This Week in Gluttony

Chocolate extravaganza and Okrapalooza top best food and drink events in DFW

Events dedicated solely to okra, beer, wine and chocolate? Only in Dallas could these things happen in the same week. Plus, the Goss-Michael Foundation is continuing its new artsy lunch series in the Design District.

Enough talk. Dig in.

Tuesday, September 9

Red Wine with Fish (!?) Dinner at Spoon Bar & Kitchen
Dining tradition may dictate that fish be paired with white wine, but Spoon chef-owner John Tesar and J.R. Richardson from Oak Cliff Cellars are throwing tradition to the wind at this wine dinner. Enjoy dishes such as layers of thinly pounded big eye tuna, "Singapore style" chili lobster, beef cheek ravioli and king salmon, all designed to pair with red wines. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased online. Dinner starts at 6:30 pm.

Thursday, September 11

2014 Grapefest in Historic Downtown Grapevine
This four-day festival (Thursday-Sunday) features premium wines from Texas, Washington and five of Italy's wine regions. In fact, it's the largest wine festival in the Southwest. Popular events include the People's Choice Wine Tasting Classic and the Texas Wine Tribute. Tickets range in price from $5-$119 and can be purchased online.

Friday, September 12

Fridays (at) GMF at Goss-Michael Foundation
If you missed it last week, the Goss-Michael Foundation is giving Dallasites a chance to dine amongst the art of GMF exhibiting artists Adam Ball and Michelle Rawlings. Cost is $15 per person and includes choice of three courses: curried turkey salad; quinoa tabbouleh; romaine salad with olives, radishes and creamy feta dressing; eggplant salad; hummus with chili oil and veggies; or minted fruit. You must RSVP by September 10, and you can do that by emailing ruby@gossmichaelfoundation.org. Lunch starts at 11:30 am.

Saturday, September 13

2014 Dallas Chocolate Festival at Addison Conference Centre
Now in its fifth year, the Dallas Chocolate Festival brings together local and national artisans for a wall-to-wall chocolate extravaganza. Chocolate makers scheduled to appear include Art Pollard (Amano Artisan Chocolate, Utah); Ben Rasmussen (Potomac Chocolate, Virginia); Kristen Hard (Cacao Atlanta); Scott Moore Jr. (Tejas Chocolate, Houston); and Santiago Peralta (Pacari Chocolate, Ecuador). Included with a ticket purchase is a full day of classes and demonstrations that take place in an adjoining room of the Addison Conference Centre. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online for the 12:30 and 2:30 pm festival entry times.

2014 Dallas Observer BrewFest at Dallas Farmers Market
The fourth annual Dallas Observer BrewFest is an outdoor beer-sampling event and festival that features craft beers, local food vendors and live music. Tickets get you 12 two-ounce beer samples, with additional samples available for additional dough. Food is available for purchase from Capriotti's Sandwich Shop, Full Circle Tavern, Samson's Gourmet Hot Dogs and Social House. Tickets cost $45 for general admission and $75 for VIP; purchase them online. Gates open at 6 pm.

Sunday, September 14

2014 Okrapalooza at The Lot
Celebrity chefs and home cooks present their best okra dishes to compete for the title of Okrapalooza Champion of the World. Featured chefs include Eric Shelton and Justin Box from Cafe Momentum, Graham Dodds from Hibiscus, Mark Wootton from Garden Cafe, and Ryan Barnett from Green Grocer. Tickets include okra dish tastings and sides, free local beer, and live music. All proceeds benefit the Promise of Peace Community Garden. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased online. The fun lasts from 11 am-3 pm.

Lucia's Justin Holt and Mike Gibson Pop Up at Windmill Lounge
Mike Gibson and Justin Holt of Lucia are serving up Red Wattle porchetta and sides at the Maple Avenue watering hole from 6:30 pm until it runs out. A flat $20 gets you a plate and a craft cocktail. The event is sponsored by Angels Envy Bourbon and Pilar Rum.

Monday, September 15

Kobalt Wine Dinner at Grace
Guest host Kevin Carriker, owner and winemaker at Kobalt, joins the Grace team to discuss wine, winemaking and the industry. Courses include passed canapés, Japanese Madai, smoked king salmon belly, trumpet royale mushrooms, Colorado lamb and a selection of artisan cheese. The price per person is $150. The event starts at 6:30 pm and reservations can be made by calling 817-877-3388.

Sample all kinds of okra dishes at The Lot on September 14 during Okrapalooza.

Photo by Teresa Gubbins

Sample all kinds of okra dishes at The Lot on September 14 during Okrapalooza.

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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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