Savor Dallas Venues And Events Are Set

This year Savor Dallas will run March 7 & 8. Click here for details and tickets for all the wine tastings, seminars, food events, and the International Grand Tasting that will take place at 7 p.m. on the 8th at the Plaza of the Americas and Westin City Center Hotel. If you’re good, you can sample all of the 500 wines, spirits, and imported beers plus food from 60 chefs. Oink.

Speaking Of The Four Seasons Resort And Club In Las Colinas

Café on the Green chimes in with their Valentine’s Day offering: Chef de Cuisine Katie Natale will offer a five-course  dinner and sommelier James Tidwell  will be  on  hand to  help you find the perfect wine.  Dinner is $89  per person, excluding tax and gratuities. Reservations are required: 972-717-2420.

Bill Addison Eats Crow With Lobster And Potato Chiboust With Osetra Caviar and Green Apple Sorbet

Just about a year ago, the DMN debuted their new dining critic, Bill “Freckle Face” Addison. Eager to stir the pot, Addison started his rounds by taking on the DMN’s then current 5-Star listings. His first review was of Aurora, one the most upscale dining destinations in town. Although he liked the place, he didn’t love it; he took the listing down to a 4-Star. Owner Avner Samuel went bonkers. He wrote letters, he called everyone he knew, he called the DMN brass. Bill Addison was on the map. Chefs all over town were shaking in their clogs. Today, Addison has a new take on Avner and Aurora has it’s fifth star back. Way to go Billy Boy, you can fire those bodyguards now.

Nove! Vino! Prego!

Call me late to the party: I still haven’t been to Nove. Now comes word that they are hosting a bitchin’ wine din-din on Feb. 7. The Tenuta di Ghizzano Wine Dinner will be hosted by Henriot Imports and Republic National Distributing Company and—drum roll please–Countess Ginevra Venerosi Pesciolini! Italian royalty no less. Her family arrived at the small Ghizzano hillside hamlet near the end of the 14^th century. The 865-acre estate, located in the northwestern part of Tuscany between Florence and Pisa, is famous for its olive and wine groves, and the winery produces few, but choice, bottles. The five-course dinner is $100 pp (not including tax and gratuity). 214-720-9903 for a seat.Bella.

Diners And Dives

SideDish Nation: let’s get busy. I want to compile a list of the best diners and dives in Dallas. All-nighters. Breakfast favorites. Best places to eat after the bars close. Old-fashioned waitresses. I’ve got my favs. What are yours. Suburbs, I’m talking to you too.

Spa Food

Well, it’s not exactly what you think of when you hear the term “spa food.” But the newly remodeled Mokara Salon and Spa is offering some yummy treats during the month of February. Guests who book any of three Valentine’s treatments—Peppermint Pedicure and Minty Manicure (75 min for $100), Chocolate Cherry Body Wrap (60 min for $120), or Mokara Melting Massage (75 min for $150)—will also receive a box of cupcakes and complimentary champagne during their treatment. Sign me up. I’ve never been known to turn down a cupcake or a cocktail.

Valentine’s Day for Lucky People at Stephan Pyles

I’m guessing that I will probably spend Valentine’s Day this year doing that whole, “It’s just another day! Really!” song and dance, while “just looking” at the potentials on Match.com. But for those who love food and love each other, Stephan Pyles is offering a four-course dinner on the big day. Jump for the details.

(more…)

Mobil Announces New Star Ratings

Mobil Travel Guide unveiled its list of four-and-five star hotels, restaurants, and spas. Here are the area winners:

Mobil Five-Star Lodging: Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas
Mobil Four-Star Lodgings: Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas, Irving
Mobil Four-Star Restaurants: Abacus, The French Room, Nana, Stephan Pyles
Mobil Four-Star Spas: The Spa and Salon at Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas, Irving

Hmm.

Barbecue Sighting In Lewisville

Today’s mail is full of good stuff. Here’s a heads up from a Campos-lovin’ Disher:

There is a BBQ place in Lewisville, TX that has the best I’ve ever tasted, and I love BBQ. It’s called “Dats Good Que“. It was actually voted number one in Lewisville. I eat there all the time. Gloria Campos gave “mad props” to the hot tamales they sell on Wednesdays. Andre Geraud (center for the Dallas Cowboys) makes frequent stops there before home games. Walt Garrison is also a regular. This is a hidden gem and needs to be known city wide. You don’t know me but trust me anyway.

Well, that’s what the man I married said to me but he wasn’t talking about food. Dude, you’ve got my attention. I’m on my way.

Aqui Esta Un Restaurante Nuevo

A dedicated Disher files this report:

Try Dos Cocinas Restaurant [5415 Maple Avenue] - hot new restaurant in Dallas. The tacos al vapor (as we eat them in Mexico City, in a small-rounded, moist tortilla), are delicious and the price is only .99 cents each. Another interesting dish is the “Chilaquiles Pie Azteca” - I’ll have to try it next visit. Their menudo is the best I have tried, ever.

Best menudo ever? Nice. It’s the breakfast of champions for sure.

Let’s Not Forget The Japanese

Can Dallas really handle any more Japanese restaurants? I guess so. A Disher enlightens us all:

I enjoyed the food and service at Ku Sushi & Japanese Restaurant located at Preston and Forest Lane in Dallas. Restaurant opened not too long ago. Ku had excellent sushi and sashimi that was fresh.

Anyone been? Anyone else ready for a new cuisine to hit this city?

Cookies In Time For Love

Who doesn’t love iced cookies? We do and so does Dunia Borga of La Duni Latin Café and Aló. She has created some lovely hearted shaped cookies just in time for Valentine’s Day and they’ll be available at both La Duni locations and Alo.

Re: Michelada

When I was in Costa Rica last year, we drank muchos micheladas–but there, they were beer over ice with lots of lime juice. Very refreshing on the beach. Imagine my surprise when I ordered one at Blue Goose and got Stephen’s version…still good, but really not what I wanted. Maybe there’s another place in town that serves them this way? Or, I suppose I could make them at home when the weather warms up.

Lady Needs Chocolate Cake, STAT

(And she isn’t even preggers.) A dedicated Disher is “trying to find a bakery with a “killer” chocolate cake.” That’s a little harder than it sounds. Sometimes when I’m in the mood for CC, I head to Stein’s Bakery for their old-fashioned sugary version. However, seeing as I’m a single dog mother, I don’t tend to by whole cakes, I get my dessert fixes at restaurants. Like Truluck’s or (warning: loud groovy music) Hibiscus–they both have dangerously deadly CCs. Hell, Ain’t No Mo! Butter Cakes does the trick as well. This lady is desperate y’all. Get busy.

Michelada: The Mexican Bloody Mary

Like bloody marys? (Looking at you, Eric) —Then you’ll like the Michelada. Just substitute the vodka for a mexican cerveza, and you’re set. The beer adds a nice flavor, and a little carbonation. Plus, it’s an excuse to drink beer for breakfast. I got mine (this weekend) at Matt’s Rancho Martinez.

And when you get asked by your friends what the hell you just ordered, it translates roughly to “My beer” or “My cold beer.”

Get Cloudy Bay Wines at Wine’tastic

Do not wait. If you want a bottle of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon that I raved about in the January issue of D Magazine, head over to Wine’tastic (4140 Lemmon Ave. Ste. 130, 214-252-9494). A little birdie told me that the wine lounge still has a few bottles on the shelves for just $37.99. They still have a few bottles, that is, unless I get there first. Ready. Set. Go. In case you didn’t see it, check out these videos of Cloudy Bay winemaker Eveline Fraser as she talks about the popular wines (scroll to bottom for links).

Valentine’s Day, Avner Style

I admit I love what Avner Samuel can do in the kitchen. Cooking is what he does best. So I’m not too surprised to find a press release touting a “special a la carte menu” for Valentine’s Day at Aurora with no further details. Who cares, right? Just call 214-528-9400, get a space, and show up for what will surely be a wild culinary ride. Aurora has a fabulous Champagne trolley.

RE: A Cell Phone, Chocolate, And Police

Merritt Patterson, who writes a column for our sistah pub, Park Cities People, braved the French bravado of the mad chocolatier of Lovers Lane. She files this report. Nice. This guy is growing on me.

Almost Open: La Condesa in Victory Park

I admit I haven’t eaten at many restaurants in Victory Park. I love to shop down there, and I love to go to the AAC and House of Blues to see shows, but so far the food hasn’t wowed me (I did enjoy a meal at Kenichi, and I’ve been wanting to try Medina, but anyway). I met an old college friend of mine last night for a drink and to talk about his two new restaurants, La Condesa and Pacific and Central, both located in Victory Park. La Condesa (named after the Condesa neighborhood in Mexico City) is opening February 7, and it’s located just to the right of the AAC if you’re facing the main doors. Just look how cute it is. Jump for the design and menu.

(more…)

It’s Always Time For Champagne

In the movie Old Acquaintance, Bette Davis, the hag we hate to love, utters one of my all-time favorite lines: “There comes a time in every woman’s life when the only thing that helps is a glass of champagne.” Truer words were never spoken—take it from a pro, one glass of bubbly works better than a handful of these. Especially when the bubbly is pink. Which brings me to this: Cork, that quirky wine shop in the West Village, is hosting a Pommery Champagne Tasting on Tuesday, February 12 from 6:30p.m. to 9:30p.m. And it’s a bargain—they’re pouring six Champagnes along with light apps for only $20 per person. 214-780-0373. Pop goes the weasel.

A Cell Phone, Chocolate, And The Police

In case you missed it here, I thought I’d share this e-mail I just got detailing a big little soap opera in the Park Cities. I hate people on cell phones in stores, but it sounds like a clerk at Cadeaux Chocolates and Gifts on W. Lovers went berserk on a customer. Settle in with popcorn:

I am writing to you because of an experience I had at Cadeaux Chocolates and Gifts store located at 4506 Lovers Lane. I moved to Dallas in the past few years and a girlfriend of mine just told me about this store. I needed to buy chocolates for my pre-school daughters’ teacher for her birthday. So this past Friday I went to the store. I was on a business call when I walked into the store.

(more…)

Best Neighborhood Restaurants, Online Edition

Ever since D’s February cover story—Best Neighborhood Restaurants—hit the stands, readers have been “hitting” me with places I left out. First of all, let me say that it is impossible to get them all in and I do try and rotate restaurants around. But this reader makes a good point for a long-time Plano favorite. Hear him roar:

I’m talking about Vincent’s Seafood. It is in Plano off Park and Preston behind TGI Friday’s. I was a little disappointed to see that it was not mentioned in the “Best Neighborhood Restaurants” issue. Mainly because Vincent’s clientele is primarily regulars that have been going there for as long as 40 years. It has been run by the same owner (Angelo Stergios) for 40 years as well. You may remember another one of his Vincent’s Seafood restaurants off Northwest Highway by Bachman Lake that was immensely popular just over a decade ago. Anyways, I would like to give it an honorable mention as I have been a patron of Vincent’s for quite sometime and I think quite a few people thought it was gone completely with the closing down of the Bachman store.

OK, Honorable Mention. But Vincent’s is listed in D Magazine’s regular listings under Seafood. Dishers, read the magazine. If you don’t see your favorite neighborhood spot, list it here. Get to work.

Love Mediterranean Style

OK, so not all of us like to get gussied up and googly-eyed on Valentine’s Day. Some of us like to go out for a nice dinner, grab our the DVR remote, and settle in for back-to-back-to-back episodes of the sexiest show on TV, The Colbert Report. I may be in the minority on the Colbert assessment, but I’m right on when I tell you where to go for a nice well-priced—which is always romantic to me—dinner. I’m talking about the 54-seat Canary Café in Addison where quirky-in-a-good-way chef-owner Mansour Gorji will prepare a four-course Valentine’s dinner for $55 per person (tax and gratuity not included). The special menu will feature plenty of choices including an appetizer of grilled chilled avocado (yes, please!) with poached shrimp and pomodoro sauce, a wedge salad with gorgonzola dressing, prosciutto, and grilled jalapeno and Prime beef tenderloin, which is one of the best in town. Seriously. For more information and reservations call 972-503-7080. Colbert Bump, not included.

This Just In

A press release just arrived asking the burning question: “Do people really know what’s in their ice?” Hmm. Made me think. It goes on to claim:

Recent tests have found all sorts of bacteria and germs in ice cubes – from hepatitis and salmonella to E coli, even blood and feces! Research shows there can be more bacteria in the common ice machine than in the toilet.

“Recent tests?” How scientific. But, yikes. If you’re worried about this–guess what!–they’re selling a cure. If you’re not worried, relax with one of these.

Toss This!

A curious Disher asks:

Has anyone been to Salata yet in Preston Center?

Not me. I’m just thankful that a salad joint opened without an exclamation point in the name! Yaknowwhatimean?