Havana

Calexico Found Truth in A New Orleans Church

These are among the key factors that caused Tucson-based Calexico chose New Orleans to write and record Algiers, their most recent full-length album: Cancer. Cuba. Children. A Cowsill. A church. And a book--with Calexico's guitarist/singer/songwriter Joey Burns, there is often a book. "We needed t ... More >>

Dallas’ Four Must-See Art Shows

Havana Cafe's Ropa Vieja Makes for a Damn Fine Sandwich

Havana Cafe opened on Buckner Road in East Dallas two months ago to an enthusiastic group of diners who have apparently been longing for decent Cuban food in Dallas. According to LDD's post, one weekend evening offered standing-room only in a space that doesn't have a lot of standing room. The aqu ... More >>

Restaurants Come and Go: Openings and Closing in September

September was another churning month for the Dallas restaurant community. Sisu opened in Uptown, Ser took over the 27th floor of the Hilton Anatole and Campo said goodbye. Read on for the full list of openings and closings and be sure to share tips about shifts in the scene in the comments section b ... More >>

Havana Cafe in Casa Linda Plaza is Now Open

A new Cuban restaurant, Havana Café, has opened at 1152 Buckner Blvd. in the Casa Linda Plaza. This small, family run spot affords only enough space for about 10 tables, which is quite unfortunate considering the crowd they're already drawing. Amidst the downpour Saturday night, it was standing roo ... More >>

Viva la W

Gary Myrick on Working With Stevie Ray Vaughan, Wilson Pickett and Big Audio Dynamite

Born and raised in Dallas, Gary Myrick found his greatest success after moving to California and forming The Figures. In 1980, Gary Myrick & The Figures released a self-titled album that featured the new wave hit "She Talks in Stereo." The song, along with another Myrick original, ended up in the mo ... More >>

Cocktail Wizard Jason Kosmas Dishes On the Dallas Scene, Fedoras and His New Spirits Company

If you've ever sipped a $12 cocktail in Dallas, you've likely sampled the handiwork of Jason Kosmas. When we last caught up with him, he was boozing it up as the beverage director at Marquee Grill, but he's also done time at Neighborhood Services and Bolsa and lent his expertise to the drink menus ... More >>

DOMAXXIII: Announcing Your 2011 Dallas Observer Music Awards Winners...

Stephen MaskerErykah Badu headlined last night's DOMAXXIII. More photos in our slideshow: Scenes from the 2011 Music Awards ​Another year, another Dallas Observer Music Awards season down the drain. Gotta say, though, this year's season felt especially epic. Many thanks to the Toadies, the Old 97' ... More >>

Get To Know Your DOMAXXIII Nominees: Best Indie Act, Best Jazz Act, Best Latin/Tejano Act

​Welcome to our 2011 Dallas Observer Music Awards breakdown, wherein we'll use the weeks leading up to the DOMA showcases on Saturday, October 15 (which is also when voting ends), to explain the nominees in each category Today, we look at the nominees in the Best Indie Act, Best Jazz ... More >>

Sit Down, Watch the Boat Rock

Mavericks 89, Blazers 81: My Top 10 Observer-ations

​10. After all the experts made the Mavs the sexy pick to be upset in the first round, what happens over the weekend? Every road team -- except the Blazers, that is -- either holds a 10-point lead or wins outright. Dallas' win wasn't pretty, but it sure got more attractive Sunday afterno ... More >>

Dallas, You Are Now Free(-ish) to Fly to Cuba

​So says this just-posted AP piece, which notes that U.S. Customs and Border Protection has decided to allow charter flights to Cuba from eight new airports -- among them Baltimore, New Orleans, Atlanta, San Juan ... and Dallas-Fort Worth International! Till now, you could only fly out of New York ... More >>

Pop Quiz: Can You Tell One City from Another By Menus?

​I recently had occasion to look up a menu from a town where I used to live, and was startled by how ostentatiously it flaunted the region's culinary biases. The menu was so obviously issued by a restaurant in this particular town that I'm pretty sure I could pick it out of a line-up of 100 me ... More >>

100 Favorite Dishes: Cuban Sandwich
At Jimmy's Food Store

​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 can be eaten on the ... More >>

100 Favorite Dishes: Shredded Pork Sandwich at Mojitos

​ 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 can be eaten on th ... More >>

Zaguan Does South of the Border Right. No, Farther South. Farther...

​Once known as a city with a Tex-Mex establishment on every corner, Dallas and its burbs are now playing host to a virtual parade of Latin dining palaces. Here and there, you'll see Peruvian, Colombian, Caribbean, and even Ecuadorian places vying with El Fenix and Mi Cocina for Big D's dining dol ... More >>

On The Range: Habaneros

​On The Range is a weekly exploration of the history and lore of Texas menu items.Mad Cat, Insanity, Hogs Ass, Snake Bite, Idiot Boys. No, this is not the Granada's line up for February. Rather, they are names of hot sauces featuring the dreaded habanero chile, as listed by Chris McCarthy, food ... More >>

Handle The Proof: Mint Juleps

Few bartenders know how to make a decent mint julep and few people order the bourbon cocktail. There must be a connection.But which came first? It's a perfect cooler for blazing summer days (which seem unlikely to arrive anytime soon)--icy fresh, with a wicked punch--and one closely tied to the Amer ... More >>

How 'Bout Them Knockers: Quesa-D-Ya's

Quesa-D-Ya's2820 Greenville Ave.214-823-3927Promised delivery time: 35 to 40 minutesActual delivery time: 29 minutesThe ScoreEarly delivery and pose for photo: 15Totally friendly phone dude: 10Cute D-Ya's work shirt (on delivery guy), printed packaging: 6Free chips and salsa: 33Questionable presence ... More >>

By December 10, Maybe the Council Will Have Its Head Out of Its Ash

As you can see from the photo of Pauline Medrano here, council members spent the first 40 minutes of today's meeting of the City Smoking Ordinance Special Ad-Hoc Committee scarfing down sandwiches -- too busy to have a proper lunch, apparently, what with back-to-back meetings on the schedule. (And ... More >>

Dallas's Would-Be Burn Ban and Its Potential Effects on One Cigar Bar

The Penn is Mightier

Our top DVD picks for the week of February 21

Odds & Ends

Who says you need to go to Austin this weekend for a good concert or four?

Could Be Verse

A love story told in iambic pentameter? Yes, and yes again.

Lost in Translation

All talk and little action, The Interpreter doesn't even make sense

Little Havoc

Little Havana will drive you to drink

Drumroll, Please

Dallas Observer Music Awards 2005

Blood Ties

Art is a family affair

Sacred Sounds

Long live the Duke

Get FIT

Independent theaters' home away from home

Sizzle? Fizzle.

For Dirty Dancing, the second verse is even worse than the first

Go West

In the End, all is forgiven for three days of chow and music

Feel the Heat

Two events highlight Latin culture

Wave On

Music's lunatic fringe lives, breathes and flourishes on the shortwave radio dial

Talkin' Trash

Earth Day needs schooling

Waste of Good Air

More thoughts on the Dallas Observer Music Awards

2002 Dallas Observer Music Awards

These are your choices, not ours, for the best musicians in town

2001 Dallas Observer Music Awards

Narrow margins remind us that everyone's a winner

Viva la Vistas

We had lost faith in local film festivals--until this one

Filler

For immediate release

Letters

Rock bottom; It's the money, honey Network TV, RIP Lovely Havana Invisible man Bunch of blarney

Rocket from the Cripps

Joe Cripps leaves Brave Combo for brave new worlds

Havana good time

Brave Combo's Joe Cripps goes to Cuba, becomes friends with Peter Buck, and talks to Castro

One, two, three, kick

The Samba Room looks -- and tastes -- marvelous

Hash Over

Events for the week

A wake

Guantanamera is a director's warm, compassionate farewell

They shoot movies, don't they?

Sydney Pollack does -- and his reliable, sturdy movies earn him this year's Great Director Award