I was out running errands in the Old Town shopping center at Lovers and Greenville when I found myself hungrily eyeing the guinea pigs on display at Petsmart. Alarmed by my newfound taste for small domesticated mammals, I checked my watch and realized it was 4 o’clock and all I’d…
If you happen to be in the area Skillman and Northwest Highway, you may notice a bunch of hoopla over at a new CiCi’s Pizza. This newest member of the chain is celebrating their grand opening, throwing a party with balloons, face painting — the usual crap kids love –…
Rice Bowl Express, 11419 Garland Road, is fast and cheap. How could Cheap Bastard not love it? By eating there, unfortunately. Times I was like, “Is that a hooker? Yes. Is that also a hooker? Yes.”: 12 Trucks in the Fiesta Mart parking lot next door count: 21 I’ve driven…
The first lobster roll I ever ate was purchased in a run-down seafood restaurant on Route 12, 60 miles outside of Boston, in a town called Fitchburg. I’d seen the sign on my way to a wedding in New Hampshire: “Lobsters, $3.99 a pound,” it read, and it sat next…
Hypnotic Donuts. Today. For one glorious hour. From 11 a.m. to noon. They’re calling it Lone Star Wednesday. (Because they’re giving away Lone Star beers and also it’s Wednesday.)…
I have no excuse for taking so long to write about this glorious ramen bowl. The soup had been recommended to me numerous times, but the chatter only got louder when I laid into Private Social’s version a whole back. So I ducked in Tei-An for a late meal after…
Chef Tim Byres, chef and owner of upscale meat palace Smoke and the latest recipient of Food & Wine’s People’s Best New Chef award, opened his new fast-casual chicken joint on Monday at Pittman and Fort Worth Avenue in North Oak Cliff. Chicken Scratch is a small, corrugated-metal-and-glass building right…
Jay Jerrier, owner of Il Cane Rosso, put it best: “Santo Merda!” (Holy Shit!) It’s not too often that the best pizza shop in town offers up its authentic Neapolitan red-brick pizza oven to one of the best chefs in the city. A chef whose restaurant takes reservations a month…
(This week, Cheap Bastard hits Dairy-ette (9785 Ferguson Road, 214-327-9983) and finds something better than Sonic and Whataburger. For that kind of digging, we’re thinking of moving her to investigations.) Ceiling leaks: 2 (size large) People actually reading the whole newspaper: 3 Dairy-ette is like a Sonic. Only better. Their…
Hoochies Oyster House (207 S. Bell, Denton) held a quasi-secret soft opening last week to a small but boisterous group of beer-guzzling Dentonites. We checked it out on a perfectly breezy night and have already planned the next few visits just to sit on that magic patio and drink beer…
Mark Cuban has caused me to completely rediscover St. Patrick’s Day. Gratuitous party-givers with no strings attached plays well into the whole theme of “friendliest day of the year.” So I tracked down my favorite Irish lass, Theresa Magee, earlier this week to have her show me how to make…
While the big restaurant money continues to flow north toward Highland Park, Preston Hollow and Uptown, Dallas’ most interesting restaurant scene continues to slowly grow and diversify on the other side of the river. Lucia brings five-star Italian and Campo offers ravioli stuffed with brains. Hattie’s updates Southern comfort, giving…
Each week, Justin Bitner goes hunting for DFW’s most interesting sandwiches. Have a sandwich suggestion? Leave it in the comments and he’ll check it out. Venue: Nosh Sandwich: The Croque-Monsieur ($11) Bread: Empire Baking brioche sliced thicker than pre-natal Jessica Simpson Toppings: Bayonne ham, gruyere and bechamel The Case: Simplicity…
Alex Nham travels the globe, mainly the part with Dallas on it, in search of new places to eat breakfast. In my search for Dallas’ more interesting morning meals, tacos are the one obvious breakfast genre I have yet to explore. It’s not that I don’t eat them; I eat…
In the lowest depths of Greenville Avenue, Matador Tapas has risen like a phoenix from the ashes that were once the pretty lame Eight Lounge. It began its life as a matador-themed punk rock club (seriously), but that apparently was a bit too niche. So they reworked the concept and…
“I’d like to get the Chili Bomb,” I told my bartender moments after I’d taken my stool. “The pepper bomb?” he asked, confirming my order. I was staring right at the menu, clearly the 11.75% ABV Leviathan Quad I’d sipped was working its magic. It tasted of burnt candy. “Yeah,…
Yesterday when my Greenling box arrived, it had a little surprise, which they randomly throw in every now and then. Among the turnips, beets and kale was a small container of Three Happy Cows caramel milk spread, or as it’s commonly known in these parts (because it rolls off the…
I’d just walked into my local 7-Eleven to pick up a six-pack of beer. While walking back from the cooler, I saw a round and wobbling man standing in front of the cheese and chili dispenser. He had One hand on the chili dispensing button. The other was cupped below…
Each week, Justin Bitner goes hunting for DFW’s most interesting sandwiches. Have a sandwich suggestion? Leave it in the comments, and he’ll check it out. Venue: Bolsa Mercado Sandwich: Smoked Turkey Ciabatta ($7) Bread: Fresh ciabatta from the very familiar Village Baking Co. Toppings: House-smoked turkey, even smokier bacon, arugula,…
What’s in a name? That which we call a taco would, by any other name would taste just as kick-ass. Sorry, but Cheap Bastard’s deep, deep love for Tacos La Banqueta, formerly Tacos El Guero, got us thinking about Romeo and Juliet. And butt crack. Whatever it’s called, the joint’s…
For some time, Central 214 was known as the restaurant led by Blythe Beck, the chef with the big personality who made her dishes “naughty.” Beck plated chicken-fried Kobe steak, whipped potatoes weeping butterfat and cream-laden gravy served not in some country kitchen, but in an opulent hotel dining room…
Inside the space at DUO: All Things Culinary (7721 Inwood Road), co-owners Leslie Needleman and Mary Kathryn Bass opened The Gem somewhat quietly about a month ago. Mainly a juice bar, The Gem serves organic smoothies, fruit-flavored draft kombucha, organic coffee and tea and, of course, lots of juices…
