Vegan Girl Does Absinthe Lounge for the Holidays

by Melissa Brenner

It’s party season, people! I’ve been to quite a few already, but there are myriad more on the calendar. Problem is none of them have been all vegan. All drinks and no food (celery and carrots on a tray don’t count as alcohol appropriate food, by the way) makes for me needing a ride home.  What are your options for a totally safe for vegan holiday party? Have it at your house or have it at your vegan friend’s house… blah. What if you, like me, prefer to be out and about where all of the fun party energy is flowing? What if you, like me, prefer to leave the set up and clean up to someone else? What if you, like me, prefer your glass items remain intact (unlike the last party at my house)? Here’s your answer: call Miss Lisa Carmen Olson at Absinthe Lounge.

Lisa is the Queen of party planning and always has some great theme that makes the evening even more interesting. Anyone that has attended one of Lisa’s parties knows that nobody leaves without having a good time and making some new friends. Now Lisa is available to plan your party. For your vegan soiree, she’ll take care of all the party details, or just the things you don’t want to deal with, including the vegan catering, theme, decorations and probably even a signature drink for the evening.   Continue reading

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Filed under Bubbles, Crave Girl, fun with food, Melissa Brenner, Nightlife, Party!, Spirits, Vegan Finds, Vegan Girl

Mr G’s in Plano Offering Huge Tasting

by  Monica Rachel

I don’t know how many CraveDFW readers are also avid listeners of The Ticket (1310am), but those who are have probably already heard about a great event coming up this Thursday. While I am a huge fan of Veritas on Henderson and their oft imitated – never duplicated free wine tastings, the event I’m about to tell you about is, in my opinion, one of the best free tasting events in the metroplex. I don’t want to wait until Friday to let people know I was there, that would just be selfish! Here’s the scoop:

Every few months The Ticket’s Hardline (Mike Rhyner and Corby Davidson) broadcast a show live from Mr. G’s Beverage and Deli in Plano. During that broadcast, Mr G’s owner Robert Gartner and his staff pull out all the stops. The fact that this event is free really makes it worth the drive to Plano.   Continue reading

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Filed under beer, Bubbles, Party!, Plano, Wine

Grape’s Brian Luscher Does Cane Rosso

by Steven Doyle

Yesterday we mentioned the celebrity chef night at Il Cane Rosso, the hip Neapolitan pizza hangout in Deep Ellum.  We ventured in the wind and rain to find a great crowd assembled  with its first local celeb chef, Brian Luscher of The Grape fame wielding the peel behind the pizza bar.

Luscher is no noob when it comes to pizza, he had spent many years in his formative years working for Pizza Hut. “This was back in the day when they actually made the dough and the sauce fresh each day,” said Luscher.  “I worked the one of the smaller Pizza Huts in Chicago, but we sold more pizza per square foot than any other in Illinois.”    Continue reading

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Filed under Food Porn Alert, pizza, restaurant news, Steven Doyle

Mason Bar to Open Uptown

by Bryan Coonrod

Opening in January 2012, The Mason Bar is a gastro pub located in an iconic Masonic Lodge in Uptown Dallas. Developed by long-time Dallas entrepreneur Brandt Wood and the McFadden Group of New York City. The Mason Bar will be about enjoying the timeless tradition of food and beverage with friends.

Mason Bar
4701 Guillot St., Dallas

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Filed under Bar Opening, Bryan Coonrod, Uptown

Dallas Farmers Market Friends Hoedown Lowdown

by David Donalson

As I walked into the Food and Fiber Pavilion at Fair Park, my wife looks at me and says “I remember this from last year. Hope this year is just as good.” Last year highlights were Randall Copeland’s AVA and now Left Bank, Matt McCallister (with editor Steven Doyle acting as a sous chef) who was then with Stephen Pyles, and Balcones True Blue corn whiskey from Waco. This year had a lot to live up to.

How can you pass up Mr. Lemley’s tomatoes and other produce? All I know is this guy can grow groceries! We need a moment to savor this food porn.

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Filed under Dallas Farmers Market, David Donalson, Events, Local Produce, Party!

First Look: Campo Open for Biz

Our "head-of-the-class" favorite, the Campo Tripe Salad

by Steven Doyle

If you felt a tremor in the force today you may already know that Campo, the stylish restaurant created by owners  Miguel Vicéns and John Paul Valverde from Coevál Studio, opened their doors to the public.

The restaurant has beautiful fixtures dotting the interior landscape, all designed and hand-crafted in house by the owners.

“We don’t just do design work or architectural work, we concepted this restaurant as one whole thing, even thinking through the menu itself. Everything is related. We used rustic materials in a refined way – clean lines in a design style. We used custom lights that we design and build ourselves. A lot of rustic materials were used in a refined way,” said Vicéns.     Continue reading

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Cane Rosso Celeb Chef Nights

by Steven Doyle

Jay Jerrier has a few friends and they all want to have their hand at making a pizza in his now famous kitchen.  Starting tonight with chef Brian Luscher from The Grape, who seems to have an incredible pizza obsession (that’s a good thing), we will find a whole host of chefs making pies in Cane Rosso’s  red-hot Italian pizza oven.      Continue reading

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Filed under beer, chefs, Crave Girl, Deep Ellum, pizza, restaurant news, Steven Doyle, Stick of Butter

Oak Cliff Cellars Releases Wine at Special Parigi Dinner

by Steven Doyle

Oak Cliff Cellars is the California wine based in Oak Cliff.  Confused? Don’t be.  Many wineries in Texas are using California grapes. In 2007 the owners of Oak Cliff Cellars opened and are a fully-bonded commercial winery, specializing in small lot production of premium Northern California wines with less than a few hundred cases each of our favorite varietals — Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay.

You can find the Oak Cliff label at some pretty special location in DFW including Bolsa, The Grape, The Mansion and Parigi.    Continue reading

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Filed under chefs, Crave, Events, Party!, restaurant news, Steven Doyle, Uptown, Wine