Articles for February 22nd, 2012

The 2012 James Beard Foundation Award Semifinalist List is Great News For Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | February 22nd, 2012 2:04pm | filed under Awards | 7 Comments »

I’m late to the announcement of the JBF Awards semi-finalists party, but only because I am on vacation and just found a reliable internet connection.

Congrats to our Dallas area winners: Stephan Pyles in the rarefied air of Outstanding Chef, a national category; ditto for the national nod to The French Room at the Adolphus Hotel for Outstanding Service; Best Chef in the Southwest includes both Bruno Davaillon (Mansion Restaurant at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek) and Teiichi Sakurai (Tei-An); and Café on the Green at Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas is in the running for Outstanding Wine Program. I’m stunned and thrilled to see Nick Badovinus’ name in the Best Restaurateur list. Badovinus is a low-key chef and restaurateur without high-profile partners or a team of publicists. His victory would be a real Cinderella story. The finalists will be announced on March 19 and the winners will be revealed at the James Beard Foundation Awards Ceremony and Gala Reception on Monday, May 7 in New York City. Go DALLAS!

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Report From Rio: Guess the Mystery Ingredients

posted by Nancy Nichols | February 22nd, 2012 9:47am | filed under Ethnic Food, food art, Food is art. Art is Food., game | 12 Comments »

Yesterday, I visited a food market near the beach at Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro. I spent long time at the stall in the picture to watch the owner make his own hot sauce by mixing various peppers with vinaigrette and herbs. Besides peppers, dried herbs, and sauces, he displayed several medicinal nuts. I don’t speak Portuguese, and it was difficult to understand the passionate descriptions of the two ingredients in the picture below the jump. Do you recognize them? Continue reading "Report From Rio: Guess the Mystery Ingredients"

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Social 121 in Plano Revisited

posted by Andrew Chalk | February 22nd, 2012 9:00am | filed under Andrew Chalk, pork, Restaurant News, Wine Pairing | 1 Comment »

Seared Scallops at Social 121

Some months ago I took a look at Social 121 shortly after its opening. I recently returned for a media event to see how the place is progressing. The Social 121 concept was always bold: create a restaurant and nightclub as hip as any in town out in the exurbs at the border of Plano and Frisco. But would it be able to sustain enough business?  Is the hippest demographic well-represented way up north, or are the cool kids of Dallas willing to travel that far? Almost one year after its opening, I can report: it’s solid, man.

Continue reading "Social 121 in Plano Revisited"

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Boozy Events to Start Off Your Day

posted by Carol Shih | February 22nd, 2012 8:59am | filed under beer, beer pairings, Booze News, Rewritten Press Releases, tequila, Wine & Spirits, Wine Pairing |

The Fort Worth Flying Saucer is hosting its Third Annual Barley Wine Experience on Saturday, February 25, starting at 11 AM in the Sundance Square. Draft and bottled wine selections are available for those who are into craft beers, and guests can order food from the Hungry Farmer Plates menu. Admission’s free, but beer and food are not. Click here for more information.

Blue Mesa Grill Teams up with Ambhar Tequila for a series of workshops called Tequila Lab. Marcelo Nascimento, Ambhar’s lead mixologist, is teaching each lab participant how to make, mix, and enhance tequila drinks. Three drinks and a Blue Mesa menu are included with the class, so hurry and sign up if you would like to be one of the 35 participants.

7 PM Wednesday, February 29th.
Dallas/Northwest Hwy. location only – Lincoln Park, 7700 W. Northwest Hwy.
Limited to 35 participants. Please call (214) 378-8686 to sign up.
$35 per person includes drinks and appetizers.
For more information see www.bluemesagrill.com.

Not in the mood for tequila? Beer could be your answer.

For the first time in DFW history, there is going to be a Local Brewery Beer Pairing Dinner over at the Common Table. Deep Ellum Brewing Company (DEBC) is joining up with four other breweries (Franconia Brewing Co, Lakewood Brewing Co, Rahr & Sons Brewing Co and Peticolas Brewing Co) to host this sweet dinner. Chef Mike Smith will be cooking 5 courses paired with 5 beers. There are still 16 spots open for the March 5th dinner, and $15 per person is being donated to Open the Taps, a grassroots movement fighting for beer equality.