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Kenichi to Host a Saké Dinner

If you missed the SideDish Supper Club that took place at Kenichi last May, you only have to wait until November 11 to experience another exceptional sake dinner. This time, chef Hung Nguyen and staff are putting together an “unprecedented in Texas” dinner and focusing on nama, or unpasteurized, saké. The dinner menu will revolve around seasonal, and, in some cases, local ingredients. Some of the sakes will make their Texas debut. One, an aged nama genshu, is unpasteurized and undiluted (almost 19% alcohol, “cask strength”). It is rested for 2 years and, according to chef Hung,“rather rare.” Jump for the menu, more information, and to find out why namas also tend to be umami bombs. (more…)

Wolfgang Puck to Handle Duties at Winspear Cafe

I reported sort of as an aside in this post that Wolfgang Puck would be doing the food at the Winspear. I’d heard it from too many with too many connections to the Performing Arts Center for it not to be the case. But I didn’t talk to Puck’s PR person until just now. Jennifer Strauss says the PAC and Puck are “having conversations” but that nothing has been officially decided yet. They hope to have something to announce in a week or two, she says.

Guessing Games: Chicken Fried Steak From Ranchman’s Café in Ponder Texas

Okay, I win this round. Maybe if I’d given you guys a few more clues (or a freakin’ map), you might have guessed Ranchman’s Café as the restaurant that serves the chicken fried steak pictured below. (Anywhoo, congrats to Shelbyg75 for being commenter #67.)

Ranchman’s Café has been a figure on what remains of the Texas Blackland Prairie around Ponder (east of Denton) since 1948. (Or 14 years after Bonnie and Clyde attempted to rob the Ponder State Bank just down the street.) The spirit of long-time owner and founder Grace “Pete” Jackson lives on under the ownership of Dave Ross who worked as a cook for Pete in the 70s while he attended UNT.

I discovered Ranchman’s in 1970 when I was a freshman at UNT (them NTSU). My friends and I used to rent horses in Denton, ride across the land, and tie our fillies to the railing at the old post office across the street from Ranchman’s. We feasted on hand-cut steaks that Pete chicken-fried in a pan and homemade pie and napped under the big pecan tree down the road.

Fast forward to last Sunday when my mom, her friend Ann, and I drove up for a nostalgic dinner. The place looks the same: the linoleum on the original tables has been worn down to the wood. Instead of pan-fried T-bones, the kitchen tenderizes round steak, dips it in flour, and milk tosses it in a deep fryer. Almost everything on the side is fried: green tomatoes, squash, and most of the vegetables-of-the-day. Ranchman’s Café make Blythe Beck’s naughty food look like spa cuisine. Enough reading, watch the video for a tour of the restaurant and a chicken fried steak cooking demonstration. Reservations: 940-479-2221 (pre-order baked potatoes.)

Is the City of Dallas Health Department Shutting Down Local Farmers Markets?

I’ve been hearing rumors for weeks that city officials were making the rounds and visiting the small farmers markets that have cropped up in spots such as Celebration, Bolsa, and North Haven Gardens. Now comes official word from Ed Lowe of Celebration. They have shut him down and he’s going to the Dallas City Council.

The City of Dallas Health Department has decided that the Celebration Farmers Market is in violation of certain codes. Celebration was told on 2 previous occasions that we could operate a Farmers Market in our parking lot under our existing permits. We strongly believe that all food handling practices and food products at the Farmers Market were perfectly safe. We have complied strictly with all Health Department codes for 38 years and take our responsibility to public health VERY SERIOUSLY.

We appreciate the warm welcome and support that you’ve provided our Saturday Farmers Market. We believe that what we along with our wonderful vendors are offering is a safe, fun and convenient setting for you to purchase healthy, delicious, local produce and other products.

We are going to approach the Dallas City Council to explore how the code can be modified to allow the Celebration Farmers Markets and others like us to provide a valuable service to the citizens of Dallas while protecting the public health.

I have contacted Ed and asked him for instructions on how you can sign the petition he plans to take to the Dallas City Council. Stay tuned. (OMG, I can hear Amy Severson already.)

Restaurant for Sale in Dallas

Occasionally I peruse the commercial real estate listings for restaurants on the market. Today, Disher “TLS”, points us to this site.

Well established 18+ years, diner for sale in Dallas, located in a popular shopping district. Open 6 days a week Monday thru Friday 6am to 8pm Saturday 6am to 3pm Sunday closed. We serve breakfast, lunch & dinner that has been written up in such periodicals as: “D magazine, Dallas Morning News, Chanel 5 news, The Observer, and many other smaller publications” for being a great place to come and get some down home cooking food. We seat 160, and many times are at capacity with a line out the door. Staff is kind and courteous, and many have been here since the opening of the store 18 years ago creating many regular customers. Owner is wanting to move closer to his family who live too far away for a commute.

Oh time consuming guessing games. Love them. Let’s see, opened in September of 1991…I’d say the “kind staff” alone is worth $800,000.

Weird Question: Which Restaurant Has the Best Dining Table?

I know. Like I typed above, it’s a weird question. Here at D World Headquarters, we were discussing restaurant design and decor that we love. Chairs are easy. Lighting and tabletop, no problem. We even found salt and pepper shakers that excite us. But dining tables? Frankly, we’re stumped. They’re usually covered in a tablecloth or so benign that you don’t notice them. So, what say you, SideDishers? Be they bistro, communal, or four-seaters, which tables make you want to pull up a chair?

2009 Restaurant Week: Reader Reviews

Comments are open. Operators are standing by.

AIWF Folks Announce Winners of Best Restaurant Week Wine and Food Pairings

The members of the American Institute of Wine and Food’s DFW Chapter have been doing a lot of eating lately. They had to, in order to find who had the best wine and food pairings at restaurants participating in KRLD Restaurant Week (17–23).

The winning chef and somm get a week’s stay at the Culinary Institute of America’s Greystone Campus in Cali.

Here’s a hint: the winning restaurant served a grilled Texas peach salad with a Brazos brie crouton.

Jump for the winners.

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Sneak Peek: Bailey’s Prime Plus Park Lane

Yes, somehow I am still getting invited to media lunches. And when there’s free food, I say, “bring it.” The latest one up is the oft-discussed Bailey’s Prime Plus Park Lane. The restaurant is enormous (12,000 square-feet). It is opening in September. It’s interior is different than the other location because it is more “female friendly,” explained Ed Bailey, who was in the house today when I was there. The colors are black, white, gold, and red, and there are trees in the middle of the dining room that have real leaves and branches but not real trunks. Yep, wrap your head around that. Or, just jump for pics of the food.

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KRLD Restaurant Week: Reservation Swap Emergency!

Disher has a reso for 2 tonight at the French Room @ 7:00. If you want them, email me like right now.

SideDish Movie Screening: Win Tickets To Private Screening

Dishers, you have only two hours left to register to win a pair of tickets, compliments of Whole Foods, to see a private screening of the movie Julie & Julia. Fill out this form and cross your fingers. Winners announced at 5:00 p.m. today.

Society Bakery New Kids on the Block Cake A Hit With “The Guys”

Society Bakery's NKOTB cake. The hottest one is second from the right.

A couple of weeks ago, a very exciting thing happened. The New Kids on the Block came to town. If you get my newsletter (Oh, you don’t? Sign up here) or ever check out www.dmagazine.com, you probably already know how excited this makes me. (I know it’s not the coolest thing in the world, but we all have our guilty pleasures, and this one’s mine. Haters to the left.) So when Roshi Muns from Society Bakery sent me this picture, I had to know more details. Like, why wasn’t I invited to this party. Here is her story:

The New Kids manager found us. They had asked a local contact where to get an awesome cake and they said Society Bakery! So they sent us their tour poster to get inspiration. The party was a private band and crew party at Gilleys the night before their Friday night concert. It was to celebrate the completion of 140 shows on their tour. They took the pic and sent an email saying they loved it. And this week they sent us a care package with hats and t-shirts and blankets and cds and even baby clothes. We put their pic up in the bakery.

The cake was half chocolate, half vanilla, with vanilla frosting. I’m posting this because I know I’m not the only person out there who wants to squeal a little bit when they see this picture. Also, props to Society Bakery. I need to come visit. And after I leave, if you’re missing a t-shirt or two, I don’t know anything about it.

The Next Food Network Star Episode 8 Recap: And Then There Were Two

Washington State, where Dallas/Keller Mel actually lives.

Well friends, we have almost reached the end of The Next Food Network Star. We are this close to finding out who will be the next Bobby/Giada/Rachael/Sandra/Paula. Last night, we got down to two. Dallas Mel is still bringing it. But wait! WTF is this? Oh, man!! I’ve already written my entire recap, so even though I feel quite deflated, here it is anyway. Sad face.

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The Next Food Network Star Episode 7 Recap: Buh-Bye, Jam/Tam

A Miami resident I'd like to meet: Gloria Estefan.

Sorry for the delay in posting. Since three days have elapsed since the show, hopefully I won’t get yelled at in the comments for telling you who leaves up front. It’s really coming down to the wire for our Dallas/Keller Mel. This week, the heat was still on in Miami. Bobby wore a fedora. Jump for it.

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Customer Complaint: Coal Vines In Dallas

An upset Disher sends this report:

I just called Coal Vines to ask if they took reservations, and the lady who answered the phone was VERY rude.  She said they didn’t take reservations in an angry tone, and then I asked if she had an estimate of what the wait would be on a Friday night (usually they have some sort of idea)… (this is what makes me mad) she said “I don’t know; it’s not like I have a crystal ball.”

I have had several unpleasant phone experiences dealing with restaurants. People who answer the phones at restaurants should be trained to know how important their job is–they are, in some cases, a customers first contact with the business. It’s one thing to lose a customer after bad food or service, it’s quite another to lose them when they are in the process of choosing where to dine. Coal Vines just lost customer for life.

Texas Monthly Claims The Hamburger Was Invented In Texas

This burger is not from Dallas. It can’t be good.

Sometimes when I read food stories in Texas Monthly I get really jealous of their food reviewer, Pat Sharpe. I mean that skinny bitch has the whole state of Texas to choose from when she eats and writes. There have been so many times when I have been sitting in a dive-of-a restaurant somewhere in Texas and I find myself saying, “This would be such a great Texas Monthly story.”

Of course, instead of sending the information to Pat like a respectable colleague, I sit on it. Yes, that is not nice, but it is the way I roll. Who knows, Pat could move to New York and Evan Smith could call me and say, “Hey remember all of those Texas Monthly story ideas you had? Why don’t you come down here and write them for us? You can have an office right next door to Brian D. Sweany and we will pay you $10 a word.”

POP! SMACK! Fade to reality:
The cover story for the August issue of Texas Monthly reveals the 50 Best Burgers in Texas. In the same issue, there is a story by Gary Cartwright, a writer I liked until he wrote that stupid nostalgic  piece on  geezer sportswriters in June (no link, find it yourself). Anywhoo, Mr. Cartwright is going to prove to all of us that the hamburger was invented in Texas. And I am going to weigh 110 pounds tomorrow morning.

So, we have TexMo’s take on the best hamburgers in Dallas and how they rank in the state. I can’t wait. It’s such a great Dallas story.

Craft Dallas Announces Power Lunch Special

Well, it’s a bit more than $5, but the the folks at Craft Dallas have created their version of a cheap lunch. Chef de Cuisine Jeff Harris is now serving a three-course lunch for you that costs just $28. And they are claiming they can do it in just 60 minutes, for those of you who don’t work at magazines and need to get back to work ASAP. As a bonus, they will “call for your car” when the check is dropped off, meaning it will be waiting in valet when you are ready to go (yes, valet is complimentary). I have an email in asking what the menu is like, and I’ll let you know when I hear back.

The Power Lunch is available Mon–Fri, 11:00am–2pm. Call 214-397-4111 for reservations.

UPDATE: The Power Lunch menu will feature two first course options, three second course options, and two dessert options. These dishes are not on the regular Craft menu, they are speeeeshal. The menu will be “refreshed” every week. Now you know.

Mini-Review: Si Tapas & Spanish Cuisine in Dallas

Green beans and serrano ham at Si.

D intern Sara Stoltz lived in Spain for three years where she taught English and wrote for an English-language magazine and a national culinary magazine. She got to meet lots of temperamental Spanish chefs (names please, SS) and eat plenty of Spanish food. Here is her first impression of Si Tapas & Spanish Cuisine in Uptown.

After living in Madrid for three years, I thought I’d had my fill of all things tortilla and chorizo. Instead, being back in the states now I find that every Sunday I long to linger over a big chunk of mellow manchego and a nice slice of tortilla or as we say in Dallas, Spanish omelet. Even though I did a lot of cooking in Spain and my tortilla-flipping skills are still in shape, I prefer to go out to eat.

Tortilla with squiggly lines of aioli at Si.

If I lived near Oak Lawn, I’d make Si Tapas & Spanish Cuisine part of my weekly routine. Si is the brainchild of former Hola! owner Ildefonso Jimenez. He took over the charming cottage on Allen Street that was recently vacated by Watel’s. The patio in front could  pass for one of the many terrazas that line Madrid’s tiny streets, except there are no heavy clouds of cigarette smoke in your face at Si.  (more…)

Kent Rathbun’s 2009 Dirty Dozen Cooking Class Schedule Released

On your mark, get set, send in your credit card number. These classes sell out fast. Here’s the dirt from Donna Tanner:

The Dirty Dozen Cooking Class is an interactive cooking class. Students come to Abacus in Dallas at 2:00 P.M. on a Sunday afternoon and receive a personalized Abacus chef’s jacket. The class is then divided into four teams. The teams are headed up by Executive Chef/Partner Kent Rathbun, Executive Sous Chef Jermaine Brown, Abacus Sous Chef Omar Flores, and Abacus Pastry Chef Rick Griggs. Each team spends the day preparing one of four courses, which includes dessert (unless the theme is buffet). At the end of the day (around 5:30 P.M.), each student invites one guest for dinner, wine, and a great time. Instead of leaving with recipes, you will leave with the knowledge of “how to.”

Jump for the schedule and the hoops. (more…)

Wine Lists Decoded: D’Lynn Proctor of Graileys Fine Wines

Pages and pages of obscure vintages are always overwhelming at dinner, as are those three-digit prices on the right side. We recently caught up with D’Lynn Proctor, former sommelier at Five Sixty and current sommelier and cellar master at Graileys Fine Wines and Wine Cellar, to explain just how you go about creating a 300-plus wine list at a fancy restaurant that appeals to the snobs, the newbies and the masses.

What are the main factors you take into consideration when starting a wine list?
The main factor is always food. Does the wine (which always comes second to the food) match the weight of the food, method of preparation, style(s) of cuisine, and regions of specified cuisine? Secondly, the type of restaurant; is it fine dining, semi fine, casual, or a lounge atmosphere? Then, where is the location and what are the demographics? You can’t write a killer wine list for a fancy place in the middle of Kaufman! Nor can you have a casual wine list for a three-Michelin joint in the heart of a metropolis. (more…)

Chef François Fotre, R.I.P.

Chef François Fotre passed away on Tuesday June 30th from heart complications. He is survived by his wife Catherine, 15-year old son Antoine, and 14-year old daughter, Julia. Catherine and François, classically trained chefs, founded La Mirabelle in 1997. In March, 2007, François was involved a serious motorcycle accident and spent months recovering in Parkland Hospital. At the time, Fotre was the chef at the Catalina Room on Lemmon.

Here is the official information from the family:

There will be a visitation Sunday, July 5th from 7 to 9 pm at Turrentine Jackson & Morrow (2525 Central Expressway. Allen, TX  75013. 972-542-2601) Funeral mass will take place Monday, July 6 at 10:00 am at Holy Cross Catholic Church (7000 Morningstar
The Colony, TX  75056. 972-625-5252.

Services will be followed by a reception at the church. If you like to participate in the preparation of the reception, please call 214-217-2818.

If you attend and are a chef, please wear your “chef’s best” to honor François and to reaffirm our commitment and friendship to the great profession that we have chosen.

Please keep Catherine, Antoine and Julia in your prayers.

Shop at Whole Foods, Support KERA

For all of you Type-A’ers out there with grocery lists already made up for the 4th of July, make like a Top Chef contestant and head to Whole Foods in Lakewood or Highland Park today to do your shopping. WF is donating 5% of their net sales today to KERA, our local public radio and television station (hi, Jeff!). Also, bring the kids with you if you’re shopping between 4–6,  because Maya and Miguel will be making appearances at both stores during this time.

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year to Eat Texas

J.T. Lemley.

Saturday the Dallas Farmers Market was teaming with a bounty of good eats. After the ice cream social, I headed to Shed 1 to pick up some local goodies. The temperature hovered around 102 degrees. Sadly, JuHa Ranch was  sold out of beef and the checkout line at Texas Meats Supernatural–a marketing co-op of Rehoboth Ranch, Truth Hill Farm, and Windy Meadows Family Far–was too long.

J.T. Lemley: The farmers touch.

However, the ever-present J.T. Lemley was full of tomatoes and peaches and Dr. Blueberry was selling the sweetest dang berries I’ve ever eaten.

Homework Assignment: Name the Chefs in the Picture

Okay Dishers, here is a look down memory lane. Amy Severson sends this photo taken sometime in the late 80s (88?) on the patio of Baby Routh. See how many you can identify. (Click on the picture to make it bigger. Then click on each face and make them bigger.)

Wine For Breakfast: James Tidwell’s Wine List at Café on the Green

Thanks to Esquire for this photo.

Recently I dined at Café on the Green and perused Master Sommelier James Tidwell’s wine list. Sure the restaurant is in the tony Four Seasons at Las Colinas and there are a lot of business types looking for a good steak and a California Cabernet, but I found a lot of unique and reasonably priced wines. Obviously Tidwell has a knack for taking wine seriously but not to the point of making it unapproachable.

I asked Tidwell to show us his favorite picks. Guess what? He did.

“I like to recommend interesting finds, but do not want to
intimidate, alienate, or otherwise put people off wine by using esoteric or
obscure specialty items,” said Tidwell. “On the other hand, why recommend what people
already know, love, and drink daily? Tough decisions!”

Jump for the joy of wine. (more…)