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    Class Time

    Dallas bourbon drinkers get schooled by Woodford Reserve master distiller

    Jonathan Rienstra
    Dec 9, 2014 | 2:22 pm

    A sold-out crowd packed into 333 First Avenue Monday night for School of Bourbon hosted by CultureMap, where Woodford Reserve master distiller Chris Morris took 150 boozy students through the history of two brands, Old Forester and Woodford Reserve. Both are owned by Brown-Forman, the oldest spirits distillery in the United States.

    Upon arrival, studious tipplers — including Derek Schuster, Joe Lafko, Matt Foster, Josh Robertson, Katherine Mongan, Jeneva O’Connor, Ann Parrish, Scott Talley, Bryan Smith, Jake Maes, Justin Baldwin, Gary Jones and Kevin Lavelle — headed to the bar for one of three cocktails: Woodford Manhattan, Old Forester Old Fashioned, or Woodford Belmont Jewel with lemonade and pomegranate juice. After noshing on a few bites from Wendy Krispin Caterer, they settled into their seats, ready to learn.

    Students got schooled on four bourbon varieties: Old Forester 100 Proof, Old Forester 86 Proof, Woodford Reserve and Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. Morris explained Old Forester’s beginnings as the original bottled bourbon in 1870, as well as the shift in 1959, when the distillery introduced its 86 proof variety as a cocktail base during what he called “the Mad Men years.”

    Woodford Reserve, Morris said, was introduced in 1996, after American tastes began to embrace the richness and complexities of bourbon again after decades of Mai Tais and Tequila Sunrises. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked was the distillery’s response to drinkers’ demand for an ultra-premium version.

    Lest you think this was only an excellent excuse to drink good bourbon, all proceeds went to the North Texas Food Bank.

    Prior to the tasting, attendees sipped cocktails made with Woodford Reserve and Old Forester.

    School of Bourbon
      
    Photo by William Neal
    Prior to the tasting, attendees sipped cocktails made with Woodford Reserve and Old Forester.
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    Opening News

    Toyota Music Factory in Irving officially unveils 3 new restaurants

    Teresa Gubbins
    Jun 2, 2025 | 6:43 pm
    Jaxon
    Photo courtesy of JAXON Texas Kitchen & Beer Garden
    The party is over at Jaxon.

    A trio of new restaurants have debuted at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, one of which is a familiar name: The live music and entertainment venue is now home to Jaxon Texas Kitchen, Shoals Smokehouse, and Pistil Cocktail Lounge, which have opened under the management of Hospitality Alliance, the restaurant group led by CEO Kevin Lillis (AT&T Discovery District, One Victory Park).

    Toyota Music Factory opened in 2017, then underwent a renovation in 2024 that included upgrades to the outdoor stage, plaza, and storefronts of several tenant spaces. The renovation was completed in January 2025.

    “We’re proud to be part of this iconic space and this vibrant community,” Lillis says in a statement. “There is nothing more enjoyable than hanging out with friends and family, listening to good music, having cold drinks, and eating great food, and we’re fortunate to be able to do that every day.”

    These three new restaurants and bars were each designed by The Ferro Collective, and are all overseen by Chef Andrew Dilda, the acclaimed chef whose resume includes Reata and Lonesome Dove Western Bistro. The restaurants cover a variety of dining options: Southern classics at Jaxon, barbecue at Shoals Smokehouse, and craft cocktails at Pistil.

    Jaxon Texas Kitchen 340 W Las Colinas Blvd. #110
    Jaxon Texas Kitchen, which originally opened at the AT&T Discovery District and which was nominated for a CultureMap Tastemaker Award for Best New Restaurant in 2021, returns to DFW in a 10,000-square-foot, two-story destination for Southern hospitality. Open for lunch and dinner daily, the menu includes signature dishes plus elevated Southern dishes crafted by chef Dilda, with an honest and authentic approach to classic Texas dishes, emphasizing substance over style.

    The menu includes fried green tomatoes, chicken-fried steak, a burger, shrimp & grits, and brick chicken.

    Decor features a welcoming indoor/outdoor environment that incorporates Texas-inspired elements. Design highlights include a custom-built mixed media collage of Texas-born movie stars, antler-adorned beer taps, cactus terrariums at the entrnace, and earth-toned banquette seating.

    Shoals Smokehouse 340 W Las Colinas Blvd. #120
    Inspired by Muscle Shoals, the famed recording studio in Alabama, Shoals combines Texas barbecue, fried chicken, and the sounds of rock and blues for an atmosphere where food and music blend seamlessly.

    The menu features smoked meats, fried chicken, and Southern sides, celebrate the flavors of the South. The restaurant has patio seating facing the outdoor plaza stage, a retractable glass wall that lets the backyard in, TVs throughout and a centrally located full bar.

    toyota music factoryCourtyard at Toyota Music FactoryTMF

    Pistil Cocktail Lounge 340 W Las Colinas Blvd. #220
    Developed and operated by Hospitality Alliance’s Beverage Director Angela Montesclaros, and considered the “sister” joint to Jaxon, Pistil is an evening-only cocktail bar featuring a blend of gothic western and wild west flair: a stylish hangout operated and designed by women for those looking for a place to kick up their boots — for cocktails, conversation, and barbecue.

    Pistil offers a wine list with wines from renowned vineyards, including sustainable and woman-owned vineyards, as well as a food menu with small plates and seasonal dishes highlight Texas farms and ranches. A secluded garden provides cocktail ingredients and garnishes picked by the bar staff. Unique design elements include an elaborate stained-glass installation of a West Texas sunset.

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