Articles for May 24th, 2011

The Table in Dallas Opens Thursday

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 24th, 2011 3:59pm | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Cult Cuisine | 2 Comments »

Want to talk to John Tesar? Make reservations at The Table, Tesar’s tasting room inside The Commissary, and the chef will answer the phone and talk to you about the menu. Feel free to ask him whatever you want or just drunk dial him. He promises to answer every call. Here is his not-so-secret reservation line: 469-600-4660. (469? That’s so not a John Tesar number. He’s a 214/212/213 talent.

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Two Chances to Win for Wine and Cocktail Lovers

posted by Hayley Hamilton | May 24th, 2011 1:02pm | filed under cocktails, Contests, Twitter, Wine & Spirits |

If you are creative, adventurous, love a good cocktail or are passionate about the flavors found in a glass of wine there are a few contest opportunities that were made for you. 

If you always wanted to be a bartender, or are ready to dust off your apron from the days you were, Sandeman Founders Reserve Porto has created the Sandeman Mix Up Challenge.  Now through June 15 submit your original cocktail recipe and photo here for a chance to win a trip to Portugal with a visit to the 200+ year old Sandeman Cellars.  Recipes must include Sandeman Founders Reserve Porto and the winning cocktail will be based on originality, creativity and of course, taste.  

Or, if wine is your passion and describing the flavors flows like water out of you grab a bottle of Brancott Estate wine from New Zealand and enter their “#Whatif” Twitter contest to win two tickets to the land of the Kiwis describing their favorite Brancott wine.  The contest runs through June 13.  More details here.

Chef John Tesar to Appear on Extreme Chef

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 24th, 2011 12:22pm | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Dog Friendly, Food Crime, Food On TV, Foodie Video, hold on to your effin hat, Murmur, Nutjobs, Procrastination is part of the creative process, Silly Reasons to Celebrate, Skinny bitches | 16 Comments »

We’ve followed chef John Tesar from the refined confines of the Rosewood Mansion to a cocktail den in South Side to upscale burger joint in One Arts Plaza. It only seems logical go travel along with him to a mountain in the wilderness. Huh? Ever the clever chef, Tesar is, once again, letting his freak flag fly. How high? Tesar is not spilling details other than he will be competing on a new Food Network show called Extreme Chef. He could be killing a live rattlesnake for breakfast or cooking a rabbit on a car engine, both of which I would pay to see live (especially the visual of this nerdy black glasses steaming up over a steaming radiator). But we’ll all have to wait until the show debuts on June 30.

The premise: “Each episode pushes three chefs to their physical and mental limits as they must adjust to extreme conditions and unpredictable curveballs such as swimming across a lake for ingredients and using a car engine as a makeshift stove.” The victorious chef pockets $10 grand which, after taxes, might be $5,000. Whatever, soon we have yet another Dallas chef on TV. I hope Tesar wins. He could flaunt his victory over Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern.

The first time I watched the trailer below, I thought it was a joke. It’s not. It’s reality. Excuse me while I open a can of Sterno for lunch.


FOOD NETWORK’S EXTREME CHEF SIZZLE by multivu

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Social 121 in Plano: Would You Like Art With Your Meal?

posted by Andrew Chalk | May 24th, 2011 9:30am | filed under Andrew Chalk, Crazy Technology, Openings/Closings, Restaurant News | 2 Comments »

A few years ago, Art Museums started installing  fine dining restaurants in their buildings. Now the scene has come full circle: restaurants are now offering art with your food. Once you order your food at Social 121 (née Loft 610) you are surrounded by an exhibition of paintings and video art. The night I was there, the artist known as Chadwick had flown in from Chicago and was painting in “‘real time.” Judging by the number of violins through the heads I would say his style is cubist.

Owner Scott Siers says that the next artist event is June 19th.

And what does the artist himself say?

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Holy Grail Pub in Plano Hosts Farm-to-Fork Dinner With Beer Pairings on May 30

posted by Sarah Reiss | May 24th, 2011 9:00am | filed under beer, Local/Slow Food, Long table dinners |

Holy Grail Pub jumps on the hayride with their first Farm-to-Fork beer-pairing dinner. On Monday, May 30th, the Grail will serve six courses of locally sourced foods, served with select, full-flavored Texas beers.  Each course will feature a dish made with ingredients from area farms, ranches and food artisans.

Read Teresa Gubbins review of Holy Grail Pub’s grub here.

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