Articles for August, 2010

Watch Will Ferrell Flicks at Central 214′s Sunset Movie Series

Dear Lord baby Jesus, I thank you so much for this bountiful harvest event held at the always delicious Taco Bell Central 214. Get all jacked up on Mountain Dew while watching Will Ferrell flicks on Central 214′s comfy patio. Chef Blythe Beck will create pocketbook-friendly dishes and cocktails inspired by movies such as “Talladega Nights” and “Old School.” I’m thinking Shake ‘N Bake Chicken served with a side of Fig Newtons and a Mystic Mountain Blueberry Powerade Martini. Movies will start at approximately 9 p.m. on Sunday evenings. Entry is free, so get there early if you want a good seat. Go here for show times.

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Former Samar Chef Vijay Sadhu Gives us a Sneak Peek at Sutra in Plano

Sutra, the new restaurant by former Samar chef Vijay Sadhu, isn’t scheduled to open in The Shops at Legacy until November at the earliest. However, I’ve procured a rendering of the interior design. Sutra will be next to Sambuca and feature modern Indian cuisine.

The restaurant, designed by Robert Romano, features an open kitchen where guests can view the Tandoori master preparing kabobs and Indian breads. Décor is modern with Indian accents. In contrast to most Indian restaurants around town, Sutra will feature an active bar scene with a line of house-developed cocktails such as Sutra Martini, Bollywood Margarita, and Rajasthan Lassi Samplers.  Indian wines (a booming industry) will also be available.

The menu is still taking shape but we can exclusively reveal menu specialties to be served the first time in Dallas. Jump for them! Continue reading "Former Samar Chef Vijay Sadhu Gives us a Sneak Peek at Sutra in Plano"

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Are You a Foochebag?

That would be MISTER Foochebag to you.

Tip of the toque to Lisa Petty for turning me on to this link, which led me to this link, that led me to this psycho foodie highly caffeinated twitter- holic who allegedly “invented” the term foochebag. Until I found this link to Brandon Smith, an  intern for ABC 7 Chicago’s food reporter, Steve Dolinsky. (Hi, Steve!)

Foochebag: “foodies who are categorized by “attention-seeking, elitism, and superficiality.” Basically, arrogant food bloggers and Twitter users.

Wow, it’s a new day. Are you a foochebag? I guess I am because I know Steve Dolinsky! You are if you are the “mayor” of any restaurant in Dallas. Step forward and let thyself be known.

Update: Mister Foochebag claims he learned the term from Michael Nagrant.

Phaedra from Houston lays claim to coining the term foochebag.

Update: Phaedra in Houston is claiming the rights. I am a douche canoe for calling her a psycho foodie.

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KRLD Restaurant Week Reader Reviews

Comments are open. Operators are waiting for your reports.

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Chef Christopher Short no Longer Cooks at Artin’s Grill

Remember chef Christopher Short from Bella? Or theHotel Crescent Court? Or the Rosewood Mansion at Turtle Creek’s private dining program? He was the execuchef at Artin’s but according to our waiter last night, Chef Short “left about a month ago with some investors to look at space north of here.” The north he was referring to was in the Shops of Legacy.

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Mansion Wine Chat is the Coziest Tasting in Town

Bring your nose and an open mind.

I have been to wine tastings where the room was so large you needed a Segway to get from one end to the other and its hard to hear questions. One might “hear”  “do resuperitdatur og wiggly cadaver on toast?” However foggy the question, the authoritative speaker replies loud and clear to your ear, “Yes, absolutely. Remember that point.”

Huh? I rarely hear the question so how am I to integrate the answer.

Fortunately, that’s not the case at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek’s Wine Chat. The cozy but carefully structured wine tasting is is held every Thursday evening from 6:15pm until 7pm in the cozy Mansion bar and led by Mansion Wine and Beverage Director Michael Flynn.

Flynn has been nominated for The James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Wine Service Award three times and, at his previous gig at Kinkaid’s in Washington D.C., was described as the “Washington D.C.’s best known, best loved sommelier” by The Washingtonian.  Last Thursday, there were several wine beginners in attendance and they all enjoyed tasting four wines from  southern Rhone.

Jump for the juicy bits. Continue reading "Mansion Wine Chat is the Coziest Tasting in Town"

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Job Opening at D Magazine

D Magazine has an immediate opening for an assistant editor. The job entails writing pithy descriptions and reviews of restaurants and bars across North Texas, using a web CMS to wrangle the large database of listings that feeds our online offerings and our iPhone app. The successful candidate (hereinafter called the “SC” to avoid that thorny “he or she” gender issue) needs to be unafraid of computers and telephones. The SC needs to give a damn about the local dining and bar scene. The SC needs to be of legal drinking age. The SC might not have any journalism experience but might just perhaps already have a blog on which the SC writes about food and/or drink. The SC will be meticulous, because in this brave, new digital world, copy editing and fact checking aren’t going to be done by anyone other than the SC in most cases. The SC, in other words, will know the difference between “everyday” and “every day” — and, while we’re at it, that “whipped chick peas” on a fancy menu really just means hummus. The SC might be able to tell us who cooked at Aurora without having to resort to Google. And, finally, the SC will be happy to work long hours for short money. Just being honest here.

Send a cover letter, résumé, and a 200-word description of your favorite bar or restaurant to editjob_at_dmagazine_dot_com.

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KRLD Restaurant Week Reader Reviews

Comments are open. Operators are waiting for your reports.

UPDATE: Capital Grill, Go Fish, Cadot, Pappas Bros., Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek.

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KRLD Restaurant Week Reader Reviews

Comments are open. Operators are wondering if anyone is still participating in Restaurant Week.

UPDATE: Nick & Sam’s, Central 214, Canary by Gorji, III Forks, Hibiscus.

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Eat This Now: Hatch Chile Stuff at Central Market

I realize Hatch chiles, like Copper River salmon, are backed by massive marketing campaigns and there are many other peppers that deserve equal accolades. That said, I’ve tried a few products from Central Market’s Hatch Chile Festival. The pepper flavored chips and queso are crazy spicy (and great with margaritas). However run, don’t walk, for the chicken sausage with Hatch chiles and CM’s fresh flour tortillas. And Hatch chile pimento cheese, mac and cheese, risotto cakes, and chicken salad. The festival continues through Sunday.

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Is It Strange That Twin Peaks Hired Sean Salisbury to Be Its Spokesman?

I listen to The Ticket on my drive to and from work. During my commute, I have heard numerous commercials for Twin Peaks, the sort of Hooters ski lodge that started in Lewisville. These feature failed broadcaster/NFL QB Sean Salisbury. The first part is all about Twin Peaks’ cold, cold beer. So that’s fine. But they end with Salisbury going on and on about the “scenic views” — which, given the restaurant is named Twin Peaks, and again, it’s basically a sort of Hooters ski lodge, you can gather what he’s referring to.

I’m not a prude, but isn’t it odd that Twin Peaks would have Salisbury doing these bits, since the rumors why he lost his gig with both ESPN and 105.3 the fan here centered on Salisbury’s various shenanigans with his cellphone (showing female coworkers pics of what he referred to as “Little Sean,” sexting, etc.)? Or maybe that makes him the perfect person to be the ogler in the spots. I don’t know. Not saying the rumors are true — actually, the “Little Sean” party is totally true — but it’s all about perception. Anyway. Give me my $50.

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CuriousDish: Dallas Needs Food Carts and a Food Cart Finder

Food Carts - But Not in Dallas

Bing, Microsoft’s search engine, is test driving a “Food Cart Finder” feature to enable people to find local food carts and trucks on the move using their twitter feed. Alas, it’s only in Portland for now.

Here’s the Bing announcement and the Food Cart Finder.  Try it  and let your inner jealousy boil.  Start with all 250 locations and filter down to a specific neighborhood and cuisine.

Hey City of Dallas and Dallas County officials, pay attention to this.  Happy Eaters = Happy Voters.  And new revenue sources.

Dishers, what do you think?  Do you want 250 carts and food trucks in Dallas and a fancy food finder that gives you up to the minute information on what is available and where?

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2010 KRLD Restaurant Week Reader Reviews

Comments are open. Operators are working for the weekend but will be with you shortly.

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What I’m Drinking Now: A Visit with Austin Hope of Hope Family Wines

Austin Hope of Hope Family Wines was in Dallas a few weeks ago and I had an opportunity to grab a quick lunch with him and taste some of the fantastic wine he is producing in the Paso Robles region of California. 

Pretty quickly after meeting him you can tell Austin is a pretty laid back guy.  Quick to laugh and enjoys telling a good story about his adventures in wine.  This is equally matched with the obvious dedication and love he has for his wife and two daughters, made evident early in the converstation.  If you are going to be passionate about anything, wine and family are two good places to start. 

Over a casual lunch at Truluck’s on McKinney we tasted his extensive portfolio.  A little overwhelming at first, as Austin has created several distinct brands within his portfolio, including the Treana Red and White  that I have written about before (and tasted just as good this time).  Though different, each brand marries well together while maintaining their individuality. 

While tasting his Liberty School Chardonnay I asked why Central Coast?  What was it about Paso Robles that was so special?  Continue reading "What I’m Drinking Now: A Visit with Austin Hope of Hope Family Wines"

SideDish Supper Club at Meddlesome Moth On Sale Now: Bottoms Up! Brooklyn Brewery Wine Dinner with Garrett Oliver

D Magazine’s SideDish Supper Club at the Meddlesome Moth presents: Bottoms Up! Brooklyn Brewery Wine Dinner with Garrett Oliver, a unique, interactive beer dinner. Meddlesome Moth’s execuchef Chad Kelly has designed a lovely menu which Garrett Oliver, one of the country’s leading authorities on beer, will pair with his brews.

The price is a bargain: $75 a person includes tax, gratuity, valet parking, a commemorative beer glass, and goodie bags!

CHECK OUT THE MENU BY CLICKING ON THE SIDEDISH SUPPER CLUB LOGO TO THE RIGHT. Hurry, seating is limited. 214-628-7900.

Top Chef D.C. Episode 11 Recap

Only five cheftestants remain!

It looks like our cheftestants aren’t as boring as we once thought. It might have taken 11 episodes, but their personalities are finally starting to come out. Ed showed us his feminine side by sporting one of Tiffany’s dresses and Angelo confessed to worshipping a shrine of four-star chefs as a boy. They’re as nutty as fruitcakes!

Continue reading "Top Chef D.C. Episode 11 Recap"

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SideDish Supper Club Announcement: Today

The next SideDish Supper Club has been finalized and is ready to go on sale. If you would like to be one of the first to get the details on the event, make sure you have entered your email under the SDSC logo on the right side of this page. An email blast will arrive in your inbox before the general public is notified.  I can taste it already.

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Dallasvegan.Com To Host Texas State Veggie Fair in Dallas

From the copy and paste press release department:

DallasVegan.com would like to invite you to the inaugural Texas State Veggie Fair, a
celebration of the thriving vegan scene in Dallas. The antithesis of another fair coinciding at
the same time, the Texas State Veggie Fair aims to show how a compassionate view of
animals can result in an awesome fair environment with food, arts, and entertainment.

Applications for cruelty-free vendors, artists, and other organizations will continue to be
accepted through September 30th.

Jump for details.

Continue reading "Dallasvegan.Com To Host Texas State Veggie Fair in Dallas"

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New Restaurant Coming to Bishop Arts District: Oddfellows

In November, Oddfellows will open in the remodeled space at 316 West 7th Street in the Bishop Arts District. The execuchef, Aliza Shier, was the pastry chef at Local. She is also a co-owner and her posse of partners include Gary Buckner, Amy Cowan, Scott Griggs, Amanda Pounds, Jason Roberts, Chad Sepulveda, Matt Spillers, and Shane Spillers. The menu? Seasonal, traditional American food with a concentration on fresh, local ingredients. The restaurant will open with breakfast and lunch service, and a dinner menu will be added this winter.

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Eat This Now: Dude Sweet Chocolate

Chocolate apricot mole ice cream push pop. Yes, I know there’s a break in the temperatures, from the blazing 100s to the refreshing 90s. (That’s sarcasm — it’s still hot outside.) But no matter what the thermometer reads, it’s always the right weather for ice cream, and I’m digging Dude Sweet Chocolate’s gourmet push pops. It’s become a Bishop Arts Saturday ritual for me and my brood: burgers at Hunky’s followed by ice cream at Dude Sweet. Last week’s chocolate apricot mole creation was the perfect blend: sweet fruit, rich chocolate, and just a hint of spice. Frosty, creamy magic. This weekend? Who knows what owner Katherine Clapner will be serving up. But I’ll be first in line. After a burger and tater tots of course.

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