Articles for June 9th, 2010

Cat Cora Reveals Iron Chef “Secrets” At Central Market Cooking Class

posted by Kellyn Curtis | June 9th, 2010 4:35pm | filed under Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Cat Cora's new book, "Classics with a Twist."

You’ve probably seen Cat Cora kicking butt left and right on Iron Chef America. Maybe you’ve dined in one of her restaurants in Cali. Or maybe you’ve even whipped up some dishes from one of her two previous cookbooks. And if you were lucky enough, you went to her cooking class this morning at Central Market. If not, I got you covered. Jump for deets.

Continue reading "Cat Cora Reveals Iron Chef “Secrets” At Central Market Cooking Class"

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Tesars Modern Steak and Seafood in The Woodlands is Closed

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 9th, 2010 2:42pm | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Closings, Restaurant News | 26 Comments »

A couple of weeks ago we noted the change: Tesar’s Modern Steaks and Seafood took the apostrophe out of Tesar’s and became Tesars Modern Steaks and Seafood. Why? Because chef John Tesar left the restaurant and came back to Dallas where he is currently the culinary director of DRG (Go Fish, Dallas Chop House). Today Tesar, the human, has his name back. Tesars, the restaurant, has closed. The soon-to-come apostrophe is still a mystery.

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Calling All Cake Balls! You’re the New Cupcake!

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 9th, 2010 1:33pm | filed under Baking, Chocolate, Cooking, cupcakes, Foodie People | 6 Comments »

Photo by D Magazine cupcake editor, Allison Hatfield.

Last year we talked about Robin Ankeny’s Cake Ball Company in East Dallas. She swiped her mom’s recipe and started a small company in her house. Now she’s big time with a storefront, industrial kitchen, and a delivery service. You might say she’s balls to the walls. Or maybe you wouldn’t.

Anywhoo, one of the gals in our office, we call her Coors Light, has a sister in Austin. Her sister, Kathy Nickleburr, has just entered the dark and stormy business of making cake balls. Her Austin-based company, Belle of the Cake Ball, just delivered this pretty arrangement to the office. They are gone. We didn’t pay for them. I’m not being paid to write this. However, I want another one.

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Somebody Help This Poor Girl: How Do You Split a Restaurant Check Equally

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 9th, 2010 1:01pm | filed under Food Fight!, Restaurant News | 37 Comments »
How do you split the bill?

From D Magazine‘s assistant managing editor, Krista Nightengale.

SideDishers: I need your help. Or at least your advice. I went to Rhode Island this week for the City and Regional Magazine Association’s annual conference. Since I was a bit of a loner (no one else from D was able to join me), I invited myself along to dinner with a big group of people and we went to Hemenway’s.

It’s a gorgeous seafood grill and oyster bar. It had a dark, romantic feel to it. My only complaint about the atmosphere was that there was a fan directly above us that was hanging over a light, thus creating this obnoxious rotating shadow on the menus. Also, the air conditioning was out (but it was in Providence where the average temp was in the low 70s this past weekend, so we didn’t even notice).

Her problem starts below. Continue reading "Somebody Help This Poor Girl: How Do You Split a Restaurant Check Equally"

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Crazy for Loco Cowpoke’s Salsa in McKinney

posted by Todd Johnson | June 9th, 2010 12:13pm | filed under Gifts, Local/Slow Food, Reviews, Spicy foods | 1 Comment »

In the upcoming July issue of D, we’ll be discussing all things suburbs: best schools, lowest crime, and home values among others. Ambiance factors in as well, and, in my opinion, McKinney’s downtown historic square is about as charming as it gets. Pretty tasty too. Great restaurants (Rick’s Chophouse, Spoons Cafe with its amazing homemade coconut cream pie) and one epicurean shop that’s worth the 40 minute drive from my modest Oak Cliff abode: Loco Cowpoke. Does dirty jalapeno olive relish sound tasty? Then jump for the savory details. Continue reading "Crazy for Loco Cowpoke’s Salsa in McKinney"

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Chalk Talk: So You Want to Own a Winery?

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 9th, 2010 11:11am | filed under AgriBusiness, Andrew Chalk, North Texas Wine, Wine & Spirits |

Our resident wino, Andrew Chalk, wishes he could make this deal. Cap Rock Winery, near Lubbock and one of the better known wineries in Texas, is up for auction on July 12 at 1:00 PM CST. The opening bid is “only” $100,000 and includes the wine inventory. Yow. Zah. That sounds like a bargain.

Restaurant Review: The Chicken Coop in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 9th, 2010 10:50am | filed under Celebrity Diners, Nostalgia, Restaurant News, Reviews | 6 Comments »

I’ve stopped into The Chicken Coop in Preston Royal Shopping Center a couple of times. The long tiny space runs alongside Sushi Star in the southwest quadrant. The first time I wandered in they had just opened. The deep-fried chicken is cooked to order which is a good thing if you know in advance and call in your order (214-750-4420). Otherwise, be prepared to wait. The chicken I received on my first visit was worth the wait. Not so much the second time, primarily because it was overcooked in oil that needed to be changed. The biscuits were great but the cream gravy needed tons of fresh cracked pepper. Most of the sides I tried were just like my grandma cooked them–to death. And the mashed potatoes need butter and maybe real potatoes as a base.

Would I go back to The Chicken Coop? Perhaps, but only because while I was waiting for my chicken, a woman I’ve know for a bazillion years walked into the restaurant and said, “Oh please don’t write about the chicken fried steak here. It’s so good I don’t want anyone to know about it.” I’m tempted by her tease. She knows how to eat. Okay, your turn. Have you been? Do you miss Youngblood’s as much as I do? Are you a breast or a thigh person? 5954 Royal Lane.

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