Articles for March 8th, 2012

Head South To the Punta Mita Gourmet and Golf Classic

Ahi Tuna Tacos (Photos courtesy of Frankey Dey)

Celebrity chefs, tasty tequila, great golf, five star resorts and plenty of sunshine….each is a perfectly good reason to journey south of the boarder to luxurious Punta Mita, Mexico.  Why not enjoy them all in a festival bringing each of these together in one fabulous weekend of food, wine, tequila and golf, playing Jack Nicklaus’s designed courses Bahia or Pacifico.

Last night I was an invited guest of Chef Andrew Ormsby, who hosted a gathering at his studio with St. Regis Punta Mita General Manager Carl Emberson and Four Seasons Punta Mita G.M. Michele Grosso, along with their Executive Chefs Sylvain Desbois from Carolina at the St. Regis and Claudia Fossa from The Four Seasons, to introduce the flavors, flair and splendor of this magnificent place located just a short plane ride away. Continue reading "Head South To the Punta Mita Gourmet and Golf Classic"

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An Olive Garden Review, Called “The Greatest Restaurant Review Ever Written,” is Going Viral

The cutest old lady from Grand Forks, North Dakota is putting me and Nancy to shame. Columnist Marilyn Hagerty of the Grand Forks Herald wrote a touching review of a new Olive Garden that opened up in her city this past week, and the article has attracted over 100,000 page views since its publication on Monday. Daaaaamn.

For her meal, Hagerty ate a chicken Alfredo pasta and drank a cup of water. She writes of the server: “She first brought me the familiar Olive Garden salad bowl with crisp greens, peppers, onion rings and yes — several black olives. Along with it came a plate with two long, warm breadsticks.”

She goes on to earnestly praise the Olive Garden for being “the largest and most beautiful restaurant now operating in Grand Forks. It attracts visitors from out of town as well as people who live here.” (Marilyn, honey, maybe it’s time to move….)

In response to her popularity, Hagerty told the Village Voice, “I don’t get it. I don’t have time to sit here and twit over whether some self-styled food expert likes, or does not like, my column.”

This article, for some mysterious reason, has 1) increased my desire to eat those remarkable breadsticks at Olive Garden and 2) kowtow to Marilyn’s genius writing. There’s no way you can’t fawn over a lady who simply finds joy in having black olives in her salad!

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Dallas-Made Dirty Martini Mix, 1888, Turns Two

Loren Means files the following report on 1888, a dirty martini mix made in Dallas.

As a long-time lover of dirty martinis, Dallasite Kenneth Hamburger II found too many of them were unpredictable. While some hit the mark, others tasted more like ocean water. Sometimes they would vary drastically in the same evening even though they were ordered from and mixed by the same bartender. After Hamburger was laid off by Lamborghini in 2008, he decided to come up with a cure for the inconsistent dirty martini. His inspiration? Hah, it sounds so easy. Now.

Jump for it. Continue reading "Dallas-Made Dirty Martini Mix, 1888, Turns Two"

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Stephan Pyles Will Open a Restaurant at Love Field in 2013

According to his Twitter feed:

My restaurant space at the new Love Field terminal, opening April 2013. Picture: http://ow.ly/i/uZhS

Let’s name it! How about Peanuts? First Class? Window and Aisle? Cockpit?

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Restaurant Review: The Best Pastrami Sandwich in Dallas at Deli-News

Pastrami sandwich at Deli-News. Photography by Kevin Marple.

As I opened the menu at Deli-News, the self-proclaimed “New York-style restaurant,” I casually asked my Brooklyn-born-and-raised Jewish friend what qualifies a delicatessen as New York style. Two hours later, I stumbled out of what could have been a long, neurotic Woody Allen movie. “It’s a Russian-Jewish thing,” he snapped. “You see this bagel. You see how this bagel shines. Now that’s a bagel.” I ate the bagel. “Now, you see this pastrami,” he snipped. “This is real pastrami. It’s got the right amount of fat and it’s steamed. It’s not too thick. It’s not too thin.”

He goes on.

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Chefs for Farmers Announce Mixin’ it up on the Boulevard Line-Up for May 6

If you ever wanted to see a burger showdown, it might behoove you to attend this outdoor foodie fest where chefs like John Tesar and Jack Perkins will be joining over thirty amazing chefs to celebrate the local farm movement. Chef Matt McCallister, Iris McCallister, and Christina LaBarba are organizing this showcase for May 6 from 1-5 PM in Lee Park, where guests can bring their own picnic blankets and wine glasses to enjoy some of the most talented chefs’ creations.

Participating chefs include: Abraham Salum, Al Havens, Anastasia Quiñones, Andre Natera, Andrew Bell, Andrew Ormsby, Blaine Staniford, Brian C. Luscher, Bruno Davaillon, Chad Houser, Dan Landsberg, David A. Temple, David Gilbert, Franchesca Nor, Garreth Dickey, Graham Dodds, Greg Bussey, Hollie Dorethy, Jack Perkins, Janice Provost, Jason Maddy, Jeff Harris, Jeffrey Hobbs, Jill Bates, John Tesar, Jon Stevens, Josh Black, Katherine Clapner, Matt McCallister, Nathan Tate, Randall Copeland, Sarah Green, Scott Gottlich, Scott Romano, Tiffany Derry and Tre Wilcox.

Tickets are $60 per person or $110 for two. Mixin’ it up on the Boulevard is giving away 100% of its proceeds to Meals on Wheels, Inc. and Water for Chizavane. Buy your tickets here.

Manuel’s Creative Cuisine to Open in Dallas on March 19

Virny and Manuel Arredondo open Manuel's Creative Cuisine in Dallas.

Chef Manuel Arredondo is almost ready for his Dallas debut. Currently Chef Arrendondo and his wife, Vinny, operate two well-respected locations of Manuel’s in Mexico:  one the historic town of Ajijic in Chapala, Jalisco, and the other in Palmilla near Los Cabos. They will open in Dallas on March 19 at the Centrum in the space formerly known as Bengal Coast.

Chef Arredondo’s menu isn’t regional Mexican. It’s a slow food approach to organic and seasonal global cuisine. You’ll find appetizers, soups, salads, pastas, risottos, poultry, seafood, meats and desserts with Thai, Peruvian, Mexican, Italian, and Japanese accents. Chef Arredondo will offer a 6-course and 12-course tasting menus. The wine list will focus on local boutique wineries, New World, and Italian wines. The bar will, of course, feature handcrafted cocktails and local micro beers. The working menu is printed below. Continue reading "Manuel’s Creative Cuisine to Open in Dallas on March 19"

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