New Brewpub with Hops-Inspired Menu Coming to Downtown Denton

Sweet Denton is on a roll lately when it comes to getting cool new stuff and it appears their momentum isn’t slowing anytime soon. Today, Audacity Brew House (Denton’s first brewery) and Travelstead (where Oaktopia Festival is held) announced they’re partnering to open  the Audacity Brew House at Travelstead in downtown…

This Top Knot Dessert Is Top-Notch

Like a bun gathered neatly at the crown of Uchi’s head, Top Knot is pretty and elegant without trying too hard. The same could be said of dessert at this Dallas hot spot. Take, for example, their pear nabe. Named for the heated clay pot it’s presented in, this straightforward…

First Look: Kitchen LTO 6.0 Opens Tonight with Rustic Texas Fare

Hold onto your hat, cowboys: Kitchen LTO — the Trinity Groves “permanent pop-up” that swaps menus, chefs and artwork every six months — is opening tonight with a new menu filled with dishes like buffalo-fried quail, whole rabbit and smoked antelope ribs. Dinner service starts tonight, brunch kicks off this…

Doughnut Ice Cream Sandwiches Are Coming to East Dallas (and You Want One)

On Wednesday, Hypnotic Donuts celebrates the grand opening of its latest sweet endeavor: Hypnotic Emporium, an old-school soda fountain, ice cream spot and candy store opening next door to the quirky East Dallas doughnut shop.  Hypnotic Emporium isn’t a trendy wink at the old-fashioned soda fountain – the music, the…

Real Life Is for March: Five Ways to Celebrate Leap Day in DFW

I hope you’re wearing blue and yellow today, because Leap Day is upon us. A magical day that happens only once every four years, the non-holiday became a pop culture mainstay after “30 Rock” devoted an entire episode to inventing Leap Day mythology that includes, but is not limited to:…

Denton’s Hickory & Fry Closing Today

When the aptly-named Hickory & Fry opened in Denton’s Fry Street district early last year, I told anyone who would listen how excited I was we were finally getting a tapas bar. “A TOPLESS bar?!” they said? Um, no. Sadly, Hickory & Fry announced via their Facebook page yesterday they…

Dallas’ Favorite Italian Sausage-Slinger Turns 50

Jimmy’s Food Store, Dallas’ beloved ma and pa grocer turned Italian specialty shop, is now 50-years-old. Their sausage and meatballs are the best in town—having them on the menu is a good get for virtually any restaurant. These folks have a complicated understanding of what Italians want. They have deep…

Sugarbacon’s Burger Overshadowed by Some of Dallas’ Best French Fries

Things are polished at Sugarbacon. Splatter-pattern art, like an alien ocean, sparkles near the entrance. Shiny copper reaches the ceiling behind the bar, and a couple of TVs, encased in smooth black, glisten. Sitting at the bar at Sugarbacon, looking towards the glowing liquors with the big chalkboard announcing draught…

Welcome to DFW: Eat This!

To the uninitiated, the restaurant scene in Dallas can feel overwhelming. I would know, having recently moved here myself to cover food for the Observer, a daunting task in a metropolitan area with such a vibrant, diverse food culture. Southern, Vietnamese, Cajun, barbecue, Japanese, Tex-Mex, French-continental — with everything from steakhouses…

At Montlake Cut, the Yacht Club Life Tastes Pretty Damn Sweet

You can almost smell the scent of brine in the air when you step into Preston Center’s Montlake Cut. The small but mighty vessel, helmed by acclaimed chef and restaurateur Nick Badovinus, is tucked quietly into a corner on Westchester Drive in the space formerly occupied by Spoon, another high-end…

Looking for Great Ramen? You’ll Find It in Fort Worth

Situated in Fort Worth’s museum district, Hanabi Ramen has been quietly gaining acclaim since it opened in summer 2014, and the praise is entirely deserved. For Japanese food fiends in Dallas, Hanabi is the perfect excuse for a day trip. Just down the road from the Kimbell, Amon Carter and…