Articles for September 27th, 2011

Coquerel Family Wine and Annika Vineyards Dinner October 16, Golf with The Champion October 17

posted by Hayley Hamilton | September 27th, 2011 2:44pm | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Charity events, Wine & Spirits, Wine Pairing |

Several months ago we were getting excited to welcome Annika Sorenstam, a legend in the world of golf, to Dallas, for not only a day of teeing it up for a great cause, but also the opportunity to taste the award winning wine created by the Hall of Fame golfer at a lavish dinner the night before, all to benefit her charity, the ANNIKA Foundation, which teaches kids the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition, and offers aspiring junior golfers opportunities to pursue their dreams. .  Unfortunately, and quite unexpectadely, Ms. Sorenstam went into early labor for her second child, a baby boy.

Always one to keep her commitments, especially when her foundation is involved, and know a great food, wine and golf city when she hears of it, the dinner has been rescheduled for October the 16th at the Park City Club. With the help of Brenda and Clay Cockerell and their exquisite Coquerel Family Wine,  Ms. Sorenstam will present her ANNIKA wine, side by side with the Cockerell’s in a 5-course dinner created by Chefs John Tesar, Teiichi Sakurai and Sara Horowitz from El Paso.

In 2008 Ms. Sorenstam met Carolyn Wente, of Wente Vineyards in Livermore, CA, developing an instant friendship. With retiring from golf on the horizon Ms. Sorenstam was looking for new opportunities to spread her brand, and really give back through her foundation. With the help of Carolyn and Karl Wente, ANNIKA Vineyards was born, today producing hiqh quality, low production Syrah and Chardonnay from some of the best fruit grown by Wente Vineayrds. Add in the mineral rich, steely Petit Coquerel Sauvignon Blanc or the earthy, ripe red fruit filled La Petit Sirah Coquerel Family Wines and you have a dinner that is not to be missed. The excitement doesn’t stop there. Monday morning Ms. Sorenstam will host a day of golf, starting with a 60 minute one-on-one clinic, followed by a round of golf. Reservations required for both, please call Janet Love – 214-530-5210.

Aquadora to Open in Former GoFish Spot at Village on the Green

posted by Nancy Nichols | September 27th, 2011 1:39pm | filed under Openings/Closings, Restaurant News |

Tiffany Derry’s old stomping grounds at GoFish are now occupied by Aquadora. (Boy I so want to slap a Pompadoura on the end of that name to make it a combination hair salon and seafood restaurant.) Seriously, a lease has been signed for the 6,052-square-foot restaurant located at the intersection of Alpha and Noel Roads. Aquadora will feature “a concise menu highlighting an assortment of steaks and fresh seafood ranging from sea bass and halibut to lobster and shrimp, plus a sushi bar featuring ceviche and sashimi.” Execuchef is Mike Dimas, a Dallas native who comes back home after stints in S-named cities: San Antonio, Santa Fe and Santa Barbara. (Is this the same Hacienda on Henderson Mike Dimas?)  LIG Entertainment Management, Inc. is developing Aquadora. They also plan to open a tapas bar and lounge plus a night club in Dallas. Cutting edge.

Rest of the news below.

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Get Ready for New Groovy Swag at the State Fair of Texas

posted by Nancy Nichols | September 27th, 2011 1:02pm | filed under AgriBusiness, Cult Cuisine, food art, Food is art. Art is Food., I Went to College for This?, I'm about to get fired, pop-up restaurant, Pre World Series Depression, Procrastination is part of the creative process, Slow News Day, State Fair of Texas | 4 Comments »

Get it? Corn dog. Hah!

Here is a preview of some of the hip new t-shirts carnival workers will be wearing when the Texas State Fair opens on Friday. They were designed by the Belmont Icehouse in Deep Ellum. They will be available for purchase.

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Restaurant Review: New Herrera’s Café on Maple Avenue

posted by Nancy Nichols | September 27th, 2011 12:00pm | filed under Kevin Marple, Mistakes I made, Nostalgia, Not-so-skinny bitches, questionable judgment, Restaurant News, Reviews, Tex-Mex | 3 Comments »

New Herrera's on Maple. (photo by Kevin Marple)

In 1971, I spent most of my Sunday mornings in a line around the original Herrera’s on Maple Avenue. My friends and I would sit under a dripping window AC unit for hours, waiting for our turn at one of the nine tables inside the tiny, lard-based Tex-Mex restaurant. Once seated, you popped open the six-pack of Coors you brought with you and watched founder Amelia Herrera hand-pat flour tortillas by the front door. The food was such a religious experience for me that, 17 years later, I got married at Herrera’s, which by then had moved into a bigger building across the street and expanded into more locations all over Dallas. Recently, they moved into a newer building down Maple.

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Somebody Help This Poor Girl: Onion Rings in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | September 27th, 2011 10:54am | filed under Nostalgia, Restaurant News | 16 Comments »

She’s got a hankering for diamond-less rings. And she’s new in town. Give her a hand.

Hey, Nancy! I just moved here from Atlanta and I am hungry for the onion rings served at The Varsity. What place in Dallas has onion rings like these?

The rings at The Varsity are fairly thin, crunchy, and greasy. Kinda like the ones served at Peggy Sue BBQ or Sonny Bryan’s.

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Number Seven: In-N-Out Burger Opens in Irving on Thursday

posted by Nancy Nichols | September 27th, 2011 10:23am | filed under Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

DFW is up to seven locations. The In-N-Out location at 6501 North MacArthur Boulevard will open on Thursday (September 29). Are you in or out? I miss the old days when corporate headquarters “little white lied” to me.

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Rathbuns’ 8th Annual Art Party Is This Sunday

posted by Andrew Chalk | September 27th, 2011 10:14am | filed under Andrew Chalk, Celebrity Chefs, Charity events | 5 Comments »

Found Art. View From The Rathbun's 19th Floor Balcony.

Kent and Tracy Rathbun, between them the owners of Abacus, Jasper’s, Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen, Zea Woodfire Grill, Shinsei and Duo, throw open their house this Sunday to bring collectors together with local artists for their eighth annual art party. One hundred percent of ticket proceeds go to the march of Dimes.   “We’re honored to host our eighth Art Party and to feature artwork from some very talented artists who help to make this event possible,” said Kent Rathbun. “Together with these artists and the continued support of the Dallas community, we’re able to showcase local talent in a fun and inviting atmosphere, all while raising money for March of Dimes, a worthwhile organization that’s very important to Tracy and me.”

According to the press release, featured artists include painters Mindy Collins, Rick Griggs and Tamara White, sculptor and photographer Scott Harben and glass workers Ron and Chris Marrs. Gourmet food and drink will, of course be served. The Art Party will be held on Sunday, October 2, 2011 at the Rathbun Penthouse, located in the Heights Tower at 8066 Park Lane #1914. VIP tickets, which include a special reception from 6 – 7 p.m., cost $150, while regular tickets to the Art Party, which runs from 7 – 9 p.m., cost $75. Click her for more information. To register, call Jennifer Bell-Garcia at (972) 232-1375 or visit this site.

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Things To Eat and Drink in Dallas This Week

posted by Liz Johnstone | September 27th, 2011 10:06am | filed under Events | 2 Comments »

As always, suggest more in the comments if you feel so inclined.

Monday (9/26)

Cajun Wine and Food Dinner at Sevy’s. Chef Buzzy hails from Cajun country, so he returns to his roots for this dinner. All the courses are paired with appropriate wines.

Tuesday (9/27)

Cavalli in McKinney’s One-Year Anniversary Dinner. If you enjoy Cavalli’s Verace Pizza Napoletana Association-certified pies, toast to their longevity with a five-course meal with Italian wine pairings.

Cooking Class at Duo. Jason Czaja, chef de cuisine at Shinsei, will unravel the mysteries of Asian fusion cuisine. This series will be a four-parter, so stay tuned for more classes to build on your knowledge.

Free wine tasting at Veritas.

Wednesday (9/28)

Domaine Serene Wine Dinner. Andrew Chalk already extolled the virtues of this particular wine dinner.

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Great Italian Wine Bargains and Burrata Cheese at Jimmy’s Food Store in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | September 27th, 2011 9:42am | filed under Cheese, italian food, Wine & Spirits |

Aldi prices at Jimmy’s? Yes, and these babies won’t rot your teeth. Hurry, they are closing out Campodesole Wines from Emilia Romagna: Selva Albana Secca, San Pascasio Pagadebit, and Durano Sangiovese are only $4.99.

It’s also pre-order Italian cheese time at our favorite little grocers: Burrata ($8.99 each), Crescenza Stracchino ($6.99 each), Robiola ($4.99 each) Caprino ($3.99 each). Deadline is Friday (Sept. 30) at 3:00PM. Paul will email you when the cheese arrives. Order via email paul@jimmysfoodstore.com.