EATS

Best steakhouses in Dallas?

2008-05-09T21:34:00Z

Hey, gang, we're launching a new dining feature to spotlight Dallas-Fort Worth's best restaurants.

Every two weeks, we'll present a list of top restaurants in one category (ranging from burgers to Thai and late-night joints to ice cream shops) selected by our squadron of dining critics. We're kicking it off with - what else in Dallas? - steakhouses.

But, as has become the tradition during the Eats blog's inaugural year, we're looking for your opinion, too. So let's hear it: What chophouse most sets your carnivorous heart atwitter?

Post your picks and feedback here. Or e-mail dining@dallasnews.com. We'll publish some of these comments in a print version, which will appear in a future issue of Guide.

Click the link below to read our picks.

]]> Here are our critics' favorites. They are presented alphabetically, without ranking:

Al Biernat's
The charming owner makes the experience.
Favorite steaks: filet mignon of elk; bone-in, dry-aged New York strip.

BLT Steak
Swank, contemporary décor, and a great Lobster Cobb salad to start.
Favorite steaks: Prime bone-in rib eye and American Wagyu top cap.

Bob's Steak and Chop House
A perpetual hangout of powerbrokers and professional athletes, Bob's revels in the steakhouse classics.
Favorite steaks: Bone-in Kansas City strip, filet mignon.

Capital Grille
The muscular decor at this outpost of the upscale chain is equally matched by its heavyweight menu.
Steaks here are dry-aged Black Angus beef, prepared simply with salt and pepper or rubbed and sauced in a few luxurious ways.

Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House
Del Frisco's was among the pioneers of chophouses along the Tollway north of LBJ Freeway and continues to flourish.
Favorite steaks: Classic cuts like rib eye and New York strip.

Morton's, the Steakhouse
This location of the nationwide chain still delivers on food and service.
Steaks are prime-grade beef and wet-aged, which imparts a silkiness that will thrill those who like their beef buttery.

Nick and Sam's
Discerning Uptown and Highland Park crowds cram this place nightly.
Favorite steaks: dry-aged cowboy rib eye and the chateaubriand for two.

Pappas Bros.
The Dallas outpost of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse elevates itself through extraordinary wine service.
Favorite food aspect of the restaurant: an in-house dry-aging program for the rib eyes and New York strips.

Can you eat 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes?

2008-05-09T21:33:38Z

Imagine consuming 66 hot dogs in Wonder Bread hot-dog buns. Well, Joey Chestnut can do it. In 12 minutes, yet.

He's the current champion in the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Competition. And now Nathan's is looking for challengers in a regional qualifying round, to be held June 21 at Sam's Club, 1200 E. Spring Creek Pkway. in Plano.

You must be 18 or older to compete, and you must enter in advance, online. Regional winners will compete with Joey C. for the national title on July 4th, in Coney Island. Prize: the coveted Yellow Mustard Belt. (And, we imagine, a major bout with indigestion.)

Lisa Garza at Williams-Sonoma on Saturday

2008-05-09T21:21:39Z

Dallasite Lisa Garza, who's a contestant on The Next Food Network Star, will appear at Williams-Sonoma in Highland Park Village on Saturday, May 10, from 1 to 3 p.m. She will do cooking demos, and there also will be food samplings.

Lisa's a designer, and also the wife of Gilbert Garza, co-owner of Suze.

Eat, play: Tillman's Roadhouse game nights

2008-05-09T21:16:30Z

The best thing about a true neighborhood eatery is the camaraderie among the regulars. Tillman's is taking it to a whole new level and we have the photos to prove it. The Bishop Arts District roadhouse is now hosting Tuesday game nights.

This mostly word-of-mouth event (until now) has friends and family sharing bites and then lingering to play cards, checkers and --- my fave -- Jenga. (Too bad my hand-eye coordination is so poor. If only I had played more Atari growing up.)

Starts at 6:30 p.m. each Tuesday. Tillman's supplies the games. Prepare to be in it to win it.

Tillman's Roadhouse, 324 W. 7th St., 214-942-0988, www.tillmansroadhouse.com

Photos by Stephen Karlisch

Free cup of TCBY for moms

2008-05-09T21:13:48Z

TCBY stores will give away a free frozen yogurt (small cone or cup) to moms who come in this Sunday, on Mother's Day.

And don't fret, Dad: If you come in next month on Father's Day (Sunday, June 15th), you too will get a freebie cone or cup.

To locate a TCBY store in Dallas or elsewhere, go here.

Signs of change at Dallas Farmers Market

2008-05-09T18:46:25Z

Just a quick update to let you know that the Dallas Farmers Market staff was trying out signs that local farmers could post stating, "I grew these onions," or "I raised these chickens." Plus, there was a sandwich sign clearly marking the direction to the farmers. Yea!

Also spotted: the first few local peaches (at the Lemleys, hard, must be ripened), green plums, squash (including the quirky-looking eight-ball), and blackberries. Also, a lot coming in from South Texas, like peas.

I'm still working spring onions, which are so abundant right now. Yesterday, I got some herbed-whole-wheat pasta from Pastabilities, then sauced it with one of Gnismer's microwaved onions (method detailed here), mooshed up and cooked a bit longer with some olive oil to further caramelize, salt and Parmesan. The onion turned sweet and gooey, contasting nicely with the saltiness, and al dente bite of the pasta. I suppose you could throw in some balsalmic vinegar, but you don't need it. Sided the whole afair with a sweet cantaloupe from one of the dealers under Shed No. 1. Hey, his lemons were four for a dollar. Can't beat that.

Ted Allen on Taste Addison and Top Chef

2008-05-09T17:23:43Z

I had the pleasure of speaking with food and wine expert Ted Allen on Wednesday morning. He was in Puerto Rico where he's filming the final episodes of Top Chef (and trying to squeeze in some vacation time). He discussed his Sunday appearance at Taste Addison and talked a little about what's coming on Top Chef. His not-exactly-a-spoiler: "Whatever you may think or however you might want to handicap it, remember it doesn't matter who the best chef is. There are front-runners in this cast. But it doesn't matter." You can read the rest of my Q&A with him here.

He had a lot to say – as you can imagine if you've seen him on Top Chef, Iron Chef America or Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. And there wasn't enough room in the paper. So I'm sharing some leftovers. Click below to read more about his advice for aspiring oenophiles and his love-hate relationship with his Top Chef blog on BravoTV.com.

]]> Why most of his projects are aimed at wining and dining novices instead of experts

Eating together with family and friends and enjoying a glass of wine with food is such a special thing and it's such a rich part of life and culture that people who just eat to stay alive are missing one of the coolest things about being alive, in my opinion. Also, wine snobs are generally really stuffy and boring. Who wants to hang out with them anyway?

Ted's advice for learning about wine in a friendly, relaxed setting

A really fun thing to do in a very unpretentious way is to go out and buy three different brands of sauvignon blanc or chardonnay or whatever varietal you like and cover up the labels somehow and pour them in three separate glasses for each person and just talk about what you like about it. It's such an affordable, comfortable learning experience that you don't even have to read anything about to do. Or if you want to go deeper go to Discover-Wine.com and see what it has to say about wine tasting events. There are some guides to setting up wine tasting events at your house that are very helpful. If you just do that a couple of times with your friends, you'll learn so much about what you're drinking and what you like.

Why you shouldn't be afraid to ask waiters and sommeliers for advice

Tell your waiter, "See here on the menu, this chicken with olives and tomatoes, I'm going to order that, what wines are going to taste good with that but costs 15 bucks." And go from there. It's their job to work with you on that. And for people in the business, they love to show off their superior knowledge of wine. It's like show and tell. They're not there necessarily to sell you a more expensive bottle. They're supposed to be there to help you out. I think that most waiters aren't snobby. If I ask for help and someone does give me attitude: First of all their tip declines dramatically, and second of all, what kind of loser gets off on humiliating his own customers when your job is to show a great experience? I'm not a master sommelier. I don't know every wine in the world. I don't know Italian wines or Spanish wines that well. If I ask you for help, it's your job to help me.

How he didn't expect the fan reaction to his Top Chef blog

When I first started doing the blog, I was more than anything irritated by how much time it takes. But the main thing you want as a writer is an audience and a reaction. Writing online you can get a reaction that's almost immediate. And then it becomes a two-way conduit of communication that can be really interesting. Some of the people who comment on the Internet are out of their minds and they can be a little on the rude side, but people are really into this show. For good reason. It's an interesting show. And people are passionate about what happens. And sometimes because how editors have to cut and pair it down to 46 minutes of programming things fall through the cracks. Things get confusing about what happened on an episode or why somebody got voted off or somebody won, and I like having the opportunity to explain it in a little more detail, especially if something controversial happened.

This season's cheftestants

It's a great cast. They may be a little less sympathetic than last year. For example, I'm not sure whose going to be named fan favorite. That will be interesting to find out.

Following in Food Roots' slipstream

2008-05-09T17:00:21Z

Slow Foodies and Food Roots combined forces for a "Cheese, Burgers & Viognier" tour recently, visiting three local producers southwest of here. You might not want to make a day of it like they did, but all three are day-trip-friendly. Here's a little taste of the tour, courtesy of Mary Kimbrough, who's got her feet in both camps (Slow Food and Food Roots):

First stop: The Burgundy Boucherie in Grandview, the area's only grass-fed butcher shop, where Jon and Wendy Taggert dry-age, cut, and sell their pasture-raised meats. They also serve burgers made with their beef. Yum.

]]> "Burgundy has a billboard on the side of the road (I-35W) just before the Grandview exit. When you sit at one of the picnic tables in the market to enjoy your burger, you're next to local ranchers, maybe a dedicated foodie on forage, as well as travelers who happened to see the shop's highway sign. Our group filled their stomachs with the great burgers and their ice chests with meat, eggs and produce to take home." The Burgundy Boucherie is open seven days a week.

Next stop: Veldhuizen Famy Farm, north of Dublin, where Stuart and Connie Veldhuizen raise their own cows for raw cow milk cheeses. "Stuart built his own cave on the farm so he could age his cheese and create more distinctive flavors. The group got to sample all the current cheeses and took many home." The Veldhuizens have a country store that's open Monday through Saturday. They invite tours on Saturday or by appointment for a nominal fee, noting that milking takes place at 4:30 p.m. and the cheese-making sked varies. Click here for more info.

Final stop: Brennan Vineyards in Comanche. Owner and winemaker Pat Brennan is a retired physician who told Mary that he's never worked harder in his life. He took the group for a tour of his operation, then through a tasting at the tasting room in Comanche, which is open Wednesday through Sunday.

In case you want to leave the driving to someone else, Food Roots is planning a trip to Greer Farm in East Texas to pick blueberries on June 21. Details should be on their Web site this weekend here, where they've got three Hill Country winery tours posted.

Two-minute family grocery dash

2008-05-09T16:02:03Z

The KLTY-FM (94.9) and Market Street "Two-Minute Family Grocery Dash" will be held at 7 a.m. this Saturday (May 10) at the Market Street in Allen (985 W. Bethany Drive).

Traci Griseta of Terrell; her husband, Tony; son, Colton, 16; and daughter, Emerald, 14 will have two minutes to run through Market Street and grab as many groceries as they can.

Local vegetarian chef starts veggie blog

2008-05-09T15:36:06Z

Jeanette Prasifka is one tall stalk among local rabbit-foodies, thanks to her vegetarian Crosby Catering. Now she's started a blog about things veggie in and around Dallas, from how the French Room accommodated her dietary needs (well, she says, very well) to a romp through master gardener Peter Scharr's fab Southwestern garden with many edible plants. Even if you're not a vegetarian, Jeanette gives insight into how to eat lower on the food chain without giving up any gustatory pleasure. I'm jealous that Peter also cooked for her, by the way, because he's a master cook, too.

Where's the beef at Dallas Farmers Market?

2008-05-09T15:00:03Z

If the Dallas Farmers Market is on your agenda Saturday or Sunday, check out the slightly off-market shop of Pastabilities and Koster Cattle Co. These guys share a space just north of Shed No. 1 (where the farmers are) and next to El Mercado restaurant.

I got a chance to try Mike Koster's ground beef, black Angus that he raises on pasture locally. He's not an organic guy, but he's into his cattle and doing right by them (no feedlots). I made burgers with the beef, whose fat content was high enough to produce outrageously juicy and flavorful patties. Sometimes, you just gotta have it.

But here's the kicker: I've got an elderly cat who's never much interested in food. When I add a little of the leftover drippings to his bowl, he goes crazy on them. So I scraped the skillet clean, and we both enjoyed this local product. Koster also has steaks and such, all USDA choice - another reason to check out the market.

Sip and sup at Bijoux

2008-05-08T23:52:58Z

Bijoux's Italy Tour takes a spin through the Piedmont and Tuscany regions, with experts such as Stefano Chiarlo (oenologist at Piedmont's Michele Chiarlo) on board. The four-course wine dinner highlights seven wines. May 12 at 7 p.m. $145. 214-350-6100 for reservations.

Almost last-minute Mother's Day reservations

2008-05-08T21:38:43Z

Need reservations for Mother's Day? Check out our dining guide. We've got brunch , lunch and dinner options. There are buffets with omelet stations, prix fixe meals with fig-glazed quail salad, bottomless mimosas, frozen Bellinis, sushi, specials for kids, chocolates for mom and more.

Food prices go up, and restaurants swap in cheaper ingredients

2008-05-08T18:40:09Z

It's a matter of survival as customers become more frugal and food gets more expensive. Check out details on how restaurants are getting menu makeovers.

Then tell us, have you seen it happen at restaurants you love?

Coppell FM 'appreciates' its customers

2008-05-08T17:37:27Z

Saturday is Customer Appreciation Day at the Coppell Farmers Market, held in conjunction with the Old Town Coppell Festival, a small-town shindig, fun for a family outing.

The "appreciation" is in the form of a free raffle for prizes provided by the vendors, and burgers and hot dogs fresh off the grill. Kids will enjoy the free pony rides with photographs and a miniature stagecoach ride, plus some Clydesdales, antique tractors and a bluegrass band. The festival also brings out craftpersons, artists and gift vendors.

But you really come to buy the foodstuffs, and Marilyn Horton, the market chair this year, writes that Saturday there will be tomatoes, green beans, zucchini and yellow squash, a few cucumbers, green beans, garlic, new potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, mushrooms, poke sallet, broccoli, lettuces, chard, kale, spinach, collards and turnip greens. "We usually get a few surprises, too," she writes.

Also at the market: cheese, pastured meats, eggs from real free-range hens, seafood from the Gulf, Alaskan wild-caught salmon, honey, jams, fresh pasta, breads, pecans, teas and coffees, homemade soaps and those earthworm casings. And lots of plants: bedding, herbs, veggies, hanging baskets, the works.