Horne and Dekker

I attended the press opening for Horne and Dekker (what seems like eons ago) and was quite impressed. It took me a while to get back and since my last visit, I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to get my butt back in there.

We spent a Tuesday evening at H&D and were delighted when not only drinks were on happy hour, but so was the PIZZA (and until 10 p.m.!). Once we were greeted by (who I think was) the manager, our waitress gathered our order and hurried back inside – yes, we were stupid enough to sit on the porch … “the fans, they do nothing!” Our drinks came out and they were not only correct, but they were strong; I only had two. Any place that not only has happy hour specials as great as H&D does, but has custom-printed cans announcing them is A-OK on my list.

While sipping on our drinks, Dekker (Flint Dekker, to be exact) came out to thank us for coming in and see how our drinks were. He was delightful to talk to and told us a bit about the resto … we got some great scoop (like that Horne moved on and so now, Flynn and Dekker is now only Dekker).

This little Henderson eatery has limited seating (which gives it a cozy feel) along with a full bar inside. The decor is simple but a little quirky – they have a grass wall … no kidding. Outside they have the most ingenious umbrellas that don’t get in the middle of your conversation (they have a side arm and hang over the table).

If you’re on a budget, try this place on a Sunday for Sunday Supper – it’s all you can eat for only $16. I’ll be in very soon on a Sunday! Also, if you’re in need of a chuckle, check out their FAQ – you could find out the meaning of life … or something.

Drink strength: 4
Overall: 4

**NOW CLOSED**
Horne & Dekker
Dallas (North Henderson Ave.)

Specials:
Tuesday, Thursday (summer) | 4-10 p.m. | $3 drafts, $4 wells, $5 select wine by the glass, $5 select pizzas
Wednesday | 4-10 p.m. | 1/2 price all wine
Friday, Saturday | 4-7 p.m. | $3 drafts, $4 wells, $5 select wine by the glass, $5 select pizzas
Sunday | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Sunday Hangover Brunch – Limitless Mimosas, Margaritas, Bloody Marys, Bloody Marias and Micheladas for $12
4-7 p.m. | $3 drafts, $4 wells, $5 select wine by the glass, $5 select pizzas
5-10 p.m. | Limitless Servings of Finger Lickin’ Fried Chicken, Mom’s Meatloaf and Beer Battered Fish plus four sides dishes (Savory Biscuits, Fire-roasted sweet corn kernels, mashed potatoes and braised greens) for $16

Join me and @dallassocials for #drinkup2011!

Moderation is a fatal thing— nothing succeeds like excess.

Oscar Wilde

Dal-more, please.

I sometimes get bogged down updating happy hour listings and writing about this or that bar and I forget why I love my hobby (read: this is not my job; a job earns a person money). I love my hobby because there is a real art in alcohol, and this point was very aptly demonstrated at The Dalmore scotch tasting at Pappas Bros. Steakhouse I attended last week. If someone considers the notes of scotch poetry, then meeting Richard Paterson, The Dalmore’s Master Blender (a.k.a. “The Nose”), could be described as nothing short of meeting William Shakespeare.

We arrived and were directed to the cocktail lounge where we milled around until we were escorted two or three at a time to the private wine cellar that was stage to the evening’s proceedings. Each guest had a place with his/her name delicately printed on a namecard, reading materials, a leather cigar/flask case (love), an amuse bouche, and our first glass of scotch, The Dalmore 12. I’ll go ahead and say it, I’m a vodka girl; but this evening, when the scotch hit my lips, it was all over for me; my love of scotch was reawakened. (My boyfriend is lucky that scotch makes me a fun, friendly drunk unlike most scotch dilettantes.)

Our amuse bouche was so delicious that I think my meal could have ended there and I would have been happy – well, maybe after a couple more glasses of scotch. The first course turned into the second, and then the third and then finally dessert, each one better than the one before, the food filling my stomach with unexpected but delicious tastes and the scotch warming it and me with its delightfully potent scent and flavor. I was in heaven. (I just read that paragraph back to myself in the voice of Anthony Bourdain … try it.)

With each course came another glass of The Dalmore. We had 12, 15, Gran Reserve, 18, and the pièce de résistance, The Dalmore 1263 King Alexander III. I’ve had good scotch in my (short) time, but these five glasses proved that even a novice can appreciate the difference between a great scotch and an amazing one.

The quality and uniqueness of the food and drink was surpassed only by our host, Mr. Paterson. He put on a show that one wouldn’t need alcohol to enjoy. He was not only witty, but irreverent and wasn’t ashamed to call himself (and his two predecessors) an alcoholic – I guess that’s what comes from a third-generation scotch blender. Hear this: I learned geography, history, and even dabbled in etymology … and enjoyed it. Did you know that Christian Monks were the first to serve alcohol to the public? You bet; they used it as a “cure” (eau de vie) of the black death … or something like that. If you really want to know the full story, read it here.

Overall, the night was amazing. The company at my table couldn’t have been more enjoyable and the food, drink, and floor show can’t be matched. I am proud to say I now have a bottle of The Dalmore gracing my bar … but I’m not too proud to say that I’ll be keeping a close eye on it when I have company – I keep the good hooch for myself.

no malai-se here.

I was fortunate enough to be one of the lucky group of people who were invited to the preview of Malai last month (it helps to know the right people!). I was not only delighted to try a new place, but intrigued to see what was taking on the former Tom Tom space. (If you remember, they ran into a little, shall we say, fiscal problem.)

Upon rounding the corner, I immediately noticed that they gave the facade a colorful facelift complete with inverted umbrellas (see picture on right). Dark beams were replaced with white ones and covering taken off for a more open-air feel.

Once inside, more surprises awaited. We had an assortment of drinks and all were as delicious as they were different. First I had the lemongrass fizz which was light and refreshing – the perfect drink for summer weather on their breezy patio. It had St. Germain in it but not so much to overtake the drink. I followed that up with a Vang Veing which is what I’d describe as a Moscow Mule meets mojito – another great patio drink. I had to stop there for fear of not being able to walk back to my friend’s place across the street.

We were also given tastes of some of their specialties including grilled satay, spring rolls, and drunken noodles. Everything was delicious and if we didn’t have to share with the other tables, my table would have eaten all of it ourselves.

I haven’t made it back just yet, but have every intention of multiple future visits.

Drink strength: 3.5
Overall: 4

Malai Kitchen
malaikitchen.com | @malaikitchen
3699 McKinney Ave #319 (West Village)

Specials:
Monday-Friday | 5-7 p.m. | $5 specialty cocktails and spicy crispy wings.

Live music: Thursdays 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Bailey’s Prime (Closed)

Bailey’s, the Cedar Hill transplant that opened a couple years ago in the brand new Shops at Park Lane, is HANDS DOWN one of my new favorite fancy happy hour spots. I’d say it’s right up there with Perry’s, only trumping it with its longer hours.

After visiting Bailey’s for a “working” lunch and Mother’s Day brunch, I was eager to try their famed all-night happy hour. I was glad I finally made it in because my time there was one of the more fun nights I’ve had in a while. (I’ll attribute that a little to the company and a little to the location.)

The whole staff seems to be there to make your experience amazing. Perfect example: my mom invited me to meet her when I was walking out of the grocery with items that needed refrigeration. On the way to the resto, I called and asked if they could free up some fridge space for my groceries and they gladly obliged. The bartenders (Pedro and Kelly) will get you anything you want and will even take you for a swing on the dance floor if you so desire; on that note, Kelly is one of the better bartenders I’ve seen in Dallas from a service standpoint.

The drinks are delicious and STRONG. Try some of their signature cocktails offered on the happy hour menu like the Cosmotini, Pomegranate Martini, or the bourbon-based, Forty Apples. I enjoyed the VERY cucumber-y Cucumber Martini and would have died to try the French Seventy Five Martini – I didn’t want to venture into champagne on a school night.

The food is equally as good (and equally as discounted). We got an order of their homemade chips and they were delicious as was their fresh-baked bread. You know a restaurant is good when you see Kent Rathbun stop in for a bite!

Last word: Make sure you check in on Foursquare because they have one of the most generous check-ins specials I’ve seen – a free glass of their house Malbec, no strings attached.

Drink strength: 4
Overall: 4.5

Bailey’s Prime Plus
www.baileysprimeplus.com
8160 Park Lane #130 (Shops at Park Lane) | (214) 750-8100

Specials:
Monday-Thursday (4-7 p.m.) and Friday (4-11 p.m.)
$5 house wines, $6 signature cocktails, $2 domestic beer, $4 well drinks

Live bands: Friday and Saturday nights

Product Review: Last Round

I gave up alcohol for Lent … hard to believe, I know. It seemed like a great idea until I realized that I would be in Vegas on Easter weekend (for the less religiously inclined of you out there —- Lent ends ON Easter). I forsaw two issues:
1. I couldn’t NOT drink in Vegas so I sadly bent my morals and started a few days early.
2. I didn’t think about how low my tolerance would be after not drinking for so long.

The latter was going to severely hinder my early morning pool lounging … so I thought. When packing, I made sure to lug my samples of Last Round with me. The first night I was schnockered, but somehow managed to down a bottle before fading into sweet passed-out bliss. When I woke on Friday morning, I felt like I’d slept for 12 hours and hadn’t had a drink. What a miracle!

The taste was a little tough to take, especially on an already weak, alcohol-soaked stomach, but I made it through the whole thing in one belt and chased it with water. (Unlike most hangover remedies, you don’t have to drink water after Last Round.) Last Round is even made with mostly recognizable ingredients – see their ingredient information on the left.

A bottle (2.4 oz) goes for about $3 and can be purchased on their website, www.last-round.com. They even sell a “party pack” of 48 bottles. You know what they say … SHARE THE WEALTH!

Their website reads, “Last Round cannot cure bad decisions, questionable hook-ups, senseless ramblings or excessive friend hugging…. However, Last Round will have you feeling so good the next day, it’s like last night never happened.”

All I can says is, “Amen … and thanks!”

www.last-round.com | @last_round