Author Archives: Steven Doyle

by Steven Doyle | December 10, 2012 · 2:51 pm

Q&A With Bowl and Barrel’s Owner Kyle Noonan

by Steven Doyle

Bowl and Barrel opened wide this past week and has already enjoyed a bit of success. The new restaurant implements a small bowling alley to combine the owners love for food and recreation. This fantastic concept is tucked away in a massive space to the rear of The Shops at Park Lane in North Dallas. Conceived and operated by Josh Sepkowitz and Kyle Noonan, both SMU grads, they decided to leave their steady 9 to 5’s to venture into the world of restaurant management.

The team has already experienced some success with many corporate holiday parties booked, the future for Bowl and Barrel seems bright. The pair have also taken duties at the newly re-opened Sunset Lounge on ross Avenue in Dallas as operating managers. Look for a few new concepts that they have rolling around in their heads, but for now enjoy the 15 world class lanes and the restaurant chef-imagined by Sharon Hage.

For more a more in-depth look at Bowl and Barrel jump further for this week’s Q&A where we sat with Kyle Noonan over a few pretty special hot dogs and cold beer. Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under fun with food, Restaurant Opening, Steven Doyle

Tagged as Bowl and Barrel, Bowling, Dallas, Josh Sepkowitz, Kyle Noonan, Restaurant, Sharon Hage, Shops and Park Lane

by Steven Doyle | December 10, 2012 · 12:37 pm

Max’s Wine Dive Brunch For A Quick Hangover Cure

by Steven Doyle

A visit to Max’s Wine Dive will often net you a chance to embrace the inner oenophile, but they also have their bad boy side which serves up some interesting, if not bawdy, menu items. There is certainly that late night rendezvous with fried chicken and Dom Perignon by the glass that gives Max’s a bit of the bad boy impression. But this makes perfect sense; bubbles are meant to make you smile.

Max’s has no pretention of staying classy as evidenced by their over-the-top brunch menu, and we set out to tackle a few of the more interesting items. Continue reading →

74 Comments

Filed under Brunch, Crave, Steven Doyle, Uptown, West Village

Tagged as Brunch, Dallas, MAX's Wine Dive, McKinney Avenue, Trolley, Uptown

by Steven Doyle | December 7, 2012 · 11:04 am

Dosas And Toys This Weekend In Deep Ellum

by Steven Doyle

Last night the Dosa food truck made its debut at the Sprouts on Henderson. I tried the Paper Masala that was filled with potato, and it was the best thing I put in my mouth in a very long time. The very large portioned crepe is crispy and wafer thin, much thinner than the other dosas found on the menu.

The plate comes with a cup of dal soup, or sambar, and also two chutneys. One of the chutneys is a bit spicy, the other is cooler with a hint of coconut. This dosa and its sides are 100% vegan and 100% tasty. Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under Food Truck, Toys for Tots

Tagged as Dallas, Deep Ellum, Dosa, Food Truck, Texas, Toys for Tots

by Steven Doyle | December 7, 2012 · 10:18 am

Elbow Room To Re-Open Mid January

by Steven Doyle

Back in September I reported that the Elbow Room had shuttered. Today I am told that the Elbow Room will re-open with new owners and most likely look and feel exactly the same. Many of the same bartenders and waitresses will join the team. In the past weeks I have run into a few of the alumni working at various bars across Dallas and they loved and miss the venue. Continue reading →

4 Comments

Filed under Bar Opening, beer

Tagged as Bar, Bartender, Dallas, Elbow Room

by Steven Doyle | December 6, 2012 · 3:44 pm

Gin Mill Celebrates the Repeal of Prohibition with a Winter Beer Dinner

gin mill by Melissa Robert

With over 100 chairs filled with anxious patrons, The Gin Mill threw quite a dinner to help locals revel in their food and beer loving ways. The true guests of honor would have to be Franconia and Stone; breweries that is. I was lucky enough to be directed to one of the last parking spots by none other than owner, Peter Kenny. When we got a chance to chat inside, he was excited to be commemorating the one year mark for The Gin Mill, located on Henderson Avenue. Kenny, who also owns Capitol Pub and The Dubliner, has added reason to celebrate given the successful run of 5 and 18 years respectively. Continue reading →

Win This: La Popular Tamale House

tamale by Steven Doyle

La Popular Tamale House located in the Lakewood area and also in Shed 2 at the Dallas Farmers Market has long been praised on craveDFW as one of the best tamales in Dallas. The family owned business opened in 1984 and has been a valued part of the community since. The restaurant is operated by the father and son tag team Jesse Sr. and Jesse Jr. Moreno who both spend time making tamales and giving back to the community through their valued contributions to the city. Continue reading →

37 Comments

Filed under Crave, Free is Fabulous, fun with food, Holiday Fun, Steven Doyle, tamales

Tagged as Dallas, Jesse Moreno, La Popular Tamale House, Lakewood, Peak and Elm, Tamale

by Steven Doyle | December 6, 2012 · 12:08 pm

Chef Ryan Barnett Does Trinity Groves

by Steven Doyle

More attention is being heaped on the Trinity Groves area of West Dallas, you know, the future culinary playground on the west side of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. Today Chef Ryan Barnett announced he will be doing one of his signature pop-up dinners at 3015, the first venue to open at Trinity Groves. The pop-up is planned for December 17, 2012 starting at 7:30pm.

Barnett has a passion for French cuisine and has mentioned that he would like to open his own restaurant in Trinity Groves. We will continue to follow the progress there, but for now it is a pop-up bistro he calls Marche. Continue reading →

The Front Room Hits The Mark

by Steven Doyle

What started on shaky ground has settled into a perfectly fine repast that is at once comforting and refined. The Front Room at the Lumen Hotel, which is located just across Hillcrest from SMU in Park City, recently revealed a new menu created by executive chef Nick Amoriello, and it gave us a smile this week as we dined in the kitchen as invited guests. We dodged a few plates being rushed to tables as we clinked glasses of merlot and feasted away on tiny tastes of the full grown menu.

Here we sampled dishes created as throw backs to more refined diner fare such as shrimp and grits, roasted chicken and steak and eggs. Amoriello gathers up local ingredients from all the correct sources such as Neuske’s bacon which the chef sous vides as a simply wonderful addition to several salads. Continue reading →