Articles about catering

George Catering in Dallas is Closing

posted by Nancy Nichols | February 17th, 2011 12:23pm | filed under catering | 4 Comments »

Oh no, say it isn’t so. After a 12-year run, chefs Katie and George Brown are closing GEORGE Catering at the end of February.  The Browns started the company in 1999 and through the years also started the four-star GEORGE Restaurant and launched a specialty food company, Bandera Foods, maker of the Killer Pecans. If you have an event booked, don’t panic. All of those on the books will be completed. And Bandera foods will continue to sell Killer Pecans. www.killerpecans.com

Full press release below. (Miss you guys already.)

Continue reading "George Catering in Dallas is Closing"

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Wendy Krispin to Open Royal 60 in Dallas Design District

posted by Nancy Nichols | January 20th, 2011 2:45pm | filed under catering, Celebrity Chefs, Openings/Closings, Restaurant News | 6 Comments »

Lots of buzz about new spots opening in the Dallas Design District. I just learned that long-time Dallas caterer Wendy Krispin will open Royal 60 at the end of the summer. The cuisine? Colonial French. Plans call for lunch only with hopes of becoming a wine bar at night. Royal 60 will be located at at International on Turtle Creek.

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EClaire Cafe Opens in Historic Katy Building

posted by Sarah Reiss | January 4th, 2011 10:20am | filed under Brunch, catering, Openings/Closings, Restaurant News | 23 Comments »

Chef and caterer Emily Ford Susman has brought her family cookbook downtown with the launch of EClaire Texas Cafe in the historic Katy building on Commerce St. The menu is pure Texas, combining the flavors and aromas that define Lone Star cooking. Think slow cooked meats in breakfast and lunch tacos, griddle sandwiches, and atop salads. The eye-catching Cowboy Coneys—hot dogs piled high with mustard, onion, cheese, thin chili and a dash of cayenne and hot sauce—are a must-try.

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2010 Thanksgiving Dinner Options in Dallas

posted by Sarah Reiss | November 9th, 2010 5:38pm | filed under catering, Holidays, Thanksgiving | 14 Comments »

Howdy, Pilgrim!

Regardless of whether you dine out or truck your food in, it’s time to make those Thanksgiving reservations. Read on for a list of restaurants throughout the area that will be serving Thanksgiving dinner.

The list also includes some great take-out options and some vegan alternatives for the non-meat eaters in your brood.

jump for the latest list… Continue reading "2010 Thanksgiving Dinner Options in Dallas"

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Lil’ Bits Mini-Donuts Gives D Staffers a Reason to Get Out of Bed on a Friday Morning

posted by Sarah Reiss | October 29th, 2010 11:50am | filed under Baking, Breakfast, Brunch, catering, cheap eats, Nostalgia, Silly Reasons to Celebrate, Skinny bitches, State Fair, Unsolicited Treats, youthful spontaneous restaurants | 1 Comment »

Mini-donuts fry best in soy oil (left); the finished product (right)

What’s this? Jump to read all about it… Continue reading "Lil’ Bits Mini-Donuts Gives D Staffers a Reason to Get Out of Bed on a Friday Morning"

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Decadent Dinner Party for the Holidays for Only $10,000

posted by Krista Nightengale | October 14th, 2010 11:05am | filed under catering, Christmas, Hanukkah |

I live across the street from Neiman Marcus. So not only have I seen the unveiling of its 2010 Christmas Book, but I also have a fantastic view of the store as it preps for the holiday season. Nothing made me happier than seeing their Christmas trees outside the building lit up last night.

All this to say: I’m in the mood for the holidays. And I’m not the only one. We got a press release announcing that Nicola’s Ristorante Italiano and Culinary Connection are doing a $10,000 decadent dinner party. Not only will you get chef Sascia Marchesi’s fine cooking in your kitchen, you’ll also get to keep the tableware the dinner is served on (the dishes will even be loaded into the dishwasher at the end of the night). To see the menu and get more details, jump!

Continue reading "Decadent Dinner Party for the Holidays for Only $10,000"

Surprise: Garza’s VIP Launch Left Me Cold and Hungry

posted by Sarah Reiss | October 8th, 2010 3:20pm | filed under catering, Celebrity Chefs, Events, Slow News Day | 5 Comments »

Quel spread.

Perhaps the dial on my coolness meter was set too low last night, but in spite of the fact that the spread at Lisa Garza’s Taste VIP launch party was a visual delight, the event left me hungry for more – more warmth, more information, and even a modicum of  interaction from Ms. Garza who seemed preternaturally affixed to a gaggle of suited men instead of the media her PR reps invited to cover the story. (I received more practical information and more love from the folks at Delta Charlie’s on Wednesday.)

Yawn.

That being said, Ms. Garza did put together a fetching demo spread and cut a stylish figure in her vintage togs and pompadour. The South Side on Lamar location may be a bit too dicey for the upscale clientele she hopes to attract, but then again, this could be an aspect of Ms. Garza’s reinvention that (eventually) finds its legs and surprises us all.

Click here for more photos… Continue reading "Surprise: Garza’s VIP Launch Left Me Cold and Hungry"

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Show a Little TASTE at Lisa Garza’s New Studio on Lamar

posted by Sarah Reiss | October 6th, 2010 2:26pm | filed under catering | 4 Comments »

Next Food Network Star contestant and Dallas culinary darling Lisa Garza (anyone remember Suze?) is just hours away from launching her new catering, event planning, and fashion production brainchild, Taste Studio. Showcasing Lisa’s penchant for fine arts, fashion, and all things culinary, the new studio opens for business tomorrow at 1409 South Lamar.

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Lalibela Ethiopian Restaurant in Dallas Saves Another Marriage

posted by Sarah Reiss | September 22nd, 2010 11:53am | filed under catering, cheap eats, Ethnic Food, hold on to your effin hat, Reviews, Spicy foods | 5 Comments »

Anyone who’s said “I do” can tell you that marriage is as filled with pros (having a special someone who’s legally obligated to listen to you complain about Valentine’s Day, ingrown hairs, and the jackass who ate your sandwich/onion rings/pudding cup at work) as it is with cons (having someone who you’re legally obligated to do the same for, knowing all the while that even that single guy who ate your onion rings is getting laid way more often than you are).

Thankfully, there’s something new to add to the Pro column: having someone to double team the menu at Lalibela with. For those of you who have yet to fling yourselves headlong into the gustatory joy that is Ethiopian cuisine (and a sad, sad lot you are), Lalibela provides one of the finest examples of the style that I’ve found in my extensive research (read: gluttonous eating) in New York, Los Angeles, and many many points in-between. (Take that, Little Ethiopia).

If you’re new to the genre, do as I say and order one vegetarian sampler and one meat sampler. What arrives at your table will be a round platter of spongy injira bread topped with assorted piles of stews, lentils and mashed vegetables. Using your hands (no utensils here), tear off a two-inch square of injira and use it to grab from the piles. Pop the bundle in your mouth and prepare for speechlessness. This is a cuisine best eaten slowly with a Zen-like attention to flavor, texture and stomach fullness, which will creep up on you with surprising speed, so keep your wits about you and make note of every flavor. I promise, you’ll forget about those onion rings in no time.

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Catching Up With Lisa Garza in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 13th, 2010 10:24am | filed under catering, Celebrity Chefs, Food On TV, Nutjobs, Skinny bitches | 23 Comments »

It’s hard to believe that the good old days of covering celebuchefs were those in the spring of 2008. That’s when Lisa Garza was a contestant on The Next Food Network Star.

For better or worse, many of us were captivated by her over-the-top effort to get her own TV show. (If you’d like to relive the glory, this post covers the day  SideDish popped The Food Network for accidentally revealing of the winner on a promo. Nasty comments warning. If you want more,pour another cup of coffee and type Garza in SideDish search window.)

I like Lisa Garza. She’s a fighter on and off the camera.  Lisa took a beating while she was on the Next Food Network Star and she lost more than her own TV show when NFNS ended. I caught up with her yesterday.

Jump for the interview.

Continue reading "Catching Up With Lisa Garza in Dallas"

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Dallas is Hot: Food Trucks! Street Food! Clandestine Dining!

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 5th, 2010 1:18pm | filed under catering, Celebrity Chefs, Celebrity Diners, Food On TV, Murmur, Restaurant News | 3 Comments »

Well, the hottest topics in Dallas are food trucks and street food. We’ve got a column on the practicalities of mobile food in Dallas in our current issue. Last night, Channel 8 did a feature on the 10 pm news. (Murmur.) There are articles on the same topics coming from Canada! Today comes word that The Clandestine Dining Society in Dallas has partnered “with one of Dallas’ first gourmet food trucks!”

Why so secret? Oh, it’s clandestine. Gotcha. No wonder I’ve never heard of it. But wait the mysterious email goes on:

“Now – about that gourmet food truck…i’ll go ahead and admit that the CDS has more than a minority stake in it. We hope to be up and running within the next 45 days, and will be serving lunch and dinner when not operating as the CDS event truck. While the Central Business District is currently off-limits, our plans are to alternate between Lakewood, SMU-area, and the Design District. We’ll operate on a semi-fixed schedule and will definitely FB/Twitter our most up-to-date locations and specials.”

So there you have it. We’re on our way to becoming the next Portland.

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Let’s Build the Perfect Dallas Delicatessen

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 2nd, 2010 1:37pm | filed under catering, Celebrity Chefs, Delis, Hippie revolutions, Politics of Food, Procrastination is part of the creative process, Rants, Restaurant News | 37 Comments »

We’ve reminisced about old Dallas delicatessens (Phils, Gilbert’s, Wall’s) and we’ve criticized the new ones that failed (Roaster’s, Zinsky’s) and the one’s still in business (Deli-News).  Let’s pretend that we have been hired by a company to build the perfect delicatessen for Dallas. Big sandwiches? Great bagels? Acme smoked fish? What? Whaddayawant?! I say, bring back the blueberry cheesecake from  Phil’s! Spill it people, somebody with money is looking for your ideas.

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The Whole Country is Screaming For Funky Food Trucks

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 2nd, 2010 12:32pm | filed under catering, Celebrity Diners, Food Crime, Food Fight!, Hippie revolutions, Rants | 11 Comments »

This truck is ready to go in Fort Worth.

First D Magazine. Then the New York Times. Now the Chicago Tribune and San Francisco. I am channeling my inner Grace Slick–let’s start a revolution. Scream below if you want funky food trucks in Dallas. Hey city of Dallas, hear us roar!

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Beyond the Box Ilume in Dallas is Closed

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 2nd, 2010 12:02pm | filed under catering, Celebrity Chefs, Celebrity Diners, Closings, Restaurant News | 4 Comments »

I’m sad to report that the Beyond the Box location at the Ilume on Oak Lawn is closed. The downtown location on St. Paul is still open and, of course, the catering department is still catering.

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Funky Gourmet Food Trucks in Dallas: Probably Not Going to Happen

posted by Nancy Nichols | July 30th, 2010 9:07am | filed under catering, Celebrity Chefs, Food Crime, Hippie revolutions, Murmur, Restaurant News, youthful spontaneous restaurants | 10 Comments »

Michael Sigel has a food truck but he can't park it downtown.

I spent a few months researching funky food trucks in other cities. Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Washington D.C., and New York all have a variety of mobile food units that either tweet their locations or rely on a regular schedule.

The most successful food truck operation is Kogi Korean BBQ in Los Angeles. The chef, Roy Choi, operates four trucks and recently opened Alibi Room, a brick and mortar restaurant in west LA. I guess you could say he backed into the restaurant business. (Rim shot.)

More interesting to me is that Choi was chosen as one of the ten Best New Chefs in America by Food & Wine magazine.

Why can’t we find these kinds of stories on our local streets, especially downtown or in the Arts District? After speaking with city officials, restaurateurs, code enforcement officers, and anyone in between, I determined that the future of funky food trucks in Dallas looks grim. Even Michael Sigel, owner of Green House Truck, the first operation to make some headway in Dallas, seems to be using his truck more for catering and special events.

Anywhoo, the whole story about food trucks in Dallas is here. Read it and scream.

Parting note: During the course of researching this story, I tried to reach chef Choi for some perspective. Here is the reply I received (3 weeks after the call followed by an email):

Thanks so much for your interest in Kogi, but unfortunately we are not accepting any press requests at the moment or anytime in the unforeseen future. As it stands, we are on a media sabbatical.  I wish you all the best on your project.

From the guy who used to make tacos on a truck in the bowels of Los Angeles? Gotta love this country.

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Somebody Help This Poor Girl: Pool Party Caterer

posted by Nancy Nichols | July 6th, 2010 1:07pm | filed under catering, Celebrity Diners | 17 Comments »

She hasn’t even sent out invitations and she’s crying out for help:

I’m hosting 40-50 people for a poolside dinner next month and need a caterer or restaurant recommendation. Thanks to you & Side Dishers in advance. I would like to spend $15 to$20 per person.

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George Catering in Dallas Presents a Seasonality Spinwheel

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 28th, 2010 1:10pm | filed under AgriBusiness, catering, Celebrity Chefs | 2 Comments »

George and Katie Brown of GEORGE Catering are celebrating their 11th year in business by focusing their culinary attention to seasonality. When they aren’t driving their triplets to karate lessons, they devote time to their catering business and fundraising events for causes close to their hearts (see one below).

Somewhat frustrated by clients asking for peaches in February or Texas tomatoes in December, they have developed a Seasonality Spinwheel (take one to Firewheel!) that shows all Texas’ in-season produce per month. (Print out your template here.) Also check out their recipe for Spiked Raspberry Lemonade. Yummers. Continue reading "George Catering in Dallas Presents a Seasonality Spinwheel"

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Restaurant News: Bits and Bites

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 27th, 2010 10:00am | filed under Baking, BBQ, catering, Celebrity Chefs, Restaurant News |

Dallas Farmers Market. Hit the DFM every Saturday through October for ‘Chef at the Market’ Cooking Demonstrations series.  The outdoor cooking demonstrations will be on the Pearl Plaza and will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.  Jump for the line-up of talent.

Mockingbird Station Market. Today! Peaches and blackberries! Lightsley Farms will be joining us today with their fresh picked peaches, blackberries, and assorted produce (no, the tomatoes aren’t ready yet). The Lightsley family has been in the business for more than 65 years and are known for their fruits and vegetables.  I picked up a bag of their peaches at the Corsicana Brick Street Market last Saturday and they have been a sweet addition to my morning bowl of cereal every day this week. Another new vendor, Luscombe Farms, will also be joining us. Luscombe uses only the freshest, Texas-grown ingredients in their Jalepeno Jelly, which has been described in the local media as “to die for.” And there is more. Jump it, now.

Fearing’s Rattlesnake Lounge.  Officially launches “Late-Night” this Saturday from 11 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. and is scheduled to take place every Saturday evening through summer’s end. Yes, upscale disco dining is back. Check it out below.

Milestone Culinary Arts Center and The Viking Cooking School. Sauces, Reductions, and Emulsions! It’s all in the Sauce! Chef André Bedouret, W.M.C.S., will teach you how to make average meals spectacular with the right sauce. I love this. I am going. Deets below.

Wolfgang Puck Catering. (I have reservations about posting this, but I guess it’s my job.) “Looking for some smokin’ BBQ? Cater to guests by indulging them with Southern favorites?” Yes, the Austrian-born chef is now slinging barbecue. Okay, it’s not him, but still. “ As the spring season gets into full swing, Wolfgang Puck Catering introduces menus built around Southern favorites infused with Wolfgang’s signature flavor and simplicity.” Just hold your nose and jump. Continue reading "Restaurant News: Bits and Bites"

Tart Bakery in Dallas: Free Savory Menu Tasting

posted by Nancy Nichols | April 16th, 2010 11:14am | filed under Bacon, Baking, catering, Mother's Day |

On April 24 from 12-4:00 p.m., Tart Bakery will offer complimentary tastings of their savory menu items just in time for Mother’s Day. A few of the items are pictured above. The rest of the story is below. Go. Continue reading "Tart Bakery in Dallas: Free Savory Menu Tasting"

Restaurant Review: Dish Restaurant and Lounge in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | April 8th, 2010 12:15pm | filed under catering, Celebrity Chefs, Groceries, Restaurant News | 7 Comments »
Doug Brown’s mussels with chorizo at Dish.

Recently I wrote a review of Dish, the new-ish restaurant/lounge on Cedar Springs. You can read it here and discuss below. Yesterday I was telling someone about the restaurant and the discussion turned to chef Doug Brown’s other adventure, Beyond the Box. Brown has rolled out two locations of Beyond the Box. The one on Cedar Springs close to Dish, is my new favorite  stop on the way home. (Tra la Pinkberry.) Besides prepared foods, BTB has dog food, magazine, toilet paper, milk—all the creature comforts an always-in-a-hurry-single-middle-aged-single woman needs. The last time I spoke with Brown, I asked (begged) him to put one in my hood. Or add delivery. Why don’t grocery stores deliver?

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