At Rise No. 1, Dreams of Paris in the Fall Rest on Soufflés

Photo: Rise Souffle/Facebook

Now that fall is finally here, I’m starting to veer away from my patio preference and beginning to build a cozier rotation of restaurants. I know, I know, there are plenty of high temperatures still ahead, but we all know that when that autumn weather arrives, it’s almost always without warning. Thankfully, I’ve finally made my way over to Rise No. 1 and secured it as my top spot for that perfect fall food coma. 

Inwood Village may seem like an unassuming spot for enjoying the masterpiece that is soufflé, but there it is, nestled at the corner across the street from Adelmo’s Ristorante and their Italian/Mediterranean fare. The place itself sticks out in the shopping center, a charming little corner bistro surrounded by beige strip mall storefronts. This is definitely foreshadowing. 

We didn’t make a reservation and we were pretty relieved to find that we didn’t have to. A quick chat with the polite hostess and we were rushed off to our seats. The decor instantly made me feel like I was back in a wine bar in Paris. It feels small, but it definitely tells a story. A cheese cart wheels by and I immediately forget that I’m in Dallas. 

Photo: @risesouffle/Instagram

After obsessing over the menu for a bit, we narrow it down to the Sun-dried Tomato & Pesto Chèvre and Southwest Chicken soufflés. I remember reading about the Internet losing their mind over Rise’s announcement that they were removing Marshmallow Soup from the menu (thankfully they had a change of heart and kept it), so we made sure to order a bowl to start. The server suggested that if we’d like dessert, it’s best to order all at once. Soufflés can take a while, after all. We took it as the perfect opportunity to preemptively order a Raspberry soufflé before we got too full to second guess ourselves.

After tasting some of the French bread and whipped butter, we knew this place was the real deal. Our Marshmallow soup was also out within minutes and for a split second, I almost channeled my inner Karen and spoke to the manager. How on earth could someone even CONSIDER removing this from the menu?! Imagine the best tomato bisque you’ve ever had. Now add two tiny goat cheese soufflés and a drizzle of fresh pesto in the center. You probably can’t even picture this, so it’s best to just head over there and try it for yourself (if you haven’t already). I actually got mad at my husband for sneaking the last spoonful. 

Photo: Rise Souffle/Facebook

We were pretty surprised that the soufflés didn’t take as long as pictured, but that didn’t stop us from requesting another breadboard. The Southwest Chicken soufflé was topped with a tangy tomatillo sauce (I may be in a Parisian daydream but I’m still a Texan, damn it) and my husband’s soufflé was a cheesy work of art. After the marshmallow soup standoff, I wasn’t going to be shy about demanding a bite. 

Well, folks… the soufflés look and taste just as amazing as their social media pages depict. There wasn’t too much conversation throughout dinner, only ‘mmm’ sounds and mild cursing at how good it all was. The shredded chicken in my soufflé was cooked perfectly and my husband’s Sun-dried Tomato & Pesto Chèvre soufflé disappeared within minutes. Just as we finished, our vibrant Raspberry soufflé made its way to us, supplied with a helping of pastel-hued cream. We ordered a couple of coffees and blissed out for a second. It was the first time we had both gone to dinner and hardly spoken, but the food was really just that wonderful. 

After paying our check (which was also quite the steal considering all of the money I have dropped on meals in Paris) and finishing our coffees, we reached into their fortune bin and left. Our fortunes mentioned something about good energy coming our way. I’d say it was pretty spot on.