How ‘Bout Them Knockers: Skillman Wok/Border Express

Skillman Wok18900 Dallas Parkway972-248-0808Promised delivery time: 40 minutesActual delivery time: 30 minutes (on the dot)The ScoreKnieval-like daring-do of ordering Tex-Mex from a Chinese kitchen: 35Implied authenticity of a franchise called Skillman Wok: -18Suspicion that owner made delivery: -6Fine print that excuses surprise menu/price changes: -3Speed of delivery (minus cold food…

Lost In Translation

One thing you will never see on City of Ate or in Observer reviews–except perhaps in mocking form–is the word ‘foodie.’ In part, this is personal preference. The cute diminutive nickname just sounds so damn childish. But my distaste for the term stems from something decidedly generational (and almost gleefully…

The Cake Cart

When we think of hunting and gathering, we rarely think of cupcakes. Although we’ve evolved past literally chasing our food, we still get a kick out of chasing leads that take us to it. So, when we heard about The Perfect Slice, a roving cupcake vendor, it piqued our sweet…

10 Questions: Nick Badovinus

He’s loquacious, that much is certain. And he’s known for thick, floppy hair.But Badovinus can cook–something he’s proven over and over again as he helped build Consilient Restaurants into a Dallas powerhouse…you know, Cuba Libre, Hibiscus, Fireside Pies. Those guys.A year ago he broke from the corporate mold to plan…

Food For Thought 2.16.09

“I realized I’d be pretty hungry. It would be difficult for a human to survive on a chimpanzee’s diet.” (Scientist Richard Wrangham, who explored the all-important question of whether or not he could live on the same diet as African chimps, as quoted by AP science writer Randolph Schmid.)…

Cheese Porn: A Gushing, Goaty, Espresso Rubdown

OK, so for most folks Valentine’s Day is all chocolates and roses (or Ben and Jerry’s), and we’ve probably done enough this week to push the show-her-you-care-with-oysters agenda.But really, what could be more romantic than a cheese tasting by candlelight? This weekend, see why words like “coagulate,” “curds” and “rennet”…

Chewing The Fat: Never Too Old

With all the recent concern over food safety, reports and stories examining the chain of food distribution and consumption are piling up quickly. While the peanut fiasco has many concerned about processing procedures, many are more than willing to brave treacherous waters. As though British cuisine isn’t dubious enough when…

Burning Question: How Much Do People Know About Their Drink?

So there we were, embedded amongst noisy inebriates from the monied set hanging out at Hully & Mo–and we mean noisy.Foreigners will tell you few groups announce their presence as loudly as American tourists…although those who’ve endured a few moments within shouting distance of Brits on a stag party trip…

Pop…Without The Cork

If you’ve been slacking on your Valentine’s Day preparations and you happen to be in Addison, the folks over at Yo Pop Etc. are happy to help.The place seems an unlikely spot for romantic sweet nothings given its non-descript strip mall location on Midway Road, not to mention the honey…

Over The Makeover

Anyone going through withdrawals over the week-long absence of see-and-be-seen Addison hotspot BlackFinn American Saloon, they can exhale now. Although the place has been closed, it hasn’t gone anywhere for good. It was just having a nice beauty sleep. The remodeled version opens today at 4 p.m. with a brand…

10 Questions: Charlie Papaceno

Yeah, so he worked for the A & E network in New York and made commercials in Dallas for years. Big deal–Papaceno’s father and uncle owned taverns in New York (the state, not the big city), and he helped out when old enough…meaning at the age of 13, maybe 14…

Food For Thought 2.13.09

“We’ve heard stories from moms coming in saying their child was pulled out of the lunch line and given a cheese sandwich. … One woman said her daughter never wants to go back to school.” (Nancy Pope, director of the New Mexico Collaborative to End Hunger, relaying complaints that Albuquerque…

Review and Gallery: Coast Global Seafood

There must be something in the water here this week, because everywhere you look in our food coverage, there’s more seafood. This week’s Dish column sees Dave Faries visiting Plano’s Coast Global Seafood.For a more colorful look at their digs, and a few of their dishes, check out our web-only…

Chewing The Fat: Drink To Your Health

Lately I’ve been worried that the olives in my martini just aren’t enough. They’re kinda old-fashioned, after all, and the jar says nothing about polyphenols or flavonoids. So where am I supposed to get the essentials, like antioxidants and anthocyanins, without sacrificing alcohol content? Acai berries to the rescue, distilled…

Web Extra: Oyster Shucking 101

Robb Walsh’s cover story in this week’s Observer is a loving tribute to that celebrated bivalve of love, the oyster — and while some may like their features served up raw, we’re betting online readers wouldn’t mind a little web-only multimedia for a little extra kick.With that in mind, then,…

Girl Drink Drunk: Lakewood Landing

When faced with a drinking column that pops up every other week, what does one do when the infamous flu rears its ugly head? In my case, I made the required couch bed and slept for approximately three days. I also watched two unfortunate episodes of WifeSwap in there somewhere…which…

Short Orders: Big Shucks

Big Shucks6232 E. Mockingbird214-887-6353Hush puppies shouldn’t be that difficult. They just consist of corn meal dough, after all–generally spiked with chopped onion or shallot, rolled into shape and fried.Nothing to them, really. But many professional kitchens seem unable to cope with the homespun Southern recipe, substituting commercial mix dialed toward…

Singin’ The Blue Plate

They tried to make us work for the details by sending us on repeated trips to KentRathbun.com, which slowly leaked information over the course of a few weeks. Clever. Of course, Robert Wilonsky cracked the case some time ago on Unfair Park, but…But now, Kent Rathbun is spilling lots of…

Appetite For Instruction: Spicy Chocolate Chile Truffles

Demonstrated by Chef Rhonda Ruckman Listen up, guys–this one’s for you. Any muscle-shirted mini-millionaire can make a fancy reservation, but the man who gets his hands dirty (kinda meant figuratively) will really score points on Valentine’s Day. A handmade gift featuring a certain melting mood enhancer will put her in…

10 Questions: Dan Tullio

He serves as director of Canadian Club’s brand heritage, which is as worthy a cause as any.And who better to promote the brand? He’s been with the whisky distillery for a quarter of a century, played a prominent role in their advertising campaigns and still travels the world spreading news…

Food For Thought 2.12.09

“In the end, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that the rules being drawn around food receive some force from the fact that people are uncomfortable with how far the sexual revolution has gone–and not knowing what to do about it, they turn for increasing consolation to mining morality…

Coast Global Seafood

This is the tale of two restaurants. Not one of those Dickensian best of- worst of- dichotomies, mind you. No, this is a story about strange but not completely off-putting flaws on one hand and a playful sophistication that turns out extraordinarily well on the other. Just what the hell…