D

Remembering Darryl Beeson

Darryl Beeson with Ravenswood founder Joel Peterson. (Jim White photos)

Many of us in and around the restaurant business have vivid stories to tell about Darryl Beeson. He was an easy going and friendly guy. Besides wine, he loved jokes. Almost every conversation started with one. Good or bad, you always laughed at Darryl’s jokes. Darryl Beeson died late yesterday after complications from a car accident. He was only 54. Details on Darryl’s funeral are still pending.

Savor Dallas co-founder Jim White had a long personal and professional history with Darryl. Below, Jim remembers Darryl Beeson.

UPDATE: Memorial service for Darryl Beeson is Friday February 5 at 3:30 p.m. at Restland in Dallas.

Darryl Beeson’s Class–and a class act.
by Jim White

The first time I ever met Darryl Beeson he seemed very professorial.  Maybe it was his tweed jacket, vest, bow tie, horn rimmed glasses and Adolphe Menjou mustache.  Or, perhaps it was his thorough awareness of “things” and his tendency to conduct “mini-seminars” on them.  He could talk about everything from sports and current events to broadcasting or social-scene gossip.  But it was his encyclopedic knowledge of wine that impressed me as I got to know him.  He was producing Jody Dean’s midday talk show in the winter of 1994 when I returned to Dallas to become KRLD’s morning news anchor.  I was also charged with developing a “Restaurant Show.”  Something operations director Michael Spears had been quite keen on while we were still in Chicago plotting our return to Big D.  Darryl was to be my producer for the program, slated to start in the spring of 1995.  I was quite intimidated by the prospect of hosting a program devoted to cooking and wine.  I did very little of the former, although I could hold my own with the latter.  But since Spears knew I had a love of these things and travel, cultivated by radio stints in San Francisco, numerous forays to Europe, and about a year of being in the dining circle of a Chicago restaurant critic, he insisted I could do it.  It was Darryl who helped smooth what seemed like a rocky road ahead to me.  And a damn steep learning curve–it was a daunting assignment just getting to know who the players were in the Dallas and Texas restaurant biz after several years out of town.

(more…)

Valentine’s Day Dining in Dallas

Below the jump is a long list of restaurants offering special menus for Valentine’s Day.

(more…)

Five Sixty Hires New GM Marcus Cascio

A few months ago, GM Shawn Horne left Wolfgang Puck’s Five Sixty to help open Dish in the new Illume building on Cedar Springs. Word from Five Sixty says Marcus Cascio, former General Manager at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, is the new GM at Wolfie’s place, effective today. Jump for the press release.

(more…)

Restaurant News: Bits and Bites

From the copy and paste press release department.

Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt. Print out this Dallas Christian Choir flyer and 20 percent of your purchase at Menchie’s in Highland Park Village will benefit the group which will be performing next to the fro-yo shop from 1:00 to to 3:00 p.m on Saturday. 214-252-0003.

Red Mango. Red Mango Frozen Yogurt will celebrate the grand opening of five stores in the Dallas area on Saturday, December 12, by treating customers to a FREE small original frozen yogurt with one topping from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Locations are in NorthPark Center, McKinney Avenue in Uptown, iLume on Cedar Springs, Inwood Village, and Watters Creek in Allen.

Yogen Früz. Opened it’s third area location at the Fire Wheel Town Center in Garland. The store, located at 470 Coneflower Dr.

Taste Tripping. On Saturday, Dec 12, MADI Geometric Art Center in Uptown is hosting a Taste Tripping Party. If you haven’t eaten the “miracle fruit” and taken a foodie trip, this is a great time to try—they are offering a $5 discount to SideDish readers. Just use the coupon code Z36NV when you make reservations HERE! Food, art, and science all at the same time!

Dali Wine Bar.  Presents: Jewels of the Vine, An Evening of Fine Wine & Fabulous Jewels! Monday, December 7, from 5:00pm-10:00pm. $15 for a flight of five wines. All the details below the jump.

John Tesar Update. Former Mansion chef John Tesar gets big nods from Houston writer Allison Cook. One here; another there.

Wolfgang Puck Catering. Introduces “Tuesday Treats.” Tempting and tasty dishes delivered right to your door. Surprise & delight friends, clients and colleagues with “Tuesday Treats” by Wolfgang Puck Catering.  For four consecutive Tuesdays in December, Wolfgang Puck Catering will deliver delicious dishes right to your doorstep.  On December 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd, Dallas’ premier catering company will offer this program for $78 per person (excluding tax; service charges may apply) for a minimum of 25 people, and will include a choice of breakfast, lunch buffet, snack items, or holiday sweets. Deets below.

Scardello. Scardello artisan cheese says goodbye to 2009 with December in-store events. They are all listed below.

(more…)

Wine Dinner Wednesday

This week we have wine dinners at Tre Amici, Rathbun’s Blue Plate, Taverna in Fort Worth, and more. Jump for it.

(more…)

Wine Dinner Wednesday

This week we feature events from Hector’s On Henderson, Adelmo’s, Urbano Café, Tre Amici, Dali Wine Bar & Restaurant, Le Cordon Bleu Dallas, Seventh Street Shuffle in Fort Worth, Tramontana, Cru A Wine Bar, Taverna in Fort Worth, and Lawry’s The Prime Rib.

November 4
Hector’s On Henderson. Wednesday, November 4, Chris Chapman will feature 8 wines from 5 PM to 7:30 PM. All featured wines are $6 per glass and I provide FREE appetizers at the bar. There’s no better deal.Stay for dinner and enjoy our Two for $20 Meal. It’s two courses with choices (including vegetarian) for only $20. Can’t beat it.Enjoy the music of John Freeman from 7 to 10 PM. 214-821-0432

November 6
Adelmo’s. Featuring a five-course, five-wine dinner on Friday, Nov. 6 at 6:30. $50.00 per person plus tax and gratuity. The menu is here.

November 10
Urbano Café. Mitch and Kristen Kauffman love to do their own thing. They are hosting a BYOB five-course wine dinner on November 10th. Customers are encouraged to bring a nice wine and share with others. Details on their website. 214-823-8550.

November 10
Tre Amici. Tre Amici welcomes Robert Rex, winemaker and owner of Deerfield Ranch Winery. Piano music by Adrian King. $99 per person. Full menu and details below. 972-250-4400.

November 10
Dali Wine Bar & Restaurant. Announces Hirsch Wine Tasting featuring the highly acclaimed wines from Hirsch Vineyards, Sonoma County. Special guest is Jasmine Hirsch, daughter of founder David Hirsch, and will offer a complimentary tasting of the famed Hirsch wines from 5:45 until 7:45pm.  For your convenience, Dali is pleased to offer special retail pricing and sales of these allocated wines. Details below. 214-6461947

November  16th
Taverna in Fort Worth.Black Truffle Wine Dinner. $65.00 per person plus tax & gratuity. Full menu and details below. 817-885-7502

November 17
Le Cordon Bleu Dallas. Cognac and Armagnac Dinner and Tasting. Please Join the Le Cordon Bleu Slow Food Student Chapter for a Cognac and Armagnac Dinner and Tasting. Only $24 per person. The dinner menu detailed below.

November 17
Seventh Street Shuffle in Fort Worth. Dining critic, cookbook author, and food/travel journalist June Naylor and her partner Cynthia Wahl will kick-off their new culinary adventures company, Texas Toast , with a progressive dinner. The evening begins at 6:30 at Eddie V’s and proceeds to Saint Emilion and Lanny’s Alta Mexican Cocina in Fort Worth. Tickets are $75. Details on their website and below.

November 17
Tramontana. Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Wine Dinner. Enjoy an evening of great food and wine and taste the California family’s wines that honor their Italian heritage. Advantage wine representative Bill Rich will talk about the wines and the family’s interesting history, which of course includes the water spa that bears their name. $50 per person. Menu below. 214-368-4188.

November 17& 18
Crú, A Wine Bar. A wine dinner featuring Barolo wines paired with rare white truffles from Oregon. Cru’s Truffle event is truly remarkable due to the rarity and high demand of the magnificent white truffle. Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy the best in Italian Barolo wines and this exceptional culinary treat! Shops at Legacy (Plano) on Tuesday, November 17th; West Village (Dallas) on Wednesday, November 18th; Watters Creek (Allen) on Wednesday, November 18th. Featured Guest Speaker: Alfonso Cevola. Details below.

November 19
Lawry’s The Prime Rib. Join Lawry’s For The Release Of The 2009 Nouveau Beaujolais Wines. The world celebrates with France each year on the third Thursday of November. This day marks the release of the nouveau Beaujolais wines. The harvesting of the grapes this year took place from August 27th through September 22nd.  Join Lawry’s and guest speaker Steve Giancotti to be among the first in Dallas to enjoy this years vintage; said to be the best in the past 50 years! Menu and details below.

(more…)

Wolfgang Puck to Handle Duties at Winspear Cafe

I reported sort of as an aside in this post that Wolfgang Puck would be doing the food at the Winspear. I’d heard it from too many with too many connections to the Performing Arts Center for it not to be the case. But I didn’t talk to Puck’s PR person until just now. Jennifer Strauss says the PAC and Puck are “having conversations” but that nothing has been officially decided yet. They hope to have something to announce in a week or two, she says.

Restaurant News: Bites and Bites

From the copy and paste press release department: Some fabulous things to eat and drink.

Barking Rocks News Flash. Friday night, October 16th we will be listening to Beatlegras.  They are accomplished musicians that blend Beatles music and bluegrass style in a way that Ringo would totally dig. Doors open at 7:00 for a little socializing (wine drinking) and the show will begin about 8:00. Rumor has it that Rhett is coming to sit in on a song or two. We only sell about 100 tickets so it will be very intimate.  Secure your $15 seat by dropping by the winery (preferred) or calling 817-579-0007.

Whole Foods Market/Highland Park. Match craft beer with great food. Wednesday, October 14, 2-4:00 p.m. (4100 Lomo Alto & Lemmon) Garrett Oliver, Brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery, author and international beer guru, will be at the store to answer all of your beer and brewing questions. Garrett will be cooking and pairing four of his brews with delicious foods as well.

Rahr and Sons Brewery and the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas.  Wrap up Greyhound Awareness Month Saturday, Oct 17 1:00-3:00pm with an afternoon beer tasting. Cost is $5 per person which includes a souvenir pint glass and 3 full beer tastings.  A portion of the proceeds benefit The Greyhound Adoption League of Texas.Click here for more information or call 972-503-GALT.  Rahr and Sons Brewery is located at 701 Galveston Avenue in Fort Worth.

Five Sixty by Wolfang Puck. New New Happy Hour Concept. “Sip and See” takes on a whole new meaning with the launch of Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck’s happy hour on Monday, October 12.Dallas’ restaurant with a view will serve beverages and bites at happy hour prices on weekday evenings. Monday through Friday, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Five Sixty will offer a changing food menu of various “chef’s choice” items in the restaurant’s bar and lounge atop Reunion Tower. Drink offerings will include a list of five choices comprised of beer, wine and cocktails. This is a happy hour designed to keep guests smiling with each of the five tapas-sized plates and five varying drink options priced at $5.60 each.

It’s A Grind Coffee House. Fairgoers receive 10 percent off soothing tea drinks (“Soothies”) with fair ticket stub or photo of consumption of greasy goodness. To receive the discount all customers must do is show their State Fair of Texas ticket stub or a photo of them consuming deep-fried delicacies (photos will be added to the It’s A Grind Facebook page). “Soothies” are made with real fruit puree and green tea, which has been shown in studies to help aid in digestion. They are available in three flavors: Mango Mania, Strawberry Banana and Wildberry. Fairgoers can simply ride the DART rail system Green Line from the Fair Park to the Baylor Medical station (It’s A Grind’s Dallas’ location) to get their “Soothie” to help ease the pain!”

Sevy’s Scotch Club. On our beautiful covered patio, from 5:00-7:00 pm on Monday, October 19th. We will feature five great single malts with specially selected food pairings for each.  $44.95 per person, plus tax and gratuity.  Reservations required, seating is limited.  Contact Jimmy, Stefaan, or Amy M. at SevysCatering@aol.com, or 214-265-7389.

Shawn Horne Out as GM at Wolfgang Puck’s Five Sixty

The Snooty Foodies have the scoop, but it’s only in their newsletter, and not on their website, that I can find. So, here’s the pasted version:

Our good buddy, Elvis groupie, and the fastest wine taster in Dallas metro, Shawn Horne, has left as GM of Wolfgang Puck’s big gyrating ball in the sky Five-Sixty effective last week. We won’t say it was a matter of too many cooks in the kitchen or that wolves in sheep’s clothing were always lurking…but… Mr. Horne ain’t scared of heights either so you do the math.

What a bummer for Five Sixty. But! Horne already has another gig. Read on:

Unlike the real Elvis, Shawn hasn’t crashed and burned (or overdosed). He’s heading over to run the new restaurant Dish in the Illumina building on Cedar Springs and Douglas. Rumor has it Chef Doug Brown is also involved in the project and they are targeting a November 1 start date (which probably means February in restaurant speak). From the info we’ve seen, Dish appears to dance on the fringe of fine dining American – sorta like a chef driven Houston’s.

Good scoop SF, and good luck to Shawn Horne.

Upcoming Dallas Dining Events

Cibus and La Duni will co-host an “Al Fresco Wine Tasting” on August 19th.

Lawry’s The Prime Rib is highlighting the wines of South Africa with a wine dinner on August 21.

Stephan Pyles, the person and the restaurant, will host a Share Our Strength fundraiser on August 30th.

Details to all below. (more…)

Restaurant Review: Café On The Green

Recently I dined at Café on the Green in the Four Seasons Las Colinas. The dining room is lovely and Master Sommelier James Tidwell’s wine list is fun and affordable. It’s a hotel and we were there on a weekday night so most of the diners were out-of-towners. Chef Katie Natale’s menu is short but varied—New American-ish dishes such as crab cakes, Texas quail, and braised veal cheek. As much as I was tempted to try the veal, I decided to go with what I thought most travelers would pick—Chicken Natale. After all, their impressions of Dallas cuisine is an important part of presenting the Dallas area flavor profile to the rest of the world. Anywhoo, here is my review

Update: This morning I received an e-mail from the restless Mr. Tidwell:

At least one thing has changed since your visit. Every once in a while, I need to find addition creative outlets. So, last week I decided to rewrite the wine list. I added a few selections, but mostly I added commentary. My own. Sometimes a bit cheeky. The servers and guests have loved it. Hope it provides you with some happy reading.

The new wine list at Café on the Green is below the jumperoo. (more…)

Restaurant Review: Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck in Dallas

Texas quail and chopsticks. Who knew it would ever come to this? Photography by Kevin Hunter Marple.

Yes, Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck is a gimmicky tourist trap. However, the food is vintage ’80s Asian Fusion at its finest.

Hit me with your best shot.

When John Mariani Speaks, Does Anybody Listen?

Our own Glenn Hunter (D CEO) is in New Orleans for the annual CRMA conference. He just attended a seminar with  John Mariani on the panel. Glenn writes:

Don’t know if it’s SideDish-worthy, but in his presentation regarding food trends he said that the celebrity-named restaurant era has played out–in part because everybody knows by now that “Emeril will never set foot in the restaurant.” I asked him afterward about Wolfgang Puck’s new restaurant at Reunion, and he said it will be interesting to see how it does since Puck’s other non-L.A. restaurants haven’t fared well. Then he said, “If Wolfgang Puck shows up in Dallas every couple of months for a charity event or something that would be a good thing.”

I wonder how much CRMA paid Mariani to speak? I mean, seriously.

Sushi With a View: Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck

Five-Sixty has sexy waitresses.

Must have been the weather: yesterday at 5:30 pm, I had to eat eel. So JC and I headed up to the cocktail lounge at Five Sixty. The view outside was stellar, but I couldn’t help but gawk at our waitress. More specifically, her fabulous body. The cocktail waitresses at Five Sixty are required to wear these slinky black dresses at fingertip length. Each time she set something down on our low table, she had to bend both knees and squat halfway down. When she walked away, the flirty little dress sashayed dangerously across her backside.

I actually heard myself say, “Hey, I am not a lesbian but I can’t help myself from staring at your body.” She laughed. I laughed. We ate a Dragon roll and a Rainbow roll. Both were crazy good. Then I made the mistake of paying for our little meal with my credit card. Our sassy waitress handed me the bill and said, “I really like SideDish.” To the lovely Sara at Five-Sixty, we love you too.

Five-Sixty has sexy sushi.

Sara Johannes at Dallas Farmer’s Market on Saturday

Speaking of farmer’s markets, word comes that Five Sixty chef Sara Johannes will be cooking at this week’s DFM Chef’s Cooking Class Series. Guests will learn how to make a three-course meal with the following dishes:

Grilled Korean Beef “Kalbi” Shortribs, Spicy Kim Chee
Green Thai Curried Seafood with Japanese Eggplant, Thai Basil and Crisp Ginger
Ginger-Peach Crumble with Crème Anglaise

The class is $25 if you order early and $30 at the door. 214-653-8008 for reservations. Jump for more info.

(more…)

Mother’s Day Dining Recommendations

Mother’s Day is just around the corner; May 10th to be precise. Below I offer some dining options. Check here often for updates. (Restaurants, please e-mail your information in a word document if possible.)

(more…)

Brunch Time is the Right Time at Five Sixty

I’m sad to say I haven’t gotten to try Five Sixty yet. I just don’t have the cash right now. But I’m psyched to see the new restaurant has just started offering brunch, usually a much more affordable option. Except when you add a few mimosas. Anyway, Wolfie’s spot is now open from 11:30–2:30 on Sundays. Here’s some info on the menu:

Diners can experience a traditional brunch menu with an Asian-flare created by Executive Chef Sara Johannes. Signature dishes guests can enjoy, while admiring the 360 degree view of the city below, include Eggs Benedict, Wolfgang’s way, with jumbo lump crab cakes and Old Bay-infused hollandaise sauce; Wild Huckleberry Pancakes with Vermont Maple Butter; an “American style” Kobe Burger with smoked onion marmalade and herb aioli; a Dim Sum assortment including pork dumplings, spare ribs, shrimp shu mai and lobster spring rolls; and the famous Lobster Club with bacon vinaigrette on toasted walnut bread. Brunch is $38 per person and includes a choice of a starter and main entrée.

While $38 is probably a bargain for a meal at Five Sixty, I’m thinking that waiting until Mother’s Day to hit it up sounds more realistic. Until then, Lucky’s it is.

Sommelier D’Lynn Proctor Leaves Five-Sixty

Last month, our own Julie Blacklidge reviewed D’Lynn Proctor’s wine program at Wolfgang Puck’s Five-Sixty. This morning comes word that Proctor has left Five-Sixty. Stay tuned for another episode of “As the Sommelier Turns.”

Report From Five-Sixty Grand Opening: Jason Castro Eats Wolf

Here is a report from guest blogger, the unedited and sassy Snooty Foodie!

The View, the Chew, and the Spew… Here We Go

Who knew any restaurant opening could rival all the hypes and snipes of Fearing’s arrival?  With a price tag that could’ve paved the Trinity Tollway with gold bricks, Five-Sixty doesn’t disappoint with its stunning views, 3 levels of service – including an observation deck, the mildly nauseating 55-minute rotation, and Puck’s famous Californicasian cuisine.  And though it’s wedged into Dallas’ most famous phallic symbol, there’s a lot more Vegas than Texas – like the wine list that is thick and interesting but really needs to be tweaked to the local palate and this guy (left) that I suppose could star in Cirque du So-Dallas?

(more…)

RE: Five Sixty Preview — Wine Gems and Photo Gallery

I’m not a Dallas native. I don’t have a nostalgic story about Reunion Tower and driving 30 miles to see the view. When I did move here, scores of people told me the restaurant was not worth the trip. Unless you just want the view. After sampling some of the food and wine Puck is serving up at Five Sixty this afternoon, I am sure it will become one of the first restaurant Dallasites will want to show off and recommend to out-of-towners. CLICK HERE FOR A PHOTO GALLERY WITH PICS OF PUCK, THE CHEFS, FOOD, VIEW, AND AMBIANCE. Stacey gave you an awesome overview of the foodie details, so I’m going to focus on wine. Sommelier D’Lynn Proctor (pictured with Wolfgang Puck) has put together a wine list that is packed with wines you know and wines you might not know, but will love once you pop the cork. Follow the jump for Puck’s thoughts about California wine and a well-balanced wine list.

(more…)

Preview Lunch at Puck’s Five Sixty

Today I lunched at Wolfgang Puck’s unfortunately named new restaurant Five Sixty (should have taken our advice) in the former Antares space in Reunion Tower. The crowd numbered about 30 and included journalists and the like along with people who had worked on the project. My table included Jennifer Johanson, the San Francisco-based lead designer of the “classic modern” space and all-around cool chick who happened to grow up in Preston Hollow. Puck was on hand as were his wife and Bono-lookalike brother. I chatted with Shawn Horne, formerly of Kitchen 1924 (RIP), who is now on GM duty at Five Sixty. Anyway, I know y’all prolly want to know about the food. If so, jump.

(more…)

Five-Sixty Opening Update

From the horse’s mouth: “I have confirmed that Five-Sixty by Wolfgang Puck will begin their soft opening on Thursday, January 22^nd, with limited reservations being accepted.  There will be a grand opening private reception on February 10^th to mark the official opening.  The restaurant phone number is 214.741.5560.”

Will Five-Sixty Open Tomorrow?

Dallas pastry chef Tsuki Caspary-Brooks wanted to make carrot cake on Saturday. She headed to Penzey’s to buy some ginger. No ginger. She left without her much-needed ingredient, but she stumbled into a mini-scoop of restaurant news. She reports:

“Five-Sixty opens on Tuesday. Wolfgang is possibly here. Thee woman at Penzey’s said Five-Sixty uses a ton of spices from Penzey’s and ‘Wolfgang Puck bought all the 4-ounce packets of ginger we have.’”

Ginger or no ginger, Penzey’s is worth a trip. Guess we can add Five-Sixty to our list of Valentine’s Day options. Oh, no! That song!

UPDATE: Official word. “Unfortunately, the reader is incorrect, the restaurant is not opening tomorrow, but will being their soft opening at the end of the week.  As for Valentine’s Day, yes, they will be taking reservations.”

Wine’tastic is Closing, Inventory Sale

We’re sad that Wine’tastic is closing its doors. There was always a yummy surprise or two on the wine list, which is good news for those of you itching to stock your wine cabinet with a few good buys. Everything is 50 percent off until January 17 when the wine bar will pour its last glass of wine. Everything is on sale including the decor and furniture. We know you’ve gotten to love the place over the years and the people. Don’t worry, sommelier D’Lynn Proctor will be working at Wolfgang Puck’s new venture Five-Sixty.

Team Puck Announced for Five-Sixty by Wolfgang Puck

Five-Sixty, the 200-seat Asian-influenced restaurant atop Reunion Tower is scheduled to open in late January. We’re happy to have a new chick chef, Sara Johannes, in Dallas and we’re glad Shawn Horn, the force behind Kitchen 1924, will have a steady paycheck. Jump for all of the glorious details. (more…)