I have very good news for Dallas-dwellers.

Neighborhood Services Tavern opened on the sly this weekend.  (You might remember my post about the original Neighborhood Services.) The new abode is cozy (read tiny) and promises the same quality on a smaller scale. The cocktail list is impressive and has bloggers buzzing . . . but let's get down to brass tacks.  The food.  It's amazing and surpassed all my already high expectations.

First the mussels arrived steamed in a white wine/butter reduction, with smoked chorizo and roasted cherry tomatoes.  I know it's hard to mess up mussels, but it's also hard to take them to the next level.  These mussels just beat out the Porch for best mussels in Dallas.  Just the right combination of acid from the tomatoes and wine, while the chorizo grounded the flavors without overpowering the mussels. (The classy quote of the evening came from a fellow diner who said, "I want to stick my face in these.")

The waitress recommended the scallops.  I'm a sucker for scallops so I obliged.  They were served on a bed of couscous with a beurr blanc sauce.  The amount of butter was ungodly heavenly.  I can't remember the last time I ate something so rich without being heavy.  The scallops were seared to perfection with a slight smoke to them.  I would skip the frisee salad that was served on top, but this was easy enough to scoot to the side.

My partner in crime got the steak of the day, a juicy rib-eye, served with roasted potatoes and horseradish dipping sauce.  Check and check.

Then the dessert. The butterscotch pot de creme.  The 'pot' was a mini mason jar with tiny wooden paddles to serve as spoons (remember the wooden things you used to eat the mini icecream cups when you were in elementary school.)  It felt naughty, spooning something so rich directly into my mouth. 

Only negative would be a few misplaced divider walls which chop up the space unnecessarily and leave you feeling slightly caged.  Don't worry, I told the waitress my opinion, which was quickly dismissed with a polite smile.

Entrees are in the $15-20 range.  Great for a date night.  I can't wait to go again.