Once again we pause to reflect upon the previous three months, in which we paired wine with Cheez Its, nachos from 7-Eleven, frozen taquitos and other delicacies. Twice during this span we encountered nearly inedible items. But not once did our intrepid graphic artist, Patrick Michels, flinch. Not even when…
On The Range is a weekly exploration of the history and lore of Texas menu items.Sometime toward 3 a.m., when the drinking is (usually) winding down and serious munchies coming on, almost anything will make for a snack, providing it releases the right amount of filler and fat into your…
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…
Each week the Dude Food guys assess the ‘masculinity’ of Dallas area dives. The more fried meat and junk on the walls, the better the rating…Pollo Camperomultiple locationsDude Factor: 8, or Jaime Viñals, on a scale of 1 (Sergio Andrade) to 10 (Daphne Zuniga)The logo for Pollo Campero (that’s “country…
Sure, I love the high life. But I’m kind of a sucker for the hole-in-the-wall, too. In fact, it’s really just the middling places–the Golden Corral’s of the world–that bug me. It’s the Groucho Marx effect.You know: “I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.”…
Word that Sambuca decided to shutter their Addison location stirred little reaction. It had been relegated to the ranks of karaoke bar, after all. Then Omega’s locked up and Fedora appeared to follow suit. Suddenly it looked as if Dallas had hit the skids.Oh, the recession cut into profit margins…
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…
Just this morning I was lounging around, sipping coffee, perusing the news when a friendly reminder from the folks in marketing came crashing through the window. Kind of them, I thought, before decided to boot up the computer and mention Hot off the Grill, our weekly email newsletter. If you…
Programs on Food Network and Bravo and such have become a kind of obsession with some folks. But as current hot shows lose their sizzle and new stars emerge, will we remember Throwdown, Top Chef and the like?Certain shows remain in our thoughts, however, popping to mind at odd moments…
Not that I socialize much, but when I returned from my stint in Europe, two questions–approaching from different perspectives, but essentially the same–kept popping up in conversation: “are you glad to be back?” and “do you miss it?”Neither is easy to answer. Every city has its own set of positives…
Kenny’s Burger Joint1377 Legacy Dr. (Stonebriar Commons)Frisco214-618-8001One thing about Kenny’s really, truly irked me.Years ago, chef Kenny Bowers served batch after batch of fantastic French fries at his Addison restaurant. Blanched and finished in beef tallow, they were crisp, rich and reminiscent in flavor of McDonald’s fries from the 60’s…
At the end of March it looked as if Quesa-D-Ya’s and its 94 points would stay on top all year long. Then, two weeks into this quarter, a City of Ate staffer ordered from Izmir Market.Bye-bye, Quesa-D-Ya’s. At least until the playoffs.For the most part, May-June proved to be strong…
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…
At least two City of Ate contributors plan to celebrate Independence Day on Saturday the way our forefathers would have wanted: by throwing down (and hopefully not up) at The Libertine Bar’s Brass Knuckle Corn Dog Beatdown. The 15-minute bout, limited to 25 gluttonous idiots brave gurgitators, will award the…
Whether driven by an asinine Constitutional amendment, grand notions of urban planning or draconian dietary shackles, folks who find they have to suck it up, tug at their bootstraps and get down to business — they’re the ones who make the real innovations. This week, one way or another, from…
Moonshine has a reputation not always deserved. Some people, after all, take pride in their craft, however illicit.Yeah, some of it reeks of burnt quinine and poisonous residue. The word brings to mind hardened heroes like Junior Johnson and others hauling jars of dubious spirit. And it’s difficult not to…
Available at Whole Foods since early last year, Funky Monkey Dried Fruit Snacks combine the crunch of potato chips with (most of) the nutrition of fresh fruit. Even better, three of the company’s four varieties (Bananamon, Purple Funk and Jivealime) have been certified organic according to Natural Organic Program standards;…
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…
Just why would anyone drive all the way to Rockwall? I mean, unless they happen to be stuck to a mortgage there. Yeah, there’s the big reservoir, but if you venture out on the water some weekend, you’re probably not decked out in your Dallas clubbing best, right? So you’d…
Hunky’s is your typical ’50s throwback diner, with the added bonus that they have STD testing information on the bathroom walls. It’s the diner equivalent of Sesame Street: fun and informative (“Today’s episode was brought to you by the letters V and D and the number Shit!”) When it was…
At the Kessler groundbreaking ceremony last weekend, a music critic was overheard calling Oak Cliff “the Brooklyn of Dallas.” It’s not a new sentiment. According to an 1890 flyer by Dallas Land & Loan Co., “Oak Cliff is to Dallas what Brooklyn is to New York.” Whether or not the…
So they lost chef what’s-his-name, big deal. An army of line cooks and talented sous chef types continue to do the same work–perhaps even better, now that there’s more balance in the kitchen. Not too long ago, the famed restaurant issued a new three-course lunch for 29 bucks. That’s in…
