This Week in Gluttony

Halloween tricks and BBQ treats top best food and drink events in Dallas

It’s Halloween week, people. You have two choices: Go all out and attend every food-related monster bash available, or skip the shenanigans and go for food that does not require a costume to eat. Whatever you decide to do, we’ve got you covered, from spooky cheese and cocktails to BBQ feasts.

Wednesday, October 29

America’s Test Kitchen Live! at Majestic Theatre
The live version of the popular PBS cooking show comes to Dallas as host Christopher Kimball steps out of the studio kitchen to fire up a variety of demos, tests and more fun for foodies. The show stars at 7:30. Tickets range in price from $30-$50, and you can buy them online.

Thursday, October 30

Meow-O-Ween Pub Prowl
Attendees are encouraged to dress up in cat costumes as they prowl around some of Camp Bowie’s favorite bars to enjoy cold Rahr beer. The first stop features face painting; at the end of the night, a prize is awarded for the best-dressed cat. Crawling stops include Tommy’s Hamburgers from 5-6 pm, Oscar’s Pub from 6-7:30 pm, Jakes Hamburgers from 7:30-9 pm and Baker St. Pub & Grill from 9 pm-close. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door.

Scary Cheese and Wine at Scardello Artisan Cheese
Ever notice that some cheeses look like brains, eyeballs and other creepy items? Explore the amazing flavors that accompany these stranger-than-fiction cheeses at this Halloween-inspired event. As always, Scardello pairs the cheeses with wine. The class costs $35 and starts at 7 pm. Seats go fast for these classes, so don’t hesitate and reserve your spot online.

The People’s Last Halloween at People’s Last Stand
Get dressed in your best Halloween attire and head to Mockingbird Station for a party that lasts from 8 pm to midnight. The first 200 guests get two free drinks. You can also taste new food and drink and snack on Smallcakes while mingling with fellow spook enthusiasts.

Friday, October 31

Dia de los Muertos at Wild Salsa
All guests in costume get $2 house margaritas, and those who post and tag their costume photos on Instagram are eligible for a drawing for a $250 prize in Wild Salsa gift cards. Saturday brunch (November 1) even includes fun dishes like beef barbacoa potato hash with soft poached farm eggs, breakfast burrito with arrachero steak, huevos rancheros and more.

Fiesta de la Vida at Stampede 66
Stampede 66 and Lakewood Brewing Company celebrate Halloween (and the launch of North Texas Beer Week) with a beer-infused costume party. Guests enjoy food and beer pairings, and there are prizes for best costume, most seductive and least effort. Lakewood’s special edition Temptress Mole will be tapped at midnight. The fun starts at 10 pm and lasts until 2 am. Tickets $60 in advance and $75 at the door. Purchase them by calling 214-550-6966.

Halloween Haunted Chocolate Tour by Dallas by Chocolate Tours
Join this sweet-toothed skeleton crew for a tour that includes some wicked good goodies at places like Village Baking Company; Dude, Sweet Chocolate; and CocoAndre. Tickets are $39, and that includes transportation in a private bus, food samples, tour guide and beverages; buy them online. Meet at the Krispy Creme on Greenville Avenue at 1 pm. The tour lasts until 4:15.

Halloween Hoedown at Sissy’s Southern Kitchen
Celebrate Halloween at Sissy’s starting at 5 pm. There is the requisite costume contest (with a $200 prize), as well as music by Little Brother Big Brother and $8 drink specials. Did we mention the event was sponsored by Jim Beam? So it’s bound to be boozy.

Meddlesome Moth Halloween Spectacle at Red Arrow Contemporary
The Meddlesome Moth Halloween Spectacle features an art exhibit from Prairie Artisan Ales co-founder and artist Colin Healey and Jester King Brewery artist Josh Cockrell. You can also enjoy 18 selected brews and live music by Jester King’s head brewer Garrett Crowell and DJ Cee Pee from Good Records. The party starts at 7 pm, and tickets are $20. Buy them online.

Saturday, November 1

TMBBQ Road Trip at Pecan Lodge
The TMBBQ Road Trip rolls in for a day-long eat-a-thon at three of Dallas’ hottest barbecue joints. The bus departs from Pecan Lodge at 9:30 am sharp then heads to McKinney for breakfast at Hutchins BBQ, followed by Plano’s Lockhart Smokehouse for lunch and an afternoon feast at Pecan Lodge. In between each pit stop, Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn gives guests a behind-the-scenes look at all things barbecue. Tickets are $150, and that includes beverages on the bus, plus one meal and beverage at each restaurant. Guests must be 21 or older to attend. Buy tickets online.

2014 Untapped Music and Beer Festival at Gilley’s Dallas
Alt rockers Cake headline this event that also features performances by Shovels & Rope, Deltron 3030, Polyphonic Spree, Cayucas, Metz and Jamestown Revival, among others. Oh. Did we mention the booze? You can sample more than 300 craft beers from more than 80 breweries. Tickets range in price from $35-$42 and you can buy them online.

Sunday, November 2

Día de los Muertos at Taqueria La Ventana
Celebrate Día de los Muertos with beer and mezcal samplings, festive music, and La Catrina herself. Taqueria La Ventana is providing atole (a popular Mexican holiday drink) and pan de muerto (bread of the dead) for the ceremonial alter built on the patio. Niños and niñas can get their faces painted too. The event lasts from 5-10 pm with live music by Randalla de Dallas from 7-9.

Dia de Los Puercos at Four Corners Brewing Co.
Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn fetes whole-hog devotee Samuel Jones of the Skylight Inn, in Ayden, North Carolina, with a celebration dubbed Dia de los Puercos. The evening features a signature pork dish from Jones, sides from Slow Bone, desserts from Swiss Pastry Shop in Fort Worth, and a Q&A between Vaughn and the guest of honor. Tickets are $65, and the price includes plate of BBQ, sides, desserts and drink tickets. Buy them online.

Volunteer Center of North Texas Presents Heats on the Trinity at 3015 Trinity Groves
Hearts on the Trinity brings together great local chefs, wineries and breweries for an evening to remember. You can join one of the nation’s largest volunteer centers as it helps spread the message of volunteerism and community impact while showcasing the best of food and drink in Dallas. The event starts at 6 pm, and tickets are $75. Buy them online.

Monday, November 3

Brewery Ommegang presents HopChef Dallas Competition at 3015 Trinity Groves
To kick off North Texas Beer Week, Brewery Ommegang brings its national food and beer pairing competition to Dallas. The event brings together Dallas’ top beer-forward chefs, who pair dishes with a variety of Ommegang’s ales and compete for the title of Dallas HopChef 2014. The competition kicks off at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $60, and you can buy them online.

Spend your Halloween at Stampede 66 for Fiesta de la Vida.

Modern Star Canyon margarita at Stampede 66 in Dallas

Photo courtesy of Stampede 66

Spend your Halloween at Stampede 66 for Fiesta de la Vida.

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Hummus News

Revered family-owned Mediterranean restaurant debuts in North Dallas

Samantha Marie Photography

Zon Zon food spread

An upscale Mediterranean restaurant is coming to North Dallas from a trusted name: Called Zon Zon, it'll open at 5455 Belt Line Rd. #130, in the Work/Shop center, and it's from hospitality group Yela Concepts, led by Yaser Khalaf (Darna, Baboush), together with his son Mak Khalef in their first collaboration.

According to a release, it'll open on December 22.

Named for Mak's sister Zaina (“Zon Zon”), the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner with a refined take on Mediterranean dining, rooted in tradition but with modern influences.

"We tried to merge what embodies Mediterranean cuisine with dishes that people in Dallas love," Mak says. "A lot of the dishes we have on menu are Mediterranean but have American and Texan influences."

Mezze favorites include hummus topped with green shatta and extra-virgin olive oil; baba ghanoush with charred eggplant, tahini, dukka, and pomegranate; crispy cauliflower with saffron labneh; tuna neya with tahini, mixed pickles, and Aleppo pepper; and kibbeh with ground lamb, onions, pine nuts, and dill labneh.

Salads include seared tuna salad with freekeh and golden beets; Tahini Caesar with tahini–Caesar dressing and za’atar croutons; and roasted beets with burrata, oranges, and pistachios.

Entrées include roasted chicken with garlic-batata and pomegranate jus; chicken shish kebab over saffron rice with almonds and raisins; hanger steak shawarma frites — a clever twist on steak frites with hand-cut fries; ZZ’s Wagyu cheeseburger with smoked provolone and house pickles; Prime ribeye with za’atar chimichurri and heirloom carrots; and apricot lamb couscous.

The beverage program complements the menu with a Mediterranean-focused wine list and creative cocktails such as the coffee-kissed Midnight Istanbul and ZZ’s Margarita, with burnt pineapple and ras el hanout.

Designed in collaboration with Dallas-based Coeval Studios, the restaurant features a 2,130-square-foot interior with an expansive 735-square-foot patio that seats 76, for a total occupancy near 100.

The restaurant boasts an open kitchen, while decorative finishes include modern woodwork, rich textures, and Middle Eastern-inspired details — stylish yet inviting, with a setting that feels like home.

“The inspiration behind Zon Zon came from wanting to create the kind of place we’ve always wished existed — a neighborhood Mediterranean spot that feels both familiar and exciting," says Yaser in a statement. "We wanted to create a comfortable space where guests can meet up with friends or neighbors on a regular basis."

Mak went to college to study biomedical engineering, but says he couldn't resist the lure of the restaurant world in which he grew up.

"Zon Zon is a reflection of everything we love about food," Mak says. "What makes this especially meaningful is building it with my dad — bringing our family’s story and passion to the table."

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