Restaurant Review: Dos Perros

[cliaz]

My review is not based on this place being a huddler's business but purely on my own impressions. I purposely did not let D know we were coming because I didn't want to distract him from his normal Sat. night there.

 

Date: April 23rd

Time: 6 PM EST

Location: Downtown Durham

 

Arrival:

 

The location for Dos Perros couldn't be better in my opinion. It is located about 1/4 miles from DPAC (performing arts center) and parking is incredibly convenient. There is a parking garage about 100 feet from the restaurant and we had no issues finding the place or finding parking. As we entered the restaurant we walked up to the greeter and let her know that we had reservations for 2. She was very polite and professional and led us to our table promptly, presented the menus for dinner and we settled in without any delays.

 

Atmosphere:

 

The atmosphere was nice with beautiful Mexican hand-woven blankets (not sure if blanket is the correct term) hanging at intervals throughout the dinning area. The ceiling was absolutely gorgeous and I find it hard to explain what it looked it but it appears to have carvings all throughout the ceiling tiles. The bar section was very clean, neat and the back of the bar was organized yet didn't distract from the atmosphere of the place. One thing that I really took notice of was that we sat close to the kitchen area yet we were not disturbed by the normal restaurant kitchen noises one would expect. This only added to the dinning experience imo.

 

The restaurant was filled with all sorts of delicious smells wafting out from the kitchen area. Another thing I noticed about this is that no one smell was overwhelming nor were any of them too strong in that they overpowered the sense.

 

Staff:

 

I can't say enough about our waitress. She was absolutely wonderful, knew what she was talking about when we asked about the different entrees and beers and was able to describe the flavors of the entrees with what we discovered later to be very accurate descriptions. Our drinks arrived promptly, our appetizers arrived before we knew it along with our beers and never once did we have ask for a refill on our drinks. What I found interesting was the ballet being performed by the waiting staff as they brought out other tables dinners, no congestion between tables, no waiting for another waiter/waitress to move so one could get by. It looked like a choreographed dance routine.

 

Our waitress talked to us and not at us. What I mean by that is she didn't just ramble off the dinners and specials and asked us what we want, ect, ect. When my wife asked about some of the entrees, she in turn asked my wife about what she preferred when it came to "X" food or spices and so on. She had enough small talk to spin on us that we felt like she was interest in us and not our order. In fact I can tell you that our waitress was originally from Minnesota (or Michigan I always get those two confused) and we all three chatted about what brought us to the area. She even made recommendations on things to do in the city and stated that if we ever went to a show at DPAC that it would be a good idea to park in the parking lot where we did, grab dinner there first and then go to the show from there. It is apparently easier to get out of that parking lot than it is to get out of DPAC's lot (great, professional plug for the restaurant and she didn't make it sound like one either).

 

The Food:

 

Both of us were surprised at the food. When you hear Mexican you think of tacos and the such and yes they do have them but this was actual Mexican cuisine. My wife ordered the Herb-roasted Poulet Rouge chicken with adobo, yucca, queso fresco, and chiles and I ordered the Yucatan-style grilled swordfish with yucca hash and braised chayote squash. The presentation was very impressive - to the point I had to take a second looks around at the other customers to see if they were wearing ties and jackets. The food arrived and was still steaming away for us. The swordfish was amazing. I have never tasted flavors like that before. The squash (Chayote) carried the same sauces flavoring that the swordfish had yet didn't have that overwhelming squash taste that I really don't like. The swordfish itself was very tender, cooked perfectly for me and my picking seafood requirements.

 

What I take away from Dos Perros food wise is all of the new flavors I have never experienced before. The food was simply amazing.

 

Conclusion:

 

I say this in all honesty (and I am very pick about my dinning experiences), Dos Perros has to be in my top 5 of the best dinning experiences I've had. Very well done. I think in 2 weeks or so we're going out for some Asian food so guess where we will be going?

 

[bushwacked]

Good review.

[muck]

If only I was in NC...

 

Makes me hungry!

 

Maybe, I'll hit Chipolte or Taco Bueno for lunch now.

 

 

...probably will just get a hot dog at costco...

[bpwallace49]

So we can count out ONE suspect in the cinder block throwing incident.

 

But you still seem kinda shady cliaz . . . . dont leave town anytime soon in case further questioning is required.

[cliaz]

I have to say, he has his chit together there. My sister-in-law works at Duke and she's eaten there before for lunch with pretty much the same results.

 

My wife's leftovers we brought home were quickly eaten by me after she went to bed.

 

I highly recommend anyone coming in to the area to go there if you are in the mood for Mexican.

[Azazello1313]

if you didn't introduce yourself to detlef, I hope you at least left your "signature" in one of his restroom stalls.

[detlef]

Man, I'm so glad you enjoyed your dinner! I'm bummed I couldn't be there but I ended up having a catering that night as well. Glad you liked it and thanks so much for the kind words.

 

Interesting story about the ceiling tiles. The building is 100 years old and the tiles are original. In the front part of the dining room, they're basically untouched, towards the kitchen, where you were, we had to salvage tiles from parts of the building where we were going to put in drop ceiling, like in the kitchen and such. Amazingly, that entire ceiling was hidden by drop ceiling with acoustic tiles for probably the last 50 years or so. Total shame. At any rate, at the turn of last century, that was the latest technology, it was a short cut to replace the old plaster ceilings. Imagine that same ceiling only, instead of a bunch of pre-made tin tiles, that someone had gone up there and made it from scratch.

 

At any rate, because we had to scrape off the old paint and my GC wouldn't touch it for insurance/OSHA issues, my wife and I actually got up there on scaffolding and scraped that effing clean with wire brushes (wearing respirators, of course). It sucks for acoustics and can make the room louder than we might like (which is where the rugs on the walls and the carpet on the floor come in, but it's a cool thing and captures some of the history.

 

Gotta make sure I'm around when you hit Jujube.

 

Thanks again,

Charlie

[evil_gop_liars]

But how was the toast?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[wiegie]

I think in 2 weeks or so we're going out for some Asian food so guess where we will be going?

P.F. Changs?

[TimC]

P.F. Changs?

 

I'd rather eat at Montster's house on December 7th. I don't know what the fascination people have with PF Changs. The SO has relatives down in North Wilkesboro and we're past due for a trip. I told her we'd hopefully be able to stop by one of Det's places. I'd prefer Dos Perros because I'm not sure what good Asian Fusion is really like...we have no restaurants like that here since all we have Asian outside of PF Changs is Pork Fried Rice and Egg Drop Soup.

 

The swordfish sounds delicious to me.

Edited April 25, 2011 by TimC

[T_bone65]

Was it hot enough for ya

[detlef]

For the record, if I had to pick only one to go eat at, I'd pick Jujube. I obviously love them both, but I think there are more home runs at Jujube. The Cha Gio (Vietnamese deep-fried pork and shrimp spring rolls that you wrap in lettuce, pickles and herbs and dip in a fish sauce-based dipping sauce) is something I could eat every day for the rest of my life. The calamari is outstanding and the lemongrass hanger steak with cucumber salad and peanut sauce (yes, I know I was dogging ordering steak out in the food forum but this is not your typical steak and potatoes deal) are all better, IMO than our best dishes at Dos P. In fact, when my chef (who helps me oversee operations at both places) and I talk about the menu, we often reference the fact that we're looking for those hook-dishes at Dos Perros. Those dishes that people threaten you with your life if you ever take them off. We're still looking at Dos Perros for those dishes. Jujube has more of them right now than Dos Perros does. Of course, we've had over 5 years to get our chight straight at Jujube and it's a much smaller place with a slightly bigger kitchen, so it's an easier place to work. At Dos Perros, we've been getting hit hard from the get go and have had to figure out what we can and can't pull off on the fly.

 

Mind you, I think we do a really good job at Dos Perros, and there are certainly plenty who prefer it to Jujube. That's just my opinion. Also, if beer is your thing, then it's no contest, Dos Perros by a long shot. For cocktails, Jujube has a broader selection just because at Dos Perros, variations on Margaritas, understandably, dominate the list. If it's wine, then Jujube hands down. And, for the record, Jujube has a better beer program than Dos Perros has a wine program. That said, while people like the wine list at Jujube, they don't go bat poopy over it the way some do about the beer list at Dos P.

 

Also, the patio at Jujube is way cooler. It's tucked away in a groovy garden setting. Dos Perros it a bit more urban.

Edited April 25, 2011 by detlef

[whoopazz]

I've been to JuJube. You'll get the same kind of experience there. Very well done all the way around - food was awesome. Gotta get over to DP.

[Puddy]

I'd rather eat at Montster's house on December 7th.

[untateve]

I've been to JuJube. You'll get the same kind of experience there. Very well done all the way around - food was awesome. Gotta get over to DP.

 

I didn't know you were into DP. Interesting.

[montster]

I'd rather eat at Montster's house on December 7th. I don't know what the fascination people have with PF Changs. The SO has relatives down in North Wilkesboro and we're past due for a trip. I told her we'd hopefully be able to stop by one of Det's places. I'd prefer Dos Perros because I'm not sure what good Asian Fusion is really like...we have no restaurants like that here since all we have Asian outside of PF Changs is Pork Fried Rice and Egg Drop Soup.

 

The swordfish sounds delicious to me.

 

If you prefer dos perros, then you really should come eat at my place.

[Chief Dick]

If you prefer dos perros, then you really should come eat at my place.

 

Is it called Nomo Perros?

[Hugh B Tool]

Sounds interesting and muy sabrosa

Edited April 26, 2011 by Hugh B Tool

[tazinib1]

But what did you tip?

[Caveman_Nick]

I don't always eat tacos, but when I do I prefer Dos Perros.

[rajncajn]

Yeah, but they can't make a dirty martini for chit.

 

 

 

Very cool on you Cliaz. I hope I get the chance to make it up there some time.

[whoopazz]

Uh oh, the VP is in town for one night and wanted to take some staff out to dinner - picked Dos Perros. He's taking staff engineers though, no mid management scum this time ...kicks rock...