We found this HUGE FIND when looking for an Iraqi food lunch, finding instead some of the best deserts and middle eastern bread (Iraqi Naan) you’ll find this side of Basra.  As you’ll see, it isn’t a restaurant (although the owner also owns Chai Khanah, which is where we later went for lunch)  Here is a review focused on the bread at Albaghdady.

We’ve been back several times for the deserts – Baklava and pistachio rolls and a lot we consumed but lost the exact names in translation.  Authentic?  Well, yes, with language barriers, signs you can’t read, limited generic white guys and the competitive neighborhood.  Make sure you engage in conversation when you get there.  Not only is the owner charming, you’ll likely get to sample some novel deserts and breads.

Maybe I should do a master class on how to read reviews. Unbelievable. Coming off an all time low with the selection of Yembol, DT was committed to finding something “normal” and good. So, I assumed as we left the office that he paid some attention to this, simply to avoid the ongoing ridicule. Now I kind of hope not, because this choice kinda sucked too. OK, maybe not sucked like his last place where the food had its own condom, but it sure wasn’t enough to make up for Yembol.

Damon went Irish. His dining choice certainly had the right name, the Irishman, and the menu was exactly what you’d expect – some combination of Irish and English food with corned beef (not actually traditional fare in Ireland where it was salted and shipped to British troops, but certainly part of Irish American cuisine), cabbage, shepherds pie and the like. But, my take is that the food was merely to coat the stomach for the real purpose of the restaurant / bar, the heavy drinking.   Insert here Irish jokes…….

OK, back to the master class.   I’m not sure where the best Irish food in Dallas is. It may be here, but if so that is a bit of shame, and a cursory review of Yelp should provide some good intel. So, let’s see what DT could have learned from Yelp if he want beyond the stars:

1. Digging just a bit we’d learn our restaurant was once called “The Staggering Irishman”. Enough said as to whether it is more bar or restaurant.
2. “cute” bartenders, big TVs and Smithwicks on tap jacked up the Yelp points a lot more than the food references.
3. At least four restaurants had higher grades on Yelp, and it didn’t even make TripAdvisor.
4. I did see one reference to it having the most “authentic” Irish food in Dallas because it had corned beef and cabbage on the menu. But, the reviewer didn’t eat it.
5. Conclusion: We may have great Irish bars, such as Dubliner and perhaps the bar formerly known as the Staggering Irishman, but the food, as far as I can tell, is meh.   Are we wrong?