Tasting Notes

Dallas-Fort Worth foodies toast best of the best at annual Tastemaker Awards

Last night was an evening of feasting and toasting, as hundreds of hungry fans streamed into Sixty Five Hundred for the fourth annual CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, the grand finale of our annual program celebrating the best in local food and drink. We honored nominees in all categories of food and beverage, from best chefs to the best restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth.

This year’s event featured tasty bites from 30(!) area restaurants, showcasing the best in local dining right now. Sample bites included Kung Pao Lobster Rolls from Nick & Sam’s Steakhouse; Love Me Tenders (peanut butter and jelly fried chicken on a bed of cheesy grits) from Dot’s Hop House and Cocktail Courtyard; sriracha-spiked deviled eggs and smoked and fried Chicken Lollipop drumsticks from Street’s Fine Chicken; and confit quail over strawberry-rhubarb jam and goat cheese grit cake from Grayson Social. Is your mouth watering yet?

On the cocktail front, guests had their choice of beer (courtesy of Deep Ellum Brewing, 11 Below Brewing, and Alaskan Brewing Company); wine from Sonoma Cutrer; or five signature cocktails, including a Woodford Rye Old Fashioned with Woodford Reserve rye, vanilla syrup, and Woodford Reserve barrel-aged spiced cherry bitters, and the Texas Mule with Finlandia vodka, Topo Chico, lemon juice, and Liber & Co.’s fiery ginger syrup and Texas grapefruit shrub.

Meanwhile, Bartender of the Year nominees Eddie “Lucky” Campbell, Kyle Hilla, and Michael Martenson mixed up original cocktail samples in the Bartender Showcase, where attendees showed their love by voting for their favorite libations with golden coins.

Between mixing, mingling, and noshing, guests were pampered with manicures by MiniLuxe before heading over to strike a pose at the zany SmileBooth. Those with a sweet tooth satisfied their cravings with freshly made (or should we say spun?) cotton candy by Cottonsmith, as well as treats by Sprinkles and Sugarfina. Ice cream lovers couldn’t help but rave about the The Joule’s dark chocolate hazelnut soft-serve ice cream with olive oil and a candied baguette.

Nominees received the star treatment at the Korbel Lounge, where celebratory glasses of champagne and swag bags filled with everything from Jack Black skincare to Krave jewelry and gift cards from Uchi, Top Knot, Soul Cycle, and more were on offer.

But this party wasn't just about the eating and drinking — we had some awards to present. Celebrity chef emcee Tim Love revealed this year's winners to an enthusiastic crowd, who cheered on both Fort Worth and Dallas entrants alike. Special thanks to judges Alison Morse, Amy and Andrew Savoie, Chad Solomon and Christy Pope, Lindsey and Jacob Sloan, Jeffrey Gregory, John Tesar, Kirstyn Brewer, Kyle Hilla, Ladd Biro, Malcolm Mayhew, Marlene Duke, Nick Rallo, and Tim Love, who helped us determine who would take home the titles.

Spotted in the crowd were Daniel Forsythe, Martin Arista, Lauren Clapper, Nick Fragnito, Marcus Eerndt, Nicole Sanderson, Vodi Cook, Christina Thompson, Trinda Wood, Linda Snorina, Rosa Williams, Todd Howard, Melissa Becker, Travis Lyon, and Hailey Finucane.

Ten percent of ticket sales from the event are being donated to Trigger's Toys, which is dedicated to reducing the financial and emotional stress on chronically ill children and their families.

Now go read about all the winners, and we'll see you next year.

Neil Atlin, Kristen Bell

Photo by WJNPHOTO

Neil Atlin, Kristen Bell

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Bowls News

Sassy restaurant Packin' Bowls gives Dallas' Sylvan Thirty healthy eats

Packin' Bowls

A healthy bowl concept has made its debut at Sylvan Thirty in West Dallas: Called Packin’ Bowls, it's now open at 1868 Sylvan Ave. #D150, in the former Shayna's Place space near Cibo Divino, Ten Ramen, and Houndstooth Coffee, where it's doing chef-crafted healthy bowls in an array of global flavors.

The restaurant is from Michael Youssef and Sam Kaiser, a congenial pair of restaurant industry veterans with entrepreneurial ambitions who first test-marketed the concept in a ghost kitchen before launching it into the big time.

Youssef and Kaiser met when they worked together at the Hilton Anatole. Youssef was Executive Banquet Chef and Kaiser was Senior Front of House Manager.

During COVID, they were furloughed and in 2021 decided to combine their complimentary skills — Youssef covering the kitchen, Kaiser the front of the house — by opening Furlough Brothers, a cleverly titled sandwich shop specializing in cheesesteaks, which they operated out of the popular Commerce Fork Food Co. ghost kitchen at 921 Commerce St.

But for their own lunch, they would bring rice, veggies, and proteins, and that inspired the idea of Packin’ Bowls. They launched the concept at the same ghost kitchen adjacent to their sandwich shop, where they've built a following over the past four years.

When it was time to open a brick-and-mortar shop, they were thrilled at the opportunity to open at Sylvan Thirty, two miles away.

"We felt it was perfect because we get to serve the same people that have been supporting us throughout the years," Youssef says.

They had to add a full kitchen — Shayna's did cold sandwiches only. There is also a comfortable dining room with tables & chairs, benches, and a bar, although they do not serve alcohol.

Their menu features eight chef-crafted bowls with sassy titles, similar to the sass in Packin', including:

Dank steak: Strip steak, fried onions, tomatoes, bacon, bell peppers, jalapeños, and blue cheese
Mediterranean OG: Chicken, arugula, tomato-cucumber salad, crispy chickpeas, feta cheese, pickled eggplant and lemon-garlic yogurt
Smoke in a bowl: Brisket, cheddar, charred corn, pickled onions, coleslaw, sweet potato, and smoky lemon ranch dressing
Reefer: Shrimp, pico de gallo, black beans, tajin pineapple, guacamole, tortilla strips
Vegan Grass: Falafel, cucumber salad, pickled onions, sweet potato, broccoli, pickled eggplant, harissa tahini

Prices range from $14 to $18. Customers can also build their own, choosing from options such as brown, white, or cauliflower rice, mixed greens, babaganoush, and black beans, as well as chef-quality dressings such as spicy Korean BBQ, harissa tahini, and cilantro lime sauce.

They also have garlic hummus with pita chips, fries, coleslaw, chips & queso, and edamame.

They keep later hours than the usual healthy place, open for lunch and dinner until midnight on weekdays, with a customer-friendly goal: healthy protein bowls with bold flavors, fresh ingredients, and friendly service to satisfy a regular and diverse clientele.

“You can come here and have something different five days a week," Kaiser says.

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