Ahi Tuna Tacos (Photos courtesy of Frankey Dey)

Celebrity chefs, tasty tequila, great golf, five star resorts and plenty of sunshine….each is a perfectly good reason to journey south of the boarder to luxurious Punta Mita, Mexico.  Why not enjoy them all in a festival bringing each of these together in one fabulous weekend of food, wine, tequila and golf, playing Jack Nicklaus’s designed courses Bahia or Pacifico.

Last night I was an invited guest of Chef Andrew Ormsby, who hosted a gathering at his studio with St. Regis Punta Mita General Manager Carl Emberson and Four Seasons Punta Mita G.M. Michele Grosso, along with their Executive Chefs Sylvain Desbois from Carolina at the St. Regis and Claudia Fossa from The Four Seasons, to introduce the flavors, flair and splendor of this magnificent place located just a short plane ride away.

Ceviche with Avocado Cream

This is the second year for the Gourmet and Golf festival, occurring April 12-15, bringing back Dallas’ Chef Andrew Ormsby and Chef Abraham Salum who both participated in the festival last year, while they also welcome Chef Michael Mina, Chef Richard Sandoval, Chefs Nicola and Fabrizio Carro, Chef Bernard Casavant and many more creating lavish lunches and dinners throughout the festival, pairing with local Mexican wine, beer and tasty tequila, as well as wine and spirits from around the world.

Guests will have an opportunity to participate in the Punta Mita Cup, played over two days on the two Jack Nicklaus Designed Championship courses of Punta Mita, receiving a Taylormade putter among other gifts including four chances to win a new Audi while playing the course.
Not a golfer?  Not a problem, visit at the spa at either the St. Regis or The Four Seasons enjoying a relaxing massage followed by extensive event activities including wine tastings, tequila tastings, margarita making, cooking demonstrations and more.

Punta Mita has become known for its relaxed yet refined sophistication, stylish elegance and welcoming spirit.  Add in the luxury of either the St. Regis or The Four Seasons, with the food, wine and gold and you have the ideal reason to jump on a plane and head south.  Details on the festival here.

Participating chefs include: Abraham Salum, Al Havens, Anastasia Quiñones, Andre Natera, Andrew Bell, Andrew Ormsby, Blaine Staniford, Brian C. Luscher, Bruno Davaillon, Chad Houser, Dan Landsberg, David A. Temple, David Gilbert, Franchesca Nor, Garreth Dickey, Graham Dodds, Greg Bussey, Hollie Dorethy, Jack Perkins, Janice Provost, Jason Maddy, Jeff Harris, Jeffrey Hobbs, Jill Bates, John Tesar, Jon Stevens, Josh Black, Katherine Clapner, Matt McCallister, Nathan Tate, Randall Copeland, Sarah Green, Scott Gottlich, Scott Romano, Tiffany Derry and Tre Wilcox.

Tickets are $60 per person or $110 for two. Mixin’ it up on the Boulevard is giving away 100% of its proceeds to Meals on Wheels, Inc. and Water for Chizavane. Buy your tickets here.

New Orleans : Mardi Gras ::
Germany : Fasching Fest ::

If you didn’t understand that, retake the SATs and jump below.

Since Germany’s Fasching Fest is supposed to be as wild and crazy as Mardi Gras in New Orleans, let’s hope there aren’t going to be naked ladies at the GermanDeli European Food Store’s Fasching Fest on Sunday because they’re planning to have face-painting and prizes for kids.

Entrance is free for anyone who enjoys grilled bratwurst, Fleischkäse, and authentic Nürnberger Bratwurst for low prices. Adults can attend a beer and wine sampling event from 1-3 pm, while the offspring can listen to music and run around a big tent.

The deets:
GermanDeli European Food Store
5100 State Hwy 121, Colleyville, TX 76034 817-354-8101
We will host Fasching Fest in the store and under the “big Tent”
Sunday, February 19th
12:30pm – 4:30pm

Jump for details.

Dates:
Friday, January 27, 2012 10:00-1:00 TRADE ONLY
Friday, January 27, 2012 1:00-7:00
Saturday, January 28, 2012 10:00-6:00
Sunday, January 29, 2012 10:00-5:00

Place:
Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas
500 W Las Colinas Blvd.
Irving, TX 75039

Contact:
Gregory Bagarozy
845.661.3616
pducerp@earthlink.net

Get yer tickets at the Convention Center Box Office ($15) or buy them online at ZestFest’s website.

Truckin’ Through The Holidays Food Truck Rally

The first coming up is “Truckin Through The Holidays Food Truck Rally” at 3309 McKinney in Uptown Dallas on Saturday, December 10.  That’s the parking lot across from Primo’s.  They’ll start at 4pm and trucks include Ruthie’s Rolling Cafe, The Butcher’s Son, and Gandolfo’s NY Deli, and The CupCakin Machine.

Big D NYE at Victory Park

Multiple food trucks, including City Street Grille, Nammi, Ssahm, Gandolfo’s, and The Butcher’s Son will be in attendance directly in the venue for Big D NYE.  Multiple bands, fireworks, and the food trucks will entertain and feed the thousands of party-goers. The food trucks will be serving from about 6pm until well after midnight.  In the past, there has been only one vendor, but now the 5 trucks will provide a nice variety for those out on the streets.

More Events, More Venues

Going forward, the DFW Street Foods coalition will be organizing more events at the Primo’s parking lot location.  They’ve also secured use of the old Hard Rock Cafe location for events over the next few months.  Stay tuned for more details.

Chef Jeffrey Jake, Chef Scott Contant, Charles Henning of the CIA at Greystone, Chef Cindy Pawlcyn and Chef Masaharu Morimoto

I just returned from the Thanksgiving holiday Napa Valley style.  I had traveled out to the picturesque Napa Valley on November 17th (on my own plane ticket) to start the holiday week at the inaugural Flavor! Napa Valley.  I was an invited guest of the festival, attending a few of the events throughout the weekend, which quickly established itself as being a celebration of big names and big wines, coming together to celebrate Napa Valley.

Chef Chiarello visits with guests after a wine tasting.

How did it come about?  A few years ago Chef Michael Chiarello posed the question to some of his friends and colleagues in the valley asking why do we travel to every other city in the country, and the world, for their food and wine festivals, but we don’t have anything in our own back yard?  Why is not there not a real food and wine festival celebrating Napa Valley.  Yes, Auction Napa Valley could be considered a food and wine festival, but that focus has always been more on the wine and the majority of participants are often locals; Chiarello wanted to bring people from around the country to Napa for a multi-day event featuring the best chefs from the valley giving demonstrations, holding dinners and often seen signing cookbooks, and then bring in the wine.

Chef Christopher Kostow

With that, Flavor! Napa Valley was born, and some of the best chefs in the valley agreeing to participate, like Thomas Keller, Cindy Pawlcyn, Masaharu Morimoto, Christopher Kostow and Tyler Florence.

They quickly partnered with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and their Greystone Campus, which was the festival beneficiary, making the allowance that a chef could participate in the festival that was a CIA graduate, even if they didn’t have a restaurant in Napa Valley.  This brought in Celebrity Chefs Scott Contant and Richard Blais.  The other caveat, all wine had to be from Napa Valley….not a difficult one since some of the best wine in the country is produced in Napa, including festival participants like Staglin, Darioush, Lail Vineyards, Meander, Nickel & Nickel, Rocca Family Vineyards, Coquerel, Krupp Brothers and many, many more.

Chef Morimoto's first course.

The festival began with an opening night dinner hosted by Chandon and Newton wineries with Chefs Scott Contant, Masaharu Morimoto, Cindy Pawlcyn and Jeffrey Jake creating seasonal courses paired with various wine offerings at the host hotel of the event, The Silverado Resort and Spa.  As guests gathered, sipping Etoile Brut bubbly, an air of excitement could be felt as these foodie guests prepared for what was sure to be a delicious evening, and Flavor! Napa Valley delivered.  The night started with Morimoto and a fish course.  He noted that he always likes the first course of a dinner because everyone is always hungry.  Followed by offerings from Chefs Scott Contant, Cindy Pawlcyn and Jeffrey Jake.  I think my favorite visual of the night was watching a group of fascinated sous chefs with Chef Pawlcyn crowded around a door to the kitchen watching Morimoto plate his Pacific Goeduck with Kinmedai Snapper with Boca Farms Tomato and K&J Orchards Compressed Apple.

Chef Richard Blais creating horseradish pearls with liquid nitrogen.

Throughout the next two days chefs and wine pros led demonstrations and seminars discussing why Napa Valley is such an ideal place for grapes and showing eager attendees how to sous vide lamb, properly use liquid nitrogen and give helpful tips – like from Ken Frank who suggested that if you find yourself with a whole truffle (black or white) place it in a sealable jar with very fresh eggs in the refrigerator overnight.  The porous eggshell will absorb the truffle aroma, creating truffle eggs without ever cutting into the pristine fungi.

CIA Professors at The Appelation Trail Tasting

Friday night Flavor! shined with their Appellation Trail tasting throughout the halls of Greystone, which houses the CIA.  Room after room filled with tasty treats from restaurants throughout the valley and incredible wine to pair sectioned off into their sub-AVAs, like an area of all Rutherford wine, St. Helena wine, Oakville, Stag’s Leap, even Coombsville, though it hasn’t officially become a sub-AVA yet.

36 Hour Sous Vide then Grilled Lamb from Richard Blais

Chef Bob Hurley's Lettuce Wraps

Favorites included Duck Rillette with 15 hour Quince from Dean and DeLuca paired with Etude Chardonnay, Mumm Napa DVX Rose with a Carpaccio of Beet, Three Pumpkin and Skyhill Farmers’ Cheese from Restaurant Cuvee, Richard Blais’ 36 hour sous vide then Grilled Lamb Chops with St. Clement Vineyards Oroppas, Shallot and Pancetta Encrusted Salmon in a Lettuce cup from Chef Bob Hurley with Cakebread Reserve Chardonnay, a Thanksgiving offering from Chef Christopher Kostow of Whipped Sweet Potato Cake with Curried Marshmallow and Raisins pairing beautifully with the spicy and slightly smokey Rocca Family Vineyards Syrah, and a new wine for me – Spotted Owl on Mt. Veeder and their powerful, lush and nicely balanced Alexandria’s Cuvee with a Crostini of Ciccioli and Butternut Squash from the guys at Oenotri, known for their incredible charcuterie.

Sweet Onion Raviolo with Chrispy Chicken Skin from Farm

Mikhail Gishizky of Spotted Owl Vineyards

BBQ Sweet Shrimp from Bardessono

I wasn’t able to attend the $1000 a plate celebrity chef dinners on Saturday night, so I opted to head down to Napa proper and had an order of mushroom and bacon fried rice at Kitchen Door at Oxbow Market…a perfect end to a Flavor! Napa Valley story. The overall feeling of the inaugural festival was of great achievement as the almost completely sold out weekend went off with great success.  When you bring that much good wine together with such a talented group of chefs, it was bound to be good.  Add in the beauty of the valley post harvest, with the intoxicating smell of fermenting juice in the air and golden, red and orange leaves on the vines and it is impossible not to have a good time.  Definitely something to add to your get away list next year.

I stayed in the valley through the holiday though, so more to come on tasty wines from Napa and Sonoma, even Livermore, to enjoy through the holidays.

The event, co-created by Dallas Uncorked and Chefs for Farmers, will take place at Lee Park on May 6, 2012. Dallas Uncorked was founded by Hayley Hamilton, who is also a featured contributor on SideDish. Chefs for Farmers was created by Chef Matt McCallister and Oh*Brownie founder Iris McCallister. Together they have pulled in a load of talent and the event will benefit Charity: Water and Meals on Wheels Inc.

Jump for the glorious details.

Chefs for Farmers and Dallas Uncorked are excited to present “Mixin’ It Up On the Boulevard 2012.” An outdoor food and wine/spirits celebration to be held May 6, 2012 from 1pm-5pm in the gorgeous Lee Park in Dallas, bringing together local farmers, celebrity chefs, local and national product purveyors, award-winning wines and spirits. What they’ll create together is anyone’s guess, but with this line up we are guaranteed it will be good.

Mixin’ It Up On the Boulevard will feature over two dozen extraordinary chefs teamed with a specific wine or spirit to create a true pairing using local products. Additionally, guests will be able to visit an on-site pop-up farmers market filled with local farm products and regional purveyor’s goods, listen to sounds from local DJs while lounging on the lawn at the front of Lee Park.

This is the first event of its kind for Chefs for Farmers and Dallas Uncorked working together to create something truly unique for the Dallas festival scene.

Each year we will recognize and honor chefs, local farms and winery/spirits producers who are making a difference in their respective industry. Some of the 2012 honorees include Chef Stephan Pyles, Chef Dean Fearing, Chef Kent Rathbun, Cold Springs Farm and Wrath Wines.

Some of the hottest chefs in town participating are Greg Bussey (Victor Tangos), Bruno Davillion (The Mansion on Turtle Creek), Dean Fearing (Fearing’s), Scott Gottlich & J Chastain (Bijoux and Second Floor), Dan Landsberg (Hotel ZaZa), Brian Luscher (The Grape), Matt McCallister (Co-Founder of Chefs for Farmers), Andre Natare (The Fairmont), Andrew Ormsby (Andrew Ormsby Catering and Southern Comforts), Stephan Pyles (Stephan Pyles and Samar), Kent Rathbun (Abacus, Jasper’s, Rathbun Blue Plate) Scott Romano, Abraham Salum (Salum and Komali), Blaine Staniford (Grace), John Tesar (The Commissary), Tre Wilcox (Marquee Grill) and more to be announced in the coming weeks.

Wineries and Spirits include Wrath Wines – Presenting Wine Sponsor, Domaine Serene, Adelsheim, Vision Cellars, Bottled Poetry, Palm Bay Imports, Trinchero, Voveti, McWilliams, Lange Twins, Times Ten Cellars, Fall Creek, The Macallan Scotch, Patron Tequila, Ultimat Vodka, Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka and more to be announced in the coming weeks.

A portion of the proceeds from “Mixin’ It Up” will benefit Charity:Water and Meals on Wheels Inc. Please see below for details on each of these deserving groups. Additionally, a separation donation is earmarked for the Chefs Contest. The Chef who is chosen for “Best Dish” will select the charity to receive this donation.

Stay tuned for more details, as we’ll always be mixin’ it up.

ABOUT US:

Chefs for Farmers was created by husband and wife team, Chef Matt McCallister and Oh*Brownie founder Iris McCallister with the goal to bring the farm to table movement into focus in Dallas through chef driven events and benefiting various local charities. From chefs, farmers, cheese artisans & ranchers to dishwashers & volunteers, we share the same philosophy on how to eat and celebrate the world around us. We believe in the importance of using local ingredients as well as the power of contributing to the community, and that’s exactly what we do.

Dallas Uncorked is a 501(c)3 not for profit organization dedicated to bringing unique, educational and entertaining wine events to members & guests throughout Dallas. Started in April 2004 by Hayley Hamilton, with over 2500 members based in and around the Dallas area, each event promotes and benefits specific charities like The Stewpot, The June Jones Foundation and Charity:Water.

The goals of Charity:Water are simple and clear, to bring clean drinking water to people and communities throughout the world. 100% of financial donations are used for water projects and since their inception in 2006 they have brought over 4,200 different projects to villages and schools across the world.

Meals On Wheels, Inc. has the goal to promote the dignity and independence of older adults, persons with disabilities, and other homebound persons by delivering nutritious meals and providing or coordinating needed services. Meals On Wheels, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization providing hot, nourishing meals to homebound elderly and disabled persons who are unable to prepare meals for themselves and who have no one to do so for them. They also provide professional case management to every client. The meals, daily contact by caring volunteers, and professional case management allow frail, homebound persons to remain in their own home… where they want to be.

Sushi cone from The Blue Fish.

D Magazine intern Jessica Melton attended a press preview of the food that will be featured at Taste of Greenville Avenue (TOGA) this weekend.

We’ve all been there before. The age-old looping conversation of “I don’t know, what do you want to eat?”

Every now and then we get a break from having to make these awkward decision and pick an event like Taste of Greenville Avenue to satisfy everyone in our group. TOGA is taking place this Saturday from 10AM to 8PM at 4925 Greenville Ave. TOGA is a lot like Taste of Addison and Taste of Dallas, only it localizes the event by focusing on the businesses on Greenville Avenue. About 30 Greenville eateries will pick their best dishes and offer smaller portions—that cost about $3-$6—giving everyone the chance to try as many restaurants in one outing as they want.

Jump for food porn.

I got the chance to try out a few things that will be on the menu, and for the first time I realized the stranger something sounds–Candied bacon, brisket pies, and a sushi cone–the more delicious it is.

These local restaurants make it easy by telling you their history and what their most popular dishes are. I wasn’t too keen on the whole candied bacon thing at first, but when someone from The Grape told me themselves that their customers loved it, I couldn’t resist.

The same went for the brisket pies from The Original Fried Pie Shop and the meatball subs from Pho is for Lovers.

I may not know much, but after this culinary experience I know that from now on when there’s an opportunity to try something crazy, I’m going to take it.

As long as that something crazy is food.

Sushi from The Blue Fish.

Candied bacon from The Grape.

Pinkberry will be there,

Cherry and brisket fried pies from The Original Fried Pie Shop.

Meatball sub from Pho Is For Lovers.

]]> http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2011/10/27/special-report-media-gets-a-preview-of-taste-of-greenville-avenue/feed/ 1 http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2011/10/24/texas-state-veggie-fair-food-fun-without-meat/ http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2011/10/24/texas-state-veggie-fair-food-fun-without-meat/#comments Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:12:32 +0000 Nancy Nichols http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/?p=31891

D Magazine intern Jessica Melton attended yesterday’s Texas State Veggie Fair. She files this report.

The Texas State Fair is renowned for its vast array of weird, interesting, and just plain crazy fried foods. The same could be said about this weekends’ Texas State Veggie Fair—minus the meat.

Yesterday, the 2^nd Annual Veggie Fair ground, otherwise known as Winfrey Point at White Rock Lake, was filled with vegan, vegetarian, and perhaps a few meat lovers like myself. (I was a vegetarian for a brief stint, but one day I woke up with a hankering for a T-bone steak—medium rare, if we’re being specific—and I haven’t looked back.) But diners are demand for vegan and vegetarian food is skyrocketing and the folks who hosted this event, DallasVegan.com, now have two successful day-long events to prove it.

Pictures and more galore.

My personal philosophy is that if something is fried, it must be delicious, and there were about as many variations of fried vegetables as one would find fried anything else at the State Fair. Oh, and a lot of cheese, too, which was awesome.

Food trucks that served the vegan-friendly cuisine from 11AM to 6PM were there to impress, especially for the food truck competition, which took place between some of the best vegan food trucks around.

Aside from food, there were a lot of info booths and shops around promoting the idea that animals were friends, not food as well as the message of sustainability in the process.

People were selling everything from recycled notebooks with the covers made from old cereal boxes to vintage jackets to sustainable jewelry and everything in between.

Animal friendliness flowed through the grounds with people who brought their dogs to mingle and a booth sponsored by animal shelters that brought pets for people to adopt.

All in all, the fair was a pretty relaxed, fun environment that gave people the information they needed to make an informed decision on whether or not to eat meat.  I even considered going back to vegetarianism—until dinner.

OK, lunch.

Three Men And A Truck food truck surrounded by hot, hungry men, women, and children. (photography by Victor Jiang)

The first of what will probably be many more DFW Food Truck Festivals took place Saturday outside Sigel’s Fine Wine and Great Spirits on Greenville Avenue. I’m not sure if the next one will take place in August. At 7PM, it was about 108 degrees. There were also, by my best guesstimate, approximately 2,000 people waiting and eating. Parking was reasonably well-organized with security marshaling people through the Sigel’s parking lot.  Most people either took DART or parked in the retail lots across the street.  Many of the customers headed indoors where Sigel’s offered craft beer and wine tastings. The entire event was orchestrated by Jasper Russo, Sigel’s wine marketing director.

The savage heat and long lines didn't keep folks from waiting to sample Dallas' new food truck scene.

I arrived early, about 5pm, so I could watch the orchestration of the setup. Three trucks of the participating nine trucks were already there. The rest pulled in by 5:30pm. Each of the trucks appeared to have added extra staff, but they all could have used more. The workers piled out and set up umbrellas, canopies, ice, and generators. I could tell they were nervous. For some, their performance at this festival could define their image and bottom line.  At the end of the night, many of the trucks, if not all, probably saw more customers in this one day than the total number of people they have served since being licensed.  Most of the owner/operators have giddily reported record sales.

Saturday night’s festival featured nine trucks: Gandolfo’s NY Deli, Jack’s Chowhound, Nammi Cruisin’ Vietnamese Fusion, Ruthie’s Rolling Cafe, 3 Men and a Taco, Enticed Shaved Ice, The Bomb Fried Pies, Trailercakes, and Mr. Cool Ice Cream.

Jump for two new first takes and pictures.

Ruthie's Rolling Cafe. (photography by Victor Jiang)

Since I’ve eaten at most trucks that have been rolling for a while, I started with the newer entrants: Ruthie’s Rolling Cafe and 3 Men and a Taco.

Ruthie’s features design-your-own grilled cheese sandwiches. Start with your choice of bread from Empire Bakery, pick your cheese, meat, and sauce and pay $7.50. Ruthie’s was probably the most organized truck on the outside. They were there early, set up shade canopies, and had plenty of people outside of the truck passing out menus and explaining the drill.  Unfortunately, the kitchen efficiency didn’t match the outside and it took a while to get the grilled cheese sandwich. However, this is Ruthie’s first public event, so we’ll cut them lots of slack. When the grilled cheese did finally come out, it was delivered like a great grilled cheese sandwich should be: nice, crispy, and hot.  I look forward to trying more variations if Ruthie’s, especially if they get to the point of offering a daily schedule.

Service from 3 Men and a Taco was quick and efficient. The flavors of their tacos were good, but they were served on a generic flour tortilla. Sometimes the tortilla was warm and the filling was cold; others came out the opposite. The beet tacos were outstanding, but a bit pricey at $4. I have spent a lot of time discussing the difficulty of starting a food truck with most of the current operators in Dallas and they all agree that while it may look easy, it is an extraordinarily tough venue to start. So I am not going to be too critical of this event. To many this was a test run and a good chance for them to fine tune their products and concepts.  With a sound concept (duh, tacos in Dallas) and good flavors, I would expect 3 Men and a Taco to work out the kinks.

The clear winner on line length was Nammi Cruisin’ Vietnamese Fusion.  With a popular concept and a good following, they had them stacked deep.  By my quick and rough count, I’d estimate there were 90 people in line for Nammi’s banh mi and tacos.

Nammi truck. (photography by Victor Jiang)

Nammi's line snaking around the back side of Sigel's.

Amazingly, there were few grumbles in the crowd due to the long lines and heat.  Everyone was excited about the event.  The biggest problem was simply trying to figure out which line was which.. Parking wasn’t a problem with abundant retail parking across the street and many people walking from the DART rail a couple of blocks away.  As I drove away at about 7:30pm, traffic had slowed on Greenville Ave. as people crossed the streets.  People walked briskly up the sidewalk with excited looks on their faces in anticipation; the same sort of looks on people’s faces at Disneyland at 9aAM when they open the doors.

All in all, the nine trucks that attended in partnership with Sigel’s did a terrific job, creating a great time for Dallas first food truck festival.

Rear view of Gandolfo's. (Photography by Victor Jiang)

Jack's ChowHound (Photography by Victor Jiang)

]]> http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2011/08/29/treats-in-the-heat-dfw-food-truck-festival-at-sigels-fine-wine-on-greenville/feed/ 8 http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2011/08/26/a-must-eat-guide-to-sigels-dfw-food-truck-festival/ http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2011/08/26/a-must-eat-guide-to-sigels-dfw-food-truck-festival/#comments Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:00:35 +0000 George Lewis http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/?p=29570 This Saturday, August 27, from 6pm to 9pm, Sigel’s will host a  food truck festival at their Greenville Avenue location (just north of Lover’s Lane).  It’s shaping up to be a hot event.  Attending vendors include Gandolfo’s NY Deli, Jack’s Chowhound, Nammi Vietnamese, Ruthie’s Rolling Cafe, 3 Men and a Taco, Enticed Shaved Ice, The Bomb Fried Pies, Trailercakes, and Mr. Cool Ice Cream.  Sigel’s will have a craft beer and wine tasting in the store at the same time. An important note: You can’t go into the store, buy a 6-pack, and consume it onsite.

I’ve put together a guide to help you decide how to plan your taste tour. For this event, I’d recommend going with a 4-player team and share.  While most trucks accept credit cards, I recommend bringing cash–lots of $1s and $5s.  Parking will be tough, so carpool or take DART.  There is a station 1 1/2 blocks away.

Jump for a groovy how-to-sample-without-bloating guide.

Jack's Chowhound

If you bring the whole family, head straight to Jack’s Chowhound.  It’s menu is the closest to being kid- or teen-friendly.  If under age 10, go for the meatball sliders.  For the teens, pulled pork grilled cheese or cheeseburgers.  Add fries and everyone will be happy.

Gandolfo's Rockefeller Reuben

If no kids, start with Gandolfo’s NY Deli.  Get a Rockefeller Reuben and ask them to quarter it to share among your group of 4.  If you eat one of these on your own, well, you might be done for a while.  While you savor the pastrami, walk over to Nammi Vietnamese.  You’ve got a choice here.  The banh mi’s are big, so get them quartered if you have a larger group.  Or get each person can order a taco; they have the same ingredients the banh mi.  Although the rice bowl might normally be a good idea, save it for another day.  It’s a lot packed into one bowl and you’ll embarrass yourself with the mess you’ll make.  At Nammi, you must get the sweet mint basil lemonade.  In 100+ degree temperature on an asphalt parking lot, you will be thankful.

Nammi's Banh Mi

Go inside, cool down, and tour through Sigel’s wine and craft beer samplings.  Sigel’s tells me they must close the store by 9pm, but the trucks will keep on serving until they run out of food.

Venture back outside and visit the newer entrants: Ruthie’s and 3 Men and a Taco.  So far Ruthie’s has only done private parties and festival-style events.  3 Men and a Taco debuted their tacos at Taste of Dallas in July and just started rolling the streets over the last few days.  Ruthie’s is doing grilled cheese sandwiches of all types.  Take your group, split a sandwich and report back. Pair them with a taco or two from 3 Men and a Taco and your entree courses are done.

Let’s move on to the dessert course.  Your options are Enticed Shaved Ice that we profiled earlier this week, Mr. Cool Ice Cream, The Bomb Fried Pies, or Trailercakes.

Start with Enticed first.  Share a regular size for each two of you.  Move on to The Bomb Fried Pies and split one of the fruit fried pies (apple, peach, cherry, or apricot) or jump directly to a fried guacamole pie. Get a couple extra and save for Sunday morning breakfast.  If you are a fan of soft serve ice cream, move on to Mr. Cool.

End your night with Trailercakes.  Get several flavors and either eat them on the way home or  throughout the week.

That’s a total of nine (9) food trucks. The two veterans, Green House Truck and City Street Grille, have been around long enough that they book private events well in advance.  Unfortunately, they were both booked for August 27.  Crazy Sisters was originally scheduled , but could not line up their Dallas permit in time.  Ssahm Korean BBQ is notably absent from the roster, but can often be found parking near a Centennial.

I look forward to either seeing you there or reading your comments!

jump for the full weekend schedule of events…

Friday May 27

7:00 p.m. CULINARY DEMONSTRATION WITH WINE PAIRING
Regional Executive Chef David F. Holben of Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House
Barbecue Spice Rub Chicken with Mango Mojito Chutney
Wine Pairing: Robert Mondavi Private Select

Food & Wine Magazine’s Best Chef winner, David Holben, of Del Frisco’s Steak house demonstrates a tantalizing summer chicken with a Cuban flair.

8:00 p.m. SPIRITS TASTING
Craft Beer Tasting: Fireman’s #4 and Brooklyn Lager
Vodka Tasting: Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka and Deep Eddy Vodka
Tequila Tasting: Patrón Silver, Patrón Reposado, and Patrón Anejo
*Supplies limited

9:00 p.m. WINE TASTING
Wild Horse Vineyards
*Supplies limited

SATURDAY, MAY 28

11:30 a.m. CULINARY SHOWCASE OPENS

12:00 p.m. CULINARY DEMONSTRATION
Chef/Owner Janice Provost of Parigi
Ninny’s Salad
Chef Janice Provost is well known for her farm to table menus at her renowned Dallas restaurant, Parigi. While demonstrating her favorite salad, Janice will share tips on how to navigate the Dallas Farmer’s Market and the secrets to selecting the ripest and most robust locally grown produce.

2:00 p.m. CULINARY DEMONSTRATION WITH VODKA PAIRING
Executive Chef Jim Severson of Sevy’s Grill
Red Chile Gulf Shrimp with Mango, Black Bean Salsa & Lime Butter
Vodka Pairing: La Rana Cocktail with Deep Eddy Vodka

Top CIA graduate and chef/owner of Dallas’ classic Sevy’s grill, Jim ‘Sevy’ Severson demonstrates his idea a wonderful afternoon pool-side.

3:00 p.m. SPIRITS TASTING
Craft Beer Tasting: Fireman’s #4
Wine Tasting: Robert Mondavi
Vodka Tasting: Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka and Deep Eddy Vodka
Tequila Tasting: Patrón Silver, Patrón Reposado, and Patrón Anejo
*Supplies limited

4:00 p.m. CULINARY DEMONSTRATION WITH WINE PAIRING
Executive Chef Blythe Beck of Central 214
Slow Braised Pork Ribs with a Peach Mango Slaw
Wine Pairing: Kenwood Yulupa
You won’t want to miss the star of Oxygen’s reality show, The Naughty Kitchen with Blythe Beck, as she cooks up this mouth watering dish with a little bit of naughty.

5:00 p.m. SPIRITS TASTING
Craft Beer Tasting: Brooklyn Lager
Wine Tasting: Estancia
Vodka Tasting: Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka and Deep Eddy Vodka
Tequila Tasting: Patrón Silver, Patrón Reposado, and Patrón Anejo
*Supplies limited

6:00 p.m. CULINARY DEMONSTRATION WITH CRAFT BEER PAIRING
Chef Richard Chamberlain of Chamberlain’s Steak & Chop House
Tandori Beef Skewers with Pistachio Couscous
Craft Beer Pairing: Sierra Nevada
Co-author of the Healthy Beef Cook Book, Richard Chamberlain will demonstrate how to combine flavors to create a most savory and satisfying beef dishes.

7:30 p.m. CULINARY DEMONSTRATION WITH WINE PAIRING
Executive Chef David McMillan of Screen Door
Low Country Shrimp & Grits
A high-brow spin on traditional southern comfort food you won’t soon forget.
Wine Pairing: Clos La Chance Chardonnay

Five Star Chef and artist, David McMillan puts high-brow spin on traditional southern comfort food you won’t soon forget.

9:00 p.m. SPIRITS TASTING
Craft Beer Tasting: Harpoon UFO White
Vodka Tasting: Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka and Deep Eddy Vodka
Tequila Tasting: Patrón Silver, Patrón Reposado, and Patrón Anejo
*Supplies limited

SUNDAY, MAY 29
12:00 p.m. CULINARY SHOWCASE OPENS

12:30 p.m. CULINARY DEMONSTRATION
Paula Lambert, Founder of The Mozzarella Company
Bruschetta with Goat Cheese Ratatouille, Mozzarella, Yellow Tomato and Watermelon Salad
World renowned Dallas Cheese Maker, Paula Lambert, will feature her award winning handmade cheeses prepared in dishes with the Texas’ spring bounty.

1:30 p.m. SPIRITS TASTING
Craft Beer Tasting: Brooklyn Lager
Wine Tasting: Robert Mondavi
Vodka Tasting: Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka and Deep Eddy Vodka
Tequila Tasting: Patrón Silver, Patrón Reposado, and Patrón Anejo
*Supplies limited

2:30 p.m. CULINARY DEMONSTRATION WITH CRAFT BEER PAIRING
Chef Aaron Staudenmaier of Abacus
“Bacon & Eggs” with Niman Ranch Chipotle Bacon
Craft Beer Pairing: Fireman’s #4
One of Dallas’ favorite and most talented young chefs, Aaron Staudenmair, takes an elegant approach to a classic dish, you will want to serve at your next dinner party.

3:30 p.m. SPIRITS TASTING AND SPECIAL WINE TASTING
Pairing Wine & Cheese with Paula Lambert, Founder of The Mozzarella Company
Wine Tasting: Estancia Wine
Craft Beer Tasting: Harpoon UFO White
Vodka Tasting: Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka and Deep Eddy Vodka
Tequila Tasting: Patrón Silver, Patrón Reposado, and Patrón Anejo
*Supplies limited

4:30 p.m. CULINARY DEMONSTRATION WITH WINE PAIRING
Chef/Owner Brian C. Luscher of The Grape
Sautéed Texas Redfish with Heirloom Cherry Tomato, Avocado & Crab
Wine Pairing: Merryvale Starmont
Join Brian Luscher, celebrated chef/owner of one Dallas’ most popular neighborhood eateries, as he demonstrates expert techniques for preparing these Texas staples.

5:30 p.m. SPIRITS TASTING
Vodka Tasting: Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka and Deep Eddy Vodka
Tequila Tasting: Patrón Silver, Patrón Reposado, and Patrón Anejo
*Supplies limited