Five-Sixty

This entry is for me to remember this experience. I like to play 'tourist' in Dallas as much as possible. My family has lived here over 75 years, I feel an obligation to be 'in the know' about this city we have committed ourselves to over it's birth and growth. BUT if you are tired of watching grass grow, feel free to follow along on this one. ;o)
You know the big 'ball' in the Dallas skyline? Reunion Tower is the official name for those of us that don't assign 'shape names' to buildings (me).

(Thank you random google search photo person for letting me borrow this photo for a visual).
I've been going there (Reunion Tower) for more than 15 years to eat meals, stand on the walkway and overlook the city. I love Dallas. For years the revolving restaurant that is housed inside the tower was called Antares (some sort of star reference). I've posted about this restaurant before, and it is one of the places I forced everyone to go that came to Dallas b/c I really loved it-they had good bread-my one requirement...
They shut Antares down about two years ago for renovations under a new owner. Change is not my strong suit. I don't like it when people 'move my cheese-' fine, bread. I do miss that bread.
Wolfgang Puck took over this new place (Five-Sixty (there was a naming contest, this name won b/c that is how many floors up the restaurant is from ground level)). He turned the old Southwestern Style restaurant into a really trendy Asian restaurant. I'm not a huge fan of this type of cuisine, probably b/c I don't get the opportunity to explore it as much as the fried food, and salsa filled dishes of my homeland (that would be Dallas). I still had to know what had happened to that bread in the sky-so this evening, after lucking into a cancellation this week I went to dinner there (the reservations for Saturday nights are booked out for well over a month-which I thought was a pretty good sign). The dinner came compliments of my Mom who knew I really wanted to see what had happened to my bread place.
I'll start the experience by saying-if the streets looked bare downtown tonight, it's because every high heel wearing, skinny, gorgeous, slightly or severely tipsy Dallas socialite was up in the tower. Did I mention they were friendly? Truly-they are, but 'you know' this scene if you ever head to uptown. After riding the elevator up from the Hyatt, we were greeted by drinking bars, and sushi bars you could snack at (and order sushi that's made in front of you).

(The iphone picture doesn't even show 1/4 of the sushi bar, or do it justice, but post are more exciting with pictures.)
I imagine if I were a sushi fan, this would have been a really fun way to eat the 'stuff.' I've never tried sushi-it has something to do with fish, and I don't eat food that swims where it pees (I don't want to hear about how chickens or pigs or cows live, it's best if I live in a fantasy world, or I'd only eat....skittles, and bread-my meat comes from the grocery store). It was noisy. There are tables throughout the restaurant overlooking the city as it revolves, but there are also random couches, and bars set throughout the circular restaurant, so you can pick your poison. The food was definitely excellent, very complex. Let me pause and say-what I know about complex foods is that sometimes when I'm feeling complex-I'll add a hot dog to my Kraft Mac and Cheese. There was a really spicy flavor throughout all the dishes. Again-what I know about seasoning is a cure all to under seasoned dishes in my family=salt. In fact, the salt goes on before the first bite goes in. I've tried to explain this is an insult and they should at least try it before they decide, but this is just because I don't want to have to wait my turn for the salt shaker, and I figured I'd get first dibs at it if they were biting first. Back to my meal-I tried the roasted chicken and Lapsong sausage fried rice, and a small slice of the braised ribs, and banana pie.

All good, but I don't know that I'll crave them outside of this rare experience. The thing I loved and would want another try at was the Chinois Salad with Asian greens, Hot and Sweet Mustard dressing, fried wontons, and candied cashews-YUM. If you like sushi, or fresh Asian cuisine, and pretty views-I'd recommend it. No bread, so it's not making my list of favorites.
OK, my last thought--you know how at 'really nice restaurants' the goal of the wait staff is to be invisible? They tried to be invisible at Five-Sixty, and...well, this bothers me-I don't have high enough self esteem to deal with waiters and waitresses who don't want to be my friend. So what if it's for a tip, I need to believe that I'm going to be invited to their birthday party or something by the end of a meal. I like making these imaginary (paid for) friendships at meals! It's a southern tradition. Five-Sixty has great 'service,' but none of the charm it should in a city in the South. Fortunately, the Hyatt (which you have to walk through to get to the restaurant) had amazing, and FRIENDLY service....so I guess I made enough imaginary friends there to go one more week without therapy regarding whether the wait staff at Five-Sixty likes me.