Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse

Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse is one of the staple steakhouses not just in the Dallas area, but in the country. Its longstanding ranking among the best steakhouses made tonight’s visit to the flagship location pretty exciting for me.

The night of excess started with an Old Fashioned in true Susie fashion (Knob Creek Bourbon, muddled cherry, orange, sugar & bitters). It was quite standard (as I’m super spoiled when it comes to OFs) and nothing too extraordinary, but you could actually taste the bourbon used and it wasn’t too diluted, which gave it a really delightful flavor. (Because … ya know … I love bourbon.) Luckily, the rest of the drinks were much more unique.

If you’re in for just one drink, make it Del’s Manhattan (Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Dolin Rouge Sweet Vermouth, bitters, Luxardo cherry). It’s as smooth as a baby’s rump and as strong as Arnold back in the day. They actually have barrels of Maker’s Mark in the upstairs office that they use (no, I wasn’t allowed to visit them), and the Manhattan is make with Luxardo cherries (because are there any others?).

Next up was the Pomegranate Martini (360 Vodka, PAMA Pomegranate liquor, splash of cranberry), which was quite sweet and reminded me of a drink my favorite cocktail creator/roommate, Sam, would make me after a long day of classes (and before my night classes) back in the day. PAMA gives any cocktail an incredibly rich flavor —- and it makes it healthy, right?

Last up was the Blackberry Ginger Cocktail (Woodford Reserve Bourbon, fresh blackberries, fresh lemon juice, mint, splash of ginger beer). It sounds like a girly little drink, huh? WRONG. It’s a powerful and flavorful little libation with a perfect splash of ginger beer to give it a little tingle and bubble.

As for food, we started with crab cakes (holy awesome … no filler here!) and onion rings (double awesome … they’re as big as my hand), and then proceeded to entrees. I couldn’t resist the “feature” of three 4oz steaks with different sauces on each (fois gras butter, port wine, and peppercorn … I think*). The steaks were tender, juicy, and amazingly savory. Dessert was pretty incredible (lemon cake and cheesecake). Their cheesecake is whipped, not baked, which makes it so light that it’s completely irresistible. Like seriously … I’m meant to be on a diet and I definitely partook in (and took home leftovers of) most of it. The crust is made with pecans, so if you have a nut allergy, you’re shit outta luck. (Whatever, dude, more for me.)

Last note: Don’t expect to park your own car here … go ahead and resign yourself to the fact that you’re going to valet. Even on a Monday night there wasn’t a parking space to be found. No cash to tip? No worries … they’ll let you charge a card to get some cash at the bar!

Del Frisco’s has already released their Valentine’s Day menu and are accepting reservations, so (for the guys out there), get a move on and make your girl’s day by having a plan for the night. (And don’t forget the flowers and lingerie.)

*I’m not a food blogger … I do drinks.

Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
delfriscos.com | @del_friscos | Facebook.com/DelFrisco
5251 Spring Valley Road
(972) 490-9000

****I was invited to join Del Frisco’s for a meal this evening and my meal was on the house.****

Product Review: Starfire Cigs Ehookahs

Written by Enrico DeLeon III

For years and years, smoking has a been depicted as the cool thing to do in the media who have neglected to publicize alternatives such as these by Shiro that could help people to quit smoking. From movies to bars to commercials to house parties amongst friends and everything in between, smoking is everywhere. And even if people want to get a nicotine hit without smoking, there are products, like those available at Nicotine-Pouches.com, that offer this while making the actual act of tobacco consumption a little more discreet than cigarettes. After turning 18, while still not being able to go to bars, my friends and I got into going to hookah bars for our leisure. It was a great way to hang out, converse, and, of course, smoke hookah. I don’t know if it was because it was the cool thing to do or what, but it certainly was a great option for us to do on our nights out without trying to sneak into bars.

In the recent years since they have banned actual cigarette smoking in bars and restaurants in Dallas, I have seen electronic cigarettes and portable vaporizers from many different manufacturers similar to geek vape and others trying to compete in the eSmoking industry make an appearance more often as they are the only way for people to get away with smoking indoors in Dallas right now. I honestly thought they were kind of silly and, quite honestly, weird. The idea of smoking something that you unplugged from a plug or USB port was just a bit off-putting. That being said, one of my friends uses a vaping pen and I’m always fascinated by the different flavoured e-liquids like Killer Kustard that she buys, so I was definitely intrigued to discover more about how these devices work.

So, when Susie asked me to review Starfire Cigs, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to try and change my perspective about the whole industry. Just to give you a little background on the actual products I tried, the good people sent me all 6 flavors of their Ehookah line. Unlike some electronic cigarettes and vaporizers, Starfire Cigs use vegetable glycine to create the smooth flavored smoke with very minimal, almost no nicotine. (Just to clarify, these all were more along the lines of hookah-type smoking and not cigarettes.)

Each Ehookah lasted up to 1,200 puffs and were disposable. Although they were disposable, the craftsmanship wasn’t sacrificed. They are made with a silver mouthpiece and a diamond tip that light up different colors to reflect their flavor. The flavors included Berry Blast, Blueberry Mint, Red Energy, Melon Mist, Juicy Peach and Tropical Smooth.

When first trying Starfire Cigs Ehookahs, I was immediately transported back to my late teens. The vivid flavors and great smoke quality was on-point with that of which I had at actual hookah bars back in the day. The biggest difference between these Ehookahs and actual hookahs are how much more consistent they were. Every flavor was 10 times more vivid than any actual hookah flavor I have ever had. They were very distinct and never changed. It was awesome to be able to smoke them puff after puff without having to worry about lighting up a new coal and/or potentially burning yourself with hot fire.

I definitely recommend the Starfire Cig Ehookahs to anyone looking to experience great flavored smoke better than hookah and without the trouble of using an actual hookah.

CHINO CHINATOWN

New Trinity Groves Spots a Perfect Reminder of Why Some Nights, You Just Have to Leave Suburbia

Written by Brian Bianco

When Susie first approached me with a sack full of cash and a bottle of whiskey asking me to write for her, her terms were clear–stay far north and leave Dallas to her. Luckily, her busy holiday schedule opened the door for me to not only venture into Dallas proper, but also check out Trinity Groves for the first time for a media preview dinner at Chino Chinatown. It not only gave me a chance to try some highly anticipated Latin-Asian fusion cuisine, but also sample a drink menu that look good on paper.

The hip-casual ambience is set by great tunes and decor that reflects the cuisine (e.g., rockabilly geisha art – so cool). A friendly and knowledgeable bar staff is also a welcomed change … though “friendly” could mean they where on their best behavior for the press … who knows.

I’ll save you my detailed thoughts on the food since there is plenty of buzz already out there from our food counterparts, but I will say the edamame and shishito pepper dish and the chicken lollipops were both outstanding small plates to well enjoy with a few cocktails.

My biggest regret was not having a few friends with me (or my former college tolerance) to try everything on the drink menu, but I was able to sample a good amount. CC’s bar program, like a growing number of others in Dallas, was designed by Jason Kosmos, and was reminiscent of nights spent with my lady friend at the no-longer-with-us Marquee Grill (may it rest in peace).

Chino Chinatown’s introductory press release led with the Mezerac (rye, mescal, cola, cacao bitters) and Tijuana Sling (Remy Martin V, maraca, lime, seltzer), which were both good, but the 47 Ronin* delivered on the fusion promise to give me something the likes of which I hadn’t ever tasted and was, without question, the star of the show. (The bartender who served it, Adrian Verdin, wanted to make clear is a tribute to the incredibly awesome samurai legend and not the recent Keanu Reeves motion picture. This is an important distinction, because the drink is awesome, and the movie … maybe not so much.)

The bevy of drinks I tried were the Beg, Steal or Borrow (bourbon-based), The Good, The Bad, The Weird (best described as a tequila drink for the non-tequila drinker, in the most positive possible way), Between the Sikhs (Amrut Indian Single Malt Whisky), and the Snake Charmer (vodka and prickly pear that is easy to drink and available by the pitcher).

In short, if you want a night of good food and a chance to explore some complex drink options, there aren’t many better destinations right now in Dallas. (Just make sure you order the 47 Ronin and chicken lollipops.)

*A few disclaimers as I review their sake – I’ve never had Japanese whisky and my sake pallet is, uh, being seasoned. Verdin was very proud of the cocktail and was happy to walk me through it as I drank (which is only slightly embarrassing in retrospect, but felt right at the time). The drink is made from Yamakazi 12 Japanese whisky, goji berry groseille, yuzu, and sake, and is a nice mixture of tart and slightly sweet flavors before the whisky takes over and brings it home. If the night had been laid out differently, that would have been my choice drink for the night, and I would have had no regrets.

Drink Strength: 4
Overall: 4.6

Holiday Cocktail Recipes

Hot Tully
1 part Tullamore D.E.W.
½ part simple syrup
½ part lemon juice
3 parts hot water

Directions:
First warm a mug with hot water, then discard and combine ingredients above. Stir before serving.
Options ~ Add some fresh ginger for a bit of a bite. Or infuse the simple syrup with some fun flavors like cinnamon and orange, or apple and ginger.

The Ruby Bean
2 parts Glenfiddich 12 Year Old
2 parts Lillet Rouge
1 part Licor 43
2 parts orange juice

Combine ingredients and shake well. Strain over fresh ice in an Old fashioned glass. Garnish with a blood orange half moon and rose bud.

Hellfire
1 ½ oz Sailor Jerry
3 dashes of Tabasco sauce
¼ oz ginger syrup
¼ oz lime juice

In equal proportions fill glass with Regatta Ginger Beer and Fire Island Sea Salt Ale, Garnish with Lime wedge & straw. Warm up those chilly nights with the spice of Sailor Jerry Hellfire.

Ole Smoky MoonMosa
Mix equal parts Ole Smoky Blackberry Moonshine and the champagne of your choice. Serve chilled.

Orange Colored Sky
1 ½ oz Reyka
½ oz Passion Fruit Syrup
½ oz Campari
For Syrup: Mix equal parts Perfect Puree of Napa Valley Passion Fruit Puree with superfine sugar. Shake into solution. Bottle and refrigerate.
Dry shake and dump into rocks glass. Fill with crushed ice. Garnish with an orange wedge.

Monkey Jam Sour

1 part Monkey Shoulder
½ oz fresh lemon juice
1 tsbp of Jam
1 dash of sugar
2 dashes Orange bitters

Add all ingredients to shaker. Shake well with ice. Strain into a glass, garnish with an orange twist, and stay cheeky.

Derecho
If you wish to enjoy Montelobos Mezcal according to Oaxaca tradition, drink it neat – long and slow in a votive glass. Accompany with an orange wedge sprinkled with chili pepper. Let the smoky complexity of Montelobos heat up a cold fall evening. This year, you’ll be roasting pinas instead of chestnuts over the open fire.

The Naughty List (courtesy of Battuto Italian Kitchen)

2oz Fireball
1oz Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
1oz White creme de menthe

Combine all of the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a cinnamon-and-sugar lined martini glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Peppermint Chocolate Martini (courtesy of Battuto Italian Kitchen)

3/4oz spiced rum
3/4oz White creme de cocao
3/4oz green creme de menthe
3/4oz whipping cream

Combine all ingredients into an ice filled shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini glass rimmed with chocolate shavings and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

Gift Guide 2013

Welp, it’s that time of year again. Time to deck the halls and get drunk with your awkward Aunt Milly at Christmas Eve dinner. If you’re stressing about gifts for the special wino in your life, I’ve got JUST the gift guide for you! Behold, some of my favorite things—and this year I watched the price tags!

1. Pittsburgh, PA artist, Kirsten Lowe-Rebel has started a line of boozy prints, KloRebel. Handrawn with a look that will match a good bottle of hand-crafted whiskey, this art is framable and wearable! Available in ornaments, money clips, bracelets, prints, and more.

Purchase at her Etsy Shop | Items start at $10

2. Who doesn’t love Uber? With as little as a few taps on your smartphone, you’ve got a safe ride home after one three too many cocktails. Give the gift of a DD that is always on call with an Uber gift card. Easily sent immediately via their website, it’s a good last-minute option (not that you’d forget a gift or anything).

Send immediately from uber.com | Available in any denomination

3. This is the sexiest jigger you’ll ever see (I think??). This Japanese-style jigger from Cocktail Kingdom measures 1/2oz and 3/4oz shots, and it’s gold. Need I say more?

CocktailKingdom.com | $15.95 each

4. W(h)et their whiskers (and whistles) with TX Whiskey! One of my absolute favorite liquors, this Fort Worth-made intoxicant has a vanilla finish and is so smooth that it’d be a sin to drink it any way but neat (I suppose that “on the rocks” is OK, too.)

The bottle looks great on your bar, and each cork is different as they are made from recycled cowboy boots … and it comes with this teeny tiny Santa hat.

Purchase TX Whiskey at most liquor stores in North Texas and other TX-branded items at frdistilling.com | $35 for the 750ml

5. Moscow Mules are still a thing (for me at least). Drink them in style with these copper mugs, because a Moscow Mule in any other cup is just ginger beer and vodka.

Sur La Table or SurLaTable.com | $19.95 each

6. Did you know that some famous vineyards limit their output to make the bottles they sell more valuable, and sell excess to other labels? Enter: 90+ Cellars. Not only an incredible line of wines, but their options are very reasonable price-wise.

90+ now offers the option to send quarterly shipments of seasonal red, white, or mixed boxes of 90+ wines to your favorite someone. (Just make sure you’re invited to uncork them!)

store.ninetypluscellars.com | 6- or 12-bottle shipments, shipping included, $90/170

7. When the weather turns cold and your lips get chapped (the worst), don’t reach for the way-too-sweet or medicinal-tasting lip balms … Atlantic Farms’ Double IPA Lip Balm is where it’s at!

atlantic-farms.com | $6.50 per tube

8. These shot glasses “grr” in tiger (or something like that). Bring out your wild side with these Animal Shot Glasses. They’re black, so they look awesome on your bar … and they’re shot glasses, so there’s that, too. Available in elephant, reindeer (pictured), horse, lion, and eagle.

libastyle.com | $30 per shot glass

9. This tres chic brass Threshold Bar Cart gives your cocktail hour a “Mad Men” effect (busty secretaries not included). And there’s just something so awesome knowing that your bar can be rolled anywhere …

Buy in stores or target.com | $129.99

10. You bring a bottle of wine as a hostess gift: you’re a gracious guest. You bring a bottle of wine as a hostess gift with one of these badass gift tags on it: you’re a gracious guest … who is also f$@king awesome . Local paper goddess, Chelsea Cox Carpenter of Southern Fried Paper, sells these preciously-vulgar wine tags from her Design District studio (along with a lot of other fantastic paper goods).

Order from her Etsy Shop or stop by her studio | $9.50 for a pack of six

Top Golf in The Colony Sunk This One (In a Good Way)

We’ve all been part of the group outing where quality drinks and food are thrown to the wayside in exchange for the convenience of buckets of domestic beer and reheated frozen chicken tenders. Bowling, movie/food combos and miniature golf generally end with food regret, a half-drunk pitcher of Miller Lite approaching room temperature and a bill that does not come close to matching my level of enjoyment. With this bias admittedly in mind, I recently had the opportunity to check out the newest TopGolf location in The Colony and sample what was the beginning of an ever-changing, chef-inspired food and beverage menu.

When I arrived, I was greeted by Corporate Executive, Chef Seve Delgado, who had saved us a seat at the bar to sample their specialty cocktail menu and were later joined by Director of Food and Beverage, Mark Boyton, who was kind enough to join us straight from a flight home from a corporate F&B shoot earlier the same day. Their drink menu features craft cocktails, a house-made Sangria, a bloody mary bar and local beers specific to each location (for example, The Colony had Franconia on tap while the Dallas location features Four Corners Brewery.) They also allow bartenders throughout the company to bring new ideas based on current drink trends, which meant our first round featured Dark ‘n Stormy and a Texas Mule (because odds are even your college-aged little brother now has a copper mug and a four-pack of Fever Tree—which we’re completely cool with).

Seve told us they have to walk the line between making good drinks and being able to produce in volume, as their sales numbers are staggering*. The drinks themselves were fresh and the ingredients were strong (Tito’s vodka, Gosling’s rum, and quality ginger beer – not the mailed-in kind or coke/ginger ale sub that has ruined many a drink in other bars). Delgado told us that Top Golf’s goal is to make food and drinks as good as the game. (Success.)

She also told me this menu was just the beginning (the location has been open less than two months), and we will soon see bourbon/whiskey (please hurry on this one), tequila and barrel-aged spirit-driven cocktails. They are working on other bar items such as house-made habanero syrup and other homespun ideas. The menu will rotate every six months and will be based on trend-watching more anything else. (We were told to expect more margaritas, more flavors of vodka and other options to arrive soon.) They are also in the process of building out a defined wine selection and have been focused on finding interesting options that pair well with their current food selections. A big bold cab may not be the best fit for trying to hit the ball cart when it cruises by (come on, admit you do it), but a focus on blends will give more options to find a good wine that matches both the person ordering it and the flavor profile of the dish.

We also tried a few of the sweeter drink offerings: the Orange Dream (a creamsicle-tasting drink that is their most popular specialty cocktail and comes in a 60oz souvenir golf bag fish bowl called the Rum-Runner Up). The sweet drinks are not my wheelhouse, but my drinking companion has experience bartending at a well-known chain restaurant and could vouch for them much better than I could. My take – they were good punch-type drinks, perfect for an outdoor setting, that don’t overwhelm with the sugar taste like so many similar options do.

In fact, despite the fact that we were only there to try the drinks, we heard about flavor profiles and the food so much, they told us they had just a few dishes we had to try – which turned into one heck of a feast. Delgado told us they “don’t want to be known for common food” and they take a similar approach to their menu as they do their specialty drinks. They allow chefs at each location to introduce concepts and ideas, and then identify the best of the best when the menu rotates March of each year. We tried the Jim Beam Devil’s Cut Brisket Chili, which was surprisingly good and admittedly way beyond what we expected. (That’ll teach us to judge a book by its cover.) We also enjoyed their take on a grilled cheese (remarkably rich and hearty with a nice tomato addition), a club sandwich that went beyond the usual chain restaurant feel and chicken and waffle sliders we learned should only be eaten with gravy added to the chicken and then syrup poured over the top. Delgado stressed they make the majority of the menu from scratch in-house and the difference showed.

We spent the last part of the night talking and it was apparent that Delgado and Boyton are just getting started. Both have been with the company for about five years and were almost bashful about their impressive resumes. Both have catered for high end clients, with Boyton casually mentioning his experiences back home in the UK catering ho-hum events like the Beckham wedding as well as special events for Elton John and Andrew Lloyd Weber. They intend to keep building a chef-driven (I should have kept a counter on how often we used the term) powerhouse and The Colony location is off to a great start.

If you’re like me and have only been to the Dallas location, you need to head up north to see the three-story, wide-open building and course (which serves as the company’s new prototype). There is a large patio still under construction and we were told the existing locations will be remodeled in the coming months to match.

Drink strength: 3.2
Overall: 4.2

Written by Brian Bianco

Top Golf, The Colony
www.topgolf.com/thecolony
Twitter: @topgolfcolony | Facebook: /TopGolfTheColony
3760 Blair Oaks Dr, The Colony, TX 75056
(469) 213-5204

*Last year in DFW alone, they outsold Cowboys Stadium. They are also the largest beer account in Collin County and have similar success in other locations (we were told the Houston location also outsold Reliant Stadium, although this doesn’t factor in what it must take to get through a Texans game this season.

GIVEAWAY: Blue Chair Rum

*Guys can totally win this bottle of rum, too.

It’s better to give than to receive, right? NOT THIS TIME! SDD is giving away a bottle of Kenney Chesney’s new rum, Blue Chair Bay Rum! I was sent a bottle to try, which made this giveaway a real delight. See a few of the recipes I came up with, and learn how to enter to win below. Good luck!

HOT BUTTERED RUM, serves 4
– 3/4 cup Blue Chair Bay white rum
– 3 Tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
– 1-1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
– 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
– 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
– 1/8 tsp ground cloves
– 2 cups boiling water

Stir brown sugar, butter, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves together, then add rum. Split between four mugs and too off with boiling water. Stir well and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

COOL WEATHER PUNCH, scalable recipe
This recipe is a longtime favorite of mine that I got from a friend. This tasted great with the white rum, but would also taste good with the spiced coconut rum.

– 1 part Blue Chair Bay white rum
– 1 part ginger ale
– 1 part apple cider (non-alcoholic)
– a heavy of cinnamon

Mix all ingredients, stir, and serve over ice or warm in microwave. Garnish with a thin slice of apple and cinnamon stick if desired.

PUERTO RICAN COQUITO, serves 4-5 (depending on how heavy-handed the pourer is)
– 1 cup Blue Chair Bay white rum
– 1 12oz can evaporated milk
– 1 14oz can condensed milk
– 1 15oz can coconut milk
– 2 egg yolks
– a TINY pinch of salt (be careful, I added just a little too much with a normal-sized “pinch”
– 1/4 tsp cinnamon
– Ground cinnamon

Blend all ingredients on high for 2-1/2 minutes, or until frothy. Serve VERY cold, and garnished with cinnamon.

Enter to win a bottle of Blue Chair Bay Rum of your very own by doing any (and all) of the following BEFORE NOON on 12/16. One entry per platform will be accepted.

****THIS GIVEAWAY’S DEADLINE FOR ENTRY WAS EXTENDED AS I FORGOT TO PICK A WINNER BECAUSE I WAS BUSY GETTING READY FOR MY COMPANY’S BADASS CHRISTMAS PARTY!)

Comment on this post with a recipe you’d like to try using Blue Chair Bay Rum
Tweet me (@drinkdallas) using #BornontheBeach and tell me which recipe you’d like to try using Blue Chair Bay Rum
Write on my Facebook wall (Facebook.com/SusieDrinksDallas) and tell me which recipe you’d like to try using Blue Chair Bay Rum
Comment on my Instagram post (@susiedrinksdallas) and tell me which recipe you’d like to try using Blue Chair Bay Rum

Kenny Chesney’s new rum, Blue Chair Bay Rum, was launched earlier this year and comes in three varieties: White, Coconut, and Coconut Spiced. HIs goal was to bottle the feeling of relaxation and ease he had while in the US Virgin Islands while watching a sunset. Working with a Barbados distillery that has been making rum since 1983, the West Indies Rum Distillery, he came up with this mild, yet flavorful rum.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmJR7qLbBe0?rel=0]

I’d like to introduce my new “staff writer” (can I say that?), Brian Bianco. Brian will be covering some events, places, and things up north (a.k.a. Oklahoma). Here’s a little bit about the “new guy”:

Brian has lived in DFW the majority of his life and has been drinking his way through the metroplex for a good chunk of it. He recently relocated to the Great North (Plano) and is determined to find the best options for those who have embraced the suburbs without giving up the dream of finding cool paces to drink. He prefers whiskey, bourbon, and beer, but will randomly go Dr. John Doran on you when you least expect it.