I was called out on Twitter after posting a rehash of Playboy’s Never Sleep:Dallas — a guide to drinking away a Saturday in the Big D. I picked on the magazine for ordering a Manhattan, and Twitter user philipberne scoffed: Also, @scottreitz, a Sazerac, with its Absinthe spritz, is a…
Everyone loves a good excuse to visit Playboy’s website while at work. This one is even legitimate. The magazine recently published a Never Sleep: Dallas guide prescribing the perfect Saturday night. In the name of work, I thought I’d take the guide apart one recommendation at a time to see…
Hey hippies. I know you’re pissed off about banks and the man and whatnot. But as this article in Mother Jones points out, you’re really missing out on a great opportunity. Everyone’s asking you for specifics, so get specific, and make food reform the backbone of your movement. Everyone’s gotta…
Behold! Dessert Plate! I first met you back in high school, where I thanklessly waited tables at a seafood-meets-steak house on the Chesapeake Bay. There, in the walk-in fridge, you sat perched at the ready, covered in cellophane and prepared to advertize your glorious bounty to diners already stuffed with…
Candy corn, I hate you. Mainly because — and I’m going to be blunt here — you fucking suck. You taste like pre-digested marshmallows and Sweet Vanilla Shit Meadow Febreze had a flavor baby. You’re punishment candy. People who give out candy corn on Halloween would be better off giving…
Oh, toilet humor. Though Gerard Depardieu gives Anderson Cooper the giggles, I don’t find it funny to dine somewhere where I feel I need to try and — ahem — hold it until I get home, should I drink too much wine or iced tea during my meal. But: I’m…
You’ve seen this guy, right? Peanut butter jelly time is the number one indicator of poor website design. Sparkling mouse trailers, glimmering lights, dancing bananas — these are the hallmarks of your 13-year-old daughter’s MySpace page. Poorly chosen music played in a loop, excessive flash and clunky navigation also indicate…
Jim Henson modernized the age-old art of puppetry by using foam rubber to coat the puppets’ limbs. Previously, most TV puppets were made of carved wood. But Henson believed that foam rubber and cloth brought more life to the puppets’ movements. Turns out he was right: Henson’s puppet characters took over…
I’m over super-sized onion rings. They first made their appearance at steakhouses and burger joints but have become increasingly popular at bars everywhere. Often stacked like a tower to the heavens, they arrive precariously ready to topple and litter your table in shards of fried breading. Katy Trail Ice House…
While skimming through Eater’s news feed this morning an item caught my eye: “More Pie Fives On Order; Northeast Pumpkin Shortage”. The pumpkin shortage stuck out because I thought I remembered seeing it last year. I switched from canned to fresh pumpkin a few years back for my annual pumpkin…
Last night the Winspear Opera House played host to Kathleen Edwards, a Canadian folk and country singer, and Bon Iver. The opera house, a marvel of modern architectural and sound design, makes for a life-shifting experience when the music is good. I wish I could say the same for the…
Early last month, the CBS-11 announced a friendly competition to crown the area’s Most Valuable Bloggers. Categories include local affairs, sports, lifestyle, entertainment and dining, among others. Contestants are entered into the event through a nomination process in which anyone can participate. Currently 17 blogs have entered the food fray…
I try and eat something interesting for lunch every day I can. Zaguan is a great Latin bakery across the street from the Observer HQ that serves a decent arepas. I covet Reina Pepiada: a salad of pulled chicken and avocado. Nosh, up the street, composes some beautiful plates at…
Some burger town. I’ve probably had 20 or so since I got here, and I’ve noticed an alarming trend. Almost all of my burgers have arrived over-cooked. In fact of all the burgers I’ve had, only two or so (thanks, Grape and NHS) were cooked as ordered. The rest? Woefully…
Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip… That all went down at Al Biernat’s with a lot of big, fake tits. Ah, KRLD Restaurant Week, a time when those of us who only think we belong on Most Eligible Dallas get to…
A writer for UK’s Guardian takes on a topic today that’s near and dear to my probably-clogged heart: the writing down of orders. You see it all the time, at restaurants of various levels of sophistication: the Penless Server. No matter how many people are in your party, no matter…
We thought we’d takea chance to talk about a couple of our personal favorite topics — hair metal and video vixens. Warrant’s “Cherry Pie” video, along with being an editing masterpiece that serves as one of the highlights of the band’s career, featured Bobbie Brown, one of the ’80s most…
Picture this. You’ve just sat down at one of Dallas’ fine dining establishments. Your date looks stunning. The service is cordial. Wine is delivered. And then a sumptuous basket of bread. You use a butter knife to shave some beautifully salted butter and … “Hey hey mama say that way…
Earlier this week I mentioned a few Tex-Mex joints that are serving up some pretty sub-par guac. Ever ready to jump into the fray, a few Aters chimed in, saying I’d simply gone to the wrong restaurants. But the thing is, there’s no excuse for bad guacamole. Ever. If you…
Ahh, codeine cough syrup. It started off innocently enough, as a remedy for a sore throat. However, if it can get you high, people will use it to get high. And, if it gets you high, someone will at some point write a song about it. However, this classy beverage…
Leslie Brenner’s new Best of Guide touts Dallas’ top cocktails, complete with a swanky photo spread. One of the shots mirrors an experience I’ve had enough of. A high ball glass filled with glistening ice and dotted with kumquat slices is topped with not just a sprig of lavender, but…
When I got home last night, my son asked if I went to the next-door 7-Eleven for my free Slurpee. I told him, sorry, I forgot about the giveaway. He didn’t: ‘Round 4 yesterday he and my wife stopped by the Preston Forest location, only to find they were all…
