EATS

A couple of weeks ago, Leslie Brenner used a question I posed her as the take-off for a discussion about weird foods. My question was about something called "stinky tofu." (Hat tip to Kristy Yang on City of Ate for mentioning the dish.) I'd never tasted it. And the descriptions I'd read online were, hm, challenging. I don't normally turn to Wikipedia, but it's hard to beat this:

The traditional method for producing stinky tofu is to prepare a brine made from fermented milk, vegetables, and meat; the brine can also include dried shrimp, amaranth greens, mustard greens, bamboo shoots, and Chinese herbs. The brine fermentation can take as long as several months. Depending on the ways of preparation, the process can be extremely unsanitary; the brine is covered with maggots and has extremely strong rotten odor.[3] Then after the brine is made, fresh firm tofu is marinated in it for a period time ranging from several days to a couple months. Sometimes quicklime is added to control the fermentation and maggots.

Head to the jump for more. (Hint: I ate some. And I kinda liked it.)

The owners of Mangez Catering have just opened a grass-fed hamburger and hot dog joint at Spring Creek and Avenue K in Plano.

The Grazing Cow not only serves local, grass-finished beef, but Burgundy Pasture Beef from Grandview, from one of the regional pioneers in pastured beef.

"We searched high and low for the best-tasting grass-fed beef around and found theirs to be the best," writes Grazing Cow co-owner Stephen Martin in an e-mail. "They dry-age their beef for us for two weeks and do an 80/20 fat ratio for us. We liked them for these reasons as well as they butcher their own meat and don't send out to a slaughter house.... We also get their hot dogs as well.

"We are trying to add more local vendors to our menu," he adds, "including our neighbors Lucky Layla Farms." For now, they're keeping it simple, with burgers, dogs, drinks and a cookie. This is just what locavores love to see.

6100 Avenue K, Plano; 972-422-6297. www.thegrazingcowburgers.com

From his restaurant atop Dallas' Reunion Tower to last night's 82nd Academy Awards at the Hollywood Kodak Theater (above), celeb chef Wolfgang Puck certainly knows how to dish it out.

His vast team cooked up a storm last night for the annual Governors Ball, an AIDS fund-raiser for singer Elton John and a fete at Puck's famed Spago restaurant.

What was on the menu? At the Governors Ball, dishes included crispy potato pancakes with smoked salmon and caviar, and black truffle chicken pot pies. (Good luck eating that while wrapped like a sausage inside your Spanx shapewear.) We also hear that parting gifts included little chocolate Oscar statuettes dusted in 24-carat gold. Now, that's my kind of dessert.

Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

Savor Dallas -- Big D's yearly high-end food and wine show - wrapped up its 6th annual outing Saturday night at the Sheraton's conference center downtown.
Amid the skin tight, spaghetti-strapped dresses (thank goodness it warmed up) there were some real treats and a side of news nuggets.
In no particular order:

-- A baby-faced Aaron Valimont, the newish executive chef at The Oceanaire at the Galleria, says the mothership's bankruptcy filing has not put a damper on business here. Sales are up in the mid single digits since last year, he said. Vailmont, 31,was transported to Dallas about five months ago when his Seattle shop was shuttered after Minneapolis-based Oceanaire Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection. To entice Saturday's crowd, Vailmont, 31, dished out spicy Ahi tuna on a Nori crisp. His fedora-like hat? Beats a hair net any day.
-- With the opening of Cowboy's stadium, the ship has come in for Olenjack's Grille. About three years old, the namesake restaurant of Chef Brian Olenjack, sees business jump as much as 50 percent on event days, said general manager Adam Jones. The Arlington restaurant is about 10 minutes from the Stadium and offers free parking and a shuttle service.
-- Sara Johannes, executive chef at Wolfgang Puck's Five Sixty restaurant, was trying to spread the word about the wallet-friendly happy hour options at the otherwise pricey celestial diner atop Reunion Tower. Tapas-sized offerings, including Kobe beef sliders and Tempura spicy tuna sandwiches, can be had for $5.60 weeknights until 7 p.m. On Saturday the crowd lined up for lamp chops with cilantro vinaigrette.
-- Mark your calendars for early June. That's when Chef/Owner Nobu Matshuisa is expected to hit town to help his namesake restaurant, Nobu Dallas, celebrate its fifth anniversary. Tucked in the Rosewood Crescent Hotel, the restaurant is hoping to get more signage placed outside to alert passersby.
-- Dallas-based Blue Mesa Grill launched a new brand three weeks ago-- TnT Tacos and Tequila - but don't look for it here. The maiden voyage for the "street food" concept is in Austin. "We wanted to test it there," said Brenda Johnson, catering sales manager. "The Dallas market is so saturated, it's important to be careful about location."
-- Longest line by far: the thirsty souls queued up for Belgium's Stella Artois beer.
-- My favorite dish: beef braised short ribs and Lucky Layla buttery mashed potatoes from Dish, the Cedar Springs creation of Doug Brown (think Beyond the Box). The butter comes all the way from Plano.

I have a lot more sympathy for the woman who was mugged and robbed at Whole Foods Market now. No, I haven't had an encounter of the violent kind. But I witnessed an incident while leaving the Preston-Forest La Madeleine Friday. Only, I didn't really connect the dots till it was too late to do anything.

Here's the scene: A black, beat-up older model Toyota sedan with paper plates (I got that much) starts backing out of a parking place in front of me. I slow down and, while his car is still moving, a man races around in back of it (yes, while it's moving) and jumps in on the passenger side. The car swiftly pulls out , speeds toward Preston, and turns and travels north.

First, I thought it was really weird for the driver to keep moving while the guy was going around the back end of the car. But here's the other clue that took a moment to register: The running guy was carrying a shopping basket, the kind you use when you are picking up only a few items, and it was full of groceries. When my circuits finally connected, I realized that no one brings such a basket out of the store - unless they're stealing it.

As far as I could tell, no one from the store came out after the thief. So maybe he wasn't even noticed.

But here's the lesson: When this sort of thing rarely happens in your personal orbit, you may well be slow to figure out what's going on. We'd like to think we all have lightening fast responses, but in real time, it may be another story.

Amy Severson, wife of restaurateur Jim "Sevy" Severson, has an idea over on her Dallas Cookbook blog for Jeannie Terilli. Why, she wonders, doesn't the landlord who owns the former Popolos space make Jeannie an offer on that property?

Amy's suggestion isn't entirely altruistic, as she explains in a disclosure at the bottom of the post: "Terrilli's happens to be one of my favorite Dallas spots. I have every intent to get them closer to my neighborhood while I can. Please don't hate me East Dallas."

Meanwhile, Diane Jennings corrects an early assessment that put the fire's start in Terilli's: "The restaurateur said she was gratified by a recent clarification by fire inspectors, who noted that the blaze started in a common hallway adjacent to Terilli's and not in the restaurant itself." Check out the whole story here.

I cruised by yesterday to check out the prototype for the new La Madeleine at the Preston-Forest location, and it's interesting. (Don't you hate that word?)

I say that because it's difficult to divorce the past La Mad from the decidedly updated serving concept. I think that if I were walking in cold, without the quaint history that I know, I would like the set-up. The abbreviated bakery counter/to-go line feeds into a central cash register from one side. The dining line feeds in from the other. The brightly lit, contemporary overhead menus are easy to read and navigate (and yes, the croque monsieur remains).

But conspicuously absent are the spits with rosemary-roasted chicken, replaced by commercial ovens (OK, you can see through the doors). I miss the rustic bread oven. The coffee-bread station has been reduced to a shadow of its former self. Does it really matter? I don't know. Every time you streamline (like replacing much of the dark wood with light tile), you slice away a little of La Mad's charm. And there's a disconnected feeling between the sleek serving areas and the more rustic, old La Mad seating.

A most auspicious move has been to bring founder Patrick Esquerre back as ambassador and consultant (see Karen Jacobs-Robinson's story here). He sold the company in 1998, and his role will be akin to Chuck Williams' when he first sold Williams-Sonoma. (LOL at the auto-link on Williams' name.)

Now, the question is: How's the food? I confess I stopped eating at La Mad long ago after a series of disappointments, although I still use the Ceasar dressing at home. What about it? Anyone eaten at the prototype yet?

The second location of Eatzi's is exactly what you might expect (and hope for): a miniature version of the Oak Lawn original, tucked neatly into the space that used to house City Market.

But wait: There's one huge difference from the Oak Lawn location and the former tenant: wine, wine, wine everywhere you look.

It seems like every nook and cranny is stuffed with wines, from the boxes around the central chef's case to chilling whites in the beer fridge, from everyday wines like Dr. Loosen and Ravenswood by the bakery to premium bottles like Duckhorn and Caymus by the cheese case.

And get this: Besides lots of splits, there are also several single-serve, 187-milliliter bottles, the kind you'd see on an airplane. Well, what's lunch without a sip or two of Woodbridge Chard?

Besides all that, Eatzi's has "reconcepted" the space, dare I say it, brilliantly?

Well, we had been a little puzzled over the incredible outpouring of votes for Lavendou Bistro Provençal on the post soliciting your picks for the Best in DFW French restaurant. There have been 55 raves about it posted only since yesterday. Plus my email inbox is stuffed. Yes, we know Lavendou has its genuine fans, but this was incredible -- literally. Could this be the best letter-writing campaign ever organized? Or maybe the restaurant really has that many devoted fans? I dined there very recently (for the second time), and there were only two other parties in the whole restaurant, so that seemed highly unlikely. And why would they only start more than a week after the Best in DFW: French Restaurants blog post went up?

The answer came late last night, in an email promotion a friend forwarded me.

Yes, there is an art to pouring Guinness beer, and bartenders from around Dallas will compete in the Guinness "Pour the Perfect Pint" competition Tuesday at Trinity Hall Irish Pub in Dallas.

Direct from Ireland, the judge will be Guinness master brewer Fergal Murray. No pressure there. The professionals start pouring around 7 p.m., with a little pro-am activity starting at 6 p.m. The finals will probably take place between 9:30 and 10 p.m. if last year is any indication.

'Sounds like a great way to celebrate St Patrick's Day a little early and maybe, just maybe, get a little face time with the master brewer himself. Trinity Hall is in Mockingbird Station at North Central Expressway and Mockingbird (northeast corner).

Dr. Sue Williams, a bonafide M.D., is the area's newest chocolatier, and I love her pitch: "Dr. Sue's Chocolate, is the creation of Sue Williams, M.D., done in an effort to create a more healthful alternative to what is an otherwise decadent experience. Chocolate, in its purest form, is a powerful antioxidant. Combined with other natural ingredients, with no additives or preservatives, and eaten in moderation, Dr. Sue's Chocolates will provide you with the perfect ending to any meal."

I just had some delivered, and they are terrific. She starts with a very dark chocolate - not bitter, but definitely not milk-chocolate sweet. My favorite of the items I ordered was the orangettes (pictured), freshly candied organic orange peel dipped in dark chocolate. You can taste the freshness of the orange peel, its flavor vivid and not washed out.

I also tried the mediants, little chocolate disks each topped with a blueberry, cranberry, orange peel and an almond, and the cherry-pecan bark has just a touch of ancho chile in it. There are other items, of course, including assorted chocolates and cookies made with the bark.

You can find Dr. Sue's Chocolates at the Wine Therapist and, later in the spring, at the Dallas Farmers Market and the Coppell Farmers Market.

Starting March 14, they will be available at Eatzi's, and Dr. Sue will in-store with samples that day.

Photo by Ka Yeung, courtesy of Dr. Sue's Web site

Oh, please, gentle readers -- don't you think I'd like to review fewer steakhouses? Talk to the folks opening restaurants!

This seems like the moment to explain how I choose the restaurants I review. Why did I review Dallas Chop House? It's a new restaurant. The mandate of any newspaper, including The Dallas Morning News, is to cover the news, and that includes restaurants that are new. We cannot, nor would we want to, ignore what's new in our coverage areas. Dallas Chop House is a prominent new steakhouse downtown, so obviously it warranted a review.

The unfortunate fact is that there are more steakhouses opening than other kinds of restaurants. Oh, how I wish I had a wider range of types of new restaurants to review! The truth is, I don't even like to eat a lot of red meat. I rarely eat it at home anymore.

La Madeleine Country French Cafe is changing the look and feel of the restaurant, and the company is testing the prototype at the Preston-Forest location (northeast corner).

New features include:

• A central ordering point.


• Highly visible menu boards.


• A simplified menu.


• Delivery of orders to guest tables.


• More retail offerings, including 10 new artisan breads.


• More seating.


• A new look.


• Kitchen upgrades.

I plan to check it out and keep an open mind. But despite the many inconveniences of the old ways, something was lost in the translation from founder Patrick Esquerre's ownership to the present group. I know that sounds cranky, but that's the way I feel.

Jay Jerrier e-mails to remind everyone that this Thursday through Saturday, 5 p.m. till "the dough runs out," will be the last for Il Cane Rosso's traveling pizza party until service resumes again on March 25.

"We are sending the oven our for some dome repairs and other tweaks," he writes.

Il Cane Rosso takes over the Chocolate Angel Too space in North Dallas at Preston-Forest (northwest corner). It's BYOB, no corkage fee, and Jay says, "We are also testing some whole-wheat dough this weekend, despite my better judgment."

I wonder what the Associazone Verace Pizza Napoletana has to say about that.

Preston Center is shaping up to be quite a mecca for the natural-foods set, with South Paw's Organic Cafe and about-to-be-open Bliss Cafe.

Meanwhile, Preston's American Grill, in the old Park Cities Prime space, is coming right out and touting the so-called super foods on its menu.

"We're not trying to be spa food," says chef and co-owner Jon Schwartzenberger. But he is tucking salmon, avocado, fiber, nuts, berries, citrus and more - foods with well-documented health benefits - into every dish he can. (And by the way, the black lentils with tomatoes, shallots and parsley are so tasty, you'll forget they're good for you.)

Even the white-truffle-and-Brie mac and cheese? OK, maybe not every dish. Learn more about this new take on better-for-you dining in my Table Talk column.

You've just been seated, you've barely had a chance to take off your coat, and the server asks, "What can I bring you from the bar?" You'd love something, but you need a minute to decide. The server leaves -- and punishes you for not being ready to order by not returning for what seems like forever.

Has this ever happened to you? I'll bet it has. It happened to me twice this week -- and I've only dined out twice. Both times, it was in restaurants with very few diners, and it took the server almost 15 minutes to return.

What's up with that?

For this week's review, I ventured into the meaty world of Dallas Chop House, the new downtown steak palace. Mark Vamos visited Isla Mia, a Latin-Caribbean spot in Carrollton. Please let us know what you think.

Dallas Chop House
• Read and comment on the review
• Leave your own review of Dallas Chop House

Isla Mia
• Read and comment on the review
• Leave your own review of Isla Mia

Photo of Dallas Chop House's bone-in Kansas City strip by Khampha Bouaphanh/Special to DMN

Market Street is launching a nutritional scoring system in its North Texas stores, the better to compete as Aldi comes to the area, according to a Dallas Morning News story posted today.

"Market Street's NuVal System is based on an algorithm that boils down comprehensive nutritional information to a score between 1 and 100, " writes Maria Halkias. "The higher the score, the better the product's nutritional value. Every product's score is visible on shelf labels next to the price. A typical supermarket has 40,000 different items."

It's in the Colleyville, Frisco, Plano and Allen stores, coming to Coppell and McKinney mid-March, she says.

Check out her story here, and if you've used it, tell use what you think. Easy? Hard? Confusing? Fun? Anyone showing their kids how to use it?

It had been months since I had sunk my teeth into a hamburger, and last weekend, I couldn't stand it any longer: I stopped into 12 Burgers, the new spot on Preston Road and Belt Line.

I wasn't sorry. The burger, half a pound of choice Angus beef, cooked to order, was satisfyingly juicy, very meaty; it had that indescribable, reassuring burger gestalt. The lightly toasted sesame bun provided the right bun-to-patty ratio, and the lettuce, tomato and thousand island that are standard equipment there were spot on, aided and abetted by optional pickles. There's also a long list of more complicated burgers, but I always like to judge a burger place by the basic sandwich. My only complaint was it wanted a little salt. I was quite impressed by the quality of the meat.

OK, OK, I admit it -- I also had a 12 Burger, with bacon, American cheese, avocado, sauteed onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, pickles, jalapenos, lettuce tomato, thousand island and mustard. Very good for such a big, sloppy mess of a burger.

There's a big mountain of Idaho potatoes next to the kitchen, a testament to the fact that the fries are fresh-cut there. I was taking my order home, but I tasted a couple fries before I left the store, and they were outstanding. Fabulous. So potatoey, tender inside, crisp outside. But the time I got home, they had seriously lost something. But that's my own fault. (Or, should I say, the fault of those in my household who were glued to sports on TV.)

Been there? Did you like it?

12 Burgers, 6006 Belt Line Rd., 972-239-4194

Thanks so much for sharing your memories of the Greenville Ave. restaurants that were lost in the fire yesterday. In case you'd like to read more, here's a page that pulls together everything about the fire as cleanup begins and people reflect on the history of the place.

It includes all our latest news, blog posts from crime, Eats and others, plus Twitter and news sources from around the area, both TV and pubs like the Observer and D magazine.