Articles for May 27th, 2011

Badovinus Tussles With Tesar at The Commissary

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 27th, 2011 4:28pm | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Food Fight!, mob scenes, Restaurant News | 70 Comments »

I so wasn’t going to write this story, but I have now been contacted by five people in or around the restaurant business. I feel that if I don’t step in and attempt to clear the air, the tale will grow longer and more sordid with each telling. I have heard multiple versions of the heated exchange between chefs John Tesar and Nick Badovinus at The Commissary late Wednesday night.

Round One: I received the following text from John Tesar at 11:20 p.m. Wednesday night: “Nick from Neighborhood [Services] just assaulted two of my staff and created a violent scene in my restaurant…Crazy drug drunk chef stuff. I was calm but he has lost his mind. Sorry for the bad news just wanted you to hear the real story.” I didn’t see the text until the next morning. I texted back: “Huh? Just got this. Call me when you get a chance.” A little after noon yesterday, Tesar texted back: “It’s just best to let this one go :) thank you.”

Oh, but we didn’t let it go. Jump.

UPDATE: Saturday, May 28, 2011. I have just had a long conversation with chef John Tesar. The bottom line is he is reversing the story he told me yesterday. Here is his statement. “I was wrong. It was an error in judgment. I did it to cover up the event. The only reason I did that is that I tried to protect everybody who was involved, not only myself. I had a selfish motivation. I didn’t want to draw attention to a brand new restaurant. At the same time I wasn’t going to throw another member [Badovinus] of my profession under the bus.”

Continue reading "Badovinus Tussles With Tesar at The Commissary"

70 Comments »

CityArts Festival’s Culinary Showcase Starts Tonight at 6:30 at Fair Park

posted by Sarah Reiss | May 27th, 2011 2:08pm | filed under Breaking News, Chef's tasting, Festivals |

This year’s Culinary Showcase opens at 6:30 tonight at Fair Park with the following schedule of events. The festivities continue throughout the weekend, so map out some time to sample spirits, cheeses, and Ninny’s Salad with chef David F. Holben of Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House, chef/owner Janice Provost of Parigi, executive chef Jim Severson of Sevy’s Grill, executive chef Blythe Beck of Central 214, chef Richard Chamberlain of Chamberlain’s Steak & Chop House, executive chef David McMillan of Screen Door, Paula Lambert, founder of Mozzarella Company, chef Aaron Staudenmaier of Abacus, and chef/owner Brian C. Luscher of The Grape. The event is FREE, but you must be 21 and show ID to get into the Culinary Showcase.

jump for the full weekend schedule of events… Continue reading "CityArts Festival’s Culinary Showcase Starts Tonight at 6:30 at Fair Park"

Weekend Reading: How Dallas Restaurateur Michael Costa Keeps Screwing Restaurants

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 27th, 2011 1:03pm | filed under Bad critters, Breaking News, Food Crime, Hot Links!, Nutjobs, questionable judgment | 20 Comments »

Michael Costa has made a lot of enemies. Costa has made a lot of enemies. Illustration by Sean McCabe.

Remember the saga of Las Colinas Prime? It’s a sordid tale of TABC raids, bounced paychecks, and unpaid vendors. At the time, Michael Costa and his Rainmaker Consulting Group were working with LCP owner Bill McCrorey to get the business on track. If you need to catch up on the trail go here, here, here, here, and here.

Costa disappeared from the Dallas scene after Las Colinas Prime closed in fall of 2009. However, he is back in business at The Office Grill in the former Tre Amici space in North Dallas.

Two weeks after The Office Grill opened, my phone started ringing. Employees and vendors were not being paid and checks were bouncing.  It’s sounded all too familiar. I called a lot of people who have been in business with or worked for Michael Costa. I called Michael Costa. He claims that all of his accounts are in order. It still sounded shady to me—where there is billowing smoke there is usually a fire–so I checked (hah!) into his criminal records. What I found was rather interesting.  I have written a story in the June issue of D Magazine. It’s all here. Have a nice weekend.

Jump for the mugshots. Continue reading "Weekend Reading: How Dallas Restaurateur Michael Costa Keeps Screwing Restaurants"

20 Comments »

The Widowmaker Happy Hour: Beer & Bacon at Mextopia.

posted by Sarah Reiss | May 27th, 2011 12:48pm | filed under Alright already!, Bacon, Bars, beer, questionable judgment | 2 Comments »

If you haven’t heard yet, Richard Avila’s Mextopia on Lower Greenville is starting a new Beer & Bacon Happy Hour on Thursdays and Saturdays from 4 to 8 pm. That’s right, not dry old popcorn, not dusty peanuts—glistening strips of bacon. I’m picturing communal plates on the bar, but for all I know they could be handing out newspaper-wrapped bacon bundles (a la fish & chips) or bacon woven onto kabobs, or perhaps even bacon-filled waffle cones.

Now, I loves the bacon, and I have no doubt that the $2 Tecate and Firemans No. 4 will pair well with the salt and grease. But for god’s sake, man, think about the quantities, the gluttony, the greasy fingers (visual proof of when you have one too many and start to play grab-a@* with that cute guy from sales).

I’m thinking that Avila’s self-proclaimed “fun, festive, family” vibe is about to see some seriously questionable pork-themed behavior. There’s only one way to find out.

2 Comments »

Buzzbrews Coming to Deep Ellum. So long, Cowboy Chow.

posted by Sarah Reiss | May 27th, 2011 11:56am | filed under Breakfast, Breaking News, Brunch, cheap eats, Closings, Diets are stupid, grand opening, hold on to your effin hat, I'm a rumor monger, Openings/Closings, Restaurant News | 2 Comments »

Word on the street is that the Deep Ellum/Commerce St. location of Cowboy Chow is being taken over by D’s Best Breakfast favorite, Buzzbrews. In fact, this weekend is the Chow’s last one in that location. Look for Buzzbrews to start slinging their hash to downtown brunchers, the 2 am Adair’s crowd, and hungover hipsters sometime in July.

2 Comments »

Brews News: Surefire Hit or Satan in a Sunday Hat? You Be the Judge.

posted by Sarah Reiss | May 27th, 2011 11:41am | filed under beer, homebrewing, hostess gifts | 2 Comments »

It was bound to happen. Williams Sonoma, aka the folks who brought “keeping up with the Joneses” to the kitchen, has entered the world of mail-order homebrew (except they call it “artisanal beer,” natch).

Check it out:

With their apartment-friendly beer-making kits, Erica Shea and Stephen Valand of the Brooklyn Brew Shop make it easy to craft artisanal beer – right in your own kitchen. Showcasing the finest barley, hops, yeast and spices, your all-natural home-crafted brew will taste as great as the premium artisanal beers served at the best brew pubs.

Choose either fresh summer wheat beer or India Pale Ale (IPA), a pub favorite with bold, hops-intensive flavor.
Includes the specialty equipment and ingredients you’ll need for home-brewing, including enough grain, hops and yeast for your first batch.
Additional equipment and ingredients required: six-quart pot, fine-mesh strainer, funnel, honey and ice.
Step-by-step instructions guide you through every stage: the mash, the sparge, the boil, fermentation and bottling.
The entire brewing process takes approximately 17 days.
Each mix produces 1 gal. of IPA beer or fresh summer wheat beer.
Equipment can be reused over and over to make more fresh beer.

Kit includes:

1-gal. glass fermenting jug.
Screw-cap stopper.
3-piece chambered airlock.
Racking cane.
4′ tubing.
Tube clamp.
12″ laboratory thermometer.
Sanitizer packet.
Ingredient mix (choose summer wheat or IPA).

jump for the burning questions… Continue reading "Brews News: Surefire Hit or Satan in a Sunday Hat? You Be the Judge."

2 Comments »

Eat This Now: Dessert at The French Room in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 27th, 2011 11:25am | filed under dessert, Diets are stupid, Eat This Now! | 8 Comments »

Vhocolate caramel mousse dome at the French Room in Dallas.

Just hearing the words “The French Room” may be enough to send your wallet running for cover, but sometimes you just need to splurge.  To be honest, before my first visit to the French Room, I was under the impression that you were paying more for the ambiance, service, and glitz rather than top-notch food.  But with the endless string of accolades this hotel and restaurant have acquired, I felt I owed it to myself to try it once.   To my surprise, the entire experience was simply superb.  Sure, men are required to wear jackets, your food is presented under a metal domes, and the grand dining room is arrayed with paintings of baby-faced cherubs, but beyond the spectacle, the food fully lives up to the fanfare.

Jump for goodies created by pastry chef Joe Garza. Continue reading "Eat This Now: Dessert at The French Room in Dallas"

8 Comments »

Ate it for $8: Cindi’s N.Y. Delicatessen in Carrollton

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 27th, 2011 10:00am | filed under Ate it For $8, Delis, Restaurant News, Sandwiches | 6 Comments »

Ho-hum pastrami on rye at Cindi's New York Delicatessen.

Our cheap eats correspondent Kristy Alpert has been scouring Dallas for some great tasting deals. Today she finds a deal, but feels her $8 could have been spent better elsewhere. Here’s Kristy:

For my $8 lunch this week I headed out to Cindi’s N.Y. Delicatessen in Carrollton. I’d heard rave reviews about the Reuben, but unfortunately you can’t get that for eight bucks, so I was hoping to try the “poor man’s version” of the sandwich. Although there’s a location right down the street from where I live in Dallas, I ever-so-graciously decided to meet a good friend for her lunch hour near her office in the ‘burbs.

Partly because I’m an amazingly skilled driver (READ: fast) and partly because I was jonesing for a good sammich, I showed up a bit early. The place didn’t totally give off that “deli” feel that I’m used to finding in New York, or even Dallas for that matter, but I took a seat in a booth near the rest of the lunch crowd bunch to get some good eavesdropping in while I waited for my friend to show up. While the atmosphere of the place didn’t scream deli, the clientele sure did. In true form, most of the crowd was made up of elderly people dining alone and disgruntled co-workers bashing bosses and ex-husbands (I swear I heard the same conversation bounce around three different tables: “my ex-husband never took me dancing,” “for once I want a boss who doesn’t micro-manage,” etc.).

But I digress. Jump for the rest. Continue reading "Ate it for $8: Cindi’s N.Y. Delicatessen in Carrollton"

6 Comments »

Somebody Help This Poor Girl: San Antonio

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 27th, 2011 9:54am | filed under Somebody Help | 20 Comments »

A happy husband and wife are headed to San Antonio to celebrate their anniversary. Wifey-pooh wants some dining recommendations. Help her please.

I’m looking for some of the best eats in San Antonio.   My husband & I will be at the JW Marriott next weekend and oddly enough, neither of us have actually stayed in SA – just driven through.  We will for sure want to venture outside of the resort and see what SA has to offer.  We’re open to any price range but are particularly looking for a place to celebrate our anniversary.

20 Comments »

Stoney’s Fine Wine Features White Burgundies

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 27th, 2011 9:30am | filed under Uncategorized |

The region of Burgundy makes some mighty fine white wine.

Saturday (tomorrow) from 4:00-7PM, Stoney’s Fine Wine is hosting a wine tasting of the fine white wines from Burgundy. Featured wines below the jump. Continue reading "Stoney’s Fine Wine Features White Burgundies"

What to Drink Now: Memorial Day Cocktails

posted by Hayley Hamilton | May 27th, 2011 9:06am | filed under cocktails, Holidays, Wine & Spirits |

If you are grilling, chilling and looking forward to a long weekend of good food, great cocktails and good weather (please…good weather) but need some inspiration for your barbecue drinks try one of these.  Some options were sent for editorial consideration, all are good.

Deep Eddy Tea
A favorite Texas spirit and go to cocktail that is sure to please your barbecue guests.
1 part Deep Eddy Vodka
2 parts club soda or water
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Fresh mint and a lemon peel
Stir together over ice.  If you need the cocktail to be a bit sweeter for your taste add in a teaspoon or two of simple syrup.  Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and a lemon peel. Continue reading "What to Drink Now: Memorial Day Cocktails"

Food Feedback Friday

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 27th, 2011 9:00am | filed under Food Feedback Friday | 7 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.

7 Comments »