Dallas Farmers Market Announces December 11 Opening

Get ready for it. The old Shed 2 has a new name, a new lease on life and a bunch of new businesses that will soon be opening. Dubbed “The Market” the new facility will host a ribbon cutting ceremony and officially open for business on December 11. That date…

My Worst Food Photos of 2015

I can’t wrap up my final year at the Observer without one last look at my worst in food photography. While all of those other food blogs focus on drool-worthy food porn captured with high-end cameras and lovingly fawned over in Photoshop, I take one post a year to focus…

Matt McCallister’s Filament Opens December 7

Matt McCallister has announced his second restaurant will open its doors for dinner service on December 7. Cody Sharp has been tasked with running the kitchen and pasty chef Maggie Huff will take charge of sweets. McCallister’s debut FT33 opened in the fall of 2012 and has been widely acclaimed…

Le Taco Is in Mystery Mode

Almost two weeks ago I tugged on the door at Le Taco for a quick lunch. Lettering on the door indicated the restaurant was open seven days a week, but the bolt was locked. I figured the restaurant had permanently closed. Looking through the front window, I saw a frozen…

The Heights Is Downright Neighborly, in a European Kind of Way

Even though it’s been serving three meals, fresh coffee and booze since midsummer, people still sometimes call The Heights looking for legal advice. That’s not as odd at it sounds, though, considering that the Lakewood restaurant/bar/coffeehouse/lounge replaced Legal Grounds, the beloved coffeehouse that dispensed caffeine and law tips for around…

At Whisk Crêpes, a Parisian Honors His Hometown Through Food

FLUCTUAT NEC MERGITUR. The menu has been erased from Whisk Crêpes’ chalkboard, replaced by this defiant Latin phrase, written all in capital letters. It was originally the motto of French riverboat traders, and is now the motto of the city of Paris, meaning, roughly, “She is tossed by the waves,…

Americano Serves Solid Italian, Not Serenity

When Americano first opened in the Joule downtown, it was a boisterous affair. The debut coincided with a retail event at the hotel, creating a vortex for national celebrity. Cindy Crawford posed for photos while local socialites took selfies. Dirk Nowitzki towered above them all, and nobody could hear a…

Graham Dodds’ Wayward Sons to Open December 7

Brandon Hays and Phil Schanbaum have an interesting collection of restaurants to credit to their group This & That Concepts. Standard Pour and So&Sos come off as party bars if you happen through the doors after dinner hours, but before then they act like serious restaurants. High Fives, on the…

A Peek at Midnight Rambler’s Woodsy Winter Cocktail Menu

Midnight Rambler is decidedly one of the best (if not the best) places to spend all your cash on excellent cocktails in Dallas. The bar program Chad Solomon and Christy Pope have cultivated is sophisticated, interesting and constantly changing. The drink you liked from Midnight Rambler six months ago probably…

10 Dark Bars to Hide in After You’re Stuffed

Spending time with family on Thanksgiving is awesome, but just like gravy, there’s a point at which you can have too much of a good thing. You know you’re getting close when Grandpa ditches the wine for a glass of whiskey and your great aunt starts complaining about Syrian refugees…

Remedy’s Máté Hartai Is the David Bowie of the Dallas Bar Scene

If you’ve been to Remedy, the refined comfort food spot on Lower Greenville, you have definitely sipped one of barman Máté Hartai’s delicately balanced cocktails. The drink program here centers around the idea of the “American soda fountain,” and Hartai adds plenty of booze, enthusiasm, and sophistication to that classic…

Checking Out the Deal at Four Bullets Brewery in Richardson

Four Bullets bills itself as the “smallest brewery in Dallas,” and it’s easy to miss. Located in an older building close to a DART rail line near Arapaho Road and Central Expressway, Four Bullets feels like a garage someone’s uncle converted into his home-brewing man-cave. It has an assortment of furniture…

Kin Kin Urban Thai Has Closed, Will Reopen as BITE in December

We’ve got to give chef Eddy Thretipthuangsin one thing — he’s tenacious. The Thai-focused chef has worked in and opened multiple concepts across Dallas and Fort Worth, including Pak Pao, Bite City Grill and two locations of Kin Kin Urban Thai. For whatever reason, chef Eddy T struggled to make…

The Tater Tots at Maple & Motor Are Magic

There are a handful of foods in Dallas that a cause a chemical reaction in the brain. Some cause lightning storms; some cause emotional responses. A comforting winter soup at Mot Hai Ba recently caused spontaneous hugs, with caring back pats, between random strangers in the restaurant. El Come Taco…

Give Peas a Chance at Resident Taqueria

There are peas in the guacamole. That’s right. Before we get too deep into the details of Lake Highlands’ new taco restaurant Resident Taqueria, it is important to note that small, green peas have been added to the mashed avocado. The guacamole in question has other ingredients usually not found…

Your First Look at The Theodore

If you count Smoke and Bolsa among your favorite restaurants, or you’re a Wes Anderson fan (or both), you’ve been eagerly awaiting the opening of The Theodore. As of November 16, the wait is over. The newest addition to NorthPark Center showcases re-imagined American classics in a quirky yet elegant…

Keep the Tip: Dallas Restaurateurs Look Into a No-Tipping Future

Restaurateur Danny Meyers is finally implementing what he referrs to as “hospitality included” at his New York City restaurants. The Times took  a look at the Modern as front and back of the house employees prepare to become a tip-free restaurant. As that system rolls out, the restaurant community will…

Steel City Pops Is Open in Casa Linda Plaza

Before last Thursday, East Dallas was a weekend-only popsicle area. Folks had to buy grocery store popsicles and store them in their own freezers for home consumption. The only public popsicle eating happened at local events or maybe a weekend Farmers Market. It was downright disturbing. Well, all that’s changed…

Introducing the Monkey King Banana Stand

Andrew Chen is completing plans for the next expansion of his Monkey King Empire. Chen announced a new location of his noodle restaurant in Carrolton earlier this year, and has been openly working on relocating his original location since an inspection debacle bungled his rooftop patio dining there. He hopes…

How to Cook a Perfect Omelet With Brian Luscher

So you think you can make the perfect omelet? Brian Luscher summed it up best when I interviewed him at Luscher’s Red Hots recently. The dish isn’t particularly difficult or complicated; it just requires some finesse. Anyone with basic sauté skills can figure out how to make an omelet in…