Category Archives: Rod Orta

by | November 27, 2012 · 8:45 am

Brunch Files: Acme F&B

by Steven Doyle        photos by Rod Orta

Yesterday our new contributor Melissa Robert extolled the virtues of her most recent visit to Acme F&B. It was fairly obvious that she enjoyed the work of Chef Norman Grimm who has a spectacular background. Grimm graduated from the New England Culinary Institute, the same school and class as Food Network’s Alton Brown and Dallas chef Abraham Salum.

Grimm, who began his career at Rubicon and Jardiniere, working for Traci Des Jardins in the mid-to-late 90’s, eventually made his way to Dallas in 2002.  After opening The Mercury, he went on to work with Sharon Hage, at York Street.    Continue reading →

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Filed under Bourbon, Brunch, chefs, restaurant news, Rod Orta, Steven Doyle

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by | July 26, 2012 · 4:20 pm

William Grant & Sons Wows with Birthday Bash at Tales

by Steven Lindsey   Photos by Rodrigo Orta

Every year at Tales of the Cocktail, William Grant & Sons unleashes their vast portfolio of great liquor brands at parties with fanfare like no other. At tonight’s party at the New Orleans Museum of Art, they pulled out all the stops in celebration of the tenth birthday of Tales.                 Continue reading →

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Filed under Cocktails, New Orleans, Rod Orta, Steven Lindsey, Tales of the Cocktail

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by | July 26, 2012 · 3:32 pm

Dallas Bartenders Descend Upon Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans

By Steven Lindsey     Photos by Rodrigo Orta

Yesterday, Big D came to the Big Easy. In a big way. The Texas Cocktail Coalition and Private Social presented Come And Get It! Cocktails Texas Style!, one of the most popular tasting rooms of the day. There, Dallas’ best and liveliest bartenders mixed it up behind the bar and all around the room.           Continue reading →

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Filed under Bartenders, Cocktails, Crave, Rod Orta, Steven Lindsey, Tales of the Cocktail

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by | November 6, 2011 · 9:53 am

Bloody Good Brunch: Bistro 31

by Steven Lindsey    photos by Rob Orta

In the trailer for Paranormal Activity 3, the young girls whose house is haunted are seen in front of the bathroom mirror chanting, “Bloody Mary! Bloody Mary! Bloody Mary!”—all in the hopes of conjuring up a spirit.

I also chant “Bloody Mary!” multiple times, hoping for a different kind of spirit to appear from thin air. It’s a technique that rarely works unless I’m standing in front of a bar. Yet when I proclaimed this mantra at Bistro 31, I had a truly otherworldly Bloody Mary that made me a believer in not just the supernatural, but the immense skill of GM and mixologist extraordinaire, Marcus Cascio.                                          Continue reading →

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Filed under Brunch, Cocktails, Highland Park Village, Rod Orta, Steven Lindsey, Sunday Brunch, therapy, Weekend Fun

by | August 23, 2011 · 11:22 am

Baboush for Carnivores

by Steven Lindsey    photos by Rod Orta               

A couple weeks ago, Vegan Girl got my taste buds a-tingling with her review of Baboush, the new Moroccan & Eastern Mediterranean restaurant in West Village. Everything sounded so fresh and delicious that I had to try it for myself, but also venture into territory that might make Vegan Girl hate me—the meaty side of the menu.

First of all, the tiny space accomplishes exactly what owners Sam and Yaser intended: to create a bit of what they call “Arabian Nights” romance in the heart of Dallas. Face away from the windows and all the shirtless frat boys heading out for their evening run and look toward the bar, and it truly does feel like you’re in a different world. Stunning fabrics adorn the walls, ornate tufted stools surround the center tables, and gorgeous lanterns hang from overhead.

The soundtrack of Moroccan and Eastern Mediterranean tunes is a nice touch, especially when a cover of R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” wafts softly from the speakers with an unexpected sitar accompaniment. Very nice indeed.     Continue reading →

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Filed under chefs, Cocktails, Food Porn Alert, McKinney Avenue, Rod Orta, Steven Lindsey, Uptown

by | July 23, 2011 · 2:04 pm

Tales of the Cocktail: Gettin’ Tipsy with It

by Steven Lindsey   photos by Rod Orta

Friday was the first day our team of professional drinkers hit the wall. As in stumbled into it walking down the hall from one of the many tasting rooms. With literally hundreds of cocktails to try, even a sip or two of each is enough to view the world at a consistent 45-degree angle.  Nothing a short nap and a long visit to one of the many Hydration Stations won’t fix. Following are some pics from the last couple of days of Tales. And we’ve heard, they save the best for last. Cheers!

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Filed under Bacon, Burlesque, Cocktails, Crave, Events, Nightlife, Party!, Rod Orta, Steven Lindsey, Tales of the Cocktail, Travel

by | July 22, 2011 · 2:29 pm

Tales of the Cocktail: First Impressions

by Steven Lindsey   photos by Rod Orta

For anyone who loves to drink, Tales of the Cocktail is like an amusement park. We think we’ll call it Boozeneyland. Every minute of every day, there’s something new to discover and we can’t wait to tell you all about everything in detail (which will be in the coming days as there’s not much time to write between sips.)  Continue reading →

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Filed under beer, Cocktails, Crave, New Orleans, nipple clamps, Party!, Rod Orta, Steven Lindsey, Tales of the Cocktail, Travel