This Week In Gluttony

Derby parties and massive tailgate top best food and drink events in Dallas

Whether you care about the Kentucky Derby or not, chances are you like to celebrate it, because the parties always involve booze and big hats. For all you philanthropic football fans out there, Taste of the NFL celebrates its 11th year at a new venue, AT&T Stadium.

Take a look at the variety of events that are sure to keep you full of food and good spirits.

Tuesday, April 28

Tequila Dinner at Mexican Sugar
Chef Tony Zamora prepares a five-course dinner paired with cocktails made with Clase Azul tequila. Dishes include ancho spiced pork empanadas, chipotle shrimp and watermelon salad, blue corn-crusted sea bass, anejo-braised short rib, and prickly pear and guava paleta. The event kicks off at 7 pm and costs $75. Call 972-943-0984 for reservations.

Thursday, April 30

Craft Beer and Artisan Cheese Tasting at Lakewood Brewing Company
Lakewood Brewing Company welcomes cheesemonger Ali Morgan from Rare Edibles as she continues her quest to bring together cheese and beer. The event features four select craft brews paired with a complementary and contrasting cheeses, plus descriptions of taste profiles and styles from brewers and industry experts. The event kicks off at 6:30 pm and costs $30.

Saturday, May 2

Kentucky Derby Bash at Library Bar
Celebrate horse racing’s biggest event at this party featuring Woodford Reserve bourbon cocktails, prizes for best dressed (including hats) and several raffle prizes. The Library’s “cocktail jockeys” are handcrafting mint juleps featuring Woodford Reserve bourbon for $20, with all sales benefiting Equest Therapeutic Horsemanship. The event lasts from 3:30-6:30 pm.

Kentucky Derby Party at Del Frisco’s Grille
Celebrate the Kentucky Derby with a live watch party featuring a red carpet selfie station, step and repeat, best dressed and best hat competitions, mint juleps, and live music. The fun lasts from 3-6 pm.

Fourth Annual Jockeys & Juleps Derby Party at Sissy’s Southern Kitchen
The Jockeys & Juleps event is back and better than ever. Expect a best dressed competition, raffle prizes and the derby broadcast live. The event runs from 3-6 pm, and reservations are required. Call 214- 827-9900.

Kentucky Derby Watching Party at Gin Mill
Celebrate the derby at the Gin Mill with $6 mint juleps. Guests are encouraged to wear their best derby attire. The bigger the hat, the better.

Sunday, May 3

Taste of the NFL at AT&T Stadium
North Texas Food Bank supporters are invited to huddle up with Dallas Cowboys past and present and 20 of the area’s hottest chefs for a tailgate party unlike any other. Indulge in gourmet tailgate fare with sports legends, sip signature cocktails, enjoy live country music by the Rusty Brothers, and bid on exclusive luxury prizes at the live and silent auctions. The event kicks off at 6 pm; tickets start at $150.

Finalist Cook-off at Kitchen LTO
It’s time to unveil the chef and artist finalists for the fifth pop-up at Kitchen LTO. Outgoing chef Blythe Beck is the emcee for the evening, and a portion of the proceeds benefits Cafe Momentum. Taste the chefs’ creations; review proposed artwork; grill the contestants; and enjoy beer, wine and specialty cocktails. The event runs from 5-8 pm, and tickets are $75.

Cinco de Mayo Celebration at Gin Mill
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo early with drink specials from 11 am-3 pm: $5 bloody Marys and mimosas, $3 Mexican beers, and a bottomless mimosa option for $14. There are also food specials, including house made pozole and shrimp flautas.

The fourth annual Jockeys & Juleps is happening at Sissy's Southern Kitchen on May 2.

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Downtown News

Dallas chef team to close downtown fine-dining restaurant Sauvage

Sauvage

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A downtown Dallas restaurant famous for its multi-course tasting experience is closing: Sauvage, the high-end mom-and-pop restaurant near the Statler Dallas hotel, will close in March.

According to a post from co-owner and chef Casey La Rue, the final day will be March 21.

"We're going to be open weekends until then, on Fridays and Saturdays, and we're going to put out the best food we've done so far," La Rue says.

They're closing due to heart-related health issues that La Rue has experienced, which began to surface in the past five years.

"Over the past few years, I've had some health issues, even going back to Carte Blanche days," La Rue says, referring to the original tasting restaurant that he and his wife Amy La Rue opened on Greenville Avenue in 2020. "I guess running this kind of restaurant, and the all-consuming nature of it, isn't great for you physically."

That's especially true given the couple's DIY ethos: They opened Sauvage six months ago next to the Statler Dallas hotel at 1914 Commerce St., with a renovation that they executed entirely on their own, literally building the place from scratch.

They opened Sauvage as a woodfire concept with 16-18 courses — wild game, seafood, vegetables, and dessert — all cooked via grill and smoker. It was a next-generation concept for the couple following Carte Blanche, where they earned a number of awards including a rare AAA 5-diamond award, before closing in 2024.

But the fine-dining landscape has changed in recent years, with some calling it unsustainable.

At around the same time, the La Rues opened La Rue Doughnuts, a buzzy shop at the Trinity Groves complex in West Dallas, and Casey says that's where they'll place their focus, stating that he's unlikely to do another fine-dining restaurant "in my lifetime." (On a related note, all of the equipment at the restaurant is for sale.)

Doing the math, that means: 10 nights remaining X 2 reservation slots per night X 12 seats at each seating. That comes out to exactly 240 opportunities to get a meal there before they close. Run to the reservation lines!

downtown