Gina Puente-Brancato (owner La Buena Vida Vineyards, Grapevine, TX), Carol Ritchie (“Cookin’ with Carol” TV cooking show host), Cristianna Ginatta (owner Paciugo Gelato), Janice Provost (Chef/Owner Parigi), Sharon Hage (Chef/Owner York Street), and Paul Lambert (Mozzarella Company).

Inside scoop: You can get some of the best food and travel bargains in town at the silent auction tables during the annual Les Dames d’Escoffier Raiser Grazer. (One year I “won” four nights at a darling boutique hotel in Jamaica for $250, half of what they charge for one night.)

Anywhoo, the next LDE Raiser Grazer will take place on Sunday, February 28th at the Fashion Industry Gallery from 6-9:00 p.m. This year’s theme “Women Stars of Wine & Food” will showcase just that—Dallas area chefs and wine gals doing their thing. Tickets to the Les Dames Raiser Grazer are $50 after February 26 and at the door. However they are available  NOW onlinefor $45.

Jump for full details. Follow Les Dames on Facebook.   for up to the minute news.

DALLAS CHAPTER OF LES DAMES D’ESCOFFIER PRESENTS

21ST RAISER GRAZER “WOMEN STARS OF WINE & FOOD”

Proceeds Provide Scholarships and Programs for Women in Food, Wine, and Hospitality Industry

DALLAS-January 20, 2010 – After a one year hiatus, the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier will resume its popular tradition of the Raiser Grazer on Sunday, February 28 at the Fashion Industry Gallery from 6-9 p.m.  Gloria Campos, news anchor for WFAA-TV, will be the MC for the evening.  Les Dames d’Escoffier is an international organization of professional women in the fields of food, fine beverage, and hospitality.  The Raiser Grazer is one of the original Dallas “dine around” fundraisers.

This year’s Grazer, “Women Stars of Wine & Food,” is a Who’s Who of women who have redefined a new era in wine and culinary arts.  The event will feature stars of the wine industry including California’s Joy Sterling (Iron Horse Vineyards), Dolores Cakebread  (Cakebread Cellars), Janet Trefethen (Trefethen Family Vineyards), Robin Lail, Lail Vineyards,  Amelia Ceja, Ceja Vineyards and Kathryn Hall (Hall Wines), as well as our own Texas wine luminaries –  Susan Auler (Fall Creek Vineyards), Gina Puente-Brancato (La Buena Vida Vineyards and La Bodega Wineries), and Caris Turpen (Lightcatcher Winery).  In addition to wine tasting, more than 20 women chefs and culinary professionals will offer samplings of food.  The evening will feature a silent auction of culinary classes, private dinners, fine wines and more.

Some of the chefs appearing at the 2010 Raiser Grazer include Sharon Hage/York Street, Dunia Borga/ La Duni, Cristiana Ginatta/Paciugo, Paula Lambert/Mozzarella Company, Janice Provost/Parigi, and Michelle Hudson and Andrea Hagar /Food Company (see attached for a complete list).

The group has raised more than $1 million for deserving women.  Funds raised will benefit the Dallas Chapter’s established scholarship programs and endowments at five colleges and universities in Texas for women in the food, wine and hospitality industries.

Tickets to the Les Dames Raiser Grazer are $50 after February 26 and at the door or available online in advance for $45.  The website address is www.LDEDallas.org.

Entrance and valet parking for the Raiser Grazer at The Fashion Industry Gallery (F.I.G.) is on North Akard directly across from The Fairmont Hotel (between Ross and Munger).

Participating Chefs

Kay Agnew – Margaux’s A Restaurant by Design

Liz Baron – Blue Mesa Grill

Dunia Borga – La Duni

Shari Carlson – Dessert Dreams

Tsuki Caspary Brooks – State and Allen Lounge / Savory Catering

Chena Civello – Civello’s Raviolismo

Mynetta Cockerell – Milestone Culinary Arts Center

Cristiana Ginatta – Paciugo Gelato & Caffè

Sharon Hage – York Street Restaurant

Michelle Hudson and Andrea Hagar – Food Company

Bonnie Itzig – Globex America

Mary Kimbrough – Food Roots

Paula Lambert – Mozzarella Company

Jennifer Brightman Moschel – Brightman Moschel Culinary Consulting

June Naylor & Lisa Perini – Cowgirl Cooking from Perini Ranch Steakhouse

Louise Owens – Windmill Lounge

Janice Provost – Parigi

Lori Finkelman Short – SODEXHO

Wendy Taggart – Burgundy Pasture Beef

Sharon Van Meter – Texas Chefs Association

The students of El Centro College’s Food and Hospitality Services Institute

Because I firmly believe that procrastination is part of the creative process, I will take a break from working and share this video with you. I filmed it last summer in Frankston, Texas. It stars Bill, an Eastern Bluebird, who has been living with his “wife” Hillary at my family’s lake house for four seasons, and one of his sons, Sonny Jim. “Together,” Bill and Hillary and I have “raised” around 48 fledglings. In the process I have spent hundreds thousands of dollars on mealworms. Why? Because the second I walk out of my house and whistle, they show up. And it makes me happy.

I’ve got a hot date for Valentine’s Day!

Do you hate the hype of Valentine’s Day? Or do you like paying triple the regular price for a dozen roses and mediocre chocolate? Yes, I know it’s great for the restaurant business and I encourage all  lovers–young and old– to dine out. Get engaged. Spend hours making love. Make Hallmark happy.

But what about those of us without a date? Why don’t we get a night? Restaurateurs and barkeeps, I see a niche with an burning itch. Call me a hopeless unromantic but I do the same thing every year for VD: Two nights of pure bliss. And you, what do you do?

Chicken fried smoked brisket by El Smokeador.

A couple of weeks ago a commenter, who goes by El Smokeador and operates a meaty blog called El Smokeador y Smokehopper, left a comment with a link to his recipe for brisket cooked with Butterfinger candy bars. I printed it out and plan to try it soon. This morning, El Smokeadore and his co-blogger, Smokehopper, send another creation: chicken friend smoked brisket.  (I love the idea of using a leaf blower to stoke a fire, but I would suggest you proceed with caution.) I think this guy is wacky enough to be included in our blogroll. Et tu, oh brutal ones?

I am having an incredible glass of 08 Le Petit Coquerel Sauvignon Blanc… Christine Barbe, our winemaker from Bordeaux, really knows how to make superb SB!!!   Clay is having some of his 1965 Springbank Single Malt Scotch Whisky that he got in Scotland about 12 years ago.

No surprise in this one, as it is one of the best Sauvignon BlancsI have tasted in years, and Coquerel is quiet at home in the Cockerell household.  Crisp and light, with bright citrus, balanced with minerality and slight acidity, this is one to enjoy.

What are you drinking now?

Napa’s Sequoia Grove has a special chocolate lovers Valentine’s special which includes their rich, cherry, chocolate and cola filled Cabernet Sauvignon, paired with bottle of Cabernet Chocolate Sauce, a jar of Merlot Chocolate Fudge and a copy of “The Little Book of Chocolates.”  I had this wine last week with a flour-less chocolate cake and strawberries, sinful, purely sinful…..  The gift pack is available for $50.

 Willamette Valley’s Domaine Serene has a special gift set of their award winning 2006 Evanstad Reserve Pinot Noir (named for the winery owners), the 2007 Clos du Soleil Chardonnay, beautifully boxed and each paired with 18 pieces of artisan chocolate;  9 pieces of orange cardamom to pair with Clos du Soleil Chardonnay and 9 pieces of Rose hips and berries to pair with the Evenstad Reserve from Xocolatl by David, one of Portland’s most exciting chocolatiers.  Shipping is free through Feb 9. 

One of my favorite local wineries is Times Ten Cellars, and through February they have the Times Ten Rose on sale for $6.99 a bottle!!!  This Spanish style Rose is berry filled, crisp, dry and tasty, in the perfect color to put you in the mood for love.  Stop in for a bottle on Valentine’s day and hear jazz provided by the Rich Jasin Trio from 4-7pm.

 Terre Rouge  has a special 6 pack set of  wine sure to put your sweetie in the mood, including their 2007 Terre Rouge “Enigma” a white blend of Marsanne, Viognier, and Roussanne varietals traditionally grown in the Rhone region of France, but done just as lovingly by Bill Easton and his team in California’s Sierra foothills.  Also included is the 2006 Terre Rouge Tête-à-Tête, or “romantic interlude” is a blend with 56% Syrah, along with Mourvèdre and Grenache, along with four more of Terre Rouge wines to ensure love will be in the air, specially priced for the holiday. 

Bubbles are appropriate for a special day, and Rose bubbles are even better for Valentines.  Freixenet makes the Elyssia Pinot Noir Brut of 85% Pinot Noir with 15% Trepat, creating a bright, blackberry and raspberry fruit  filled sparkler with a lingering palate and great price point.

Miner Stagecoach Merlot - I said at the beginning of this year I wanted to drink more Merlot, as I used  to love it and haven’t enjoyed Merlot as much in recent years.  In the world of Merlot, the Napa Valley Stagecoach Vineyard is a great one to indulge in.  Filled with ripe fruit, sweet spice and a lovely finish with nutty undertones from 21 months of aging, half in new French oak, Miner does not disappoint.

Trinchero ChickenRanch Merlot - I did a tasting with the winemaker of a select group of single vineyard varietals produced by one of Napa’s oldest families.  The Chicken Ranch Merlot was one of my favorites from an organic vineyard on the Rutherford floor in Napa.  Subtle aromas of cherry, herbs and cedar, with bold berry, cherry and leather notes.   This is a lovely Merlot produced from 28 year old Rutherford vines.

Pair a fresh, fruit forward Pinot Noir from Vision Cellars with incredible chocolate from Garrison Confections.  Mac MacDonald’s hands off approach in his wine making let the beauty of the fruit shine in juice from some of California’s best vineyards, including Gary’s and Las Alturas; Andrew Shotts is a chocolate master, creating chocolate bonbons with decadent combinations.  The “Legendary Lover’s Collection” includes a unique mix, includingstrawberry with basil on milk chocolate ganache, or blood orange, Cointreau and milk chocolate.   

Or, take your sweetheart to a special night dedicated to the heart.   April 9^th is the Grand Tasting for the American Heart Association’s Côtes du Coeur.  Leading up to this important (and fantastic) night there are various pre-events, including the Chef Announcement Party on February 21 to announce and welcome the celebrity chefs invited to this year’s Gala.  The event will be held at Milestone Culinary Arts.

When Evan “Hebrew American League” Grant was on staff here at D, he wrote about Roaster’s and the dearth of delis in Dallas. In particular, bagels. Grant said:

“First a disclaimer, finding good bagels in Dallas has been as difficult as finding a date ( and for me, that’s nigh impossible). Einstein’s? Feh. They should be called “bagel rolls.” Whole Foods? Again with the rolls, only heavier than Einstein’s. Central Market? Getting closer. The bagel I had [at Roaster’s] Sunday was a work of art.”

Last April, I ate a pastrami sandwich at Roaster’s. I thought it was great.  A week ago, I went to Zinsky’s. I didn’t think the pastrami was as good as what I was served at Roaster’s but I noticed that the bagels they serve at Zinsky’s have changed. Initially they were made by Empire Bakery. Now, according to a server, they are baked on site. (I hear they buy pre-formed dough and bake them off.) I’ve spotted H&H bagel’s, imports from Manhattan, at Deli News and Beyond the Box. Cindi’s N.Y. Deli seems to be the only one that manages to stay alive and propagate—they now have 5 locations. I think we need to answer this question. I’m calling an expert. Let’s see what she has to say.

Dallas Deli Trivia: According to this, Jack Ruby was toting a brown bag filled with sandwiches from gone-but-ner-to-be-forgotten Phil’s Delicatessen on Oak Lawn (Lucky’s location.)

The Chapman’s have been waiting for their landlord to develop the space next door so they could expand. So far the landlord has made no improvements. “All of our renewals are coming due,” she said. “This [expansion] was supposed to happen in September. I pulled up to the store the other day and there was a man urinating on the building and I realized we need a better location.”

They also need money to pay for help. “Up until now I have been doing it all,” said Fran. “I chop the onions, sell the chili, run the business, and take care of the [four] kids. I realized I was doing a lot of things not so well.”

Here is the deal: If you would like to get some chili, e-mail champanchile@att.net. Whatever you do, call (214-887-8872) before you go to make sure someone is there. Fran is open to doing catering jobs. “We don’t want to go away,” she said. “If there is anybody out there looking for a good business, we have one.”

The Chapmans of Chapman Chile Kitchen.

I spent the weekend making my way through a couple of quarts of spicy chili I bought from Fran Chapman at the Dallas Farmers Market. This morning I planned to replenish my freezer and pulled up the website for Chapman Chile Kitchen. The hours of operation have been crossed out and the following notice appears on the home page. I left a message and will wait for details. Sad news for chili lovers.

Hiatus. We have come to the realization that Fran needs to delegate more of the day-to-day kitchen operations. She has spent the last year chopping onions, stuffing jalapenos and grinding toasted peppers while attempting to hold together a house with four young children. The problem is that even with our loyal customer base, the space we currently occupy just cannot generate the kind of income needed to employ extra help. Our much-ballyhooed expansion seems to be on infinite hold as the owner of the building cannot decide if he should stay or go. We thought the return of the beer and wine license to the ghetto convenience store would herald an acceleration of the renovation but this has not been the case.

It is with light-hearted irreverence that we announce our hiatus from Chapman Chile. That’s right; we’re taking a break. The simple truth is the Kitchen never made much money and frankly we are tired of subsidizing the endeavor. We know the problem – no seating and short hours. Without money we can not rectify those shortcomings.

Fran and I would like to sincerely thank everyone – even the person who told us buffalo were extinct. This has been an amazing experience. Lessons learned and contacts made will occupy the coming months as we formulate the next step; we are not done. Hopefully we will be back soon with a new space, the money and menu to give this a real go (if you have money let’s talk!).

To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub; For in that sleep what business plans may come?

Call 214-887-8872 to get your chile and chili fix while you still can.

Update: Well, Candy says Cal’s Roast Beef  “is a big chain in the Northwest.” I can’t find it.

Update: Candy, stick to reporting on real estate: “So much for typing on the iphone whilst I drive — I think it is Carl’s Jr which morphed from Cal’s roast beef which I remember eating in suburban Illinois growing up… but I just heard this last night” is not good enough. Please quit texting and reporting.

Update: Wilonsky to the rescue.

I’ve known Randy since I was in elementary school.  He and my sister are the same age, graduated high school together at H.P.  His dad’s business was a big used car lot on Ross Avenue.  People of a certain age no doubt remember the big yellow sign: Goss On Ross, Your Tradin’ Hoss.”  Goss and a couple of other Highland Park boys headed to Austin and UT after high school and soon opened their first barbecue place west of town.  It was a home run from the start….had live music in the early years, too.

More details here. And here. Our thoughts go out to the Goss family. I grew up listening to Randy’s father, Gene Goss, sell cars on TV. (h/t JW)

Pigs and chicks in happier times.

I was just catching up on the Dave-less City of Ate and found this line in Dallas Dude’s latest Toque To Toque report.

My health insurance at the Observer hasn’t kicked in yet. And I ate a lot of burgers.

Am I the only one who is curious about Dave’s departure? He was there on Friday and gone on Monday. Well, if Dallas Dude is the next Dave, then then a couple of male chauvinist pigs (wow that came from the dark recesses of my brain) over at Dallasfood.org will be happy as, well, pigs in slop. Some  bloggers over there—Luniz, I’m looking at you—are hoping  a male fills the Observer job. Luniz hopes “they don’t replace him with a chick.” Perhaps you men should subscribe to the Star-Telegram. Your boy is back doing reviews. Cue the Boss.

New Orleans Hurricane
Pat O’Brien’s  is famous for their very New Orleans cocktail.  Back in my bartending days  I used this recipe for this sweet selection.  
2 ounces light rum
2 ounces orange juice
2 ounces pineapple juice
2 ounces sweet and sour mix
splash of grenadine
1/5 ounce Bacardi 151
Fill a tall glass with ice; in a shaker add the first 5 ingredients; shake and pour into the glass.  Float the 151 on top. 
Easy as that!

The Vieux Carre Cocktail
The Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone  is one of the cities most famous attractions, and one of my favorite spots in New Orleans.  This is one of their star cocktails.   
1/2 shot Rye Whiskey 
1/2 shot  Courvoisier
1/2 teaspoon Benedictine and and a dash of bitters
Serve on the rocks with a lemon twist.

Champagne Cocktails
Always up for bubbly, the Superbowl requires it to be taken to the next level.  The classic recipe includes your favorite Champagne or sparkler poured over a sugar cube soaked in a few dashes of bitters, top with a cherry.   

Sazerac
What has been referred to as “the first cocktail” from this city of great cocktails.
½ Teaspoon Herbsaint or Pernod
3 oz Bourbon
Dash Peychaud’s bitters
1 Teaspoon simple syrup
Swirl 1/2 teaspoon Herbsaint or Pernod in a Martini glass to coat inside.
Fill cocktail shaker with ice; add bourbon, bitters, simple syrup, and lemon twist. Shake well; strain into glass.

For our Indianapolis Colts fans:
Blue Crew Martini
2 tsp blueberries
2. oz of your favorite vodka (the Colts like Indiana Vodka made in the heart of Indianapolis)
1 oz Blue Curacao
Club soda
In a shaker filled with ice combine the vodka and Blue Curacao.  Shake and strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with blueberries floating on top and a splash of club soda.

Shandy
It is the Superbowl, so we have to include beer.
8 to 12 oz lager beer
4 to 8 oz fresh lemonade, or lemon-lime soda
I had my first Shandy in London with my sister about 10 years ago.  She is more of a half and half Shandy drinker; I enjoy just a top off of lemonade.  Mix it how you like.

“Permit Me To Have A Nervous Breakdown”

“The Road to Nowhere”

I meant Highland Park. Chanipun Suyamo Corcoran is the wife of C Francis Corcoran.  C Francis Corcoran is the brother of Ron Corcoran. Ron Corcoran was the founder and president of Travis St. Restaurants, Sipango. Ron is not associated with TIE Restaurant. C Francis Corcoran is a partner and Vice President for real estate development and security.

So the restaurant will be six miles from Highland Park.

Chicken and Dumplings in  Dallas/Fort Worth and surrounding counties (with an hour drive and not the String Bean – I work next door so I go there enough). Also, small town cafes within an hour to hour and a half of the metroplex.

Ouch! The “M” word! (sorry, Wick). I sent him Sue’s Roost in Eustace for breakfast, not lunch and The Shed in Edom. Y’all? Hit it.

Andrew Chalk attended yesterday’s sea scallop tasting at Chamberlain’s Fish Market & Grill. He files this video report.

Owner, wine maker (and Texas native) Adam Lee will be in Dallas February 9^th for a tasting event of his fantastic Siduri Pinot Noirs, as well as a few selections from his sister winery, Novy Family Vineyards.  

From 6p-8p Adam will be at another one of my favorite spots, Veritas Wine Room on Henderson Ave.  They will be pouring their 2008 Siduri Russian River Pinot Noir, 2006 Novy Napa Syrah and more.  Stop in for a taste!

Richard Chamberlain and chef Lan Nickens start the competition.

I’ve just returned from Chamberlain’s Fish Market Grill in Addison where Richard Chamberlain and I hosted the “I Scuba for Scallops Taste Off.” There were 12 tasters and all 12 picked the hand-harvested diver sea scallops over dry-packaged U-10 sea scallops. As we’ve noted, many restaurants offer “diver scallops” on their menus but very few actually serve real diver (hand-harvested) scallops. I’ve only located two places in Dallas—The French Room and Aurora—that serve them occasionally on tasting menus.

Here’s one thing I’ve learned—a lot of chefs in Dallas don’t know the difference. Richard Chamberlain admitted that he had “diver” printed on his menu and he was serving dry-packaged U-10s. Today Chamberlain not only educated our little group, he also educated his staff.  Chamberlain has a batch of hand-harvested diver scallops. If you want to do a tasting, he and his chef Lan Nickens will be happy to cook up a plate for you until they run out. If you’re a seafood fan, this is a big treat. Real diver scallops are not only rare they cost 40 percent more than the U-10s.

U-10s (top). Diver scallops (bottom).

The first noticeable difference between the two was the color. The raw dry packaged U-10s were light, almost white while the divers had a grayish, tan tint. Once cooked, the diver scallops seared to a gorgeous caramel brown while the U-10s stopped at a light “biscuit” brown. I’m guessing water content played a roll in the caramelization—diver scallops aren’t packed in water or stored on ice for longer periods of time like U-10s. The diver scallops were “denser” with a “meatier” texture while the U-10s appeared “looser” with a “springy” texture. If either one of these cooked scallops appeared alone on a plate you would consider each a thing of beauty. However, when we put the two side-by-side, our eyes and taste buds gravitated to the diver.

JUMP FOR MORE PHOTOS.

Divers hit the pan.

12 U-10s (left) 12 divers (right)

Photo courtesy of travelchannel.com

Calling all Man vs. Food wannabees: Freeb!rds has a challenge for you. Not just any old challenge, but a “Super Monster Burrito Eating Contest” challenge. This gives me a stomach ache just to type. But here you go:

Come one come all to a truly gluttonous affair at FREEB!RDS where patrons will hone in their inner monster, peel back the foil and try to eat their Super Monster Burrito with in the quickest time! The Dallas winner will get their picture posted in their home store, a FANATIC card preloaded with a free burrito, a FREEB!RD tee and a chance to compete in the “Big Kahuna” championship the following Saturday. If crowned, the “Big Kahuna” winner will win a FANATIC card preloaded with 100 points, a plaque with their picture on it hung in their home store and of course the honor of reigning Super Monster Burrito Eater supreme.

You are probably wondering, what the heck is in this thing? Well, all the usual suspects: rice, mixed cheese, beans, chicken or steak, mixed veggies, queso, pico, salsa, red onion, corn, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro and lettuce. Gulp. The contest will take place at three locations (5500 Greenville Ave, 5000 Beltline, and 238 W. Campbell Road) on February 20 at noon. The entry fee is $12.

Hi Nancy ,
I am so glad to here from you, I hope all is well. I have been back to Dallas for six months shopping for a location for my new restaurant concept that is 8 years in the making. Its Sipango 17 years later. The difference is my style of cooking in 1994 when we opened Sipango was California/Italian from my experience at the Hotel Bel Air where I was special events chef and my travels working in Italy at Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence (thus my wood fired Tuscan Bistecca Florentina), Also at San Domenico where I learned the paper thin ravioli’s such as Asparagus Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter and at Alberto Ciarla in Rome where I fell in love with seafood and pasta combinations. I plan on opening my new concept TIE Restaruant and TIE Social Club in 2010 and am in final lease negotiations.  I will have some local Dallas investors that I have been cooking my new menu items for and thier sic support on the food and the concept is amazing. I think during this economic downturn there are opportunities to open a place that can support local and convention buisiness and grow into the community.  My style of food has changed over the last 17 years to stay current with trends and be on the pulse of what our upscale diners desire. My new cuisine is not a fusion cuisine which is not a word to describe modern mixed cuisines. I call it “Melting Pot Cuisine”. A mix of cultures rather than mixing two or more cuisines into one recipe.

Jump for LOTS more.

The new American dinner table consists today of more mixed cultures than ever, at our Thanksgiving table we have in our families, Thai, Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Singapore, Italian, European, and generations of mixed race Americans. My cuisine now is a marriage of cultures and cuisines that I have studied and been associated with.
TIE Restaurant will focus on showcasing traditional cuisines from those countries my new American family represents. Our menu will be supported by my Partner from Thailand Chanipun Suyamo Corcoran who is an import from Thailand, she has hired chefs from Thailand, Vietnam, and Asia to run our Asian Kitchen which will have a Noodle Bar, Tandoor Indian “Diner” with diner style seating, a Sushi Bar and Wok Stations to represent “Street Foods” from Singapore, Hong Kong and India.  The menu in her Asian “Theatre Style Iron Chef” kitchens will reflect simple foods found from street vendor carts from under $15 which will reflect casual upscale dining for those who want to graze through many cuisines and cultures and have fun with dining again.  Chanipun has worked at Nandina and also Mercury grill to understand upscale American cultures and management styles. She will be instrimental in keeping the cuisines athentic and will coordinate and communicate with our Asian kitchen chefs.
Another component we have designed into the 12,000 foot mega-restaurant complex is the first that I know a “Prime” Thai Steak Room, to support fine dining and showcase not just Prime Steaks, Kobe Steaks and Exotic seafood but side dishes will represent Thailand, India and Asia. Interesting side dishes will include “Lobster Pad Thai” $25, or Lemon Basil Thai Fried Rice, Or Tagine Vegetables and Curries from India and Thailand. The Thai Steak Room will be reservations only and have a view of the downtown Dallas skyline that will showcase our fine city for local conventions. Simular to Sipango we have added a live entertainment and will feature the top local artists at our TIE Social Club which will feature a full bar. The entertainment will support our late night business to support local convention business during the week. My focus on the mix of music and entertainment is what I consider to be adult entertainment designed to mix a great food restaurant with a sophisticated entertainment program designed for Dallas and visiting guests a classy place to dine caually, formally or for business. Our investment in the project is over 1.2 million dollars and we have a 10 year lease with two 5 year options. So my mission is to create a restaurant that will grow with Dallas and provide the upscale nieghborhoods of the Park Cities, Turtle Creek and Midtown its own sweat heart restaurant.