This Week in Gluttony

Big-deal beer and wine to-dos top this week's best Dallas food events

It's the week before Thanksgiving — how did that happen already? — and many of you are searching for food to take to Friendsgiving celebrations, or some way to give back during this season of gratitude.

And then there's the other half, who are simply in search of some quality food and drink before the main event. Regardless of what camp you find yourself in, we've got you covered.

Tuesday, November 17

Sokol Blosser Wine Dinner at Stephan Pyles
Join Stephan Pyles and Alex Sokol Blosser for a four-course dinner with Sokol Blosser Wine pairings. Alex is the son of the winery's founders and is currently the operation's winemaker. The event starts with a 6:30 pm reception followed by dinner at 7:00 pm. This event costs $125 a person and reservations can be made by calling 214-580-7000.

Village Burger Bar 10th Anniversary
All four locations are celebrating the brand's 10th anniversary by donating 100 percent of their sales to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. As if you needed a reason to enjoy a delicious burger.

Power of Pie
This is the last day to get your orders in for this VNA fundraiser that supports vital programs including Meals on Wheels and Hospice Care. Order a $25 pumpkin or pecan pie made by Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Empire Baking Company, Remedy, HG Supply, Cafe Momentum, Knife, Oak, the Lakewood Country Club, Normas, and many more. You can also order a "zero calorie" pie — aka, make a donation.

Thursday, November 19

Steel Restaurant and Lounge 15th Anniversary
From 5-7:30 pm, this beloved Dallas restaurant is serving up free sushi in honor of its anniversary. The restaurant is offering $15 sake flights, $3 off cocktails, $12 Veuve Clicquot, and $9 Rombauer. Diners can also score giveaways including sake, sushi, and wine packages.

Deep Ellum Wine Walk
Just in time for holiday cheers, this monthly event rolls out the Thankful Edition. The walk also features five new shops including City Surf Deep Ellum, Deep Ellum Hair Studio, and Heather Michaels Make Up. The fun starts at 6 pm and tickets are $10.

Hearts on the Trinity at 3015 Trinity Groves
Food meets philanthropy as chefs, breweries, and wineries showcase their food for a good cause. Vendors include Scardello Cheese, LUCK, PopStar Handcrafted Popsicles, Oak Highlands Brewery, Lost Oak Winery, and more. Proceeds benefit VolunteerNow and help expand volunteerism in North Texas. Tickets are $35 and the event kicks off at 6 pm.

Rahr & Sons Brewing Company Beer Dinner at Stampede 66
Join Stephan Pyles and head brewer Nate Swan from Rahr & Sons Brewery for a three-course fall beer dinner. And although the menu is TBD, beers featured include the Pumpkin Brown Ale with Spice, the English Dark Ale, and a Russian Imperial Stout. The meal costs $60 and you can reserve your spot by calling 214-550-6966. The fun starts at 6:30 pm.

Friday, November 20

Beaujolais & Beyond Wine and Food Festival at Irving Convention Center
Revolving around the renowned French movie festival taking place in the south of France, the theme of this year is Sip, Savor, and Shine in Cannes. Throughout the evening, guests sample signature delicacies offered by some of the area’s top chefs, savor a large selection of French wines (from multiple regions) and American wines (from multiple regions), as well as a selection of craft beers and spirits. Tickets start at $65 and the event begins at 7 pm.

Saturday, November 21

BrainDead Festicle at BrainDead Brewing
Big Texas Beer Fest and BrainDead Brewing are teaming up for this inaugural event, featuring 30 of their closest brewery friends. Happening in the parking lot west of the building, this outdoor festival gives you direct access to all of your favorite brews. There is also food for purchase. Tickets start at $35 and general admission can enter beginning at 2 pm.

Fall Harvest Dinner at Asador
Enjoy farm-to-table cuisine in a beautiful setting at this fall-focused dinner. Courses include grilled calamari, braised antelope, cast iron eggplant lasagna, mini cannolis, and more. Dinner is $90 and starts at 7:00 pm. To make reservations, call 214-267-4815.

Oak Highlands Brewery is just one of many vendors participating in the Hearts on the Trinity event on November 19.

Photo courtesy of OHB

Oak Highlands Brewery is just one of many vendors participating in the Hearts on the Trinity event on November 19.

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Opening doors

Popular NYC Palestinian restaurant Ayat makes Texas debut in Richardson

Photo by Amy McCarthy

Hummus at Ayat.

A New York City export that serves up Palestinian street food called Ayat is making its Texas debut in Richardson.

The restaurant officially opens its doors for service on Monday, February 9, at 200 W. Spring Valley Rd., owner Abdul Elenani says, after a surprise soft opening over the weekend that brought out droves of fans looking to try its wood-fired pita, hummus, and other classic Palestinian dishes.

It’s the first Texas restaurant for Ayat, which currently operates multiple outposts in its home state of New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey.

About a year ago, Elenani came to Texas to help a friend open a burger joint, and after meeting the restaurant’s landlord, he decided to bring his restaurant to Texas after things began to “align perfectly for the restaurant to grow," he says.

“We promise to bring value, to give back, and to be a real part of this beautiful community,” Elenani wrote when he announced the expansion. “Wherever we go, we don’t just open a restaurant — we plant roots, we give back, and we do our best to bring people together.”

Ayat Ayat is at 200 W. Spring Valley Rd.Facebook/Ayat

The restaurant is deeply connected to its home nation, both in terms of cuisine and in the design. The building’s exterior has been painted in parts to resemble the print on a keffiyeh, both a practical scarf and symbol of liberation for the people of Palestine.

In the space’s interior, bottles of Palestinian olive oil are used both as decor and for cooking. The centerpiece of the dining room, a large faux olive tree, continues the theme. The menus, bound in leather and embossed with “End the Occupation,” further make its Palestinian identity abundantly clear.

As far as the food is concerned, a meal at Ayat begins with a basket of warm pita fresh from the restaurant’s wood-fired oven, served at the table with olive oil, za’atar, and cracked olives.

Ayat Spicy kafta at Ayat. Photo by Amy McCarthy

The menu boasts an eclectic line-up of dishes that includes traditional Palestinian classics like maklouba, a layered dish of chicken, rice, and vegetables.

There are also more innovative, fusion-y plates like the Pizzawarma, a cultural mash-up that involves a thin, New York City-style pizza crust that’s loaded down with halloumi cheese, beef shawarma, pickles, olives, sumac onions, pomegranate molasses, and tahini sauce.

After Ayat debuts on February 9, the restaurant will be open from 11 am-10 pm daily, for lunch and dinner service. The restaurant is also currently planning a free dinner, open to the public, at some point in the near future, to help introduce the community to Ayat, Elenani says.

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