With the crush of talented wizards working magic in Dallas kitchens, it pays to know just who is behind the saute pan at your favorite eatery. To help you keep track, City of Ate brings you Three-Course Meal, a three-part chat with some of the best, most inventive chefs in…
Yesterday Taco Bell launched a new campaign: “Tacos.” Cantina Tacos, that is, with corn tortillas. Heard of those? Apparently the Bell’s years of “Meximelts” and Nachos Bell Grande weren’t serving the trends anymore. While Taco Bell was toiling away with test tubes and shredded gym mat meat for their tacos,…
Every chocolatier at next weekend’s Chocolate Conference, sponsored by DallasChocolate.org, is slated to participate in a roundtable discussion of “the state of chocolate in Dallas.” Panel members will presumably debate the quality and quantity of artisanal chocolate available in the DFW area. But what exactly is the measuring stick for…
Defending champ Bavarian Grill has lost the first round of an online contest to find the Best German Restaurant in America. The Old German Schnitzel Haus in the tiny town of Hickory, North Carolina, held on to its early lead in online voting, collecting 4,083 votes to Bavarian Grill’s 3,993…
Temps have been over 100 degrees for days, and there’s no relief in sight. No relief, that is, unless you count a cold glass of beer. As mentioned last time we looked at summer thirst-quenchers, crisp pilsners, IPAs and farmhouse ales are much more appealing during the dog days of…
As a countdown to the Dallas Observer’s “Best of Dallas” 2010, City of Ate is serving up 100 of the favorite dishes we crave, savor and hope to scarf down again soon. These dishes are in no particular order. Some are little known, others celebrated. Some are pricey, others can…
On a recent grocery shopping excursion to Central Market Dallas, Roasted was pleasantly surprised when we rounded a corner near the bulk foods section and spotted a display on an end cap stocked with one-pound bags of fresh-roasted beans from Oak Cliff Coffee Roasters. The display was next to the…
I love the idea of restaurants offering beer pairings with their tasting menus. Or so I always think until my paired beer arrives. Dedicated gastropubs, such as Meddlesome Moth, do a fantastic job of matching food and ale. But I’ve lately had some horribly botched pairings at restaurants accustomed to…
Gratis grub is gratis grub, no matter how revolting. The last week has seen food outlets embrace this mantra with abandon. Whataburger and IHOP won’t be left out of the party. Today is Whataburger’s 60th anniversary. To celebrate it, the company is holding “Orange Night Out,” for which Dallas-area, dine-in…
The popularity of the bite-sized $2 tacos at five-month-old Rusty Taco on Greenville Avenue has had a direct effect on business next door at Desperados, the 34-year-old Tex-Mex landmark. “Our business has gone up since they opened,” Desperados’ manager Alberto Gonzalez told me the other day. “Some people don’t want…
Welcome to the Taco Trail, dedicated to one of the favorite fixations of Dallasites, tacos in all their glorious variations. Although preference will be given to those taquerias accessible by public transportation, be it DART rail or bus or a combination of the two, The Taco Trail will navigate all…
A Texas-based chain has announced plans to open 35 outlets in the British Isles, saying the expansion will help eaters across the pond learn the difference between Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisines. “In the UK, we consider Tex-Mex and Mexican food to be one and the same,” the first Cantina Laredo…
Since Dallas loves its chicken fried steaks and high-quality beef, it’s hardly surprising that local chefs wanting to pay homage to regional culinary traditions are dredging fancy cuts in batter. But evidence suggests that it’s rarely a good idea. I’ve seen chicken fried ribeye, flatiron and hanger steaks on high-end…
As a countdown to the Dallas Observer’s “Best of Dallas” 2010, City of Ate is serving up 100 of the favorite dishes we crave, savor and hope to scarf down again soon. These dishes are in no particular order. Some are little known, others celebrated. Some are pricey, others can…
I recently had the chance to share a dinner of two freshly caught fish with a group of old friends, an occasion that also allowed me to reflect on all the funny sounds folks make when they’re enjoying their food. In contrast to the slurping, panting and chewing associated with…
A New York Times theater writer, in town to chronicle the Dallas Theater Center’s revival of Superman, apparently found plenty of time to nosh between performances. According to George Gene Gustine’s blog post today on Dallas dining, the city’s standout eateries are Hattie’s, Sonny Bryan’s, Mia’s and — until its…
Cruised on over to a certain Buckner Road taco joint’s Facebook page today to check out the menu board postings — as we are wont to do — and was reminded that tonight it’ll finally be time to see that one episode of The Best Thing I Ever Ate. The…
There is a magical land filled with sun and alcoholic beverages and easy living. A place with ready-made campsites where all you have to do is pay an exorbitant rental fee, build your fire and spend the rest of your life riding bikes, listening to alt-country and checking out new…
Visitors to the State Fair of Texas will have to wait at least a year before they can use their iPhones to instantly locate the closest fried cookie dough stand. State fairs in Ohio and Indiana this week announced plans to roll out iPhone apps that will allow users to…
White tablecloths weren’t the only ritzy restaurant accessory to fall victim to the recession: Local florists say eateries are using fewer floral centerpieces. Decades ago, a fine-dining table wasn’t complete without at least a few blossoms in a vase. Even middlebrow restaurants were in the habit of dressing up their…
Well, it’s officially August, and as usual the seasonal heat is hanging over our heads like the proverbial Sword of Damocles. Fine diners must feel like that legendary Grecian courtier if they haven’t yet made their reservations for fast-approaching Restaurant Week. Accordingly, many neophytes and last-minute types are learning how…
Deep Ellum’s Mokah Coffee Bar is giving back to the community this week. From today until Saturday, August 7, 100 percent of sales will be donated to Deep Ellum Association Community. You can visit Mokah Coffee Bar during its regular business hours, 7 a.m.-10 p.m. on Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-10…
