If you’re doing last minute Christmas shopping for a wine lover, here are some affordable ideas that will make their lives a little easier when it comes to wine. In case you’re not convinced, I’ve included my own personal anecdotes as to why these things are not only great, but…
This year, gift your booze-loving friends more sophisticated presents than just a handle of Tito’s and a six-pack of Tecate. (Although, to be honest, they’d probably still love to get those.) Here are 10 cool gifts to please all of the boozehounds on your list, from the tipsy tailgater to…
Venues throughout Deep Ellum will open their doors this evening for a special, holiday edition of the Deep Ellum Wine Walk. This event is perfect for the art-lover whose resveratrol levels could use a little pick-me-up. For $10 (or free with a new, unwrapped toy) you get a holiday edition…
Welcome to “You Like This,” in which we ask chefs two questions: 1) What’s the best-selling dish at your restaurant? and 2) What’s your favorite dish at your restaurant? We hope the answer to the first question will open your eyes to the fan favorites and the Dallas palate, and…
One of the first things you learn when you’re learning about wine is to never order the cheapest bottle on a restaurant’s wine list. It’s a trap, a bottle of bad juice meant to insult the taste buds of the kind of customer who deliberately buys the least-expensive thing. Or…
When news broke of chef Graham Dodds’ departure from Henderson Avenue favorite Hibiscus, the local restaurant gossip grapevine went wild — partly because it was a surprise but mostly because Hibiscus’ creative menu had won rave reviews. Days later, and more news: For the first time in Dodds’ career, he…
Children and stoners of East Dallas rejoice — neighborhood favorite Hypnotic Donuts is opening a new joint next door, this time vending a wider variety of sweets. “We live near the doughnut shop, and I know there’s nowhere to get ice cream,” says owner James St. Peter. “The joke is,…
One of the terms we hear frequently these days out there in the gastropub wild, is “house-made.” Pickles are house-made, almost sparkly with holiday spice. Ketchup is house-made, spiked with curry powder. We hear it so frequently in the days following the Great Gastropub Revolution of the 2000s that it’s…
In lieu of a year-end list on burgers, here is a musical presentation of some of the best darn burger gifts you can give yourself in Dallas right now. (We’re assuming you’re your own true love. We’re very big on self-esteem here.) For Burger Christmas, these are the cheeseburgers and…
The much beloved Austin Tex-Mex taqueria, Tacodeli, has grown a loyal fan base since founder Roberto Espinosa opened the first location in 1999. This popularity lead them to eventually expanding into 5 Austin locations before deciding it was time to branch out again, spreading the taco love with sights set…
Dallas is the booziest city in America. We spend more of our income on drinking than any other city, and it’s not just our thriving craft beer and cocktail scenes that are keeping the locals happy. Local restaurants have developed deep, interesting and affordable wine lists to pair with the…
In case you missed it, Intrinsic Brewery and Smokehouse opened a week ago, and there has been much rejoicing over the newest craft brewery in downtown Garland. Our own Brent Nuss gave us the scoop on Intrinsic’s selection of suds, but the food deserves its own mention. Intrinsic’s owners Molly…
There’s a wine called “The Gambler” on offer at Patrizio, Uptown’s newest Italian restaurant. The Gambler isn’t an especially good glass of wine, but it is a good mascot for the eatery, since Patrizio’s food, drinks, service and even the bill are a roll of the dice. One moment you’re…
Less than six months after he opened the upscale Thai spot Kin Kin, chef Eddy Thretipthuangsin has reconcepted and reopened the spot as Bite by Eddy T, a “new American” restaurant with Asian influences. The “freshly bitten” decor is dark and golden in hue, with deep purple uplighting and rich…
Shopping for wine can be an intimidating experience. Since wine is predominantly available in 750ml formats and can sometimes involve a large investment, the risk is higher than purchasing other alcohol. The Observer talked to the experts at Central Market about shopping for wine, and they provided insight on how…
That’s right. We said “Doughnuts,” not “Donuts.” We could argue about this all morning, but by then all the doughnuts would be sold out. We’re not taking that risk. Admittedly, this list is completely unnecessary—ALL doughnuts are the “best,” by their very nature. Would we let that stand in…
There’s a special kind of craving that comes when you see food in a movie. When I was a kid, whenever Home Alone’s Kevin McCallister sat down to bless his big dish of golden macaroni and cheese, the color of melted sunlight, there wasn’t a burglar in the world that could stop…
Does the the lack of rare mushroom-based events really ruffle your feathers? Or should we say, truffle your feathers. Not to worry, our fungi-loving friends, for Kevin Ascolese, chef at Princi Italia, has created three Alba truffle delivery systems in the form of wood fire chanterelle flatbread, tortellini fonduta and…
A little love, a lot of generosity and an offer of free beer later, and Garland has its very own home-grown brewpub downtown. Intrinsic Smokehouse & Brewery had its grand opening Saturday, to the delight of craft beer fans who kicked in $30,000 through a crowd-funding campaign to help get…
Welcome to “You Like This,” in which we ask chefs two questions: 1) What’s the best-selling dish at your restaurant? and 2) What’s your favorite dish at your restaurant? We hope the answer to the first question will open your eyes to the fan favorites and the Dallas palate, and…
You can drive past Margarita’s only so many times before curiosity gets the best of you. The bright pink door beckons. Open it, and discover a tiny sweet shop that sings “celebration” from ceiling to floor. Stuffed into every corner, treasures like roasted pepitas and crystallized fruit await. Although the…
Have you noticed the giant blue B and G sculptures strategically placed around town? The ones that invite passersby to pose in the center as an “I” so they can feel like they’re part of the super-sized action? If you haven’t, you really should get outside more often. Fourteen or…
