Articles for July 30th, 2012

Dallas/Ft. Worth Food Truck News and Schedule for July 30

posted by George Lewis | July 30th, 2012 4:42pm | filed under Food Truck Schedule, Food Trucks | 1 Comment »

The Cedars Food Park got off to a roaring success, as reported earlier.  Given the many, many options that you’ve got to try our varied food trucks, there is no need to settle for a toasted blacktop asphalt surface.  The opening of Dallas’ first food truck park was nearly a 100% roaring operational success.  I was there right at opening time at 5pm.  The food trucks were all parked with easy access.  There was plenty of space so that lines from one didn’t cross with lines from another.  It’s mostly grass and trees, giving lots of shade.  Unfortunately, the gazebo that was supposed to be air conditioned had nothing but hot, stale air.  There was a lot to like with the choice of food trucks and the operation was very well run.  However, it is still July in Texas.  It is bloody hot.  Note to event planners: Please plan the multi-thousand food truck events for Spring and Fall.  Or at least sub-100 degree temperatures.

Moving on to this week, many of the food trucks are planning light schedules because of the heat.  The same Wednesday/Thursday events remain at Sigels/Greenville and Knox St. Crate & Barrel (Wednesday) and Addison Vitruvian Park (Thursday).

On Wednesday, the regular schedule starts at Cedars Food Park with 3-4 trucks each day.

This week, we add Rock’n'Ricks food truck, a Dallas-based operation serving up a menu of comfort food and philly cheesesteaks.  Jump for this week’s schedule; and always check Facebook or Twitter feeds before venturing out.

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Rumor Behind the Restaurant News: Ristorante Nicola is Closing for Remodel?

posted by Carol Shih | July 30th, 2012 2:46pm | filed under As the Restaurant Turns | 9 Comments »

Someone with a big mouth let slip that Ristorante Nicola on Preston Road will be closing for a remodeling session. An email from Jef Tingley who represents the restaurant confirms this news: “Yes, Ristorante Nicola will be closing in August for remodeling and downscaling the concept. The exact dates, timeframe and furnishings are still being finalized…” Busy travel bee Jef promises more info to come.

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Bolsa Mercado Goes Vegetarian at ‘Meet and Eat’

posted by Andrew Chalk | July 30th, 2012 1:48pm | filed under Andrew Chalk, Farm to Market Report, Vegetarian/Vegan, Wine Pairing | 3 Comments »

Comeback Creek heirloom tomatoes paired with Mionetto Proseco Treviso, NV. (photos by Melisa Oporto)

Bolsa execuchef Jeff Harris shows what he can do when you put him in a box. He comes out fighting! The mandate: prepare a vegetarian meal for 20 to be served at Bolsa Mercado’s communal table as part of their ‘Meet and Eat’ series that takes place on Friday evenings. The result? A menu that even a carnivore could love. Check out Melisa Oporto’s pictures for a feast for the eyes. Continue reading "Bolsa Mercado Goes Vegetarian at ‘Meet and Eat’"

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Chef Ryan Barnett’s Second Pop-Up Dinner Focuses on Air

posted by Carol Shih | July 30th, 2012 12:04pm | filed under Foodie People, Long table dinners |

The young chef Ryan Barnett (photo by Carol Shih)

I didn’t have time to post this on Friday, so allow me to excite your Monday lunchtime with these mouth-watering plates prepared by chef Ryan Barnett on Thursday evening at his Pop-Up Dinner at My Private Chef in Deep Ellum. This 27-year-old chef served a four-course French dinner to a small, intimate gathering of 12 people where I was invited as a guest. Barnett came from the kitchens of Neighborhood Services, Bistro 31, and Ormsby Catering before he decided to fly the rest of his journey solo. He’s hoping in several months or so, he’ll have a place where there’s a set menu he can cook. For now, this chef is hosting four pop-up dinners, each with a different theme. On Thursday night, Barnett focused his theme on air, using duck and quail as several key ingredients in three of his dishes. As our dinner party reached the second course of Texas pea cassoulet with tender duck confit and soft lima beans, all the dinner guests held their bowls closely to their chest and couldn’t stop their spoons from moving. The woman to my left aptly described the dish as a warm “bowl of hugs,” which it most certainly was.

Jump for the four courses.

Continue reading "Chef Ryan Barnett’s Second Pop-Up Dinner Focuses on Air"

Start, a Fast-Casual Concept, Opens in Upper Greenville on August 8

posted by Carol Shih | July 30th, 2012 10:42am | filed under Gluten free, Health Food, Openings/Closings, Really?, Restaurant News | 4 Comments »

START's interior (left); Owner Erin McKool (right) photos by Joy Zhang

McDonald’s better keep an eye on Erin McKool, the new queen of fast food. This mother of a four-year-old boy is opening up Start, a kid-friendly restaurant at 4814 Greenville Ave. that provides “good for you” food in a cutting edge environment. There WILL be a drive-through for moms-on-the-go. But really… healthy fast food? Isn’t this an oxymoron?

Owner McKool explains it best:

“Our food is healthy and handmade, but not necessarily ‘diet food.’  Organic and natural is critical to us, so all of our eggs, milk, sugar and many other items are organic. We only use meats and eggs from humanely raised animals, and we don’t use products that are raised on hormones and antibiotics, or treated with nitrates. Our bakery items are made with 100% whole wheat flour.”

The menu has everything from steel cut oatmeal with pecans, maple syrup, raisins, and dried cranberries to baked chicken and cheese empanadas. Substituting for a gluten-free English muffin or burger bun is just $1.50 extra, and over at the Kid’s Corner section, little ones can get grilled cheese sandwiches on multigrain bread with breaded and baked (or grilled) chicken bites. The only thing that’s missing are the french fries, but I guess those aren’t very healthy. Still, Start looks like a pretty darn good way to start and end the day, every day. Repeat this new mantra yourselves, folks: McKool’s is the new McDonald’s. McKool’s is the new McDonald’s.

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Cedars Food Park is a Food Truck Lover’s Heaven

posted by Erin Ahlfinger | July 30th, 2012 9:53am | filed under cheap eats, Food Trucks, pork, Sandwiches | 6 Comments »

Rockn' Rick's scrumptious pulled pork po' boy will make a believer out of any food truck skeptic.

I write to you today as a former food truck skeptic. I’d eat every doubtful word that ever crossed my lips if there were any room left in my stomach after my Saturday night chow-down at the grand opening of the Cedars Food Park at Dallas Heritage Village.

Eighteen of the city’s most popular food trucks gathered in the clearing in Dallas’ first city park to feed hundreds of hungry patrons, most of whom were already avid food truck diners. Folk band The Sicklies played tunes best enjoyed from one of the many rocking chairs on front porches of 19th century homes. I chose to enjoy them from the front porch of the saloon, staffed by the bartenders of Lee Harvey’s, with a pilsner from Deep Ellum Brewing Company in one hand and a pulled pork po’ boy from Rockn’ Rick’s in the other. The classic combination of tender pulled pork flavored by a tangy, sweet barbecue sauce and dill pickle chips in a buttery toasted roll changed the way I will think of mobile cuisine. I won’t say it was the best pulled pork I’ve had in Dallas, but it was one tasty sandwich.

Jump if you love mobile munchies.

Continue reading "Cedars Food Park is a Food Truck Lover’s Heaven"

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The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Opens Along North Tollway in September 2012

posted by Carol Shih | July 30th, 2012 8:34am | filed under ChirpyChirpy, Coffee | 6 Comments »

First, there was In-n-Out Burger, then came See’s Candies and Trader Joe’s. Now another one of California’s imports, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, is planting itself in DFW and will attempt to convert many of you Starbucks people into the original ice blended coffee drinkers. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is opening at 15250 North Tollway, right next to In-n-Out. It’s going to become the California corner of Dallas in September, just you watch.

Jump for the press release.

Continue reading "The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Opens Along North Tollway in September 2012"

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