This week in gluttony

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

Ida Claire will serve brunch all week.

Photo courtesy of Ida Claire

This week is kind of like the eye of a hurricane – that slightly quiet time of calm sandwiched between two whirlwind events. Many restaurants and bars are saving their resources for big New Year’s Eve festivities this Saturday night, and you can find that list here. But don’t miss these six tasty events in the meantime, from seven days of brunch to a Christmas light tour that comes with tacos and margaritas.

Tuesday, December 27

7 Days of Brunch at Ida Claire
Merry Brunchmas! That’s what this Southern-influenced restaurant and bar is saying all week while hosting seven straight days of post-Christmas brunch. From 10 am-4 pm daily until Sunday, Ida Claire will serve its brunch menu of biscuits, “man-mosas,” shrimp and grits, short rib and potato hash, and pull-apart cinnamon rolls. The restaurant will open at 9 am Saturday and Sunday.

Nena Postreria pop-up at AT&T Discovery District
A pastry shop from acclaimed Dallas chef Diana Zamora is opening soon in East Dallas, but in the meantime, Zamora is hosting a pop-up at the Exchange Hall at the AT&T Discovery District in downtown Dallas. In addition to her signature Gansitos cakes, she's doing cupcakes, cookies, chocoflan, plus holiday-themed specials such as rum snack cakes filled with vanilla cream, and red velvet cupcakes withcream cheese icing. She'll be there through December 31, from 11 am-9 pm.

Thursday, December 29

Craft Beer & BBQ Dinner at Crossbuck BBQ
The culinary team at this Farmers Branch barbecue joint has partnered with brewmasters at Odd Muse Brewery for a beer pairing dinner. Five courses will feature charcuterie, smoked salmon ravioli, St. Louis-style pork ribs, Crossbuck’s signature brisket candy, and maple bacon and pecan pie. All courses come with a unique beer pairing. The dinner is $75, plus tax and gratuity, and begins at 6:30 pm.

Friday, December 30

Tacos, Margarita, and Christmas Lights Tour
Hope aboard a motorcoach to see the radiant Christmas lights of Park Cities and other posh Dallas neighborhoods during this festive tour that starts with tacos and a marg. Guests will get a taco dinner and margarita at the time-honored Desperados Mexican Restaurant then board the bus to a secret dessert stop before embarking on the light tour. Tickets are $86 and the event will run from 5:30-9:30 pm.

Saturday, December 31

Division Brewing’s 7th Anniversary
The Arlington brewery will celebrate its seventh birthday with a party on New Year’s Eve. Visit all day for live music, bites, giveaways, and a broadened selection of brews. The $40 ticket includes a commemorative glass and four pours. The party starts at 12 pm and will run until 1 am.

Sunday, January 1

14th Annual Chili Cookoff at Strokers Ice House
Start the New Year off with some spice. The legendary Dallas biker bar and restaurant will host its annual chili cook-off, and guests get to judge. Pay $5 to taste all entries and choose your favorite. There’ll be trophies for first, second, and third places, and judging starts at 3 pm. But arrive as early as 12 noon to start sampling. Motorcycle not required.

brunch craft-beer news-you-can-eat

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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