I guess I brought the torture upon myself when I “liked” Flippin’ Out Crepes’ Facebook page a week ago. It all started when I caught sight of its mom’s triple chocolate bundt cake crepe with fresh raspberry sauce on my newsfeed on May 11. The crepe laid innocently in a plastic container, ready to be gorged down. Then, yesterday, a philly crepe with cheese bursting out from its sides made its photo debut on my homepage. Great. Thanks, Flippin’ Out. You’re making it really hard for me to heed Mark Bittman’s advice on consuming less meat. All I want is to bury my teeth in that brown glob of dead cow, let cheese dangle from the lips of my mouth, pat my balloon belly, and take a fat nap afterwards. Forget about work. The thing is, I was ready to ignore your tempting offerings and go back to my crepe-less life, but then you posted a breakfast crepe with fluffy egg and bacon about an hour ago. Why??? And how in the world did you know I was already thinking about you?
I think it’s time for me to dislike you on Facebook. It’s been a tough decision for me, but I’ve decided it’s best that we break up this newsfeed relationship for the sake of my sanity.
Tuesday’s Residents Day at Driftwood was so popular they are doing it again. Here’s the deal:
Tuesday’s for the month on May ONLY. Offer good for Patio and Bar ONLY. ALL food is discounted 25%. We will have a featured bottle of white and red wine for $25. Good for ALL Oak Cliff residents (just bring in any proof). No reservations, first come – first serve (seating is limited). For ALL non-Oak Cliff “Like Us” on FaceBook and get the same royal treatment
Huh? What? We can all become groovy OC residents just by clicking Facebook!? It’s a Christmas miracle!
A quick email exchange with chef Tracy Miller of Local confirms she is opening Restaurant Rosemont at 2912 Elm Street (@Malcom X). The kitchen will serve breakfast, lunch, and brunch. The fare is “simple American.” She hopes to be open in mid-May. “I’m working on the menu now,” Miller says. “There will be nothing over the top – very simple. And hopefully refreshing in every way!” She also says there is a huge parking lot adjacent to building that is for Rosemont’s guests only. No parking meters! Outdoor seating! Beer, wine, and Champagne!
Hours, etc. below.
UPDATE: Sorry, the name is Rosemont not Restaurant Rosemont. (more…)
Few restaurants have received as much pre-opening buzz as Nick Badovinus‘ highly anticipated Off-Site Kitchen. As a fan of his work at the Neighborhood Services ventures, I’m not ashamed to admit that I was as giddy as a school girl every time a shred of news regarding its opening surfaced. Naturally, when Off-Site Kitchen did open, 98% of the blogosphere rushed to see what kind of magic Badovinus and crew had been brewing up for all those months, and appropriately, nearly every food writer got right to work gushing about it all over the internet. And honestly, it deserved every bit of praise that has been thrown at it.
Now that some of the early chatter has started to simmer down a bit, it seems only appropriate to express my love for the humble, working-man’s menu at Off-Site Kitchen, particularly through praise of one of my favorite items on the menu board, the 48-hr cracked pepper brisket sandwich. It took a few visits to be able to mentally pry myself away from their excessively delicious burgers, but when I was finally able to take the plunge into non-burger territory, my efforts were so handsomely rewarded, I no longer fear to stray.
I’ve done a decent amount of travel around Dallas as part of my own personal taco crusade. But unfortunately, my taco radar is pretty much dark across the taco dense region just east of Harry Hines and north of Northwest Highway. A few establishments have crossed my path in this area, but one experience in particular which involved a tiny, no-name roadside taqueria, lack of electricity and refrigeration and a putrid, spoiled pork barbacoa taco, has left such a sour taste in my mouth that I rarely adventure there these days.
Luckily, I was redirected back to the area by the highly respected taco tycoon, Jose Ralat-Maldonado of Taco Trail fame. When this dude tells you to make a trip somewhere, it’s best not to question his authority. This particular outing brought me to a previously unheard of joint called La Nueva Fresh and Hot. I am a sucker for fresh, I’m a sucker for hot, I’m even a sucker for neuva. How could I go wrong? I couldn’t.
Read on amigos…
While the Korean-Mexican fusion concept is far from novel at this point, this doesn’t mean it is not every bit as delicious as it was when people were going absolutely batty over the idea of a Korean taco. Now that this multicultural mish-mashing seems to be slowing down a bit, perhaps it is safe for me to declare my personal favorite, an honor which I bestow upon Kor-BQ in Plano.
I first sampled Kor-BQ shortly after they opened in late 2010. At the time, whisperings of the taco fusion movement from the West Coast, particularly L.A.’s Kogi food truck, were just barely reaching the ears of North Texans. It was an exciting time for everyone, and I’m sure I was not the only taco lover excited to sample the intriguing flavor profiles of “East meets West.” Kor-BQ was the first of its kind to hit the Dallas area dining scene. Many others have followed, but I still find myself trekking up to Plano anytime I need to fulfill my cravings for a sweet and spicy Korean short rib taco.
Nothing beats stuffing your face with mashed potatoes and cherry pie while Abe Lincoln – that serious Civil War hottie – stares down at your plate.
Thankfully, Highland Park Cafeteria is making all your dreams come true with live patriotic piano music, fresh-baked pies, and decorated cookies between the hours of 11 AM to 8 PM today. Kids under ten eat free with the purchase of an adult meal for TODAY only.
What does Presidents Day have to do with kids eating free? No idea, but free food is never a bad thing. Plus, all the Presidents and their First Ladies will be there, eyeing you from their wall.
1200 N. Buckner Blvd.
214-324-5000

Poutine from the Greenhouse Tavern, Cleveland OH (photo from Columbus Underground @ www.columbusunderground.com)
A couple of weeks ago I gushed about my love for the burgers at Kenny’s Burger Joint. One of our Sidedishers, “Kirk,” commented that they offered “the closest facsimile of poutine in the DFW area.” When I heard this, it was not long until I found my way back to sample the Kenny’s version. As you likely know, “poutine” is a classic Canadian dish, traditionally composed of crispy French fries, cheese curds, and a brown gravy. The most successful variations of poutine are able to serve the fries thick and crisp, the cheese curd soft but not so completely melted that they lose all their texture, and the gravy incorporated into each bite, but not so much as to turn the whole thing into a soup or make the fries overly soggy. However, this dish is incredibly hard to find in Dallas. I don’t understand why this is so. Perhaps it’s our distance from our neighbors to the North? Perhaps there are not enough Canadians here in the Lone Star State? It really is a travesty.
When do you know that you have started to become a little too familiar with a restaurant? Well, if you pull into Kenny’s Burger Joint and your kid starts cheering, “Yay! Uncle Kenny.” And no, I’m not related to Kenny Bowers…and my kid hardly even recognizes his grandparents. Perhaps this familiarity could be seen as a problem in a city that offers so many burger options, but to be honest, its easy to get underwhelmed by the consistent stream of the newly minted burger joints. Seems like there are about 2 new openings a week, la-dee-frickin-da. These days, I can count on one hand the number of places I will actually patronize to in order to obtain a truly exceptional burger. Kenny’s has been doing things right since the beginning.
Kenny will tell you that he originally got such excellent feedback from his “Sterling Silver Burger” at Kenny’s Wood Fired Grill, that it was only natural to create a burger-centric restaurant. And we are all blessed because of it. Sure, it’s a bit of a pain for many to trek out to Frisco, but when quality and consistency intersect, the results can be something so enticing that nearly anyone can bust out of the north-of-635 bubble.
We all know that making a decent grilled cheese doesn’t require a membership in Mensa. I mean, I was making them at 7 years old…sure they were more often burnt to a black crisp than a nice golden brown, but I just called it “extra toasty.” A number of joints around the country have popped up, determined to push the grilled cheese sandwich where it has never been before, including places like Cleveland’s Melt Bar and Grilled, Austin’s Chedd, and NYC’s Melt Shop. So when I first heard about Ruthie’s Rolling Café, one of Dallas’ freshest food trucks dedicated to the humble grilled cheese, I was intrigued. Personally, I love the idea of dedicated cuisine. If you do one thing, do it right, I always say…okay, I don’t actually say that very often, but if you are only doing one thing and you suck at it, you may want to reconsider the direction your life is heading. I digress. I hoped that with Ruthie’s, this would not only be the beginning of a long, fruitful relationship between me and some beautiful sandwiches, but that Ruthie would pave the way for a grilled cheese revolution.
I am happy to report that Ruthie’s makes a mean grilled cheese. Perhaps you have been reluctant to jump on the food truck bandwagon. I know I have been, as I typically prefer, you know, chairs, air conditioning, and tables, but I can put all those niceties out of mind for some Ruthie’s. Even if I had to eat her sandwiches in a dark alley behind the Wal-Mart while lying on a bed of nails inside a dumpster, I would have no complaints.
I’m pretty excited for this Saturday’s festivities downtown. City Lights kicks off. I’ve been watching more than 3,000 lights be strung, orbs be placed, and tubes be constructed in the Neiman windows for the past couple weeks. I’m just waiting for all of it to light up. After you watch the tree be lit, Santa make his appearance, and the finale at AT&T, support some of the restaurants downtown. A lot of them are offering some discounts. And then there’s Wild Salsa, which is giving 30 prizes of free food for a year. Winners get $25 a week for 52 weeks to spend on food. (Trust me, you can go to Wild Salsa and get dinner for two for that much. I suggest the Ensalada Mexicana.) Send an email to ilovedowntowndallas@drgconcepts.com and explain why you love downtown. (If you don’t have any ideas, I can give you a few.) Include your name, number, and email. They’ll randomly draw the winners.
Other discounts for Saturday only:
* Wild Salsa, Dallas Chop House, Dallas Fish Market: 20 percent off food
* Iron Cactus: $5 hot chocolate infused with Rumpleminz
* Ravenna: Children under 10 get a free pasta dish; accompanying adult must purchase entrée
* The Joule: complimentary hot chocolate, hot cider, popcorn, and cookies
A couple of years ago we threw a cheesemaker appreciation reception at Celebration Restaurant. Well, we’re doing it again on October 27. Join us from 5:00 to 6:30PM as we taste the Texas cheeses that recently won American Cheese Society awards. Come meet Paula Lambert (Mozzarella Co.), Rebeccah Durkin (Brazos Valley), Amelia Sweethardt (Pure Luck), Edgar Diaz (Three Happy Cows), Dave Eagle (Eagle Mountain), and Dr. Anne C. Jones (Latte Da Dairy). And as always, the affable Meaders Ozarow (Empire Bakery) will be there with the bread. Check out all of the award-winning cheeses below. See you there!
Jump for the glorious cheeses.
Nestled in the shadows of the towering stadium of the Mesquite High School fightin’ Skeeters, sits a humble family-owned pie shop with owners every bit as sweet as their glorious cherry pie. Dallas needs more pie shops like Scrumbscious. Sure, plenty of places offer a handful of pie flavors, many of which are honorable in their own right, but when an establishment is willing to dedicate their lives to the creation of an American icon, you can rest assured they are going to do things right.
Choosing your slice of pie can be a daunting task indeed for the indecisive and scatterbrained among us, but luckily you are safe enough just throwing a dart at the menu board and ordering whatever it lands on (Note: do not throw darts in the store, they do not appreciate this). I could ramble on about my favorites, the silky smooth coconut cream, the rich, aromatic fresh pecan pie, but really, just go with your gut on this one.
I don’t know if I told you, but I have a thing for donuts. Maybe that’s a bit of an understatement. But it’s rare, in this city, to find a place that is willing to push the limits when it comes to these tasty morsels of fried dough and sugar (obvious exceptions excluded). Therefore, any donut news is good news in my book, and any upstart entrepreneur that is daring enough to risk their livelihood, families, pets, and entire life’s savings on the humble donut is A-OK with me.
When the buzz around Denton Square Donuts began to surface a number of months ago, I was intrigued to say the least. The obviously non-traditional shape of these donuts is enough to rouse one’s attention, but most donuteers will recall similarly shaped offerings at the mighty Doughnut Plant in NYC. The toppings which adorn DSD’s baked goods are also enough to get the salivary juices flowing: Brie with Apricot Jelly, Cream Cheese and Jalapeno Jelly, Apple Pie, and the nearly-ubiquitous Bacon and Maple. Yet still, some may argue that places like Hypnotic, Gourdoughs in Austin, and Voodoo in Portland have been offering up equally ambitious donuts for years.

Roasted meats are the heart of the menu and that includes Spam, smoked jalapeno sausage, hot links, black pepper kielbasa, and chicken.
I was tooling down Irving Blvd. yesterday after a run to the camera store and I spotted a couple of cars and a motorcycle in front of the soon-to-open Off-Site Kitchen. I opened the door to find owner/chef Nick Badovinus and chef Dan Riley trying out a few items for the menu. Besides getting a free cheeseburger (look out for this one, Dallas. It’s a bobbydazzler and it is only $3.50), I got a brief tour of the space which they hope to get open by the end of the month. The food, inspired by “what line cooks eat,” is basically simple sandwiches and breakfast burritos made from quality roasted meats. “Low and slow” in Badovinus-speak. “It’s light industrial food,” he said. “It’s the kind of food you want to eat before you go solder something.”
The tiny restaurant at the corner of Wycliff and Irving Blvd. will basically do breakfast and lunch, but they will be open until 6:30PM and offer take out, including meats by the pound. “All of our meats except rib-eye will be around $3 a pound,” Badovinus said. I also tried a sliced peppered kielbasa sandwich topped with a sliced lettuce salad tossed in a Carolina pulled pork vinaigrette. (Sorry, I finished it before I remembered to photograph it.) Off-Site Kitchen will be a sandwich-lovers dream. They make it easy to grab and go or stay and eat on the covered patio.
Jump for photos.
Nothing says “thank goodness those little brats are back in school again” like a taco. And where else on earth are you going to find a meatloaf taco besides Good 2 Go. The “School Daze” taco may be a an homage to the thousands of school lunches across the country serving up a questionably eatable mystery meat loaf with instant mashed potatoes flakes, but luckily the love poured into this brilliant creation is unmistakable and the flavors are more than splendid enough to cast away any scarring memories of school cafeteria food from your younger years. And this meatloaf can be enjoyed without having to endure the company of “Stinky Joey” making musical farting noises with his armpits or “Billy Braces” picking broccoli out of his head gear for 15 minutes ( I do, however, miss the chocolate milk).
Word on the street is that close to 1,000 people have lined up in the NorthPark halls for the opening of Dallas’ first H&M store (drawn, we’re guessing, by affordable poly-blends and the offer of gift cards to the first 500 people in line). A few minutes ago, H&M employees led the waiting throngs in an H&M scream-chant of some kind. We can only imagine how much Tiffany & Co., Neiman’s, and the like are loving this day.
Here’s our advice to them: beleaguered sales associates from adjoining stores (and probably H&M, too) need head out of the mall and directly to Urban Taco for their Thirsty Thursday all-day happy hour. That’s right: $5 house margaritas & mojitos and half-price draft beers. Live music starts at 7 pm, so you can dance off the stress this day has wrought. Commiserate over a cocktail or drown your sorrows at not having received one of those “first-500 customers” gift cards. Either way, you won’t break the bank.
This Little Piggy Went Downtown
Oh yeah, it's for real.
We’re suckers for any press release that contains the following sentences:
It seems a couple well-intentioned entrepreneurs have teamed up with J&D’s Foods to create a little something they’re calling baconlube—the world’s first bacon-flavored, water-based, American-made, personal lubricant.
Billing itself as the “gold standard of meat-flavored massage oils” (natch) baconlube, they say, is like the McRib of sex: it’s delicious, makes men crazy, is here for a limited time, and is in short supply.
If you’re thinking “stocking stuffer!” (let’s stay on track here), we’re right behind you. But the boys only made 3,000 bottles of this pork-flavored nectar. It hit the interwebs yesterday at www.baconlube.com. How much, you ask, for a product that promises such a satisfying holiday season? Only $11.99.
you know you want more. jump for it… (more…)