Articles for December 6th, 2010

Decanter Restaurant and Wine Lounge to Open Dec. 29

posted by Nancy Nichols | December 6th, 2010 5:23pm | filed under Openings/Closings, Restaurant News |

This just in from Decanter chef Tony Gardizi:

Decanter Restaurant and Wine Lounge is envisioned to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere where an ever-changing daily menu of unique blend of wines and cuisine inspired by fresh, local and seasonal ingredients are joined with attentive service. Decanter is the place for people to come and enjoy Our Cuisine, great wine, friendly conversation and experience a unique and personal service. Intimate interior design, quite, comfortable and casual,

Our Cuisine: New American –California Cuisine Our menu with contemporary twist, inspired by fresh and seasonal Ingredients. Dinner Entrees are between $15.00-$22.00. We appeal to both vegetarians and non vegetarians. Our executive chef Tony Gardizi will be working with local farmers for his fresh ingredients.Grand Opening in Dec.29.2010. 408 North Bishop Avenue. 214-948-0644

Decanter is in the old Cafe Madrid space.

As if Educator Salaries Weren’t Bad Enough…

posted by Sarah Reiss | December 6th, 2010 3:59pm | filed under Rants | 19 Comments »

My husband has been in education for almost 30 years. He’s done his time in inner-city schools for below-the-cost-of-living pay, he’s taught 10 classes a day from a cart with 5 minute breaks and 15 minutes for lunch. He’s broken up fights, been called names, and had his heart broken on more occasions than I can count.

But he’s a teacher, an educator. That’s what he signed up for; that’s what he expected.

What he didn’t expect was to be denied the 20 percent educator discount at Cafe Brazil yesterday when we stopped in for a celebratory brunch after the marathon. Apparently, a school business card with his name and title on it (yes, he has those because he’s a department director now) and a drivers license proving he really is who he said he is, just wasn’t proof enough for him to receive that $2 off our bill. Had he been wearing his school lanyard (which, thankfully, he leaves at home on the weekends) he would have qualified.

Really? Really?

Our waitress said it’s because the manager “runs a tight ship.” If that’s the case, I don’t think those are the kind of people I want to go sailing with.

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Recipe Contest: Six-Ingredient Salad Winner

posted by Christine Sracic | December 6th, 2010 12:07pm | filed under Recipes, Sponsored Post

Support Our SponsorsRecipe ContestCongratulations to Rafael Figueroa of Dallas for winning the Six-Ingredient Salad category of our Central Market Recipe Contest! Rafael will receive a $100 gift certificate to Central Market for his salad recipe submission below.

Mint and Cherry Salad with Toasted Pecans

1 cup cherries, pitted and halved
¼ cup mint leaves, roughly chopped
¾ cup pecans, halved
1 tsp orange honey (can be substituted with orange zest and honey)
4 tbsp of white balsamic vinaigrette
2 heads of bibb lettuce, cored and torn into bite-sized pieces

Combine mint, lettuce, and cherries in bowl and toss. In a small skillet, toast the halved pecans and then set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together vinaigrette and orange honey. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over lettuce and toss again. Top with pecans and serve immediately.

Congrats, Rafael! Remember that we still have four more $100 Central Market gift certificates to spoil you with, and this week’s category in our search for the perfect holiday meal is appetizers. You have until Friday, Dec. 10, to submit your favorite appetizer recipes. We’ll announce the appetizer winner next Monday, Dec. 13. Enter here!

Tre Wilcox and Tiffany Derry Are Throwing a Party at Loft 610

posted by Nancy Nichols | December 6th, 2010 11:19am | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Celebrity Diners, Food On TV |

Tre? Where's the beef?

Two of this season’s Top Chef contestants, Tre Wilcox and Tiffany Derry, will be side-by-side in the kitchen at Loft 610 on Wednesday. They are cooking a nine-course dinner pared with wine ($100 pp plus tax and grat). The evening starts at 7PM and yes the TV set will be tuned into the latest episode of Top Chef. I’m curious. I wonder if Tre and company are looking at Tiffany to take over the kitchen at Loft 610 when Tre moves to his new digs above the revamped theater in Highland Park Village. Just a thought. 972-377-2500.

Let’s Discuss: Barbecue-Gate, the Case of DMN Critic Leslie Brenner v Full Custom Gospel BBQ Blogger Daniel Vaughn, Con’t.

posted by Nancy Nichols | December 6th, 2010 9:47am | filed under BBQ, Celebrity Diners, Food Fight!, Mistakes I made | 52 Comments »

An interesting controversy erupted late last week after DMN restaurant critic, Leslie Brenner, released her Best in DFW: Barbecue list. In case you have been leading a normal life and missed the brouhaha, you can catch up by reading the recap post published last Friday on SideDish.

First, I would like to talk about print publications and “best” lists. I have been generating them for 14 years and I know how hard they are to put together. Or rather, how hard they can be if you actually do the legwork. As the food editor of a major city magazine, I’ve learned a few of the dirty secrets in the publishing business. Especially when it comes to lists relating to “bests” and food.

Here is a big one: Most print publications do not spend the time or money necessary to create genuine, editorial “best” lists. The task of compiling them is usually doled out to staffers and underlings to do the research before the “editors” take over. (In some–too many–cases, that never happens.) It is an accepted practice for national food publications to call local food publications for input when they are working on their best lists. Do you really think Esquire eats at all of those burger joints before they declare the best in America?

I have no idea how the Dallas Morning News researches their Best in DFW: Whatever lists. I can only give you my opinion of those they have printed over the last couple of years. They are lazy, weightless amalgamations. None of them include a description of the methods used in quantifying the “winners.” The paper promotes them as “Leslie Brenner’s” but, in small print, claim: “How we choose. The Best in DFW series presents critics’ and staff picks and asks readers to chime in with their favorites. Critics’ picks are presented without ranking.”

If that is the way you conduct your research, put it in your first paragraph. And add authority by ranking the picks.

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