Posted Tuesday, Nov. 06, 2012
Restaurant News in November
LITTLE LILLY
ROLLS IN
NO-SUGAR-ADDED APPLE PIE WITH WHOLE-WHEAT CRUST
Makes 8 servings
Crust:
1 1/4 cups organic whole-wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 cups organic all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 1/2 sticks (20 tablespoons or 10 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces about 1/4-inch square (for vegan crust, substitute 10 ounces of shortening, such as organic palm oil shortening)
3-5 tablespoons ice water
Filling:
3 pounds apples, preferably a mix of sweet and tart apples such as Gala and Granny Smith or Golden Delicious, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon organic all-purpose flour
1 egg white
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1. Make the crust. Whisk together the flours and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter, and toss the pieces of butter with the flour until they are coated. Separate any pieces that clump together. Do not work the butter into the dough — leaving the pieces of butter large makes the crust flaky.
2. Sprinkle ice water over the flour and butter mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, lightly mixing until the dough starts to stick together. Work quickly so that the butter doesn’t soften too much. Gather up as much of the dough that will hold together when lightly pressed into a ball and place on a flour-dusted work surface.
3. Add more water to the remaining flour and bits of butter left in the bowl until it comes together. Lightly press into the dough ball on your work table. It should look like a shaggy mess, with bits of butter visible throughout.
4. Divide the dough ball in half and gently press and shape into two disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in refrigerator for at least an hour and up to three days, or place disks in a freezer bag and freeze for up to three months.
5. When ready to assemble pie, remove dough disks from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. This is a good time to begin preparing the apples.
6. Roll out one disk of dough to make a round of about 1/8inch and gently ease the dough into a pie pan. Grimes prefers a clear Pyrex dish so you can see the bottom crust and determine when it’s done by how brown it is. Do not stretch or pull on the dough. Loosely cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the dough to rest.
7. Make the filling. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the apple slices, cinnamon and flour until combined.
8. Beat egg white lightly and brush the inside of the prepared piecrust with it. It should be a light, even coating. Do not let the egg white “pool” in the bottom of the crust. This creates a barrier so that the bottom crust does not get soggy. Refrigerate any remaining egg white to brush on top of your pie.
9. Scoop about half of the prepared apples into the chilled piecrust and spread the apples around in the crust. Add the remaining apples, heaping them slightly in the center, but pressing gently to compact the slices and prevent big gaps in the filling. Break the butter into several smaller pieces and dot the top of the pie with it.
10. Loosely cover the pie with a piece of plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator while you roll out the top crust into a circle about 1/8-inch thick.
11. Remove the pie from the refrigerator and place the second dough round over the apples, trimming any excess dough but leaving a little overhang. Fold the top crust edges over the bottom crust edges, tucking under along the circumference of the pie. This will give a nice, thick edge to work with if you wish the flute or crimp the edges.
12. Place finished pie back in refrigerator and let rest for at least 30 minutes before baking or up to one day. You can wrap the pie well in plastic wrap and slide into a freezer bag and freeze for up to one month ahead (do not thaw before baking; add about 15 to 20 minutes to the bake time).
13. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the pie pan on a cookie sheet to catch any spillover drips. Brush the top of the pie with the remaining egg white, the leftover yolk or a little milk or cream. (This will help brown the crust.) Cut a few vent holes in the top crust with a paring knife.
14. Bake the pie in the center of the oven for about 20 minutes, or until it begins to brown. Rotate the pan, if needed, and lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30-40 more minutes, or until the pie is nicely browned, the juices are bubbling through the vent holes and it smells like apple pie. If at any time it appears the crust is getting too dark but the pie is not done yet, gently cover the top of the pie with a piece of foil.
Meet Little Lilly -- Sushi, that is. Named for the owner's 4-year-old daughter, Little Lilly Sushi has replaced the former Hui Chuan sushi bar location on Camp Bowie Boulevard. Chef Jesus Garcia now is at the helm, having previously earned kitchen cred at Fearing's, Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck, Piranha Killer Sushi and Shinjuku Station. He is already gaining praise for designing unique rolls using interesting ingredients like green grapes, potato strings and Texas golden oyster mushrooms. "Our signature roll list is small, placing emphasis on the quality and uniqueness of each roll," Garcia says. Don't miss the spiced edamame, okonomiyaki (a savory Japanese pancake) or the signature Sayuri roll, which offers garlic-seared albacore tuna over a lump crab California roll and means "Little Lilly" in Japanese. 6100 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth; 817-989-8886.
HEALTHIER HOLIDAY PIE
Thanksgiving ordering for holiday pies and pastries has begun at Artisan Baking Co., and this year, owner and baker Gwin Grimes is perhaps most proud of her no-sugar-added apple pie with whole-wheat crust. The pure sugars already present in Gala and Granny Smith apples are all that's needed for this naturally sweet pie that's spiced with a touch of cinnamon. Spend a leisurely day baking your own using Grimes' recipe or save time by placing your holiday order online. Artisan is also offering rustic apple tarts, classic pumpkin pies, Texas pecan pies, dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls and pumpkin bread. 4900 White Settlement Road, Fort Worth; 817-821-3124; www.artisan-baking-company.com.
CHEERS TO TOTAL WINE & MORE
We propose a toast to Total Wine & More, the country's largest independent retailer of fine wine, spirits and beer, which has opened its first Fort Worth location on Hulen Street. Here's why: The store is thoughtfully designed with features that keep the wine enthusiast in mind. A spacious tasting bar allows customers to sip spirits in an open setting, iPads with food pairing apps help shoppers create menus and a classroom resembling a wine cellar serves as a cozy spot for formal tastings, classes and meetings. The store says it offers a greater selection than any competitor in Fort Worth and wine from nearly every grape-growing region in the world. 5200 S. Hulen St., Fort Worth; 817-292-2503; www.totalwine.com.
MARIPOSA'S SPREADS ITS WINGS
"You can definitely taste the love in our food," says Crystal Padilla, one half of the gorgeous mother-daughter duo who opened Mariposa's Latin Kitchen recently on Locke Avenue. Padilla and her mom, Irma Gamez, first teamed up in 2008 to launch a catering business while seeking a potential storefront to serve Latin dishes. Mariposa means "butterfly" in Spanish, and fittingly, the gals have now spread their wings to serve a small menu of scratch-made enchilada plates, salads, mango ceviche, tacos and tamales. Gamez, a graduate of the Culinary School of Fort Worth, made fresh salsas for church fundraisers before becoming inspired to cook for events. She and Padilla will continue to cater. Mariposa's is open for lunch, dinner and breakfast on Saturdays, when patrons can order chorizo-stuffed corn muffins and huevos rancheros by the stack. Padilla promises you can "visually experience the passion behind our food when you walk into our place." 5724 Locke Ave., Fort Worth; 817-570-9555; www.mariposaslatinkitchen.com.
CHEF POLISHING IRON SPURS
Reata has a strong track record for turning out top chefs who have gone on to create their own successful concepts, so fans are excited to see what Juan Jaramillo will do at his new Iron Spurs Bar & Grill. The Reata veteran, who also owns Eagle Mountain Lake's waterfront restaurant Scampi's Cove, is ready to bring cowboy cooking to Jacksboro Highway in the former Williams Ranch House near the popular El Paseo Mexican Restaurant. "I want to do Southwestern cuisine over here, but at the same time I know I have to work with my menu pricing because those days when people paid $40, $50 or $60 for a steak -- they're gone." So Jaramillo will merge casual dining with Reata-esque ranch-style fancy, offering rib-eye steaks, tenderloin and seafood dishes for mostly around $20 or less. Jaramillo is planning an early November opening. 5532 Jacksboro Highway, Fort Worth.
PATRIZIO'S OSTERIA TOWERS OVER SOUTHLAKE
Patrizio revealed a new look and a new concept with the opening of its stunning two-story, 8,900-square-foot Southlake location, the seventh outlet for the Dallas-based chain but first to be called Patrizio's Osteria. The Italian term refers to a neighborhood restaurant serving a simple menu of dishes made with local produce and components and paired with wine. But popular Patrizio favorites, like the iron skillet mussels and chicken and mushroom lasagna, are still offered, along with a new list of entrees created only with ingredients imported from Italy. Even more, fresh pasta and sauces are prepared daily, the wine menu features more Italian selections, and specialty cigars are for sale for guests to enjoy on two outdoor terraces upstairs. With glamorous decor and spacious seating areas, it's like Vegas' Venetian hotel meets Southlake family-friendly. 1281 E. Texas 114, Southlake; www.patrizios.net.
HOULI-WHO?
Houlihan's, a Kansas-based "hip-casual" dining chain, has been around since 1972, offering eclectic fare and an energetic bar scene even way back then. Today the concept has a fresh look, ambitious menu and a new location in Alliance Town Center that features a different prototype and food items that won't be found at other DFW-area locales. Offerings run the gamut from flatbreads and steamed ginger-pork pot stickers to burgers and Georges Bank scallops with lemon-asparagus risotto. Managing partner Kevin Hillsbery says everything is made from scratch in-house. Touting both a family-friendly atmosphere and hoppin' happy-hour scene, Houlihan's might become our new Alliance shopping trip pit stop. 9365 Rain Lily Trail, Fort Worth; 817-750-2190; www.houlihans.com.
CHEFS' ROAST AT BASS HALL
The story goes that Eric Ripert, the French chef best known for New York's highly respected Le Bernardin, contacted Anthony Bourdain after reading Bourdain's revealing, rowdy 2000 book Kitchen Confidential. Ripert invited Bourdain to have lunch at Le Bernardin, which, Bourdain said in an interview in Hamptons magazine, he never could have afforded on his own. The book was doing well, but Bourdain hadn't reached the level of TV personality he would later attain as host of Travel Channel's No Reservations, and the Le Bernardin meal left him close to tears because he realized how much he hadn't fulfilled his own potential as a chef. Bourdain, known for his sarcastic and funny personality (but also for being easily softened by a great plate of food), and the sweeter-natured Ripert became longtime friends, and you can get a look at that friendship when the two chefs come to Fort Worth with "Good vs. Evil: An Evening With Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert," in which the friends roast each other (in the comedic sense of "roast"), tell culinary tales and take audience questions. The show is 8 p.m. Nov. 9 at Bass Hall. Tickets: $44-$77. 817-212-4280; www.basshall.com.
SOUTHERN BREEZE TO GO
Southern Breeze Market Cafe chefs Melody and Daniel Fitzgerald are keeping quite busy in Keller, serving as hosts to many a shower, private party and ladies' lunch group in their cozy cafe that shares a taste of Southern comfort. Now the husband-and-wife duo has made the "market" in the restaurant's moniker official. A small shop of food items and gifts is open inside the eatery, selling ground coffee by the pound, cake stands, dip mixes, organic Texas olive oil and more. We were enamored of Lilly's Gourmet Maple Butter, a product from Wake Forest, N.C., very near where the Fitzgeralds once lived. A sweet topping for pancakes, toast and ice cream, the butter is sold by the 8-ounce jar ($8.95) and is not found anywhere else in the area, Melody says. A refrigerated case with grab-and-go sandwiches and sweets is next for the market and cafe with Low Country flair. 138 Olive St., Keller; 817-337-5177; www.southernbreezemarketcafe.com.
NOTEBOOK
Lee's Grilled Cheese food truck has been busy keeping up with the demand at the Fort Worth Food Park; now it's moving farther north to satisfy palates in Keller and Watauga. Lee's is opening a storefront in far north Fort Worth with a grand opening tentatively set for Dec. 15. The brick-and-mortar restaurant will offer the truck's same grilled cheese options, including gouda, Havarti and three-pepper, along with its long list of add-ons like pulled pork, avocado, spinach and roasted garlic. And for the ultimate indulgence, go for the grilled mac and cheese, either solo or decadently stuffed within a grilled cheese sandwich. 5040 North Tarrant Parkway, Fort Worth; www.leesgrilledcheese.com
Reservoir Bar, Patio & Kitchen will bring Dallas chef Chad Burnett, formerly of Nana and Soho Food and Jazz, to Fort Worth to create comfort cuisine with a bar twist. The patio-driven, modern industrial space, expected to open this month, will serve lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch with a menu of wood-fired brick-oven pizzas, ribs, chicken-fried dishes and more. 1001 Foch St., www.bar-reservoir.com.
Grace will host a "School Yard Harvest Dinner" on Nov. 9 featuring a menu using vegetables grown by children from four elementary schools in Fort Worth as part of the Real School Gardens program. Chef Blaine Staniford and Grace owners Adam and Caroline Jones paid a visit to some of the participating schools in October to tour the students' gardens and host cooking demonstrations. A group of students, parents and teachers from each school will attend the ticketed event. $150, 6:30 p.m. ($60 of the ticket price will benefit Real School Gardens.) 777 Main St.; 817-877-3388; www.gracefortworth.com.
At the Fort Worth Greek Festival, it's impossible to try every authentic dish in one trip, so plan for at least two. The annual event is celebrating 45 years this year and offers three days of performances, live music and Greek cuisine, like skewered pork tenderloin, lemon-baked chicken, dolmas, gyros and flaming Greek cheese, prepared with love by the families of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church. Admission is free, and food and drinks are purchased with tokens, sold for $1 each. Nov. 9-11, 2020 N.W. 21st St.; 817-626-5578; www.fortworthgreekfestival.com.
Daddy Jack's New England Lobster & Chowder House will open its third location this month in Southlake Town Square. The seafood destination is known for its ample portions and addictive lobster bisque. The restaurant is anticipating a late November opening. 355 N. Carroll Ave., Southlake; www.daddyjacks.org.
Social media billed FT33 as one of the most anticipated restaurant openings in Dallas this year, thanks to Matt McCallister's reputation as former executive chef at Stephan Pyles and as founder of Chefs for Farmers, a local nonprofit that encourages chefs to source locally. Visit for a menu that is based solely on seasonal offerings and you might spot Ryan Tedder, who also once worked for Pyles and is the former beverage director at Grace in Fort Worth. He's FT33's general manager and sommelier and was named Texas' best sommelier at the eighth annual TexSom event this summer. Pastry chef Joshua Valentine, who is competing on Top Chef: Seattle, helps round out FT33's kitchen lineup. 1617 Hi Line Drive, Suite 250, Dallas; 214-741-2629; www.ft33dallas.com.
John Tesar's buzzed-about Spoon Bar & Kitchen is expected to open this month, coinciding with Tesar's appearance as a chef-testant on Top Chef: Seattle. The Preston Center restaurant's menu is heavy on seafood offerings, including monkfish osso bucco, Arctic char and even Gulf drum fish. 8220 Westchester Drive, Suite B., Dallas; 855-947-7666; www.spoonbarandkitchen.com.
Craft+Cocktails, a winter tasting event, will take place at Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co. on Dec. 9, featuring a tasting menu from chef Lanny Lancarte and complimentary craft cocktails from four of Fort Worth's most distinguished bartenders, as well as Rahr & Sons beer and Times Ten Cellars. Tickets, which include food and entertainment, are $75 each. 901 W. Vickery Blvd.; www.texastoastculinarytours.com.
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