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The Second Floor Bistro will partner with Lakewood Brewing Company to host Brews & Bites Craft Beer Dinner.

This Thursday, June 6, 6-8pm, join me at Mockingbird Station for Art & Wine at the Station. Small bites and wine will be served while you browse artwork by Michael Cross and Jeff Parrott.

For more information and to RSVP, visit artandwineatmockingbird.eventbrite.com.

Ocho has closed since this review was posted. The owners will reopen this location as another concept from their portfolio later this summer.

They call this place “Ocho” because I ATE everything…

I ventured into Ocho again to try some of their new offerings, both solids and liquids. The meal started with tequila shots. Usually tequila isn’t the way to get on my good side, but the shot of their Ocho Reposado began our meal on a surprisingly high note.

The wait staff made us feel at home, and was very attentive. They were all willing to share their food and drink preferences and recommendations, but weren’t too insistent that we go with their choices.

After the tequila we, with some direction from our waiter, moved onto the appetizer of crab guacamole (top, center). Complete with a stack of crab and homemade fried chips, I’ll have this appetizer again in a heartbeat. To accompany the creamy guac, Micheal* treated us to a Skinny Cougar (left, bottom). The SC was a refreshing grenadine drink that is a must-have while lounging on their airy (huge) patio.

We moved on to grilled Shoshito peppers (bottom, center) and lobster tacos (top, left). Both were out of this world. The tempura lobster tacos were some of the better seafood tacos I’ve had in quite a while, and the accompanying sauce takes the taste of the Tex-ified lobster to a new level. To go with this course, we enjoyed a smokey hatch chili margarita (top, right). The hatch chili powder was in the drink AND sprinkled on top along with a slice of jalapeño (that’s a spicy meat-a-ball!). Spicy cocktails are my jam, and this was some spicy heaven on earth.

Dessert was tres leches and some heavenly not-Weight-Watchers-approved berry something (right, 2nd to bottom). I’d pretty much devour both if set in front of me again.

*Michael Jordan (no, really, that’s his name) was one of the most helpful, hospitable bartenders I’ve ever come across. I love to challenge my barkeeps to make me things I like, and he’s more than up to the challenge. He’ll find you something you love, not just like. Visit Ocho just to let him choose a drink for you.

Stop into Ocho to try some of their new offerings and enjoy a drink (or three). They seem to have gotten their shit stuff together, and having a meal here is a truly enjoyable dining experience. Don’t miss their amazing patio while you’re there!

Ocho | www.ocho.com | @ocho_Dallas
8411 Preston Road (@ Northwest Highway), Suite 132
(214)217-0888

***Please note that I was not charged for this meal.***

In honor of the recently-realease “The Great Gatsby”, Tanqueray is featuring these five prohibition-style cocktails.  Even if you can’t enjoy them in West Egg, they’re still some of the classic cocktails every drink enthusiast should know how to make.

Cheers, sport!

Gin Rickey
Said to be the preferred pour of F. Scott Fitzgerald, this simple serve is best imbibed on a hot summer day. Don’t forget the chunky ice cubes.

  • 1.25 oz Tanqueray London Dry gin
  • 1 oz lime juice
  • 5 parts soda water

Build in a highball glass, stir, top with soda water. Drag to mix and garnish with a lime wedge.


French 75
This snappy little champagne cocktail’s claim to fame is that it’s the only drink in the classic canon created during Prohibition.

  • 1.25 oz Tanqueray Ten
  • 0.5 oz simple
  • 0.5 oz lemon juice
  • Top with champagne

Shake and strain into a rocks glass and top with champagne. 


White Lady
Introduced in the late 20’s, The White Lady was born from the drink the “Delilah,” which included crème de menthe. The Savoy’s Harry Craddock replaced it with orange liqueur and it became an instant classic.

  • 1.5oz Tanqueray London Dry Gin
  • .75oz orange liqueur
  • .75oz lemon juice

Pour all of the ingredients into a shaker, fill with ice, shake and strain into a chilled coupe glass.


The Southside
The Southside is the signature cocktail at the legendary former speakeasy the 21 Club. It’s also said to be the favorite drink of notorious Prohibition-era bootlegger Al Capone and his gang.

  • 1.25 oz Tanqueray Ten
  • 0.5 oz lime juice
  • 0.5 oz simple
  • 2 sprigs of mint
  • Soda

Muddle one mint sprig with lime & simple. Add Tanqueray and shake well. Pour into glass over crushed ice and stir until the outside of the glass frosts. Top with soda and garnish with sprig of mint.


The Franklin
Let’s not forget Franklin Delano Roosevelt famously celebrated the end of Prohibition with a dirty gin martini. Whether it was with Tanqueray – one of the few gins today that was in production in the 30s – or not is lost to history, but this classic cocktail ushered in a new era of American drinking.

  • 1.5oz Tanqueray London Dry Gin
  • 1tbsp dry vermouth
  • 2tbsp olive juice
  • 2 olives

Fill a mixer with all ingredients including the olives. Cover and shake hard 3 – 4 times. Strain contents of the mixer into the cocktail glass. Garnish with an olive.

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Mariano’s invented the frozen margarita machine … no, really, it’s documented.  The original machine was invented by Mariano Martínez in 1971, and is now in the Smithsonian.  If you haven’t visited this place, you definitely need to stop in … for educational purposes, of course.

Their margaritas aren’t to-die, but they pack enough of a punch and have enough flavor to keep things interesting.  I tried their margarita sampler (I hate making decisions).  The sampler was complete with frozen mini versions of their Frozen Tequila Sunrise, sangria swirl margarita (Texas Tornado), and a jalapeño margarita.  All three are enough to get the gist of the flavor, but if you’re anything like me and get bored easily, it’s not enough to make it monotonous.  My favorite was the jalapeño one … ay chi wa wa.

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What makes this place even more interesting?  They have a frozen bar.  Not like those bars that are made of ice and you have to wear a parka … this one is much more manageable and you don’t have to defrost afterwards.  Their brilliance comes in the form of a frozen channel to keep your margarita from melting.  Because, let’s be honest, nothing’s worse than a melted frozen margarita.  I only with they had a frozen channel on all the tables!

Specials:  1/2 price margaritas on Monday (all day, select margarita only)

Mariano’s Hacienda | Facebook
6300 Skillman St, Bldg. J
Dallas, TX 75231
(214)691-3888

I really loved my first Dishcrawl, and I will definitely be attending another!

  • Have dietary restrictions (past just being a picky little toot)? Let them know in advance and they’ll make adjustments.
  • How much is it? $45, and you’ll be stuffed by the last stop.
  • Does it come with booze? Some stops may, but bring cash and run ahead of the group if you choose to drink … the lines at the bars gets long and then you have to chug. (Buamp.)
  • How long does it last? Expect to be crawling for about three hours.
  • Is there transportation? Nope … wear comfy shoes because they try to make everything within walking distance.

Check out Dishcrawl Dallas, Dishcrawl Plano, and Dishcrawl Garland.

**I attended this event free of charge.**

I was lucky enough to be part of the group that was invited to preview the soon-to-open Peak & Elm, a seriously authentic Mexican restaurant (what they’re calling “Mex-Mex”) in East Elm.  This new taste is coming to Dallas thanks to the father-and-son team, the Morenos, who are behind the heralded La Popular Tamale House that has been serving delicious tamales to Dallas for many years.

Housed in a building at (you’ll never guess) Peak and Elm in East Dallas, the owners are doing their best to maintain the integrity of the historic building.  P&E is located in a building that was once a stop on the original trolley line, and the florescent sign is original (and there to stay).

In juicier news, let’s hear about the food, shall we?  Some of you may think that I have an unsophisticated palate when it comes to solids, but it doesn’t take a true foodie to realize that their food is going to be in a league of its own.  I LOVED EVERYTHING that they served … from the fajita soft tacos with exquisitely thick homemade tortillas to the Mexican cinnamon coffee that capped-off the night.  They say that they’ll always make their food with local ingredients from sources as close as our very own Farmer’s Market.  Oh, and they swore they’d never use yellow cheese.

Their food is sure to please once they open to the public on February 8, and you should all be looking forward to your first taste of P&E’s offerings.  IIIIIII myself am very much looking forward to their cocktails that weren’t ready for the preview, but sound amazing.  For now, they’re serving local goodies like beers from Deep Ellum Brewing Company and Rahr and wines from Times Ten Cellars.

Their “Bebidas” menu will have three unique offerings like the agues frescos (vodka-infused Mexican “fresh waters”), the Margarita Pera Espinosa (pear-infused margarita), and the Streetcar Sangria (red wine sangria).  

For now, we’ll all just have to wait with baited breath.  To take the edge off, I found their Cinnamon Sangria recipe on their blog.

Cinnamon Sangria
  • 4 (750 milliliters) bottles red wine
  • 1 ¼ C. white sugar
  • 2 Granny Smith apples (cored and sliced)
  • 4 Peaches (sliced)
  • 2 Bananas (sliced)
  • 2 Cinnamon sticks (crushed)
  • 3 Lit. lemon-lime flavored, carbonated beverage
The How-Tos: 
  • In a large pitcher, combine all of the ingredients above, except for the lemon-lime soda, and refrigerate for a minimum of six hours and up to overnight.
  •  When ready to serve, add in the lemon-lime soda and pour over ice; garnish with additional fruit before serving if desired.

Until February 8, Peak and Elm!!