This week in gluttony

These are the 9 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

Christmas cocktails arrive early this year in downtown McKinney.

Facebook/Rye

This week gets cozy with fall cocktails, a baking class, a coffee class, and heated igloo-style bubbles that come with wine and warm fondue. And while Thanksgiving is next week (find dining-in and to-go lists here and here), we see our first glimpses of Christmas-themed events arriving now.

Tuesday, November 14

Santa’s Workshop Christmas Pop-Up at Rye
Christmas comes early to downtown McKinney thanks to a pop-up cocktail bar featuring nothing but holiday spirit. Located at 214 E. Louisiana St. in the former Rye McKinney location, Santa’s Workshop Christmas Pop-Up is now open offering Christmas movie-themed rooms for photo ops and festive cocktails. The menu runs deep with cheery choices like the White Russian-inspired Santa’s Pick Me Up, made with milk and cookies; and The Grinch, made with butterscotch Schnapps in a stocking shot glass. Hours are 5-10 pm Wednesdays-Thursdays, 12 pm-12 am Fridays-Saturdays, and 12- 10 pm Sundays. The pop-up will culminate on December 31 with a New Year’s Eve bash.

Thanksgiving Cocktail Dinner at Urban Rio
The Plano cantina and grill invites guests to forgo wine for cocktails during this four-course dinner. Four different fall-friendly cocktails will be paired with each dish. Dinner is $70 (price includes tax and gratuity) and begins at 6:30 pm.

Wednesday, November 15

Wild Game Dinner at SER Steak + Spirits
Hilton Anatole Dallas' sky-high steakhouse will host an inaugural five-course wild game dinner benefiting Communities Foundation of Texas. Exotic meats will be featured in each course, including a pheasant truffle terrine, bison tartare with duck egg, wild boar croquettes, and antelope Wellington. Fine wine will be paired with each dish. Tickets are $295, plus tax and gratuity, and the dinner begins at 6 pm.

Friendsgiving Bourbon Pairing at Carrabba’s Italian Grill
The Italian upscale comfort food chain will host a holiday dinner featuring bourbon and dishes perfect for a friendly gathering. The four-course menu includes spicy Palermo wings with gorgonzola cheese; creamy rigatoni with grilled chicken; bone-in veal steak with bourbon-bacon butter; and bourbon cinnamon panna cotta. Each course will be paired with a different bourbon. The dinner is $65 plus tax and gratuity, and begins at 6:30 pm. Carrabba’s has locations in Dallas, Plano, and Hurst.

Friday, November 17

Winter Wonderland Bubbles at Hotel Vin
The fan-favorite igloo-style bubbles are back in downtown Grapevine. The colorfully lit bubbles are situated on Hotel Vin’s outdoor WineYard next to the historic Grapevine Vintage Railroad. Each can seat up to six and come with après ski lodge décor, heaters, wine, and three-cheese fondue served with sourdough bread, cherry tomatoes, marble potatoes, asparagus, bacon lardons, pickles, and pretzel bites. Reservations are available in 90-minute increments, at 4 pm, 6 pm, and 8 pm ($250, plus tax and gratuity) Wednesday through Sunday starting November 17. Additional food and beverage from the hotel's restaurant Bacchus is available for a la carte ordering. Bonus: this year the bubbles will run clear through February 14.

Underground Comedy Dinner at Bourbon & Banter
The Statler hotel’s underground speakeasy will host its third installment of its comedy dinner series, this time featuring headliner Ku Engenti, who’s opened for big-name comedians like Paul Rodriguez and Ali Siddiq. The $80 ticket price, plus tax and gratuity, includes a multicourse dinner with Wagyu steak au poivre; grilled chicken with fried Brussels sprouts and wild mushroom hunter sauce; and black cherry chocolate crème brulée. Doors open at 6:30 pm, dinner is served at 7 pm, and the show starts at 7:30 pm.

Saturday, November 18

Basics of Pour Over Coffee at White Rhino Coffee Roastery
Learn the art of the perfect pour-over during this expert-led, hands-on class. Bean selection and grinding techniques will also be covered. Tickets are $25, plus tax and a small fee, and class will run from 10 am-12 pm.

Candor Baking Class: Pecans, Not Just for Pie
Learn the many ways to use pecans in a baked dish during this hands-on class hosted by Candor Baking. Participants will learn how to candy pecans and use them in pecan pie scones and brown butter pecan blondies. The $60 price includes pre-baked scones and blondies to take home, along with coffee to enjoy with your own class creations. Class takes place at Davis Street Espresso from 10 am-12 pm.

Monday, November 20

The Ranch’s Farm to Fork Tasting Event
The Ranch at Las Colinas will celebrate 15 years with its annual tasting event that features local farmers, ranchers, growers, and distillers. Visit for complimentary tastings, live music, and photo ops. Admission is free and the event will run from 5-7 pm.

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Hummus News

Revered family-owned Mediterranean restaurant debuts in North Dallas

Samantha Marie Photography

Zon Zon food spread

An upscale Mediterranean restaurant is coming to North Dallas from a trusted name: Called Zon Zon, it'll open at 5455 Belt Line Rd. #130, in the Work/Shop center, and it's from hospitality group Yela Concepts, led by Yaser Khalaf (Darna, Baboush), together with his son Mak Khalef in their first collaboration.

According to a release, it'll open on December 22.

Named for Mak's sister Zaina (“Zon Zon”), the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner with a refined take on Mediterranean dining, rooted in tradition but with modern influences.

"We tried to merge what embodies Mediterranean cuisine with dishes that people in Dallas love," Mak says. "A lot of the dishes we have on menu are Mediterranean but have American and Texan influences."

Mezze favorites include hummus topped with green shatta and extra-virgin olive oil; baba ghanoush with charred eggplant, tahini, dukka, and pomegranate; crispy cauliflower with saffron labneh; tuna neya with tahini, mixed pickles, and Aleppo pepper; and kibbeh with ground lamb, onions, pine nuts, and dill labneh.

Salads include seared tuna salad with freekeh and golden beets; Tahini Caesar with tahini–Caesar dressing and za’atar croutons; and roasted beets with burrata, oranges, and pistachios.

Entrées include roasted chicken with garlic-batata and pomegranate jus; chicken shish kebab over saffron rice with almonds and raisins; hanger steak shawarma frites — a clever twist on steak frites with hand-cut fries; ZZ’s Wagyu cheeseburger with smoked provolone and house pickles; Prime ribeye with za’atar chimichurri and heirloom carrots; and apricot lamb couscous.

The beverage program complements the menu with a Mediterranean-focused wine list and creative cocktails such as the coffee-kissed Midnight Istanbul and ZZ’s Margarita, with burnt pineapple and ras el hanout.

Designed in collaboration with Dallas-based Coeval Studios, the restaurant features a 2,130-square-foot interior with an expansive 735-square-foot patio that seats 76, for a total occupancy near 100.

The restaurant boasts an open kitchen, while decorative finishes include modern woodwork, rich textures, and Middle Eastern-inspired details — stylish yet inviting, with a setting that feels like home.

“The inspiration behind Zon Zon came from wanting to create the kind of place we’ve always wished existed — a neighborhood Mediterranean spot that feels both familiar and exciting," says Yaser in a statement. "We wanted to create a comfortable space where guests can meet up with friends or neighbors on a regular basis."

Mak went to college to study biomedical engineering, but says he couldn't resist the lure of the restaurant world in which he grew up.

"Zon Zon is a reflection of everything we love about food," Mak says. "What makes this especially meaningful is building it with my dad — bringing our family’s story and passion to the table."

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