Take a ‘BITE’ Out of Spring!

In celebration of the season, noted chef Eddy Thretipthuangsin (Chef Eddy T) has launched a new spring/summer menu at BITE by Eddy T – his Oak Lawn-based eatery. I was invited in to sample the new additions as well as chat with Chef Eddy about his thoughts behind the new menu.

While the space was beautiful, dinner service was quite quiet. We had a 6pm reservation and were one of two parties until well into our dinner. Despite all that, BITE served up consistently delicious dishes and the waitstaff was attentive and warm.

Let’s talk about the food, shall we? Starters range from Grilled Shrimp Pickled Vegetable Slaw, Gochujang Lamb Chops Cilantro Soy Glaze, Garlic Purée, Curry Onions, Mâche (Korean condiment similar to BBQ sauce) to mini Lamb Chops with a Cilantro Soy Glaze, Garlic Purée, Curry Onions and Mâche. The shrimp was really flavorful and combined with a sour pickle slaw and the bite from the Gochujang. I loved the different textures too. A favorite at BITE, the lamp chops were formidable and grilled to perfection. The glaze really added a depth to this dish and took on the meatiness of the chops. To note, the ‘house salad’ at BITE is atypical and includes Field Greens with Red Onion, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumber, Goat Milk Feta topped with House Dressing.

Spring friendly mains were aplenty as well. One dish wee settled on was a Miso Truffle Salmon Polenta, Brussels Sprouts, Wild Mushrooms, Butternut Squash atop Miso Truffle Cream. It was a balance of flaky, light fish and delicious truffle complements. The seasonal Korubuta Pork Tenderloin, Garlic Smashed Potato and broccoli rabe was my favorite. Pan seared and packed with hearty seasonings, it was a comforting dish that explored the bevy of local ingredients to choose from.

Need something sweet? We loved the ‘Deconstructed Snickers Semifreddo’ and the pineapple upside down cake topped with a ‘pineapple flower’.

Dishing Bad News

Well folks, I’ve got some bad news to share. A beloved brunch spot and hot nightlife joint is closing it’s doors. Don’t fret though, I’ve been told it’s just a hibernation period. Here’s the news:

Tim McEneny, of NL Group (Front Room Tavern, DISH Preston Hollow and Dakotas), is relocating DISH Cedar Springs and opening in its place, Cedar Grove – a casual restaurant with a uniquely nature-inspired design and creative American cuisine with an opening date of May 2016. Executive Chef Pete Harrison (currently Executive Chef at DISH Cedar Springs) will be running the kitchen.

 
McEneny, Chef Harrison and the design team lead by renowned architect Jonathan Bailey with Coeval Studios have been working collaboratively for months on the menu, experience, and design.

 

Elements including grass-like material and over 50 handcrafted “trees” made of Maple wood are just two examples that intend to bring the outdoor in. McEneny says, “The name is a reflection of the location and also meant as a vibrant gathering place for our guests.This has been an exciting project to work on and we are looking forward to unveiling it later this spring.” He continues, “DISH Cedar Springs has been open since 2009 and it’s proven to be a thriving and viable brand in another neighborhood, hence our desire to expand and consider new locations. We’re confident Cedar Grove will complement the lively and casual vibe of Ilume® and answer the call for what we feel people are looking for in a bar and restaurant experience here.”

 
With a total of 6,000 square feet, the restaurant will house 160+ seats including a 360-degree bar area, with a climate controlled patio environment and a 12’ ribbon fireplace to be enjoyed year round. Cedar Grove will be open from 3pm – midnight Monday – Friday, and 10:30am – midnight on Saturday/Sunday. Lunch, dinner and weekend brunch will be available as well as a daily happy hour.
DISH Cedar Springs will officially close its doors on Monday, February 29th with a tentative re-opening date of spring 2017 in a different location.

Carry On to Wayward Sons

I often refer to comfort food as a hug to ourselves courtesy of our tastebuds. If that statement rings true with you, then I’ve got a mecca for thoughtful, comforting, well-executed “hugs” that come in the form of bites, sips and sights. Chef Graham Dodds worked at the famed Grape Restaurant then Harvey Hotel (which he learned from mentor Sharon Hage- a pioneer in Dallas’ seasonal food movement) and Star Canyon with Stephan Pyles. In 2008, he opened Bolsa in the heart of Oak Cliff, where he fine-tuned his devotion to hyper-local and ultra seasonal cuisine, gaining recognition for his ever-evolving menus. Later, he moved into the role of Executive Chef at Central 214 where he appealed to both casual and adventurous palates. Dodds refined this high regard for seasonality in his experiences at Hibiscus from 2013 until most recently.

In Dodds most recent culinary undertaking he partnered with Brandon Hays & Phil Schanbaum (So & So’s High Fives, Standard Pour, soon-to-open Whippersnapper) to open Wayward Sons on Lower Greenville. The restaurant is a proven progression of chef Dodd’s hyper focus on local, seasonal and Texas cuisine.  His sincere approach and continued ethos of serving the highest level of ingredients will shine through in the authentic form that Dallas diners have come to expect from Dodds.

I recently had the pleasure of being invited into Wayward Sons to get a taste of what Hays, Schanbaum and Dodd are bringing to the table and didn’t leave disappointed. Between a perfectly prepared pair of cocktails (Old Fashioned and Dark & Stormy) and a down home open concept restaurant, I felt at ease immediately. The long bar is a great viewing area for hip and hungry restaurant goers, and the main dining room brings a sense of meaning full design and subtle chic seating.

We began with a super flavorful saffron aracini served over gulf shrimp, octopus and bright sofrito. An unexpectedly pleasant combination of ingredients proved to be a filling and great beginning to our meal. Another wonderful starter, the buffalo carpaccio provided an awesome array of textures when topped with crispy farro “trail mix” and san isidro cheese. Dodds truly pays homage to a local to table driven selection of ingredients. If you are looking for something on the lighter side, a take on the waldorf with pine nuts, escarole & slow roasted grapes was good but a little over dressed for our liking. The hazelnut crusted goat cheese salad with beef bacon, frisée and candied kumquats was fine, albeit we  expected hot cheese after our waiter told us it was “in the fryer” for quite some time.

Main courses did not fail us at Wayward Sons. A delicious and light blackened redfish with garden greens and red pepper sauce was really great. The tang and punch from pepper sauce complemented the boldly blackened fish. Dodds served a goat brisket to me once and blew my mind, at Wayward he serves a lamb version with parsnip slaw that will make you smile. Sides included a wonderful southern charmer of homestead grits with goat cheese and mushroom ragout.

Gotta have dessert? You must here. Dodds pays tribute to Sharon Hage’s wonderful rhubarb pie in great form with a crust that is flakier than your worst date. (In this case, that’s a great thing)

On the Vine

“When you’re alone and life is making you lonely, You can always go downtown. When you’ve got worries,
all the noise and the hurry seems to help, I know, downtown.”

In all the change that the Downtown Dallas neighborhood is experiencing, there has been a lot of positive news about dining and hospitality. Recently, Westin announced a brand new hotel with 326 guest rooms, including a 3,000-square-foot penthouse. If you know the Westin brand, you know it means luxury, comfort and modern touches. The Westin Dallas Downtown is no different. Led by the same design team as ‘The Joule’ down the street, the Westin is truly a beautiful environment with ‘living walls’, huge picture windows and awesome decor.

I was recently invited in to try Grill & Vine, the hotel restaurant. It’s a reinterpretation of the classic bar and grill designed in a tavern style. The casual, yet upscale, menu offers American cuisine and traditional favorites with a modern spin. The menu also focuses on locally sourced items and simple, light and fresh foods to support wellness. I really enjoyed the playful classics from Chef William Lundstrom and great wine and cocktail program.

We sampled a couple of the signature dishes from Chef Lundstrom through the evening. My favorites happened to be the ‘Smoked Beef Brisket Tacos’, a nod to southwestern cuisine with pickled onions, smashed avocados and bravos valley queso. We also tried a pepper seared ahi steak with jicama slaw and black beens as well as a pork chop with apples, pancetta served with a house mac & cheese. The interesting  and well thought wine pairings made all the difference and its nice to see a hotel wine program really step up to the palate of Dallas diners preference.

Dessert brought a Banana Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with traditional creme anglaise and orange caramel. It was really well done with notes of citrus and savory. Just the way I like it! So, if you’re downtown and in need of a great meal and maybe a place to rest after … head to Grill & Vine and Westin Dallas Downtown!

Uchi Brings ‘Top Knot’ to Dallas Food Scene

No hairy situations or Boy Scout trials here. Top Knot from Uchi is finally here and I have all the scoop to share!

The modern American concept upstairs from Uchi, Top Knot, announced today that it will open on Wednesday, February 3. The menu showcases its Asian roots with tastes and influences from southeast Asia, Latin America, and Japan. The menu offers categories including Snacks, Buns, Hand Rolls, Vegetables, Crudos, Meats & Fish, and Desserts with a full bar cocktail menu.

The menu was created by Chef de Cuisine Angela Hernandez with inspiration from Chef Owner Tyson Cole and his signature style of blending delectable new flavors and influences to create original and accessible cuisine. Top Knot’s bar program includes Japanese whiskey, draft beer, sake and wine on tap, and a collection of inventive cocktails.

“Chef Cole created something special at the original Uchi, and we are following that path at Top Knot, with playful interpretations of Asian dishes that meld well with other culinary influences,” notes Chef Hernandez. “At the end of the day, we wanted to create food that is craveable, food that we ourselves would want to eat. Our hope is that these simple and vibrant dishes will make guests want to come back time and time again.”

“I’m excited about this restaurant,” says Chef Cole. “It’s an easy and fun neighborhood spot with a bright, playful atmosphere. The food is delicious. Top Knot is in excellent creative hands with Chef Hernandez.”

The opening dinner and beverage menu will feature:

SNACKS

Yucca Chips – black lime, togarashi, edamame hummus

Crispy Sunchokes – horseradish, crème fraîche, lemon

Chicken Kimchi Karaage – asian pear, jalapeño, mint

Berkshire Pork Ribs – apple kombu, coriander, mint

BUNS

Hot Fried Chicken Bun – pickle, cornichon gastrique, parker house roll

“Tiger Cry” Bao – short rib, cilantro, cucumber, carrot, steamed bun

HAND ROLLS

Crunchy Spicy Tuna – avocado, cucumber, uchiracha

Pickled Shrimp – chicharron, tiger cry, cilantro

Veggie Bánh Mi – pickles, asian pear, jalapeño, daikon, cilantro

Yellowtail – tobiko, avocado, yuzu

VEGETABLES

Farro Bowl – sunflower seed, vegetable crudo, greens

Sweet Gem Caesar – garlic bread crumb, bottarga, reggiano

Fennel and Apple – walnut, treviso, cantalet cheese

Brown Butter Beets – chardonnay, garlic, olive oil

Gai Lan – white ponzu, chili, crunchy garlic

 CRUDOS

Hamachi Crudo – cucumber, grape, hazelnut

Branzino Crudo – young thai coconut, yuzu kosho, mint

MEATS & FISH

Miso Brown Sugar Salmon – black garlic dashi, bonito, negi

Crispy Pork Katsu – cabbage, apple, miso mustard

Thai Shellfish “Carta Fata” – tom yum, coconut, thai chili

Diver Scallop – carrot, persimmon, pumpkin seed granola

Miyazaki A5 Striploin – matsutake, radish, maldon sea salt

Whole Fried Fish – nam pla, black lime, green papaya

DESSERTS  

Asian Cobbler à la Mode – pear, candied walnuts, puffed rice, golden raisins, miso ice cream, caramel

Beer Ice Cream Sandwich – chocolate chip, Asahi black lager, sesame

Chocolate Marshmallow Ganache – candied ginger, granola corn flakes, marshmallow schmear

Thai Strawberry Shortcake – mochi, crème fraîche, strawberry coulis, thai basil sorbet

Homemade Ice Cream – seasonal flavors

Cocktails

Fox’s Wedding

Shirakabe Gura saké, Hangar 1 Citron Vodka, cranberry, grapefruit

Pegu Club

Hendrick’s gin, Pierre Ferrand orange curaçao, lime, cucumber

Sparkling Shrub

Lunetta prosecco, apple cider, pear, thyme

Birdhouse Bramble

Deep Eddy vodka, raspberry, thyme, Fee Brothers peach bitters

Dark Ernest

Gosling’s rum, orange, lime

Tongue-Cut Sparrow

Espolon tequila, Chambord, vanilla, ginger ale

Mezcal Mule

Montelobos mezcal, Maine Root ginger beer, passion fruit, agave nectar

M Streets Armistice

Bulleit bourbon, green chartreuse, Luxardo cherry, sweet vermouth

Located Uptown on the corner of Maple Avenue and Randall Street at 2817 Maple Avenue and above Uchi, Top Knot will open early 2016 with dinner and a full bar offering, with brunch opening in early spring and lunch to follow soon thereafter.

Better for You Chicken Salad Sandwiches

I don’t know about you, but my 2016 has been off to a great start. After spending the last bit of last year on the road, in the sky and running around like crazy it was nice to hit a reset button and get back to the basics. I’ve never been one for setting New Years resolutions. Not that I don’t like the idea of setting goals and aspiring to achieve a new standard in a certain area of my life. I suppose I just want to see tiny improvements across my life, whether health, outlook or overall happiness.

One of the most integral parts of turning over a new leaf for the new year is deciding on what I put into my body. Knowing that diets (or ‘the d word’ as we call it in our house) will never be something I can do, I strive to make tiny changes in my over all dining choices. So, in that spirit I am going to be introducing a new series every week where I will show off a ‘better for you’ recipe that we can all make in a snap at home.

I decided to kick things off with a near and dear recipe for open faced tarragon chicken salad sandwiches with roasted red pepper soup. Being that I am from the south, chicken salad is something that is coveted amongst comfort food but can be quite heavy and calorie laden. With a few tweaks here and there, I’ve lightened things up a bit. As you’ll discover in the recipe, I’ve swapped high calorie mayo for my favorite Fage greek yogurt and loaded the salad with all white meat chicken. So, grab a pen and pencil and dive into a plate of comfort that won’t cost you!

What you’ll need:

4 boneless, all white meat, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups 2% Fage Greek yogurt
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 small Granny Smith apples, finely diced
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, Tarragon and Dill for seasoning
Toasted bread for serving

Directions
In a large stockpot over high heat, cover the chicken with water and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside to cool completely, about 20 minutes, then dice.

In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, yogurt, grapes, almonds, pecans, cranberries, apples and onions. Season with salt and pepper, dill and tarragon to taste. Serve on toasted bread, open faced.

BITE by Chef Eddy T

Chef Eddy Thretipthuangsin has turned over a new leaf at his new restaurant, BITE, located in the Oak Lawn neighborhood. The menu is made up of a fusion between Thai and New American and showcases Chef Eddy’s favorite techniques and ingredients.

I was invited in the try out the new restaurant last night before they opened officially today and while the meal took 3 hours to complete, the dishes we quite delicious. Starters included a salad the baby kale and spinach salad with coconut, shallot, red onion, spiced pecans and palm vinaigrette. The carpaccio was flavorful paired with caper berry and miso garlic aioli. My dining partners decided that the favorite entree at our table was the Chilean Sea Bass with baby bok choy, wild mushroom, dashi soy reduction and black forbidden rice. It was well balanced, meaty and had a nice bite from the dashi. We also sampled the slightly overdone braised short rib with soft polenta and nicely grilled salmon again atop polenta.

There is an extensive dessert list but the clear winner amongst those present was the lemongrass panna cotta with black sesame sponge cake and macerated berries.

BITE opens this evening and will be serving dinner every night of the week!

Long Flights and Bangkok Bites

Well hey there. It’s me. I am jet lagged as ever (we’re talking bed before 7pm and 3am wake up calls) but I made it back from Thailand. A beautiful country it is, filled with gorgeous sights, delicious food and the kindest people. I gained so much from traveling across the world to see the curiously chaotic and seamlessly chic cities I’d heard so much about. Over 13 days of traveling has landed me in a state of trance, yes. But I am here to share some of my fondest (and tastiest) memories from my adventures abroad that I hope you will enjoy!

After landing at nearly 2 am and arriving to our hotel almost an hour later, sleep was the only thing on our brains. So after a nights rest and a few cups of coffee we embarked on our first days of sightseeing. The Peninsula Bangkok is one of the most amazing hotels I have ever stayed in. Between the attention to detail, room design and overall classy feel, it’s like being in a dream. Needless to say, the beds were exceptionally comfy as well! Helps when you’ve traveled 23 hours to get there. Right, back to the fun.

One of the experiences that The Peninsula provides is a traditional Thai cooking class. Our experienced started by visiting the fresh market to select the ingredients via the Peninsula Tuk Tuk (the only way to get around the bustling city). This intriguing three-wheeled taxi is synonymous with Thailand and is a fast and fun way to get around the city. The hotel’s brand new, bespoke Tuk Tuk includes complimentary Wi-Fi, drinking water and cold towels on board for guests. No roughing it here! We zipped through bustling streets and alleys of Bangkok to local markets where we purchased fresh ingredients for our cooking class. There was so much to see and eat! I’d heard so much about Thai street food but sampling was a whole other level of cool. Fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and more. We chose our ingredients and headed back to get cooking…

I am a true lover of Thai cuisine and was thrilled when we found out what dishes we would be preparing for the afternoon. On the menu was an assortment including Som Tam (papaya salad with tomatoes and cashew nuts), Tom Yum Goong (Spicy and sour prawn soup with lemongrass), Phad Thai (Thai rice noodles and prawns, bean sprout and chive) and Khao Nhiew Ma-Muang (Fresh Mango with coconut infused sticky rice). Knowing we picked out all the parts to make the dish made it that much better. Our expert chef guided us through each dish before we sat to enjoy it. I felt immersed in the Thai way with the spice, flavors and cooking methods being explored.

After finishing the cooking class, we enjoyed a traditional Thai lunch prepared by the restaurant’s chef at Thiptara restaurant, literally translated as “heaven on water”. While we savored Thai dishes served in open-air traditional Salas set among lush tropical gardens overlooking the banks of the Chao Phraya River, we knew this was a bite of Bangkok we wouldn’t soon forget.

The Theodore Channels Quirk and Class

There’s something delicious brewing in North Dallas. The Theodore, the much anticipated new restaurant concept at NorthPark Center opens on Monday, November 16. Led by James Beard Award-winning chef Tim Byres, Christopher Jeffers and Christopher Zielke (the team behind SMOKE, Chicken Scratch, The Foundry, Bar Belmont, Bolsa and Bolsa Mercado), The Theodore honors the dynamic spark that followed Teddy Roosevelt over the course of his lifetime.

Each room within the restaurant has been thoughtfully curated by art and design team Lou Verne – giving The Theodore a spirit of its own. Filled with hidden rooms, vintage furniture, hand painted murals, and whimsical curiosities from fashion photographer Maxine Helfman’s personal collection, The Theodore has a stylized quirkiness with of a hint nostalgia and charm that speaks to lovers of a time when things were handmade with integrity.

I was invited to stop in last night to a soft opening event and everything we tasted was absolutely delicious. Starters like Bone-in lamb shank pie, toast with white anchovy, green olive and tomato were flavored well and showed exceptional attention to detail in technique and taste. We also loved the Pheasant salad with grapefruit supreme, duck fat croutons which turned out to be a sizable salad on its own. Another great shared option fresh oysters with rye bread, mignonette and cocktail sauce.

The mains on the menu range from pizzas to sandwiches and a few heartier bites in between. Pizzas topped with inventive items like salmon pastrami intrigued as the pies flew by. We settled on sampling The Theodore burger topped with cheese and the traditional accouterment. The burger was super juicy and was sided with a fresh butter lettuces salad that I wish would have been fries!

Pastry chef Marlene Duke, who hails from the Ritz-Carlton has some sweet surprises up her chefs coat for dessert.  A Crab Apple toffee cake wowed and was topped table side with even more hot toffee sauce. The crispy crust surrounded Chocolate torte was light enough to devour in seconds and was sprinkled with a good amount of sea salt. Chocolate cookies warm from the oven showed up last and were the crispy, crunchy kind I was hoping for.

The Theodore sits 230 people and will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m Saturday and Sunday.

Tre Wilcox Working on New Concept ‘Julia Pearl Southern Cuisine’

Word around the way is that celebrity chef and Dallas native Tre Wilcox is cooking up something extremely exciting. After doing a little bit of digging this morning, it seems that Wilcox will serve as ‘Culinary Director’ at new concept Julia Pearl Southern Cusine. A master at opening and serving as Executive Chef at prestigious restaurants in the Dallas, TX area, Tre Wilcox will bring a certain echelon to the kitchen. He has also appeared on various local and national TV shows to include Top Chef Seasons 3, Season 8 Top Chef All Stars, Iron Chef and The Talk. Wilcox will “provide expertise in culinary direction, menu development, recipe development, pricing, food cost, staff training and restaurant operations.”

From the look of it, Julia Pearl Southern Cuisine is in the development phase but seems to be raising funds to expedite the process. What will the food and ambiance be like? The website reads “Julia Pearl Southern Cuisine is a celebration of classic Southern Cooking community and life. It is a tribute to and inspired by the lives of two family Matriarchs Julia and Pearl. Growing up Southern is a life experience, set of ideals and values that crosses generational lines. It is also about the fond memories and being true to your roots, holding true to tradition, family and friends. Of all the memories, the ones that stand out the most are the smell of classic Southern cooking coming from the kitchen, the culture and hospitality around the dinner table.”

Julia Pearl is set to open in Plano located at 2301 North Central Expressway just off of US 75 sometime next year. Watch this space for more on Tre Wilcox and Julia Pearl!

Need more Tre Wilcox now? Chef Tre’s Esquire Network’s Knife Fight episode airs November 10^th at 9:30 p.m., and each Tuesday thereafter, two episodes will air back-to-back starting at 9/8c.