Two days after the Morning News gave Lazare a scathing one-star review, I went to see for myself. I had actually meant to go somewhere else, but Lazare was closer. Having read the review, I wasn’t expecting much. And the menu didn’t bode well for a vegan meal. Most things…
The food biz is risky. Dallas is an incredibly competitive market when it comes to restaurants, and given the current economy, it’s tougher than ever before to make a go of a place while everyone is cutting back on pretty much everything. Starting a new food business requires much in…
Moments ago a couple of bruisers from marketing showed up. They’re a bit clumsy, they told me. Sometimes they break things–and with that, a pair of scissors they carried accidentally ripped through a priceless velvet Elvis (the one with a tear rolling down his cheek).Joke’s on them: I was already…
Six months (plus a couple) into City of Ate and I’m still trying to figure out blogging. In the past couple of months, we’ve also added twitter–fortunately handed to someone else, since my response to the first mention of it was along the lines of ‘I’ve read about it in…
Bongos Cantina3625 W. Northwest Hwy.214-484-9384No apostrophe in the name, as far as I can tell. The new-ish spot draws its moniker either from the string of bongos doubling as bar stools or the rhythm of a Latin American beach or…something.Maybe the owners just like the name.I should have asked, as…
Each week in ‘Knockers’ we order from a different delivery restaurant, assessing their efficiency and keeping a running score. Oriental Lite Restaurant14925 Midway, Addison972-788-2288Promised delivery time: 45 minutesActual delivery time: 31 minutesScoring:Quick and easy ordering: 6Surprisingly extensive delivery area: 12Beating promised delivery time by 14 minutes in spite of delivery…
A couple of notable news items came across the desk this weekend while you were out grillin’ with Dad. Time to play catch up:Last Friday, June 19th, Nestle USA announced a voluntary recall of nearly four dozen Toll House refrigerated dough products. The action was prompted by an FDA investigation…
Why in the world would anyone leave San Diego to visit Dallas in late June? Well, if you’re Stone Brewing Co. head brewer Mitch Steele, leading a beer dinner at Dallas’ best bar and the restaurant with the best bar food is enticement enough. The Libertine Bar (2101 Greenville Ave.)…
Getting of the beaten path and trying new things can be especially rewarding when of comes to food, and this week on City of Ate proved it. From a Hophead excursion to Bonnaroo, to a taste of new gelato flavors for summer, we brought plenty of ways to avoid the…
Seems like every week someone questions the Dallas Morning News star rating system. This morning, DMN critic Leslie Brenner posted a thoughtful discussion of its inner workings on their blog. But I wonder if stars will confuse or annoy readers, no matter what.For instance, if you lump every restaurant into…
With the occasional exception of Champagne, most Americans forgo traditional aperitifs before dinner.OK, I can see waving away vermouth and some of the other ancient liqueurs. But in the right place–say a patio at happy hour or a table at some French restaurant–the seemingly forgotten Kir always calls out.I say…
Not gonna lie–it’s rather a difficult task, placing these in an order we’re completely happy with. Preferences for size, atmosphere and noise level of a patio can change rather abruptly, after all. And factors such as cloud cover dictate whether it’s comfortable to sit outside of Social House or under…
In case you didn’t get the memo, Oak Cliff is the city’s hot dining destination. Really. Need proof? It’s home to some of the most buzzy restaurants in town (Bolsa, Spiral Diner, the Belmont Hotel) and the Bishop Arts District–a buzz that extends to include shopping, attitude and more. Its…
In a little house on McKinney Avenue, Jessica and I- after a bit of a parking adventure involving me running out and hopping into her car in the middle lane of McKinney and showing her how to get behind our desired location–sat down for some catching up on recent trips,…
In this week’s paper, Dave checks out Salum, where the lobster to beef tenderloin are complemented but not overwhelmed, and there’s plenty to recommend, even if you go for the smaller portions.For plenty more shots of what the restaurant’s got to offer, you can check out this week’s photo set…
Hophead spent a four-day weekend at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. The music, comedy, people-watching and general chaos of the thing made for an outstanding trip. But one of the highlights was the accompanying “Broo-er’s Festival,” a biergarten featuring some 20 brewers ranging from tiny local…
Paciugo’s West Village location showed off its recent facelift last night, throwing a party complete with free samples and the unveiling of three new flavors–Texas Pecan Sea Salt Caramel, Texas Peaches & Strawberries Sorbet and Chocolate Jalapeno–aimed at Lone Star locavore trendies. The Pecan Sea Salt Caramel recalled the mouthful…
I Orchid1837 W. FrankfordCarrollton972-242-4955Stripped bare of its old Agave Azul comfort, the space housing I Orchid now looks like a warehouse which several unimaginative factory laborers engaged in a design on a dime feud, one intent on setting up a pub, another a white tablecloth restaurant, the third interested in…
I didn’t intend to research vegan dining at Avila’s. I planned to enjoy some chips and salsa, maybe some water, and the scintillating conversation of my coworkers. But I’m learning that in the great adventure that is veganism in Dallas, nothing’s ever as it seems. Avila’s is an old-time outpost…
Reporter Megan Feldman Goes Without Refined Sugar. Her Life May Never Be The Same. When my doctor recently recommended I stop eating refined sugar as part of a broad plan to curb a bout of allergies and eczema, I didn’t think it’d be such a big deal. “Sure,” I said,…
Recipe Demonstrated by Chefs Nathan Tate and Randall Copeland of Restaurant AVA What is local food? Well, it ain’t a potato chip that bears a passing resemblance to the tuber it once was which just happened to be grown in your state. And what about in season? Surely not a…
So, after my Texaco station taco experience went so well, I decided I’d see what the competition at the Chevron at Park Lane and Greenville Avenue had to offer. Turns out, I’ve been really wasting my life away by buying Funyuns at these places when I could’ve been ordering tortas…
