Articles for February 6th, 2012

Trinity Groves Report: Phil Romano Wants to Change the Way the World Views Dallas Food

posted by Nancy Nichols | February 6th, 2012 5:19pm | filed under AgriBusiness, Breaking News, Crazy Technology, How to Open a Restaurant 101, Really?, restaurant business news, Restaurant News, Trinity Groves | 1 Comment »

See the nice looking man in the picture? That is Phil Romano. See the painting in the background? That is one artist’s interpretation of Phil Romano’s brain when he is working on a project. Phil Romano, Larry “Butch” McGregor, and Stuart Fitts are working on Trinity Groves an enormous development on the west side of the Margaret Hunt Bridge in West Dallas. Today I took a grand tour of the 13-acre  proposed “restaurant, retail, artist and entertainment” site which will also be home to the partnership’s restaurant incubator program. I met the first approved restaurateur and tasted his food. Tune in tomorrow for a full report. I can’t decide if these are the smartest guys in the world or the craziest. It’s wild. Clear out some head space.

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Jack in the Box Offers Bacon Milkshakes

posted by Carol Shih | February 6th, 2012 4:39pm | filed under Bacon, Breaking News, ChirpyChirpy, hold on to your effin hat, Making Up Is Hard To Do, questionable judgment, Really?, Special Offers, Special Report | 8 Comments »

The world is going pig-crazy.

On Friday, I heard that Jack in the Box was offering a very limited number of bacon milkshakes as a secret menu item. Did anyone get a chance to try one? I almost dropped everything to go search for one, but then I remembered my sanity. Now I’m lying deep in the trenches of regret.

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Big Dog Wine Tastings Program Resumes at Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Dallas

posted by Andrew Chalk | February 6th, 2012 3:45pm | filed under Andrew Chalk, Sommeliers are people too, Steak, Steakhouses, Wine Pairing | 1 Comment »

I’m glad that Pappas Bros. Steakhouse really uses their massive wine cellar. While other high-end eateries present highly populated lists or display a large inventory of wine, Pappas Bros. services their customers and parlays their 2,000+ choice cellar into multiple formats of wine tastings. One of the best is the monthly tasting of several wines with themes chosen by Wine Director Barbara Werley, MS. The first of the 2012 tastings took place last Friday. The theme was Cabernet Sauvignon – Everybody’s Favorite Varietal. I attended as an invited guest.

Werley confirms California Cabernet is the most popular wine category among the patrons at Pappas. So popular that she said she would have to check her records to find which of several also-rans came in second (white Burgundy is the likely contender). It was fitting that this tasting of a dozen Cabernet Sauvignons should focus on California. Nine of the wines in the tastings were produced in California.  Those choices were rounded out with one Ozzie wine, a rosé from South Africa, and a sample from Washington State.

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What To Drink, and Give, Now: Valentine’s Day

posted by Hayley Hamilton | February 6th, 2012 2:20pm | filed under Valentines Day, Wine & Spirits |

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, the mind turns to finding the perfect way to say I love you. Though jewelry is always sure to please; unique, personal gifts that speak directly to your sweetie mean everything, especially when that gift comes in a bottle. Here are a few ideas, some sent for editorial consideration.

Crushpad clients create their wine blend

Give him or her the ultimate gift: their own barrel of wine.  Crushpad allows you to do this. Housed in a state of the art facility in Sonoma, CA, Crushpad brings the excitement of making wine to the everyday guy or gal. If your sweetie (or you) has ever wanted to have the hands on experience of making wine from vine to bottle (i.e. finding the grapes, working a harvest, fermentation, choosing your barrels, designing a label, creating your blend and bottling your own wine) now you can. The best part? You chose your level of involvement. With a highly respected team on site at Crushpad, novice winemakers have the chance to learn the ins and outs of the business from experts, or take advantage of Crushpad’s knowledge and enjoy a more hands off approach while still enjoying the end result: a barrel all their own comprising of 25 cases of wine.  With vineyards ranging from the Central Coast of California to Sonoma and Napa to some of the finest in Bordeaux the land and varietal opportunities are divine, giving participants the chance to make their own Bordeaux blend from Margaux, Russian River Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa’s Stagecoach Vineyard.  Everything is included in barrel. The price ranges from $6,000 to about $12,000 each depending on the varietal and vineyard.  If your wine is good enough, they will help you with a plan on how to sell it publicly.
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Multiple Food Truck Events Plus The February 6 Schedule in Dallas

posted by George Lewis | February 6th, 2012 11:43am | filed under Food Truck Schedule, Food Trucks |

The food trucks are learning that teaming up to have multiple trucks at one location brings more customers than a lone food truck parked at a street corner.  These aren’t “special events”, such as the Summer Sigel’s event, or an Arts District event, but rather, the truck owners collaborating on locations.  It’s a win-win for everyone.

First up is “Food Truckin’ Tuesdays”, an event to help raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Starting tomorrow, February 7, for the next four weeks, The Bacon Wagon from Ft. Worth, Rock and Roll Tacos, Eden Mobile Cafe, and Little Vessel Grill will be in the parking lot of Panavision at 8000 Jetstar Dr. in Irving from 11am to 2pm.  Eden is a new entry and is the mobile venture of Chef Karen Kahn from Eden Cafe on Lover’s Lane.  Little Vessel Grill just started rolling last week and is more upscale Asian-American fusion.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Tacos, Ruthie’s, Easy Slider, and Four Seasons are teaming up to launch “The Food Truck Experience” at Sigel’s Greenville every Wednesday from 5pm – 8pm for the month of February.

In Fort Worth on February 11, The Fort Worth Food Truck Club is having their first event at 915 W. Belknap St., entitled “Free Love Saturday” benefiting the Tarrant County Food Bank.  Food trucks attending include Crazy Sisters, The Bacon Wagon, Dough Boys Pizza, Zombies Vegan, and Red Jett Sweets.

Here is your schedule for the week.  Trucks break down and winter weather creates problems so always check Facebook and Twitter feeds.  Jump for the schedule. Continue reading "Multiple Food Truck Events Plus The February 6 Schedule in Dallas"

Men Will Be Boys: Finalists Announced for “Name a Pizza for Mike Napoli” Contest at Cane Rosso

posted by Nancy Nichols | February 6th, 2012 11:20am | filed under Celebrity Diners, Chef groupies, Cooking, Cult Cuisine, Delusional behavior, Diets are stupid, freebies, Game 6 Almost Killed Me, Go Rangers!, I Went to College for This?, I'm about to get fired, Keep Dallas Douchey!, Overprivileged chimps, party, pizza, Poor World Series Performance Cost CJ Wilson $25 Million!, Pre World Series Depression, questionable behavior, Restaurant News | 2 Comments »

It was bound to happen: pizza lover and baseball writer, Evan Grant, finally met pizza maker and baseball lover, Jay Jerrier. The twosome came up with a publicity stunt. (SHOCKER) They invented “Name a Pizza for Mike Napoli” contest. (If you don’t know who Napoli is, you can go back to work.) If you love the catcher-first-baseman-DH lovingly referred to as “Dirtbag,” you will love this: Today, Grant and Jerrier announced four finalists plus Grant’s unofficial “look-how-funny-I-am”entry, “The (he wishes) Grand Salami.” Hear him brag:

After much consideration, pizza-maker extraordinaire Jay Jerrier and pizza-eater extraordinaire Evan Grant (that’s me), have come up with four finalists for our Name a Napoli Pizza contest.Tuesday (Feb. 7 or tomorrow to most of you), we will roll out some samples of these fine entries for you to taste and, as always, the full Cane Rosso menu will be available. One of these fine recipes will end up as a special pie on the Cane Rosso menu for the next month and one of these neophyte pizza creators will walk away with a nice little prize package. Maybe we can come up with some other surprises, too. So, if you are free come on down. We’d love your input here and at the restaurant. Here are the finalists. Be there at 7PM.

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National Frozen Yogurt Day

posted by Carol Shih | February 6th, 2012 10:43am | filed under Free Stuff!, freebies, frozen treats, Frozen Yogurt, Holidays | 4 Comments »

Photo courtesy of Yogurtland

It’s National Froyo Day, which means you can get FREE frozen yogurt at any Yogurtland location between the hours of 4 and 7 pm today. I’m only posting this in case there are any weirdos out there obsessed with Yogurtland’s spoons. Yogurtland is giving out special edition collector spoons and cups that would look great in my, uh, growing collection.

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Bolsa Mercado’s Open House to Showcase Deep Ellum Brewery Beer. Oh, and Sharon Hage Will Create “Take Home Dinner For Two”

posted by Nancy Nichols | February 6th, 2012 10:24am | filed under Best Gay Hangout Restaurant Evah!, Brews News, Celebrity Chefs, Celebrity Diners, Chick Chefs Rule!, Chocolate, Cooking, Cult Cuisine, FTC Rules Approved Post, Groceries, Hippie revolutions, hostess gifts, Local/Slow Food, oak cliff, Restaurant News, SideDish Bump!, Things To Do, Yu Darvish Loves Food | 10 Comments »

Bolsa Mercado is officially a talent hog. It’s great if you happen to be cool (rich?) enough to live in The “fabulous” OC. However, it sucks for those of us who have to walk half a mile through a huge chain grocery store to buy a carton of milk. Or beer.

Deep Ellum Brewery has just released their first (only?) production of “Love Runs Deep” Cherry Chocolate Double Brown Stout (deets below). Think you’ll find it at Tom Thumb? Nope. Bolsa Mercado bought the entire batch. Each 22-ounce bottle is individually numbered and made with red tart and dark sweet cherries and Organic/Fair Trade cocoa nibs. Expect to find all 300 of them on the shelves of Bolsa Mercado during their next Open House on February 11.

If you can’t wait until the 11th to get a food fix from The ‘Cado, head over on February 8. If you are lucky, you may be able to look past talented chef chefs Jeff Harris and Matt Balke and spot the rare, elusive chef Sharon Hage in the kitchen. She will be creating a “Take Home Dinner For Two.” Who knows, by then Bolsa Mercado may have Alan McClure creating Fudgesicles or Grant Achatz doing dishes. Could happen. Pigs fly in Oak Cliff.

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Great Tomatoes in February? Spiceman’s FM 1410 Has Bushels

posted by Nancy Nichols | February 6th, 2012 9:32am | filed under AgriBusiness, Farmers Markets, Gardening, Health Food, Hippie revolutions, I'm a sucker for a man in flannel, Local/Slow Food |

Tom “Spiceman” Spicer sez he’s got “tahmayduhs”: Louisiana Creole beefsteaks, roma, and heirloom.