Something delicious is brewing in Deep Ellum. Kitchen LTO is cooking up lunch in a new and innovative way.
Created by Casie Caldwell (founder of Greenz Salads and co-owner of Pink Magnolia), Kitchen LTO changes every six months as a new chef rotates in and introduces a new menu concept. Simultaneously, a new artist will install his/her artwork. Essentially, it is limited time only “LTO”, where a new restaurant is unveiled twice per year.
Caldwell, who has discarded the original voting process says, “I think Deep Ellum is perfect for a chef-driven restaurant with raw and rising talent in an area of our city that is especially supportive of independents and artistic endeavors. The space is intimate and purposely designed like a gallery which will allow the chefs’ food and artists’ work to be the star of the show.” She and her management team will interview and choose the chefs while Ellie Visconti will serve as the Art Curator through newly named “Gallery LTO” where multiple artists may be featured during the six-month rotation. Also new is guests can literally walk into the kitchen, enjoy a cocktail (behind glass) and watch the chef in action.
Some delicious items to get lunch started are the Pimento Cheese with chicken biscuit crackers and the Smoked Salmon with pickled mustard seed, soft egg, caper, green apple, aioli on rye crisp. Sound elevated? Don’t be too scared. Executive Chef Josh Harmon takes inspiration from his southern upbringing but really brings into some exciting techniques. A great salad starter is found in a super fresh Texas Romaine topped with smoked blue cheese, crispy shallot, radish with a spicy, sweet korean chili paste and maple vinaigrette.
Deemed the “Best Burger in Dallas” at the moment, the Texas Akaushi Burger with house american cheese, onion, garlic mayo and pickle on brioche sure tastes like it. Super juicy and packed with flavor, the burger comes with LTO’s sweet shake shake fries (a mix of sweet potato and regular fries). I decided to sample another sandwich and ordered the Sweet Tea Banh Mi. This southern fried and asian inspired dish is comprised of sweet tea brined crystal lakes chicken topped with a pickled cilantro stem slaw and burnt lime mayo. It was the thing I ate the quickest and boy howdy was it tasty!
Dessert at lunch may be taboo to you but here it’s a thing of beauty. You absolutely must dive into the sweets and order the Pistachio Crumb Cake. It’s topped with sour milk jam, fruit textures, honey, roasted white chocolate and deserves your vote as best new dessert in Dallas. Not convinced yet? Take a ride to the chocolate side. Texas Pecan Sheet Crunch comes laden with crisp duck fat fried pecans, gigi’s chantilly and a delish buttermilk sugar. It’s like stepping into Grandma’s kitchen in the south, if she were a James Beard chef. Thanks to KitchenLTO for a delicious lunchtime treat!
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