SHOPPING

You know those cheap heart-shaped, bright red plastic wrapped box o' chocolates you see lined on the shelves of drug stores?

Yeah, don't get those. Splurge for your loved one on something a tad bit more decadent, like Godiva Chocolatier's 18-piece Mousse Chocolate Collection for $36!

Find the limited-edition gooey treats at the Godiva boutique at NorthPark or Galleria.

Mama Duni says "Where there is cake there is love," but for Valentine's Day she is putting the love on a different confection, cookies.

Dunia Borgia (Mama), pastry chef extraordinaire of La Duni Latin Café and Aló is baking batches of the heart-shaped bites and finishing each one with those three romantic words: "I Love You." You get to choose the language of your love: Spanish, French, Italian or Portuguese.

Pick some up for your sweetheart and show yourself a little love, too (just don't tell your trainer). "I Love You" cookies are individually packaged and $4.75 each!

Special orders are available. Cookies are sold at La Duni Latin Kitchen and Baking Studio, 4264 Oak Lawn Avenue (214.520.6888); La Duni Latin Café, 4620 McKinney Ave (214-520-7300); and Aló, 4447 Central Expressway (214-520-9711).

Lauren Romo

These Warhol melamine appetizer plates will make any dining table GLOW! Images are courtesy of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

Find them at cb2.com for $3.95 for the Marilyn plate and $1.95 for the lip plate.

What in the heck are these and why should you try one?

Photo by Eric Blackman

Here's an update on the coming Screen Door restaurant at One Arts Plaza. I chatted with former Landmark Restaurant chef Joel Harloff today and he confirmed that he is no longer associated with the eatery. Harloff had previously been serving as exec chef for the project from Cafe Italia founder Scott Jones.

What's next? The chef is consulting with Barry Tate, owner of The Londoner in Addison and McKinney, to open up an Uptown outpost of the popular English pub haunts two doors down from TABC (Thomas Avenue Beverage Co.).

"We're taking the menu concept that Barry has made so successful and Uptowning it," says Harloff. That translates into more upscale appetizers such as mussels, but the chef assures us that the traditional pub favorites such as shepherd's pie will remain on the menu.

Harloff also hints that a Frisco location is in the works. We'll keep you posted.

Photo by Nan Coulter

Okay, I've been on vacation, so I'm a bit behind on my gossip, but D's Nancy Nichols reports that Pegasus News' Teresa Gubbins reports (I know, it's like high school all over again) that hot dish Nick Badovinus has left the building. Specifically, Consilient Restaurants' building, where Badovinus and company founder Tristan Simon dreamed up such foodie hits as Hibiscus, Fireside Pies and The Porch.

What's next for bad boy Badovinus? We'll keep you posted.

Photo by Courtney Perry.

Our prestigious wine panel of chefs, sommeliers and members of our Taste staff met and sampled a slew of yummy sparking wines.

Click here to see their list of 8 great finds!

Drink responsibly readers -- I know I will!

Happy 2008!

(Photo: Carter Rose/Special Contributor)

Dallas dining went to extremes this year. From glitzy Vegas and New York transplants (N9NE, Nove, BLT Steak, Charlie Palmer), to a former Dairy Queen-turned-boutique eatery (Kavala), it was all enough to keep foodies' plates spinning. Here, a look at some of the year's major trends and players.

What were your favorite hot-spots this year?

Photo: BLT Steak

Tre Wilcox, who became a hot dish this year as a Top Chef contestant, is leaving his position as chef de cuisine at Abacus.

Read more from DMN's restaurant critic Bill Addison.

Wilcox's reps say he will continue to serve throughout the holidays while eatery owner Kent Rathbun continues his role at Abacus as executive chef.

Photos: Tre Wilcox shot (left) by Nathan Hunsinger/DMN and (right) by Evans Caglage/DMN

It’s the holidays and we’re all feeling a little over-stuffed and wired-to-boot from grandma’s smorgasbord of desserts. Have a sigh of relief all you caffeine junkies and barista groupies because Starbucks is now offering a healthier version of one their “holiday drink trio” staples – the sugar-free Gingerbread Latte. Reminiscent of its low-cal predecessor and last year’s obsession, the sugar-free Cinnamon Dolce Latte, the drink is only 90 calories and virtually guilt-free (for a tall, non-fat, sugar-free, no whip customization, of course). At a whopping 350 calories for a tall, non-fat, no whip Eggnog Latte and 210 calories for a tall, non-fat, no whip Peppermint Mocha, these other two trio components are looking a little on the heavy side. In my opinion, I would save the eggnog craving for spiked versions at your neighbors’ holiday parties. However, if you are looking to indulge, the sugar-free Gingerbread Latte pairs well with the delicious Cranberry Bliss Bar and the Holiday Gingerbread.

Also on a lighter note, Starbucks now offers sugar-free caramel syrup, which can be added to any of your favorite pick-me-ups. So next time you’re feeling guilty for forgetting to hit the gym, check out these tasty, waistline-friendly options!

Jessica Roska

So, of course, I end up having to make a pumpkin pie run today ... the day before Thanksgiving ... the last day I want to find myself standing in a grocery store.

But I have to give it up for Whole Foods Market at Lomo Alto and Lemmon. It was crowded, I mean really crowded, but the store had special valet parking, free hot apple cider and was, gasp, well-staffed (I didn't even have to wait in line to check out). I know, crazy.

Way to be all like that, Whole Foods.

I know it's early to think about drinking (at least for some of you) but here's something to consider for tonight's plans.

On Mondays from 4 p.m to 7 p.m. all tastings are two-ounces for the price of one for Cork's Pour Me More happy hour. Have you tried out Cork yet? If you haven't, you really need to get over there a-sap. They have a terrific back room perfect for gathering your pals for a wine-swilling evening and the wine debit card system is actually a lot of fun.

photo by Sam Granado/DMN staff

Dallas-area fans of British cookbook author and TV personality Nigella Lawson (left) will have a chance to meet her on Thursday evening.

Nigella will be in town for a couple of private events, but she's also doing a public book-signing at Sur La Table, 4527 Travis Street in Dallas, from 6 to 8 p.m. Nigella's new book is Nigella Express: 130 Recipes for Good Food, Fast (Hyperion, $35).

Joyce Harris

Thanks to Best Week Ever for pointing out the shocking *shocking!* Glamour headline "Eat: How to do it and still zip your jeans up Jan. 1". (Is this considered a how-to feature?)

Yey! I love eating! I'm sooooo glad it's back in!

The weather was so gorgeous this weekend that we made a road trip to Waxahachie and its famed haunted Catfish Plantation.

This gingerbread charmer was in full Halloween swing with festive orange lights, spooky spirit decor and plenty of creepy sound effects (visit the "haunted" restrooms at your own risk). The crowd lined up on the patio to get in was loving every minute of it. The food was delicious and, of course, far from low-cal: hand-dipped buttermilk-battered onion rings and fried pickles, fresh catfish rolled in crumbly cornmeal and fried golden brown, bountiful salads, and home-style veggies such as okra and tomatoes.

You may have heard that the haunted eatery was recently posted for sale on eBay by its longtime owners, Tom and Melissa Baker. Well, I can report that its new owners are brothers Ryan Rodriguez and Jim Ensinia. Jim worked at the eatery growing up and both brothers clearly still have a passion for the place. Rodriguez says future plans include a new awning to cover the front porch and extend the eatery's outdoor dining options.

Catfish Plantation, 814 Water St., Waxahachie, 972-937-9468.

Photo: Melanie Burford/DMN

Keeping up with Dean Fearing's national magazine exposure has become a full-time job lately.

First, we broke the news last week that Fearing's debut Ritz eatery was named "Best New Restaurant of the Year" by Esquire.

Now, D's Sarah Eveans brings us this item on Frontburner that Food and Wine is having a very Dean Fearing Thanksgiving in their Nov. issue. (I'll confess my copy is still sitting wrapped in plastic on my desk).

I'm seriously contemplating trying that Tortilla-Corn Bread Dressing this year.

Photo: Fearing celebrates his new status as national media darling. Okay, kidding. This was shot during the Bon Appetit-Ritz Carlton weekend by Cheryl Diaz Meyer.

Editor Tracy Hayes chatted with Chandler Burr --- the first-ever perfume critic for The New York Times --- for the October issue of F!D luxe.

Burr has partnered with Dallas-based Rosewood Hotels & Resorts (as in the newly renamed Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek) to host a series of "scent dinners," five-course meals inspired by the notes found in different perfumes – with commentary by the connoisseur himself.

I loved this tid-bit from Burr: "The idea of food plus perfume freaks people out; they think they're going to be eating Chanel No. 5."

Read about what happens when perfumes and gourmet dishes collide.

DMN business reporter Suzanne Marta reports that the Mansion on Turtle Creek has changed its name. Read her brief: It's now the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. Then, tell us: What do you think of the name change? How does this compare to the dress code change?

Shannon Sutlief

Photo: Rendering of the Mansion's redecorated dining room

Next week promises to be a full-scale centennial gala celebration for Neiman Marcus, especially at the flagship store in downtown Dallas. And NM devotees and fans of the famed Zodiac restaurant won't want to miss their chance to have The Store's centennial cookbook, Neiman Marcus Taste (Clarkson Potter, $45), signed by NM executive chef Kevin Garvin.

As VP of corporate food services, Kevin has done a complete update of the 2003 Neiman Marcus Cookbook -- which, like the new one, was co-written by John Harrisson. There are mainstays such as the beloved NM popover, classics from foodie icon Helen Corbitt, new entries from NM corporate chef Anita Hirsch, and plenty of new or adapted dishes from Kevin himself, including some of his family's favorite recipes.

Kevin will be signing Neiman Marcus Taste next weekend, on Saturday, Oct. 13, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 14, noon to 3 p.m. Both signings will take place on the Main Floor of the downtown store, and the Zodiac also will be open on Sunday from noon to 3 p.m.

Joyce Harris

Yep, it's true.

I ran into Dean Fearing just hours after he received a faxed advance copy of the piece and I can only describe his mood one way: controlled-giddy.

And who can blame him?

The article is a glowing review. Esquire gives Fearing snaps for everything from his barbecued-shrimp tacos to his custom-made Lucchese cowboy boots. He is cited as "one of America's greatest chefs for twenty years."

My favorite item from the piece was a tid-bit filed as "things we overheard" at Fearing's. One woman is reported telling her companion that they put $6 million into the restaurant. Her friend replies: "Is that a lot?"

Read the full article in the Nov. issue of Esquire.

Photo (C. Wynn): Fearing's dining room

Today and tomorrow only, Sprinkles is bringing fans together with two special cupcakes: Longhorn Vanilla (vanilla cake, vanilla butter cream frosting and an orange Longhorn decoration) and Big Red Velvet (red velvet cake, cream cheese frosting, and red modern dot).

Total proceeds from the sale of the spirit cakes will be donated to the Children’s Medical Center Dallas and Children’s Medical Research Institute at the OU Health Sciences Center, respectively.

Drop by today and you can participate in Sprinkles’ Most Spirited Fan Contest. Get your outfit and face-paint ready. Sprinkles-obsessed Victoria Snee, also known as the CW33 and Mix 102.9 fashion reporter, will be at Preston Plaza at 1 PM sharp to name the Most Spirited Fan.

One winner will be chosen from each team. Victors will receive two tickets for the game.

Sprinkles Texas-OU cupcakes, $3.25 each or $36 for a dozen

Sprinkles Cupcakes, 4020 Villanova Dr., 214-369-0004

Yes foodies, it's hands across Dallas today as Shinsei exec chef Casey Thompson comes home. That dried out serving of crisped pork belly proved an unfortunate metaphor.

I'll have more on this later today, but in the meantime, check out Bill Addison's take on the conclusion of Top Chef.

What do you think? Did the judges make the right decision?

Photo: Casey Thompson in happier times.

We had dinner this weekend at Doug Brown's (above) long awaited Cliff Cafe at the Belmont Hotel. (Locals have already dubbed it "the Cliff".)

It was the food equivalent of being nestled in mother's arms. A skillet of hot mac and cheese was a stringy delight with homemade cheese sauce, fresh basil and tomatoes. The chicken fried steak (top left) was piled high with grilled vegetables and a hearty homemade gravy. Other must-haves include the steaming Bourbon pecan pie topped with melting vanilla ice cream and the Belmontini cocktail.

Embrace the carbs. I did.

So, here's the latest on the roster of new eateries coming to chic One Arts Plaza downtown.

Austin-based Jorge's will open a Mexican food restaurant on the far east side.

Turning left and looking around the ground-floor circle drive in our minds, we'll also have Screen Door upscale comfort food, Tei An for soba noodles, Praeda nightclub and lounge and Dali Wine Cellar.

Look for late November, early December openings pending construction.

Rockin' photo by Courtney Perry

So the first person I run into last night is Dallas chef royalty Stephan Pyles (left) looking tan and fit. (Clearly, life is good these days betweens his hot namesake restaurant around the corner and a slew of high-profile consulting gigs).

Pyles told me he would not be opening a restaurant inside Museum Tower since it is a private building, but as its official "Culinary Ambassador" he will be overseeing a fresh market on premesis and the development of an on-site pantry stocked with upscale prepackaged meals. (Now that's our kind of take -out).

Another Museum Tower perk is that Pyles will help residents design their perfect dream kitchen.

What would this chef's own dream set-up be? "I would start by knocking-down three bedrooms to free up more space," he jokes. Or is he? And, of course, "the stove has to be gas."

Dallas' first champagne boutique pops the cork.

Photo by Courtney Perry: Left to right, Katherine Klein, Lauren DeVries, Marie Larue and Jamie Merendino celebrate Klein's and Larue's recent engagements at Brut.

Seems there's some confusion surrounding a recent Starbucks that went in over at Mockingbird and 183.

Yes, this Starbucks has a drive-thru. No, it's not the one in back of the building with the vacuum tubes. That belongs to nearby Regions Bank. Hey, I agree it looks confusing.

Starbucks, 1103 Mockingbird Lane, 214-920-9530, www.starbucks.com

I honestly don't know when/how cupcakes became the dessert of the moment (it troubles me mostly because, um, why didn't I think of that? Seriously, it probably costs five cents to make those suckers and they're charging us $5.) but they are and until somone out there can find a way to make bananas flambe portable, cupcakes here to stay. So it's no wonder Sprinkles in Preston Center is offering two signature spirit cupcakes for two days only, October 5th and 6th: Longhorn Vanilla and Big Red Velvet.

Total proceeds from the sale of both types of cupcakes will be donated to Children’s Medical Center Dallas and Children’s Medical Research Institute at the OU Health Sciences Center, respectively. So see? You're stuffing your face for a good cause!

Talk about an introduction. Here's the first sight that greeted guests at last night's preview party for The Club inside the old Draelion space at The Centrum building.

Dallas restaurateur Robert Colombo (still riding high on his latest success with Trece on Travis St.) rolled out his sleek version of a "supper club" in old Hollywood style. A red carpet led to the mahogany front doors. Inside, even hair-straightening humidity couldn't dampen guests' spirits (not to mention the Ralph Lauren-chic decor).

The Club opens to the public Sept. 4 at 3102 Oak Lawn Ave., 214-526-3100

L to R: Beau Ferchill, Capera Ryan, Gable and Ed Shaikh

So, amidst the chaos last night, I had a chance to catch up with Gene Street (III Forks, founder of Black-Eyed Pea, etc., etc.). The famed eats guru says he's been busy with a steakhouse in Maui and also "working a deal" on something else, but keeping it on the down-low for now.

As for his spare time, Gene admits he's still not too old for some "light sinning."

You go, Gene.

L to R: Restaurateur Gene Street, Justice Molly Francis and stylemaker Eric Kimmel.

In more debut eatery news, Strong's Everyday Tavern offered a sneak peek yesterday of it's new digs in the former Standard space on Fairmount St.

The concept is comfort food (think BBQ ribs) served in an upscale setting that eschews pretension. This is the latest concept from Chili's, Tia's and Red's Patio Grill founder Larry Lavine (along with biz partners Michael Share and Ben Mizell).

The team already has plans for additional Strong's locales in Grapevine and Fort Worth.

More to come.

Meet: Daniel Nanasi

What is he doing?: We caught Daniel showing off a selection of boxed lunch goodies from Mobile Gourmet, based in Expo Park

What's with that carpet? He was making a delivery at the animal-print-riffic Stanley Korshak home & gift boutique.

Feeling nibbly, but lazy? Get lunch to go: Mobile Gourmet, 214-876-4401

Time for another addition of Virtual Shopper, where we do the legwork and you do the shopping from the comforts of your home or office.

At White Elephant Antiques Warehouse on Industrial (a fave haunt by local decorators and interior stylists), you never know what you're going to find.

Proof lies in this "Hippo trash container", believed to be salvaged from Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington. Send a clear message (with a wink!) to the messy ones in your family for just $325.

White Elephant Antiques, 1026 N Industrial Blvd, 214-871-7966

Long-time Fort Worth vegetarian favorite Spiral Diner (known for its "Vegans get plenty" company tagline) is adding a second location in Dallas late this fall. The new locale is 1101 N. Beckley in Oak Cliff and the crew is busy renovating as we speak.

And hey, if you're looking for an eco-friendly gig, the Spiral team is now accepting applications for employment. Email sara@spiraldiner.com.

Sorry, no word on if staff eats for free.

Photo by Ricky Moon: The Spiral Veggie Burger with lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, vegan mayo, ketchup and mustard on an organic bun.

A small army of valet attendants swarmed my vehicle as I arrived last night for the debut of The Ritz-Carlton Dallas and (what some say is the real star attraction here) Fearing's Restaurant.

While there was still some finish work going on, most of the eatery was polished up and ready to go. And the results are, frankly, stunning.

See for yourself above.

Nobody knows how to motivate a staff like Dean Fearing. The only thing missing was the Rocky theme last night as he whipped his new team into a culinary frenzy moments before debut dinner service.

Want to get a table? You'll have to wait, the restaurant is already booked up through next week.

Here's a quick snapshot of Dean's "eat-in kitchen" at The Ritz-Carlton Dallas.

Let's just collectively take a moment to fantasize about having a kitchen set-up like this of our own at home.

Okay, I'm depressed now.

Joyce Saenz Harris gives a sneak of the bar bounty to be had at Fearing's, opening today in the Ritz-Carlton: the Parker County Peach Smash (with Maker's Mark and spearmint), the Hill Country Highball, the Pineapple Ginger Mojito, the Sparkling Sangria and more.

Read about mixologist Justin Beam and more drinks at Fearing's on the Eats blog.

Kavala, the little eatery that could, has made the F!D luxe annual hot list:

Only the capable hands of former Hattie's chef Kelly Hightower could transform an old Oak Cliff Dairy Queen into the most-talked about new boutique eatery in town. The humble location has evolved over the years from a West Davis DQ, to a locksmith shop, to the fish-fry joint Starfish, to its current (and we hope, lasting) identity as Hightower's Greek cuisine nosh-spot. It's amazing what floor-to-ceiling curtains, mood lighting and a bowl of Greek Island Fish Stew (left) can do to elevate a place.

1417 W. Davis St., 214-942-8100

Sunday, Aug. 26 will be the final brunch served at Ciudad before the eatery shuts its doors in the name of real estate redevelopment. Bummer.

Ciudad, 3888 Oak Lawn, 214-219-3141

Photo: Executive Chef Michael West in happier days at Ciudad

Among the luxe touches in the Rattlesnake Bar at Fearing's restaurant in the Ritz-Carlton -- opening Aug. 15, mark your calendar -- are stitched panels of leather on the walls and ceiling, and chandeliers chaped like horns but made of massed pieces of Italian glass.

Joyce Harris tells more about Fearing's on the Eats blog. There's even a video.

How does Kenichi Dallas owner Billy Rieger (top left) explain the bar's custom chandelier of luminous fiber-optic tentacles? Turns out he wanted to "replicate a glowing squid" that he saw at age 10 while diving off the Great Barrier Reef with his father and Jacques Cousteau.

Oh yeah, I can see that now.

CLICK HERE for the full scoop.

Photos by Courtney Perry

Times Ten Cellars in Lakewood marks its second birthday tonight and plans to celebrate the old fashioned way: with hors d'oeuvres, desserts and wine specials.

Stop by from 5 to 9 p.m. and get half-price wine by the glass as well as select wines by the bottle at just $8 (take-home only).

Really love the vino lifestyle? The grape boutique is looking for volunteers to join them at their vineyard in Alpine, TX to help harvest during the first two weeks of September. How you spend your off hours there is up to you.

'Nuff said.

Photo by Courtney Perry: Times Ten owners (L to R) ...Rob Wilson , Chris Lawler, and Kert Platner.

What stylish new Dallas eatery boasts a ladies room with a peep-hole for monitoring the scene at the downstairs lounge?

CLICK HERE to find out.

Disclaimer: this photo was shot through the peep-hole by MS. Courtney Perry

Foodies, mark your calendar: Aug. 15 is the opening date for both the Ritz-Carlton and Fearing's, the new venue for superchef Dean Fearing (right).

But wait, there's more. Dean and his band, the Barb Wires, have a CD coming out on Sept. 1: Bliss and Blisters (Sony).

Read all about it over on Eats.

Photo by Nathan Schroder

Drink fast. Starbucks is raising prices (again) on July 31 according to this. Look for prices to jump at most of its stores by 9 cents.

First gasoline, now caffeine. Oh, the price of fuel these days.

Chef Nobu Matsuhisa (left) has a new cookbook, Nobu West. He'll sign copies of the new book -- at where else -- Nobu at Hotel Crescent on Friday, Aug. 3.

The book signing is just one part of an evening that will feature a reception at 6 p.m. (with complimentary appetizers and cocktails), followed by the signing and dinner (Omakase tasting menu, $95). Call (214) 252-7000 for reservations.

Tracy Brown

Photo: Nobu inside his Dallas restaurant, shot by Courtney Perry

It’s about time someone realize that gum is a girl’s steadfast purse accessory! 5, Wrigley’s newest stick gum, is sleek, chic and is the perfect size for your smallest clutches or evening bags. I’m sticking to the classic peppermint flavor, Cobalt, but the gum is also available in Rain (spearmint) and Flare (cinnamon). Be careful, though. When taken on the streets, I noticed moochers abound and I was left with only a couple of sticks of the new mint sensation for myself.

Jillian Switzer

Alcohol has never looked so pretty. The world’s first sparkling vodka liqueur, Nuvo L’esprit de Paris speaks directly to the female market. In a sexy glass bottle that looks more like a designer perfume than a cocktail, this pink potion is as feminine and classy as champagne while staying as trendy and chic as a spirit. For a taste of summer, enjoy the touches of raspberry and passion fruit in a champagne flute or as a sparkling Cosmo in a martini glass.

We’ll take ours on the rocks. Available online for $30 at nuvoforher.com.

Jillian Switzer

(Photo: Sam Granado/Special Contributor)

Today, for your viewing pleasure, we have chef Richard Chamberlain of Chamberlain's Steak and Chop House showing all you need to know about how to make the perfect steak. (Short of making a reservation at Chamberlain's, of course.)

Click here to see him choose and season the steaks.

Click here to see him grill the steaks.

Click here to find out how to finish the steaks over indirect heat and how to tell when they're done.

Dave Navarro -- rocker, TV personality and former Mr.Carmen Electra -- celebrated his birthday right her in Big D on Friday night. He partied hard (relatively speaking, we hear this bad boy was drinking only diet Cokes all night) at Sushi Samba at Galleria Dallas and brought along pal Ashleigh Holland (right).

The highlight of the evening? One of Samba's chefs designed this rockin' guitar cake for Dave. Hey, no strings attached.

More about Sushi Samba HERE

Read more about Sushi Samba Dallas' owner and his lavish wedding HERE.

Okay, we're done now.

See, not everything sold in Park Cities is pricey!

We spied these Versace-esque print melamine platters and bowls by Bongenre at Snider Plaza home decor hot spot, At My Table.

Store owner Charlotte Browning tells us, "It's a chic way to set the scene for the outdoors."

They range from only $5.50 for bowls to $11 for plates. Hurry though, she says they've put out their last batche for sale and they're flying out the door!

Painfully long lines, dry and overly sweet offerings and "relentless" too-cheerful employees?

DMN's dining critic Bill Addison gives a less than stellar review of newly-opened Sprinkles cupcakes -- leading him to ponder, "Wherefore art thou, my dreamy cupcake?"

He says, "The dry cake of the vanilla version failed to resonate with any richness. Its cloying frosting made me wince." OUCH!

Click here to read the review.

Readers, have you tried Sprinkles? What do you think???

A toast to local chefs Tre Wilcox (above) of Abacus and Ms. Casey Thompson of Shinsei who will be starting their own food fight on Bravo's third season of Top Chef starting next week.

Get your TV dinners (gasp) ready for the series debut on Wed., June 13 at 9 p.m, then prepare to dish.

Wow readers! I love it when you all get passionate and stuff...I guess my "journalistic intergrity" is being called into question regarding my BLOG about Noka Chocolates.

Click HERE to read an article from our business writer, Karen Robinson-Jacobs, concerning the controversy surrounding Noka Chocolates.

In addition CLICK HERE to see exclusive video from our web team who went to Noka's Plano facility earlier this year to interview the founders and capture the gooey chocolates and truffles being made.

Are they expensive? Yes. Very. Are they the best chocolates I've personally ever tasted in my life? Fo' sure...

Happy Memorial Day!

Noka Chocolate may have stores in exotic locales such as Tokyo, Moscow and Hawaii, but the gourmet chocolatier's delicate creations are handcrafted in our own backyard at a Plano facility.

The company's newest retail location at Victory Park, next to the W Hotel, may not be so far away, but it still carries the stylish sweets for which Noka is known around the world: pure, rare single-estate dark chocolates made with fresh organic cream. The company is also known for being keen on good design with its sexy packaging (stainless-steel and black boxes) and sultry, yet sleek, store interiors.

Truffles anyone?

Noka Chocolate, 2422 Victory Park Lane, 214-740-9995

What makes a martini worth $1,000?

Serving it with a very special twist -- especially if it's a glittering diamond bracelet.

In support of the national charity Share Our Strength, an organization that fights childhood hunger, The Capital Grille is mixing a special fruity Lone Star martini made of Ciroc vodka, crème de mure, fresh berries and garnished with a citrine and diamond caviar 18K gold rope bracelet designed by Steven Lagos (a source tells us the bracelet retails in stores for about $1,000).

$500 from the sale of each martini is donated to the charity.

A truly elegant way to support a worthy cause.

The restaurant has already sold 12 and you can buy one from now until the end of June.

The Capital Grille, 500 Crescent Court, 214-303-0500

If you have to rank the hottest toys from the '80s, this one's definitely up there. I long for the days when a simple toy like a shaved ice "sno-cone" machine could bring hours of entertainment.

Click here to find this kitschy Snoopy sno-cone machine at hip e-tailer FredFlare.com for $22! It also comes with syrup bottle, unsweetened drink mix, paper cups and shovel scoop.

Adults can add vodka for an even better treat!

Former Melrose Hotel exec chef Joel Harloff (above) has been named exec chef of the new Screen Door restaurant coming to One Arts Plaza late Oct. or early Nov.

The new eatery is the brainchild of Dallas restaurateur Scott Jones, known for his longtime Tex-Italian eatery Cafe Italia on Lovers Lane. Look for a second Italia to open in the Bishop Arts District late this summer.

What else has Jones done besides feeding us all in style these many years? He and his partner were executive producers on the campy cult film Sordid Lives with Delta Burke and Olivia Newton-John.

Buy it HERE.

Last night's party for Sushi Samba at Galleria Dallas was a sensory explosion: live drummers (hmm, reminds me of another recent party), flowing cocktails and a bronzed, buffed crowd pressed wall-to-wall made this one of the more deliciously hedonistic restaurant openings I've attended.

Oh yeah, and the food was good, too. This is the sixth location for the hip Japanese, Peruvian and Brazilian-inspired eatery made infamous on Sex and the City.

Now it's your turn.

Sushi Samba, Galleria Dallas, 13430 Dallas Parkway, 214-866-0214, www.sushisamba.com

Oops, too late.

I debated on whether or not to post this moment from last night's Sushi Samba party, but she seems so happy, and, frankly, life's short. So here it is.

Don't like seafood? Bored with cocktail chatter? Well, the crew at Sushi Samba wanted to be sure you still had a night to remember.

I never did find out who this authentic dance troupe was, so if you know, email me. In the meantime, we have a shot of the whole group after the jump.

» Continue reading: Don't look at this if you blush easily ...

I caught up with Sushi Samba owner Matthew Johnson (left) and his wife Tricia Johnson (right) at last night's Dallas debut.

Quick aside, read about the couple's fab wedding in the New York Post.

Johnson says he's thrilled with how the restaurant turned out and confides that his team passed up both Victory Park and The Shops at Legacy in Plano to be "in the center of everything" at Galleria Dallas.

He says to look for Sushi Samba Vegas in December.

Fireside Pies, Hibiscus, Cubra Libre ... Consilient Restaurants founder Tristan Simon (above) expanded his Henderson Ave. empire last night with a private launch for The Porch.

Simon told me that it is an "American version of a Parisian brasserie"--- with an emphasis on down-home-chic cooking.

We're just glad it's finally here. The Porch has been 15 months in the works after a whole series of zoning and logistical issues with its former Barley House locale that caused Simon at one point to dub it his "own private Iraq".

Well kids, if last night was any indicator, the effort was worth it. The BBQ slider sandwich was a tasty, messy delight, requiring no less than three vintage dish towel napkins, and the chilled blueberry martini, made with crushed, fresh fruit, left me resuscitated and pleasantly sociable.

But hey, find out for yourself. The Porch opens to the public Thursday night.

The Porch, 2912 N Henderson Ave. (across from Hibiscus), 214-828-2916

Photo: Tristan Simon at The Porch last night, shot by Courtney Perry

The former Standard Restaurant space beside Goss Gallery on Fairmount St. is getting a complete makeover right now. Look for the new casual-chic eatery, Strong's Everyday Tavern, to debut here mid-summer.

Photo: Strong's project manager Ben along with "corporate dog" Pepper shows off one of the prospective new tiles for the space.

What price Slurpee® indeed. Even the affluent movers and shakers in the city's tony arts district appreciate an icy Big Gulp® on a warm Texas day.

Check out this chi-chi 7-Eleven locale inside the stunning new One Arts Plaza complex. (I promise this is my last post on 1AP today). The convenience chain has recently moved its corporate headquarters here.

Hmm, are employees entitled to free Big Bites®?

Small Texas towns and Dairy Queen just flat go together.

Find literary proof in Larry McMurtry's Texasville (where his lead characters congregate at the local DQ like today's cyber kids camp out at Starbucks).

Anyway, we stumbled across a DQ while out and about and I had to have one of those famed curly-topped cones. I even refrained from licking it long enough to snap this photo. Yes, disturbing.

Find a high-fat, high-carb cone near you at www.dairyqueen.com.

Murray Street Coffee Shop at the polite end of Deep Ellum has long been my favorite source for a java jolt. Team F!D has also hatched many a stylish scheme here in the shop's loft lounge.

Well, now there's even more reason to drop in. Murray Street has added fresh sandwich plates and even hummus for lunch. At night, decompress after a hard day in the trenches with drinks from the new wine menu or imported beers such as Hoegaarden and Stella Artois.

I'll be the guy in the corner with the laptop and glassy eyes.

3100 Main Street at Murray in Deep Ellum, 214-655-2808

Photo: Chris Hamilton

Meet "Taco", a 4 year-old Chihuahua/Pug mix who apparently loves his java jolt at Murray Street as much as we do.

Photo: Chris Hamilton

Beringer Chenin Blanc 2005 -- a gold-medal winner in this year's Dallas Morning News Wine Competition -- is on sale for $4.49 at Goody Goody. Imagine how impressed people will be when you uncork a gold-medal wine. Just don't tell them how much it cost.
Check out other bargain golds from the competition here.

Looking for a creative gift or statement dessert for your friends and family this weekend?

Order something frosted and fabulous from Petit Fours designer bakery in Uptown. You'll find Burberry-style plaid cakes with homemade marshmallow chicks atop, chocolate bunnies, stylish petit fours, decorated cookies and more.

Cakes range from $40 to $70 depending on size, pett fours are $6 each, marshmallow creations are $7.50 for half a dozen or $15 for a dozen mixed.

Calories don't count when it's a special occasion.

Petit Fours, 3000 Blackburn Ave. at McKinney Ave. on the ground floor of the Mondrian, phone 214.559.CAKE fax 214.559.2261, www.pfcakes.com

Kozy Kitchen is the cheerfully funky eatery in Uptown where the omelets are organic, the meat is grass-fed and the sour cream coffee cake is a mail-order phenom.

And now, this former breakfast/lunch only hot-spot is serving dinner (finally) Friday and Saturday nights from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Check out the Kozy nightly specials including lean, healthy protein options in the form of elk strip and just-caught flounder.

Eat right and reward yourself with a piece of organic carrot cake. Hey, it's only fair.

Kozy Kitchen, 4433 McKinney Ave., 214-219-5044, www.kozykitchen.com. Word up: It's still BYOB for now. Reservations are accepted, but not required

Photo: Kozy owners Tiffiany Darnell , Nicholas Pavageuax (seated) and Jeff Wells shot by Courtney Perry

I’ve been a fan of Flavors From Afar ever since owners Gary and Nancy Krabill turned me on to the miracle of the Wine Clip, a magnetic device that makes inexpensive wine taste like private reserve. These people know things.

And apparently, plenty of other shoppers agree. That’s why the couple has moved their Snider Plaza gourmet food shop to a larger space — all the way across the street. (Bet the movers were happy.)

Expect an expanded line of cooking supplies, decorative ceramics and imported oils and vinegars, including the shop’s own private label. New additions include fresh produce from local growers, a sea salt “bar” and the ability to buy bulk imported pastas by the scoop.

Check it out for yourself tonight from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. with a free wine and cheese party or stop by tomorrow when Mozzarella Company’s Paula Lambert signs her new cookbook from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Best of all? The couple is offering 10% to 30% discounts storewide all weekend to celebrate.

Flavors From Afar, 6712 Snider Plaza, 214-696-2327, www.flavorsfromafar.com

Tired of that stale, luke-warm coffee from the office kitchen? Well, here's a chance to recharge with a great cup of joe!

Each and every Starbucks in the country is giving away a FREE 12 oz. cup of premium drip coffee TODAY only. The company's "Coffee Break" session takes place from 10 a.m until Noon -- so hurry! We're not kidding - they even took out a full-page ad in yesterday's paper to announce it...I guess I'll have to sneak out for a break...

"Don't mess with Texas!" proclaimed Ann Curry (sigh) as she flirted her way through a cooking segment with The Mansion on Turtle Creek's exec chef John Tesar Tuesday on the Today show.

She also called him "darlin'" and joked that the native New Yorker was becoming a Southerner with his "ya'll" and "yes ma'am" usage. (Get a room, Ann).

In fairness, Tesar was looking fit and fabulous. The Mansion chef was in town to cook for the prestigious James Beard Foundation.

But back to Today. Al Roker, the formerly-jolly "weather personality" (does he still count as a real meteorologist?) offered comedy relief with Ann on the cooking segment and then, coincidentally, flew into Dallas last night on assignment.

Turns out, even bad thunderstorms and flight delays couldn't keep him from having dinner at Rosewood Hotel's Mansion, presumably cooked by new chef de cuisine Timothy Byres (Standard).

Take THAT Ann. (And by the way, John's last name is "TEE-zahr", not "TAY-zahr".)

GET "TEE-ZAHRS" RECIPE FOR GRILLED BRAISED SHORT RIBS

Okay, this is a shot from the caviar bar at N9NE steakhouse, where we started the evening.

But the real action was next door for the glitzy opening of Nove (Nine in Italian). Visual aids: LED chandeliers, a performance art wine cellar, digital artwork that changes images and colors as you watch ("I haven't seen that since the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland when I was a kid," Brandt Wood, former Entertainment Collaborative guru, told me.)

Dean Fearing (wife Lynae joined him briefly, but had to rush off to work at her own Shinsei) told me that Nove and N9NE are helping to create "an exciting new Dallas restaurant scene." And perfect timing, because he's noticed that more than ever "nobody eats at home anymore -- thankfully." He says his new namesake eatery for The Ritz-Carlton Dallas is still on track to open in July.

But back to Nove. What was the best thing we sampled last night? It was all about the thin-crust lobster pizza served steaming hot (and washed down with a lemon-drop martini, of course).

Check back for photos from last night's event.

Hattie's former exec chef Kelly Hightower (snapped in '04 above) debuts his boutique Mediterranean eatery KAVALA tonight in Oak Cliff at 5 p.m.

Kavala, 1417 West Davis in Oak Cliff, 214-942-8100

Read all about it after the jump below.

It's not too late to pick up beautiful pastries for your Valentine. Check out our guide to what local bakeries have to offer, including this chocolate mousse cake from Doughmonkey in Snider Plaza.

Love is fickle, so why take a chance — give good chocolates.

And if you’ve picked up this month’s F!D luxe, you know we’ve got a sugar-crush on Wiseman House Chocolates in sleepy Hico, Texas. We’re talking serious decadence here: almond clusters, mocha crunch made from crushed gourmet coffee beans and hand-rolled truffles, including First Kiss made with white-chocolate peach-champagne ganache. Now who’s your daddy?

These are sweets worth the 100-mile drive south or you can cheat and order online from the company’s website. In a major hurry? Flavors From Afar in Snider Plaza and Paper & Chocolate at Inwood Shopping Village stock a selection of Wiseman’s treats.

Check out a slideshow of photos from Wiseman House and read more about this unique chocolatier (like how they craft their products in a converted historic bank vault) at DallasNews.com/Style.

Wiseman House Chocolates, 508 W. First St., 866-460-3571, www.wisemanhousechocolates.com

You just never know what’s in your own backyard. I like to eat healthy, and just two weeks ago discovered Snappy Salads less than a mile from my house in North Dallas. I’ve taken my low-fat, low-cal appetite back many times since. I

The restaurant, near Preston and Forest, makes yummy salads to order, much like you can get at Eatzi's. Add most anything you like to your tossed greens: tomatoes, mushrooms, black olives, mandarin oranges, boiled eggs, cilantro, jalapenos, cheese, chicken, shrimp - the ingredient list goes on and on. If you’re at home and feeling lazy, it just started offering deliveries (within a three-mile radius) for an extra $2.

Owner Chris Dahlander (right) tells me he’s opening a second Snappy Salads in the food court at NorthPark Center in about three months or so. Hmm, that will give me one more good reason to go shopping, as if I needed another incentive.

Snappy Salads, 5915 Forest Lane, 972-991-7627, www.snappysalads.com

Don Nichols

NoKa Chocolate in Plano has been generating a lot of news lately. Here's more, I just got word that the luxury chocolatier will open a flagship boutique at Victory Park in March.

And apparently, this won't be your typical glass-cased confectioner showroom.

NoKa broke out the big guns and hired LA architecture and design guru Joey Shimoda (who honed his craft in the offices of Frank Gehry and counts the Rolex Building in Beverly Hills to his cred) to design their new space.

Sweet extra: CLICK HERE to watch video of NoKa making their chocolates.

The way to a man's heart is through his stomach - so with the Superbowl right around the corner, order him the ultimate snack box.

Popcorn company Dale and Thomas is taking orders for their Ultimate Football Game Party Box, filled with bags of yummy sweet and spicy kernels - cheddar chipotle, sweet and spicy BBQ, chocolate chunk n' caramel, and sweet Georgia peach.

It also comes with a pig-skin bowl for sharing - NOT tossing. Order it online for $30 by clicking HERE!

We've long been a fan of chef Timothy Byres's artful cuisine and have missed his Standard Restaurant ever since it shuttered its doors last October.

Now comes word that the talented Byres has joined chef John Tesar at The Mansion on Turtle Creek.

Wonder twin powers: activate.

Details after the jump ....

Photo: Byres and his wife Brianne shot by Courtney Perry

Isn't it great when two things you love come together ... ? Chocolate and peanut butter, chef Doug Brown and the Belmont.

That's right. Amuse and Beyond the Box co-owner and chef Doug Brown is working hard to open The Diner at the Belmont (note: working title only) by mid-March or April at Hotel Belmont in Oak Cliff.

Everyone knows to eat black-eyed peas on New Year's Day for good luck. But are you tired of the usual dish made with salty, greasy ham?

Try this fresh Indian twist on the dish from Whole Foods Market.

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE

Kozy Kitchen is the cheerfully funky eatery in Uptown where the omeletes are organic, the meat is grass-fed and the mail-order sour cream coffee cake is a mail-order phenom.

Read all about it in this month's F!D luxe. (And see exclusive photos not in our print edition after the jump below.)


Kozy Kitchen, 4433 McKinney Ave., 214-219-5044, www.kozykitchen.com

Photo: Kozy owners Tiffiany Darnell , Nicholas Pavageuax and Jeff Wells shot by Courtney Perry

Craving a huge slice of pie this holiday season but worried about expanding that waistline? Fret not: Godiva has released a set of limited-edition, slice-shaped chocolates in pie flavors such as apple crumb, banana cream, chocolate-peanut butter and lemon meringue.

"American Pies" are part of Godiva's high-end G Collection, and each handmade piece is created by pastry chef Norman Love.

If you want a piece of this pie, act quickly: The collection is sold out online but still available at select Godiva shops, like the ones at NorthPark Center and Galleria mall.

American Pies G Collection, $65, Godiva Chocolatier

Did you know the Village Burger Bar in West Village has special holiday hours?

From Thursday through Saturday the popular restaurant/bar/hangout is staying open until 2 a.m. Something to remember after an evening of holiday parties (does anyone eat at those things?) or after a long - very long - day of shopping. Even better - they're offering $2 off all drinks from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Village Burger Bar, West Village, 214-443-9998

The new Whole Foods Market in Preston Forest cut the ribbon (actually, broke the challah) at 10 a.m. this morning.

One of the biggest changes: the addition of a second-level full-service spa, dubbed Refresh. We love the treatment rooms -- very textural and Zen, with all-organic cotton bedding. And we can't wait to drop off our grocery list with the store concierge, head upstairs for a massage, facial or scrub, and emerge an hour or so later to find our groceries sacked and ready.

The custom-shopping is $20 an hour, but since the spa does not "encourage or accept gratuities," we figure it comes out about even in the end.

To make appointments call 214-363-9760.

It’s a short distance from the southwest corner of Preston Road and Forest Lane to the southeast corner, but Whole Foods Market is growing by 20,000 square feet in its trek across the street. Coming with them on the move is the North Texas Food Bank.

The store on the southwest corner closes tonight at 10pm. Any unsold non-perishable product will be donated Monday morning to the Food Bank for distribution through its 678 feeding and education programs in 13 counties.

Next Wednesday, December 6th at 10am when the doors open in the new 52,000 square foot store, the North Texas Food Bank moves right along with the Whole Foods Market, where store guests are invited to contribute to help feed the hungry in two ways:

1) Guests at the store’s new full-service ReFresh Spa are not requested nor expected to leave a gratuity; however, if they choose to leave tips in appreciation, the money will be donated in their honor to the North Texas Food Bank during the month of December. Every $1 will provide six meals for hungry North Texans.

2) The Giving Tree, where store guests purchase ornaments for $1 , with proceeds supporting the Food Bank's Kids Cafe after-school meal program (The Giving Tree is found at all Dallas, Plano and Richardson Whole Foods Market stores.)

Here's an item from our own Joyce Saenz Harris ...

Southern authors Matt Lee (left) and Ted Lee aren't from here, but their mama is. They're the sons of former Hockaday School head Liza Lee.

The bros' new book, The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook: Stories and Recipes for Southerners and Would-be Southerners, would make a great holiday gift for a foodie.

Joyce caught up with them recently in Dallas, check out her Q&A with them and get a recipe after the jump.

Meanwhile:

Snack attack: Order the Lee Bros. Boiled Peanuts Catalogue at boiledpeanuts.com. Place an order at 843-720-8890. Also, for more info on The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook: mattleeandtedlee.com.

Photo: Brian Harkin

Doughmonkey -- chef Rhonda Ruckman's boutique bakery in Snider Plaza -- has a full-page nod in this month's Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookies edition.

Editor Lois White describes Ruckman's Espresso Chocolate Chip cookie as "…hands down the absolute best chocolate cookie we have ever tasted.” Hmm, that gets our attention.

Sample it for yourself or ship them to a friend for the holidays at www.doughmonkey.com. You can order cookies by the dozen, baked or frozen to be prepared at home.

Doughmonkey, 6708 Snider Plaza, open Tuesday through Saturday, 9am – 6pm., 214-890-1300.

Surf's up at Oceanaire's new happy hour, Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. with half-price oysters and half-price shrimp cocktails in the main bar and oyster bar.

'Nuff said.

The Oceanaire Seafood Room, Galleria Dallas, 13340 Dallas Parkway, 972.759.2277

Archer Farms has come up with a series of internationally inspired entrées-in-a-box that require no refrigeration or added ingredients. They elevate the concept beyond mac-and-cheese, although they're still carb-intensive ways, to stretch your food dollar.

Bangkok Pan Noodles With Chicken, a mildly spicy curry over whole-wheat udon noodles, comes with its own canned chicken. Mushroom Cavatappi is a creamy, sauced pasta with 17 grams of protein per serving. And if you've never tried the alternative grain quinoa, Moroccan Spiced Quinoa With Fruit is a good introduction. They're $3.49 to $4.99 (four servings) at Target.

Kim Pierce

Iron Horse Vineyards, Alexander Valley, T Bar T Vineyard,

Rosato di Sangiovese 2005, $12.99

This rosé is an ambrosial mélange of cherries and strawberries with enough pizazz to stand up to a spicy salami. From the Sterling family's showplace Sonoma winery, it is made by the saignée process, in which juice is bled off fermenting red grapes to concentrate flavors. No point in crying over spilt juice; bottle it as a bone-dry rosé. Available at Centennial, Mr. G's Beverage Center, and Pogo's.

Rebecca Murphy
More wine news

Central 214, chef Tom Fleming’s happening new restaurant in the Hotel Palomar, has made it official: Its signature cocktail is the tequila-based Southern Heat.

The spicy throat-tingler was created by “renowned mixologist” Jacques Bezuidenhout (trying saying that five times fast — or just once after a couple of drinks) and selected for signature honors by a panel of media judges. Through the end of the year, Central 214 will donate $2 from the sale of each Southern Heat to DIFFA/Dallas.

If you’d like to experience a little Southern Heat in the privacy of your own home, keep reading for the recipe.

Kim Harwell

Photo: The bar at Central 214 at Hotel Palomar, shot by John F. Rhodes/Staff

Fuse Tex-Asian restaurant and lounge downtown (with the cool rooftop bar) has rolled out a new fall tasting menu. Some of our faves: fresh salmon with a macadamia nut pesto, shaved fennel and a crispy smoked skin. You'll also find fresh water eel with caramelized foie gras, brioche, sake poached pear and red shiso.

Don't panic, the brisket potstickers are still on the menu.

Photo: Fuse chef/owner Blaine Staniford shot by Cheryl Diaz Meyer

Lombardi has new talent cooking over at Cafe Toulouse at Knox-Henderson in the form of exec chef Jim Oetting.

Oetting comes to Dallas via Denver, where he was most recently head man for California Café. He has also been a guest chef at The James Beard House in New York.

But let's get to the part you really want to know about: "Chef Oetting is an avid gardener and is married with one son, eighteen-month old Haden and three dogs. At home he enjoys cooking simple seasonal cuisine."

I am personally bummed to report that Standard restaurant on Fairmount St. is now closed for business. What's exec chef and co-owner Timothy Byres going to do next? We'll keep you posted.

In the interim, please join us in a moment of silence.

The famed French Room in the Adolphus hotel is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a contest culminating in a luxe getaway that’s a gourmand’s dream.

Over the next 10 months, fans of the celebrated restaurant are invited to submit an account of their “most memorable evening in the French Room.” Each month, a winner will be selected to receive a dinner for two in the five-star dining room, which was ranked No. 1 in the Zagat Survey’s latest hotel restaurant poll. Esquire dining critic John Mariani will then choose an ultimate victor from among the 10 monthly winners for a luxury prize package worth a staggering $25,000.

The grand prize winner will receive a private dinner for 10 in the French Room; an overnight stay in a penthouse suite in the Adolphus; a four-night stay at Little Palm Island, Florida, with two first-class tickets compliments of American Airlines; use of an ultra-stretch limousine; and a $1,000 gift certificate from Tiffany & Co.

Submissions can be e-mailed to ddavis@adolphus.com or mailed to The Adolphus at 1321 Commerce Street, Dallas, Texas, 75202, Attention: French Room Memories. Restrictions apply; see www.hoteladolphus.com for more details.

Kim Harwell

Pastry guru Dunia Borga of La Duni Latin Café on Oak Lawn is baking up spooky goodness for Halloween.

Frighteningly good cookies (I know, I'm beating this one to death) are now available in the forms of pumpkins, witches, autumn leaves and ghoulish ghosts, individually packed for $4.75. Special orders are available.

La Duni Latin Kitchen and Baking Studio is located at 4264 Oak Lawn Avenue, 214.520.6888.

A special foodie report from our own Kim Pierce:

Here's what a Russet potato wants to be when it dies and goes to heaven: part of Bice executive chef Mario Cassineri's baked potato served on a mound of sauteed mushrooms lapped with taleggio cheese fondue and topped with white truffle shavings.

You might not think a humble baked potato would go with truffles, but this was a divine combination, which I sampled from Bice's special white truffle menu. Why all the fuss about white truffles? They are the essence of the umami flavor: earthy, almost meaty, with a lingering, mouth-filling presence. It's no coincidence that each of chef Cassineri's dishes pairs the truffles with other umami-intense ingredients.

Bice will offer the special white truffle menu for about a month, or as long as the harvest continues in Alba, Italy, where the truffles are found.

Kim Pierce

Photo: Chef Mario Cassineri (L) and manager Brian Perry of Bice Ristorante in Dallas, shot by Darnell Renee

Sure doesn't look like this anymore. It is completely finished, the sleek, minimal bar is open for business and last night the restaurant was rocking. If you're looking for something new this weekend, I suggest you check it out. You might even run into a cool band like Wilco there.

Sweet paprika and hot paprika have a new half-sibling: Penzeys Hungary Half-Sharp Paprika.

Although paprika peppers are also grown in Spain, South America and California, Hungarian paprika is reputed to be the finest in the world. More than 40 types of the pepper are grown there, according to Penzeys.

Paprika's flavor can range from mild to hot. If you're looking for more than just a bit of color on top of the potato salad but don't want to alienate the more tender palates, sprinkle on the half-sharp. Penzeys also recommends mixing two parts sweet paprika to one part half-sharp for a "bit of warmth" without too much heat.

Penzeys offers Hungarian sweet, California and Spanish smoked paprikas in containers ranging from about 1 ounce up to 1 pound and costing from $1.99 to $13.50.

Penzeys Spices, 12835 Preston Road (at LBJ), Suite 316; 972-392-7777.

Laura H. Ehret

Make a donation to the River Legacy Foundation at the new Potbelly Sandwich Works in Arlington today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and you'll score a free sandwich. Not a bad deal, since you were going to buy lunch anyway, right? The foundation's goal is to preserve and enhance land along the Trinity River. The restaurant is at 2100 N. Collins, No. 110.

You may recall our story last spring in F!D luxe on Windy Meadows Family Farm near Greenville, a family-run source for all-natural pasture-raised chicken. Well, turns out that Craft Dallas head chef Kevin Maxey orders fresh chicken from there also.

Left: Eggs from Windy Meadows Farm shot by Courtney Perry
Right: Craft's Tom Colicchio and Kevin Maxey shot by Kye Lee

Los Vascos, Colchagua, Grande Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, $15.99

Wine has been produced in Chile since the 1500s, but the 1990s brought an explosion in quality primarily because of foreign investors like the Rothschild family, owners of Chateau Lafite Rothschild in Bordeaux. Breeding shows in this elegant cabernet displaying ripe flavors of cassis and blackberry with hints of tobacco, cinnamon and mint. Try it with roast prime rib or a mushroom ragout. Widely available.

Rebecca Murphy

Business is clearly good for chef Avner Samuel's Urban Bistro in the former George space on Inwood.

Word comes today that the chef is opening a second Bistro early November at Frankford and the tollway.

Expect the same fab Mediterranean cuisine inspired by his childhood in Jerusalem, such as grilled cumin-rubbed lamb chops served with dill zucchini and sun dried tomatoes in pomegranate syrup

Hmmm ...

Don't you wish you were enjoying umbrellas of a different kind on this rainy Tuesday? Such as the Tiki Puka Puka with umbrellas at Asia de Cuba in Manhattan.

We're just saying.

Photo: Don Hogan Charles

Made to order cookies delivered warm to your home or office? Count us in.

Tiff's Treats Cookie Delivery is now open downtown. It's the perfect antidote for a Monday.

Tiff's Treats, 1001 Ross Ave., 214-720-0500

Tillman's Corner in the Bishop Arts District closes today. Stop by Sunday from 2 p.m. until "everything's gone" to make an offer on the restaurant's existing furnishings. What's going on?

Dallas design and events power duo Todd Fiscus and his partner Rob Dailey will be serving up their signature style here by the holidays.

The two have partnered with Sara Tillman to revamp Tillman's Corner and relaunch it as Tillman's Roadhouse, with exec chef Dan Landsberg (Stephan Pyles) in the kitchen.

Look for more info in the Nov issue of F!D luxe. Can't wait? Get additional details after the jump.

Exec sous chef Carl Strelecki and exec chef Tom Fleming

What happens when you mix a writer, a camera and Central 214's signature Black Currant Whiskey Sour cocktail?

You get photos like this one.

And speaking of Carl Strelecki (photographed here in civilian clothes last year by Courtney Perry), he says that one of his specialties as sous chef for Central 214 will be heading up breakfast service. "Seriously, I make one of the best omelets in Dallas," he says.

I think it's a worth an overnight at Hotel Palomar to find out.

Award-winning chef Tom Fleming’s new Central 214 restaurant is now open adjacent to Hotel Palomar. Fleming tells us he’s serving up American Regional cuisine and "relying on lots of local farmers and specialty purveyors."

That list includes organic herbs and lettuces from a Stephenville, Tex. farm and local organic premium gold Angus beef. Carl Strelecki (Standard) is on hand as souse chef. However, don’t look for a solo sweets maker here with these two in the kitchen. "We’re both closeted pastry chefs," says Flemming, "so we’ll be making the desserts as well."

Central 214, American Food & Cocktails, 5680 North Central Expressway at Mockingbird Lane, 214-443-9339

Jim Jim, the “Down-Underdog,” has done it again, chowing down on Hugh Hamilton’s shiraz grapes in March to signal harvest time. The Kelpie-Laborador mix really does help the Australian McLaren Vale winemaker decide when to pick.

Now Jim Jim is pitching in to help Texas pups as well. “Jim Jim recognises he has a community responsibility to his distant relatives in Texas, some of whom are less fortunate than himself,” writes Mr. Hamilton in an e-mail. “He's therefore decided that he'll allocate some of himself to these friends through the SPCA.”

Panini Bakery joins the fight against breast cancer with these fetching cookies adorned with ribbons of pink icing. Stop by the bakery at 6063 Sherry Lane and buy a box of a dozen lemon-infused sugar cookies for $10; $3 of that goes to the Bridge Breast Network.

Check out Panini's favor cookies as well as other best-sellers from local bakeries here.

Questions for The Mansion on Turtle Creek's new exec chef.

You have served as personal chef for both Giorgio Armani and Mariah Carey. Can you give us any dish?
What I can say is that it was a pleasure to interact with such talented, well-traveled, beautiful people who love and appreciate good food. It was also a great opportunity to try out new dishes with lavish ingredients.

I ran into Shinsei restaurant divas Lynae Fearing and Tracy Rathbun at the Barneys party last week minus their famous hubbies (Dean and Kent, respectively).

Good news, Tracy is pregnant and tells me that the couple is expecting a baby girl December 1st. Congrats.

One more mouth to feed. I guess when your parents own Abacus, Jasper's and Shinsei that's not a huge problem.

Photo: Tracy Rathbun shot by Courtney Perry at Shinsei

John Tesar takes over the kitchen at the Mansion on Turtle Creek today. No pressure there. The chef popped in for a bite of dessert -- that famous Mansion raspberry creme brulee, of course -- during a lunch Saturday honoring Alex Prud'homme, great nephew of Julia Child. Mr. Prud'homme did readings from My Life In France, the book he co-wrote with his aunt.

Chef Tesar told the small group of foodies that his menu will be "a little bit of a departure" for the Mansion. Hard to imagine, but the hotel is getting out of the Southwestern cuisine biz that it helped pioneer. A small section of "classics" will remain on the menu.

The chef said he picked up some inside scoop Friday night at a party at the Milestone Culinary Arts Center (nee Viking), where Dean Fearing was one of the featured chefs.

Read more about the chef in Wednesday's Taste. And find out what the fuss is all about Oct. 20, when the new Mansion menu debuts.

Take the best things about toffee chocolate bars and the peanut butter cup, and you get the season's hottest pairing: peanut brittle and chocolate.

Moonstruck Chocolatier, based in Portland, Oregon, makes a Milk Chocolate Peanut Brittle Bar that's laced with tiny bits of peanut brittle. You taste it more than you feel it.

See's Candies makes an Awesome Peanut Brittle Bar that's a solid piece of peanut brittle bathed in milk chocolate.

The Coppell Farmers Market is the real deal. Every Saturday, farmers and other food producers line up in an empty lot at West Bethel Road at South Coppell Road. From 8 a.m. to noon -- assuming the goods hold out -- you can buy locally grown produce, including some organics. You'll also find jams and jellies, coffee, frozen Gulf seafood, Italian sausage, pasta and more. Bring a cooler, a bag for carrying your purchases, small bills, and a hat if it’s sunny. The market shuts down in November but will be open for special events on these days:
Oct. 28: Halloween/ Fall market
Nov. 18: Old Town Coppell Days
Dec. 9 and 16: Holiday markets
Kim Pierce

Here are 3 cool specialty beers that are widely available.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale: This California microbrew is hailed as one of America’s best pale ales. It’s a crisp, full-bodied ale with a pronounced hop flavor. Orange notes and a malty sweetness are balanced by a touch of bitterness from the Cascade hops. Good with spicy foods. Sold at Tom Thumb, Kroger, Albertsons, Minyard and Brookshire’s for $8 to $8.50 a six-pack.

Paulaner Hefe-Weizen: Some beer enthusiasts regard this beer as the benchmark for hefeweizen. Lighter-bodied than many, it’s a good introduction to the style. Slightly sweet, with banana and citrus notes, it’s a mellow, refreshing beer with a bubbly effervescence. Serve this wheat beer with a squeeze of lemon. A six-pack sells for about $8 at Albertsons, Kroger and Brookshire’s. The Kroger on Mockingbird Lane east of North Central Expressway also sells individual, pint-size bottles for $2.33.

Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery Taddy Porter: Only a few supermarkets stock this venerable brew. It’s made by one of the few remaining independent brewers in England. This is a dark, full-flavored, heavy beer. It’s tangy and dry, with coffee and chocolate notes and a hint of smoke. Serve it just slightly chilled — never ice cold. A 550 ml. bottle sells for $2.89 at the Kroger on Mockingbird Lane.
Tina Danze

You would never serve your guests cheap tequila, would you?
Well, maybe. If it's good cheap tequila. Sauza Hacienda Reposado is aged in oak barrels for four months, so it’s a cut above the popular José Cuervo Especial (which isn’t aged at all, although the added caramel coloring makes it look like the same product). But here’s the kicker: The Sauza is $20, which is about $8 cheaper than the Cuervo.
While you're at it, check out the made-in-Mexico Patrón Citrónge orange liqueur, about $26 for 750 ml. -- also easier on the budget than Cointreau or Grand Marnier.
Tina Danze

Barnwood, Santa Barbara County,
The Border Sauvignon Blanc 2004, $15.49
Grapes for this wine are grown at 3,200 feet in the Sierra Madre Mountains, where day and nighttime temperature vary by as much as 40 degrees. Warm days and cool nights mean mouthwatering acidity to balance the ripe fruit flavors of pear and melon. The winemaker emphasized the freshness and intensity of the fruit, giving us a classy wine suitable for grilled shrimp with Romesco sauce. Available at Central Market.

Rebecca Murphy

More wine:

• Wine database


• Story: What's behind the Texas wine boom?


• Tasting notes

In this month’s issue of F!D luxe, we tell readers to be on the lookout for Bijoux, the new Inwood Village restaurant from chef Scott Gottlich, formerly with Lola’s. Well, the kitchen’s now open, so make your reservation if our story piqued your interest.

My friend Clint and I dined there last Friday night, and we both give Scott’s French fare a thumbs up. We savored every single bite of the dishes we chose for our five-course feast, which cost $65 per person. For my two entrees, I opted for the Maine Black Bass (served with cocos beans, sweet pepper stew and tapanade) and the Roasted Filet of Beef (served with asparagus, truffled potato puree and veal jus). Yum.

Sounds like a lot of food and (yikes!) calories, I know, but the portions were 3- to 4-oz. half-servings, so I didn’t feel like I’d overdone it with my fork — and I didn’t have to loosen my belt. It also helps that Scott uses lighter-than-usual sauces.

The dining room is cozy and warm, with thickly cushioned chairs, silk drapery and, as its centerpiece, a large, striking chandelier. While the atmosphere is inviting, it seems more Old School than hip, especially since most of the guys in the house were wearing jackets. Not us, yet we didn’t feel the least bit out of place in our dress shirts and slacks. In fact, we felt so at ease there we weren’t too embarrassed to ask more than once how to use some of the odd-shaped flatware that was put in front of us.

Don Nichols

Photo by Courtney Perry. Chef Gottlich prepares a dish.

Buy swigs from a wide range of international and regional sodas, even nonbubbly beverages such as Chocomel (like canned chocolate milk). Can’t decide? Customers can mix and match their own six-pack of sodas to go.

The shop also stocks specialty tobacco — but hey, no smoking allowed inside — and gift items such as vintage bottle-cap jewelry by the Three Sisters.
Coming soon, Mr. Gutierrez says they are planning to host an exhibition of local artists who produce pop art.

Shown: Robert Gutierrez, co-owner of The Soda Gallery, 214-946-7632, www.thesodagallery.com

Here are our dining deals for the week.

I've spent many a blurry night with friends around a pitcher of fresh sangria at Cafe Madrid on Travis.

In mid-October, we can get that same experience in Oak Cliff's Bishop Arts District when 'Madrid opens its second locale next door to Veracruz.

Expect the same great tapas and cocktails, but with daily lunch service at the new location.

What else is coming to this hopping 'hood? Look for Zen Sushi in the former Brooklyn Jazz Cafe space near Hattie's.

Nice.

Okay, so I'm a little late following up on our post about Plano-based NoKa Chocolates going to the Emmys.

Owners Houghton and Merrem held a chocolate tasting for an NBC pre-party at Spago in Beverly Hills that included the likes of Heidi Klum and Zach Braff.

Here's a shot of the duo with actor Michael Gross, seen most recently on CSI:NY.

No word yet on how many truffles the vixen of Project Runway consumed.

J. Bookwalter, Columbia Valley, Lot 20, $20.99
John Bookwalter went to work in his family’s winery after 10 years of marketing beverages, including wine. He brought Zelma Long of Long Vineyard, Mondavi and Simi fame, on board as a consultant, and together they are making blockbuster reds. Lot 20 is a blend of vintages and grape varieties, including cabernet sauvignon, merlot and petit verdot. The distinctive Columbia Valley spicy blueberry and black plum fruit is restrained by zippy acidity and smooth tannins that will show off a roast of lamb.

Available at The Wine Market and More, Centennial, Mr. G’s and Pogo’s.
Rebecca Murphy

Carb lovers take note: Hotel Crescent Court's executive pastry chef, Gianni Santin, has been named Texas Pastry Chef of the Year by The Texas Chefs Association.

Sure, Santin has trained in Paris, Zurich and Toronto, and is well known for his elaborate chocolate and sugar displays, but his latest claim to fame involves Texan TV therapist Dr. Phil McGraw.

Santin crafted an elaborate multi-tiered caked for Dr. Phil to commemorate the doc's 500th episode of his show.

Polvorones are traditional Spanish cookies that became popular throughout Latin America. The name comes from the Spanish word polvo, which means powder or dust, a reference to how these cookies break into tiny crumbs when eaten. Although polvorones are commonly made with shortening, savvy bakers know that they’re better when made with butter. It not only lends flavor, but helps those crumbs melt in your mouth.
The buttery polvorones at El Hornito bakery are among the best we’ve sampled. The secret to their flavor is the marriage of marzipan, peanut butter and vanilla. You won’t detect these ingredients individually because their flavors meld beautifully. The small cookies sell for 25 cents each, large ones for 60 cents. They’re stocked daily, but for orders of more than three dozen large cookies, call two days in advance.

El Hornito Bakery, 9430 Larga Drive (near Webb Chapel); 214-654-0099. Closed Tuesdays.

Tina Danze

Isn't it great when two things you love come together ... ? Chocolate and peanut butter, chef Doug Brown and the Belmont.

That's right. Amuse and Beyond the Box chef-owner Doug Brown has signed on to develop the bar and room service menus -- and eventually a new restaurant -- for Hotel Belmont in Oak Cliff.

Now the only question is when. We'll keep you posted ...

Villa Maria, Marlborough, Private Bin Pinot Noir 2004, $18.99

New Zealand earned its star on the wine walk of fame with sauvignon blanc, but now the buzz is about pinot noir. Give this spicy yet earthy black-cherry charmer a chance to show you why. The fruit is harmoniously interlaced with bracing acidity and framed with sleek tannins just right for grilled salmon. Available at Beverage City, Mr. G's and Pogo's.

For a taste of the Texas Hill Country, one that's both a little bit Italian and a little bit French, check out two new products from Sibby Barrett's Onion Creek Kitchens.

Ms. Barrett, the founder of Dallas Affaires Cake Co., has spent the past several years teaching cooking classes at her Juniper Hills Farm near Blanco. She is also working on a cookbook, Pomegranate Meets Tomato. Salsa Verde Italiano ($12.99 for an 8.4-ounce jar) is her version of the classic green sauce made with basil, mint, parsley, lemon, garlic, anchovies, capers and extra-virgin olive oil. Juniper Provence Spice Mix (three tins for $14) adds rosemary, lavender and bay to traditional herbes de Provence, used to flavor meat, fish and vegetables. Available online at juniperhills farm.com or call 830-833-0910.

Joyce Sáenz Harris

Bijoux, the cozy new French contemporary eatery from chef Scott Gottlich (Lola, Cafe Toulouse, Le Bernardin in New York) debuts tonight. Call now and pray you can still get a table.

Chef Gottlich crafted a wicked-tasty dish of seared scallops with heirloom tomato terrine, cucumber sorbet and coriander tuile for us in this month's F!D luxe.

Read all about it and print out one of Gottlich's recipes HERE.

Bijoux, 5450 W. Lovers Lane, inside Inwood Shopping Village
214-350-6100, www.bijouxrestaurant.com

Several North Texans have recipes in The Red Hat Society Cookbook (Rutledge Hill Press, $24.99). Meet some of them Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Barnes & Noble at 2201 Preston Road at West Park Boulevard in Plano. They will be giving out samples of recipes from the book. Find out more at www.redhatsociety.com.

Several North Texans have recipes in The Red Hat Society Cookbook (Rutledge Hill Press, $24.99). Meet some of them Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Barnes & Noble at 2201 Preston Road at West Park Boulevard in Plano. They will be giving out samples of recipes from the book. Find out more at www.redhatsociety.com.

Kashi has recently introduced a new line of frozen dinners that we found at Whole Foods. Most of the dishes use Kashi pilaf as a base — it includes oats, long grain brown rice, rye, hard red winter wheat, triticale, buckwheat, barley and sesame seeds. Find out what our Lunch Ladies thought of the meals.

Pendery's is the place for chile. Since at least the 1870s, the Fort Worth company has been making and selling chile blends. Over the years the business has expanded to include just about any type of spice a cook could need. Visit them at the store at 304 E. Belknap St. in Fort Worth. Or check them out online. The classic Pendery's blend is Chiltomaline, a deep red chile powder that contains no garlic. Medium heat. 4 ounces for $3.84.

Check out the lunchtime bento box over on the Family blog.

Greenz -- the salad emporium with locations in Uptown and Addison -- now offers curbside delivery evenings after 5. Find out more on the Family blog.

Got stank breath? Sure you do. The solution for Sooner fans is here, in the form of helmet-shaped peppermints. $3.99 at Soonerplanet.com

Rob Clark

Prosecco is Italy's answer to Champagne. It's fizzy, fruity and fun. Jimmy's has a deal on Ciao prosecco: $5 a bottle, $48 a case. It ordinarily goes for $10.99 a bottle. Why this excellent value? The label is changing, so this is wine with the old label. Co-owner Paul DiCarlo says the wine is a light gold color with a soft sparkle and scent of peaches and pears. Head over now, or stop in Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. if you want to try before you buy. The holidays aren't that far off, you know.

Darrell Fitch specializes in heat. By vocation, he’s a veteran firefighter who works at North Richland Hills Fire Station No. 2. But for fun, he makes salsas that range from “False Alarm” mild to “Burn Ur Face Off” hot. Last year, he launched the Big Dawg Salsa company and his products hit local store shelves. Come November, Big Dawg celebrates one year of titillating North Texas taste buds.

Check out his products at Fort Worth’s ZestFest this weekend. Look for them at Grapevine’s Main Street Station, 337 S. Main, Grapevine; Ridgmar Farmers Market, 900 Highway 183 N., Fort Worth; and Bedford Farmer’s Market, 2824 Brown Trail, Bedford. Click here for a complete list or to buy directly from Mr. Fitch.
Beatriz Terrazas

Want to stretch a dollar at area restaurants? Check out our dining deals.

Central Market is one of the first stores in the country to receive a shipment of the renowned Iberico pork from western Spain. (The U.S. Department of Agriculture only allows import of pork from production facilities that meet its standards.) The dry-cured pork products are ready to eat. Descendants of wild boar, the black-hoofed Iberico pigs are prized for their distinctive nutty flavor, attributed to a diet of grass, seeds, roots and grains, as well as acorns. Click here to find out more about the products available in Dallas.
Tina Danze

Fogo de Chao is celebrating Brazilian Independence Day weekdays in September by giving you a free dessert at lunch. If you're dining between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., ask for the restaurant's signature papaya cream dessert. It's supposed to help your digestion after all that meat you'll plow through at the Brazilian steakhouse. Fogo de Chao is at 4300 Belt Line Road in Addison. Lunch is $29.50, unless you go salad bar-only, which is $19.50.

Sun-Pro's Sugar Cane Swizzle Sticks hearken back to those childhood days when someone would bring a stalk of sugar cane to school and each student would get a chunk to chew on.

The sticks are a fun addition to island drinks, lemonade and iced tea or for a tropical-themed party. Don't expect them to sweeten drinks alone, though.

When the drink is gone, tap your inner child and chew away on the stick. A 4-ounce package is available at Whole Foods Market in Plano for $3.99.

Laura H. Ehret

Hugh Hamilton, McLaren Vale, The Loose Cannon Viognier 2005, $17.99

It's called The Loose Cannon because viognier is like Longfellow's little girl with a curl in the middle of her forehead: When it's good it's very good and when it's bad it's horrid. Clearly the folks at Hugh Hamilton know how to coddle this problem child. The aromas are a tantalizing perfume of roses, white peaches and pineapple. In the mouth, it is refreshing yet succulent, just right for a grilled chicken breast with pineapple­mango salsa. Available at Chicotsky's, Central Market and Mr. G's.

Rebecca Murphy

More wine:

• Wine database
• Tasting notes

Listen up, heat fans. If you haven’t had your fill of Hatch chiles yet, I just had lunch at Chuy’s and they were roasting chiles right outside the door. You can get medium or hot green chiles for $2.25 a pound fresh, $3.50 a pound for fire-roasted, and $4.50 a pound for roasted, seeded and diced. But you better hurry. The manager reports that fresh chiles are still trickling in from New Mexico's rain-ravaged Hatch Valley, but he doesn’t know how long they’ll last. While you’re there, ask for the free Hatch chile bookmarks, pins and play putty. Fun stuff!
Beatriz Terrazas

Click here to read more about Hatch.

TJ's Seafood will be open all weekend, even on Monday, for those last-minute Labor Day seafood cravings. Stop by for some shrimp to throw on the barbie; if you're lucky, you'll find creamed spinach in the chef's case too. They're at the southwest corner of Preston and Forest in Dallas.

Some wine picks for your Labor Day sipping:

Matthew Scott of Abacus and Jasper's suggests a nice sancerre, which is a sauvignon blanc from the Loire Valley.

Zin is in with Kevin Johnson of the Plano Whole Foods Market. He likes the Ravenswood Zen of Zin with grilled foods.

And Wendie Waters of Beverage City finds Casillero del Diablo Carmenere the best thing to pair with spicy Mexican food. It's a comfy $8.99 a bottle.
Rebecca Murphy

We love Stirrings drink mixes and rimmers. You can tend bar with abandon with these simple, sure-fire mixers in flavors like Lemon Drop or Pomegranate Martini, or maybe Watermelon Martini. The Bloody Mary rimmer can go solo with your basic tomato juice. The 32-ounce mixers are about $8; the rimmers are about $5. Look for them at World Market and Central Market, among others.

La Diosa Cellars Sangria is more than another chick wine. La Diosa -- "The Goddess" -- is a new winery and bistro in Lubbock started by Sylvana McPherson and Catherine Traxler. The winemaker is Ms. McPherson's husband, Kim McPherson, who also makes wine for Cap*Rock and his own McPherson label. The sangria tickles your nose with a rush of orange peel overlaid with bright, red-berry flavors. It's $9.99 at Schricks in Fort Worth, World market and Put A Cork In It.
Kim Pierce

Want to crank your Labor Day burgers up a notch without any extra work? Let Central Market and Whole Foods Market help.

At both stores, you can pick up custom-blended, ready-to-cook burger patties in flavors that will tickle and tease.

At Whole Foods, that means Cowboy Burgers made with bacon (shown), a blue-cheese burger, and a green-onion burger. The meat department also makes a veal Florentine patty. They're $4.99 a pound, and not every variety is available every day.

At Central Market, look for jalapeño-cheddar patties, cheddar-bacon, Hatch chile (till the end of the season), peppered sirloin, a Wrangler patty with custom-seasoning blend, and dulce pepper patties with colored bell peppers.

Beyond beef, CM also mixes up other combinations, including Caprese bison patties and chipotle bison patties, lamb patties with feta cheese and mint, and pork-and-parmesan patties. Cost for the various burger patties, most of which are available daily, is $5.99 a pound.

All you have to provide is the grill, the fixings and the friends.

Kim Pierce

Christian Moueix, Bordeaux, Merlot 2003, $10.49

The Moueix family owns many properties on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, where merlot is king. For those of us whose budgets won't allow $2,500 or more for a bottle of the family's Chateau Petrus, Christian Moueix, scion in charge and merlot master par excellence, has crafted this most quaffable juice. Berries, black and red, with a touch of dustiness, are enveloped in a structure of restraining acidity and smooth tannins. Serve with grilled red meat, and rule the world. Available at Beverage City, Chicotsky's, selected Albertson's, Goody Goody, Kroger, Sam's Clubs, selected Tom Thumbs and World Market.

Rebecca Murphy

Read Taste today for more food and wine.

Texas Sassy's products -- including pickle relish and pickle chips -- are spicy-sweet and addictive. The company suggests using its unusual Pickle Sauce as a finishing sauce or a dip. We say, add some to your potato salad or cole slaw this Labor Day weekend. The Austin-based Texas Sassy products are in Central Market stores, or order online. The Web site also includes recipes using the products.

Here's Drew Hendricks (left) and James Tidwell, dubbed the "Laurel and Hardy of Texas wine" by our own Dotty Griffith.

This is the dynamic duo who founded the Texas Sommelier Conference last year in an effort to raise the stakes in Big D's wine and dine scene.

Tidwell and Hendricks are working towards Master Sommelier designation as we speak. Seems there's only 138 of these "masters" in the world, and exactly zero of them in Dallas.

Prepare for that to change.

So, I was lucky enough to attend tonight's Grand Tasting event for The Texas Sommelier Association, held at The Four Seasons Resort and Club at Las Colinas.

You may think you know something about vino -- until you attempt to drink it among 100-plus sommeliers. Turns out there's a reason why these guys are the pros.

My favorite? The Pinot Noir from Hanzell Vineyards in Sonoma. Earthy, fruity and complex.

I think I had a great time, but I can't remember ...

Sigel's is in the last few days of its End of Summer Blowout sale. Inventory taxes are due Sept. 1, so they're trying to thin the racks. Stop by any location to check out what's available. Some examples: Ravenswood Zinfandel Monte Rosso 2000, marked down from $33.99 to $25.99; and Chalone Merlot Monterrey 2003, marked down from $14.99 to $9.99. There are lots of high-end wines in the sale too. Selection varies by location.

Sigel's is in the last few days of its End of Summer Blowout sale. Inventory taxes are due Sept. 1, so they're trying to thin the racks. Stop by any location to check out what's available. Some examples: Ravenswood Zinfandel Monte Rosso 2000, marked down from $33.99 to $25.99; and Chalone Merlot Monterrey 2003, marked down from $14.99 to $9.99. There are lots of high-end wines in the sale too. Selection varies by location.

Trader Joe's cut-rate specialty groceries are worth a trip to Albuquerque. Here's why.

How many licks does it take to get to one of these suckers? And do you even want to go there? Yes, these gourmet lollipops come in an assortment of flavors, including watermelon, banana, strawberry, cinnamon, grape and orange. They also come in an assortment of bugs -- scorpions, crickets and worms. Prices for each pop range from $1.75 to $2.95. And wait, there's more. Chocolate-covered ants, cheddar cheese larvets, and flavored crickets. Available at hotlix.com.
To see what some local kids thought about these treats, log on to Kids Day.

There's a saying in Spanish about how smart women make a wise purchase: They look for an item that's bueno, bonito and barrato. In English, that's good (quality), pretty and inexpensive.

The burritos at Taqueria Arandas certainly meet these criteria, and they're available for takeout, too. Each burrito is a neatly packaged meal on its own. In fact, the portions are so generous that one could serve two people for dinner if paired with a salad or side dish.

Each burrito is stuffed with your choice of meat, along with beans, lettuce and tomatoes. A side of salsa gives it some kick. We especially like the pork al pastor burritos. But at $2.99 a pop, you can afford to experiment. It's a good takeout option for nights when you're too busy to cook, but won't settle for fast food.

Taqueria Arandas has multiple locations. We sampled burritos at the Bachman Lake location, 3647 W. Northwest Highway; 214-350-3052.

Tina Danze

Soletta, Vermentino dei Sardegna, Aragosta 2004, $19.99

Sardegna, or Sardinia, is an island off the western coast of Italy. Vermentino is a white grape that thrives in the Mediterranean sun. The floral, crisp green apple and white peach aromas and flavors combined with invigorating, citrus acidity are eagerly awaiting pasta with fresh tomatoes and sweet basil. Available at Jimmy's Food Store, Mr. G's Beverage Center and Pogo's.

Rebecca Murphy

Domino's is handing out free samples of its new Brownie Squares from 3 to 5 p.m. today. All you have to do is stop in and ask. Domino's describes the new munch as "bite-sized brownies with warm chocolaty centers, and a side of fudge dipping sauce." If you like the sample, Domino's will deliver a free order with every large pizza you order at the regular price.

Slice in style on these whimsical cutting boards made of contrasting light maple and dark walnut. A hand-rubbed oil and wax finish makes it extra durable. Cleans off with mild soap. $50 at www.uncommongoods.com.

For more fun kitchen finds, see Pop Shop in Quick.

Conjuring memories of Ferris wheels and holding hands, Amuse pastry chef Jason Foss serves a sweet ending that takes us straight back to childhood: hot funnel-cake strips dusted with powdered sugar, then topped with fresh strawberries and a melting scoop of homemade honey ice cream. Foss describes his dessert as "comfort-fun;" we just call it delicious.

Amuse, 1326 S. Lamar St., 214-428-7300, www.amusedallas.com

Christopher Wynn

Dr. L Riesling, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer QbA 2004, $15.99

Ernst Loosen knows a thing or two about making great riesling. Check out his skill here, with luscious floral, apple and mineral aromas and flavors balanced with mouthwatering acidity. It's made to go with food. Try it with a chicken, garlic and vegetable stir-fry. Available at Centennial, Central Market, Mr. G's and WineStyles.

Rebecca Murphy

More wine?
• Wine database
• Texas Sommelier Conference unfolds next week
• Tasting events

You may recall reading about Plano-based NoKa chocolate in our recent F!D Shops article.

Well, we just got word that NoKa will be providing its rare, single origin chocolates to celebs at the upcoming Emmys. Founders Noah Houghton and Katrina Merrem will also be on this morning's Gene & Julie radio show on 103.7 Lite FM between 8 and 9 a.m.

Seems the radio team has arranged for a professional stylist to help Houghton and Merrem (who are both personal and professional partners) get all gussied up for the Emmys.

Hmm, we've got the spiffy couple's "before" picture on file (left) ... we'll try and bring you the "after" as well.

NoKa Chocolate, 2040 W. Spring Creek Pkwy., Plano, 214-764-4077

Photo: Houghton (left) and Merrem, shot by DMN's Evans Caglage

Two chain stores celebrate new locations today.

The shopping overload at the intersection of Preston and Park in Plano gets even better with the grand opening of a Coldwater Creek store. Spend $100 and you'll get an amethyst necklace and earrings set, while supplies last. The store is on the southeast corner.

In Garland, check out the new World Market store at Firewheel Town Center. It's near Circuit City. If you haven't made it out to Firewheel yet, this is a good excuse to see the huge shopping progress occurring in Garland.

Horchata is a rice-based drink that's popular in Mexico. We're the first to admit that maybe Rosa's Horchata in a bottle isn't entirely authentic. But it's sweet and refreshing and it comes in original, cantaloupe and strawberry flavors. Find it at Walgreens and some grocery stores.

Or, stop in to a Ca