Imagine for one second that you happened to forget that it was Valentine’s Day next week.  Maybe you were busy at work, maybe you were simply swamped with World of Warcraft, who cares.  You forgot and now your wife  is giving you the what for. I know how you feel, I’ve been there before.  There’s a reason the arms of my micro-fiber couch have sleepy-drool stains on them.

Fear not compadres, there is a foolproof way to get yourself out of the dog house and back on that lovely pedestal.

Step 1: Flowers (they are all suckers for dead plants).

Step 2: Learn the value of a good-ole, tear jerkin’ apology.

Step 3: Surprise her with a night out at Stephan Pyles.

You wife will be putty in your hands.

Mr. Pyles is, obviously, not the new kid on the block. The dude is a pioneer of southwestern cooking, like the Daniel Boone of Dallas dining.  I have had some of the most fantastic dishes of my life at the tables of this culinary mastermind. Yet despite the periodic shifting in the menu, there is one dish which remains a constant at our dinner table, the delectable Tamale Tart.

This dish screams flavor like a banshee with a bullhorn.  It’s uniqueness and sophistication defines what the name of Pyles has come to represent, and it should be on the must-try list of any Dallas diner.

The tart starts with a roasted garlic custard, made from heavy cream, pureed roasted garlic, and eggs.  The custard fills a tamale tart composed of masa flour, cornmeal, cumin, bell pepper and ancho chili.  The entire things if finished with a crown of fresh lump crabmeat, and a smoked tomato sauce.

There you go, you are no longer pond scum, you are now the most sensitive, caring man in the world.  But don’t thank me for saving your marriage, thank the big man in the kitchen, Cap’n P.

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.

We are giving away two pairs of tickets for this weekend’s Travel & Adventure Show at the Dallas Convention Center—an event that, apart from being a trade show, is also home to the Fiery Foods Challenge on Saturday and a cooking competition with the grand prize of a Yucatan vacation on Sunday.

The travel show starts on Saturday at 10 am with The Fiery Foods Challenge running from 1:30 to 3:30 pm. The format: three North Texas chefs will compete for audience votes with their signature dishes. Kenneth Patrick from Cedar Hill, owner of Ken’s Texas Catering, will whip up his habañero shrimp (1:45 p.m.); Prajakta Remulkar, who writes at spiceupyoursoul.blogspot.com will come out swinging with spicy gambas (2:15 p.m.); and Barry and Darryl King, founders of Brothers Sauces will blow the lid off their “Beat The Heat” crockpot brisket (3:15 p.m.)

jump to find out how to win tickets…
On Sunday, it a separate competition, selected audience members will compete for the chance to win a Yucatan vacation. Event MC, Travel Channel personality Mark DeCarlo, will select three audience members who will be asked to create their version of a simple dish (think something like guacamole). Again, the audience will taste and judge, with the winner receiving a vacation to Mexico’s Yucatan region. (I have no idea what his selection criteria will be.)

Want to be part of the audience? The first two people to email me at sarah.reiss@dmagazine.com with the name of Mark DeCarlo’s Travel Channel show will each receive a pair of tickets at Will Call. Tickets are for both days of the show and will give you access to both the Fiery Foods Challenge and the Cooking Challenge.

The Travel Show runs from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 12 and continues on Sunday, November 13 from 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. (The show opens at 9:30 a.m. Saturday for travel professionals.) Additional tickets are $9 online with Promo Code: PRDFW or $15 at the Door. Kids 16 years old and under are free of charge.

Meso Maya's foyer (left) and strawberry & serrano margarita (right) (All photos courtesy of Meso Maya)

What to expect: Meso Maya, the self-labeled “simple modern Mexican food” restaurant that opened in Preston Forest Shopping Center last week has success writ large from the kitchen to the curb. First, chef Nico Sanchez (The Porch, Hibiscus), whom owner Mike Karns (president of El Fenix) lured away from the Consilient Restaurant Group, is heading up the kitchen. Second, the management team is being wrangled, in part, by the lovely MCrowd veteran, Elizabeth Ruiz. Third, the menu is packed with abundant deliciousness from the fresh margaritas, to the guacamole, to the house-specialty budin Azteca.

We visited (undercover) last week and are still talking about it today. Here’s the scoop:

jump for pictures and details…

On the menu: We started with a house margarita and an order of guacamole. The restaurant’s benchmark — a stunning, fresh margarita — provided a refreshing wake-up call. In a town where you can end up with a margarita made from a mix as easily as you can find yourself drinking a wine-a-rita, being presented with such a solid house drink is worth noting. Within minutes our guacamole arrived. While it was not made tableside, the mash did not suffer from the lack of theatrics. It’s chunky, creamy texture, simple recipe, and verdant color make it a must-order. Likewise for the accompanying chips and house salsa. Although I did not ask at the time, I’d put money on the thin, salty, crispy chips being made in-house.

Rough wood, succulents, and stucco accents hit the interior Mexican vibe hard.

For an entree, I ordered the house specialty: shrimp budin Azteca, which is a sort of Mexican lasagna. My companions settled on carne asada and chicken enchiladas. While the carne asada’s saltiness and moderate chewiness made it just so-so, the budin Azteca was worth ordering again and again. Think of it as Mexican comfort food. The layered corn tortilla pie is neither fancy or complex, but the satisfaction that comes from biting through so many layers of tortilla, cheese, and salsa verde…there’s very little as satisfying. When paired with an order of the cheesy, creamy, savory elote (street corn), the combination is elegant (albeit unnecessary).

Budin Azteca with shrimp (left); queso fundido with an avocado rita (right)

Also notable were the tortillas used in the enchiladas. I would not have thought to praise this in a tortilla, but these were delicate and pliant in a way that all but vanished on the tongue so that the flavors of the chicken, cheese, and sauce could claim center stage.

For dessert, we took our server, Cesar’s, recommendation and ordered the postal de moras, or blueberry terrine, which turned out to be a hot, hearty, dense blueberry cobbler that would score big points any brunch or dessert table. At the end of this particular meal, the flavor and texture pushed us to a place that was nearly transcendent. This one dessert, while not huge, provided a portion-correct capper, even when split between three people.

Succulents (left) and pollo con mole (right)

Who was there: A real mix of Park Cities parents, nondescript regional-Mexican devotees, and even a table of savvy-looking teenagers.

Where to sit: That’s a tough one. William Baker (Meddlesome Moth, Cibus, Rusty Taco) designed the 4,800-square-foot space to have three dining areas and a bar overlooking the open kitchen. The room has little dead space. If you are on a date, ask for the back room with its shadowy corners. Large group? Reserve the maxi-banquette in the far back. Otherwise, sit in a booth along the wall, or at the bar where you’ll have a view of Nico’s kitchen. 

The sultrier back dining area.

Price: The bill felt very reasonable, especially given the flawless service and the level of our enjoyment. For a margarita ($7), guacamole ($8), two soft drinks ($2.25), chicken enchiladas ($11), budin Azteca ($14), carne asada ($18), elote ($4), and postal de moras ($6), our dinner for three came in at $77.90 before tip.

Nice detail: The styling of the room is top notch, from the succulents on the tables to the thematic Mexican furniture in the foyer. Also of note, our waiter, Cesar (who you can also find at La Duni), is one of my favorite servers in town.

The takeaway: Surprisingly, we did not need a reservation, but I’d imagine, now that the word is out, those days are gone. Regardless, the vibe is easy and feasty and did not feel rushed. I’d have preferred if the manager had not called me a “lightweight” for only wanting one drink, but that’s a small gripe from an otherwise stellar experience.

*Hey, eagle-eye: yes, you’re right. The images do not match with all of the dishes mentioned in the text. Sadly, we were unable to gain access to shoot photos of our own and instead are using images supplied by the restaurant. They’re good images, but still…

Hunky Town, Twin Pricks, Tooter’s, Pecker’s Hot Italian Sausage, Tube Steak Junction, Cake Balls to the Walls, Nuts and Butts, Quickies, Long Dong Silver, Tally Whacker’s, Love Mussels, Wee Willie’s, Twig and Berries.

Ladies, the floor is open.

Personally, the Pear, Hatch Chile, and tequila sorbet on their inspiration page has me thinking what I could come up with.

While you’re at it, enter to judge the contest. Just prepare a brief statement about your best chile memory to qualify. Central Market selects one judge for each store. Limit one entry per person. Entries for this also close on Monday, August 22, 2011, at 10 am.

dallasbeerweek dallasbeerweek

Help me oh @Dsidedish, what is the best hangover cure? Burgers? Tex-Mex? Hemlock? <head pounds>

Last night, at Madras Pavilion, I felt like I finally discovered the best of both—a veggie feast spiced to the gills and custom made for my hearty appetite. Not only was the food piping hot, fresh, plentiful, and affordable ($34 for a five-course chef’s feast for two), but it drew a crowd that was 90 percent Indian, always a good sign (apart from the two of us, the only other non-Indian table was a family of observant Jews, most likely there because the restaurant is also Kosher).

Course #1:  Mulligatawny soup

Course #2: veggie fritters

Course #3: potato and vegetable dosai (I was already stuffed at this point.)

Course #4: naan and rice with pots of yellow dal, saag with cheese, vegetable curry

Course #5: cheese disc in sweet coconut milk and topped with crushed pistachios

But I fell down on the job, readers. I only took one picture, and it was after we had done serious damage to the fourth course of our five-course, $34 marathon.

jump for the not-at-all helpful picture…

Clockwise from bottom left: cheese, coconut milk, and pistachio dessert; naan; rice; yellow dal, sag with cheese, vegetable curry.

It’s a terrible picture. Please accept my apologies.

Guajillo peppers on my counter make me happy.

We already know that parsley, as a garnish,  is out and micro greens are in. Also, a hamburger is not a hamburger unless it has a pickle or cornichon skewered to the top bun. Today, I predict the demise of the jalapeno and the rise of the guajillo pepper. I know it’s a bold statement, but I’m feeling bold and douchey today. So, if you have anything better to suggest, I’m all (deleted).

Dao, a Dallas restaurant veteran and sassy addition to the North Dallas casual dining scene, has chosen to go with the second-nature dishes of her youth. Her signature Pho—so rich and customizable—requires that the eater wield both chopsticks and spoon and packs a low calorie count thanks to grilled meats and clear broth. The combination is as good for an afternoon shopping stop (especially when you’re needing a pit stop after Ikea) as it is for curing a cold. My leftover pho tai chin (thinly shaved beef & brisket in broth with bean sprouts and fresh rice noodles) knocked my hubby’s head cold out of the park by morning.

Best news of all, both locations (Frankford Rd. and the soon-to-open downtown location in the Wilson building) deliver (keep an eye out for their pink mopeds). So you can settle in with some shaken beef or banh mi at home tonight and have enough left over for lunch tomorrow.

Co-chefs "Chef Pete" Nolasco and Zoe Muller spice it up.

Not just a euphemism anymore, Fire in the Hole was the name of Medical City’s entry in Sunday’s chili cook-off at The Dallas Farmers Market where pro (and semi-pro) teams from Le Cordon Bleu, Northwood Club, Chef’s Pete’s Catering, The French Room, and El Centro Culinary School, faced off against contenders from Mama D and Medical City (as well as an enthusiastic entry calling themselves The Chili Chicks) to benefit the Texas Chefs Association and Friends of the Dallas Farmers Market.

Jump here for the photo gallery…

Just as the names of entries ranged from the whimsical (El Centro’s Smashing Pumpkin Chili) to the literal (Le Cordon Bleu/Alexandria Club’s Smoked Corn Chili with Cumin Creme, Cilantro Essence and Queso Fresco), so did the costumes. Chef Pete Nolasco and Chef Zoe Muller hammed it up as a devilishly good duo, while The French Room’s team tried to one-up the competition by donning homemade “I Heart Mo” t-shirts. (Mo, in case you’re wondering, was chair of the competition).

Attendees chowed-down on mini-cups (10 for $10) and voted with their taste buds. Rankings were awarded in the Overall and People’s Choice categories:

• 1st Place: El Centro College’s Culinary Student Association’s “Foggy Bottom River Chili”
• 2nd Place: Chef Aimee’s Private Chef and Catering
• 3rd Place: Medical City of Dallas

• People’s Choice Award: El Centro College’s Warriors of Lone Star and their “World Famous 3rd Place Chili”

Jennifer Hunter shows off The French Room's "I Heart Mo" t-shirts (left), Erin Quinn charms samplers at the Le Cordon Bleu/Alexandria Club booth

Smoked Corn Chili

Mama D Chivo Bolillo samples.

The Chili Chicks Elizabeth Dunbar, Jenae Rudinger, Ragin Bryan, and Hilary Rivera

(Proceeds benefit the Texas Chefs Association and Friends of the Dallas Farmers Market.)

Aloo chat

Like everyone, I tend to overlook the restaurants out there that have been around forever, imagining a tired menu and service worn thin by too many years of sameness.

So, when a restaurant in this category actually wins me over, I tend to springboard in the opposite direction and spread the good news like Scrooge on Christmas morning. All of which is to say that while I may have slogged through the door at Taj Mahal last night, I emerged transformed.

jump for the rest of the story…

Vegetarian curry and lamb vindaloo

Let us begin with Taj Mahal’s location as opposed to its internal ambiance: outside it’s a study in everything that stinks about strip-mall culture, but inside, what’s not to love? Think mini-chandeliers and bedazzled paintings of lounging maharajahs. Like outsider art, the paintings are kitschy without intending to be and provide plenty of distraction during the post-ordering doldrums.

I decided to hit all the basics by starting vegetarian with aloo chat and veggie samosas and working my way into lamb vindaloo, vegetarian curry, and naan. The chat caught me off-guard with its freshness and bright flavors. In truth, I could have made a meal of just samosas and chat. As for the rich and spicy vindaloo and veggie curry – let’s just say that I had to forcibly stop myself from finishing all of it (one must have a little left over for lunch the next day).

To be fair, the service had its bright spots but was a pretty uneven, like when our server excitedly suggested the organic beer on the menu but then forgot to bring it. That is, until a young woman (possibly a teenage daughter of the owner) arrived and appeared beside our table. I don’t know who she was — her job seemed to hover somewhere in the hostessing department — or what kind of good mojo she was emanating, but if the owners could find a way to spread her natural delightfulness around a little (and possibly lose the dark curtains), Taj Mahal could experience a serious second wind spurred on by strikingly good food and sunny vibes.

I’d love to kick this off with a cliché like, “I’ve never met a taco I didn’t like,” but I’d be a big, fat liar. I’ve met a number of tacos that rubbed me the wrong way. (For the record, I’ve met an equal number that I don’t even remember because they made so faint an impression.) Top of the list (sublime): the calamari soft taco from Taco Loco in Laguna Beach. Bottom of the heap: the Nebraska-truck-stop, E. coli time bomb of ’93 that stranded me in a deserted campground for 30 hours straight.

Luckily, today’s lunch of fish and crawfish tacos at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop on Mockingbird did not fall into the latter category, nor did it fall into the former (admittedly, that bar is set pretty high). Where it fell instead is in the “old-reliable” category, which means I’d go there again and order the same combinations again but not stray too far from my choices (my companion was not so fortunate and marked hers in the “feh” category). Take my suggestions or not – nothing about this is life-or-death – but you can trust me that these combos won’t disappoint:

• Grilled fish tacos done Cabo-style with shredded red cabbage and pico, served in a soft corn tortilla (could have used a second tortilla when the first one broke).

• Crawfish tacos, also Cabo-style (ask them to go light on the mayo/garlic sauce).

What’s your favorite taco joint in town? I really would like to know, but feel free to leave out your graphic tales of woe; I’ve amassed plenty of those on my own.