Popolos Café By Jim White Performed to the tune of John Sebastian’s “Welcome Back” here is the tale of a homecoming at Popolos Café. This casual restaurant in North Dallas enjoyed a lot of success from the mid 90’s on. Unfortunately, changes started to occur toward the end of the decade. It’s a complicated story involving the sale of the restaurant, resulting in the popular chef flying the coop, the ultimate demise of the restaurant takeover group and the subsequent closing of Popolos. Fast forward to the present. Popolos original owner Maury Jaffer is back with flush investors and top-flight chef Los Akins, after a brief stint at Chamberlain’s, returns to the kitchen where he made his Preston/Royal neighbors so happy. The great breads have returned-Los’s secret recipes-and that’s always a great way to begin a meal. The house-baked breads make for awesome sandwiches, the crust for those wood-fired pizzas is just right, too. Hot weather starters include a very respectable chopped salad ($6.95), a delightful mix of greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, olives and Caesar dressing. A couple of sandwiches are standouts: the oven roasted lamb on rye ($7.95) and the grilled chicken-eggplant muffaletta (showing Los’ New Orleans roots). About those pizzas…I recommend Brave a la Los (not for the weak of constitution) featuring andouille sausage, roasted portabella, goat cheese, cilantro and fresh (hot) jalapenos ($10.95). A range of items from the hickory grill includes fresh fish of the day ($12.95), chicken breast ($10.95) or mixed seafood grill ($13.95). You pick a glaze: rosemary garlic, lime chili pepper, tartar or ginger tamari. From the specials section I thoroughly enjoyed pan-roasted salmon smothered with peppers and onions, topped with goat cheese. It’s served with delicious red potatoes. Additional chef specials are offered daily. Pastas are well done here. Angel hair with spicy, wood-roasted tomato garlic sauce ($10.95) and fettuccine with grilled hickory chicken, spinach, roasted peppers, feta cheese and tomato sauce ($10.95) are two of the best. The décor is spiffed up and the service is attentive. Welcome back! Popolos Café 707 Preston Royal Shopping Center (214) 692-5497 Send me an Email: jwdineline@aol.com