The DMN reports a fire started around 8:30 last night in the kitchen of Kalachandji’s, the vegetarian restaurant run by the Hare Krishna temple in East Dallas. Diners inside the restaurant were evacuated without injury. An official estimated the damage at $75,000. No word on reconstruction.
UPDATE: According to the restaurant’s Facebook page: Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. ♥ The fire was in the adjacent building and luckily no one was hurt. Unfortunately, they turned the gas off so we will be closed for a few days. We will keep you updated.
Monica Greene has never been afraid of change. Moments ago she told me she is leaving the business of Monica’s Aca Y Alla in Deep Ellum to her partners who will close the restaurant at 2914 Main Street, remodel the space, and reopen as a yet-to-be-named Mexican restaurant. Monica is moving all of her energy over to the iLume Building on Cedar Springs where she has been in the planning stages of opening Tajin. When the Sushi Axiom closed, Monica decided to take the space and open up the walls of Tajin into the space and create a new concept. The 7,600-square food space will now be Monica’s Nueva Cocina and ME Lounge. It was a difficult decision for Greene to leave Deep Ellum where she has been a major player for over 20 years. More on the food later. Monica has written a letter to YOU. It’s below.
UPDATE: Monica is on her way to Houston. I got lucky when she answered her cell phone. “This [move] has been a real struggle for me,””Greene said. I’ve always been committed to urban development. I believe in Dallas but unfortunately the area [Deep Ellum] has taken a long time to develop. It’s time for me to expand and open my doors to a larger audience.”
I say, you go girl. It’s a great move. She has been in, what I would call, an abusive relationship with Deep Ellum for a long time. It’s time she made a fresh start. That girl has some balls. Oh, wait. Nevermind.
Yep, that is what the website says. According to Little Miss Snitch, the restaurant will occupy the vacated Victoria Hall space at Andrew Ormsby’s catering space on Ross Ave. Should be open at the end of July.
UPDATE: Little Miss Snitch sez she thinks it will be operated by Mr. Ormsby. Open in late July.
Team, I mean Restaurants America has landed in Dallas and is now spreading their mighty wings across the city. The multi-concept restaurant company operates seven brands and about 20 restaurants in Illinois, Texas, and Florida. In Dallas, they operate Primebar in Uptown, Townhouse Kitchen + Bar in North Dallas, and the soon-to-open Park Tavern across from Bailey’s Prime Plus on Park Lane. (Avner Samuel has confirmed he will not be the chef at any of these restaurants.) Recently, RA leased the space formerly known as Vapiano in Mockingbird Station. (I have it on good authority that concept will not be called Nosh Euro Bistro. I can’t confirm that Cafe Med has been ruled out. However, Mockingbird Taproom seems to be on the leader board.)
Today comes word: Restaurant America is putting a gastro sports pub in the Design District. It will be called Central Standard. Note to RA: you should have called the restaurant in Mockingbird Station Central Standard, IJS. No matter what they call it, the space is located in the ground floor of 1400 Hi Line, a 23-story, 314-unit multifamily project that is expected to open this summer and be completed in early 2013. Central Standard is expected to open in Fall 2012.
The press release says nothing about the food. Which begs the question: what is a gastro sport? Followed by: what is gastro sports food? Balls? Wings? Ducks? Oh the possibilities are endless.
Okay, Dallas. Here’s your time to rise and shine. There’s a show on Bravo I’ve never seen called “Around the World in 80 Plates” hosted by Cat Cora and Curtis Stone which follows 12 chefs globetrotting from continent to the other. This show inspired Chase Sapphire to partner with the Tasting Table for a charity they are dubbing the 8 Great Plates competition. Ten different cities were selected for this charity, and Dallas is one of them, which means Dallas foodies (that’s where you come in) can vote for their favorite international dish among eight local contenders that serve cuisines that’ve been featured on “Around the World in 80 Plates.”
Why am I typing all these details out and making you read them? For every vote, Chase Sapphire is giving $1 to Feeding America, and Feeding America will then give up to $10,000 to the North Texas Food Bank. Your votes will be providing meals for your hungry neighbors in Dallas.
It’s quite easy. I’ll even break it up into three simple steps. Continue reading "Vote in the 8 Great Plates Competition, Help the North Texas Food Bank Receive $10,000"
Greetings from Spiceman,
In case you haven’t heard, Mitch Kauffman at Urbano and I are throwing down what looks to be a sold-out wing ding in my garden at FM 1410. There may be some sections C (compost bin) seating or section R (red ant pile) seating available but I’m not certain about that. The event is next Thursday May 24th BYOB, 6:pm doors open, 6:30 pm Food (buffet) 7:pm Music, some seating (chairs) available but bring a blanket for sitting down on the garden floor. Some Urb-an’ Spice in the garden so to speak. My gumbo, his Chef Ke’o is pitt roasting a pig (w/out lipstick) and we’re both coming up with sides a couple of which I plan to make ala vegetarian (fresh shelled peas, salads, corn bread and mo’) .Ladies, please where garden flats/shoes, and dudes…. please, no spike heels and certainly no leather chaps cuz it may be a bit too warm.
Unedited inventory list below. Continue reading "From Tom Spicer’s Keyboard to Your Eyes: Spiceman’s FM 1410 Report"

Founder Atti Worku (left); Chocolate pudding cake with coffee ice cream (right) photos by Desiree Espada
Last night, Bolsa Mercado transformed into a delightful backdrop, playing host to founder Atti Worku and her non-profit, Seeds of Africa - an organization that provides a nurturing, educational community for young children and young adults in Adama, Ethiopia. Chef Jeff Harris prepared a four-course menu to approximately 60 Seeds supporters as I, an invited guest, witnessed this NYC-based non-profit introduce itself to Dallas.
Jump for more Desiree Espada photos.
Continue reading "Seeds of Africa Dinner Hosted By Bolsa Mercado"
I’m sure I’m late to this party but if you are one of the few people who haven’t seen The Trip, I suggest you rent it now. The film stars Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon (as themselves). Coogan has been asked to review restaurants in northern England and he persuades his buddy Brydon to ride along. The photography of England’s Lake District is stunning and the dialog over lollipops made out of duck fat with peanuts and other avant-guarde cuisine is smart and funny. Three restaurants I noted were L’Enclume, Hipping Hall, and Holbeck Ghyll. The movie is a condensed version of the BBC TV series with the same name which is now in my Netflix queue.
Dishers, where did you dine and what did you eat this week? Here is what you reported last week.
There is so much going on this weekend (i.e. Taste Addison, Crawfish Boil at Dodie’s, etc.) that it’s got to be hard deciding what to do and where to go. Let me see if I can help. Clear your schedule, drop what you’re doing on May 20, and go visit some chickens on the Peep at the Coops tour from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. One of the most attractive aspects about living in Dallas is that we are surrounded by a creative niche of people who love chickens and build some of the wackiest, out-of-the-box coops for them. You’ll get to take a peek at 13 different coops, learn about backyard chickens in four different seminars, and possibly win the raffle for a mobile chicken coop. Most importantly, the money you’re paying for the tour is going directly to Stonewall Gardens at Stonewall Jackson Elementary, an outdoor lab where students learn about science and nature by actually connecting with the it. To sign up, email stonewall.gardens@yahoo.com.
Now it’s time for your favorite part of the week: Friday Fun Fact Time. Allow me to leave you with three random chicken tidbits in order to whet your appetite for Sunday. These will be sure to impress your date (not really).
Random fact #1: A tiny egg without yolk is sometimes called a dwarf, wind, or fart egg.
Random fact #2: Some ducks, like the domestic Muscovy Duck, are compatible with chickens. They patrol for slugs and are efficient foragers.
Random fact #3: According to the Egg Nutrition Center, a fresh egg has 72 calories with 6.3 grams of protein. It has a total fat of 4.8 grams and 186 milligrams of cholesterol.
When I was first learning about and drinking wine I remember trying a Tempranillo from Rioja and thinking that was the wine of Spain. Yes, rather naive, like someone from Spain thinking all wine from the U.S. came from Napa, but at the time wine from Rioja was popular and easy to find, more so than some of the other regions in the country. Now, after years of tasting and enjoying wine from throughout the diverse wine regions of Spain I have learned that great Spanish wine reaches beyond that first glass of Rioja I enjoyed.
Winemakers from throughout Spain have recently been in town to meet with members of the wine trade to taste selections from Spain’s increasingly popular Priorat, Ribera Del Duero, Monstant, Penedes, La Mancha and Jerez regions. I was an invited guest to a few tastings. I also had a chance to visit the Priorat region on my recent media visit to the country. Here are some to look for if you are in the mood for a great Spanish wine.
Continue reading "What To Drink Now: Wine of Spain…Beyond Rioja"
Whirling dervish chef Avner Samuel and his sidekick chef Jon Stevens are ready to open Snack, their “street-food-inspired-low price-points-small-plates-daily-chalkboard-special restaurant on Henderson in the space formerly known as Horne & Dekker. (Whew!) There will be three bar areas: one with cocktails, wine and beer; the second is a raw bar, but also includes a charcuterie element and hot small plates; the third, features a large wood-burning oven for made-to-order flatbreads and distinct hot dishes. (Whew!) Listen up:
From the age-old market-squares and bazaars to today’s street food vendors, SNACK is the creation of a street-to-table inspired menu. The menu includes dinner items such as short rib tacos with pineapple habanero and cilantro crema ($8), pork shumai dumplings ($9), chicken shawarmas with cucumber tahini and pickled onion ($8), and smoked oysters escabeche served with wood oven toasted bread ($7). The brunch menu features items from a pan-fried egg sandwich with Serrano ham and avocado ($13), to a charcuterie flatbread with pan-fried egg, arugula and herbs ($14); and “street tacos” a la carte with a small assortment of sweeter entrees, like coconut griddle cakes ($11), to choose from.
Bizarre is right! Let’s see, Samuel-Stevens now oversee two locations of Nosh Euro Bistro, Snack, the transition of Bailey’s Prime Plus from steak joint to a chef-driven kitchen, and the addition of the lavish Aurora Room to BPP. My guess is Samuel and Stevens already have their paws on the menu at The Chesterfield. What? You hear there will be more Nosh Euro Bistros if this relationship lasts? Oh, glorious Dallas dining. Are you coming back to life or going crazy?
UPDATE: Snack will have it’s own valet parking.
Forgive me, forgive me. I am four days late with this news that I have known about for awhile. One of our SideDish photographers, Desiree Espada, is one of 10 recipients selected for the Dallas Museum of Art’s 2012 Awards to Artists. You have seen her work all over our blog (like here and here), but outside of SideDish, she also does some amazing collaborative work with her friend Kasumi Chow. The DMA recently announced on its website the winners, and the Observer picked up the story including some quotes from Desiree. I just have to share because I know Desiree is too humble to make a big deal out of this, but Nancy and I couldn’t be more proud!
I guess I brought the torture upon myself when I “liked” Flippin’ Out Crepes’ Facebook page a week ago. It all started when I caught sight of its mom’s triple chocolate bundt cake crepe with fresh raspberry sauce on my newsfeed on May 11. The crepe laid innocently in a plastic container, ready to be gorged down. Then, yesterday, a philly crepe with cheese bursting out from its sides made its photo debut on my homepage. Great. Thanks, Flippin’ Out. You’re making it really hard for me to heed Mark Bittman’s advice on consuming less meat. All I want is to bury my teeth in that brown glob of dead cow, let cheese dangle from the lips of my mouth, pat my balloon belly, and take a fat nap afterwards. Forget about work. The thing is, I was ready to ignore your tempting offerings and go back to my crepe-less life, but then you posted a breakfast crepe with fluffy egg and bacon about an hour ago. Why??? And how in the world did you know I was already thinking about you?
I think it’s time for me to dislike you on Facebook. It’s been a tough decision for me, but I’ve decided it’s best that we break up this newsfeed relationship for the sake of my sanity.
The dates for one of the area’s most interesting events is set. On August 12- 13, the Four Seasons Resort & Club Dallas at Las Colinas will host the 8th Annual Texas Sommelier Conference. The three-day conference includes educational sessions, wine tastings, and social media workshops. The 2011 TexSom conference featured the largest contingent of Master Sommeliers at a public event. This year should be no different. However, you don’t have to be any kind of sommelier to buy a seat. Some of the names you can rub shoulders with include:
Scheduled Master Sommeliers include James Tidwell, Drew Hendricks, Wayne Belding, Brett Zimmerman, Guy Stout, Tim Gaiser, Laura Williamson, Keith Goldston, Nate Ready, Melissa Monosoff, Brian Cronin, Cameron Douglas, John Szabo, Geoff Kruth, Laura DePasquale, Jay Fletcher, Andrew McNamara, Peter Neptune and Greg Harrington. The speaker lineup also includes James Beard Award Winners Rajat Parr and Paul Grieco, Master of wine Christy Canterbury, wine marketer Paul Wagner, Union Square Hospitality Group Wine Director John Ragan, and Leonetti Cellar Owner Chris Figgins.
The seminar topics, times, and various ticket prices are listed below. For more information or to register, click here. Like, fast. Continue reading "The 8th Annual Texas Sommelier Conference: Registration is Open!"
Can a rum be good enough to sip on its own like you might a scotch or tequila?
Brugal Rum thinks so, and I spent the past week in the Dominican Republic, home of Brugal, experiencing how. I say experience instead of simply saying I tasted or learned about Brugal, because to be a part of Brugal, tasting the product, meeting the people (many who are 4th and 5th generation, or have been with the company 30+ years), and understanding the process is so much more than simply seeing how their product is made. It was the joyful culmination of the Dominican Republic spirit, as the country, the culture, the tradition, the people, the plentiful sugar cane, and the stunning waters of the Caribbean are as much a part of Brugal as the rum. As they say, “it is a country where conversations start with a bottle in hand and not a cell phone.” I was an invited guest of the company to see first hand how this spirit is made, traveling from one end of the country to the other to experience Brugal. Continue reading "What To Drink Now: Brugal Rum"
Is it bad that when I first got a glimpse of David Schecter’s dead gator discovery on his Twitter yesterday, my brain processed the news in this exact progression?
1) There is no way I’m stepping foot in Trinity River. Ever. Not after that Mud Run participant died there, and especially not after this 11.5 gator swam in those waters.
2) How many pounds of gator nuggets can you make with this big ‘ole reptile?
Your guesses, please.
This Thursday, eatZi’s is opening its third location along West State Hwy 114. Phil Romano’s gourmet market and bakery is expanding its chain just north of Dallas where suburbanites can also get a taste of simple comfort foods made fresh daily.
At the eatZi’s preview night yesterday, the new store swung its doors open for some local shoppers. Its storefront, which had previously been plastered with a Luby’s Cafeteria sign, looked like a carbon copy of the Oak Lawn location. The inside is also exactly the same as the other two locations, with a few exceptions. “What we did was we took the best of both stores and combined them,” says Elis Droubi, the General Manager. A coffee bar greets you in front because eatZi planners noticed that it did well there in the Lovers store, and salads and sandwiches have a big presence at the Grapevine store.
Jump for preview photos.
Continue reading "EatZi’s Opens its Third Location in Grapevine on Thursday"
Guess the Name of This Dallas Restaurant