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      <title>EATS</title>
      <link>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/</link>
      <description>Savoring the Best of Dining, Drinking and Shopping</description>
      <language>en</language>
      <copyright>Copyright 2009</copyright>
      <lastBuildDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:24:14 -0600</lastBuildDate>
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      <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs> 

      
      <item>
         <title>The last 50 things servers should never do</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><strong>Bruce Buschel</strong> posted Part 2 of his list <a href="http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/one-hundred-things-restaurant-staffers-should-never-do-part-2/">100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do</a> in his Start-Up Chronicle at the New York Times "You're the Boss" blog. My favorites:</p>

<p>62. Do not fill the water glass every two minutes, or after each sip. You'll make people nervous.</p>

<p>74. Let the guests know the restaurant is out of something before the guests read the menu and order the missing dish.</p>

<p>83. Ask if your guest wants his coffee with dessert or after. Same with an after-dinner drink.</p>

<p>Buschel, who is starting up a seafood restaurant in Bridgehampton, NY, is one smart cookie. Which ones speak to you?</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/the-last-50-things-servers-sho.html</link>
         <guid>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/the-last-50-things-servers-sho.html</guid>
         <category>Dining Talk</category>
         <pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:24:14 -0600</pubDate>
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         <title>The Back Story: Stephan Pyles</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2009/11/NG_29pyles1_144698-62048.html" onclick="window.open('http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2009/11/NG_29pyles1_144698-62048.html','popup','width=512,height=357,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false"><img src="http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2009/11/NG_29pyles1_144698-thumb-200x139-62048.jpg" width="200" height="139" alt="NG_29pyles1_144698.JPG" class="mt-image-right" style="float: right; margin: 0 0 20px 20px;" /></a></span>Today I'd like to step back and answer some of the questions that have been raised by readers commenting online about  my <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN-pyles_1106gui.State.Edition1.2e061f0.html">review of Stephan Pyles</a>. </p>

<p>First, I'd like to make one point very clear: I alone determine the star rating, just as <strong>Kim Pierce</strong> and <strong>Mark Vamos</strong> determine the star ratings for the secondary reviews on their own. More on that shortly. Second, one commenter referred to a five-star review I gave <strong>Wolfgang Puck</strong>'s restaurant <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/restaurants/reviews/stories/fivesixty.b6e59345.html">Five Sixty</a>. That commenter is mistaken: I gave Five Sixty four stars.</p>

<p>A number of readers have expressed confusion about the star rating--four--I assigned Stephan Pyles. Some readers seem to feel the restaurant should have gotten a five, others insist that based on what I wrote it deserved a three. In a way it's not surprising -- the restaurant is inconsistent. Some commenters expressed the opinion that anyplace that inconsistent deserves no more than a three.  </p>

<p>Here's why I couldn't possibly give Stephan Pyles a three: Many of the dishes I've sampled at the restaurant are absolutely among the best I've had in Dallas. </p>]]></description>
         <link>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/the-back-story-stephan-pyles.html</link>
         <guid>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/the-back-story-stephan-pyles.html</guid>
         <category>Dining Talk</category>
         <pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:15:20 -0600</pubDate>
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         <title>Wow factor: Four Seasons Market Saturday</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>I don't know about you, but I plan to make it out to Firewheel Town Center Saturday for the inaugural <strong>Four Seasons Market</strong>. </p>

<p>The list of local vendors as of today (which includes more than food purveyors) numbers 48, including <strong>Cane Rosso</strong> with the rolling authentic pizza oven, the <strong>Tamale Co., Romance for Two</strong> (prepared foods), <strong>Chapman's Chili Kitchen </strong>and a bunch of others bringing prepared foods, artisanal jarred goods, baked goods, cakes, pastries, honey and more. </p>

<p>Bringing in local vegetables:<strong> Kitchen Pride Mushroom Farms</strong> (mushrooms are a fall crop), <strong>Sachse Heritage Farms, the Joy Farm</strong> and <strong>Truth Hill Farms</strong>. Pastured meats will be provided by <strong>Sloans Creek Heritage Meat</strong> and <strong>JuHa Ranch. Lucky Layla Farms</strong> brings farm-fresh dairy goods, and <strong>Calais Winery</strong> from Deep Ellum will be there with wine. </p>

<p>Plus, chef <strong>David Gilbert</strong> is going to do a "how to shop in a farmers market" tour at 10 a.m. and then throw together a meal out of what's available at the market on a grill, according to Brian Cummings, our <a href="http://www.eatgreendfw.com">EatGreenDFW</a> guy who's also doing PR for the Four Seasons Market.  </p>

<p>The market is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.If you're coming to shop, come early. You can also keep up with the market's doings, including a list of vendors for the coming week at the newly completed Web site. <a href="http://www.fourseasonsmarkets.com">www.fourseasonsmarkets.com</a>. <br />
<strong><br />
Update:</strong> Organizer Vincent Hirth says it will be more like 38 vendors this week because some of the folks listed didn't get their paperwork finished. He does expect 50 vendors the following week.   </p>]]></description>
         <link>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/wow-factor-four-seasons-market.html</link>
         <guid>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/wow-factor-four-seasons-market.html</guid>
         <category>Texas Foods</category>
         <pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:33:07 -0600</pubDate>
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         <title>Gary and Nancy Krabill dry-age their own beef</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><strong>Gary</strong> and <strong>Nancy Krabill</strong>, owners of <strong>Flavors From Afar</strong>, describe the difference between dry-aging and wet-aging beef in their latest <a href="http://www.flavorsfromafar.com/blogfromafar/?p=253">blog post here</a>, as well as how they dry-age their own beef.</p>

<p>I haven't checked with the food safety police, but I think the key to success is making sure your refrigerator goes down to 40 F and cutting off the outside stuff once the aging is finished. If there's a butcher in the house who wants to weigh in, that'd be great. </p>

<p>In addition, Sarah Fioroni will demonstrate pasta-making, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 14 at the Snider Plaza store. The Krabills visit her family's farm, <a href="http://www.fattoriapoggioalloro.com/">Fattoria Poggio Alloro</a> near San Gimignano, when they lead trips to Italy. </p>]]></description>
         <link>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/gary-and-nancy-krabill-dry-age.html</link>
         <guid>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/gary-and-nancy-krabill-dry-age.html</guid>
         <category>Events</category>
         <pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:40:12 -0600</pubDate>
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         <title>Something&apos;s rotten in Pearland</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>The only good thing about the incident <strong>Robb Walsh</strong> reports in his current <a href="http://www.houstonpress.com/2009-11-05/restaurants/looking-for-a-bull-market/">Houston Press dining review</a> is this: It's significant because it happens so rarely. </p>

<p>You have dig deep, all the way over into the jump. But there it is, at the bottom of the review. At <a href="http://www.killenssteakhouse.com/">Killen's Steakhouse</a> in Pearland, Walsh was served a piece of putrid (as in bad, bad, gone bad, stinky bad) steak. Read about it <a href="http://www.houstonpress.com/2009-11-05/restaurants/looking-for-a-bull-market/1">here</a>.     </p>]]></description>
         <link>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/somethings-rotten-in-pearland.html</link>
         <guid>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/somethings-rotten-in-pearland.html</guid>
         <category>Dining Talk</category>
         <pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:09:37 -0600</pubDate>
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         <title>New reviews: Stephan Pyles, Sichuanese Cuisine</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><img alt="Butter poached lobster and short rib Napoleon with apple-fennel slaw, parsnip-yucca puree and smoked plum sauce" width="225" src="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/11-09/1105entpyles.jpg" align="right"/><br />
This week's review takes us to Stephan Pyles and Sichuanese Cuisine.</p>

<p><b>Stephan Pyles</b> <img src="http://www.dallasnews.com/images/guidelive/listings/stars-four.jpg" /> <br />
&#149; <a target="new" href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN-pyles_1106gui.State.Edition1.2e061f0.html">Read and comment on the review</a><br />
&#149; <a target="new" href="http://listings.guidelive.com/dallas-tx/venues/show/54879-stephan-pyles">Leave your own review of Stephan Pyles</a></p>

<p><b>Sichuanese Cuisine</b> <img src="http://www.dallasnews.com/images/guidelive/listings/stars-three.jpg" /> <br />
&#149; <a target="new" href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/restaurants/reviews/stories/DN-sichuanese_1106gui.State.Edition1.2e15025.html">Read and comment on the review</a><br />
&#149; <a target="new" href="http://listings.guidelive.com/plano-tx/venues/show/1178683-sichuanese-cuisine">Leave your own review of Sichuanese Cuisine</a></p>]]></description>
         <link>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/new-reviews-stephan-pyles-sich.html</link>
         <guid>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/new-reviews-stephan-pyles-sich.html</guid>
         <category>Restaurant Reviews</category>
         <pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:16:35 -0600</pubDate>
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         <title>Thrive failed to thrive</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>I know this will come as a terrible shock, but <a href="http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/10/thrive-the-restaurant.html">Thrive,</a> the seven-seconds old concept in the opulent room at the <strong>Downtown Dallas Crowne Plaza Hotel </strong>that was first supposed to be the opulent restuarant 1015 Elm, is not destined to thrive. It has instead withered on the proverbial vine. In its place will spring up, if things go as planned, a (drumroll, please.)...sports bar! "It's more fitting for the downtown clientele and the guests of the hotel," explains publicist <strong>Jeffrey Yarbrough</strong>. </p>

<p>The as-yet unnamed sports bar is projected to open in two weeks. But will it be opulent?</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/thrive-failed-to-thrive.html</link>
         <guid>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/thrive-failed-to-thrive.html</guid>
         <category>Restaurant News</category>
         <pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:18:24 -0600</pubDate>
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         <title>Meet &apos;n&apos; greet at Dallas Farmers Market Hoedown </title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>The <strong>Dallas Farmers Market Friend</strong>s hosts its <strong>15th Annual Hoedown</strong> Thursday in the Food & Fiber Pavilion at Fair Park. It's a fund-raiser for the group, which does things like bring us the popular chefs cooking classes. </p>

<p>Lots of vendors and artisanal producers will be on hand giving out samples, and Dallas wineries will be pouring the wine. The event is also supported by the Texas Department of Agriculture "Go Texan" program, so a lot of those products will be on display, too. </p>

<p>Last year, I got to sample<strong> JuHa Ranch</strong>'s terrific por-go (pork-and-goat) sausage, goodies from <strong>Kozy Kitchen</strong>, a host of salsas, steak, veggie fare - and of course now I can't recall all the producers, which included several local restaurants. But the eating was good, and the company was even better.   </p>

<p>The pavilion street address is 1233 S. Washington, but it's easier to locate with a map of the grounds <a href="http://www.bigtex.com/docs/StateFairofTexas2009Map.pdf">here</a>. Time is 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday. Admission is $40; get your tickets online at <a href="http://www.dfmfriends.org">www.dfmfriends.org</a>.    </p>]]></description>
         <link>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/meet-n-greet-at-dallas-farmers.html</link>
         <guid>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/meet-n-greet-at-dallas-farmers.html</guid>
         <category>Events</category>
         <pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:02:07 -0600</pubDate>
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         <title>&apos;Chez Pim&apos; blog foodie on KERA at 1 p.m.</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>Tune in to <strong>Krys Boyd</strong> and "Think" at <strike>noon</strike> 1 p.m. on KERA-FM (90.1)  to hear an interview with <strong>Pim Techamuanvivit</strong>, who's just written a new book called <em><strong>The Foodie Handbook: The (Almost) Definitive Guide to Gastronomy</strong></em>. Pim writes the popular <a href="http://www.chezpim.com">Chez Pim food blog</a>, and I love this description of the book in part from Amazon:  </p>

<p>"Food lovers everywhere will relish Pim's sage advice, including tips on outsnobbing the staff of a Michelin three-star restaurant, preparing simple but intensely flavored dishes at home, and eating street food in any city in the world." </p>

<p>This, to go along with her "tips, secrets, anecdotes and recipes" from chefs around the world. Sounds delish, like her blog. <br />
 <strike></strike></p>]]></description>
         <link>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/chez-pim-blog-foodie-on-kera-a.html</link>
         <guid>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/chez-pim-blog-foodie-on-kera-a.html</guid>
         <category>Events</category>
         <pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:33:30 -0600</pubDate>
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         <title>Bruno Davaillon has the run of the Mansion</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2009/11/Chef Bruno Davaillon, The Mansion Restaurant-61719.html" onclick="window.open('http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2009/11/Chef Bruno Davaillon, The Mansion Restaurant-61719.html','popup','width=2590,height=3888,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false"><img src="http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2009/11/Chef Bruno Davaillon, The Mansion Restaurant-thumb-200x300-61719.jpg" width="200" height="300" alt="Chef Bruno Davaillon, The Mansion Restaurant.jpg" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></a></span>He's here! And so is the shrimp cocktail with horseradish panna cotta and spicy tomato syrup that <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/columnists/criticsnotebook/stories/DN-davaillon_1004gd.State.Edition1.15f5bac.html">he was doing at Alain Ducasse's Mix</a> in Las Vegas. </p>

<p>All of which is to say that <strong>The Restaurant at the Mansion</strong> has its new chef, <strong>Bruno Davaillon,</strong> who will introduce his new menu tonight. It looks very promising, French with a hint of a Texas twang. To wit: tartare of spicy ahi tuna and hamachi with yuzu vinaigrette and jalapeno; seared Hudson Valley foie gras with roasted Texas red pear, cornbread and coriander honey; Maine lobster and crispy sweetbreads with corn puree, yellow beets and sunchokes; bison tenderloin au poivre with autumn vegetable fricassee. And yes, the Mansion's tortilla soup. </p>

<p>"I feel you should be able to taste every ingredient in a dish," Davaillon is quoted as saying in the press release. "Food should not be complicated or make someone guess what they're eating." The release also says that Davaillon's new lunch menu will be introduced next month.</p>

<p>Oh la la, y'all.</p>

<p><em>Photo courtesy of Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek</em></p>]]></description>
         <link>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/bruno-davaillon-has-the-run-of.html</link>
         <guid>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/bruno-davaillon-has-the-run-of.html</guid>
         <category>Restaurant News</category>
         <pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:37:08 -0600</pubDate>
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         <title>Lunching with Lidia Bastianich</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2009/11/fois gras cotton candy-61688.html" onclick="window.open('http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2009/11/fois gras cotton candy-61688.html','popup','width=255,height=325,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false"><img src="http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2009/11/fois gras cotton candy-thumb-329x444-61688.jpg" width="255" height="325" alt="fois gras cotton candy.JPG" class="mt-image-right" style="float: right; margin: 0 0 20px 20px;" /></a></span>Italian restaurateur, author, food TV star and all-around Italian authority <strong>Lidia Bastianich </strong>blew through Dallas yesterday, starting with morning television appearances, and I'm not sure where she ended up after a book-signing at Central Market. </p>

<p>Midway through her day, she lunched at <strong>Stephan Pyles </strong>with a handful of local chefs, foodies and friends - including  <strong>Sharon Hage </strong>(York Street), <strong>Julian Barsotti</strong> (Nonna), <strong>Paula Lambert</strong> (Mozzarella Co.), <strong>Michael Westphal</strong> (personal chef), Italian Wine Guy (blogger) and of course Stephan. Like the others at the table, I was an invited guest. </p>

<p>We were there learn more about Bastianich wines, but the highlights for me were a cotton-candy amuse bouche (pictured) that really did thrill and surprise our palates and getting to listen in on a mini-mentoring session with Barsotti.   </p>]]></description>
         <link>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/lunching-with-lidia-bastianich.html</link>
         <guid>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/lunching-with-lidia-bastianich.html</guid>
         <category>Dining Talk</category>
         <pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:48:26 -0600</pubDate>
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         <title>Endangered species: the anonymous critic</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><strong>Houston Press restaurant critic Robb Walsh </strong>dropped a bombshell today when he <a href="http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2009/11/robb_walsh_anonymity.php">announced in a blog post</a> that he has <strong>ditched his disguises forever</strong>. "So long, anonymity," he writes, "--it's been swell." </p>

<p>Ever since it was announced that <strong>Frank Bruni</strong>, the New York Times' last restaurant critic, was leaving the post, the demise of the anonymous critic has been the talk of the food blogosphere. Bruni seemed to start the discussion, saying in interviews that although he always visited restaurants incognito, he was often recognized, and what he felt was important was arriving unannounced (making reservations using aliases) so chefs didn't have time to arrange anything special in advance. But I couldn't help but wonder -- since Bruni <em>did </em>always at least attempt anonymity -- whether the whole subject had to do more than anything with the fact that <strong>Sam Sifton</strong>, the Times' new critic, is so well-known and recognized in New York. Suddenly, with the Internet to blame, "the ethical guidelines shifted," as Walsh concludes. "Thanks to cell phone cameras and Google, anonymity just isn't possible anymore," he writes. </p>

<p>Well, I disagree. </p>]]></description>
         <link>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/endangered-species-the-anonymous-critic.html</link>
         <guid>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/endangered-species-the-anonymous-critic.html</guid>
         <category>Dining Talk</category>
         <pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:52:14 -0600</pubDate>
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         <title>Kudos for Celebration </title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2009/11/NB_15Celebration_60761-61588.html" onclick="window.open('http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2009/11/NB_15Celebration_60761-61588.html','popup','width=512,height=342,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false"><img src="http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2009/11/NB_15Celebration_60761-thumb-200x133-61588.jpg" width="200" height="133" alt="NB_15Celebration_60761.JPG" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></a></span>Southern Living magazine just named Celebration restaurant one of the <a href="http://www.southernliving.com/travel/southern-diner-restaurants-00400000058329/">best diners in the south.</a> It singled out the Lover's Lane spot for its mashed potatoes and for Elizabeth's Southwest Cornbread, for which it gives the <a href="http://www.southernliving.com/travel/southern-diner-restaurants-00400000058329/page9.html">recipe</a>. (Cool!)</p>

<p>Lots more fun finds there -- check it out. Have you been to any of them? What was great?</p>

<p><em>2003 photograph of Celebration by Tom Fox/DMN</em></p>]]></description>
         <link>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/kudos-for-celebration.html</link>
         <guid>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/kudos-for-celebration.html</guid>
         <category></category>
         <pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:15:08 -0600</pubDate>
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         <title>The Back Story: Hacienda on Henderson</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2009/11/NG_22hacienda06-61585.html" onclick="window.open('http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2009/11/NG_22hacienda06-61585.html','popup','width=369,height=512,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false"><img src="http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2009/11/NG_22hacienda06-thumb-200x277-61585.jpg" width="200" height="277" alt="NG_22hacienda06.JPG" class="mt-image-right" style="float: right; margin: 0 0 20px 20px;" /></a></span>Better late than never, right? Sorry for the delay.</p>

<p>At <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/restaurants/reviews/stories/DN-hacienda_1030gui.State.Edition1.11eb730.html">Hacienda on Henderson</a>, one of the things that baffled me was that at a place whose appeal is largely as a watering hole, the drinks wouldn't be better. </p>

<p>On my first visit, I ordered the <strong>house margarita</strong> on the rocks with salt. I liked the fact that it wasn't one of those very tall, weak margaritas, but I changed my mind about that once I tasted it: That sticky-sweet margarita mix is awful. There wasn't enough ice, and, as with every margarita I tasted there, just a few grains of salt. (What's so hard about putting salt on the rim of the glass, I ask you?) After tasting the <strong>Senor Martini</strong> -- not a martini at all, but Hacienda's "specialty top shelf" margarita with Cazadores reposado tequila chilled, shaken and topped with a jalapeno-stuffed olive, and served in a plastic shaker, I switched to beer.</p>

<p>Next time I ordered the <strong>Haci Jalarita</strong>, "not too sweet." This was a margarita, upgraded with the Cazadores reposado instead of Milagro silver, and with jalapeño and lime muddled with Cointreau. It wasn't any better than the house margarita or the Senor Martini, as the flavors (including that nice tequila) were drowned out by that awful sour mix. Instead of mixing it differently than usual, the "not too sweet" request was met by sticking six limes instead of one on the rim. I squeezed all of them in, but it didn't help much. What a waste of good tequila. And again, I switched to beer.</p>

<p>Too bad, because if the cocktails were good, it would be nice to sit on that lovely patio sipping a margarita and munching on chips and salsa while the band played... </p>

<p>Which begs the question: <strong>What's your favorite patio for sipping good margaritas and munching chips and salsa?</strong></p>

<p><em>Photo of Hacienda's house frozen margarita with a shot of strawberry-infused tequila by Courtney Perry/DMN</em><br />
</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/the-back-story-hacienda-on-hen.html</link>
         <guid>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/the-back-story-hacienda-on-hen.html</guid>
         <category>Dining Talk</category>
         <pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:37:29 -0600</pubDate>
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      <item>
         <title>50 more &quot;don&apos;ts&quot; for restaurant staff</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>Thank you to Kim Pierce for her post about Bruce Buschel's NY Times Start-Up Chronicle piece, "<a href="http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/one-hundred-things-restaurant-staffers-should-never-do-part-one/?em">One Hundred Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do, Part I.</a>"</p>

<p>Buschel promises Part II next week, but in the meantime, let's do our own Part II.</p>

<p>Part I is focused on servers themselves -- I wonder whether Part II will include more about reservationists, hosts/hostesses, maitre d's, sommeliers, busboys, runners, bartenders, etc. </p>

<p>So...read Part I. Then tell us what you'd include in Part II. </p>

<p>I'd add these:</p>

<p>--<strong>Never remove a wine glass when there's a sip left in it.</strong><br />
--<strong>Never imply that diners are gluttons if they order dessert. (Never say something like "I'm sure you don't want dessert after all you've eaten.")</strong><br />
--<strong>When bottled water is ordered, never pour another bottle without asking.</strong><br />
--<strong>If a diner is enjoying a drink at the bar before being seated, never refuse to add their bar bill to their dinner check.</strong></p>

<p>Your turn!</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/50-more-donts-for-restaurant-s.html</link>
         <guid>http://eatsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/50-more-donts-for-restaurant-s.html</guid>
         <category>Dining Talk</category>
         <pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:19:36 -0600</pubDate>
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