This Week in Gluttony

These are the 6 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

Sip and shop during the 2016 Deep Ellum Mimosa Walk on November 25.

Courtesy photo

It’s the week of Thanksgiving, which means there is a lot of eating to do. The calendar may be light on food events, but that is probably best, because then we will have time to recover fully from our turkey comas. There is always room for mimosas, however.

Tuesday, November 22

Beer vs. Wine Smackdown at Scardello Artisan Cheese
Seats are running low for this classic matchup that pairs cheese, wine, and beer. Which beverage goes best with each cheese? Only you can decide. Each of the five rounds consists of one cheese, one wine, and one beer. Tickets are $40, and the class starts at 7 pm. If sold out, call 214-219-1300 to be added to the waitlist.

Thursday, November 24

If you have no desire to cook on Turkey Day, here is a complete list of all the restaurants offering Thanksgiving feasts.

Friday, November 25

2016 Deep Ellum Mimosa Walk
For the second year, small business owners in Deep Ellum and the team behind the monthly Wine Walk invite you to shop local this holiday season. Sip mimosas while enjoying in-store events and special promotions. Tickets are $15, and the stroll starts at noon at Kettle Art Gallery.

Small Business Saturday at Community Beer Co.
This event is an annual celebration of small businesses and includes seasonal beers on tap from Community, 50-plus local vendors (hello, holiday shopping!), live music, and food. Beer is sold by the pint, but the event itself is free to attend and pet-friendly. Open noon to 5 pm.

Sunday, November 27

Drag Brunch at Cedar Grove
Wrap up the holiday weekend with eats, drinks, and drag at this Cedar Springs hot spot. Three courses and a show, MC’d by Jenni P, set you back only $35. Performances at 10:30 am, 12:30 pm, and 2:30 pm. Call 214-522-3474 to reserve a table.

Vickery Meadow Market at Half Price Books
Starting at 10 am, stroll through more than 100 vendors including Baugh Farms, Caliper Farm to Market, Cardo’s Sprout Farm, Chandler Family Farm, Demases Farm, Empire Baking Co., Half Moon Fried Pie Co, and more. Admission is free.

event-planner

Smoothie News

Healthy smoothie chain from the Northeast makes Dallas-area debut

Fresh Monkee

Fresh Monkee smoothies

A smoothie chain from the Northeast has landed in Dallas-Fort Worth: Called Fresh Monkee, it's a chain from Connecticut that made its DFW debut in Richardson at 3501 Custer Pkwy. #119, in the Custer Creek shopping center, where it opened July 1.

Fresh Monkee was founded by entrepreneur Judy Flynn in Wethersfield, Connecticut in 2014. It has since expanded to 20 locations across 15 states. Four locations are planned for Texas, including Austin and Houston. The Richardson location is from franchisees Anam and Omer Nawab.

In a release, Flynn notes that many smoothie places rely on sugary fruit blends and "strange" powders.

"Most juice bars strip away the fiber from fruits and veggies, which is essential for a healthy gut and feeling satisfied," Flynn says in a press release. "I was convinced we could do better."

Their menu includes 30 varieties: fruit smoothies, green smoothies, chocolate smoothies, and coffee smoothies, with seasonal flavors such as the summer-ready watermelon strawberry limeade shake.

Notable options include:

Chunkee Monkee — milk, chocolate or vanilla protein powder, banana, and peanut butter
Filthy Monkee — milk, chocolate protein powder, brownie protein bar, and peanut butter
Coffee Buzz — milk, a splash of cream, chocolate protein powder, coffee cubes, vanilla extract, and Stevia
Orange Cream — milk, orange juice, vanilla protein, and a whole orange
Maui Colada — coconut milk, orange juice, vanilla protein, unsweetened coconut shreds, pineapple, and mango

They also carry a protein ball snack with peanut butter, oat flour, chocolate whey protein, and maple syrup, rolled in coconut oil and chocolate chips.

Each location has indoor seating, including couches and tables, but they're mainly a to-go concept.

Another pair of franchisees, Clarence Gadapati and Karuna Annavajjala, are opening a location in Arlington, at 5904 S. Cooper St. #120, in the Sublett Corners center, where it will open in August.

openings