Category Archives: Neighborhood

Savor the New Happy Hour at Savor Gastropub

Savor Gastropub in Klyde Warren Park hit us with the real deal—their all-new happy hour menu has arrived … and I’m just wondering what took it so long. With great deals on drinks and food, there’s no reason to not make it in to their (air conditioned!!) digs and try it out sooner than later.

For those who haven’t been yet, Savor Gastropub is a glass box-esque restaurant right on the North Western side of Klyde Warren Park. They have a chef-driven menu with shareable plates (or not shareable if you’re anything like me) and options for lunch, dinner, brunch, and even a pre-show option if you’re in a hurry to catch the latest performance downtown.

During their new happy hour, you can expect to see these great choices:
$3 select beers
$6 Sazeracs, Old Fashioneds, Sidecars, French 75s, Moscow Mules, Oleo Daiquiris, select wines, and their dangerously delicious frosés

Also included in the Happy Hour are these tasty dishes:
$3 Tator Tot Poutine smothered in cheese curds, gravy, and bacon
$10 Margherita Flatbread
$6 the Q Dog drowning in bacon, onion, relish, cheese, ketchup, and mustard
$6 Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders with horseradish pickle, roasted onion, maple vinaigrette on a brioche bun
and so much more!

Their delicious and highly flavorful happy hour runs 4-7pm Monday through Friday. Even more clutch, they offer happy hour ALL DAY when it rains or temps rise above 100ºF, which kind of makes the heat somewhat bearable.

SAVOR GASTROPUB
SavorGastropub.com
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2000 Woodall Rodgers Freeway (Downtown)

3Eleven Brings Clever Cocktails to Dallas’s West End

As a soon to-be senior in college, I drink Burnetts and sprite on the weekends. We go to the same bars with sticky floors, sweaty people and loud music. It is what it is, but when you come home for the summer, and Susie asks you to go to events in downtown… well, I’m a little spoiled now. She’s on a mission to help me appreciate the finer points of cocktails, spirits, and food.

Recently, I had the pleasure of going to 3Eleven’s grand opening party and had such a fantastic time. I walked along a red carpet, was greeted with wine and crab cakes, and found a new favorite bar in Dallas’s West End. Liv-ing the life.

For those who don’t know, 3Eleven is a stylish restaurant and bar that puts a modern twist on historic downtown. When you walk in, you’re taken back by the little details that make this place unique. The entire staff is kind and passionate about making sure you have the best experience possible.

3Eleven gives a nod to some of Dallas’s most infamous history, stories, and lore. The cocktail menu itself pays homage to Dallas history, and food itself isn’t bad at all. The entire experience was fantastic, and the drinks were also an experience.

 

Risky Business. This spicy cocktail was made with 3Eleven’s very own vodka, infused with cucumber and jalapeño, giving it just the right amount of punch to go with the lime juice, and simple syrup. It definitely has a spicy edge, so be warned.

Whiskey Sour. Their version of this classic was delicious—amaretto instead of whiskey, lemon, sugar, and egg white. This simple cocktail made me question why I drink whiskey and coke. (Again, thank God for this internship.) The flavors were well-balanced and made this cocktail easy to drink.

Stop by 3Eleven for creative cocktails, unique atmosphere and of course, the crab cakes!

3ELEVEN KITCHEN & COCKTAILS
311 North Market Street, #100 (West End)
3elevendallas.com

3Eleven’s Happy Hours:
Monday All Day
Tuesday through Friday: 2-6 pm

  • $2 appetizers and PBR
  • $1 off beer, wine & cocktails
  • $3 sangria

Peru Gourmet Fusion Cuisine

If you’re someone who loves trying new things and experiencing other cultures, this restaurant is the place for you. Peru Gourmet is an Peruvian-fusion restaurant and bar located just north of Six Flags in Arlington.

As soon as I walked in, I was greeted with smiles and the welcoming smells. The restaurant felt cozy and comfortable, with beautiful decor and dim lighting. They have a large selection of food on the menu, and if you’re indecisive like me, it’s a lot to choose from. I sat up at the bar and asked the bartender, Michael, to surprise me with some good cocktails and meal. Because, after all, who knows a restaurant’s menu better than the employees?

Firsts things first: cocktails.

The Pisco Sour. Their take the quintessential Peruvian cocktail (which is usually shaken) is frozen and blended! Made with egg whites, house-made simple syrup, lime juice and of course, pisco (a brandy distilled from grapes). Peru Gourmet offers this by the pitcher, and for good reason.

The Chilcano. This cocktail was so simple and refreshing; it would be perfect to have poolside. It’s made with Pisco, lime zest, ginger ale, and lime juice. I could drink 10 of these, and so could the owner, whose favorite cocktail it is.

The Machu Picchu. My personal favorite, because who doesn’t love a rainbow drink? There’s not just a technique to making it, but there’s also a technique to drinking it! Starting from the bottom, carefully lift your straw and sip at the same time, tasting every one of the flavors separately on the way up. Do that till it’s gone! Very challenging when you’re 5’3 with a tall cup at a bar, but I did it and it was worth it! Grenadine, orange juice, pisco and crème de menthe work together creating a beautiful, fun drink that will get you feelin’ good fast.

Now on to food …

Ceviche. (PICTURED AS HEADER) Hands down the best Ceviche I’ve ever had, I mean … amazing. Citrus and garlic-cured sea bass, peruvian peppers, peruvian corn (which is giant kernals), sweet potatoes, and chullbe (peruvian corn nuts), and garnished with red onion, cilantro and lime juice. This colorful dish is a must-have on the menu.

Lomo Saltado. Diced savory beef steak sautéed with onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, and secret seasoning and served with crisp potato wedges and white rice. The steak on this dish packs so much flavor it would be a crime to not eat all of it.  For the steak lovers out there, this one’s for you.

Peru Gourmet gave me a new love for Peruvian food and drinks. The intriguing flavors of the region are beautifully exemplified in the dishes and cocktails. Call it a little Per(u)view of what to expect if you ever make down there!

Happy hours: Tuesday through Sunday, from 4-7
$3 domestic bottles
$4 premium beers, house wines and margaritas

Truluck’s Debuts New Menu Items and a New Happy Hour

Truluck’s has been a longtime favorite of my sister’s and mine. When she first went to college and I’d visit, we’d stop in just to have dessert. Their Jack’s Sack was always our favorite—a chocolate shell hiding pound cake, berries, and whipped cream that the guest gets to crack and mix. It’s not just delicious; the destruction of the presentation is really rewarding.

It’s nice to see a longtime favorite with twelve locations continue to give diners new options to enjoy instead of adopting an “if it isn’t broken …” mentality. They recently released not just a new cocktail menu, but also a new happy hour and new menu items. The new happy hour is stupid good. (And I know happy hours.)

The new happy hour can be enjoyed Monday through Friday, 4:30-6:30pm and includes select cocktails starting at just $5.50 and appetizers starting at $6. More into wine? They have 12 from just $6 a glass.

The new cocktail list has a bit of everything among the 20 new cocktail options. Some new offerings have a slight tropical feel (like the Heart of Gold with pineapple juice and smoked orange syrup or the Sao Paulo Punch with cachaça, run, and pineapple syrup), some with a downright tiki vibe (like the Singapore Sling and the Uptown Swizzle) and others with a more traditional origin (like the Amaretto Sour 2.0, Uptown Manhattan, and the Aviator).

New food items like the Shrimp Primavera Flatbread can be enjoyed alongside old favorites like their shrimp cocktail (giant shrimp served over dry ice to keep them chilled) and Kung Pao Cauliflower. See the full menu of 20 cocktails, wines, and food items.

Beyond their new cocktails and appetizers, they continue to offer a large, thoughtful selection of wines and whiskey options (and obviously a full bar and beer). There aren’t many combinations I enjoy more than a dessert and a dram. I enjoyed the Balvenie Caribbean Cask with their Carrot Cake … and it was good.

Stop by one of their twelve locations during happy hour to enjoy their new half price options. While you do, you’ll be entertained by talented musicians and treated to incredibly attentive hospitality. Now, that’s the right way to unwind from a hard work day.

TRULUCK’S
trulucks.com
Uptown: 2401 McKinney Avenue (Uptown Dallas) | 214-220-2401
Southlake: 1420 Plaza Place (Southlake) | 817-912-0500
(+10 other locations)

Deep Ellum’s Newest: DoHolics

Count your blessings that you don’t have to wait too long for DoHolics to officially open in Deep Ellum (right next to Chills 360)! The safe-to-eat cookie dough shop will be ready to host you on July 20th! I got a special sneak preview of some of their offerings so you can drool while you wait not so patiently.

First, you start by picking cup or cone, but I think these colorful cones are hard to pass up on! Then you choose from their 15 different flavors like Cookie Butter or Matcha … then add whatever toppings your heart (or stomach) desires.

What makes this cookie dough safe to eat? Well, it’s made with heat treated flour and pasteurized eggs, which makes it totally indulge-able. They’ve made something delicious that we really aren’t meant to eat totally edible … that’s kind of like making a unicorn.

And speaking of the fabled creatures … did I mention they have cookie shots with UNICORNS ON THEM?!

Had enough yet? Get ready for DoHolics to open up to the public on July 20th.

DoHolics
2646 Elm Street (Deep Ellum)
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Picnic with Ponies

What goes better with sunshine than a delicious rosé cocktail and a spectacular view of horses galloping in a field? I’m a little hard pressed to come up with anything else. Spending time with horses is such a wonderful thing to do, be that just sitting with them or even riding them. I have friends in Virginia who say that riding is one of the best things to do in Chincoteague. I don’t know what it is about horses, they have such a calming effect on me, I’m totally transfixed when I’m around them. That’s why I visited Black Star Sport Horses in Rockwall, Texas with a bottle of rosé in-hand!

Black Star Sport Horses is a full service training, show, and sales facility featuring an International Federation of Equestrians trainer. They offer riding lessons for all ages and skill levels, so no worries if you don’t know the tail end from the nose, they’ll help you figure it out!

The rosé I brought along is the Inspiration Rosé from Château de Berne, a 1,235 acre vineyard in Provence, France originally built by the Romans. On the CDB property is an 18th century 5-star château-style hotel, a Michelin Star restaurant, and an award-winning spa and visitor center. Oh, and they make some really fantastic wine. I’ll take a one-way ticket, please!

 

Château de Berne Inspiration Rosé is one of three bottles from the Provencal range of classics, only recently brought to the US. This dry rosé, with fresh strawberry, cherry, cranberry, and pomegranate notes has been awarded the 2018 Bronze by Texsom International Wine Awards and the 2018 Silver by the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of American Competition. At 12.5% alcohol, it pairs well with light cheeses and a side of fruit.

The day we made it out to Black Star, it was pretty warm, so we decided to batch out a rosé cooler to cool us off a bit more. Picnics can also get messy, so it’s best to batch any cocktails out before heading out.

SUMMER PEACH ROSÉ COOLER
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups frozen peaches
4 cups rosé (I chose Chateau de Berne’s Inspiration Rosé)
1 liter club soda
Rosemary for garnish

Puree the peaches with water and sugar.

CHATEAU DE BERNE
Château de Berne
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Featured: Inspiration Rosé, ~$20

BLACK STAR SPORT HORSE FARM
BlackStarSportHorses.com
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5565 FM 549, Rockwall, TX 75032

High Five on the New Cocktail, High Fives

High Fives Dallas has one of my favorite items in the city … at least on a Sunday. And the next time you have a Chick-fil-A craving on a Sunday, you’ll be glad you read this post. The nice people in the High Fives kitchen created a sandwich that will hit the spot for us CFA lovers, a fried chicken sandwich on a white bun with pickles … brined in pickle juice that’s dubbed (you guessed it) the Sunday Sandwich.

That sandwich alone is enough to get me to visit this East Henderson spot, but I’d that they recently released a new, super-Instagrammable cocktail menu, and it had me intrigued. So, naturally, I packed up my camera and made my way to High Fives. Luckily, one of my friends stepped up to the plate and helped me sample some of them. We tried out the Starry Night, Ducktails, Slap Happy, and Fortune Teller.

While the drinks are all good (in a busy-on-the-weekend-and-every-day-at-happy-hour kind of way), each definitely has a gimmick. (Think pitch black cocktails with edible stars, slap bracelets, and custom “fortunes” in your cocktail.)

Starry Night: Stoli Blueberi, Saint-Germaine, lemon juice, simple syrup, activated charcoal*, edible stars

Ducktails: Stoli Raspberi, Peach, and Blueberi, pineapple juice, cranberry juice, Sprite, a rubber ducky

Slap Happy: Bombay Sapphire Gin, watermelon, simple syrup, lemon juice, watermelon slice, slap bracelet

Fortune Teller: Patrón Tequila, brown sugar pineapple jalapeño simple syrup, lime juice, Squirt, Tajín, mini scroll

If a cute cocktail isn’t enough for you, they have a full bar, local beers, etc., and the food is no slouch … even beyond the Sunday Sandwich. The menu offers some comfort foods with slight twists like their Corn Dog Bites with jalapeño batter and Fried Brussels Sprouts. If you’re anything like me and you like variety, their Dip Board is the way to go. Queso, red and green salsa, guacamole, and hummus served with crostini, chips, and veggies—a bit of something for everyone.

Stop in for some bar games (corn hole, the ring game, etc.) and some cocktails during happy hour Monday-Friday, 4-7pm or all day Tuesday for $5 sandwiches, beer, wine, and cocktails! High Fives is mostly outside (2/3 of the seating is on the patio), so make sure you’re prepared to be outside, unless you can stand the Texas heat!

HIGH FIVES DALLAS
highfivesdallas.com
804 McMillan Avenue (Knox/Henderson)
(214) 821-5555
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*Know what you’re drinking when you see a pitch black cocktail! Activated charcoal can render medication taken

Hudson House Brunch

The first time I visited Hudson House, I decided it’d be my new Friday afternoon martini spot the weeks I don’t go in for the pork chop special at Perry’s Steakhouse. This seafood spot in the Park Cities is a gem. While life usually gets in the way (of both), I have found another brilliant time to visit Hudson House … brunch.

The menu is American with an East Coast flair, and the spot itself is adorably Nantucket—expect plenty of heavy wood and tile with brass accents in this open restaurant with plenty of natural light. The staff is friendly and very happy to help your table decide on a spread. We gave the delightful bartender on the day how many dishes we’d like and what sort of items we enjoy and he sent out what he recommended. And I’ll tell you, that’s the way to do it.

Their cocktail options are on point. Mimosas and bellinis for $5, cocktails for $8-11, and their pièce de résistance, THE Royal Bloody—their original bloody with bleu cheese olives, a huge shrimp, and an oyster. (It’s a little steep for a brunch cocktail, but it’s a real photo opp. If I had it to do over again, though, I’d opt for the $20 bottle of prosecco. What a damn good deal, right?! I went for a bloody mary followed by a gibson … because vodka is breakfast liquor and they make a mean martini.

Per the food, you’ll find the usual trappings of a brunch menu—toasts, egg dishes, and some sweet options. And, really, everything is quite visually appealing. (You’ll want to ‘gram most of what hits the table.) Their toasts—avocado, country ham, and salmon—are delicious and the bread is perfectly crispy. If you’re into a benedict situation, ops for one of their three options—one being lobster, and damn, was it good. The eggs were prepared perfectly and the lobster was tender.

If you’re looking for something on the healthier side, they offer oatmeal and granola bowls along with a Power Breakfast (poached eggs, sliced avocado, maple bacon, and berries). We skipped those options and went for oysters instead. They do oysters well here. All East Coast options, and all listed on a board with descriptions. My favorite part of the presentation was that they actually mark which are which with colored picks and a color-coded menu. I hate it when I order a couple different kinds and have to guess which is the super salty one my neighbor prefers.

Stop in for a visit and you can enjoy an entire day in walking distance. Grab brunch at Hudson House, catch a movie at Inwood Theater, maybe a foot massage … sounds like a brilliant day to me.

HUDSON HOUSE
hudsonhousehp.com
4448 Lovers Lane (Park Cities)
(214) 583-2255