Dean Fearing’s Restaurant Intro’s Fall Menu — Includes Halibut & Pork Carnitas on Same Plate

lamb with eggplant curry

pork chop

I’m not sure who’s the more brilliant chef: Dean Fearing (for hiring Eric Dreyer to serve as his chef de cuisine)  or Eric Dreyer (for turning out the food that makes Fearing look so good every night). No matter. Fearings in the Ritz-Carlton is one of the city’s best restaurants. Yep, it’s expensive. Yep, it’s crowded. Yep, Dean can work a room. But Eric sure knows how to cook.

While there’s barely a whisp of fall in the air, the calendar says it’s autumn, so Fearing’s has trotted out their fall menu.

What’s intriguing? Halibut paired with pork carnitas, for one. (Could be a cool twist on surf and turf …or an utter failure.) I’m also crazed about a heritage pork chop served with crab, ricotta ravioli, and sage-spiked mushrooms. (Vegetarians–find a loophole).

New on the Sunday brunch menu: fish tacos with bleu cheese, Sririacha and mango-pickled red onion salad.

But I’d say we skip right to dessert: chocolate Guinness cake with Bailey’s ice cream, or (even better)

The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas at 2121 McKinney Avenue, 214-922-4848.

Update: Finally, the Dallas Morning News has increased its rating of Fearings to 4 stars (up from an unbelievable–and wrong–two stars).