This Week in Gluttony

Abacus turns 15 to top best food and drink events in Dallas-Fort Worth

You know fall has arrived when your calendar fills up with food events. That's the case this week, because there are oodles of festivals, fundraisers and foodie celebrations. Heck, there's even a boozy 5K. And we can't even begin to explain the wackiness going down at Garden Cafe.

Dig in.

Wednesday, September 24

Chef's Table Wine Dinner With Joel Harloff at Bridge Bistro
Join chef Joel Harloff for a pairing dinner with Oak Cliff Cellars. Menu items include sea scallops, herb-brined game hen and summer wine bread pudding. Tickets are $65 each, and dinner starts at 6:30 pm. Call 214-740-1985 or reserve your spot online.

Saint Arnold Beer Dinner at Libertine Bar
Enjoy a five-course meal with pairings from Saint Arnold Brewing Company. Dishes include sweet potato egg pasta with pancetta and snow peas, chicken sausage with mousse, alligator with crumpets and corn, venison with pearl onions and pickled okra, and pear tart with a chocolate toffee crisp. Dinner costs $60, including pairings, and starts at 7 pm. Call for reservations 214-824-7900.

Thursday, September 25

Oktoberfest Fort Worth at Panther Island Pavilion
This is an authentic German festival with just the right amount of Texas thrown in. Expect authentic German food, music, dancing, games, biergarten, dachshund races, and Spaten and other craft Oktoberfest and fall beers from around the country. Tickets range in price from $5-$15 and can be purchased online. The festival runs through September 27. Gates open at 6 pm on Thursday and Friday and 11 am on Saturday.

Foodiepalooza at Time Ten Cellars
The East Dallas Boys & Girls Club Advisory Council presents its annual event with special guest John Tesar of Spoon Bar & Kitchen and Knife. Join them for a night of food and wine, fun, and music by Chris Austin Martinez. They will be joined by nationally renowned pastry chef Katie Kennedy and chef Grant Morgan of the Ranch at Las Colinas. The evening also includes silent and live auctions with offerings such as dining packages, VIP Las Vegas getaway and private wine tasting for 20. The fun starts at 7 pm. Tickets start at $65 and can be purchased online.

Friday, September 26

Greek Food Festival of Dallas at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Enjoy all your favorite Greek foods — prepared right in the festival kitchen — at this cultural extravaganza that runs through Sunday. Also expect live music, authentic Greek dancing, kids area and marketplace filled with a range of Greek goods. Attendees can also tour the church and visit the Greek Cultural Center and church bookstore. Admission is free for kids under 13 and $6 for adults, and you can buy those tickets online. You must also purchase food tickets to buy food and drinks inside. Doors open at 4 pm on Friday and 11 am on Saturday and Sunday.

Grapevine Brewery Beer Dinner at Cook Hall
Cook Hall welcomes Grapevine Brewery for its latest beer dinner. Courses include pork rillette with crisp plantain chips, red and white endive salad, roasted organic chicken with fall vegetables, roasted venison, and apple and pecan sticky bun with brown butter ice cream. Tickets are $55, and you can reserve your spot by calling 214-397-4111. Dinner start at 7 pm.

Taste of the Fair at Pegasus Plaza
The State Fair kicks off this weekend, and the downtown parade starts at noon. While you're there, you can start your eating adventures at Pegasus Plaza from 11 am-1:30 pm. Food vendors offer State Fair classics such as Fletcher's corn dogs, roasted corn and more.

Saturday, September 27

Past and Present Dinner at Abacus
Abacus turns 15 this month, and that calls for a party — starting with this dinner. Celebrated chefs and former Abacus toques Tre Wilcox and Omar Flores return to the kitchen for one night. Alongside Kent Rathbun and executive sous chef Chris Patrick, they are creating a four-course dinner with wine pairings, including dishes such as duck three ways, deconstructed red chili pork "pozole," dark chocolate pate with pistachio and Bing cherry sorbet, and much more. You can make reservations between 6 and 11 pm by calling 214-520-0151. Cost is $200 per person.

Oktoberfest 5K and Biergarten at Rahr & Sons Brewing Company
Who doesn't enjoy an ice cold beer after running a 5K? Runners for this fun event, presented by Discover Brewtopia, get a Rahr commemorative pint glass, tech-fit shirt and Bavarian treats. There is also a post-race biergarten and live polka music. Tickets are $40, and the race starts at 9 am. You can register online.

Sunday, September 28

Bangarang Ball at Garden Cafe
Drawing inspiration from Neverland and many other strange places, Garden Cafe's kitchen garden will be transformed at this unusual event. In addition to a special menu and wine, there will be beer from Deep Ellum Brewing Company and cocktails from Whistlepig. (If none of that excites you, then feel free to BYO drink of choice.) Chefs such a Graham Dodds and Justin Box plan to attend, along with the Rye Boys, who will keep you entertained. This event starts at 6 pm and should go strong until midnight. Tickets are $85. Buy them online.

15 Year Anniversary Party at Abacus
Help Abacus celebrate 15 years in Dallas at this party featuring food, craft cocktails, and cooking and mixology demonstrations. The restaurant is also bringing in Downtown Fever with a repertoire spanning from the '60s to today's most popular hits. Festivities take place from 2-8 pm, and the price to attend is $100 per person. For more information, call 214-559-3111 or buy your tickets online.

Abacus celebrates 15 years of Dallas dining with events on September 27 and 28.

Photo courtesy of Abacus

Abacus celebrates 15 years of Dallas dining with events on September 27 and 28.

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Love me tendies

Chicken tenders with Michelin cred to hatch on Dallas' Greenville Ave

Photo courtesy of Flock & Fresh

Chicken tenders at Flock & Fresh.

A new fast-casual chicken restaurant is set to roost in Dallas: Called Flock & Fresh, it will open at 5500 Greenville Ave., Ste. 205, in the Old Town Shopping Center.

According to a release, opening day will be May 2.

The concept with the tongue-twisting name comes from Wan Kim, CEO of Smoothie King and owner of upscale Nuri Steakhouse, and is designed to offer both indulgent and lighter fare in a casual but welcoming setting.

“At its core, Flock & Fresh is about choice,” Kim says in the release. “Some days you want something indulgent and comforting, like crispy chicken. Other days you’re looking for something lighter and fresh. We wanted to create a place where guests don’t have to compromise - where great ingredients and thoughtful preparation give you the freedom to choose what feels right in the moment.”

The menu was created by chef Minji Kim, whose previous restaurant earned Michelin recognition. At Flock & Fresh, Kim (who also brings the practicality of being a mom) focuses on chicken tenders that are never frozen, brined for 24 hours and seasoned with a signature blend, and served either crispy or grilled.

Signature dishes include:

The Triple Flock: three-piece tender plate served with house-made chips and kale salad.
The Golden Treasure: crispy chicken sandwich with hand-breaded chicken breast, flock spread, and dill pickles on a brioche bun.
"Not So Guilty" Pleasure: grilled chicken sandwich with chicken breast, bacon jam, flock spread, and dill pickles.

Chicken sandwich at Flock & Fresh. Photo courtesy of Flock & Fresh

Salads such as the Flock House and Berry Fields offer lighter options, each topped with tenders and served with a choice of housemade dressings such as yuzu citrus, lemon vinaigrette, honey balsamic, ranch, avocado ranch, and spicy harissa. Guests can also customize meals with sauces including BBQ, honey mustard, Japanese ranch, curry ranch, Cajun buffalo, and sweet Korean.

Sauces are a big thing.

The restaurant spans 2,600 square feet and includes a 48-seat patio, with design by the acclaimed Plan B Group that features greenery, murals, curved walls, and a mix of warm tones and modern fixtures. There's even a standout banquette canopy inspired by a modern chicken coop.

Wan Kim says Flock & Fresh, which will also have convenient pickup shelves for to-go orders, is intended to fit into Dallas’ dining landscape as an everyday option.

A banquette canopy is inspired by a modern chicken coop.Photo courtesy of Flock & Fresh

“We wanted to create a place where guests don’t have to compromise, where quality ingredients give you the freedom to choose what feels right in the moment," Kim says. "Dallas has such an incredible food community, and we’re excited to finally open our doors and share Flock & Fresh with them.”

Flock & Fresh will serve lunch and dinner daily from 11 am-9 pm. The May 2 grand opening will include promotions for customers, including free meals for the first 250 guests, half-off all menu items throughout the day, and interactive experiences and giveaways until 4 pm.

greenville avenue openings chicken