I Got My Thighs in San Francisco

‘Memba when I went to San Francisco? Now I can tell you why I was there: I accompanied chef Nick Badovinus on a culinary research and development trip for his soon-to-open restaurant, Neighborhood Services, on Lovers just west of Inwood. You can read all about it here.

Wow-O Villa-O

First things first. This is not a review of the food, because I didn’t eat there–at least I didn’t last night. (I do love those portobello fries, tho.) I just wanted to say that I hadn’t been out in the “real world” in a while–hey, I like my HGTV, okay?–and I had almost forgotten about the nightly parade of boobs and butts that normally occurs in this town. So, if you like boobs and butts (no comment on whether or not they were real), then I suggest you head to Villa-O immediately, because I haven’t seen a selection like that in ages. (These are not the sort of people that hang out at the Old Monk, if you catch my drift.) I met a friend around 6:30, and by 8 pm, the place was teeming with ladies of a certain age, on parade in front of a gaggle of very tan men. It was a spectacle. You should check it out.

Morton’s Set to Move to The Grotto Space in Uptown

Morton’s, the Steak House has just signed a lease to move into the space formerly know as The Grotto on McKinney and Pearl across from the Crescent.

Orange Cup Set to Open in Frisco

A few months ago, the lovely and talented Sarah Eveans blogged about Orange Cup opening at NorthPark Center. Well, it seems the city can’t get enough yogurt, so location No. 2 is set to open at Stonebriar Center during Labor Day weekend, with more locations coming to Galleria Dallas, West Village, and the Shops at Legacy. The official grand opening celebration takes place September 5-7, with a concert by local musician Patrick Ryan Clark on Friday, from 7-9 pm, and free yogurt on Saturday, from 2-4 pm. Between Orange Cup, Natsumi, Berry Berry, and lord-knows-what-else, I’d say we have a yogurt epidemic on our hands.

Hamilton Rousseau III, R.I.P.

Dallas has lost one its unique foodie characters–Hamilton Rousseau III, former owner of Ifs Ands & Butts, the eclectic soda and tobacco shop in the Bishop Arts District, passed away on Wednesday, August 13^th. He died after a long struggle with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), a rare bleeding disorder. More on Rousseau from one of his dear friends: (more…)

Town of Allen is Officially Cool

‘Member yesterday when we were talking about Allen and all the great new stuff going on up there? Now comes word from a friend in the dough, I mean know, that Whole Foods has signed a lease at the Village at Fairview in Allen.

Update: I’m a little late to the Allen-fest.

Lawry’s to Serve Prime Kangaroo

OK, so I’m just kidding about Lawry’s The Prime Rib serving kangaroo, but it’s a hot topic in the all-things-green world. Many eco-foodies propose eating kangaroo burgers as one “cure” for global warming. Not kidding, you can’t make this stuff up.

To get you in the “roo” spirit, Lawry’s execuchef, Matt “Melon Head” Melton, will host an Australian Wine Dinner featuring Aussie-inspired dishes paired with Australian Kangarilla Road wines. The dinner is set for Friday, August 22 at 7pm. The cost is $69 per guest, plus tax and gratuity. Call 972-503-6688. (I should be congratulated for not referencing “shrimp on the barbie.” Whoops. Since I slipped, let me ask you this: does that phrase refer to a short Ken doll? Always curious.)

Allen is a Rocking Town

When I was attempting to grow up in Dallas, Allen was literally in the sticks. LBJ and Preston was a giant prairie and I rode horses down where Spring Valley Road runs today. At that time, Allen was wild with Caddo and Comanche Indians running around. OK, so I exaggerate a bit, but the fact remains that this outpost to the north has recently exploded with eateries. Like Grimaldi’s, Uncle Julio’s, Naan, and now, Cru. Yep, that’s right–a fancy wine bar featuring wines by-the-glass, flights, and pairings. Cru in Allen marks owner Patrick Colombo’s eighth location. The others are in Dallas, Austin, Houston, and Denver.

Kent Rathbun Set to Open Jasper’s in San Antonio

Kent Rathbun announced plans to open Jasper’s in San Antonio, Texas in Spring 2009. The fourth “gourmet backyard cuisine” establishment will be located in the Shops at La Cantera. Other Jasper’s are up and running in Austin, Woodlands, and Plano. Way to go, Big Daddy.

The French Room Turns Cheesy

One of the prettiest restaurants in town just added a little touch of Texas cheese to the menu: starting August 21, French Room chef Jason Weaver, will feature a “taste of cheeses” from the Haute Goat Cheese Creamery in Lubbock, Texas. First up will be Haute Goat’s Grana, Pomme de Chevre, Ari, and Jilli & Blue Ballz. These cheeses are produced by Nancy Patton at her creamery in Lubbock, where she raises 20 goats. (That’s Zaza to the left.)

Metro Diner in Preston Center Will Close August 23

Or 24th. Nobody knows for sure, but the popular breakfast spot of Parkie champions is closing by the end of August. Loads of regulars are upset. One of them, Shannon Shelmire Wynne, who has been eating there since his Civil War days, is taking action. He will now open his Flying Fish, located a few doors down from Metro Diner, for breakfast. “We’ll have it all,” he says by Blackberry while driving his Prius. “Pancakes, waffles, whatever they served we’ll have.” Hey, Shannon, I’m in Matagorda and just came back from crabbing. We’ve got six Texas blue crabs here. How do I clean these things? Later, gators.

Mini Review: Craft’s New Lunch Options

Anthony Zappola, the new chef de cuisine at Craft, has rolled out a few changes: Look for larger, home-style portions at lunch (more like dinner service) and new lunch menu items. The menu isn’t exactly the same from day to day, but the next time you stop by Craft, I suggest you order the pork shoulder. When I visited Craft to try the new items, Zappola said the dish was essentially pork confit with a kind of homemade molasses gastrique; the pork is topped with tomatoes (they’re so sweet it’s almost impossible to identify them) and couldn’t be better. It’s now on my last-supper list.

Also new to the menu: Skate wing (ours was upstaged by the pickled pressed radishes that topped the dish) and a zingy scallop-jalapeno-avocado appetizer (it isn’t listed as ceviche, but that’s essentially what it is), among a handful of others.

If you haven’t had Craft’s take on strawberry shortcake, it’s a doozy: think rose cream on shortbread cookies with a side of strawberry frozen yogurt and a nice sampling of berries.

Yogurtland Makes Dallas Debut

Remember when TCBY was the place to go for frozen yogurt? Well, it’s 2008 and there’s a new player in town, appropriately named Yogurtland. With the store’s grand opening this past weekend in Carrollton, Dallasites were finally able to taste what all the fuss is about.

With 16 rotating flavors including pistachio, peach tart and New York cheesecake, all dispensed from wall-mounted machines and priced at a reasonable 30 cents per ounce, Yogurtland puts the power in the hands of its patrons letting them decide just how much is enough. The store offers 33 different fruit and candy toppings, as well as yogurt frappes and smoothies. For the health conscious, there’s ”no sugar added” yogurt, as well as shaved ice for those not in the mood for yogurt. Update: Yogurtland just informed us they no longer offer frappes, smoothies or shaved ice.

The dream of Yogurtland was to take the “kid in a candy shop” concept and maximize it. So does that mean we can revert to our childhood ways of smothering ridiculous amounts of toppings over our frozen yogurt without ever feeling guilty? Sweet.

Somebody Help This Poor Girl Out

Here’s a tough one. I have a reader who is looking for a good Egyptian restaurant in Dallas. I resisted sending her to The Egyptian Room (Campisi’s) on Mockingbird and, at the risk of sounding like I don’t know my geography, directing her to Queen of Sheba (Ethiopian/Italian). Anybody out there? Speaking of Campisi’s, Gina is polishing up her next “How to Open a Restaurant” blog post. (However, I couldn’t resist the food pyramid.)

One Arts Plaza Update: Tei An Opens Tonight

Teppo and Tei Tei Robata Bar founder Teiichi Sakurai is opening his new spot, Tei An, at One Arts Plaza tonight. If you aren’t knee deep in Restaurant Week, stop by and send us a report.

Next Food Network Star: Big Daddy’s House, A Review

Yesterday, I decided to follow through on my first season of “watching” Next Food Network Star and check out winner Aaron McCargo Jr.’s show. I figured the folks at the FN know more than I do about their programming lineup, and they had their reasons for choosing Big Daddy. Aaron’s show, Big Daddy’s House, airs at 12:30 pm on Sunday, just after Down Home with the Neeleys. So from noon-1 pm, you get a full dose of house and home, if you know what I mean. That said, Aaron’s show was better than I expected. Of course, the dude has been heavily coached, and who knows how many outtakes hit the trash after they taped the 30 minute show? It was edited to the max.

The set, meant to look like his house–heck, maybe it is his house–is downright tacky. The refrigerator is decorated with picture magnets, and stage right there is a picture hanging askew in the hallway. Aaron says “yeah, baby” a lot. And he refers to most of his ingredients as “bad boys.” When he picked up a raw New York strip he quipped, “I’ve got the goods, baby. I love it.” Then he kissed it. He made potatoes au gratin with his three favorite cheeses-cheddar, white cheddar, and processed American cheese. He used panko to top the potatoes. He brought our his best friend, smoky paprika, which in hindsight sounds like a chick he picked up on the strip in Vegas.

When Aaron was cooking, he was nervous and uneasy and he sweated a lot. (”I’m sweatin’ cuz I’m so excited!” he claimed.) However, the editor managed to splice in plenty of gushy, over-the-top Aaron moments. My three favorites: “What is steak au poivre? It sounds French, right? It’s not. It just means pepper.” “Call Big Daddy and tell him to come back to earth cuz he just took off.” And, finally, “Kiss your behind goodnight cuz here we go.”

Am I bitter they didn’t pick Lisa? Hell, no. I think winning these things cuts one open both ways. For now he has his 30 minutes of cooking fame. Then he’ll write a cookbook. For the rest of his contract–and, probably, his life–he will make appearances at food product conventions all over the place. If that makes Aaron happy, then I’m happy. I will say I wanted to eat every bite of what he cooked. However, next Sunday, I’m going back to the Dog Whisperer. Cesar makes a mean salad. Woof.

iFratelli Pizza Encourages Nudity

I must say that before this very moment, I have never used the words “swimsuit” and “pizza” in the same sentence. Maybe it’s just me-I wouldn’t wear a bathing suit in my own house. But some folks are proud of their bodies and iFratelli is giving you a chance to show yours off while you carbo-load. Here’s the official announcement:

i Fratelli Pizza is beating the heat with Swimsuit Sundays. Come in to any i Fratelli Pizza location (except Ristorante & Wine Bar) every Sunday in August and show your suit to receive a large cheese pizza for $5.  Unlike your lifeguard, we won’t make you wait 30 minutes to eat. Swimsuits preferred, birthday suits accepted. To view the full menu, and for i Fratelli Pizza locations.

I want pictures.

Los Angeles Moves to Ban Quick-Service Restaurants in “Poor Areas”

When I was a child, in the Middle Ages, we were taught to be very afraid of Russia. Not only were they evil Commies, the government controlled the lives of every day people by making them stand in line for toilet paper. While the Russian kids made toys out of empty vodka bottles, we hung out at M.E. Moses in Preston Forest, went bowling, or took tap dance classes at Buster Cooper. But our favorite activity was sitting at the counter near the pharmacy of Red Rawley’s and eating a huge plate of french fries.

Fast forward to July, 2008: the city council of Los Angeles proposes to suspend the development of quick-service restaurants in South Los Angeles. Why? According to a Los Angeles Times analysis, the 32-mile area has “more fast-food restaurants per capita than other heavily populated sections of the city.” Seems the city thinks they can reduce diabetes and obesity within the economically depressed region.” You can read more about it here.

So, it’s ok for Paula Deen to charge us $20 to clog our arteries but the “poor” can’t buy fried chicken? Let us discuss this while I make a guns out of my empty vodka bottles. Get mad.

This Really Ticks Me Off

I’m sure Freckle Face, and TG will agree with me when I say this: if you are a person paid to publicly relate information about a restaurant or business and you get customers of said restaurant or business to send e-mails or leave voice mail messages professing your love for said establishments, let me tell you this–it doesn’t work. Customers are poor actors. Here is the transcript of a voice mail I received recently:

Good Morning, Nancy. I have just discovered a very interesting restaurant on $(&$#($& Road that serves very good &*$%%# food. They do lots of interesting things at &%#% including wine pairings and very creative cuisine. I love your magazine and i was reading it and I thought I would call you to tell you about this place because I think it is a good story for your magazine. People will love it. The bartender does some amazing cocktails and the chef is out of this world.

Lest you think I have a hot-triggered temper, let me assure you that some days I do. But here’s the rub: The restaurant he is calling to inform me about is listed–with a glowing review, covering all of the above points–in D Magazine. And it has been in the magazine for the last six months. I love information on new, old, closed, or interesting facts on restaurants. That is why we started this blog. But when people get paid to represent a restaurant and they do it poorly, it makes me sad for the restaurant. BTW, I have e-mailed the restaurant above to let them know.

Free Food Giveaway At Chipotle Mexican Grill

Hey Dishers, it’s almost tax-free weekend and this year sales tax isn’t the only thing that will be free–Chipotle Mexican Grill has a deal for you. (Jeezy Pete, I sound like Robert Wagner selling a reverse mortgage.) Here is all you have to do: eat at any DFW-area Chipotle on Tuesday, August 12, or Wednesday, August 13, and save the receipt. (For me that is the hard part.) Then go back any time on during tax-free weekend, August 15 - 17 and pickup a free burrito, salad, order of tacos or bowl with your receipt. With your leftover cash, you can consider a reverse mortgage but I suggest you stuff it in your mattress.

Lobster Bisque at Fearing’s: Getcha Some

So I just got back from a business lunch at Fearing’s–fancy, I know–and I had to tell the world about the fabulously decadent lobster coconut bisque, which, according to Dean Fearing, is giving his signature tortilla soup a run for its money. To be honest, I should have just stopped there. Who needs an entrée when your “starter” is so ridiculously rich and filling? I absolutely adored the Asian twist, down to the crunch of the sizzling rice and lobster wonton–kinda like the cherry on top. I may need a nap, but my dreams will be sweet.

Nicola’s and Nobu Announce Pocketbook-Friendly Dining

Rising food and delivery costs are hitting the Dallas restaurant industry hard. Thankfully, we haven’t been thwacked as bad as other areas of the country, but many local restaurateurs are fighting to stay alive. KRLD Restaurant Week, which runs from August 11-24, will help put people in the seats, but I don’t think it does much to a restaurant’s bottom line. Some restaurants are taking a long-term approach. Today, Nicola’s in The Shops at Legacy in Plano, announced a new menu option–on Sunday and Monday night’s they will offer a four-course Cena di Famiglia (Family Dinner) for $19.95 per person. Nice.

Nobu is participating in Restaurant Week and they’ve decided to keep a similar $35 three-course meal on the menu all year round. Nice, too.
Remember Dishers: Hug a farmer and feed a restaurant. Eat out often. Report back.

Second Floor Added to Restaurant Week

Yes, I know you already know this but I just got a note from Second Floor’s PR rep stating:

I don’t want any of your readers to be confused so I wanted to let you know that The Second Floor will not be able to honor the Central Market Fourth Course certificates. Unfortunately after a discussion today with event organizers, because The Second Floor entered Restaurant Week late in the game, it could cause an accounting nightmare on the back end if we accept the certificates. We will continue to offer the fourth optional course on The Second Floor menu, but it will be an upcharge of $7.

Yikes, that is a lot of math.

Casey Thompson is Sitty Pretty

My inbox has been blowing up with rumors about former Shinsei chef, Casey Thompson. In short, I don’t know what she is going to do. Several people who claim to be “in the know” already have her cooking at Fuse. Our fashion editor, Stephanie Quadri, ran into Casey at Ari’s Wine Bistro last night and Steph sez that Casey told her she was still “undecided.” Hmm, I don’t “see” Casey at Fuse. I think she and Gina Campisi should sister-up at One Arts Plaza. Gina, are you listening? Come on, come on, now text me, babe.

(photography by Bode Helm)

UPDATE: My really insidery source sez Casey is not at Fuse or Central 214. Period, paragraph, end of rumor.

Pena’s Mexican Grill is Closed

Another SideDish reader writes and asks:

I just heard that Pena’s Mexican Grill (on Zang) was closing. I was really hoping that place would make it. The food was outstanding, the location and decor not so much. I’m interested to hear where Sal (owner and chef) is going to be working next, so I can visit there!

Lo siento, Dude. The phone is disconnected. Sal, if you’re out there, let us hear from you.