The Mercury Moving as quickly as the swift-footed messenger of the gods, The Mercury has become one of the hottest spots for North Dallas upscale New American Cuisine. The contemporary decor, with its blacks and reds and modern art, is not exactly what you’d expect to find in a strip shopping center, but then again this strip center is at Preston and Forest in the heart of North Dallas money. In fact, several high-profile moguls and community leaders were among the diners on one of our recent dinner visits to The Mercury. The small bar area had the look of an on-the-way-home watering hole for executives living in the neighborhood, popping in for a quick highball or two before hitting the house and the backyard barbecue or family dinner. Chef Chris Ward’s menu is inventive and inviting. From the starters area, we saw people swooning over succulent foie gras flan; swooned ourselves over an outstanding braised lamb osso bucco with candied duck and cannelloni stew; and enjoyed the light, crispy “Caesar Style” hearts of romaine salad. Tabouli of tuna tartar with chick pea hummus is another interesting choice. The Mercury offers one of the best wood-fired pizzas I’ve ever had. Crust is perfect. Seasoning just right. Sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, portabello mushrooms, roasted garlic and rosemary. Other varieties of course, as well as a wood-fired focaccia with rosemary. Add a pasta or risotto dish to your selection, like crispy fried squid over spicy tomato risotto and green olive tapenade. Entrees are what I would call upscale hearty. You won’t walk away hungry from The Mercury. Spit-roasted ribeye of pork over polenta is a stick to your ribs plateful-or actually bowl-full since appetizers and entrees are served in plate-sized big bowls. There’s sirloin, roasted lamb shank and a huge veal chop with mushroom vinaigrette and roasted peppers. We enjoyed a moist grilled salmon, and a delicious range-fed chicken served with awesome mashed potatoes. One small problem: it’s billed as a 20 clove garlic dish-there wasn’t even a hint of garlic or a trace of a sweet, wonderful clove in sight on or around the bird. Desserts are a work of art at The Mercury. Back to swooning, here, over an outrageously good Grand Marnier soufflé. A hazelnut/chocolate meringue cake is a house favorite. The wine list is well-rounded and some fairly nice selections are offered by the glass. Smoking is only permitted in the aforementioned bar-and some of the smoke wafts to the tables up-front, in the long, narrow configuration of The Mercury. The restaurant is open for lunch weekdays and dinner every night. Let’s hear it for a Sunday night dinner! The Mercury is located in the Northwest Quadrant of the Preston-Forest shopping centers. You won’t see a street address, so why bother. The number for reservations is 972-960-7774. On The KRLD Restaurant Show Review Scale of One to Five Forks: The overall rating is 4 Forks. That breaks down: Food: 4 Forks Service 3 and a half Forks Atmosphere: 4 Forks. The price is expensive, with entrees ranging from $14.00 to $28.00 at dinner and $6.00 to $16.00 at lunch. Send me an Email: jwdineline@aol.com Copyright © 1998 Inter Active Media Solutions. All Rights Reserved. The interactive components of this site require that you use a current browser version of Explorer; be sure to maximize your window out so you can see the entire page. This page was created by Inter Active Media Solutions.