Fat Rabbit

Dallas has a lot of restaurants come and go and come back and go again.  Upon Sfuzzi’s more recent exit from McKinney Avenue, Fat Rabbit, a new player took over its space … and brought along a logo with their own version of Harvey sporting a pretentious tux and jaunty spectacles.  Fat Rabbit came to us from a North/South Carolina restauranteur, Peter Lloyd, as his first Texan undertaking.  Apparently, we’ll see more from him as One Dallas is built (the new high-rise that is being constructed in the Hard rock Cafe field on McKinney) as he will be opening a restaurant in it.

The restaurant, complete with a generous patio and upstairs “VIP” bar (called Masque), bills itself as purveyor of American food.  While that sounds a bit “done” for the area, they do it well.  Their food selections are all over the place—just their appetizers offer items from tuna tartar to hummus to hot wings—talk about an identity crisis.  The good part?  They somehow seem to do it all right.

Fat Rabbit is in the heart of Uptown right on McKinney, so you know that they better either do their drinks really well … or really big.  They offer a full beer list with some locals and the usual suspects, wine options by the glass and bottle, champagnes actually from champagne, and, of course, cocktails.  I was honored to have been joined at dinner by Jackie of Pretty Petals (looking adorable, as always), and we had to stay away from fried things (I’m doing the Lent thing and gave it up), but aside from our limitations, we made some great selections if I do say so myself.

Their new cocktail menu launched last week and, thanks to the manager, Trevor’s suggestion, I started with one of their new Irish whiskey cocktails (because, if you have ever read anything I’ve ever written, you know that I’m a huge Irish whiskey nut), the Ron Burgundy (2 Gingers Irish Whiskey, Benedictine, simple syrup, Peychauds & peach bitters).  If I had my druthers, I would have stuck with this drink the whole night as it was perfectly light with enough kick to keep it interesting.  Their bar program keeps it local when possible but not as a rule.  They also play with some different (yet still mainstream) ingredients to make their drinks a bit unique.

Jackie started with the Peach Keen (Deep Eddy Peach vodka, lemon juice, raspberry), which was sweet, so it’s the safer play if you don’t like spirit forward cocktails.  Their Summer Beer (Ketel Citroen, lemon, peach bitters, simply syrup, Revolver Blood & Honey) set the stage perfectly for the amazing patio season we have ahead of us–the peach bitters and the honey notes in the Revolver Blood & Honey both gave it just the slightest sweetness.

And … since apparently one cannot survive on booze alone (unfortunately) … we also dined.  We started with Tuna Tartar (scallions, sesame sweet soy glaze, togarashi served with wonton chips) and they were nice enough to bring me lettuce since the chips were fried.  The tuna came as a generous potion of fresh and tender tuna with just enough of the glaze to keep it interesting.  We followed that up with the Lamb Burger Sliders (lamb patty with pine nuts topped with roasted red peppers and tzatziki sauce) which were quite good, but weren’t our favorite.

We weren’t ready to commit to a whole, single entree each, so we ordered a few things for the table.  Again … we did well.  Their Lobster Mac & Cheese was un-real.  They add just a bit of truffle oil that balances the four cheese nicely without being overpowering.  Our lovely waitress suggested the Breakfast Pizza (candied bacon, tomato, quail eggs, Sriracha aioli), which, if you remember back to Sfuzzi, they had their own version … so it just seemed fitting.  I love that they candied the bacon for this pizza to give it a sweetness to counteract the spiciness of the Sriracha aioli (which I’d suggest getting on the side).  The winner of the night was, without a doubt, the Brussels sprouts.  I mean … hot damn, y’all.  I wanted to plant a hair in them at the very end so they’d have to bring me another order of them.  But that would be immoral … or something.

Fat Rabbit is open for lunch, dinner, and late night (SCORE) along with weekend brunch  (I’m going to get my ass in there soon to try their red velvet pancakes and mimosa bar), and they also hold events from time to time.  Tomorrow (Monday, March 13), they’ll be screening the final episode of “The Bachelor”–who do you think Ben will pick?  And later this month, they’re bringing in the 2 Gingers Irish Whiskey’s brand ambassador, James Dillon, to host a whiskey pairing dinner on March 23–3 course and cocktail for $45?  In … get your ticket to join me!

If the promise of good food and drink don’t pique your interest, maybe one of their weekly specials will.

Monday – $3 pints, 1/2 price dinner menu starting at 6pm
Tuesday – Service Industry Night (1/2 price burgers, sandwiches, & flatbreads starting at 8pm
Wednesday – 1/2 price bottles of wine
Thursday – live music starting at 8pm
Friday – DJ starting at 10pm
Saturday – brunch at 11am-4pm (mimosa & bloody mary bar), DJ starting at 10pm
Sunday – brunch at 11am-4pm (mimosa & bloody mary bar), live music starting at 3pm


FAT RABBIT
fatrabbitdallas.com
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2533 McKinney Ave.
(469) 941-4085

Vetted Well is … well … vetted.

Vet – verb \vet\ the careful and critical examination of quality

Vetted Well, the new bar above the recently-opened Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar, may be one of my new favorite places.  Damn good food, a great beer selection (complete with 10 perfectly-paired boilermakers), one of the best rooftop patios in Dallas, themed private karaoke rooms, and a location directly above a quirky movie theater make for a great experience.

While Vetted Well does a lot … well … they have done well in not specializing in anything at the expense of others.  Perfect example: they have a damn good (local) beer selection (cans, bottles, and a bunch of drafts), but also have awesome cocktails and a small (but thoughtful) wine list.  They have some healthy food, but also some food that makes you want to break your Lenten commitment not to eat fried food (oops …).

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My review was actually my second visit … my first visit was with a  couple girlfriends after a movie to catch up a bit.  We enjoyed a shit ton of popcorn (which, if you order in the bottomless popcorn in the theater, you can continue working on finding the bottom upstairs), a Darker & Stormier (a seriously delicious take on the Dark & Stormy–apply brandy, Black Seal rum, ginger, lime, and crushed ice) and The Traveling Man (Eagle Rare 10 Yr. & Karback Weekend Warrior whiskey).  I was so excited to come back, that I nearly died when I saw the email inviting me in for a review.

I was spoiled with a couple boilermakers, a couple cocktails, and alllllllll the food (more on that later because, cocktails).  Their Moscow Mule was the traditional recipe (vodka, lime, ginger beer) and was well mixed, but the copper vessel was badass–because I’m kind of over copper mugs.  Next out was the Kentucky Buck (bourbon, strawberry, lemon, bitters, ginger beer), which was completely refreshing and I cannot wait to sit on their patio and sip one three of these on a warm, spring afternoon.

Let’s get back to those boilermakers.  Ten options, all decidedly Dallas with names like The Grassy Knoll and The Big Tex, make for a good challenge.  I’m four down so far, (… not as accomplished as Kevin, but I’m working on it) and I’m enjoying the progress.  Paired thoughtfully, my favorite so far is The Sears & Roebuck (Gran Classico & 512 Pecan Porter), but I look forward to trying the remaining six to see if it stays on top.  (There was talk about the technique behind drinking a boilermaker.  Do you take the shot of whiskey then sip the beer, sip both at once, or dunk the shot?)

Now … the food.  Everything they make is as homemade as possible from the mustard to the … other delicious stuff, and they also source from local vendors like Empire Bakery.  They’re currently serving lunch from their kitchen with brunch and then dinner to follow, but if you’re up there for dinner now, you can get items from the Alamo Drafthouse kitchen.  They bring it up with a dumbwaiter,  which they claim can hold 200 pounds … and I’m still upset they wouldn’t let me ride in it.  (Read: stay tuned for a staged dumbwaiter incident complete with live Twitter feed.)

We started with the Biscuit Beignets.  They hit the table and I knew my Lenten “no fried food” pledge was in trouble.  I figured that, as my mom says, Sundays are cheat days … and I’d been to church earlier.  So, I dug in.  I’m damn glad I did.  These fluffy, fried nuggets are perfectly light and come with dippable cinnamon sugar, raspberry syrup, vanilla bean crème, and spiced rum caramel.  Hot damn.  Next up was more fried goodness (because why just be a little bad?), Croquettes with smoked gouda, potato, bacon, and green onion, and served with a dill-lish dill ranch.  (Terrible joke … sorry.)  To round out the first “course”, they brought out the Panzanella Salad which, aside from the Brussels sprout I snuck off the plate while taking a picture, was snapped up before I could take a bite.

The heavy hitters of the meal were still to come–the 24-Hour Brined Pork Chop, Chicken Fried Chicken with Local Honey, Carved Turkey on Hippie Bread, and the Cubano sandwich.  All delicious and all recommended.  They mix it up by serving the pork chop with a waffle–take that chicken and waffles!  I’ll be having this one again thanks to the incredibly flavorful chop.  My other favorite was the Cubano (roasted pork, sliced ham, Swiss cheese, house pickles, and beer mustard served with traditional tostones).

I’m actually upset with myself for not requesting the Vetted Well Burger … this thing is a work of art–a burger with pork beans and pork belly?  That’s some genius shit right there.

Overall, Vetted Well is quite the delight.  The patio is unreal–both the front and back one.  The front patio has a great view of Downtown Dallas and the back patio is complete with locally made furniture and a giant outdoor screen where they’ll show classic movies a couple times a week.  If that’s not enough entertainment, check out one of their four themed private karaoke rooms for rent by the hour to accommodate 6-20 people.  You know I’ll be hitting those rooms hard with some hardcore Hall & Oates.  The karaoke rooms will be open to the public starting Thursday.

I can’t wait for the next rainy weekend when I can commit to spending an entire day bouncing between the theater and Vetted Well to get my hands on their burger.  Who’s with me?

Overall, I think their name is deserved.  I was told that “vetted” is used often in the military as a quality check.  While I’m not military, I feel as though I can still give this place my seal of approval–it has been vetted … and it’s gooooood.


VETTED WELL
vettedwell.com
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1005 S Lamar St, Dallas, TX 75215
214-695-7009

SUN-THURS: 11:00am – close
FRI-SAT: 11:00am – 2:00am

First: If you haven’t set foot in the newly open Westin Downtown Dallas yet, you should; it’s gorgeous. Secondly: Whenever you do set foot in the Westin Downtown Dallas, you should definitely pay a visit to Grill & Vine; it’s delicious.

The Westin Downtown Dallas Grill & Vine recently invited the SDD team in to check out the newly open restaurant and bar. I was immediately taken with the sleek, upscale-contemporary decor (If it feels vaguely familiar, here’s a spoiler alert: the Westin’s design team is also credited with the design of The Joule). Most of all, the view of the skyline is killer as seen through sweeping, floor to ceiling picture windows surrounding the dining room. The view alone makes this spot a great choice for a pre-dinner cocktail.

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Speaking of cocktails … Grill & Vine offers a creative collection of a dozen of ’em. I sampled the Elderflower Fitzgerald (Dripping Springs gin, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, lemon, and angostura bitters-$11)–I found it to be delightfully light and refreshing, and begging for spring to hurry up and get here. Other intriguing cocktail offerings include the Smoke and Honey (Silver Star Texas Honey, Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur, cucumber, lemon, habanero shrub-$12), the Chamomile Mule (Chamomile-infused Absolut, lime, honey, ginger beer, $10), and the Provencal Lemonade (Dripping Springs vodka, Carpano Bianco, basil, lemon, and lavender bitters-$11). 

Grill & Vine’s wine list features in the upwards of 50 well-rounded offerings, nearly all of which are available by the glass. A short but sweet list of local craft beer rotators are available, in addition to the expected line-up of domestics and imports. And, may the gluten-intolerant of you rejoice as they offer several gluten-free beers .

After enjoying a pre-dinner cocktail (or two three … ) at the bar, we moved to a table. With Executive Chef Bill Lundstrom at the helm, Grill & Vine’s culinary program is heavily focused on regional flavors utilizing local ingredients, and a seasonally rotating menu. I was lucky enough to stay for dinner, and everything I sampled was fantastic. The Smoked Beef Brisket Tacos (pickled onions, smashed avocado, brazos valley queso-$15) were a favorite, and the House Mac & Cheese, made with Brazos cheddar and smoked gouda, is not to be missed. Oh, and save room for dessert–the Banana Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with creme anglaise and orange caramel was basically to die for.


Grill and Vine
(972) 555-6689
1201 Main St., Dallas, TX 75202
Reservations | Menu

Happy Hour: Offered daily until 7pm
$2 off wine by the glass, $5 local drafts, and a selection of craft cocktails available for $6

Westin Dallas Downtown
westindallasdowntown.com
(972) 584-6650
1201 Main St., Dallas, TX 75202

Oscar Cocktail: The Gold Man

I am embarrassed to admit that I haven’t seen but one of the 2016 Oscars Best Picture nominees … and I just watched it last night.  Needless to say, I’m going to need something to keep me entertained since I haven’t a clue what is going to be going on.  Enter: alcohol.

So, to prepare for the 88th Academy Awards watching situation, I got a little crazy and ordered some edible gold to make a fancy cocktail instead of taking the time to actually watch the movies.  I’ve included the recipe for the cocktail I will be sipping on tonight below along with some other drink options.

IMGP5566THE GOLD MAN
2oz Basil Hayden’s Bourbon
1/2oz honey syrup
1oz lemon juice
3 orange slices, quartered
garnish: edible gold flakes or an orange slice

Muddle the oranges and honey syrup in a cocktail shaker.  Add ice, lemon juice, and shake  until chilled thoroughly.  Strain into a martini glass.

Too lazy to slice and shake?  Pop into the grocery store for a bottle of PIPER-HEIDSIECK champagne (the only champagne served AT the Oscars ceremony) or one of the Coppola Winery’s Director’s Cut collection wines (seems fitting for FILM awards).  Just make sure you plan your booze pick-up for after noon … because Sundays in Texas are ruled by TABC.  The Man sucks.)

Too lazy to cook, too?  (Seriously? Do something with your life. jk)  Plano residents can call LASH Delivery and order one of their two Oscar-themed food packages–the Foreign Film Package (Bruschetta from Campisi’s and Caramel Flan from El Norte Mexican Grill) or the Red Carpet Package (a Hummus Trio  from Zoe’s Kitchen and Summer Rolls from Mango Thai Cuisine). Each package is $20 (+$7 delivery fee) and can be ordered through 9pm on 2/28.

Basil Hayden’s Golden Spice
1 part Basil Hayden’s Bourbon
Sparkling Apple Juice

Add Basil Hayden’s Bourbon to a champagne flute.  Fill the remainder of the glass with sparkling apple juice.  Garnish with a sliced apple.

CELEBRITY COLADA
½ crushed pineapple
1 cup crushed ice
1 cup vodka
2 cups cold Coco Joy Water
2 limes

Combine pineapple, ice, vodka and Coco Joy Water in a blender and pulse until smooth.  Garnish with limes.

GREY GOOSE LE FIZZ
35ml GREY GOOSE vodka
25ml ST-GERMAIN® elderflower liqueur
20ml fresh lime juice
70ml chilled soda

Pour all ingredients except soda water into a cocktail shaker. Shake briefly over ice and double strain into a chilled flute. Top with soda water. Garnish with a stirrer.

GOLD BAR PUNCH
1 bottle VSOP Cognac
1 bottle Powell & Mahoney Lemon Sour mixer
½ bottle Powell & Mahoney Ginger mixer
1 cup fresh pineapple juice
1 cup cold water

Mix together VSOP Cognac, P&M Lemon Sour mixer, P&M Ginger mixer, pineapple juice, and water. Chill for several hours before serving. When ready to serve, pour into a large punch bowl over the gold bar ice block. Top with 1 bottle chilled Champagne and stir. Add orange slice. To make the gold bar ice, fill a loaf baking pan with boiling water (this will ensure clear ice).  Add edible gold flakes to the pan and stir.  Place in freezer overnight.  Prior to serving, run the outside of the pan under hot water to release the ice block. Serves 10.

In other news, there are some ridiculous facts about the Oscars from WalletHub:

  • 25 Years Old: Jennifer Lawrence is the youngest person ever to earn four acting nominations
  • $3,500: Average cost of preparing a Hollywood actress for the red carpet
  • $220K: Value of the 2016 Oscar Swag Bag
  • 39 Years: Between Sylvester Stallone’s two Oscar nominations for his portrayal of Rocky Balboa
  • 45 Sec: The amount to which acceptance speeches will be cut down this year, thanks to individual shout outs scrolling on the bottom of the screen.

Product Review: Booker’s Bourbon 2016 Batch Collection Bluegrass

Champagne.  Roquefort cheese.  Charente butter.  Bourbon.  Some of the best things in the world … and all things that have strict standards in order to bear the name.  In order to be called “bourbon”, a whiskey must have the following characteristics:

  • It must be made with at least 51% corn.
  • Distillers can only add water to the bourbon to bring it to “proof”.
  • Bourbon can only be aged in NEW, charred, American White Oak barrels for at least 2 years.
  • It has to be distilled to less than 80% alcohol (160 proof)–higher proof makes it moonshine–and it must go into the barrels at less than 62.5% alcohol (125 proof).
  • It must be distilled AND aged in the US.  (Fun fact: 95% of all bourbon is made in Kentucky.)

Now that we have the basics covered, let’s talk about Booker’s Bourbon.  I often receive products to review (obvi), so when I purchase liquor with my own money, it’s big.  One of my recent purchases was Booker’s Bourbon and I’m hooked.

Booker’s is a product of Jim Beam and is always made in small batches and is bottled uncut.  This particular spirit is a serious spirit–balanced, complex, and flavorful.

  • Proof: 121-130 (depending on the year)
  • Nose: caramel, vanilla, oak, and pepper
  • Taste: caramel, vanilla, butterscotch with a long caramel finish
  • Sipping suggestions: With ice or cut with water
  • Price: $50 for 750mLbookers-2016batch1

To my everlasting delight, I got an email from a public relations angel that offered a sample of Booker’s Bourbon 2016 Batch Collection Bluegrass, the first of six Batch Collections that Booker’s will release in 2016 in honor of Booker Noe.  I jumped at the chance to try it out and … damn … it’s good.

The new releases will all be hand selected by Fred Noe, Beam’s 7th Generation Master.  Each batch will feature a name and label bearing founding distiller, Booker Noe’s favorite things.

  • Age: 6 years, 11 months
  • Proof: 127.9
  • Nose: vanilla, toasted nuts with a smooth and well-balanced finish
  • Sipping suggestions: With ice or cut with water
  • Price: $59.99 for 750mL

Pay homage to the legendary bourbon distiller by trying one of Booker’s Bourbons six small batch releases this year.

 

FWFWF-Reserve Wine Tasting

The Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival has ammped up their game this year. Not only will they host a fabulous festival in March, they also have hosted special events thoughout the year. I was graciously invited to the reserve wine tasting that was held at the Modern Art Museum on February 4th.

This was a very intimate event where I enjoyed 26 pours of amazing wine. I should have gotten a medal for making it through all of them. (If you ever get the opportunity to attend any wine tasting, take it … it’s a great way to learn what you like. Especially with all of the new wines being produced to meet today’s society’s needs, they’ve even created a gluten free wine now! I will definitely be trying this soon.)

2012_SLDCSMy two favorite wines of the night were a treat because they have a bit higher price tags. I’ve been to Napa Valley a couple times and have learned that I love most wine that comes from the Stag’s Leap District. I was delighted to see something from the region–the 2012 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon (retails for $75); a complex wine with notes of blackberries and I get a hint of vanilla. Wine Spectator gives it 90 points and Robert Parker gives it 93 points.

My other favorite from the night was the 2012 Adobe Road Cabernet Franc from Knights Valley, Bavarian Lion Vineyard (retails for $58). This medium-bodied wine has notes of blackberries and cranberries and pairs very well with Italian food. The price is on the high end of most Cab Franc wines, but I think it is worth it.

I am so excited to attend this year’s festival in March. Tickets are on sale now and I would highly recommend going to #latenight- desserts after dark and/or Burgers, Brews & Blues. Susie and I will see you there!


Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival 2016
March 31- April 3, 2016
fortworthfoodandwinefestival.com
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#FWFWF

National Margarita Day 2016

Monday, February 22 is National Margarita Day … definitely one of the more important holidays of the year.  If you’re around Dallas, stop by one of the places offering awesome deals on the limey tequila goodness.

If going out on a Monday isn’t your thing (which I just will never understand), try your hand at homemade margaritas sans the sugary (and, ahem, pedestrian) mixes with my Blood Orange Mid-Winter Margarita.  Since blood oranges are in season from December to May (give or take), it’s the perfect way to punch up the traditional recipe.  (Since it’s quite colorful, it makes for a great picture, too!)

BLOOD ORANGE MID-WINTER MARGARITA
1.5oz tequila
0.75oz of Monin Blood Orange Syrup
0.75oz fresh blood orange juice
0.75oz fresh lime juice + a bit more
chile salt

Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker.  Add ice and shake for 15 seconds.  Dip the rim of the glass in lime juice and then the chile salt.

Want a bit of spice?  Throw in 1/2 oz of Torani’s Sweet Heat ghost pepper syrup!

light back

The Original Pancake House

Written by Anna Tomczyk

Most great nights out leave me surprisingly hungry, despite any late night burger runs. When Susie asked me to visit the newest location of The Original Pancake House in Irving for a Saturday brunch, I was a bit confused. (I mean, one would assume that a booze-less brunching normally wouldn’t be Susie approved. As it turns out, OPH truly sets themselves apart with high quality ingredients and top-notch hangover mitigating breakfast favorites.) Their menu offers a large selection of breakfast and lunch dishes and there’s something on the menu for everyone.

The staff at the Original Pancake House in Irving was eager to please and greeted me quickly. After being seated, I was given a full breakfast and lunch menu along with their specialty coffee menu. This particular location has a full service espresso and brew bar to serve up your favorite coffee beverages all day. PRO TIP: order a pick-me-up drink at the bar while you wait. Their brews are locally sourced and their espresso (a blend of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Brazilian coffee) is brewed in-state. I ordered a vanilla latte and it was perfectly balanced with a surprisingly savory finish.

Every great brunch place has to get the basics right, so I started out with the sugar-cured, thick-cut bacon and buttermilk pancakes with a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. I can tend to be pretty picky about my bacon and it didn’t disappoint–it was perfectly crispy. Some places have a hard time freshly squeezing juices and managing to chill them the same day before serving, but not OPH. It came out chilled and very refreshing. And the best part of this plate, of course, is the pancakes! The owner of this location let me know it takes five days to make their famous pancakes and guaranteed they would not disappoint. I buttered my pancakes with their soft, whipped butter and smothered them next with in-house pancake syrup … and they were indeed delectable and just as fluffy and flavorful as I was promised.

Since I have a strong European ancestry and my hubby is 100% Polish, it’s comforting to see dishes such as the OPH potato pancakes and the Dutch Baby on the menu. For those who are unfamiliar with potato pancakes, they’re shredded potato, egg, onion, and flour all pan fried to golden brown resembling the more popular (but less delicious) hash brown. My mother-in-law makes traditional Polish-style potato pancakes and they are a homemade favorite for everyone in our family. Amazingly enough, OPH serves really fantastic potato pancakes with your choice of savory sour cream or sweet apple sauce–I’m convinced they would be mother-in-law approved. The Dutch Baby was just as amazing (if a bit more oddly named), and I was eager to try this signature sweet offering. This traditional German pancake has a slight lemon flavor without being overpowering. The flaky, golden baked treat is topped with whipped butter, lemon, and powdered sugar.

Dutch Baby (Picture courtesy of OPH)

Dutch Baby (Picture courtesy of OPH)

OPH offers quite a few other breakfast dishes–omelets, crepes, dutch pancakes, other egg specialties, and some really fantastic sandwiches and random other lunch items. The restaurant truly made me feel like a friend of the family and I was able to see the fun culture and pride that everyone from the servers to the owner to the head chef have for the food they make and the guests they serve.

This is the place to keep in mind to frequent with friends and family alike when you want to give your kitchen a rest but still enjoy made-from-scratch, hearty goodness.


The Original Pancake House
ophdfw.com
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LOCATIONS

***OPH invited me in for brunch.***