This Week In Gluttony

These are the 5 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

Spend your Sunday eating your way through Cochon555.

Photo by Max Flatow

January was a long month, but we made it. Now you get to use the work week to prep for this epic weekend of indulging around Dallas. Which event has you licking your lips? There are gatherings for drinkers of bourbon or craft beer, cooking classes, and one meaty feast. Bet you can't pick just one.

Friday, February 7

Garrison Bros. Bourbon & Cigar Night at Cool River Cafe
On the first Friday of each month, join fellow bourbon sippers and cigar smokers in the restaurant's lounge for premium pours from Garrison Bros. Distillery and hand-passed hors d'oeurves. Attendees also receive a complimentary hand-rolled cigar from master cigar roller Mario Almanza. Tickets are $35 and the event starts at 6:30 pm.

Saturday, February 8

February Cooking Class at Asian Mint Inwood Village
Award-winning chef and restaurant owner Nikky Phinyawatana will host a cooking class to give Asian Mint fans a chance to learn how to cook favorite menu items. Think Tom Kha, Tom Yum, and fried rice. Recipes can also be made gluten free and/or vegan, if needed. Tickets are $40 and the cooking starts at 10:30 am.

Community BBQ at Nasher Sculpture Center
The 2020 Nasher Prize Laureate Michael Rakowitz, with help from Dallas-based Break Bread Break Borders, will cook traditional Iraqi dishes and Texas barbecue at this lunchtime celebration that includes live music and dancing. Admission is free with registration, and the event kicks off at 11 am.

Sunday, February 9

Cochon555 at Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas
Perhaps the most unique food and wine event of the year returns to Dallas for its first stop on the 2020 tour with an all-inclusive feast featuring whole animal cooking. This year’s competing chefs — including Lance McWhorter (Culture ETX), Rich Vana (The Heritage Table), Andrea Shackelford (Harvest Seasonal Kitchen), Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman (José), and Christof Syré (LAW Restaurant at Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas) — each receive a heritage breed pig, sustainably sourced, and create up to six dishes for the competition. Attendees also will bet to snack on bites and beverages during the competition. This event benefits Texas' Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, which supports independent family farmers and protects a healthy and productive food supply for American consumers. Tickets start at $125, and the event kicks off at 4 pm.

Stay The Course Pairdiné at Meddlesome Moth
Peticolas Brewing and Real Ale Brewing are joining forces for an epic beer dinner with delicious cuisine by chef Suki Otsuki. Michael Peticolas and Brad Farbstein, founders of both breweries, will be on hand to lead attendees through the five-course meal. Tickets are $65, and the evening starts at 5 pm.

barbecue craft-beer news-you-can-eat dinner

Stadium Food News

Dallas' American Airlines Center intros new menu with fancy pizza

AAC

American Airlines Center is debuting a new menu.

Amerian Airlines Center has unveiled a new food menu in time for the 2024-2025 season that includes pizza and chicken from some high-end names.

According to a release, the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars have partnered with Levy, American Airlines Center’s hospitality partner, and 50 Eggs Hospitality Group to upgrade the food experience.

Patrick Dumont, governor of the Mavericks says in a statement that "these enhancements are the beginning of our effort to reimagine the experience at American Airlines Center," while Dallas Stars President and CEO Brad Alberts says that “championship-level teams on the ice and on the court go well with championship-level food."

Upgrading menus has been a trend at sports venues in recent years, one that AAC has not followed until now, says John Kunkel, founder of 50 Eggs Hospitality Group, who helped introduce the menu at an event at the arena on October 11.

"The arena here has been so focused on winning and excellence in their teams, the food was really just never a focus," Kunkel says. "When new ownership came in, we looked around at other stadiums coming alive and revamping menus, and wanted to continue to provide a great experience for the fans and keep pushing things. Particularly with new ownership having such an understanding and long background in hospitality and luxury hotels and restaurants, they knew immediately what they wanted to do. We had been partners on other projects for years, so it was a natural progression to get into."

Highlights include:

Chicken tenders: 50 Eggs Hospitality (Yardbird, Chica, Wakuda), will roll out chicken tenders from their popular Spring Chicken restaurant. The group has been instrumental in developing the vision for the new elevated menu alongside Levy and the American Airlines Center.

Pizza: 50 Eggs brought in Bonanno Brothers Pizzeria, from award-winning Denver-based chef Frank Bonanno (Mizuna, Luca, French 75, Osteria Marco, Salita Vesper Lounge) to do a freshly spun and hand-stretched pizza available in cheese and pepperoni, at Bonanno Brothers Pizzeria throughout the arena.

"Across the country, chicken fingers and pizza are the number one seller in every stadium," Kunkel says. "Doesn't matter if you've got sushi or Middle East — it doesn't matter, people love those two items. So we put a big focus on trying to make those the best we could. In this cse, all Italian imported ingredients and amazing pizza prepared by an award winning chef."

Other upgrades include a Texas-sized Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich, Niman Ranch hot dogs, jumbo pretzels, dulce de leche churros, street tacos, a smash burger, and BBQ.

The new menu rolls out Saturday October 12 at the Dallas Stars’ regular season home opener against the New York Islanders.

The 2024-25 American Airlines Center signature food menu:

Bonanno Brothers Cheese and Pepperoni Pizza
Chef Frank Bonnano will use ingredients such as Caputo 00 flour, Italian mozzarella and parmesan, Burke pepperoni, and fresh full red tomato sauce for a new take on pizza, the most popular food item ordered at American Airlines Center.

Chicken Tenders by Spring Chicken
Hand-breaded fresh chicken tenderloins created in collaboration with the James Beard award-winning recipe from 50 Eggs Hospitality's Yardbird restaurant.

All-Beef Hot Dog
Niman Ranch all-beef hot dogs are smoked over hickory wood without added nitrates or nitrites, served on brioche buns baked by Signature Baking Company.

Zavala’s BBQ
Consistently ranked as one of the best BBQ joints in the DFW area, Zavala’s will bring brisket, sausage, ribs, and more.

Artisan Soft Pretzels
Handmade on-site using an authentic Amish recipe, these premium soft pretzels from Ben’s Pretzels are light, fluffy, and lightly salted with an imported German pretzel salt. All pretzels are egg-, dairy-, and nut-free.

Dulce de Leche Churros
Created in collaboration with local business The Churro Factory, these treats will have the perfect blend of crispy, golden dough and rich, creamy sweetness.

Texas-Sized Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich
A Texas-sized rendition of the Philadelphia classic, the sandwich will include all-natural black angus beef from 44 Farms, a Cameron, Texas, family-owned operation with more than 100 years of experience providing a delicious, wholesome, and enjoyable eating experience. The sandwiches will be served with white American cheese and provolone cheese, sautéed white onions, and wrapped in a signature baking fresh French baguette from Signature Baking Company.

Street Tacos
Using corn tortillas from La Norteña Tortillas, fans can choose from three different options:

Carne Asada: Carne asada, cilantro-onions, avocado salsa
Chicken Carnitas Taco: Chicken carnitas, cilantro-onions, tomatillo salsa
Tacos al Pastor: Shaved pastor meat, cilantro-onions, grilled pineapple, salsa taquera

Smash Burger
The burger has been reimagined with a custom beef blend from Buckhead Meat Co. and includes American cheese, Levy secret sauce, and bread and butter pickles on a brioche bun from Signature Baking Company.