2012 January 20 | SideDish

Articles for January 20th, 2012

Kid Kritics: Cupcakes from “The Cup Cakin’ Machine”

posted by George Lewis | January 20th, 2012 11:55am | filed under Food Trucks, Kids Kritics | 3 Comments »

We debuted Kid Kritic last November. Our kritic is 10-year-old Elizabeth Chandler. She loves sweets. Today she reviews The Cup Cakin’ Machine, a food truck of sorts, but officially it’s a mobile grocery. “The Machine” can often be found in the Arts District or roaming the DFW Metroplex. Read on to see what she thinks about these mobile cupcakes.

When I first heard about the food truck, Cup Cakin’, I was watching Project Runway. Well let’s reverse. I heard my Dad scream, “Cupcakes!” Normally, that gets me up. But I had to see if Anya won, for like the, millionth time. So when the TV show was over and her victory and all the tears of joy and mushy stuff like that was over, I raced downstairs. So my Dad explained all the cupcake flavors and blah, blah, blah. I found them on the kitchen counter mourning for me to eat them. There was a cookies & cream one and a peanut butter one.

Jump. Continue reading "Kid Kritics: Cupcakes from “The Cup Cakin’ Machine”"

3 Comments »

Oak Cliff Cellars Wins Awards at 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

posted by Nancy Nichols | January 20th, 2012 10:30am | filed under Awards, Wine & Spirits |

Congratulations to Oak Cliff Cellars. They’ve just announced the recent awards at the the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Here they are:

2009 Firebrick Zinfandel – Silver

2009 Lover’s Lane Petite Sirah – Bronze

2010 Wild Diamond Mourvedre – Bronze

2010 Rogues Blend (GSM) – Bronze

Jim Richardson of OCC: “The 2009 Firebrick Zinfandel won silver among Zinfandels. The 2009 Petite Sirah won bronze among the PS varietals. The 2010 Rogues Blend and Mourvedre won in category of Rhone other varietals and Blends.”

They are celebrating by offering you special deals. Jump for them! Continue reading "Oak Cliff Cellars Wins Awards at 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition"

Top Chef: Texas, Episode 11 Recap

posted by Nancy Nichols | January 20th, 2012 10:22am | filed under Top Chef: Texas |

Loren Means has a lot of different jobs here at D Magazine. Only one is writing the recaps of Top Chef: Texas. I thank her for her volunteer spirit, especially since it appears the show has really gone downhill. However, she loved the lastest episode! Now let’s get it on.

Mortimer, we’re back! For the first time this season we get an episode that feels smart, interesting, and on point. It actually feels like Top Chef of yesteryear. It was either a really great episode or my expectations have dropped so low that I am now easily impressed. I truly hope it’s not the latter otherwise I am getting as dumb as this show. The seven lucky cheftestants who have made it far enough to laugh with Eric Ripert and bump elbows with Charlize Theron are Paul, Ed, Chris, Grayson, Sarah, Beverly and Lindsay.

QUICKFIRE

The chefs are greeted by Padma and returning guest judge and chef, Eric Ripert. The chefs immediately pan the room. “I see this conveyer belt in the back. I have no idea what’s going on but I know it’s going to suck for us,” Ed says. I really love Ed’s attitude. I’m serious! He’s sarcastic and dry and I appreciate that. His one-liners have made many an episode bearable.

Jump. Continue reading "Top Chef: Texas, Episode 11 Recap"

Eat This Now: Black and Blue Burger from Kenny’s Burger Joint in Frisco

posted by Daniel Walker | January 20th, 2012 10:00am | filed under best of big d, Burgers, cheap eats, Eat This Now!, make mine a double, Sexy food | 6 Comments »

When do you know that you have started to become a little too familiar with a restaurant? Well, if you pull into Kenny’s Burger Joint and your kid starts cheering, “Yay! Uncle Kenny.” And no, I’m not related to Kenny Bowers…and my kid hardly even recognizes his grandparents. Perhaps this familiarity could be seen as a problem in a city that offers so many burger options, but to be honest, its easy to get underwhelmed by the consistent stream of the newly minted burger joints. Seems like there are about 2 new openings a week, la-dee-frickin-da. These days, I can count on one hand the number of places I will actually patronize to in order to obtain a truly exceptional burger. Kenny’s has been doing things right since the beginning.

Kenny will tell you that he originally got such excellent feedback from his “Sterling Silver Burger” at Kenny’s Wood Fired Grill, that it was only natural to create a burger-centric restaurant. And we are all blessed because of it. Sure, it’s a bit of a pain for many to trek out to Frisco, but when quality and consistency intersect, the results can be something so enticing that nearly anyone can bust out of the north-of-635 bubble.

Continue reading "Eat This Now: Black and Blue Burger from Kenny’s Burger Joint in Frisco"

6 Comments »

Restaurant Review: Zio Cecio Cucina Italiana in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | January 20th, 2012 9:15am | filed under italian food, Restaurant News, Reviews, Uncategorized | 32 Comments »

Plump clams with squid-ink-infused spaghetti; chef Francesco Farris, who learned to cook in Sardinia. Photography by Kevin Marple.

In the spring of 2005, I took a press trip to a hotel on the island of Sardinia, about 120 miles west of Italy. Forty-five seconds after the tour bus entered the walled community, I realized the property was a horrid Disneyland version of an Italian resort. It could have been in Frisco. Brand-new buildings were painted to look like ruins, and the hotel workers were dressed in various historic Italian costumes. So I planned an escape.

From my room, I called Lori Farris back in Dallas. Her husband, Efisio Farris, and his brother, Francesco Farris, then co-chefs and co-owners of Arcodoro & Pomodoro, were born and raised in Sardinia. For more than 20 years, the Farris brothers have fought to get Sardinian food the respect it deserves in Dallas. When Lori answered the phone, I asked her to help me get to Orosei, the hometown of the Farris brothers.

Click here for the whole story.

32 Comments »