Edible Dallas' table (left); Dean Fearing honored for his support of local farm growers (right) photos by Elizabeth Lavin

Lee Park was the place to be last Sunday. Over 1,000 people showed up for sold-out Mixin’ It Up On The Boulevard, a massive food event organized by Chefs For Farmers. The two women credited with pulling together all of the details are Iris McCallister and Christina LaBarba. This dynamic duo coordinated over 40 chefs, 20 farmers, wineries, breweries, mixologists, and artisan producers and pulled off what appeared to be a flawless afternoon of celebration. Chefs for Farmers, a group that supports local farmers, chefs, and businesses, donated 100 percent of the proceeds to Meal On Wheels of Tarrant County and Water for Chizavane.

Each chef was paired with a local vendor. Guests were encouraged to make donations at each station to help them raise money for an item (refrigerator, etc) the vendor was trying to buy. The chef list was impressive: Fearing, Pyles, Rathbun, Derry, Natera, Houser, Provost, Harris, McCallister, to name only a few. The public sampled the food, talked to the participants, and listened to DJ sounds and the band Sugarfoote & Co. At one point Dean Fearing took the microphone and sang along. Elizabeth Lavin captured the day with her Nikon.

Jump for her shots.

Stephen Pyles' Bay of Salmon Confit: Rocky's Turnips, Purple Hulls and Manchego "Chicharron"

Texas Honeybee Guild (left); Dude Sweet Chocolate's messed up ice cream float with foie gras caramel and cocoa nib ice cream (right)

Kent Rathbun honored for his outstanding community outreach and support of local growers

John Tesar's shrimp risotto (left); John Tesar (right)

Texas olive oil

Sissy's cobbler (left); Dive's ceviche with striped bass, marinated in lime juice, mango, cilantro, red onion, jalapeno, and tomato with housemade plantain chips

Al Havens, Anastacia Quinones and Abraham Salum from Salum (left); Dragonfly's duck prosciutto (right)

I was struck first by the uniformly high quality of the wines. Almost all were ‘good’ or better. I was also impressed with the range of prices. There was something for every budget: The wines raged from  $13.99 to $90. Additionally, it was impressive to see how the different Pinot Noir growing regions are now distinguishing themselves. The French wines were leaner and more earthy. The California wines– Santa Rita Hills (Central Coast), Carneros (Napa/Sonoma), Napa and Russian River Valley (Sonoma)– were fruit forward. The Santa Lucia Highlands were fruity but very delicate. New Zealand seems to be making a Burgundy style and Oregon is one-step removed from Burgundy and leaning towards California.

All of these wines are available at Sigel’s and discounts from the tasting may still apply. At the risk of starting a food fight, here are my recommendations and ratings (prices are in the format discount/regular):

The View From Côte Bonneville's DuBrul Vineyard

James Tidwell, Master Somelier and Beverage Manager at the Four Seasons Las Colinas, takes a lot of wine-related trips. Each time he visits an area he usually discovers a new or off-the-radar winery making a special wine. Last year on a trip to Washington State, Tidwell ran across Côte Bonneville, a family-run winery centered around their DuBrul Vineyard which the Shiels family planted in 1992.  Kerry Shiels, winemaker and daughter of the founders, came to town and Tidwell contacted the Texas distributor,  Hear Hear, and arranged a a dinner featuring Côte Bonneville wines at Café on the Green at the magnificent Four Seasons Resort and Club in Irving. I was an invited guest, which gave me the chance to digest two birds with one stone, so to speak. Besides tasting the wines from Côte Bonneville, I also got to taste new chef Jonathan Rivera’s cooking.

Côte Bonneville Winemaker Kerry Shiels

Kerry Shiels began like most west coast winemakers with an engineering degree from Northwestern University. This was followed by a stint at Fiat where she worked in Turin and Chicago. Only later did she have an epiphany (or 500 Abarth moment) and plunge into making wine full time. She enrolled at the temple of US wine education, UC Davis and earned a Masters degree in viticulture and enology. She spent her breaks working at some A-list wineries: 2006 vintage at Joseph Phelps Vineyards in Napa; 2007 harvest at Tahbilk in Australia; 2007 vintage at Folio, Michael Mondavi’s Napa winery; 2008 harvest as the assistant white winemaker to Rich Arnold at Robert Mondavi Winery, Napa; 2010 harvest at Tapiz in Argentina. All of this time she was involved with the family winery and now works there full time.

The Côte Bonneville winery makes its wines from the family’s DuBrul vineyard. This steep-sloped, rocky vineyard grows Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, and Riesling. One testimony to the quality of the grapes is that over a dozen other wineries buy them, including some of the best in Washington State.

We started with Côte Bonneville’s Riesling and Cabernet Franc Rosé served with hors d’oeuvres. Then it was down to the meal and 2009 Dubrul Vineyard Chardonnay which was paired Jonathan Rivera’s foie gras torchon over five-spice waffle, pecan brittle, green apple scented with cardamom. This wine has a mineral backbone, Chardonnay’s classic back-off-the-mouth bite, and pineapple and tropical fruit in the nose, all wrapped up in a very tight style.

Next, it was on to the first of two Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines. The 2006 Carriage House is named after the part of the DuBrul vineyard from which it comes. By contrast, the 2005 DuBrul Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from grapes scattered across the vineyard. It was striking how different the characters were, given just a few hundred yards (and a year) difference in the grapes. The Carriage House had pronounced red fruit in both the nose and mouth. Also, notes of toffee in the bouquet! It is fruit-forward with a smooth texture. It reminded me of a characteristic of many Washington State Cabernets: it was non-prototypical. That is, the winemakers eschew following a prototype from Bordeaux or California and just let the (very expressive) fruit unfold in a style of its own. The 2005 DuBrul, by contrast, is reminiscent of Napa valley floor Cabernets with pronounced tannins, very ripe fruit and a wider spectrum of notes in the nose, including cedar and black pepper.

Foie Gras Torchon Over Five Spice Waffle, Pecan Brittle, Green Apple and Cardamom

The wine pairings finished on a high note with the 2009 DuBrul Vineyard Late Harvest Riesling. Sweet but not cloying, commanding weight in the mouth and all wrapped up by a long fruit finish.

It was remarkable to find such a wide variety of grapes growing in such close proximity with apparently no compromise in wine quality. It is no surprise that Côte Bonneville has won many awards from the wine press and more broadly.

It is too early for me to form a judgment of Jonathan Rivera’s cooking, but the execution of the dishes you see in the pictures was spot on. The style seems to be elegant and light, and he seems to have a knack for ‘the right touch’ – a case in point being the solitary marinated amarena cherry nuzzled against the duck breast. I was seated next to Mike Hiller, a familiar Dallas food critic known for his terminal addiction to golf, and he was completely overcome with unintelligible gurgling noises. That is how perfectly the tartness of that cherry infused with the fat in the duck. Yummy as they say over at his publication.

Cocao Dusted Duck Breast, Mushroom & Leek Brandade, Sautéed Swiss Chard, Amarena Cherry Sauce

Great things come in small quantities. These wines are available through Off The Vine in Grapevine, but some are limited to as little as eight bottles for the whole state of Texas.

2009 Chardonnay, Yakima Valley

Juuuuump.

Las Ventanas al Paraiso's Jalepeno Margarita

Jalapeño Margarita

Las Ventanas al Paraiso, Los Cabos Mexico

Las Ventanas is famous for their signature Jalapeno Margarita – best described as “Where the Sweet meets the Heat”. The balance of sweet and spicy is perfect complement to Cinco de Mayo celebrations.

1 Jalapeño Pepper

1.5oz of Tequila Don Julio Blanco

1oz Lime juice

3/4 oz of Simple Syrup

3/4 oz Contreau

Carefully slice your jalapeño and remove the seeds, use just the half of the Chile and pour the mixture into the blender until the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture into Margarita glasses rimmed with coarse salt & chili powder filled with ice.

CostaBaja Resort & Spa's Damiana Margarita

Damiana Margarita – Signature Cocktail

CostaBaja Resort & Spa, La Paz Mexico

Damiana Liqueur is a light herbal-based liqueur from Mexico.  It’s made with the damiana herb that grows native in Baja California, Mexico.  The Damiana Margarita is very popular in Baja and Mexican margarita folklore says that the very first margarita ever made was made with Damiana Liqueur.

1.5 oz. Tequila

0.5 oz. Damiana Liqueur

0.5 oz. Controy liqueur

0.5 oz. Lemon juice

0.25 oz. Orange Juice

Lemon

Serve in salt-rimmed glass and garnish with lemon slices

Rosewood San Miguel de Allende's Fresa y Lavanda Margarita

Fresa y Lavanda Margarita

Rosewood San Miguel de Allende

Fragrant lavender grows wild in the colonial city of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The resort has fused the local ingredient unto a unique take on the margarita that is both sweet and herbal. Local lavender is supplied through the Lavender Project, an initiative to help support the pueblo of nearby Rancho La Colorado funded by U.S non-profit St Anthony’s Alliance. The Lavender Project is a cooperative in the small rural town, about 35 miles north of San Miguel de Allende, raising organic lavender for soaps, oil, honey and other products. Proceeds from the Lavender Project fund a breakfast program for 60 children of La Colorada.

2 ounce  Tequila Reposado

1 ounce de Cointreau (Orange liquor)

1/2 ounce  freshly  squeezed lime juice

1/2  ounce  strawberry puree

3 Lavender blossoms

Ice

Fill blender with all ingredients, Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

Photo taken Sunday April, 29th, 2012 in Dallas.

Graham Dodd's New Spring Menu Moves Central 214 To The Top Of The Pack

It’s spring, which means that it is time for seasonal restaurants to change their menus. The latest to hold a media introduction is Central 214 at The Hotel Palomar at Central and Mockingbird in Dallas. The takeaway from the event is that chef Graham Dodds is showing why he is one of the best chefs in Dallas.

Fava Bean and Chicken Liver Toasts with Balsamic Olives

We started with an amuse of bruschetta. Some were slathered with fava bean paste made with a little mint and lemon juice and accented with truffle oil. The others had a house made chicken liver paste daintily topped with borage flowers. Accompanying these starters was a bowl of four types of olives that had been marinated in balsamic, olive oil and rosemary (from the chef’s own garden, nonetheless) for two full weeks before being warmed for service.

A light salad of red beets, candy apple onions, radish seeds, coriander berries and house made ricotta followed. It would be the perfect lunch or start to the evening meal proper. So often when I eat out, the starting salad seems to signal “expect less to come”, so minimal is it. This one is the opposite: a talisman of plenty to come – unusual ingredients, creative combinations, and careful execution.

Another salad, but at the opposite scale of complexity, was a last-minute addition. Dodds was at Tom Spicer’s earlier in the day and found some irresistible arugula. He had to buy it. For us he assembled it tossed with just parmesan, olive oil, Meyer lemon, salt and pepper. Summary: an exercise in studied simplicity that put the characteristic bitterness of arugula front and center.

Beet Salad

Fancy egg and bacon? Dodds has the best expression of it in town. First, start with a fried local goose egg. The yolk is a full 6 centimeters across (I know, I was with someone who measures round things in centimeters all day). Add some house made mocetta (made from goat supplied by Windy Hill Organics in Comanche, TX) cured for 60 days and then hung for an additional 60. Add Tassione Farms raw radishes for contrast, and you have the first of two dishes we tasted that night that entered into my Hall of Fame for Dallas culinary classics. The picture at the top does some justice to its visual effect, showing off the bands of color in the mocetta that make the slices resemble a bed of flags for the egg to rest on.

Dodds is a corn lover. So a concasse he calls just Elotes but assembled from corn, choritzo (from Salumeria Rossi on Manhatten’s upper west side) and mirepoix should not have been a surprise. He reduces this mixture with chicken stock, then blends it with chèvre, salt, pepper and minced jalapeño and tops it with espellette pepper. I expect this marvelous side dish will be available seasonally.

Grilled Octopus with Marcona Almonds, Watercress, and ‘Tuscan Salsa Verde’

I am delighted to report another octopus sighting following John Tesar’s successful rendition of it at his underground dinner three weeks ago. O2, as I’ll term it, came grilled with marcona almonds, watercress, and ‘tuscan salsa verde’. The adjective ‘tuscan’ is really there just to avoid confusion with tomatillo salsa. This salsa is made with parsley, basil, cilantro, mustard, capers and white anchovies (maybe he should have called it tapenade vert?). I didn’t ask, but I assume the octopus had been boiled first as it was succulent and easy to chew – the texture a mite firmer than pasta. Apparently, good octopus is hard to source in Dallas so Dodds has an unusual sourcing arrangement with a certain sushi restaurant. It involves him going to the kitchen door ‘cash in hand’.

On to meats and what is disingenuously named honey-thyme glazed porchetta, squash blossom fritters and sugo comes in as simply one of the best pork dishes that I have ever tasted. Just pick up the squash blossom fritter on top (it is not greasy) and savor the sweetness of the batter and the mild bitterness in the blossom juxtaposed against the creaminess of goat cheese. Then return to the plate and cut the ring of pork belly wrapped around pork shoulder with your fork and slop some sauce on top. Place it in your mouth and wonder at how complex a sauce can be (and how long it can embrace the tongue). That is because this particular sauce is cooked for twenty hours (that’s longer than the longest non-stop airline flight in the world)! The pork jowl, tomatoes, garlic and basil gently stew until the individual flavors are totally resolved. I state the steps involved in the making of this food,

Honey-Thyme Glazed Porchetta, Squash Blossom Fritters and Sugo

even at the risk of belaboring it, because although most farm-to-table restaurants have casual décor and a come-as-you-are philosophy the best ones have not relaxed in any way traditional rigor in the preparation and nothing just gets slopped on the plate. Dodds, and other examples like Jeff Harris (at Bolsa) and David Trubenbach (at Asador) are making preparations just as involved as those chefs with a more classical methodology such as Bruno Davaillon (at The Mansion) and Andre Natera (at The Pyramid).

Striped Bass Bourride with Fennel, Leeks and Saffron

Back to fish and a striped bass bourride with fennel, leeks and saffron. This drew a lot of its flavor from the mussels in the stew.

As though we would die without it, not one, but three desserts. Panne cotta with rhubarb, polenta and black cherry cobbler. All noteworthy.

Some favorites remain from the menu sampled by His Toddness. Dodds cannot replace the scotch egg or “popcorn” sweetbreads due to customer acclaim. Likewise, the best fries in Dallas remain on the bar menu.

Right now, Hotel Palomar has got one leg of the four needed to make Central 214 a great restaurant, and the most important one at that – a dedicated, talented chef. The other three are scheduled to be completed later this year. First, a permanent front of house manager. Second, a redecoration of the room: It is not bad now – it just has the intimacy of an airline terminal. The final leg is the wine situation. The list appears to derive straight from Kimpton central sourcing. It is overwhelmingly second-tier California labels. And despite the farm-to-table philosophy there are no table wines from Texas (despite the availability of good Viognier and Tempranillo at competitive prices). And there is next to nothing from Europe. There is also no sommelier, a problem that showed up on our visit when the bar served not one but different several wines too warm.

I hear they also plan to change the name. That sounds, to me, like a bad idea. Already Nana has been renamed with an unpronounceable symbol from a quantum physics equation. We don’t need people who have found Central 214 to have to recalibrate as well.

Whatever they decide to do, Central 214 has some of the best food in the city right now. Dodds blew away two California wine makers I went with for lunch last month. Give him a chance to blow you away as well.

New York Strip Steak Over Sticky Rice with Chili Sauce

When construction began on Malai Kitchen in 2010, I was filled with a mixture of excitement and skepticism. Excitement that I would be living within walking distance of a restaurant serving food from one of the most exciting culinary areas of Asia, but skepticism that they would put out an eatable version. The spot was already jinxed: The previous occupant, Tom Tom Noodle House,  did not make it.

As things turned out, I moved out of the area and did not get to try Malai’s food until the dinner this week. I am pleased to report that Malai Kitchen delivers some of the most carefully crafted and carefully executed Thai food in Dallas. But I must qualify that I was at one of their monthly Thai Me Up dinners (sign up to be contacted either on their web site or their Facebook page) and next to none of these dishes are (yet) on the regular menu.Other attendees at the dinner and restaurant regulars I chatted with all assured me that the menu staples are just as good.

Char Grilled Chicken Hearts and Livers in a Street Spice Rub

That said, below is a cavalcade of the one-of-a-kind specialties prepared by consulting chef Paul Singhapong in conjunction with execuchef Braden Wages and sous chef Ivan Nava. Owners Braden and Yasmin Wages (she runs the front-of-house) have put together a cozy place with a comfortable patio that makes you feel like you are in a backstreet in a cosmopolitan European city. The bar turns out respectable cocktails with a southeast Asian accent (we had a Thai Rum Shooter with the first course that quickly encouraged strangers at our family-style table to start talking to each other) and although I did not get a chance to look at the list, the wines the restaurant chose for our meal were respectable. A 2010 Domaine Weinbach Gewürztraminer from Alsace had body and sweetness to go with the broken fish curry (below). A 2008 Vinos Pinol Portal Blanc was light and crisp with fresh lemon citrus flavors that made it an admirable buttress to the powerful lemon grass and seafood flavors in the seafood soup.

It is good to see a place so adventurous thriving in Uptown, a location where most restaurants hew to the tried-and-true. It is also good to see adventurous Asian cuisine inside the city of Dallas. I usually stick the plentiful representation in the suburbs to the north, east, and west of Northwest Highway.

Street Salad Snack. Take these ingredients (ginger, dried shrimp, peanuts, lime, red onions, toasted coconut, chilies and fish sauce) and...

...place on a betel leaf. Eat with your hands using the leaf as a wrap.

Sour Tamarind Seafood Soup with Prawns, Mussels and Chilean Seabass

Broken Fish Curry with Redfish, Wild Ginger, Water Spinach, Noodles and Rice Three Ways with Spicy Nam Prik

Back Of House Team: Ivan Nava (sous), Paul Singhapong (consulting) and Braden Wages (execuchef)

More.

Nova Scotia Halibut Crudo, Marinated Olives, Crispy Garlic, Red Chile and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The title sponsor for this year’s event is Neiman Marcus. Platinum sponsors are Audi of America, Cartier, Sotheby’s and Nancy C. and Richard B. Rogers. Gold sponsors are Moët Hennessy USA (parent of Belvedere), Waldman Bros./Chubb, Flexjet, and todd.event.design creative services. A blue-chip list of other sponsors also contribute generously.

Hosting the Abacus dinner was Claire Smith, Head of Spirit Creation and Mixology at Belvedere Vodka. She matched five innovative cocktails with Abacus’ five course meal. In case you thought Vodka did not go with food, this dinner may have changed your mind!

Belvedere Bloody Mary Cucumber Fix

Niman Ranch Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Poblano-Jack Cheese Grits, Cilantro Lime Butter

Paupiette of black bass, leeks, potatoes, and Rocca di Frassinello sauce.

Friday was an unusual evening at The Tower Club in downtown Dallas. The clubby dining room was turned into legendary New York restaurant Le Cirque for one evening. Guests dined on a five-course prix-fixe menu with choices from the original Le Cirque restaurant in New York City. Wines were selected by Marchesi Antinori and Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte. Dallas was one of just one of the ten cities ClubCorp chose to stage a pop-up Le Cirque.

Jump for photos, video, and a recap of the night.

Le Cirque Director, Marco Maccioni (son of founder Sirio Maccioni) chatted with guests

In order to ensure the authenticity of the evening, dining room manager Lisa Neel explained that Le Cirque’s executive chef, Olivier Reginensi, had arrived earlier in the week and spent two days preparing the meal. Le Cirque director Marco Maccioni was also in attendance and oversaw the whole production. Le Cirque also shipped their signature plates and vases down from New York City (the orange orchids were locally sourced). I had a chance to speak to Maccioni before service started. We chatted about such things as preparing classic French food in a restaurant with an Italian owner (legendary Sirio Maccioni) and expanding locations of Le Cirque as far afield as New Delhi, India.

Regulars at Le Cirque will recognize many of the dishes below as menu favorites there.

Authentic Le Cirque vase and plate.

Lobster Salad "Le Cirque"

Soft Poached Egg & Morels, Asparagus and Chervil

Signature sugar served with coffee

Craft's chilled soup (photos by Carol Shih)

Over 425 people turned out on a beautiful Thursday evening at “A Community Cooks” to support Paul Quinn College and its organic farm. Proceeds went towards enhancements to the farm. Along with providing an opportunity to feast between the budding sprouts of cantaloupe and sweet potatoes and listen to live music beneath the stars, ”A Community Cooks” celebrates the Farm’s accomplishments and raises resources to help expand the Farm’s ability to combat the food desert surrounding Paul Quinn College. The Farm brings healthy food to the neighborhood by donating a minimum of 10 percent of all items grown to those in need. Over a dozen top-line Dallas chefs cooked at food preparation stations situated either side of the garden. A band played on the stage at the front. In this video, the director of the faming program at the college explains the mission of the garden.

Jump to watch.

The Real Estate Council Foundation presented a check for $200,000 to the college for the garden capital improvements, the recently completed greenhouse and future enhancements. Other major sponsors of the garden were Trammell Crow, Pepsico and the Orix Foundation.

Participating chefs included Matte Balke from Bolsa Mercado, Tim Bevins from Craft, Chritie Butler from Perkins Management (the college caterer), Randall Copeland and Nathan Tate from Ava/Boulevardier, Central 214’s Graham Dodds, Brent Hammer from Hibiscus, Jeff Harris from Bolsa, Matt McCallister from FT33, Jason Maddy from Oak, Janice Provost from Parigi, Jon Stevens from Nosh/Snack and Tre Wilcox of Marquee.

Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, the former Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services and current Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, was the guest speaker. Sanchez is a leader in the fight to reduce food deserts and also stresses the link between the lack of access to healthy, affordable foods and chronic diseases.

One future goal is very ambitious: The college is six miles from the nearest grocery store, despite being surrounded by neighborhoods. They want to establish a supermarket which would simultaneously sell the farm produce, provide jobs for the college’s students, links with the management classes through management roles in the store, and a retail food source for the community. That objective needs a big capital boost and venture capitalist-like savvy.

But, as you can tell from the photos below, both the farm and food were beautiful last night.

Chef Jason Maddy from the Oak (left); table decor (right)

A view of the farm

Paul Quinn College students help serve (left); Chef Matt McCallister pours strawberry gazpacho (right)

Farm Manager Andrea Bithell

Hibiscus' house cured bacon with Texas shiitake, ricotta, and wild onion salsa verde

Nosh's Moroccan kefta with red pepper vinaigrette (left); Marquee Grill's 7 spice tuna sashimi with cucumber mint gel tomato relish (right)

Viader and Dare Wines wait for their close-up.

Viader is a boutique California winery nestled in the foothills of the Howell Mountain Region of Napa Valley. This week they brought their wines to Dallas for a tasting. I was honored to be invited to the  dinner and tasting which took place at Bijoux, Scott and Gina Gottlich’s gem of a restaurant in Inwood Village. Predictably, the dining room was packed, reflecting the local following for both Viader and Bijoux. Guest of honor was Janet Viader, Director of Sales and Marketing for Viader and daughter of founder Delia Viader.

Let’s taste.

Janet Viader, Viader Vineyards and Winery

Viader produces just a few thousand cases year from their 30-acre vineyards set in one of the most picturesque parts of  California wine country. They are at 1,200-ft elevation on the road to the peak of Howell Mountain. Their focus is on the Bordeaux grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Verdot. They also make a little Syrah and Tempranillo (the latter from purchased grapes). In addition to the flagship Viader label, they also produce a second label, ‘Dare’. We dared to taste two of these wines as well.

It was obvious from the beginning that people where excited about this tasting. As the wine tasting progress, the amount of chatter in the dining room increased. The 2007 Viader, Napa Valley was  the wine of the evening. This blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Cabernet Franc has a nose of dark fruit with hints of chocolate. In the mouth it has ample body, intense forward sweet fruit with a hint of stewed raspberry. All this leaves to a harmonious finish. New oak is kept at about 50% which is modest for a premium Napa Valley red wine. It was paired expertly with braised veal cheeks by chef Scott Gottlich.

April 20^th Pappas Bros: “An Evening With The Super Tuscans”. Details here, but it’s basically a walk-around tasting of 15 of the wines that changed the way the world regards Italian red wines.

April 21th Bistro Watel’s:  4:30pm.  Taste 8 Cabernets retailing from $50 to $150 for only $20 per person.
Limited space, reservations required by reply email, or at 214 720 0323.

April 24th Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek: 7:15pm. Wine dinner featuring wines from California’s Continuum Estate and Hirsch Vineyards. Mingle with Carissa Mondavi and Jasmine Hirsch and enjoy a reception and four-course menu created by Executive Chef Bruno Davaillon. 214.443.4747

April 25th Abacus: Vision Cellars Wine Dinner.  6:30pm. Please call Abbey Close at 214-559-3111.

April 28th, 7pm at Café  on the Green at The Four Seasons Resort and Club in Irving has a wine dinner with Côte Bonneville wines and winemaker Kerry Shiels  (972) 717-0700. The take: check out this rising star winery from Washington State. It is going to get a lot more national coverage in the next few years. New chef at the Café is worth checking out too.

May 1^st Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse: “US Release of Penfold’s 2007 “Grange”. Details here, but it’s basically a national release party for one of the top ten wines in the world at 59 Ruth’s Chris steak houses across the country. The Dallas location hosts the dinner in north Texas.

Centric's Baked Alaska

This week I attended a media event at Centric, the new restaurant at The Marriott City Center in downtown Dallas. The Marriott wanted to draw attention to their $16m renovation of the hotel that includes a new concierge room on the 16^th floor, a  state-of-the-art 24-hour fitness center, room upgrades, lobby art, and a new name and menu for the restaurant. The executive chef is Yoni Heredia, a California Culinary Academy graduate who has been a  chef positions at Hilton and Westin hotels around the country.

Mesquite BBQ Cedar Planked Salmon, roasted fingerling potatoes, broccolini

Centric doesn’t become too eccentric. The primary evening visitor (80% midweek) is the hotel guest (while the primary lunch visitor, 90% midweek, is the Dallas local). As a result there are the familiar steak cuts of bone in rib eye ($37) and grilled center cut filet ($39). However, there is an acknowledgement of local and farm-to-table trends. For example, the salmon ($29) is a fillet grilled over mesquite. The rigatoni with sausage is made with Jimmy’s sausage. The chicken breast ($26) is battered with Brazos Valley Parmesan cheese and served with wilted organic arugula. For the more adventurous seafood eater, there is a bouillabaisse with French bread ($31) that features shrimp, mussels and salmon with fennel, tomatoes and saffron-Pernod broth. We enjoyed the domestic rack of lamb ($39) atop a salad of quinoa, mango, rosemary and garlic marinade. It was perfectly cooked medium-rare and only lacked a more pronounced rosemary flavor.

For starters, the lobster bisque soup of the day ($7) was chock full of lobster meat. The tuna and avocado tartare ($12) had well-conceived flavor combinations and the tower of ingredients was so tall that, after the removal of the ring mould, it faced ‘gravitational challenges’ resembling a vividly painted tower of pisa.

The baked Alaska was a tour de force. I do hope they make this in-house as it is a memorable end to the meal.

Domestic rack of lamb, mango, rosemary & garlic marinated with minted quinoa salad

The bar has its own menu that, while repeating some of the appetizers from the dining room, also offers items like BBQ chicken flatbread ($12) and select three artisanal Texas cheeses ($15). On the night we were there, the latter featured Deep Ellum Blue from The Mozzarella Company and Van Sormon Brazos Valley cheddar. Check out the flight of four Texas draft beers ($7). I chose Franconia Wheat, St. Arnold’s Brown, Rahr and Sons Ugly Pug and St. Arnold’s Elissa IPA from the six available. The interesting beers offset a very abbreviated wine list with only about 20 selections (although half are available by the glass). There is also a selection of popular cocktails.

With its location two blocks from the Meyerson Symphony Center, the hotel is another downtown choice for pre-event drinks or dining. Or, with that baked Alaska in mind, a post-show dessert.