This Week in Gluttony

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

Houston, cinco de mayo parties, May 2017, margaritas at 8 Row Flint

Check out Cinco de Mayo events of all kinds this week at Four Corners Brewing Company, Mockingbird Station, and The Rustic.

Photo by Joshua Black Wilkins

It seems to be all about the almighty margarita this week. And honestly? We don't hate it. When Cinco de Mayo converges with the Kentucky Derby, it's got to be a day of sipping and tipping. Add Star Wars Day into the mix, and you've got a week with culinary force.

Tuesday, May 1

Back the Blue at Celebrity Cafe & Bakery
The recent shooting death of a Dallas Police officer has prompted a favorite Dallas bakery to spring into action. Celebrity has created a special "Back the Blue" iced sugar cookie, and 100 percent of the proceeds are going to America's Defenders Foundation, which is raising money for the families of the officers involved in the shooting. The cookies are $3.50 each and are on sale all week at all locations.

Wednesday, May 2

Mezclar: A Celebration of Modern Mexican Fare at Four Corners Brewing Company
Mix up your Cinco De Mayo celebrations with this celebration of Dallas' top Hispanic chefs. Tickets are $50 and include four libations from Four Corners Brewing Co. and food tastings from all of the participating chefs. Featured chefs include recent CultureMap Tastemaker Award winners and nominees, including Anastacia Quinones (The Cedars Social), Omar Flores (Whistle Britches), Luis Olvera (Trompo), Luis Sanchez (The Village Culinary Lab), David Pena, and Lisa Martel-Mohon (Wheel Food). This event is from 7-9 pm.

Costaripa Wine Dinner at Dolce Riviera
Recognized seven years in a row as the best winemaker in Italy, Nicole Vezzola of Mattia Vezzola Wines makes a rare appearance in Dallas to walk diners through a series of four courses made by executive chef Michele Scarpa with exclusive wine pairings. Courses include seafood carpaccio with crispy frisée salad, homemade bigoli sauteed with King crab, oven roasted red snapper, and a special tribute to tiramisu. Tickets are $120 and dinner begins at 7 pm. Call 469-458-6623 to reserve your spot.

Friday, May 4

Star Wars Day at Zoli's NY Pizza
Celebrate Star Wars with a pizza party on May the 4th. Specifically, Star Wars-themed food and drink specials including a pulled "porg" pizza featuring smoked meat from Cattleack BBQ, stuffed jalapeño "thermal detonators," Death Star-shaped moon pies, and "Rey's Bread," an everything-bagel focaccia served with beer cheese. There is also a C3PO pint glass giveaway with purchase of Noble Rey Brewing Company's Ice Bucket Pale Ale. Enjoy these specials from 5-11 pm while supplies last.

Saturday, May 5

Mindfulness and Margaritas at Mockingbird Station
Mockingbird Station and Dallas Fitness Ambassadors present this unique event that brings together an unlikely pair. The day begins with yoga and meditation led by yogis at CorePower Yoga, followed by a kickboxing demonstration from 9Round at the terrace at Mockingbird Station. Post fitness, stay and play with vendors, henna, braid bar, shopping, and Cinco De Mayo specials throughout The Station all afternoon. Guests can also indulge in a refreshing margarita at one of the many restaurants. Tickets are $20 and the event is happening from 9 am-5 pm.

Cinco De Derby at The Rustic
Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby combine for one epic party. Cinco de Mayo brunch lasts from 10 am-2 pm, where there will be margaritas, a mariachi band, face painting, and a free photo booth. Starting at 2 pm, fashion experts will begin judging for awards given out in both best dressed and best Cinco de Mayo/Derby combo categories. While you watch the race, you can sip on mint juleps and snack on Kentucky hot brown sandwiches. There will be live music by Noah Jackson, some of The Texas Gentlemen, and artists from Friday’s Foolery. Admission is free and the festivities kick off at 10 am.

fundraisers cocktails pizza

Teppanyaki News

Japanese restaurant chain with sizzling hot plates to debut in Frisco

Pepper Lunch

Pepper Lunch is coming to Frisco.

A distinctive Asian restaurant concept with sizzling hot plates is coming to the Dallas area: Called Pepper Lunch, it's an international chain from Japan that does a fast-casual version of teppanyaki, and it's opening in Frisco at 9180 Warren Pkwy. #150, in a busy shopping center anchored by 99 Ranch, in the former Gen Korean BBQ space.

Frisco will be the very first Pepper Lunch in Texas. According to co-owner Phil Guo, it'll open in mid-March.

Pepper Lunch was founded in Tokyo in 1994 by chef Kunio Ichinose and features teppanyaki, a Japanese cooking style where chefs cook on a hot griddle (teppan) in front of diners, creating an interactive and entertaining meal.

But Pepper Lunch takes it a step further with do-it-yourself teppanyaki, with meals served on 500-degree Fahrenheit hot plates, which are patented to stay hot for more than 20 minutes — allowing diners to cook their own food at the table.

All that sizzle has made Pepper Lunch an internet sensation. Cooking your own food at your table is a trend, and Pepper Lunch also has price and convenience on its side: Most of its menu items come in under $20 and can be complete in 20 minutes, making it a desirable option for workers and others with a limited lunch hour.

The signature dish is their Pepper Rice, which comes in about a dozen options, including the best-selling Beef Pepper Rice, featuring sliced beef, white rice, corn, and spring onion, with freshly-cracked black pepper, which is also a signature. ("We crack it fresh every morning," Guo says.)

Salmon terifyaki at Pepper Lunch Frisco.Pepper Lunch

Other varieties of Pepper Rice include Salmon Pepper Rice, Chicken Pepper Rice, Shrimp Pepper Rice, and Tofu & Veggie Pepper Rice.

You can get your meat, rice, and veggies in a teriyaki option or with curry sauce. They also have pastas with cream sauce and your choice of protein. Sides include American classics such as fries, onion rings, or sweet potato wedges, and they offer Kirin beer.

Dallas is part of Pepper Lunch's broader expansion across the U.S. They currently have more than 500 locations across 17 countries.

Guo is a veteran restaurateur who, along with partner Ken Cheng, operates three locations of Jinya Ramen Bar, a completely different kind of dining experience.

"Jinya is a full-service restaurant with a nice bar and intimate atmosphere, and the food is more complex," he says. "Pepper Lunch is fast-casual, more family-oriented, with a faster pace. If you need to, you can be in and out in 20 minutes. But there's heat nothing like it when they bring your plate to your table, and you get to cook rice or steak right in front of your face — it sizzles and pops."

He loves to recall the first time he encountered Pepper Lunch, decades ago, on a family trip to Hong Kong.

"We waited in line for two hours, and I will always remember sitting down and experiencing that sizzling smell," he says.

openings asian