This week in gluttony

These are the 7 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

It's chili cook-off time.

Courtesy photo

Chili season is in full swing, as there are not one but two big chili cook-offs this week. One is for the home cook and the other features more than 20 area breweries. There are also two tasty events at interactive outdoor venues — the Dallas Arboretum and the Dallas Heritage Village. End the week in a sweet way with a mini pie and craft beer pairing.

Tuesday, February 15

Chef Isabel Cooking Demo at the Dallas Arboretum
A Tasteful Place is the Arboretum’s 3.5-acre potager garden, where on Tuesdays, Arboretum chef Isabel Snetsinger presents a cooking demo that includes tasty samples for the public. The demo is free with Arboretum admission and begins at 1 pm. (Find the recipes here.) Also, on Mondays, Dallas College’s culinary institute presents complimentary cooking demos at 11 am. This month features baked chicken meatballs with sundried tomatoes and roasted chickpeas with herbed yogurt.

Thursday, February 17

Frontier Food Night at Dallas Heritage Village
The immersive museum, with its preserved historic buildings, transports visitors to Victorian period pioneer days. This month, guests and get a taste of the time period during Frontier Food Night, where cooking demos will take place throughout the park. Admission includes one beverage and samples from each food station. The event is $20 per person and will run from 6-9 pm.

Saturday, February 19

Sweet J’s Mini Pie & Beer Pairing at On Rotation
The Dallas brewery and kitchen has partnered with Sweet J’s Bakes for a sweet combo – mini pies and craft brews. The lineup includes chocolate chess pie with Dark Runway Imperial Brown Sugar Stout, cranberry almond pie with Begian Holiday Fruitcake Belgian Dubbel, blueberry pie with Lemmon Avenue Lemon Sour Ale, and pecan pie with Prancer Cinnamon Brown Ale. Each pairing is $8.50 and comes with an 8-ounce pour of beer. Pre-order in advance to ensure availability and drop by to enjoy any time Saturday or Sunday.

10th Annual Chili Cook-Off at Stan’s Blue Note
Anyone can enter this amateur chef competition at the longtime Greenville Avenue bar, where there are two categories to compete in — Texas chili and “anything goes.” The former means straight chili — no beans, pasta, rice, or similar additions. The latter can range from simply adding beans to going full-on vegetarian. Entries are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Or pay $5 to be a “judge” to sample all chili entries and vote for the best. Judging will begin at 4 pm and winners are to be announced by 7 pm.

North Texas Food Bank presents Harvest
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the North Texas Food Bank has re-envisioned Harvest as a seated dinner and celebration at the Omni Dallas Hotel. The black-tie fundraiser, chaired by Kathryn and Craig Hall, will be designed to offer an engaging guest experience while celebrating the rich history and impact of the Food Bank on North Texas. Browse and bid on auction items and reserve tickets for the event, 5:30-10 pm, here.

Eat your Art Out at Arlington Museum of Art
Now this is one sweet fundraiser. The evening event will feature samples of more than a dozen confectionery masterpieces provided by local bakeries. It will also include charcuterie from Inspirations Catering & Gourmet Shop, a sushi bar featuring two chefs from Piranha Killer Sushi, wine, coffee, and champagne. Live music will be provided by a harpist. Tickets are $100 and the event runs 7-9 pm.

Sunday, February 20

8th Annual North Texas Craft Beer Chili Challenge
More than 20 area breweries will participate in this chili cook-off, and each must use one of its own beers as an anchoring ingredient. The brewery lineup includes Dallas’ Deep Ellum Brewing Company, Fort Worth’s Martin House Brewing Company, Grapevine’s Hop & Sting Brewing Company, and many more. A $10 donation — which will benefit Metrocrest Services — will get guests 10 tasting cups, a spoon, and chance to vote for the winning chili. The event will take place at the new Cedar Creek Brewhouse & Eatery in Farmers Branch and will run from 12-3 pm.

event-planner news-you-can-eat

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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