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Thanksgiving Dining Options in Dallas: The Week Before Edition

Make reservations now.

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

Tart Pastry Boutique in Dallas Turns Five and Makes Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Tart Bakery is making whoopies!

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

Somebody Help This Poor Girl: Heritage Turkeys in Dallas

Warning: Some fancy turkeys are vain.

Several area farmers are raise raising heritage and pastured birds. Here’s a link to some. A loyal Disher asks the obvious question:

Have you eaten one of these heritage birds?  I’d love to hear from someone who has.  My big question is this… will it be worth the extra cost to buy a heritage turkey when I’m not wild about turkey to begin with?  Will a heritage bird make me love this Thanksgiving tradition or should I just stick with a crown rib roast?

Thanksgiving Dinner Options in Dallas

Make reservations now.

Below the jump we have a list of restaurants that will be serving Thanksgiving dinner. The list also includes some great take-out options.

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Dallas Restaurants Offer Thanksgiving Dinner

We are getting ready to compile our annual list of restaurants that offer Thanksgiving dinner. If you are a restaurant or someone with a really big  heart and home, send in your menu along with the details and we’ll get it listed.

Somebody Help This Poor Boyfriend: Apple Cider Mills

Well, I could  tell her to look here and here. Perhaps someone out there has a first-hand experience to share.

My boyfriend is from Michigan and really misses fall in his hometown. He keeps talking about all the fall festivities such as apple cider mills, pumpkin patches, hayrides, and corn mazes. Do or any of your Side Dish readers know of any cider mills around Dallas? I’m willing to drive a little outside the city.

Thanksgiving Day Turkeys

Thank you Cartoonstock!

I was going to do a roundup of all of the places you can pick up free-wheeling turkeys touting the big “O” but I was just informed that Kim Pierce has already done so. Here is what that turkeyette has to say.

Somebody Help This Poor Girl: Great Tamales in Dallas

Some people are already planning their holiday parties and are looking for great tamales by the dozen in Dallas. Giddy-up.

Slow Food Dallas is Planning an Eat-In at White Rock Lake on Labor Day

Slow Food Dallas is planning an “Eat-in” at White Rock Lake at the Big Thicket on Monday at 6 pm. The gathering is designed to bring people together to eat and show their support for the Real Food in Schools campaign. Slow Food USA is advocating for a change to the Child Nutrition Act which comes up for renewal every four years.If you haven’t had lunch at a public school in the last 20 years, you may not know that children are being served previously frozen, processed foods and are also allowed to purchase soft drinks and various processed foods from vending machines. Jump for more information. (more…)

How to Have a Happy New Year’s Meal in Dallas, if You Celebrate According to the Jewish Calendar

Nancy has officially dubbed me the Rabbi of SideDish and thus assigned me to write about all things of the Yiddish/Jewish variety, so, if you have no interest in the following: Gefilte fish, chopped liver or tzimmes (a wonderful stewed mixture of fruits and vegetables that should never ever meet), feel free to skip to the next post, however.

If though, you are a working Jewish mom or just a Jewish Princess who is worried about what to do for the upcoming High Holidays, listen, take a load off. We’ve just been handed the T.J.’s Market catering menu for the High Holidays and all we’ve got to say is “Oy Vey, that Caren Alexis is going to be one tired Yiddisha Momma.”

Just listen to what they will do if you want them to make home-made Gefilte Fish (which, for some reason, I never caught on any of my many fishing expeditions): They will grind fresh fish (Pike, Lake Trout, Snapper, Buffalo, Carp, Tillapia, Haddock, Cod or Salmon). They will chop you some liver. They will give you the horseradish (red for you wimps, the pure white stuff for the strong-sinused among you). They’ve got glazed chicken breasts and brisket (and I’m assuming we’re not talking about any of that lean stuff with the barbecue sauce all over it; we’re talking tender, soft, with a bissel of fat and some oniony-soup broth gravy). They’ve got Nova Lox. The menu also has some baked brie stuffed with fruit and nuts. I’m not sure how that got on there, but it’s there nonetheless.

So, if you are planning for the High Holidays or just want to ring in the Jewish New Year (Happy 5770 everybody!) the right way, check out the menu here. Call the Alexis clan. And wish them a L’Shanna Tovah (which, in the language of my people, is the wish for a happy, healthy New Year).

Father’s Day Dining in Dallas

The post is in the works. Restaurants, send your menus.

Friday Afternoon: Bits, Bites, and Beyond

Nicola’s Ristorante Italian offers Pasta Amore. Just what does that mean? “A two-course feast with never-ending pasta for only $19.95.” Details below.

Dunkin’ Donuts is raising an espresso-based toast to Mom by serving free small latte beverages on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 10, 2009. Details below

Corner Bakery is introducing customizable Mom’s Hand-Crafted Sandwiches including a choice of Roasted Chicken, Corned Beef, Smoked Turkey, Roast Beef or Smoked Ham piled high on freshly baked Whole Grain Harvest, Caraway Rye, Country Sourdough, or Mom’s White bread, served with bakery chips or baby carrots and a crisp pickle – all for under $6.

Tramontana. All tables (up to 6 guests) sharing dinner with a Mom can enjoy 25% off their food total now through Saturday, May 9th at Tramontana. (Offer excludes already discounted Prix Fixe Menus) Just mention SideDish when you make your reservation at 214-368-4188.
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Where To Dine for Mother’s Day

Have you seen Sarah’s story about the top picks for Mother’s Day brunch? It’s a streamlined version–a cheat sheet, if you will–of Nancy’s SideDish post about where to wine and dine your mom on the big day. Sarah’s taken over MD duties, so she’ll add to the story as the news rolls in. Personally, I’ve been dreaming about that eggs Benny from Jasper’s all day …

Mother’s Day Dining Recommendations For Dallas And Fort Worth

Listen up all you mother lovers, Mother’s Day is coming up soon. May 10. Mark it down and make reservations. I have updated the list.

Mother’s Day Dining Recommendations

Mother’s Day is just around the corner; May 10th to be precise. Below I offer some dining options. Check here often for updates. (Restaurants, please e-mail your information in a word document if possible.)

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Easter in West Texas

This Easter I visited Big Lake, Texas, home of the BF. This is a town about six hours west of here, close to San Angelo. There aren’t a ton of options for food in this town (pop: 3000), so we mostly ate at home (fantastic chicken salad, smoky pork chops, homemade venison sausage, ham, the infamous Chocolate Delight dessert). Saturday morning, BF and his dad went and picked us up breakfast burritos from a place in town called La Mula. Apparently, Big Lake has several little spots in town that are open in the mornings only for people to pick up burritos to-go (this is popular for people working in the oil fields). This was a great one. Homemade tortilla, scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, chunks of potato, bits of bacon, and fresh, tomatoey salsa on the side. I would have been happy with a little more bacon, but overall, this was a nice treat. It was huge but I ate the whole thing.

Those following us on Twitter know Todd made chicken scalloppine and key lime cake (just tasted some, it is dense and sweet and crunchy from coconut) this weekend. Now you know what I had. Anyone else? Nancy?

Spit Out That Peep! The Most Fattening Easter Candies

Just in time for this holiday weekend, Newsweek reports on the eight Easter candies that will pack on the most pounds. A Reese’s peanut butter white chocolate egg has 11 grams of fat?!? Oh great. There goes lunch.

Easter Dining Ideas: Hop To It

I will never get tired of that cartoon. Folks, Easter is less than a week away.

The list of great dining  is growing daily. Check out today’s updated list. Make reservations. Now.

Somebody Help This Poor Girl: Hot Cross Buns

A sad cry from a loyal Disher:

I’ve been buying hot cross buns for Easter from ST Cafe at LBJ and Skillman for years now, and they’re the best! I called today to place my order and was told they’re not making them this year! (Did the place sell or something?) Anyway, I’m wondering if anyone knows where I can find good, authentic hot cross buns in Dallas? Not the glorified cupcakes you often get at the grocery store, but real hot cross buns?

Last I heard Empire Bakery (pictured) was making the best in town. Call Robert or Meaders at 214-350-0007 and tell them SideDish sent you. Or listen to the band play below.

NOKA Debuts New Chocolate Bunnies and Eggs

Looks like you’ll have to trade up from those addictive yet common Cadbury creme eggs. NOKA now offers chocolate bunnies and eggs in two flavors: milk chocolate (62% cacao) and dark chocolate (80% cacao). You can buy them as gift sets (4, 8, and 16 pieces, starting at $14.50) or individual pieces ($2.75 each). Hey, new addictions ain’t cheap you know.

Araucana Easter Eggs from Flavors From Afar

Because SideDishers can’t just hunt everyday grocery store eggs for Easter, Flavors From Afar is taking orders for all-pastel, all-Araucana eggs from Fruth Farms in East Texas. (By the way, Araucana is a breed of Chilean chicken that lays blue eggs. Yes, I had to look it up.) Anyway, FFA owner Nancy Krabill boasts that these fancy eggs are “eggier” tasting with bright orange yolks and after one taste, you’ll be hooked. For $5.50 per dozen, they best be tasty. Order now because apparently they go fast.

Easter Dining Ideas: Hop To It

I’ve just added a bunch of restaurants to the Easter dining guide. Check it out and check it ofter.

Easter Lamb & Ham, Burrata, and Chianti Special

Yow. Zah. What more could a person want? One-stop shopping is now available at Jimmy’s Food Store. They are carrying lamb legs and hams from Niman Ranch where the livestock is raised by families of farmers like the Roselands (pictured). Order deadline is March 31. Pick up starts on April 2.

Then there is burrata, the succulent cheese from Puglia. I wish I could order some, but I’ve just completed an intense burrata rehab program. Maybe you can eat just three balls and stop. Deadline for ordering is March 19. Delivery around the 23rd.

I will take Paul DiCarlo up on this offer: a case of Melini Chianti for $72. Call 214-823-6180. E-mail Paulpaul@jimmysfoodstore.com. Check out Jimmy’s website. Tell them SideDish sent you. Just do it.

Easter Dining Ideas: Hop to It

Okay, Dishers, I am going to start a thread here for Easter dining options. Check back often. Restaurateurs, post your specials below or click on my e-mail below and send me the details. (I can’t find a credit to run with the cartoon to the left, but I couldn’t resist posting it.)

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Welcome to the Cuisine of My People: Jewish Food Rant

Nancy Churnin’s post over at the Eats Blog about the start of Purim tonight and her love of the three-cornered pastry known as Hamentaschen got our own Nancy asking me about the little treats. It got me thinking about Jewish food that I love. I’m still thinking. It’s not a long list, even for those of us who are Jewish. We are a proud people We’re just not very proud of our culinary heritage.

We may go through all kinds of food trends in this country, but unless we somehow develop an unrequited love for salt or yeastless bread or overcooked chicken, I just don’t know that Jewish food is ever going to be hot. Nevertheless, for my first post for the Disher Nation, I felt compelled to offer these five best Jewish specialties along with an equally tough list to compile: Five most unappealing Jewish foods. It was so tough because there are a lot of contenders.

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