Articles for May 3rd, 2010

GM of Javier’s Mexican Restaurant in Dallas is Missing

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 3rd, 2010 4:34pm | filed under Restaurant News | 25 Comments »

Just found this item posted on The Advocate’s Lakewood blog:
Jose “Pepe” Ayala, an East Dallas resident and the general manager of Javier’s has disappeared. The family has hired a private investigator. Here’s the whole story. If you any information, contact Gomez Detective Agency. 214-823-5600.

25 Comments »

Food Blog Commentor, BillUSA99, Died Sunday

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 3rd, 2010 3:51pm | filed under Foodie People, R.I.P., Rants | 4 Comments »

Frequent blog commenter Bill Kennedy, known by “BK” and “BillUSA99,” passed away yesterday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 55.

Teresa Gubbins knew Bill and writes a lovely post about the talented, knowledgeable reader who rarely let a dumb post or comment escape his candid opinion. 

I’ve pulled a few of BillUSA99’s comments from SideDish. The energy he devoted to voicing his opinions about Dallas and the Dallas food scene will be missed.

On Dave Faries Leaving Observer:

“It’s so much fun to watch people raise effigies of praise to wanna-be food op-ed writers. Years of Chowhound contributions? PUHleeeeze… all you get from that is crabs.”

On Re-Opening of Green Room:

“Nowhere do the new owners say they are trying to recreate anything of the former Green Room, except for the price point-food value ratio. Nowhere. So anybody that is lamenting that they won’t be able to fill the old shoes, or it won’t be the same without Cassel, or they can hardly wait ’cause it was their FAV place, should take a chill pill and lie down till it opens. Then decide.Until then, it’s just much ado about nothing.”

On Heritage Turkeys:

“We brined a heritage turkey last year. Brining does *not* make up for the decided lack of edible flesh on a heritage turkey. It in no way tastes any “better” than a brined, cage-raised turkey. If you want a heritage turkey, get one 3-5 pounds larger than you normally would if you want leftovers. Which, after all, is the only point in cooking a turkey!If you don’t care for turkey, they won’t help. Eat a cheeseburger instead.”

On the movie Julie & Julia:

“The movie is going to some good business, but it is ultimately a chick or older date flick. It’s a movie. People don’t get fat in movies like this. And fat people only get to play Rene Zelwigger parts after a weight gain. Not this movie. Finally, if the movie was about the life of Julia Child, and NOT interwoven with the present blog/book, then it WOULDN’T be a movie about Julie and Julia and the blog…. DUUUUUHHH?!”

4 Comments »

Looking for Sourdough in All The Wrong Places

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 3rd, 2010 2:59pm | filed under AgriBusiness, Baking, Celebrity Chefs, Cooking, Food Fight!, Restaurant News | 2 Comments »
A smoochable sourdough starter.

One of the funniest posts that ever ran on the D Magazine website has sadly disappeared into Internet outer space. It was a true story about a baker in a well-know Dallas restaurant. The baker was fired. My memory is sketchy, but it seems the baker was not only fired, he was locked out of the restaurant and not allowed back in to pick up his starters. The baker called the police. Scuffle! Bam! Bang!

Now, most of you know that a starter is very important to a baker of bread. To some, they are like pets. Or lovers. Or plants. Once fermented, a starter, the base and leavener for some bread recipes, can be kept alive for many years by adding equal parts of flour and water to the original blob. (Men should be so easy.)

So, when the police arrived at the scene of the battle for the bread starters, the cops couldn’t understand why the starters belonged to the baker and not the restaurant. (The baker had been “carrying around” the original for years.)

Anywhoo, another big time Dallas chef is not too happy with the sourdough bread in Dallas. He is looking for a supplier. I suggested he move to San Francisco. (Not really.) I told him about the baker with the starters. He’s still around. And he probably read this story today!

2 Comments »

Opening A New Can of Worms: What is the Most Underrated Restaurant in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 3rd, 2010 1:41pm | filed under Cheap trick for comments, Procrastination is part of the creative process, Restaurant News, Slow News Day | 49 Comments »

Last week we mucked it up in the corners about restaurants in Dallas that were overrated. Popular spots such as Mi Cocina, Bob’s, Eatzi’s, Primo’s, and Campizi’s took some big (cheap) hits.

I thought it would fun to approach this debate from the other side. What are some of your favorite spots that don’t get the recognition they deserve? Maybe they’ve been in business for a while, but you don’t hear much about them.  The Bronx? City Café? Suze? Ferrari’s Italian Villa? Mignon?

Do you have a favorite restaurant that deserves a shout-out? Shout it out. Go, East Dallas.

49 Comments »

Restaurant Review: Al’s Steakhouse and Salad Bar in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 3rd, 2010 1:15pm | filed under Frozen Yogurt, Restaurant News, Reviews | 5 Comments »
Asparagus stands at attention at Al’s Steakhouse and Salad Bar.

To be honest with you, the main reason I went to eat at Al’s Steakhouse and Salad Bar was because it was close to Pinkberry in Preston Royal. It was early in my addiction to pomegranate frozen yogurt. I liked the dinner but loved the rush across Royal for swirly goodness.

As a recovering FroYoHo, it was difficult for me to dine at Al’s a second time. Not only could I look out the front window and see Pinkberry customers toting their swirly goodness to their swirly expensive cars, the opening chef, swirly Gaspar Stantic, had left the kitchen. I survived and so did both of my dining experiences. Al’s is a small, friendly, neighborhood steakhouse that serves high quality meat at lower than upscale steakhouse prices. With a Pinkberry across the street. With mango frozen yogurt. And a new frequent buyer card (buy 10 get one free). Across the street from Al’s Steakhouse and Salad Bar in Dallas.

5 Comments »

Paciugo Introduces New Flavors

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 3rd, 2010 12:59pm | filed under dessert | 4 Comments »

I’m a bit late to the Paciugo flavors party, but I’m here now. Last Friday, Paciugo unveiled chocolate chipotle butter pecan, the first of four new flavor combinations.  Here is the schedule for flavors to come:

Week 2 (May 7):     Roasted Banana Cashew Heath Crunch
Week 3 (May 14):   Durian
Week 4 (May 21):   Organic Maple Caramelized Bacon

Jump for detailed descriptions of each new gelato. Durian? I’ve had several experiences with durian. That’s gonna be a tough sell. Continue reading "Paciugo Introduces New Flavors"

4 Comments »