Barnlight Eatery

Since we got our first puppy, Charlie, a little over a week ago, we've been pretty homebound. We spent his entire first weekend at home helping him get used to his new surroundings and routine.  During the week, we take turns coming home at lunch to check on him, and we rush home at the end of the day to let him out of his crate. We spend our evenings eating take-out while he eats his own dinner, and then we go for a walk and play (and unpack boxes) until it's time for him (and us) to go to bed.

This past weekend, we took a few trips out of the house to run errands, but on Saturday night, we decided that a real date night was in order. We wanted to try something new, which isn't hard when you're living in a new city, so we made a short trek to Frisco to give BarnLight Eatery a try.

The restaurant is decked out with weathered wood, mason jars, a chalkboard menu, and a few barn lights (naturally). The outdoor patio opens up to a grassy area that helps you forget that you're dining in a shopping center. The staff is friendly, and they serve what they refer to as modern Southern fare.

We kicked things off with drinks -- a classic margarita for my husband and a delicious Blackberry Citrus cocktail for me made with white wine, muddled blackberries, lime juice, and grapefruit juice. Even though liquor is available, I love that they offer a few wine "cocktails" that are light, refreshing, and perfect for summer sipping.

Things were still off to a very good start when our black-eyed pea hummus arrived with buttery toasted bread and vegetables for dipping. I sure do love being back in a state where black-eyed peas pop up on the menu!

Our entrees didn't disappoint either. My husband tried the fried chicken breast drizzled with apricot-cayenne jam and thyme jus and served with garlic corn mashed potatoes and an arugula and lettuce salad. The chicken was perfectly crispy, and the apricot-cayenne jam was fabulous. My chorizo meatloaf was smothered in a rich gravy and served with buttermilk mashed potatoes, crisp-tender green beans, and a sweet corn relish.

Finally, we dug our forks into a very generous piece of Key Lime Pie. Not too sweet with just the right amount of tartness from the key lime juice and zest, it was a good piece of pie!

We're so glad to have such a great little spot only a couple miles down the road from us. And after leaving all of our well-loved restaurants in Boston, it's exciting and encouraging to start discovering some new favorites here in the Dallas area!