Articles for August 22nd, 2012

Mesa in Oak Cliff is Robbed

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 22nd, 2012 12:16pm | filed under Restaurant News | 9 Comments »

I just stumbled upon Robert Wilonsky’s report on DMN Crime Blog: Mesa, the Veracruz-style Mexican restaurant on Jefferson Avenue was robbed last night. According to Big Bob, the creeps bashed in the front door and swiped all of the liquor and TVs. BB spoke with Jaretzy Reyes, the general manager and daughter of owners/chefs Raul and Olga Reyes, and she says she reported suspicious people to the police before she left the restaurant and they didn’t respond. She got a call early this morning about the break in. Undaunted, Mesa will be open for business as unusual tonight. Be there with more than bells on.

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The Fearless Eater Competition: Enter to Win Tommy’s! Salsas and Spices

posted by Carol Shih | August 22nd, 2012 12:03pm | filed under Bad critters, big hot dogs, Bring it!, game | 16 Comments »

The giveaway: Tommy's! salsas (photo by Carol Shih)

I just came back from Taiwan where, for 10 days, I ate things like pigs feet, fish heads (yes, including the eye balls), and other animal organ parts I probably shouldn’t mention this early in the morning. I’m no Andrew Zimmerman and there’s no way I could ever swallow the contents of a bile sac, but I consider myself a brave-ish eater with a high food tolerance, especially compared to a guy I knew in college who ate nothing but bread and cheese in all its various forms. No joke.

A bunch of you out there are savvy eaters who surely top me on my eating habits. Some of y’all have mentioned eating bizarre foods already on that Bazaar giveaway post back in July, which (btdubs) was highly entertaining to read. So, friends, let’s play a game to make this Wednesday spicier. Tell me about the scariest, hairiest, weirdest food you’ve ever eaten before Friday, August 24, at 5 p.m. Be detailed in your descriptions! The more cringe-worthy, the better. The winner will be declared “The Bravest Eater on SideDish” and win the following:

Jump for more. Continue reading "The Fearless Eater Competition: Enter to Win Tommy’s! Salsas and Spices"

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Chef Ryan Barnett is Hosting a Vegan Pop-Up Dinner on August 24

posted by Carol Shih | August 22nd, 2012 10:01am | filed under Health Food, People we love, Pop-Up Media, Vegetarian/Vegan | 4 Comments »

The young chef Ryan Barnett (photo by Carol Shih)

Not to brag or anything, but I may have been the one to convince Chef Ryan Barnett to make his fourth and last pop-up dinner on August 24 completely vegan. It all began when I cornered Barnett for a photo in the kitchen during his second pop-up dinner. (See photo to the right.) As he told me his plans to make his last pop-up completely vegetarian, I asked, “Why not make it vegan?” Vegan cooking for a French-trained chef like Barnett is quite a challenge, you see, but I’m sure he’ll make it look like a piece of cake. This young fella first started his culinary training at L & M Kitchen & Salumeria in Oxford, MS, and then went on to work at Neighborhood Services, Bistro 31, and Ormsby Catering.

Jump to the bottom of this post for reservation info or continue reading an interview with Ryan Barnett, where we discuss bonsai trees, Alice Waters, and all things random under the sun.

Carol: What made you actually listen to me?

Ryan: I looked at it as a challenge. I hate when people come in, especially when I worked at a steakhouse, and we had no other options other than sides. Vegans want to eat a full start-to-finish meal just like everyone else. It became more of a challenge. How do I pair all these ideas down? How do I make this into a flowing meal? Finally I sat down and tied it all together.

Continue reading "Chef Ryan Barnett is Hosting a Vegan Pop-Up Dinner on August 24"

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Central 214 & Chef Graham Dodds Named Cadillac’s Best of the Best Lunch Experience

posted by Loren Means | August 22nd, 2012 9:30am | filed under Sponsored Post

Photograph courtesy of Kevin Marple

This is a sponsored post. Please support our advertisers.

It’s no wonder that KRLD Restaurant Week diners recently voted Central 214 and Chef Graham Dodds as our Cadillac Best of the Best Ultimate Lunch Experience!  Recognized as one of Dallas’ top chefs, Dodds is known for his masterful approach and commitment to fresh ingredients sourced from local farms like Eden Creek and Windy Hill Organics. His approachable dishes marry rich and rustic with simple sophistication, with virtually everything made in-house, from the sauces, dessert ice creams to cured meats.

Central 214’s menus change with the seasons, so there’s always a new dish to tempt diners’ taste buds, along with signature favorites like the slow-cooked goat brisket or dinosaur kale salad. The triple cooked fries and the Scotch egg, inspired by Chef Dodds’ family heritage and his time cooking abroad, are must-have starters for bar menu bites.

Continue reading "Central 214 & Chef Graham Dodds Named Cadillac’s Best of the Best Lunch Experience"

KRLD Restaurant Week 2012: Reader Reviews

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 22nd, 2012 9:00am | filed under KRLD Restaurant Week 2012 |

Today is day ten of  KRLD Restaurant Week. Are you participating? If so, please share your experiences. Tip your servers and if they are exceptional, snap their picture, take down their name, and allow us to adore them.