Articles for August 19th, 2011

Chef Matt Melton of Lawry’s, the Prime Rib Teaches Special Needs Kids at Market Street in McKinney

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 19th, 2011 3:02pm | filed under Awards, Celebrity Chefs, Cooking Classes | 6 Comments »

The kids in the special-needs classes taught by chef Matt Melton at Market Street in McKinney.

Dallas is lucky to have so many chefs who dedicate their time to charity events. We are also fortunate to have chefs like Lawry’s Matt Melton. He volunteers time to teach cooking to kids with special needs. Throughout the year, eight different groups bring special-needs students from local middle and high schools to take Melton’s hands-on classes at Market Street in McKinney.  “They create these dishes themselves, so it’s a huge feeling of accomplishment,” Melton said. “I’m no celebrity chef, but when they see me in a uniform, it makes them feel fantastic. And I feel like a rock star.”

Melton, that makes you more than a celebrity chef or a rock star. If you are a chef and would like to participate in this program, call 972-548-5167.

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Pho Real—Man V. Food Nation Does Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 19th, 2011 12:14pm | filed under Burgers, Cult Cuisine, Diets are stupid, Food On TV, Mistakes I made, pho, questionable judgment, Restaurant News | 14 Comments »

Dave Rummel of Sonny Bryan's and Adam Richman.

Wednesday night, Travel Channel show Man V. Food Nation aired the episode they shot in  Dallas. Our ace reality TV food reporter, Harrison Smith, dutifully watched the show and turned his report on time. I, however, failed to post it in a timely manner. My apology to Harrison. Below he recaps the show and  incorporate lots of pho-ny puns in the process. And yes, that’s pronounced “fuh,” not “foe.”

Adam Richman lives the life I dream of: traveling the country, eating lots of food, acting silly, and getting paid. Richman hosts Man V. Food Nation, which, if the show doesn’t sound familiar, is to Man V. Food as tomato bisque is to the tomato. It’s the next step, naturally.

After traveling the country, eating lots of food, acting silly, and getting paid to do Man V. Food for three seasons, Richman now does the same thing—but invites seemingly normal eaters (like Pete McGillis of our own Dallas, Texas) to do it with him. Adam coached Pete to take down the Super Pho Challenge at Sprout’s Springroll & Pho. Pete had to consume five pounds of the Vietnamese noodle soup in 30 minutes.

Jump.

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Remembering the Man Behind the Restaurants: Marcello Rosen

posted by Sarah Reiss | August 19th, 2011 11:36am | filed under How to Open a Restaurant 101, Restaurant 101, Restaurant News, Restaurants for sale or rent | 1 Comment »

Today on our RealPoints Commercial Real Estate blog, commercial real estate guru (and all-around spectacular human being and one of my favorite people to go out to dinner with) Bob Young, managing director of The Weitzman Group, offers a fond reminiscence of the late Marcello Rosen, the broker behind many of Dallas’ beloved restaurants.

Bob Young: Remembering Marcello Rosen

On Tues., July 19, my family (wife Paula, daughter Lacey, son Christopher, and his fiancee, Katie) and I celebrated Paula’s birthday at our favorite restaurant, Toulouse. We arrived to find that our requested table was occupied by none other than restaurateur Alberto Lombardi and several of his family members and friends—including his go-to real estate broker, Marcello Rosen.

As the table transitioned to us, we exchanged warm hellos with Alberto and Marcello.

Less than a month later, on Fri., August 12, my son and I attended a memorial service for Marcello, who had lost a courageous battle with cancer. Christopher (who’s also a fellow Weitzman broker) and I were both struck by the frailty and sanctity of life—and the loss of a true real estate professional and a valued business friend.

The service was attended by hundreds of Marcello’s friends and family, including Dallas restaurateurs Avner and Celeste Samuel (NOSH), Alberto and Vivian Lombardi (La Fiorentina, Cibus), Taco and Duni Borga (La Duni), and Brian and Courtney Luscher (The Grape)—as well as restaurant brokers Dennis Leibovitz, Steve Williamson, Jack Gosnell, Alan Mann, Nelson Billups, and many others —all there to pay respects to a well-liked player in our business.

Marcello lived a fascinating life and was a successful retailer in his own right (as co-founder of the Pea in a Pod chain) before switching over to the commercial real estate arena, focusing on restaurant development and site selection. Most recently he was senior vice president at Dunhill Partners.

As tough as it was to realize the loss of Marcello, I was comforted by the sense of community of our commercial real estate industry. On my next visit to Toulouse, La Duni, Nosh, or The Grape, I will raise my glass and toast Marcello, a true professional and a friend.

Bob Young is managing director of The Weitzman Group. Contact him at byoung@weitzmangroup.com.

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Central Market’s Hatch Chile Recipe Contest Ends on Monday

posted by Sarah Reiss | August 19th, 2011 11:17am | filed under Spicy foods |

Central Market’s annual Hatch Chile Recipe Contest is drawing to a close. If you haven’t come forward with an idea for a starters, entree, desserts, or drink, now’s the time. “From five ingredients to 50,” says CM, “nothing’s out of bounds if it involves a heavenly helping of Hatch.” Recipes are due via the website by Monday, August 22, at 10 am. Central Market will select eight winning recipes—one for each store. Each of the eight winning entries will receive 75 pounds of Hatch chile peppers and a $100 Central Market gift card. Plus, all entrants receive one-time offer for a coupon for $5 off a $25 purchase just for entering.

Personally, the Pear, Hatch Chile, and tequila sorbet on their inspiration page has me thinking what I could come up with.

While you’re at it, enter to judge the contest. Just prepare a brief statement about your best chile memory to qualify. Central Market selects one judge for each store. Limit one entry per person. Entries for this also close on Monday, August 22, 2011, at 10 am.

Taco Ocho Offers Fast Casual Mexican Inspired Food in Richardson

posted by Andrew Chalk | August 19th, 2011 11:11am | filed under Andrew Chalk, Mexican Revolution, Tacos | 7 Comments »

Torta Mixteca

Taco Ocho is a new fast casual Mexican inspired restaurant that opened just over a month ago in Richardson. I attended a press event and tried some of the items on the menu. The food is listed in  three categories: Tacos, Tostadas (essentially open-faced corn tacos), and Tortas (thick sandwiches). Among the tacos ($3.50 for one, $6.25 for a plate with Ocho rice and refried beans, $7.95 for that plate with 2 tacos), the Cabo fish and the smoked chicken elote stood out.

The Cubana Torta (pork, ham, chorizo, jalapeños, spicy mustard, and Oaxaca cheese) and the Pobrizo Torta (grilled chorizo, poblano peppers & onions, black bean spread, Oaxaca cheese and salsa verde) were winners. But my favorite (on account of my avocado dependency) was the Mixteca. A torta with chips is $7.95.

Jump for the full report.

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Garreth Dickey is Chef du Cuisine at Dish in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 19th, 2011 10:56am | filed under Best Gay Hangout Restaurant Evah!, Brunch, Chefs, cocktails, Dog Friendly, Restaurant News | 1 Comment »

When Park Restaurant closed last month, veteran chef Garreth Dickey found himself without a job. Starting Monday, he will start his  new gig as chef du cuisine at Dish. Dickey moved to Dallas to work for Stephan Pyles at Star Canyon. He also worked at the original Green Room, Jeroboam, The Porch, and Hibiscus before he replaced Marc Cassel at Park.

Doug Brown is still the head chef in Dish’s kitchen and he has been busy making some changes. Brown and Dickey will debut a new menu which will be refreshed weekly. “One section of the menu will be unique to the week,” owner Tim McEneny said. “Our core items such as our roasted chicken and barbecued short ribs will remain.”

McEneny is also involved in the facelift taking place at Dakota’s. They are in the process of covering the patio and changing the menu. They roll out a new cocktail and wines-by-the-glass program on Monday.

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Julia Child Would Have Been 99 This Week. That Gets Me Thinking…

posted by Sarah Reiss | August 19th, 2011 10:55am | filed under Chefs, Food On TV, Foodie People, Nostalgia, Slow News Day |

In the early 1970s, Julia Child, that awkward, unlikely figurehead from the front of the mid-century culinary ship, had me at bonjour. Like many of you, I spent many formative (pre-cable) hours following Julia on PBS, enchanted by her stilted speech, her soap-and-water directness, and her unapologetic rapture in the kitchen.
Years later, in 1988, my college boyfriend and I drove to Virginia so that I could meet his grandmother, Maimie, for the first time. During our visit, she flooded me with stories of her college roommate at Smith, who just happened to be Julia McWilliams (pre-Child). According to the birdlike Maimie, they called each other by the nicknames “Skinny” and “Fatty.” Maimie was the latter. And Julia—or Skinny—was a domestic lost-cause.
But I digress.
Julia would have been 99 this week, and in honor of her royal rightness, HuffPost compiled nine of their favorite episodes of The French Chef, Julia Child & Company and Julia & Jacques: Cooking at Home. The omelette episode, especially, takes me back to that vinyl couch in our sunroom, where I spent many a Saturday afternoon glued to the set (and the vinyl) as Julia stumbled through sentences and tried to find something to do with her hands when they weren’t actively engaged in pinching dough and swinging a cleaver. Revisiting those clips today feels like opening a window on a breezy fall day. Join me in enjoying them.

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Opera-Free Shopping at Eatzi’s For One Week

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 19th, 2011 9:56am | filed under Bad Names For Restaurants List, Breaking News, Dog Friendly, Groceries, hostess gifts, Overprivileged chimps, Silly Reasons to Celebrate | 5 Comments »

Eatzi’s has decided to change their music for a few weeks. My ears are so happy. I have nothing against opera music, but when those sopranos hit the high notes while I’m wait for a roasted chicken to get quartered, my cochleas recoil. The opera music will return next week.

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2011 KRLD Restaurant Week

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 19th, 2011 9:10am | filed under KRLD RESTAURANT WEEK 2011 | 15 Comments »

Comments are open. Operators are standing by. So far NOBODY has taken a picture of a fabulous server. Shame on you. I repeat: GO, EAT, REPORT! Take pictures of great servers!

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Food Feedback Friday

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 19th, 2011 9:00am | filed under Food Feedback Friday | 13 Comments »

Okay, this post is for those of you who are not participating in KRLD Restaurant Week. This post is for people who went out to eat and have something to say about Dallas Normal Dining Week.

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