This Week in Gluttony

Whiskey and Fine Spirits Festival tops best food and drink events in Dallas

We hope you like wine, because This Week in Gluttony is all about it. Just kidding — everyone likes wine, so lucky you if you’re looking for a chance to dine out this week. The big wine news is that Beaujolais Nouveau day is Thursday, November 21.

Say what you will about the French, but you have to respect their commitment to partying just because a wine comes out. Fortunately, you can follow suit in Irving with the 30th Beaujolais & Beyond Wine Festival on November 22.

Of course, there is a bevy of options for those looking for a more sit-down affair, including a wine dinner at Hotel St. Germain that takes its menu from JFK’s wedding dinner and state dinners.

If wine isn’t your thing, there’s a whiskey party in the Design District with more than 150 types of whiskey. Not a terrible alternative, really.

Thursday, November 21

Duchman Family Wine Dinner at Landmark Restaurant
The Landmark Restaurant at the Warwick Melrose hosts Duchman Family Wines for a four-course wine dinner beginning at 6:30 pm. Pairings include beef carpaccio, shoestring potato, cucumber, queso fresco, chives and truffle oil with 2011 Duchman Tempranillo, and duck confit ravioli, black truffles, baby carrots and roasted Jerusalem artichoke puree with 2010 Duchman Montepulciano. Reservations are $85 and can be made at the Landmark Restaurant website or at 214-224-3152.

Friday, November 22

Rudd Winery Dinner at Pappas Bros.
Pappas Bros. hosts Rudd Winery from Napa Valley for a four-course wine dinner beginning at 7 pm. Pairings include rabbit pot-au-feu with root vegetables and wild mushrooms with a 2008 “Samantha’s” Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon as well as dry-aged herb-crusted rack of lamb, baked acorn squash purée, ratatouille, pomegranate and demi-glâce with a trio of Oakville Estate selections. Reservations are $225 per person and can be made at 214-366-2000.

Camelot Wine Dinner at Hotel St. Germain
As part of Hotel St. Germain’s week-long devotion to the Kennedys’ Camelot, chef Chad Martin creates a wine dinner featuring dishes from Jack and Jackie’s wedding as well as other plates from several of their state dinners. Pairings include tournedos Henry IV and Parisienne potatoes with Gruaud Larose St. Julien, and a Grand Marnier soufflé with Dom Pérignon. The dinner is available at 7 pm on both November 22 and 23. Reservations are $125 per person and can be made at 214-871-2516.

2013 Beaujolais & Beyond Wine Festival
The 30th Beaujolais and Beyond Wine Festival revolves around the grandeur of 17th century France as guests enter the world of d’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers. You can sample an impressive collection of French wines from Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire Valley, Provence, Alsace and Rhône Valley, as well as American wines from California, Washington and Texas. Tickets range from $50-$70 and include a commemorative wine glass, unlimited food and wine tasting, live entertainment, silent auction, and more. The festival begins at 7 pm.

Saturday, November 23

Second Annual Dallas Whiskey and Fine Spirits Festival
Roar back into the 1920s with more than 150 whiskeys and other fine spirits at the Fashion Industry Gallery beginning at 5:30 pm for VIP ticket holders and 7 pm for general admission. Guests can enjoy the Gatsby-esque setting with a live swing band, a cigar lounge, gaming tables, and bites from restaurants such as Chamberlain’s Steak & Chophouse and Whiskey Cake. General admission tickets are $75 and VIP is $100. They can both be ordered online.

Sunday, November 24

AIWF Chefs’ Challenge Competition & Fundraiser (Canceled)
[Update: Chefs' Challenge has been canceled. No word yet on if it will be rescheduled.] The DFW chapter of the American Institute of Wine & Food hosts seven local chefs in a competition to raise money for the organization’s Days of Taste program that educates children on nutrition and healthy eating. Chefs include Brian Armstrong of the Pyramid Room, Janice Provost of Parigi and Antonio Marquez of Lazaranda. The chefs compete for your vote in the categories of fruits, vegetables, legumes/beans and grains. The event begins at 1 pm in the International Ballroom at the Fairmont. Tickets are $75 in advance or $85 at the door.

The second annual Dallas Whiskey and Fine Spirits Festival has more than 150 different spirits available for sample.

Glasses of whiskey with ice on bar or table

Photo via Taopic.com

The second annual Dallas Whiskey and Fine Spirits Festival has more than 150 different spirits available for sample.

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Coffee News

Dallas coffeeshop chain queues up new location at Cypress Waters

White Rhino Coffee is craft and will always be craft.

Photo courtesy of White Rhino Coffee

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A coffee concept is expanding its Dallas reach with a new space near DFW Airport: White Rhino Coffee, known for craft coffee and pastries, is opening a nw location at 3121 Olympus Blvd., in the Cypress Waters mixed-use development.

According to a release, it’s set to open in spring 2025.

The new shop will be attached to a Cypress Waters conference center with room for events, corporate training, and meetings. This also makes for the 14th location of the chain.

White Rhino Coffee was founded by Chris Parvin in Cedar Hill in 2007. According to the release, Parvin wanted to create a space where community members could get a cup of craft coffee and connect with neighbors.

“We are always looking for ways to enrich the Cypress Waters experience, and the pairing of White Rhino Coffee and our new conference center in the middle of Salazar Park is one more step towards achieving that vision,” says Lucy Burns, Partner at Billingsley Company.

Guests at Cypress Waters can expect White Rhino’s menu featuring drip coffee, espresso shots, cold brew, lattes, cappuccinos, matcha lattes, and chai. They even have a seasonal selection, with cozy flavors like the chumpkin, a pumpkin spiced chai latte, or the spiced Mexican mocha. Some of their food items include cinnamon rolls, breakfast tacos, and maple-glazed chicken biscuits.

They chose this latest location because of its proximity to the business professional community.

“Cypress Waters is a great spot for visitors, and this White Rhino Coffee will offer a great patio and café space for professional meetings, coffee with friends, or logging a few hours of work while getting your caffeine fix,” says Parvin in a statement. “We’re excited to continue building community around coffee across the DFW metroplex.”

Set within a park at the center of Cypress Waters, this location will have a modern, airy design with a 1,553-square-foot interior and 887-square-foot covered patio. Once the coffee shop opens, it will join the 16 other restaurants in the development, including Fogo De Chao, Cinnaholic, and Eno's Pizza Tavern.

White Rhino Coffee has decided to expand to even more communities across North Texas, adding to their 13 shops in Cedar Hill, Dallas, Forney, Fort Worth, Midlothian, and Waxahachie, plus the roastery. There are plans to open five more by 2025.

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