Barbecue News

TMBBQ Fest hits the road for first Dallas-area barbecue eat-a-thons

Barbecue enthusiasts won’t need to travel to Austin anymore to get a taste of the famed TMBBQ Festival. Next month TMBBQ Road Trip is heading this way for its first foray into Dallas-Fort Worth, hosting two meaty adventures.

November 1 brings a day-long event with stops at three of the area’s best barbecue joints: Pecan Lodge, Hutchins BBQ and Lockhart Smokehouse in Plano. A 55-passenger motor coach will take guests to all three spots while Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn “will regale guests with behind-the-scenes tales of assembling the magazine’s anointed list of the 50 best barbecue joints in the state, divulge best-kept secrets of the barbecue trade, and disseminate the how-tos of spying (and then savoring) a perfect slice of brisket.”

Tickets for that cost $150, which includes beverages on the bus plus one meal and beverages at each restaurant. Only 21 and up, please.

November 2 is a celebration dubbed “Dia de los Puercos” at Four Corners Brewing Co., where Vaughn will honor whole-hog devotee Samuel Jones of the Skylight Inn in Ayden, North Carolina. The Skylight, which has a simple menu devoted to the appreciation of Eastern-style North Carolina whole-hog pork, has been an institution since 1947 and was honored with the James Beard Foundation’s America’s Classic Restaurant Award.

From 4-6 pm, barbecue fans can devour a signature pork dish from Jones, sides from Jack Perkins’ Slow Bone and desserts from the Swiss Pastry Shop in Fort Worth. There will also be a Q&A between Vaughn and the guest of honor.

Tickets for this hog fest will set you back $65, and that includes a plate of BBQ, sides, dessert and drink tickets. You can buy tickets for the both events on the TMBBQ website.

Texas Monthly BBQ editor Daniel Vaughn hosts the November 1 eat-a-thon, which stops at Lockhart Smokehouse in Plano.

Lockhart Smokehouse

Texas Monthly BBQ editor Daniel Vaughn hosts the November 1 eat-a-thon, which stops at Lockhart Smokehouse in Plano.

unspecified

Sweet spot

Artisanal Venezuelan bakery with French flair rises in north Dallas

Courtesy photo

undefined

A new bakery with Latin roots and European elan has debuted in north Dallas: Called Pan Pa’ Vos, it is a Venezuelan bakery at 3855 Frankford Rd., near the border with Carrollton.

Pan Pa’ Vos (which means “bread for you” in Spanish), features a unique balance of cozy neighborhood bakery and sophisticated French boulangerie.

The shop is from Jaiver Díaz, who first opened the bakery under the same name in 2017, in his hometown of Cabimas, Venezuela. Díaz later sold his shop and moved to Dallas in search of better opportunities. He continued to bake at home in Dallas and sold to neighbors and fellow Venezuelans who knew his brand from back home.

During his delivery rounds, he kept seeing this vacant space on Frankford Road, formerly home to a dry-cleaners, so he decided to open the shop to cater to the growing demand that his home bakery business was no longer able to keep up with.

Pan Pa’ Vos offers a “flour to final product,” which he says are 100 percent artisanal, additive- and preservative-free, never-frozen baked goods.

“This sets us apart,” Díaz says.

The vast menu created by Díaz includes beautiful bicolor croissants in assorted flavors including pistachio, chocolate, dulce de leche, Nutella, and strawberries and cream, for $6. They also have savory croissants such as brisket, chicken, egg, turkey, and pulled pork, for $8.

Other French offerings include mille-feuille and palmiers.

True to their Venezuelan roots, they serve cachitos, a crescent-shaped bread roll filled with ham, ham and bacon, or ham and cream cheese, and an assortment of savory empanadas.

Other popular items include New York rolls, cruffins, and doughnuts, ranging from $3 to $5, and cakes by the slice for $5, or 10-inch cakes for $35.

Pan Pa’ Vos also bakes hamburger and hot dog buns, sourdough bread and French bread for pick up.

The bakery's two-story space is designed in earthy colors for a fresh, comfortable feel, with plenty of tables and booths, and a wide window overlooking the kitchen. They offer a full coffee and tea menu to complement their pastry menu.

“Our concept is relaxing, clean and quiet,” Díaz says. “It is all about order and presentation.”

They are open daily from 7 am-9 pm.

bakeries