Arcodoro & Pomodoro

As others have mentioned, the golden back door is a fun (and free parking) method to enter the restaurant through the kitchen. I surprised my wife and kids with this and everybody loved it. A suckling pig was tied and ready for the oven when as we strolled through.
I’ve been enjoying the culinary ventures of Lori and Efisio Faris for twenty years now. I give their original location a good deal of credit for exposing me to real Italian food and I’m glad to find their latest incarnation continues to impress.
The service is not fast. It’s accurate, methodic and polite, but this is not the place for a quick meal on the go. It’s a place to slow down and enjoy the opportunity to be served.
There were two other tables of people while we were here (at 2 pm). Both the other tables conversed in Italian, of course they were very well dressed. One woman wore her fur… tells us two things, this is authentic Italian and it’s not a place to come if you are on a tight budget.
However, to offer a contrary example to the statement above, this meal was not expensive at all. It was about average price to feed this family of 5 with plenty of leftovers. Our total came in under $ 70 (before tip).
My wife loves a good soup and the traditional Sardinian soup was PERFECT! At that price, it’s a real bargain. The bowl was full of large chunks of seafood and mushrooms.
The real star of the meal was the beef carpaccio. As good as I remember, or better.
We also enjoyed Moretti beer on tap, a pizza.
The Tomato, Buffalo Mozzarella and Basil salad was good enough, but the tomato was a bit flat and bland.
I look forward to returning for Happy Hour.
BTW, check in on your Unilocal app and they will give you a free bellini.

Nice anterior, service, food and often has deals/​coupons you can use. I love their bread basket too! Everything tasted very fresh… the beef carpaccio was super! You can bring someone here for an impressive lunch without breaking the bank. Haven’t tried their desserts yet.

Went here with the wife last night with the wife for our anniversary. We did the self parking and that is below the Crescent. When you get up the elevator you have to take a door thru the kitchen to get to the host stand. This was a little awkward, but if you Valet or walk up from the street this will not be an issue. Make sure you get you parking ticket validated so you can get free parking.
When we entered I was worried because it was very empty, even for a Wednesday night. However, the food was very good, I had the beef carpaccio and then the spaghetti carbonara.
Both were very good and the beef was served with arugula and a warm sliced mushroom, this was topped with truffle oil which did add good flavor but hide the taste of the beef itself. Same with the spaghetti, this was also very rich and creamy, with good pancetta, but this was also topped with black truffle oil and was very overpowering on the dish. Still the food quality was excellent for the price.
The service was good, the waiter took pictures for us, and did not mind that we only ordered wine by the glass. They did push the house made wines and sparkling wines.
For dessert they brought out a complimentary dessert, chocolate tiramisu. This was also good.
I had a little lower expectations for this place, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Tried it for the first time today and it was super delish! Their tomato basil soup is made from scratch and the best I’ve ever had! Also their sorbet trio is a must have for desert. Super light, not too sweet, & not too sour. Just perfect! Also, had wonderful service! I recommend this place if you haven’t already tried it.

We went here a couple months ago and the food was forgettable.
2 things stick out in my mind:
1) I’m 90% sure that their signature cocktail is made with cheap margarita mixer you can buy in any grocery store. Shame shame
2) Their tiramisu was light and enjoyable, but came with a dallop of what tasted like cool whip (certainly not fresh cream). Why?!?
I expect more from a restaurant at their price point. This isn’t the Olive Garden.

Absolutely wonderful experience. Professional and thorough wait staff, food was excellent with Sardinian flavors and great risotto! Prices very reasonable.
I highly recommend the scallop appetizer, quail salciccia risotto, lamb Saba and cinghiale ragu.

I went here on a date with my boyfriend. We had a
coupon. The food honestly wan’t very good. I had steak. It tasted like olive oil. Don’t get me wrong, I sear my steaks at home with olive oil, but this was ALL it tasted like. Meh.
My boyfriend has a pasta dish, which was ok, but not amazing. Oh yea, bread is cold. I would have been really mad if we would have had to pay full price for this…

Went here with a large group for an event, and the service was good and efficient. We got a drink ticket which was good for either a frozen margarita or a bellini (from the swirly machine, mind you). I opted for the bellini. It was very watered down, and tasted like mildly peachy ice.
Our dinner options were grilled chicken or penne. I ‘splurged’ and went with pasta, but after seeing and smelling the chicken, I wished I had gone the other way. The chicken did look very good. The penne, however, was no better than something I could make at home. I found it to be overly salty pasta, bland tomato sauce, with a pittance of cheese to top it off. The only part of the food I really enjoyed was the bread basket… whatever herbed bread they had was very fresh and delicious. «Dessert» was also disappointing — lime sorbet with biscotti. I was drooling as I stared out the window at The Cupcakery across the street, just dreaming of a piece of cake… or something resembling cake.
I’ve got to say that I probably won’t be returning on my own dime anytime soon, despite the very nice valet service and waitstaff. The food was just too «meh.»

I agree that the back entrance to the restaurant is the way to enter. I almost thought we were taking a wrong turn. The chefs are very friendly and seem to enjoy the diners walking through.
Unfortunately, our experience at the table was not so enjoyable. The cushioning in the dining chairs had no support, so I felt like I was sinking towards the floor. I am under 95 lbs, and after dinner, my back hurt around the tailbone area. My husband’s back, however was so sore that we couldn’t hang out for drinks with our friends afterwards.
The salad and wild boar ravioli appetizer were great. The entrees were ok.

This place is really good. It’s a little different than regular olé Italian, as it is Sardinian. I had one of their specials, salmon and it came with a light sauce of capers and olives. I normally don’t like olives, but I had every bit. The house salad is also very good.

I have been meaning to write about this forever. So my co-​workers and I went there to celebrate a birthday. All excited we went and realized… oh well this place is fancy with its white table cloths and laying my napkin in my lap for me, thank you oh so very much. We placed our orders… getting the linguine, shrimp, penne options and were asked if we’d like a soup or salad. Like many places, we assumed that this extra option was included in our lunch hour fare — little did we know. Our came our delicious, and plentiful, salad. Well dressed, good balance of greens and great start to our lunch. The bread was really yummy too… Out come our lunches, really yummy… Definitely a good portion for not one, but two lunch meals… I don’t want to fall asleep in my cube after all! During our conversation, our waiter overheard us talking about the birthday girl’s celebration plans and said «oh! It’s your birthday… do you like chocolate?» Now, I’d like to point out here was assumption #2. Wouldn’t you think if he is interjecting this question, it means «hey we want to celebrate your birthday too with a complimentary slice of cake?» So salad, entrée, a dessert… then the bill. Uhm he charged us for the 4 salads (that we thought came with our meal) and oh, he charged for the dessert too… guess he just wanted to know if she liked chocolate.
So having no embarrassment to fix this situation, I told the waiter about our confusion and he goes «no it wasn’t included.» Ok right… I get that but we thought it was based on how you posed it and well wouldn’t have ordered them otherwise. With a huff, he went to talk to the manager and had the salads removed from the bill. We didn’t push it with the dessert… fortunately we had already eaten and nope, I will not be going back, especially since I eat and order while making assumptions.

So I’m always looking for new places to eat for lunch, but I’m not very hopeful I’ll find a good and affordable place. Most of the restaurants here are too pricey and the food isn’t realy meant for take-​out.
Recently, my coworkers and I discovered the «Pronto Lunch» at A&P. It’s $ 7.49 for a pasta, panini, or salad. They have several different items to choose from and the pasta & panini comes with a side of house salad or soup of the day. I decided to try their Rigatoni pasta with house salad: DELICIOUS and a LOT of food. Yes, I was definitely pleased with my lunch. I got a decent size of pasta, a nice side salad, and bread. I was so stuffed I couldn’t finish my pasta!
Going to Au Bön Pain for a sandwich costs me just as much as this awesome lunch deal here at A&P…more bang for your buck, I love it!
ps. they also got awesome Happy Hour buffet from 5−9pm M-F…you can get Bellinis or Grapparitas for $ 4 and domestic beers for $ 2.50…and when they say «buffet» they really have food there for you to munch on with your drink. Delicious pizza, calamari, and other delicious bites!

My wife and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner here prior to going to the Meyerson. This is a great place to go to impress a date — definitely upscale, expensive dinner. The ambiance is nice but not too nice — it could use a bit more. The dishes are impressive in their descriptions, and impressive on the tastebuds too. I could use a little bit more variety in the menu. There is not a large variety. I thought the prices were inflated just a bit above what they should have been… especially on the wine menu. The cheapest glass of wine on the menu is $ 8. We had to pay $ 5 for an appetizer of breads — at an Italian-​style restaurant I’d prefer to see bread come free. The Italians are all about copious amounts of food, and after a $ 22 entrée and half of a $ 5 bread appetizer I didn’t feel particularly full!
My wife had the half-​moon pasta with cheese and veal sauce. She really enjoyed it and I had a bite too — the flavors were fantastic. I had the veal with mushrooms, which was also very good. I thought the veal could have been a bit more tender, but I was very happy. Mine came with two small potatoes and a small stack of grilled veggies. I would have been more full with a double-​size of these fillers. The flatbread appetizer was a nice snack with oil and vinegar.
Overall, a fantastic dinner, with excellent service (although we had a 5:30 reservation and the place was completely deserted). Highly recommended for a nice dinner out.

At first, I was a little nervous because I called to ask how late Happy Hour was and where the best place to park was. The hostess didn’t know when Happy Hour was or when it ended. She told me to park in valet but didn’t know if they validated or if there was a cost. BTW — Happy Hour ends at 9 PM Mon — Friday and they have drink specials and ½ price selected appetizers.
I made my dinner reservation through Open Table which was easy.
I had been to their other locations but this was my first time here.
We started at Happy Hour to unwind from Dallas traffic. RJ is a great bartender!
After a cocktail we headed to our table. I found it odd that the hostess only gives the wine list and then we had to wait for the server to bring the menu.
We ordered a bottle of wine but they were out of it and let us have a slight upgrade at the same price, which was nice. Thank you.
We started with the seafood salad from the appetizer list which was really good. I had read about a dish someone Unilocaled about that was a seafood pasta dish but they no longer have that particular one on the menu but said they could make it. For dinner we had the Salmon Saba. The veggies on the dish were good but the salmon was SO dry neither of us could eat it. The server said he’d tell the chef. We also had a side of the spinach fettuccine with tomato sauce which was just ok.
The atmosphere is pretty nice. And, I like that they have a wine cellar/​room. However, all of their wines are Italian so if you don’t like Italian wine you might be hard pressed to find something you like.
The experience overall was «OK» but it won’t be on my top 10 list in Dallas. It’s a tough market — a lot of really good restaurants.

mmMmmMm! I love this place! They serve Sardinian food (highlighted in red) but also has Italian. I’m told they’re different, so I’ll take their word for it.
I’ve tried different things here, and it usually doesn’t fail. My favorite is the Taglierine ai Frutti di Mare. Just some amazing pasta with seafood. Oh, but not just any regular pasta. This is an awesome dish!
I’ve had great service here each time, so no complaints in that department!
It’s not too pricey here, although I don’t recommend turning it into a weekly trip (or maybe you can, and that’s how you roll). Whatever the case, I’d recommend at least trying this place once. There’s also a $ 20 for $ 40 deal on Unilocal,so maybe that will persuade some people to give it a try!

Have not been here since the move three years ago. Looking for some quality Italian, thought I would give them a visit. They promote themselves as Sardinian, and we tried to order accordingly.
I do believe that some Unilocal reviewers have been a bit harsh based on my experience which was very good.
To start, they are in the Crescent. Park in the undergroud lot and get your ticket validated so there is no charge. You go to the lobby level and find a door. You then walk through the kitchen into the dining room. Very cool!
The dining room is pretty formal. Very nice and waiters are friendly and layed back. Not stuffy at all. Our waiter, Uri, was great.
They started with an assorted bread basket and then brought some complementary appetizers. Nice touch!
We then had the sea bass carpaccio. Happy I tried it but a bit too fishy. Served with some nice arugula and beans.
We had three entrée:
I had a long pasta with assorted shell fish (shelled!) in a spicy red sauce. Pasta was cooked to perfection and I thought this dish was great. Seaffod cooked just right and delicious.
My wife had a Sardinian type gnocchi with a wild boar sauce. Pasta cooked just right and sauce was full bodied. A tooss up for which pasta was better. They were both winners.
My daughter had one of the specials for the night, rack of lamb. Big portion cooked medium rare-​just right. They tasted excellent.
We had some wine by the glass. Reasonable values for the quality. Most of the wines are Italian.
We will be back. Best Italian food I had had in Dallas in quite some time.

Went here for a 30^th birthday dinner for a dear friend not really knowing what to expect. It was more Italian, with Spanish music in the background.
Thanks to Unilocal I got a free drink with my check in. I had a choice of a grapparita or a bellini and took the suggestion of the bartender and went with the grapparita. It was really good, a frozen drink similar to a margarita. Whatever was on the rim of glass though I could do without… it was sticky and über sweet.
I ordered the pasta feature of the day which included tons of seafood and pasta in a lighter sauce. It was really good. All of it.

What a great dining experience! We were at dinner with a customer and from the great food to the most incredible service my party had a great dinner.
I had a teardrop pasta with a veal sauce that was very tasty. Two in our group had the full sea bass and they took such particular car in deboning the fish to perfection. I was told the fish was amazing.
The waiter did such an amazing job. Taking the time to go through EVERY item on the menu and explain it and give personal suggestions from the food to the wine.
I would definitely dine here again.

I decided to give this a try and felt that the best part of this dining experience was the service.
The knowledgeable staff was extremely attentive and the manager took the time to chat with each table.
The actual main course was ok. I had linguini with clams but the clams were not appetizing (mind you, I heart clams.).
The part of the evening that was my absolute favorite was the homemade cheesecake with generous toppings of fresh raspberries, blueberries, kiwi, strawberries, powdered sugar, and whipped cream. Go for the dessert menu and a glass of wine. :D

I went here for Happy Hour with my boyfriend on July 5^th, since we had read about it in the Dallas Observer recently. We were expecting a good time, and I have to say, it far exceeded that.
We were greeted by Peter after we took a seat, and he was extremely polite and courteous. Service was prompt, and the drinks were delicious. I was curious about trying a citrus drink containing gin, and I explained to Peter that I was not a fan of gin, and wasn’t too sure about it. He gave me a tiny sip of gin to try, and I went with something else instead. I appreciated his gesture, because the last thing I would have wanted was to pay for a drink that I would not have liked. In addition, he let my boyfriend and I try a little of the Grapparita, which was delicious.
Very seldom does service at a happy hour go above and beyond my expectations. Usually, bartenders and servers are too much in a hurry to attend to the individual needs of the patron. Our visit to Arcodoro was splendid, and we definitely plan on returning again, hopefully for dinner as well sometime!