This week in gluttony

These are the 7 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

Van Leeuwen will have some special guest scoopers this week.

Photo courtesy of Van Leeuwen

Hang onto summer a bit longer this week with events featuring warm weather favorites: ice cream and rosé. There’s also a festival for both dogs and humans and a Japanese pop-up. Also make plans now for one very exclusive South African wine dinner come Monday.

Tuesday, August 16

Guest Scooper Series at Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
The still-new Uptown ice cream destination will welcome two special guest scoopers this week: Mimi Sterling, CEO of The Family Place Dallas, and co-founder Ben Van Leeuwen himself. Both guests will be in-store to scoop gourmet ice cream from 7-9 pm, when 20 percent of sales will go to The Family Place, an organization that aims to help curb domestic violence. Guests can enjoy exclusive summer flavors including Blueberry Shortcake, Toasted Marshmallow S’mores, and Strawberry Sumac Sorbet. The guest scooper series will run through August.

Wednesday, August 17

Wolf and the Fox Pop-Up at Midnight Rambler
Dallas-based Wolf and the Fox, which hosts private omakase dinners and dining experiences, will visit The Joule’s Midnight Rambler for a one-night pop-up. Chefs Yoni Lang and Liz Scobee will bring their famed chirashi bowls to sell, along with ceviche, sweet desserts, and more. Pre-orders are strongly encouraged (many items are already sold out for advance orders), but walk-in sales will be welcome after 9 pm. Pre-sale pick-up will take place from 6-9 pm. Stay for cocktail specials incorporating Japanese ingredients, like the Dance Police made with yuzu-lime soda.

Saturday, August 20

Rosé Tasting and Class at Trova Wine + Market
The Dallas wine shop and bar hosts a tasting and food pairing class featuring the favorite sip of summer — rosé. Led by Trova’s sommelier, the tasting will teach about all the qualities of rose winé; it will feature five favorite rosés and paired bites with each. Reservations are $55 per person, plus tax, and begins at 1 pm.

Dallas Blonde Birthday Crawl through Deep Ellum
It’s the 10th birthday of Deep Ellum Brewing Company’s Dallas Blonde beer, and the brewery is out to prove that blondes do have more fun. Break out the blonde wigs, golden crowns, and tutus, if desired, to embark on a bar crawl to celebrate. Check in between 2-4 pm at Deep Ellum Brewing Company to get a wristband, swag bag, map, and the first beer. There’ll be beer and shot specials at stops along the route all day long. Tickets are $20 and come with a promo code for $10 off a Lyft ride.

Pints & Pups at Addison Circle Park
Canines and humans alike will enjoy this pop-up festival geared toward furry friends. There’ll be a dog park for both small and large dogs, paw print art, a photo booth, and pet adoptions, along with live music and complimentary beer tastings. Participating breweries include Hop & Sting Brewing Co., Peticolas Brewing Co., TUPPS Brewery, and more. Food trucks will include The Pet Treat Truck and Frios Gourmet Pops serving both popsicles and “pupsicles.” The free event will run from 7-10 pm.

Backyard Jamboree at Truck Yard
At this backyard party — taking place at both the Dallas and The Colony locations — city slickers can partake in carnival games like toilet seat horseshoes, plunger catch-ball, and bra pong while sipping on boozy Watermelon Kegs, Cousin Kisser cocktails, and Flabongos (flamingo beer bongs). Live music will play throughout the yard all day long, and even pups get a treat with frozen watermelon ice cubes. The day-long free festivities start at 12 pm.

Monday, August 22

A.A. Badenhorst Wine Dinner at Monarch
Acclaimed South African winemaker Adi Badenhorst will visit the 49th-floor Dallas restaurant to share his world-class wines. The five-course menu will feature quail, lamb porterhouse, merluza, and more. Dinner is $250 per person, plus tax and gratuity, and begins at 6 pm.

desserts news-you-can-eat wine

Dumpling News

Uptown Dumpling debuts in North Dallas with dumplings and Peking duck

Uptown Dumpling

Dumpling at Uptown Dumpling

There's a new Chinese restaurant in North Dallas embracing two hot trends: Called Uptown Dumpling, it's a new place located at 18101 Preston Rd. #204c, which opened in March serving two of the cuisine's most popular items — namely, soup dumplings and Peking duck.

The restaurant is in the space previously occupied by Tian Tian, a Chinese restaurant that relocated to Austin, with a full menu that spotlights flavors from the Jiangnan region — birthplace to xiao long bao, the famed soup dumplings which are known (and beloved) for being extra "juicy," thanks to a dose of broth inside the dumpling in addition to the filling.

Uptown Dumpling is from chef Hao Wen Jie, who lists his credits as having led banquets at the United Nations headquarters, and as a Chinese cuisine consultant for the Davos Forum.

Dallas is not the only Uptown Dumpling in the works: According to a spokesperson, they're opening a spinoff in Santa Monica, California, sometime this spring.

"The owners spend most of their time in California, but also have family in the Dallas area," the spokesperson said.

Their menu features six varieties of xiao long bao: pork and green pepper, pork and shrimp, and Wagyu and black truffle, which has a black-tinted wrapper; there are two dessert options — chocolate and taro — plus a "huge" option which is at least twice as big.

To make their dumplings, they describe their special technique which involves rolling and boiling/steaming ("sinking and floating") to ensure the sourdough wrapper is delicate yet strong enough to hold soup and fillings.

Other menu signatures include their roast Peking duck, served with pancake, duck sauce, green onion, and cucumber. And in addition to the soup dumplings, they do regular steamed and pan-fried dumplings as well.

Starters and veggie dishes are varied and intriguing such as:

Assorted Cold Vegetables with potato, kelp, and bean sprouts
Fungus Salad with black fungus, garlic, vinegar, and soy sauce
Drunken Chilled Chicken with red dates, and ginseng
Sweet & Sour Pork Ribs with Plum
Mango Walnut Shrimp with mango, walnut, and green tea wasabi

One of their most popular dishes has been their matsutake mushroom beef soup with beef short ribs, as well as their Taiwanese braised beef noodles. It's one of a number of noodle dishes that also include Sichuan dandan noodles and Beijing noodles, featuring thick, chewy noodles topped with a minced pork sauce. There are also traditional Asian dishes such as veggie egg rolls, wonton soup, chow mein, fried rice, and fried rice cake.

One pleasant standout is their Chinese tea program, featuring four teas: jasmine tea; Longjing tea; Dian Hong tea, aka Yunnan red tea; and aged tangerine peel pu'er tea, believed to contribute to digestion and well-being.

chinese restaurant north dallas openings steamed dumplings