This Week in Gluttony

Chocolate extravaganza and Okrapalooza top best food and drink events in DFW

Events dedicated solely to okra, beer, wine and chocolate? Only in Dallas could these things happen in the same week. Plus, the Goss-Michael Foundation is continuing its new artsy lunch series in the Design District.

Enough talk. Dig in.

Tuesday, September 9

Red Wine with Fish (!?) Dinner at Spoon Bar & Kitchen
Dining tradition may dictate that fish be paired with white wine, but Spoon chef-owner John Tesar and J.R. Richardson from Oak Cliff Cellars are throwing tradition to the wind at this wine dinner. Enjoy dishes such as layers of thinly pounded big eye tuna, "Singapore style" chili lobster, beef cheek ravioli and king salmon, all designed to pair with red wines. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased online. Dinner starts at 6:30 pm.

Thursday, September 11

2014 Grapefest in Historic Downtown Grapevine
This four-day festival (Thursday-Sunday) features premium wines from Texas, Washington and five of Italy's wine regions. In fact, it's the largest wine festival in the Southwest. Popular events include the People's Choice Wine Tasting Classic and the Texas Wine Tribute. Tickets range in price from $5-$119 and can be purchased online.

Friday, September 12

Fridays (at) GMF at Goss-Michael Foundation
If you missed it last week, the Goss-Michael Foundation is giving Dallasites a chance to dine amongst the art of GMF exhibiting artists Adam Ball and Michelle Rawlings. Cost is $15 per person and includes choice of three courses: curried turkey salad; quinoa tabbouleh; romaine salad with olives, radishes and creamy feta dressing; eggplant salad; hummus with chili oil and veggies; or minted fruit. You must RSVP by September 10, and you can do that by emailing ruby@gossmichaelfoundation.org. Lunch starts at 11:30 am.

Saturday, September 13

2014 Dallas Chocolate Festival at Addison Conference Centre
Now in its fifth year, the Dallas Chocolate Festival brings together local and national artisans for a wall-to-wall chocolate extravaganza. Chocolate makers scheduled to appear include Art Pollard (Amano Artisan Chocolate, Utah); Ben Rasmussen (Potomac Chocolate, Virginia); Kristen Hard (Cacao Atlanta); Scott Moore Jr. (Tejas Chocolate, Houston); and Santiago Peralta (Pacari Chocolate, Ecuador). Included with a ticket purchase is a full day of classes and demonstrations that take place in an adjoining room of the Addison Conference Centre. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online for the 12:30 and 2:30 pm festival entry times.

2014 Dallas Observer BrewFest at Dallas Farmers Market
The fourth annual Dallas Observer BrewFest is an outdoor beer-sampling event and festival that features craft beers, local food vendors and live music. Tickets get you 12 two-ounce beer samples, with additional samples available for additional dough. Food is available for purchase from Capriotti's Sandwich Shop, Full Circle Tavern, Samson's Gourmet Hot Dogs and Social House. Tickets cost $45 for general admission and $75 for VIP; purchase them online. Gates open at 6 pm.

Sunday, September 14

2014 Okrapalooza at The Lot
Celebrity chefs and home cooks present their best okra dishes to compete for the title of Okrapalooza Champion of the World. Featured chefs include Eric Shelton and Justin Box from Cafe Momentum, Graham Dodds from Hibiscus, Mark Wootton from Garden Cafe, and Ryan Barnett from Green Grocer. Tickets include okra dish tastings and sides, free local beer, and live music. All proceeds benefit the Promise of Peace Community Garden. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased online. The fun lasts from 11 am-3 pm.

Lucia's Justin Holt and Mike Gibson Pop Up at Windmill Lounge
Mike Gibson and Justin Holt of Lucia are serving up Red Wattle porchetta and sides at the Maple Avenue watering hole from 6:30 pm until it runs out. A flat $20 gets you a plate and a craft cocktail. The event is sponsored by Angels Envy Bourbon and Pilar Rum.

Monday, September 15

Kobalt Wine Dinner at Grace
Guest host Kevin Carriker, owner and winemaker at Kobalt, joins the Grace team to discuss wine, winemaking and the industry. Courses include passed canapés, Japanese Madai, smoked king salmon belly, trumpet royale mushrooms, Colorado lamb and a selection of artisan cheese. The price per person is $150. The event starts at 6:30 pm and reservations can be made by calling 817-877-3388.

Lucia chef Justin Holt (pictured) and cohort Mike Gibson are popping up at Windmill Lounge on September 14.

Photo by Hoyoung Lee

Lucia chef Justin Holt (pictured) and cohort Mike Gibson are popping up at Windmill Lounge on September 14.

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Chai News

Dubai tea chain Filli Cafe steams into Carrollton for Dallas debut

fillicafe.com

Snack and coffee from Filli Cafe

An international tea house chain from Dubai has made its Dallas debut: Called Filli Cafe, it just opened softly in Carrollton at 1205 W. Trinity Mills Rd. #101, in the same center as Al Markaz Restaurant and Groceries.

Dubbed "Dubai's most loved tea cafe chain," Filli Cafe is known for its signature Zafran chai tea and creative South Asian street foods including chaats and wraps.

The chain was born in Dubai in 2004 when founder Rafih Filli took over his father's small cafeteria in Dubai and rebranded it, using his high school nickname "Filli." He created Filli Cafe's intriguing menu and also established its laid-back culture, emphasizing it as a place for friends to hang out, with a motto of "global street bites, chai moments, and a whole lot of Tea n' Talk."

It has since grown to more than 74 cafes across 14 countries, and made its debut in the U.S. in 2022 with the first location opening in Sugar Land near Houston. There are now nine locations in the U.S. including Chicago, New York, Virginia, and Columbus, Ohio.

The DFW location is from the same group of friends and family that brought it to Houston, led by food & beverage veteran Sajid Iqbal, who says they plan to open at least one or two more locations in the DFW area.

Beverages
The signature Zafran Chai is a rich milk tea with saffron, sugar, and "secret" spices, while the Karak Chai is a traditional, strong spiced milk tea.

These are a departure from typical chai which contains a mix of spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Karak chai opts for fewer spices — often just cardamom or saffron — and relies on extra-strong black tea simmered with evaporated or condensed milk.

Filli also sells regularly spiced masala chai; traditional pink Kashmiri chai with cardamom and almonds; and milk with zafran — like their signature Zafran Chai, but minus the tea.

Beyond chai, there are espresso-based drinks such as cappuccino and latte; matcha lattes; hot chocolate; coffee drinks like dalgona, the trendy whipped coffee with steamed milk; iced coffees; frappuccino-style frozen drinks; iced tea and herbal teas of all kinds; lemonades in various flavors; and even mocktails like fruity mojitos.

Food and drink at Filli Cafe. www.visitdelohio.com

Food
The food is a creative, well-executed fusion of familiar dishes like breakfast and burgers with South Asian spices. For example, the Shawarma Jalapeno Melt with marinated shawarma chicken, jalapenos, and cheese.

There are also

sliders — in five varieties including beef burger, fried chicken, and Aloo Tikki Sliders featuring a crispy fried Aloo cutlet — aka potato patties — all served on Hawaiian buns
paratha rolls — a South Asian street food featuring kebabs or vegetables enclosed in a flaky, pan-fried flatbread called a paratha
samosas — fried dumplings with a variety of fillings
chaat — a street style snack with chickpeas, potatoes, yogurt, and tamarind-mint sauce, topped with crispy wafers, onions, green chillies, tomatoes, cilantro, and chaat masala
rice bowls
loaded fries
pizza, in a long oblong format, in varieties such as one topped with Indian butter chicken

The menu is entirely halal, meaning that all ingredients are processed according to Islamic guidelines. Food prices range from $8 to $20, while the beverages range from $2.50 to $8.

Iqbal notes that Filla Cafe has wide appeal, whether it's people seeking halal foods, people who crave fusion flavors, or people who love coffee.

"We have a motto on the wall, 'Uniting cultures, one cup at a time,'" he says.

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