Articles for January 25th, 2011

El Camino del Vino, The Ways of Wine

posted by Hayley Hamilton | January 25th, 2011 6:30pm | filed under Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

There is a film touring the festival circuits now about Sommelier Charlie Arturaola, who the American Sommelier Association says has one of the 10 best palates in America.  However, due to years and years of what may be considered hard living, it seems Charlie has lost his palate. He has lost his ability to taste the characteristics in a wine that make it so special, and thus his ability to distinguish one varietal from another, one country to another…a key requirement in his beloved profession. 

El Camino del Vino takes the viewer on Uruguay born, Miami based  Arturaola’s journey to recapture his love of wine, embrace his passion and get back to the roots of why he became a Sommelier.  Surrounded by events at The Masters of Food and Wine in Argentina, Arturaola begins to face the spiralling situation of his life and starts the process to change it, while surrounded by some of the most beautiful vineyards in the world with a backdrop of the Andes Mountains.  I had the chance to meet Arturaola several years ago at this festival and he is definitely had a bigger than life personality with a true love of wine. 

I love a good wine movie.  In all honesty, I even love a bad wine movie and I am truly anxious to see where this journey takes him, and if Charlie can indeed find his palate on his travels with winemakers Michel Rolland, Susana Balbo, Jean Bousquet and many more.  Keep an eye out for this moving documentary from Argentine film maker Nicolas Carreras this year.  Click here to view the trailer.

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Update on the Green Room in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | January 25th, 2011 5:35pm | filed under hold on to your effin hat, Restaurant News | 4 Comments »

Several of you have asked for updates on the Green Room. I haven’t heard anything official from anyone but I called and the phone  has been temporarily disconnected.

Update: Former Green Room chef Joel Harloff has taken a job at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. 

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Details on The Commissary: John Tesar’s New Restaurant in One Arts Plaza

posted by Nancy Nichols | January 25th, 2011 2:28pm | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Openings/Closings, Restaurant News | 41 Comments »

This just in: John Tesar’s new restaurant in the former Dali Wine Bar space at One Arts Plaza will be called The Commissary. A press release quotes The Tesar:  “The Commissary is a versatile, trend-forward menu with no boundaries,” Tesar explains. “The nucleus of the menu features chef-inspired burgers, wines-on-tap and creative touches like our chef’s table and small plates. We will always have something creative and new to share with customers.”

I reached The Tesar for some non-press release speak.

So, John. Why did you name it The Commissary?

“A commissary is where you go to get everything,” he says. “I  don’t want to be just burgers or fine dining. I want to have a kitchen where John Tesar can do what he wants to do. It will be fun with a Village-South-Beach-open-and-free feeling. With Lucy Billingsley as my partner, I will be in there cooking every night.”

Ambitious? Yep. It’s has a burger bar, chef’s table, monthly cooking classes, take out, wine bar and retail store, wine list by Scott Barber, and monthly wine dinners. Dress? Commissary Casual!

Continue reading "Details on The Commissary: John Tesar’s New Restaurant in One Arts Plaza"

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Planning to Take Your Valentine to Town? The Following Menus Will Help You Find the Way.

posted by Sarah Reiss | January 25th, 2011 2:13pm | filed under Holidays, menus, Valentines Day | 2 Comments »

(photo courtesy of Flickr user lifelikeapps)

Candy hearts may be cute, but they’re not gonna sustain you through the night.

The better bet: dinner reservations at one of these romantic faves: Continue reading "Planning to Take Your Valentine to Town? The Following Menus Will Help You Find the Way."

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Tre Wilcox is Moving From the Kitchen at Loft 610 in Plano

posted by Nancy Nichols | January 25th, 2011 12:20pm | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Restaurant News | 7 Comments »

Brian Twomey, owner of TwomeyConcepts which operates Loft 610, The Common Table, The Village Theatre, and The Marquee Grill is making a few adjustments. He’s moving his star chef, Tre Wilcox and team, to the Marquee Grill in Highland Park Village.  Loft 610 will become Loft 610 Urban Restaurant & Lounge and will feature a more casual vibe (read: huge bar in suburbs). Tre’s last night is Saturday, January 29. The Marquee Grill is scheduled to open on March 14. Full deets and made-up quotes below.

Continue reading "Tre Wilcox is Moving From the Kitchen at Loft 610 in Plano"

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Special Report: Foodways Texas Inaugural Event at Smoke in Dallas

posted by Andrew Chalk | January 25th, 2011 11:34am | filed under Andrew Chalk, Local/Slow Food, Long table dinners | 3 Comments »

Guests mingle on the patio at Smoke. photo by Andrew Chalk.

Last night,  Foodways Texas held its inaugural Dallas fundraiser at Smoke at Oak Cliff’s Belmont Hotel. Their mission is to promote, celebrate, and preserve the food heritage of Texas.

The evening began with a reception in the Belmont Hotel where, to accompany passed hors d’oeuvres, guests could choose between Tito’s Handcrafted Vodka (Austin) mixed in a variety of martinis or wine, which included Becker Vineyards (Fredericksburg) 2009 Fumé Blanc and 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve wines. Beer lovers sipped Full Moon Pale Rye Ale, a brew from Real Ale Brewery in Blanco, Texas.  Good, Better, Best — a film which documents  the making of Texas sorghum syrup — played in the background.

Continue reading "Special Report: Foodways Texas Inaugural Event at Smoke in Dallas"

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An Unbiased, Around-Town Mini Tasting With Chef and Simply Suppers Author Jennifer Chandler

posted by Sarah Reiss | January 25th, 2011 9:00am | filed under Chefs, cookbooks, Diets are stupid, Neighborhood restaurants, restaurant service | 2 Comments »

Visiting chef and cookbook author Jennifer Chandler digs Dallas' comfort food.

Last Friday, I had the pleasure of hanging out with my old friend, chef/cookbook author/radio & TV host Jennifer Chandler (in town from Memphis to sign copies of her latest book, Simply Suppers).

I don’t deny that I sweated the restaurant choices a little; after all we only had one day and Jennifer did earn her stripes at Cordon Bleu Paris—but in the end, Jennifer’s predilection for of down-home, comfort food made my job easy.

I thought it would be fun to take her to a couple Dallas favorites and see what someone with no local prejudices or loyalties had to say about them. The following is a edited conversation from our lunch and Meddlesome Moth and dinner at the original Neighborhood Services on Lovers Ln.

jump to read what she had to say… Continue reading "An Unbiased, Around-Town Mini Tasting With Chef and Simply Suppers Author Jennifer Chandler"

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