48-Hr Cracked Pepper Brisket Sandwich at Off-Site Kitchen

Few restaurants have received as much pre-opening buzz as Nick Badovinus‘ highly anticipated Off-Site Kitchen.  As a fan of his work at the Neighborhood Services ventures, I’m not ashamed to admit that I was as giddy as a school girl every time a shred of news regarding its opening surfaced. Naturally, when Off-Site Kitchen did open, 98% of the blogosphere rushed to see what kind of magic Badovinus and crew had been brewing up for all those months, and appropriately, nearly every food writer got right to work gushing about it all over the internet. And honestly, it deserved every bit of praise that has been thrown at it.

Now that some of the early chatter has started to simmer down a bit, it seems only appropriate to express my love for the humble, working-man’s menu at Off-Site Kitchen, particularly through praise of one of my favorite items on the menu board, the 48-hr cracked pepper brisket sandwich. It took a few visits to be able to mentally pry myself away from their excessively delicious burgers, but when I was finally able to take the plunge into non-burger territory, my efforts were so handsomely rewarded, I no longer fear to stray.

The brisket sandwich’s core is, of course, a bed of tender, fatty brisket, slow cooked for 48 hours, dripping seductively with rendered fat and meat juice, and flavored subtly with spicy cracked pepper. The chopped beef is stuffed inside a soft white roll, along with melted Swiss cheese and caramelized onions. Shredded lettuce, tomato and a cherry pepper mayo provide the finishing touches on this exquisitely constructed sandwich.  The cheese envelops the hot beef and onions, providing a creamy richness to the salty brisket. The tomato and cherry pepper mayo provide a surprisingly tangy sweetness that counters the cheese and beef perfectly. While eating one, it takes everything I have not to run away and hide in some remote cave, gently cradling this sandwich in my arms, rocking back and forth, calling it “my precious.” It’s magical.

Double Burger with Cheese and Bacon at Off-Site Kitchen

If you haven’t visited Off-Site Kitchen yet, what the %&$# are you waiting for? It’s humble, understated location and surrounding industrial sprawl only emphasize that Badovinus has truly created a diamond in the rough. It is also telling, and speaks to Nick’s character and concern for his restaurant’s success, that every time I have eaten at OSK, Nick, himself, is in the kitchen, slinging burgers and dropping fries (which, by the way, are my favorite fries in the city) into hot oil with the rest of the crew.  He knows how to cook for the working man, because the dude IS one. My hat’s off to you, sir, and all of your fine crew.

The best fries in Dallas? In my opinion, yes.

]]> http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2012/04/11/eat-this-now-48-hr-cracked-pepper-brisket-sandwich-at-off-site-kitchen-in-dallas/feed/ 5 http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2012/03/07/the-hole-thing-the-latest-in-donut-decadence/ http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2012/03/07/the-hole-thing-the-latest-in-donut-decadence/#comments Wed, 07 Mar 2012 16:00:56 +0000 Daniel Walker http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/?p=37516

(photo by Regina Peterman)

I’m not at all ashamed to profess my love for donuts.  Some may label these decadent morsels of fried dough a “guilty pleasure,” but when I sink my eager teeth into the perfect donut, I feel no guilt at all, simply a euphoric rush of gustatory satisfaction which no other breakfast pastry can provide.  Last year, I presented my list of the Best Donuts in Dallas, but since that time, we’ve seen some notable changes on the Dallas donut frontier.  The beloved Hypnotic Donuts traded in their inconspicuous habitation of a pizza joint in North Dallas for a vibrant new shop in East Dallas.  Other donut shops, such as Pookie’s Donuts on Lemmon Ave, who donut bombed D Magazine a few weeks ago, and Denton Square Donuts who I visited previously, are also getting in on the donut love currently wafting through the air around Dallas.

Jump for a hole lot more…

Banana Pudding Donut (Photo by Regina Peterman)

And now the latest in the world of donut indulgence comes to us from Forney, TX, a tiny town just east of Mesquite.  Not a place I normally travel to, but for exceptional donuts, my stomach and gas tank know no bounds.  I was first turned onto The Hole Thing by the diligent blogger, the walking sweet-tooth, Jayme Campbell of Confection Confessions, one of the few people I know whose love for donuts rivals my own. And so it was that early last Saturday morning, I made the mini-road trip to Forney, to see if The Hole Thing could stack up to some of the donut joints in my regular rotation.

(Photo by Regina Peterman)

Navigating Forney, despite its small size can be incredibly annoying, especially with construction filled roads, a smartphone Google Map on the fritz, and naught but a lousy Facebook map pin to point me in the right direction.  But by the grace of the donut gods and my keen sense of donut-trained olfaction, I pulled into The Hole Thing by 7:30 AM, plenty of time to get my hands on the good stuff.

The Hole Thing starts where most donut shops do, offering the standard array of plain glazed, chocolate glazed, old fashioned sour cream, etc.  But they are assuredly amping things up a bit with their wide assortment of novelty and specialty items, and they are going well beyond the now nearly ubiquitous maple and bacon bar.  I skipped the plain and opted for the unusual to see what this place really had to offer.  Luckily, I was more than pleased in my selections.

(Photo by Regina Peterman)

Blueberry Fritter (Photo by Regina Peterman)

Among the most memorable items was from their line of ”pie-based” donuts including blueberry cream frosted with blueberry pie filling, banana cream pie topped with crunchy banana chips, apple pie with chopped apples, vanilla and cinnamon crumb, lemon cream pie, key lime, and coconut cream. Other showstoppers include the wonderful banana pudding filled donut with wafer cookie crumble and banana chips, the piña colada donut with pineapple, whipped cream and coconut and the pineapple upside-down cake donut with a sweet brown sugar glaze, and (gasp!) a red velvet donut with chocolate drizzle.  As a huge supporter of fritters, I was ecstatic to see their work with these giants among donuts, with blueberry, apple, banana honey glazed, and a banana chocolate chip with peanut butter and chocolate fudge drizzle.

Coconut Cream, Blueberry Cream, and Key Lime Donuts (Photo by Regina Peterman)

Trust me, the options do not stop there. Candy bars, cookies, and cereals find their way onto many of The Hole Thing’s offerings. In addition to donuts, they are running a line of barbecue pockets including chopped brisket filled rolls and smoked pulled pork filled rolls, as well as cinnamon rolls, whoopie pies, and muffins.

I asked co-owner, Katie Vrana, what kind of things they had in mind for the future and among other ideas are a “donut bread pudding with bourbon caramel sauce,” and with the approach of summer they plan on incorporating peaches and berries from a local orchard and berry farm. Drooling yet?

Red Velvet Cake Donut (Photo by Regina Peterman)

The Hole Thing is headed by a trio of women, sisters Katie Vrana and Stephanie Winther, and their niece, Jennifer Thrash. They eventually brought on Scott Martin as head baker, a 15-year bakery veteran from Rhode Island who brought his experience to the team to ensure that what they produce at The Hole Thing is more than the text-book, just-add-water donut mix offerings which plague many run-of-the-mill donut joints around town. For only being open since early December 2011, they are already building a loyal following.  No surprise though, as attention to quality, creativity, and a little risk-taking often pays off in this town. I look forward to great things from these people.

The Hole Thing

571 S. FM 548 Ste 128

Forney, TX

(972) 564-4653

Blueberry Cream Donut (Photo by Regina Peterman)

(Photo by Regina Peterman)

That’s right, Keller. While it may be known as a nice bedroom community to Dallas and Fort Worth commuters, and the home of a million chain restaurants and some average BBQ, Keller has not, hitherto, been a fine dining destination.  That could all change. The Milk & Honey Co. is an offbeat lunch spot, tea room, fine dining restaurant and supper club based in an old clapboard house in the original 40 acre deed for the town. At lunch, it serves straightforward soups and sandwiches. In the afternoon it becomes a refined tea room. In the evening, the owner’s son Joshua Harmon takes over the kitchen and that is when the sparks begin to fly.

Joshua, it should be said, has a varied set of experiences. He started at Chef Pointe Café in Watuaga, possibly the best gourmet Conoco experience in the country. Then it was on to Tastings in Grapevine. He moved to New

Milk & Honey fried green tomatoes - house baked, with feta cream, hand-pulled ham and fresh dill

York City for a lightning round of rapid stages and trails starting at April Bloomfield’s Spotted Pig for one night where he turned down a permanent job to continue experimenting. He became part of the opening crew for The Dutch under Andrew Carmellini (who was Daniel Boulud’s execuchef at Café Boulud for six years) for three months. He served in several roles including garde manger and cooked for such luminaries as Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller (twice) and Mario Batali (mit Crocs) who was kind enough to show the staff what serious drinking was all

Granny Steal's southern fried chicken and a rosemary hot sauce honey for drizzling

about. Then it was a stage at David Burke’s Townhouse for one night that led to a job offer from execuchef Carmine Digiovanni, but he wanted to try additional things before settling down so it was off to Le Cirque where he was offered a job and stayed for two weeks. That time included Restaurant Week, during which the execuchef was away all the time. He wanted to learn Asian cooking technique, which led him to stage at Buddakan for a whole day. Sous chef Dale Talde is one of the chefs he most admires.

Grilled Salmon on Tomato Grits with Chicken Fried Poached Egg

Finally, it was back to Texas where he was offered a gig at Stephan Pyles under execuchef Kyle Barham. During his time there he remembers being allowed to do a different vegetarian dish every night (“I could do anything I wanted. They had stuff like chanterelles in the kitchen…” ) and working last New Year’s Eve when the restaurant was slammed and did over 240 covers. After three months, his family persuaded him to start his own gig as the fine dining face of their new Milk & Honey Co. and that is where he began in February of this year.

Watch This Space...

It is still early days at Milk & Honey Co. The standard menu is solid Southern Home Cooking. It is aimed squarely at the regulars. A large blackboard in the center of the room is going to gradually fill over the next few weeks with more esoteric items learned on Harmon’s travels. He is already sourcing locally and making as much as possible in house (including desserts). He does all his own smoking, but does not have a smoker, so he uses a kitchen pan with a wire mesh on top. Coming, down the line, is smoked fish.

Charbroiled pork chop - with smoked apple butter, grilled onions and celery leaves

We were invited guests on a recent Saturday night where we sampled some of his skills. For example, Fried Chicken has a crisp, totally dry, batter but is oozing with succulent meat inside. An example of careful brining. On the side, is a hot sauce made from honey infused with rosemary. Grilled wild salmon was served atop grits (that’s polenta to y’all from Italy, TX) mixed with finely diced tomato and lightly seasoned with truffle oil. On one side was a chicken-fried poached egg. My personal favorite was the Broiled Pork Chop. He makes the apple butter from hickory-smoked apples, a process that lends a marked smoke character to the apple butter.

Among the house made desserts, the most popular is Pot Au Crème served in a jam jar.

On Saturday night, dinner is accompanied by a live jazz singer, Judy Chamberlain, with a keyboard player. I was impressed when I asked for “Daydream Believer” (this being the week that The Monkees lead singer Davy Jones passed away. He was able to put together the instrumentals based on just a vague memory of how the song went, back when he heard it in the 1960s.

The Milk & Honey Co. is thankfully BYOB, so bring along wine or beer to accompany your meal.

I hope that Joshua’s tendency to flit around is finished for the moment and he continues with the menu growth he plans for The Milk & Honey Co. Keller, Southlake and Colleyville have been remarkably barren of good food for years. Hopefully, this is the start of a turnaround.

Jazz Singer Judy Chamberlain and accompaniment

Photography by Desiree Espada

I think I may be the last person in Dallas to dine at NOSH Euro Bistro. There was a wine dinner at Nosh in Dallas, and I was fortunate to have a media invite. That meant that I got to sit at the counter at the front of the kitchen. I had a cockpit seat into the pandemonium and work that is a meal of this size. Here is some of the action as the team served the diners (every seat sold, and a waiting list, BTW!):

Believe me, you’ll want to jump for some serious food photography by Desiree Espada.Plating the Seared Diver Scallops (Brussels sprout leaves, buttermilk potatoes, pancetta and kumquat preserves):

The result on my plate…

The scene: Customers drinking wine and making merry.

Action Stations: Soon-to-be execuchef Ryan Carbery plating the duck confit (roasted root vegetables, caramelized pear and puff pastry)

The duck confit…

Next was Expresso Braised Short Ribs (pommes “Robuchon”, braised dino kale & baby shitakes)

The Dark Chocolate Tart (EVOO, flake salt & candied pistachios)

A good time was had by all. And, just for the record, Andrew Bell leaves around mid-year to EC the new Nosh in Austin. Ryan Carbery takes over as EC at Nosh Dallas. Is this a chain? Frame this quote: “Five NOSHs Only,” Avner Samuel.

My surprise package from Pookies Donuts

I woke up this morning craving two things: donuts and a Big Breakfast from McDonald’s (don’t ask me why). The universe must really love me, because I walked into work this morning only to discover a big box of donuts sitting on my desk. It came with a mysterious note from Rinny & Joaquin Lewis: “Mark suggested we bring these by. Thank you [insert smiley face].”

Er, thanks for the donuts, guys, but… who are you?? Have we met before? And what did I do to deserve these fatty donuts? Three weeks ago, I gave a random man my extra DART ticket, but that was the latest act of kindness I can remember…

A thorough Google search tells me that that Pookies Donuts opened at 6522 Lemmon Ave. last month, its Facebook page has 63 likes, and needs a new cashier who can speak English and won’t send emails.

Cashier needed for Pookies Donuts. The newest hippest Donut shop in Dallas near Love Field Air Port You must be friendly and outgoing and able to work in a fast pace environment. Position is early mornings till 1:30 pm. Our Donut shop is a fun working environment with great customers. And our donuts are very creative. You must be reliable; being bilingual is a PLUS.
We are Hiring this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EMAILS WILL NOT BE ANSWERED EMAILS WILL NOT BE ANSWERED EMAILS WILL NOT BE ANSWERED EMAILS WILL NOT BE ANSWERED
MUST Apply in Person at MUST Apply in Person at MUST Apply in Person at
Pookies Donuts 8AM TILL 12:30 PM ONLY 8AM TILL 12:30 PM ONLY 8AM TILL 12:30 PM ONLY
6522 Lemmon Ave Dallas TX 75209
Must be able to speak English$$$$$$$

As for these crazy-looking donuts sitting on my desk, they are being approached hesitantly by co-workers who are well past the age of Fruity Pebbles and Froot Loops. The blueberry donut had good reviews, but it was the only normal donut in this box of ten. To be honest, I haven’t touched a single one of these donuts yet. They look like they could eat me.

Big Cheeses: Evan Grant, Jay Jerrier, Eric Nadel.

Tuesday night, pizza lover and baseball writer, Evan Grant, and pizza maker and baseball lover, Jay Jerrier held the finals of the “Name a Pizza for Mike Napoli” contest at Cane Rosso. Four of the five finalists showed up to sample their until-then-never-tasted pizza recipes. Jerrier went to great lengths to make the pies. “We don’t make an Alfredo sauce, so I had to create one for Jason Joseph’s “Angel Tears” entry,” Jerrier said.

I slinked in at the end of the evening to try the pies and I’ve got to hand it to all who were picked in the finals. It was a tough decision. My favorite was Doug Fusella’s “The Cane Rosso Napoli Experience” with Jimmy’s sausage, meatballs, sopressata, spinach, and jalapenos. But Grant and Jerrier picked Joseph’s “Angel Tears,” a pie of Italian sausage, salami, sweet onion, jalapenos, roasted garlic, spinach, Roma tomatoes, and mozzarella dusted with Romano. Jump for all of the recipes and the rationale behind the ingredients below. AND PHOTOS!

Winner Jason Joseph and finalist Doug Fusella. Photo by Jason Acton.

Angel Tears

WINNER!!! Created by: Jason Joseph

Alfredo Sauce (It’s the best sauce.)
Italian Sausage (Hmmm)
Salami (For a Nappy Grand Salami)
Sweet Onion (For the sweet sweet tears of the Angels)
Jalapenos (For the Texas heat)
Roasted Garlic (To ward off injury)
Spinach (For a Napoli power up)
Roma tomatoes
Mozzarella
Dusted with Romano

Angel Tears (left) and Take it Like a Napoli Pie (right) pictured with Eric Nadel.

Take It Like a Napoli Pie

Created by: Camille Broadway

A savory pizza in honor of Napoli’s post-season plate collisions with Sean Rodriguez and Miguel Cabrera.

Tomato Sauce (for Napoli’s willingness to get crushed in the line of duty)
Hot Soppresata, Prosciutto Cotto and Jimmy’s Hot Sausage (three meats representing the collision of three substantive men. The ham is also a nod to the Cuban sandwich in South Florida where Rodriguez/Napoli grew up and to Tampa where the first collision occurred and where Italian salami often gets added to Cuban sandwiches.)
Olives – a light sprinkling (representing that plug of tobacco that Napoli is still looking for after the Tampa collision)
Mozzarella di Bufala (a water buffalo cheese because I’m pretty sure Cabrera is the size of a small water buffalo)

The Cane Rosso Napoli Experience

Created by: Doug Fusella

Gotta be meaty, Nap’s a big boy

Jimmy’s sausage (for the Nap-Nap, um, Winner)
Sliced Meatballs (he is a catcher, has to have …)
Hot Sopressata (that stuff rocks, and Italians need spice)
Spinach (for the strength of the Nap)
Sliced Jalapenos (this is Texas, gotta be hot)

The defining aspect of the Napoli Pie, its missing a quarter, since Mike is a Heat Fan, we know they can only handle the first three quarters.

Max, Jamey, and Erica Newberg with their Napoli Ever After Pie.

Napoli Ever After

Created by Jamey Newberg

Jimmy’s Sausage (commemorating Napoli’s game-tying, two-run single off TB’s James Shields in Game Two of the 2011 ALDS)
Prosciutto Cotto (in honor of journeyman outfielder Henry Cotto, whose home run total in 10 big league seasons was about one-third of Napoli’s total in just six seasons)
Soppressata (because it just sounds bad-ass)
Calabrian chiles (the “No Pepper” rule in baseball does not apply)
Artichokes (“R.T. Chokes” – Napoli went 4 for 5 in 2011 off Angels righthander Rich Thompson, his old teammate . . . with two doubles and a home run among his four hits)
Burrata (fresh Italian cheese – Napoli’s throws to second base)
Sea Salt (short for “See ya, Salty,” as Napoli cured the Rangers’ situation at catcher)

And Evan Grant’s unofficial entry:

The Grand Salami

Start with traditional Cane Rosso sauce and cheese mix, then add:
Chopped fresh basil (It’s got three meanings on this pizza. To represent the green of the field, the green Napoli is going to earn this season and the green of the Italian flag).
Hot Soppresata (t’s the red in the Italian flag, and the spicy salami in this big pie).
Crumbled Jimmy’s Sausage (It’s the dirt for “The Dirtbag.”)
A small thin ring of smoked provolone (It’s the white of the Italian flag and also it could represent all those teams who Napoli, well, smoked last year)
A very slight dusting of crushed sunflower seeds (Well, that’s the magic dust that Ron Washington seems to sprinkle on every former Angel that comes through here to get huge results and it’s a tribute the togetherness of the 2011 team)

The world is going pig-crazy.

On Friday, I heard that Jack in the Box was offering a very limited number of bacon milkshakes as a secret menu item. Did anyone get a chance to try one? I almost dropped everything to go search for one, but then I remembered my sanity. Now I’m lying deep in the trenches of regret.

A few years ago, when the whole “elevated comfort food” movement really started to take shape, it seemed like every restaurant in the city was creating their own version of the fancy-fied mac-and-cheese.  I must have tried them all. Various iterations typically called for elegant or exotic cheeses or expensive luxury proteins, each dish doing its best to push as far as possible from the childhood version, that slop in a blue box.  Many dishes were highly successful, indeed, many restaurants began to claim this as their signature dish.  Now that the novelty of a $15 mac-and-cheese has begun to wear off, there are really only a small handful that, to me, have weathered the trend and continue to be a completely crave-able dish, and Victor Tango’s version, the Crab, Mac and Jack Gratin, still sits on top of my list.

Victor Tango’s menu has made some rearrangements over the years.  They have seemingly always been well-known for their version of chicken and waffles.  But another dish that has not budged since their humble beginnings is their exquisite Crab, Mac, and Jack Gratin.  This dish is a triumph in carbs and fats.  The nutrition label on this thing would likely give most of us a little angina, but nothing good in life comes without a little pain.  Plus, Paula Deen’s got some pills you can take to make you feel aaaaaall better (insert Southern drawl).

Tango’s version of mac-and-cheese incorporates juicy lumps of succulent crab, zesty jack cheese, and perfectly al dente macaroni.  The richness of the cheese with the buttery crab are the ideal combination for and pasta dish, however, it doesn’t stop there…chopped pancetta joins the party for a dish that is simply unstoppable. The entire concoction is completely indulgent, but has been an irresistible pleasure of mine for years.  Plus, it pairs perfectly with chicken and waffles, and you know those are on everyone’s table.

At least now I know what I want for V Day: bacon freakin’ chocolate candy. Whoever mails me a box, wins.

Jump for dates, times, and locations.

Katrina Markoff of Vosges Haut-Chocolat
Pre-Chocolate Festival Visit
Truffle Class on Saturday Morning, Feb 4 at 10 a.m. in the Dallas Central Market Cooking School
Truffle Class on Saturday Afternoon, Feb 4 at 4 p.m. in the Fort Worth Central Market Cooking School

Bertil Akesson of Akesson´s:
Meet the passionate cocoa planter who travels from Madagascar to Brazil to supply the world with the most authentic chocolate and exotic foods.
At Central Market Dallas on February 12 from 12pm-3pm
And Central Market Plano on February12 from 4pm-6pm

Dave Owens of Bissinger’s
Meet the former restaurant owner, long time vegetarian, 30-year culinary expert and mastermind behind Bissinger’s.
At Central Market Dallas on February 10 from 11am-2pm.
At Central Market Plano on February 11 from 12pm-3pm.
At Central Market Fort Worth on February 11 from 3pm-6pm.

Alan McClure of Patric Chocolate
Meet the head chocolate maker behind what Food & Wine Magazine awarded “Best New American Chocolate,” using only a handful of pure and natural ingredients.
At Central Market Dallas on February 10 from 3-6 p.m.

Fritz Knipschildt
Meet owner of Café Chocopoligie, Fritz Knipschildt as he shares his story and passes out samples of his one-of-a-kind artisan chocolates.
At Central Market Dallas on February 12 from 12-3 p.m.
At Central Market Plano on February 12 from 4-6 p.m.

Shawn Askinosie of Askinosie Chocolate
Meet the philanthropically-minded chocolate entrepreneur named “One of 14 Guys Who Are Saving the World” By O, The Oprah Magazine.
At Central Market Plano on February 13 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
At Central Market Fort Worth on February 13 from 3-6 p.m.

Lauren McCusker of Xan Confection
Meet the new hotshot on the chocolate scene and the creator of Xan Confection’s “Lifestyle Line,” featuring non-dairy and gluten-free chocolates that are vegan, low-glycemic and low-calorie.
At Central Market Fort Worth on February 13 from noon-2:30 p.m.
At Central Market Plano on February 13 from 4-6 p.m.

Hippie donuts will be served in a groovy setting.Photography by Desiree Espada.

SideDish photographer Desiree Espada roams the roads with her camera looking for good things to eat and shoot. Check out her photo essay of Bolsa Mercado. Then feast your eyes on what to expect when the Jerry Garcia of donut making, James St. Peter, opens Hypnotic Donuts on Sunday, January 29.

Glory be to the donut.

Interior seating. Kate Nelson of Piecurious makes curious donuts. Photography by Desiree Espada.

James St. Peter rings up a sale. Photography by Desiree Espada.

The Zoo Ropa with iced animal cookies. Photography by Desiree Espada.

Jenni's evil Elvis: peanut butter with banana and bacon. Photography by Desiree Espada.

Greek yogurt parfait and The Hypnotic. Photography by Desiree Espada.

The Canadian Health Care. Photography by Desiree Espada.

The Biscuit Board. Photography by Desiree Espada.

Biscuit with peanut butter and jelly. Photography by Desiree Espada.

Fried chicken biscuit and gravy. Photography by Desiree Espada.

Hypnotic Donuts: Inside out. Photography by Desiree Espada.

Team Hypnotic: Rachel Villarreal, Kate Nelson,and James Baker. Photography by Desiree Espada.

I love Boxing Day, the first business day after Christmas. All of Ontario closes and we sit on the chesterfield and chow down on donuts, beer, macaroni and cheese, and watch hockey. The NHL pretty much owns Canada on Boxing Day now. They have TEN GAMES scheduled. My friend’s mum puts out (uhoot) a hellofa buffet (boo-fay). And k.d. lang always sends me a fruit cake. Go Leafs! (Q: Why don’t the Leafs drink tea? A: Because the Canadiens have all the cups.) And hello Peterborough!

We all know that making a decent grilled cheese doesn’t require a membership in Mensa.  I mean, I was making them at 7 years old…sure they were more often burnt to a black crisp than a nice golden brown, but I just called it “extra toasty.”  A number of joints around the country have popped up, determined to push the grilled cheese sandwich where it has never been before, including places like Cleveland’s Melt Bar and Grilled, Austin’s Chedd, and NYC’s Melt Shop.  So when I first heard about Ruthie’s Rolling Café, one of Dallas’ freshest food trucks dedicated to the humble grilled cheese, I was intrigued. Personally, I love the idea of dedicated cuisine.  If you do one thing, do it right, I always say…okay, I don’t actually say that very often, but if you are only doing one thing and you suck at it, you may want to reconsider the direction your life is heading.  I digress. I hoped that with Ruthie’s, this would not only be the beginning of a long, fruitful relationship between me and some beautiful sandwiches, but that Ruthie would pave the way for a grilled cheese revolution.

I am happy to report that Ruthie’s makes a mean grilled cheese.  Perhaps you have been reluctant to jump on the food truck bandwagon.  I know I have been, as I typically prefer, you know, chairs, air conditioning, and tables, but I can put all those niceties out of mind for some Ruthie’s.  Even if I had to eat her sandwiches in a dark alley behind the Wal-Mart while lying on a bed of nails inside a dumpster, I would have no complaints.

While patrons are afforded the ability to create their own combination of bread, cheese, meats, and condiments, my personal favorite would have to be the grilled sourdough with sharp cheddar, bacon, grilled tomato and caramelized onions. Too often I’ve been served a grilled cheese so heavily laden with butter that the finished product comes out soggy and limp.  No one wants that, trust me. But Ruthie is doing things perfectly.  The bread has a perfect buttery crisp exterior with a soft chew retained from the exceptional sourdough.  The cheese is, of course, hot and melted throughout, the bacon thick and crisp, with the tomato adding a touch of acidity to cut through the richness of the cheese and bacon.  No joke, it’s a darn near perfect sandwich.  Pair it with whatever you like as a dipping sauce, but their special “slob sauce,” a secret tangy, creamy mixture is a perfect accompaniment in my opinion.  However, I wouldn’t be upset if Ruthie decided to blend up their own version of tomato soup sometime in the future.

Help ease some of your holiday shopping stress and check them out while you are braving the crowds around town.  Take it from a man who only lasted 30 minutes at Northpark Mall this weekend, you will want something to help relieve the tension, assuming you make it out alive.

Oh yeah, it's for real.

We’re suckers for any press release that contains the following sentences:

• Yes, this is really real.
• Don’t you judge us; we all knew it would end up here someday.
• And yeah, your right we probably did go too far this time.
• Sorry, Mom.

It seems a couple well-intentioned entrepreneurs have teamed up with J&D’s Foods to create a little something they’re calling baconlube—the world’s first bacon-flavored, water-based, American-made, personal lubricant.

Billing itself as the “gold standard of meat-flavored massage oils” (natch) baconlube, they say, is like the McRib of sex: it’s delicious, makes men crazy, is here for a limited time, and is in short supply.

If you’re thinking “stocking stuffer!” (let’s stay on track here), we’re right behind you. But the boys only made 3,000 bottles of this pork-flavored nectar. It hit the interwebs yesterday at www.baconlube.com. How much, you ask, for a product that promises such a satisfying holiday season? Only $11.99.

you know you want more. jump for it…Still on the fence? Here’s a little rationalization.

FACT – People are passionate about bacon.  According to a recent survey of Canadians by Maple Leaf Foods, Canada’s market leader in the bacon category, when asked to choose between bacon and sex, more than four in 10 (43%) chose bacon.  Thanks to baconlube, Canadians will never have to choose between two of life’s greatest pleasures again.  So you’re welcome Canada, you’re welcome – we’ve got your back.

Need I mention, we’ve requested a sample?

Sushi cone from The Blue Fish.

D Magazine intern Jessica Melton attended a press preview of the food that will be featured at Taste of Greenville Avenue (TOGA) this weekend.

We’ve all been there before. The age-old looping conversation of “I don’t know, what do you want to eat?”

Every now and then we get a break from having to make these awkward decision and pick an event like Taste of Greenville Avenue to satisfy everyone in our group. TOGA is taking place this Saturday from 10AM to 8PM at 4925 Greenville Ave. TOGA is a lot like Taste of Addison and Taste of Dallas, only it localizes the event by focusing on the businesses on Greenville Avenue. About 30 Greenville eateries will pick their best dishes and offer smaller portions—that cost about $3-$6—giving everyone the chance to try as many restaurants in one outing as they want.

Jump for food porn.

I got the chance to try out a few things that will be on the menu, and for the first time I realized the stranger something sounds–Candied bacon, brisket pies, and a sushi cone–the more delicious it is.

These local restaurants make it easy by telling you their history and what their most popular dishes are. I wasn’t too keen on the whole candied bacon thing at first, but when someone from The Grape told me themselves that their customers loved it, I couldn’t resist.

The same went for the brisket pies from The Original Fried Pie Shop and the meatball subs from Pho is for Lovers.

I may not know much, but after this culinary experience I know that from now on when there’s an opportunity to try something crazy, I’m going to take it.

As long as that something crazy is food.

Sushi from The Blue Fish.

Candied bacon from The Grape.

Pinkberry will be there,

Cherry and brisket fried pies from The Original Fried Pie Shop.

Meatball sub from Pho Is For Lovers.

]]> http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2011/10/27/special-report-media-gets-a-preview-of-taste-of-greenville-avenue/feed/ 1