Brian Luscher

Grape Juice

Tangy Sous

Burning Question: Do Chefs "Do" Sloppy Seconds?

Sean Avery's not the only one who has a problem with leftovers."I hated them as a kid," admits James Neel, chef at Tramontana. "I didn't want the same thing two days in a row."Wait...are we talking about the same thing? Maybe not. Fortunately, cooks in the city treat sloppy seconds with a little mor ... More >>

Hash Over

Sean Avery's not the only one who has a problem with leftovers."I hated them as a kid," admits James Neel, chef at Tramontana. "I didn't want the same thing two days in a row."Wait...are we talking about the same thing? Maybe not. Fortunately, cooks in the city treat sloppy seconds with a little mor ... More >>

And The Winner Is...

City of Ate seems to be running a little behind as the short week comes to its close. So instead of interns poring through hundreds of posts on a dozen or so local blogs to find a 'winner,' one guy whipped through a page of items to come up with these two suspects:"My name is Brian L. and I'm a lrg ... More >>

Tinsel Town Toppings

Tristan Simon expands his empire

Fashion Statements

Good God...Brian Luscher (The Grape) in a cowboy hat with pinstriped apron and Brooks Anderson (Veritas wine bar) in a camel jacket. Notify Tom Ford. Wait, scratch that. Maybe Edsel Ford?Chef Luscher won the sixth annual steak cook-off in Hico. That's his belt buckle in the case. 

Tryst Of Fate

Are chefs very superstitious?

Innards and Outs

Which is more revolting: haggis, scrapple or head cheese?

Bait Snag

Chris Svalesen is still waiting to rock and roll

Hash Over

Beer bust; Buck banger

Short Orders: The Grape

The Grape2808 Greenville Ave.214-828-1981If not for The Grape, Dallas would have a small empty space in its culinary soul.Yeah, we'd have some cool wine bars with great kitchens--Dali comes to mind. We would even have a compliment of venues with old world charm, however contrived. But nothing el ... More >>

Appetite For Instruction: Moules Frites-Part 1

Demonstrated by Chef Brian Luscher of The Grape "How do we improve on an institution?" That's a question Brian Luscher asks himself a lot these days. It's been almost two years since he and his wife Courtney took ownership of The Grape, a cozy bistro on lower Greenville Avenue that's been wining ... More >>

Appetite For Instruction: Moules Frites-Part 2

Demonstrated by Brian Luscher and Karin Porter of The Grape Despite their reputation as the ultimate fast food, truly great French fries actually take some time. And they're worth it. Anyone who's gummed a gooey stick of the typical Dallas restaurant potato mush could tell you that. Thing is, wh ... More >>

Top 10 Chefs Who Deserve More Attention

When we sat down and thought about this, so many names popped into mind that if they were diseases, we'd be riddled. There was a time when few people mentioned Joel Harloff (Dali Wine Bar) or Brian Luscher (The Grape), but those days are fading. Michael Zeve of Sevy's or Jeffery Hobbs at Suze are bo ... More >>

Two Restaurants Score Big This Week

Chef Brian Luscher, one of the big winners.​Ah, bragging rights. Everyone wants to claim them, over your brother, a co-worker, the guy you battle for a parking space every morning. Now two Dallas restaurants hold them over the entire city.Nana was just inducted into the Nation's Restaurant News 2 ... More >>

Burger Party At A Wine Bar? If Nothing Else, The Grape Has a More Effective Happy Meal.

All photos by Patrick MichelsThis month's "it" burger.​Since finding themselves smack at the top of Texas Monthly's "50 Best Burgers in Texas" list, ahead of local favorites like Adair's, Angry Dog, The Porch, etc., etc., things have been a little different at The Grape.To honor their top-ranked b ... More >>

Mini Burger Backlash: The Big Ol' Mound Of Meat On A Bun Returns

The Grape's newly famous burger.​Much to our delight, the mini-burger craze has hit a bump in the road. Hey, don't get us wrong--we've got nothing against two-biters. They're cute and small and often even feature fancy meats. It's just the "s-word" that grosses us out. But whatever you wanna ca ... More >>

Pairing Off: Pork Rinds

Patrick Michels/foodistablog​Each week, Pairing Off attempts to find just the right bottle of wine to go with ordinary food.There's gonna be a moment when you think "this is the low point--it can't get any worse." Of course, intellectually you know it can get much worse. But the little speech, how ... More >>

The Year/The Decade: Best Chefs

​Best is a matter of degrees, whether you're talking about the top chefs over the course of months or years.Certainly this city's kitchens are staffed with more than competent sorts: Brian Luscher, Jean-Marie Cadot, Marc Cassel, Joel Harloff, Graham Dodds...we could go on and on. So in defining ou ... More >>

The Year/The Decade: Personalities

​The other day Jesse "Hophead" Hughey said something about the role of those special edition $150 beers--something along the lines of "they generate publicity and motivate interest in beer."True enough. Basketball needed Michael Jordan and golf Tiger Woods...well, until recently. Indeed, every mar ... More >>

New Year's Noms

​The other day Jesse "Hophead" Hughey said something about the role of those special edition $150 beers--something along the lines of "they generate publicity and motivate interest in beer."True enough. Basketball needed Michael Jordan and golf Tiger Woods...well, until recently. Indeed, every mar ... More >>

New Year's Noms

​The other day Jesse "Hophead" Hughey said something about the role of those special edition $150 beers--something along the lines of "they generate publicity and motivate interest in beer."True enough. Basketball needed Michael Jordan and golf Tiger Woods...well, until recently. Indeed, every mar ... More >>

The Souper Bowl

​The other day Jesse "Hophead" Hughey said something about the role of those special edition $150 beers--something along the lines of "they generate publicity and motivate interest in beer."True enough. Basketball needed Michael Jordan and golf Tiger Woods...well, until recently. Indeed, every mar ... More >>

Appetite for Instruction: Fromage Blanc and Strawberry Confiture from The Grape

Photos by Sarah Johnson ​Fromage Blanc and Strawberry Confiture Demonstrated by Brian Luscher of The Grape You might know The Grape from its Texas Monthly fame for having the number one burger in Texas (which caused its burger sales to skyrocket, of course). Maybe you know the bistro from attendi ... More >>

Hash Over: Flavors of Passion Awards, Russo's Pizza Eating Challenge, Grape Wine Dinner, Bread Winners Turns 16, and More

​Sure, the Oscars have already passed and the Emmys are still a couple of months away, but that doesn't mean award season is taking a breather. This Thursday, July 22, the Flavors of Passion Awards will celebrate world class excellence in Latino cuisine. The Flavor of Passion Awards will reco ... More >>

100 Favorite Dishes: Cheese and Charcuterie Plate at The Grape

Photo by Jenny Block​As a countdown to the Dallas Observer's "Best of Dallas" 2010, City of Ate is serving up 100 of the favorite dishes we crave, savor and hope to scarf down again soon. These dishes are in no particular order. Some are little known, others celebrated. Some are pricey, others ... More >>

Brian Luscher: Nice Guys Can Cook

Robert Bostick​The Grape is celebrating its 38th anniversary this month, which makes it the perfect time to chat with chef and owner Brian Luscher. When the restaurant's previous owners, Kathy McDaniel and Charlotte Parker, decided to give up the Dallas institution, they tapped their former e ... More >>

Brian Luscher Reaches for the Duck Fat: A Recipe for Pork Rilletes

​Today Brian Luscher takes us into his kitchen at The Grape where he shows us how to make a pate-like dish that originates from the Indre-et-Loire department of France (the same region where Rosewood Mansion chef Bruno Davaillon hails from). The meat is traditionally cooked for long periods ... More >>

Where To Find Sharon Hage Tonight

Well, it certainly looks tasty.​If you're planning on staying at home tonight because, well, you just don't go out on Tuesdays, you might want to reconsider because Culpepper Steak House in Rockwall is hosting a white truffle dinner at 7 p.m. We can hear the groans already -- another truffle ... More >>

Dine in Delight

Well, it certainly looks tasty.​If you're planning on staying at home tonight because, well, you just don't go out on Tuesdays, you might want to reconsider because Culpepper Steak House in Rockwall is hosting a white truffle dinner at 7 p.m. We can hear the groans already -- another truffle ... More >>

Feed Each Other Grape's

Well, it certainly looks tasty.​If you're planning on staying at home tonight because, well, you just don't go out on Tuesdays, you might want to reconsider because Culpepper Steak House in Rockwall is hosting a white truffle dinner at 7 p.m. We can hear the groans already -- another truffle ... More >>

Dine At The Grape Tomorrow Night After The Observer's Iron Fork

​After you get a taste of competition at the Observer's Iron Fork tomorrow night, make your way to The Grape(2808 Greenville Ave.) for this month's installment of the Come-As-You-Are dinner series. Tomorrow's dinner features boutique wines from Spain, selected by Sommelier and co-owner Courtn ... More >>

Danyele McPherson Named as Sous Chef at The Grape Restaurant

Reservations just got more difficult to acquire at The Grape, chef/owner Brian C. Luscher's wine bistro, as Danyele McPherson was named sous chef today. McPherson is late of Stephan Pyles, where she began as line cook and worked her way up dice by dice to sous chef. She was educated at the Culinary ... More >>

Bath House Picnic: Some Things Are Worth Braving the Heat

Photos by Jenny Block​More than 300 people came together at the Bath House Cultural Center on Sunday to support White Rock Lake and the Red Cross, as well as to take part in the Chef's Picnic (part of the Beach Party of the Century). Red-checkered tablecloths covered the tables and Deep Eddy ... More >>

In-N-Out Vs. Whataburger: A Petty Patty Smackdown

In the beef between Whataburger and In-N-Out fans, you win by not playing.

Burger Experts Eating Burgers: Dallas' Meat Mavens Test Fast Food

Sara KerensJack Perkins holds up the contestants: Whataburger and In-N-Out (left, right)​In the paper version of City of Ate this week, Alice Laussade writes of the patty smackdown we ordered between Whataburger and In-N-Out burger. We got Grape owner Brian Luscher, Angry Dog owner Todd Dicker ... More >>

Food For Thought, Young Dallas Lawyers' Food-Centric Benefit, Brings Out Big-Name Chefs This Weekend

Tiffany Derry​The Dallas Association of Young Lawyers hosts its third annual Food for Thought on Saturday at The Tower Club, where guests can buy goodies in the silent and live auctions and sample fare from a number of top-notch local chefs and restaurants. The event is a benefit for Big Thou ... More >>

The Grape is Stuck in the Past, Right Where it Belongs

Compared to modern bistros, The Grape's menu and dining room seem dated. That's why it works so well.

How A Burger Took Over The Grape's Brunch

​Yesterday I wrote that scorecards aren't any fun for restaurant critics. They can be useful in certain applications, though, like comparing many versions of the same thing over time. Judges at food competitions use them. And it was a scorecard designed by Texas Monthly that forever changed di ... More >>

Oh, Bacon Snap: The 2011 State Fair of Texas Bacon and Eggs Contest

Alice Laussade2011 Bacon and Eggs contest at the State Fair of Texas. Idea: Let's put all that stuff in my face.​Yesterday I had the honor of judging at the 2011 State Fair of Texas Bacon and Eggs contest. Yeah, be so jealous. There were six categories for competition: bacon appetizer, bacon e ... More >>

Eater Readers Think Jonathon Erdeljac is Dallas' Best Chef. Eater Editors, Not So Much.

Flickr​Andrea Grimes, former City of Ater and current editor of Eater Dallas, announced Eater Dallas' Award winners yesterday, to the chagrin of many commenters on the site. A series of blog posts -- used to determined Dallas winners in categories including Restaurant of the Year, So Hot Right ... More >>

The Must-Have Thanksgiving Dishes of Dallas' Top Chefs

Jello Mold Mistress of BrooklynPomegranate Berry Jello Salad (with Vodka)​We all have our favorite dish at Thanksgiving. Maybe it's sweet potato casserole, cheesy mashed potatoes, Jello salad or cornbread dressing. No matter that crazy great-aunt Melba came up with the recipe 47 years ago; if ... More >>

We Gave The Grape's Brian Luscher a Big Box of Crap and He Made Us a Quail Egg Terrine

The Box. Note the baby food. Yum.​We all know that Dallas chefs are great at cheffing. So we thought it might be fun to give them a chance to show off their chef creativity and skills with a new challenge we'll be calling "The Box." Once a month or so, we'll invite a new lucky soul to attempt ... More >>

Booze Booze Booze Tacobots: This Week In Dallas Grubbing

​Ouch. Remember that whole Bar 828 thing in Oak Cliff? Seems like a distant memory. While milling around out back of the event, I asked a bartender (details fuzzy for obvious reasons) his best hangover cure. He told me a gin and tonic water poured over a couple of alka-seltzer tablets with som ... More >>

Can Trailercakes Save Katy Perry and Russell Brand's Marriage? Probably.

Somehow, Trailercakes will turn this box of crap (and Jack Daniels) into two awesome cupcakes.​Welcome to the return of The Box. Last time, The Grape's Brian C. Luscher turned our box of crap into a badass quail egg terrine. This time the cupcakers at Trailercakes will get a chance to turn a b ... More >>

The Most Amazing Thing Stephan Pyles Ever Ate

FacebookStephan Pyles: Founding Father of Southwestern Cuisine, Eater of Grubs​Chefs for Farmers, a Dallas based group who celebrate small, local farms, is having some fun on their facebook page to promote their annual event.They asked Brian Luscher from the Grape to come up with a random ques ... More >>

The State of Dallas Dining, As Told By Its Chefs

Starring Stephan Pyles, John Tesar, Katherine Clapner, Kent Rathbun, Teiichi Sakurai and a dozen other local chefs.

Tomorrow: Soup's On, Featuring a Load of Great Chefs and the Lady Who Wrote Glass Castle

Artist Cornelius Brackens Jr. "I Knew You Were There"​The fourth annual SOUP'S ON! Stewpot Alliance Luncheon and art sale is tomorrow at Union Station. Jeannette Walls, author of The Glass Castle, will be the keynote speaker, and nine of Dallas' top chefs will serve up signature soups. The art ... More >>

Lockhart Goes Nose-to-Tail on Friday. Let's Hope It's a Sign of Weirder Things to Come.

Braised pig cheek in the front, shank in the rear​While I loved the whole thing, there are some stand-out lines in Lauren's recent cover story on the state of Dallas dining. Matt McCallister's quotes are priceless, but there's also a bite from Brian Luscher that has stayed with me. Fifteen ye ... More >>