Sometime in the overnight hours, Hot off the Grill arrived in subscriber in-boxes. This can’t-miss issue goes to the source to find out why Zymology closed after so many raves. We think that’s enough for one newsletter. But not our intrepid newsletter writer type person. There’s a whole bunch of…
Given that there are only a limited number of places that combine the all-you-can-eat-meat ethic of a Texas de Brazil-type churrascaria with the opportunity to restrict your meal to negative-calorie watery vegetables while still appearing to eat dinner, Genghis Grill–as the marriage of those two extremes–attracts the perfect mix of…
Joe Duncan of Baker’s Ribs (aka “that place next to Angry Dog that smells good but always looks closed”) will participate in the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party June 13-14 in Madison Square Park, New York City. Baker’s Ribs is, of course, a Dallas Observer favorite, earning the Best of…
How many service industry careers begin in college? Hard to say, really–but one assumes the number is significant. After all, the income is good and you can work through the summer.Rachal intends to graduate from SMU next year with a degree in finance. In the meantime, the Chicago native has…
“While in many respects [Pringles] are different from potato crisps and so they are near the borderline, they are sufficiently similar to satisfy that test.” (Britain’s Value Added Tax and Duties Tribunal, presenting their case that Pringles are indeed potato chips. Procter & Gamble UK, makers of the chips–crisps in…
Maguire’s17552 Dallas Parkway972-818-0068When a restaurateur decides to back a second (or third) venture, does the original suffer? Yeah, sometimes.But Mark Maguire is an old hand at openings, what with the former M Grill and current Rise No. 1 and Maximo to his credit. Still, the North Dallas location–Maguire’s–continues to plug…
I’ve touched on service issues before in this column, but the topic deserves another crack.Back in March I addressed a series of slip ups constituting what I thought was a frustrating downward trend in the quality of service at Dallas restaurants. For instance, on a couple review visits wait staff…
Texan Steak4817 Ross Avenue214-521-7999Promised delivery time: 45 minutesActual delivery time: 35 minutesNovelty of concept: 15No menu online, or discernible storefront on street: -20Helpful guy taking orders over the phone: 20Talking delivery driver through directions to my house: -20Expert packaging of potentially disastrous delivery order: 18Quality of steak: 14Not having to…
Restaurateur Scott Jones announced that August 29 will be the final day of business for Cafe Italia, at least in its current form. But fans of the Tex-Italian eatery need not despair: he plans to “end this chapter and begin fresh with an exciting new concept” in the same space…whatever…
When contestants for the upcoming series of The Next Food Network Star were announced, she was labeled the ‘stay at home mom.’ Indeed, the Keller resident tends to four young children–which, of course, means cooking three meals a day, just about every day of the week. Producers for the show…
“Not too thin, not too fat, neither spartan nor gobbed with anything exotic.” (Jane and Michael Stern, describing in Gourmet magazine the perfect lunch counter burger. They contend, quite rightly, that burgers people tend to love are approachable, democratic–meaning devoid of frills such as foie gras. As stated in the…
This week’s round of local food news proves it: appearances can be deceiving. A fine Japanese spot can be hidden deep in a mess of chain sprawl, a food-lover who relishes subtlety can prove to be a karaoke superstar by night, and an initially disappointing pizza can prove, on a…
The Dallas area has been hitting better than even in the openings and closings department. But when one closes…This month the new, well-reviewed “gastro-pub” on lower Greenville, Zymology, shut down. Suddenly and quietly. From all accounts, the venue proved too good for its neighborhood. The breakdown:EnteringVapiano–The German-based, Italian-kinda-themed chain in…
We’re talking about those times when you have guests over for drinks, of course. Despite the comfy chair and nice leather couch, the dining room table or poolside patio, everyone eventually gathers in the kitchen. This is so even when the space is cramped, narrow or has one of those…
City of Ate seems to be running a little behind as the short week comes to its close. So instead of interns poring through hundreds of posts on a dozen or so local blogs to find a ‘winner,’ one guy whipped through a page of items to come up with…
Bartenders should be allowed to tweak cocktail recipes. Creativity, after all, is what sets one place apart from another.Thus when mixologizing a particular cocktail, some may prefer to make the drink stronger, some sweeter. One might add basil where the other chooses mint–all acceptable, to a certain extent. The mixed…
Last weekend the Port City Wus…I mean, Jaguars (from Shreveport) failed to show for their whuppin’. Such is life in the minor leagues. So this weekend, the Dallas Diesel head to Beaumont where we will exorcise the Southeast Texas Demons.Meanwhile, I no longer have proper use of my knees unless…
Wolfgang Puck’s numerically named fine dining phallus, Five Sixty , is now offering five- and seven-course tasting menus to showcase the Asian-influenced fare that just might rescue Reunion Tower. The five-course meal features family-style dim sum, calamari salad, king salmon, Kobe beef short ribs and dessert. It’s $68 per person…
He was the 100th American wine professional to earn the title of Master Sommelier, but that’s not the only thing Tidwell can be proud of.After graduating from LSU with a degree in international trade and finance, this son of a small town preacher set off for culinary school at the…
“The UPS guy drops things off and he sees my 4-by-8-by-6-foot pile of food and I say, ‘What are you doing to prepare, buddy?'” (Jim Wiseman of La Jolla, California–figures–who has taken to survivalist ways in fear that an economic collapse would empty store shelves. Mmm…pile of food. Wiseman’s behavior…
Passing up the Red Lobster cheddar biscuits and Outback blooming onions, Dave makes his way this week to Nori Sushi Bar and Grill and finds reasonable seafood in Northwest Dallas.For more shots from the restaurant — including a sushi-rolling demo you can even (sort of) follow along with at home…
There are few things Lady Hophead loves more than beer, but singing is one of them. So naturally, karaoke–which combines those two loves–is like heroin for her. If you were to offer her the choice of concert tickets for a double bill of Blondie and Madonna or the chance to…
