This Week in Gluttony

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

Combine cocktails and sushi with Japanese flower arranging at Kessaku this week.

Kessaku

Lots of holiday events this week as Santa makes multiple brunch appearances, gathering intel on who’s naughty and nice. There’s also holiday cheer to be had in the form of a holiday wine walk, ugly Christmas sweater shindig, a doughnut tasting, and tamale party. Definitely check out Saturday, December 9, as it's a huge day for foodie events.

Tuesday, December 5

Old Forester Repeal Day Dinner at Whiskey Cake Plano
Celebrate the 90th anniversary of the end of Prohibition with a four-course dinner featuring the oldest bourbon in the U.S. Menu items include seared pork belly, crispy fig burrata, mesquite-smoked shrimp and grits, and white chocolate bourbon bread pudding with bourbon-soaked cherries. Dinner will be paired with Old Forester whiskey served neat and in cocktails. The price is $120, plus tax and gratuity, and dinner begins at 7 pm.

Wednesday, December 6

Ugly Sweater Party at Punch Bowl Social
The Deep Ellum entertainment destination will host a holiday party with complimentary play (up to one hour), including bowling, karaoke, ping pong, and more. Wear your ugliest (or cutest) Christmas sweater, or shop from the sweater pop-up now on-site through December 24. While there enjoy libations like Yule Shoot Your Eye Out made with bourbon and spiced tea, and Not Ovaltine made with hot chocolate and candy canes. Admission is free and the party will run from 6:30–9:30 pm.

Holiday Doughnut Omakase at Detour Doughnuts
Satisfy your sweet tooth with this four-course doughnut tasting featuring Christmas-themed creations by chef Jinny Cho, founder of Detour Doughnuts. Varieties will include cranberry orange, chocolate with peppermint bark and pomegranate, gingerbread cheesecake, and a 24K gold garnished concoction inspired by the Ferrero Rocher hazelnut-stuffed chocolates. Tickets are $70, plus tax and a small fee. The omakase (which means “I’ll leave it up to you,” in Japanese) begins at 7 pm.

Saturday, December 9

Caffeine Crawl
Caffeine Crawl is a nationally organized guided tour of independent caffeine spots where attendees get a sample drink, plus a backstage time with owners and baristas. Participating shops include Berni Bean, Civil Pour, JuJu's Coffee, Noble Coyote, Davis Street/Oak Cliff Coffee, Opening Bell, Sugar & Sage, and White Rhino. There are 3 different routes: Route 1 has 5 stops and runs from 9:30am-1:20 pm, for $36.50. Route 2 has 4 stops and runs from 9:30 am-12:35 pm, for $31.50. Route 3 has 3 stops and runs from 12:30 am-2:50 pm, for $26.50. Size uy tickets online; size is limited.

Tamales Day at Dallas Farmers Market
It’s officially tamale season and the Dallas Farmers Market is ready to celebrate. Visit for more tamale varieties you can shake a husk at, from traditional and vegan to banana leaf-wrapped and dessert. The big sale goes on from 9 am–5 pm, but word is tamales sell out every year, so arrive early. Bonus: Santa will be on-site from 11 am–3 pm.

Santa Brunch at The Westin Dallas Stonebriar Golf Resort & Spa
Frisco hotel will host Santa for a ticketed brunch, which comes with a full buffet along with cookie decorating, gingerbread house building, and photos with the big guy himself. Tickets $45 for adults and $35 for kids 3–12. Seating times are from 10 am–12 pm, and the brunch will also be held on Saturday, December 16 and Saturday, December 23.

12 Wines of Christmas Wine Walk
Like a scene from a real-life Hallmark movie, historic downtown McKinney will come alive with lights and wine flights. Sip and shop while sampling 12 wines from Lone Star Cellars, to be distributed at more than 20 boutiques on the square. Complete your wine passport and return to Santa’s Wine Workshop (back at Lone Star Cellars) for a bonus taste. Tickets are $30 (plus tax and a small fee) and include a wine glass, glass lanyard, and passport guide. Or pay $45 and get three bonus wines. Check in at either 12 pm or 2:30 pm, or anytime all day with the VIP ticket. The event will run until 6 pm.

Brunch with Santa at Hall Arts Hotel
Enjoy a brunch buffet in the gallery of this downtown Dallas hotel featuring a hot cocoa bar, a mimosa bar, and time with jolly ol’ St. Nick. There’ll also be holiday crafts, music, and a reading of The Night Before Christmas by Santa himself. The $50 price ($30 for children 3-12) includes a service fee, and brunch will run from 12:30–2 pm.

Tipsy Ikebana at Kessaku
Ikebana is the centuries-old Japanese art of arranging flowers, and Kessaku will host a class combined with cocktails, sushi, and 360-degree sky-high views. The class will include hands-on instruction and a finished product to take home. Tickets are $200, plus tax and gratuity, and the class will run from 1–3 pm.

cocktails holidays event-planner

Supermarket News

Tom Thumb debuts 2 new supermarkets in the Dallas area

Courtesy photo

undefined

Venerable supermarket chain Tom Thumb is celebrating the opening of two new stores in the Dallas area.

Sanger
A new Tom Thumb opened in Sanger at 1413 W Chapman Drive in Sanger on December 12. The long-awaited store spans 50,000 square feet with tens of thousands of items plus more than 1,000 local products.

The store features a bakery, deli, meat & seafood, produce, and floral, as well as an in-store Starbucks coffee kiosk, pharmacy in store plus drive-thru lane, and Drive-Up-N-Go grocery pick-up.

“We are so excited to open this Tom Thumb for the Sanger communities," says Division President Bill Neve in a statement. “Tom Thumb is excited to showcase our full-service grocery store and fresh new items that customers in Sanger will love."

Sunnyvale
On December 17, a Tom Thumb will open in Sunnyvale at 3400 N. Belt Line Rd. The first 300 shoppers will receive a bag of groceries, and all shoppers will enjoy the incredible deals and sensational offerings.

The Sunnyvale store is slightly larger, spanning 59,000 square feet, but with a similar lineup of bakery, deli, meat & seafood, produce, and floral. The store will also feature an in-store Starbucks coffee kiosk, pharmacy in store plus drive-thru lane, and Drive-Up-N-Go grocery pick-up. The Sunnyvale in-store Starbucks kiosk is the first for Tom Thumb to offer mobile ordering in addition to in-store ordering.

Division President Bill Neve says that they're "incredibly grateful to the town of Sunnyvale for their support of this new store and have been looking forward to meeting our newest customers and welcome them into their Tom Thumb!"

Store details
Store details include:

Prepared foods: Sushi made in-store, full-service salad case, hot line offerings, 400-plus cheese and charcuterie items, and what they call "the best fried chicken in town"
Bakery: Bread baked daily, deserts, five-star cake decorator on staff, in-store fried doughnuts, and exclusive items such as Christie’s cookies and Blue Bell ice cream cakes
Floral: Texas grown poinsettias for the holidays, bouquets, and arrangements, FTD service, balloon bar
Meat & Seafood: USDA choice and prime beef, organic and grass-fed, plus seafood purchases steamed at no additional charge
Wine and Beer: More than 1,000 wines and 85 local Texas craft brews

Starbucks coffee baristas are ready to make customers’ favorite beverages whether they are hot or cold, including Nitro and Cold Brew, along with Starbucks brand pastries.

supermarkets openings