by Steven Doyle
Winemaker Dave Phinney will be on hand for a special dinner at Culpepper in Rockwall January 31, 2013 starting at 7pm. The owner of Orin Swift Cellars has an interesting and storied history and will share his adventures in wine with the crowd. The Culpepper wine dinners always sell out quickly and for very good reason. The winemakers are always top shelf, and Executive Chef Chad Bowden consistently plans for the special occasions. Continue reading
Filed under chefs, Steven Doyle, Wine
by Steven Doyle
Last week I announced that Jeff Harris from Bolsa and Bolsa Mercado would be the guest chef at a dinner at Rockwall’s Restaurant Ava. Ava has long been a favorite restaurant, making farm to table fare way before it was faddish thing to do. For Harris this philosophy seems to be an inherent way to cook as well.
I met Harris several years ago when he was the Chef de Cuisine at Craft. Harris is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York, but was raised in East Texas where his family raises cattle. Harris cut his teeth as a chef using Texas ingredients during his externship at Austin’s Hudson’s on the Bend where they specialize in game. Not long after that he was offered a position back in New York at Tom Colicchio’s Craft as garde manger. Continue reading
Filed under chefs, Steven Doyle, Wine
by Steven Doyle
Jeff Harris, the Executive Chef at Bolsa and Bolsa Mercado, is preparing Sunday night dinner as guest chef with Randall Copeland at Restaurant Ava. Together the chefs will create an incredible evening with this unique seasonal menu that include pickled romanesco, beef belly pastrami and duck confit, among other selections. Continue reading
Filed under chefs
by Steven Doyle
I believe the reason we discuss Rockwall so much on craveDFW is because there are some pretty damned good chefs doing their thing there. The boys from Ava know their meat, as does Edward Grieb from the Fatted Calf, and Chad Bowden who is the head toque at Culpepper’s. This weekend you get to see all these chefs throw down alongside many others at the 4th Annual Rib Rub and Run. We are so big on the running part, but they had us at ribs.
This is a sanctioned BBQ event, which means the winners go to compete nationally. Competitors will be smoking their best pork spare ribs, baby backs and country style ribs as well. Continue reading
Filed under BBQ, Festival, Rockwall, Steven Doyle
by Steven Doyle
Every few months Culpepper’s chef Chad Bowden invites a great winery to stop by for dinner. Of course he invites 50 or 60 of his closest friends to join in on the feast that is expertly paired. Last night was just such an occasion, and the wine of choice was Antinori, one of the oldest wineries in existence that makes some very superb and affordable juice.
The Antinori family of Florence, one of the world’s oldest and most distinguished wine producers, has lived in Tuscany since the 14th century and celebrated its 627th anniversary as wine makers in 2012. The current company president, Marchese Piero Antinori, believes in the tradition that the primary role of wine is to accompany food and enhance the dining experience. In Florence, the Antinori family has led a “Renaissance” in Italian wine making by combining long traditions, a love of authenticity and a dynamic innovative spirit. Continue reading
Filed under chefs, fun with food, Italian, Steven Doyle, Wine
by Steven Doyle
Boulevardier opens its doors to the public tonight with great promise of fantastic French bistro cuisine in the Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff. As previously reported, Boulevardier is owned and operated by the chefs at Restaurant Ava, Randall Copeland and Nathan Tate, as well as wine junkies and owners of Veritas Wine Room, Brooks and Bradley Anderson.
The kitchen staff will include chef Tate along with Ava chef de cuisine and Charlie Palmer alumni Taylor Kearney. Eddie Eakin will be mixing it up behind the bar with some terrific cocktails. Continue reading
Filed under Crave, restaurant news, Restaurant Opening, Steven Doyle
by Steven Doyle
There are two very special dinners this week that will be sure to cool you off from the blazing heat we are suffering through this summer and we wish to share these with you.
Just weeks ago we were first on the scene to announce the latest chef to hit the underground scene. Chef Ryan Barnett has a few seats left tomorrow (Thursday, July 26) where he will treat guests to a 4-course dinner at My Private Chef in Deep Ellum. Continue reading
Filed under Ali Morgan, Rockwall
by Steven Doyle
I was at a dinner party earlier this week and the subject of burgers hit the table. This was when I noticed the couple sitting across from me grab their cell phones to take notes.
I mentioned that I conducted a burger tour in Dallas and hit some pretty awesome spots. They wanted details. I told them Rockwall seemed to be the home of some tremendous burgers. My little tour started in Rockwall at Boots Burger, the odd burger Mecca that is run out of a home in a residential neighborhood since 1968. I stated that while you order from a walk up window, the neighbors are going about their business in a nonchalant manner; mowing their laws and trimming hedges, while young children dance about in a sprinkler. It’s an awesome burger for less than three bucks. Continue reading
Filed under Bacon, Beef, beer, Burgers, Crave, restaurant news, Rockwall, Steven Doyle
