Grimaldi’s is a pizza chain worth visiting. This is coming from a local restaurant and bar infatuated millennial. Recently the eatery made its way to Irving’s new Toyota Music Factory, giving us yet another reason to salivate over this space. Before my visit, I’d never eaten at Grimaldi’s before, so I was pleasantly surprised by their wine selection. It’s not massive, but they do have a few of my favorites including the popular red blend 19 Crimes and the sexy If You See Kay from Lazio, Italy. My pal Mo Barrow and I decided to go with the highly recommended cabernet, Educated Guess. The flavor is fairly robust, earthy and dry.…
A Peak at Big Beat Dallas
In a couple of weeks you will have the option of eating true Texan style brisket 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That includes after a late night of boozing and Bankhead Bouncing. The moment you flap your eyes open on any given day at any given time, tender, smoky brisket will be possible. Let that sink in for a second. Or better yet, get up and get yourself some brisket at this very moment, just because you can. Specializing in “Old Stove” recipes, Texas Jam House isn’t just dishing out brisket 24 hours a day, they’ve got a variety of classic Texas dishes. Including a meatloaf…
Pinstack Let’s You Fall in Love at First Flight
Just because Valentine’s Day is over, doesn’t mean you can’t still celebrate the love in your life. Grab a toast with the one you appreciate the most at Pinstack. Now throughout the end of February, all Pinstack locations across DFW are offering a wine lovers dream with Love at First Flight. For only $20 you will both partake in two matching wine flights with three tastings for each of you and an extra special dessert. And, if you really want to find out if you and your sugarfoot compatible, take the test. Choose your favorite wine from the flight then mark the combination which most accurately describes your relationship. Are you…
Greek Food Festival 2017 Recap
Already stuffed from the spinach and cheese inside crispy phyllo, aka spanakopita and seasoned dolmas, I still yearned for another gyro. Just as I began waddling closer to the stand, I realized this belly could handle no more Greek goodness. For the 62nd year, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church put on the Greek Food Festival of Dallas. The three day long festivities included dancing, music, shopping and absolutely mouthwatering Greek food. The food. There’s so much to say about the food. It tastes like spending the weekend inside the kitchen of your sweet little Greek grandmother and being fed loads of love by the forkfuls. Some of the tantalizing…
Dallas Arboretum’s Food and Wine Festival was an Escapade of Taste and Beauty
Visiting the Dallas Arboretum already feels like an escape. Blooms and blooms of flowers and greenery, plus views of White Rock Lake. It’s easy to think that you’ve left the city, with no plans on returning. On March 16th, the Dallas Arboretum hosted their first ever Dallas Food and Wine Festival, taking food and vino lovers on an international culinary adventure that they won’t soon forget. A backdrop of over 500,000 spring blooming flowers greeted event goers to the sold out affair as they traipsed the grounds, with navy blue and gold passports in hand. The adventure was categorized by four different regions: Pan Asian, South American, American Bistro and…
Austin Food + Wine Festival Kicks Off at Irene’s
Austin Food + Wine Festival is officially underway. On Thursday, January 19th the appetizing annual affair kicked off on the back patio of downtown Austin’s Irene’s, with an exclusive cocktail party featuring chefs Jonathan Waxman and Drew Curren. Wetting whistles for the evening were two tequila and whiskey based punches, along with various wines from Rodney Strong Vineyard’s and brews from the city’s own, Austin Beerworks. The outside bar and tables were set up with baskets of Irene’s signature Harvest Mix, a comradery of popcorn, peanuts, potato sticks, and sprinkles of dill. Smoky house-made andouille sausage wrapped in Easy Tiger puffed pastry was flaky pig in the blanket goodness, especially…
The Return to Foodie Wonderland Part 1
twirled my fork in the pesto pasta, slipped the tainted green noodles into my mouth and chewed. Satisfying, sure. But, I knew that it had happened again. After attending Chefs For Farmers for another year I’d become a food prude. You may have already read how incredible Chefs For Farmers was this year, well, allow me to reiterate this fact again. This year, I had the delicious opportunity to experience both the Street Food Night Market on Saturday evening, and The Main Event held on Sunday. Held outdoors in the Design District, upon entering, my whole body turned into a taste bud. I began light, yet robust with New Orleans…
Park & Palate Returns for Year Two
After a successful first year, the piquant Park & Palate is back for another course. Set to be held on October 21 and 22, this year’s premier fundraising event for Klyde Warren Park will feature over 30 of the region’s most well-known and respected chefs. The culinary extravaganza kicked things off during the Park & Palate Preview on Monday, August 1st at Klyde Warren’s main restaurant, Savor Gastropub. Several star studded chefs were in attendance including Nilton Borges, Jr, Jason Dady, John Tesar, Dean Fearing and Kent Rathbun. During the preview chefs and media tasted and voted on their favorite dessert using wine corks given out upon entering. It may…
Burger Chatting with Chef Kevin Williamson
A cool fall breeze at dusk, illuminating patio string lights stretching across a breathtaking landscape, and the scent of seasoned ground beef searing on grills. It’s one of those epic eating evenings that one would not soon forget. For the seventh year in a row the annual Burgers and Burgundy affair was influential in raising funds and awareness for DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS). The event was held at the gorgeous home of Karen and William Seanor on October 2. Chefs and restaurants participating tempted guests with an array of meaty sliders and brilliant burgers. It was not uncommon to see a few finger licks and eye rolling ecstasy…
The Wine Down with Red Mare Wines
Jim Striegel is a man who loves his wine. But not just any wine. He’s the kind of man that’s straight to the point about his reds, and doesn’t hold any punches about his whites. It’s what you would expect from a man that’s been in the wine making business since he was a child. In 1974 his love of wine led him to work with Stags Leap Winery located in Napa Valley, CA. Today he continues to bottle that love of great wine as part owner of Red Mare Wines with his business partner, winemaker Anne Vawter. I first had the opportunity to try Red Mare Wine during this…