Society Life Magazine

In her first year in town, Dallas Observer food critic, Hanna Raskin, skewers Dallas’ food scene in a heatedly-discussed cover story calling it, among other things, “broken” and “untethered.” We can agree to disagree on many of her assertions, but I have a modest proposal that I think may provide a delicious coda for Ms. Raskin. Go west.

The food culture west of 360 is vibrant and—dare I say, “world- class” with its feet still firmly planted in North Texas red clay.  A cadre of talented young chefs is making Greater Cowtown a dining destination wholly unto itself. The kitchens of Blaine Staniford, Molly McCook, Brian Olenjack, Casey Thompson and Lanny Lancarte dish out food that evokes our Texan identity and bottomless capacity for innovation. Even in suburbia where creative, chef-driven food often struggles to find an audience, a few intrepid cooks are making a good go of it, including Trio’s Jason Harper in Colleyville, Chef Point’s Franson Nwaeze in Watauga and the Classic Café’s Charles Youts. Rocketing up that list is Bison Station’s executive chef, Nate Gay.

This Old Town Keller jewel is an antidote to scene-obsessed Dallas restos—soulful, unpretentious, but assured. Housed in a converted cottage, Bison Station has that effortless character that grows organically from the neighborhood, rather than a developer’s master plan. There’s something refreshing about its lack of slickness, though it’s not without its modest charms (Chef Nate and his stepfather did a lot of the finish out themselves). The spacious back patio brings to mind that nice neighbor who always threw the best cookouts in his backyard.

We should all be so lucky to have a neighbor who cooked this skillfully. Starters like the smoked cheddar queso and the loaded peppers are a nostalgic trip. The queso has a richness and kick that are the envy of home cooks and backyard entertainers everywhere, but has an elegance and complexity that you simply can’t get from melting Velveeta and Rotel in the microwave. This is queso you eat with grilled ciabatta, not Tostitos.

Loaded peppers, stuffed with four cheeses and wrapped in bacon, are a marvelous mouthful of heat and smoke, two of the defining essences of Lone Star cuisine.  Chef Nate’s background in Italian cooking finds its way to the polenta-like smoked gouda grits, a homey fusion of the American South and Northern Italy that provides the starch component for many of the dishes, including a popular version of shrimp and grits.

Bison is the star protein. It has lately gained a foothold on many menus as a leaner, more natural alternative to beef (federal law prohibits the use of growth hormone on bison). Bison-stuffed mushrooms arrive tantalizingly at the table looking like the most succulent meatballs you’ve ever laid eyes on—and they don’t disappoint. Bison’s mild flavor is very nicely complemented by the mushroom caps and a sweet jalapeno glaze.  It also makes up the patty in an oft-ordered bison burger on grilled ciabatta topped with mesquite smoked cheddar and a pepper aioli.

The menu is fairly concise, the prices very reasonable. You can safely opt for a capable grilled filet or a succulent beer-braised chicken, but trying the specials is a wise move. Many customers have been rewarded with thoughtful variations on classic dishes—braised bison short ribs or chicken-fried quail are a couple of recent offerings. This Texas on a plate is playful, eager to please and unafraid to blaze a trail.

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