2012 March 16 | SideDish

Articles for March 16th, 2012

New Chef at Cafe on the Green: Jonathan Rivera

posted by Nancy Nichols | March 16th, 2012 2:14pm | filed under Breaking News, Chefs |

Excuse any typos as I am parked on the side of the highway, attempting to post from my phone. I just received a call from Andrew Chalk who was having lunch at Cafe on the Green. He learned that the Four Season’s Club chef, Jonathan Rivera, has been promoted to execuchef at Cafe on the Green. Katie Natale left last week to teach. Rivera has been assisting Natale for the last few months. Okay, carry on.

Edit: A few more juicy details from James Tidwell, the Master Sommelier and Beverage Manager at Four Seasons:

Jonathan trained at the Culinary Institute of America and has previous experience at Four Seasons Houston, The Stone House 1854 in Little Compton, RI, and The Bentley Hilton in South Beach, FL. He was the chef de cuisine during Katie’s maternity leave, and was spectacular in the role. I am very excited that he has accepted the position on a permanent basis. His menus have been superb for pairing with wines and other beverages, and I am excited to continue the collaboration on food, beverage, and service with he and Kyle Miller, our restaurant manager.

I was sad to see Katie depart, but know that she is enjoying motherhood. I am happy that she found a position that allows her to indulge her love of cooking while spending time with her family.

I anticipate that Jonathan’s cooking will be similar to Katie’s in many ways. They shared a common aesthetic where food is concerned.

Somebody Help This Poor Girl: Challah in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | March 16th, 2012 12:53pm | filed under bread | 13 Comments »

She’s healthy and hopeful. Hear her plea:

Hope you are well. I’d love to know where you think the best challah is in Dallas. In 20 years, I’ve yet to find one that is outstanding. I feel like I’ve tried them all. Surely I’m missing some. Any ideas?

13 Comments »

Pie Rocket: Dough at Preston Forest In Dallas

posted by Andrew Chalk | March 16th, 2012 11:39am | filed under Andrew Chalk, pizza, Wine Pairing | 14 Comments »

Verace Pizza Napoletana (VPN) approved pizza flour.

The most frequent question asked of Dough owner/chef Keith Hall is: “Why does a11-inch pizza cost $16?” I asked the same question and here is what I found.

If you want quality, you don’t start with “cheap food.” Pizza at Dough starts with flour from Napoli, the ancestral home of Pizza Napolitana. The grade “double zero” reflects the fineness of the particles. Then comes the water used to make the dough (and is also served in carafes at the table). It comes from the City of Dallas and then goes through a filtration system that removes chemical and physical impurities.

Jump for the full story.

Continue reading "Pie Rocket: Dough at Preston Forest In Dallas"

14 Comments »

How I Helped Feed the Ego of a Sandwich Shop Named Capriotti’s

posted by Carol Shih | March 16th, 2012 11:07am | filed under Bureaucratic red tape, Sandwiches | 23 Comments »

The banner of all banners

Remember how I wrote about Capriotti’s and its plans to take over DFW one sandwich at a time? Then, recall how they sent 100 sandwiches to D headquarters for my co-workers to try, and most of them were pretty happy with their free sandwiches (minus the mayo).

I thought that would be my last interaction with Capriotti’s, but then a SideDisher posted a photo of this enormous banner on Nancy’s Facebook yesterday. Capriotti’s Plano location is sporting a hot new look along with a copy of my article posted in the window (minus the comments, of course).

In my imagination, I wonder if Capriotti’s trip to Kinko’s looked something like this:

Capriotti’s people: I want a banner with the whole headline included.

Kinko’s people: Er, how big do you want it?

Capriotti’s people: Biiiiig. So big that you can spot it from a satellite circling around the globe. So big that – should we enter another Ice Age, like, today – we could use it to build a big tent for a small population of loyal Capriotti’s customers.

Anyways, you should enjoy the sign while it lasts, Capriotti’s. I think our lawyers will be contacting you guys soon since ya’ll are breaking a couple of copyright laws and all. But before you throw that banner away, I have this one request: Send me your sign. I’d really like to hang it outside my house. That way, should I ever get lost in space, I’ll know how to return home.

(No, really, I do want the sign.)

23 Comments »

Taco Trail Guides the First Walking Taco Tour through Dallas

posted by Carol Shih | March 16th, 2012 9:41am | filed under Tacos | 3 Comments »

Little taco ducklings

Last weekend was rainy, wet, and gross. But did that stop the nine of us from dropping out of José Ralat-Maldonado’s (aka Taco Trail) first-ever Taco Tour? Nope. Gloomy Texas weather could not prevent the consumption of glorious, glorious tacos.

If you could measure taco obsession on a scale from 1 to 10, I would be a 7. Maybe a 10 when Cinco de Mayo rolls around. José ranks a solid 12 every day. (I once asked him if he ever gets tired of eating tacos. His answer was “no.”) It is little wonder, then, that he became the tour guide to a band of misfits united by a common love for all things taco. José gathered us little taco ducklings at 11 AM outside La Banqueta, a hole-in-the-wall taqueria that gives you free suadero (cow breast) tacos if it’s your first time visiting, for our first stop.

Jump for a guide to Dallas tacos. Continue reading "Taco Trail Guides the First Walking Taco Tour through Dallas"

3 Comments »

What To Drink Now: St. Patty’s Day

posted by Hayley Hamilton | March 16th, 2012 9:11am | filed under cocktails, Holidays, Wine & Spirits | 2 Comments »

Sean's Bar, the oldest pub in Ireland

I visited Ireland last year and looked everywhere for green cocktails and green beer to raise a glass with in celebration of St. Patrick and the Irish, however all I found were rows and rows of Guinness taps and lots of Irish whiskey. If you are in the mood to celebrate like the Irish consider going classic with a pint of Guinness Stout, or maybe a Heineken, O’Hara or a Harp Lager (also popular at every pub from Dublin to Galway). If however, you do want to enjoy a tasty green beverage to celebrate your inner leprechaun, consider mixing up one of these tasty creations.

One of my favorite new finds is Caorunn Gin, a new, handcrafted, small batch distilled in from Ireland’s neighbor, Scotland, infused with 5 Celtic botanicals; heather, bog myrtle, rowan berry, dandelion and coul blush apple. A spirit filled with crisp and clean herbal notes, delicious simply sipped with tonic water and a few slices or red or green apple. I liked the green apple, especially to keep in the St. Patrick’s Day spirit. Continue reading "What To Drink Now: St. Patty’s Day"