Chew on this- 10.06.2009

If this doesn't make you want a hamburger, I don't know what will...

I know, I know, I've been such a slacker. But in reality, I've been devoting my time to an important daily activity: finding a job! I came across this article in the NY Times. Just when I thought it was due time for a new hamburger adventure in Dallas, you read The Omnivore's Dilemma or about paralysis-inducing ground beef, ugh.

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Let's talk Chowda - Boston, MA

New England Clam Chowder at the Barking Crab Restaurant.

Home to the Freedom Trail, Hester Prynne, and some serious New England clam chowder, Boston is a pescaphile's paradise. Perched on Fort Point Channel, The Barking Crab Restaurant is an iconic seafood shack in Boston. The menu focuses on fresh seafood, of course. And not a dish did disappoint.

Beer in Boston seems only appropriate; I began with the Ipswich Ale. The well-written menu (graciously appealed to the tourist crowd) gave great descriptions of the beer selections and their origins. The ale, named one of the World's Best Beers by Wine Spectator, was medium bodied and slighty hoppy with a malt aftertaste. By the weekends end, it became one of my favorite regional beers.

Next up: New England Clam Chowder, you can't get a more traditional and revealing food item. It was soupy - as a true chowder should be, no cornstarch thickening here- with meaty chunks of savory clam, potato and celery. All in all, it was simply prepared, a very flavorful classic. For our main coarse, we had the Barking Crabburger. Surely, the namesake crabcake burger was served with a spicy aioli on a "bulkie roll". (Note: I had to Wikipedia this one, it is a traditional New England crusty sandwich roll.) A very good crabcake but it paled in comparison to the paper thin, oh so greasy, fried onion rings.

Service was brusque, perhaps even "barking", but adequate. Dishes were served as they came out of the kitchen- an notion I greatly appreciate. All in all, The Barking Crab is an ecletic introduction to casual New England seafood.

FYI: Ask to sit on the patio/pier; a difficult request during the busy lunch and happy hour times but worthy of a wait.

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"The Best Fish Tacos You've Ever Had" - Pagosa Springs, CO

Sorry for the absence. I've been on the tour de America (actually, there was no biking involved but I have been traveling to Colorado, Boston/Lakes region, NH, and Austin). I will attempt to post on some of my favorite food finds from the past ventures.

To start off, I want to disclose that I have found the best fish tacos... ever. No joke, folks.

Situated in front of a humble Shell station, there is a firetruck red mobile kitchen known as Degelman's Red Wagon. The Red Wagon is a local lunchtime favorite and in typical Colorado fashion, hours of operation are posted but loosely obeyed. Word to the wise: show up around noon any weekday during the summer and prepare for some fried goodness.

Step up and order a fish taco ($3.00) and fries ($1.75). Chef "Degs" will probably exclaim that you are about to enjoy "the best fish tacos you've ever had". And he is right. Both the white flaky fish and fresh cut fries are beer-tempura battered and perfectly flash fried. The fish taco, 1 comes to an order, is wrapped in a corn tortilla, just fried- yes, frying is a reoccurring theme here. Enveloped with crispy red and green cabbage slaw, fresh avocado slices, chipotle cayenne crema, and a bottom layer of shredded queso oaxaca-just slightly melted from the heat of the fresh fried shell. In my opinion, the queso oaxaca is the key ingredient and most unexpected element of the composition. Its mild, just slightly salty and the creaminess is a perfect foil to the crunchy beer-tempura batter of the adjacent fish. Traditional baja style fish tacos are cheese-less. But to a tried-true Texan, cheese + tortilla = love. The fries, albeit not my typical order, are exceptional. I have heard rumors (from Mom and Austin) of wonderful breakfast tacos, offered inside the Shell station, and state fair-worthy fried Twinkies.Moral of the story- next time you are passing through Pagosa Springs on 160, a stop at Degelman's Red Wagon is a must.

If you know Chef "Degs" or have tried any of his other delicacies, share your thoughts!

Degelman's Red Wagon
Corner of 160 and North Pagosa Road
970-946-1927

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Hiatus for Hiking, Pagosa Springs- Day 3

Day Three in Pagosa Springs-
Hike to "V" Rock.

Name that Scat Contest, in the comments below!

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Hiatus for Hiking, Pagosa Springs- Day 2

Day Two in Pagosa Springs-
Hike to Piedra River and the "Ice Caves".

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Hiatus for Hiking, Pagosa Springs- Day 1

Day One in Pagosa Springs-
The Rainbow Trail (also known as the West Fork Creek Trail) to Hot Springs

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Left Behind, Montpellier Pinot Noir

Montpellier, California Pinot Noir- 2008

After sweeping up the chip crumbs, wiping down any and all flat surfaces of queso remains and searching for empty beer bottles in the rose bushes, there are a few pleasant elements of hosting the party at your place. Take for example: an assortment of microbrews left in the refrigerator, half full bottles of Tito's and Bacardi in the freezer, and a few unopened bottles of wine left on the counter.

The bottle of wine you see pictured above is the Montpellier, California Pinot Noir from 2008. Valued at $6.00, I was super-skeptical of this particular pinot. As many of you may know, pinot noir is one of the most expensive wines to produce because of the grape's sensitive and unstable characteristics in both growing and winemaking. Expensive to produce = expensive to buy. So, you can see why I was a little leery of a $6 bottle of Pinot from Napa. Pour, swirl, sniff and taste. The color is a juicy, vibrant, clear cherry red and the nose is bright and fruity. Flavors of light oak and young cherries, it is fruit forward and simple - simply pleasant. The finish is not long and there is hardly any complexity, but I would not expect that from a bottle of this price. But overall, this is a nice bargain wine. It is enjoyable to drink and well suited for a late summer's dinner. Do not expect too much out of the Montpellier and you will not be disappointed; I would recommend this for you easy drinkers (or the white wine fanatics). Read more!

Celebration Farmer's Market - 7.15.09

Last week, I traveled to the downtown Dallas Farmer's Market. I remembered this article in the DMN and decided to try a much closer farmer's market outside Celebration Restaurant & Market. It was very small but still had great produce and a large selection of vendors like: The Mozzarella Company, Oak Cliff Coffee, Texas Honeybee Guild and Lucido's Pasta.

I spent $18.50 on a large piece of the Mozzarella Company's Blanca Bianca ($6.00- a great price! Retail normally sells for $18.70/lb), 2 lbs of Lucido's Basil Garlic Linguine ($6.00, 8-10 servings of pasta), a large basket of Grand Saline new potatoes, a couple of large tomatoes from Holt Farms (not so local, but friends of Lemley in Tennessee) and a few freestone peaches from Lemley's Farms in Canton.

On Sunday, I cooked the pasta and roasted the remaining cherry tomatoes from last week's market run. The pasta, fresh but quick dried, takes only about 5 minutes to cook and you can cook only as much as you need. It will last up to 3 weeks on the shelf. We tossed the cooked pasta with homemade basil pesto and topped with the roasted tomatoes. Nothing tastes more like summer than basil, sweet roasted tomatoes and fresh pasta.

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Leggo my Prosecco

Italian DOC region of Prosecco, Valdobbiadene Hills

Today, we will learn a lesson Italian wines and their classifications. For this lesson, I will be using Karen MacNeil's The Wine Bible and Hugh Johnson & Janice Robinson's The World Atlas of Wine. The Italian government is sometimes frustrating, corrupt and just plain confusing. Let's be honest, here. And their wine regulations and laws are no exception.

In 1963, Italy enacted their DOC laws (Denominazione de Origine Controllata) to regulate standards for certain types of wine. Shortly thereafter, winemakers across Italy were up in arms because the standards were based on "traditional" practices and "traditional" tastes. Certain winemakers (making undeniably great wines using nontraditional, innovative practices) got tired of their wines being considered vino da tavola (table wine, the lowest status), because of these regulations. In 1980, the government passed a new -and misleading - regulation DOCG (Denominazione de Origine Controllata e Garantita), wines of exceptional quality and renown. The standards were enven more strict than the DOC. Examples of DOCG wines are: brunello di Montalcino, Barolo, Chianti Classico, and many more. As with the DOC, there were problems with DOCG regulations: the word "garantita" implied the quality was guaranteed when it was not, and it applied to an entire region sometimes including the most plebian of wines. So instead of reforming the regulations, they just created one more IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) to include the country wines. The IGT wines are thought to be good and sometimes great wines, but historically are not as recognized as the DOC and DOCG wines. Jump for more!

All this being said, there is a new DOCG (divided into two regions, actually) for prosecco. Prosecco is a grape originating from the Tre Venezie, a larger area of three wine regions that surround Venice in Italy's northesat corner. Known as the Italian bubbly, prosecco is a spumante or sparkling wine; it is less dramatic, slightly sweeter and softer than Champagne. The new DOCG regions of Prosecco will begin with this coming vintage and they are Conegliano and Valdobbiadene.

This past Thursday, Jimmy's Food Store had a free Prosecco/Sparkling Wine tasting. The wines were largely prosecco with a few moscato d'Asti. The back wine room was packed with prosecco fans and neophiles alike. It was a vivacious group of interested customers and informed wine reps. A few favorites were the Caposaldo Prosecco, one of the most traditional proseccos in the room; Rotari Talento Rose, an elegant sparkling Rose, and lastly, one of the sweeter proseccos, Bastianich Flor Prosecco. The tour of pours ended with two wines from the new DOCGs of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. Slighlty more expensive, these wines were distinctive in structure but overall, I found the less expensive non DOCG proseccos most enjoyable. For a great buy, check out the Mionetto Prosecco Brut!

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Every Pearl Has Its Oyster - 8.12.09

In the city with "a Starbucks on every corner", The Pearl Cup, a newish coffee shop on happenin' Henderson Ave., seeks to set itself apart. And with sounds of Sigur Ros and Bjork streaming through the system's speakers and its "green" building, both in color and environmental practices, it does just that. This Wednesday I decided to try the famed Pearl Latte, D Magazine's "Best Latte of 2009", and see what this Pearl Cup place was all about.

Keep Austin Weird and Try to Make Dallas Weirder. The owners are two Austin natives and there is no disguising that factor. Small succulents as table decorations, local artistry on the walls, retro signage, doggie water bowls on the patio, bike rack out front and the list could go on. Inside, the number of people wearing skinny, vintage jeans and American Apparel outnumbers the number of white, Ikea Snille chairs. In the background, there are conversational murmurs of "Obama" and the sound of iBook keys clicking away. As I place my order for a Pearl Latte, I do not dare and ask for it "to-go"; please be carbon conscious and drink out of porcelain not plastic.

The signature drink was more expensive ( at $3.85 for the small) than I expected. Five minutes later - the barista seemed to have more interest in starting a conversation with the boy at the counter than starting my latte- a very generous "small" Pearl Latte appeared. It was served in a pristine white cup on an unproportionately large sauce; I love that! It was dramatic and had enough room to place the little sample cup of an oatmeal-cranberry cookie. Creamy milk, hints of baking spices, balanced with a deep roast espresso. A hint of Chai? It truly was unlike any latte I've ever had.

Too rich (and expensive) to drink often, it is a perfect middle of the week treat. Next time, I will perhaps try one of their tempting sweets and the "Italian Cappuccino".

The Pearl Cup
1900 N. Henderson Ave.
Dallas, TX 75206
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Gluten Glutton, Pagosa Brewing Company

The Hugger, Pizza at Pagosa Brewing Company

It was a damp, chilly evening, perfect for pizza and beer. Outside, the beer garden is largely covered – thankfully, covered – by an event tent. At opposing ends, a large stage and sound booth take up a good quarter of the covered space. When we arrived the inside was fairly empty and a few tables under the tent were occupied. By the time we left, the place had filled up and the air was warming around the buzz of good food and company.

Pagosa Brewing Company is a local company that produces award-winning microbrews and soda pop. The “tasting room and beer garden” feature the PBC brews and food from Farrago, a popular market/cafe in downtown Pagosa Springs. In the summer, the beer garden is a favorite local hang out, especially on concert nights where professional musicians play (for a small cover charge) under the festival tent.

We arrived early enough for pizza; I had heard of the famous pies but on my last visit, they sold out by the time we arrived for dinner. However, this Friday night was starting off slowly and there were no shortages in sight. We began with the beers (of course); I had the Wolf Creek Wheat, a British-style wheat beer. To me, this was a very enjoyable drink, it was smooth, hearty enough with a good yeasty quality. I always get nervous when I order wheat beers, because I have a love-hate relationship with the good ol “hefes”. On one hand, I love their wheat, starchy qualities but I hate the way they fill me up as if I’ve just taken down a whole freshly baked loaf. But alas, the Wolf Creek Wheat triumphs and leaves plenty of room for the real meal of pizza.



To begin, we ordered the Thai Curry Hummus, the texture was thick and nutty but the flavor was flat. I struggled to find any bit of “curry” or “Thai” in the hummus. It was served with a side of spicy, citrus-pepper dressing; was this supposed to be added to the hummus? It would make sense that this dressing combined with the hummus might just qualify as “Thai hummus” but still, no curry to be found.

One by one, our pizzas arrived. Large, chock full of toppings, and wonderfully cheesy, these pies are not to be missed. At our table sat both camps of pizza eaters: the thin crust fans and the thick crust fans. And both camps were pleased, although Farrago’s pizza has a noticeably thick outer crust, the bottom of the pies stayed pleasantly thin and crunchy. We ordered two varieties of pizza: The Mahoney and The Hugger. The Hugger, the “girls” order, is a veggie pizza with mushrooms, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, tomatoes and whole roasted garlic cloves. This pizza is memorable for a few reasons: the whole roasted garlic cloves pepper the pizza (it is not unusual to find 3 or 4 whole cloves on ONE slice), the feta cheese and sun dried tomatoes steal the show. They are scattered over the top and act as creamy/crunchy sweet foils to the savory scene. The gents all enjoyed the Mahoney, a “man’s” pizza of sweet peppers, Italian sausage, pepperoni, kalamata olives and red onions.

Rain or shine, Pagosa Brewing Company’s Tasting Room and Beer Garden is the perfect place for a summer evening. Enjoy good beer, pizza (I hear the burgers are great), and live entertainment.

Pagosa Brewing Company
“Your Hometwon Mountain Brewery”
100 N. Pagosa Blvd.
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
970.731.BREW

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Grass Fed and Farmsteads

A view of Downtown from the Farmer's Market

On Saturday, I finally made it back to the Dallas Farmer's Market. A few years ago, I lived much closer to the market and would frequent Shed No.1 for my weekly produce. Since our move, I could never quite make the trek downtown on a Saturday morning (the best day for shopping) until this past Saturday. I took $15.00 in cash as my budget for produce and my credit card for my meat purchase.

Arriving at 9:30am (the market opens at 8:00am), it was already fairly crowded in both the outdoor sheds, Shed No.1 and No. 3. I recommend shopping at Shed No.1, which is restricted to the local produce/vendors; the farms must be within 150 miles of Dallas. Take one lap around and see what looks best before purchasing anything. I left with a bag of: "Sweetest" little red onions, fresh okra, lady cream peas, J.T. Lemley's famous cherry tomatoes, freestone peaches and half a dozen organic, free range eggs. All for $13.00. After only 30 minutes of Texas morning heat, I was in desperate need of A/C. Shed No. 2, the indoor marketplace for eateries and specialty foods, was near empty and wonderfully cool. I was slightly disappointed with Shed No. 2, because when I previously visited this shed was packed wall to wall with vendors. This Saturday there were only a couple of vendors. Perhaps, the vendors get a late start on Saturday, knowing that the big crowds will start around 11:00am. Inside, I spent my remaining $2.00 on a fresh cup of coffee from Mawker Coffee, a local roaster that sells online and at the Farmer's Market only. I had the Espresso blend, it was smooth and bold. With meat on my mind, I search for Texas Supernatural Meats, a co-op of three separate farms that promise free-range, grass fed and natural meats. Feeling less than creative, I decided on a whole chicken from Rehoboth Ranch. A 4lb bird was $15.00 even. I left with a full bag of fresh goods all for $30.00.

We're going to have a cream pea salad and brown rice for dinner tonight. Tomorrow, I'll tackle the chicken and okra. After my pleasant trip and painless drive, I am disappointed in myself for not returning sooner. Stay tuned for next week's visit to the market. Read more!

being catty - 8.07.09

The Carolina's Platter at Carolina's Mexican Cuisine

You’ll be hard pressed to find a restaurant company that has opened two locations of a new concept in a matter of four weeks (Carolina’s Mexican Cuisine) and with two more locations of a sister concept set to open the following month (Taco Mundo). However daring she may be, the food and décor of Carolina’s Plano location is far from those same bold aspirations.

Located off 75 and Parker, this second location of Carolina’s Mexican Cuisine is the former Mario’s Chiquita. The inside attempts but does not successfully recreate the Mexico City modern aesthetic of other notable and related - its namesake and owner Carolina is the ex-wife of Mico of Mi Cocina* - Mexican restaurants in Dallas. A bright and beautiful glass tile mosaic flanks the opening to the kitchen, evident when you first walk to the host stand. Its a glimmer of flashy, focused energy but the buck stops there. While the dining room is liberally filled with white clothed four tops, the walls are sparingly decorated with cheap modern canvases.

If there had not been numerous similarities between Mi Cocina and Carolina’s, the history between the two restaurants would be unnecessary and petty. Unfortunately, the ties are unmistakable: the La Bomba vs. Mambo Taxi, Brisket Tacos vs. Tacos “de Brisket” and chips in stainless steel bowl vs. chips in stainless steel bowl. Let the battle begin.

We were promptly and pleasantly greeted, but then again, it was 3:00pm on a Saturday afternoon. The service was friendly and the server teeming with youthful energy. He made a few suggestions and the late lunch/early dinner began with two La Bombas ($6.95).

Round 1: Though served in a tall, slender glass as opposed to the rival’s short old fashioned, the margarita was tart, dangerously strong, and sweet from the sangria swirl. After a second round, you may just assume you are at the illustrious Mi Cocina in Highland Park Village. After another look around the dining room, that may not be such a bad thing.
Outcome: Draw

While sipping, the chips and salsa arrived – in a stainless steel bowl, no doubt. The salsa was smooth and not chunky in the slightest. As they should be this time of year, the tomatoes were uber-fresh and made up for the lack of complementary flavors.

Round 2: The chips were thick and fried crisp but not greasy, deeply golden in color. I think I’ve seen these somewhere before…
Outcome: Draw

At the behest of our server and pleasant surprise to my husband, we ordered the Carolina’s Platter ($11.95). According to my dear friends Merriam and Webster, a platter is a large plate used especially for serving meat. As unappetizing as it sounds, the platter turned out to be a good choice. We tried an assortment of Carolina’s offerings in smaller portions: brisket quesadillas, sopesitos, stuffed jalapenos, crispy minichangas and guacamole. Merriam and Webster weren’t too far off, hidden beneath the fried facades there was a lot of meat on this plate. The sopesitos, small sopes, are corn masa rounds that hold tender bites of brisket. The minichangas, petite chimichangas, were slightly greasy, fried rolls of shredded chicken. The brisket quesadillas were, well, filled with brisket. After a self proclaimed effort to eat more vegetarian last week, I was not starting off on the right foot. However, our favorites on the platter were the vegetarian bites of lime-laden, buttery guacamole and cream cheese stuffed jalapenos, fried in a thick, crumb batter.

Round 3: In all fairness, the two brisket taco versions should be in the ring but: A. I’ve never had the brisket tacos and B. I don’t think I ever will have the brisket tacos. I did not want to like the brisket quesadillas. I don’t generally like red meat and it just sounds so… how do you say? ... fatty. If by fatty you mean tender, juices dripping and sinfully delicious, then yes, these are FATTY. Outcome: Mi Cocina is down for the count.

As I wiped my chin, the lunch combination plate landed ($7.95): a chicken taco, a cheese enchilada and a tamale. Nothing was great, the chicken taco was okay and the tomato rice was good. Overall, it severely disappointed.

Round 4: Carolina’s, even with its quite satisfying platter o’ meat, cannot make up for uninspired cuisine, flavorless Tex-Mex classics, borrowed cookbooks and a dull atmosphere.
Outcome: Mi Cocina is back on its feet, positioned for a KO.

*Note: Mico Rodriquez, founder of Mi Cocina, left the M Crowd in 2008. He no longer owns or operates the restaurants.

Carolina’s Mexican Cuisine
3310 N Central Expy
Plano, TX 75074
(972) 516-2276

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Lunch in the Black Forest - 08.06.09

Henk's Chicken Pesto Sandwich

Another Thursday lunch with Heather, this time we ventured to Henk's European Deli & Black Forest Bakery. Tucked away behind the massive Half Price Books on Northwest Highway, this charming deli serves up authentic German American breakfasts and lunches everyday (dinner is served on Friday and Saturday evenings only). The store is part restaurant, part bar, part bakery, part market and all kitsch. If you arrive at noon or shortly after, it will be crowded and you may have to wait. This will give you the perfect opportunity to wander the market aisles where you will find an eclectic mix of wine, authentic Manner wafers and - my personal favorite - a revolving tower of Dutch black licorice! The east side of the store is devoted to its bakery and deli counters, each a display of beautiful, European delights.

Service and seating is simple: seat yourself, menus are on the table and you pay the cashier before you leave. For lunch, I questioned the server about the "broodje/brotchen" sandwiches on fresh baked hard rolls. After all, we were at a German deli, shouldn't I order something that at least sounds German? She quickly pointed us to the grilled sandwiches, as "they come with cheese". Was it that obvious? Did we just scream "turophiles*"? Alas, we both succumbed to the grilled sandwiches, I to the Chicken Pesto and Heather to the Hot Amsterdam (gotta love that name). Soon thereafter, the sandwiches arrived with a side of classic Ruffles and a sour pickle. The bread was perfectly toasted and golden, the color which can only come from a smear of real butter just before its being pan fried. Inside, there was moist chicken breast sliced deli thin, just a few roasted red peppers and an appropriate amount of basil pesto, all sandwiched between these aforementioned bookends of fresh white bread. Now I must tell you the best part about this sandwich was indeed the cheese. My Chicken Pesto came with Swiss cheese, not just your typical one slice of melted, stringy Kraft Swiss. No, there lay two deli-thin slices of Jarlsberg, with enough thickness to be the creamy counter of the sweet peppers and salty pesto and enough melt to glue the whole sandwich together.

Please, I beg of you, try Henk's. You may be forced to wait and wander the market aisles, but time (and money spent impulse shopping for stroopwaffles) is well worth every penny. Besides, you can afford to waste a few pennies when the sandwich, enough food for two days lunches, is only $6.50.

*Turophile- a lover of cheese, derived from the Greek word for cheese "tyro"

Henk's European Deli & Black Forest Bakery

5811 Blackwell

Dallas, Texas 75231

214.987.9090

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Hot Concepts! 2009

Every year, Nations Restaurant News announces its picks for the "top five innovative young restaurant chains". They are officially the 2009 Hot Concepts! winners. For the whole article, jump here.

In brief, the winners are:

• The Lazy Dog Cafe, international, moderately priced food in an energetic atmosphere
  
• Red Mango USA, self-proclaimed pioneer of authentic frozen yogurt
  
• Smashburger, affordable, fresh burgers, becoming "every city's favorite burger place"
  
• Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria, the most celebrated and certified Neapolitan pizza in the Northwest
  
• Vino Volo, a wine restaurant/retail store in airports across the U.S.
  

Have you ever been to any of these concepts? If so, let's hear the details! Read more!

Chewy Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

Image via Wikipedia

Matt's favorite cookies are Oatmeal Raisin, so I decided to switch it up and make Oatmeal Cherry cookies. These are chock full of fruit and nuts, but adjust the quantities depending on your preference.

*The best thing about these cookies is that you can pre-form the cookie dough and freeze the unbaked cookies, then bake as many as you need at a time!


Chewy Cherry Oatmeal Cookies
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
makes about 1 dozen large cookies

Ingredients
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, soft
2/3 c. light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla extract
3/4 c. ap flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
3/4 c. dried cherries (or other dried fruit)
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 deg. Cream the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla in a mixer. In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter/sugar mixture. Stir in the mixer on low, until combined. Add the oats, cherries and walnuts, fold into the mixture until evenly dispersed.

At this point, you should refrigerate the cookie dough. After 30 minutes, take the dough out and pre-scoop depending on when you'd like to bake the cookies. I like BIG cookies, so I use a standard ice cream scoop. They can be scooped and baked immediately. Or they can be scooped and put back in the fridge and kept up to a few hours until you bake them off. Or you can scoop and roll the dough into balls, place in a freezer Ziploc and freeze until desired! So many choices...

To bake, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the cookies 2" apart. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, baking times will vary depending on the temperature of the cookie shapes. Read more!

Lunch at R&D Kitchen- 08.03.09

Chopped Chicken Mango Salad at R&D Kitchen (Credit: KellyP23, Via Flicker)

Mom and Austin were driving through Dallas today, being the loving daughter/sister that I am, I offered to meet them for lunch (sure beats leftovers and the conversation would be nice, too). I suggested R&D Kitchen, formerly Cafe R&D, of the Hillstone Restaurant Group. Located in Preston Center, Matt and I park right in front of R&D every Sunday and it had been far too long since I last enjoyed their friendly service, handsome So-Cal interior and consistently great food.

Today, I had the Chopped Chicken Salad ($16). As pictured above, it is presented as a colorful bounty pouring from its cornucopia of iceberg lettuce. The salad is composed of large diced chicken breast, sweet mango and jicama, with al dente Asian noodles, crunchy cabbage and chopped almonds, dressed in a spicy sesame-citrus vinaigrette. In my opinion, this is a wonderful summer salad - chilled, refreshing and perfectly spicy. Albeit, if you consume the entire salad you will no longer be in "summer" shape; it easily serves two people or one person for two meals (my preference).

As always, our service was cool and attentive, the dining room chic and impeccable. Although the price point is a little higher than my typical weekday lunch, R&D Kitchen is a great destination.


R&D Kitchen
8300 Preston Center Plaza
Dallas, Texas 75225
214.890.7900 Read more!

being catty - 07.31.09

Interior of Parigi Restaurant, Artwork by Shane Pennington

The phrase “local and seasonal” has become such a standard philosophy (read: trendy tagline) among this city’s chefs, it has almost lost its appeal. But this is not the case with Parigi’s owner Janice Provost and chef Chad Houser. Once the menu is placed in your hands you become immediately aware that local and seasonal are not merely popular tags, but a reflection of the purposeful and deliberately chosen ingredients strewn across the following pages.

For over 20 years, Parigi has been delighting Dallas diners in their humble abode off Oak Lawn Avenue. It is easily and often overlooked, but after your first visit you will never pass by the Paris-inspired café without a pang in your heart and stomach. It is a narrow space, with an handsome bar and lounge at the entrance and a small strip of a dining room. The dining room is elegant and cosmopolitan, largely due to the abstract horizontal panels painted by Dallas artist, Shane Pennington. Pennington’s art is also on view at Steel, W Hotel in Dallas and private collections around the globe. Amid this modern interior, the amiable servers, eager to make recommendations, create a relaxed and intimate atmosphere. The service and ambiance set the stage for a lovely evening. And a lovely evening it was, indeed.

I took a quick glance at the wine list, only two of us ladies were drinking so we opted for wines by the glass. I chose a glass of Adami Prosecco, the wine list described Prosecco as “a wine to be enjoyed in the company of friends” and I thought it only fitting as I was doing just that. The Prosecco was a great value, citrus notes, acidic but a refined finish.

Glancing over the menu, the first page makes a point to recognize the local purveyors that supply the Parigi kitchen, the list includes: Lemley, Bluebonnet, La Cuesta Farms and Dallas Mozzarella Company. Also on the first page are the “special starters”, changing accordingly with the farm fresh supply. While waiting, our server dropped off a warm, assorted basket of breads and creamy beurre to placate our whetting appetites. If I had one complaint the entire evening it would be this: the kitchen was moving at a leisurely, Parisian pace. C’est la vie.

A signature element of Parigi’s dishes is the Eiffel tower outline, beautifully painted on the pristine plates. My tomato/feta salad was garnished with a balsamic reduced Eiffel tower. It was simply composed, almost a tower of casually tossed ingredients. But it proved to be a memorable summer salad, honoring the ripe Lemley pear tomatoes as tiny little gods, dressing them up with sweet basil robes and salty feta jewels. As much praise as my salad deserves, each of my dining companions felt the same way towards their own choices. As we concluded, Ninny’s salad described as “Chad’s Mom’s Award Winning Creation” was indeed the award winner around our table. It was adorned with the lightly fried okra (not the typical fried okra slivers, but whole pieces of tiny okra) with more fresh tomato.

Quite a bit of time elapsed between the departure of our salads and our main courses arrival; enough time to think we may have missed the flight altogether (read: server forgot to put our order in on time). Here comes the embarrassing part: I’ve forgotten what I ordered exactly, I just remember it was the grilled fish of the day and it was very good, but obviously not memorable enough! However, I do remember my companion’s Beef Tenderloin with creamy whole grain mustard sauce and smashed potatoes, not to be confused with mashed potatoes. As this is a nicer, more sophisticated place, it is important to remember not to lick your plate. And it is also important to remember that you must order dessert while dining at Parigi.

Famous for good reason, the Half and Half is a sweet yin yang of their renowned Chocolate Glob and Peach Cobbler. Chocolate Glob? The name makes me think of that black and white movie from the 50s, where the massive, gelatinous glob moved around and chases people. Gelatinous and massive? Yes, but the Chocolate Glob, a wonderfully undercooked, dense chocolate cake, lives up to all its hype- not always easy to do. The Peach Cobbler was teeming with sweet, fresh peaches (Georgia peaches, if I had to guess) and topped with a sugar flecked, butter rich crust. To top it off, literally, was a healthy scoop of vanilla bean ice cream from Henry’s Homemade Ice Cream, made in Plano. Three individually satisfying components, that could well stand up by themselves; they were sublimely combined for a great ending to a great evening.

La vie est trop courte pour boire du mauvais vin. “Life is too short to drink bad wine”, even if drinking good wines means you might forget what you ordered (which is a very bad thing if you are an aspiring food writer).


Parigi
3311 Oak Lawn Ave. Suite 102
Dallas, TX 75219
214.521.0295

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Bite Me - 7.23.09

Smoked Pecan Baby Back Ribs, Coleslaw, Potato Salad, and don't forget the Big Red.
From Off the Bone Barbecue.

Note: This is the beginning of a new series of quick blurbs from my husband. After two plus years of marriage, he has finally grown accustomed to my "questionin'" (as he puts it). Every time he goes somewhere new for lunch I bombard him with about 20 questions on the food, atmosphere and overall dining experience. Being the smart man he is, he has started sending me one picture of his meal and short "review". I love this! and I'm going to start posting them as they come my way...

Off the Bone Barbeque
1734 South Lamar Street
Dallas, Texas 75215

" Good stuff. Could be the best locally I have had over Sammys, Sonnys, Dickies, Rudys, etc. BBQ sauce is vinegar based, cole slaw has blue cheese in it and beans are cooked with a pecan bbq flavor with pieces of bacon inside. Ribs fall off the bone literally. A meat, two sides and a drink is $10 out the door. "


Seriously, I think he may generate a closer following than me. Read more!

Pasta Makes You Run Fasta

Photo provided by Gourmet, July 2008.

In college, I had two best friends: Kimber and Bolls (Kim and Molly, respectively). They were both excellent runners and I was not. No let me rephrase that, I am still not. But I do try and pretend to run now, thanks to their years of patient training and letting me tag along. They would toss around a phrase that made quite an impression on my life: Pasta Makes You Run Fasta. After traveling Italy extensively, I knew that Pasta Makes You Walk Fasta, but does it really make you Run Fasta?

Yes. No, seriously it does. If you don't believe me, believe this guy. And try this recipe at home.

Summer Fusilli: Zucchini, Corn, Basil and Bacon
serves a lot (approx. 6 grown men)

• 6 bacon slices, more or less (optional)
  
• 1 pound fusilli
• 3 ears (about 1 1/2 cups) corn, kernels cut from cob or frozen/thawed
  
• 1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium squash), coarsely chopped (1/2-inch pieces)
• Basil Pesto, 5 - 7oz. or about 3/4 cup
  
• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Cook the bacon in a large, heavy pan (Gourmet suggested a 12" skillet, I used a 12" saute pan). Cook until crisp, turning occasionally. Remove bacon from the pan and place on a paper towel. Pour off the bacon drippings, but do not wash the pan.

Meanwhile, cook the fusilli (as directed) in a large stock pot. Once al dente, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and set aside. Add the zucchini and corn to the pasta pot and cook, partially covered, for about 2 more minutes. Drain the pasta and vegetables.

Add the pasta and vegetables to the saute pan, add the pesto and 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Toss and season with salt. Add more pasta water if necessary.

Plate the pasta and garnish with crumbled bacon, grated parmigiano and fresh pepper. Read more!

Bite Me - 7.22.09

Sterling (pictured) and Matt, out to lunch at Texas de Brazil Express.

When Matt told me that he'd be going to lunch at Texas de Brazil Express, the new sandwich concept in Preston Center, he promised a good picture. Upon receiving the photos, I sent him a "What kind of sandwich did you get?" and he responded with the following - rather impressive, I dare say- evaluation of his meal:

"Sterling got the chicken and I got the pork, $6.95 menu price. Combo meal comes with chips and a drink, out the door for $10 each. Right in the target area for lunch diners I think, a little too high for me. You are paying for the higher quality of meat. They could have a wider variety of toppings in my opinion; the sauce selection was great though and the bread was good. It compares closely to an Eatzi's sandwich with fewer options. The set up and finish out is almost exactly a Chipotle style (efficiently move through a line, simple layout and fixtures).

Personally I think they will do well in Preston Center but I don't think they can compete everywhere, they don't have anything creative and new to offer (I would walk into Which Wich/Potbelly/Firehouse/Great Outdoors/etc if given the option).

It was crowded."

Wow! He never ceases to amaze me. I think he may just steal my thunder if I don't watch out.

Matt's "Organic Fire Roasted Pork Loin Sandwich" with Vickery's Jalapeno Potato Chips in the background... of course.

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Lunchtime- 7.17.09

Kosher Dill potato chips are one of the many varieties offered at The Great Outdoors. These,in particular, evoked a favorite memory of my dining partner's childhood.

For $0.55 more (than your five-dollar foot long), you can have an exponentially better sub sandwich and enjoy your surroundings at The Great Outdoors. Inside the walls are donned with murals of trees, tree trunk columns lining the queue, comfortable green banquets- everything evoking the feel of “great outdoors”, indoors. The only downside to this earthy, predecessor of Subway is the line; it moves pretty slowly, probably due to its drive thru operations. But it is well worth the wait.

The history lesson (because I love everything that has a story): The Great Outdoors first opened in downtown Dallas in 1973, by New Jersey native Jerry Oliverie. His mission was “to fill the authentic eastern style submarine sandwich void”. Today, there are 8 locations of The Great Outdoors around DFW and they have begun to franchise.

In a nutshell, everything tastes and looks fresh. The best part of the prep line is that you can actually see the source of all their deli meats, cheeses, and vegetables. It’s not fancy, just straightforward. The subs come three ways: Regular, Double Meat or Chef Salad. I had the Turkey, Cheese (house cheese is Provolone) on Wheat, toasted. I added lettuce, tomatoes – which were the freshest, red beefsteaks I’ve ever seen in a sandwich shop, black olives, alfalfa sprouts (Toto, I don’t think we’re in Dallas anymore, Austin maybe?) and honey mustard. They offer pickles in three ways, too: ¼, ½ and whole. I had ½ pickle and drink. The total was $8.34, not too bad for two days worth of lunch; I could only finish half.

The menu is full of many more great offerings including: “great awakenings” which are breakfast subs, some of the largest croissants I’ve ever seen, housemade cookies and brownies, and Henry’s Homemade Ice Cream, hand dipped.

These are Great Outdoors, indeed.

The Great Outdoors
6918 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, Texas
214.739.1928


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being catty - 7.17.09

Iced Vietnamese Coffee (Not Pictured at Mai's)

Hydraulic El Camino in Parking Lot? Check. Barred Windows and Doors? Check. Crack House Across the Street? Check. I have a newfound appreciation and slight obsession with “dives”. Mai’s Vietnamese Cuisine has all the outside elements of a “dive”, but inside the restaurant is surprisingly neat. Now don’t misunderstand me here, Mai’s is no substitute for Lemongrass, Tei Tei or other fashionable Asian locales. But much like its food, it is comfortable and enjoyable.


On a Monday night, the restaurant has about 10 parties dining and picks up throughout the evening. There are still plenty of tables to spare but the crowd looks worldly and relaxed; they must be regulars. Mai’s is another BYO restaurant and if you know me well enough you know I’ve done my research for food and wine pairings. I’ve learned that white wines like Grüner Veltliner, Gewurztraminer, and Riesling are great with most Asian food as their slightly sweet nature contrasts to the salty, spicy heat of the cuisine. We brought a German Riesling from the Mosel region.


Our server greeted us and was a little anxious to take our orders. As we often do, we ordered many different things to share. Both of us are adventurous diners, but for two very different reasons: I like to individually taste as many things as possible to get an overall sense of the restaurant and learn about the food and he just likes to combine as many different food items as possible onto one plate/bowl at the same time. (Yes, you can see me shaking my head now; dining together was VERY difficult at the beginning of our relationship. I am over it now. Well okay, not completely over it, but I’m working on it.)


We began with a variety of their rolls ($1.00ea): Fried Vietnamese- much like your typical egg roll, a bit too greasy, served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce; Grilled Pork Imperial Roll- tender slices of pork with lettuce, rice noodles tightly rolled in a thick rice paper, with hoisin-peanut dipping sauce, topped with chili paste; Shrimp Imperial Roll- just like the Grilled Pork version but with boiled, slightly boring shrimp. The Imperial Rolls were crunchy and refreshing and a little indulgent with the sweet-spicy peanut dipping sauce; they are the perfect summer finger food.


Onto the next course: a cup of Pho. Pho is a traditional Vietnamese soup, influenced by Chinese and French cuisines. It is typically made with beef stock, different cuts of meat and sometimes rice noodles. They are served with a garnish plate of bean sprouts, variety of herbs, jalapeno peppers, and limes so that the diner can customize the flavors of the soup. We ordered the Chicken Pho ($2.95-cup) but unfortunately, only the bowl or larger sizes come with the garnish plate. Nonetheless, the Pho was warm and soothing as it should be, but it lacked the depth of rich, beefy stock.


For our main course, we shared a Chicken Curry Clay Pot ($7.95). Clay pots are another traditional Asian cooking method; cooking in the pot itself creates a moisture lock and the food inside stays tender, piping hot and surprisingly healthy. No additional oils are needed to cook with the clay pot, so the food is lower in fat and the vegetables retain more nutrients as they are not overcooked. The presentation of a clay pot is impressive in itself; the pot is rustic, sometimes colorfully painted and the server removes the top to unveil a steaming, (hopefully) tasty dish. My favorite part about a clay pot dish: the rice at the bottom of the pot is nutty, slightly burned with a nice crunchy texture. The Chicken Curry Clay Pot was a conglomeration of rice, chicken, mixed vegetables in a coconut-yellow curry sauce. This is probably one of the most Americanized- Vietnamese dishes on the menu, but it’s my favorite of the evening. Forget mac n’cheese, this is the best comfort food I’ve had in a long time! The sweet coconut milk and spice – and a good deal of it, too – of the curry complement one another perfectly. The chicken and vegetables are tender, indeed.


For dessert, don’t miss the Vietnamese Coffee. Our fellow diners ordered it over ice; I mean, it’s only 104 outside! Vietnamese coffee is made with a simple, filter style pot. They are individually brewed inside the little chambers, making a strong coffee that falls somewhere between espresso and an Americano. The best part of the coffee, it is served atop a nice, thick layer of condensed milk. Yes, you heard me right, the condensed milk sweetens and thickens the coffee, transforming into something downright holy.


Mai’s is pho’ sho the best value for Vietnamese food in Dallas, so get there in a curry hurry and roll on in.

Mai’s Vietnamese Cuisine
4812 Brian Street, Suite 100
Dallas, Texas 75204
214.826.9887

Photo Credit: InFusion Coffee & Tea Gallery

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Man Food: Stuffed Jalapeno Bacon Bites

Pioneer Woman's Photo of Stuffed Jalapeno Bacon Bites

Easy and Greasy. That's what classifies "Man Food" in my opinion. This weekend Matt and I took a whole host of friends out to the Wilson's lakehouse on Lake Kiowa. It is impossible to please 20+ 20somethings, but I think these Stuffed Jalapeno Bacon Bites came pretty darn close. About halfway into the cooking, the masses will come beating down your door. Smells of crisp bacon, warming cream cheese and charred jalapeno peppers.

Click here for the recipe. Two important things to note: 1. Make sure the cream cheese is very soft, 2. Don't scoop out all the jalapeno ribs, leave some in for necessary spice. Survey says the jalapenos could have used more heat. Read more!

A "Corner" Bakery Briefing

Our corner: Preston and Forest. My dear friend, Kimberly (Briant) Donner and I used to meet once a week at Corner Bakery, Preston/Forest. Sadly, Kim - or Kimber, as I so affectionately call her - moved to Galveston last year and now resides in Houston. Our breakfasts were always the same: Oatmeal and Coffee. When it comes to oatmeal, I am pretty particular but Corner Bakery has consistently the best around. It's starchy, creamy (they claim its made with skim milk) and the oats are softly broken down, evidence that has been slow cooked.*

As you can see in the picture, the oatmeal is served with a sugar sprinkled, fruit studded piece of toast, called the "sweet crisp". Aptly named, the sweet crisp always proved to be the focus of our attention during breakfast for a few reasons: 1. It is sooo good. 2. It is covered in enough sugar to induce Type 2 Diabetes. Being the typical Baylor girls we are, Kimber and I cannot knowingly consume such copious amounts of sugar in one sitting, thus we remedied the problem with a knife, fork or spoon in hand. Using whichever utensil we had at our disposal, we would scrape the sugar crystals- which measure about 1/4" square, seriously. - off the sweet crisps onto our plates and often those little crystal cubes wound up in unexpected places and they would reveal themselves over the next few days (i.e. in your hair, your purse, your bra, etc.) We had fun and I'm sure it was fun to watch us girls, dissecting the crisps with the precision of brain surgeons.

I am writing to let the world (and mostly, Kimber in Houston) know that the recession has had a positive effect on Corner Bakery. Thanks to cost-cutting and food service controls, the amount of sugar on the said sweet crisps has been drastically reduced, finally allowing for the perfect sweet crisp.

As Chris Farley once said to Pepper Boy, Dana Carvey on SNL, "That's the perfect amount of pepper, Pepper Boy!"

Perfect Amount of Sugar
I want to exclaim, "That's the perfect amount of sugar, Sugar Girl!"

*We can personally testify for the "slow cooked" oats. Kimber and I arrived early one morning only to find that the person in charge of cooking the oatmeal the previous night had forgotten! And it took 30 plus minutes for the oatmeal to slow cook. We waited, of course. Note to self: Don't drink more than one cup of coffee on an empty stomach.

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A Bakery Briefing- Continued

The glorious Orange-Ginger Muffin Cupcake at Empire Baking Company.

And as we all know, you can't go to a bakery for lunch without getting something sweet. At which point, the Orange-Ginger Muffin (as pictured above) comes into play.

So about the muffin - I must digress, I think the term muffin is used very loosely in this case, something this sweet, this good, deserves to be called a cupcake.* After all, in today's society muffins are most commonly associated with muffin tops and well, lets be honest, no one wants to think about this when they are eating. If only muffin tops were still associated with this (!), Otis Spunkenmeyer may sleep soundly six feet under. - it was not something I would normally order, but Heather, being the cupcake connoisseur that she is, did and let me a have bite or two. With its soft, orange cream cheese icing, it is a treat whether it's morning or nigh. The cake itself was very dense, as we often think of muffins, but it had retained much moisture (due to obscene amounts of butter, I'm sure) like a pound cake. The flavor was full, with orange zest and a balance of ginger; it was not overpowering just sublimely enjoyable. At $1.99, this is a muffin to feed two people. I am thankful that Empire Bakery opens at 8am, it will save me pounds and pennies as I have to be at work by 8am.

* If you are further interested in the muffin vs. cupcake debate (as I know I was), check out this wonderfully informative post.

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Birthday Brownies for Birthday Boys

Peanut Butter Brownie, a corner piece.

We had two birthdays in the office today; happy birthday, Bruce and Victor! I love birthdays, giving gifts and any excuse to bake for other people. I did a little research for this birthday. I asked my dear friend and wife of Bruce, Mary, about Bruce's favorite sweet treats. Her reply, "Everything: Chocolate, Peanut Butter..." and that was all I needed to hear.

I have been eyeing the delectable Peanut Butter Brownies from Smitten Kitchen for quite some time now. Admittedly, my version did not turn out quite as beautiful as Deb's (that's right, we're on first name basis) but they were pretty tasty, if I do say so myself. I still get nervous taking baked goods to the office. What if they hate them? Will anyone touch them?

Alas, I am pleased to report, they loved them!! Come 5 o'clock, there was only one brownie left on the plate. Try these. And if you have an allergy to nuts or chocolate, pull out the Epi Pen or go ahead and place a 9-1-1 call. They are worth it.

The following recipe is from Smitten Kitchen.

Peanut Butter Brownies

Makes 32 brownies, more or less, depending on how you cut them.

For brownies

2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 large eggs plus 1 large yolk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (9 ounces)

1/2 teaspoon salt, depending on saltiness of the peanut butter

For ganache

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (9 ounces)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

Make brownies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in middle. Butter a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking pan, then line bottom of pan with parchment paper and butter parchment.
Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until mixture is light and fluffy, then add peanut butter and beat until incorporated. Beat in whole eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Reduce mixer sped to low, then mix in flour until just combined.

Mix in chocolate chips (1 1/2 cups) then spread batter in baking pan, smoothing top. (It will be thick, almost like cookie batter.)

Bake until brownies are deep golden, puffed on top and a wooden pick inserted in center come out with some crumbs adhering, 40 to 45 minutes.
Cool completely in pan on a rack, about 1 1/2 hours.

Make ganache: Put chocolate chips (1 1/2 cups) in a heatproof bowl.
Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan, then pour over chocolate chips and let mixture stand for one minute. Gently whisk in butter until it is incorporated, chocolate is melted, and a smooth mixture forms. Spread ganache on cooled brownies and let stand until set, about 15 minutes.

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Broadway Boogie Woogie

Piet and Pastry, two of my favorite things. I love Piet Mondrian, that crazy Dutchman. Simple, clean lines and bright primary colors. This beautiful slice is a work of art from pastry chef of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), Caitlin Williams Freeman. Once an art student and drawn to a career in pastry arts after viewing a Thiebaud retrospect, Freeman creates unique desserts influenced by the very galleries inside the modern art museum.

At the cafe, Freeman makes one Mondrian cake each day. She bakes different colored cakes, in various sizes, and cuts the baked cakes into thin, long shapes. Then she coats each piece in chocolate ganache and assembles them in a long pan. After chilling the newly assembled masterpiece, she further coats in the entire cake in chocolate ganache. Too pretty to eat? I don't think so. Read more!

A Bakery Briefing

Image via Wikipedia

"That buzzing-noise means something. If there's a buzzing noise, somebody's making a buzzing-noise, and the only reason for making a buzzing-noise that I know of is because you're a bee.....
And the only reason for being a bee that I know of is making honey.....
And the only reason for making honey is so as I can eat it."

from Winnie-the-Pooh, A.A. Milne

Last week, I met Heather for our bi-monthly lunch at Empire Bakery on Lovers and Inwood. I have been admiring this bakery from a distance for quite some time now. I am a sucker for a good logo and yes, I do judge a book by its cover (and wine bottles by their label, however, I am steadily overcoming this weakness of character.)

The interior of the bakery, or "Baking Company", reflects the clean lines and modern simplicity of it's logo. Inside there are a few counter tables topped with white carrera marble but the space is largely dominated by the bakery display and counter. Empire sells an assortment of fresh breads, muffins, cookies and other baked goods. There are also retail shelves devoted to jams, jellies and other pretty packages. There are a few wooden patio tables outside, which is where we chose to lunch.

According to their website, Empire was started by couple Robert and Meaders Moore Ozarow to provide Dallas with European style breads. From there, they developed a sandwich line to highlight their breads. I think this is a key statement for Empire Bakery's sandwich selections. You choose your sandwich, pre-made, from a refrigerated cases and pay at the counter.
My sandwich, Mozzarella, Basil Pesto and Roma Tomato on Calamata Olive bread, was good, not great but nonetheless a good simple sandwich. The mozzarella and tomato sandwich is my go-to order for initial impressions; it is a sandwich intended to focus on the quality of it's few ingredients. As I previously stated, Empire's focus is on their bread and that came through in my sandwich. It was a smart combination because without the fresh, bouncy (yes, bouncy!) Calamata bread the sandwich would not have succeeded. The Calamatas were large chunks in the swirly, sourdough-based bread and they provided much needed seasoning to the sandwich. The bread made this sandwich.

And as we all know, you can't go to a bakery for lunch without getting something sweet. To be continued...

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being catty - 6.19.09

Don’t be turned off by it’s proximity to Condom Sense and Gizmo’s Tattoos, Izmir Deli and Market is a wonderful place for a quiet and quaint Mediterranean meal. Izmir Deli belongs to a larger restaurant group/family that owns the popular Cafe Izmir, just up the street on Greenville.


As I entered, the space reminded me of the cafes and espresso bars that dominate the European cities. Four or five small tables are fill the front quarter of the narrow store. Then a bar/countertop lines the entire right-hand side, leading back to the semi-open kitchen. On the left-hand side, starting at the same point as the countertop, retail shelves line the wall.


You place your order with the friendly little man behind the counter (who runs the place with an ease and accent that suggests he owns the joint). Avert your eyes from the mini-display of desserts beside the cash register; it holds beautiful brownies the size of bricks and perfectly flaky baklava. Take your seat at one of the aforementioned tables or at the counter, the man (let’s just call him Max, short for Maximus) will bring your drinks and silverware.


I like this place. It is as simple as that; time seems to slow down a bit inside Izmir Deli. I am transported back to better days (not really “better”, but writers incorporate nostalgia to generate empathy from their readers) when life was easy, when we walked to the school barefoot and come home to house filled with the scent of freshly baked cookies. Back to business, Max will deliver your food as soon as it hits the kitchen window. “Can I get you anything else?” I knew it; he saw me eyeing those brownies that sneaky devil. “No, thank you.”


Hummus, Eegra, and Russian Chicken Salad. I ordered the Mezza Platter (serves 1) choose any three tapas, 4 oz. each, served with pita bread for $7.99. The “whipped” hummus has an incredibly smooth texture, unlike any hummus I have ever had. I enjoyed it thoroughly, but I must admit something here: my favorite hummus to this day is found in the wonderfully corporate Central Market deli. Theirs is unusually coarse for hummus with bits of chunky chickpeas, very light on the tahini and olive oil. A rustic hummus, if you will. Nonetheless, this hummus would be perfect for a party; it is a real crowd-pleaser. Next up, eegra is “a grilled eggplant dip” served warm, it is stewed with tomatoes and the secret spices. Eegra, scary as it sounds, is smoky, spicy and seductive. This was my favorite part of the platter. I ended up just taking a spoon to the eegra. Done and done. Last stop is Russian chicken salad. Now, this was the only dish that I ordered solely based on its fame and Yelp popularity. Lame, I know. It was a monochromatic ‘ice cream’ scoop of boring chicken salad. I was pleased to come across the occasional sweet pea, but other than that, it was not memorable. Served alongside the tapas was a basket full of pita bread, warm, fluffy and freshly baked. It was the ideal accompaniment to the hummus and eegra.


So ideal, in fact, that I wrote a little diddy for the trio:


We go together
like hum-hum-hummus and eegra and pita
Remembered forever
as Max’s massive brownies and buttery baklava
Chang chang...
Okay, you get the point.



Izmir Deli and Market
3607 Greenville Ave
Dallas, Texas
Phone: 214-824-8484


Photo Credit: DMN Guidelive.com Read more!

being catty - 6.05.09

Make new friends but keep the old. This classic nursery rhyme speaks perfectly to Royal China. As they claim to be “the oldest family owned Chinese restaurant in North Dallas”, Royal China continues to serve incredible, traditional “old” Chinese cuisine and only falters when it comes to the inexperienced, “new” waitstaff.


To begin, we were warmly greeted at the door and sat on a spacious, comfortable banquette. I must point out that far too often banquettes are crowded, stiff and render the entire experience strained. Who wants to hear the Preston Hollow Junior Leaguers gossiping about the new committee co-chair? “Not I,” chimes the chorus. I think I must have been overwhelmed by the friendliness of the greeter, because I had not even taken time to look over the recently remodeled interior.


This was our first visit, so we couldn’t accurately compare to the older interior. But as a Chinese restaurant was established in the 70’s, I have some pretty good clues: fish tanks and Chinese calendar placemats. (I’m an ox; we make great hairdressers and surgeons. No, seriously though, we do.) Back to the restaurant, the interior was refined, modern with some funky Asian accents.


As I briefly noted in the introduction, we did not have the best server in the lot. Although very familiar with the menu, she was slightly pushy and attempted the “up-sell” at several points during the meal. We began with “Dumpling Sampler” ($8), pan-seared. They were served with a soy-based garlic dipping sauce, good but forgettable. The dumplings were very good and each unique both in filling and wrapper. The favorites were the shrimp dumpling with sweet beet wrapper and veggie dumpling with the spinach wrapper. At about this point, the SigO and I noticed that we were missing the complimentary crunchy wontons; everyone else had them! Quickly, he pinned down the server and asked for “those crispy noodles with the sauces”. I found these to be boring and a waste of a lot of calories, but he, on the other hand, recalled these as a key part of the meal.


And then our main dishes arrived. I had the “Flat Noodles with Chicken” ($11) and he had the “Dry Stirred Beef” ($13). My flat rice noodles had a wonderfully smooth texture and at the risk of being too starchy, they were surprisingly light. The noodle bowl, stir fried with cabbage, onion, bean sprouts and carrots, seemed like the ultimate “Chinese comfort food.” The SO’s dry stirred beef claimed to be “the all time favorite” on the menu. And I can see why: the beef was perfectly crispy on the outside with a tender, flavorful bite in the middle. The real test, at least for me, is the “steamed” broccoli. How many times does the broccoli turn out to be limp and overcooked? “Too many!” you answer. Yes, but alas, this broccoli came crisp and clean.


I must end on a sour note, because our meal ended on a sour note. Throughout the meal, our server was aloof and flirting with the bartender. Either she had full confidence in the kitchen or she just didn’t care. Probably the latter, because it took us forever to get the check (Lady, I know how long that takes on Micros, you are not fooling anyone here) and forever to get it processed.


As I am feeling right now and as those fair fortune cookies sometimes read,

“A conclusion is simply the place where you got tired of thinking.”


Royal China
6025 Royal Lane, Suite 201
Dallas, Texas
Phone: 214-361-1771


Photo Credit: DMN Guidelive.com Read more!