This Week in Gluttony

These are the 8 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

How many sliders can you eat?

Photo courtesy of Oak'd

Another benchmark on Dallas' return to normal from the dregs of the pandemic is the return of foodie events — and the revival of CultureMap's food events roundup, highlighting the best food and drink events happening over the next seven days.

These events feature wine, beer, BBQ, and even more wine.

Wednesday June 9

Wednesday Wine Chat: Kings of Chardonnay at Cru Wine Bar
Hail to the Kings of Chardonnay in this cool Wine Chat featuring four Chardonnays paired with chef's small plates. Wines featured include Bourchard Bourgogne Burgundy, William Febre Champs Royaux Chablin, Jordan Russian River Valley, and Mes Soleil from Santa Lucia Highlands. Tickets are $30 and the event runs from 6:30-7:30 pm.

Texas bartender competition: Fish House Punch
Chefs Christian Armando Guillén of El Cantinero, Haley Merritt of Midnight Rambler, Trey Roland of Parliament and the Hard Shake, and Pedro Tapia of Hillside Tavern will make one of America's oldest drinks, featuring rum and brandy, with bites by chefs Misti Norris and Philippe Gaston, plus wines from Ribera y Rueda from Spain. The event starts at either 5 pm or 6 pm, depending on who you ask, but it's definitely at The Gaston Dallas Bed & Breakfast at 4802 Gaston Ave. Tickets are $50, buy them here.

Thursday June 10

Dallas Arboretum Food and Wine Festival
The 2021 Dallas Arboretum Food & Wine Festival has been reimagined into a three-day celebration. On Thursday June 10, from 7-9 pm is a Gatsby Garden Soiree, with food, wine, and beer stations outdoors; roaring '20s attire is encouraged. On Saturday-Sunday June 12-13 from 10 am–3 pm is a farmers market event featuring local vendors. Tickets are a rather steep $125 and can be purchased here.

6th Annual Tap Fest at Texas Ale Project
Festival celebrating sixth anniversary of this Design District brewery runs four days, June 10-13, and includes: Thursday Night on the Midway with Fletcher's Corny Dogs and fair games; Friday VIP brewers' night; Saturday Tap Fest with new beers and live music; and Sunday Brunch at Stock & Barrel. Tickets run from $15-$175 and can be purchased here.

Friday June 11

BarNone Bar & Grand Re-Opening
East Dallas bar will host a Grand Re-Opening weekend from June 11-12 with specialty drinks and live performance by Rosco Johnny on Friday 6-8 pm and Honey Folk on Saturday 7-9 pm.

Saturday June 12

Rosé Wine Walk on Greenville Avenue
Fourth annual Rosé Wine Walk takes place on Greenville Avenue. Check-in at the Libertine Bar between 12-2 pm for wine glass, map, and a $15 wristband that gives access to specials at participating businesses such as $6 rose at Son of a Butcher. According to organizers Dallasites 101, a highlight of the experience is seeing everyone dressed pink, so apparently pink clothes are encouraged. It's 12-5 pm, and you can buy your $15 wristband here.

Oak'd BBQ Bash
East Dallas BBQ restaurant hosts party with live music, cornhole, and all-you-can-eat sliders, ribs, beans, mac & cheese, slaw, and potato salad. It starts at 6 pm and ends at 10:30 pm unless they run out. Tickets are $15.

Monday June 14

Ida Claire Wine Dinner with Elyse Winery
Five-course dinner features Lee Abraham from Elyse Winery guiding guests through a menu paired with wines from Napa Valley vineyards including Fried Pickled Green Strawberries with JP Chenet Sparkling Rosé, Kale Salad with Elyse Winery C'Est Si Bon, Duck Leg Confit with Petite Sirah, A Bar N Ranch Hangar Steak with Elyse Winery Cabernet Sauvignon from Holbrook Mitchell Vineyard in Yountville, and Texas Blackberry Crostata with Kopke 10 Year Tawny Port. Tickets are $90. Call 214-377-8227.

event-planner cocktails

Omakase News

Downtown Dallas restaurant Sauvage expands with new dining twist

Sauvage

A downtown Dallas restaurant famous for its multi-course tasting experience is letting its hair down: Sauvage, the high-end mom-and-pop restaurant near the Statler Dallas hotel, has a new dining option that gives a smaller, more casual taste.

The restaurant opened in September with a set menu featuring 16 to 18 courses — wild game, seafood, vegetables, and dessert — all cooked via grill and smoker.

While 16 courses might sound like a lot, the courses are mostly small bites. However, owners Casey and Amy LaRue received feedback from diners wanting a smaller option.

"We were getting a ton of messages from guests who want to stop by just to try one dish, a bite, or a specific pairing without committing to the full tasting — so we built something for exactly that," Casey says.

They've introduced a new three-course "Cocktails & Bites hour" featuring three dishes, each paired with its own cocktail, served from 5–6 pm on weekdays.

Last week’s menu consisted of:

dry-aged red snapper crudo with La Chinola Way, a cocktail featuring passionfruit, mezcal, lime, and ginger
foie gras & truffle on house-baked croissant with Pendennis Club, a gin sour with apricot liqueur bitters
jerk-spiced shrimp with Clarified Paper Plane, a bourbon cocktail with Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and lemon juice

The new offering continues their pattern of pairing courses with cocktails rather than wine — an approach they've embraced since opening. "Limiting pairings to wine can get boring — it so often ends up being one expensive red after another," Casey says.

You can make a reservation on Tock, or just walk in and grab a seat.

Caviar
They've also added a new version of their classic menu: no caviar.

"Some love having caviar integrated into the menu, but others prefer to skip it, whether for taste or dietary reasons, but still want the full value of the experience," Casey says. "With such a small counter, this put us in a strange position: do we give everyone caviar whether they want it or not, or do we remove it entirely and lose a core part of our menu?"

Thus, a new menu without caviar, priced at $195, with an optional caviar course available for those who want it for $245.

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