Whatever may be the reason for its name, I can only promise that dining here will make any Gastronaut howl and cry for joy. Cry Wolf is at the tip top of our list in Dallas, hands down, hands up, hands clapping all around. There is nothing that doesn’t win number 1, from the food and quality to the edgy, intimate, entertainingly rowdy setting and music. Chef and owner, Ross Demers changes his menu daily and no one dish will ever fail to make you moan with mmm’s and spoon up every last bit of sauce. Although Cry Wolf is alternative in its music, its decor, and the appearance of its staff, the food could easily be from any Michelin-rated restaurant in Provence. Tim, the host, is quirky, cool and all flattery (and the restaurant’s master music coordinator from his phone). The bartender is a Wolverine t-shirt-clad cool-cat ace with liqueur, and my favorite white sesame seed cucumber lemon martini. Here, it’s full entertainment when seated at the bar which overlooks three of its tattooed chefs studiously at work. The sophistication of Cry Wolf’s food comes as quite a surprise given the Domino’s Pizza and forlorn vintage store next door. The surprise factor, however, makes it all the more fascinating, and the cool vibe and haute cuisine have us always leaving giddy and booking our next reservation.

4422 Gaston Ave.