Articles for August 11th, 2011

History of Dallas Food: The Legend of Eltee O. Dave and Dave’s Barbecue

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 11th, 2011 1:08pm | filed under BBQ, History of Dallas Food | 7 Comments »

Photo of Dave's Barbecue in Elm Thicket courtesy of Dallas Public Library.

Last summer, Amy Severson, co-owner of Sevy’s, blogger, and all-around smart person, and I had what we thought was a great idea. We decided to write a book on the history of Dallas food. We began collecting bits and pieces of information and interviewed grandchildren of long-lost Dallas restaurants and food businesses. What we have found is unique and amazing and over the next few months, we will post some of the discoveries .In Part 1, we wrote about La Tunisia. Part 2  profiled Mrs. Ida Chitwood . Today we present the Legend of Eltee O. Dave.

We all know the story of Dallas barbecue giant Sonny Bryan, but very little has been written about Dallas’ successful pitmaster Eltee O. Dave. When the 12-year Dave rode his bike from Grimes County (between College Station and Houston) to Dallas in 1915, he had no idea he would become a successful African American in the 1940s. Many old-timers consider him to be Dallas’ first home-grown African American millionaire.

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Gluten & Allergen-Free Expo Offers Relief From Blah Eating

posted by Sarah Reiss | August 11th, 2011 11:52am | filed under cookbooks, Cooking, Cooking Classes, Copy/Paste Press Release | 6 Comments »

While this may not be the sexiest event on the calendar, it’s an important one, especially for people who suffer from celiac and food allergies and are tired of eating food that tastes like a hockey-puck. Keep reading for the release:

The Gluten & Allergen Free Expo (www.gfafexpo.com), October 1 – 2, 2011, is bringing the nation’s leading chefs, best-selling cookbook authors, and highly regarded nutrition and health experts to the Dallas/Fort Worth area to help people learn how to prepare healthy, tasty meals and baked goods without gluten and some of the most common allergens.

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Getting to Know You: The Story and Flavors Behind Jorge’s in One Arts Plaza

posted by Sarah Reiss | August 11th, 2011 11:10am | filed under Tex-Mex |

Guests are greeted by a collage of young Jorge (left); La Otra Rita jalapeno cocktail provides a kick (right) (photos by Kelsy McCraw)

Jorge’s Tex Mex Café opened its One Arts Plaza doors in 2008 to give Dallas a Western take on some traditional tastes. But, this modern, upscale restaurant highlighted by energetic greens, lively lilacs, and warm browns got a humble start as a family side-job in Midland.

No one in the family remembers exactly where family patriarchs Manuel and Feliz Veloz moved to Midland from, only that it was a small farm town outside of Monterrey. The matriarch and patriarch of what would become the Jorge’s brand started with a small burrito stand between the barrio and country club. Years after their small shop proved successful, their son Jorge Veloz Sr., then 19 years old, followed in their footsteps to continue offering his ancestors’ recipes to west Texas. He opened the first Jorge’s in 1981, and since, his family has spread the brand all over Texas. Cousin Jesse Lopez owns and operates a second location in Midland, son Jorge Jr. runs Jorge’s Tacos Garcia out of Amarillo, daughters Diana and Sylvia branched a Tacos Garcia down in Austin, and stepdaughter Michelle Mireles helped dad open the newest location in Dallas.

All locations serve up a western-style Tex Mex that flavors its recipes with salsas and peppers rather than cumin. And the menus, like the members of the Jorge clan, are all very different.

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Crimson Asian Cuisine Jumps On the Pho Dogpile

posted by Sarah Reiss | August 11th, 2011 10:53am | filed under Eat This Now!, pho | 3 Comments »

It’s no secret that we have a pho monkey on our backs up here on the 21st floor. There’s no explaining it except to say that, even in 100+ degree weather, the steamy goodness hits our bellies with satisfying savoriness. And it’s no small thing that the chopsticks force us to slow down and eat more consciously, which is never a bad thing. Yeah, yeah—we know that pho isn’t new to North Texas. From Richardson to Garland and points beyond, folks have enjoyed great steaming bowls of pho at Pho Bang, Phu Huy, La Me, Ba Le, and Tu Hai. More recently, Sprouts Springrolls & Pho, Malai Kitchen, Pho Colonial, and Pho is for Lovers have joined the party. Today we learned that Crimson Asian Cuisine will be adding to the central Dallas options.

Founded (as go-get-em Gubbins sleuthed out), by Salina Pham and Hanna Tran, the latest pho palace will open in Uptown on the corner of Blackburn and McKinney, across from Pinkberry (in the old Tahitian Noni Cafe spot). Gubbins quotes Tran as follows:

“We’ll do pho, and rice dishes, noodles, stir-fries, and spring rolls, but we’re giving it a more modern twist,” she says. “Not Asian fusion, which is kind of played out, just fine Vietnamese food.”

The shop is slated to open in late-August. They’re currently advertising for servers on CraigsList, so it won’t be long now.  Stay tuned for updates.

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Ate it for $8: MAACs Grill in Irving

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 11th, 2011 10:47am | filed under Ate it For $8 | 2 Comments »

Philly steak sandwich.

Overview: Although this bar and grill has changed names and management about two or three times in the past three years, their core specialty has remained the same: great pub food and cheap booze in a simple setting. Flat screen TVs fill three of the four walls, and although the place is small, there’s ample tall-booth or low-table seating, seats at the bar, and even a shaded outdoor patio that will be great if once we drop below 100-degrees. Whoever was in charge of the music mix the day I was in was spot on with some great jams, making the place feel alive even though it was only filled with a few regulars who each said bye to everyone in the place before heading back to the office. This place feels like an Irving version of Cheers, but with all-day happy hours, $3 shots, all drinks for $3 on Wednesdays, and, ah yea, karaoke every Tuesday night.

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Brews News: Win A Trip to the Great American Beer Festival

posted by Sarah Reiss | August 11th, 2011 10:07am | filed under beer, Brews News, Contests |

The upcoming 2011 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) sold out just seven days (gulp). No need to drown your sorrows if you aren’t already a ticket-holder, you still have another chance to be part of the mile-high fun. CraftBeer.com is giving away a trip for two to the festival. One randomly selected registrant will receive the ultimate GABF trip, including lodging during the Festival (September 29 – October 1, 2011), round trip airfare for two, and two tickets to all four sessions of GABF. Contest ends August 31, 2011 at 11:59 am, so enter now or forever hold your empty glass.