Articles for March 4th, 2011

Rumors Behind the Restaurant News: Is Al Biernat Selling Out?

posted by Nancy Nichols | March 4th, 2011 12:15pm | filed under Celebrity Diners, Restaurant News, Silly Reasons to Celebrate, Steakhouses | 4 Comments »

Al Biernat: "I'm not selling." Print that, BOOM.

This morning I received yet another email from a secret source with insider information about a big sale in progress. The restaurant? Al Biernat’s. The buyer? A group led by long-time restaurateur Phil Cobb.

“I’m so glad you called,” says Al.  “Please kill this rumor for me. I’m only 55 and have a ten-year lease.”

Cobb’s group did make an offer on the restaurant and Biernat did consider it for a while. “I think that is how the rumor started,” says Al. Plus I’ve spent a lot of time at my home in Colorado and vacationing in Hawaii so people assumed I was on my way out. The group made me a very nice offer and they were very nice, but we are doing so well. I am definitely not selling. ”

Biernat has purchased another restaurant, The Mermaid Café, but it is in Creede, Colorado. His son plans to open a taqueria.

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Top Chef All-Stars Episode 12—Long-Lost Cousins Reunited and It Feels So Weird

posted by Sarah Reiss | March 4th, 2011 12:11pm | filed under Food On TV | 1 Comment »

How we love Loren Means and her spunky recaps. This week’s Top Chef All-Stars tell-all makes me laugh in all the right places. Take it away, Lorenzo…

We’ve made it to Episode 12, and the final five Cheftestants are super-nervous. They are all just one Elimination Challenge away from being in the Final Four. Richard is missing Dale. Antonia is missing her daughter. Tiffany is having déjà vu from her previous season (she was sent packing at this point in the game). Mike is super stressed out. Carla is filling the air with love. And I have selected my new favorite chef. I spent the last six days mulling it over. Okay, I didn’t. I decided who would be up next on my roster the minute Dale was sent home. Drum roll please…..Richard Blais! As he put it, and I agree, he really is the only big seed left standing.

jump to continue reading the recap… Continue reading "Top Chef All-Stars Episode 12—Long-Lost Cousins Reunited and It Feels So Weird"

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“Playing” With Matt McAllister Will Send You Into a Delightful Food Coma

posted by Hayley Hamilton | March 4th, 2011 12:05pm | filed under Bacon, Celebrity Chefs, Chef's tasting, Events, Silly Reasons to Celebrate | 2 Comments »

Chef Matt and team playing in Salum kitchen.

Last night Chef Matt McCallister took over part of the kitchen at his buddy, Abraham Salum’s, restaurant Salum to create a decadent, inspired and incredibly playful dinner for 12 lucky diners.  Chef Abraham had originally intended to cook beside Chef Matt, but his ever buzzing Komali next door kept him busy most of the night, just popping in here and there to grab a bite of the delicacies created in the 10-course tasting menu (plus a fantastic amuse to wake up the palate).  The dinner, though playful, was a nod to creativity in cooking and embracing modern techniques, with an immersion circulator and and some sort of molecular gastronomy used in almost every dish.  Continue reading "“Playing” With Matt McAllister Will Send You Into a Delightful Food Coma"

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Malai Thai Vietnamese Kitchen is Open in West Village

posted by Nancy Nichols | March 4th, 2011 11:41am | filed under Openings/Closings, Restaurant News | 7 Comments »

The former Tom Tom Noodle house has never looked better. No doubt the food will taste better. Opening today is Malai Thai Vietnamese Kitchen, a restaurant inspired by co-owner Braden Wages’ culinary travels through Southeast Asia. Cocktails were designed by the peripatetic mixologist Jason Kosmas.  The menu of co-owners Braden and Yasmin Wages’ kitchen and was developed by executive chef, Keith Cedotal, whose background includes the French Room and Park Restaurant. Go. Eat. Report.

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Former Craft Dallas Chef Jeff Harris to Open RedFork Tavern in April

posted by Nancy Nichols | March 4th, 2011 11:19am | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Openings/Closings, Restaurant News | 9 Comments »

This just in from former Craft Dallas chef de cuisine, Jeff Harris. Alongside Harris is chef Matt Balke, former sous chef at York Street

Chef Jeff Harris, the highly acclaimed former chef de cuisine of craft |Dallas, andteam, are excited to announce the opening of their new restaurant, RedFork Tavern. RedFork plans to open its doors in April, and will serve a menu dedicated to Harris’ unique take on New American cuisine.

Jump for the fun of it and more details. Continue reading "Former Craft Dallas Chef Jeff Harris to Open RedFork Tavern in April"

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Food Feedback Friday

posted by Nancy Nichols | March 4th, 2011 10:33am | filed under Food Feedback Friday | 16 Comments »

Hey, Dishers. Where did you eat this week? Did you find something fabulous? Did you find something foul? We’d love to hear your thoughts on your latest restaurant experiences. Here’s what you reported last week.

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Bistro Watel’s to Open on April 15

posted by Nancy Nichols | March 4th, 2011 10:27am | filed under Openings/Closings, Restaurant News |

Rene “Watel’s” Peeters will start serving dinner at his new venture, Bistro Watel’s, on “Wednesday and Thursday nights as a soft opening in a week or two.” I’m not sure what that actually means as his note goes on to say the official opening is April 15. The new spot is located in the old York Street location. Peeters says: “Rene’s other Watel’s restaurants (Bites!, and WORLD PIECE café) will continue to operate (rumors to the contrary seem to have spread).”

Spokesman for Heart Attack Grill is Dead at 29

posted by Nancy Nichols | March 4th, 2011 9:53am | filed under Burgers, Diets are stupid, Junk Food, Nutjobs, R.I.P., Restaurant News | 5 Comments »

The other day we talked about the Heart Attack Grill. Currently their are plans for the Arizona-based burger joint to open near the West End.The menu promotes huge portions, greasy burgers, and fries cooked in lard. This morning comes news that Blair River, the 575-pound spokesman for the blossoming chain, died yesterday from pneumonia after a bout with the flu. Perhaps they need to workshop their concept.

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