This Week in Gluttony

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

Join Wayward Sons on Thursday, August 25, for the Garden Series plant-based dinner.

Looking to hit up some food events this week? Then you'd better clear your schedule on Thursday night, otherwise Saturday is the only chance you'll have to make your foodie presence known.

Thursday, August 25

Garden Series Plant Based Dinner at Wayward Sons
Join Molly Tuttle of Fashion Veggie and Courtney Garza/Zak Shelton of Harvest Hands for an exciting night of plant-based cuisine. The menu includes tomato tartare, Paul Quinn College baby greens, wild mushroom and eggplant moussaka, and squash honey-nut cobbler. The cost for this four-course meal is $45 a person. Reservations are limited and can be made by calling 214-828-2888.

Pork & Pours Peticolas Beer Dinner at Mudhen Meat & Greens
Join chef Suki Otsuki as she prepares a whole hog in a Kalua-style pig roast to complement three brews from the award-winning Peticolas Brewing Company. The event features special guest Michael Peticolas and starts at 7 pm. Cost is $40 per person in advance, $45 at the door. Call 214-698-7000 for reservations.

Chef’s Come-As-You-Are Wine Dinner featuring Malvira Winery at The Grape
Hosted by Karla Barber with Dionysus Imports, this month's wine dinner features wines from Malvira in Roero, Italy. Guests can also expect a sampling of Arneis, Barbera d’Alba, and Birbet (also known as Brachetto). Reservations for this event can be made between 5:30-9:30 pm by calling 214-828-1981. The cost is $55 and includes three paired courses.

Beer vs. Wine Smackdown at Scardello Artisan Cheese
Experience one of Scardello's famous classes and decide once and for all which is better with cheese: wine or beer. Each of the five rounds consists of one cheese, one wine, and one beer. The class leader takes time to talk about pairing, and the class votes on the favorite. Cost is $40, and the event begins at 7 pm.

Saturday, August 27

Chef Chris Ward Cooking Class at The Mercury
Chef Chris Ward is hosting an afternoon cooking class with the assistance of Burton Gilliam, actor and longtime friend of the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (GALT). Chef Ward prepares menu classics including escargot bourguignon, beef Wellington, creamed spinach, lyonnaise potatoes, and graham cracker cheese pie for class guests. Tickets include a full course tasting of demonstrated recipes, recipe cards, two drink tickets, and door prizes. Guests can also bid on the silent auction for artwork, spa/restaurant gift certificates, custom jewelry, and more. Tickets are $85, and the class starts at 2 pm.

Birds and Beer at Truck Yard
Lindsey and Simon of Window to the Wild are going to be on hand with some of their bird ambassadors, raising money for their nonprofit organization. Snag a photo with one of their birds, get one of their cool owl T-shirts, or just get up close and personal with a bird ambassador. The event is happening Saturday, August 27, and Sunday, August 28, and starts at 3 pm. Admission is free.

Pints and Paws Adoption Event at the Ranch at Las Colinas
Inspired by International Homeless Animals Day, The Ranch is partnering with Operation Kindness to host an onsite adoption event during lunch, from 11 am to 2 pm. Operation Kindness will have its adoption trailer next to the patio throughout the event, allowing attendees to conveniently rescue their new best friend. The Ranch plans to donate $1 to Operation Kindness for each draft beer ordered during the event, and guests who adopt a dog will be rewarded with a complimentary beer.

dinner event-planner

Steakhouse News

2 Dallas steakhouses proclaimed among the best in the world

Photo courtesy of Nuri

Nuri Steakhouse ranked 84th on the list.

Two Dallas steakhouses have been honored in a new global ranking of the 101 Best Steakhouses in the World: Nuri Steakhouse and Knife.

The ranking, by London-based company Upper Cut Media House, is based on incognito reviews of each restaurant by so-called "Steak Ambassadors" who have industry backgrounds as chefs, food journalists, or "certified meat- and Wagyu masters."

The two Dallas entries join 17 others in the U.S. that made the cut. According to the list, the No. 1 best steakhouse in the world is Don Julio Parrilla in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Steakhouses were evaluated based on the quality and variety of its meat offerings, and additional factors such as wine list, staff service, online presence, interior design, and ambiance. The list emphasizes that each steakhouse was not evaluated on a "pay-for-play" basis to keep reviews objective.

Knife Steakhouse ranked No. 47 on the list, with the publication praising acclaimed chef John Tesar's expertise and dry-aging practices.

Guests will have to make their reservations soon before the restaurant shutters its location at The Highland Dallas hotel at the end of August. The restaurant will be moving to a new location, though no word yet on where that will be.

Steak at Knife in Dallas. Photo courtesy of Knife

"In the heart of Dallas, Knife by Chef John Tesar has long stood as a bold reimagining of the American steakhouse—a place where dry-aged beef, culinary precision and Texan swagger converge to create one of the most compelling meat-centric experiences in Texas," the review says.

Prime Texan and Akuashi beef cuts are dry aged for up to 140 days to develop their signature taste and "velvet-like textures rarely found outside of Europe," and the curated wine list provides numerous options for pairing a deep red vintage with such boldly flavored steaks.

Newcomer Nuri Steakhouse debuted at No. 84 on the list after being open for less than a year, showing that its two-year development has truly paid off.

Executive chef Mario Hernandez and culinary director Minji Kim source Nuri's steaks from local Texas farms like 44 Farms, and Blue Branch Ranch in Oklahoma. Other high quality cuts like as wagyu steaks are imported from Australia and Japan.

"The restaurant employs a Jade broiler that reaches temperatures up to 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing for a perfect sear and caramelization, particularly on their Korean-marinated short ribs," the review says.

Nuri Steakhouse Nuri's elegant design was two years in the making.Photo courtesy of Nuri

Other Asian-inspired details that make Nuri stand out include its array of traditional Korean condiments and banchan (small side dishes), the review adds.

Nuri owner Wan Kim expressed his appreciation for the honor in a release.

"We are immensely grateful to our dedicated team and to the guests who have supported us from day one. This milestone is only the beginning," he said.

The only other Texas steakhouse to make the list was Jeffrey's in Austin, which ranked No. 52.

dallas john tesar restaurants steakhouses world's best