This Week in Gluttony

Whiskey and Fine Spirits Festival tops best food and drink events in Dallas

We hope you like wine, because This Week in Gluttony is all about it. Just kidding — everyone likes wine, so lucky you if you’re looking for a chance to dine out this week. The big wine news is that Beaujolais Nouveau day is Thursday, November 21.

Say what you will about the French, but you have to respect their commitment to partying just because a wine comes out. Fortunately, you can follow suit in Irving with the 30th Beaujolais & Beyond Wine Festival on November 22.

Of course, there is a bevy of options for those looking for a more sit-down affair, including a wine dinner at Hotel St. Germain that takes its menu from JFK’s wedding dinner and state dinners.

If wine isn’t your thing, there’s a whiskey party in the Design District with more than 150 types of whiskey. Not a terrible alternative, really.

Thursday, November 21

Duchman Family Wine Dinner at Landmark Restaurant
The Landmark Restaurant at the Warwick Melrose hosts Duchman Family Wines for a four-course wine dinner beginning at 6:30 pm. Pairings include beef carpaccio, shoestring potato, cucumber, queso fresco, chives and truffle oil with 2011 Duchman Tempranillo, and duck confit ravioli, black truffles, baby carrots and roasted Jerusalem artichoke puree with 2010 Duchman Montepulciano. Reservations are $85 and can be made at the Landmark Restaurant website or at 214-224-3152.

Friday, November 22

Rudd Winery Dinner at Pappas Bros.
Pappas Bros. hosts Rudd Winery from Napa Valley for a four-course wine dinner beginning at 7 pm. Pairings include rabbit pot-au-feu with root vegetables and wild mushrooms with a 2008 “Samantha’s” Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon as well as dry-aged herb-crusted rack of lamb, baked acorn squash purée, ratatouille, pomegranate and demi-glâce with a trio of Oakville Estate selections. Reservations are $225 per person and can be made at 214-366-2000.

Camelot Wine Dinner at Hotel St. Germain
As part of Hotel St. Germain’s week-long devotion to the Kennedys’ Camelot, chef Chad Martin creates a wine dinner featuring dishes from Jack and Jackie’s wedding as well as other plates from several of their state dinners. Pairings include tournedos Henry IV and Parisienne potatoes with Gruaud Larose St. Julien, and a Grand Marnier soufflé with Dom Pérignon. The dinner is available at 7 pm on both November 22 and 23. Reservations are $125 per person and can be made at 214-871-2516.

2013 Beaujolais & Beyond Wine Festival
The 30th Beaujolais and Beyond Wine Festival revolves around the grandeur of 17th century France as guests enter the world of d’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers. You can sample an impressive collection of French wines from Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire Valley, Provence, Alsace and Rhône Valley, as well as American wines from California, Washington and Texas. Tickets range from $50-$70 and include a commemorative wine glass, unlimited food and wine tasting, live entertainment, silent auction, and more. The festival begins at 7 pm.

Saturday, November 23

Second Annual Dallas Whiskey and Fine Spirits Festival
Roar back into the 1920s with more than 150 whiskeys and other fine spirits at the Fashion Industry Gallery beginning at 5:30 pm for VIP ticket holders and 7 pm for general admission. Guests can enjoy the Gatsby-esque setting with a live swing band, a cigar lounge, gaming tables, and bites from restaurants such as Chamberlain’s Steak & Chophouse and Whiskey Cake. General admission tickets are $75 and VIP is $100. They can both be ordered online.

Sunday, November 24

AIWF Chefs’ Challenge Competition & Fundraiser (Canceled)
[Update: Chefs' Challenge has been canceled. No word yet on if it will be rescheduled.] The DFW chapter of the American Institute of Wine & Food hosts seven local chefs in a competition to raise money for the organization’s Days of Taste program that educates children on nutrition and healthy eating. Chefs include Brian Armstrong of the Pyramid Room, Janice Provost of Parigi and Antonio Marquez of Lazaranda. The chefs compete for your vote in the categories of fruits, vegetables, legumes/beans and grains. The event begins at 1 pm in the International Ballroom at the Fairmont. Tickets are $75 in advance or $85 at the door.

The second annual Dallas Whiskey and Fine Spirits Festival has more than 150 different spirits available for sample.

Glasses of whiskey with ice on bar or table

Photo via Taopic.com

The second annual Dallas Whiskey and Fine Spirits Festival has more than 150 different spirits available for sample.

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Shawarma News

Kebab concept Doner Shack comes to Texas with location in Prosper

Doner Shack

A new doner kebab chain is coming to town: Called Doner Shack, it's a quick-service restaurant concept based in the U.K. which is opening its first location in Texas in Prosper. The restaurant has yet to be built, so the opening date is still TBA. But according to a release, it will open in a shopping center at the intersection of Teel Parkway and University Drive, on the northwest corner, kitty corner from the PGA Golf Resort.

Doner Shack says it was built with one goal: to become the world’s leading kebab brand. No mention of the food, but what they're really pushing is franchising. Founders are chef Sanjeev Sanghera and Laura Bruce, who own three stores in the U.K., and who were inspired after an "epic 48-hour trip to Berlin" where the culture and kebabs blew their minds "in the best way possible." Hopefully that means the food is good.

Doner kebab is the dish of Turkish origin made of meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie. It's popular in Germany because there's a large Turkish population there. Competitors — many of whom have expanded to DFW — include Halal Guys, Nick the Greek, The Great Greek, Spitz Mediterranean Grill, Soulard Gyro, and German Doner Kebab.

Doner Shack's menu features the original doner kebab with beef on Turkish bread and salad, and then varieties such as chicken, or beef with chili sauce, or a vegetarian with fried halloumi cheese.

In addition to doner kebabs, there are also chicken tenders served with crinkle cut fries; slider-size sandwiches with fried chicken or with shaved beef; and loaded fries, topped with the same assortment of meats.

Bringing it to Texas is franchisee group Gyro N Philly LLC, led by Hassan Zaman who says in a statement that they're delighted to bring Doner Shack to Prosper.

"With the new PGA headquarters across the street, a high school with over 30,000 students, and the upcoming Universal Kids Theme Park just minutes away, we believe this is a home run location," he says. For good food, one hopes.

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