Friday Food Round Up
We are midway through the first month of the new decade, how are the New Year’s Resolutions coming along? If your resolutions include eating healthier, drinking less, saving money, splurging a little or getting out more, here are some options for you.
Menus
400 Gradi (which I reviewed in November) now serves Sunday brunch. If it’s anything like 400 Gradi’s lunch and dinner, it’s going to be excellent. Check out some of these menu items . . . worth the splurge. Gradi Eggs Benedict with Hot Napoli ham, fresh spinach, the best grilled bread I’ve ever had in my life and avocado hollandaise. If you go for sweet, try the Orange Ricotta Pancakes. Brunch hours are 11 am to 3 pm Sundays. Visit www.400gradi.com for full menu, hours and reservations.
Fat Straws. I used to host the most epic Chinese New Year parties, I don’t need to anymore because so many restaurants are celebrating it. Fat Straws, the bubble tea emporium, is selling Lunar New Year Donuts for a limited time. Starting tomorrow and through February 8 all four Fat Straws locations, including the Preston Hollow store at Preston and Forest, will sell red and gold donuts on Fridays and Saturdays. Donuts cost $2.50 each or $25 for a dozen and are, presumably, tariff-free but not calorie-free. www.fatstraws.com
Focyco. The Design District bar and restaurant now offers Happy Hour Tuesday – Friday from 4 pm – 7pm. Food and drink specials are only offered at the bar but include The Foxy cocktail, which combines aviation gin and fresno chile marmalade among other things, and will warm you up on a cold winter’s night. Stay for dinner, especially on Wednesday nights when Foxyco offers ½ price bottles of wine – great deal alert. They have an amazing wine list packed with French beauties like Mersault (my fave!), and top-notch wines from Italy, California, Oregon and more. I love Foxyco, great food (get the Burrata with orange honeycomb and harissa) and the staff there is wonderful. www.foxycodallas.com
The French Room. The new guy, Chef Diego Fernandez, has created a chicken dish that will make you break your rule against ordering chicken at a nice restaurant. OK, maybe that’s just my rule. Chef’s 24-hour Chicken combines the cool-factor of tableside service, the labor intensity of fine cuisine, the artistry of pastry and the warmth of family-style meals. The bird is first brined with honey, lemons, oranges, parsley, thyme, garlic, sugar, star anise, bay leaf and black peppercorns, then enrobed in a sweet Panettone brioche crust, then roasted. The chicken comes out incredibly juicy and flavorful. Make reservations at The French Room and order the 24-hour Chicken when you do because, you know, it takes 24-hours to make it and this isn’t sitting under a heat lamp waiting for an order. www.thefrenchroom.com
Events
National Pie Day is January 23 so take advantage by dining at Norma’s Cafe where you’ll be treated to a free slice of their heavenly Mile-High™ Pies. No gimmicks other than you have to dine-in, no take-away orders, and you only get one free piece of pie per person. Flavors include chocolate, coconut, lemon, chocolate peanut butter and Oreo™. While you’re there, how about dropping off a little donation to The Birthday Party Project? All five Norma’s locations are accepting donations for this amazing organization.
Wine Dinner at Knife
January 28, join chef John Tesar and winemaker Aaron Pott for a four-course wine pairing dinner at Knife. If you’ve never listened to a winemaker talk about the processes he or she employees for making wine while you’re drinking said wine, it’s an experience worth doing. It’s an educational storytime that includes great wine and food. A veteran winemaker for several top French Vineyards, Potts is now in California with his own label and continues to consult with other top wineries as well.
The event is from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., and is $256.50 per person including tax and gratuity.
Seating is limited to 15 people, which means someone can’t bring a date, and it means tickets will sell fast, Reserve your spot by clicking here.
It’s a rainy day, but follow the sun. It’s coming.
