Fan fave Kevin. Photo courtesy bravotv.com

Disher Wes Mantooth just sent me a love letter. “The D-Empire blogs are all boring as spit today,” he says. Anyway, he wants to talk about Top Chef, and I know there are several TC fans out there. His thoughts are below.

Top Chef is coming to a close. Who’s not going to make it? We’ve got 5 left: Kevin, Jennifer, Eli, and the Brothers. The easy call is that Jen and Eli both wind up packing their knives, but we’ve seen in the past that it only takes one little slip for an otherwise more-talented chef to get packing before their time was due, resulting in a less-talented poseur to take the crown (i.e. Josea). So, here’s my handicapping on who makes it to the Final Table:

Kevin: 1:1.
The dude has given the Heisman to every challenge thrown at him. Guy has a pig tattoo but also swears off meat for the entirety of Lent? To paraphrase Winston Churchill, he’s a riddle wrapped in a mystery wrapped in pork sausage, then deep fried.

Bryan: 2:1
Even when he missteps, he doesn’t miss by much. He has confidence and maturity, something his brother desperately needs to borrow.

Michael: 3.5:1
Something about him just screams high-wire act. He’s got the plays-well-with-others skills of Marcel but the culinary talents of a Blaise. I’d love to see Eli do something intentional to light Michael’s anger on fire and then he’d go down in a blaze of self-destructive glory. Because, you know, it can’t be a reality TV show without paying homage to Bon Jovi. Still, I’d rather have him as a third in the finale than that worthless Lisa a couple years back. Oi.

Eli: 8:1
Eli used up all his goodwill last week when Robyn got sent home on her history of serving crap food and being out of tricks versus Eli’s history of mostly-good food despite serving up a hairball in last week’s elimination challenge. You know that the decision at Judges’ Table went like this: Eli’s “drink” was crap, but he won the quickfire and has been very good several times. Robyn just keeps skating by because someone else is worse than her; she has no upside. Eli had better pull something out of his hat or he’s gonna be done soon.

Jennifer: 20:1
She’s worked for Ripert for the better part of a decade, so we know that she has the chops, but Top Chef is a marathon, not a sprint, and Jen looked like she’d pretty much hit the wall at the Excalibur’s Medieval Times presentation. I think that the day-in, day-out pressure of performing a new and different trick every day has just worn her out. I hate to say this because she’s probably my favorite chef on the show (not to mention the only one I want to see in the pool at the house), but Jen’s performance the last couple of shows reminds me of Ali in Zaire, only without the rope-a-dope.

Mantooth, out.

A new chef arriving at The Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek is as big an event as a new quarterback arriving to play for the Cowboys. A huge amount of hometown pride and curiosity is at stake for both events. We went along to The Mansion to find out what’s new and talk to Chef Bruno Davaillon. He has been in town only about two weeks and although he has started to introduce his dishes to the menu incrementally, these are early days. So what follows is an impression rather than a review.

Ahi tuna amuse bouche

Dinner started with an amuse bouche of ahi tuna, cut as a square slice about a quarter of an inch think, topped with wasabi and placed atop a bed of diced apple. This had the desired effect of exciting our taste buds, leaving us anxious for more.

An appetizer of Maine lobster salad was quite formidable. Lobster tail had been sliced about a quarter of an inch thick and three rounds placed atop a concassé of chopped avocado, tomato and lobster meat. A green salad was sprinkled on top and two small pools of crème fraîche straddled each side of the plate with a handful of beads of caviar on top. The sinewy lobster meat was sweet and rich in the mouth, and I predict this dish will prove popular with lobster lovers. Our other appetizer was Mushroom Risotto with Confit of Duck. I find risotto is tough to make. The problem is getting the rice just right. It must be soft enough to yield readily to the bite, but firm enough to need to be chewed rather than just dissolving in the mouth. Another important element is the infusion of flavor to the rice from the stock and added ingredients. Davaillon’s example should be used as a reference point in Dallas in this respect. The mushrooms’ flavors are intense and their flesh chewy, all set against the al dente firmness of the rice. A substantial confit of duck occupies pride of place on top of the risotto layer. I love duck confit and I have French sensibilities about the liberal use of salt. But this confit was a little too salty, even for my palate.

Bison tenderloin.

Next, the main courses. Bison Tenderloin au Poivre with Autumn Vegetable Fricassee was hearty winter nourishment. After tasting this example I conclude that bison is the tenderloin for steak lovers who want flavor. The two-inch filet was rich and sweet with that iron taste of medium-rare red meat. The vegetable fricassee consisted of small potatoes cooked in their skins, along with carrots, onions and parsnips. Each vegetable  was prepared so the distinctive flavor is preserved.

Sous vide pheasant.

Our other main dish was pheasant cooked sous vide. One hardly ever sees pheasant on Dallas menus, even when it’s in season, and this was the daily special. In addition to the breast and leg meat, a pheasant sausage was also served. The meat was  accompanied by potatoes, poached pears, and green vegetables that included, unusually, grapes.

Davaillon used to be a pastry chef and has turned his hand to a few of the desserts on the menu. We had the Mansion Candy Bar, an addictive peanut and chocolate creation that will surely be stolen (in concept, if not in substance) by Hershey’s. It was astoundingly light for such a dessert. This was served with lemon sorbet which proved to be a good compliment. Our other dessert was a study in apples. Apple slices in the body were surrounded by apple foam and incised with gossamer-thin apple chips. Conceptually brilliant, this is an Iron Chef winner when apple is the ingredient du jour.

What does this all mean? More visits are necessary for a conclusive judgment, but some early signs do emerge. Davaillon will take the Mansion in a French direction, but do not expect to see heavy sauces or exotic organs you didn’t know that animals had. Instead, expect a very light hand with fresh and local ingredients (when possible) designed to emphasize their inherent flavors rather than the sauces or seasoning that they come with. His upbringing and early training in the Loire region (“the market-garden of Paris”) portends an emphasis on vegetables that will make them more than just an accompaniment to some bruiser protein. He will, in fact, introduce two tasting menus, one wholly vegetarian. Desserts are also going to be a strong suit. His style is very exact and very focused on the flavors in the dish. Many of his dishes will not have the photogenic quality on the plate that is popular with some people, but this should not blind one to the detail and precision in the preparation.

DISCLAIMER: Our meal was paid for by The Mansion and I was not anonymous.

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

Sometimes you feel like a duck. Sometimes you don’t.

I find it interesting that two high-profile dining critics are changing their tune about the importance of remaining anonymous. Maybe it’s because they are no longer high-profile dining critics. Former New York Times dining critics Ruth Reichl and Frank Bruni have been giving interviews with quotes such as these:

“Dining companions are not good covert operations agents,” Bruni says. It’s one of the many reasons Bruni no longer feels restaurant critics can remain anonymous.

Is Bruni paving the way for his successor Sam Sifton? Before Sifton took over as the Times critic, he was the cultural news editor and deputy dining editor. His head shot was plastered all over the paper and the web. Sifton was forced into wearing disguises before he wrote his first lead review.

I believe anonymity is important—I have a closet full of clothes, glasses, and wigs to prove it. As a magazine editor, I have interviewed a lot of chefs in Dallas. I have even traveled with a few to do feature stories. As a dining critic, I have managed to slip past them in their restaurants and review them. (Hi Avner! Hi Dean!) That said, even when I am recognized (Hi, Kent!), which is not very often, it doesn’t always guarantee the restaurant will provide a perfect dining experience. Just because there is a dining critic in a restaurant doesn’t make the chef a better chef or the menu a better menu. Service might step up a notch, but it has been my experience that servers overcompensate and make more mistakes when they know they are serving a critic.

Most restaurant critics don’t get busted by personal appearance, they are outed by their behavior. Asking too many questions upfront and ordering too much food are dead giveaways to perceptive servers. A critic also has to be careful what they say at the table. You never know who is sitting next to you or what they will say to the manager, chef, or owner.

Servers, what do you think? Chefs? Fire away. Dishers, take your best shot.

(BTW, love this.)

Chef David McMillan has nothing to whine about. He’s happy to be the new chef at Screen Door.

It’s been a busy few days for chef David McMillan. He and Mico Rodiguez are in full gear at Screen Door. I finally caught up with him last night.

NN: How is it going?
DM: Things are good. We moved in this week. It’s going to be interesting. This place has  never done what its supposed to do.

NN: What are you initial challenges?
DM: The higher end [of the restaurant business] is tough and we are going to reposition it. The lobster was I think $80, now the lobster is $45. It’s a cute space but it is not functional from a service perspective. It’s a space that needs to be taken in another direction to survive.

NN: Well, Mico certainly knows a lot about finishing out a space.
DM: Mico and I are having a good time. We are both caustic and with a sense of humor. We’ll won’t shut down but will  be doing construction on the inside. We’ll probably be opening up the green waving partitions and the sitting area with the tree stumps. We want to start including the younger generation while still keeping the concept Southern. We’re not going small plates, but we want to be more usable in the bar area and bring down the price point. Need to straddle old customers and a build new [customer base].

NN: What about the current staff?
DM: Well, Rick Stein is a great guy and he will be leaving but we would love to work with him again. Fitz [chef Fitzgerald Dodd] is staying through next weekend. Tami the sous chef is going to open Tillman’s in FT worth. Erica, the pastry chef is staying. Fitz has been through a lot. He has been through the mental, only confusing time, of [original owner] Scott Jones. He [Jones], still has sweat equity but he has been gone for a long time.

NN: Well, the timing is certainly good with the opening of the Arts District.
DM: Our timing and the arts center opening couldn’t be better.  And our wine list is doing great. Jeff [sommelier] is doing good. We are starting to see the $150 mark moving.  It’s fun place to work.

UPDATE: I just realized the editor of EscapeHatchDallas is former DMN restaurant critic, Mike Hiller, Nice.

I’m thinking: Promotion!

Nancy was thinking: Cheese!

It was a bit deflating when Nancy, her left eye covered with an authentic pirate/Moshe Dayan eye patch, met me outside her house with a foam wedge of cheese. Either she was sending me to cover a Packers game. Or this was not exactly what I had in mind. Nancy, tears in her good eye, explained that the residual pain from her emergency retina laser work made it impossible for her to be her normal gracious host for the SideDish CheeseHead Texas Wine and Cheese Celebration at – where else?- Celebration. She needed me to fill in for her. And she needed me to wear the big cheese head hat. Then she pulled out a Swiss Miss wig, complete with long side braids, and a pair of cheese wedge earings.

“Sorry,” I said, “But I like my cheese like I like my women: Dutch.”

The wig was out (but the earrings may one day come in handy).

Cheese head in hand, I rushed to Celebration to help with the Celebration. But here’s the funny thing: Not only our local cheese farmers and purveyors talented, but they also don’t need any gimmicks or guest hosts. At 5 p.m. promptly, folks started streaming onto the vine covered patio to sip Kiepersol Estates Texas Merlot and sample cheese from The Mozzarella Company, Lucky Layla Farms and Latte Da Dairy. All of them won awards at the 25th Annual American Cheese Society competition in Austin earlier this month. Also, we can’t forget the Ozarows from Empire Baking Company, who supplied some lovely bread to accompany the cheese. Here’s the thing about these little SideDish get togethers that I’ve come to realize: We really have a very nice food-loving community in Dallas. And supportive, too.  Lots of folks got to taste cheese and get an education in what goes into the making of these small-batch products.

There was plenty of cheese and wine and even more good times and good conversation. Local artisanal cheeses are starting to show up on more and more menus all over town, so even if you missed the event, you still have chances to sample this stuff. And it’s good. I’ve had Paula’s mozzarella – heck, I once made Paula’s mozzarella in a cheese class – all over town (most recently, I saw it on the menu at Park). And I’ve sampled some of her other cheeses, too. Paula had her award winners – the Queso Oaxaca and Queso Blanco with Chiles and Epazote – on hand, but my favorite of hers was the Blanca Bianca. It had a fruity and spicy aroma and it had a little kick of spice at the end. A wonderful snacking cheese.

My blue ribbon for the night, however, went to Latte Da’s Fresh Chevre with dill, garlic, and black and red peppers. I can now understand why the goat on the on logo is dancing. These goats should be proud of this stuff. It was creamy and light and the mix of herbs sprinkled on top made for a perfect spread atop a slice of baguette. I had sampled the plain Chevre the night before at Oceanaire, where it is used in a salad with pistachios. I found Latte Da’s plain Chevre to be more mild than most goat cheeses I’ve tasted. Paired up with a vinaigrette and some pistachios, the salad was fully of layers of crunch, cream, sweet, salty and bitter. It was a symphony of tastes.

Admission: I never did get to taste the Lucky Layla cheeses. They were at the far end of the cheese tables and they were crowded. The Moore Family can pack ‘em in. Fortunately, if I can’t get out to their store on Jupiter Road in Plano, I know I can sample their cheese (and butter) at Fearing’s in the Ritz-Carlton. They had some of their award-winning yogurt cheese on hand and had a steady stream of hungry tasters.

When we closed up shop at a little after seven, it was with a tummy full of cheese and a head full of memories of great local artisanal cheeses. There’s a great variety of local stuff out there folks. If you haven’t tried it, you are missing out. And you don’t even have to wear a giant wedge of foam cheese on your head when you do it (leave that part to us pros.).

Paula Lambert and Evan Grant. Who knew?

An emergency surgery on a torn retina kept me from attending last evening’s SideDish CheeseHead Celebration at Celebration Restaurant. My good friend and award-winning blogger, Evan Grant (way to go, Grumpy!), subbed for me. Needless to say, he and Mozzarella Company owner Paula Lambert bonded instantly. Thanks to the folks at Lucky Layla, Latte Da, and Mozzarella Company for generously supplying their cheeses. Also thanks to Kiepersol Winery for donating bottles of their award winning Cabernet and Merlot and to wine guru Whit Meyers for pouring them. Kudos to the Ozarows from Empire Baking Company for the bread. Celebration owner Ed Lowe and the great facilitator Lincoln (sorry don’t have his last name) gave us the space and plenty of set-up support. Evan is working up a report of the evening. Thanks to the 50-strong SideDish CheeseHeads who showed up. Here’s looking at you! A few R.P. Washburne photos after the jump.

From left: Lucky Layla's Todd Moore, Deanna Moore, cheesemaker Adriana Satil, Anne Jones (Latte Da), Paula Lambert, and Ed Lowe of Celebration Restaurant.

Deanna Moore, Lucky Layla

Paula Lambert, Mozzarella Company

Zucchini blossoms from Nonna.

Last night’s SideDish Supper Club at Nonna was a delicious success. We hope you will chime in with comments if you were there. I’ve got photos after the jump, but this is a picture of the first course, the antipasti. The baked zucchini blossoms (from Tom Spicer, as chef Barsotti explained to us before we ate) stuffed with Paula Lambert’s goat’s milk ricotta were one of my favorite dishes of the night.

Mortadella, porchetta, and tonno del Chianti The mortadella, porchetta, and tonno del Chianti were served on one plate. Tonno del Chianti translates to tuna of Chianti, but it’s actually pork that has been cooked for a long time and marinated in olive oil. It was served on top of crunchy, grilled bread and it really does look like tuna. I loved the porchetta, too. I’m looking at the menu and realizing we didn’t get to try the sformato of potato and ricotta with pesto. Shoot. Someone else will have to tell me how it was (can’t believe I didn’t notice that until now).

Pappa al pomodoro This was my favorite course of the night. The pappa al pomodoro soup is tomato soup, thickened by bread. And, it was thick–the consistency of oatmeal.Chef Barsotti used the last of the season’s tomatoes from east Texas.

Pici pasta with wild boar ragu You’re going to have to turn your head to the side for this one. I apologize. Someone who actually knows how to take photos and upload them properly is going to do it later. This is the pici pasta that the chefs at Nonna have been making for three days. The pici are really like long, thick spaghetti, and the wild boar ragu (made with boar from Broken Arrow Ranch) was hearty, but in a delicate way. I actually thought the ragu was a bit on the salty side, but I still loved it.

The arista, or saddle, of pork This is the arista of Berkshire pork. It was extremely tender, with a kick in the end I asked the chef about. He said the heat was from Calabrian chiles.

Fritto misto This is the fritto misto, with Gulf shrimp and oysters and seasonal vegetables. I only tried one small bite but this was fantastic, of course.

Contorni This are the sides, or the contorni. In the back is Anson Mills polenta with mascarpone and Pecornino Toscana, creamy and spread thin. The other dish contains the braised Cavolo Nero (a type of kale) and the corona beans, which I loved.

Dessert Here, we have East Texas peaches roasted with Vin Santo, an Italian dessert wine, candied walnuts, and Tuscan honey gelato. I loved the nuts and the peaches, but the gelato wasn’t for me. It had a very flowery flavor that I didn’t care for, but I know I was the only one. Everyone else loved it. But the dinner was fantastic overall. My favorite dishes were: 1) the soup 2) pici 3) squash blossoms. If you were there, please chime in with your thoughts.

“Talking to myself and feeling old/Sometimes I’d like to quit/Nothing ever seems to fit/Hangin’ around, nothing to do but frown/Rainy days and Mondays always get me down”—The Carpenters

I am feeling so Karen Carpenter today. Not skinny, just beat down. It all started on Saturday when I ended up in lengthy conversation with a veteran Dallas restaurateur on the “rules” surrounding a restaurant review. He/She shall remain nameless.

Anywhoo, He/She had a (loud) question for me: “Hey, since when did it become okay for a restaurant critic to review a restaurant during the first week of operation?” I had no idea what He/She was talking about so I asked, “What do you mean.” He/She raged on incredulously: “Well Leslie Brenner went to Park the first week it opened and based a lot of her review on what happened during the first week.”

“Whoa, hold on,” I said. “I have not read Brenner’s review because I have not written mine. Until I do, I’m not comfortable talking about it.”

“Well, then let’s make this a hypothetical case,” He/She said. “When do you consider it fair to go into a new restaurant and judge it?” My first reaction was to say as long as a restaurant charges a full price, they are fair game. However, I knew that I was dealing with a seasoned restaurateur who was ready to shoot down that standard line so I said boldly, “Whenever the restaurant charges a customer a full price, they are fair game.” (Jump here.)Oh boy/girl, he went ballistic. “What about soft openings!” “It takes months for a restaurant to get systems down!” “Hell, Park hasn’t even finished the landscaping and part of the back part of the restaurant.”

To that, I say: “Charge soft opening prices!” “Practice your systems before you overhype your opening!” “Finish the freakin’ landscaping.” Dude/Dudette, sometimes a new restaurant only has one chance to win over a customer. And that first happy customer is the best advertising that restaurant can get.

I’ve worked in restaurants and I know nothing is perfect when you start out, but there are things you can do to control the opening chaos.  Even if you don’t want to make it a long-term policy, take reservations for the first few months so that the kitchen and staff can learn to work together. Keep your initial menu small and roll it out slowly. Have a sound business plan with enough money in reserve to see you through a good portion of the first year.

I am a firm believer in the concept that, over the long haul, a restaurant critic can not make or break a restaurant with a good business plan. However, I feel it is important for a critic to inform a reader when and how many times the new restaurant was visited. (My guess is Brenner did or we wouldn’t be having this “conversation.”) My strategy is to stagger nights and days of the week, times, and sitting areas of the restaurant over the course of two months. When I start the reviewing process is random. In some cases I avoid going early because the opening has been overhyped (Park, Fearing’s, Rathbun’s Blue Plate). If a restaurant is smaller or not as high profile (Coast Global Seafood, or the reopening of Royal China), I may go a little earlier.

Like my He/She colleague, I sometimes get perplexed by the timing of restaurant reviews. Especially magazines and the time lines used by some publications—a concept I am all too familiar with. We work 6 to 8 weeks out depending on the issue and the time of the year (printer’s schedule).

Theoretically, Brenner has the curse/luxury of writing on Monday and having her opinion on your dewy front lawn the next morning. Even though she and I might have eaten at the same restaurant on the same days, her review has more of an immediate impact. Mine hits four weeks later giving the allusion that I’ve waited weeks or months to visit the restaurant.

However there are a couple of times a magazine has caused me to scratch my head in wonder.  Esquire magazine’s John Mariani’s picked Fearing’s as The Best New Restaurant OF THE YEAR in the October 2006 issue. Fearing’s opened to the public on August 15, 2006. My “drop-dead deadline” to make an October issue is August 15th.  The September issue of Modern Luxury Dallas has review of Park which opened on July 15th.  My “drop-dead deadline” to make a September issue is July 15th. I guess nobody picks up the phone and cries FOUL when the reviews are positive.

Best restaurant in America? How can anybody know that in one visit? Rainy days and Mondays always get me mad.

Eric Stoltz in Some Kind of Wonderful: just one of my '80s crushes.

Yesterday, over on ShopTalk (our sister blog about shopping, fashion, beauty, and other fun stuff), Rhonda Reinhart asked people to submit photos of themselves from the 1980’s. There might even be a prize for the best (worst?) photo. The example she used is of Eric Celeste, and it is pretty amazing. Okay, okay, what does this have to do with food? Jay Jerrier of Il Cane Rosso submitted his photo this morning. It.Is.Awesome. And there’s even some Ratt involved. Is it better than Eric’s? Discuss. And please, submit your own, if you dare.

Colorado lamb rack with fingerling Lyonnaise and pancetta balsamic reduction.

As Jennifer has mentioned, I got to cook with Charlie Palmer at his restaurant yesterday. Well, I didn’t really cook. I just asked questions and got sweaty, and left the cooking to chef Palmer and his exec, Scott Romano. Kyle Kearbey got it all on camera.

Watch the video here. Inspired? Make this dish tonight.

Next girl up is Central 214’s Blythe Beck. She will star in The Naughty Kitchen With Chef Blythe Beck on Oxygen. I’ve never really understood the naughty kitchen concept. So I checked the shows website. It says:

Blythe Beck, the fiery young chef and star of Oxygen’s upcoming series The Naughty Kitchen With Chef Blythe Beck, shows off her distinctive sexy American cuisine, her cutting edge Dallas restaurant, Central 214, and her loud and flamboyant staff. The Naughty Kitchen With Chef Blythe Beck is certain to cook up the drama both in and out of the kitchen. Oxygen follows executive chef Blythe Beck, a 29-year old Texas native, who is plus-sized in stature and personality, and her colorful crew at Central 214, inside and outside the kitchen as they interact with the Dallas elite and the local university students.

Monday night I went to Central 214 to check it out and write a mini-review. Sadly, I didn’t see waitresses in garter belts or waiters wearing thongs, but I did find the Door Whores. And calories. Lots of calories. What is sexy about calories? I guess we will find out when the show starts on September 22nd. Somebody tell me this is a good thing.

Mike Orren needs your help. Keep your comments on SideDish.

I thought I was desperate for attention! Mike Orren, the wizard behind the Oz over at Pegasus News, has found another outlet for his ADHD—it’s called Outbursts. The feature is designed especially for your prefrontal cortex and encourages “verified users” to “post news and links on any local topic you like. All you have to do is click the “Post an Outburst” link on the Outbursts page.”  According to this “complete guide to ADHD site” symptoms of the disorder include “blurting out inappropriate comments, show their emotions without restraint, and act without regard for consequences.” Check out Outbursts and leave your scathing comments here. Remember, we have prizes and they don’t!

The winning chef and somm get a week’s stay at the Culinary Institute of America’s Greystone Campus in Cali.

Here’s a hint: the winning restaurant served a grilled Texas peach salad with a Brazos brie crouton.

Jump for the winners.

Winners of the 2009 AIWF D/FW Chapter Wine & Food Pairing Contest
For KRLD Restaurant Week – Presented by Central Market

It is with great pleasure that AIWF D/FW Chapter is announcing first, second and third place winners of this year’s AIWF D/FW Chapter Wine and Food Pairing contest in conjunction with KRLD Restaurant Week.
Drum Roll Please!!!

DALLAS (August 27, 2009) – - Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek took first place with exceptional pairings of the incomparable team of Eric Brandt, Executive Sous Chef and Michael Flynn, Wine and Beverage Director. Those dining at the iconic restaurant were all abuzz over the terrific pairings throughout their menu. “The pairings were incredible, balancing and enhancing flavors with every course.” commented Cheryl Neufeld. Additionally, the Frisée and Grilled Texas Peach Salad with Brazos Brie crouton matched smoothly with the wine’s bright red fruits which complimented the peach. The slightest hint of white pepper on the finish tied in nicely to the slightly bitter frisée. The wine pairing for the salad was Domaine de Nizas Rose, Coteaux de Languedoc, 2007 (a Wine Spectator top 100) which proved a favorite of Christina LaBarba. “The magnificent texture of the salad combined with the wine is unbelievable!” she claimed. When Michael was asked about the restaurant week popularity at The Mansion, he replied “Comments from our guests have been consistently favorable. We have had a sizeable percentage of our Restaurant Week diners opt for the wine pairings, which I think has enhanced their dining experience considerably”. As first place winners Michael and Eric will each receive a scholarship to the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley. Michael! Eric! Congrats! You are Napa bound!

Second place goes to Executive Chef Matt McCallister and Wine Director Brian Boomer of Stephan Pyles Restaurant. These two creative professionals developed a first class experience that included an imaginative menu of food and wine featuring both familiar and exotic flavors of Texas. Mexican Chocolate Fondant with Fleur de Sel Caramel and Kahlua Creama paired with Marenco Brachetto D’ Acqui “Pineto” Piedmonte DOCG 2008 was definitely the most popular choice for dessert. Brian said, “People just go crazy over it!” As second place winners these two great “foodie” minds will be awarded monetary prizes for their Wine and Food pairing achievement. Kudos to Matt and Brian!

Third place is awarded to Hilton/Anatole’s Nana restaurant team of Executive Chef, Anthony Bombaci and Wine Director, Russell Burkett for their superb pairings. The unique culinary style of Chef Bombaci delivered European flavors with Italian- influenced dishes paired with Burkett’s choice of world renowned wines. As third place winners Tony and Russell will receive monetary prizes for their Wine and Food pairing achievement.

This is the tenth year of the AIWF D/FW Chapter’s contest. The committee for this year’s contest was Chaired by AIWF D/FW Chapter Board member Kelly DeKort with assistance from Debbie McKeever, Chair of AIWF D/FW Chapter and Marianne Howells of KRLD radio.  Judges are recruited by Coordinator Michele Axley, a culinary professional from Dallas and Northern California. The identities of the judges for the contest are not revealed. Each is considered a leader in their culinary field

For those that are not familiar with Restaurant Week, KRLD Restaurant Week it is a charitable event in which participating restaurants expand their usual dining experience to patrons at a remarkable reduced cost of $35.00 for a three course menu. Price of wine pairings is left to the discretion of the restaurant. Seven dollars of that cost is donated by the restaurant to North Texas Food Bank and the Lena Pope Home. A majority of participating restaurants will continue offering their Restaurant Week menu through Labor Day weekend. A list of participating restaurants can be found online on the KRLD website.

For the first installment of SideDish TableTalk, I knew just where to go to round up a couple of fellow Chosen People to talk about Zinsky’s Delicatessen. What follows is the transcript of that conversation (or, if you prefer, complaint fest). We all seem to like Zinsky’s very much, but that doesn’t stop myself, “The Pastrami Kid,” and “Harry” from finding something to kvetch about. Below we discuss important Deli issues such as the one-handed sandwich, kasha knishes, and bagels. You don’t have to be Jewish to appreciate this, but it helps.

Evan: Hello, gentlemen. Hello?

Pastrami Kid: I am here. Where is Harry? And Sally?

Evan: Just so everybody knows, I guess I should make this disclaimer on why we are talking about Zinsky’s deli: We are all middle-aged, all of Jewish background and all enjoy food. Oh, and we’ve all been to Zinsky’s.

Evan: So, what are your impressions?

Pastrami Kid: I like the place a lot. It’s a really comfortable place to hang out, to start with.

Pastrami Kid: Which, in itself, sets it apart from your typical NY deli.

Pastrami Kid: The waitresses are too friendly. They would never make it at the Carnegie. They actually ask you how you would like certain things made…like matzoh brie for example…”would you like that made with onions or without?”

Evan: Don’t know that they would have made it at Gilbert’s for that matter. When Harry and I went, we sat for a good 30 minutes after eating our last bite of food and not one kvetch from the staff.

Harry: Sorry I’m late, I was eating.

Pastrami Kid: Don’t talk with food in your mouth, Harry.

Evan: Very surprising, Harry. So, what were your impressions of Zinsky’s?

Harry: It is a good Dallas deli but…

Harry: Too clean. Too polite. Too goyish. I want attitude and a corned beef sandwich I need two hands to hold.

Pastrami Kid: Yeah, there is an awful lot of smiling going on.

Harry: At least the waitress, who was far too nice, didn’t ask if we wanted mayo on the corned beef.

Pastrami Kid: So you are objecting to the one-handed sandwich?

Harry: What else?

Harry: To be completely authentic here all questions should be answered with a question.

Evan: That is a good point, Harry. Like talking to my dad. I say “Hello, how are you?” He says “How am I? How should I be?”

Pastrami Kid: How about the corned beef itself?

Evan: The sandwich is rather small, I gotta say that. I want to be able to complain that “you could feed an army” with that thing, because how much fun is it if you just eat the food and enjoy it? I need to kvetch.

Pastrami Kid: OK, but you two guys are the corned beef eaters. How is the meat?

Harry: So what’s to say about the corned beef? It was OK.

Evan: I thought the Corned Beef was very good, very lean, no?

Pastrami Kid: OK? As in Stage Deli ok? As in Brooklyn ok? Or as in St Patrick’s Day with cabbage ok?

Harry: And since you didn’t ask, I thought it was a mistake to put the counter in the back. I like to peruse the goods before I buy.

Pastrami Kid: you can’t walk 10 yards to the counter??

Evan: Oy vey.

Harry: And by the way, that parking lot is crowded.

Evan: Not enough signage. Harry was walking all the way to Royal China before I stopped him.

Harry: Is there anything more Jewish than Chinese food?

Harry: I’ll say this, though, the matzoh balls were delicious. The soup not so bad, too.

Pastrami Kid: I agree on the matzoh ball soup

Evan: What do you know? Me, too. Momma, I’m sorry for saying this, but these matzoh balls might have been better than yours. Oh, I cause her such tzuris.

Evan: Two golf ball sized matzoh balls that allow for enough soup. Other places, they just try and wow with the size of their balls (that’s not a euphemism), you know what I mean? These were light and tasty.

Pastrami Kid: You could go to Royal China and throw in a few kreplach because Zinsky’s doesn’t have any. I hear they are thinking about adding them, though.

Harry: No Kreplach, no knishes, either.

Pastrami Kid: As for knishes. NO KNISHES??? Are you kidding me? They could buy the NY frozen knishes which are delicious and have them shipped down, couldn’t they? The square ones, I mean.

Harry: And there absolutely has to be kasha knishes.

Evan: I can’t get over the knish thing. What are they trying to do to me? Every other attempt at a Jewish deli in town had square knishes and they were fine. They go better with the corned beef sandwiches.

Pastrami Kid: I think kasha knishes might scare off all the gentiles.

Harry: Deli News has round knishes. Good too. But last time they slipped in a meat knish on me. Not good.

Evan: But enough about corned beef, Kid, how was the pastrami? Another one of the few “Jewish” delicacies on the menu.

Pastrami Kid: speaking of which, we need some help on the potato salad and cole slaw, no?

Pastrami Kid: OK, you asked about the pastrami? You want good pastrami? They’ve got GREAT pastrami.

Harry: Back to the soup. I asked for some, you know, crackers and they served up Tam Tams.

Evan: Tam Tams. Nice touch. My bubby used to have those.

Pastrami Kid: Serves you right for asking for crackers. The matzoh balls aren’t enough for you? You’re eating too much starch, Harry. My cardiologist says to cut out some of that white starch.

Harry: Hey, it’s not a health food restaurant.

Pastrami Kid: I know, I know. I’m just looking out for you, bubbelah.

Harry: I’ll also say this, for a fancy shmancy deli, the prices weren’t bad.

Evan: A half-sandwich and soup for $7.25 is pretty good. Even if the sandwich is small. Now, back to the sandwiches. What else have you tried besides corned beef?

Pastrami Kid: Sorry I gotta have pastrami…..it’s as good as the pastrami I recently had in New York. They slice it a little thick, but who’s complaining?

Harry: I consider myself a turkey maven. Roasted off the bone. It was not bad, right?

Evan: Here’s another concern: No chopped liver. Or gefilte fish. Not that I would ever willingly touch either one, but how can you not have that stuff there, I mean to at least scare the kids?

Evan: They have a BLT, but no tongue?

Evan: Oh wait, I just found the chopped liver. Never mind.

Harry: If you are ever in the Bronx, by Yankee Stadium, there used to be the Roxy Deli. And there was one across the street. They were crowded and delicious.

Pastrami Kid: Yeah, now across from Yankee Stadium there is a place called Yankee Stadium.

Evan: I heard nobody goes there anymore, though.

Pastrami Kid: They got two of them, side by side

Harry: Oy. Like a his and hers?

Pastrami Kid: We could have use two Ebbets Fields, I tell you that

Pastrami Kid: OK, lets talk about hot dogs.

Harry: Soriano?

Evan: I was thinking T.O.

Pastrami Kid:  Zinsky shocked me with his hot dog….delicious.

Evan: You liked his weiner (again not a euphemism)?

Harry: I’ll tell you this…Shouldn’t they be called frankfurters or franks?

Pastrami Kid: Great buns, too….and I don’t mean the ones on that cute little waitress.

Harry: We may need to stop I am getting very hungry.

Pastrami Kid: You just ate.

Evan: Yeah, but he’s skin and bones. Skin and bones.

Evan: They are called hot dogs on the menu, but there is a mention of “franks” and “knackwurst” below. But we all know that knocks better as specials.

Harry: Exactly. Why not call a “frank” a “frank?” Who are they afraid of? The goyim?

Evan: The hot dogs are Boar’s Head. I think they were excellent. Just enough spice to the dog and, I know this is going to sound weird, but I like a good casing on my hot dog. Something that makes it go snap or crunch. Boar’s Head can make a casing, I’ll tell you that. I would have liked the dog to be grilled just a little bit more. I like my franks/dogs/weiners Cajun style – a little blackened.

Pastrami Kid: Nathans always had that crunch, a little juice flying. … Just don’t boil them like those idiots at Fenway Park.

Harry: There is no finer hot dog in the world than Nathans. And this is not a Cajun restaurant. It is a DELI!

Pastrami Kid: I think Evan was just trying to be, you know, hip.

Evan: Nathan makes a good dog. And there is no better place to play skee-ball.

Harry: Oh yes, I had the noodle kugel. It was a little too, sweet, no? Did anyone else have the sweet kugel?

Harry: And by the way now that I think of it, where was the kishka?

Pastrami Kid: No, I tried to come on to that sweet girl Kugel, but she shot me down. … But, you know, you are right. WE WANT KISHKA!

Evan: I had some of Harry’s kugel and I’m going to give my mother more worries – like if I told her I was seeing a shiksa – but I thought the kugel was good. There was some cheesy filling – farmers cheese, maybe? Almost like eating a blintze.

Harry: I’m guessing you give your mom tsuris in your every waking hour.

Pastrami Kid: Kishka and knishes; kishka and knishes. We could get some picket signs and stand outside the restaurant.

Pastrami Kid: If it ever gets below 90 degrees. You can get a serious shvitz out there.

Harry: Pastrami you are a mensh. That’s not the Jewish thing to do. Stand outside and picket? Please.

Pastrami Kid: That’s revolutionary in my neighborhood, but I’ve already filled the suggestion box to overflowing.

Evan: And how can they not have an early bird special? What about all of us who want to eat dinner at 4 or 4:30.

Pastrami Kid: yeah, they are open late, though, on Friday and Saturday.

Pastrami Kid: OK, how about the elephant in the room???? B-A-G-E-L-S

Harry: Didn’t taste the bagels. How were they?

Evan: Uh-oh, Harry, you asked the wrong question. Here he goes …

Pastrami Kid: THEY MIGHT MAKE IT IN OMAHA … NOT IN NY OR DALLAS. They are too tough and have very little taste. Look, New Yorkers are the worst snobs in the world. But they are dead on about their bagels. There are no New York bagels in Dallas.

Evan: But let’s be fair: Is there a good bagel in Dallas?

Harry: There are lots of good bagels in Dallas. They are all at the airport passing through in sack lunches.

Pastrami Kid: Cindy’s has tasty bagels but they are not New York bagels. Actually, Einstein’s has the closest thing to a NY bagel. … But the lox was good at Zinsky’s and the vegetable cream cheese shmear was fine.

Harry: Einstein’s, oy vey! Maybe you got hit in the head with a foul ball?

Pastrami Kid: Relatively speaking, Einstein’s are ok.

Evan: Since I’m in New York at the moment, I am planning to go actually pay for a bagel later on. Just as research, you know.

Pastrami Kid: Hell just froze over.

Harry: Early bird special? Do they have an “Early Bird” at Zinsky’s.

Evan: No. No early bird. You want to eat at 4:30? No problem. You are still going to pay full price.

Harry: Just a thought.

Pastrami Kid: Good idea. Early birds, knishes, kishka, fly in some New York bagels.

Harry: Don’t forget Kasha.

Evan: But they do cater Bar Mitzvahs. Says so right on the menu. I, also, am available for Bar Mitvahs. Weddings. And Bris, too.

Evan: So, you two mensches, I take it that for all the lack of the foods that disgusted us in our childhood, you would go back to Zinsky’s?

Harry: Would I go back? Why not? … Actually, I’d go back in a heart beat.

Pastrami Kid: I will go back there regularly if they don’t change the pastrami, the matzoh ball soup, and the hot dog.

Evan: But we gotta have the Ks, right? Knishes, Kreplach, Kasha and Kishka, right?

Harry: And kugel.

Evan: They have kugel, dumkopf, you just didn’t like it.

Harry: Oh, yeah. I didn’t like it. … I’d still go back in a heartbeat.

Steak au poivre with fried parsley at Ewald’s.
Chris Ward’s halibut at The Mercury.
Chiles rellenos at original Matt’s.
Wingfield’s burger. (Pat Sharpe, you blew it.)
Every meal I ate when Avner Samuel was the chef at The Mansion.
Pork buns at Yao Fuzi in Plano.
Cinnamon rolls at Southern Kitchen.
Youngblood’s fried chicken.
Kona crusted steak at Capital Grille.
Chicken fried steak and any pie at Ranchman’s in Ponder.

The XVIII Annual Caesar Salad Competition is around the corner: Sunday, August 30, 2009, 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel, 400 North Olive Street to be more precise. “This is your opportunity for an evening of sensational salads, wonderful wine, tantalizing bites, and a chance to vote for the best Caesar salad.”  Members: $65.00. Non-Members: $75.00. Tables of 10: $600.00. Deets here.

Sambuca Restaurant, “known for live music, eclectic cuisine and a rockin’ atmosphere,” will open its newest location Thursday, September 3, 2009 at the Shops at Legacy.

Bailey’s Prime Plus is “pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Rowberry as General Manager of their new 12,000 sq. ft. restaurant in the exciting new Park Lane development at North Central Expressway and Park Lane. Rowberry joins Bailey’s Prime Plus after nearly four years as General Manager of Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House in Addison, Texas.”

Vin Classic Wines will present a complimentary wine tasting on both Friday and  Saturday  (September 4th and  5th) from Noon until 7:00 p.m. The featured wines are: Steele Pinot Blanc 2006 Santa Barbara County Selene Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Carneros Steele Cabernet Franc 2007 Lake County Snowden “The Ranch” Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Napa Valley. (5717 Legacy Drive #120. Plano. 469-467-4520)

“In celebration of the Dallas Cowboys upcoming season, RA Sushi Bar Restaurant has come up with the “Cowboys Roll,” which will be available from September 13 through the entire football season.  Guests can also receive $2 off the roll if they present a same-day game day ticket stub.”

According to Eatsblog reporter, Kim Pearce, her Sig-O “likes his Bings to ping with crispness.”

We had to stare at this for 75 minutes without tasting.

Allison Hatfield files this report:

Chocolate comes in many forms. My faves: the kiss and the fountain. I never met a marshmallow kabob I couldn’t improve with a pass through a shower of molten chocolate. I even bought a mini chocolate fountain so I could have one at a housewarming (I later tried to turn it into a cheese fountain, but that’s a story for another day).

Anyway, my relationship with chocolate has previously been that of a rather low-end consumer. And I’m fine with that, but I was also excited to expand my horizons at Saturday’s chocolate tasting and dinner hosted by DallasChocolate.org.

From bean to bar.

About 40 foodie types met at Milestone Culinary center in the afternoon to hear Alan McClure and Steve DeVries—world-class artisan chocolate makers and founding members of Craft Chocolate Makers of America—talk about harvesting, fermenting, roasting, grinding, refining, and conching (I still have no idea what that is). It was a high-level education on the sometimes low-tech business of making chocolate, from beans to bar. And it was pure torture. Not because these guys aren’t really smart and interesting, but have you ever spent 75 minutes sitting in front of eight kinds of chocolate without eating any of them? Try it, friends.

When we’d finally learned enough to appreciate what lay ahead, we crunched on bittersweet nibs (roasted then crushed cocao beans) and let a large piece of untempered chocolate melt on our tongues—as happy as Charlie with the golden ticket.

Rhonda Ruckman, formerly of Doughmonkey made us cry.

All that learning worked up an appetite for the chocolate-inspired dinner that followed the tasting. Passed hors d’oeuvres included crostini with lavender goat cheese and nibs. Sit-down fare was summer greens with a savory chocolate tower (chocolate on a salad—really), herb-crusted salmon with a chocolate balsamic glaze, and dueling desserts of chocolate cake and chocolate tart from Doughmonkey extraordinaire Rhonda Ruckman. (We miss you, Doughmonkey.)

More photos here.

Mario Alfaro has repainted the old Casa Blanca.

The old Casa Blanca on Lemmon Avenue is turning into the new Mario & Sabino’s a “Mexican and Salvadoran food restaurant. Mario is Mario Alfaro (left) and his business partner is Sabino Valle. Mario hopes to open next week. Hmm. I just stuck my head in the door and if they make it by next week, I want to hire the contractors.

Mario & Sabino’s, a new Mexican Salvadoran food restaurant on Lemmon Ave.

Andrew Chalk is a wine-loving maniac. I asked him to help me cover last weekend’s activities and he did a fine job. He is still reporting! Here is a quick video he produced on an interesting Chardonnay made by Fisher Vineyards (Napa Valley), one of the 100 wines poured at the grand tasting. Note: special cameo appearance.

Dinner at Café on the Green  is much like this. 

Chef Katie Natale creates inspired dishes pairing flavors and combinations with originality, and spot on taste profiles. White plates are her artistic canvas, used as a vehicle to express her creativity.   Watermelon salad is displayed as paper thin shaved rounds of watermelon fanned over her canvas, topped with fresh greens in a honey-lime vinaigrette.  Seared duck breast stuffed with fresh Texas peaches in a cherry-red wine demi glace rests on roasted asparagus paint brushes, surrounded by a spread of foie gras mashed potatoes. Richly elegant in the presentation, and decadent savory-sweet satisfaction in every bite.  Bright green cilantro sauce encircles simply roasted grouper with jalapeno slaw with delicate strips jalapeno, layering in spicy flavor without fiery heat.  

Both pair well with AdelsheimPinot Noir from Oregon’s Willamette Valley mirroring earthy, cherry richness with the duck, and enhancing the herbaceous sauce and hearty seasonings with the fish.

Finishing with a simple selection of decorated shortbread and chocolate truffles accompanied by one of the exquisitely paired dessert wine flights, including a flight of Chateau Gilette Crème de Tete Sauternes, 1971, 1975, 1983; Vintage Madeira including 1954 Barbeito Reserva Velha Malvasia and Barbeito Reserva Velha Bualfrom 1912, is bliss.  Or, if dessert is the time for a bubble, their sparkler flight includes a selection of European favorites leaning on the sweeter side. 

With the highest attention to detail and attentive service, Café on the Green continues to be one of Dallas’ most noteworthy, and longest standing jewels.  Master Sommelier James Tidwell has created an extensive, whimsical and reasonable wine list spanning the world to showcase unusual varietals and boutique producers.  Paired with Chef Katie’s flavorful expressions, dinner will both delight and inspire.

The GO TEXAN DrinkLocalWine.com conference in Dallas this weekend featured a tasting of 45 Texas wines. All were 100% Texas fruit. The range incorporated over 20 grape varieties in styles that ranged from very sweet to bone dry. Here are my personal favorites. The scores are mine as well.

2006 Haak Vineyards & Winery Madeira Blanc du Bois. Not remotely like a Madeira, just a very well-made and interesting sweet dessert wine. Treacle on the nose and molasses in the mouth. Good with desserts containing fruit like tarts and crepes. (86/100)

2006 Inwood Estate Vineyards, Magellan. A blend of the five Bordeaux red varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec) and Spanish star Tempranillo. A massive, chunky undeveloped behemoth of a wine that needs to be put away for five years or so. I think that only then will we discover its ultimate character. Very complex, the restrained nose has hints of raspberry (Tempranillo influence?) and likewise there is raspberry in the taste. This wine is almost chewy in the mouth. The winemaker’s objective is so independent in its thinking that the final results could eventually establish him as either the Mozart or the Pied Piper of Texas red wine making – depending on results. Liquid Frank Gehry. (86+/100).

2008 Landon Winery Tempranillo. I hope this wine is indicative of where this winery intends to go in the next few years. There is clearly-defined Tempranillo fruit in the nose and a medium-bodied mouth feel of varietal fruit and soft tannins. Good for drinking now but will keep for 3-5 years. I would serve this with red meat. The fruit is from West Texas although the winery is conveniently located just a ten-hour rush-hour drive up Central Expressway in McKinney. Landon has historically been one of the worst offenders for importing out-of-state grapes from which they turned out mediocre wine. Hopefully this represents The New Landon. (84/100)

2008 Brennan Vineyards Viognier. This is the white grape variety that seems to be doing best in Texas and nobody illustrates the potential better than Brennan Vineyards. Classic Viognier floral nose leads to tastes of pineapple. A good choice with chicken, spicy food such as Thai or Indian, or fish. Brennan is becoming something of a Viognier expert, growing vines not only for their own use but also selling fruit to other wineries in the state. (85/100).

2008 Becker Vineyards Viognier. I remember the first time I tasted Becker Viognier. It changed my whole perspective on the winery. It was a blind tasting of 10 Viogniers in which all of the other wines came from California. I placed the Becker third. No mean achievement for a Texas wine. This wine has pineapple and lychee in the nose and pineapple in the taste. Same food recommendation as the Brennan (above) but this one may be better for quaffing on account of its fruitiness. (86/100)

2008 Tara Vineyards “Angel’s Kiss”. A Blanc du Bois that may have some Chardonnay blended in. A sweet white that should be served as a dessert wine in lieu of Muscat. The main element in the taste is Peach. (84/100)

Local Farmers are in Shed One at the Dallas Farmers Market.

Hey, Farmer groupies. Grab you cloth bags and head to the Dallas Farmers Market this weekend. Here is what you can expect to find.

Angela’s Farm – onions – red, yellow and white, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers, OKRA! and peas.

Arce Park Farms – Heirloom tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and cowpeas.

-Beef all grass finished; salad-bar beef – strong Red & Black Angus influenced

Berry Best Farm – Organic Blueberries

Birch Creek Farms – cantaloupe, eggplant, peppers, acorn, yellow and butternut squash, cucumbers, zucchini.

Comeback Creek – tomatoes, blueberries, peppers, okra, peaches, and plums – are starting a CSA group.

Fred’s Alaska Seafood – salmon and crab legs.

Haney Farm – organic eggs & will be bringing cherry tomatoes also until it gets too hot for them to produce. They feed only organic feed from Coyote Creek mill, the only USDA certified organic feed mill in Texas, and pasture/free-range our hens, no cages, and they have access to fresh grass year ’round.

Harmony Harvest – eggs and veggies- also has CSA group.

Heddin Family Farm – Texas Cream peas, Purple Hulls and Black eye peas, green beans, green tomatos, Cayenne Peppers, Jalapeño Peppers, squash, red new potato’s, zucchini, pickling cucumbers.

J.T. Lemley – yellow squash, 8-ball squash, tomatos, onions, peaches, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, plums, blackberries, cucumbers, new potato’s, sweet yellow onions.

John Lucido –herb plants and of course his herb pasta and canned goodies.

JuHa – pork, lamb, sausage, eggs, beef, and pastured poultry.

Kitchen Pride – Mushrooms – Oyster, Portabella, Baby Bells, and White Button

La Esperanza Farm – squash, onions, okra, eggplant

Lightsey Farm – peaches, onions, figs, plums, blackberries, green beans, zucchini and peas.

Mill Creek Farms is also bringing in squash, potatoes and peas.

Northstar Ranch – Beef and pork –

Orchid Garden with specialty plants and orchids.

P.O.P. Acres will be here on Friday’s and Saturday’s

-steaks, roasts, stew-meats (great for summer grilling). They are also bringing in a few scallop squash that are Organic.

Savoy Sorbet – Saturday afternoons & Sunday’s – herbal infused sorbet from her herb garden; currently offering Chamomile Orange, Rose Geranium Raspberry, Lavender, Rosemary Lime Chablis, Lemon xxx, Apple Mint, and Anise. New Flavor – Mojito

Sonny Ferrell – figs, peppers, and onions

TEXAS MEATS Super Natural will always be 100% grass fed beef and lamb, pastured chicken and pork, eggs from free ranging hens, farmstead cheese.

TxHoneybee Guild – local and zip code honey, comb honey, honey sticks and bee pollen.

TxLonghorn Cooperative – Saturday’s and Sunday’s with certified Longhorn Beef – regular cuts, beef sticks, sausage and smoked bones for dogs!

Wackym’s Kitchen – Newest Cookie Flavor – Salted Caramel.  Brown sugar and sea salt.

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