Charlie Palmer

A Chance Encounter at the Airport Bar

A friend picked me up to take me to the airport. She cracked the window, lit a cigarette and turned down the music. I was chatty, the pre-vacation adrenaline already swirling through my veins. It was just a long weekend, not quite the escape of a European sabbatical. But dreams of someone else's fav ... More >>

The Joule Has an Amazing Pastrami Sandwich

It's been haunting me for weeks now. The memory of perfect pastrami, tucked between two slices of perfectly toasted rye, with sharp mustard that had a serious bite. I've sampled a number of different house-cured deli meats around Dallas, and many of them have been pretty good, but this sandwich, ser ... More >>

No Bagel No Bagel No Bagel: Why Dallas Doesn't Support New York-Style Delis

Last week Nancy Nichols published a post on Side Dish that pondered the state of New York-style delis in Dallas. Nichols collected a few comments from a previous article on the recent closing of Gio's Café and New York Deli. Those comments offered some theories on why delis haven't worked here in t ... More >>

Best Restaurants in Dallas for a Fancy Lunch

Sneaking out of the office to enjoy an extended meal with a glass or two of good wine or beer is one of life's great pleasures. Especially when you're eating in a fine dining restaurant. I love a good lunch. And when I can get in and out of a polished place for 20 bucks, give or take, I feel like I' ... More >>

THE GREEK Opens in One Arts Plaza with a New Chef, New Tricks

After a rocky start that included a dramatic chef shuffle and an opening date scoot, things are up and moving at Ziziki's-owned THE GREEK in One Arts Plaza. Just this past weekend, there was a shakeup: Chef Richard Silva made an abrupt exit. Chef Taylor Kearney (of Boulevardier and Charlie Palmer fa ... More >>

The Overserved's Nightlife Guide To Texas-OU Weekend

This weekend begins our annual North Texas exchange program, with dozens of you heading down to weird ol' Austin for ACL, and roughly millions heading to DFW from Austin and surrounding cities for the Red River Rivalry on Saturday. Go sports! Look, the game is taken care of. You have already picke ... More >>

House of Plates' Endless Summer Puts a Ringer On It

See also: Photos from House of Plates' Endless Summer In Texas, hibernation season has arrived. Our cold tombs of constantly running A/C evolve into sacred spaces during this third act of summer. We need a safe place to toss up the blackout curtains, draw the shades and hideout from the increasing ... More >>

The Overserved: There's A Patio in Dallas For Every One of Us.

Looking For a Patio To Sit On This Weekend? Check Out The Overserved's Handy Guide.

Spring Fever is casting her spell and I can already see the telltale signs. We all find excuses to quit a little earlier and our patio-dwelling hours get a little longer. But there is more to the Art of Patio than a nice deck and outdoor seating. Indeed, you can match one for every mood, so this spr ... More >>

Victor Tango's Chef Greg Bussey on Evolving in the Kitchen and the Best Korean Food In Town

Victor Tango chef Greg Bussey is a chef's chef. By that, I mean so many other cooks in Dallas mention Bussey's tables as one of their favorites to dine at. After meeting the soft-spoken, quick-to-smile chef, it's easy to understand why. After attending the California Culinary Academy, Bussey spent ... More >>

Prepping For The Super Bowl: This Week In Dallas Eats

This Sunday, Americans will eat more food than on any other day, with the exception of Thanksgiving. On Super Bowl Sunday we shamefully watch others with the sports skills we wish we had, and use excessive amounts of food to comfort ourselves for our own lack of stamina and hand-eye coordination. No ... More >>

At Much, Much Bigger Joule, a Recording Studio, New Charlie Palmer, Underground Spa and, Finally, Return of Mercantile Mosaics

Via David KirkpatrickA look at one of the Merc's mosaics before it was removed​For close to two years we've written here and there (and there and there and ...) about Tim Headington's slow-but-sure downtown takeover via The Joule's expansion, which, we recently learned, is the reason the Praetoria ... More >>

Five Lunch Ideas for National Boss Day

​Officially, yesterday was National Boss Day. But for most of the working world, any day this week would work for excessive, strategic ass-kissing. If you forgot to get your boss that bottle of liquor, don't sweat it. We've got you covered. Here, our five best ideas for a lunch worthy of any b ... More >>

Highlights from the DIFFA Dallas Burgers & Burgundy Event

Burgers and wine. Isn't that enough?! Kidding. There were actually a lot of really cool reasons to attend this delicious event for DIFFA Dallas held at One Arts Plaza, besides the food and drink opportunities. First of all, it gave quite a few local chefs the opportunity to do one thing and do it ... More >>

The Best Food and Faces From the Food for Thought Charity Dinner at the Tower Club

Photos by @foodbitch"Mooooooose!"​Saturday night's third annual Food for Thought charity event at the Tower Club brought out a slew of celebrity chefs, a few local celebrities and me, in my fancy pants. Put on by the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, Food for Thought centered around small ... More >>

Five-Sixty's Patton Robertson on What Dallas' Dining Scenes Needs -- and Doesn't Need

Patton Robertson​In part one of this week's Three Course Meal, we gave you a look at Patton Robertson, executive chef at Five-Sixty and his thoughts on the national food scene. In today's second installment, the chef shares his views on what the Dallas dining scene looks like from 560 feet in ... More >>

Iron Fork 2011: Scott Romano Scotches an Egg, Wins the Chef Competition

Scott Romano's finished--and winning--dish: a play on steak and eggs. See more photos of the food and people at Iron Fork 2011.​Eat your heart out, Bobby Flay.The pressure cooker was hissing, and sweat was dripping down Scott Romano's forehead as he cupped fresh California avocado around a soft bo ... More >>

Iron Fork 2011: Watch Scott Romano Make a Scotch Egg

Nick RalloA judge cracks into Scott's Scotch egg​One of the dishes that blew the judges minds at Iron Fork last night (still full, by the way) was Scott Romano's Scotch egg. A Scotch egg is traditionally prepared by hard boiling an egg, wrapping it in sausage and breading, then deep frying the ... More >>

Want to Iron Fork With Us? Or, Here's a Forkin' Giveaway!

Check out our calendar for more event details.​All right, all right, all right...So, we got this event tonight. An Iron Fork event, if you will. A kick ass night featuring bites from local restaurants like Kenichi, Lockhart Smokehouse, Torchy's Tacos and much, much more. This kick ass Iron Fork ... More >>

Chromeo and Erykah Badu Set To DJ Rio Room's Grand Opening Tomorrow Night

Chromeo and Erykah Badu, together at last.​Back in August of 2009, the uptown ultralounge known as Suite closed down its operations -- and rather suddenly, you may recall. But the club's Travis Street location wasn't vacated for too long: Back in February of this year, the space was up and running ... More >>

Let The Battle Begin!

Score Half Price Tickets To Iron Fork Today

​Maybe you've noticed the suggestive ads we've been running in the paper that feature a lady fondling a fork with her lips, but we figured it was time to remind you once again about our upcoming Iron Fork competition, happening on Wednesday, April 27 at Fashion Industry Gallery (1807 Ross Ave. ... More >>

Today, At Least, Downtown Dallas's Super Bowl Hustle and Bustle Lacks Both Hustle, Bustle

Photo by Patrick MichelsCold pigeons outnumbered cold people in Downtown Dallas this afternoon.​Somebody get on the horn to Jerry Jones (or Tom Leppert or Phillip Jones) and tell him to send in those gazillions of folks who are supposed to be handing over their wallets to downtown merchants, bar o ... More >>

Celebrity Barkeeps Michael Martensen and Eddie "Lucky" Campbell Plan Downtown Watering Hole

Dallas' thriving craft cocktail scene will soon have a downtown outpost, courtesy of local celebrity barkeeps Michael Martensen and Eddie "Lucky" Campbell. The pair has begun renovations on the Main Street space previously occupied by Dr. Bell's BBQ in the 1400 block of Main Street. While the cockt ... More >>

The 10 Best Christmas Dinners

Avoid a holiday dinner disaster by dining out.​Sometimes it's better to leave the cooking to someone else, and we can't think of a better day to stay out of the kitchen than December 25. It used to be hard to find anywhere open besides the neighborhood Chinese joint, but times have changed. ... More >>

What, No Marshmallow-Topped Yams?
Thanksgiving Menus for the Non-homebodies.

​Thanksgiving is just under three weeks away, which means it's high time to choose recipes, draft a shopping list and find the roasting pan. Or, alternately, make reservations. For folks without nearby relatives or an inclination to cook, a number of local restaurants are serving up Thanksgiving ... More >>

Samar Makes Esquire's Cut,
But Is Dallas Not As Trendy as it Thinks?

Samar​The accompanying text for Esquire's much-hyped list of best new restaurants is finally online, which means eaters can now follow author John Mariani's logic for anointing Samar a top 10 stand-out (He was apparently smitten with the patio, hookah selection and "women in painted-on blue jeans ... More >>

Scott Romano Dresses Up a Crispy Duck Breast

Photos by Robert BostickScott Romano​In visiting with Scott Romano, executive chef at Charlie Palmer at the Joule, we found out he enjoys his pigs. When visiting the restaurant you should consider the vast array of charcuterie offered by the downtown restaurant, but as today's recipe indicates ... More >>

Gig Alert: The Ace McNeely Memorial Concert/Fundraiser at Sons of Hermann Hall on Sunday

​Back in mid-September, when the Ace McNeely Foundation was announced as a response to the death of 30-year-old area musician, sound engineer and music teacher Ace McNeely, we passed along word that an eight-hour memorial and benefit concert was in the works, so as to help the fledgling foundation ... More >>

Scott Romano: Going Whole Hog
At a Downtown Jewel

Photo by Robert BostickScott Romano​Since the Observer recently named Charlie Palmer at The Joule the city's Best Fancy Restaurant in this year's Best of Dallas issue, we thought now would be a good time to get a look at the man behind the kitchen, executive chef Scott Romano. Like many of th ... More >>

Craft's Jeff Harris on East Texas Barbecue
And The Delights of the Offal

Photo by Robert BostickCraft's Jeff Harris​(Yesterday, we brought you a profile of Jeff Harris, executive chef at Craft in the W Hotel. Today, we throw a few questions at the chef and tomorrow bring you a how-to on one of the restaurant's dishes.) CofA: What is your ideal meal? Harris: Somet ... More >>

Five Misleading Food Terms

Don't be mistaken, these are fried nards.​I was recently seated at Charlie Palmer near a group of seemingly-sophisticated diners (I was listening in on their conversation about the best way to get to Tanzania until Jon Voight showed up and I refocused my eavesdropping). They were working their ... More >>

Restaurant Week: Better Make Those Reservations Quickly

​Today's the official start day of KRLD Restaurant Week's reservation season, a surprisingly meaningless date to some of DFW's most serious gourmands. Although the list of 132 participating restaurants was officially unveiled today, prospective diners who accessed the list through the Open Ta ... More >>

Top 5 Bathrooms In Dallas Restaurants

Photos by Patrick MichelsThe john at Neighborhood Services: Just like being back at home, if the kids ever remembered to refill the ice in the sink.​Normally we roll out a Top 10 list in this space. But, quite honestly, we stalled somewhere around number six.Yet bathrooms are surprisingly importan ... More >>

Peanut War

10 Questions: Terri Provencal

Provencal (second from left) with Kenneth Craighead, Stephan Pyles and Carmaleta WhitelyThe chair of Share Our Strength Taste of the Nation for North Texas is busier than ever these days as she prepares for the big fundraising dinner.Since 1988, annual events in up to 20 cities around the country ha ... More >>

Wolfgang Puck soars high with Five-Sixty

10 Questions: Brandt Evans

Brandt Evans (left) with his Rockwall chef Scott CoffmanHe refers to Blue Canyon Kitchen as his dream, an opportunity to create something distinctively American--a fusion of the country's traditions and regional flavors.Before his Cleveland restaurant began raking in awards, Evans worked as Charlie ... More >>

Food For Thought 2.9.09

Luisita Lopez Torregrosa"Not so long ago, Dallas was a culinary wasteland, save for its famous barbecue. But in recent years, celebrity chefs like Nobu Matsuhisa, Tom Colicchio and Charlie Palmer have planted their flags in Dallas, joining a fresh crop of hometown talent." (Luisita Lopez Torr ... More >>

A Tough Year for Local Restaurants Sputters to an End

Go Go Gourmet

Soley's blend of French-Italian Makes for an Awesome Saturday Night

Man Behind Dallas Fish Market is Now Planting a Steak Downtown

Review: Charlie Palmer at The Joule

Dallas Likes It Expensive and Often

Victory: That Gasoline Smell...

2007 started with the scent of napalm in the morning

Strike Two

What's in a name?

Wine Obscenities

Drink up with lower mark-ups

Missing Joules

Downtown resort shifts gears

Colombo's Big O