Archive for the 'Food Events' Category
Monday, December 11th, 2006
At a wedding reception the food and atmosphere are obviously very important aspects and are usually what make a great (or terrible) lasting impression for guests. But at the same time, the quality of service is just as critical, and in my opinion is probably the most difficult to get right. The food and decorations can be prepared beforehand (i.e., before the hordes of hungry guests arrive). But to achieve the kind of service expected at such an event — the type that is unobtrusive yet somehow omnipresent — requires not only preparedness but a certain degree of endurance and stamina. Let me explain. Imagine carrying a small plate of food with maybe 15 small one-bite servings, and walking into a throng of 350 ravenous Chinese folks crowded in a narrow hallway impatiently waiting to be seated for dinner. Imagine doing that not once or twice, but multiple times throughout the evening. I felt kind of sorry for the servers charged with this harrowing task. The people working behind the bar serving 50 drinks a minute certainly didn’t have an easy task either.
All in all though, I must say the wait staff did a commendable job. They managed to keep all the guests happy, and despite the rather long wait in the reception hall, the overall mood of the crowd actually seemed to improve as time passed. Some of the more “crafty” guests started learning where the servers would come out from and they would lie in ambush to get to the food first. But the servers caught on and started entering from different locations so that other guests could be served. Empty glasses and used napkins were removed quickly and without much interference, and the area was kept clean at all times. Overall, I was actually quite surprised by their efficiency.
While their efficiency is certainly to be praised, some of the servers seemed a bit lost though when it came to explaining the food (I don’t think they were too familiar with the menu). Not a big deal though. The food was good and it was served quickly, so everyone was happy. Maybe the next time they are hosting a crowd of Chinese people they can teach them a couple of games — like how to bob for apples with chopsticks. That should keep the crowd entertained for awhile.
I got a chance to taste test the lamb before the wedding reception, and it was just as good at the reception as it was at the tasting. The lamb meat was tender and it didn’t taste gamey at all. The red “sauce” on top was sweet mint tomato chutney, and I’m a big fan of sweet/salty combinations, so the pairing of the lamb and chutney was good. Served on the side were mashed bean and eggplant which tasted like a less starchy version of mashed potatoes, grilled quarter of a pita used to scoop up the mashed concoction, a rather bland corn tamale. The one thing I didn’t like about this dish was that the lamb portion was too small! At the tasting I got two pieces, and it was like an appetizer to me. Also missing were the fried plantain chips that I really liked from the tasting but didn’t make it to the final version.
The seafood and the vegetables were a nice surprise because they weren’t offered at the tasting. The seafood plate had a small sampling of shrimp, scallops, crab claws, and mussels. These were probably boiled in lightly salted water, then chilled before serving. Aside from the seafood cocktail sauce, no other flavoring was added to mask the delicate flavors of these tiny morsels. Drizzled on with a bit of lemon and lime juice, the seafood tasted refreshing after the rich lamb meat.
The vegetables came in their own plate, too. I think we were the only table to have all the food brought to us. Other tables had to stand in line for their vegetables and turkey. The vegetables were probably quickly steamed, then sauteed and served as is with a very faint hint of salt. I thought they were perfect because the broccoli, cauliflower, and the asparagus still had a crunchiness to them. The mushrooms and the tomato bursted with flavor. There was also a turkey dish that I didn’t take a picture of. Actually it was more like a turkey sandwich, and I nearly laughed when I saw it. It seemed so out of place after the previous three dishes. The turkey was dry, the bread was dry, so I didn’t particularly like the dish.
In keeping with the theme of small portions, the fruits were served in a martini glass. There was just enough to taste. If I remembered correctly, my glass had strawberry, blackberry, kiwi, star fruit, watermelon, and jicama. This fruit martini was somewhat exotic, and it looked colorful, but because this assortment of fruits do not all peak in flavor at the same time, it fails in the taste category.
Last but not certainly not least, who can forget the dessert portion of the wedding? Interestingly, the assortment of asian goodies were actually homemade and provided by close friends & family of the bride. Rather than going out to a local bakery to purchase these goodies, the bride & groom saved a lot of money by requesting homemade desserts as “wedding favors” instead of the customary gifts or money from these mommy chefs. Moving onto our dessert selection of the evening, first, there were the red bean (correction*) puffs - a crispy breading on the outside filled with red bean paste on the inside. Then we had the sweet biscuits and a special soft almond cookies treat made by one of the bride’s very own small group girls. The biscuits tasted similar to a very well-reknown Chinese delicacy, “Tai-Yang-Bing.” Perhaps both desserts share some of the same ingredients or have a similar “filling” inside but in any case, they were delectable. Finally, we had homemade spice cake. And needless to say, it was a big treat for everyone there. The outcome of the dessert portion that evening came to show that sometimes even the simplest foods, when they’re homemade, can be comparable if not better than catered or store-bought goodies.
Tags: wedding, dma
Posted in Eating Out, Miscellaneous, Food Events | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, November 29th, 2006
I’m a fan of Shui Wah not because of how their food tastes (better than average but not great), not because they have the best service or ambiance (it’s average at best), and certainly not because of cleanliness (permanent table cloth stains, sloppy job of cleaning dishes and silverware, the carpet). No, the one reason I’m a fan of Shui Wah is because they’re the only place that has all you can eat dim-sum. I’m not talking about just a few items of dim sum. Their buffet selection is nearly all dim sum, and half of them are in the traditional metal steam trays/baskets. Starting just a few weeks ago, I now have a 2nd reason to like Shui Wah. Catered dim sum!
There’s enough food here to feed a small army.
We started off with the basics (clockwise from top left): pork shumai, jellyfish salad, pork wrapped in tofu skin, and shrimp dumplings. These went fast because, well, you can’t have just one. They’re meant to be eaten individually at a time but people tend to lay claim to larger portions so naturally it disappears quickly.
Next items were the main entrees (clockwise from top left): string beans with beef, rice noodles with shrimp, celery with mushrooms, bok choy with tofu, and seafood with bamboo. Just these 5 trays would’ve been enough to feed the party, so at the end we still had about 5 tray-fulls left.
Finally, everyone’s favorite corner, the dessert and drinks (clockwise from top left): baked pastry with curry beef, assorted drinks, fruits and sushi, and egg tart custards. Though these were placed at the end of the line, some people helped themselves to a few treats before getting in line. The egg tart custards in particular were quite excellent. The filling had just the right amount of sweetness, and the flaky crust was fabulous. Luckily we had two trays of them because some people were getting three or four of them at once (in some cases more). We should hold an egg tart custard eating contest one of these days. As for the drinks, the soybean milk was definitely the best choice (none of that super sugary soft drink stuff that causes obesity). Come to think of it, soybean milk is an extremely versatile beverage — a great alternative to milk especially if you’re lactose intolerant. You can drink it plain, eat it with cereal, add it to a cup of coffee/tea… and now we know that it goes great with dim sum too!
Looks pretty nice, huh? Everything except for the roses in the glass jar were either paper or plastic. Simple but matching pattern makes for a perfect, down-to-earth presentation.
Tags: Shui Wah, dim sum, rehearsal
Posted in Eating Out, Food Events | No Comments »
Monday, October 16th, 2006
Know a co-worker who’s feeling down because he/she just got laid off or a friend who just had a big fight with their spouse? Well now you can cheer them up with an Ice Cream Sundae even if they live 400 miles away. Everybody likes Ice Cream right? And no, your friend won’t be getting a sticky two-day old sundae in the mail.
At www.icecreamsundae.com/festival4.html, you can send a virtual sundae to brighten someone’s day. While you’re there, you can actually learn quite a lot about ice cream sundaes. And not to mention, there are a couple amusing pics that might brighten your own day. :)
Posted in Miscellaneous, Food Events, Humor | No Comments »
Saturday, September 30th, 2006
It’s that time of year again when people all across the state gather together at the annual State Fair of Texas held right here in Dallas. You will find many things to keep you occupied, and this year’s no different. It’s also home to the Texas-OU game, one of the biggest rivalry matchups in the nation.
But those are not the real reasons why you’ll go to the state fair, are they? Yeah, you know what I’m talking about. You go to the state fair every year for the food! Those deep fried, finger licking, and artery clogging treasures of the fair that earned them the title “Fried Food Capital of Texas.” Among staples like the turkey leg and funnel cake, here are some of the new items this year that are sure to give you a quick trip to the hospital.
Deep Fried Cosmopolitan - Contest Finalist – A delicious fried pastry is filled with rich cheesecake and topped with a sweet & tangy cranberry glaze and a lime wedge. Served on a stick. (Desperados – Nimitz Dr.)
Donkey Tails - Contest Finalist – Large all-beef franks, slit on one side and generously stuffed with sharp cheddar cheese, are wrapped tightly in a large flour tortilla and fried until golden brown. Served with mustard, chili, or Ruth’s salsa. (Ruth’s Tamale House – Cotton Bowl Plaza & Nimitz Dr.)
Fernie’s Fried Chicken n’ Waffle – A toasted 7″ round waffle, brushed with melted butter and topped with three extra-crunchy honey-battered chicken breast tenders. Served with syrup or white cream gravy. Sweet and salty. (The Dock – Embarcadero Building)
Fernie’s Fried Choco-rito - Contest Finalist – A flour tortilla – stuffed with marshmallows, coconut, candy bar pieces, caramel morsels and cinnamon – is dipped in pancake batter and deep fried to a crispy, crunchy outside and sweet, gooey inside. Drizzled with honey and topped with whipped cream. (The Dock – Embarcadero Building)
Fernie’s Fried Mac ‘n Cheese - Contest Finalist – Texas-sized bites of macaroni & cheese, covered with a layer of garlic & herb-flavored bread crumbs, are deep fried until crispy outside and hot & cheesy inside. Served on a stick with a side of dipping sauces. (The Dock – Embarcadero Building)
Fried Coke - Contest Finalist – Smooth spheres of Coca-Cola-flavored batter are deep fried, drizzled with pure Coke fountain syrup, topped with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar and a cherry. Served in souvenir contoured glasses. (Vandalay Industries – Nimitz Dr. and Midway)
Fried Pancake Sundae – Tasty country sausage bites wrapped in a light pancake batter, deep fried to perfection , topped with whipped cream, lightly glazed with hot fudge sauce and finished with a cherry on top. Pineapple and strawberry glaze options available. (Smokey John’s BBQ – Cotton Bowl Plaza & Midway)
Fried Praline Perfection - Contest Finalist – Guaranteed to melt in your mouth. Plump coconut and pecan pralines, battered and fried to a rich golden crust. Served warm with powdered sugar. (Shirley London & Sons – Midway near Texas Star)
These and other new offerings can be found here. With items like these, is it any wonder why there’s an obesity problem in the U.S.?
The State Fair of Texas is open daily from Sept. 29 to Oct. 22. General admission is $13.
State Fair of Texas
3921 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75210
Phone: 214-565-9931
Tags: Texas State Fair, Big Tex, fried food
Posted in Eating Out, Food Events | No Comments »
Thursday, September 21st, 2006
Pretty good resource for wine related information here in Dallas. Worth a look. They have updated events going on in Dallas such as wine tasting, classes, celebrations, etc…
http://www.dallaswine.com/
Tags: wine, Dallas, tasting, drinks, fine dining
Posted in Eating Out, Food Events | No Comments »
Friday, September 15th, 2006
You ever wonder how the people who hold the records for eating contests (hot dog contest, philly cheesesteak contest, etc.) are always the skinniest? From the surface, you’d think “bigger” people would be able to eat bigger portions but surprisingly, as records have shown, the ones who eat an absurd portion of a specific food are skinny as a toothpick.
So a restaurant in Clearfield, PA by the name of Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub acclaims to serve the “World’s Largest Burger.” Supposedly, they’ve given a challenge to anyone who can finish their signature 11-pound burger, and if they complete the challenge within the allotted time (3 hours), they get the burger for free along with some other prizes.
First to step up to the challenge - Eric “Badlands” Booker, whom some say to be one of America’s top competitive eaters. In the past he’s eaten 4 pounds of corn beef hash in 118 seconds and 49 glazed donuts in 8 minutes.
It took Eric Badlands THREE times until finally after his third try, he finished the 11-pound burger and even then it took him 7.5 hours to finish it (which was more than the allotted time given). But finishing the burger itself was already a huge accomplishment.
A little whiles later, an 18-year old girl by the name of Kate Stelnick, who weighed 115 lbs and whose friends laughed at her when she said she wanted to attempt the challenge, completed the 11 lb burger within the allotted time with 5 minutes to spare.
The full story here - http://www.foodmarket.com/news/2005011701.html
I guess some things are just unexplainable.
Posted in Food News, Food Events, Humor | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 9th, 2006
The 9th Annual KRLD Restaurant Week is coming up next week (August 14-20) so if you haven’t made your reservations yet you still have time! If you are not familiar with this event, it is a fantastic opportunity to try some of the very best restaurants in the Dallas area at a significantly reduced price, while helping local charities at the same time. You pay $35 for a special 3-course meal prepared by the restaurant, and a portion from each sale is donated to charity (I believe last year the price was $30, but this is still a great deal considering the caliber of restaurants that you get to try).
You can find the list of participating restaurants on KRLD’s website — the link is provided below. For popular restaurants like The Mansion and Abacus, reservations are booked full almost immediately and you’ll be lucky if you manage to get a table. However, some restaurants this year are extending the Restaurant Week offer through August 27 and in some cases September 3. One more new thing this year is the Central Market “4th Course” offer. If you purchase anything at Central Market between now and August 13, you’ll get a certificate for an additional 4th course at participating restaurants.
View the list of restaurants and make your reservation today!
Tags: restaurant week, charity
Posted in Food Events | No Comments »
