The French Room: A Shift from Milestones to Moments
It had been close to ten years since I visited the French Room. I remember the experience well. It was a big anniversary, the food was exquisite, we had a great night and everything was incredibly formal. And then we didn’t go again. Not because it wasn’t great, but because we were looking […]
Sixmilebridge Vineyard: The Second Chapter of Jim Moroney
Sixmilebridge Vineyard: The Second Chapter of Jim Moroney Jim Moroney, Proprietor Sixmilebridge Vineyard For forty years, Jim Moroney was a champion of free press and led Dallas’ only daily paper through a digital transformation. But as he told me, “When you work for a public company like A.H. Belo Corporation, you have a shelf […]
Storytelling Through A Lens and A Bottle: The Story of Jesse and Andy Katz
Jesse Katz, Winemaker Aperture Cellars and Devil Proof Vineyards A good photographer has an eye for detail that brings all the elements together to convey the right vision. Little did Andy Katz, world-renown photographer, know that his eye for detail in the vineyards would spark a passion for wine for his son, Jesse Katz, […]
Adam Bernstein: Del Frisco’s Hospitalitarian and Dallas’ First Restaurant Recycling Pioneer
Adam Bernstein: Del Frisco’s Hospitalitarian and Dallas’ First Restaurant Recycling Pioneer Adam Bernstein, Wine Director, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse Sitting down with Adam Bernstein, the Wine Director from Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, is like sitting down with an old friend. His passion and love for wine is evident in what he does, […]
Billy Can Can: A Modern Saloon With A Focus On Texas Traditions
Named after a fictional owner, Billy Can Can is an upscale saloon with a modern twist. The menu comes from Chef Matt Ford, formerly of the Joule Hotel, with a focus on Texas farm fresh items that have nothing to do with standard bar fare. Options include venison tartare, hot-chicken-style-quail and lots of protein-based entrées including a […]
What City Boasts the Most Restaurants Per Capita in the United States? Hint: It is 15 Miles From Dallas and Isn’t Frisco
The Media Chariot Addison – a city near Dallas that is home to 180 restaurants and an entertainment district with comedy clubs, movie theaters, wine bars (shout out to Mercy Wine Bar) and breweries. The city boosts more restaurants per capita than anywhere else in the United States. And, for ten years, my daughter attended a […]
A Conversation with John Concannon: 135 Years of Pioneering California Cabernet Sauvignon
Me hanging with John Concannon Last month, I had a chance to sit down with a member of the fourth generation of a storied wine family with a long resume of making California’s wine industry what it is today. John Concannon is part of a family of wine pioneers at Concannon Vineyard. For 135 years, the […]
A Conversation with Tom Gamble: Preserving a Family, Farming and a Legacy
A Conversation with Tom Gamble: Preserving a Family, Farming and a Legacy It’s been about 18 months since I last had the chance to sit down with Tom Gamble, Owner of Gamble Family Cellars, yet constants remained. Tom Gamble remains a farmer first. He talked about never remembering a time when “there wasn’t dust in […]
Crudo Italian: Finally Much More Than A Sign, And One Great Restaurant
It seems like forever since I drove by the Crudo sign at the corner of Northwest Highway and Preston and wondered what was going on with the restaurant. The sign was up, but it never seemed like the restaurant was open. Fast forward to this past February, where I was invited by General Manager Juan […]
Oak: Redirected, Refocused and Redefined: Dinner and Wine with Tim Carruthers
Carruthers and me I admit it. I loved Oak when it opened several years ago. The wine list was on point and I really enjoyed the menu. But over the years, the restaurant seemed to lose its focus as it cycled through five chefs and seemed to lose the magic of what made the […]