Bourbon Bash

Dallas mixologists stir things up at Woodford Reserve's Manhattan Experience

Woodford Reserve tasked six Dallas mixologists with stirring up creative twists on the classic Manhattan cocktail during a special event for restaurant and bar industry insiders.

Traditionally the Manhattan is two parts rye or bourbon, one part sweet vermouth, and a couple dashes of aromatic bitters for a hint of spice. The requirements for this cocktail showcase were fairly simple: Dream up an original recipe with Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey as the primary ingredient. The bartenders could add to that up to seven more ingredients — including drops and dashes but excluding garnishes and zests.

Alex Fletcher, Eddie Eakin, Matt Orth, Mike Steele, Fernanda Rossano and Kendyll Clark (in absentia) were the chosen ones. Rossano did a grilled banana bourbon infusion with a bit of chocolate bitters and sweet vermouth. Eakin infused the Woodford Reserve with Dragon Pearl black tea, added some sweet vermouth and fig cordial, and garnished with a tea-soaked fig.

Fletcher’s Manhattan had saffron syrup, which he blended with an Italian fortified wine, and two dashes of Angostura bitters with a twist of lemon oils. Steele played with a cardamom- and clove-infused dry vermouth, sweet vermouth, and plum bitters as an aromatic.

Orth’s version had persimmon-infused sweet vermouth, with drops of orange and tiki bitters. The cherry on top was rolled in toasted walnut and turbinado sugar. Clark’s rendition, prepared by fellow bartender Christian Armando in her absence, played on the bitter and floral aspects of the Manhattan by adding a bitter aperitif, sweet vermouth and Chinese five-spice bitters.

Brian McCullough and Rich Allison served as the grand poobahs of this bourbon fest, and they jotted down tasting notes as each round was presented. While the mixologists made their drinks behind the bar, attendees noshed on crispy pork belly, blue cheese grits, onion dip and house-made chips, arancini, and tacos al pastor. DJ JT Donaldson provided the event soundtrack.

On the enclosed patio, Boardroom Salon for Men staff members gave out complimentary hot shaves and beard trims. In addition to celebrating the Manhattan, Woodford Reserve wanted to honor the close of Movember.

In the end, McCullough and Allison declared Orth’s Manhattan their favorite, although everyone on this special evening was a winner — especially those whose only job it was to sit back, relax and enjoy a nice bourbon cocktail.

CRAFT CAREFULLY. DRINK RESPONSIBLY.

Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 45.2% Alc. by Vol.

The Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, KY ® 2014

Photo by Shana Anderson

cost comparison

Dallas is No 1 on global list of most affordable cities for dining out

Photo by Tadahiro Higuchi on Unsplash

Dining out in Dallas doesn't cost nearly as much as it does in other cities.

This may come as a surprise to Dallas diners: The city been ranked the No. 1 most affordable city in the world to dine out.

The new study, by international food magazine Chef's Pencil, analyzed the cost of a three-course meal, coffee, and beer for one person at a "mid-range" restaurant and compared it to the average monthly net wage across 177 cities around the world. According to Chef's Pencil, this provides a "meal-to-salary ratio" representing the true cost of dining out at restaurants.

Dallas has the lowest meal-to-salary ratio out of all 177 global cities, and landed atop the "1 percent club" of cities where locals spend one percent or less of their monthly take-home pay on dining out at a mid-range restaurant. Only 26 cities earned this designation.

According to the report's findings, the average Dallas resident earns an average net salary of $4,686 per month, and a three-course meal for one person costs $35, meaning the average Dallas resident spends 0.7 percent of their monthly post-tax income on dining out. The study's authors add that the cost of dining out doesn't account for tips.

"Adding a standard 15-20 percent tip raises the cost to around $40-$42 per person," the report said. "This adjustment lowers Dallas’s affordability ratio slightly, though it still remains among the highest in the world — illustrating how service charges can significantly affect the real cost of dining out in the U.S."

The study also determined the most affordable global cities for cheap eats and ranked Dallas 12th on the list. The reigning cities with the most inexpensive meal costs are Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi in Vietnam, where a cheap meal will run customers just $1.90.

Dallas also ranked 14th in Chef's Pencil's "Coffee Affordability Index" that compared the cost of a cappuccino to the local monthly wages of all 177 cities. It costs $1.90 to buy a cappuccino in Dallas, the report says, meaning that the daily cost of a coffee drinks up 3.6 percent of a Dallas resident's average monthly income.

One is loathe to challenge the credibility of this index — but one also has to ask where "Chef's Pencil" was able to find a cappuccino in Dallas for the unheard-of amount of $1.90? Even back in 2022, a basic cup of coffee at any coffeehouse around Dallas was $2.65, and cappuccinos are no basic cups of coffee.

The "Beer Affordability Index" ranked Dallas 15th best city worldwide, and the study found that a domestic beer costs about $7 on average.

The top 10 cities where dining out is the most affordable for locals are:

No. 1 – Dallas, Texas, U.S.
No. 2 – Muscat, Oman
No. 3 – Bern, Switzerland
No. 4 – Denver, Colorado, U.S.
No. 5 – Osaka, Japan
No. 6 – Singapore
No. 7 – Tokyo, Japan
No. 8 – Shenzhen, China
No. 9 – Seoul, South Korea
No. 10 – Houston, Texas, U.S.

dallas restaurants reports rankings