by Steven Doyle
Cliff Gonzalez has been on the look out for a new location for some time now since the closing of the iconic Uptown bar The Loon was demolished to make way for what should be the best CVS Pharmacy in the country. Reports of negotiations have taken us across the city with the last sighting on Maple Avenue, very near The Grapevine Bar. Well, we have a very good source that now places the new bar back on McKinney Avenue. Continue reading
Filed under Steven Doyle
by Mike Marrero
Fall has officially arrived and now it is time to start enjoying the great outdoors. A unique opportunity presents itself this weekend at Klyde Warren Park when Veuve Clicquot Champagne House’s vintage mail truck will make two stops in Dallas. This Saturday September 27th between 5pm and 8pm you have the chance to enjoy Veuve Clicquot’s Yellow Label Champagne for $15 per glass, or $75 per bottle if you want to throw the Date Night $100 challenge out the window. The event also features chances to play giant Jenga and Clicquot bottle toss. Continue reading
Filed under Mike Marrero
by Andrew Chalk
Ziziki’s, the popular area place for Greek food has just put three brand new ‘Chef’s Selections’ on its dinner menu – and they are really good. At a recent media event I got to sample them and co-owner (with her husband Costa) Mary Arabatzis even gave me a peek at their significant Greek wine selection.
First of the new triple was Grilled Bronzini ($29), a whole Mediterranean sea bass grilled with a pronounced helping of garlic and served topped with a sauce of chervil, chives and dill. On the side was a mound of slippery orzo ‘risotto’ with the pasta nodules bathed in just enough butter to render forth sweet, creamy flavors. Careful seasoning finished it all off . Chef Costa thoughtfully provides a slice of lemon to squeeze on the fish if you are that way inclined (I was) and there is definitely some of his Sicilian mother’s side speaking through this dish. Continue reading
Filed under Andrew Chalk
by Steven Doyle
The lovely flaky layers of pastry that makes up the original cronut, created and trademarked by chef Dominique Ansel in New York, has taken on many forms since its unveiling in early 2013. There have even been several knock-off versions found locally in Dallas, but nothing exactly amazes like the original. Now fast food giant Jack in the Box is making their own attempt, but calls the pastry a Croissant Donut.
For a mere $1.99 you can order three smallish, freshly fried cronuts that are actually pretty delicious. A single bite is .89 cents. Continue reading
Filed under Steven Doyle
by Jon Daniel
My friend Charles is in his mid-50’s and grew up in Flatbush Brooklyn. You can hear it in his voice. People who are connoisseurs of Brooklyn accents swear they can tell the difference between Flatbush and Bensonhurst, or many of the other neighborhoods in Brooklyn. But this only works when listening to people Charles’ age and older. These communities with specific accents in Brooklyn are largely gone. White flight to the suburbs and the general homogenization of American culture has made regional differences disappear, or even differences between subway lines in New York. But in people like Charles, you can still hear these lost cultures in his voice.
Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely and Butch Hancock were born in the mid 40’s and grew up in Lubbock. You can hear it in their voices. People who are connoisseurs of West Texas accents swear they can tell the difference between Lubbock and Midland. People who are connoisseurs of Texas Music and Texas singer/songwriters can hear the vestiges of a lost culture also. The remoteness that produced so many great Texas artists has disappeared. Texas has transitioned into mostly a suburban state. The homogenization of country music into Nashville pop and Texas music into Pat Green style hyperbole has made regional Texas voices disappear. Continue reading
Filed under Jon Daniel
by Steven Doyle
Oak Cliff continues to expand its restaurant presence with yet another new and interesting choice, VH Casual Dining and Bar, slated to open Wednesday, September 24, 2014. The new spot boasts all the trappings that make up what a current Dallas restaurant should look like, including a large craft beer selection and locally sourced ingredients. Continue reading
Filed under Steven Doyle
by Andrew Chalk photos by by Karen Almond
“Part play, part rock show, part party” was how Director Joel Ferrell described The Rocky Horror Show to me last night after the showing at the Dallas Theater Center (DTC). His production certainly treats Richard O’Brien’s masterpiece as such. There are first-rate musicians belting out the familiar but pleasurable numbers. A strong and enthusiastic cast animating the story. And an engaging and contrived stage design to build it all on. Little wonder that row upon row of the audience were on their feet when Time Warp came around and all the audience interjections familiar to attendees of the film version (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) peppered the dialog as well. Sometimes these were used to good effect, as when an interrupted Riff Raff improvised “as that lady said” to a Frank N. Furter cross examination. Continue reading
Filed under Andrew Chalk
by Steven Doyle
Grab a twenty dollar bill and head out to the Oak Cliff Social Club in Oak Cliff where Lucia’s pair of sous chefs Justin Holt and Mike Gibson will be serving a whole roasted Ossabaw Island Hog along with fresh sausages along with sides and a Lonestar beer. The September 21st event starts at 6:30pm, but you will want to arrive early to ensure that you are not left without pig. Continue reading
Filed under Steven Doyle
