Tasting Notes

Dallas-Fort Worth foodies toast best of the best at annual Tastemaker Awards

Last night was an evening of feasting and toasting, as hundreds of hungry fans streamed into Sixty Five Hundred for the fourth annual CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, the grand finale of our annual program celebrating the best in local food and drink. We honored nominees in all categories of food and beverage, from best chefs to the best restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth.

This year’s event featured tasty bites from 30(!) area restaurants, showcasing the best in local dining right now. Sample bites included Kung Pao Lobster Rolls from Nick & Sam’s Steakhouse; Love Me Tenders (peanut butter and jelly fried chicken on a bed of cheesy grits) from Dot’s Hop House and Cocktail Courtyard; sriracha-spiked deviled eggs and smoked and fried Chicken Lollipop drumsticks from Street’s Fine Chicken; and confit quail over strawberry-rhubarb jam and goat cheese grit cake from Grayson Social. Is your mouth watering yet?

On the cocktail front, guests had their choice of beer (courtesy of Deep Ellum Brewing, 11 Below Brewing, and Alaskan Brewing Company); wine from Sonoma Cutrer; or five signature cocktails, including a Woodford Rye Old Fashioned with Woodford Reserve rye, vanilla syrup, and Woodford Reserve barrel-aged spiced cherry bitters, and the Texas Mule with Finlandia vodka, Topo Chico, lemon juice, and Liber & Co.’s fiery ginger syrup and Texas grapefruit shrub.

Meanwhile, Bartender of the Year nominees Eddie “Lucky” Campbell, Kyle Hilla, and Michael Martenson mixed up original cocktail samples in the Bartender Showcase, where attendees showed their love by voting for their favorite libations with golden coins.

Between mixing, mingling, and noshing, guests were pampered with manicures by MiniLuxe before heading over to strike a pose at the zany SmileBooth. Those with a sweet tooth satisfied their cravings with freshly made (or should we say spun?) cotton candy by Cottonsmith, as well as treats by Sprinkles and Sugarfina. Ice cream lovers couldn’t help but rave about the The Joule’s dark chocolate hazelnut soft-serve ice cream with olive oil and a candied baguette.

Nominees received the star treatment at the Korbel Lounge, where celebratory glasses of champagne and swag bags filled with everything from Jack Black skincare to Krave jewelry and gift cards from Uchi, Top Knot, Soul Cycle, and more were on offer.

But this party wasn't just about the eating and drinking — we had some awards to present. Celebrity chef emcee Tim Love revealed this year's winners to an enthusiastic crowd, who cheered on both Fort Worth and Dallas entrants alike. Special thanks to judges Alison Morse, Amy and Andrew Savoie, Chad Solomon and Christy Pope, Lindsey and Jacob Sloan, Jeffrey Gregory, John Tesar, Kirstyn Brewer, Kyle Hilla, Ladd Biro, Malcolm Mayhew, Marlene Duke, Nick Rallo, and Tim Love, who helped us determine who would take home the titles.

Spotted in the crowd were Daniel Forsythe, Martin Arista, Lauren Clapper, Nick Fragnito, Marcus Eerndt, Nicole Sanderson, Vodi Cook, Christina Thompson, Trinda Wood, Linda Snorina, Rosa Williams, Todd Howard, Melissa Becker, Travis Lyon, and Hailey Finucane.

Ten percent of ticket sales from the event are being donated to Trigger's Toys, which is dedicated to reducing the financial and emotional stress on chronically ill children and their families.

Now go read about all the winners, and we'll see you next year.

Robyn Gilliam, Rachel Collins

Photo by WJNPHOTO

Robyn Gilliam, Rachel Collins

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good meat, let's eat

Popular Indonesian mobile kitchen Angel Touch debuts restaurant in Plano

Facebook/Angel Touch Kitchen

Mie ayam, a beloved Indonesian street dish featuring egg noodles, chicken mushroom topping, and greens.

A longtime mobile eatery specializing in halal Indonesian cuisine is now cooking inside new permanent Plano digs: Angel Touch Kitchen will officially open its doors on October 29 at 280 Legacy Dr. Ste. 300, at the corner of Legacy Drive and Chase Oaks Boulevard.

Though it's the restaurant's first permanent home, Plano diners might find the food and brand familiar. Indonesian-born chef and entrepreneur Yenni Haryanti has been operating Angel Touch as a catering and mobile kitchen since 2014. Her frequent appearances at festivals, corporate events, and parties throughout Dallas-Fort Worth have attracted a large following.

In 2021, Angel Touch opened a semi-permanent spot inside a Carrollton food court where, "after years without an Indonesian restaurant in DFW, the response was overwhelming," Haryanti told Voyage Dallas. "We sold out in hours and customers traveled long distances for our food."

Last summer, Haryanti announced plans for a permanent Plano restaurant. Social media followers were treated to peeks at what it takes to maintain a mobile diner and prepare for a restaurant opening, as the business posted photos of hood vent cleanings and inspection preparations and shared thoughts on the experience: "Running a small food business comes with a lot of behind-the-scenes work — long hours, cleaning, prepping, maintaining equipment, and making sure everything is done the right way. We’re tired, but grateful to keep doing what we love."

Angel Touch Kitchen settles into permanent space after more than a decade on the road. Photo courtesy Angel Touch Kitchen/Instagram

Angel Touch Kitchen held its soft opening October 19-25, serving dishes such as its in-demand beef rendang — a rich, slow-cooked Indonesian-Malaysian dry curry — and ayam goreng kuning — an Indonesian twist on fried chicken.

“Our beef rendang sold out two days in a row, so we’re making a fresh batch,” the kitchen posted at 3 am on Facebook a couple days into the soft opening. “We give it a little extra time to make every bite tender and full of flavor.”

Other menu items include:

Ayam woku: Chicken with fresh herbs, spices, and citrus.
Ayam semur: Sweet-and-savory braised chicken.
Terong cabe ijo: Eggplant stir-fried with spicy green chile.
Acar kuning: Cooked yellow vegetable pickle, often served as a side.
Kentang balado: Fried or roasted potatoes tossed in a spicy, savory red chile sauce.
Capcay: Vegetable stir-fry.

Entrees with a side run $14-$18.

Drinks and sweets, with items priced $7-$8, include es cendol (an icy drink with jelly strands) and es campur (various sweet toppings over shaved ice), and the dark sticky rice or porridge ketan hitam.

Beginning October 29, Angel Touch Kitchen will be open 12-2 pm and 5-8:30 pm Thursday-Friday and 12-8:30 pm Saturday-Sunday. The restaurant is closed Monday-Wednesday.

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