Every Monday in this space I pick something to rant about. Today, however, I’m at a loss.I did want to thank Leslie Brenner for bringing up the growing “we don’t take reservations” trend, which I find annoying…although I understand the value to a restaurant’s bottom line. I thought, too, about…
Each week in ‘Knockers’ we order from a different delivery restaurant, assessing their efficiency and keeping a running score.Pizzarella2155 Marsh Lane, Carrollton972-416-3333Promised delivery time: 40 minutesActual delivery time: 40 minutesPhone order doubling as identity/data-mining center: -12Ridiculous cheese-related boasting: -6Prompt delivery: 10Prompt delivery on a Friday evening: 25Un-pitted olives in salad:…
You know what Thursday is, right? Father-In-Law Day! That’s right, every July 30, sons- and daughters-in-law are obligated to celebrate that most awkward of relatives.Other than that one embarrassing uncle. Fortunately for those stuck on gift ideas, July 30 also happens to be National Cheesecake Day, and The Cheesecake Factory…
Of all the perceived gaps in Dallas’ huge, yet largely homogenous selection of restaurants, none has received such passionate attention as the absence of a true New York-style deli. Acceptable and even exceptional versions have come and gone, and one passable local deli-style restaurant is packed all weekend long. Yet…
Some places we covered this week are punching above their weight, for better or for worse, and others are aiming purposefully low. The best of City of Ate this week covers a handful of spots toying with a new social place.The Week in Review(s): Your own Dallas Observer: Dave tries…
Remember the cigar craze of the late 90s? Even President Clinton got into the act.Sorry, couldn’t resist. But for stodgy old timers, there’s nothing so civilized as a cigar and refined drink after a big meal. Of course, we’re not allowed to indulge in Dallas these days–at least not within…
So many interesting comments this week. If we were still trying to give out prizes, one of these people would have walked out of here with an empty bottle of Knob Creek bourbon, sent that way by the folks in Kentucky as a means of illustrating how high demand affects…
We hear lots of things in this office, such as last week’s notice of a “New and Fun Drink Idea:” the SodaStream home soda maker. Well, while the idea of making soda at home was new to me, it’s not exactly a new idea to the world, sez Wikipedia (sorry–breaking…
Gary Shansby directed brands such as, oh, Clorox and Maguire’s Car Polish. So what do he know about tequila?Well, he knew Mexico’s most famous legal export ranked as the fastest growing product in the spirit category and that American consumers led the way. He also had a pretty good handle…
David Pedack is a live wire. Handsome, boyish and unpredictable, he’s the guy who knows everyone, the guy who can really work a room. We’d expect nothing less, given his many years behind-the-scenes (or behind the bar) on the Dallas nightlife circuit. But everyone’s gotta grow up sometime. In 2008,…
Dave takes us Park Cities slumming this week, with a visit to Kent Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen, where locals pony up for a big-ticket taste of high-concept comfort food.Check out more shots from the Kitchen’s kitchen, and its bar and dining room, in this week’s Dish Extra gallery…
When you think about brewing hot spots, what come to mind? Some obvious international destinations include Belgium, Germany, Ireland and the Czech Republic. As for the U.S., craft breweries are everywhere, but we think of the West Coast–especially Portland and Seattle. There’s always (for better or for worse) St. Louis…
Uptown Pub3605 McKinney Ave.214-522-5100This survivor of Uptown’s gentrification helps ease shock as your eye transitions from The Loon and its neighbors to the cluster known as West Village. Call it an anachronism, a sore thumb, an at times smelly reminder of what real ‘locals’ look like.Which is to say Uptown…
Recipe Demonstrated by Executive Chef James Johnson of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse Pappas Bros. Steakhouse is known for meat. Dry aged in house for 40 days and seared to sizzling perfection, you’ll find their Rib Eyes, New York Strips and Filets Mignon on just about any Dallas-area carnivore’s Top 10 list…
Months ago, I realized that the Barbecue Bus on Maple Avenue had disappeared. I cried and cried and prayed and prayed that it would come back—the Barbecue Man behind the cigarette counter who served me chopped beef sandwiches was awesome, and so was the food he served up. What happened,…
Kent Rathbun opening a down-home Southern kitchen is a lot like asking an accomplished concert violinist—Joshua Bell, say—to play a fiddle tune. He can get all the notes right and yet… I mean, there’s good old-fashioned fried chicken, sweating inside a crunchy, double-dipped batter, waiting to burst forth at the…
When we sat down and thought about this, so many names popped into mind that if they were diseases, we’d be riddled. There was a time when few people mentioned Joel Harloff (Dali Wine Bar) or Brian Luscher (The Grape), but those days are fading. Michael Zeve of Sevy’s or…
Each week, Pairing Off attempts to find just the right bottle of wine to go with ordinary food.Why restaurants leave this snack to family reunions and church gatherings, I’ll never know. There are infinite possibilities (well, not infinite, but quite a few), almost everyone likes them and line cooks can…
On The Range is a weekly exploration of the history and lore of Texas menu items.Say cheese.Quesadilla translates as “little cheesy thing”–so no true recipe can exist without it. Even vegan variations tend to use soy cheese prominently. Writing in his book Mexico: One Plate at a Time, Rick Bayless…
We always were a sucker for the ones who play hard to get. By most indications, La Michoacana Meat Market doesn’t really care if you want to shop there. Its low-key Greenville Avenue storefront (one of numerous area locations) sports an ancient-looking sign and the front door, covered in metal…
The first round of our weekly dish duel features a venerable Tex-Mex veteran and a pretty boy from Uptown…You know, Texans brag almost constantly about brisket. Mention brisket tacos and you risk sending natives into a fugue state. We’ve always wondered why because, frankly, Dallas produces very few worthwhile examples…
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…Ojeda’s4617 Maple Ave. 214-528-8383Dude Factor: 8, or Lucky Day, on a scale of 1 (The Singing Bush) to 10 (El Guapo)Thanks to its quick service,…
