While I was here for my job interview a while back the heat had me on the lam. I was holed up in my hotel, trying to avoid a stroke, and found an article in D discussing Dallas’ Ethiopian restaurants and how the volume here compares to New York and…
If you’re an Ethiopian-food novice, you might find yourself drawn to one of the shiny new restaurants serving it around Dallas. They’re sleek, almost trendy places, serving a training-wheeled version of that nation’s robust cuisine on clean white plates. They even trim their injera, the country’s signature spongy bread, into…
A few summers back when I was a punk-ass kid, a few friends and I were driving from Germany to Switzerland. The trip itself was an utter fiasco, but one highlight was stopping at a store and finding some peaches for sale. True to our arrogant form, we were all…
It’s hot. People won’t shut up about it. We’re not quite sure why you people are cheering for the stupid hot to continue (we’re looking at you, @CBS11Larry). Rather than get annoyed, here at City of Ate we think it’s about damned time we made this shitty streak of unthunderstorms…
On Saturday, Calais Winery will launch its new wine-bottle recycling program with the first rendition of what will become semi-annual event. From its rustic little shop on Commerce, the winery will accept empty bottles from any Texas winery. In exchange, generous winos will receive free tastings and bottle discounts. Six…
Bloggers be crazy. Myself included. Pegasus threw up a headline yesterday announcing that the much-hyped Velvet Taco restaurant (destined to become a soul-sucking chain) is open. The story itself says the restaurant will open this weekend, and links to a series of other stories drinking the PR Kool-aid (OMG TACOS…
Yesterday I offered some thoughts on the term “gastro pub”, sparking a debate on the term. It also drew commenter BigJonDaniel to lay some Chain Restaurant smack down: Ok – Let me lay this out for you. Most restaurants in Dallas do not start because the owners love food. Oh…
When I first came to Dallas I was looking for a delivery option in Oak Lawn. I needed a quick meal amongst a sea of unpacked boxes. Someone suggested Zini’s over Twitter, so I tried it. I’ll hold off on forming my official position on that local delivery chain, but…
Molto Formaggio The Cheese Shop provides the perfect set up for a date with its class on paring cheese and wine flights. For $75 per couple (classes are limited to 10 couples) you get to try three wine flights, three cheese flights, other food accompaniments to mix and match with…
Grant Morgan is easing into his new job this week at Bailey’s Prime Plus, the local chain of upscale steakhouses. Carrying the title of executive chef at not one but three locations has the toque busy learning the names and strengths of new employees as well as new customers. I…
Mango’s Noodle House is not my, nor your, parent’s kind of pho place. The Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs reverberating from the speakers tipped me off. The restaurant’s contemporary décor matches the music, but the food isn’t quite as progressive. That’s not to say that the presentation isn’t pretty; it’s just that…
When Anthony Bourdain cruises through town this fall for his City of Ate-sponsored gig at the Majestic, he’s guaranteed to one or two questions about the meal I watched him eat on last night’s No Reservations: a 50-or-so-course palate-fuck at El Bulli, Ferran Adria’s 72-star restaurant on the remote coast…
As summer reaches its peak, another round of restaurants have opened and closed their doors to the public. Wild Salsa, the highly anticipated Mexican restaurant from DRG Concepts, had its grand opening last month, as did a few others. Meanwhile, other joints around town have abruptly closed for renovations or…
The Dallas Association of Young Lawyers hosts its third annual Food for Thought on Saturday at The Tower Club, where guests can buy goodies in the silent and live auctions and sample fare from a number of top-notch local chefs and restaurants. The event is a benefit for Big Thought,…
If you haven’t noticed it’s hot outside. Highs are expected to top 110 this weekend, according to my Google skills. I’ve never experienced 110. I have no idea what that feels like. I imagine it sucks, and I imagine it’s affecting other people’s food choices as well. Eater reports today…
I wasn’t excited. It was early afternoon, the temperature was already 100, I was hungover and I was hungry. My invitation arrived by text: “Want to get elotes with us in 30 mins? There’s a place up on Maple.” I’d seen a version of this snack back in DC. Street…
”Hang on a sec, y’all,” Randy Johnson (director of horticulture) says as he stomps through his lush, native flowerbed at the Texas Discovery Gardens in Fair Park. Classmates whisper uncomfortably, “Did he seriously just shove that Texas lantana out of his way?” Yep. Randy disappears into the flowerbed with some shears…
Dallas has another gastropub headed its way. According to its website and a Facebook page, the Mad Tavern promises a concept featuring 32 different beers on tap, 100 different beers in the bar, loads of TVs for loads of sports and an August 26 open date. Its arrival has me…
I had a milkshake with lunch the other day. I didn’t feel too bad about it, even if I have been bitching about my build lately. I look sort of like a centaur these days, only instead of man’s torso on a horse’s hindquarters I have a famished African child’s…
August 14, Pecan Lodge Catering and Lockhart Smokehouse will hold a fundraiser to benefit the family of Lt. Shannon Stone, the 39-year-old Brownwood firefighter who died July 7 after falling from the outfield stands at a Texas Rangers game in Arlington. There are $30 tickets are still available for the event,…
This week in local food news, Alton Brown had a few things to say about salt, Decanter closed but Rohst opened, and we turned Nick’s dashboard into an oven. City of Ate/Observer In his maiden Observer review voyage, Scott Reitz checks out Mesa and finds the restaurant more soulful than…
I’m wrapping up my second week in Dallas. It’s been a little booze-y, I’ll admit. I’ve been dipping in and out of every bar and pub that grabs my eye, an attempt to find something that I fear might elude me. Certainly as long as I keep things framed as…
