EATS

Nancy Nichols had the scoop at Side Dish: Chef Gaspar Stantic left Cadot. Stantic was co-chef and co-owner of the French restaurant with Jean-Marie Cadot. Back in August, Kim Pierce wrote a Q + A about their partnership. How bittersweet to reread it!

Photo of Cadot and Stantic by Jim Mahoney/DMN

Last week, when I interviewed Alex Susskind, associate professor of food and beverage service at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration (with specialization in the guest experience), he told me many interesting things that I couldn't get into the story I wrote. Here are a few outtakes.

On the question of whether there's any truth to the notion that it's harder for servers to work on slow nights than when a dining room's busy: "I always found it harder to work on a slow night," Professor Susskind said. When it's busy, he said, "You get in a groove and the time goes really quickly." When it's slow, on the other hand, "It becomes more challenging" to keep up, "and it becomes more challenging for managers to make sure their employees aren't goofing off."

Reader Cyndy Bollerman's just back from a trip to New York, where she ate steak tartare at Balthazar and at Pastis, and now she wonders where can she get some good steak tartare in Big D?

They used to have it on the menu at Lazare, but now that West Village spot has morphed into Lemon Bar. Adelmo's serves a spicy one. It was on the menu at Citrus Bistro back in May when I wrote about tartare in May, as well as at Nick and Sam's.

So...where can Cyndy find great steak tartare?

Photo of steak tartare at the erstwhile Lazare by Tom Fox/DMN

And speaking of verrines/vasos, Stephan Pyles isn't the only Dallasite layering ingredients in glasses to make stylish French-Spanish appetizers. A week before Pyles' new Samar opened, I was invited to a lunchtime baby shower given by our neighbors Eva and David -- she's from Spain, he's from France.

Considering that the only time I had ever seen a verrine in the United States was at Guy Savoy in Las Vegas (it was a rounded shot glass layered with pressed caviar gelee, caviar cream, string bean puree, sevruga and osetra caviar and topped with sabayon), I was pretty surprised when David started laying out his home-made appetizers buffet-style on the dining room table. It was a gorgeous array of verrines! Their friends, mostly French, happily grabbed spoons and dug in (literally -- you have to send the spoon all the way to the bottom to get a taste of all the layers). And everyone seemed to know exactly what they were -- I didn't hear anyone ask, "Qu'est-ce que c'est une verrine?" Anyway, they were quite lovely and delicious. I especially loved one that layered guacamole, crab and grapefruit.

Texas meets France in a glass! Something tells me the baby-to-be will be a lucky kid.

Remember when I asked you last month about the mistakes in restaurant service that most bother you? Your answers were so interesting I pulled them together into a story, including advice from some experts on how restaurants can fix those mistakes. It'll appear in print in Guide Sunday, but you can read it online now.

Any more thoughts? Do tell us here, or, of course, at the end of the story.

Then, coming up in Guide next Friday, there will be a Best in DFW story about the restaurants with the best service. When that goes online on Wednesday, we'll do a post soliciting your picks, so you might want to start thinking about it.

What role do preconceptions play when writing a restaurant (or any kind of) review? What role do they play when any diner walks into a restaurant for the first time?

I know there's a persistent myth floating around out there that I walk into restaurants that I'm reviewing with a chip on my shoulder, as one recent commenter on one of my posts put it. I have to say, I'm pretty amused (and a bit baffled) by it because the opposite is true: I walk into every new (or new to me) restaurant hoping against hope that everything's going to be wonderful -- the food, the service, the ambience. There's nothing more fun for me, and a daresay for most food writers, than to discover something fantastic to bring to readers. That's why I've loved writing about places like Taquerias El Fuego and Afrah (both in Richardson), or Chapman Chile Kitchen. And then there's the selfish part of it (think about it): Do I want to have a great dinner or a terrible one?

Calling all talented, ambitious, motivated, competitive chefs: The Bocuse d'Or International Culinary Competition, which will take place in 2011 in Lyon, France is looking for applicants to represent the United States. Sixteen will be selected to compete in the U.S. semi-finals and finals, which will take place in February in Hyde Park, New York.

The deadline for applying is November 30; the application form can be found here.

More info after the jump. Are you applying? Know a chef who should? Tell us about it!

A reader, Allan Langfield, wrote to me asking about where to get a great cup of espresso now that Gachet closed in Victory Park. Here's his note:

"In my opinion, the best coffee (espresso) in Dallas was found at Gachet, formerly on Lowest Greenville (for many years) and, for the last 2 years, in VictoryPark. They were one of the first Victory tenants and at the time it seemed like they'd made the perfect decision. Moving into the the uber cool area that would soon be full of office workers, residents and hip shoppers. But alas, we know how that has panned out. The crowds had been growing in recent months as some of the nearby office space filled out, but alas, too little, too late. Even with a large number of regulars - many from the old Greenville days, it was just too slow to keep things open. Gachet was one of those amazing places where accidental communities formed easily and people like myself ended up staying for hours on some days. And the espresso was always tamped by hand and perfectly pulled.

"Sad, sad, sad...

"I'm now looking for a new coffee shop but am really struggling. The 'art' of the espresso drink is hard to master - and I'm not talking about the wonderful 'latte art' they did at Gachet (delicate milk foam flowers, leaves and hearts floating on the surface of the coffee). It's about tamping the right amount of a perfectly ground fresh roasted bean and carefully watching the stream of espresso draining down into the cup to know when it is finished, not just cramming in some grounds and pushing the button until the cup is full."

So, can we help Allan out? The boys at Jimmy's Food Store pull a very good espresso shot (and it's only $1). Who else does it right? Addresses (or at least general whereabouts) will be much appreciated.

Photo of a barrista tamping espresso at Gachet Coffee Lounge by Carter Rose/Special to DMN

With "inspirations" (as the menu calls them) from Spain, the Eastern Mediterranean and India, Stephan Pyles has carved out a dreamily exotic slice of world cooking to present at his new place, fortuitously wedged between the new AT+T Performing Arts Center and the art museums. It's just the spot to stop by after a lazy late afternoon at the Nasher Sculpture Garden, pre-Midsummer Night's Dream or post-Othello.

It feels like a museum cafe, but with gorgeous accents: a beautiful onyx bar in swirly shades of green, gold and orange, beaded lanterns that Pyles and co-owner George Madjalani brought back from Madjalani's native Lebanon.

The cooking feels completely new and fresh; you can choose a dish or two from each of the menus, yet it feels all of a piece; it's a Silk Road spice experience right on Ross Avenue. (How perfect for keeping the mood alive if you've just had a revelatory experience at the symphony!)

A new management team has taken over Screen Door at One Arts Plaza, headed by Michael "Mico" Rodriguez, founder of the Mi Cocina restaurant chain, who will be directing day to day operations. Chef Fitzgerald Dodd "will be pursuing other opportunities," according to publicist Kristi Bare; he'll be replaced in the kitchen by chef-partner David McMillan.

Screen Door is the first project of MCM Restaurants, a newly formed restaurant brand development company. McMillan and Rodriguez are partners, along with Robert Colombo (Trece, Villa-O) and Teiichi Sakurai (Tei An).

I'm as surprised as you are.

The release comes after the jump.

Over on Side Dish, Nancy Nichols provides a link to Mike Hiller's blog, EscapeHatch Dallas, on which The Grape's chef-owner offers advice to restaurant critics and food bloggers. In his musings, Brian Luscher wonders: "why does it seem as though some restaurant critics and food bloggers have little intention of liking the food or the service before they've even stepped out of their cars?"

I'm curious -- why would make him think such a thing? Surely it wasn't the treatment his hamburger got from Pat Sharpe at Texas Monthly. As journalists, we're trained to provide supporting details when we make assertions, a practice shared by many bloggers too. While that question wasn't quite an assertion, it seems odd to me to put that out there without explanation or example.

So here's a question especially for bloggers and critics: Do you ever approach a restaurant with "little intention of liking the food or the service," or are you, as I am, always hoping for a wonderful experience?

And to restaurateurs: Do you share Mr. Luscher's impression that we walk into your restaurants full of negative intent and preconception?

2007 photo of Brian Luscher by Milton Hinnant/DMN

Ayako Thompson, Tei An's manager, wrote me to clarify the policy of the private lounge they're constructing on the rooftop. Actually, she says, anyone who has dinner at Tei An will be welcome to go up to the lounge for a drink.

Sounds pretty cool. Meanwhile, in case you're wondering what those annual and lifetime memberships would cost if someone did invite you to join, well, the folks at Tei An haven't figured that out yet.

How does the foodie in you complete that phrase? Is it a smell? Something that appears or disappears at the supermarket? A drop in temp that makes a summer food or beverage less refreshing? A chill that makes you crave a certain food?

For me, the "you know" moment struck yesterday at the Preston-Forest Whole Foods Market: You know it's fall when WF replaces the organic watermelon on the produce end cap with bags of new-crop, in-shell nuts.

Much of what made me love Hibiscus is that it's such a well-run place. When someone there makes a mistake, they act quickly to apologize and make amends.

The quail incident, in which my dining companion cut into a prosciutto-wrapped bob white quail and found it was raw inside, is the perfect illustration. First an apology came from the server, then the chef made another one and sent it out, on him, with another apology.

Sounds like what any good restaurant would do, right? Well, it brings up some interesting issues.

Think you know your fonts? Play Cheese or Font.

I did really lousy, just 60.8% correct. How will you do?

Bonus points if you identify the cheese in the photo. I'll give the answer in a comment.

Photo by Courtney Perry/DMN

Today in the NY Times Dining section, Julia Moskin poses the question, "is southern fried chicken ever that inspiring?" and the answer, according to the New York chefs she interviews, would seem to be a big, crunchy, resounding no. Can you imagine?

Well, we know better, and so does reformed New Yorker Mark Vamos.

Photo of fried chicken by Evans Caglage/DMN

In case you were wondering what happened to plans to open a rooftop lounge (reported here and there last spring) atop the tony One Arts Plaza soba house Tei An, construction on the project begins next week, says manager Ayako Thompson.

Here's the hitch: You and I can't go there. (Well, I know I can't go there.) When it opens -- they're shooting for next month -- it'll be members only. How do you join? "You have to be invited by a member," says Thompson, and then you can purchase an annual or a lifetime membership.

But wait -- how can you be invited if there are no members yet? "We are the members," says Thompson with a gentle laugh. "The owner and the bar manager and myself."

Not to dwell on Mix (Alain Ducasse's Las Vegas restaurant, where Mansion-bound chef Bruno Davaillon has reigned for five years), but I simply have to tell you about a dessert I had there. The menu calls it "grapefruit souffle," but in fact it's two desserts in one: a small ruby red grapefruit souffle and a scoop of ruby red grapefruit sorbet.

It's not Davaillon's dessert; it was created by Mix's pastry chef Eric Snow, but I'm hoping maybe Davaillon steals the idea and brings it to The Mansion because it is so perfect for Texas. It must be said that I love grapefruit (I try to have one with me at all times), but this dessert was simple and wonderful. The souffle, about one-third to a half the size of most souffles you see in Dallas, had an incredible purity of grapefruit flavor, just the right sweetness (not too), and the tartness was softened by the egg. The contrast with the sorbet -- so bright and cold next to the soft warmth of the souffle -- was brilliant. I'd happily have a scoop of that on its own any (or every) day of the week.

Which makes me wonder, as we sadly leave peach and berry season behind: Are there any interesting grapefruit desserts around town?

Now that's a happy sight in the strip mall: rotisserie chickens turning round and round over a wood fire, right there in the store front window. How could I not go in?

Cowboy Chicken, with its three locations, has been around for a long time (since 1981, to be exact), but I was so thrilled to discover it. The chickens, hormone-free, are terrific, long-roasted a deep, burnished brown, with good, smoky flavor. And the family pack (a chicken, two large sides and four rolls) makes a happy last-minute take-out dinner for two or three at $15.99. (Whole Foods roast chickens are usually my emergency lazy dinner of choice, but they're undistinguished at best.) Having chosen mac 'n' cheese and creamed spinach, I thought better and added ranchero beans, which were the star of the side show -- lightly jalapenoed, well-seasoned, smoky flavor. So good.

Any fans out there?

5315 Greenville Ave. (at Lover's Lane); 214-234-0505; 17437 Preston Rd. (between Frankford and Campbell); 972-732-6281; 3450 Hebron Pkway. (between Dallas Pkway and Midway), Carrolton; 972-267-2000; www.cowboychicken.com

The Telegraph in London reports today from Paris that "Lovers of France's two great symbols of cultural exception - its haute cuisine and fine art - are aghast at plans to open a McDonald's restaurant and McCafé in the Louvre museum next month." For the full story, go here.

Despite all the indignation this has aroused, the French have embraced Le Big Macs. The end of the story notes: "France has become McDonald's biggest market in the world outside of the US, according to the chain. While business in traditional brasseries and bistros is in freefall, the fast food group opened 30 new outlets last year in France and welcomed 450 million customers - up 11 per cent on the previous year."

This bombshell comes from the New York Times Media Decoder Blog: Conde Nast has announced that it will close Gourmet magazine, which started publication in 1940 and is run by the well-known food editor and author Ruth Reichl. Media Decoder goes on to say that this was one of several cost-cutting measures and that expectations were C-N would close Bon Appetit, not Gourmet.

You can read the whole story here.

When I dined at Alain Ducasse's Mix in Las Vegas last week, I wasn't too surprised not to be offered an amuse bouche. It's a restaurant of a certain level (and one that has a Michelin star), but in many such restaurants, amuses generally go to VIP guests and regulars. Of course, as always, I was incognito.

But I was very surprised not to be offered one when my dinner companion and I showed up again the very next night. We got the "so nice to see you again" treatment, but no amuse was forthcoming -- and it would have been so nice with that $28 glass of Cuvée Alain Ducasse Lanson Champagne I ordered. (Uh-huh!)

Of course I wondered: Who do you have to know to get an amuse in this joint? Maybe it's a Vegas thing -- it's not like the restaurant is building relationships with potential regulars, as most diners come from out of town. On the other hand, plenty of people come to Vegas again and again. You'd think they'd want to encourage repeat business. Especially in this economy, and in a place where, if the taxi driver's economic report was anything like correct, business is down 30-40%. (There were plenty of empty tables at Mix.)

So here's a question: Under what circumstances should one be offered an amuse? Do you expect one automatically at a restaurant of a certain price point or caliber? Or just if you're a regular? (VIPs, which can include celebrities, known food writers, food business bigwigs, etc., can generally expect them, if it's that kind of restaurant.)

I'd love to hear from chefs and restaurateurs, as well as diners, on this.

Yes, now it can be told. I e-mailed my old friend, Tim Hanni, a master of wine and early authority on umami, the so-called fifth taste that Leslie Brenner wrote about in The Back Story: Geisha House post. She was wondering whether sea urchins have umami.

Here's Tim's reply:
Great to hear from you! Yes - as a matter of fact almost 20 years ago when we were gathering more information and trying to figure out what umami was, and wasn't, we were delighted to find a research paper titled something like 'umami taste compound analysis of sea urchin gonads.' As is true with many crustaceans and bivalves the umami taste intensity varies with locale and even season. Mostly a function of dietary differences. Seems that scallops with roe have much higher levels of umami taste compounds versus when not preggie.

Uni (sea urchin roe) is an acquired taste, all the harder to acquire because less-than-pristine uni is, well, awful -- it can taste like a dirty tide pool. If that's the kind you get the first time you taste it, who wants to go through that again? On the other hand, when it's top-quality and very fresh, it's fabulous. It's a real love-it-or-hate-it food, but if you love it, it's one of the world's great delicacies.

Happily, the uni I first tasted at Geisha House was superb -- fresh and clean-tasting, with a rich, mouth-filling flavor of the ocean. There's a complexity there too; I wonder if uni has any umami, that fifth taste, roughly translated as "savory" or "meaty" that's shared by foods such as shiitake mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, meats, tuna, clams. (Does anyone know? Shellfish is listed on the fascinating Umami Information Center website, but not specifically sea urchin.)

But I digress. I learned a lot about uni when I lived in L.A. Some of the best uni in the world comes from Santa Barbara, just up the coast, so lots of great uni makes its way into L.A. sushi bars. When I was in high school, my surfer friends used to drive down to Mexico, paddle out on their surfboards, dive for uni and eat it on their boards.

You can actually tell good uni from not-so-good uni by looking at it -- it should look like a cat's tongue, and have a pretty, clear (not muddy) color. Russ Parsons wrote a terrific story about it for the L.A. Times a few years ago (it's worth a read; there are great uni photos too). When I was working at The Times, I even learned how to prepare it, cutting around the top of the shell with small scissors, scooping out the roe and cleaning it. You can put it back in the spiky shell for a beautiful presentation (as in the photo above).

One of the best sea urchin dishes I ever tasted was in Sicily, where it was tossed, very simply, with spaghetti. So unusual -- creamy, rich and wonderful. Then, when I visited Japan a couple years ago, I was blown away by the stalls filled with boxes of uni at the Tsujiki Fish Market. It came in every size, every grade, every shade of yellow-orange-ochre. An uni paradise.

All of which begs the question: Do you love uni, or do you hate it? Where did you first taste it? Got a great uni story? Oh, c'mon...everyone does.

Photos of uni in the shell and an uni stall in the Tsujiki Fish Market by Leslie Brenner

I was telling Zinsky's deli co-owner Mark Brezinski that I had been jonesing for a good matzo ball soup ever since I moved to Dallas years ago and that I finally had found it at Zinsky's. Here's his reply:

"Thanks - all the credit for the soup goes to our culinary partner, Lex Berlin. It's his recipe from scratch, including the matzo balls. We sell a lot of it, believe me!"

I believe. I know somebody's mother or grandmother or aunt also makes killer matzo ball soup (maybe even Lex's), but I've never had the likes of Zinsky's in any other Dallas deli, and I go all the way back to Wall's.

Well, Samar by Stephan Pyles already had its big, splashy, oversubscribed preview party, but there are no signs of an opening in sight.

It was supposed to be September, then Oct. 1, and now it's a big question mark. "They're doing training now," says Pyles' publicist Catharine Flagg. So when will it open? "In October," she says. "Could be next week. Could be the week after."

Artist rendering of Samar's dining room courtest of Samar by Stephan Pyles

A couple of observations about Mix, Alain Ducasse's restaurant in Las Vegas where Bruno Davaillon (soon to be executive chef at The Mansion) still reigns for another day or two.

First, I was a bit stunned to see, in that very elegant restaurant, a gentleman wearing shorts and a t-shirt -- not even a nice t-shirt, just a gray athletic-type t-shirt. I guess in Sin City, anything goes.

Second, I surprised at how many diners brought their children. Near my table, there were three: a girl who looked to be about 4 years old at one table, and a pair at another table -- a girl who looked 10-ish and a boy who looked 7 or 8. All three of these kids dined quietly and politely.

That wasn't the case with a group of adults celebrating a birthday. They whooped it up big time, laughing and shrieking and singing. They even brought in an Elvis impersonator who did a number for them -- loudly -- on the balcony. It was incredibly out of place in that setting, and the wait staff kept looking up at them nervously, clearly understanding that they were bothering other diners, but at a loss about what to do about it. I was glad I wasn't there for a romantic dinner, celebrating an anniversary or something.

Thoughts?

The Mansion announced, week before last, that Bruno Davaillon, executive chef at Alain Ducasse's Mix in Las Vegas will be joining The Mansion in early November as executive chef. Foodie chatter began without delay -- Why Davaillon? What does he have in mind for The Mansion? And most of all, what's his cooking like at Mix?

I couldn't stand it -- I had to find out, so I hopped on a plane to Vegas.

Davaillon, who has been heading Mix's kitchen for five years, is French (from the Loire Valley). His cooking, bien sur, is solidly grounded in French technique, but his menu at Mix evokes Provence-meets-California, with nods to Spain, the middle east, Mexico -- and hey, the good ol' U.S. of A.

I've been living la vida Marfa and Big Bend and Davis Mountains the past week, and I just have to report that the Chisos Mountain Lodge restaurant inside Big Bend National Park - a plain, burgers-salad-quesadillas joint - managed twice to cook salmon that put the Hard Rock Cafe's to shame.

Didn't see my review? The Hard Rock's salmon was so overcooked that the fish flaked and the ends curled. Talk about ruining a piece of fish.

So while we were staying at the Chisos Lodge, the lodge's restaurant was pretty much the only game in town, unless you wanted to drive 50 or 60 miles. Captive audience, right? Doesn't have to be that good, right?

One night, I asked the server what the odds were of getting a decent piece of salmon. Without hesitation, he recommended the blackened version and offered to have the kitchen cook it to our specs. What a wonderful, delicious entree it was, well seasoned and cooked just right. A similar fillet the next day on a salad was also good.

If you're thinking, "The critic's beating up on the poor Hard Rock," don't. I am a fly speck on the global corporation's radar.

Sorry to be posting this late, but Mark Vamos had a terrific story in today's paper about how his quest to find great fried chicken helped to turn him into a Dallasite. Enjoy!

Photo of a fried chicken dinner at Babe's by Mike Stone/special to DMN

Let's talk about the "no problem" epidemic sweeping Dallas--and probably every other American city.

I know lots of people have no problem with "no problem," but it makes me wince every time I hear it, and I never heard it once at Salum. How refreshing.

Why does "no problem" make me wince? Because saying it introduces the idea that maybe there was a problem. "Excuse me," I might say to a server, "can we please order some wine?" "No problem." "Can we get a check, please?" "No problem." Well, I should hope not. The underlying assumption is that normally getting you a wine list or the check would be a problem, but hey, I'm so cool that I can actually make time for you to do that. No problem.

Maybe you're thinking: Oh, what a crank. Yeah, I know.

At the risk of sounding like a real lunatic, I find "no problem" as a response to "thank you" even more annoying. In that case, the absence of "you're welcome" makes me feel that actually I wasn't welcome, but whatever I'm thanking the person for wasn't so tremendously difficult that it achieved "problem" status. Sometimes servers really drive that home by answering "not a problem," which is "no problem" with a vengeance.

Is this beginning to sound like a "Curb Your Enthusiasm" episode? Am I splitting semantic hairs? Perhaps. Still, not hearing "no problem" at Salum felt like a mini-vacation. Thank you. A "no problem" here and there wouldn't be a problem for me, but now "you're welcome" is heading toward the endangered list.

How about you? Is "no problem" a problem for you? Or am I alone in my wackiness?

So, did you see the first episode of "The Naughty Kitchen with Chef Blythe Beck" last night?

If you did, you know the episode revolved around Beck finding out that her restaurant, Central 214, is about to be reviewed by The Morning News. She learns this because I have called to set up the photo shoot. Suspense builds till the review appears online, and the dramatic climax comes when Central 214's manager reads it aloud to Beck.

Before that there's a funny scene set at the DMN Wine Panel, shot at Tina Danze's house. Beck knows that Cathy Barber, my boss and high priestess of the Wine Panel, knows the outcome of the review, and tries to get her to talk, but Cathy's lips are sealed.

For me, it felt very important psychically to watch what happens when a chef reads a review I've written, and how that plays out. Obviously it affects not just the chef -- and in this case Beck says she's afraid she'll lose her job if I give her restaurant less than three stars -- but also the staff. But I have to say, as painful as it was to watch Beck's reaction, there was no surprise there for me. It made me realize that I actually do very much keep in mind that it's real people's lives I'm affecting when I write a review.

Anyway, enough about me. What'd you think?

Photo of Blythe Beck by Evans Caglage/DMN

A reader was kind enough to send me a compelling op-ed piece on restaurant service from Friday's New York Times that I had somehow missed. Written by Phoebe Damrosch, author of "Service Included: Four-Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter," it outlines many issues facing restaurant servers that diners might never think about.

Damrosch suggests a solution to the bad-service epidemic: doing away with the tipping system and having restaurant owners pay them a decent salary, including health insurance, to be funded by adding a mandatory service charge on the bill, as is done in Europe. She argues that doing so would solve the problem of high turnover, which prevents restaurateurs from investing in things like training.

Take a spin through Damrosch's essay and tell us what you think. One interesting point she raises is that waiters make much more than line cooks -- not the star chefs, but the people who do the stock-making and sauteeing. In Northern California not too long ago, there was a mini-movement to pool tips among not just wait staff, but among kitchen staff too.

But after reading the essay, I wondered: Has Damrosch ever dined in France? She writes that a service charge would mean that "Instead of worrying about how much money she will take home that night..." she can worry "about doing her job well: making people happy at whatever price and pace they prefer." Nice idea. But when I think of the hair-pullingly frustrating experiences I've had with servers in France, where "service compris" assures they'll be paid the same no matter how long they ignore you, I'm not so sure. What do you think?

Tomorrow night, "The Naughty Kitchen with Chef Blythe Beck" debuts on Oxygen. It's a restaurant reality show about the very colorful (OK, pink) chef at Central 214 at Hotel Palomar. In the first episode, Beck finds out she's been reviewed by the Dallas Morning News, and she's a nervous wreck.

Check it out (and check out the review, which was published in May) -- then come back to the EATS blog to dish it.

Suddenly, it hit me again: I needed a burger, and a good one. Somehow, in the course of eating 9,652 tacos, I had neglected my mission to discover all the great burgers of Dallas. Over the weekend, I found a really good one: at Big Dave's Burger Emporium, a new place on Arapaho Road.

Teresa Gubbins had written a nice little profile of the place on Pegasus News. She quoted owner Dave Barret as saying, regarding his burgers, "They're flame broiled -- nobody else does that open grill. Cooked to order over an open flame, from rarest to most well done -- big fat awesome backyard burgers you can't wait to have." Of course I had to investigate.

Celebrate Oktoberfest at Bryan Street Tavern, and make note of weekday promotions to keep more in your wallet.
• BRYAN STREET TAVERN A Texas-style Oktoberfest celebration on the patio includes $2.50 Oktoberfest drafts from labels such as Spaten and Paulaner, $6 sausage plates and live music. This Saturday, Sept. 19, from noon to 7 p.m. (live music begins at 1 p.m.). 4315 Bryan St. 214-821-4447.
• COAST The Cocktail Cruise promotion includes $5 select martinis, select wines by the glass and the Coast frozen hard lemonade as well as select chilled sake for $3 per bottle. Mondays through Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m. 7501 Lone Star Drive, Plano. 972-265-4722.
• THE FRISCO BAR Weekday lunch specials feature $2 off anything on the food menu. Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 4851 Legacy Drive, Frisco. 972-712-0808.
• PENNE POMODORO Children 12 and younger eat free with the purchase of adult entrees on Wednesdays from 4 to 10 p.m. At the Lakewood location, 1924 Abrams Parkway. 214-826-6075.

There have been a lot of interesting comments on the two service-related posts about people who bring their children to serious restaurants. It's a question near and dear to my heart, as I loved eating in "fancy" restaurants when I was a kid, and my parents were thoughtful enough to teach my brothers and me how to behave in dining rooms. My husband and I did the same with our kid, whose manners were polished enough to take just about anywhere by the time he was four. That said, I can't stand it when people bring kids who don't know how to behave to restaurants.

Reader Misty wrote today with a very interesting related question:

"I've always wondered why restaurants don't provide children's menus that have interesting meal choices," she writes.

Big news this morning: The Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek has just announced the appointment of Bruno Davaillon as its new Executive Chef. Davaillon, who is leaving a post as Executive Chef at Alain Ducasse's Mix in Las Vegas, begins at the Mansion November 1.

More to come.

On the menu at the new Bailey's Prime Plus, which opened yesterday on Park Lane:

BAKED POTATO
Served with sour cream, chives,
Applewood smoked bacon and
butter. 8

Thank you, Mr. Bailey!

Bailey's Prime Plus, 8160 Park Lane; 214-750-8100; baileysprimeplus.com

OK, now let's hear from the front of the house -- servers, managers, maitre d's, hosts, hostesses, captains, runners, busboys, sommeliers, bartenders. What is it that diners do that make it difficult for you to do your job? How can diners help keep things running smoothly on the two-way street that is the diner-server relationship?

And keeping in mind that diners are the ones paying the bills -- and the tips -- what do we do that just drives you crazy?

(If you're a diner wanting to rant about service issues, please leave a comment on the last post.)

OK, what service mistakes bother you most in a restaurant? Servers interrupting your conversation? Bussers who remove plates before everyone is finished? Servers who don't keep track of who ordered what? ("OK, who ordered the chicken? Who ordered the pasta?") One fed-up reader referred to this as order roulette.

Or is it service that's just plain slooowwwww, with no explanation or apology? (No, the slow food movement shouldn't apply to how long it takes to give your order.)

Maybe it's when a server pours so much wine in every glass when you order a bottle that there's not enough to go around the table and you're forced to order another?

Whatever it is, we want to know what drives you crazy when you dine. Ladies and gentlemen, vent away.

A few days ago, the European Union provisionally backed a proposal to ban international trade in bluefin tuna for two years, and Monaco is pushing to place bluefin tuna, which scientists say is close to extinction, on the endangered species list. The idea is to let the bluefin stocks begin to recover in 2010.

Most of the bluefin tuna caught in the Mediterranean goes to the Japanese market.

When I go to a sushi bar, I can't remember ever seeing the restaurant spell out whether the tuna they're serving is bluefin -- the subject of this ban -- or bigeye, which has a much healthier fishery. (The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch has most types of Atlantic bigeye tuna listed as a "best choice" or "good choice.") Albacore and skipjack (a.k.a. bonito) caught in American waters are also good or best choices.

It's easy to spot albacore or skipjack, and sushi bars usually identify them as such. But once it's cut, bluefin and bigeye look alike. I believe o-toro and chu-toro (fatty tuna belly) come exclusively from bluefin, but I couldn't swear to it. The sushi bar word for tuna, maguro, can certainly refer to either bluefin or bigeye.

If this legislation is passed, you can be sure that if you go to a sushi bar (or any other restaurant) in Paris or Rome, you won't get bluefin tuna. But what about the here-and-now -- does this change the way you'll order in a sushi bar?

Apparently users were not able to post comments on DMN stories for much of the day. It looks like the functionality is back, so anyone who wants to post a comment on the Park review, you should be able to now. Sorry for any inconvenience!

If you're in the mood for a beer and you wander into The Holy Grail Pub, which opened in Plano three weeks ago, your choices are nothing short of stunning. On offer are 23 draft beers, including a nicely hoppy Dogfish Head 90 Minute (from Delaware), Franconia (from McKinney) and Duchesse de Burgoine, which our server described as a super-interesting sour beer from Belgium. Too bad they were out of that one, but it's a good excuse to go back.

The website describes the place as "Old World European-style," but it felt very modern to me -- nicely lit, with tall tables between the bar and the wooden booths and sleek, contemporary decor. The menu is standard pub fare (burgers, good fish 'n' chips, straight-ahead meatloaf); "beer brats" -- bratwurst braised in New Belgium beer and onions, with braised cabbage -- sounds like something to try.

Most unusually for a pub, the service was notably good -- the servers were attentive, and extremely knowledgeable and helpful about the beers.

Which is a good thing, since there are so many. Besides the draft selections, there are 92 different bottled beers (if I counted correctly), plus a whole menu of table beers -- large bottle beers, most either 22 ounces, 750 ml or 1.5 liters, to be shared among friends. Fun! They range in price from The Reverend from Colorado or Stone Smoked Porter from California (both $12) to Malheur Dark Brut from Belgium ($50) and the 1.5 liter Chimay Blue from Belgium ($65).

Texas drafts are $3 and other drafts and wells are $1 off during happy hour (3-7 Monday-Friday).

8240 Preston Road, Plano; 972-6633; www.holygrailpub.com

This one's for firefighters and police officers: Cowboy Chow and its sister restaurant Twisted Root Burger Co. will salute these special men and women with free lunch tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. If you know a firefighter or police officer, spread the word. Read on for details.

• BIG SHUCKS The Richardson location celebrates Dallas Cowboys games by offering $3.25 margaritas, $2 Tecate beers, $1.50 draft beers and half-price raw oysters whenever the Cowboys are playing. 103 S. Coit Road, Richardson. 972-231-8202.

• CAFE COSTA RESTAURANT AND BAR Restaurant in Dallas/Addison Marriott Quorum hotel celebrates Addison Oktoberfest (Sept. 17-20 in Addison) with a selection of three bratwurst platters, served with spaetzle, German potato salad and Spaten beer. Sept. 14 through Sept. 17 from 5 to 10 p.m. Prices range from $12 to $15. 14901 Dallas Parkway. 972-661-2800.

• COWBOY CHOW AND TWISTED ROOT BURGER CO. Both restaurants salute area firefighters and police officers in uniform by offering them free lunch (covers items from food menus, but not alcohol). Friday, Sept. 11, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for dine-in firefighters and police officers in uniform at Cowboy Chow (2801 Commerce St.) and all three locations of Twisted Root Burger Co. (Deep Ellum, Richardson and Roanoke).

• FERRARI'S FLIGHT Wine and martini bar adjacent to Ferrari's Italian Villa hosts a patio party featuring $3 handcrafted draft beer, $5 peach nectar Bellinis, $5 Italian sausage sandwiches and live music. Sept. 18, starting at 4 p.m. (live music begins at 8 p.m.). Free admission. 1200 William D. Tate, Grapevine. 817-251-2525.

• THE FRISCO BAR Weekday lunch specials feature $2 off anything on the food menu. Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 4851 Legacy Drive, Frisco. 972-712-0808.

• ROSEWOOD MANSION ON TURTLE CREEK Happy hour at the Mansion Bar features half-price specialty cocktails. Mondays through Fridays from 6 to 7 p.m. 2821 Turtle Creek Blvd. 214-443-4747.

• SEA BREEZE FISH MARKET AND GRILL The Stimulus Package menu items are $10.99 each on Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 4017 Preston Road (southwest corner of Preston and Spring Creek), Plano. 972-473-2722.
The menu includes:

– mini seafood pot pie with a house salad

– shrimp and crab lasagna with a house salad

– baked crabmeat-stuffed haddock with a vegetable

– 4-ounce rainbow trout with a vegetable

– 4-ounce Atlantic salmon with a vegetable

Photo of Black Angus Cheese Burger with Twisted Sweet Potato Chips at Twisted Root Burger Co. in Deep Ellum by Kye R. Lee/DMN

More and more restaurants are opening with "no reservations" policies, but the policy at Park isn't exactly that. It's, well, it's complicated. Park will accept reservations. But only for parties of six or more. And not every day -- If it's Tuesday, Wednesday or Sunday, and you're a party of six or more, you can make a reservation. Any other day, it's first-come, first-served.

Got that? Oh, life used to be so simple!

I had the pleasure of meeting 13 year-old Dustin Ferris, after receiving a lovely letter from the eighth-grader about his desire to one day become a restaurant critic. He joined me recently for one of my restaurant visits, and I was bowled over by his openness to tasting anything and everything, his excitement about dining (he loves cuisines high and low), his beautiful manners and his very good palate.

Well, Dustin tells me there's a reason for his good palate. Here's a note he sent me over the weekend:

"For several years now, my dream job has been to become a food critic. It all started when my parents started to notice that I was very good at tasting and smelling food. They said that I enjoyed some foods that only adults appreciated. After awhile, they showed me an article about 'super tasters,' because they thought I might be one. The article read, in order to test your taste buds, you need some blue food coloring, a piece of paper with a 7mm (or .28")-wide hole punched through it, and a magnifying glass.

"Swab some of the food coloring onto the tip of your tongue. The tongue will take up the dye, but the papillae, tiny structures that house the taste buds, will stay pink. Put the piece of paper on the front part of the tongue and, using the magnifying glass, count how many pink dots are inside the hole. In order to be considered one of the 25% of the population that is considered a 'super taster,' you have to have at least 35 or more papillae (taste buds) in the 7mm circular area. The next 50% of the population are considered "tasters" (the average taster) with 15 - 35 taste buds, and the last 25% of the population are considered "non - tasters" (less than average taster) with fewer than 15 taste buds.

"After several recounts by my family and myself, we all agreed that I had a total of over 50 taste buds in the 7mm area! Now knowing that I was a "super taster", it only makes me want to pursue my dream of becoming a food critic even more!"

I've never checked my own taste buds, have you? (I'm guessing I'm not a super-taster because super-tasters tend to dislike bitter, and I love it.) If not, are you up to the challenge? If so, please tell us the results.

Thank you for the note, Dustin. Please write again soon!

Happy hour at 4:59 starts at 4:59. No, we're not trying to confuse you. Read on for details.
• ABACUS The bar-only Late Night Happy Hour, Mondays through Fridays from 5 to 7 and from 9 to closing time, features $2 off beer, wines by the glass and cocktails; half-price sushi available from 9 p.m. 4511 McKinney Ave. 214-559-3111.
• BLACKFRIAR PUB Labor Day celebration includes $3 summer beer (made of vodka, lemonade and Blue Moon beer) and $2 hot dogs. Sunday, Sept. 6, from noon to 2 a.m. (live music begins at 9:30 p.m.). 2621 McKinney Ave. Free admission. 214-953-0599.
• THE OLD WARSAW A three-course wine dinner will be available for $59.95 on Sundays and Mondays from 5 to 10:30 p.m. through Sept. 14. 2610 Maple Ave. 214-528-0032.
• VAPIANO Happy hour specials include $3 Peroni drafts, $4 house wines (chardonnay and merlot), $4 well drinks and a frozen peach Bellini for $5.75. Mondays through Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m. 5319 E. Mockingbird Lane. 214-887-1557.
• W DALLAS The 4:59 Lounge in the Living Room at the hotel offers $8 W signature cocktails, $6 well drinks and half-price bar food. Mondays through Thursdays from 4:59 to 6:59 p.m. 2400 Victory Park Lane. 214-397-4100.

The New York Times Diner's Journal blog has the story, the follow-up to yesterday's post about the lawsuit filed against Puck over the top level domain name, .food.

According to general manager Jose Rico, the The 62 Group, which owns Main Street Chop and Fish House, has purchased a Primo's franchise. Plans are underway to open a Primo's taco shop in the ground-floor space below the Chop and Fish House "toward the end of the year," says Rico. Signs in the window already indicate Primo's is coming.

Mom-and-pop operation? Maybe not. Unless mom and pop have unusually deep pockets.

Thanks to a reader comment on my review of Main Street Chop and Fish House (thank you again, AGBagb), we've just realized that there has not been a handy explanation online for what the stars mean. In the print edition of Guide, we run a ratings legend with every review, with a one-word explanation of what each star rating means. An expanded explanation of what the stars mean and our reviewing policy appear elsewhere weekly in Guide.

In the future, we'll be adding a word of explanation to our on-line restaurant reviews. Meanwhile, here's the legend:

Five stars: Extraordinary
Four stars: Excellent
Three stars: Very good
Two stars: Good
One star: Fair
No stars: Poor

After the jump, you'll find a fuller explanation of our review policy and evolving star ratings....

A $5 million lawsuit filed against Wolfgang Puck is all over the Internet this morning. Reportedly, it involves a move by Puck and his wife Gelila to register .food as a new TDL (top level domain) for the Internet. According to Eat Me Daily, which had the story yesterday, the plaintiffs are Puck's partners in the failed deal: TLD consulting firm Minds+Machines, Top Level Domain Holdings and Frederick R. Krueger, an investor.

The suit claims, among other things, that Mrs. Puck falsely claimed to have high-level media connections who would help the domain acquire top-level customers, and that Mr. Puck had stopped promoting it after Minds+Machines had spent over $100,000 on promotion. The suit was filed Tuesday in federal district court in Seattle.

"Are Dallas diners slobs?" That was the subject line in an email from a reader, Dick Grote. He and his wife are "constantly and unpleasantly surprised when we dine at an upscale restaurant by the trashy appearance of our fellow diners," he wrote, "particularly the men." Dining recently at The Old Warsaw, he was amazed to see he was the only man in the dining room wearing a suit and tie. "I think there was one other man with a sport coat over a polo shirt," he wrote. "All the other men were dressed as if they had just finished mowing the lawn. One guy was in a shabby pair of elastic-band shorts, a T-shirt, and flip-flops.

"And it wasn't a young crowd at all," he added. "Almost everyone there was fifty or over." Then he wondered if any Dallas restaurants have dress codes anymore, or even "dress expectations."

He asked if diners' sloppy dress ruins my dining experience. It doesn't, I answered him -- though I found it surprising when I first moved here to see men wearing shorts in restaurants where I'd more expect to see jackets. Dallasites have the reputation for being snappy dressers, after all.

But I do find it disrespectful to the chef and restaurant staff, and to the other diners as well.

How do you feel about it? Also, are there any restaurants that still have dress codes in Dallas? I know The French Room in the Adolphus Hotel does -- jackets required, ties suggested, no jeans. Any place else? Is it a good thing, or hopelessly stuffy in the 21st century?

Charlie Palmer is in town today through Wednesday at Charlie Palmer at The Joule, says general manager Gregg Bothwell. "People around town are always asking when he will be in town so they can meet him, 'just wanted to give everyone that opportunity." Show up and shake hands.

The appearance of small bites of deep-fried spoon bread, cutely presented on spoons with their handles bent back (while my guests and I were in the middle of our main courses) made me ponder the question: What makes a good amuse?

In French, amuse-bouche literally means something that amuses the mouth; the idea is a small bite in the beginning of the meal of something that delights the palate and puts one in the mood for a great meal. It's also a little preview of the chef's style; it sets the tone of the dinner to come.

Oh, happy day: I stopped by Afrah for lunch. What a treat. Lunchtime at the Richardson Lebanese bakery and restaurant is buffet only, but quel buffet. I started with a plate of salads. The incredibly silky hummus was delicious as it was gorgeous, drizzed with rivulets of green-yellow olive oil. I loved the lemony baba ghannoush, eggplant salad, bright-flavored tabouli and fattoush salad with ripe tomatoes. With a fantastic slice of za'atar pie (crisp bread highly seasoned with za'atar, aka Syrian marjoram, toasted sesame seeds, olive oil and, I think, sumac -- at least it tasted like sumac), I could have stopped there.

But I didn't. I got a hot plate: wonderful whole zucchini stuffed with rice and meat and braised in tomato sauce; tasty kafta kebab; excellent chicken-onion kebab, stewed okra, chicken with spinach and rice pilaf.

Oh, my goodness. I think I'll move in.

For dessert, I sampled (OK, gobbled up) a scoop of house-made cardamom ice cream with pistachios and almonds. Arabic ice cream, with rosewater and pistachio, was also dreamy. My accomplice and I went home with boxes of assorted baklava and cookies, all house-made and superb, in anticipation of a second wind.

Normally Afrah only has the buffet at lunch. It's a bargain at $11.99 (ice cream, baklava and cookies not included, but there are desserts). But during the month of Ramadan (now through about September 20), they're offering an expanded buffet for dinner, starting at 8 p.m. every night, for $14.99. I'm told it gets very crowded on weekends and that weeknights are less overwhelming.

Doesn't that sound delicious? Have you been? Do you love it?

Afrah, 314 E. Main (Belt Line Road), Richardson; 972-234-9898; www.afrah.com

Menchie's, the L.A.-based frozen-yogurt shop, is venturing into the Dallas market with a location in Highland Park Village. The soft opening is set for Saturday, Aug. 29, at about 7 p.m. You might want to be there for free samplings. According to a missive from Menchie's, the self-serve yogurt is made from live and active cultures and is low in fat and high in calcium. Customers will be charged by the ounce and not the number of toppings, which range from fresh fruit, granola and yogurt chips to candies, hot fudge and nuts. Yogurt flavors include Georgia Peach, Island Banana and Root Beer Float.

Stressed over back-to-school routines? Take it outside. Maybe you could discuss it over dinner at IHOP, which is offering a Kids Eat Free promotion. Read on for details.
• AW SHUCKS Weekday lunch specials (Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) include two catfish fillets with french fries on Mondays for $5.95 and three fish tacos with rice and coleslaw on Fridays for $4.95. 3601 Greenville Ave. 214-821-9449.
– The specials are also available at Big Shucks locations in Dallas and Richardson.
• FERRÉ RISTORANTE E BAR The Tuscan Thursdays happy hour features $5 you-call-it martinis as well as free pizza on Thursdays from 4 to 8 p.m. at the bar or on the patio. 215 E. Fourth St., Fort Worth. 817-332-0033.
• IHOP The Kids Eat Free dinner promotion at area locations offers one free selection from the Just for Kids menu for ages 12 and under with the purchase of one adult entree. Through Sept. 13. Daily from 4 to 10 p.m.
• SULLIVAN'S STEAKHOUSE The Summer of $69 dinner for two features three courses. Through Labor Day. Daily during dinner hours. $69 per couple. 17795 Dallas Parkway. 972-267-9393.
• VICTORY TAVERN The Margarita and Quesadilla Wednesdays happy hour features $5 hand-shaken margaritas made with Herradura tequila and complimentary quesadillas at a quesadilla station. Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. 3030 Olive. 214-432-1900.

It's an unlikely path, but that's what you get at Good 2 Go Taco, Jeana Johnson and Colleen O'Hare's new taqueria in Green Spot Market and Fuels, which is about as unlikely a gas station as you'll find anywhere.

Sure, you can fuel up and get a taco at Fuel City (and at Chitos in Plano, and...and...) But whoever heard of a gas station where you fill up on biofuel, pick up a dozen farm eggs and some local peaches -- then tuck into organic/locavore pulled pork tacos with blue cheese cole slaw? Or where you can fuel up on your way home from work and pick up a just-baked Empire baguette?

Teresa Gubbins reported Good 2 Go Taco's opening on Pegasus News last week (after Kim Pierce mentioned it on EATS), and of course I had to check it out. OK, the pork is non-certified organic, but it's heritage meat -- Red Wattle hogs from Sloans Creek Farm in Dodd City. Johnson and O'Hare long-braise the bone-in shoulder with tomato, achiote, onion, ancho chile and jalapeno. It's incredibly juicy and flavorful, topped with terrific cole slaw dressed with blue cheese vinaigrette.

For their jerk chicken taco, they use thigh and leg meat, which they marinate in house-made jerk seasoning, grill, then braise. Into a tortilla it goes with mango, lots of cilantro and a little creme fraiche. It didn't sound great to me, but it was a sleeper hit (I'll definitely order it next time). Nothing Mexican about it, but an excellent taco. (Pictured are the Hangover Helper, with house-made chorizo, mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese and the pulled pork-cole slaw taco.)

New guidelines from the American Heart Association point to the need for Americans to dramatically reduce their intake of added sugars (see story here), found primarily in soft drinks, followed by candy, cookies and pie (pah, as we say in these parts).

When I'm not reviewing restaurants or indulging in the pleasures of the table, I can be quite a nutrition nazi (although healthful eating and good nutrition aren't necessarily opposites). Still, even I was surprised at the hidden sugars lurking in my pantry and refrigerator.

The trick to sighting added sugars is to first look at the Nutrition Facts Label for the amount of sugars (not broken out as added or not), then read through the ingredient list for sugar sources, such as high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, molasses, fructose, honey, etc.

Check out what I found in my kitchen. Afterward, you may want to check your own. Then tell us what surprises you found.

I pushed my way through the cocktailed masses last night for the Nylo Dallas at Las Colinas' grand opening pool party. NYLO is a new eco-friendly hotel with loft-inspired guest rooms that is a sister to NYLO Plano at Legacy.

The signature drink was the Lexus Lemonade (courtesy of Park Place) spiked with VOX Vodka. And let me tell you, it was going fast. Poolside in August is a steamy place to be if you're not in the water.

The most memorable sight? NYLO's version of food on the go. I snapped this shot of model Jennifer Pompa wearing a hoop skirt-turned-buffet table of lobster sliders.

Get a room: NYLO Dallas at Las Colinas, 1001 W. Royal Lane, Irving, 972-373-8900

Waiting tables can't be easy. Take just one point of service: Is it ever appropriate to jump into the conversation at a table?

My first instinct would be no. I've had some truly dreadful experiences when a server has jumped in and weighed in on private conversations with friends. Of course it's natural and normal that servers hear what you say when they're at the table, refilling wine glasses or removing plates, but the bounds of propriety require that they don't acknowledge conversation that wasn't addressed to them.

But on one of my visits to Hattie's, our waiter stepped into our conversation and commented when he heard my friend and me marveling about the fried green tomatoes. We were wondering how the crust adhered so seamlessly to the tomato, and he jumped in and told us. It was the only time he did that in the course of dinner, and he did it in a way that was completely natural and unobtrusive. He didn't interrupt. He waited for a pause in the conversation. He apologized for jumping in. And his answer was extremely well-informed -- he knew exactly the cooking method.

This was a great waiter, sensitive to the needs and style of the particular diners at his tables. I could imagine him working at any of the best restaurants in the country; he was that kind of pro, extremely informed (about both the food and the wine), yet didn't hold forth, show off, or, worst of all, fake it when he didn't know something. He could sense that we'd welcome that particular interruption, because we had been engaged in his description of dishes, asking questions and showing interest.

Certainly other diners like more engagement from a server. I believe a gifted (as opposed to simply professional) server can sense those kinds of vibes from diners and deliver service made to order.

I know that's a lot of words to spend on one little point of service, but I found that waiter's manner so perfect. I'd love to hear what you think, fellow diners. And are there any servers out there? Your point of view of this would be fascinating.

Dallas' original celebrity chef dishes on his new restaurant, the evolution of Dallas dining and what's really smoldering in the hookah.

Photo by Carter Rose: Pyles amid construction at Samar, scheduled to debut next month on the ground floor of 2100 Ross Avenue in the Arts District.

In today's Diner's Journal, New York Times writer Pete Wells calls out restaurant critic and dining editor Leslie Brenner's recent column about what Dallas needs to become a great restaurant city. Dallasites are invited to comment; here's the link.

Foodies clearly want to see more locally sourced ingredients at restaurants. (See recent chat poll numbers here.) Why shouldn't that include wines? The point was raised at the recent GO TEXAN DrinkLocalWine.com conference at Le Cordon Bleu.

Even though we face a grape shortage in the state thanks to the increase in wineries, there's more than enough good, Texas-made juice to go around. The Pyramid Restaurant lists several excellent selections, such as the Fall Creek Meritus, Llano Estacado Viviano and San Martino ports. (The latter is in Rockwall.) Inwood Estates' big reds are on many steakhouse menus.

Are Texas wines still suffering from a perception problem? The industry has made significant strides in recent years. Or do diners not care about local loyalty when it comes to wine?

P.S. I also love the way Pyramid sommelier Hunter Hammett's wine list has categories like "underrated reds" and "underrated whites."

Departing New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni had an interesting piece today about what it's like being the critic and inviting three guests to dinner night after night. He describes himself as a "petty culinary dictator," relating that he pretty much tells everyone what to order, directing each person to eat exactly one quarter of that dish and then pass it around the table.

He also reports that his guests, over the past five years, displayed a strong tendency to rank dishes and a universal preference for steak over just about everything else.

It's funny, I can't think of a time when my guests started rating the dishes in order. I find that people in the business -- and my husband -- are critical (though they don't rank), and civilian friends tend to be very polite and say they're enjoying everything. (They're also very appreciative about being invited, and never complain that I don't take them to the best places.) I don't think I'm as dictatorial about what people order -- I usually see what appeals to them, and then see whether that suits my needs for that review. (Always easiest on the first visit.)

Anyway, Bruni's piece is a fun read. Take a spin and let us know what you think.

Here's how the viewers of our online chat responded to questions about Dallas as a great restaurant city. What do you think? Tell us in the comments.

Restaurant critic Leslie Brenner writes about her first six months of eating in Dallas and what it would take to make this a great restaurant city. She shares her observations, five great things about the Dallas dining scene and 10 ways for Dallas chefs and restaurateurs. Read the story online now.

Dean Fearing's eponymous restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas has been named to Hotels Magazine's 2009 "great restaurants" list -- one of only two North American restaurants on the global list.
Hotels Magazine selects ten restaurants each year, based on votes from a panel of noted restaurateurs, chefs, and food and beverage industry professionals. Everything from room design to food quality is scrutinized. The magazine deemed Fearing's cuisine: "last meal-worthy."
"It is such an honor to receive this ranking from Hotels Magazine," said Fearing, partner and chef at Fearing's Restaurant. "We're very grateful for the positive reviews."
Other posh spots on the list include Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong and the Blue Duck Tavern at the Park Hyatt in Washington D.C. Click here to see the complete list.
Fearing's Restaurant opened in August 2007 and also was named North America's #1 hotel restaurant by Zagat Survey 2009.

My very talented former colleague at the Los Angeles Times, wine writer Corie Brown, has just launched a juicy new food and wine Web site, Zester Daily. Another colleague, the esteemed food historian and bon vivant Charles Perry, is among the many well-known contributors from around the country, including Patrick Comiskey, Martha Rose Shulman, Jessica Harris, Clifford Wright and Nancy Harmon Jenkins.

Check it out....Then come back and tell us what you think.

Before we journalists file a story, we must fact-check it. That includes everything from making sure we spelled all the names correctly, didn't transpose digits in a phone number, got dates correct and so on. In my case, when I review, it means I have to double-check and make sure that those were really shallots in the sauce and not onions, or the red leatherette banquettes I mentioned weren't actually leather.

So whenever I file a review, before sending it on to my editor, I first print out a copy and highlight in yellow any fact I need to check with someone reliable at the restaurant. Then I call. Sometimes I speak with the owner, sometimes a manager, sometimes the chef, sometimes a publicist who acts as a go-between, sometimes two or more people.

When I fact-checked the Urbano Cafe review, I spoke with owner Mitch Kauffman, double-checking hours and what credit cards they accept, mostly things like that. But I did have one sort of embarrassing question (often there's one of those): "That hum I heard coming from the kitchen," I asked. "Is it a fan?"

"It's the kitchen exhaust fan," he said without missing a beat. "Look," he said. "We're small. We have nine tables, and every table's a chef's table. It's like you're eating in the kitchen, right?" Well, that's one way to look at it!

He also told me that the BYOB thing is working really well for Urbano. People order more food, he said, when they don't have to pay wine list prices for wine. "After doing BYOB," he said, "I don't think I'll ever go back."

Frank Bruni, departing restaurant critic for the New York Times, will appear on ABC News "Nightline" next week to talk about his new memoir, "Born Round: The Secret History of a Full Time Eater." (Bruni adapted part of the book into an essay in the New York Times Magazine on July 15, "I Was a Baby Bulemic." Did you read it? That's him on the left, in case you've been wondering all these years what he looks like.)

Here are a couple of interesting snippets, courtesy of ABC News "Nightline," from next week's interview with ABC's John Berman:

One of the things I learned from Kim Pierce's latest Table Talk column was this factoid about Uptown's new Split Peas Soup Café:

"The upscale bistro features 15 soups that change with the season, such as fire-roasted tomato, wild mushroom and chicken tortilla. Thursday through Saturday nights, from 11 to 2 a.m., it turns into a martini lounge with a limited menu."

Now, I love soup. I'm really excited to visit this place. I also love a good Martini. But I'm struggling with the idea of gathering friends at Split Peas Soup Café for a midnight cocktail.

Maybe it's the best thing ever. I promise to try it at least once and report back. In the interim, would you consider late-night drinks here? Have you been for lunch? Please share.

Order your first round: 2533 McKinney Ave. 214-792-9440. www.thesplitpeas.com.

There's a sign in a window in a Bishop Arts District storefront that says something like "Coming soon: Casa Blana Sabor Tex-Mex." It's on the corner of Davis and Bishop.

Could it be the reincarnation of Gina Lara's Casa Blanca that was on Lemmon Ave. and closed a few months ago? Does anyone have intelligence? I had Gina Lara's cell number, but my computer ate it. (Gina, are you out there?)

It's sleek, it's chic -- it's the new Geisha House. There's a tatami room (floor seating with wells for legs), a stylish dining room, a cool-looking bar (Roppongi Lounge, named for a trendy district of Tokyo), a couple of teppanyaki bars and a smallish (about 8-seat) sushi bar. There's a decent (if not copious) selection of fish -- o-toro and chu-toro, hirame (fluke), excellent uni. Regular rolls and lots of silly ones, and dishes like a special sashimi salad that combines five or six kinds of sashimi and a handful of mesclun with copious amounts of a sweet sauce spiked with so much Sriracha (at least that's what it tasted like) that it killed the palate for everything that came after it.

But it looked like the real action was at one of the teppanyaki bars, where four or five bare-shouldered beauties squealed as the chef entertained them with Benihana-style knife tricks, then threw morsels of food into their open mouths.

Now that's chic.

Have you been? Do tell -- what did you think?

Geisha House, 2600 Cedar Springs; 469-480-0640; www.geishadallas.com

Come back here Monday at 1 p.m. for an online chat with restaurant critic Leslie Brenner about her first six months of eating in Dallas and what it would take to make this a great restaurant city. She shares her observations, five great things about the Dallas dining scene and 10 ways for Dallas chefs and restaurateurs to raise the bar in a story online Friday and in Sunday's GuideDaily section.

Well, it turns out that young chef Vernon Morales (more on his age in a bit) still intends to head up the kitchen at Jean Michel's, he just told me in a phone interview. "We're on hold with that," he said of the opening, originally planned for October. He never talked to his current employer, Ronnie Kyprion, about his commitment to Jean-Michel Sakouhi, he told me. Kyprion referred to Morales as his chef, so I asked him what his title is. "Line cook," he said. "Sometimes I'm the only cook there. It's very slow, and all the staff they had, they had to let go because they ran out of money. It's a touchy subject." Still, he said, "I'm proud of everything we do. There's a good guy there helping me."

He also told me the name Jaleo had to be changed because of Jose Andres' Washington, D.C. restaurant of that name.

KITTY CRIDER sampled her way through the American Cheese Society competition in Austin. Her report on the winners:

Lone Star State cheesemakers did themselves proud at a time when all of America's cheese eyes were on Texas. They captured 10 ribbons in the 2009 American Cheese Society Competition, the annual blind judging of artisan cheeses from Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Three Dallas area cheesemakers were among the winners circle:

• Lucky Layla Farms of Garland, won first for plain drinkable yogurt, second for yogurt cheese, second for Boyaca, and second for passion fruit drinkable yogurt


• The Mozzarella Company of Dallas picked up first for queso Oaxaca and second for queso blanco with chiles and epazote.


• Latte Da Dairy of Flower Mound was awarded first place for Latte Da Feta with kalamata olives

It feels like I'm getting an email every MINUTE about some Julie & Julia-related activity. And the movie's just opening today (although many, many people have seen it during a string of previews). For the record, I have NOT. But I will.

Meanwhile:

Oak Cliff henkeeper Mike Munsterman and his pals will be seeing the movie today and having a Julie & Julia potluck tonight. He says they're having Julia-inspired dishes. I'm thinking they better skip that movie part -- they'll need to be home cooking all day.

Glamour magazine backs into things by having the movie stars share recipes. Meryl Streep puts in a decent turn as a food writer. Yo, Meryl, if that acting thing doesn't work out, give us a call.

Supermarket guru Phil Lempert says the movie will signal a change in how food is shown on TV. Quote: "Cute and cleavage is about to be replaced by substance." Wonder who he's talking about?

PBS -- the network that made Julia famous (or is it the other way around?) -- is showing classic Julia episodes online.

On and on it goes; this is just a sampling. Read the Julie & Julia review here, and still more stuff here.

And -- here is where you can weigh in on the movie. What did you think?

I was going to get all bent because Dallas isn't on the list, while both Houston (Feast) and Austin (Olivia) are.

But then I couldn't think of any restaurant I would have recommended anyway. Can you?

Here's the list.

One thing that impressed me at Lola -- and I didn't have room to discuss it in the review -- is the attention chef David Uygur pays to vegetables. The first time I dined in Lola the Restaurant back in the spring, I loved a first course that was basically a warm broccoli salad. The broccoli was sliced thin and sauteed in olive oil till it was a bit charred. It's funny -- it's something I make at home all the time, and I thought I invented it. But Uygur's was much better than mine because of one brilliant touch: He added some chopped anchovy into it. If I'm remembering right, there may have been a touch of balsamic vinegar too (this was months ago -- chef, if you happen to read this, maybe you'll tell us?). Broccoli and anchovy are wonderful together, and the anchovy melted into the veg, which was cooked just enough; tender, but with a touch of crunch. And perfectly seasoned.

I have to say, the rusticity of it didn't seem of a piece with either the elegant surroundings or the rest of the dinner -- my friend's peeky toe crab salad and the dishes that followed. But how wonderful to be treated to such a great plate of greens -- I had been starved for vegetables since arriving in Dallas. I'm truly amazed at how rarely I see green vegetables in this city's restaurants, other than fried okra, the occasional side order of asparagus or creamed spinach in a steakhouse. What's up with that?

You know -- the burger Texas Monthly says is the best in the state.
Staff writer Matthew Haag had it on Sunday. His report:

I ate the burger at The Grape on Sunday night, and the wait staff told me they had sold 294 burgers by the time I came in around 9 p.m. The staff said the Sunday before the Texas Monthly story came out, they sold seven burgers. It was pretty busy when I ate, and I didn't see a single person not eating the burger. As soon as I sat down, the waiter asked, "Getting the burger?"

What about it? Have you tried the burger, and how was it?

Sound the tostada alarm! Set off the sopes siren! Back in April, when I blogged about the tacos at La Paloma, reader ShawnaM commented that she loves the tacos at Chitos, up the road (quite a bit!) in Plano. Luniz also mentioned it when I blogged about Fuel City. ShawnaM and Luniz, I can't thank you enough. Chitos not only has very good tacos, made with hand-made tortillas, but the sopes and tostadas are stellar.

I tasted two tostadas -- ceviche and chicken -- at the modest spot that's really more taqueria than restaurant, tucked behind a gas station just a stone's throw from J.S. Chen's. The ceviche was tangy and terrific, topped with slices of ripe avocado -- perfect for a hot day. I rarely order a chicken taco, but I love chicken tostadas, and this was one of the best I've had: a crisp, fried corn tortilla spread with refritos, then layered with lettuce, tomato and moist, flavorful shredded chicken and topped generously with queso fresca and crema. Fantastic. The sope al pastor was just as wonderful, the sope itself substantial and moist, but not doughy or too chewy.

And the tacos? Not bad at all, thanks largely to the hand-made tortillas, and what a bargain at just a buck apiece (for corn tortilla). A milky melon agua fresca was super, sweet enough to be dessert, with prettily diced canteloupe floating on top. I'll be back -- and soon! Have you been? What'd you think?

Chitos Mexican Restaurant, 301 Legacy Drive, Plano; 972-527-2704