Seven years ago today Dallas’ grand old fine dining destination was in its death throes. The Riviera would close for good in February of 2003, leaving as its legacy some of the finest chefs, restaurateurs and managers in the city.David Holben (now at Del Frisco’s) and Lori Finkelman served as…
If Memory Serves chronicles moments from my dining past, perhaps explaining what’s wrong with me.It’s a common dish in Lithuania, though not one that really sells the cuisine.The dish consists of wet dough grated from raw potatoes, molded around gristly meat and boiled for however long it takes to turn…
Anyone with the means can travel the villages of Tuscany, visit tasting rooms in Napa Valley or hit Belgium’s chocolate shops. In fact, certain places are so well known as culinary destinations, even those with only the faintest interest in an authentic experience will book tours.Some gourmands go a little…
An odd question came to mind the other morning as I sliced into eggs benedict dressed in a not-from-scratch Hollandaise: if the only two options were a commercial (and partially artificial) dish with really good flavor or the same from fresh ingredients but decidedly less impressive in flavor, which would…
St. Pete’s Dancing Marlin2730 Commerce214-698-1511Everyone who passes through this Deep Ellum holdout must, at some point or another, think ‘you know, if they’d toss all the damn model fish, this would be one handsome old fashioned saloon.’After all, it’s not really a seafood joint. And the creaky hardwood floors, long…
Consider this new feature an extended scavenger hunt.You know how they work. Here’s how we muck it up a bit: Each week we will select an item–something in a local restaurant or pub (or maybe in several restaurants and pubs). Locate it and write in with the correct details, you…
A Nick Too Far?Last we we asked about chains. This time around, we were wondering about small-scale expansion. Word came recently that Nick Badovinus, chef and owner of Neighborhood Services, would soon open a second and third branch of the restaurant. Nothing wrong with this–expansion is sometimes the only way…
What can you say about a week where one commenter uses the word “yum,” another lets “yucky” slip into a post and someone else writes “to die for”? Oh, and to top it off, djs added the phrase “I like beets” to a story.Weeks like this make us want to…
If ever you get a chance to attend a traditional Lithuanian wedding, make up some excuse and send the couple your apologies.Not only can they be all day affairs, it is customary for just about everyone present to make a lengthy toast–and considered very rude for guests to eat or…
Addison Cafe5290 Belt Line972-991-8824Damn this place is quiet inside.Not empty, just quiet–the soundtrack cranked down to a level only barely audible. The near-silence is so stark, you quickly become self-conscious. Anything you say above a whisper is fodder for other tables.We eventually saw opportunity in this and began mumbling false…
A couple years ago I sat in some fancy French restaurant watching two servers wheel a polished brass cart to my table. One of them fussed about a copper chafing dish for a moment then began to splash Grand Marnier over the delicate, sugarcoated pancakes within it. Flambé presentations build…
Each week, Pairing Off attempts to find just the right bottle of wine to go with ordinary food.National restaurant chains know how to stretch the limits of almost any word. Olive Garden tries to sell us on the “Tuscan” influences in their dishes–you know, the grilled shrimp caprese, five cheese…
The classic combination hasn’t disappeared. In fact, during a recent visit to Fort Worth, I spotted the option on Grace’s dinner menu.Once upon a time, however, this double-wallop of protein was such a common feature it rivaled (perhaps even beat out) bacon and eggs, ham and eggs and other contenders…
If Memory Serves chronicles moments from my dining past, perhaps explaining what’s wrong with me.God how I despise pickled beets.You know, those slices of bright magenta mush that come from a can…or is it jar? Since I won’t allow them in the flat, I’ve forgotten.My hatred ran so deep as…
Like the sirens of Greek mythology, certain locations call out to passing restaurateurs, luring them in. Sometimes the space pays off for a year or so–but it’s a trap. Sooner rather than later, things start to go wrong.Why this happens–a jinx, negative waves, bad feng shui, the presence of Cubs…
What is it that makes a chef great? If we allow that anyone (almost) can buy a fresh ahi tuna steak, sear it and toss on a few grains of sea salt, is it really a matter of a kitchen preparing good ingredients with requisite skill? Or is it something…
Houston’s8300 Preston Rd.214-691-8991Houston’s is a habit. Not a bad habit, like meth or American Idol, but one that does call into question several sacred culinary beliefs.Most obvious is our tendency as gourmands to dismiss chain restaurants–something we put up for discussion last week. Hillstone, the parent company of Houston’s, lists…
Sure, Houston’s is better than, say, Applebee’s or Red Lobster, but it’s still a nationwide chain. And if you admit to dining at Mi Cocina or Taco Diner because of the quality of their cooking, you might also like Chili’s.So what’s going on? If we love one and hate another,…
We’re already stockpiling prizes that we probably won’t give away until the end of the year, if at all. Great prizes, too–such as 8 oz. flasks with the Dallas Observer ‘Best of’ 2006 logo (which kinda makes them collectibles and thus quite valuable). And if we can ever find someone…
I must confess that Booker’s is one of my favorite bourbons, so buying a bottle for this piece was hardly a chore.Part of the Knob Creek line, it is aged up to 8 years and bottled uncut at its natural proof, generally around the 125 mark. This makes Booker’s an…
This is mostly for Amy S., but a few others were interested so I asked mom to send the recipes. I’ll just leave her to explain:I am sending 3 gooey butter cake recipes. The first one was in this week’s St. Louis paper, from their files. This is not the…
It’s hard to say 2009 was a pivotal year in Dallas dining. The city did, however, tally a surprising number of new restaurants. We also saw a few venerable locations shut down.If it weren’t for the recession, this would all seem unexceptional. Establishments open and close on a regular basis,…
