Articles for June 15th, 2012

Craft Cocktails Texas is Happening This Weekend: June 14-17

posted by Hayley Hamilton | June 15th, 2012 3:59pm | filed under cocktails, Festivals, Wine & Spirits | 1 Comment »

Hendricks Gin (photos by Melisa Oporto)

Dozens of guests sipped specialty cocktails from mainstream and artisan spirit sponsors last night at the Kick Off Party for the inaugural Craft Cocktails Texas festival on the penthouse floor of The Stoneleigh Hotel. While listening to melodies sung by crooner Ricki Derek, guests sipped on 18-year-old single malt from Balvenie & Glenfiddich, tiki punch from Sailor Jerry Rum, jam-infused drinks mixed with Monkey Shoulder Scotch, and a new product from Maison Lillet (Lillet Rose) served over ice with a refreshing slice of grapefruit.

Craft Cocktails, the brainchild of Mixologist Brian McCullough and Nico Ponce, is a four day festival developed to highlight the art of creating fresh, innovative and delicious cocktails using artisan spirits – often with a nod to the classics -taking place throughout Texas. If you have any love of artisan cocktails, this was the place to be last night, and will be the place to be through Sunday.
Continue reading "Craft Cocktails Texas is Happening This Weekend: June 14-17"

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Happy Trader Joe’s Day! Here Are Ten Items You Should Add to Your Shopping Cart

posted by Carol Shih | June 15th, 2012 1:29pm | filed under GO TEXAN, Openings/Closings, Special Report | 5 Comments »

Photographic proof of the outside (left); Two Buck Chucks (right) photos by Carol Shih

It was pouring rain this morning, but that didn’t matter to fans who sat in their cars at 5 a.m., waiting outside the newest Trader Joe’s in Ft. Worth for the popular grocery chain to open its first store in Texas at 8 a.m. When doors opened, shoppers flooded through the produce aisles grabbing shiny cherry tomatoes, lingered in the frozen food section searching for their favorite meatballs, and made sure they placed that one special TJ item they’ve been living without inside their shopping carts. You could hear everyone breathing one collective sigh of relief. Trader Joe’s is finally here, and there’s no need to call Aunt Judy who lives in San Diego to ship a box of Two Buck Chucks anymore. We can all get our TJ goodies in Ft. Worth now.

If you’re not familiar with Trader Joe’s, worry not. I’ve compiled a grocery list for you that will make your shopping experience as smooth as whipped cream. I also asked random TJ shoppers to give me their input. Everyone was so obliging and terribly drunk on TJ love.

Jump for the grocery list.

Continue reading "Happy Trader Joe’s Day! Here Are Ten Items You Should Add to Your Shopping Cart"

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Maximo Goes To The Dogs!

posted by Andrew Chalk | June 15th, 2012 12:55pm | filed under Andrew Chalk, Dog Friendly, Mexican Revolution, tequila | 2 Comments »

Real Greyhound at Maximo

Greyhounds that is. Yesterday evening the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (GALT) took over the patio at Maximo Cocina Mexicana and Margarita Lounge in Addison for a fundraiser based around a premium Tequila tasting. Humans sipped on three tequilas from Hornitos and one from Sauza Blue. Greyhounds, and other breeds brought in by their owners, sipped on water from provided bowls. Chef Amador Mora and his staff served a Mexican hors d’oeuvres buffet of  vegetarian empanaditas, tenderloin pincho with chimichurri, Maximo crabcakes, chicken flautas, and homemade chips, salsa and queso amarillo.

Fake Greyhound at Maximo

GALT is seeing increasing demand for its services. If you want to get involved or become a foster parent to one of these lovable dogs contact committee chair Nancy Colwell.

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Bailey’s Prime Plus: New Management. New Menu. Avner Samuel Has Left the Building

posted by Andrew Chalk | June 15th, 2012 12:03pm | filed under Andrew Chalk, Desiree Espada, Steakhouses | 12 Comments »

Earlier this week, I attended a media event at Bailey’s Prime Plus flagship location at The Shops of Park Lane. (Ed’s Note: Last week we reported that the Fort Worth location is now closed.) The gathering was held to showcase the changes the restaurant has made since owner Ed Bailey hired Avner (Nosh, Snack) Samuel as a consultant. Samuel brought one of Nosh’s chef, Ryan Carbery, to Bailey’s and overhauled the steak-centric steakhouse into a lower price point New American restaurant. The contract between Bailey and Samuel is up. Avner has gone back to his own business, but Carbery is staying on as the full-time execuchef at Bailey’s.

SideDish has already reported that the chef and sommelier have left the building and that long-time Dallas restaurateur Avner Samuel has been brought in on a consulting contract to reshape the kitchen. There was a large turnover in the front of house staff and all of the kitchen staff except one has been let go. Bailey and company blame the lack of business on the recession-induced decision not to build the once-planned hotel and health club next door to the restaurant. The only strategy left was for them to change the food and the service.

Will they succeed? Jump for food photography by Desiree Espada….

Continue reading "Bailey’s Prime Plus: New Management. New Menu. Avner Samuel Has Left the Building"

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‘Burbalicious: What I Ate in Euless

posted by Carol Shih | June 15th, 2012 10:00am | filed under 'Burbalicious, cheap eats, Ethnic Food | 7 Comments »

Tom Kha soup with rice noodles, tomatoes, onions, and chicken (photos by Carol Shih)

To gear you guys up for July’s Best Suburbs issue, I’m traveling to ten different ‘burbs in the DFW area for a semi-weird cross-city food tour. I’ll be documenting all my finds in these ‘Burbalicious posts that’ll be peppered throughout June and July. If you feel like your suburb deserves a shot at some SideDish love, email me and I’ll ask my Magic 8 ball if I should go. Last week, I ventured to the Russian Banya in Carrollton.

Euless, Euless, Euless. I honestly know nothing about you except that you lie in that hazy gray area between Dallas and Ft. Worth, and your name sounds a teensy bit like the word “useless”… but let’s not go there. I don’t feel like making 51,277 Eulessian enemies today. And, clearly, you aren’t because you offered my stomach something good to eat. How surprising and kind of you.

When I asked my friend Suzanne what to eat around her ‘hood, she suggested Thai Papaya Garden in Euless because “they have the best Tom Kha chicken noodle soup around.” Continue reading "‘Burbalicious: What I Ate in Euless"

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Food Feedback Friday

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 15th, 2012 8:59am | filed under Food Feedback Friday | 9 Comments »

Dishers, where did you dine and what did you eat this week? Here is what you reported last week.

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