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First Taste at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek With New Chef Bruno Davaillon

Technically the fanfare will not begin until later this week, but we just couldn’t wait. We knew chef Bruno Davaillon was headed to the   kitchen at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in early November and, given the silence, we figured he must be here testing new recipes. So we took our chances and headed over to the Mansion for dinner. Oh, yes he was there and so were some of  his new dishes such as seared Day Boat scallop with cauliflower three ways (puree, “salad,” and lightly roasted); king crab and butternut squash bisque with glazed chestnuts and crispy spring roll; bison tenderloin “au poivre” with autumn vegetables; roasted veal tournedos with crispy sweetbread, fig chutney, and chanterelle mushroom; Maine lobster salad with avocado, tomato confit, and caviar cream; and Mansion shrimp cocktail with horseradish panna cotta and spicy tomato syrup. We can only speak for the first two; actually, chef Davaillon was serving only the bisque tonight, but when we confessed we had come in for a advance taste, he offered the scallops as well.Jump for more of Davaillon’s creations. (more…)

Houston Critic Robb Walsh Is No Longer Anonymous

File this one under controversy: Houston Press restaurant critic Robb Walsh has decided that being anonymous is no longer on his priority list. Says Walsh:

The fact is, my job is changing. I was hired as a newspaper restaurant critic and feature writer. Today I am, first and foremost, a blogger. It’s a little ludicrous to try and maintain your anonymity while you are photographing your plate. And sometimes you need to identify yourself to get a interview. The time has come to adjust to fit my new job description.

Read all about it here.

Making Soba Noodles at Tei-An at One Arts Plaza in Dallas

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Last week Andrew “Baby Face” Chalk attended the soba noodle making session held at Tei-An. The event was a big deal— Akila Inouye, Master Chef of Tsukiji Soba Academy in Tokyo, visited Tei-An restaurant at One Arts Plaza to give a demonstration of the technique of making soba noodles. Inouye’s brief U.S. tour only included New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas. Why Dallas? Tei-An owner Teiichi Sakurai is a student of the master. Here for your viewing enjoyment is Soba Noodles: The Movie.

November Means Nantucket Bay Scallops in Dallas

I once ate a scallop from Nantucket.

I just received word from our friend Willy at Connolly Seafood in Boston that the season for Nantucket Bay scallops opened this morning and “the first dredge looks good.” This batch of sweet tender scallops (somebody get the fennel butter, quick) were pulled up this morning and are scheduled to arrive in Dallas before lunch on Wednesday. I am waiting for a list of the restaurants that will be serving them.

UPDATE: So far, you can expect to find Nantucket Bay scallops at Aurora, Oceanaire, Fearing’s, and Neighborhood Services.

UPDATE: Add Abacus, Del Frisco’s Dallas, and Stephan Pyles.