EATS

Last week I asked about butcher shops. This week, Eats reader Jeff wrote with this question: "Do you know of a fish market or any market that sells octopus? I have seen squid for sale in Whole Foods but I'm looking for octopus. If you know of a place, please let me know. Thanks for your help."

Speaking of butcher shops, I followed the majority advice from the butcher shop post and hoofed it to Rudolph's in Deep Ellum for a three-pound center-cut pork roast. I brined it, stuffed it with Prosciutto di San Daniele, slathered it with olive oil and herbs, roasted it and served it with a bourbon-mustard sauce. Lots of happy comments about the quality of the meat. I'll definitely be back to Rudolph's.

Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant officially opened today in The Shops at Legacy in Plano, but we got a sneak peek on Saturday evening with a choice of five beers and several appetizers.

Gordon Biersch brews mostly lagers in massive brew kettles that are visible through one of the glass walls in the dining area. The Hefeweizen, the only ale of the five, was the unanimous favorite in our group. As for the food, the Gordon Biersch Garlic Fries and the Glazed Chicken Wings with sweet chili and ginger had us asking our waitress for another round.

The restaurant has a large, brightly lit patio. Inside there are a couple of flat screens above the bar that were showing sports, but the place didn't feel like a sports bar at all. Lots of booths, dim lighting, tall ceilings. It was packed, and it was all about the beer.

This is the only location in Texas right now, but the manager said the chain will expand into Dallas in a year (next to Whole Foods Market in the development near NorthPark Center).

7401 Lone Star Drive, Suite B120, The Shops at Legacy, Plano, TX 75024
469-467-0464

The quasi-sprouty restaurant chain is looking for a Dallas mom to join its Kitchen Cabinet. The panel of 10 moms from around the country offers input to Sweet Tomatoes on menu items, food trends, marketing initiatives and more.

The group communicates on a monthly basis and gets flown to San Diego two or three times a year for group meetings.

To be eligible, you have to sign up for the company's Club Veg program here by May 31. "Members will receive a survey via e-mail the first week of June. Members will be chosen to participate based on their role as mothers, level of community involvment and willingness to share opinions on health and nutrition trends."

Do Dallas moms have opinions? Is Big Brown built to run? BTW, "joining" Club Veg is just a fancy way of getting you to sign up for e-blasts. This is no pushover gig, however. When the inaugural group was selected in 2007, there were 15,000 applicants.

Get one complimentary Cosmo Bianco cocktail with your Sex and the City: The Movie ticket stub from May 30 to June 8 during Steel Restaurant & Lounge's "Steel in the City Week."

The Cosmo Bianco (left), one of Steel's signature cocktails, puts a twist on the standard cosmopolitan. Served in a sugar-rimmed glass, it is a mix of vodka, white cranberry juice and triple sec garnished with whole cranberries. The drink is regularly $8.

Steel Restaurant & Lounge, 3102 Oak Lawn Ave., Ste. 100, Dallas, TX 75219
(Located in The Centrum building at Hall & Welborn)
For more information, call 214-219-9908.

Jay Jerrier sent in his Youtube video (that you can see here) showing how his staff at the Southlake Campania Pizza & More makes a pizza Margherita, from stretching the dough to pulling the bubbly, cheesy finished product from the howling wood-fired oven. It's all very straightforward and simple. Got that, Other Pizza Guys? Simple and real.

Looking for a taste of Italy? Your gas tank need take you only as far as the Culinary Connection in Plano on Friday, May 30. The store is hosting a free Anniversary Open House featuring a Milan Nights theme from 5 to 9 p.m with complimentary Italian wines and hors d'oeuvres. Look for lots of merchandise from Vietri, importer of handcrafted Italian products for the home, for sale with a platter signed by the Vietri CEO and c-founder going to one guest as a door prize. A Vietri Luce hand-painted candle will be given with purchases over $100. RSVP to pam@culinaryconnectiongifts.com or call 972-298-9009.

Before deciding what to do with these less common vegtables, some of us might have to figure out what they are. Found more on the East Coast, ramps are a member of the allium family, somewhat like a cross between garlic and onions. They look a little like green onions, with a small bulb at the bottom. Tightly wrapped fiddlehead ferns look like the scroll on stringed musical instruments.

After a quick surf on the Internet, I found a saute recipe that uses both. I carefully washed the fiddleheads and blanched them for a couple of minutes. Then I sliced the ramps thin and sauteed them in olive oil before adding the fiddleheads. After a bit, I reduced the heat and covered the skillet, adding a splash of sherry vinegar and salt at the end. Voila! The firm-fleshed fiddleheads had a nutty quality and tasted something like a cross between okra and green beans. All in all, a successful venture with new ingredients. I'd cook 'em again in a heartbeat. Found 'em at Tom Spicer's FM1410, near Jimmy's Food Store at Bryan and Fitzhugh.