Articles for April 26th, 2012

Trouble Brewing at The Chesterfield in Downtown Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | April 26th, 2012 7:18pm | filed under Bars, Food Fight! | 43 Comments »

My phone is blowing off the hook: several customers of The Chesterfield, the popular cocktail spot downtown, were witnesses to what appears to be an attempted coup d’etat. According to the customers, police showed up and attempted to escort manager Eddie “Lucky” Campbell off the premises. “Two guys in suits came in and took Lucky to the side and started asking him question,” said one female customer. “Within minutes a couple of Dallas police officers arrived.” Another witness and frequent customer of the bar says, “Ed Bailey [majority owner of The Chesterfield] was trying to have Lucky kicked out of his own bar. All of the employees were really upset and ready to walk out with him.” I tried to reach Campbell but he has not answered phone calls or emails. I have learned that the police couldn’t escort Campbell from the premises because it was a civil matter. Another customer said he was in a group of people who were questioned by the “guys in suits.” “Yeah, the suits were from Patrizio [another restaurant under the Bailey's Prime Plus umbrella]. They were asking the employees about the working conditions and basically trying to get dirt on Lucky.”

Needless to say, there is more to the story and hopefully I will hear back soon from both sides.

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What To Drink, and Eat, Now: Regional Pairings of Wine and Food Through Spanish Eyes

posted by Hayley Hamilton | April 26th, 2012 5:01pm | filed under press trips, Wine & Spirits, Wine Pairing | 1 Comment »

Slow poached cod with sous-vide artichokes and spring peas in olive oil from Chef Isma Prados

In simplest terms, the ideal way to enjoy a glass of wine is paired with the cuisine of the region the wine is from. In early days of wine making, wine was intended to be the drink enjoyed with food during the daily meals; even before you could safely drink water there was wine.  If you ask most winemakers, they will agree their wine is  made with thoughts of the food pairing in mind,.  Think about how “California Cuisine” was created in the heart of Napa in the 1980′s and early 1990′s by chefs like Alice Waters, Michael Chiarello, Thomas Keller and Cindy Pawlcyn who focused on local products meant to highlight the flavors of the area and pairing well with wine coming from the valley; it is also why you enjoy a hearty, beefy Malbec in Argentina while feasting on smoky, barbecued meat, pork and lamb at an afternoon Asado; why tomatoes are one of the hardest things to pair, yet Chianti is always the ideal match for pasta with marinara sauce; and why artichokes and asparagus can give a Sommelier a headache when they see them on a pairing menu except in Spain, where the ideal pairing can range from a crisp, acidic yet still fruit forward Cava or racy, dry Fino Sherry.

The idea of eating and drinking regionally is fully embraced by the Spanish culture, as was evident on my recent trip as a guest of Segura Viudas.  Wine lists were filled with selections from throughout Spain’s diverse regions paired with menus containing lavish selections of seasonal veggies, fresh seafood and shellfish, lots of pork and locally produced olive oil flavoring everything. Continue reading "What To Drink, and Eat, Now: Regional Pairings of Wine and Food Through Spanish Eyes"

1 Comment »

New Home For Dallas Arts District Food Trucks

posted by Nancy Nichols | April 26th, 2012 2:19pm | filed under Food Trucks, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Come and get it!

The food trucks that usually parked along Flora and were temporarily relocated last week now have a permanent home. Veletta Forsythe Lill, Executive Director of Dallas Arts District,  sends word. (Sorry for the copy and paste. Deadline looms.)

The highly popular food trucks have found a new home at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District. Five trucks began operating in the Elaine D. and Charles A. Sammons Park on Monday after getting clarification from the City that these operations are allowed on property controlled by the Center. More trucks joined the lineup on Tuesday, and the crowds followed.

Continue reading "New Home For Dallas Arts District Food Trucks"

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McCormick & Schmick’s at NorthPark in Dallas is Closed

posted by Nancy Nichols | April 26th, 2012 11:51am | filed under Closings, Restaurant News | 12 Comments »

That’s about all there is to say. Gone. Next girl up.

12 Comments »

Restaurants America Takes Over Space Formerly Known As Vapiano in Mockingbird Station in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | April 26th, 2012 11:10am | filed under Openings/Closings, restaurant business news, Restaurant News | 1 Comment »

Restaurants America will open a “new concept” in the 5,910-square-foot space at Mockingbird Station in Dallas recently vacated by Vapiano. Currently Restaurants America is operating Primebar in Uptown and Townhouse Kitchen + Bar in North Dallas. The multi-concept restaurant company operates seven brands and around 20 in Illinois and, Texas and Florida. Waiting on a callback from corporate headquarters to find out which concept will open in Mockingbird Station. (People empty your voice mail!!)

UPDATE: According to PR rep, the concept will not be “from their current arsenal” of restaurants. They are creating a restaurant that “resonates with the neighborhood.”

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See’s Candies Opens Tomorrow at Stonebriar Mall

posted by Carol Shih | April 26th, 2012 10:54am | filed under candy, Chocolate | 6 Comments »

See's Candies storefront (photo by Carol Shih)

There are two things in life you can’t criticize, or you risk getting pounced: In-N-Out and See’s Candies. When I told this to my mother yesterday, she gently reminded me of the first time I’d ever had See’s Candies. I was six. My parents took my older brother and me to Las Vegas for Christmas Eve and left us in the hotel room for an hour while they donated money to slot machines. When they came back, they discovered us staring out the window with guilty chocolate smudges on our fingers and faces. We’d been watching the night sky – waiting like little children often do – to catch a glimpse of Santa’s sleigh, and we’d demolished a box of See’s between the two of us.

So, I get it. When you open a box of See’s, you open a box of nostalgia, and there’s something kind of sweet about all that. Continue reading "See’s Candies Opens Tomorrow at Stonebriar Mall"

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Torchy’s, Nodding Donkey, and World of Beer Opening on SMU Blvd. This Summer

posted by Carol Shih | April 26th, 2012 9:43am | filed under Openings/Closings, Restaurant News, Tacos | 3 Comments »

Bradford Pearson made me aware that three new restaurants (Torchy’s Tacos, Nodding Donkey, and World of Beer) have just signed leases at the new retail space called BLVD, at SMU Boulevard and Greenville Avenue.

“We are excited to add three such strong restaurants to those already in the area,” said Taylor Stone, Managing Director, Multifamily, for Prescott Realty Group. “Nodding Donkey, Torchy’s Tacos and World of Beer will liven up the pedestrian experience along SMU Boulevard and will draw people from the greater areas to the neighborhood to live and play.”

BLVD is supposed to have 417 residential units along with 9,100 sq. ft. of commercial space. God help the kids who move in there. How’re they going to get any studying done with all those beers and tacos to distract them?

3 Comments »

What Food Truck Fare Do We Need In Dallas/Fort Worth?

posted by George Lewis | April 26th, 2012 8:38am | filed under Food Trucks | 21 Comments »

This time last year, there were only 2 food trucks in Dallas and a smattering of food trucks or trailers in Fort Worth.  The ramp-up of rolling cuisine started in May 2011 when several new food trucks hit the streets in Dallas.  Let’s look at how the market has progressed and what food items we are missing.

I’ll include Dallas, Fort Worth, and the Mid-Cities because the food trucks constantly shift through the whole area.  Dallas-based food trucks venture into Fort Worth’s area and, usually  for  special events, the Mid-Cities and Fort Worth food trucks roll into Dallas.  Currently I am tracking around 83 food trucks/trailers/mobile ovens. That includes 59 that are definitively rolling and serving, 7 that are coming soon, 7 that I’ve classified as “unknown” (they say they are coming soon, but the background does not check out or, they were once active, but now seem to have stopped serving), and 10 that are pretty much dead.  You never know when they might restart or sell the business.

I’ve also classified them loosely by cuisine. I’ve included what we have now and what is launching in the very near future.

NY Deli Sandwiches ● English ● Seafood ● Sushi ● Shaved Ice ● Sliders (2) ● Tacos (2) ● Vegetarian ● Cupcakes (3) ● American (2) ● Everything Bacon ● Korean Fusion ● Pizza (5) * ● Ice Cream (2) ● Upscale Gourmet (3) ● Burgers (5) ● Vietnamese banh mi ● Bakery (3) ● Hot Dogs (4) ● Fried Pies ● MoGa ** ● Comfort Bistro Food ● Baked Potato ● Baja Tacos ● Grilled Cheese (2) ● Cajun ● Salvadoran ● Philly Cheesesteaks ● Gluten-Free/Vegetarian ● Italian (2) ● Whoopie Pies ● Nachos ● Cuban

And what I count as “dead”:

BBQ ● Burgers  ●  Cupcakes (2) ● Frozen Yogurt ●  Grilled Cheese ● South African ● Tacos (2) ● Upscale Gourmet ● Vegetarian ●  Brats ● Burritos ● Comfort Food ● Nachos

* includes Cavalli and il cane rosso’s mobile ovens
** MoGa = molecular gastronomy

So I ask you: What are we missing in DFW?  Have you been to Austin, LA, or Portland and found street fare that you’d love to see rolling on our streets?

21 Comments »