This week in gluttony

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

No one leaves hungry from the Tastemaker Awards.

Photo by Sylvia Elzafon

One of the month's biggest foodie events of the year finally arrives this week: the 2024 CultureMap Dallas Tastemaker Awards. Happening Thursday, the sip-and-stroll awards ceremony kicks off a busy weekend of tasty happenings. Plan for yoga and mimosas, a rose soiree, wine dinners, and two festivals showcasing cuisine and culture.

Thursday, May 16

CultureMap Dallas Tastemaker Awards
Our annual celebration of Dallas’s top restaurant and bar talent finally arrives this week at the Fashion Industry Gallery. The evening will feature sample bites and specialty sips from award nominees, including Carbone, Uchiba, The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas, and Mirador. Winners will be revealed in all categories, including the reader-voted Best New Restaurant. Tickets are $75 for entry at 7 pm, or $125 for VIP tickets that include early entry at 6 pm and a dedicated bar. Proceeds benefit Cuisine for Healing.

A Murder Mystery Dinner at Bourbon & Banter
Lights, camera, murder. This old Hollywood-themed interactive murder mystery dinner (as seen on Shark Tank) will take place at Bourbon & Banter featuring three courses. Menu highlights include seafood bruschetta, short rib osso bucco, and Sicilian cannoli. Tickets are $80, plus tax and fee, and are sold by tables of two, four, and six. Dress in evening wear and suits and arrive for dinner by 7 pm.

Saturday, May 18

Yoga & Mimosas at Monument Realty PGA District
Ground your senses then sip some bubbly during this outdoor yoga session on the lawn at Monument Realty PGA District in Frisco, adjacent to the sprawling Omni PGA Frisco Resort. The $10 ticket includes the all-levels class and a post-class mimosa. Class begins at 10:30 am. Bring your own yoga mat.

Sip, Sip Rosé at Hall Arts Hotel
The third annual event will take place on the terrace at Ellie’s inside Dallas’ Hall Arts Hotel. There’ll be bites, live music, shopping experiences, and lots of rosé. The $45 ticket, plus tax, includes rose tastings and two full glasses, spring-inspired pairing, photo ops, live fashion drawings, and complimentary parking. The event will run from 11 am-1 pm.

Taste of Korea
Plano will host a festival of Korean cuisine and culture featuring vendors and entertainment. The event will take place at 2001 Coit Rd. from 12-8 pm and admission is free.

Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival
The second annual event will celebrate Asian Pacific American culture and cuisine and is set to take place at Winters Park Amphitheater from 2-10 pm. There’ll be live music, cultural performances, and several food vendors. Admission is free.

Dulce Vida Tequila Dinner at Cantina Laredo
The Addison outlet of the Mexico City-inspired chain will host a four-course pairing dinner featuring popular Dulce Vida Tequila. Menu items include shrimp empanadas, roasted poblano soup, grilled grouper with chile de arbol or orange-chipotle glazed bone-in pork chop, and coconut pecan ice cream. Each course will come with a unique tequila cocktail. Dinner is $70, and the event begins with a cocktail reception at 7 pm.

Sunday, May 19

Taste at Grandscape
The Colony entertainment district will host a Sunday afternoon tasting event featuring nearly two dozen area restaurants and food vendors. Participants include Thirsty Lion, Portillo’s, Hard Eight Barbecue, Tandi Thai, and more. There’ll also be live music and activations in the beer and wine garden. Tickets are $5 per taste sample or $30 for 10. The event will run from 12-5 pm.

Gerard Bertrand Winery Dinner at Sea Breeze Fish Market & Grill
Restaurant at Plano’s LakeSide Market is partnering with Gérard Bertrand Winery for a five-course dinner featuring fried oyster nachos, crab salad, tuna au poivre, herb crusted lamb chops, and fig clafoutis, paired with Gérard Bertrand Winery wines. $125. Cocktail hour starts at 6 pm, dinner is at 7 pm.

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Stir Fry News

Mom-and-pop Asian chain from Austin makes Dallas debut in McKinney

Fire Bowl

A small Asian chain from Austin has entered the Dallas market: Called Fire Bowl Cafe, it's a small chain that has opened its first DFW location in McKinney, at 4060 W. University Dr. #300, in a new shopping center west of US-75.

Fire Bowl Cafe was founded by husband-and-wife Gigi Lee and Daniel Pao in 1996 with a focus on customizable bowls prepared in sizzling woks. They have four locations in Austin and one in Colorado.

Bringing the concept to McKinney is Dallas-based hospitality group DLC Restaurant Holdings (Firo Pizza, Craft Pies Pizza, Desperados), according to a release.

“We are thrilled to bring Fire Bowl Café to McKinney and introduce our unique dining experience to the wonderful community here,” says CEO Mike Daniel in a statement. “Our mission is to ensure that every customer leaves satisfied and happy, and we can’t wait to share our passion for fresh, customizable Asian cuisine with our new neighbors in North Texas."

To give it local flavor, they've partnered with Julian Rodarte, who co-founded Beto & Son, the Mexican restaurant at Trinity Groves in west Dallas, and also served as Trinity Groves' CEO. He was briefly executive chef at COSM at Grandscape and is currently culinary director for Dee Lincoln Concepts.

The menu has a Pei-Wei vibe, featuring a mashup of Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese cuisines, with favorites like edamame, spring rolls, crab rangoon, pad Thai, pot stickers, and lettuce wraps.

There are noodle and rice bowls, topped with vegetables and choice of protein; and a make-it-your-way stir-fry where you choose from proteins like chicken, beef, shrimp, or tofu, tossed in a wok with vegetables, then combine it with your choice of "carb" — noodles, brown or white rice — and a wide selection of sauces, from teriyaki to spicy peanut to classic Chinese.

Prices are $12-$14. They do not currently serve alcohol, but have plans for it at a future date.

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