Celebrity Sighting: Jenna & Laura

An alert Disher who loves margaritas and MiCocina files this report:

Our “reporter” went on to say that the Mercedes the Bush gals left in was sporting two “Obama 2008!” bumper stickers. Swamp land (or voting rights) in Florida anyone?

Your Next Good Deed? Shopping at Whole Foods

 We love Whole Foods (especially the fat-free ginger cookies and the cheese samples. And the roasted chicken. And the chicken salad. And…we’ll stop there). We usually go to the store on Lemmon Avenue because of it’s proximity to D Mag HQ. However, on May 7, we will have to venture to the Preston and Forest locale for Community Giving Day. This time, five percent of the day’s sales will benefit Attitudes & Attire, a great organization that helps women gain confidence and become self-sufficient. From 6–7pm, bring in an accessory donation and get a $10 gift card to the Whole Foods Spa. Jump for all the details.

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Bob’s Steak & Chop House Files for Bankruptcy

According to a restaurant supplier, the Bob’s Steak & Chop House in Houston has filed for bankruptcy. All Dallas area locations are up and running. Developing.

You Want Food With That Airline Ticket?

Here  is yet another indication that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. And hungrier. Thankfully, Fort Worth chef Tim Love is going to save Dallas travelers from starving while traveling.

Rum for the Roses at Windmill Lounge

The folks over at Windmill Lounge will open early (3PM) this Saturday to allow ample time for libations before the Kentucky Derby. There will be a hat parade, large screen TVs, and complimentary biscuits with ham and gravy. Mint Juleps for one and all.

Abacus Is Open For Business

Kent Rathbun has just completed a complete makeover of starship Abacus. New menu; gorgeous digs. Rathbun is back in the kitchen. They had a quick soft opening on Monday and Tuesday nights and they’re ready for you now. Beet salad, anyone? Looks like tall food is making a comeback.

Just In: Texas Crop Report

If you really want to stay on top of the eat local and regional movement, make the jump and read the Crop Conditions Report compiled by Robert Burns at Texas A&M University. Pay attention Dishers, this is important stuff. (more…)

Duck: Incoming Cupcakes

This chick’s name is Pamela Jenkins. In Las Vegas she is known as the Cupcake Queen. Pamela was born in Jacksboro, Texas. According to her website, she “studied in New York City, Spain, Argentina, and has traveled the globe. She is a total “foodie,” loving to visit the culinary establishments of Vegas.” Riveting. She ended up in Vegas as the executive assistant to the CEO of the Golden Nugget casino. One day she was sitting in her office reading a story in the newspaper about a woman who was selling cupcakes. In January 2006 she quit said job and opened The Cupcakery in Vegas. She sold 275,000 frickin’ cupcakes (at $2.75 a pop) in one year. This summer, The Cupcakery will open a location in The Shops at Starwood in Frisco. You’ll be interested to know that when Jenkins is not spending time creating new cupcake recipes, she spends time with her three dogs Josephine, Tora, and Calypso, riding horses, and doing Bikram Yoga. You’ll also be interested to know that in my spare time I write about former executive assistants who turn into millionaires by selling cupcakes. I want my mommy.

Mexican Food in Allen

Anybody eaten at La Finca in Allen? Is it worth the drive? Help.

The Black Crows Set to Play Taste of Addison

The town of Addison will be rocking next weekend when the Taste of (Bill) Addison opens the doors at 5:00PM Friday May 9. Check out the website for all of the activities. Highlights? Pinkalicious: The Musical, Flair Bartending Exhibition, and a Saturday night performance by The Black Crows. Good, clean, cheap fun. Hit it, boys.

Looking For Fabulous Lasagna? Wine?

Next October, a group of my friends and I are heading to Tuscany for ten days. Besides taking cooking lessons and a culinary tour, we are also hitting several (hundred) wineries. To prepare for our trip, I am organizing a series of get-togethers designed to pre-educate the group with all things Italian. Last night was Tuscany Wine 101 and our “teacher” was Alfonso Cevola, you know, the Italian wine director at Glazer’s who writes a wicked wine blog. Anywhoo, Alfonso showed up with six wines and I showed up with a couple of frozen sausage and meatball lasagnas from Jimmy’s Food Store. People, the wine was great, but the lasagna was even greater. A tin that feeds 6-8 is only $30. Our hefty group of ten barely touched the second one. I also picked up some tasty sesame crackers and several Italian cheeses. There is no better spot in Dallas for Italian food. And I’m including all of the restaurants that call themselves Italian. I’ll list the wines we tasted below. Good stuff. (more…)

World-Delicacies.com Update

Lordy, if half of you who have taken the time to e-mail me about the loss of World-Delicacies.com had actually gone to the store, they’d still be in business. And they are kinda sorta. A Disher, keen on all things green, sends this:

They [wholesale side of World-Delicacies.com] were bought by a company called European Imports. They then moved to a location in Grand Prairie and are operating as European Imports.

There you go.

Bijoux Founders to Open Project in Westin Galleria Dallas

Word comes that Scott and Gina Gottlich, of the ultra-fancy and fabulous Bijoux restaurant, will be opening up a new restaurant in the Westin Galleria Dallas. No word on the concept, or really any info at all about the place, but it is scheduled to open sometime this year. Follow the jump for the press release.

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Al Biernat Ups His Ante

The master of steak house ceremonies has hired long-time Dallas chef Michael Weinstein to develop a brunch and catering menu. Many of you will remember chef Weinstein from his gigs at The Riviera (weeping), The Grape, and Aurora, to name a few. Maybe chef Weinstein will answer one Disher’s burning question: “Help! I want the recipe for the Al’s salad with the hearts of palm, avocado, crab, and shrimp.” Or maybe not. Time will tell.

Dining Options for Mother’s Day

OK, kids. Jump for the press releases I have received for special Mother’s Day dining. Sure I copied and pasted them. Sure it’s not an exhaustive list. But it’s a dang good start. As I get more, I’ll add them If you have a better idea, post it in under comments. On your mark, get set, make reservations.

Update: More added! (more…)

LightCatcher Releases Off-Dry Rosé

LightCatcher Winery in Fort Worth just released the 2007 Texas Kiss Merlot Rosé ($14). Winemaker Caris Turpen said:

This year’s version is true to form - light, crisp, and just sweet enough to push the fruitiness right up to the front (technically it’s “off-dry”).  The flavors are strawberry, cherry, watermelon and cranberry - a perfect complement to spicy and warm-weather dishes.  And, the color is gorgeous - a transparent ruby red, clean and enticing.

You can expect that this will sell out soon, as it does every year. I love this wine with fish and shellfish dishes that have a bit of sweetness in the glazes or sauces. Turpen also has a dry-style Merlot rosé, Etain’s Rose ($18), that I cannot leave the winery without buying drinking at least one bottle. It is crisp and refreshing, but has structure and complexity. Try it with chicken, Asian food, even steak.

RE: Top Chef

Okay, not be Queen Redundant of Redundancy, but to our handicapping Disher I say: word. I’ll be so happy when Lisa, Nikki, Mark, and Antonia are gone. Especially Lisa and Nikki. I mean, seriously. Now that we’re on to week eight, it really is game-on time. (My picks: Stephanie, Dale, Richard, and Andrew—despite his uber tweakiness.)

More Virutal Food

My husband and I had lunch recently with some friends (at The Counter. It was decent. Get the sweet potato fries.), and the wife mentioned in passing that she had started a food blog. She has always been interested in cooking and baking, and her collection of cookbooks dwarfs my entire library. But, even knowing all that, I am still impressed with her effort (especially since she has a 1-year-old and a part-time law career to boot). I guess these online amateur foodie outposts are more prevalent than I think. That true?

Top Chef: The Game: Mid-Season Recap

Remember this, when we decided to make Top Chef:Chicago into a fun game? It’s halfway through the season, and the same Disher who invented the game sends the mid-season review:

Just watched Wednesday night’s ep on the DVR last night and though that we should do an almost-mid-season review of the handicapping. This shouldn’t be too tough, since the players are few in number. I have the picks as such:

Me:                        Richard, Dale, Stephanie, and Andrew (4 for 4 so far)

You:                       Richard, Antonia, Nikki, and Manuel (3 for 4)

Donna:                 Antonia, Jennifer, Richard, & Stephanie (4 for 4)

Logan:                   Richard, Stephanie, Mark, Ryan (3 for 4)

Todd J.:                Richard, Stephanie, Dale, and Spike (4 for 4)

RB:                         Dale, Richard, Jennifer, Antonia (3 for 4)

I find a couple things interesting. First, everybody has Richard Blais in their group, and thus far he’s got to be in the clubhouse with the lead, but it’s only Friday (literally and figuratively) and there are 36 holes yet to play.

Second, nobody had more than one of the early round losers.

Third, I’ve been very impressed with this group compared with Season 3. After about the second or third episode, each of the chefs seems to feel that they have to bring it every week; last season, there were a lot of folks who seemed to just want to coast in the middle and then try to turn it on in the playoffs.

Last, I think that there are a bunch who are just hanging on by a thread: Mark, Antonia, Nikki, and Bad Attitude Lisa. If there were a group challenge coming up with all 4 of them on the same group, I could see the judges cutting the entire group just to be rid of them. Except that the show probably has a 16-episode contract and that would totally screw up the production schedule.

What’s Up With Snooty Foodie?

A few weeks ago, a friend alerted me to the website Snooty Foodie, and I’ve totally forgotten to blog about it. It’s a Dallas-based site with recommendations instead of reviews, meaning all the restaurants they list are restaurants they like. Abacus, Aurora, Fearing’s, Jasper’s, Local, they’re all on there. Click on the name, and an extensive explanation of the restaurant itself, a chef profile, hours, locations, a photo gallery (!), and a fork rating system pop up. You can also make a reservation through opentable.com here, and they have a “Snooty News” section where different food events are listed.

Dishers, what do you think of this? And who is behind this site? I’m impressed with the amount of information available. Thoughts please.

Where to Find Dandelion Wine?

If Bradbury’s descriptions are even half deserving, why haven’t I seen this on a menu?

“Dandelion wine. The words were summer on the tongue. The wine was summer caught and stoppered.”

Rumors Behind The Restaurant News

Hmm, the folks at World-Delicacies.com have disconnected their phone and taken down their website. The ginormous gourmet-food retail outlet near the Galleria, opened last year and was 25,000 square-feet of yumminess. (Did I really type that?) The quality was high; the prices were low. Carlos Pippa, if you’re out there, call me and let me if you are going to have a warehouse sale. Jeez, first no place to dance, now no place to get 100-year-old Balsamic vinegar. What’s next? OH, NO!

Chaparral Club R.I.P.

I knew the Adam’s Mark had morphed into a Sheraton. I even knew Adam’s Mark execuchef Uwe Rudnick, one of the nicest chefs in the biz, had fled north to the Intercontinental Hotel in Addison. However, I did not know that the Chaparral Club is officially closed. That makes me sad. I learned how to dance standing on top of my father’s feet as he moved along the parquet floor at the Chaparral Club. Up until a month or so ago, it was still one of the top spots to dine and dance as the lights of the Dallas skyline twinkled at your feet. Hmm. Dinner and dancing cannot go away, folks. There is still Nana, but where else can a gal trip the lights? I think I’m going to go into Timmy’s office and roll up into a fetal position on his couch and cry.

Calling Capital Grille

A Disher with a hankering for your coconut pie would love it if you would share your secret recipe with us. Please?

Rumors Behind The Restaurant News

Bistro Nous is nous more. Closed yesterday.