweet was a perfect addition. To be honest this appetizer alone with those holy biscuits and cocktails would have been a perfect meal but of course we could not let the amazing experience end there could we?!?
I ordered the bird of paradise which was mesquite wood smoked chicken with some amazing spices served over a bed of kale, farm fresh peas and tomato. He Dines chose the crawfish ravioli and red beans and rice. Both great but the red beans and rice definitely had a kick so be warned. We finished the meal with spice cake and cream cheese frosting. It was most certainly the sweetest ending. Service from beginning to end was some of the best I have experienced in a long time and the staff is knowledgeable on the menu and offers great tips. Do not miss out on this delicious southern experience right here in Addison!
