If you can get your hands on them, Victor Smith’s pasta roses are a must-eat at Scarborough Renaissance Festival. Smith, 65, has cooked at the medieval festival — open through May 28 — for more than three decades. Before that, he was an electrician between jobs living in upstate New…
Baseball is back, and with it, Globe Life Park in Arlington is rolling out new ballpark snacks. They’re not quite on the same level as the State Fair of Texas’ annual over-the-top food offerings, but the Rangers have some curious new foods this season. Of all the new ballpark food…
This weekend, Fort Worth got a new bistro, bowling alley and bocce bar when Pinstripes opened Saturday at the Shops at Clearfork. Described in press materials as “an upscale dining and entertainment concept that combines made-from-scratch dishes, a carefully curated wine list and a rotating menu of craft beers with opportunities…
Maybe you’re on the Meatless Monday train, or perhaps you haven’t had pork since the ’90s. Maybe you’re just feeling a bit too overindulged lately and could use a few extra vegetables in your diet. Either way, plant-based vegetarian and vegan restaurants are proliferating across North Texas, so it’s easier…
Ten minutes after sunrise, if you time it right, you’ll hear the freshly ground burger patty hiss-sizzle on the flat grill. You might hear the clatter of metal spoons in coffee or the squawk of knives meeting plates beneath the steak and eggs, but you’re not at an all-night diner…
All-American is a series that looks at beloved, longstanding North Texas eateries and examines their histories while exploring how the food has changed — for the good or bad — over the years. On a bright day, the front door to Benny’s Bagels stays open. It’s afternoon, and a strong…
Gopal Vegetarian Restaurant sits right off State Highway 75 in Richardson and is the definition of a hole in the wall. Open since 1991, it serves South and West Indian food. Gopal is small and clean; there are no more than 12 tables. Ambiance and decorating are clearly not a…
Oh my God. Those were the three words Brent Reaves used to describe the way he felt when his family business — Smokey John’s BBQ — went up in smoke. On Sept. 9, the barbecue joint at 1820 W. Mockingbird Lane caught fire. Brent’s brother and co-owner, Juan Reaves, remembers…
For a restaurant that opened over a decade ago, Nonna still feels like a secret. It hovers on the edges of the spotlight, watching as newer openings and other Dallas favorites steal our attention. Its website hails from an era of the internet when people thought it was a good…
We’re just a couple of weeks away from Iron Fork, the annual Dallas Observer food event that brings together some of Dallas’ best restaurants for a night of food and drink sampling coupled with a live cooking competition. From 7-10 p.m. Wednesday, April 25, Centennial Hall at Fair Park will…
There are four items on the menu at Sky Rocket Burger: A single, double, and triple cheeseburger and a grilled cheese. On Scott and Tio Wagner’s 4-foot griddle, there’s little room for anything else. The restaurant’s walls are have little more than a coat of white paint: Photos of their…
It’s always brunch time at Edith’s French Bistro. That’s all you need to know, right? Edith’s opened last summer in the former Rockfish Seafood Grill space in Mockingbird Station. Edith Ferreyro got her start running an at-home bakery. Trained by a French master pastry chef, she became known for her…
At the risk of stirring up bitter memories of the last time the Observer wrote about a chain restaurant serving Mexican-inspired food (for the record, the editor of the Observer is a regular at El Fenix), allow us to tell you about La Nueva de Zacetecas. It’s a chain of…
The plain exterior of the family-owned Candelaria’s Bakery on Gus Thomasson Road in Mesquite doesn’t let on to the magic that happens inside. Even walking into the shop, nestled between an elementary school and an event center, all you’ll find is a modest glass case on the right filled with a handful of sweet…
The bunny is coming! Jesus is risen! Find the eggs! Easter can be so confusing. What isn’t in question: It’s time to hurry and plan that obligatory spring family meal that probably also incorporates copious amounts of ham because it’s not a Passover seder. Whether one celebrates Jesus’ rising or…
Jimmy Niwa turns the knob, and the grill in the center of the table roars to life. Fire licks below the iron grate. A steaming bowl is walked to the table, and Niwa lights up. Buta kakuni, a stew of pork belly that’s been tenderized in rich, sweet-salty soy ginger,…
As fans of bourbon and barbecue, we like the premise of Barrel & Bones, the new smokehouse and cocktail spot in The Colony. We first spied the restaurant last year when we were checking out The Shacks at Austin Ranch across the street. The food and drink photography on B&B’s…
Host a straw poll that asks what go-to spot Dallas chefs hit for cheeseburgers in the area, and you are likely to hear Off-Site Kitchen as a quick response. At least a handful of chefs in the past year have conveyed this choice in interviews. It makes sense from the standpoint…
Nearly 2,000 people made it out in one of the first warmer days of the year for Between the Buns, a Dallas Observer event that had attendees tasting and voting for their favorite sliders from local restaurants. Chef John Tesar was on the griddle for Knife’s pimento cheese burgers, and…
After more than three decades, Avila’s remains a Dallas staple.
With developments like Legacy West in Plano and The Star in Frisco, there’s a lot happening north of Dallas proper these days. If you’re looking to try someplace new north of the Wall (aka Interstate 635), here are a few restaurants to check out. Union Bear Brewing 5880 State Highway…
There’s a never-ending breeze at the Cold Beer Co. It rolls in through the open bar, lifting menus out of their holders and skating potato chips around on their metal trays. The bar feels open and doorless, like any Dallasite could saunter in the dining room from any point in…
