EATS

Restaurant impressario Peter Tarantino, who's been helping out at Avila's Mexican Restaurant, tells us that Guy Fieri and the Food Network are dropping by on Wednesday to film a segment for Diners, Drive-ins and Dives at my favorite Tex-Mex restaurant.

'Don't know the time. 'Don't know the particulars. But I've got a call in to find out in case there are any Guy Fieri groupies around. Me, I'm just button-popping proud to see Avila's get recognition for what the family-run restaurant does so well.

Peter also tells us that the Avila's now has its liquor license, so you can order real margaritas. We may be in a recession, but some people are still progressin'. It almost rhymes.

A reader called me to ask if there are any restaurants that are planning watch parties for the Jan. 20 inauguration of Barack Obama as the nation's 44th president. The lead-in festivities related to the swearing-in ceremony would start around 10:30 a.m. We have a couple of parties, with food, listed in Guide that you have to sign up for in advance.

Does anyone know of any restaurants that have something planned?

Update: Just got a message from Ferrari's Italian Villa --it's giving out a free slice of cheesecake (red, white and blue--strawberries, cheesecake and blueberries), with the purchase of a lunch or dinner entree, on Jan. 20. Lunch is 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., dinner is 5 to 10 p.m. It's at the Addison and Grapevine locations.

The Quadrangle's Martini Ranch is now another Margarita Ranch (like the one in Mockingbird Station).

I admit that I've never been to either. Anyone gonna miss Martini Ranch? Love Margarita Ranch?

Thanks to Eats reader Tim for the tip.

I've never been to the "german-born 'fresh-casual' chain" that's coming our way from Europe, but just got a release noting that Vapiano will open in Mockingbird Station in April. You can see the menu online here, and it looks pretty good in a Penne Pasta kind of way. But with more arugula.

It does have a gimmick, the better function as an entertaining dining destination. Customers get a "chip card" that they use to order at the various pizza, pasta or salad stations. Here's the part I'm a little fuzzy on: "Once the dish is prepared, the customer waves their chip card on the POS (point of sale) machine and "Vapianisti" inputs what he or she has prepared." At the end of the meal, customers hand their cards to the hostess and pay up.

Now here's the local angle: Tim McCallum, the franchise owner is a former Rockwall city councilman who plans to open nine other locations in the North Texas area in the next nine years. Someone obviously believes in the concept. What about it? Anyone had any experience with the restaurants in the Washington-Virginia area? Fort Meyers, Fla.? In Germany? Maybe Dubai? Yeah, there's a Vapiano there.