Category Archives: Reviews

Product Review: Collingwood Canadian Whisky

Right before Christmas, I received a small sample bottle of Collingwood Canadian Whisky to review. As one who generally defaults to Crown, if I even dip a toe into the great White North, the bar was high(though Susie chastises me regularly for my lack of imagination).  Once I read that Collingwood boasts a “toasted Maplewood finish”, apprehension set in. I’m not sure if they are doing this in Texas, but Rhode Island bars are heavily pushing the flavored whiskies these days, to the point where my post-work happy hour spot proudly serves a Triple Crown (maple, apple, original) and there are way more maple-flavored options in the dark section of the liquor store than God and Booker Noe intended.

Despite the initial cringe at my sweet, syrupy trigger word, the end result is good. For Collingwood “maplewood finish” is more a process to mellow the harshness of the drink then a sweetener, and it works. I meant to just take a sip neat and then make a cocktail or two, but, since the bottle was small and the taste was smooth, I simply put the whole thing over the ice and enjoyed as we opened presents. (What?)

There’s definitely the same sweetness found in Crown and Canadian Club (think vanilla/toffee), but it wasn’t too overpowering.

The full retail size comes in an old school aftershave-looking bottle (newly revamped), reminiscent of your dad getting ready for dates with Mom 30 years ago (which will drive you to drink if you think about it too long.) I’m not ready to convert for life, but this is definitely a nice whisky to have on-hand for winter that won’t make you feel stuck in the flavored whisky/bourbon apocalypse that is slowly coming to absorb us all. (Oh, the shame.)

If you’re less of a purist and you want to create cocktails with this sweet elixir, here are some suggested recipes.  They recommend using Collingwood in “classic, lighter cocktails”.

TOM COLLINGWOOD™

TOM COLLINGWOOD™

TOM COLLINGWOOD
2oz Collingwood Whisky
0.75oz simple syrup
1oz lemon juice
3oz soda water

Mix Collingwood, simple syrup and lemon juice in a highball glass with ice. Top with soda water and serve.

COLLINGWOOD CANADIAN MULE
1oz Collingwood Whisky
3oz ginger beer
splash lime juice
garnish: lime wedge

Mix all ingredients over ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Collingwood is available in most stores across Texas and you can locate the bottle closest to you at collingwoodwhisky.com. The suggested price is around $27.

COLLINGWOOD WHISKY
collingwoodwhisky.com
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Bite by Eddy T – Dallas

Bite by Eddy T recently opened in the former Cyclone Anaya Kin Kin Urban Thai space on Oak Lawn.  Chef Eddy Thretipthuangsin (affectionately known as Eddy T … because, who can say that name?!), brought his concept over from Fort Worth in December offering American cuisine with an Asian influence.  The restaurant will offer lunch and dinner, an extensive wine list, teas, and a full bar complete with a menu of rather interesting cocktails.

I was intrigued by the cocktails which use some local spirits and infusions made in-house.  My favorite, which is also my Fort Worth contributor, Amanda’s favorite drink at Bite, was the smoked bourbon, sweet tea, limoncello, and St. Germain business.  When delivered, the mason jar is capped to keep the smoke chambered.  Hot damn.  (Literally and metaphorically.)

Dinner was fantastic and my favorite was the Parmesan Soufflé.  I was so pissed that I hadn’t ordered that myself and had to settle for just two bites of it.  The Braised Short Rib (not pictured, also not ordered by me) will be what I return to eat.  Dessert was a different story … it was delicious–every.damn.thing was delicious.

The food and drink satisfied all of us at the media event, which was capped off beautifully by their homemade lollipops.  The staff was incredibly friendly, the restaurant lovely (if a bit dark… always tough to get decent pictures of the food!), and the atmosphere charged.

Check out Eddy’s newest restaurant in Dallas soon … and make sure to have a smokey drink and lollipop for me!


BITE by EDDY T
bitebyeddyt.com
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3211 Oak Lawn Ave, Dallas,TX 75219
972-925-0006

STK Las Vegas

If you follow me on my social platforms (especially Snapchat … @susieoz), you’ll know that I’ve been spending some time in Las Vegas for work.  One evening I was able to try out STK at the Cosmopolitan.  Eddie and Angelee, the dynamic duo behind His + Her went along with me to the Chef’s Menu–a smattering of their best dishes–the night before we skipped town.  The NYC transplant offers a decidedly sexy steakhouse feel.

We were greeted by our very friendly server and started with a few drinks to ease into the night.  I was told that the Strawberry Cobbler Martini (Belvedere, strawberry, graham cracker crust) is their most popular drink … which was delicious, but a bit sweet for a dinner drink, so save this one for dessert.  Later on I tried the … Not Your Daddy’s Manhattan (Bulleit Bourbon, Fernet Branca, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth).  It was much more my speed and the Fernet was a surprisingly perfect addition to the traditional manhattan.

(Bear with me through the pictures … the lighting is quite low in there and I didn’t have my camera. ?)

Our waiter began our tasting with a Caesar Salad, Tuna Tartare, a plate of large shrimp, and a cluster of their bleu cheese pull-apart bread.  The pull-apart bread was nearly irresistible.  They serve it with a cilantro oil that was unreal … Angelee and I all but licked the ramekin it came in.  (Also, since I’m allergic to bleu cheese, they kindly served one portion without the glaze.  So kind!)  I usually don’t mess with salads … who wants to waste the space?  But this one was worth a few bites … especially the housemade croutons.  The Tuna Tartare, served with perfectly crispy taro chips, was fresh, tender, and had a soy honey sauce with it that was to die.  I’d definitely recommend ordering this!

Being a steakhouse, STK obviously had a bomb steak–nice and tender … so tender that we could cut it with our butter knives.  (If I were ordering it for myself, I’d have ordered it medium instead of medium well, but to each her own.)  The Seared Big Eye Tuna (served with wasabi potato, maitake mushrooms, and sweet miso jus) was seared to perfection and nearly fell apart.  We nearly had to flip a coin to decide who got the last piece … and you better believe that the sweet miso sauce was sopped up … and some bread may have been dipped in it, too.  I personally enjoyed the Free Range Chicken (served with polenta fries, smoked tomato whiskey, and green beans) the most because I couldn’t get enough of the green beans.  They had a simple soy-based sauce that made them like crack to me.

For me, dessert after steak is completely unnecessary–I’ve had my awesome meal and don’t need something else to fill me up even more.  However, if you go to STK and don’t order the STK Donuts (sweet potato donuts, maple glaze, candied pecans), then you’re doing it wrong.  These things were little pillows of goodness and I stared the discomfort of a full belly right in the face, defied it, and ate two.

Make sure to make a reservation if you plan to visit STK on your next visit to Vegas … if for anything, for their take on the Manhattan and those GD green beans.


STK Las Vegas
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The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South
(702)698-7990

Going Green with 360 Vodka

I’m not sure where 2015 went, but the past couple months have been a blur. With the onslaught of holiday parties and football gatherings, drinks are something that seem to be ever-present. A generous box of spirit(s) arrived on my doorstep at a pivotal moment in this season’s madness to provide me the essentials of holiday cheer.

I’ve noted in the past that I tend to be wary of vodka, but when distilled just right and mixed with the right ingredients, it becomes my drink of choice. In particular, 360 Vodka (produced by Earth Friendly Distilling Company, a division of McCormick Distilling Company, Inc. … don’t cringe) comes distilled four times from American grain using column distillation process and filtered five times featuring proprietary charcoal coconut filter system. The smooth, earthy finish  of this grain vodka along with a mild bite and subtle lavender notes, makes it an easy choice to mix in any cocktail. 

This vodka’s clean taste is echoed in the company’s eco-friendly attitude from development, production, to distribution. The bottle (commonly reused by consumers for water and olive oil) is made from 85% recycled glass, giving each bottle a unique green hue.  The label on the bottle is made with 100% post-consumer paper with special water based inks that won’t harm the environment; and the swing‐top closure comes with a pre‐paid envelope empowering Americans to return it for reuse and have $1.00 donated to a local environmental organization. Additionally, McCormick, with the assistance of the Missouri Department of Conservation, launched FOREST 360, an effort to plant indigenous trees on 40 acres of the land around the distillery.

Essentially, consumers can grab a super-premium bottle of vodka at a reasonable price and give back to the environment – as if you needed an excuse. And, with the recent trend in all things organic and green, 360 Vodka makes for the perfect holiday bar staple or hostess gift. The range of flavors can seem somewhat overwhelming with options like Georgia Peach, Sorrento Lemon, Buttered Popcorn, and even Glazed Donut.

Personally, I took advantage of the crisp fall season to mix up a vodka-forward version of Susie’s Cool Weather Punch* with the original 360 Vodka.


360 VODKA
www.vodka360.com
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ABV 40% / 80 Proof
Retails for around $35 per 750ml bottle

 

 

Snuffer’s Happy-Tizer Happy Hour

Did you know that the Snuffer’s on Lower Greenville is haunted?  Well, it sure is.  Just ask the servers and they’ll send over one of their staff members that have had a paranormal experience pop by your table and tell you a couple ghost stories.  … or they’ll just tell you about the scary good deals they’re now offerings during happy hour on their Happy-Tizer Menu.

Y’all know that I love a good happy hour, so when I was invited in to try out their new options, I didn’t shy away.  Monday-Friday, 3-7pm you can now get select mini-apps for as little as $2.  That’s right … two buckaroos … a pair of greenbacks … just a couple Washington’s … you get the idea.

As always, the Dallas favorite offers happy hour beers and margs as low as $3 to make your visit truly happy.  Think $3 house margaritas (frozen or on the rocks) and drafts (Bud Light, Samuel Adams, & Dos Equis) and $4 house wine and shooters.  While I’m not a huge beer drinker, it felt right ordering one to sip … and then a house margarita … and then another beer.

The real excitement as of late is their new happy hour food offering, a.k.a. their Happy-Tizers.  Check out the picture below.  All that goodness can be yours for $22.  And for that price, you can try all of them … and you should.  Their fried pickles and mushrooms are legendary* and these small servings are just enough to satisfy your craving but not take over the meal.  (Though, really, what’s wrong with a meal of fried pickles and mushrooms?)  Their tortilla chips were seasoned just right and the onion rings and buffalo wings were perfectly satisfactory.

If you’re trying to decide what to order on this little menu, skip the burger quesadilla and the queso … save those options for Blue Goose down the street.  They’ll get an “E” for effort on those, though.

Stop in and check out the new happy hour serving sizes at any of their locations, but don’t forget the beers and things.  Oh … and make sure to order at LEAST the personal-sized Cheddar Fries.  (Because it’d be rude to leave without a helping of them.  After all, they’ve been around longer than you … if you were born after 1978.)


SNUFFER’S RESTAURANT & BAR
snuffers.com
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10 locations

*at least to me.  For nearly my entire college career, when I was in a bad way the day after a good party, I knew Snuffer’s fried pickles and loaded Cheddar Fries were my saving graces.  They never failed.

***Snuffer’s invited me in to enjoy selections from their Happy-Tizers free of charge.***

Lord Levington’s nuts are great … but they’ll leave a mess on your hands

There’s always been something a little off-putting about sharing a tiny cup of cocktail peanuts in the middle of a crowded bar while mingling hands with strangers (or even drinking buddies). The experience always gets easier with a few drinks, but, when sober, bar nuts fall somewhere between stale bag of crackers and mushy banana on the snack spectrum.

Luckily, someone decided bar mix could reach an actually enjoyable level, and all it takes is a good product and a ridiculous amount of kitsch to drive home the point. Meet Lord Nut Levington, made in Dallas. (I, however, am still coming to you from Rhode Island.)

Before we even move forward, it’s probably worth poking around the website for a few minutes. The packaging style is a mix of old timey artwork, sex puns and random STD penicillin references – but regardless of whether or not you get a chuckle out of it or not, the product inside is seriously good.

The flavors are fitting over the top, ranging from Zesty Chile Lime to Thai Curry & Lemongrass to Spicy Bloody Mary (Susie’s favorite). Each flavor is covered in a dust that is clearly derived from some version of crack that makes you keep chowing down while your hands slowly get covered in a thick gunk you haven’t seen since you stuck your wet fingers in a Cheeto bag as a child. PRO-TIP: use a spoon or lid to tip the nuts directly into your mouth to avoid looking like a large adult son who had too much Mountain Dew before snack time.

Since this is a booze blog, it’s also important to point out the flavors paired pretty well with their corresponding drink. The Spicy Bloody Mary and Hot Buffalo went great with spicy cocktails, the lemongrass was tangier and went with anything, the Zesty Chile Lime was good with tequila, and White Cheddar & Jalapeño went well with beer. My personal favorite was the Hot Buffalo, but there really wasn’t a bad flavor in the pack. (And my wife quickly stole most of the Thai Curry & Lemongrass and refused to give them back. I’m letting her have that one since she recently gave me a child.)

So yeah, I’ve spared you about five different “deez nuts” jokes and a couple of other puns, so I’ll just end by pointing out that you should either look for this snack in stores or order a sample pack online today. It’s a nice break from the usual drinking snack fare and, assuming you can avoid making a mess of the place, might be a nice snack to keep around your home bar or for parties.

To find a store near you that carries Lord Nut Levington, just use their store locator tool: http://www.whoislordnut.com/locate/.

Oh … and this brand was on “Shark Tank” at some point … if you care about that sort of thing.

Spirit of America Bourbon Whiskey

In the wonderful, wide world of alcohol, you’d be hard-pressed to think of another drinking tradition that is more inherently American than traditional hand-crafted bourbon whiskey. After all, Americans have been sipping on the stuff since the 1820s when it originated in either Kentucky or Louisiana (no one can seem to agree), making it practically as all-American as apple pie and baseball. Spirit of America,  produced by Hobson & Roberts Distilling Company, has taken this notion a step further; when you purchase a bottle of their handcrafted bourbon whiskey, they donate $1 to Hope for the Warriors, making your enjoyment of their award winning spirit practically patriotic.

Spirit of America (ABV 43%/ 86 Proof) is distilled in a unique mash bill featuring 51% corn, 45% wheat, and 4% malted barley; no rye grain to be found. It is produced “grain to glass,” chill-filtered, blended, and bottled at the company-owned distillery in Indianapolis, IN.

You now know you can feel warm and fuzzy about your purchase of Spirit of America, but let’s ask the honest question: Is it any good? The distillers were kind enough to send me a bottle to find out for myself; I am happy to tell you, the answer is a resounding, “YAAAASSSSS!!”

Spirit of America bourbon has a notably warm aroma, with hints of vanilla, toasted oak, spice, and sweet caramel. This whiskey is silky smooth and surprisingly mellow on the palate, with a notable sweetness suggestive of vanilla, caramel, and honey. The finish is short and sweet. I found this to be an excellent “sipping whiskey,” which is high praise coming from a gal who doesn’t routinely sip whiskey. (If this endorsement makes you nervous, I can assure you my husband, who does routinely sip whiskey (among other things), whole-heartedly agreed. He was also a big fan).


SPIRIT OF AMERICA BOURBON
soaspirits.com
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844-374-6547
[email protected]

ABV 43% / 86 Proof

Hopdoddy on McKinney

Every time I go to South Congress in Austin I MARVEL at the line wrapped around Hopdoddy.  Once they came to Dallas, I had a new appreciation for the patience and resolve of the people who wait in that line.  Hopdoddy is damn good, y’all.

Their McKinney Avenue location, one of three in D/FW, occupies the former Frankie’s space and has been there for just under a year.  It’s a great space with a nice amount of natural light, a giant bar in the middle (my fave), and plenty outdoor seating.

IMGP4193

Choosing what to eat here is more challenging than finding your way from the parking garage into the restaurant.  (I took my dad on this review with me, so, if you remember from my review at Village Burger Bar, you’ll know that I was the one making the risky food choices.)  Luckily we had some time to decide after the drinks hit the table.  Dad went with the Chocolate Stout Milkshake and I, in true SusieDrinksDallas form, went with an adult libation, the SoCo Sweet Tea (house infused Limoncello, Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka, raspberry purée, & fresh-squeezed lemon).  My drink was nice and light and the raspberry purée wasn’t too liberally added … the perfect treat for a warm evening.  I was tempted to go for one of their Maine Root Fountain Sodas or local beers, but was happy with my ultimate choice (because … limoncello).

After a few sips, I got in to the french fry options.  They serve their fries not as a side, but as an appetizer (giving them the attention that they sure as hell deserve).  Their fries are good … but their Truffle Fries are outrageous.  Get.these.fries.  Make sure to check out their dips, too!  If you’re anything like me, you just want them all to get a little taste of each.  (Quite honestly, I just really hate to decide so it’s easier to get them all.)

Since we were at a burger bar, we ordered burgers.  (That may have been on of the more idiotic sentences I’ve ever written.)   Per usual, good ole’ Dad ordered his standard well done cheeseburger, ketchup only.  He seemed to like it, but I know that it couldn’t compare to my Primetime Burger.  Seriously, y’all … the beautiful melange of the incredibly tender Texas Akaushi Beef, brie cheese, truffle aioli, arugula, caramelized onions, and steak sauce danced around my mouth like I think my first bit of solid food will on Friday morning.  (Oh, yeah … I’m on a juice cleanse.  Writing about food is real hard right now.)

Dessert had to happen because they have … wait for it … adult milkshakes.  The Nutella & Chocolate Pretzel Milkshake is kind of everything.  It’s sweet and the pretzels give the shake a bit of texture and a salty kick.

IMGP4240

I do have some slight regrets from my visit … though I’d order everything I ate again (and again), I think I didn’t explore the menu as much as I should have.  I’ll be ordering the Baby Kale Salad (baby kale, arugula, feta, watermelon, avocado, sunflower seeds, pickled red onions, pomegranate vinaigrette) the next time I stop in.

Luckily I rereturned with a few friends a couple weeks later and was able to try some other items.  We were treated to their ah-mazing Green Chili Queso (which had a nice kick and a perfectly creamy texture) to accompany the Kennebec Fries.  Since one kind of fry is never enough, we got into the Truffle Fries that came with some of the most amazing dip I’ve ever experienced.  The Ahi Tuna Burger (Sushi-Grade Tuna, Sprouts, Teriyaki, Honey Wasabi, Nori Chips, Pickled Ginger, Mayo) was maybe the most surprising thing we had that night–the tuna was so delicate that it just feel apart and the nori chips gave it a nice crisp.

Picture borrowed from @phileats_ on Instagram

Hopdoddy recently started a new offering at their McKinney Avenue location–they’ll now serve you at a table instead of having you order when you arrive QSR-style.  It was a nice touch and actually made me order more food.  (Watch out, my friends.)

Beyond the delicious food and great service, Hopdoddy likes to keep it as local as possible and real fresh, which makes me love it even more.  Their beef is ground fresh daily from all-natural, quality, hormone-free meat; their buns are baked twice daily and you get to choose from three types including a gluten-free option.

Stop in for a burger and fries sometime soon … and sit outside because the weather starting this weekend will be perfect for an al fresco meal.  Just don’t forget the Truffle Fries … or the milkshakes … or the house-made limoncello.  (Ya know, all of it.)

HOPDODDY BURGER BAR
hopdoddy.com
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3227 McKinney Ave #102 (at Hall Street)
(214) 871-2337

Happy hour: Monday-Friday, 3-7pm

**Hopdoddy invited me in for a meal on them.**