This Week in Gluttony

These are the 10 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

Put your pie baking (and tasting) skills to the test at the 10th Annual Battles of the Pies at the Good Little Market.

Photo courtesy of Good Local Market

This week is jam packed with delicious things to do. From a Vueve Clicquot dinner to a pig roast, all the courses are covered. And let's be honest, can you even call yourself a faithful foodie if you don't have one of these Thursday night dinners on the books?

Thursday, November 15

Vueve Clicquot Dinner at Abacus
This special holiday dinner features the favorite Champagne paired with delicious offerings by chef Chris Patrick. The four-course meal includes everything from crispy Gulf oyster appetizers to cornmeal crusted Texas quail, hickory grilled wild boar tenderloin, and even a dessert vanilla Forelle pear and white chocolate éclair. Tickets are $175 and the dinner starts at 6:30 pm. Call 214-915-0470 to reserve your spot.

Cenote Tequila Dinner at Wild Salsa
Wild Salsa Fort Worth is hosting a four-course dinner event paired with cocktails highlighting this tequila, which is inspired by the beauty of the Yucatán Peninsula. Courses include octopus ceviche, wild mushroom tamale, pork belly carnitas, and arroz con leche. Tickets are $45 and the event starts at 6:30 pm.

Ramen and Sake at Dallas Fish Market
This rainy, cold weather is the perfect time to get your ramen fix. This four-course dinner gives you a variety of flavors with ingredients like spicy seafood, red curry and tonkotsu. Tickets are $70, and the event starts at 6:30 pm.

Krupp Brothers Wine Dinner at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse
Enjoy a five-course dinner prepared by executive chef Aristotelis Trikilis. Krupp Brothers founder, Dr. Jan Krupp, will be in attendance to walk guests through a special lineup of selections. Courses include pan seared scallops, Cabernet braised boar short ribs, butter poached lobster and 44Farms prime sirloin steak, and dark chocolate ganache. Tickets are $195, and the dinner starts a 7 pm.

Milagro Tequila Dinner at Cantina Laredo
Evoking the flavors of a modern Mexico City cuisine, Cantina Laredo Frisco is hosting an exclusive four-course tequila dinner featuring distinctive off-the-menu items paired with Milagro tequila cocktails. Tickets are $60, and dinner starts at 7 pm. Call 214-618-9860 to reserve your spot.

Saturday, November 17

12 Days of Holiday Beer at Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
Twelve different breweries will join the Arboretum on 12 different weekend days for Holiday at the Arboretum festivities. Enjoy tasting holiday and seasonal beers with local breweries in the Val Late Garden. This weekend the Dallas Arboretum welcomes Peticolas Brewing to kick off the festivities. The event happens 11 am-2 pm and is free with paid garden admission.

Battle of the Pies at Good Local market
This 10th annual event welcomes amateur bakers of all ages to join in competitive fun with their pies. A special award for best youth bakers under 16 will be presented. All pies are available for tasting by the public, who vote “Best of” in the categories of fruit, nut, chocolate, cream/custard, youth, most beautiful, and best overall. Winners in each category will receive an official Good Local Markets pie ribbon and tokens to spend on the best local produce and artisan finds in Dallas. The event kicks off at 10 am, and the entry fee is $10 (or $5 to be a taster).

Texas Taco Fest at Texas Live!
‘Tis the season for tacos. The two-day, family-friendly festival will host 30 different taco vendors, who’ll serve more than 75 varieties. Participants include Dallas-area spots like TacQui, Flaming Grill Barbecue, and Cuates Kitchen, along with more widely known taco joints like Torchy’s and cult-favorite Taco Casa. There’ll be a tequila-sampling expo, make-your-own-margarita bar, and live music. Tickets range from $14.95 for general admission (tacos not included) to $54.95 for VIP access, which comes with five tacos, four beverages, a gift bag, and a VIP area. Early entry begins at 12 pm both days, and the event will run until 7 pm on Saturday and 6 pm on Sunday.

Sunday, November 18

Pints, Pigskin, and Pig Roast at The Rustic
Guests can enjoy roasted pig, smoked up on the patio and served as The Rustic’s popular pork carnitas tacos. If fresh hog isn’t enticing enough, $1 from every pork carnitas tacos purchase will be donated to the North Texas Food Bank to help guarantee that everyone has food for the holidays. NoCoast Brewery is pouring a brew that pairs perfectly with roasted pig — the Agriculture Rye Porter. Admission is free, and the fun starts at 3 pm.

Monday, November 19

Farm to Fork Celebration at The Ranch at Las Colinas
The Ranch at Las Colinas will honor and meet the local farmers, ranchers, and growers of their menu items during this annual showcase. Guests can show their Texas pride, shop local, take pictures with a live longhorn, and even pet somebaby piglets. More than 25 of Texas’ best farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and other food providers will be on hand for this special night. Admission is free, and the event kicks off at 6 pm.

dinner wine news-you-can-eat cocktails tacos

Opening News

Dallas diner & music venue will open in former Ferris Wheeler space

Courtesy

Pancakes

A new restaurant has been unveiled that will take over the former Ferris Wheeler space near Dallas' Design District at 1950 Market Center Blvd.: Called AM/FM, it'll be an all-day diner and lounge with a big backyard and a stage for live music, and it's from Spune Productions, the music and event production company.

According to a release, it'll open in early January initially with evening hours, cocktails, and a few afternoon soccer matches. Music acts are already booked beginning January 8. More hours will be added down the road.

Ferris Wheelers BBQ, which was also a restaurant with a big backyard and a stage for live music, closed in November after eight years. Spune had already been involved since 2023 to help ramp up the live music side. Now they'll take it over with a fresh new personality and long hours.

They were famous for having a Ferris wheel on-site; an inquiry on its status went unanswered.

The diner will open daily at 7 am, serving "musicians coming off late nights, workers heading into morning shifts, and neighbors who want a place that remembers their name," says the release very poetically.

They've redecorated the interior with a new bar and banquettes that wrap the room. Alongside the renovations inside, the set-up outdoors will evolve over the coming weeks, with extra care given to the concert experience,

Menu
The food at AM/FM will be rooted in elevated Diner classics, with a menu overseen by chef Anastacia Quinones-Pittman (Oh, Hi! Hospitality) that's influenced by Mexican-American kitchens and Nuevo Southern traditions.

Breakfast offerings include huevos rancheros, breakfast tacos, breakfast empanadas, French toast, avocado toast, pork belly toast, and an intriguing twist on pancakes called masa pancakes, made using masa harina AKA corn flour.

Lunch includes a chicken Milanesa Caesar salad, Sonoran hot dog, fried catfish po'boy, kale salad, Cobb salad, and a Mexican twist on chicken noodle soup with fideo noodles.

Entree plates include pot roast, meatloaf, fried chicken, and a weekly pot pie.

The beverage program will aim for accessibility with coffee, cocktails, and craft beer, says Victor Rojas, Quinones-Pittman's partner at Oh, Hi! Hospitality.

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