This Week in Gluttony

These are the 6 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

The fourth annual Taco Libre event is happening on Saturday, April 28 starting at 3 pm at the Dallas Farmers Market.

Photo courtesy of Suerte

What sounds better than cupcakes, whiskey, and tacos? (We'll wait.) This week offers a chance to enjoy all three. There's also a big NFL Draft-watching party, a gourmet wine dinner, and plenty of cocktail samplings.

Wednesday, April 25

Iron Fork at Centennial Hall
Whole Foods Market Presents this Dallas Observer event that features a grand tasting from local restaurants plus the chance to enjoy plenty of wine, beer, and cocktail samplings. VIP tickets get early admission at 6 pm for the first bites and sips. All tickets include unlimited food samples alongside eight wine, beer, and cocktail samples. Tickets start at $45 and the general admission start time is 7 pm.

Thursday, April 26

Waters Winery Wine Dinner at Abacus
Winemaker Jamie Brown and Abacus executive chef Chris Patrick collaborate to create a menu featuring wood-fired antelope backstrap, morel mushrooms, ramps fingerling potato, and lingonberry gastrique. The dinner starts with passed appetizers followed by four courses alongside an assortment of wines from one of Washington’s best artisanal boutique wineries. Tickets are $125, and the event starts at 6:30 pm. Call 214-520-0151 to reserve your spot.

NFL Draft Watch Party at Knife
Check out the newly revamped patio while enjoying the NFL Draft on Knife's large projector. Guests can snack on complimentary bites and beer by Oak Highlands Brewery, and Fumar Cigars will be there rolling cigars. And because it is not porch party without a little music, a DJ is set to spin tunes. This event is free and lasts from 7-10 pm.

Friday, April 27

The Whisky Extravaganza at Union Station
Explore and sample more than 100 varieties of the most prestigious single malts, premium Scotch whiskies, and other unique whiskies from around the world. Think Glen Fiddich, The John Milroy Selection, and Bruichladdich. There are also special masterclasses led by industry leaders and a tasting with commentary by mixologist Gary Crunkleton. Tickets start at $135, and the event starts at 6 pm.

Saturday, April 28

Cupcakes for a Cause at University Park United Methodist Church
Enjoy delicious cupcakes from bakeries all over Dallas-Fort Worth, and participate in fun activities like cupcake-eating contests, face painting, and more. All proceeds support LEAP Global Missions, a Dallas-based nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing and enriching the lives of people around the world by providing free specialized surgical and medical care. Tickets are $15, and the fun starts at 11 am.

Taco Libre at Dallas Farmers Market
Tacquerias are coming from all over the area (24 total) with taco sampling options ranging from authentic street-style to contemporary. And you can't forget the epic wrestling and live music that make this festival unique. Tickets start at $10 and the gates open at 3 pm.

craft-beer fundraisers wine

Hummus News

New Mediterranean restaurant in McKinney spotlights Greek and Lebanese

Ilio's

Chicken shawarma plate at Ilio's Greek & Lebanese

A new Mediterranean restaurant starring two cuisines has debuted in McKinney: Called Ilio’s Greek & Lebanese Restaurant, it's now open at 210 N. Custer Rd. #130, with a collection of Middle Eastern favorites like gyros, shawarma, kebabs, hummus, falafel, and pita wraps.

The restaurant, which opened in mid-May in a center on the newer west side of McKinney, is from a pair of restauraunt veterans, Anas Abu-Ziad, nicknamed "Ziad," and Talal Hammad, who owned a similarly-themed and similarly-named concept in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Managing the front of the house is Ziad's affable wife Jessica Gardener, whose doting customer service has quickly made her a diner favorite.

"The idea with combining Greek and Lebanese was to make the restaurant inviting to everyone," Gardener says.

Baton Rouge has a reputation for good Greek and Lebanese food, even boasting a few restaurants that feature "Greek & Lebanese" as part of their name. Those two cuisines are slightly less common in Dallas, where the Middle-Eastern restaurant scene has been dominated mostly by Turkish and Syrian places.

Ilio's, which was the ancient Greek name for the city of Troy and is a popular moniker for Greek restaurants across the U.S., specializes in sizzling grilled kebobs, which are available in chicken, beef, shrimp, and kafta, the Lebanese favorite consisting of ground meat — often a combination of beef and lamb, with spices, onions, and herbs — molded into a long cylinder.

Greek dishes include dolmas (stuffed grape leaves with rice), spinach pie, and lamb shank — all dishes that can appear on many Middle Eastern menus but are most closely allied with Greek cuisine. That includes moussaka, the homey casserole dish made with eggplant, meat sauce, and bechamel — although Ilio's version is deconstructed, which is easier for restaurants to execute than the traditional layered version favored by home cooks.

Hummus comes in three options: traditional, Mediterranean, and Sultan, topped with chunks of meat. Other Mediterranean classic dishes include chicken shawarma, gyro plates, falafel, and fried halloumi cheese.

Most dishes come in under $15 and the restaurant is also BYOB.

There are extra-healthy dishes including salads, lentil soup, and pita wraps, made with pita that's a little softer and less doughy than many pitas in town. And there's also a fusion twist that's very Texas: a "Greek quesadilla" with your choice of grilled meat stacked between pita bread.

greek cuisine lebanese cuisine mckinney mediterranean restaurant middle eastern favorites openings

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