BTW, has anyone been to Rick’s Chop House in McKinney? I’ve heard nothing but great things.

I asked Pyles why he wanted to do the Supper Club, and he had this to say:

“Having traveled the world in search of exotic flavors and preparations, the opportunity to showcase those tastes and customs in this one-time dinner spectacle was very exciting. You will savor the cuisine and cocktails inspired by India, Spain, and the Eastern Mediterranean–think curries, garam masala, cardamom, tandoori, naan, labneh, pomegranates, and pumpkin kofte. Have you ever had a remarkable Lebanese wine? Had your fortune read from the grounds of your Turkish coffee? You will at this dinner! Revel in the unique experience with Indian and Arabic music, belly dancers, and the exotic hookah ritual of narguile shisha.”

Stephan Pyles knows how to throw a party!

During the dessert course, Kyle Stewart of the Cultured Cup will demonstrate a traditional Afghan tea ceremony, and everyone will be able to try Samar’s Afghan Tea, as well as an authentic Masala chai.

Dancing girls! Hookahs! Lebanese wine! Goody bags! Communal tables! Dancing Hookahs ? Perhaps.

The  SideDish Supper Club is not just dinner; it’s a culinary learning experience. Please join us on Sunday, December 6, for the next SideDish Supper Club. The cost is $110 per person and we have included tax, gratuity, and valet parking.

CHECK OUT THE MENU BY CLICKING ON THE SIDEDISH SUPPER CLUB LOGO TO THE RIGHT. Hurry, seating is limited. 214-922-9922.

Make reservations now.

Here is the new and improved list of restaurants that will be serving Thanksgiving dinner. I’ve  also included some great take-out options.

Craft Dallas
W Dallas-Victory
2440 Victory Park Lane
Reservations are highly recommended.
For reservations, please call 214-397-4111.

Amuse
Spiced Pumpkin Soup with Crème Fraîche & Pumpkin Seed

First Course
Foie Gras and Game  Terrine &  Poached Pear
Frisée Salad, Apple Wood Bacon, Chestnuts & Black Truffle

Main Course
(Choice of)
Organic Free-Range Turkey
Prime Rib of Beef
Roasted Scottish Salmon

Side Dishes
Sweet Potato Purée
Roasted Autumn Vegetables
Sausage Raisin Fennel Stuffing
Sautéed Assorted Mushrooms
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Cranberry Sauce

Dessert
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Cranberry-Apple Crisp
Pumpkin Pie
Ice Cream & Sorbet Sampler

$85

Chef/Owner Tom Colicchio
Chef de Cuisine Jeffrey Harris
Pastry Chef Laurel Wimberg

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Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek

The Mansion Restaurant is a Dallas holiday tradition. The Thanksgiving menu is served 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Please call 214-443-4747 for reservations.

First courses
Butternut squash soup, bacon and crème fraiche

Radicchio and green leaf salad, maytag blue cheese, fresh figs and walnut vinaigrette

Warm oysters with caviar cream

Venison carpaccio, mache greens and pecorino cheese

Lobster pasta with crisp pancetta, peas and mint

Foie gras torchon, toasted brioche and huckleberry gastrique

Smoked quail stuffed with apples and pecans, petite green salad

Entrée courses
Roasted organic turkey, sage-cornbread stuffing, whipped potatoes, sautéed green beans and herb gravy

Prime filet mignon, roasted fennel, pomme puree and red currant-onion compote

Salmon on horseradish apples, celery root cream and julienne vegetables

Herb crusted lamb, cannelini beans and roasted baby carrots

Five spice dusted sea scallops, Hudson valley foie gras, fennel puree

Pepper crusted swordfish, parsnip puree, beurre rouge and sautéed spinach

Pork tenderloin, braised collard greens, butternut squash and brown butter

Desserts
Pumpkin Trio
Pumpkin mouse with jaconde, pumpkin pie, pumpkin ice cream
Carrot Cake
Carrot roulade with candied pecans anda cream cheese ice cream
Chocolate Hazelnut
Gianduja mousse with chocolate cremeux and hazelnut gelato
$95 a person $45 for children under 12.

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Warwick Melrose
Thanksgiving 2009

Assorted Breads, Rolls, Croissants, and Muffins

Cold Buffet
Seasonal Fresh Fruit & Artisan Cheese Display
Organic Mixed Greens with Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette &Feta Cheese
Classic Caesar Salad
Traditional Waldorf Salad
Seasonal Grilled Vegetable Crudités’ with Appropriate Dipping Sauces
Roasted Artichoke, Slow Cooked Red Peppers, Mushrooms& wild Oregano Salad
Smoked Salmon with Traditional Garnishes, Dark Bread and Miniature Bagels

Seafood Displayed in Ice
Chilled Jumbo Gulf Shrimp
Snow Crab Claws
Traditional Cocktail & Mustard Sauce

Hot Items
Roasted Fresh Herb Turkey with Classic “Giblet Gravy” and Cranberry Sauce
Traditional Cornbread and Herb Stuffing
Seared Ginger, Soy Glazed Salmon, Basmati Rice
Slow Roasted Sage & Lemon Thyme Rubbed Pork Loin Stuffed with Dried cherries, Dates & Figs
Orecchiette Pasta “Arabiatta” with Rock Shrimp
Roasted “Elephant” Garlic Whipped Potatoes
Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Southern Style Collard Greens with Ham Hocks
Seasonal Fall Vegetables
Classic Eggs Benedict
Sausage and Apple Wood Smoked Bacon

Action Stations
Virginia Baked Honey Glazed Ham with assorted Mustards & Country Biscuits
Roast Baron of Beef with Texas Horseradish Chantilly and Au Jus
Made to Order Omelet & Waffle Stations

Children’s Station
Chicken Fingers and Marinara Sauce
Mac “N” Cheese
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Assorted Cookies and Brownies

Grand Dessert Display
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Traditional Tortes, Cakes and Tarts
Pumpkin, Pecan French Apple and Sweet Potato Pies
Assorted Miniature French pastry
White Chocolate, Strawberry Bread Pudding
Assorted Truffles

Seating from: 11am- 2:30 pm.
Adults: $55 per person (excluding tax & gratuity)
Children 5yrs.-12yrs. $24 (excluding tax & gratuity)
Children under the age of five dine with our compliments
For Reservations, Please Call: (214) 224-3152
www.landmarkrestodallas.com

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Canary Cafe’s Three-Course Thanks
Thanksgiving Day Three-Course Meal for $25 – Thursday, November 26, 2009
Canary Cafe chef-owner Mansour Gorji prepares and serves a three-course Thanksgiving meal from 5 until 9:30 p.m. for $25 for adults and $14 for children 12 and under (tax & gratuity not included).  Reservations are recommended by calling 972.503.7080.  In addition to the special Thanksgiving menu, guests may order off the a la carte meal.

Canary’s three-course Thanksgiving menu includes field greens with pomegranate champagne vinaigrette, choice of turkey or pork chop with pomegranate citrus sauce, pistachio fig dressing, mashed potatoes and vegetables along with a choice of pumpkin or pecan pie.

Canary Cafe specializes in Mediterranean cuisine using fresh ingredients and simple techniques.  For guests wanting to take a little Mediterranean home with them, Chef Gorji has his own product line in Gorji Gourmet, which includes his pomegranate champagne vinaigrette as well as his pomodoro sauces and award-winning steak primer available for purchase at Canary Cafe, area Whole Foods Markets and www.gorjigourmet.com.  The 14 table Addison restaurant offers a complete wine selection.   Canary Café is open for dinner only Tuesday – Thursday, 5-9:30 p.m. and Friday – Saturday, 5-10:30 p.m. For more information call 972 503 7080 or visit www.canarycafeaddison.com.

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Celebrate Thanksgiving Day at
Tre Amici Prime Steakhouse & Seafood

November 26, 2009
5:00 pm-9:00 pm
$38 per person
Live pianist- Adrian King
Wines under $300 are priced half off
Reservations suggested
3 course Thanksgiving Dinner
~ Salad ~
Tre Amici Salad
Baby Greens, Gorgonzola, White Balsamic, Honey Vinaigrette & Candied Pistachios
~ Main Course ~
Roasted Duck with Cornbread Dressing
Traditional Cornbread Dressing and Gravy, served with Green Beans
and Cranberry Sauce
~ Dessert ~

Homemade Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

About Tre Amici Prime Steakhouse and Seafood
Tre Amici Prime Steakhouse and Seafood is a four star restaurant located off the North Dallas Tollway between Trinity Mills Road and Frankford Road which serves prime steaks and fresh seafood with select Italian accents. The 7,900 square foot restaurant offers private dining facilities which can seat 15 to 250 people comfortably and offers state of the art audio visual capabilities.

Tre Amici spotlights live pianist Adrian King Tuesday through Saturday of every week. Adrian’s music career consists of performances for Queen Elizabeth and with the Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

Tre Amici contact information:
18020 North Dallas Parkway, Dallas, Texas 75287; Ph: 972.250.4400,
Fx: 972.250.4401; Hours: Mon-Tue 5 pm-10 pm, Wed-Thu 5 pm-11 pm, Fri-Sat 5 pm-12 am; http://www.tre-amici.com/

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Nana’s Annual Thanksgiving Brunch and Dinner

It may be a tradition but certainly not
traditional. Nana’s much-anticipated Thanksgiving feast is where Executive Chef Anthony Bombaci showcases his distinctive cooking style and thrilling flavor profiles.  On November 26, expect to see grilled turkey breast served with cranberry compote, roasted rack of lamb served with sweet potato trixat, and pumpkin flan for dessert.  The four-course meal is $79 per person for adults and a three-course meal for children 12 and under is $24 per person.  Brunch, served from 11am – 2:00pm, includes complimentary bottomless mimosas or champagne.  Dinner is available between 6pm – 8pm.  Reservations are recommended by calling Nana at 214.761.7470. www.nanarestaurant.com

ADULT THANKSGIVING MENU

Amuse

Amuse Greek Yogurt, Strawberries, Balsamic Vinegar Caramel, Pine Nuts

Second Course (choice of)

Grilled Quail, Squash Caponata

Baby Spinach Salad, Candied Pine Nuts, Shaved Manchego, Warm Sherry Vinegar

Tuna Tartar, Wasabi Ice Cream, Soy, Sesame, Passion Fruit

Lobster Cavatelli – “Tuscan Puttanesca”

Liquid Baked Potato Soup, Sour Cream Foam, Chives, Potato Chip “Salt”

Ricotta-Lemon Silver Dollar Pancakes, Raspberries, Lemon Curd

Entree (choice of)

Grilled Turkey Breast, Cranberry Compote, AVC’s Stuffing, Green Beans, Celery Root Puree

Seared Scottish Salmon, Garbanzo Ragout, Glazed Baby Back Rib, Piquillo Peppers

Pan Roasted Duck Breast and Sea Scallop Combo, Quince, Hazelnuts, Orange-Pomegranate Glaze

Grilled Prime Filet, Parm Fries, White Truffle Oil, Rosemary-Yuzu Butter

Roasted Rack of Lamb, Sweet Potato Trinxat, Seared Drunken Goat Cheese

Fried Organic Eggs, French fries, Liquid Tomato Chutney

Dessert (choice of)

Pumpkin Flan, Pecan Guirlache, Nutella Pebbles

Glazed Strawberries, Orange Chiffon Migas, Licorice, Vanilla Chantilly

Cheezecake Panna Cotta, Fuji Apple Compote, Candied Fried Walnuts, Citrus Ice Cream

CHILDREN’S THANKSGIVING MENU

Appetizer (choice of)

Cavatelli, Tomatoes, Basil, Parmigiano Reggiano

Fresh and Dried Fruit Salad with Lemon-Poppy Seed Dressing

Traditional Caesar Salad, Garlic Croutons, Creamy Caesar Dressing

Entrée (choice of)

Fried Chicken Breast Salad with Ranch Dressing & BBQ Sauce

Mozzarella and Prosciutto Panini, French Fries

Kobe Beef Sliders, Cole Slaw and Fries

Fried Eggs, Steamed Rice and Homemade Ketchup

Dessert (choice of)

Vanilla Ice Cream, Glazed Strawberries

Pumpkin Flan, Pecans, Nutella Pebbles

Cheesecake with Graham Cracker Earth and Citrus Ice Cream

Nana is a restaurant with an inimitable sense of luxury and wonder, where its service, panoramic view of the city, and upscale American cuisine created by internationally-acclaimed Executive Chef Anthony Bombaci are simply astonishing.  Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 6pm – 10pm and Fridays and Saturdays from 6pm – 10:30pm.  Nana is located on the 27th floor of the Hilton Anatole Hotel at 2201 Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX  75207.  Reservations are available by calling 214.761.7470.   www.nanarestaurant.com

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Crú: A Wine Bar Offers Three-Course Thanksgiving Dinner
Ideal for your Family Gathering. We’ll even do the dishes!
Thursday, Nov 26th, 2009 – 12 noon – 9 pm
$32 per guest, half off for children under 12
Bring the whole family to our house this Thanksgiving and indulge yourself on our specially prepared three-course menu created by our Executive Chef. You’re sure to have the best Thanksgiving Dinner in town!
Choose from a more traditional Thanksgiving offering, such as Roasted Turkey or Beef Tenderloin, or delve into some of Chef Paul’s more distinctive main courses like New Zealand Lamb Rack or Oven Roasted Salmon. We’ll also have Pumpkin and Apple Pie, as well as our signature Chocolate Lava Cake.
Whatever your mood, be assured that our knowledgable servers are ready to suggest a wine pairing from our extensive bottle wine or by-the-glass list.
We’ll even clean up and do all the dishes!

Appetizer
Warm Baby Spinach Salad
spiced pumpkin seeds, pears, cashel blue cheese & honey dijon vinaigrette
Sweet Potato & Fontina Tortelloni
herb roasted chanterelle mushrooms & sage brown butter
New Zealand Lamb Tamales
avocado crème fraiche & ancho chili sauce
Butternut Squash Soup
jumbo lump crab , robiola cheese crostini & chive cream
Main Course
Roasted Turkey
focaccia oyster mushroom dressing, green beans, maple whipped sweet potatoes & gravy
New Zealand Lamb Rack
butternut squash-white cheddar risotto, asparagus & red wine sauce
Oven Roasted Salmon
roasted garlic creamed fingerling potatoes, green beans & blood orange glaze
Roasted Beef Tenderloin
fennel & rosemary crusted, broccolini, whipped sweet potatoes & chianti sauce
Dessert
Warm Baked Apple Pie
with caramel ice cream
Pumpkin Pie
with cinnamon-vanilla whipped cream
Chocolate Lava Cake
with raspberry sauce
Call Your Favorite Crú Location For Reservations
Dallas
WEST VILLAGE
3699 McKinney Ave., Dallas
214/526-WINE (9463)     WATTERS CREEK
842 Market St., Allen
972/908-2532    SHOPS AT LEGACY
7201 Bishop Rd., Plano
972/312-WINE (9463)

Austin
2ND STREET
238 W. 2nd Street, Austin
512/472-WINE (9463)     THE DOMAIN
11410 Century Oaks Ter., Austin
512/339-WINE (9463)

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THE MERCURY THANKSGIVING BUFFET

TURKEY, CORN DRESSING, (ALL THANKSGIVING ITEMS)

PRIME RIB
TURKEY AND TURKEY BREAST
SALMON WITH STIRFRY VEGETABLES
CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
PORK LOIN WITH CHERRY SAUCE

CHILLED SHRIMP
MARINATED CRAB CLAWS
OYSTERS

EGGS BENEDICT
OMELETTE STATION
PANCAKES
WAFFLES
BACON AND SAUSAGE

SOUHWESTERN CAESAR SALAD WITH FAJITA MEAT
TOMATO MOZZARELLA SALAD
CHILLED ASPARAGUS WITH CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE
CALAMATA BREAD SALAD
DEVILED EGGS
FRUIT PLATTER
CHEESE PLATTER
ASIAN PASTA SALAD

CREAM SPINACH
BROCOLLI CASSEROLE
POTATO PUREE
CORNBREAD DRESSING
MACARONI AND CHEESE
CREAM CORN
JALAPENO CHEESE GRITS

CRANBERRY SAUCE
COCKTAIL SAUCE
REMOULADE SAUCE

PUMPKIN PIE
PECAN PIE
RICE PUDDING
CARAMEL FLANS
TRES LECHES
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE
CARROT CAKE
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
BROWNIES
CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES
TIRIMISU
LEMON SHORTCAKE
MINI TARTS AND PASTRIES
WARM BREAD PUDDING
CROISSANTS AND DANISH
BISCUITS WITH CREAM GRAVY
BUTTER AND RASPBERRY JELLY

$49.95 ADULTS
$24.95 KIDS TEN YEARS AND UNDER.

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VICTORY TAVERN CITY GRILLE
2501 N. Houston St., Dallas
214/432-1900Thursday, Nov 26th, 2009 – 12 noon – 9 pm
$32.95 per guest, half-off for children under 12
Bring the whole family to our house this Thanksgiving and indulge yourself on our specially prepared three-course menu created by Executive Chef Jim Oetting. Chef Jim displays his originality with bold flavors and seasonally inspired dishes, gently infusing creative approaches to comfort food classics. You’re sure to have the best Thanksgiving Dinner in town!
Choose from a more traditional Thanksgiving offering, such as Molasses Brined Turkey Breast or Maple Scented Pork Tenderloin, or delve into some of Chef Jim’s more distinctive main courses like Blackened Salmon or Organic Honey & Mustard Glazed Cod. We’ll also have Classic Pumpkin Pie and Chocolate Kahlua Bread Pudding, as well as our signature Really Good Coconut Cream Pie.
Whatever your mood, be assured that our knowledgable servers are ready to suggest a wine pairing from our bottle wine or by-the-glass list.
We’ll even clean up and do all the dishes!
Appetizer
Tavern Chopped Salad
Smoked Salmon with traditional garnish remoulade & toast points
Quinoa, Butternut Squash & Black Currant Salad with butter lettuce
Baby Spinach Salad with smoked bacon, dried cranberries & cave aged blue cheese
Roasted Sweet Potato Bisque with toasted pepitas & spiced crème fraiche
Main Course
Molasses Brined Turkey Breast with fall mushroom stuffing & giblet sage gravy
Maple Scented Pork Tenderloin with smoked chicken sausage, creamed corn & organic apple cider glaze
Blackened Salmon with tavern green bean casserole & orange thyme butter sauce
Organic Honey & Mustard Glazed Cod with heirloom fingerling potatoes, brussel sprouts & smoked bacon
Grilled Flatiron Steak with aged cheddar mash, wilted greens & chimichurri butter
Dessert
Really Good Coconut Cream Pie
Chocolate Kahlua Bread Pudding with white chocolate crème anglaise
Classic Pumpkin Pie with cinnamon whipped cream
victorytavern.com

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Thanksgiving at Smoke
$40 per person

The Beginning
HEARTY GREENS & ROOT VEGETABLE SALAD, fennel, marinated celery root, crisp parsnip, fresh herbs and dried cherries
GRIDDLED SHRIMP BISCUIT with fruit mustard and smoke garden basil
BUTTERNUT SQUASH & CHESTNUT SOUP with Indian spiced crouton, sweet cream and celery leaf

The Feast
TRADITIONAL HICKORY SMOKED FARM TURKEY with Wild Mushroom & Marjoram Gravy
ARTISANAL COUNTRY SMOKE HOUSE HAM with Dublin Dr. Pepper Red Eye Gravy
PIT ROASTED LEG OF LAMB with cider vinegar, garlic and Mint Jus
All the Fixings
Sage Cornbread & Adouille Sausage Stuffing
Fresh Cranberry & Orange Relish
Creamed Spinach, Caramelized Pearl Onions & Leek Casserole
Braised Red Cabbage & Caraway
Saffron & Corn Mashed Potatoes
Maple baked sweet yams

The Sweets
Mexican Cinnamon Apple Cobbler
Buttermilk & Caramel Pumpkin Pie
with “left-overs” and cookies to take home!
901 Fort Worth Avenue
Dallas, TX 75208
(214) 393-4141
www.smokerestaurant.com

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Fearing’s
Thanksgiving – Thursday, November 26
Breakfast: 6:30 – 11 a.m.
Thanksgiving Lunch and Dinner: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and 5 – 8 p.m.
Three-Course Holiday Menu
$95 per adult, $40 per child 12 and under, excluding beverage, tax and gratuity
Bar Hours and Bar Menu also available
Thanksgiving:

F I R S T C O U R S E
Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque with Pheasant Confit, Caramelized Apple/Celery Root Fritter and Smoked Pecan Gastrique

Seared Nantucket Bay Scallops on Chestnut/Brandy Cream with French Bean/Pancetta Saut and Oregon Black Truffle Reduction

“Chicken Fried” Bob White Quail on Sweet Potato Spoonbread with Sage-Roasted Applewood Bacon Salad and Red Currant Chutney

A Sampler of Griddled Lump Crabcakes, Poached Shrimp/Mango Cocktail and Chili Braised Short Rib Tamale with Dia de Accion De Gracias Fiesta Salad

S E C O N D C O U R S E
Tangerine-Glazed Turkey with Tortilla Dressing, Whipped Potatoes, Green Beans/Salsify, Jalapeo Cranberry Relish and Pecan Chili Gravy

Grilled Red Snapper with Sage Brown Butter and Crispy King Crab Legs on Meyer Lemon Texas Rice with Asparagus “Amandine”

“English Style” Marjoram/Malt Glazed NilGai Antelope on Wild Boar “Bangers and Mash” with Tawny Port Sauce and Yorkshire Pudding

West Texas Mopped Beef Tenderloin on Creamed Arugula with “Loaded” Smashed Yukon Potato Croquette and Wild Mushroom/Madeira Sauce
RESERVATIONS:  Please dial 214.922.4848
Fearing’s is located at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, 2121 McKinney Avenue, Dallas, TX 75201

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CENTRAL 214 ANNOUNCES THANKSGIVING MENU

Portion of Every Holiday Meal “Gives Back” to Support Local Food Pantry

WHAT:             Central 214 Thanksgiving Feast – - This Thanksgiving let Chef Blythe Beck do the cooking while also supporting those in need with $5 of every meal going back to Resource Center Dallas’ Food Pantry. The Central 214 holiday buffet features Blythe’s deliciously “naughty” twist on traditional Southern favorites: trio of turkey (roasted, smoked and fried); bourbon sweet potatoes; creamed corn; naughty green bean casserole; butter whipped potatoes; stuffing and dressing, giblet gravy and cranberry chutney; and hot cornbread with honey butter. Top it off with pumpkin and pecan pies and apple cobbler. Price is $45 per person or $22 for children 12 and under, with Central 214 donating $5 of every meal to charity. Price also includes coffee, iced tea and juice.  This month, further support Resource Center Dallas with Cocktails for a Cure: Grapefruit Spritz, Bad Apple, Orange Blossom Fizz or Morning Daiquiri.
Call now for your Thanksgiving reservation at 214.443.9339 or visit http://www.central214.com

WHEN:             Thursday, November 26, 2009 – 11am – 3:00pm

MENU:
Trio of Turkey –Roasted, Smoked & Fried
Bourbon Sweet Potatoes
Creamed Corn
Butter Whipped Potatoes
Naughty Green Bean Casserole
Stuffing/Dressing
Cranberry Chutney
Giblet Gravy
Cornbread w/ Honey Butter
Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Pie
Apple Cobbler

WHERE:           Central 214 – 5680 North Central Expwy. at Mockingbird Lane Dallas, TX 75206 – 214.443.9339

Central 214’s extensive menu celebrates familiar flavors and the rich tradition of contemporary regional American cuisine. Diners experience Executive Chef Blythe Beck’s passion for food and for life through her hearty and traditional classics seasoned with rich ingredients and a famously “naughty” twist. The menu evolves with the seasons and features only the freshest steak, pork, seafood, poultry and local produce. Chef Blythe Beck practices the environmentally friendly standards of the Monterey Bay Seafood Watchlist when selecting seafood for the menu. Located adjacent to the Hotel Palomar Dallas Central 214 is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as weekend brunch. Reservations are recommended. Complimentary valet parking is available. Visit www.central214.com <http://www.central214.com> .
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Texas de Brazil Rescues You from Hosting-Stress and Cooking Disasters this Thanksgiving

Texas de Brazil Open all Day on Thanksgiving

All 15 domestic locations of Brazilian Steakhouse Texas de Brazil will be open all day on Thanksgiving (11am to close) to rescue you from cooking disasters, cleaning chaos and the stress of hosting. Enjoy a truly unique and delicious Thanksgiving experience with friends and family this year. Texas de Brazil offers guests a unique Brazilian dining experience, complete with sword-wielding Gauchos, a.k.a. Brazilian cowboys, who circulate the dining room floor serving guests various cuts and types of meat. The dining concept of Texas de Brazil is simple: guests pay a flat rate which includes the salad area, meats and side items, with as much or as little meat as desired, which is sliced and diced tableside by the Gauchos.  For those with a lighter appetite, the light dinner is available, inclusive of all hot and cold salad bar items.

The Brazilian serving style and rustic atmosphere of Texas de Brazil allows guests to enjoy an overall entertaining dining experience, complete with excellent service and exquisite food. Texas de Brazil’s menu features a gourmet salad area containing more than 50 items and full meat service cooked in the traditional Brazilian “Churrascaria” style. Meat selections include Brazilian sausage, chicken breast wrapped in bacon and rack of lamb and picanha, the house specialty, to name a few. Salad bar items include but are not limited to Brazilian black beans with pork, imported cheeses, marinated portobello mushrooms and artichoke hearts.

About Texas de Brazil – Texas de Brazil is family owned and operated. Started in 1998, the company has quickly grown into one of the country’s premiere Churrascarias, currently operating 14 domestic locations and one international location. The restaurant’s menu consists of 15 grilled meats; all prepared in the traditional Brazilian method over an open flame and carved tableside by the restaurant’s authentically costumed Gauchos, as well as an elaborate salad area, wine list, dessert menu, full liquor bar and private rooms available for special functions. The most recent location will open in Hallandale Beach, FL in late 2009, bringing the total number of locations to 16. For more information please visit www.texasdebrazil.com

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CAPRICCIO RISTORANTE

5301 Alpha Road, Suite-66
Dallas, Texas-75240
972-991-3939
Thanksgiving Day Brunch
11:00am-4:00pm

Adults $18.95-Children $10.95
Menu
Salad Bar
Create your own salad
Breakfast Station
Eggs Benedict-Bacon-Sausage- Potato-Omelets made to Order

raditional Turkey Station
Turkey-Dressing-Stuffing-Green Beans-Mashed Potato-Cranberry sauce
Non-Traditional Station
Fresh Tilapia- Meatballs-Spaghetti-Sautéed Garden Vegetables
Carving Station
Ham &Pork Tenderloin
Dessert Station
Carrot Cake-Pecan pie-Chocolate Cake

THE SECOND FLOOR
Thanksgiving Celebration
first course
butternut squash soup
cranberry crème fraiche
grilled quail
tasso ham, corn, frisee
candy striped beet carpaccio
mixed greens, almonds, goat cheese

second course
roast turkey breast
apple pecan stuffing, pomme puree, cranberry chutney
baked virginia ham
sweet potato risotto, pecans, brussels sprouts
scallops
creamy green beans, leeks, crispy shallots

third course
cranberry orange panna cotta
vanilla shortbread, st. germain gastrique
pumpkin crème brulee
gingersnap cookies, spiced apple cider

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Charlie Palmer at the Joule
Thanksgiving Day Brunch
Brunch Seating is from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
$55 per person (children under 12 $35)
tax and gratuity are not included
(214) 261-4600
First Course

BABY RED OAK SALAD
HAZELNUT PHYLLO / ROASTED BEET RELISH / TEXAS GOAT CHEESE
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
CHORIZO CRUSTED SCALLOP / PUMPKIN SEEDS
TOAD IN A HOLE
BRIOCHE / SUNNY SIDE EGG / PORK SAUSAGE /&NBSP; PEPPERED EGG CRÈME FRAICHE
MIXED GREEN SALAD
CANDIED WALNUTS / PORT CRANBERRIES / CORNBREAD CROUTONS / HONEY VINAIGRETTE
EGGS ANY STYLE
POTATO SHALLOT CAKE / BABY GREENS SALAD
Main Course
EGGS BENEDICT
GRILLED PORK LOIN / SPINACH / POACHED EGG / HOLLANDAISE
ROASTED GARLIC / CELERY ENGLISH MUFFIN
CARAMELIZED TEXAS TURKEY BREAST
SWEET POTATO SHEPHERD’S PIE / GIBLET GRAVY
PAIN PERDU
PAN FRIED CHERRIES / WHIPPED CREAM
FILET OSCAR
LUMP CRABMEAT / ASPARAGUS / AU POIVRE SAUCE
PANCAKE STACK
CHOICE OF ONE
STRAWBERRY, BANANA, OR BLUEBERRY / MAPLE SYRUP
Sides
FRESH CRANBERRY SAUCE
CORNBREAD AND SWEET SAUSAGE STUFFING
TRADITIONAL TURKEY STUFFING
SCRAMBLED EGGS
WILD MUSHROOM RAGOUT
Dessert
PUMPKIN QUARK
PEAR QUINCE CHUTNEY / BROWN SUGAR CARAMEL / PEPITA BRITTLE

ROASTED CRAB APPLE
CINNAMON CREAM / POACHED DRIED APRICOT / CINNAMON CRYSTAL

CHOCOLATE DONUTS
CANDIED KUMQUATS / GINGER CREAM / COFFEE GELATO

Charlie Palmer: Thanksgiving Day Dinner
Dinner Seating is from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
$75 per person (children under 12 $35)
tax and gratuity are not included
First Course

BABY RED OAK SALAD
HAZELNUT PHYLLO / ROASTED BEET RELISH / TEXAS GOAT CHEESE
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
CHORIZO CRUSTED SCALLOP / PUMPKIN SEEDS
MIXED GREEN SALAD
CANDIED WALNUTS / PORT CRANBERRIES / CORNBREAD CROUTONS / HONEY VINAIGRETTE
HUDSON VALLEY FOIE GRAS
TRUFFLE BRIOCHE / PEAR CHUTNEY / UPLAND CRESS
COLORADO LAMB RAGOUT
WILD MUSHROOMS / GNOCCHI / PECORINO
Main Course
CARAMELIZED TEXAS TURKEY BREAST
SWEET POTATO SHEPHERD’S PIE / GIBLET GRAVY
DRY-AGE SIRLOIN
GARLIC BRAISED BRUSSELS LEAVES / POTATO RISOTTO / AU POIVRE SAUCE
OPEN FACE SCALLOP AND SHORT RIB RAVIOLI
CLEMENTINE / WATERCRESS
SAUTÉED TEXAS QUAIL
CHILI-MAPLE GLAZED PORK BELLY / ROASTED GARLIC
KURABOTA PORK CHOP
ROASTED APPLES / PURPLE MUSTARD GASTRIQUE / RED WINE NATURA
Sides
FRESH CRANBERRY SAUCE
CORNBREAD AND SWEET SAUSAGE STUFFING
TRADITIONAL TURKEY STUFFING
WILD MUSHROOM RAGOUT
POMMES PUREE
Dessert
PUMPKIN QUARK
PEAR QUINCE CHUTNEY / BROWN SUGAR CARAMEL / PEPITA BRITTLE
ROASTED CRAB APPLE
CINNAMON CREAM / POACHED DRIED APRICOT / CINNAMON CRYSTAL
CHOCOLATE DONUTS
CANDIED KUMQUATS / GINGER CREAM / COFFEE GELATO

************TAKE OUT! TAKE OUT! TAKE OUT! TAKE OUT! TAKE OUT!**********

TJ’s Market & Catering
Thanksgiving Take Out Menu
We do the work…you get the thanks!
Orders available for pick up
Mon – Wed, Fri – Sun
10am – 6:30pm
(closed Thanksgiving)

PLEASE ORDER BY MON NOV 23
Appetizers
Baked Brie Stuffed with Fruits & Nuts
Serves 4-8…22.99
Jumbo Snow Crab Claws…30.99 / lb
Scallops Wrapped in Bacon…22.99 / doz

Marinated Crab Fingers…26.99 / lb

Seafood Enchiladas…8.99

TJ’s Savory Stuffed Mushrooms
Spinach & artichoke…14.99 / doz
Crab stuffing…16.99 / doz

TJ’s Crabcakes
Appetizer…3.99/ea
Dinner…6.99/ea
Maryland…9.99/ea

Fine Caviars & Bilinis…Mkt Price

Bake At Home Puff Pastries (14.99 – 20.99 / doz)
Mushroom Profiteroles
Shrimp & Dill Puffs
Lobster Triangles
Black Bean Empanadas
Brie, Pear & Almond Flowers
Spinach & Pesto Puff

Platters

TJ’s Famous Cooked Shrimp Platter
Plattered…25.99 / lb
Bagged…22.99 / lb

Smoked Salmon Platter
Hickory OR Nova Lox w/ decorative cream cheese & fixings
Large serves 10-16…84.00
Small serves 4-8…42.00

Crudités Platter
Fresh vegetables with two dips
Large serves 20-25…55.00
Small serves 10-15…35.00

Fresh Fruit and Cheese Platter
Large serves 10-16…70.00
Small serves 6-8…40.00

Soups (5.99/pt)

Seafood Gumbo
Clam Chowder
Lobster Bisque

Thanksgiving Entrées

Oven Roasted Turkey Breast…12.99 / lb

Glazed Boneless Chicken Breasts…6.99 / ea

Maine Lobsters…Mkt Price
Live or steamed & cracked (Tails also avail)

Beef Tenderloin (Whole tenderloin)…17.99 / lb
No charge for trimming or seared & seasoned

Herb Seasoned Rack Of Lamb…22.99 / lb

Caren’s Seafood Casserole (Family Recipe!)
Serves 6-8
Shrimp & Scallop…55.00
Shrimp & Lump Crab…60.00

TJ’s Poached Or Grilled Salmon
Wild King (31.99 / lb) or North Atlantic(18.99 / lb)
With Cucumber Dill Sauce or Tangy Apricot Glaze

Sides

Vegetables (Feed 6…16.99)
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Creamed Spinach
Corn Pudding
Glazed Carrots
Green Beans w/ Almonds
Sweet Potato Casserolew/ Streusel Topping

Potato Cakes…1.99 ea
Twice Baked Potatoes…2.99 ea

Thanksgiving Traditions

Cornbread & Herb Dressing…16.00
Oyster Dressing…20.00
Plain Gravy…..3.99 / pt
w/ Giblets…….4.99 / pt
Fresh Cranberry Relish…6.99 / pt
Sourdough Baguette…3.99 ea

Thanksgiving Desserts

Double Fudge Chocolate Cake
Double Layer…40.00
Single Layer…24.00

Pumpkin Pie Crumble Cake
Large serves 10-12…38.00
Small serves 4-6…20.00

Pecan “Pie” Cake
Large serves 10-12…38.00
Small serves 4-6…20.00

Pecan Fudge Cake…40.00

Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes…5.95

Eggnog Bundt Cake with Rum Glaze…36.00

Pumpkin Bread…12.00

Thanksgiving Pies…18.00
Pumpkin / Sugar Free Pumpkin / Pecan
Cherry / Apple / Peach-Raspberry
Strawberry-Rhubarb
Assorted Mini French Pastries…1.99 ea

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Nick & Sam’s
The Holidays can be stressful. For some, the prospect of walking into a hot kitchen with piles of dirty dishes looming is enough to put an end to planning Thanksgiving dinner. But Nick & Sam’s is here to help. If you are looking for a traditional turkey dinner (or prime rib dinner), we’ve got your Thanksgiving answers. We will do all the hard work, so you can sit back and celebrate!

TURKEY DINNER $35 per person
Herb Roasted Turkey
Cornbread & Sage Stuffing
Country Turkey Gravy
Sweet Potato Mash
Creamed Spinach
Creamed Corn
Cranberry Kumquat Relish
House Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
Bread Rolls

PRIME RIB DINNER $45 per person
Slow Roasted Prime Rib
Garlic Au Jus
Sweet Potato Mash
Au Gratin Potatoes
Grilled Asparagus
Sautéed Mushrooms
Horseradish Sour Cream
House Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
Bread Rolls

A LA CARTE OFFERINGS, FAMILY STYLE
Slow Roasted Prime Rib with Garlic Au Jus
Serves 8 $130

Herb Roasted Turkey with Country Gravy
Serves 6 $60

Spiral Ham with Cinnamon Peach Glaze
Serves 4 $45

Rosemary Garlic Leg of Lamb with Mint Au Jus
Serves 4 $55

A LA CARTE OFFERINGS, INDIVIDUAL SERVINGS
$2 per serving
Cranberry Kumquat Relish

$3 per serving
Acorn Squash & Apple Bisque

$4 per serving
Sage & Cornbread Stuffing
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Creamed Spinach
Creamed Corn
Macaroni & Cheese
Au Gratin Potatoes
Haricot Vert with Toasted Almonds
Sautéed Mushrooms
Grilled Asparagus

$5 per serving
Lobster Macaroni & Cheese
DESSERTS (Serves
Pumpkin Crème Brulée Cheesecake
$55

Black & White
Devil’s Food Cake with White Chocolate
Mousse & Chocolate Truffles
$60
Pumpkin Cranberry Pie
$40

Pumpkin Spiced Carrot Cake
$40
DESSERTS, INDIVIDUAL SERVINGS
$4.50 per serving
Apple Cranberry Tart
Peach & Golden Raisin Bread Pudding
website www.nick-sams.com/special events/ thanksgiving

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Bread Winners Holiday Dinner Menu

Roast Turkey Breast or Glazed Ham
Served with Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, Sage or Cornbread Stuffing, Homemade gravy, Creamed Corn, Cranberry Sauce, Dinner Rolls
$16.95 per person

Additional Sides (priced per person)
Squash Casserole (4)
fresh Green Beans ($3)
Grilled Vegetables ($3)
Creamed Corn ($3)
Green Chile Mac and Cheese ($4)
Buttered Asparagus ($4)

PINTS
Spicy Apple Chutney ($7)
Cranberry Sauce ($6)
Spinach & Artichoke Dip ($8)
Homemade Gravy ($6)

All Holiday Dinner Items are Available for Delivery or Pick Up.

Bread Winners also offers Handmade Pies, Holiday Cakes and Tortes, Breads and other dessert temptations to finish off your meal.  A compete list can be found at www.bredawinnerscafe.com under the Menus tab.

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eatZi’s Market & Bakery
offers Thanksgiving the Easy “eatZi’s” Way!

Hours of basting, mashing, chopping and mixing is better left to the experts this Thanksgiving with complete gourmet to-go feasts from eatZi’s Market & Bakery! Even the most talented home chefs need a break during the frantic holiday rush to enjoy the company of family and friends. Each season, families turn to eatZi’s to simplify the preparation of marvelous meals not only to save time but to enjoy the delicious creations from the eatZi’s professional kitchen. From the turkey to the trimmings, eatZi’s has it all covered.

Every portion is prepared with the highest quality ingredients along with the same care and love that eatZi’s chefs put into meals for their own families. Customers choose their favorite sides, and the eatZi’s team can assist them in ordering enough food for a sizeable smorgasbord or an intimate Thanksgiving dinner for two. Our chefs do the work, and a complete meal will be ready for pick-up at our convenient Oak Lawn Avenue location when they’re ready to entertain.

Turkey Day in “Big D” has never been easier with eatZi’s Market & Bakery. Orders can be placed over the phone, with a fax, online or in-store by Monday, November 23 to have the fixings ready for Thanksgiving.
For every Thanksgiving order of $75 or more,
customers will be entered into a drawing to win dinner for four for the holidays!
TRADITIONAL BREADS
Pull Apart White Bread Rolls
soft, white honey rolls that pull apart easily;
wrap in foil and heat for home-style goodness
$4.99 per 6-pack of rolls

Pull Apart Wheat Bread Rolls
soft, wheat honey rolls that pull apart easily;
wrap in foil and heat for home-style goodness
$4.99 per 6-pack of rolls

eatZi’s Cornbread
eatZi’s famous cornbread; sweet, moist and delicious
$6.29 per loaf

eatZi’s Jalapeño Cornbread
eatZi’s famous cornbread with diced jalapeños and cilantro;
a traditional taste with a kick
$6.49 per loaf
LET’S TALK TURKEY… AND TRIMMINGS
Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast
boneless breast of turkey with skin on; seasoned with salt and pepper;
roasted to a golden brown
$14.99 each (serves 3-4)

Pecan-Smoked Turkey Breast
boneless breast of turkey with skin on; seasoned with salt and pepper; smoked
over pecan chips; roasted to a golden brown
$14.99 each (serves 3-4)

Wild Rice Salad
wild and brown rice tossed together with preserved cranberries and apricots,
toasted pecans, fresh herbs and
citrus –tarragon vinaigrette
$13.99 each (serves 3-4)

Butter Whipped Potatoes
red potatoes whipped until smooth
with butter, heavy cream and milk
$12.99 each (serves 3-4)

Sweet Potatoes
rich, creamy puree of sweet potatoes
and seasonal spices; topped with cinnamon sugared pecans, drizzled with brown butter caramel; marshmallows served separately
$12.99 each (serves 3-4)

Yellow Squash Casserole
buttery yellow squash combined with smoked Grafton white cheddar;
topped with cracker crumbles
$12.99 each (serves 3-4)
SIDE BAR: SAUCES, SOUP, SALAD & STUFFING
Turkey Gravy
traditional smooth turkey gravy made with turkey stock, fresh spices and
black pepper
$9.49 per pint
$17.49 per quart

Cranberry Sauce
cranberries, citrus and spices combine to create turkey’s favorite sweet and tangy side
$7.49 per pint

Butternut Squash Bisque
creamy butternut squash soup garnished with wild rice and
smoked pecans
$8.99 pint (serves 2)
$16.99 quart (serves 4)

eatZi’s Chopped Salad
chopped iceberg and Romaine lettuce
with toasted walnuts, dried cranberries,       roasted corn, bleu cheese with sage
and burnt orange vinaigrette
$15.99 each (serves 4)

eatZi’s Cornbread Stuffing
our famous stuffing is combined
with white bread, cornbread,
fresh herbs, onions and celery
$12.99 each (serves 4)

Sausage Stuffing
our famous stuffing made with white bread, cornbread, fresh herbs,
onions, celery and
sweet Italian sausage
$13.99 each (serves 4)

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Cafe Lago

Thanksgiving Season  Cafe Lago becomes a corn pudding factory – all so you can have Our Famous Corn Pudding on your Thanksgiving table.  Our special orders menu is available on line and of course here when you drop in.  Remember the special orders deadline is Tuesday, November 24th for picking up Wednesday evening before the big day.  We will be closed Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday and be back to biz as usual on Saturday morning.
http://www.cafe-lago.com/

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PLAN FOR A STRESS-FREE THANKSGIVING AND LET CHEF KENT RATHBUN DO ALL THE COOKING
Chef Kent Provides Gourmet Thanksgiving Meals, Available for Pick-Up and Sure to Please

Kent Rathbun wants to make your holiday easy and enjoyable by preparing a Thanksgiving feast for you and your entire friends and family. Rathbun has put together some of his favorite holiday recipes for all to savor without the fuss and hassle of slaving in the kitchen.
“I wanted to give Dallas the opportunity to experience the recipes that my family and I enjoy during the Holiday season,” said Kent Rathbun, executive chef and owner Abacus, Jasper’s and Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen. “Takers will experience the traditional Thanksgiving menu enhanced with the eclecticism of my cooking style. I added a taste of gourmet to every dish in subtle, yet comforting ways with creative sauces and exotic flavors.  Plus, who wouldn’t want to spend more time with guests as opposed to being in the kitchen all day.”
By simply choosing the main dish, side dishes and desserts, a beautiful array of delicious Thanksgiving favorites with a Rathbun twist will be composed in just three easy online steps. View, click and choose from Hickory Roasted Turkey with Green Chili Red Eye Gravy, Rosemary Rotisserie Leg of Lamb with Dried Cranberry Demi, or spiral ham with a Molasses Black Pepper Glaze. Side options include revived classics such as Chunky Garlic Yukon Gold Whipped Potatoes, Vermont Maple Whipped Sweet Potatoes and candied pecans, Scallion Sweet-Corn Pudding, and Grilled Portabella-French Green Bean Casserole. Spice up your meal with Charred Corn Jalapeño Jack Cheese Stuffing or add a touch of sweet with the Brandy Glazed baby carrots and pearl onions.  Desserts range from a savory Sweet Potato Pecan Pie to a decadent Pumpkin Cheesecake with Vanilla Caramel.
Orders are available for pick-up at Abacus, Jasper’s or Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen on Wednesday, November 25 between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. All purchases are done through PayPal, though a PayPal account is not necessary. All major credit cards are accepted. Visit www.kentrathbun.com for more details and ordering information.

BIJOUX
Take Home Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving Feast (serves 4-6)
sliced turkey breast
(whole turkey available, $25 supplemental charge)
homemade brown turkey gravy with wild mushrooms
pistachio brioche stuffing
green beans almondine with crispy onion topping
sautéed baby carrots with orange glaze
sweet potato mash with marshmallow and pecans
truffled potato puree with chives
cranberry sauce
dinner rolls
eight-inch pumpkin pie
eight-inch pecan pie
$199

A la Carte
whole turkey                                $75
sliced turkey breast                            $50
homemade turkey gravy with wild mushrooms            $12
pistachio brioche stuffing                        $22
green beans almondine with crispy onion topping        $22
sautéed baby carrots with orange glaze                $22
sweet potato mash with marshmallow and pecans        $22
truffled potato puree with chives                    $22
cranberry sauce                            $12
dinner rolls                                $10
eight-inch pumpkin pie                        $18
eight-inch pecan pie                        $18

Please have orders in by Friday, November 20.
Pick up will be on Wednesday, November 25th by 8 pm.
Heating instructions will be included.

Tart Bakery is making whoopies!

Lookout cupcakes, here comes the whoopie pie craze. Are you familiar with Tart Bakery? You know,  the little shop pastry chef Kristen Massad opened in 2004 where the storefront looks like a spray painted rah-rah sign for an upcoming football game? We never thought the place would make it, but make it they did—Massad’s little shop that turns out cakes, pies, and petit fours is turning five. (Thanksgiving tip: order one of their turkey wreaths (croissant rings stuffed with turkey) for your office party.) Or a couple dozen pumpkin-spice whoopie pies! Maple & Motors Burgers and Beer also makes a chocolate version of the whoopie pie called the chocolate gob. One more sighting and whoopies will become an official trend. 5219 W. Lovers Lane at Inwood Rd. 469- 335-8919.

Chef Valimont began his culinary career in Tacoma at The Lobster Shop, later working under Executive Chef Will MacNamara at Seattle’s Washington Athletic Club before taking his knives to the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Club.  He then trained under Food and Wine “Best New Chef” Gordon Naccarato, opening The Pacific Grill in Seattle first as Sous Chef and ultimately being promoted to Pacific Grill’s Executive Chef.

His quote:

“Each day is a culinary adventure as we create our menu with the fresh seafood the market provides while emphasizing the simplicity of seasonal preparations, regionally inspired dishes and generous portion sizes,” Chef Valimont said. “In addition, our seasoned wine stewards will help select the wine that best compliments our guest’s meal.”

Go in peace.

Former Oceanaire chef Chad Kelly will be the lead chef at Shannon Wynne’s new restaurant The Moth.

Marc’s famous mussels by Kevin Hunter Marple.

Are you crazy about chef Marc Cassel’s mussels? Do you love Spam on your pizza? Is bocce a cheese, a font, or a game? Extra, extra, read all about it.

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.

November 10
Tre Amici. Tre Amici welcomes Robert Rex, winemaker and owner of
Deerfield Ranch Winery. Piano music by Adrian King. $99 per person. 972.250.4400

Join us for this special presentation
November 10th
7:00 pm
Live pianist Adrian King will accompany
$99 a person
Appetizer ~
2004 Deerfield Ranch Sangiovese
Piatto di Formaggi
Featuring Maytag Blue Cheese, Fontina, Goat Cheese, Manchego,
Smoked Gouda, Brie, and English Cheddar with Guinness
Salad ~
2006 Deerfield Ranch Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma Valley
Tre Amici Salad
Main Course ~
2002 Deerfield Ranch Super T-Rex, North Coast
8oz Prime Filet wrapped with Applewood Smoked Bacon,
Accompanied with our Gorgonzola Sauce
Dessert~
2004 Deerfield Ranch Shiraz Cuvee
Kahlua Cappuccino Cheesecake
Please call Tre Amici for reservations
972.250.4400
Deerfield Ranch Winery
http://www.deerfieldranch.com/

November 10
Dali Wine Bar & Restaurant
What:            Hirsch Vineyards Complimentary Wine Tasting

When:            Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Where:        Dali Bar, 1722 Routh St., One Arts Plaza, Arts District

Reservations:      Please RSVP at 214-6461947 or paulpinnell@sbcglobal.net

Parking:        Complimentary Valet from 5:45-6:00pm, $2 self parking

Wines to be Tasted:
2008 Bohan Dillon Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
This pinot noir expresses the complexity of the site at Hirsch Vineyards. It is a blend of seventeen fermentation lots containing the fruit of thirty-four discreet farming blocks. All five of the pinot noir clones farmed here are fully represented. Ninety-seven percent of the fruit is estate; the balance is from the adjoining Hellenthal ranch. Thirty per cent is from the older fields; the balance from newer plantings. It is important to note that this wine is made in exactly the same way as the Hirsch and from the same fruit. In other words, it is a true ‘village’ wine and represents exceptional value.
2007Hirsch “M” Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Deep ruby. Exotic spice top note, with layers of leather, cedar, earth, loganberry and raspberry. Rich flavors of plum and ripe berry evolve to a mouth-filling, silken mid-palate showing great finesse textually as the acid structure refreshes the palate and carries the flavors to a sustained, layered finish and the loamy earth notes return.
2006 Hirsch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Garnet. Primary fruit aromas have evolved to a bouquet of earth, leather and sandalwood, with a touch of baking spice. On the palate, mature plum, smoked meat, and mineral flavors dance with a velvet texture across the tongue, leading to an expansive finish of dark plum, espresso and hints of woodsmoke. A suave, seductive wine.

November  16th
Taverna in Fort Worth
BLACK TRUFFLE WINE DINNER
Monday, November  16th.

ANTIPASTO
Carpaccio di Bue al Tartufo Nero
Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio served with Baby Wild Arugula, Royal Trumpet Mushrooms,
Meyer Lemon dressing, Shaved Parmigiano & Fresh Black Truffles
Lamberti Rose Spumante, Veneto

PRIMO
Taglerini con Salsa di Tatufo Nero
Fresh White Taglerini tossed with Fresh Black Truffles & Butter Sauce
Produttori Nebbiolo Langhe, Piedmont

SECONDO
Carre di Agnello con Tartufo Nero
Whole Roasted Colorado Baby Rack of Lamb finished with Caramelized Shallots,
Fresh Black Truffle Sauce, Scalloped Potato & Sautéed Green Swiss Chard
Ca Bianco Barolo,Piedmont

DOLCI
Pere al Vino Rosso con Gelato
Poached Fresh Pear with Red Wine, Chocolate sauce & Fior di Latte Gelato
Florus Moscadello di Montalcino, Tuscany

$65.00 per person plus tax & gratuity.
Sundance Square, 450 Throckmorton Street, Fort Worth, 817-885-7502
www.tavernaftworth.com

November 17th
Le Technique Restaurant
Le Cordon Bleu Dallas
11830 Webb Chapel Rd.

Dallas, TX  75234

6 pm
$24++ (plus tax and gratuity) Per PersonPlease Join the Le Cordon Bleu Slow Food Student Chapter for a Cognac and Armagnac Dinner and Tasting.  (The dinner menu is detailed below.)

Enjoy a fabulous, student-prepared three-course dinner in the Le Cordon Bleu Dallas’ Le Technique restaurant followed by a presentation and tasting of Cognac and Armagnac.  We will learn about the unique characteristics of each eau-de-vie from the terroir to the distillation and ageing processes.

The tasting is included in the price of the dinner.

Mr. Alain Royer will lead the tasting.  Mr. Royer is a master Cognac blender. Born and raised in Cognac, Mr. Royer worked in his family’s Cognac business and built his own venture that was sold to a large spirits conglomerate.  Mr. Royer is a renowned ambassador for French spirits in the United States and currently resides in Bordeaux.

PLEASE NOTE:
- Attendance is limited to 20 people.
- RSVPs will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Please RSVP directly to me:  sandy@lifeatthetable.com
- Le Technique is no longer BYOB.  Wine will be available to order to accompany dinner at an additional cost.
Dinner Menu (subject to change):
F I R S T  COUR S E
Butter Poached Lobster Salad
Boston Bibb and Frisée, Blood Orange Supremes,
Toasted Almonds, Vanilla Oil, Fried Salsify, Citrus Vinaigrette

I N T E R ME Z Z O
Pomegranate Sorbet

MA I N  COUR S E
Veal Osso Bucco
Slow Braised Veal Shank, Pommes Purée,
Braised Belgain Endive, Braising Reduction, Fried Sage

DE S S E R T
Winter Squash Bread Pudding
Roasted Butternut & Acorn Squash, Texas Pecans,
Brioche, Crème Chantilly, Bourbon Caramel

November 17
Seventh Street Shuffle
Renowned Food and Travel Journalist Starts Foodie Driven Culinary Tour Company
June Naylor along with partner Cynthia Wahl announces the launch of Texas Toast Culinary Tours

Fort Worth, TX – Every day, cuisine-savvy people in Texas discover more to love about the food and wine originating here. The only trouble is, it’s not always easy to figure out where the best bites and sips await. And sometimes it’s a trick to sort through all the new offerings coming to the fore. Enter Texas Toast Culinary Tours, a new outfit with deep roots in the Lone Star food and wine world. With Texas Toast, foodies get epicurean expertise to lead them down all the right roads in Dallas and Fort Worth and more. Founded in September by well-known dining critic, cookbook author and food/travel journalist June Naylor, Texas Toast shows food lovers where the taste thrills await and who makes food and wine around here downright artful. Texas Toast partner Cynthia Wahl, a longtime colleague of June’s from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and a graphic designer, helps craft these culinary adventures. Together the pair is plotting paths that the demanding palate will devour with pleasure.

Among the initial events offered by Texas Toast is a series of tasting tours. Each is called a Feeding Frenzy, created for locals and visitors who want a behind-the-scenes look at the most popular restaurants, wine outfits, food producers and brewers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The typical Feeding Frenzy outing will happen twice a month, giving guests a chance a chance to eat one small course, with a special wine or cocktail pairing, usually at three different places. Participating restaurants will be linked by neighborhood or cuisine, and guests will get face-time with chefs, talking about what inspires them and how their creations come to life.

By mid 2010, Texas Toast Culinary Tours will also design similar tasting tours for Austin and San Antonio. In spring 2010, the company will launch its Texas Toast Road Trips, with three- to five-day tasting itineraries in the Texas Hill Country, San Antonio and the Big Bend Country in West Texas. By late 2010, Texas Tours will announce plans for tasting trips to New Orleans, Santa Fe and New York.

Texas Tours will also work with clients to customize tours for groups, as desired. These may include:
Half-day tours: Visit a cheesemaker, artisan bakery, wine cellar, or specialty market for tour and tasting; or take a cooking class with noted chef; or enjoy a wine or food seminar with an expert; then top it off with lunch at a leading restaurant. 4 to 5 hours, morning or afternoon.
Full-day tours: Combine several of the ideas found in the half-day tours and include lunch or dinner. 8 hours.
Multi-day tours: Each day has a theme, with choices that might include ethnic cuisines; pairing wines and foods; local and regional foods; the Texas Trilogy: barbecue, Tex-Mex, and steaks; and celebrity chefs. As noted above, the itinerary can incorporate visits to see food/wine production, specialty markets, tastings, seminars, cooking demos or classes, and meals with appropriate wines or other beverages.
And more: It’s easy to add in museum visits, shopping, spa treatments and live music as needed.

You can read more about Texas Toast plans and experiences on June’s blog at http://www.junenaylor.com, and you can follow updates on Facebook (Texas Toast Culinary Tours) and Twitter ( http://twitter.com/TexasToastTours) For press inquiries please contact Beth Hutson at 817-602-0211 or beth@hutsoncreative.com. For additional details on culinary tours, please view http://www.texastoastculinarytours.com contact 817-239-1634 or email texastoastculinarytours@yahoo.com.

About Texas Toast:
Partner June Naylor is an award-winning travel journalist, dining critic, and food writer with more than 20 years of experience. A Fort Worth native and a sixth-generation Texan who was was raised in Dallas and educated at Texas Christian University, June is a lifelong student of food, cooking and culture in Texas and the Southwest. A child of food-loving parents, June began creating things in the kitchen before she learned long division, and she’s taken cooking classes from Dallas to Bangkok. Over the years, she’s interviewed food celebrities such as Wolfgang Puck, Jacques Pepin, and John Besh, hosted a food-and-travel radio show and taken friends on food trips at home and abroad. June has written two cookbooks with Fort Worth cook and restaurateur Grady Spears and has another in the works with Austin/Fort Worth chef and restaurateur Louis Lambert. Texas Toast partner Cynthia Wahl comes to Texas by way of Wisconsin (born there) and Colorado (schooled there).  After spending 20 years as art director for several publications at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, she decided to follow her epicurean passions. Although art and design have been her vocation, an adulation of Texas food and wine was raised to a higher level when she became friends with June Naylor pretty much the first day she worked at the paper. Through numerous girlfriend trips around Texas and the nation, the two have eaten like royalty while also taste-testing tequilas and emptying some nice bottles of wine. Cynthia is married to Jeff Cunningham, a native Texan, and has two teenage sons who eat an awful lot.

November 17 & 18
Cru A Wine Bar
Cru ~ A Wine Bar is proud to be hosting 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!
The famed white truffle is one of the world’s most prized delicacies. Once exclusive to Italy, the white truffles are grown predominantly in the soils of Piemonte’s Alba zone, home to the King of Italian wine, Barolo. Wine Aficionados claim that “Barolo is the Burgundy of Italy”, a wine of great perfume, body and size with the classic nose of “tar and roses”. Paired together, these noble wines and the “white diamond” of the earth, deliver the ultimate gastronomic experience.
Oregon is also blessed with an abundance of wild truffles with culinary qualities equal to those of Europe. Oregon has the perfect climate for cultivation of the renowned French truffles. Oregon Truffles Grow in the Willamette Valley Region of Oregon from November thru January. As the ultimate culinary delicacies, truffles are emblematic of the good life in every region where they grow.
Cru Corporate Chef Paul Singhapong has created a special five course menu that features items that highlight the delicate truffle flavors and complement the rich Barolo wines. Alfonso Cevola, CSW, will be on hand to present the Barolo wines and highlight the flavor pairings. Alfonso is a Certified Specialist in Wine and a Special Contributor to the Dallas Morning News and Sommelier Journal. He is an italian wine ambassador who translates the Italian experience
Barolo & White Truffles Wine Dinner Menu
Reception
White Truffle Pizza
fontina cheese, roasted chanterelle mushrooms, basil-walnut pesto & white truffle oil
Arneis, Pio Cesare, 2008
1st Course
Pepper-Seared Beef Carpaccio
roasted baby artichokes, fennel & arugula salad, black truffle aioli Shaved Black Truffles Barbaresco, Produttori del Barbaresco “Torre”, 2005
2nd Course
Angolloti Fonduta
egg ravioli filled with fontina cheese, white truffle sage brown butter & balsamic syrup Shaved White Truffles
Barolo, “Lecinquevigne”, Damilano, 2004
3rd Course
Roasted Veal Loin
porcini thyme mushroom filling with braised granny smith truffle apples, barolo wine raisin demi Shaved White Truffles
Barolo, DOCG, Pio Cesare, 2005
4th Course
Gianduia Crème Brûlée
Brachetto d’Acqui, “Rosa Regale” Castello Banfi, 2008
The Barolo & White Truffles Wine Dinner will be held Tuesday, November 17th at Cru Shops at Legacy in Plano, and Wednesday, November 18th at Cru West Village in Dallas and Cru Watters Creek in Allen. Reception at 6:30pm and Dinner at 7pm.
The dinner is $69/person. Space is limited so please call Crú to reserve your seats today!
Crú ~ A Wine Bar
WEST VILLAGE – 3699 McKinney Ave., Dallas 214/526-9463
SHOPS AT LEGACY – 7201 Bishop Rd., Plano 972/312-9463
WATTERS CREEK – 842 Market St., Allen 972/908-2532
November 17
Tramontana’s Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Wine Dinner
Tuesday November 17, 2009
$50 per person
7:00 Reception
7:30 Dinner
Menu
Reception
Wild Mushroom Risotto Cakes- Truffle Aioli
Brie Cheese en Croute
JACUZZI PINOT NOIR 2006- CARNEROS
—–
Dinner
Housemade Chicken Raviolis with Sage Brown Butter- Chevre Salad
JACUZZI ROSSO DI SETTE FRATELLI MERLOT 2004- SONOMA
—–
Slow Roasted Porquetta with Sea Salt, Cracked Pepper & Herbs- Natural Jus
JACUZZI BARBERA 2007- MENDOCINO
—–
Hickory Grilled Bistecca Fiorentina – Crispy Onions
CLINE CELLARS BRIDGEHEAD ZINFANDEL 2006- CONTRA COSTA
—–
Dark Chocolate Mousse

November 19
Lawry’s The Prime Rib.
Potato wrapped jumbo prawn seared in Tabasco bacon pan sauce;
2009 Domaine de la Roche St. Martin Nouveau Beaujolais Rosé
•    Autumn salad tossed with dried apricots, sliced almonds, Maytag bleu cheese and dressed with a sweet maple vinaigrette;                                                                  2009 Domaine de Saint-Ennemond Nouveau Beaujolais
•    Horseradish crusted prime filet of beef with blue crab salad and asparagus noodles; 2009 Georges Duboeuf Nouveau Beaujolais
•    Pumpkin mascarpone filled vanilla bean crepes;
2007 Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages

Who:    Lawry’s The Prime Rib has been serving Dallas, bringing excellent cuisine and personable service, for 26 years. Guests can enjoy featured dinner entrees such as Chilean Sea Bass, Rib Eye Steaks, Filet Mignon and, of course, the Roasted Prime Rib that made the restaurant famous – from the smaller California Cut to the larger Dallas Cut.

When:        Thursday, November 19, 2009
7 p.m.

Cost:     $69 per guest, plus tax and gratuity

Reservations:    Reservations are required by calling (972) 503-6688 or via email to SGiancotti@Lawrysonline.com with “Beaujolais” in the subject line.

Where:     Lawry’s The Prime Rib
14655 Dallas Parkway, Dallas, TX 75254
(Just south of Beltline)

Surrounded by Dean Fearing, Kent Rathbun, and Sharon Hage, chef Charlie Palmer talks with Andrew Chalk about making Pinot Noir at his house. (Nice gig, eh?)

Scott Romano does a much better job of describing them in this video than I could. Excuse the poor technical quality – it was shot under battlefield conditions.

Last night celebrity chef Charlie Palmer was in town week to meet with his staff, chat with his public, and throw a little tasting party for area chefs. I spotted Dean Fearing, Kent Rathbun, Sharon Hage, and time love sampling appetizers at the bar long after the customers had cleared. Executive chef Scott Romano set out a spread that included peppered filet mignon with Armagnac sauce, pepper-seared mahi mahi, bacon-wrapped quail legs, shrimp mousse lobster corn dogs (lobster corn dogs?), and more. However, for me, the most exciting food was the large selection of charcuterie and salumi made in-house. Dishers, these samples were not contrived to please our local chefs, the food is currently on both the bar and restaurant menu.

DISCLAIMER: This event was provided by the restaurant and I was not anonymous. However, I personally took out a mortgage on my house to cover the valet parking charges.–Andrew Chalk

Was last night your first night in the kitchen? No, it’s really tonight. Last night I just debuted a couple of menu items, but tonight is my official first night. I’ve been here for a few days. Tonight I introduce six new dishes. I started to roll a few dishes out each day and have a full menu out later. Some of the dishes on the menu right now are very good, so I will work with them and try to make them more my way.

How did the job in Dallas happen? I was contacted by Gert Kopera (VP of Food and Bev for Rosewood) and Bob Boulogne (COO of Rosewood). He called me about the job. We know some of the same people. A few months ago, five or six months ago. I had been to Dallas once before, but of course, I knew about the Mansion. When you’re in the culinary business you know the Mansion. It’s a landmark in all of Texas.

You had a pretty great job in Vegas, too. It was interesting. I had five years there. Mix is the biggest operation for (Alain) Ducasse. 240 seats. It’s Vegas. I had 38 people working for me, including pastry, and this was only for dinner. We didn’t do lunch.

The challenge I faced there was the volume and the pace. With that many people, I couldn’t touch the tables or the people. There was frustration about that. When I got the phone call from Bob Boulogne I was excited to see what the Mansion had to offer.

I heard that schools in Dallas were very important to you. I am not going to say schools in Vegas were bad, but his school wasn’t that great. My wife was here this past weekend to look for a school. I want to be 15 minutes maximum drive. My son is going to be eight in December.

Were you looking for more of a community than you had before? Exactly. More like a real city. In Vegas, you have the strip and everyone lives around it. There are some nice neighborhoods but no city feel. I like the city feel here. I can see that people are loyal to the Mansion, and everyone is happy to see a new face in the kitchen.

Did you bring any menu items from Mix? I did a few from Mix but I tweaked them to use ingredients I can find here. I’m going to evolve on that when I get a feel for what people like. For me the Mansion isn’t just a restaurant, it’s an experience, from in-room dining to breakfast. My first goal is dinner, then lunch, then I wan to put my print on breakfast, lunch, and in-room dining. 15 years ago I worked at the Relais & Chateaux in France and it is about the same size and Mansion. When you order room service you should have the same experience, not the same as the restaurant, but a very good experience.

Will you keep the tortilla soup? I have no problem with that staying. It’s very popular for 20 plus years. When something works and is good and people like it…what I want is to fill up the restaurant. If the food is good and consistent, then people will come back to the Mansion. We want to bring them back.

Have you eaten anywhere in town yet? No not yet. I did a little tour with Duncan (Graham, Managing Director of the Mansion) but I haven’t eaten anywhere yet. I want to get in with other chefs in town. I met Dean Fearing and Stephan Pyles at the Los Angeles Food and Wine Festival, and they were very nice to me.

What was it like when you got your Michelin star at Mix? I got one in France too (ed note: oops). We weren’t expecting it. Mix is a fun place, it was L-shaped with an ultra lounge. It’s very open, the restaurant. The first four years we did around 100,000 covers a year. So to do this kind of volume and do it well, I guess we did a good job.

Were you much of a gambler? In five years, I think I put four quarters into a slot machine. I won’t miss it.

Click here to watch the VIDEO

Seared Day Boat scallop with cauliflower three ways.

Technically the fanfare will not begin until later this week, but we just couldn’t wait. We knew chef Bruno Davaillon was headed to the   kitchen at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in early November and, given the silence, we figured he must be here testing new recipes. So we took our chances and headed over to the Mansion for dinner. Oh, yes he was there and so were some of  his new dishes such as seared Day Boat scallop with cauliflower three ways (puree, “salad,” and lightly roasted); king crab and butternut squash bisque with glazed chestnuts and crispy spring roll; bison tenderloin “au poivre” with autumn vegetables; roasted veal tournedos with crispy sweetbread, fig chutney, and chanterelle mushroom; Maine lobster salad with avocado, tomato confit, and caviar cream; and Mansion shrimp cocktail with horseradish panna cotta and spicy tomato syrup. We can only speak for the first two; actually, chef Davaillon was serving only the bisque tonight, but when we confessed we had come in for a advance taste, he offered the scallops as well.Jump for more of Davaillon’s creations.

The bisque was warm, hearty, and a just the right amount of decadent. The bowls were presented to us with soft cubes of butternut squash, glazed chestnuts, and three fat discs of king crab; the bisque was ceremoniously poured in, served with a crispy spring roll loaded with more crab and squash, this time julienned. The spring roll was a bit greasy and unnecessary, really, because the bisque held its own. Our second course, the Mansion salad with Maytag blue and spiced pecans, was big enough to split, as was the artichoke risotto, spruced up with hunks of ham and delicate fried artichoke crisps. (While the risotto is not one of Davaillon’s new dishes, we do hope he keeps it, because it is divine.)

The second of the new dishes, scallops with cauliflower three ways–puree, teeny bits of raw cauliflower “salad,” and a slight roast–was a new twist on an old favorite. Scallops, with a crisp crust from the sear, were enormous–a generous portion of three. But the star on this plate was the cauliflower puree, so rich with cream. If I could, I would have rolled around in it. I still might.

Just when we thought we’d had enough, the chef sent us two drinkable desserts (in lieu of coming out and saying hello, perhaps?): a passion fruit and mango blend with coconut foam. It was light and tropical–just enough to send us to the Caribbean for a spell. And it was just the sweet ending we didn’t even know we needed.

Welcome to Dallas, chef Davaillon. We look forward to trying more of your new dishes. Stay tuned, we’ll have an interview with the new Mansion chef soon.

Last week Andrew “Baby Face” Chalk attended the soba noodle making session held at Tei-An. The event was a big deal— Akila Inouye, Master Chef of Tsukiji Soba Academy in Tokyo, visited Tei-An restaurant at One Arts Plaza to give a demonstration of the technique of making soba noodles. Inouye’s brief U.S. tour only included New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas. Why Dallas? Tei-An owner Teiichi Sakurai is a student of the master. Here for your viewing enjoyment is Soba Noodles: The Movie.

Make pasta not war.

Earlier in the week, I introduced you to Susan Marx and the Foodie in a Warzone blog she writes from her kitchen in Kabul, Afghanistan. Today she sends you a message:

I just saw your lovely post and link to my new blog on the Dallas Food and Wine blog and wanted to thank you very much for the support!  This is something that is quite close to our hearts, and in light of the recent attacks in Kabul, something we do for sanity as well – your support is much appreciated. Warm regards,Susan.

Dishers, I say we add her to the blogroll on the right. Perhaps with a little support from us, Susan can find a little peace. And we can get some great recipes! What do you say?

ChefBlytheBeck how you feel about it not being on this week. The naughty Army on Facebook is pissed!! How do the twitter peeps feel??10:42 PM Oct 27th from web
ChefBlytheBeck The Naughty Kitchen will be back next week with a whole new episode but I think that the Naughty Army should go to Oxygen.com and tell them10:41 PM Oct 27th from web
DSideDish Nancy…the show took a break last night and will be back with an all new episode next week. It has something to do with sweeps week. about 16 hours ago
DSideDish Yes Nancy I knew it was taking a break. Oxygen had told me a while ago!! Thanks for checking though! I appreciate it!! about 13 hours ago.

The Celebrity Chef Tour benefiting the James Beard Foundation is coming to Dallas on Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 7 pm for a fun night of culinary celebration.  Bravo Television ‘Top Chef’ Winner Hosea Rosenberg and Host Chef Chris Vogeli of III Forks Restaurant will team up to cook a multi-course meal. Tickets are $175 per person and can be reserved by calling (720) 201-1853 or by visiting www.celebritycheftour.com.

The chefs plan to incorporate their styles by balancing Rosenberg’s quest for the best seafood with Vogeli’s love for premium meat and game.

Says Chef Rosenberg, “I loved my cooking experience at the James Beard House and I look forward to bringing that same spirit and energy to Dallas.” Says Chef Vogeli, “I’ve seen Hosea’s talent on ‘Top Chef’ and i look forward to collaborating with him in my kitchen.” Jump for more.
Proud sponsors of the Celebrity Chef Tour benefiting the James Beard Foundation include, Yahoo!,  Stella Artois, Wine & Spirits Magazine, Certified Angus Beef, Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Fiji Water.

About the Celebrity Chef Tour benefiting the James Beard Foundation: Since its inception in 2004, the Celebrity Chef Tour benefiting the James Beard Foundation has become a favorite event for both the chefs to participate in and guests to attend. The Celebrity Chef Tour brings James Beard Foundation Award winners and other celebrity chefs to private clubs, resorts, and other exclusive venues around the country for spectacular dining events. The tour was created to benefit the James Beard Foundation and to promote the culinary arts across America.

Make pasta not war.

Meet Susan Marx. She doesn’t live in Dallas, she lives in Kabul, Afghanistan. Her only connection to our fair city is that she is good friends with D Magazine’s director of online technology, Jason Alexander. Susan is an aid worker and she has “cooked and baked” her way across the warzones of Iraq and Afghanistan for five years. She has started a blog—Foodie in a Warzone —and she deserves to be read.

Last night at the Kent Rathbun party for the upcoming March of Dimes “gala”–where he’s offering one of the chef-package auction gifts–Rathbun told the crowd:

“Two weeks ago, I was at the Paws Up resort in Wyoming, [He said Wyoming, but Google says Paws Up is in Montana] where I met a woman from the Napa Valley wine commission. [I discovered a Napa Valley Vintners group via Google, but no 'wine commission.'] We discussed how the Super Bowl was coming to Dallas in 2011, and how we’re gonna have a big year next year in Dallas because of it. She said that she’s got 100 Napa Valley wineries coming to Dallas for a conference next year, and so she wants to do a big March of Dimes event here around the Super Bowl. It’s not a done deal by any means yet, but we have our foot in the door. It’s something that would take us right past Austin, Texas! I’m gonna work on this. Say a prayer.”

How about “March of Wines?”

Noodles are an important part of Japanese cuisine. So important in fact that the Japanese have academies to teach the correct hand making and preparation of them. Yesterday, Akila Inouye, Master Chef of Tsukiji Soba Academy in Tokyo, visited Tei-An restaurant at One Arts Plaza to give a demonstration of the technique of making soba noodles. His visit to the US encompasses only New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas. The reason for Dallas’ place on the exclusive list is that Tei-An owner Teiichi Sakurai is a student of the master. When he sold his previous restaurants, Tei-Tei Robata Bar and Teppo Yakitori and Sushi Bar, he took time off before opening Tei-An to take a five week noodle course at the academy in Tokyo.

Soba noodles are made mainly or entirely from buckwheat flour. Inouye used a mixture 80% buckwheat and 20% wheat shown below

The flour for this demonstration came from Hokkaido, Japan. The wheat ripens at various times in Japan but first in Hokkaido so this, being in part a celebration of the beginning of the soba noodle season, had Hokkaido flour. The chef Inouye mixed the flour with water in a bowl and proceeded to knead the dough. I wonder if soba makers have the strongest arms in the world as the traditional process is entirely physical. By the time chef Inouye had created the dough ball below, he’d worked up quite a sweat.

The dough is rolled flat until it reaches the desired thickness (between 1.5 and 0.8 mm) which is check with special gauges.

The result is cut into slices with a knife and a form, and then the end trimmed to make noodles. The dough is plunged into boiling water and the cooking time is only 90 seconds. Soba can be served cold or added to soups. We had a plate of Shin Soba with two dipping sauces (Black Sesame and Soba Tsuyu-Soy base)  shown below.

The small plate on the right contains sliced scallions, finely chopped daikon radish, and authentic wasabi. The noodles have a nutty taste that originates from the flour. Their nutritional properties are interesting and  include the ability to prevent beri-beri (we didn’t catch beri beri all night). We drank only water at the demonstration but soba noodles are probably best paired with sake or a dry white wine (e.g. a Sauvignon Blanc).

One interesting aspect of eating this dish is that after you finish the noodles any remaining dipping sauce is diluted with the broth in which the noodles were cooked and you drink the resulting mixture. It tastes like all the memories of great sashimi encapsulated in a glass.

Master Chef Inouye has left for Los Angeles, but the product of his teaching is available six days a week at Tei-An.

Tei-An
1722 Routh St., Ste. 110
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 220-2828

Declaration of Interest: Someone, I suspect Tei-An and Tsukiji Soba Academy, paid for this and I was not there anonymously. I was responsible for the outrageously priced parking at One Arts Plaza.

Cold Shoulder?: Jean-Marie Cadot and Gaspar Stanic have broken up.

Chef Jean-Marie Cadot just confirmed that his former partner, chef Gaspar Stantic, has left Cadot Restaurant. “He wanted to be on his own,” said Cadot. “I was ready to work with him and make it happen but he wants to move on.”

When they formed the partnership to open Cadot, the two veteran chefs thought it would be a great idea. Stantic is in his mid-60s and Cadot has a family. Both chefs felt that the situation would allow them to trade shifts and make the job of running a restaurant a little easier. “I have two kids and I was hoping to spend time with them,” said Cadot. “It was a dream and we tried. There is nothing wrong to try and see what you can do and make it happen.”

Chef Cadot plans on changing the menu and adding “lighter and more elegant” French dishes. “A lot of things will be the same but I will not use things like pico de gallo,” said Cadot. “I am French. I was at Lavendou for 12 years and I want to do something different from what I did up the street.”

According to Cadot, Stantic has been searching for locations in Dallas.

October 22, 2009
La Buena Vida Vineyards. “A Night in Tuscany Italian Wine Dinner.”
Escape all of your worries and join La Buena Vida Vineyards Thursday, October 22nd from 6-8PM as we venture into the Old World of Italy. Be the first to taste our newest feature wines from Italy while having them perfectly paired to traditional, savory Italian dishes, from Tomato Mozzarella to Italian Penne Pasta. Experience Italy right here in Grapevine as guest speaker for the evening Dean Underdahl, wine connoisseur, takes you to all the major wine regions of Italy. Don’t miss out on this special night and make your reservations today by calling 817-481-WINE (9463). Details below.

Oct 26
Urban Crust. Tour Of Italy Wine Tasting. Join Urban Crust’s World Master Chef, Salvatore Gisellu, and wine expert Alfonso Cevola for our very first wine tasting. We’re really excited to have Chef Salvatore in the kitchen with creative freedom.  He’ll be able to showcase unique Italian food that pairs with the wines Alfonso selects.  Jump for details.

October 26
Abacus. Antinori Wine Dinner with Alessia Antinori. Full menu and pairings below.

October 26
Sevy’s Grill. Join us on Monday, October 26th at 6:30 p.m. for a taste of our
“California Dreaming” inspired menu.  Four courses plus reception, $59.95 per person (plus tax and gratuity), seating is limited and reservations required (no OpenTable reservations, please). Contact (214) 265-7389 or SevysCatering@aol.com to save your spot! Menu detailed below the jump.

October 28th
The Grape. The Grape hosts a “Wines from Deutschland” wine dinner on Wednesday, October 28th.  Hand-selected boutique wines from Germany to include Riesling, Pinot Noir and Eiswein. Chef/owner Brian C. Luscher will compliment the highlighted wines with a 3-course German- inspired menu. The popular a la carte menu will also be offered that evening. Special guest and industry expert Steve Mansir of Republic Beverage hosts this special event. More info below.

October 30
Bailey’s Prime Plus at Park Lane. Four-Course Wine Dinner featuring the wines of B.R. Cohn. Executive Chef Israel Voirin and Sommelier Jeff Ivy present an exciting wine pairing dinner. Full menu and pairings below.

November 8th
Stephan Pyles. A Decade Of Dining. 10th Anniversary Of Stephan Pyles Celebrity Chef Dinner
Stunning Dinner and Auction Funds $15,000 Stephan Pyles Culinary Scholarship. Five celebrity chefs from throughout the state including Chef Pyles will present a spectacular five-course wine dinner along with a live auction to fund one of the nation’s largest culinary scholarships.  Five-course menu, chef line-up, and details below.

November 9th
Stephan Pyles. Stephan Pyles will host a special five-course dinner paired with Truchard wines in the restaurant’s private dining room on Monday, November 9.  Truchard Vinyards is a small, family-owned winery that has been producing exceptional wines in the Carneros region of Napa Valley for over 30 years.  Tony and Jo Ann Truchard will join Chef Pyles to educate diners on the wine and food pairings.

November 13
Pappas Bros. Steakhouse. Bubbles bring in the holidays! Our last tasting of the year celebrates all things sparkling, so join us as we get ready for the 2009 holiday season. This “sparkling” tasting, on November 13th, $45 per person plus tax and gratuity, begins at 6:00 p.m. Reservations are required. Call 214.366.2000 or visit pappasbrosdallas.com. Jump for more info.
October 22, 2009
La Buena Vida Vineyards
When:  Thursday, October 22
Where:  La Buena Vida Vineyards
Time: 6-8PM
Cost:  $45pp or $80 per couple
Age Limit:  21+
Limited Seating, Reservations Required.
La Buena Vida Vineyards
416 E. College St.
Grapevine, TX 76051
www.labuenavida.com

October 26
Urban Crust
We’ll be seating everyone at a large table on the first floor all together, a true Italian experience.  You’ll get a chance to meet other customers (and maybe some staff that share a similar passion for wine and food.  We’ll sample 5 wines of Italy and pair them with 5 tapas.  Alfonso and Chef will  introduce all the food and wines and give background info and education about the wines. Please RSVP. RSVP  Monica@UrbanCrust.com or call 972-509-1400. Monday, Oct 26 @ 6:30 PM -$25

October 26
Abacus
Antinori Wine Dinner
with Alessia Antinori
October 26, 2009
6:30 PM
PASSED
White Clam Bruschetta
Grilled Portabella, Goat Cheese, Aged Balsamic
Guado Al Tasso “Scalabrone” 2008, Bolgheri Rosato DOC, Antinori
1ST COURSE
Crispy Seared Striped Bass, Roasted Cauliflower Risotto
Champagne-Arugula Butter
Castello della Sala “Cervaro della Sala” Chardonnay 2006, Umbria IGT, Antinori
2ND COURSE
Rosemary Rotisserie Duck, Truffle-White Bean Puree
Tomato Demi
Guado Al Tasso “IL Bruciato” 2007, Bolgheri DOC, Antinori
3RD COURSE
Crispy Veal Scaloppini, Grilled Polenta Cake
Marsala Herb Sauce
Tignanello 2005, Toscana IGT Antinori
4TH COURSE
Carrot Cake, Carrot-Yuzu Reduction
Cream Cheese Ice Cream
Castello della Sala “Muffato della Sala” 2006, Umbria IGT, Antinori
$120 plus tax and 20% gratuity per person
Reservations Required
Donna Tanner
469-867-3681

October 26
Sevy’s Grill
RECEPTION
Panini
(Mozzarella, Prosciutto and Olive)
***
Cristalino, Sparkling Wine

FIRST COURSE
Orange County Style Carne Asada with Ancho Black Bean Sauce and Golden Tomato Pico de Gallo
***
Simi, Roseto, Sonoma, 2008

SECOND COURSE
Pan Seared Pacific Halibut on Grapefruit-Pearl Onion Salad with Avocado Vinagrette
***
Zaca Mesa, Viognier, Central Coast, 2007

THIRD COURSE
Pork Osso Bucco on Creamy Ricotta Polenta with Roasted Christopher Ranch Garlic and
Fresh Vegetables
***
Markham, Merlot, Napa, 2005

FOURTH COURSE
Ghirardelli Chocolate Hot Fudge Sundae
***
Fonseca, Port LBV, 2003
SEVY’S GRILL
AND CATERING
8201 Preston Road, Dallas, 75225

October 28
The Grape
Never been to The Grape’s monthly wine dinner…well here is the 411.  The
Grape provides a fun; casual setting that allows the guest to
“come-as-they-are” and dine at their own pace, allowing for a more festive
one-on-one format with the wine experts.  Themes include a wine expert/host
for the evening who speaks to each individual table about the wines
selected. Reservations are recommended.  Cost is $45 per person exclusive of tax,
gratuity and other beverages.  Located at 2808 Greenville Avenue, The Grape
is open for dinner nightly at 5:30pm and Sunday Brunch.   For reservations
call 214-828-1981 or visit the website at www.thegraperestaurant.com.
Complimentary valet parking always provided.

October 30
Bailey’s Prime Plus
October 30, 2009
7:00 pm
Passed Hors d’oeuvres
Scottish Smoked Salmon and Caviar Croustade
Sweet basil oil and micro greens
Rose’ San Luis Obispo 2008

First Course
Day Boat Sea Scallop
Roasted pineapple and vanilla essence
Chardonnay Sonoma Valley 2008

Second Course
Texas Spice and Pepper Rubbed Lamb Chop
Sundried cherry and Marsala reduction
Merlot Sonoma Valley 2006

Third Course
Seared New York Strip, Foie Gras & White Truffle Polenta
Chanterelle mushroom sauce
Cabernet Sauvignon, Olive Hill Estate Sonoma Valley 2006

Dessert
Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake
Fresh strawberries and chocolate ganache
Cabernet Port, Olive Hill Estate Sonoma Valley 2006

$95.00 per person plus tax and gratuity

For reservations or more information, please call 214-750-8100.
Bailey’s Prime Plus is located at 8160 Park Lane in Dallas

November 8
Stephan Pyles
The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas is thrilled to announce a milestone in Texas’ culinary history with the 10th anniversary of the Stephan Pyles Celebrity Chef Dinner benefiting the Stephan Pyles Culinary Scholarship to take place Sunday, November 8, 2009 at Chef Pyles’ flagship restaurant, Stephan Pyles.  The event is presented in part by longtime sponsors Central Market and Texas Monthly.
Five celebrity chefs from throughout the state including Chef Pyles will present a spectacular five-course wine dinner along with a live auction to fund one of the nation’s largest culinary scholarships.  The scholarship winner will prepare a special appetizer course served during the reception.  The short but action-packed live auction will include restaurant packages, rare and fine wines and other luxury items.  Each course will be prepared by a different chef including (see menu attached):
•      2009 Stephan Pyles Culinary Scholarship winner Thomas (Coner) Sargeant from the Texas Culinary Academy in Austin currently working at the Joule Hotel, Dallas
•      Executive Chef Vijay Sadhu of Samar by Stephan Pyles, Dallas
•      Chef/Owner Jason Dady of The Lodge Restaurant of Castle Hills, San Antonio
•      Chef/Owner Tracy Miller of Local, Dallas
•      Chef/Owner Stephan Pyles and Executive Chef Matt McCallister of Stephan Pyles, Dallas
•      Chef/Owner Zach Townsend from Pure Chocolate Desserts by Zach, Dallas
A reception kicks off the evening at 6 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m.  Seating is limited and reservations are required.  The price is $125.00 per person (tax and gratuity included).  Reservations can be made by calling the Foundation at (512) 327-7555 or by visiting www.winefoodfoundation.org.
The Stephan Pyles scholarship is based upon an Iron-Chef style cook-off each spring, which challenges students to create a three-course menu utilizing a predetermined list of Texas ingredients.  The event is named for Texas legend Stephan Pyles, a legendary founding father of Southwestern cuisine and the first chef in the Southwest to win the prestigious James Beard award.  The competition is Chaired by Paris Cordon-Bleu trained Chef and Foundation member, Quincy Adams Erickson of Fête Accompli in Austin.  Applications for the 2010 competition will be available by the end of October to currently enrolled culinary students on the Foundation website, www.winefoodfoundation.org.  The 2010 competition will be rotated to Austin at the Texas Culinary Academy in March.
The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas is a statewide charitable Foundation (501c3) that supports education and research in the culinary and viticulture arts.  Chef Pyles is a long-time Foundation champion and Advisory member.  “We are proud to have accomplished ten years of scholarships for Texas’ student chefs.  Past winners have moved on to accomplish extraordinary things in our state and to have been able to provide that opportunity for them is truly humbling,” stated Pyles.  “This year we want to celebrate the hard work of everyone involved and make this dinner a show-stopper.”
About the Wine & Food Foundation of Texas
The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas is public charity founded in 1997 to support education and excellence in the culinary and viticulture arts. A membership organization, the Foundation provides scholarship and grants to innovative education projects in food and wine.  To date, the Foundation has given over $1 million to support public television, scholarships and grant projects throughout the state.

November 9

Stephan Pyles

STEPHAN PYLES HOSTS TRUCHARD WINE DINNER
WHAT:Five-Course Dinner to be Paired with Truchard Wines
Stephan Pyles will host a special five-course dinner paired with Truchard wines in the restaurant’s private dining room on Monday, November 9.  Truchard Vinyards is a small, family-owned winery that has been producing exceptional wines in the Carneros region of Napa Valley for over 30 years.  Tony and Jo Ann Truchard will join Chef Pyles to educate diners on the wine and food pairings.
WHEN:
Monday, November 9, 6:30 p.m.
PRICE:
$125 per person, inclusive
RESERVATIONS:
Space is limited, please contact Lisa Moore, 214.999.1229 x102,
lmoore@stephanpyles.com
WHERE:
Stephan Pyles
1807 Ross Ave, Suite 200
Dallas, Texas 75201

November 13
Pappas Bros.
Pappas Bros. Wine Department celebrates the “sparkiling wines” at this festive tasting. Barbara Werley, Master Sommelier, Kim Wood and Jason Hisaw, Advanced Sommeliers, and Heather Green, Certified Sommelier, will guide guests through the evening and allow each guest to experience a wide variety of sparkling wines. Executive Chef James Johnson will create hors d’oeuvres specifically paired for the sparkling choices.  “The Sparkling wines call for spectacular food pairings, and I promise to create just that!”
The Sparkling Wines featured at this Pappas Bros. Wine Tasting are the following:
Krug Grande Cuvee NV
Bruno Paillard Blanc de Blancs Brut “Réserve Privée” NV
Robert de Schlumberger Brut NV
L. Aubry “La Nombre D’Or” Brut 2000
Iron Horse Brut Rosé 2003
Guy Larmandier Premier Cru Vertus Brut Rose NV
Bugey-Cerdon La Cueille Rosé, Patrick Bottex NV
Laurent-Perrier Demi-Sec NV

Special Price Packages:
Individual Classes – $25/class with reservation ($30 at the door) 5-Class Package – $110/person ($15 Savings)
*Group pricing available with minimum of 10 people.
Refunds will be based on the difference between the amount paid less the number of classes attended or no-showed at $25.00 per class; for example, amount paid $110.00 less number of classes attended or no-showed at $25.00 (4 x $25.00) = $10.00 (refund).
Gift Certificates are available for all classes.
“Chefs at the Market” cookbook will be available for purchase at each class.
Paid reservations will be held at the door for each event.  Reservations are accepted with mail-in pre-payment only (check or money order). Seating is limited, so please make your reservations early.  Individual cancellations require 1-week advance notice.
Fall 2009 Schedule:
1.  October 24—Samir Dhurandhar—Nick & Sam’s
Theme:  Samir Cooks at the Market

2. October 31—Garreth Dickey—Hibiscus
Theme:  Fall Market Cooking from Hibiscus

3. November 7—Anthony Bombaci—Nana
Theme:  Three Variations on Squash

4.November 14—Tiffany Derry— Go Fish Ocean Club
Theme:  Market Cooking in the Winter
5.  November 21—Tre Wilcox—Loft 610
Theme:  Loft 610 at the Market

Dining critics at work.

Yesterday l linked to a post by chef Brian Luscher on former DMN dining critic Mike Hiller’s website Escapehatchdallas.com. While most of the people who left comments agreed with Luscher, I received several e-mails from “professionals” who were a bit concerned about the line “Taking scalps just because you have a hatchet isn’t the same as writing a fair review.” I wrote to both Hiller and Luscher and asked them to clarify and Hiller responded in the comments section. He writes:

“It seems to me Luscher was directing his comments primarily at those bloggers and casual Web commenters who don’t feel any obligation to present fair, comprehensive reviews.” And on his site he writes“…the scalp/hatchet comment, well, that was added for spice in the final edit and has since been removed.”

Couple of questions. If Luscher was directing his comments primarily at bloggers, why does the opening sentence contain “professional restaurant critics and amateur online reviewers”? Also, Hiller admits to adding what I feel is a pretty provocative line (scalp/hatchet) to post with Luscher’s byline. Methinks he put the restaurant owner in a hot seat.  And putting words he didn’t say in his mouth. Foul or fair? Hit it.

Restaurant veterans Michael “Mico” Rodriguez and Chef/Partner David McMillan join One Arts Plaza restaurant

(Dallas, TX) – Screen Door, a modern southern kitchen located in the Dallas Arts District, announces the appointment of a new management company.  With a newly formed company, MCM Restaurants, Michael “Mico” Rodriguez will now serve as Screen Door’s Executive Director, overseeing the day to day operations of the One Arts Plaza restaurant.  Chef/Partner David McMillan will bring his renowned culinary and management skills to Screen Door’s kitchen.

“We are so fortunate that these two great talents have come together for a merger.  At Screen Door we have a great dining concept that is ready to be leveraged and enhanced into the home cooking heart of the Arts District.  I am genuinely thrilled about the possibilities that these industry stalwarts bring to Screen Door,” remarked Lucy Billingsley, partner, Billingsley Company.

MCM Restaurants is a newly formed restaurant brand development company combining the forces and expertise of veteran restaurateurs Mico Rodriguez and David McMillan, along with contributing partners Robert Colombo and Teiichi Sakurai. With a goal of developing creative restaurants that are conceived and run the best way possible, Screen Door is MCM Restaurant’s first project.

“I am incredibly excited to be at One Arts Plaza at this point in my life.  This is a great opportunity for our new company,” said Mico Rodriquez.  “Screen Door already has a wonderful reputation in the community and we hope to call upon our experience to make it even better.”

Added Billingsley, “The management change coincides with the opening of the AT&T Performing Arts Center and all of the possibilities the Arts District now brings.  Screen Door has been one of One Arts Plaza’s highly praised establishments by both critics and customers alike, and we appreciate the dedication of Chef Fitzgerald Dodd, GM Rick Stein and their staff.”

Executive Director Mico Rodriguez and Chef/Partner McMillan bring over 75 years of combined experience and acclaim to Screen Door.  Mico Rodriguez, known as the “Godfather of Tex-Mex,” is the founder and former CEO of the M Crowd Restaurant Group, which formed in 1990 with the first restaurant in 1991.  He also founded The Mercury Grill and The Mercury Chophouse with celebrated Chef Chris Ward.

Chef/Partner McMillan has been chef, owner, and caterer for top rated restaurants, hotels, Hollywood celebrities and world dignitaries.  Most recently McMillan collaborated with Tristan Simon at Consilient Restaurants, opening projects in both Dallas and Los Angeles after closing his restaurant, 62 Main in Colleyville earlier this year.

His experience also includes a highly successful tenure at Nana where he put a new spin on upscale New American cuisine.  At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, McMillan served as partner & executive chef for World Broadcasters division of the Atlanta Committee of the Olympic Games.  He has been associated with some of the country’s leading hotel companies in addition to being executive chef at Beverly Hill’s famed Peninsula Hotel, which was awarded both five stars and five diamonds during his tenure. As partner and executive chef of Legacy Restaurant, which opened in 1995, he presided over what LA Magazine voted one of the Ten Best New Restaurants in LA.

Do you know who might be doing in-home cooking classes/birthday parties?