Somewhere in the back of a darkened warehouse, surrounded by half-eaten buckets of chicken, a cartoon sailor and a country colonel are quaking in their boots…and no, that’s not one of those “don’t ask, don’t tell” scenarios. “Damn that Zaxby’s,” they’re hissing between bites. “Damn them and their plump, juicy…

The deserted parking lot should have been a red flag. Our trip to Mari’s Taqueria started out with a promising tip, and somewhere between taking the flyer from the taco-loving lady at the gas station and walking into the restaurant that day, we’d worked ourselves up into a lather, wondering…

If the thought of another 4th of July spent dodging toddlers brandishing sparklers like Jack Sparrow’s sword leaves you craving something red, white and intoxicating, maybe a more grown-up celebration is in order this year. You need $50, but it will buy your ticket to freedom at the Annual 4th…

Recipe Demonstrated By Jesse Sanchez Of La Calle Doce Jesse Sanchez loves the restaurant business. It’s a family thing. Back in 1981, his brother-in-law Oscar Sanchez took over a hard-luck spot in Oak Cliff that even the Cuellar family of El Chico fame couldn’t conquer. Almost 30 years later, La…

Last Wednesday, the folks at the Texas Department of Agriculture (an organization that definitely deserves a cooler name) took over Pappas Bros. Steakhouse for a big ol’ photo shoot to promote the Go Texan Restaurant Program. Showcasing restaurants serving Texas wine, produce, shrimp and other Lone Star products, the program…

Behold, the mouthwatering lunchtime spread at the Dallas County Municipal Courts building. Nothing like stale, B-level vending selections to leave you longing for a sweet taste of freedom. And this is the dining room. Not much in the way of atmosphere, but we hear “faux bois” is all the rage…

A new Asian fast food joint is rarely big news, but in the case of three-week-old Thai2Go, a couple of key details set it apart from the crowd.For starters, Thai2Go is located in the new Cityville development on Medical District Drive. This heavily-trafficked cross street connecting Harry Hines Boulevard and…

Are Bento Boxes the new sandwich wraps?All of a sudden, bentos are everywhere, inciting flashbacks to the tortilla attack of the early 2000’s, when everything but old gym socks was getting the “roll it up and call it lunch” treatment. Now everything’s going in a box.Both fads are rooted in…

Recipe Demonstrated by Chefs Nathan Tate and Randall Copeland of Restaurant AVA There’s been much ado about Copper River Salmon lately. Its name is tossed out left and right, accompanied by buzzwords like “sustainable” and “seasonal”, but what exactly is this trendy fish? What makes it different from its more…

Last night, Channel 8 Meteorologist Greg Fields and Rick Boyer of Robert Mondavi hosted a small dinner at Abacus to introduce the legendary California brand’s new Solaire line of wines. Boyer, who is gearing up for his 32nd vineyard harvest later in the year, is the winemaker behind the new…

The food biz is risky. Dallas is an incredibly competitive market when it comes to restaurants, and given the current economy, it’s tougher than ever before to make a go of a place while everyone is cutting back on pretty much everything. Starting a new food business requires much in…

A couple of notable news items came across the desk this weekend while you were out grillin’ with Dad. Time to play catch up:Last Friday, June 19th, Nestle USA announced a voluntary recall of nearly four dozen Toll House refrigerated dough products. The action was prompted by an FDA investigation…

In case you didn’t get the memo, Oak Cliff is the city’s hot dining destination. Really. Need proof? It’s home to some of the most buzzy restaurants in town (Bolsa, Spiral Diner, the Belmont Hotel) and the Bishop Arts District–a buzz that extends to include shopping, attitude and more. Its…

Recipe Demonstrated by Chefs Nathan Tate and Randall Copeland of Restaurant AVA What is local food? Well, it ain’t a potato chip that bears a passing resemblance to the tuber it once was which just happened to be grown in your state. And what about in season? Surely not a…

Okay, so it opened in November. Our bad. As of last week, we still hadn’t explored Legacy Books in Plano, an independent bookstore with a unique culinary program. But when the 300th person told us we had to go (and that person just happened to be a chef), we finally…

When one of the top pastry chefs in town hands you a chocolate bar and says she’s in love, you listen. In fact, I believe Rhonda Ruckman’s exact words about the Patric bar she gave to me yesterday were, “As far as Madagascar chocolate goes, this kicks Valrhona’s ass.” Coming…

Demonstrated by Chef Neville Panthaky of Bengal Coast For us North Texans, it doesn’t get more exotic than the Bay of Bengal. OK, Marfa’s kinda different, too. But half a world away, the triangular inlet of the Indian Ocean evokes images of burning red sunsets, sari-wrapped beauties and pristine beaches…

Demonstrated by A.J. Iammarino of Trader Vic’s Dallas Guess what? Marilyn Manson is now shilling absinthe. Yep, as if Cabo Wabo and Trump Vodka weren’t enough, now everyone’s favorite goth poster boy is in bed with the naughty green fairy. We’ll file it somewhere between the Danny DeVito Limoncello and…

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, while…

Tim McCallum wants you to eat at Vapiano. Partly because he owns the place, but also because he really thinks it’s great–which may again have something to do with the fact that he owns the place. But we don’t want to get into one of those circular ‘what caused the…

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…

Demonstrated by Margie Hubbard The best cooks aren’t always professional chefs. Sometimes they’re just regular people who like to prepare food and love to eat. Take Margie Hubbard for instance. As the author of Eating in Dallas, she’s a banking specialist by day and influential food blogger by night…and early…