Articles for May 9th, 2011

John Tesar and Moet & Chandon Pair For a Palatable Treat

posted by Hayley Hamilton | May 9th, 2011 3:49pm | filed under Chef's tasting, Wine & Spirits | 2 Comments »

Moet & Chandon Imperial NV Brut

There has been a lot of talk about John Tesar these days, it could be because he is truly talented.  At a small media pairing dinner at The Comissary, with Moet & Chandon Oenologist Marc Brevot for the release of the 2002 Grand Vintage Moet & Chandon Champagne last week, guests had an opportunity to taste how wine and food can be paired to perfection.

With the help of Sommelier DLynn Proctor, Tesar started the pairing with the Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut Champagne, the everyday bubbly of Moet which is crisp, dry and fruit forward with citrus and green apple flavors.  This was paired with two preparations of oysters, a fried and raw.  The raw dish was a tribute to a classic way to enjoy Champagne, with simply shucked oysters in a consomme of their juice and topped with caviar.  Delicate and refined, a great way to prepare the palate for the meal to come.

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Pasaporte España at Central Market Starts Wednesday

posted by Sarah Reiss | May 9th, 2011 3:44pm | filed under Cooking Classes, Ethnic Food, Events |

After the legendary success of last year’s Argentina week, folks around here are buzzing in anticipation of Central Market’s Pasaporte España, May 11-24. Beyond paella and tapas, the event not only brings in celebrity chefs but also focuses on topics from molecular gastronomy to the Spanish food movement cocina de autor (cuisine without rules). Central Market on Greenville kicks things off with a paella event in the parking lot featuring Miguel Torres of Torres Wines of Penedès from 5 to 8 pm.  Plan on attending the tapas demo on Thursday and the parent/child churros & hot chocolate tasting on Sunday morning.

Check the store’s online schedule for cooking demos and classes from the following chefs:

Paco Roncero (molecular gastronomy), Isma Prados (Catalan specialist), Daniel Olivella (owner of B44 Catalan Bistro in Oakland), Adrian Martin (sous chef de cuisine, Drolma and Petite Comitè, Barcelona), Quim Marqués (Suquet de l’Almirall), and Seamus Mullen (Tertulia, NYC).

Throughout the two-week event, take advantage of opportunities to visit with wine makers and purveyors from throughout Spain: Alvaro Palacios (Bodegas Palacios Remondo, Rioja), Jorge Ordonez (Fine Estates From Spain), Patrick Mata (Olé Imports), Isabelle Salgado (Fillaboa, Rías Baixas), Javier Ybañez (Marqués de Riscal, Rioja), Michel Parellada (Caves Naveran, Penedès),Albert Costa (Cellar Vall Llach, Priorat), Juanjo Pinol (Cellar Vinos Pinol, Terra Alta), Louis Geirnaerdt (Enate Winery and Axial Vinos), and Alfredo Candela (Señorio de Barahonda, Yecla).

In-N-Out Burger: Opening in Frisco and Allen Wednesday

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 9th, 2011 1:55pm | filed under Burgers, Hot Links!, Murmur, Openings/Closings, PR People, Restaurant News, youthful spontaneous restaurants | 3 Comments »

The altar is up. Prepare to worship.

Kellyn Curtis is reporting that the In-N-Out Burger locations in Frisco and Allen will open on Wednesday. She got an email from Carl Van Fleet, the head dude at In-N-Out so I guess they will open on Wednesday.

However, I went out to Frisco this morning and talked to a corporate person who said “sometime this week” about 20 times. I introduced myself to a nice man with a nice Southern Californian tan and told him I was too old to drive to Frisco every morning to see if they were opening. He smiled and said, “All I can say is sometime this week.” I offered him money. “No, I can’t take that. It’s sometime this week.” I asked him if he was in fact Carl Van Fleet. He said, “No, Carl will be here sometime this week.” By the time I got back to the office, Miss Kellyn had an email from Carl Van Fleet. So, all I learned is that the guy I was talking to was not Carl Van Fleet because he didn’t have a phone on him.

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“Bring a Friend for Free” to May Classes at DUO

posted by Sarah Reiss | May 9th, 2011 12:47pm | filed under Baking, classes, Cooking, Cooking Classes | 2 Comments »

At DUO, the kitchen concept store brought to you by Tracy Rathbun and Lynae Fearing, May is all about getting hands-on. This month’s class schedule covers topics from breakfast and brunch to regional Italian cuisine. And since last month’s bring-a-friend-for-free special was so popular, the DUO duo has decided to extend the promotion throughout May.

I call a girl’s night out!

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First-Take Review: John Tesar’s The Commissary in One Arts Plaza. It’s All About the Tots.

posted by Sarah Reiss | May 9th, 2011 12:20pm | filed under Burgers, Openings/Closings, Restaurant 101, Restaurant News | 41 Comments »

The Farmer (left) and The Rib (right), just two of the options on the Burger Bar section of The Commissary's menu. (photos by Desirée Espada)

The Commissary, Chef John Tesar’s indoor-outdoor burger & bites venue in One Arts Plaza has been packed since day one. Reasonably so. The restaurant, which specializes in daring combinations of ingredients (burgers made from braised pig’s tail, pork, and beef) and new approaches to old standards (avocado fries), is to summertime what the swallow is to spring—a harbinger of good things to come.

(Writer’s note: To be clear, this review of The Commissary was done incognito. We paid for everything we ate, and no preferential treatment was given. My later visit to The Table, which is mentioned as a “nice detail” toward the end of this article, was part of an invitation dinner and was hosted after the review process was complete. While I mention The Table in this review of The Commissary, it is added as an aside and is not reviewed herein. We apologize for any confusion or underrepresentation of the tots.)

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Dallas Must-Do List: Meet Dean Fearing

posted by Ryan Jones | May 9th, 2011 11:19am | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Dallas Must-Do List, Foodie People | 3 Comments »
IMG_1037

Ryan meets the man himself.

I’m almost to double digits. After stopping by the Ritz-Carlton for lunch at Fearing’s on Thursday, I can count nine of the Things Every Dallasite Must Do as accomplished.

Full disclosure: Dean Fearing knew I was coming. I’d set up my lunch ahead of time with Lauren Lapeyre, who does PR for the Ritz, because I knew that Fearing’s schedule doesn’t afford him the time to work his downtown restaurant every day, and I needed him there. In order to cross this one off my list, I not only had to eat at Fearing’s, I had to meet the man, too. So let’s concede that the amount of attention I was paid during my visit wasn’t typical, and I might not have gotten quite so much face time with one of Dallas’ most renowned chefs had I just wandered in off the street.

But that’s not to say that Fearing isn’t plenty charismatic with all his clientele, whether you carry cash by the briefcase or have to scrape your pockets for spare change just to pay for your meal. He’s sort of a ubiquitous presence around the restaurant: working frying pans in the kitchen, keeping his cooks and servers privy to who’s-sitting-where, strolling through the dining room to schmooze customers. And he doesn’t just check on his diners once — he heads back for seconds and thirds, learning names and getting laughs and making sure that everything is oh-so-perfect.

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Somebody Help This Poor Girl: Most “Dallas” Restaurant

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 9th, 2011 9:57am | filed under Cult Cuisine, Foodie People | 22 Comments »

A gal I used to know and thought I’d lost resurfaced and asked me a dumb question. Sorry, I like the girl but I hate the request.

Hey Nancy, my in-laws are foodies and they are going to be in Dallas for one day. (They are picking us up and we’re all driving to New Orleans for a long weekend!) They have asked me to pick out a restaurant that best represents Dallas! I thought about the one in the ball but isn’t that like Asian. So what is your best DALLAS restaurant!

See? Dumb. I should email her back and refine her search, but it’s Monday morning and I have waaaay to much on my mind.

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