Articles for May 26th, 2010

More Details on First In-N-Out Burger in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 26th, 2010 2:12pm | filed under Burgers, Celebrity Diners, Hippie revolutions, Restaurant News | 17 Comments »

Meet my newest best friend, Nancy Luna. She is the Fast Food Maven for the Orange County Register. She learned about the first In-N-Out location in Texas right here on SideDish. She speaks:

I’ve been waiting more than a year, I think, for them to confirm Texas plans.Great scoop. I talked to the chain today. Here’s my story if you want to link up. I talk about them having to build a new meat plant.

Obviously she’s tight with Carl Van Fleet, vice president of planning and development at In-N-Out, cuz she gets him to spill some details on quality control, a major part of the chain’s success. Currently the chain supplies 240 locations with one beef processing plant. They also control their bread and produce.

When I interviewed Maxwell Fisher, the city of Garland employee who worked with the developer of the soon-to-open In-N-Out Burger at Firewheel Town Center in Garland, I asked him if he’d heard any plans about the company building a commissary  in the area. When I explained to him that In-N-Out bakes their own bread, grows their own produce, and supplies their own “never frozen” meat he replied, “Hey, I thought this was just a burger joint.”

Lord, even the losers get lucky sometimes. Anywhoo, say hello to the Fast Food Maven.

UPDATE: Patty production details of In-N-Out.

17 Comments »

Hot Links in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 26th, 2010 1:44pm | filed under Celebrity Diners, Contests, Farmers Markets, Food Fight!, hold on to your effin hat, Nutjobs, Procrastination is part of the creative process, Restaurant News, Skinny bitches | 2 Comments »

Blood sausage.

Over on Eatsblog, Christopher Wynn scoops the foodie world with deets on Vijay Sadhu’s latest venture. Love it.

Old Gumshoe Gubbins over at PegNews has a nice story about the new restaurant going into the old Lola space.

This week, I ate three types of casseroles. Over on Eatsblog, Leslie Brenner makes one. Delicious.

Kim finds (and is) a peach.

Dallas Dude battles with biryani.

Is this a great food town or what!

2 Comments »

Urbano Café in Dallas is Cool. Wait, Make That Cold

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 26th, 2010 1:20pm | filed under Restaurant News | 4 Comments »

Dishers, rejoice. Urbano Café, the groovy spot in East Dallas that has had many complaints on the inefficiency of their air conditioning, has just hoisted a 3 1/2 ton Carrier air conditioning unit on their roof! “Yes, we definitely had problems last year,” says owner Mitch Kauffman. “Even though it was a brand new unit — it just wasn’t enough to battle the western exposure in the late afternoons and the open the kitchen going full blast.  I used to quip to our friends about our “trendy Bikram dining experience” but frankly, it was hot in there.” Now it will probably be too cold for some customers. “We loved, loved, loved our customers for hanging in there with us despite the heat in those early days,” says Kauffman.

4 Comments »

Fearing’s Restaurant in Dallas Unveils iPhone App

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 26th, 2010 12:32pm | filed under Crazy Technology, Restaurant News | 9 Comments »

No they aren’t serving iPhones as appetizers, Fearing’s is offering an application for your iPhone.
Here’s the poop:

Featuring full text and imagery of the restaurant, the new application is compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. It also can be forwarded as a link to user contacts via e-mail, Facebook and Twitter. Exclusive content includes: Fearing’s breakfast, lunch and dinner menus,Interactive menu faves, reservations, location and contact details, special offers, event updates, and local area information

To take Fearing’s along via iPhone, please visit this spot.

Now, let me ask you a question. Would you download an app for a restaurant? If so, why? If not, why? I guess I just don’t get the whole app deal. But I’m a geezer. Go.

9 Comments »

Rumors Behind the Restaurant News: Café Pacific Out of Highland Park Village?

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 26th, 2010 8:11am | filed under Celebrity Diners, I'm a rumor monger, Murmur, Neighborhood restaurants, Procrastination is part of the creative process, Restaurant News, Skinny bitches, youthful spontaneous restaurants | 10 Comments »
The multi-tasking Gina Miller.

Yesterday my favorite sports chick, Gina Miller, twittered this tweet: “another legend leaving: cafe pacific is losing lease @ highland park village & the mercury is going in its spot. major bummer.”

I called Café Pacific owner Jack Knox. Dang, no answer. So I called the Pope of Highland Park Village, Ray Washburne. Double dang, straight to voicemail. A little later a gentle ping from my computer. Hark! An e-mail from Knox, who is probably the nicest guy in the restaurant business.

“Sorry I missed your call. I was in the back yard with Wal-Mart and Woodrow, the apparent owners of the place where I live. I hear the [rumor], or a version of it, about every forty eight hours.  Maybe it’s wishful thinking on the part of our competitors, or maybe it’s just a good conversation starter. Last Saturday at our monthly front of the house meeting, just to make sure that everyone was on the same page, I explained to all the CP staff that we have a lease that is valid, in place, unchallenged, and very comfortable for both our landlord and me that runs to July 15, 2015.  I think that the usual renewal option will be forthcoming in time, it’s mainly a matter of terms.”

Minutes later, the Pope, I mean Ray Washburne, calls. “My plane just landed,” he says. “I’ve been in Las Vegas at the International Shopping Center Convention. Hey, Jack’s not going anywhere. He has a lease until 2015.”

Dishers, can officially shut down the Café Pacific rumor for a few months and go back to our regularly scheduled hot rumor. Like In-N-Out Burger is coming to Dallas. Hah! That’s always a good one. Huh? It’s true? What in the hell are we going to talk about now? Leave a rumor after the beep.

10 Comments »