Urbano Cafe has been on my list for some time now. I’ve heard whispers of the delicious pumpkin ravioli and have been dying for a chance to go. Alas, the one night I did go, it was no longer on the menu. The website lied to me. TT_TT I wish they would have updated the menu.
Urbano Cafe is a stone’s throw from home and is next to my favorite spot for subs- Jimmy’s Food Store. While the area is pretty much rough as hell, it’s the tiny corner many would call the spot for some of East Dallas’ hidden gems.
I can’t fully review the menu or the location, but my first experience was very ok. My expectations must’ve been high and the added disappointment of missing the revered ravioli probably made everything else seem subpar.
Wagyu Meatballs
The restaurant opened in 2009 and started in a very small space. I think it can hold a handful of tables. Since then, it expanded and occupies two spaces which are in separate spaces. To best explain that, if you were to walk out the restaurant, you’d walk five steps to the right and enter a completely separate space. The waiters float between the two rooms to serve patrons. On a Friday night at 6pm, the tiny main room was filled, so we took up some bar space in the second space. We felt like rejects that didn’t make the cut to be with the cool kids. Ha. There isn’t much of ambiance in the second space. We faced an empty and dark kitchen and felt apart of the restaurant ambiance. While it can get loud from neighboring chatter, there was something kind of awkward about where we were sitting. It just wasn’t very lively despite being almost at capacity.
On to the food. We started with the Wagyu meatballs. Four meatballs served on top of a parsnip puree with sun choke chips. The puree and sauce had that slight hint of sweetness that made me gobble the whole thing. It was delicious. The chips added a good crunch that I really enjoyed.
Steak and Mushroom Risotto
For my entree, I went for the steak and mushroom risotto and my boyfriend ordered the buttermilk fried chicken. We both liked our dishes, but didn’t love it. We weren’t blown away. The descriptions of the entrees are very brief, so for some reason I had envisioned a bed of mushroom risotto with slices of beef tenderloin on top. Instead, the meat was shredded and mixed in with the rest. It didnt have the best presentation, but the flavor good. Portion was decent. Unfortunately, the risotto was a tad undercooked. I didn’t want mush, but I kind of wanted the melt in your mouth effect I expect from a risotto.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken
The buttermilk fried chicken wasn’t worth $18. It came with grilled romaine (huh?) and a bleu cheese and caesar dressing. It was just the chicken breast, no dark meat. Fried chicken in my mind usually includes a drum stick at the very least. The portion was ok. The breast was cooked nicely. It did teeter on the edge of being overcooked if it was fried any longer. I’ll never know why he got that compared to the other more appetizing entree but whatevs…. It was nothing memorable.
I was sad I totally forgot that Urbano was BYOB. There isn’t a wine list, but one can have easily walked next door to grab one from Jimmy’s if they weren’t closed. The uncorking fee is $3. The dim lighting and the decor gives off that romantic feel. I guess I just wasn’t feeling that type of way that night. Our experience was slightly awkward.
I’m interested in coming back and trying a few more items before I can fully judge this place. I’m not ready to give up on that darn ravioli. Although the next time I head that way, I’ll most likely stumble into Jimmy’s and opt for a sure thing in deliciousness.
