Savor Dallas: One Way to Fill Victory Park Without a Mavericks Game

See more photos in our slideshow here.Victory Park took on the look of a high-class feed lot Friday night as it hosted Savor Dallas, the annual wine, liquor and food-tasting festival.Penned in at the foot of the American Airlines Center, diners -- and more frequently, drinkers -- got to sample...

By Patrick Michels

March 7, 2009

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See more photos in our slideshow here.

Victory Park took on the look of a high-class feed lot Friday night as it hosted Savor Dallas, the annual wine, liquor and food-tasting festival.

Penned in at the foot of the American Airlines Center, diners -- and more frequently, drinkers -- got to sample dozens of wines and spirits, or brave longer lines for samples from Dallas restaurants like the Boardroom, Victory Tavern and Center.

Following a wine stroll through the arts district, the night's sampling session ran a little under two hours. Lines were long but moved fast, unless the guy in front of you had the nerve to actually ask a question about what was on the plate (more understandable when confronted by the plastic mystery pitcher at the Tuaca table).

Food offerings, included tastes of a maple brined pork tenderloin from Victory Tavern; roasted Hawaiian pig from the Boardroom; the pumpkin-like kabocha soup from Kenich; La Condesa's signature tostada; and friend plantain with shredded pork from the good people of Aruba. All delicious, but between the long lines for those and the Paciugo samples, their saving grace might've been the free chips and salsa at the Chili's table in the back.

Savor Dallas continues all day Saturday with more tasting sessions.

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