You may know him from his comments as Dallas Dude, but Steven Doyle is a real person — one who, in his job in high-tech sales, does a lot of driving around the DFW. As he does so, he keeps an eye open for great-looking spots to eat. I’m pleased to tell you that Steven will be joining us as a community blogger… Steven Doyle loves Indian, Chinese, “other ethnic cuisines,” and taqueries; his favorite restaurants include La Calle Dolce, York Street and Kalachandji’s Palace and Restaurant.

A few minutes later I  discover a City of Ate post written on January 4 by Mr. Dave “Fairies” Faries. Mr. F announces the new line-up for City of Ate 2010 which includes this:

On Thursday, newcomer Steve Doyle pits one restaurant against another in Toque To Toque. It’s a dish against dish battle for supremacy.

I’m confused. Is Dallas Dude a real person or is Steve Doyle a real person? Is the City of Ate Steve Doyle the same as the Eatsblog Steven Doyle? Do both Doyles love Kalachandji’s?  Dallas Dude, (I know you’re there), what’s going on? How can you be two places at once when you’re not anywhere at all?

New holiday whoopie pies at Society Bakery.

Last week, Nancy told us about whoopie pies at Tart Bakery and and Maple & Motor Burgers and Beer. One more, and whoopies were a trend, she said. Well, here’s our third: Society Bakery is selling them, and they brought us some to try. In the box: chocolate mint (gourmet Thin Mint, they say), brown sugar, bread pudding, and spice. The pies are saucer-sized and make a great cupcake alternative, IMO. My favorite was the brown sugar. Loved the maple whoopie filling, which is like vanilla frosting but much less sweet. The cake-to-frosting ratio will also likely be appealing to pepole who get overwhelmed with mile-high frosted cupcakes.

If these look good to you and you want a sample, stop by Society tomorrow night from 6–8 for their joint open house with the Corner Market. They will be giving away samples of these new flavors as well as some of their other goodies.

Pinkberry owner Adam Saxton smiles pretty and eats yogurt.

Last night was the grand opening party of Pinkberry Dallas, the frozen yogurt store that started the tart frozen yogurt craze in 2005. Back then, you couldn’t open up an In Touch without seeing a photo of Leo DiCaprio or Lindsay Lohan chowing down on the stuff, and rumor had it that lines were so long you had to wait an hour for a taste of the Swirly Goodness (not our term: that’s what Pinkberry press release calls it). We didn’t see any celebs last night (does Lucy Wrubel count?), but there was a searchlight, and there was a line out the door for the yogurt, so there. Our location, at Preston and Royal next to Barnes and Noble and the Merge clothing store, is the first in the U.S. outside of New York and California. The party was also the debut of Chocolate Pinkberry, and for now, we’re the only city that has it (woot!). It was explained to me that the chocolate comes from Mexico and is very expensive, because it’s tough to find chocolate that would mix with their yogurt and taste good. I thought the chocolate flavor was fine, but I like Pinkberry (and others like it) because of the tang, and chocolate doesn’t have it. I’m sticking with the original. Jump for photos and more info.

According to Pinkberry peeps, the store is going to shine above the rest of the frozen yogurt places we already have because they make their yogurt every day in-house using local ingredients when possible. The fruit for the toppings is fresh every 24 hours, etc. Franchise owner (and SideDish lover) Adam Saxton said the deal was about a year in the making. He also told us about all the toppings, which include gluten-free brownies, coconut macaroons (yes please), organic gummy bears, all kinds of fruit, and a few cereals. Original, pomegranate, coconut, passionfruit, green tea, and chocolate flavors will be for sale.

Chocolate Pinkberrry makes its debut.

The party in full swing at the Merge boutique next door to the store.

Inside Pinkberry.

Pinkberry is open from 10am–11 pm every day. A small yogurt without topping costs $2.75 and a small yogurt with topping is $3.95, which is less than I usually spend at Yogilicious/Yumilicious when I’m free to go crazy and add six different kinds of cereal. If you’ve sampled the rest of the yogurt in town you should definitely try Pinkberry–they were the first ones doing this in the states and many companies have totally copied their interior design, topping choices, etc. It almost feels a little late in the game for a new yogurt store to open, but judging from the looks of things last night, people are still really excited about yogurt. Go try it and let us know what you think.

While the overall trend in dining today is to eat sloooowly, the Gen Y’ers I know are more content to snack quickly. What happened to the good old days of turning on The Thorn Birds (before you knew Richard Chamberlain was gay), grabbing a spoon and a half gallon of ice cream, and eating the whole thing? Once, after I got turned down for what I thought was my dream job, I went back to my apartment, made a three-layer German chocolate cake, and ate every last crumb. Did I feel better? You betcha.

What is comfort food? At home it is one thing, but now restaurants are trying to comfort us in public. Take Kent Rathbun. (beat, beat…) He has gourmet comfort food. He isn’t alone; there are lots of folks making their mortgage payments by selling upscale mac and cheese. Isn’t gourmet comfort food an oxymoron? If you agree, then WTF is healthy comfort food? A lie? You betcha.

I was curious to see if there were any distinctive differences between generations when it came to constant cravings. I didn’t have to Google far to find this little salty tidbit. Jump with me.The following is copied and pasted from the “Generational Comfort Foods” trend mapping report from the Center for Culinary Development (CCD) and Packaged Facts. (I am not making that up. Someone got paid a lot of money to come up with that. Packaged Facts is going to be the title  of my autobiography.) And here they are:

CCD’s national online survey on the topic (3,700 respondents) found that sweets dominate category choices regardless of age. Nearly half (46%) of men and women across the Boomer, Gen X and Gen Y segments say they turn to baked goods, sweets and desserts for comfort, versus 19% who cite entrées, 14% salty snacks, 13% side dishes, and 4% breakfast foods.
Women favor sweets even more than men (51% of women cite sweets as comfort food, versus 36% of men). Among respondents who cite sweets, 26% chose ice cream as their top comfort food, 23% chocolate and 21% brownies.
Within entrées, roasted meats are the top choice across generations; within side dishes, macaroni and cheese and potatoes are nearly tied in popularity; and within salty snacks, chips rule (cited by 60% of total respondents, followed by popcorn and cheese, at 10% and 8%, respectively).
Cheese — either by itself or with a bread or starchy food — seems to elicit the most “passionate” response across generations, but with generational nuances (Boomers citing artisan cheeses versus Gen X’s cheese crackers, for example).

The research also identified top trends in comfort foods, including:

* Breakfast for dessert. Gen Y pastry chefs and a desire to start the day with a “protein burst” are driving this just-emerging trend. Boxed cereals, already found in snack bars and frozen yogurt shops, are now turning up in desserts, along with desserts such as “glamorized” versions of French toast, waffles and doughnuts.
* Madeover meatloaf. Regional restaurants, nouveau diners and sandwich shops are featuring meatloaf offerings with fuller flavors and natural or leaner meat blends. Boomers like the healthier versions of this nostalgic favorite, while Gen Y is drawn to bolder taste variations.
* Artisan pies. The pies now seen in specialty cafes and fine restaurants reflect the “artisan sprit” of inspired pastry chefs and are not only fresh and “home made,” but “full of good things,” CCD reports.
* Pho/Vietnamese beef noodle soup. First spotted as an emerging trend in 2005, this soup’s popularity has now spread, particularly among ethnically diverse Gen Y consumers. In addition to small shops and Vietnamese restaurant chains, it can now be found in mainstream soup restaurants and Pan-Asian noodle houses. The appeal: flavors that translate well to American tastes, combined with “infinite customizability” via fresh garnishes like sprouts, herbs and condiments.
* Asian curries. Very big among Gen Y and also popular as one-pot dishes among Gen Xers who are cooking meals for growing families. CPGs are beginning to offer curries with new simmer sauces and curry meal kits and frozen entrées.
* “New” casseroles replacing processed ingredients with fresh ingredients, including vegetables and “contemporary” proteins such as turkey, crab and shrimp.
* Mac ‘n cheeses featuring natural and organic ingredients and other flavor twists.

Hmm, is this interesting? Not really, but it is a nice primer to get you in the mood to tell me your guiltiest pleasure(s). When you are down and troubled and need a helping hand, what do you want in that helping hand? Lines are open 24/7. Dish it.

When I lived in Spain, my favorite breakfast was Pan con Tomate. (In the north it is referred to as Pan a la Catalana.) I’ve eaten versions here in Dallas at Cava where it is served as part of an appetizer combo and at Chic from Barcelona where the tomato mixture is piled on top of grilled vegetables. But I prefer to make the easy breakfast version at home. Jump for the recipe.

Cut a rustic baguette or any type of thick bread like ciabatta in half.
Toast until crisp.
Take one or two ripe tomatoes (I’ve found that plum tomatoes work best because they have fewer seeds) and cut in half. Rub on a cheese grater into a bowl.
Spoon mixture onto bread, drizzle with a good quality EVOO (Catalonian is best) and top with a sprinkle of salt.
In Catalonia and at Chic from Barcelona,they rub the bread with tomatoes and garlic first. If you want to add protein consider serrano ham and/or Spanish goat cheese.

They are set to be opening up Yogi/Yumilicious at the Village at Allen tomorrow. First 100 customers get a free t-shirt. What name will it have on it? Guess we’ll have to wait and see…

Due to the recent FDA recommendation that consumers should avoid eating pistachio products,  Central Market H-E-B is voluntarily removing any product containing pistachio nuts from our stores until further FDA verification has been received.

Central Market H-E-B has elected to remove these products strictly as a precautionary measure, even though we have received numerous affidavits from various vendors stating their products do not contain ingredients from the FDA-identified Salmonella source.

Central Market H-E-B is removing these products as part of our ongoing commitment to food safety and the safety of our customers.

Murmur.

DFW Airport is about to get a slew of new restaurants for consumers “trending toward healthier eating habits.”

1) Cereality.  A cereal bar and café with Cereologists™ who assist customers as they create their own cereal. Now you can do what your mom never allowed:  mix Cap’n Crunch with Frosted Flakes and cover them with malted milk balls and banana flavored milk. (Those gals in the picture must have pop rocks in their cereal!)
2) UFood Grill. Considered by someone, as “the next generation of fast food, combining flavorful, high quality and nutritious food with an appealing atmosphere, accessible pricing, and quick, convenient service.” Think: Fired-up Burgers™, artisan sandwiches, UBowls™, grilled entrees, and specialty salads. Got to be great—UFood was recently named “2009 Best New Concession” in the Food & Beverage category by Airport Revenue News. George Foreman sends all of his friends there.
3) Blimpie. You know it, now fly with a hot or cold sub, to Panini, or fresh salad.
4) Urban Taco. Yes, that Urban Taco. Markus Pineyro and Chef Fernando Huerta will open their first airport location. (Folks, do me a favor. Eat these tacos before you board the plane.)

Locations? Cereality™ Cereal Bar & Café and Blimpie® will be in Terminal C, Gate C6. UFood Grill℠ in Terminal B, Gate B8, and Urban Taco in Terminal C, Gate C22. They are all scheduled to open the week of March 9th. Flight attendants, please prepare your doors and cross check.

It’s likely that the best toffee you’ve ever had, isn’t that much better than the worst. I thought the same when I heard the Splendid Table talking about Enstrom’s Almond Toffee. But after needing a gift that I could send to relatives around the country, I remembered how much they gushed about how Enstrom’s use only the purest ingredients (Colorado butter, pure Hawaiian cane sugar, and so on.)

So, I ordered a few boxes for family and one for myself. Now, three days after receiving the 2lb box of toffee, it’s 1lb lighter and likely won’t make it to Christmas.

Too late to order for the holidays? Who cares. It’s the best toffee I’ve ever had—and yes, it’s that much better.

UPDATE: Whole Foods in Preston Forest Shopping Center carries the whole line of Sahale Snacks. Also Central Market.

 “Our feeling is that you should never trust a skinny cookie, especially at the holidays. Texas is home to big hair, big trucks and big ideas, so it’s only appropriate that giant fortune cookies are also made in Texas.” 

Herbal Water blends hand-selected, organically grown herbs with purified water and nothing else – no preservatives, colors, artificial ingredients, sweeteners or calories – to create a refreshing taste and an enchanting aroma.

Herbal Water is a healthy alternative to beverages that contain calories and artificial flavors,” says Ayala Laufer-Cahana, trained pediatrician, accomplished artist, and company founder. “As more people demand healthy and organic beverages, we are delighted that our line of Herbal Water will be available to them at Safeway stores.” Recently, Herbal Water was recognized by Delicious Magazine as a “delicious flavored water (that is) a great sugar-free alternative to soda…this water is smooth and refreshing.”

Oh, that’s enough. Delicious or not. I have work to do. (Somebody comb that woman’s hair, please.)

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.

Hand-picked, fresh Mulberries. From a tree, not a bush. The nursery rhyme got it wrong.

Today I bought a lemon cookie. The outside had a perfectly crunchy crust and a slight dusting of sugar, but the inside was a gooey mess. In my opinion, a perfect outside and an undercooked inside is the culinary equivalent of false advertising. This is unacceptable; I can’t handle that kind of disappointment again. Where can I find a reliable lemon cookie?

I know this is not fancy food, or restaurant food, but it is a local company! My friend picked up a bag in Southern Cal, but I have yet to see it here. She said it was a lovely mix of all things good… if you are in the need of a cheesy, mixed up Frito Lay snack! Anybody know where I can find Munchies Cheesy Snack Mix in Dallas?

Well it has been ages since I was called a lovely mix but it was just yesterday that Timmy referred to me as mixed up and cheesy. But hello, Frito Lay Headquarters in Plano? Dallas is frantically searching for your products in your own backyard. I think we need a dedicated hot line from you to the D office–desperate snack-a-holics can be dangerous people. Dishers?