Chef changes, open doors and other hot Dallas restaurant news

Readable edibles

Danyele McPherson of The Grape, soon to appear on Top Chef Seattle.
Photo courtesy of Danyele McPherson
This Love Shack in Denton will soon be a steakhouse.
Photo courtesy of Love Shack
If you want a Love Shack burger, you'll have to head to Fort Worth for now.
Photo courtesy of Love Shack
Bowl & Barrel's menu consists of "clever" tavern food like giant pretzels.
Photo courtesy of Bowl and Barrel

Dallas-Fort Worth is having such a busy, active, hopping, jumping, lively, sprightly, go-lightly restaurant scene right now that we're deluged with news — from chef changes to new chains coming into the market. Let's make it easy and round it all up in one story.

Chef changes
Movin' on up:Danyele McPherson has been bumped up to chef de cuisine at The Grape, where she'll oversee day-to-day operations. The soon-to-be reality TV star joined the Grape as sous chef in May 2011; Ian Starr takes over her sous chef position.

Movin' on out: Chefs Jeana Johnson and Colleen O'Hare are outski at Acme F&B, having done the proverbial parting of ways with co-owners (and Barcadia empresses) Brooke Humphries and Brianna Larson. Will they install Jenga? Acme's new chef is Norman Grimm.

Openings now
No relation to Frida:Kahlo Restaurante, a Tex-Mex place, opened in Addison Circle from the owners of the Lion and Crown pub, also in Addison Circle (in the old Avanti space). Kahlo took over the old Masaryk space, which had authentic Mexican. Will Tex-Mex be more popular than the real stuff?

And the wind called:Qariah Restaurant is a Lebanese restaurant that just opened on Lower Greenville, on the ground floor of the Vue apartment building; Lauren Drewes Daniels posted a snapshot here. Qariah also has a hookah lounge, for you dozen or so hookah fans.

Uh-oh, has Jim White been informed?Savour Kitchen & Cocktails is taking over the old Rick Stein's/Tre Amici/Office space off the Dallas North Tollway; that location has the worst karma in the world. Thrillist calls it an "amalgamation of the owners' Savour Social Club and Bonnie Ruth's restos." (Side note: Can we ban the words "amalgamation" and "amalgam"?) The menu is a sprawling thing, from $6 hummus to $38 filet mignon.

So far we have Ser Food + Spirits and Ocho Kitchen & Cocktails. Now there's Savour Kitchen & Cocktails. Anyone see a trend?

Openings later
The B-52s are sad: Tim Love's Love Shack burger stand concept is in crisis! The Love Shack in Denton closed Monday; Love plans to replace it with a steakhouse. But weep not: DFW.com reports a new branch opening on Blue Bonnet Circle in Fort Worth as a quasi-replacement for the Shack that shuttered in Fort Worth's West 7th district.

When in doubt:Smashburger will open an outlet in Mockingbird Station in November in a previously vacant space that sits between the old Vapiano space (soon to be Mockingbird Taproom) and Sunglass Hut. This will be Dallas' fifth Smashburger.

No relation to the play:Wicked Po'Boys will open a second branch in January 2013 in Preston Center, next to the new Grip Mediterranean Grill and the also new Hopdoddy Burger Bar. Wicked Po'Boys opened its first branch in Richardson in June. The menu has po'boys, gumbo, étouffée, crawfish and fried shrimp.

Paging Dr. Weil:True Food Kitchen will open at the Plaza at Preston Center in 2013. True Food Kitchen comes from Fox Restaurant Concepts, with a menu centered on Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet and food pyramid. It will be the seventh True Food Kitchen in the United States.

Fox is a mega-company that owns a slew of concepts, including Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar, Greene House, Arrogant Butcher, Blanco Tacos & Tequila, Olive & Ivy, Wildflower American Cuisine, Modern Steak, Culinary Dropout, Sauce Pizza & Wine, and NoRTH Modern Italian Cuisine.

Fu to you too: Asian chain Mama Fu's plans to expand to Dallas. The Pei-Wei clone has fast-casual service at lunch but full service at dinner. There are currently 13 Mama Fu's, about half in Austin. The folks bringing it to Dallas include the owners of Egg and I plus Daniel Avery and Tao "Echo" Liu, who own several businesses in Shanghai, and they are moving to Dallas. Really? To run a couple of Mama Fus?

Menu action
Define "clever," please:Bowl & Barrel, a bowling alley opening at the Park Lane complex in November, hired chef Sharon Hage to do its menu. It's billed as "clever tavern food," and it includes giant pretzels, cheese and ham boards, oysters, hot dogs, and an "artisanal" bologna sandwich made on Empire sourdough bread with caramelized onions and Gruyère cheese. That's correct, an artisanal boloney sandwich.

Of all the joints:The Gin Mill on Henderson Avenue has added "upscale, pub-inspired" menu items that include pork shank osso bucco, salt-and-pepper salmon, rib-eye, cioppino and a steak sandwich. Not going away are the flatbreads, Jimmy’s meatball sandwich, banh mi with house-made paté, and fish and chips. True to its name, the Gin Mill offers over a dozen gins.

Duck for breakfast?Boulevardier now serves Sunday brunch, from 11 am to 3 pm, with dinner-menu items such as the French onion soup and croque madame sandwich, plus eggy things like quiche, eggs meurette (poached eggs, toasted baguette, mushrooms, bacon, bone marrow and red wine sauce), and legs and eggs (duck leg confit, duck eggs, grits cake and huckleberry sauce).

Internet food:Central 214 launched its fall menu with some ingredients that required Googling: Dorper lamb shoulder with pappardelle and eggplant caponata, Florida hog snapper with artichokes, grapes and ajo blanco; veal breast with "Hokerei turnips," d'avignon radish and celery leaf pistou; duck with quince and lentils; trompetti with olives, mushrooms and piperade; and Countryside Farm's rabbit with castelfranco and mascarpone polenta. I sure hope there isn't a test.

Mixology spoken here:Cedars Social has new food and cocktail menus from chef Toby De La Rosa and barman Michael Martensen. Those include Akaushi beef tartare; day boat scallops with grapefruit and lemon caramel; Akaushi steak frites with shallots and bordelaise sauce; and a roasted vegetable salad with Benton's 22-month country ham, candied pine nuts and goat-cheese fondue.

Name change
The two restaurants formerly known as Brix Pizzeria — located in Fort Worth and Roanoke — have changed their name to Inzo Italian Kitchen. It's the same basic menu, but there are other Brixes out there, and they didn't want to compete, said a manager at the Roanoke branch. Inzo is short for Inzolia, also spelled Insolia, and it's a grape used to make Marsala wine.

Elvis impersonator department
Stratos Greek Taverna will host live performances by Kenny as the King, an Elvis impersonator, on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-9:30 pm. They're busy with the entertainment over there; they already have a belly dance floor show five nights a week, which includes dance lessons.

Rendering of food truck park for Lower Greenville Avenue.
Future location of food truck park off Lower Greenville Avenue.
Future home of Trader Joe's, across the street from the Lower Greenville foodtruck park.

Chef Jason Boso to commandeer new food truck park on Lower Greenville

Philly cheesesteaks too

Nearly two years after its conception, the food truck park going in on Lower Greenville Avenue has taken a major step toward reality with the appointment of a steward: chef Jason Boso. The Twisted Root founder has been tasked by landlord Madison Partners with creating a restaurant hub around which the food truck park will revolve.

Boso will not only oversee the food truck operation, but he'll also open a restaurant on-site. It doesn't have a name yet, but it does have a cuisine: Philly cheesesteaks, with a full bar serving craft beers and cocktails. It's slated to open in May 2013.

Boso will not only oversee the food truck operation, but he'll also open a restaurant on-site. The cuisine: Philly cheesesteaks.

"Our food will be Philly cheesesteaks, but the kind of place where you stand and talk to the cook — 'Lemme have some peppers' — and he'll make it right in front of you," Boso says. "And then a pretty nice full bar with some good draft beers and cocktail service, for that backyard area that'll be shared with the food trucks."

As for the food trucks, he wants to make sure there are enough on hand to give customers a few options.

"We'll go for three to four food trucks, just to get some synergy going," Boso says. "I think the biggest challenge will be keeping them there six to seven days a week, lunch and dinner."

The food truck park will be right across the street from Trader Joe's, which could threaten to become a clustertruck of traffic unlike any other, especially because the two will share a common parking lot. But Boso feels confident that the audiences for the food truck park will, for the most part, not intersect with the audience for TJ's.

"We're right across from the front door of TJ's, and I like that," Boso says. "We're sharing the parking right of easement with TJ's, and that's one of the things I'm most excited about. It'll be easy to get in and out, and our traffic flow won't be at the same time."

Construction on Trader Joe's is almost underway; demolition of Encore, the nightclub that sits where Trader Joe's will eventually go, is set to begin Thursday.

The food truck park will be greener than the usual gassy meet-up, because Boso will run electricity to the trucks.

The food truck park will be greener than the usual gassy meet-up, because Boso will run electricity to the trucks. "No noise or stinky smell — it'll be a little more environmentally friendly," he says.

Boso was tapped by Madison, who first took a chance on him in 2006 when he opened the original Twisted Root in Deep Ellum.

"It was owned by Lou Reese [now deceased], who helped me get started by trusting some young dumb cook who didn't have much experience," Boso recalls. "When they saw how I was able to turn that little Twisted Root into a success, they came to me with this and asked if I had any ideas."

He's been busy opening Twisted Roots in locations like the one near SMU, as well as the recent opening of Tacos & Avocados in Roanoke. But his expansion has actually given him more free time.

"I've got more people on my team, so I'm not having to spend all my time in an office," he says. "Something like this, it's straight-up fun."

David Garwacki brings his experience at fusing California and Mediterraneancuisines to his new position at Cafe des Artistes.
Photo courtesy of Cafe des Artistes
Cafe des Artistes will open in One Arts Plaza, in the old Screen Door space.
One Arts Plaza/Facebook

David Garwacki to run the kitchen at upcoming Cafe des Artistes in One ArtsPlaza

Lombardi at it again

UPDATE: Due to construction issues, the opening of Cafe des Artistes has been delayed. It will open no later than Friday, November 9.

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Restaurateur Alberto Lombardi has announced the chef for Cafe des Artistes, his newest restaurant in One Arts Plaza: David Garwacki. The Texas native was most recently executive chef at the Bacara Resort and Spa in Santa Barbara, California.

According to the release, Garwacki is developing a Cali-Euro menu with seasonal, market-fresh ingredients, featuring flavors from France, Italy and across the Mediterranean. Cafe des Artistes, set to open November 6, is going into the old Screen Door space.

Garwacki is developing a Cali-Euro menu with seasonal, market-fresh ingredients, featuring flavors from France, Italy and across the Mediterranean.

Garwacki worked at Bacara for 11 years, where he served as executive chef of the resort's Bistro Restaurant and later the property's Miro Restaurant. At Bistro, he created seasonal Cali-Mediterranean menus and daily specials. After three years at Bistro, he moved up to the Bacara's signature restaurant, Miro, where he created seasonal as well as daily tasting menus.

Garwacki also held positions at the now-closed Caliza Grille Restaurant in San Antonio’s Westin Riverwalk Hotel and Browns Beach House Restaurant in the Fairmont Orchid at Mauna Lani, Hawaii.

Brasserie-style Cafe des Artistes will be open Tuesday through Friday for lunch and Tuesday through Sunday for dinner. Garwacki will also do a Sunday brunch.

Former Acme F&B chef Jeana Johnson competes at Meat Fight November 4.
Photo courtesy of Meat Fight
Dress like a hillbilly at the Sissy's Southern Kitchen Halloween Hoedown October31.
Sissy's Southern Kitchen & Bar/Facebook
Vegan beer dinners return to Libertine Bar November 5.
Photo courtesy of Libertine Bar
Learn how to raise chickens at the Birds and the Bees workshop November 3.
White Rock Local Market/Facebook

Murder mysteries, meat fights and Halloween hillbillies: The best food events inDallas this week

Fun with Food

Murder mysteries, costumes and sacrificing goats: It must be Halloween. Time to drink from the cauldron, read the tea leaves and bite the neck of your favorite vegan. If these events won't sate your blood-lust, consult the complete list of things to do in music, entertainment and the arts.

Tuesday, October 30

The People's Last Halloween Party
The People's Last Stand hosts a sinister pre-Halloween evening with decadent dishes from chef Josh Black, a "cauldron" of cocktails, live music, classic slasher flicks and a special appearance by a fortune teller. Wear costumes, because they're giving out prizes for best dressed. You can score two free drink tickets if you find blogger Susie O, and they'll announce other prizes on all your favorite social media.

Wednesday, October 31

Halloween Hoedown at Sissy's
More Halloween madness on Wednesday at Sissy's, when guests are encouraged to wear their best hillbilly costumes, drink custom Stillhouse Moonshine cocktails and enjoy music from Dovetail’s White Lightning Quarter. Best costume wins a prize. Might as well stick around for dinner, including deviled eggs, boo-ha-ha-ha.

Saturday, November 3

The Birds and the Bees Workshop
White Rock Local Market hosts a three-part series covering the basics of raising chickens and keeping bees. Part one takes place at First Unitarian Church of Dallas, which will go over breeds, nutrition, egg production and coop building. If you're still all in, head to Fruth Farms Southwest in Cash, Texas, for parts two and three, where you can work on the farm, building shelters in the goat paddock or helping vaccinate the baby goats. Not sure what vaccines have to do with the birds and the bees, but here's your chance to find out.

Dressed to a Tea Murder Mystery Party
The Fairmont Dallas hosts a spooky night of enter-tea-ment and intrigue. Guests enjoy tea-infused cocktails and a four-course dinner with tea-inspired dishes, whilst trying to solve a murder mystery presented throughout the night. The guest who solves the murder receives a prize package that includes an overnight stay for two, dinner for two at the Pyramid Restaurant and a selection of Fairmont Teas.

WineFest 2012
The 10th annual WineFest, hosted by 500 Inc., features wine from Texas and across the country, complemented by snacks from Addison's top restaurants. The event also includes a cigar bar, music, dancing and large silent auction.

Sunday, November 4

Meat Fight
A dozen of the city's top chefs — among them Brian C. Luscher, Jack Perkins, Tiffany Derry, Jeana Johnson and Matt McCallister — duke it out for bragging rights to the best brisket, pork and sausage at this barbecue showdown benefiting multiple sclerosis. (Noteworthy: Aaron Franklin is coming up from Austin to judge.) The event sold out in an hour and 10 minutes, but, if you act fast and luck is on your side, you can try to win two tickets on the CultureMap Dallas Facebook page.

Monday, November 5

Vegan Beer Dinner
Libertine brings back its vegan beer dinner series with a five-course menu and matching beers created by chef Roseanne Dileo. Once you've worked your way through sun-dried tomato quinoa cakes with chive oil and arugula, pink lentil curry with roasted leaks and smoked cashew, seitan piccata over soba noodles and roasted squash, and pumpkin pudding with almond foam and praline, you may not remember what meat is.

Meat Fight founder Alice Laussade. You may know her name from her wildly popularCheap Bastard column in the Dallas Observer.
Photo courtesy of Meat Fight
Fighter Jeana Johnson, formerly of Acme F&B.
Photo courtesy of Meat Fight
Fighter Jeff Bekovac of Neighborhood Services.
Photo courtesy of Meat Fight
Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue in Austin is among the seven judges.
Photo courtesy of Meat Fight
Longtime Meat Fight supporter and 2012 judge Daniel Vaugh, a.k.a., BBQ Snob.
Photo courtesy of Meat Fight
The cast of The League in Meat Fight shirts, from the Meat Fight Tumblr site.
Photo courtesy of Meat Fight

How Cheap Bastard Alice Laussade turned a backyard BBQ into a big-dealfundraiser

Meat Fight Fun-lanthropy

Alice Laussade is no event planner. At least she wasn’t until a few months ago, when Meat Fight, the sold-out November 4 multiple sclerosis fundraiser, started to get, well, big.

By her own admission, Meat Fight started off as a selfish endeavor. In 2010, Alice and her husband, Mike, were invited to a friend’s house for brisket. “It was the most beautiful brisket I’d ever had,” says Alice, a.k.a., the Cheap Bastard in the pages of the Dallas Observer. “I understood in that moment why you don’t need sauce.”

Later that night, when they were “jonesing for that brisket,” the Laussades remembered they had other friends who knew how to cook stuff, so they invited them over for a party in their backyard. They called it Meat Fight.

“It’s so nice to have people who are excited to be a part of it,” Alice says. “We were hoping for four chefs. We have 12. Not one chef said no to us.”

That first year, they made cups and had a keg for about 40 people. A couple of friends and Alice’s dad judged the meat: brisket, pulled pork, sausage and ribs. Mike won for his pulled pork.

In 2011, Alice invited some local celebrity judges — Jack Perkins of Maple & Motor, Jill Bergus of Lockhart Smokehouse, Diane and Justin Fourton of Pecan Lodge, Brian C. Luscher of The Grape, BBQ Snob Daniel Vaughn — so she could charge at the door and raise some money for MS, a cause she supports passionately.

The barbecue showdown was still in her backyard. In addition to brisket, pulled pork and ribs, there was a pie competition and some T-shirts for sale. And another keg, of course.

I attended last year, as a guest of one of the judges. I had only just met Alice; we were introduced through a mutual friend. But we bonded immediately. MS is a cause near and dear to me as well, because my sister suffers from it.

During Meat Fest part deux, Vaughn took one look at Alice’s dad’s brisket and said, “That’s the winner.”

Turns out, Vaughn was right. Alice’s dad took top honors for brisket, Rob Shearer won for ribs and her husband won for pulled pork — again. Everyone joked that it was rigged. More important, the Laussades raised $2,000 for MS, through ticket and T-shirt sales.

Alice says they had no plans to make Meat Fight any bigger. “But every person at the event was like, ‘You’re dumb.’ So here we are.”

Alice predicts there are two groups of Meat Fighters: the hardcore BBQ fans and the foodies. “It’s going to look like Lee Harvey’s threw up on Dean Fearing,” she says.

Where they are is a 350-person event no longer confined to her backyard. This year’s venue is the Sons of Hermann Hall in Deep Ellum, where the city’s top chefs, split up into teams of three, will compete for bragging rights for the best brisket, pork, sausage and one wild card.

“It’s so nice to have people who are excited to be a part of it,” Alice says. “We were hoping for four chefs. We have 12. Not one chef said no to us.”

Those who didn’t say no include Luscher, Perkins, Chad Houser, Jeffery Hobbs, Matt McCallister, Tiffany Derry, Randall Copeland, Jeff Bekovac, Cody Sharp, Jeana Johnson, Eric Hansen and Omar Flores.

Luscher is captain for team Meatallica. Houser is leading the Cool Arrows. Perkins’ team is called Limp Brisket.

“We are stunned by the names we have,” Alice says. “We were hoping for three judges, and we have seven — and one of them is Aaron Franklin.” Yeah, the guy from Franklin Barbecue in Austin.

Alice predicts there are two groups of Meat Fighters: the hardcore BBQ fans and the foodies. “When you say ‘Aaron Franklin,’ they’re like, ‘barbecue Jesus!’ When you say ‘Matt McCallister,’ the foodies shit their pants,” she says. “It’s going to look like Lee Harvey’s threw up on Dean Fearing.”

Joining Franklin at the judge’s table are Vaughn, Tim Byres, Will Fleischman (Lockhart Smokehouse), Justin Fourton, Stephen Joseph (Riverpoint Bar-B-Que) and Nick Pencis (Stanley’s Favorite Pit BBQ).

“We’re trying to rethink fundraisers,” Alice says. “People want to have a good time. That’s what this is about. It’s so cool, and it doesn’t have to be about charity, but it is.”

The list of sponsors is equally impressive. Among them are Deep Ellum Brewing Company, Local Yocal, Whole Foods, Pop Star and Oh!Brownie. Alice got even more phone calls from potential sponsors after the tickets sold out, which happened in an hour and 10 minutes.

In addition to ticket sales, Alice and team are raising money for MS through T-shirt sales (limited quantities of four new designs by Magnificent Beard), meat calendars, and silent auction items that range from brunch with Tiffany Derry and a “dream date” with Randall Copeland to a meat tornado pillow Alice found on Etsy.

A more legit silent auction item is a round of golf on an exclusive course with local PGA Tour golfer Hunter Haas. All proceeds go directly to the Lone Start Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Despite the social media frenzy — there is a Tumblr site dedicated to people wearing Meat Fight T-shirts, and the chef teams have engaged in virtual trash-talking via video on Facebook — Alice is quick to point out that Meat Fight is about the cause.

She uses the word “fun-lanthropy” but adds she’s almost embarrassed to say it. “We’re trying to rethink fundraisers,” she says. “People want to have a good time. That’s what this is about. It’s an event that’s so cool, and it doesn’t have to be about charity, but it is.”

Alice broke down and hired some help for the day of the event, so she could actually enjoy it. “It’s like my meat wedding,” she says. “My goal is to eat at Meat Fight.”

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Meat Fight is Sunday, November 4, 2-6 pm, at Sons of Hermann Hall. The event is sold out, but CultureMap Dallas is giving away two tickets on our Facebook page. To help raise money for MS, you can purchase a Meat Fight T-shirt online or make a donation to the MS Society.

Photo by Robert Bostick
Photo by Robert Bostick
Stampede 66 was packed with people lined up and eager to taste menu items.
Photo by Robert Bostick
Photo by Robert Bostick
Photo by Robert Bostick
Photo by Robert Bostick
Photo by Robert Bostick
Jody Nix and The Texas Cowboys band performed for more than 850 guests.
Photo by Robert Bostick

A stampede 850 strong gets taste of new hot spot by Stephan Pyles

Dinner Party

Obviously Stephan Pyles knows how to cook — but he can also throw a grand party. An unbelievable 850 people showed up for the preview of Stampede 66, his latest restaurant.

Lines to the food stations wrapped around every corner of the restaurant. But guests didn't seem to mind waiting for dinner. The buzzy atmosphere was enough to keep eyes busy.

Pyles' new space is a Southern vision, with moody lighting, stone columns, longhorns and Western flair throughout. At the party, there was also a projection screen showing a film of horses in the countryside.

Vino was passed around, and a specialty cocktail station was set up in the back corner, where bartenders stirred up frozen drinks made with liquid nitrogen.

Truly Texan tasty bites — think venison meatballs — satisfied the palates of guests, including Jason Keeler, Rebecca Murley, Keith Marton, Renée and Buddy Gilbert, Peggy Weaver, Sara Weaver, Ashley and Malcom Ross, Carmaleta Whiteley, Kimberly and George Miller, Micah Byrnes, Kay Zafar, Natasha Mosier, John Sughrue, Imad Anbouba, Cookie and Dan Owen, Rema and Dileep Sirur,andAngela and Doug Nash.

As revelers noshed, Jody Nix and The Texas Cowboys provided the tunes. If the turnout of the party is any reflection of the success of Stampede 66 (opening October 29), it'll give even Stephan Pyles and Samar a run for their money.

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More than 90 live music acts will perform at 2023 State Fair of Texas

State Fair News

The State Fair of Texas will return in fall 2023 with a music lineup that includes more than 90 artists performing live on three stages. Headliners include Lonestar, Ceelo Green, and 38 Special, as well as a tribute to Selena Quintanilla Pérez, Experience Selena.

Other acts kicking off opening weekend September 29 to October 1 include Chrisette Michele, Lil Jon, Hairball, and Bowling for Soup.

For the first time, the State Fair of Texas has partnered with Romeo Entertainment Group, who are producing the entire music lineup for 2023.

Based in Nashville, Romeo boasts 65-plus years of experience and a long list of clients. Romeo president & CEO R.J. Romeo says in a statement that “it's an honor to bring music to the Fair that is as expansive and varied as the great state of Texas itself. I am proud of our team, led by Lacey Hayes, for programming such an outstanding lineup."

According to fair spokesperson Karissa Condoianis, Romeo replaces Glenn Smith Productions, who retired after more than 30 years. In 2018, they also began working with Dallas-based independent record label State Fair Records to book other free live music stages throughout the fairgrounds.

Fairgoers can experience all different kinds of live music – country to R&B, Norteño to electro-pop – across the fairgrounds during all 24 days of the 2023 State Fair of Texas, all included with their admission ticket.

The Chevrolet Main Stage is an outdoor venue with a huge festival-type stage and experience, as well as an ADA-compliant area for guests needing special assistance. Featuring headlining and regional acts, the Chevrolet Main Stage is located next to the Craft Pavilion, near the Hall of State.

Highlights include:

September 29: Lonestar
September 30: Ceelo Green/ Chrisette Michele
October 1: La Zenda Nortena
October 2: UNT Four O'Clock Lab Band
October 3: Bowling For Soup
October 6: Hairball/ Matt Hillyer
October 7: Lil John
October 8: 38 Special
October 9: Little Mermen
October 13: X Ambassadors
October 14: Craig Morgan
October 15: Shane Smith & The Saints
October 20: Forever Motown / The War & Treaty
October 21: Charlotte Sands / Red Jumpsuit Apparatus / We the Kings
October 22: Yahritzia Y Su Esencia

The Bud Light Stage, located in the heart of Cotton Bowl Plaza, showcases local and regional talent all 24 days of the Fair.

Highlights include many of Dallas' and Texas' best and brightest acts such as the State Fair Records All Star Band, John Pedigo's Magic Pilsner, Matt Tedder, Brave Combo, Rosie Flores, Ginny Mac, The O's, Max Stalling, and DJ Mark Ridlen.

The Yuengling Flight Stage, located outside the Go Texan Pavilion, features a Friday night comedy series, titled “Deep Fried Comedy,” along with live music throughout the week.

Highlights include: Shelley Carrol, Charming Gardeners, Katrina Cain, Lorena Leigh, Ceci Ceci, Min, Saborcito Puro, Vanita Leo, Garrett Owen, and a showcase by Spinster Records.

The full schedule of acts with dates and times can be found online.

The 2023 State Fair of Texas will open on September 29 and run through October 22.

Mediterranean restaurant lands legendary patio spot in Uptown Dallas

Patio News

In major-major patio news, there's a new restaurant set to take over the former Primo's space on Dallas' McKinney Avenue. Called Lyla, it's a Mediterranean restaurant from Dallas-based hospitality entrepreneurs Veeral Rathod and Obi Ibeto of GAP Concepts and concept partner Reham Choudhury, in partnership with Refined Hospitality Concepts, who were/are the owners of Primo's. That's quite the team.

According to a release, it'll open at 3309 McKinney Ave. in August.

Lyla is visioned as a casual yet sophisticated hangout, channeling the chic beachy vibe of destinations like Santorini, Mallorca, or St. Barths. The team is already busy reimagining the 3,000-square-foot dining room, lounge, and terrace, which was a pioneer on the patio front.

Rathod is a Dallas native with a background in finance and private equity whose resume includes cofounding custom clothier J.Hilburn, holding the CEO role at Spence Diamonds, and serving on the board of menswear company Knot Standard.

“Growing up in Dallas, I spent countless hours on that patio," he says in a statement. "We’ve long had our eye on the prime site, and we’re so excited to have the opportunity to be part of bringing it back better than ever."

The food and drink will be coastally-inspired Mediterranean cuisine with a creative beverage program.

Leading the kitchen will be Chef Cristhofer Sanchez, a native of Palm Beach, Florida who previously worked at high-profile spots such as Carbone, Uchi, Zaytinya, Top Knot, and Kai at Legacy West.

The food will focus on European coastal classics, paired with an extensive cocktail and wine offering. Food willinclude sharable apps like specialty dips, crudo, pizza, salads, pastas, wood-grilled fish, chicken, and steak.

Decor will include an entry fountain, whitewashed walls, lush plantings, arched windows, a one-of-a-kind pergola patio cover, bleached seating, classic Azulejo blue & white tile accents outdoors, an open bar, an eclectic mix of indoor and alfresco furniture including beachy banquettes, woven pendant lighting, feature art walls, and tropical greenery.

"Our intent is to offer a unique and elevated experience keeping with the area, and we also want Lyla to become a warm and inviting neighborhood bistro with a menu and ambience that we hope will entice guests to become regulars," Ibeto says. "Ultimately, it’s a place to relax with friends – and make new friends - over drinks and light bites, just like you would at a seaside cafe."

Alt-rockers Wilco set Dallas date on major U.S. tour this fall

Music That Might Change Your Life

Alt-rock band Wilco has added a series of dates across the United States to its 2023 "Cruel Country" tour, including a stop at South Side Ballroom in Dallas on Thursday, September 28.

The tour, which had already revealed 20 dates in Europe in August and September, will start in Wichita, Kansas, on September 25. The U.S. leg will include 22 shows through October 27, including a stop in Austin on September 29.

The tour is in support of Wilco's most recent album, 2022’s Cruel Country, a two-disc album that was released to critical acclaim. The record is the band's 12th of their career, dating back to their 1995 debut, A.M.

In addition to the tour, Wilco fans can look forward to the release of frontman Jeff Tweedy's new book, World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music, which will be released on November 7. The book is mix of memories, music, and inspiration built around the 50-plus songs that changed Tweedy’s life.

Ticket sales for the Dallas show will begin with a presale on Wednesday, June 7 at 10 am, ahead of the general on-sale on Friday, June 9 at 10 am at Ticketmaster.com.

Wilco Tour Dates

Mon. Sept. 25 - Wichita, KS @ Wave
Tue. Sep. 26 - Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
Thu. Sep. 28 - Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
Fri. Sep. 29 - Austin, TX @ Moody Amphitheater @ Waterloo Park
Sun. Oct. 1 - Albuquerque, NM @ Kiva Auditorium
Tue. Oct. 3 - Scottsdale, AZ @ Scottsdale Civic Center East Bowl Stage
Wed. Oct. 4 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Theatre at Ace Hotel
Thu. Oct. 5 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Theatre at Ace Hotel
Fri. Oct. 6 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Theatre at Ace Hotel
Sun. Oct. 8 - Monterey, CA @ Rebels & Renegades Festival
Wed. Oct. 11 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Bellwether
Fri. Oct. 13 - Santa Barbara, CA @ Arlington Theatre
Sat. Oct. 14 - Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
Mon. Oct. 16 - Portland, OR @ Keller Auditorium
Tue. Oct. 17 - Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
Wed. Oct. 18 - Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
Fri. Oct. 20 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Eccles Theater
Sun. Oct. 22 - Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
Mon. Oct. 23 - Omaha, NE @ The Astro Theater
Wed. Oct. 25 - Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theatre
Thu. Oct. 26 - St. Louis, MO @ Stifel Theatre
Fri. Oct. 27 - Bentonville, AR @ The Momentary

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