This week in gluttony

These are the 9 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

It's Hatch chile time.

Central Market

August brings the start of two important culinary happenings in town: Hatch chile season and DFW Restaurant Week. Both kick off this week with multiple events. Also on the list: a steak dinner starring Wagyu, two wine events including the grand opening of a wine storage facility, and a day-long festival starring wonderful watermelons.

Wednesday, August 3

Rat Pack Wednesdays at Sfuzzi
The Italian dive is bringing back its fan-favorite Rat Pack Wednesdays with live music and cocktails. Visit late night from 8-10 pm to hear a Rat Pack tribute by Ricki Derek while sipping on martinis. Try The Good Life made with bourbon, vermouth and bitters, or the Big Dill, shaken with gin, dill, and beet onion. The specials range from $12-$13 and will only be available starting at 8 pm.

Thursday, August 4

Frank On Thursdays at Blue Mesa Addison
Beverage manager and mixologist Frank Valles will begin a weekly showcase on Thursdays at the Blue Mesa in Addison featuring cutting-edge tequila and mezcal cocktails. This Thursday will feature two concoctions: the Hatch Choo made with Hatch-Cello (a play on limoncello) and Hatch chile chunks; and the Four Play, with Casamigos mezcal, egg white, and filthy cherries. Customers can taste complimentary samples or purchase a full cocktail. Pair with the restaurant's official street taco for August, the Hatch steak relleno taco. Frank on Thursdays will run every Thursday from 5-9 pm.

Wine Tasting at Tricky Fish
Start with a glass of prosecco upon arrival during this summertime wine tasting, featuring three rose and white wines paired with Tricky Fish apps and bites. The tasting is $30 per person and begins at 6 pm.

Cowboy Waygu Dinner at Knife Plano
Visit John Tesar’s Plano steakhouse for a five-course pairing dinner featuring wines by Napa's Frias Vineyards. The menu will highlight Cowboy Waygu, a ranch that produces Japanese Waygu in Center, Texas. There’ll be beef tartare, oxtail ravioli, 72-hour sous vide short rib, and 90-day dry-aged A5 ribeye. Finish with cheesecake tart with fresh berries. Dinner is $180 per person, plus tax and gratuity, and begins at 7 pm.

Friday, August 5

DFW Restaurant Week
The 2022 edition of the annual dine-out fundraiser debuts its preview weekend on Friday, with the official week running August 8-14. Dinners are $39 or $49 per person, while a two-course lunch option is for $24. New this year: a $99 signature experience with an elevated menu, as well as a $29 weekend brunch. Some restaurants are extending their specials through September 4.

Vinum 55 Allen Grand Opening
Arizona-based Vinum 55 will celebrate the opening of its first Texas location with a party for wine lovers. The membership-based wine storage and concierge company invites guests to visit its newest outlet in Allen for a wine tasting experience led by Vinum 55 sommeliers. There’ll be a ribbon-cutting with champagne toast and small bites for wine pairing. The event runs from 4-8 pm and is complimentary, but reservations are encouraged.

Hatch Chile Tasting Event at Central Market
Grocer celebrates its 27th annual Hatch Chile Festival August 3-23, showcasing dozens of Hatch chile-infused products with a free tasting event on August 5 from 5-8 pm, with 10 stations of Hatch chile goodness, including Hatch chile crab cakes with Hatch buttermilk ranch dressing, Hatch meatballs with Hatch queso, spicy cheese on Hatch brioche, wine pairings and more. Register in advance on the Central Market Cooking School page. The tasting will be held at all Central Market stores, and each customer receives a $10 coupon to use that evening.

Saturday, August 6

Watermelon Day at Dallas Farmers Market
From Sugar Babies to Desert Kings, watermelon varieties will be aplenty this Saturday at the Dallas Farmers Market. Enjoy live music and family-friendly activities while perusing peak season picks harvested by local farmers. The market will be open from 9 am-5 pm.

Fletcher's Corny Dogs Pop-Up on Knox Street
Get a preview of the State Fair of Texas' iconic corny dog plus lemonade, and support Community of Partners of Dallas' annual Back-to-School Drive. Donate calculators, colored pencils, composition books, construction paper (9×12, 100 count or less), 24 count crayons, glue, highlighters, index cards (100 count), markers (10 count), and more. Donations accepted at BodyBar, Lululemon, Pottery Barn Kids, and Room & Board. 11 am-3 pm at 3311 Knox St., near the corner of Travis Street by Village Baking Co.

event-planner wine

Tiki Time

Dallas tiki bar Swizzle to close on Greenville Ave after 5 years

Photo courtesy of Swizzle

Swizzle cocktails

Dallas' temple of tiki is closing: Swizzle, the fun and trendy tiki bar at 1802 Greenville Ave. will close its doors after five years.

According to a post from owners Marty Reyes and Jen Ann Tonic, their last day will be July 19. However, they plan to keep the tiki party going via pop-ups and catering events.

"The brick and mortar may be closing but Swizzle isn’t going anywhere," the couple says. "We have been operating as Swizzle for 10 years and we don’t plan on stopping now. It started out as a pop-up and will continue as a pop-up and catering company. We will be moving forward with food and cocktail catering for parties, business events, lunches, weddings, holiday parties and everything in between."

"If your heart is breaking, try to imagine how we feel," they say.

As to why they are closing now, they said, "think of a reason, or ten, they are probably all correct," but attributed it mostly to the struggles that small businesses are facing right now.

"We have worked tirelessly to change this course against the waves of circumstance beating down on us and our incredible staff. We have all gone through more than y’all will ever hear about, because our struggles are not what escapism is about," they said. "Our goal was to bring you the best tiki experience we could dream of and I think we did just that."

"Take a good look around at your favorite small businesses and support them as much as possible, nothing is getting easier for them. They need you now more than ever," their post said.

The couple opened the bar in 2020, after already having built a tiki buzz via a series of Polynesian-style pop-ups called Swizzle Luau Lounge, which they debuted in 2016, serving mai tais and other tropical treasures.

Tiki was on an upward trend when they opened but it was also right at the beginning of the pandemic — a bad time for any business to launch.

Nonetheless, they've helped build a DFW tiki community over the last 10 years and thanked their followers for their support.

"We got to see this dream come true, not everyone can say that they did that, and you have been there beside us the whole time. Thank you for everything!" they said.

They'll be hosting and attending events, including the Tales of the Cocktail competition in New Orleans on July 22, as well as hosting their annual Dallas Tiki Week they've been bringing to DFW since 2017.

Meanwhile they will be hosting a "Tiki Takedown Sale" on June 15 at 11 am.

"If there is a piece of art, a tiki, a Witco or a particular barrel that you have had your eye on and if you would love to take a piece of Dallas history home with you, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE!," their post says "We will be selling everything until the last day we are open. This is just your first opportunity. We have a lot of events planned from now until the last day. So come out, show some love, tell us your favorite stories and get to Swizzlin!"

closings nightlife

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Tiki Time

Dallas tiki bar Swizzle to close on Greenville Ave after 5 years