Canary By Gorji

I do not often write reviews, but want to share what a unique experience dining at Canary by Gorji can be. Chef Gorji is very involved, welcoming you as you walk in the door, greeting you and telling you the specials, finishing by asking what he can cook for you that evening. And cook, he does. Dishes were exquisite and well executed. The waiter was attentive and well trained, but not intrusive — it definitely felt like you were in a sophisticated dining room. The scallop and gazpacho salad was beautifully prepared, refreshing, and the scallop was perfectly seared. We shared a grapefruit, persian cucumber and red onion salad with hints of feta and a light grapefruit, olive oil dressing. We also started with the lamb tongue crostini (a healthy portion on one large piece of bread). The sardines almost overpowered the lamb tongue but I enjoyed the salty addition, and were balanced by other ingredients in the dish. Chef brought out extra bread so we didn’t have to leave any dressing behind, and I’m glad he did. I loved the large fresh bits of cracked black pepper that complemented the citrus and oil. Our mains were indulgent — a wild boar tenderloin and a petite beef filet. Perfectly cooked. My filet was one of the best (tasting and prepared) steaks I’ve had in Dallas. I had high expectations after reading reviews and Chef Gorji delivered. I also enjoyed the evening’s wine selection. Chef Gorji brought a taste of a Lebanese wine. Chef was an incredible host — while Canary may lack a bustling «dining out» atmosphere or bar, you feel that you are eating at his home; you are welcomed, pampered, indulged and it was a welcome respite and calm, romantic evening for me and my husband. On finding out it was our first visit to the restaurant, he gave us a bottle of cava to take home after our meal! I asked about his favorite olive oil and he brought out the bottle to show me, as well as sharing that he did sell his own dipping oil (which we were happy to bring home). He suggested uses (use this on meats or vegetables before searing). While I agree with other reviews I’ve seen in D Mag /​Observer that dessert is not the focus here, I did enjoy my sorbet, it was fresh, tart and had plenty of fruit. If you are a dessert person though, the savory appetizers and mains are worth the sacrifice of a more inventive dessert menu. We will definitely be back. Overall we found our meal to be outstanding. I loved the Mediterranean flavors and the attentive service from the Chef. You don’t often in Dallas have a chef spend so much time visiting with you and one that personally cooks each dish. If you walk in with the right expectations (you go there for the FOOD) you will be glad you went to Canary.

The food here is good, but the prices are too high, the ambience is odd at best, and the service is frazzled.
Reflecting on our experience after some time has passed, what I remember is the following:
— a great mezze plate
— fine dining in a less-​than-​fine ambience
— the chef shouting to his staff throughout the night (loud enough for us to hear every word as if he were sitting at our table)
— really really long wait times between dishes
— good food
Not terrible, but I probably won’t be back.

A little late in posting this. Took my son and fiancé here for my son’s birthday (which was really my excuse to check it out). I’ve been hearing about Gorji’s for some time. This was actually the third time I’ve tried to get in. I’ll just say that we were very impressed with the service and the dinner. All was top notch. My fiancé had the fish special which she loved. My 17 year old son had the wild boar, which he talked about for days. I had the tenderloin which is one of the best I’ve had… ever. On top of that the service was impeccable, which is a word I may not have ever used in a written critique. Hope to get back in before my son turns 18…

So expensive but so good. I had the avocado salad and filet medium rare. Everything down to the bread was DIVINE.

Best steak I have ever eaten in my life! Gorgi is amazing, and friendly. Every dish was superb.

Excellent service and personal touch by the Chef/​owner. They pushed the wine list a bit much and we are non-​drinkers, so I’m sure they were disappointed! The salad was excellent, and so was the trout… the escargot not so much! We would definitely go back!

This place is horrible!!! I tried it again and the food was terrible and the owner was rude! I got the escargot and they smelled and tasted like they have been in the kitchen for days left out. I also got the steak and it was rubbery and undercooked plus tasteless! My wife begged me to try it again (she is a server and said the first time they were having a bad day) but we both agreed it was horrible!

Our reservations were scheduled for 7:30 and on arrival we were promptly seated. The décor was somewhat minimal. really more like a bistro than a more formal restaurant. The staff was gracious and made us feel at home. Unfortunately, it all went downhill from there. While we didn’t order for about 30 minutes, it was after 9 before the main course was served. The escargot which for me is always the measure of a restaurant’s quality was served in a pomodoro sauce which was overbearing and did nothing to aid the canned snails which were bland and rubbery. My main course was the «short-​bill spearfish» which is a species of marlin. My waiter told me that it would be light and flaky when compared with swordfish. I found it to be hard and dense while the accompanying poached shrimp was very bland. In short the meal was a disaster. My wife had the trout which was better but still not of the quality to justify a $ 34 price tag. In short if you dine here, stick to simple and don’t take chances assuming the Chef is always going to have a good day.

Cute restaurant, the owner runs the kitchen himself and comes out to greet you at various times when it’s not busy. The waitstaff were brand new when I went so it was definitely a little rough, but understandable.
The food was good, but not great. The duck breast appetizer was amazing, cooked perfectly with great flavor. I thought my paella was just OK. The portion size was pretty small for an entrée and the flavor wasn’t bold enough. For me, the best paellas burst with flavor in your mouth and this one just didn’t.
Overall, it was a good but not great experience. A little pricey for what we received in my opinion, but the chef/​owner was SUPER nice.

Took a friend for a nice birthday dinner here. I read all the reviews and was expecting a great dining experience. The chef was very friendly on the phone when making reservations. The ambiance is great, but the food lacked flavor perhaps the simplicity of the meal isn’t for me. The wine selection was subpar including the wine recommendation. The chef seems to cater to his usual costumers and ignores the rest. I was looking forward to this experience and I was greatly disappointed. Nice atmosphere and the staff seems well trained.

Found this restaurant some years ago while looking for a cooking class to attend with my boyfriend, an engineer. How cool to find a former engineer who owns a restaurant and offers classes! We were really surprised at the small size and intimate nature of Canary Café and thought this was a perfect place for a future romantic dinner when we were not learning how to cook an award-​winning filet or some delicate gorgonzola gnocchi. We loved how we were able to sit with other patrons at shared tables — we met a doctor and a former CEO of a telecom giant and many other interesting people. We fell in love with the wines served with our meals and were amazed at the quality of the food we were served after learning how Chef prepares it. We came back on other occasions for romantic dinners — including Valentine’s Day. We also came for special occasions, like a visiting cousin or my mother’s 75^th birthday, etc. He also sometimes does these «pizza parties» where we are able to eat some of his crispy gourmet pizzas paired with interesting wines — usually poured by a representative of one of the spotlight wineries. These pizza/​wine tastings are so much fun that we invite friends and family to introduce them to the casual elegance of this hidden jewel in Old Sakowitz Village. If you want some truly inspired worldly dishes in an intimate atmosphere or would like an opportunity to meet like-​minded people in a warm, wine-​infused environment, call Chef Gorji today and join us in the secret society of those who love Canary Café by Gorji.

OMG!!! Such a fabulous place! The chef has so much passion for what he does! A very romantic restaurant! I loved when my children were little and enjoyed all aspects of their life growing up, but being able to enjoy an adult meal in an establishment where the chef is such an integral part of the experience and not a line cook is absolutely amazing!

It was DFW Restaurant Week and it is the time to try places we don’t normally try. Chef Gorjis has an amazing thing going here. I was so impressed with the service the food and the ambience during what was one of the best dinners I have had in a long time.
The lasagna appetizer was spectacularly succulent and just the right amount of sauce to cheese ratio. But the Gorgonzola Gnocci was the as good if not better than Gnocci I have eaten in the NE or Chicago. I will never forget that flavor and that dish alone will bring me back. The Gnocci complemented the steak so well I just could not stop eating it.
I will look forward to bringing foodie friends to this spot in the future and look forward to seeing Chef Gorjis smile when I dine again. Good to see the working Chef come to greet his patrons! Keep up the amazing work!

When taking the time to write a review, I want it to be valuable to other diners. Why should you invest your time and money to dine at this restaurant when you have so many other options? Addison has thousands of restaurants. The small «Village on the Parkway» shopping complex lists 17 of them. With so many good restaurants, we foodies are searching for the great ones. And, Canary by Gorji is exceptional. It is exceptional for several reasons. Service, Quality of cuisine. Ambience. And Service. (yep, I said it twice)
Service — first — is for the wait staff. From the greeting at the door and quick seating to their knowledge of the menu and discreet service, they are well trained with just the right amount of attentiveness.
Quality of Cuisine — It’s the attention to detail that make Canary exceptional. Our optional fourth course, served first, was described as a Lasagna, but not like any we’d had. It was spinach and cheese layered in fresh pasta and served with chef’s award winning Texas chili, topped with a creamy goat cheese. It was spicy and delicious. Next was a Perfectly cooked escargot with a light fresh pomodoro & just a bit of creamy gorgonzola and the sweetest butter seared scallops served with a slightly tart minced gazpacho salad were our appetizers. A grilled lamb T-​bone served with tzatziki and a grilled quail over the brightest tabbouleh was hubby’s entrée. The lamb was seared a delicate pink. The quail was tender and juicy. The tabbouleh, fresh and citrus-​y, was some of the best we’d ever had. My sirloin was truly grilled perfectly and served with a gnocchi in very rich delicious cream sauce. Dessert was flourless chocolate cake and the kefir and Medjool date butterfly. The cake was recommended to me by our server who described it as his favorite, a rich balanced chocolate with a creamy frosting and fresh raspberries. It was! The butterfly was about contrasts. The creamy tart kefir, the sauce of reduced pomogranate, the rich sweet soft Jordanian Medjool dates, the crisp sesame wafers all combined to create a complex delicious dessert.
Ambience — This is a small intimate place. The 10 tables are just far enough apart to ensure quiet conversations yet the small size gives you just a small glimpse into the complexities of service as you hear the chef calling out plates and tables for his servers. It’s not ornate or ostentatious, but has a soft elegance.
Service — second — is about the chef. Even though you hear him orchestrating the kitchen, he ensures each person is satisfied and makes sure to thank every diner.
A final word. Don’t mistake simple for easy. Excellent fresh ingredients, meticulously prepared. It’s about making sure each detail is perfect.

This is by far the best experience you will ever have in DFW. I haven’t been everywhere, but I clearly try plenty of nice places. I love that when you walk in they know who you are and greet you promptly. Lawrence has been the only waiter there each time I have been and he does an outstanding job. There are only 12 tables total in the whole place. It has a modern but intimate/​romantic feel. I honestly like that there is a place in Dallas I can go and not hear kids screaming or be rushed out before I have even finished my dessert because the restaurant would like to seat the next guest. They have oil candles on the table with little flowers. Everything is tastefully decorated and well kept.
The waiter brings us a palate cleanser of champagne and cranberry before taking our order for drinks. He also swiftly brings out some toasted bread and olive oil with parmesan. These items are both compliments of Chef Gorji. We placed our drinks, appetizer and food order promptly there after. I like that we have time to enjoy our appetizer and each other before the Lawrence comes back to take our entre order. They will of coarse accommodate you however you’d like to do things, but I highly suggest taking your time :)
A little side note: leave your cell phone in the car on the night you go. It truly makes it all the more enjoyable for you and everyone else.
We tend to order the hummus at Gorji’s because I love the garlic infusion. We’ve also had the brie and garlic which is incredible as well. I like that both of these apps come out rather quickly. The hummus is delicious blend of chickpeas, oil, garlic and I am sure some additional seasoning.
The entrees are INCREDIBLE! It is so rare to find a perfectly cooked and seasoned steak that is served up so hot and tender. I eat every bite, every time. Delish! Let’s not forget about the scrumptious veggies that are served with I believe every meal. The carrots and okra both still have a nice crunch and great flavor. This time I decided to try the poached shrimp with parmesan infused basmati rice. The rice is absolutely amazing. The shrimp were cooked thoroughly and evenly and paired with a zesty sauce that I wanted to dip everything in. Seriously, Gorji I need a bottle of this stuff!
I can’t say enough to go try this place! It’s incredible. I find it very hard to believe anyone would ever, ever leave this place disappointed.

My wife and I have now been to Canary several times and I must say its better and better each time. This evening we went for our anniversary dinner and it was better than ever. If your looking for an amazing experience I highly recommend you try this place out. We will forever be a client.

My boyfriend and I came here for date night this past Saturday. We just moved to the area and we’ve been trying quite a few places in the area.
The restaurant is very small, quiet and intimate. Definitely make a reservation. There were only 2 servers that night, but they were totally on their game. The gentleman that was our server was incredibly knowledgeable, well spoken, and attentive, but not too attentive, perfect.
I was so taken aback by the prices, I was surprised it was so expensive, but we never have too much time off and figured we would just splurge this one night.
We ordered the Escargot as our starter, just fantastic, perfectly cooked. They are so difficult to get the right consistency, but they were so tender and the sauce was amazing, a red sauce with gorgonzola.
We had the Grapefruit salad next, it was very light and fresh. Perfect between courses.
For our entrees we got the Paella, and Rib eye. Both were cooked to perfection. The Rib eye had a pomegranate sauce and a side of gorgonzola gnocchi, and the paella was just incredible. I’m not enough of a foodie to describe the flavors, but it was just delicious.
For dessert we had Tiramisu, and the Beer float, the beer float was odd but unique and intriguing. I didn’t like the first bite, but after the 2^nd, 3^rd I was in love. Of course the Tiramisu was fantastic.
Altogether it came out to about $ 220 for all courses and we each had 2 glasses of wine and including tip. We for sure can’t do this every weekend, but I definitely feel as if we got our money’s worth.
The chef came out to speak with each table to make sure we were all happy. It was a great experience and I would definitely recommend to anyone for a special night out.

First, this is a limited seating restaurant with about ~10 tables, so it is recommended you make a reservation… don’t think they take walk-​ins.
Parking can be a chore with the AMC movie theater around the corner and other restaurants. I recommend you get the complementary Lonestar valet parking just around the corner.
I came here with my wife on a dinner date. We’ve always wanted to come here. We had our reservations and were welcomed warmly by a super nice waiter called Lawrence. There were only two other tables that had guests, the rest were empty.
Our waiter Lawrence was impressive as he went through the menu items like a pro. He knew everything that was being offered and recommendations from popular items like the back of his hand!
I ordered the special 3 course $ 53 special and wife ordered the $ 34 Paella with pulled rabbit, spanish chorizo, mussels & shrimp with saffron white wine rice.
Before you get your appetizers, you’ll be given a Palate cleanser in a small glass made of champagne and sangria.
We ordered the White wine — Broadbent vinho verde, 2012 portugal wine. $ 8 and the red wine — Mayol 2012 (Priorat, Spain) $ 15.
For appetizers, wife got the mussels which were large compared to other places we’ve had them. I got the special 3 course meal appetizer which was a pizza with spear fish. This is in chef Gorgi’s special cookbook menu and it was DELICIOUS!
I also got the Salad (spinach) with strawberry. From chef Gorgi’s cookbook when you order the three course meal. This was yummy!
For the entrée from the 3 course special, I was served the Colorado Lamb T-​Bone & Grilled Quail with tabbouleh and tzatziki which was fantastic!
We got the Four Berry Sorbet dessert which was fabulous!
Chef Gorji also came by to say hello and check on us. He also said goodbye to us when we left.
We’ll definitely come back!

I came in for a tasting event sponsored by Artizone. Gorji is a vendor of Artizone so he decided to show us some of his new sauces. We had some pita bread with his spicy arrabbiata sauce. This sauce was my absolute favorite. Then we tried a ravioli with a pomodoro which was also so good! Then he had us try a Bloody Mary with the arrabbiata sauce in it which sounds crazy but it was absolutely delicious. I’ll definitely need to come by again to get my fix of that sauce!

Entering to meet a business client on a rain/​sleet/​ice/​snowy evening was worrisome enough, but add an unfamiliar restaurant and an empty dining room made the evening even more concerning.
Waiting for an extra 30 minutes, alone, gave me time to closely examine the offering and hear the specials twice.
5 stars are held back for the very best.
Ordering the Spearfish with puttanesca sauce was over the top — fabulous. Charred out and tender and moist inside blended with the ever so gentle mix of tomato, olive and seasonings. The sides of carrots and okra were perfectly seasoned and lightly cooked.
This space is simple and a must try for foodies who love to eat and be cared for by the owner chef.

Lovely dinner, we’ve been meaning to come for a long time and glad we finally did. As others have said the escargot was unexpected but delicious.
I ordered the lamb with tabouli and the hubby had the rib eye. I wanted to love it, the chef is so welcoming and well intentioned.
The meat was all done beautifully, but the sides were not very exciting (well, except for the carrots, those were delicious).
Also got the flourless cake for dessert, which was good, but very cold.
I’m on the fence on whether I would return. While everything was very good, nothing was truly extraordinary, and there are so many amazing restaurants in the area at the same price point.
I did, however, feel like I ate a fairly healthy meal. So if the scale reflects that in the morning I would gladly add another star ;)

If you are looking for a meal created with care and delicious flavors this is your place. My husband and I dined here and enjoyed every bite.
Service was attentive and the chef came by every table several times to see how the meal was progressing.
The gnocchi was by far my favorite item of the night. A close second was the flourless chocolate cake.

I think the ‘By Gorji’ aspect of the name is very apt for what he tries to accomplish with this restaurant.
It really feels like he is personally taking care of you at his home.
I don’t believe that this place takes walk-​ins and is by reservation only. When we originally called for a reservation, we originally left a message, but when he returned our call, it turns out that he uses his personal cell phone. Then during the meal, he had seating times, that way he could help cook every guests meal personally, and then after the dishes were served he could check on the guests and converse with everyone.
The food all seems very ‘homemade’. Simple flavors, simple presentations. It all feels like stuff that one might easily make at home. This is especially felt in the dishes that use his ‘signature sauces’ (Sold at Whole Foods[I actually met him personally giving samples of his sauces at the Plano store once{Just a fun side story, which really adds to how personally he is involved in everything}]) That homey feel can be a pro or con depending on what you are hoping for. Very cozy atmosphere can be comforting, but unhelpful if you go to a restaurants for an exciting experience.
For the quail dish, we were even given ‘finger washing bowls’ and encouraged to use our hands. That was fun.
The wine list is intriguing. It contains your typical Italian, French & California wines, but then includes wines from places such as Israel, Spain, Morocco & Greece.
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Conclusion:
Gorji really does involve himself personally in each dinner. A cozy atmosphere makes for a very comfortable experience. It is almost like you are eating at his home.
Unfortunately, this simplicity detracts from a ‘wow’ experience that really makes a meal memorable if it is a special occasion

Had lamb brains. Yup. I’d never had it before so I’m not sure if it was prepared well, but it wasn’t bad all together. It felt adventurous all the way.
The service was good. The cutlery could be more cooperative though — it’s more artsy than practical.

One of the best experiences we’ve had in a long time. Gorgi was a great host and the food was absolutely wonderful from the preparation to the presentation.

This place is very tiny and very easy to miss. They literally had about 10 tables in the restaurant and the staff was maybe 2 people? We thought we’d check it out because they had interesting options for their Restaurant Week menu and boy, we sure were in for a good surprise! Started off with the escargot. It was cooked slightly different from how other places typically cook it because it actually was in some tomato based sauce. Surprisingly, I really liked it even though it wasn’t what I expected. The sauce was good and the escargot was perfectly tender and it also had a good portion for an appetizer. It came with this biscut-​bread hybrid kind of thing but I was too full from the bread they gave as we waited for the rest of our party. For our entrée, we got the lamb tbone with quail. The lamb’s flavor was a bit too smoky for me but ti was cooked perfectly medium rare and the texture was amazing. The tzatziki sauce that it came with helped with the smokiness though. The quail on the other hand was WOW amazing. We got a good portion of the quail and although it looks like it was barely seasoned, it was so full of flavor with a little kick too! It was nice and crispy as well. This dish came with some veggies, okras and carrots. The okras were cooked really good (grilled), the carrots were okay. It also came with a very small portion of tabbouleh which was good but not too amazing. For dessert, I got to try a few things, the date & turkish kefir butterfly, the chocolate liqueur cake and the 4 berry sorbet. The sorbet was nice and light, very refreshing. The date & turkish kefir butterfly was actually this really light fluffy cheese with crackers that were glazed with this very tangy sauce. The cheese and crackers were good but the glaze was extremely sour and almost unpleasant. The chocolate liqueur cake was very good!!! It was so soft and moist that it felt like I was eating a mousse cake.
Overall, I had a great experience at this place. The manager/​owner always checked on us and kept us updated on the status of our food. The food was very interesting, not the typical fare you’d see at restaurant week but it was a good change. I am quite intrigued with this place and would probably come back!

I am very picky when it comes to fine dining. Three stars is probably considered low to some but to me it means it was good maybe just not my style.
Atmosphere:
Décor is simplistic but not chic… something is missing to make it feel special. It didn’t give the romantic quaint vibe I was hoping for. It kinda feels thrown together by a novice not an interior designer.
Service:
Really good but not jaw dropping stellar. I never wanted for anything however it lacked flair. The flair comes from Gorji when he comes out of the kitchen to talk with his guests. I think this might be by design.
Seating:
Better call ahead for a reservation or you might not get seated. I appears Gorji has a system where he only takes a certain number of guests per night because the night I was there, the restaurant was never full but people were turned away. However, this did add to a nice ambiance because the small room was never too full and never too loud.
Food:
Definitely special but I wasn’t wowed. I ordered the chef special steak medallions with gnocchi. I am a steak snob but the meat was good and tender. The sauce was pretty darn amazing. It was the first time I had gnocchi and I didn’t like it but that has nothing to do with the quality. I don’t know what it is supposed to taste like but I just didn’t like the texture. Next time, I would ask him to prepare a different side. The grilled veggie were perfect. I enjoyed the salad a lot. Table bread was perfectly toasted and served with olive oil infused with pepper and lemon… again, my taste buds were not impressed but it was A+ original and awesome presentation.
Dessert:
OMG! AWESOME chocolate cake that is Gorji’s recipe made by a local baker.
Prices:
very reasonable for the style of restaurant and that Gorji prepares everything himself. It’s almost a one man show
I would say, try it out — it was a good experience and money well spent. I enjoyed my evening and for sure get the chocolate cake.