Taste
Dallas Child May Issue
May 17, 2012
Wow. It’s been a week already?! I’m obviously a bit behind on posting (and everything else). Thanks for sticking with me as I get through the new baby phase. And the 3-year-old phase! In the meantime, you can read about my friend Jenny Kirtland’s beauty secrets, The Gem Juice Bar, and Samudra clutches, in my May page for Dallas Child.
Location: Dallas
The Ranch – Las Colinas
May 10, 2012
Sometimes driving outside your usual 10 mile radius turns out to be a good thing. The Ranch in Las Colinas is my new favorite concept in the ‘burbs. Good menu (loved the kobe tacos) and drinks (sipped Texas tea and then champagne). Lots of indoor and outdoor seating. Live music on the patio. Great wait staff. Kid-friendly. Happy hour-friendly. Can accommodate big groups. Wine and cigar room. Everyone’s happy here, all around. Check it out.
Location: Dallas, Las Colinas
The Foundry and Chicken Scratch – Oak Cliff, Dallas
April 26, 2012
Here’s where I spent Saturday night. The Foundry, a hip bar and outdoor concert venue, which is also part of Chicken Scratch, a super casual new restaurant concept by the guys who created one of my other Oak Cliff favorites, Bolsa. I pretty much loved everything about this dual concept. It’s a particularly awesome place to enjoy live music when the weather is good: outdoor courtyard with cafe lights and a cool stage, a great indoor/outdoor bar scene, and food available from the accompanying Chicken Scratch. Chicken (of course) and comfort food sides are the main items on the menu, but they also offer a great quinoa/vegetable salad and hummus. Read about it here and here. And go see for yourself. It’s kid-friendly too!
The Gem
March 9, 2012
Attention health-conscious Dallas readers. While in NYC and LA you can find fresh juice bars on every corner, until now the only Dallas juice bar I’ve known about is inside Whole Foods on Park Lane. For me that means a lot of time stuck in traffic on Northwest Highway. But now there is also The Gem, a juice and smoothie bar located inside Duo, the culinary shop and cooking class venue at Inwood and Lovers. The Gem’s menu consists of all fresh juices, smoothies with protein and other boosts, tea, coffee, and a trio of salads that includes hummus, kale, and quinoa. Everything I’ve tried so far has been excellent: Green Glow and Ruby Slipper juices, Chocolate Diamond smoothie, and the salads. Hello, new daily ritual! 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Location: Dallas
Sami’s Bakery Millet & Flax Cinnamon Chips
March 7, 2012
Sticky Paws at Williams-Sonoma
December 4, 2011
It’s that time of year again. I’m going to start posting the best gift ideas that I’ve seen, experienced, or read about. Maybe I’ll save you some time scouring Amazon or wandering aimlessly through the mall. First, for the sweet tooth, Sticky Paws caramel clusters from Williams-Sonoma. A generous guest brought a box of these to our house recently, and now no one comes through the door without indulging in at least one. Rich caramel over almonds that are then coated in chocolate. So good. Five star rating online and free shipping if you order today. (And the pooch on the packaging makes this also a cute gift for dog lovers.)
BuzzBrews – Dallas
November 21, 2011
Here it is. My prediction for the next big thing in the business of restaurant concepts. BuzzBrews has the best tasting casual breakfast in town, and it’s open all day and into the night. In fact, the Central Expressway location is open 24 hours. There are also locations on Lemmon Avenue and in Deep Ellum, with more on the way. The founder is a French-trained chef who prides himself on making the menu both healthy (that’s where the “buzz” comes from in the name) and delicious. It’s a funky diner, with all sorts of patrons. Try the Californication crepes and the pancakes. You heard it here first.
Location: Dallas
The Four Seasons Restaurant – Manhattan
November 14, 2011
My friend Brooke just told me a great story about a recent trip to NYC during which she went in search of The Four Seasons Restaurant, because she had heard it is an amazing (and historic) space designed by Phillip Johnson and Mies van der Rohe. Like a lot of people, she assumed it was in the Four Seasons Hotel and went there with a friend for lunch at the allegedly famous bar. Halfway into her appetizer, she decided things didn’t add up. The place just wasn’t like the “one of the most beautiful restaurants in the world” descriptions she had heard. Luckily a concierge explained there is another Four Seasons Restaurant, not related to the hotel, nearby. So they headed there for the main course and found the gawk-worthy design destination they were searching for.
Lucia – Dallas
November 10, 2011
I finally made it to Lucia, a casual chic little Italian spot in Bishop Arts, and probably the most raved about restaurant in Dallas. The reputation seems well-deserved, because the last time I had pasta that good I was in Italy! This place is definitely something you need to put on your to do list…for 2012. They are booked through the end of the year, minus the four walk-in spots available at the bar on a first come basis. A perfect date venue.
Location: Dallas
Soho House – West Hollywood
September 22, 2011
Remember when I posted about Soho House West Hollywood back in June? Well, I finally made it there last weekend. And just as my LA people have been saying, it is pretty amazing. A glassed-in wrap-around terrance overlooking the city, with cozy seating throughout perfect for hosting gatherings and sipping cocktails. A cool bar area, where you can also order dinner, and a restaurant with gorgeous ambiance and retractable roof–like dining in a rooftop garden. It was the perfect mix of age groups and types, and of course we had the requisite celebrity sightings that make LA so fun: Chris Rock, David Arquette, David Spade, Jane Fonda, Minnie Driver, and Rod Stewart with wife Penny and daughter Kimberly. This is a members-only club, so you have to either join or get on someone’s guest list! This is definitely my new favorite spot in Hollywood. www.sohohousewh.com
For some great photos of the interiors click here.
Location: los angeles, West Hollywood
