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SideDish Supper Club On Sale Now: Samar by Stephan Pyles in Dallas

Yow. Zah. I must say we have pulled together one fabulous evening. Thanks to Stephan Pyles, execuchef Vijay Sadhu, and managing partner George Majdalani, the next SideDish Supper Club at Samar by Stephan Pyles is going to be over-the-top. Not only are they opening the restaurant just for us, but they also designed a one-of-a-kind menu for SideDish Supper Clubbers.

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. (more…)

SideDish Supper Club: On Sale Tomorrow

The menu has been approved and the wine pairings and cocktail pairings are almost done. Hopefully, we’ll go on sale Thursday. I will tell you this: this dinner is going to not only going to be fun, it will stretch your palate around the globe. Check back tomorrow for all of the details and reservation information.

Pick The Winner: Name the Nicaraguan Hockey Team

I’ve just returned from four action-packed days in Nicaragua. More on the astonishing amount of street food I consumed later, but for now we must pick the winner of  the “Name A Hockey Team in Nicaragua Contest” we held last week.

Here are the contestants and their suggestions. Winner will receive a box of chocolate I bought from a chocolate plantation outside of the lovely city of  Leon, Nicaragua.

Worzel Gummidge:  Knights of The Iguana?
Brad:  The Icedinistas? (you see, it’s like Sandinistas, but the opposite because hockey is played on ice).
Shane: Chinandega Chupacabras, Managua Margays, Masaya Macaws (PICK ONE)
Amy S: The Stars?
Kirk: Club de Hockey de Managua, also known as Las Paletas.
Evan Grant: The Contras, El Presidentes, Whatever Vicente Padilla wants them to be called. (Nice try, he’s a traitor and therefore disqualified.)
restaurant jobs rhode island: Blazing Iguana Nicaragua. It symbolizes their food and culture combining at the same time.

The Next SideDish Supper Club: Save the Date

The next SideDish Supper Club will take place on the evening of Sunday, December 6. The restaurant is usually closed on Sunday, but the space is so small they are going to open  for SDSC attendees only. The details are being finalized and will be announced soon. If you would like advanced notice, type your e-mail address in the tab under the SupperClub logo on the right side of this page. If you are already on our list there is no need to redo. The seating for this exclusive experience is very limited. This special SideDish Supper Club menu will not be available in this restaurant before or after December 6.

Dining Trends for 2010: A Sarcastic Look at a Silly Report. “Zing” is in and WTF is Mood Food.

Each year, Joseph Baum & Michael Whiteman Co., a big-time restaurant consulting group in New York, releases their lists of foreseeable trends. It’s a fancy report that is meant to read like a technical survey, but, to me, it’s basically a round-up of what is going on now and a “prediction” that current big-city trends will spread. In short: it’s a lot of bull about pigs ears.
You can read the full report here. Below is a cheater’s sheet.

NEW PRIORITIES FOR BEATEN-UP CONSUMERS: “Too many restaurant and hotel execs are grappling with pre-recession consumer issues, while people today are expressing entirely new – and more complex — sets of concerns.” Yes, according to these guys, we (consumers) are “personal, emotional and ethical.” That throws me out of the equation, but for you this is very important. Are you familiar with your “hot buttons?” (Beat, beat.) “Hot buttons include: economic survival, reassurance, intimacy & friendship, feeding my knowledge, feeding my emotions, artisan, hand-made, neighborhood, local, authentic, real.” Cold, hard bitches need not apply to 2010. Look for this: “hotels and restaurants should be luring these hunkered down consumers from their psychological storm cellars (Cymbalta?) by replicating the “campfire experience” – building emotional ties and connecting to communities. OH GOODY, more S’MORES!

PUTTING FOCUS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MENU: Have you ever read about the psychology of menu writing? I’ll bet you didn’t know that the left side of the menu is reserved for “emotional resonance.” In case you don’t watch In Treatment, that translates into creative snacky things, small plates, food sized for one, two, or for a crowd. Sharing is the key because we need comfort and safety for intimacy and friendship. (Hmm, I usually feel safer when I get the whole cake.)

Jump for more joy! (more…)

Wine Dinner Wednesday

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Andrew Chalk Report: Celebrity Chef Soiree Last Night at Charlie Palmer at the Joule in Dallas

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

Dallas Candy Corn War: Pick a Side and a Personality

Yesterday at 2:59 p.m., Dave “Fairies” Faries announced on City of Ate that he hated candy corn. At 4:29 p.m., Leslie “Catch a Falling Star” Brenner proclaimed, “Here at the Dallas Morning News, we love it.”

I’ve gotta go with Faries on this. That stuff is nasty. It tastes like wax-coated “sugar.” But if Dave Faries would ever talk to me, I’d like to ask him why he insists on doing these silly wine and “food” pairings. Why would you pair a wine with candy corn or Frito’s or other random junk food? I’m just curious.

However, Mr. Faries inspired me to explore the Internet and search for my identity. Here are the results.

According to this website, I am a Snickers Bar.

“You’re a nut. Like a Snickers bar. You like to be around people and you are friendly. You are a constant smile. Some people consider you overly energetic but if you stopped being so cheery, everyone would miss the real you.”

According to this website, I am a Sauvignon Blanc.

Engaging and energetic, you have a lot to offer the world – most of it they’ve never seen anywhere else! You are the type of person who carves your own path in life… and you invite everyone else to come along. The only thing predictable about you is that you could have anything up your sleeve. You’re all about sampling all of life’s experiences. Both the savory and unsavory ones.
Deep down you are: Laid back and young at heart
Your partying style: Anything goes… seriously!
Your company is enjoyed best with: Smoked meats or spicy food.

So, there you have me. What about you? La Brenner and Mr. Faries, I think it only fair you weigh in here. And Teegster, spit that candy corn out of your mouth and play. Anything goes!

Kent Rathbun Wants to Take Dallas “Past Austin.” Pray For Him!

From a co-worker:

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?”

New Videos Encourage Diners to Dine Out and Save the Economy

A couple of days ago I posted this video that encourages you to dine out and save the economy. Today, Mark (Maguire’s, Maximo) Maguire, president of the Texas Restaurant Association sends you this video.

Condeleezza Rice and Laura Bush Dine at Rise No. 1 in Dallas

Hmm. This dynamic duo was spotted, along with a table full of Secret Service agents, dining at Rise No. 1 in Inwood Village. What do you suppose they talked about?

Wine Dinner Wednesday: Thursday Edition

Sorry I’m a day late. Below you will find a list of upcoming wine dinners from Urban Crust, La Buena Vida Vineyards, Abacus, Sevy’s Grill, The Grape,  two at  Stephan Pyles,and Pappas Bros.

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.
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Thanks to SideDish Readers, Matches in Restaurants are Making a Comeback!

Yow. Zah. Remember last week when we reminisced about free matches in Dallas restaurants? Today, Kirk sends this link to a feature story in the New York Times.   Next Monday I will have more photos of old Dallas matches. Continue on, dear trendsetters. And say thanks to Kirk for sharing.

Where Miley Cyrus Dines in Dallas

Miley Cyrus was in town last night to perform at the American Airlines Center, but she stopped for some grub along the way, sez a little birdie:

At about 4 p.m. today (ed note: um, yesterday), Miley Cyrus and her entourage (SIX BUSES WORTH) piled into Galleria Dallas to dine at Grand Luxe Café!

Once word gets out, we imagine the restaurant will be filled with 12 year-old girls eating spinach dip.

Somebody Help This Poor Boy: Chilean Restaurant

I’ve already told him you can find bits (bites?) of Chile at La Duni, Zaguan, and Stephan Pyles, but he wants more.

Do you know of any Chilean restaurant in DFW (empanadas, etc.)?  It’s kind of hard to Google “Chile” and DFW without Google thinking of the pepper and not the country.

Silly Google. We’re smarter than Google.

Official Word From Screen Door

SCREEN DOOR ANNOUNCES NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM

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. (more…)

Somebody Help This Poor Girl: Cooking Class Birthday Party

This could be fun or a disaster. Y’all help her decide.

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

Dallasfood.org Plays a Guessing Game: Loft 610 vs. Abacus

The Great Scott over at Dallasfood.org, the vortex of local food knowledge, has posted a fun guessing game.  He has printed a menu and asked readers to pick which items are on Tre Wilcox’s new menu at Loft 610 and which items are on the menu at Abacus. (For new players, Tre was once the execuchef at Abacus.) Go and play. It’s perfect for a rainy day.

Cobb Switch BBQ Announces Launch of Catering Division

Dotty Griffith Ranches Up!

Just when you think the going is tough, the toughest open a catering company. As a recovering caterer, I identify with the “need to cater.” It makes people happy. It makes you happy to make people happy. Catering is an affliction, an addiction that should not be exposed to rookies or people without strong resolve.

Which brings me to the veterans behind Cobb Switch BBQ in Carrollton: Blair Black, Janet and Phil Cobb, and switch hitter, former DMN critic, Dotty Griffith. These people have schlepped a few meals to various locations. So, without further ado, the envelope with the press release please:

Jump. (Oh, and Kirk get out your red pencil!) (more…)

Samar by Stephan Pyles Opens Tonight: Preview Dinner Report

“In the restaurant reviewing system, poor dining offenses are considered especially heinous. In Dallas, Texas, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad, known as the SideDish Victims Unit. These are their stories.”

Last night, Detective Andrew Chalk busted into a preview dinner at Samar by Stephan Pyles. He files this report:

Samar by Stephan Pyles opens tonight. This is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated new restaurants of the year. Yesterday, the restaurant held a preview to finalize the kitchen and service procedures and we were there. It is quite an experience.

Jumping now… (more…)

Wine Dinner Wednesday: Monday Morning Edition

Here are a few upcoming wine dinners.

Steve Field’s in Plano. Thursday, October 15th. Langetwins Wine Dinner Sponsored by Single Gourmet. $99/nonmembers, includes 2 glasses of wine with three-course dinner, coffee & iced tea, tax & gratuity. Reception: 6:45 p.m. Dinner: 7:30 p.m. For more information, e-mail info@singlegourmetdfw.com or call 972-732-8000. Reservations REQUIRED using this link. Full menu listed below.

Circolo Del Vino at Jimmy’s.  The Italy America Chamber of Commerce, British American Business Council of DFW, the Finnish American Business Guild, and the German American Chamber of Commerce have teamed up to present “Wine Without Borders” on Wednesday, October 14th. Our favorite Italian wine guy, Alfonso Cevola of Glazer’s, will be your host and he will give you a lesson on how to expand your wine horizons and discover new grapes varietals. 6:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 765-414 4285. More details below.

Jimmy’s Food Store. Jimmy’s welcomes Giovannella Stianti Mascheroni of Castello di Volpaia. Click on this link to learn about the family and history of this famous Tuscan winery and how the Estate was a wedding present to Giovannella and her husband. She also launched a cooking school in 2000 to educate visitors about Tuscan cooking and hospitality and to keep the traditions of the regions cuisine alive. Volpaia also has one of the most famous wine consultants in Italy, Riccardo Cotarella. Details below.

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Al Biernat Looks at Real Estate in the Design District in Dallas

We are moving our offices downtown next Friday which will be a big blow to Al Biernat’s business. (Goodbye Al; hello Stephan Pyles!) And lest you throw at big rock at me for hanging out at Al’s, I, unlike Tim or Eric, am not a regular at Al’s. I go for meetings perhaps three times a year. Al will back me up here.

Anywhoo, I bumped into Al the other day and he told me he was looking at property in the Design District near Shannon Wynne’s new restaurant. The area (think Candy Evans) is HOT, HOT, HOT. “I just went to tour the place,” said Al. “I don’t really have any real plans in mind but I am not closing my eyes to the possibility of doing something down there.”

In case you haven’t heard, Lower Oak Lawn (Design District) is being developed as a destination for local restaurants and businesses only. No Starbuck’s. No Chicago-based steak joints. No chains. The area just west of I-35 and Oak Lawn Avenue is destined to become a cool, neighborhood hangout. I think a Little Al’s would kick sass down there. Is he going to do it? “I really have to think about it,” said Al. “I sat there for two hours and all I saw were Mercedes and Porsches. And Kim Dawson is there so there will be lots of beautiful young people around.” Sounds like a no brainer to me.

Rumors Behind the Restaurant News: Tracy Miller of Local in Deep Ellum Looking Around?

One of my I-know-everybody friends was lunching at Salum in Uptown and files this report:

While lunching at Salum, I saw Local chef/owner Tracy Miller with Bryan Haase checking out the abandoned space next door to Salum. It used to be Couture Cleaners. Looks like someone is planning a new restaurant. Question: Is the talented Ms. Miller involved and what does this mean for Local?

Good sassy questions, my boy. Haase is, according to his Twitter page, a Commercial Real Estate Guru.

Janet Kafka: SideDish Readers Want Taberna del Alabardero in Dallas

Janet and Terry Kafka in Aspen last summer.

This just in from Andrew Chalk:

Thanks to Kirk for the heads-up to this article from the El Paso Times. Basque Restaurant Taberna del Alabardero is preparing a multi-course meal at the Coronado County Club in El Paso consisting of specialties from the Basque region of Spain. Examples include a typical Taberna pincho (Basque version of tapa): bacalao brandade (salt dried cod puree, olive oil, milk and/or cream, spices, herbs, etc.) stuffed in thinly sliced rolled zucchini slices topped with Romesco sauce (a mixture of tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, almonds or hazelnuts and olive oil) not to mention Jamon Iberico (Iberian ham).

Perhaps most intriguing is the reason a famous Basque Taberna is doing a meal in El Paso. It was arranged by the Honorary Consul General of Spain. Now Dallas doesn’t have a Spanish Consul General, but Google points to  The Honorable Janet Pollman Kafka as an Honorary Consul of Spain.  Any chance of getting her to contact Taberna del Alabardero and tell them Dallas would fill up their Basque meal as well (probably for many nights)?

Hey Janet, old buddy. I smell a SideDish Supper Club waiting to happen. Call me, let’s talk.

Petroni Vineyards Dinner at The Grape Tonight

Note from SideDish reader Brian Luscher who happens to be the chef/onwer of The Grape:

We have had some last minute cancellations have come in and now have a few openings for this exclusive 5-course wine paired dinner featuring Petroni Vineyards.  Mr. Petroni and son Marco will be in attendance. This will be an intimate event with only a small number of guests in our private wine room. 7:00pm. Cost is  $135 per guest. 214-828-1981.

I call that an ad for your win dinner, Luscher. Send more gift certificates.