Dave Faries

Chef Travis Henderson Was Killed on the Night His Former Restaurant Celebrated Its Re-Opening

​Over the weekend, the sad news came in that Travis Henderson, the former chef and co-owner of the Place at Perry's, was shot to death by Dallas SWAT officer Samuel McDonnold. According to reports, the Carrollton Police Department was told on February 24 that Henderson planned to harm himself ... More >>

Lettuce Wrap Up: Of Whiskey Cake and Pickled Eggs. Bleh.

Via FoodbeastAnd then Taco Bell tested a shell made of Doritos. ​This week, Dallas is buzzing about Whiskey Cake (we beat the rest of them to it, FYI). And even though Easter is right around the corner, only a few displays of enthusiasm (like eating 41 pickled eggs, or finding a certain flavor ... More >>

This Week Online: Superfood are Spawning, Spaghetti is Good and More

​This week in the blogosphere, we learned eaters prefer spaghetti to pineapples and how to satisfy the growing numbers of Hispanic wine drinkers. Besides that, it's time for superfood to spawn and vegan burgers to rise above "decent." Read on. City of Ate Like so many other of its patrons, Ha ... More >>

Week of the Iguana -- And Other Stuff

​Here are two things you haven't tried: taco-flavored chips and iguana tamales. For that, we have you covered. For all the things you might have tried (ie. Crossroads Diner, The Speedway Club, the wonder of vegan baking), Dallas blogs are happy to expand. Read on. City of Ate For Decanter in ... More >>

Is BEE A Keeper? Bloggers Share Their Thoughts

​In-N-Out has poked its head out of the ground again, looking for its shadow. Besides that, muffins may be coming back in a big way. In case you missed either post or are hesitant to believe BEE's boastful name, Dallas blogs and writers are here to enlighten you. Dallas Observer Hanna Raskin fin ... More >>

Some Pictures Aren't Worth 1,000 Words, But Go Ahead and Comment Anyway

Editor's note: We tried to get Hanna to wear former critic Dave Faries' dining disguise, but she just wouldn't do it.​I'm proud to be a member of a community of food writers that care about working conditions in food processing factories, the availability of fruits and vegetables in impoverish ... More >>

Hair-Cooked, Popcorn and Yogurt (Our Last Hair Pun, Promise)

No. 2 in our photo series "Guys You Don't Want as Waiters if You Don't Like Hair in Your Food."​If hairy chicken, beer-flavored popcorn and frozen yogurt on hiatus should have anything in common, it's only this week in Dallas blogs. City of Ate Hanna Raskin found a hairy situation at Saint An ... More >>

The Week in Food: Lots of Lists,
Plus Some Cabbage for Roughage

​ Dallas blogs spent the week wrapping up 2010 in a series of lists and predicting food trends for 2011. City of Ate Hanna Raskin feels diminutive in the face of a face-sized bland chicken breast at Kenny's Italian Kitchen. Alice Laussade edits four-letter words out of her vocabulary to de ... More >>

5 Food Resolutions You Damn Well Won't Keep

​We're optimistic that 2011 is going to be the year: The year we discipline ourselves to stop eating just before we feel full; the year we take walks instead of naps after lunch; and the year we admit that not every day is a reason to celebrate (Hey, it's Thesaurus Day! Let's feast!) But it do ... More >>

The Week in Food: Things to be Thankful For -- And Others Not

​You might be stressed about cooking dinner next Thursday, but that's the kind of anxiety Dallas chefs breathe, sleep and eat for breakfast (slow-roasted and lavender-infused, naturally.) Some Dallas restaurants are closing for good, some are revamping their previously underwhelming menus, and ... More >>

Top Chef To Go Fish

​Two years ago, then-Observer restaurant critic Dave Faries wasn't exactly singing the praises of  Go Fish Ocean Club (he was fairly distracted by the waiters' chatter). You know who was impressed? Bravo TV. Beaumont native Tiffany Derry, named Exec Chef of Go Fish Ocean Club in 2008, will ... More >>

Report: 7-Eleven's Brewing Up Its Own Brand of Budget Beer Called Game Day

Kevin Dean​Back in November came news that 7-Eleven was getting into the private-label wine business with Yosemite Road, which sold for $3.99. Dave Faries, alas, was not impressed -- "somewhat palatable" is hardly a viable slogan. So, then, how to greet news of this latest pour: The One Arts Plaza ... More >>

BCS Playoffs: Round 1

​With our alternative to the BCS offered up, nothing else to do than to let it play out. Food expert/football junkie Dave Faries, take it away ... Given its record in other matters, it's unlikely Congress can solve the BCS mess and put in place a viable playoff system. And it's very clear the ... More >>

The Art Director's Dozen: Best Dish Photos of 2009

Sara KerensSpring rolls at Lemongrass.​As we near the end of 2009, it's time to take a look back at all the content we produced for all of you and highlight some of the more memorable, distinctive or popular items. Obviously, this is par for the course this time of year, but allow me to offer up s ... More >>

It's Snowing! In Unrelated News, the BCS Sucks!!

You are looking live! At, um, snow?!​Drove to work this morning and - swear - it was is snowing like a mutha. Can't confirm that a frost warning has been issued in Hades, but seems like as good a day as any to try and fix the broken, busted, bad BCS. My Observer bloggin' buddy Dave Far ... More >>

Mix-Mex: A Quick Tour Of Newly Opened Mexican Venues

​We Texans love our "Mexican" food. That is, we love flour tortillas filled with breast meat and corn chips dipped in processed cheese. Who wouldn't? Except, as we all know, that's not really Mexican, now is it? (And sometimes, as our own Chris Meesey would point out, the concoctions we adore ... More >>

Chef David Uygur Looks At Life After Lola

​A week ago today, Leslie Brenner of the Dallas Morning News dropped a bomb on the Eats blog: nine-year-old Lola on Fairmount Street is closing in October. The Uptown charmer has earned top marks from reviewers and locals alike for its thoughtful, well-executed menu and top-notch wine program. T ... More >>

Tracks of My Tears, | Slumming It, | Critics’ Pick: Tool,

“Whine Flu,” | "Dish" | “The Big Buy-In,”

Blown Away | Dish: The Joy of Waiting | Big Talk | Golden years

Squirreling Away For The Recession

In these deflating economic times, some of us here at the Observer have been doing our best to, oh, dole out less dough for lunch. Hell with stimulating the economy. One of us announced recently that she'd spent $72 on lunches in one week--and unemployment rates continued to climb.So lunch has devo ... More >>

Review and Gallery: Coast Global Seafood

Sara KerensThere must be something in the water here this week, because everywhere you look in our food coverage, there's more seafood. This week's Dish column sees Dave Faries visiting Plano's Coast Global Seafood.For a more colorful look at their digs, and a few of their dishes, check out our web- ... More >>

Review and Gallery: Fruia's Tre Amici

Sara KerensIn this week's issue of the Observer, Dave Faries visits Fruia's Tre Amici, the self-styled steakhouse "with Italian flair." Check out his review here.As an added bonus for food porn fanatics, we present a gallery of photos from the restaurant, as seen through the lens of Sara Kerens. You ... More >>

Cali Country

First the BCS pushes Texas into the also-ran category and now this. The 28th National Beef Cook-Off is asking home cooks to submit "Sonoma-style" recipes for this year's contest.That's right, think simple, light and (above all) colorful...which can probably be achieved by carving thin slices of meat ... More >>

Pairing Off: Triscuits And Cream Cheese

(Enlarged to show texture)Tomorrow night Florida meets Tex...um, those other guys...in college football's finale. This weekend, the NFL playoffs continue as the clock winds inexorably toward the Super Bowl. In other words, it's that time of the year when party snacks creep into the food pyramid. N ... More >>

Slaughterhouse Eight: Steakhouse Serves Reindeer For Christmas

Make that "Slaughterhouse Nine," including the once great Rudolf, pictured here in rare form.In one of the more disturbing promotions, Park Cities Prime offers reindeer chops through December 30, or as long as the carcasses of Prancer, Cupid and Blitzen are fit to cook. That's right--16 ounces of Da ... More >>

Pairing Off: Chicken Fried Steak

Texas should be ashamed of itself.In the old days this state produced larger than life heroes--men like James Fannin, Clyde Barrow and "Hollywood" Henderson. But now, after two from the Bush clan (three if you count Neil), a Rove and the guys at Enron, all we can cling to is our national dish.And c ... More >>

Name, Game

A chef who speaks with the highest authority just emailed to voice his chagrin at the choice of Five-Sixty for Wolfgang Puck's soon to open venue atop Reunion Tower. At least a decade or so ago, Puck's staff weren't so trend-conscious (or wooden) when it came to naming rights. The emailing chef clai ... More >>

Pairing Off: Taco Bueno

So good, its bano--isn't that the slogan? There's no shame in the occasional trip to Taco Bueno. Hard to resist the convenience and the colorful signage. Besides, if Dean Fearing can take guests to Primo's--only a few steps up--the rest of us are welcome to pick up fast food. But (and there's a ... More >>

War Without End

The first of this morning's PR shots came from the folks at Abacus--something about AAA's Five Diamond Award and, more importantly, revisiting the moment when chef Kent Rathbun lifted (as in picked it up off the ground with his bare hands) an elk on Iron Chef America. But you can read about that on ... More >>

Hash Over: Home for the Holidays, Cut-Rate Lobster, Etc.

Who knows why everyone takes such delight in gingerbread houses? The fate that befell Hansel and Gretel--or nearly befell; we only know the story through Bugs Bunny--when they encountered such a structure was none too pleasant.But last night, the Rosewood Crescent Hotel put the final bit of icing on ... More >>

Hash Over: Holiday Jam, Cut Rate Wine And Other Stuff

Don't know what to do with odd, even somewhat interesting and likely helpful news of this sort, but pass it along... Not only concerned for public health, but also for the hobby-deprived, credit-burdened gift-givers this holiday season, gourmands at Texas Oncology developed Jingle Jam--a Southern- ... More >>

How 'Bout Them Knockers: Yumi To Go

Yumi To Go5200 Lemmon Ave.214-528-9864Promised delivery time: 25 minutesDelivered in: 21 minutesThe ScoreCojones of phone order guy: 20Driver beating the odds: 65Degree of difficulty: 9 (no one likes driving on Oak Lawn or Maple)Stoicism of driver: -8Bonus because he had reason for suspicion: 4Thai- ... More >>

Burning Question: How Much Time Do Chefs Spend In The Kitchen?

Earlier this fall, chef Nobu Matsuhisa passed through for a well publicized book signing...and rare visit to his restaurant. Sometime in the next few weeks, Wolfgang Puck's people--not the great man himself--holds a meet and greet session for the real chef at his soon to open Dallas venue.&nbs ... More >>

Wild Time At The Well

When a box of bottled water samples from Mineral Wells arrived at the office this week, I claimed it immediately. I’m an unabashed snob who grimaces at tap water. At home I filter it through my PUR contraption before considering a drink. When I’m out and about it's the bottled variety, even ... More >>

Burning Question: What Should You Do When You Have No Cash For The Valet?

Photo By: Patrick Michels Set aside for now the question of whether valet parking represents an indulgence leftover from the pre-collapse heyday or a convenience necessary in congested parts of town. There are larger issues at stake. For instance, there we were at The Mansion on Turtle Creek wai ... More >>

Hash Over: Pappas Alumni Return And A Cougar Hunter Branches Out

The old Rick Stein's, soon to be the new Tre Amici. Every so often the planets slip completely out of alignment and all kinds of improbable things occur. Just yesterday, for example, Judd Fruia said of his soon-to-open Tre Amici restaurant in North Dallas, “the wine list is too big—I have to ... More >>

Pairing Off: Turkey TV Dinners

Photo: Patrick Michels There are, essentially, two rules to Thanksgiving—well, three if you include football: turkey and lots of it. Of course, not everyone makes it to the big family gathering. Police and firefighters must remain on duty, truck drivers and…um…others, may find themselves s ... More >>

Burning Question: Which Ingredients Do Chefs Hate To Work With?

How would you like to slice into these everyday? Lobsters are easy. We mean that in a culinary sense. Bind up the pincers, drop them in water and commence to melting some butter. Likewise steak: a dash of salt, another of pepper and a crackling grill—that’s all there is to it, pretty much. I ... More >>

Pairing Off: Microwave Popcorn

Hash Over: Big Cheese, Beer Breath and Other Stuff

Hash Over: Brothers To Expand, Brother's Shuts Down And Other Tidbits

Hash Over: Bolsa's Farmer's Market, Free Wine, and a Guy Called Mike

How ‘Bout Them Knockers: Angelo & Vito's

Seriously, Just How Long's the Commute from Grapevine to Prague?

NASCAR: A Yankee Pastime

Letters

Punk Ranger

Letters

Letters

Muzzle the Barking Dog, Glass Houses Dept., Highway From Hell, Bitter Holiday

Letters

Just Plain Mean, Blaming the Music, Field of Dreams