DFW Restaurant Week:First Course

You know you’ve entered a happy place when there are good hearted people walking around with trays of lollipops, but not just any kind of lollipops. Bacon wrapped venison lollipops stuffed with jalapeño, smoked mozzarella and molasses. After chomping down on one, you realize you’re not just in a happy place, but foodvana.

The second annual DFW Restaurant Week: First Course kickoff party was an event of taste tenacity this year. Guests gathered last Thursday evening to partake in a variety of delicious samples from local eateries while enjoying clever cocktails, live music, and art. A portion of the proceeds from the taste bud teasing shindig and restaurant week go towards the North Dallas Food Bank and Lena Pope, an organization in Fort Worth dedicated to the betterment of women and children.

Y.O.’s venison lollipops were definitely among the winners, but they didn’t stand alone. Eddie V’s appeased me with their shrimp and pork pot stickers while MAX’s Wine Dive kept it extra light with heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Another favorite of the evening was the velvety smooth tuna tartare made by Top Chef, Tre Wilcox. Sambuca’s lobster salad paired with a house made potato chip was both mild and robust, leaving the tongue in a perfect happy medium.

Some restaurants went the heartier route, like Texas de Brazil who served up a bite of tender flank steak, that was complemented by soft horseradish mashed potatoes over a chimichurri sauce. Salum mixed things up a bit, sampling two options, including corn crusted shrimp atop jicama salad, and their stewed style beef bourguignon over cheddar grits. The beef bourguignon with cheddar grits is everything you want your winter comfort food to be.

Those in the mood for something sweeter had several options, like one of my local favorites, the Dallas Caramel Company. Nothing Bundt Cakes served a sweet red velvet number, while the Melting Pot really aimed at chocolate fans, handing out trays of melted milk chocolate to dip bite sized blondies, pecan pie, and rice crispy treats. Decadent. Yes.

While enjoying so many bodacious bites, I took time to try some bodacious booze too. The Blue Nectar Reposado Special Craft was easily one of my favorites. Double distilled, aged for over half a year and infused with essential oils and agave nectar, the flavor was smooth with a smoky finish. MATCH Roso was a delicately sweet, bubbly red that I definitely enjoyed and wanted to drink the whole bottle of. The spicy cinnamon vodka, Irish Fire was like swallowing a hyped up Red Hot, meanwhile BOLSA offered a pleasant tequila infused pink drink whose name currently escapes me.

From bites to booze, First Course was an event that did not disappoint. So go ahead, get your forks geared up for a good cause, and celebrate the best week in DFW. See you in foodvana. TXmB