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

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

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

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

Jump for more joy! (more…)

Houston Critic Robb Walsh Is No Longer Anonymous

File this one under controversy: Houston Press restaurant critic Robb Walsh has decided that being anonymous is no longer on his priority list. Says Walsh:

The fact is, my job is changing. I was hired as a newspaper restaurant critic and feature writer. Today I am, first and foremost, a blogger. It’s a little ludicrous to try and maintain your anonymity while you are photographing your plate. And sometimes you need to identify yourself to get a interview. The time has come to adjust to fit my new job description.

Read all about it here.

The Naughty Kitchen With Blythe Beck is Not Canceled

A Disher tuned in to watch the Central 214 chef Blythe Beck’s reality show The Naughty Kitchen with Blythe Beck on Tuesday, and found a Hugh Grant movie running on Oxygen. (Snicker!) She asked me if the  show had been canceled? I went straight to the source via Twitter.

ChefBlytheBeck how you feel about it not being on this week. The naughty Army on Facebook is pissed!! How do the twitter peeps feel??10:42 PM Oct 27th from web
ChefBlytheBeck The Naughty Kitchen will be back next week with a whole new episode but I think that the Naughty Army should go to Oxygen.com and tell them10:41 PM Oct 27th from web
DSideDish Nancy…the show took a break last night and will be back with an all new episode next week. It has something to do with sweeps week. about 16 hours ago
DSideDish Yes Nancy I knew it was taking a break. Oxygen had told me a while ago!! Thanks for checking though! I appreciate it!! about 13 hours ago.

Dallas Candy Corn War: Pick a Side and a Personality

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

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

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

According to this website, I am a Snickers Bar.

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

According to this website, I am a Sauvignon Blanc.

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

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

Dallas Restaurants: What Do We Need?

What kind of restaurant would Major Tony Nelson and Jeannie do in Dallas?

I was having a conversation with a “highly educated” person the other night and he said, “Dallas really needs a great burger place.” I was stunned. When I asked him what places he liked, he reeled off spots—Chips, Goff’s, Neighborhood Services—that were in his neighborhood. I asked him if he ever went out of his way to discover or try new places and he admitted that he didn’t really. He has now been downgraded to “somewhat intelligent.”  I mean talk about closed minded. (They don’t even melt the cheese at Goff’s.)

The inside-the-loop-outside-the-loop foodie argument drives me nuts. There is great food all over this area if you are willing to drive. But if you had one restaurant wish, what would you like to see in Dallas? I know what I want, it’s a fleet of these, STAT. Your turn.

Chef Gaspar Stantic Leaves Cadot Restaurant in Dallas

Cold Shoulder?: Jean-Marie Cadot and Gaspar Stanic have broken up.

Chef Jean-Marie Cadot just confirmed that his former partner, chef Gaspar Stantic, has left Cadot Restaurant. “He wanted to be on his own,” said Cadot. “I was ready to work with him and make it happen but he wants to move on.”

When they formed the partnership to open Cadot, the two veteran chefs thought it would be a great idea. Stantic is in his mid-60s and Cadot has a family. Both chefs felt that the situation would allow them to trade shifts and make the job of running a restaurant a little easier. “I have two kids and I was hoping to spend time with them,” said Cadot. “It was a dream and we tried. There is nothing wrong to try and see what you can do and make it happen.”

Chef Cadot plans on changing the menu and adding “lighter and more elegant” French dishes. “A lot of things will be the same but I will not use things like pico de gallo,” said Cadot. “I am French. I was at Lavendou for 12 years and I want to do something different from what I did up the street.”

According to Cadot, Stantic has been searching for locations in Dallas.

The Screen Door Deal is Weird to Me

I’ve had a few minutes to re-read the press release on Screen Door. This one paragraph is perplexing. First the graf:

MCM Restaurants is a newly formed restaurant brand development company combining the forces and expertise of veteran restaurateurs Mico Rodriguez and David McMillan, along with contributing partners Robert Colombo and Teiichi Sakurai. With a goal of developing creative restaurants that are conceived and run the best way possible, Screen Door is MCM Restaurant’s first project.

So, Sakurai (Tei-An), Colombo (Trece, Villo-O), McMillan (Consilient, 62 Main), and Rodriguez (M Crowd) are forming a company to develop and run restaurants? Any one of them could have done the same either on their own or as a partnership with another. But FOUR of them? How will they ever be able to pay themselves and make money at the same time? Are there that many restaurants in town that have the kind of money it would take to have these guys come in and save them? I smell too many chiefs and not enough wampum. Very curious, this is all very curious to me.

Official Word From Screen Door

SCREEN DOOR ANNOUNCES NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM

Restaurant veterans Michael “Mico” Rodriguez and Chef/Partner David McMillan join One Arts Plaza restaurant

(Dallas, TX) – Screen Door, a modern southern kitchen located in the Dallas Arts District, announces the appointment of a new management company.  With a newly formed company, MCM Restaurants, Michael “Mico” Rodriguez will now serve as Screen Door’s Executive Director, overseeing the day to day operations of the One Arts Plaza restaurant.  Chef/Partner David McMillan will bring his renowned culinary and management skills to Screen Door’s kitchen.

“We are so fortunate that these two great talents have come together for a merger.  At Screen Door we have a great dining concept that is ready to be leveraged and enhanced into the home cooking heart of the Arts District.  I am genuinely thrilled about the possibilities that these industry stalwarts bring to Screen Door,” remarked Lucy Billingsley, partner, Billingsley Company.

MCM Restaurants is a newly formed restaurant brand development company combining the forces and expertise of veteran restaurateurs Mico Rodriguez and David McMillan, along with contributing partners Robert Colombo and Teiichi Sakurai. With a goal of developing creative restaurants that are conceived and run the best way possible, Screen Door is MCM Restaurant’s first project. (more…)

Re: Greek Food Festival in Dallas Starts on Friday

Once again, SideDishers have proved to be a tough—and, dare I say, slightly over-critical—crowd. I read the comments about the Greek Food Festival. I mean, it’s not like Holy Trinity is a restaurant, people! It’s a church! The food and pastry is made by volunteers who toil away for weeks in preparation for this, the biggest church fundraiser of the year. I suggest that you try to feed thousands of people at a time, and see how well you do. IJS. The festival is meant to be a celebration of Greek culture and food–not the most amazing culinary experience of your life. Is the fenekia as good as my my nouna’s? No. Is the baklava as good as mine? Of course not. (Then again, neither my nouna nor I has attempted to make thousands of pastries. I bet even ours would suffer in those kinds of quantities.) But will you have a good time–either on a date, with friends, or with your kids? Most certainly. Perhaps your “reviews” are best reserved for a real dining establishment.

P.S. Yes, I’ve been known to attend Holy Trinity from time to time. But I’m not coming to the defense of my people for personal reasons. I’m defending the hundreds of volunteers who are just trying to serve their community and do a good thing for the church. How can you find fault with that?

Restaurant Reviews: When is it “Legal” to Review a New Restaurant?

“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.) (more…)

Ocean Prime, Modern American Supper Club, Set to Open in Dallas

Do you think Dallas has enough “fresh seafood, prime steaks and handcrafted cocktails” concepts? Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, the Columbus, Ohio-based company that operates 17 restaurants under seven different concepts doesn’t. In November, they will “bring Dallas a sophisticated new dining experience as [SEVERE GROOVY MUSIC ALERT] Ocean Prime, the Modern American Supper Club will make its debut on the corner of Cedar Springs Drive and Pearl Street cross from the Rosewood Crescent Hotel.”

Ocean Prime general manager Brandon Davis, do you have something to say? “We are thrilled to enter the Dallas market and know Ocean Prime will thrive in its Uptown location,” Ocean Prime general manager Brandon Davis said. “Back in the day, a supper club was the place to be. The vibe was hip, the food was amazing and everyone had the time of their lives. At Ocean Prime, we’ve revived and redefined this electric, sexy and sophisticated dining tradition.”

Jump for the whole story. (more…)

Pegasus News is Desperate for Comments: Develops “Outbursts”

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!

Somebody Help This Poor Girl: Emergency Edition

I hate to overburden you people with work and I normally wouldn’t post two SHTPG items in one day, but this gal is in deep doodoo. Her tear-stained e-mail just arrived. She is miserable, help her off the ledge.

O.M.G. you guys, I totally forgot my boyfriend’s birthday. He is the kindest, gentlest, most giving man in the world and he just had to remind me that today is his birthday. To make things worse, this weekend he heard me planning a birthday party for one of my friends and he even loaned me the money to buy my friend’s birthday present. I feel like Jethro Tull’s heel. I need to pull off a miracle. I’ll do anything. Can your SideDish readers help me?

Make her hurt, peeps. How could anyone be so selfish and unthoughtful?

What is the Worst Meal You Ever Ate in a Dallas Restaurant?

I am asked this question many times. My taste memory is alive and not-so-well with memories of malicious meals that I not only ate, I paid good money to “eat.” So far, the worst meal I have ever experienced was served to me at gone-and-hopefully-forgotten Traci’s: scorched lobster shepherd’s pie and a spinach salad covered with old cheese and broiled. This year I’d have to say that the slices of dry pork fanned over a fistful of steamed cauliflower rolled in an ancho chile cream sauce I was served (twice) at Rathbun’s Blue Plate is now on my list along with a piece of wretchedly old bronzini at Bolla.  Et tu, Disher?

(Sign and T-shirts by Ellen Gribbs of Austin.)

The Twisted Vine in Dallas: Complaints Continue

I am still getting complaints from dissatisfied customers of The Twisted Vine so this morning I stopped by to see if I could catch someone on the premises. The place was locked up and there were no cars in the parking lot.

There was a broken window to the left of the front door.

The side door glass had been smashed in right above the door lever—it looked like someone had attempted to break in. Inside, there were a couple of tables in various states of disarray—one was completely set; another looked like someone had left and the table was never bussed. I didn’t see one bottle of wine anywhere.

Side door.

Front window.

KRLD Restaurant Week Reservation Swap

I’ve decided to sex up the photo for our KRLD Restaurant Week Reservation Swap post. The photo of  Brit and Madge is a Getty image and I’ll probably get reprimanded, but let’s enjoy it while it lasts.

Here are the rules: if you have an existing reservation at a participating RW restaurant, leave the date, time, restaurant, and number of people along with a contact e-mail below in comments. I will monitor the post and Twitter (DSideDish) any requests. I love to work. I really do. Be nice to each other. (Did Britney get a boob job?)

UPDATE: The Grape is up for grabs.

KRLD Restaurant Week: Reservation Swap

Yikes, I have created a monster. Despite the fact that the nice lady who needed to unload her resos at Stephan Pyles called me  “a better matchmaker than Chuck Woolery,” I can’t spend all day swapping out reservations. So here is what I will do for you: each morning I will post “KRLD Restaurant Week: Reservation Swap” after Reader Reviews. If you have a reservation that you aren’t going to use, you can do business in the comments section. Do not e-mail me. Post the restaurant, date, and time of the reservation along with contact info. SideDish, from Chowhound to Craigslist and Beyond.

Bailey’s Prime Plus Announces Culinary Team For New Park Lane Restaurant

Ed “George Steinbrenner” Bailey has announced his culinary dream team for Bailey’s Prime Plus restaurant set to open in mid-September in the new Park Lane development across Central Expressway from Northpark.

Starting at co-execuchefs are Israel “Izzy” Voirin and Christopher “Christopher” Meier. Izzy recently played for Nick & Sam’s; Christopher spent five years at Capital Grille. Both will follow corporate execuchef  Oona Settembre’s game plan closely. Leading off at sommelier will be Jeffrey “Jeff” Ivy, a veteran cork popper at Cool River and Pappas Bros Steakhouse in Dallas. Jeff also lists himself as a Certified Sommelier, Certified Specialist of Wine, and a Top Texas Sommelier (not familiar with this one).

Excuse me, Mr. Bailey, tell me how you feel? “I am extremely proud of the team we have assembled for Bailey’s Park Lane,” said owner Ed Bailey. “We sought out the finest and most experienced talent we could find and we are looking forward to welcoming our first customers in September.” Wait, Mr. Bailey…If this is true, then why did you let Judd Fruia go? Mr. Bailey? Hello?

Deadline Procrastination Brain Game: Itemize Your Last Supper

Last July, I wrote a post and asked you to itemize your last supper. (I’ll wait here while you read the link.) Okay, so you got the idea, right. What I loved about that post was that our old buddy, Bill “Freckle Face” Addison, chimed in with this:

•  Bill Addison @ July 11th, 2008 at 4:54 pm _

Darn you, N2. This is a question I’ve been meaning to post on our blog. Love this subject. Just for today, here’s my answer:
– Maryland jumbo lump crab salad with blood orange and avocado
– A thali of South Indian curries, mostly vegetables and seafood, like served here.
– A modest plate of Ed Mitchell’s barbecue. A plate of barbecue from City Market in Luling would substitute nicely.
– A small dish of blood orange sorbet
–    A big bowl of peach crisp (with vanilla-bean brown butter poured over the fruit) with vanilla-bourbon ice cream melting atop. Then, curtains.

Sadly, not long after I listed my extensive and expensive requests, my relationship with Bill went, well, curtains. In honor of Bill, who I miss dearly, let us relive the idea of ordering your last meal on earth. What would be on your list? Who would be with you? How do I make my voice do this? (Obviously, I am on deadline and need a distraction.)

Greenville Avenue In Dallas: Restaurant Memory Lane

Yesterday, an old gal could not remember the name of a restaurant on Greenville Ave. But you guys freakin’ nailed it–DiPalma’s. Thanks to you, the reader is out of therapy and back at work today. However, there are a few other questions and memories floating around my inbox.

Memory:  I still have DiPalma’s recipe for chicken lasagna and remember their lemon sauced pasta — it was a great place…

Question: We used to live within spitting distance of Il Sorrento (Hillcrest and Northwest Highway) and went there for all celebrations and we miss it terribly. Do you know of another old world Italian restaurant that perhaps reminds you of Il Sorrento that we can claim as ours so we can relive our youth of smoky piano bars, palm readers, and eating way too much Gorgonzola gnocchi?

Money question: What is the name of that great hamburger place that was also on Greeneville at the same time as DiPalmas? They served breakfast too.

Answers: 1) Share the recipe for chicken lasagna. 2) The last palm reader I witnessed was at Patry’s on W. Lovers Lane. 3) There are no more smoky rooms in Dallas and almost every “marinara sauce” Italian restaurant in Dallas tastes like Il Sorrento. (With the exception of table side Caesar salad and the roaming bread guys with the silver hot boxes.)

However, I do know the burger place—Little Gus’, the original Greek “cheeseburger cheeseburger” spot frequented by an eclectic mix of artists, trial lawyers, judges, politicians, journalists, musicians, and carpenters. It was a great spot run by cousins Pete Lucas and Tony Mantzuranis.  I dug into my nostalgic t-shirt drawer and present this picture for your approval.

Bonathon Responds To Challenge By Fake Bonathon

Did you miss the high drama from last Friday? Josh Storie, an intern at Levenson & Brinker PR, challenged our intern, Bonathon, to a duel.  This is all still sooo Facebook. Bonathon fires back:

To the fake Bonathan or as henceforth shall be known as: Fonathan,

You’re clever, I’ll give you that. Quick with your words and clearly eager to prove your mettle as you found it within yourself to actually challenge the original. But let it be known, no one challenges me and gets away with it. Unless you are bigger than me, which in that case, by all means “no I was not looking at your girl funny.” That said, I am Steve Perry, and you are that guy from the Philippines. You might sound like me, and carry the same swagger but I was here first and I rocked harder than Nic Cage on Alcatraz. AMERICA. (more…)

An Open Letter To Bonathon: Battle Of The Interns

Would you mess with this dude?

Well, our shy little intern Bonathon has caused quite a ripple in the intern world. First, he single-handedly shut down one of Dallas’ favorite soul food restaurants, Vern’s. Now he’s got a inbox full of groupies. (Yes, he does.) Today comes a challenge from Josh Storie, an intern at Levenson & Brinker PR. This is all sooo Facebook. Go, Josh:

Dear Bonathan,

For right now, my name is Josh. You don’t know me but I’m fully aware of who you are. Stories of your interning escapades have provided more humor for the lovely ladies in the cubicles beside me than anything else since I started interning here at Levenson & Brinker PR. As I’m sure you can tell, this is a pretty happening place. But, nonetheless, the tales of the infamous “Bonathan” have caused three of the women who oversee my imminently important and exceedingly entertaining duties as an intern to dub me with a nickname as well. (Oh, it gets better–flip the page.) (more…)

A Blog Post To Julie & Julia Author Julie Powell

Julie Powell last night at the DMA.

Tomorrow morning when the New York Times best seller list is released, Julie Powell’s book, Julie & Julia, will be in the number two position. Not bad for a former underpaid secretary-turned-blogger-turned-book author- turned-guest lecturer at last night’s Arts & Letters Live program and the Dallas Museum of Art.

Before last night, I made my feelings about the movie and Ms. Powell pretty clear—I didn’t particularly care for either one of them. The movie was nice, but I don’t like nice overly sweet movies. I can’t comment on Julie Powell’s book or blog because I haven’t read them.  I admitted that, right or wrong, I am extremely jealous of her rags-to-riches-by-blogging success.

Last night, Ms. Powell appeared at the DMA to speak and answer questions. The main hall was filled to capacity and another crowded room watched via closed circuit. SHE IS A FOOD BLOGGER. She does not have the cure for AIDS.

The good news is that I had a chance to tell Julie Powell, in front of a live audience, that I didn’t like her. I told her I was an insanely jealous food blogger and I wanted to know how in the hell she scammed this whole movie deal. You know what she said to me? “Yes, the bloggyness now is so different. I would want to throw me under a bus, too.”

I love her.

And I’m sending her a love letter.

(more…)

SideDish Movie Screening: Julie & Julia And Whole Foods In Dallas

Okay Dishers, you’ve heard about the movie, read my review, and are already sick of the trailers on TV, BUT I bet you still want to see this flick for FREE. I have 5 pair of tickets to give away. All you have to do is fill out this tiny little form for a chance to win 2 tickets to see Julie & Julia next Thursday, August 6th at 7:30 p.m. at the Angelika. Then you can thank Karen Lukin of Whole Foods for making it happen. If you want to get psyched for the movie or you just happen to be in Preston Forest next Monday (August 3), Whole Foods is hosting a “We Remember Julia” cooking class at 9:00 a.m. It is also free. Begging for freebies is always encouraged. Bring it. (You have to see the fake yawn scene.)

UPDATE: NYT article on food prep for the movie.

SideDish Movie Screening In Dallas: Julie & Julia

Last night, the Dallas Museum of Art and Arts & Letters Live hosted a private screening of Julie & Julia. If I have to write even one sentence to describe what this movie is about, you might as well skip this post and go here.

Several Dishers attended, and I await their reviews below. I am not a movie reviewer, but the following is my Sybil-esque recap. (I say Sybil-esque because I had two strong and separate reactions to the film.)

Full disclosure: I have not read Julie Powell’s book or blog. I am extremely jealous of her rags-to-riches-by-blogging success. Also, other than Lions for Lambs, the movie she did with Tom Cruise, I have enjoyed watching every film Meryl Streep has ever made. (“I haaad a faaaarm in Aaaafricaaa…..” slays me every time.) Okay, here goes: (more…)