Articles for January 3rd, 2012

Villa-O Closes for Lunch

posted by Nancy Nichols | January 3rd, 2012 3:28pm | filed under Restaurant News | 3 Comments »

It’s usually not a good sign when a restaurant starts cutting back it’s services. Today Villa-O tweets:

“We will be closed for lunch M-TH from here on out but we now serve brunch FRIDAY so jump start your week with us every Friday!

Friday brunch? That doesn’t work for me. You?

3 Comments »

Memory Lane: What Was the Name of That Restaurant?

posted by Nancy Nichols | January 3rd, 2012 3:15pm | filed under Nostalgia, Restaurant Trivia | 18 Comments »

Mission Accomplished: The lowest Greenville Ave. place was Clouseau.,

Anybody remember the name of the small French bistro on Lowest Greenville (at Prospect) that was open for a few years in the early ’80s? I believe it was run by Tom (Stoneleigh P) Garrison’s then wife.

18 Comments »

Gas Station Tacos: El Rincon del D.F. on Walnut Hill in Dallas

posted by Chris Baccus | January 3rd, 2012 10:45am | filed under Gas Station Tacos | 7 Comments »

Christopher Baccus loves cars and gas station tacos. We find that very attractive.

Christopher Baccus is  a taco junkie and blogger. Not just any kind of taco, primarily those found in or near gas stations. In his last report he took you here. This week he presents…

Advertising a taqueria that operates in gas station comes in many forms. Usually there is some sort of signage to the side of the station’s mini-mart letting visitors know that tacos are sold inside.  Sometimes y are you might find full-scale restaurants attached to the side of a service station market like the one I recently discovered in Marble Falls, TX.  Some stations just post a small sign next to their current gas prices.

Jump for the glory of gas station tacos.

Continue reading "Gas Station Tacos: El Rincon del D.F. on Walnut Hill in Dallas"

7 Comments »

Chalk Talk: Waterbrook Wine Dinner at Mignon in Plano

posted by Andrew Chalk | January 3rd, 2012 10:15am | filed under Andrew Chalk, Steakhouses, Wine & Spirits, Wine Pairing | 2 Comments »

Waterbrook may be the largest wine brand you haven’t heard of. They are based in Washington State and part of Precept Wine, the largest family-owned wine company in the state. Recently they were in town for a media event at Mignon in Plano and I was fortunate to be an invited guest.

See how the wines paired with Mignon’s winter menu. Continue reading "Chalk Talk: Waterbrook Wine Dinner at Mignon in Plano"

2 Comments »

Wine Reviews: Recent Wine Releases

posted by Andrew Chalk | January 3rd, 2012 10:01am | filed under Andrew Chalk, Wine & Spirits | 2 Comments »

Over the last couple of months, I have received some wines from vendors to be reviewed. I’ve also found and purchased some interesting wines. Here are my tasting notes.

2008 Hall ‘Kathryn Hall’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa ($80.00)

Background: First, this wine scored 96 points from Wine Spectator and they rated it #2 in their top 100 of 2011. That means they consider it “classic.” If you think the price point is high, you will be surprised to learn that this wine is priced ablout half the price of other Napa Cabernet Sauvignons at similar point levels.(For examples, see here). Second: This wine has a direct Dallas connection. The owners, Craig and Kathryn Hall, live in Dallas. He founded Hall Financial Group and she was US Ambassador to Austria (among other achievements).

Let’s get to my notes below. Continue reading "Wine Reviews: Recent Wine Releases"

2 Comments »

AIWF and Dallas Farmers Market Friends Announce Winter Cooking Class Schedule at Dallas Farmers Market

posted by Nancy Nichols | January 3rd, 2012 9:30am | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Cooking, Cooking Classes |

The Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Food and Wine (AIWF) and Dallas Farmers Market Friends has a fine line-up for their winter cooking class series. The classes take place at the Dallas Farmers Market on Saturday mornings from 11:3AM until 1:30PM. Get up close and personal with some of the best, and most entertaining, chefs in the area for only $25 per session ($30 at the door if not sold out). Go below for the schedule of chefs and more information.

Go! Continue reading "AIWF and Dallas Farmers Market Friends Announce Winter Cooking Class Schedule at Dallas Farmers Market"

Ownership Shake-Up: Khanh Dao is Out of Pho Colonial in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | January 3rd, 2012 9:00am | filed under restaurant business news, Restaurant News | 7 Comments »

Khanh Dao, the veteran restaurateur who was involved with Draelion, Restaurant, The Drae Lounge, Steel and Voltaire, is no longer on active duty at Pho Colonial Authentic Vietnamese Diner. Dao filed a restraining order on December 29 to prevent her partner, Phil Silva, from removing her as one of the members of the partnership. The judge denied her request.

Silva confirms Dao is out of the day-to-day operations. “She still has an interest in the business and is a stockholder in the company,” Silva says. “I tried to get her to maintain a role in the operation, remain as the face of the company, but she was unwilling to go with my program.” Silva is the majority owner. “I am trying to put some new systems in place that allow us to be profitable,” Silva says. “I had to make a decision as a majority holder to protect my investment.”

Pho Colonial opened their first location on Frankfurt Road in North Dallas in early May 2011. A second location downtown in the Wilson Building opened last August.  Both locations are busy but being busy doesn’t always insure success. “At some point, I need to make a profit,” Silva says. I’ve left a message for Ms. Dao.

7 Comments »