Freebirds World Burrito, Denton, TX

Freebirds’ barrage on the senses has flavor 

A version of this article was published in the Denton Record-Chronicle on Thursday,   September 16, 2010. 

By Ellen Ritscher Sackett / Staff Writer

Over the last 20 years, Freebirds World Burrito’s Texas-focused chain has developed something of a cult following.

Freebirds fanatics are those willing to drive for miles to get their fill of the restaurant’s burritos, tacos, nachos and the like. They hotly debate the merits of Freebirds over its national competitor, Chipotle, and describe in detail their favorite combinations from a choice of 3 trillion possibilities. They fill up “fanatic cards” with stamps, redeemable toward rewards based on accumulated purchases.

Now, fortunately, local fanatics won’t have to fill up their gas tanks to get to the closest Freebirds. As of today, Denton has one of its own.

Earlier this week, Freebirds Denton opened its doors in two days of mock trial runs, which doubled as benefits for its two local causes: the University of North Texas College of Music and the Denton State Supported Living Center. For a $5 donation, customers were invited to chow down on a custom-made meal and to experience the Freebirds culture. From its start as the joint venture between two college roommates to its more recent corporate expansion, Freebirds’ philanthropic, “change the world,” be-yourself attitude appeals largely to the college crowd and the ever-optimistic — a perfect fit for Denton.

DRC file photo/

Holding a burrito high, “Libby” sits on a custom chopper at Freebirds World Burrito. The Denton location of the Texas-centric chain is now open at Rayzor Ranch Marketplace.

Earlier this week, Freebirds Denton opened its doors in two days of mock trial runs, which doubled as benefits for its two local causes: the University of North Texas College of Music and the Denton State Supported Living Center. For a $5 donation, customers were invited to chow down on a custom-made meal and to experience the Freebirds culture. From its start as the joint venture between two college roommates to its more 

Until Monday, I was among the uninitiated. Peeking through the glass windows, I could see the Statue of “Libby” suspended from the ceiling, busting through the Berlin Wall on a Voodoo custom chopper. (Later I learned this representation of freedom is found in every Freebirds restaurant.) As soon as I walked through the door, I was hit with a barrage of rock ’n’ roll and greetings from more-than-helpful employees.

A young, nose-ringed gentleman loudly suggested over the music that I try the famous burrito. He led me to the cafeteria-style fresh food line where I was introduced to Miyaka, a friendly employee with a movie-star smile who made recommendations from the freebies, extras and sauces as we went along.

Our completed collaboration was a foil-wrapped cylindrical creation stuffed inside a spinach tortilla, made with grilled chicken, black beans, rice, guacamole, lots of cilantro, red onion, roasted corn, salsa and who knows what else I agreed to. Common sense aside, I also agreed to chips and queso. Fortunately, I was starving.

As I properly unpeeled the foil, I began a lengthy journey toward the other end of the burrito. I didn’t quite make it through the seismic Tex-Mex portion. (I did, however, in spite of my big eyes and stuffed stomach, find some room for the creamy white cheese queso.)

My husband went with the more manageable carnita tacos, slow roasted since morning and slightly spicy. He gave the Sweet Leaf Tea the thumbs up, and I washed down my meal with a soda (no Coke, Pepsi). Maybe next time we’d go for a beer or try a frozen margarita. At meal’s end, we opted to throw out our used foil rather than add to the restaurant’s decor, as suggested, with artistic expressions. The new restaurant was already dotted with odd-shaped animals and shiny aluminum-foil sculptures.

The eager employees all wanted to know how we liked our first visit. We liked it. Was it, as one Facebook fanatic described, “the most bodaciously epic masticating flavorful adventure of the taste buds”?

Well, that statement might be a bit over the top, but then, "over the top" would describe Freebirds perfectly.

ELLEN RITSCHER SACKETT can be reached at 940-566-6845. Her e-mail address is esackett@dentonrc.com .

Freebirds

World Burrito

2700 W. University Drive at Rayzor Ranch Marketplace. 940-565-5400. $.

Hannah's Off the Square, 100-mile Meal, April 20, 2010

MILES TO GO BEFORE WE EAT

By Ellen "EJ" Sackett
Originally published in the Denton Record-Chronicle, DentonTime, April 15, 2010

Nine summers ago, Sheena Croft arrived in Denton with nothing but her cat, her car and a small overnight bag. Excited to start a new life in Texas, her boyfriend — now husband — was about to begin graduate studies in art at the University of North Texas, while Croft, a trained chef, planned to travel around Texas to learn about its cuisine. They packed all of their belongings in a huge Ryder truck and drove in tandem from southern Georgia, stopping to spend the night in New Orleans. The next morning, they woke up to find their truck gone.

They did, however, have an apartment ready and waiting. The property management company provided them with towels and tooth- brushes. Croft’s aunt sent a care package of clothes and helped them with immediate expenses. But the stress of starting over in a new place took its toll. At a shopping excursion at Sears, the couple had a minor melt- down. It got the attention of a clerk, who called in the store manager, who listened to their story and offered them a line of credit at zero percent interest. The Sears manager also handed Croft a section of the Denton Record-Chronicle with an article about a new “Tex-French” restaurant that was opening in two weeks, called “Hannah’s Off the Square.”

“I put on clothes from my aunt and drove to Hannah’s,” Croft said.

She was determined to convince the then-owner, Eric Hill, that she was the perfect person to be chef. Unfortunately, he already had hired someone else, but Croft didn’t give up.

She told him: “I know this cuisine. I know your customer base. I worked at a restaurant just like this for three years. Let me create a menu.” 

Almost a decade later, Croft is still creating menus as the restaurant’s executive chef, never leaving her Southern roots far behind. “We didn’t have fast food,” said Croft, referring to her years growing up in southern Georgia and northern Florida. Instead, her family ate what was readily available to them. “My chicken was shark tail, alligator, snapping turtle — they were all mystery white meats,” Croft said. “We’d get mussels from the river, go down to the creek and get crawfish, go deep-sea fishing where the Suwannee River enters the Gulf of Mexico. We were down there every other weekend, bring back whatever, fishing in the river behind our house, getting mullet, smoking the mullet, gathering hickory nuts for the fire, drying sassafras leaves from the tree in the backyard for gumbo filé.” Even now when Croft goes home for Christmas, she can count on being served either quail or squirrel. “My mom gets her .22 out and goes into the front yard,” she said.

Croft became particularly mindful of using fresh, local ingredients a few years ago when she read the book Plenty: Eating Locally on the 100-Mile Diet, by Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon. The book inspired her to create a meal served family-style for Hannah’s patrons using only ingredients found within a 100-mile radius of Denton — all the way down to the salt. The 100-mile meal has now grown into a biannual event. Previous such meals were held in the fall, when fresh, local produce is abun- dant. However, Hannah’s upcoming 100-mile meal is the first to be held during the spring. “There’s not as much in the spring as in the fall,” Croft said. She called it “a challenge. I just want to see if I can do it.”

The 100-mile-diet concept is related to the Slow Food movement, whose focus, in part, is reducing the environmental impact of how food is brought from farm to table.

“It’s also the way of preparing food — the idea of things being cooked simply within their season, as fresh as possible,” Croft said. The dishes served Tuesday night will be based on what produce is available “right then,” Croft said. “The food really does dictate the recipes.” The menu will include soup; simple salads; sauteed greens; roasted and braised meats including beef, pork and chicken; egg dishes; and fresh strawberries and whipped cream for dessert. The meal will be accompanied by local wines selected by wine steward Jason Lastovica.

“My large food vendors have contracts with local farmers. I can order through my regular supply,” Croft said. She will also get some specialty items from small farms “at the last second.” She’ll use herbs grown in her own garden, a stash from her larder of canned goods and red wine vinegar from other seasons and 100-mile meals past, and produce from local growers through the Denton Community Market and The Cupboard Natural Foods. In addition, she has been promised amaranth (Chinese spinach) from the community garden at Bowling Green Park. “I have a plot there,” Croft said. “I put in tomatoes, lemon cucumbers, chili peppers, all kinds of stuff. I’m really excited to be able to get some things from there for the next [100-mile meal] in the fall.

$$$

Hannah's Off the Square

111 W. Mulberry, Denton, TX

940-566-1110

100-mile-meal

April 20, 2010

Reservations required. Limited Seating. $75 per person.

Arché Winery & Ancient Ovens, Saint Jo, Texas

THE PERFECT PAIRING

By Ellen “EJ” Sackett
Originally published in Edible Communities DFW, Spring 2010, www.edibledfw.com

Ancient Ovens and Arché Winery go together perfectly, just like the homemade artisan bread and the fine wine they serve. Together they form the ideal date night, just an hour-and-a-half drive northwest from Dallas and Fort Worth—away from work, kids and the hustle and bustle of everyday life.



Both are classic examples of “if you build it, they will come,” and the word is spreading about these hidden gems. Tucked away north of Saint Jo, they are located in what is unofficially called the North Texas Hill Country. Better known as the Red River Valley, the terrain resembles Central Texas with its gentle slopes and pastoral views.

Squint and you might even believe you’re in Italy.



Hosts for the evening are Howard Davies and Amy Sterling, owners of Arché Wines and Oak Creek Vineyards, and Denis and Susan Moody, whose home is the backdrop for Ancient Ovens. The two couples are not business partners, but good neighbors who live a few miles apart. Their combined vision is to create a memorable, magical experience for their guests.



The adventure begins at Arché. Visitors arrive at the winery in the late afternoon for a taste of red or rosé and a leisurely tour of the Oak Creek Vineyards. Arché sells its estate wine by the bottle or the case, and guests continuing to Ancient Ovens often buy some to complement their Old World Italian-style, oven-fired dinner.

Just five minutes away is Ancient Ovens at BlueDog Vista Ranch.



From the Lookout deck, guests enjoy being served a family-style, fivecourse meal while the sun slowly disappears over Devil’s Backbone.
Before long, strangers become friends. A light evening breeze crosses the valley and cools the night air. Under the tiny white patio lights, all the elements meld into one consummate, unforgettable evening.



Arché



Howard Davies’s first grape-growing experience began in his backyard when he was in his twenties, and his love for the grape followed him throughout his life. After a family vacation in Napa, California twelve years ago, Howard’s wife Amy encouraged him to pursue his passion and suggested a life of growing grapes commercially. They looked for land within a fifty-mile radius of their Plano home, but found it to be cost prohibitive, so they expanded their search. Finally they found what they were looking for—115 acres conducive to growing grapes, including an abandoned vineyard.



In three short months, they cleared the property of bramble, greenbriers and scrub oak trees and replanted the wild Venus vines inherited from the original vineyard. The forty-seven more rows of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Syrah grapevines were added, more than doubling the size of Oak Creek Vineyard, and there are plans to add additional rows this year.



Arché may well be the smallest commercial winery in Texas. The entire facility, including the tasting room, is all of 300 square feet. Visitors to Arché Winery literally walk into the factory, whatever stage of wine making is in progress. “At any given time, any number of winery operations might be going on,” says Amy. “We might be bottling, or pressing wine or doing some kind of chemical analysis.”



Remarkably, all of Arché wine is made from its own grapes. Currently Arché produces approximately 500 cases of estate wine a year, which are available only through the winery. Its varietals and blends are made from Syrah, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon as well as the hearty, but less commonly known Roussane, Mourvèdre, Granache and Carignan grapes. Most of the rootstock came from California, but these grape varieties originate from the Bordeaux and Rhone regions of France and the northern regions of Italy.

“Those regions are more like our region,” Howard says. “These particular grapes can take the heat.” The wine choices vary because the grapes vary from year to year. This year’s wine choices are Syrah and Cabernet wines from the Ryan’s Red series, named for Howard and Amy’s middle son; Texas Rose, a popular semi-sweet wine; and Nouveau Montague 2009, a dry redblend table wine.



The art and science of growing grapes and making wine (not to mention the business of meeting federal and state regulatory standards) keep Howard and Amy on their toes twelve months of the year. The process is labor-intensive and never-ending.
Says Amy, “We start pruning in December, and we tend the vines into harvest,” which happens mainly in August, September and October. “Then we’re working pretty heavily making wine between harvest and pruning time.” Any one of a number of variables, like a draught, black rot, a late frost or a nearby 2,4-D crop dusting can send their best-laid plans plummeting.



With the precarious life of a viticulturist, a sense of adventure comes with the territory. There’s a bit of the daredevil in both Howard and Amy, who met while racing motorcycles competitively. They left their stable jobs and suburban lifestyle to pursue their dream in the country and downsized from a 2,600-square-foot house to their current 350-square-foot home. “The easy part was making the decision,” says Howard. “The hard part was doing it.” Even making the decision about what vines to plant is a gamble, as there is no guarantee what will thrive. But the risk is also the thrill and what keeps it interesting. “We experiment to see what works,” says Howard. “Everything changes every year, and we have to be ready for it.” Howard and Amy’s sons were also bit by the bug. Patrick is the winemaker at Eagle Castle Winery in Paso Robles, California. “He’s my authority,” says Howard. Ryan helped plant many of the grapevines in record time and designed the Arché label logo, and youngest son Grayson works part-time for his parents and is currently pursuing a degree in horticulture with a concentration in viticulture at Texas Tech.



A spirited conversation about the particulars of viticulture comes with the tour. Howard and Amy love to share what they know. For four years Howard was the Region 2 Vineyard Director for Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association, covering 54 counties in Texas. He also authored a booklet, “The Starting Point”, which explains how to start a vineyard in Texas. Says Howard, “This booklet tells you everything.
It tells you where to go, who you should talk to, what region you’re in, who to contact…” With a smile he adds, “I’ll tell you more than you want to know. Amy will tell you exactly what you need to know.”

The time flies by and dinner awaits. Head back from whence you came, turn left at the next gravel road. Look for a black, bashed-in mailbox on your right. Another episode is about to begin.
’

Ancient Ovens



The centerpiece and the reason to visit Ancient Ovens is the wood-fired oven itself. Denis built the oven in three months and finished it in February, 2007. Surrounded by rock and brick, it stands nearly ten feet tall, eight feet deep and six feet wide. The inside space, which includes the walls, hearth and arches, can handle as many as five pizzas or twenty loaves of bread at one time. Constructed from 330 fire bricks that retain the heat necessary for this Old World method of baking, the oven can heat up to 850 degrees, baking the pizzas to a bubbly crisp within minutes. Denis tends the fire and cooks the meal here, while Intrigued onlookers sit on benches under the covered pavilion.



Denis always dreamt of building an outdoor wood-fired oven like those he saw in his Navy days when he was deployed to Italy for extended stays. “The food is just so good coming out of them,” Denis says. After he retired from the military, he looked for something else to do. One day when Susan was surfing the Internet, she stumbled upon North House School of Folk Learning in Grand Marias, Minnesota, which offered a seminar in how to build the ovens. Denis immediately took the class.



At first Denis intended to build the ovens as his main enterprise— “for other people’s backyards,” he says—but when the housing market tanked, so did his plans. Meanwhile, he built the Lookout, a large deck beyond the oven overlooking the valley.



Susan, who had no previous formal training as a baker, went to North House to take a four-day, wood-fire method baking class. “A lot of it is trial by error and just learning the feel of the oven,” she says. “I can stick my hand in it and without even looking at the thermometer, know if it’s too hot to bake bread. I can just sense it.” They hosted parties for family and friends and soon were getting requests to host large gatherings at their home. In April, 2009 they officially began doing business full-time as Ancient Ovens with help from their son Chris, who has also learned the art of wood-fired baking, and daughter Eryn, who helps with the preparation and serves the guests.



They perfected what is now their standard five-course meal, which has been modified over time. “Like a lot of restaurants in Italy, we serve one type of meal,” says Denis. “That’s our staple, and we’ve served it for close to a year-and-a-half now. People keep coming back and coming back.” This meal at Ancient Ovens is bread-based, starting with Susan’s rustic artisan country bread, made from an 80-year-old starter, and served with a rich spinach and artichoke dip glazed with garlic butter in a hot cast iron pan. Next is Susan’s own creation, Italian Teardrops, made with olive cream cheese and spices wrapped in a pasta pastry and seasoned with garlic, butter and herbs. For the main course, guests may choose one of the thin-crusted Neapolitan-style pizzas, topped with a variety of ingredients depending on what is fresh and available. (With prior notice, Ancient Ovens can accommodate dietary concerns. For example, if someone is lactose intolerant, they will substitute olive oil for the cheese.) The meal is finito with a decadent dark chocolate hazelnut dessert pizza made with Nutella. Magnifico!



Many of the ingredients used to make the meal come from Susan’s organic garden, including Roma tomatoes, basil, oregano, rosemary and garlic. They compost hay and add vegetable scraps to worm castings to enrich the soil. “We want to get more sustainable, more local and be more mindful of where our food comes from,” says Susan.

In addition to growing herbs and vegetables, they also raise cattle and free range chickens. Susan uses the eggs in her baked goods and sells them to the local feed store, and they have processed their own chickens as well. The Moodys frequent Fischer’s—“one of the most happening small grocery stores in Texas,” according to Denis—which sells local produce, especially in the spring and summer. Ancient Ovens also buys its Italian sausage and Canadian bacon from Fischer’s, which processes and packages its own sausages and cheeses. He adds, “By patronizing local stores in the community, we’re helping them sustain themselves. It works hand in hand.”

Traveling around the world as a naval officer to 23 different countries during his thirty years of service gave Denis perspective. “Quite a significant portion of the world’s population still lives like this. This is their norm. It made me think,” says Denis. “We lived quite a few years in Euless, and we thought, ‘This is just not us. We’ve got to get out and get some more room,’” says Denis. “I don’t think either one of us ever had a plan to be here, at this level of earthiness, but we sure like it!” Ancient Ovens is primarily an outdoor venue, but over the past winter, Denis and Chris, with help from Howard, built a kitchen, a teaching space for Susan’s baking classes and an indoor dining room surrounded by glass. This new addition will also include a second wood-fire oven And year ‘round seating and protection from inclement weather.



Rather than driving home late at night, visitors might consider turning the trip into a short staycation by booking a room at the quaint Texas King’s Hotel, directly across from Saint Jo’s historic town square. Guests stay in one of five charming guestrooms at the inn, renovated from two turn-of-the-century buildings. Because the hotel does not keep regular hours and is only open by arrangement, reservations must be made well in advance.



Finding Arché Winery and Ancient Ovens isn’t easy, but follow the map we’ve included, then remember that once you are on Hwy 677 and you stumble upon your first breathtaking vista, you’re almost there.

Arché Winery
228 Wagner Road, Saint Jo, Texas 76265
214-908-9055 or 214-536-6330
www.archewines.com
Hours: 11 a.m. to dark, Wednesdays through Sundays and by appointment. Wine can be purchased by the bottle or by the case for a 10% discount. No reservations required. Children are welcome but must be supervised.


Ancient Ovens
At BlueDog Vista Ranch, 857 Childress Road, Saint Jo, Texas 76265
940-366-4255
www.ancientovens.com
Hours: 7 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays and by appointment
Advance reservations by telephone required.


Texas King's Hotel
104 S. Broad Street, Saint Jo, Texas 76265
940-995-2565
www.texaskingshotel.com
Hours: By appointment only
Advance reservations required.
Call or e-mail: reservations@texaskingshotel.com


Originally published in Edible Communities DFW, Spring 2010
www.edibledfw.com

Buffet King Chinese Cuisine, Mongolian Grill & Sushi, Denton, TX

ALL YOU CAN EAT CHINESE AND MORE

By Ellen "EJ" Sackett

If eating out at a Chinese buffet is your thing, you're not alone. Buffet King, Denton's newest such restaurant has only been open a few months, yet it's drawing the crowds. Easily accessible near the southeast intersection of I-35 and Loop 288 near the Golden Triangle Mall, expect a wait on a Friday and Saturday night, but not for long. The line moves quickly. The dining room seats hundreds at a time and the serve-yourself style lends itself to an almost fast-food experience.  

While not exactly cheap dining, customers certainly get their money's worth. The fixed-price buffet has an extraordinary amount of options from which to choose--over 200, in fact. You'll find what you expect at a Chinese buffet, like Sweet and Sour Chicken, Pepper Steak and Lo Mein. But this restaurant also offers a sushi bar with several kinds of Nigiri and Japanese-style rolls as well as a Mongolian grill station, where customers choose from variety of meats and veggies that are cooked on a large circular grill while you wait. 

Oftentimes quantity affects quality in buffet-style dining, but here the food doesn't have a chance to dry out or get cold. The meat dishes are flavorful but not too spicy, and the vegetables aren't overcooked. The food tastes fresh, the way it often looks at a buffet, but rarely is. Seafood lovers can chow down on unlimited amounts of crab legs, shrimp and mussels. Don't forget to try the tasty pork potstickers, found near the hot and sour and egg drop soups, and make a point to try the green beans that have just the right amount of crisp to them.

Children have options too. There's pizza and chicken drumsticks, and rows of desserts to tempt the sweetest sweettooths. Fortunately, for those who are trying to watch their weight, there's a little hope, as fresh fruit, such as cantaloupe and grapes, are available in addition to the puddings, cakes, soft-serve ice cream and other sugary delights. 

While most customers clammer for the buffet, diners can also order off the menu. Lunch specials and combinations plates offer good values and can be made to suits one's taste, be it mild, medium or hot. Take out is also available. The restaurant is cheery and clean with bright chandeliers, neon signs and flat-screen TVs, the service is friendly, and the food, while not exceptional, caters to the hungry. For large parties, quick business lunches, and family nights out, Buffet King rules.

$-$$

Buffet King

2251 S. Loop 288, Denton, TX

940-387-0888

Hours:

Lunch ~ Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Dinner ~ Monday through Thursday, 3:31 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 3:31 p.m. through 10 p.m.

Sunday ~ All day dinner buffet from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

Also posted on www.dentoncountyfare.com . 

Vercelli's Pasta and Pizza, Krum, Texas

WE ALL SCREAM FOR POUTINE!

By Ellen "EJ" Sackett

Earlier this week we bid a sad adieu to the 2010 Winter Olympics held in Vancouver, British Columbia. Some of us will miss duking it out with our northern neighbor, but I, for one, found myself rooting for the Canadians as well. Not only did they snag most the gold medals won at any Winter Olympic Games, they were true sportsmen and women, and good-humored, gracious hosts. Canada has lots of reasons to be proud.

For the Denton Record-Chronicle/Scott Sackett

Authentic poutine is on the menu at Vercelli’s Pasta and Pizza in downtown Krum, Texas. 

In their honor, I say we chow down on a Canadian favorite: poutine — French fries topped with white cheese curds, covered in a beef-based brown gravy. Its origins aren’t precisely known; however, most agree the poutine craze began in Quebec in the 1960s. Now it’s served up in greasy spoons and fast-food chains throughout the country. Even women’s figuring skating bronze medalist Joannie Rochette is known to indulge. Canada’s quintessential comfort food is also referred to as one of Canada’s guiltiest pleasures — and is another source of national pride.

Fortunately, we don’t have to travel to the Great White North to find it — in fact, we don’t even have to cross the county line. Authentic poutine is on the menu at Vercelli’s Pasta and Pizza in downtown Krum.

Why is a French-Canadian dish available at an Italian restaurant in a small North Texas town? Jane Flores, who owns the restaurant with her mother is originally from Quebec, and they brought the recipe with them.

Their basic poutine is made from hand-cut French fries. The poutine gravy is imported from Quebec and the white cheddar cheese curds are shipped overnight from Wisconsin. The rubbery cheese has to be squeaky. (Squeaky? That’s the sound the curds make when you bite into them. It means they are extremely fresh.)

Vercelli’s also offers an Italian poutine, which substitutes a rich, tomatoey meat sauce for the gravy. You can also try frites sauce or frites italienne, versions of the two recipes without the cheese. (But then it’s not really poutine.)

By the way, while you’re at Vercelli’s, don’t forget to congratulate the Italians. They might not have won big at the Olympics, but they sure take the prize for lasagna.

$

Vercelli’s Pasta and Pizza, 208 W. McCart St., Krum, TX 940-482-6051.

A version was originally published in Denton Record-Chronicle, March 4, 2010

Siam Off the Square Thai Restaurant, Denton, TX

FLAVORS AS BOLD AS THE COLORS

By Ellen "EJ" Sackett

Walk into the vestibule of Siam Off the Square Thai Restaurant, and you’ll be greeted by Monique the mannequin, who on any given day may sport a traditional Thai dress, football jersey or cowboy hat.

For the DRC/Scott Sackett

Vivid purple, lime green and orange are the predominating colors at Siam Off the Square Thai Restaurant. The food’s colorful, too.

“She’s even worn lingerie,” says Russel Mills, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Noon, the restaurant’s chef. Without cracking a smile, he adds, “It’s too cold for that this time of year.”

Noon Mills laughs. Today Monique has on Mardi Gras beads, “for the Saints,” Noon Mills explains, referring to New Orleans’ recent Super Bowl win.

Next to Monique is a ceramic lime-green Buddha with a grin as wide as Noon’s. He matches the color of the top half of the restaurant’s walls perfectly, in contrast to the orange below and the purple tablecloths.

His presence foreshadows what customers can expect to find at Siam Off the Square — it’s “full of happy energy,” Noon Mills said.

Finding the restaurant isn’t easy if you don’t know where to look.

Its physical address is Hickory Street, but it’s actually on the corner of Cedar and Walnut streets. The space was once part of Russell’s Department Store and has been home to several restaurants, including the original Hannah’s Off the Square, hence the similar name.

While Hannah’s expanded when it moved to Mulberry Street, Siam Off the Square downsized from its 17-year home in Carriage Square.

“We love our new location,” Noon Mills said. “The Square is a community within a community.”

Russel Mills said businesses on the Square have supported them.

“We brought our clientele with us, which in turn supports other businesses on the Square,” he said.

Customers will find the same quality food at the new location as they did the old. The menu includes a variety of appetizers, curries, stir-fry dishes and pad thai.

Noon Mills’ mother, from Phuket Island in southern Thailand, provides the curry paste. She is an important influence on her daughter’s cooking, as is Noon Mill’s Chinese heritage.

“Not all dishes are spicy,” she said, “but you can expect them to be tasty.”

The menu changes with the seasons. The Millses buy locally and use fresh ingredients as much as possible. Their daily specials feature what is plentiful. They love their restaurant and customers, many of whom have become friends over the years.

“Come out and see us,” said Russel Mills.

His wife added, “We love to make people happy.”


$-$$


Siam Off the Square Thai Restuarant
209 W. Hickory Street, Suite 104, Denton, TX
940-382-5118
www.siamoffthesquare.com
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday,
5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.


Originally published in Denton Record-Chronicle, DentonTime, February 18, 2010

Frilly's Seafood Bayou Kitchen, Denton, Texas

THE OTHER WHITE MEATS

By Ellen "EJ" Sackett

Forgive me. I might be the only person in North Texas who didn’t watch the Super Bowl. I know, I heard. That wasn’t the game to miss. It wasn’t just good, it was great.

DRC/Ellen Sackett

Frilly’s Seafood Bayou Kitchen boasts frog legs and alligator on the menu.

To be honest, I’m only so-so interested in professional football, unless it’s the Dallas Cowboys. I figure Jerry Jones could use one more person telling him how to run his team, and Tony Romo wants to feel the love, especially since Jessica is out of the picture. Otherwise, I root for the team with the finest uniforms. 

Since the Cowboys didn’t make it to the Super Bowl, I prayed for New Orleans. I needed the Saints to win. Moreover, I needed a good excuse to write about frog legs and alligators. Some of you are probably thinking I should’ve cheered for the Colts.
Seriously, though, have you tried them? Frog legs and alligator are popular dishes in N’awlins, and when you see one on the menu, you usually find the other. You can find them at both Frilly’s locations in Denton, which specialize in Cajun cuisine. (FYI: The two restaurants prepare their food differently as they are owned by different proprietors.)

Usually when I think Cajun, my mouth waters for dishes with andouille sausage, bowls of red jambalaya and shrimp gumbo, and plates piled high with blackened catfish or crawfish etouffee, with dirty rice and jalapeno corn bread. You can get all those good eats at both Frilly’s, too. I was on a mission for frog legs and alligator, however — which, despite their popularity in the South, haven’t quite made it to America’s Top 10 of favorite foods. 

I ordered mine fried from Frilly’s Seafood Bayou Kitchen, with a side of red beans and rice. They came with seafood cocktail sauce and tartar sauce for dipping. I started with the alligator, which, covered in batter, looked a lot like popcorn shrimp. It even had a bit of a chewy, shrimp-like texture but more closely resembled cooked turkey breast. 

The frog legs were surprisingly meaty, despite their tiny drumstick size. I expected them to taste like chicken, but they definitely didn’t. Instead they tasted like — well — frog legs. They were very fresh and somewhat gamey, more flavorful than the alligator. 

I can’t say I’m a big fan, but I’m happy for the Saints. By all accounts, they played well and deserved to beat the Colts. But even if they had lost, there’s no way I would’ve tried horse meat.
 
$-$$

Frilly’s Seafood Bayou Kitchen
1925 Denison St. 940-243-2126.
 
Frilly’s South Cajun Kitchen
2303 S. Interstate 35E.
940-898-1404.

Originally published in the Denton Record Chronicle, February 11, 2010.

Cafe Du Luxe, Denton, Texas

MUGS AND WINE GLASSES HOBNOB

By Ellen "EJ" Sackett (for Denton Record-Chronicle)

Cafe Du Luxe isn’t Denton’s best-kept secret. Since it opened five months ago, the word is spreading: It’s a great place to meet friends for conversation and a cup of coffee, a light meal or a glass of fine wine. Owner David Carles describes his cafe as “upscale casual” and says it “provides a choice that raises the quality” in the area. That choice includes freshly roasted coffee beans, both familiar and relatively unknown wines, and healthy yet inexpensive menu items for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. “We appeal to the North Texas business and medical professionals and give them another alternative to Starbucks and coffeehouses that largely appeal to students,” he said.

Cafe Du Luxe is located in Market Square at Unicorn Lake, where it’s a logical stop for a bite before or after a movie at Cinemark Denton. In addition to convenience, the cafe offers happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, featuring half-price appetizers and $1 off house beer and wines.

Commuters can whip into the drive-through for a specialty coffee fix, brewed “the old-fashioned way,” Carles said. “We use authentic Italian espresso equipment. We grind and dose and tamp and pull the shots by hand. None of it is automated.”

The coffees are designed around a music theme, named after the voices in a choir — the lighter the roast, the higher the voice. The beans come to the cafe extremely fresh.

“We order our coffee from our roaster on Monday; they roast for us on Tuesday; our coffee arrives here Wednesday or Thursday,” Carles said.

Cafe Du Luxe specializes in some “high-quality but relatively unknown” Chilean wines that can’t be purchased at the local grocery, Carles said. The wine list offers a variety and appeals to those who lean toward the familiar as well as aficionados who are more adventurous. Beer drinkers shouldn’t feel left out: Domestic and imported brews are available, too.

Food and drink aren’t the only reasons to come to Cafe Du Luxe; another is the atmosphere. One wall is dedicated to displaying work by regional artists. The exhibit changes monthly, with an artist’s reception every third Sunday. On Saturday evenings, Bill Metzger and Perrin Grace perform light jazz on electric guitar and upright bass. Book clubs, church groups and writers meet regularly to exchange information and ideas.

People can “come in jeans or come in a suit, either way,” Carles said.

It took four years from conception to completion to create Cafe Du Luxe, and it came out almost exactly as Carles envisioned it.

“People are still trying to figure out who we are and what we do,” he said. “We want the word to get out [because] we have something unique to offer.”

$

CAFE DU LUXE
3101 Unicorn Lake Blvd., Denton, TX
940-382-7070
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
www.cafeduluxe.com

Originally published in Denton Record-Chronicle, January 21, 2010

GTB FARE SQUARE

Korean Rice Dish Sizzles!

By Ellen "EJ" Sackett

Try a food that’s as fun to order it is to eat! “Bibim Bop (BEE-bim-bahp) served in a Hot Stone Bowl” is a traditional Korean all-in-one meal, and it’s also Royal East Asian Cuisine’s most popular dish. It’s more accurately called Dohl-sot Bibim Bop—not to be confused with Bibim Bop—which is not served in a hot stone bowl.

There’s lots of ways to spell it: Dohl-sot, dolsot, bibimbap, bibimbab, bibimbob, bibimbop--even b-bop, for short! It’s all the same thing. Literally translated, “dohl-sot” means “stone pot” and “bibim bop” means “mixed rice”. Even though there are as many ways to make it, the basic recipe includes three main ingredients: rice, vegetables and meat.

Royal East’s stone bowl arrives at the table too hot to touch. White rice is mixed with thin shreds of bulgogi (beef marinated in soy sauce), carrots, potato, spinach, soybean sprouts and the root of royal fern. All this has been added to sizzling sesame oil that carmelizes with the rice along the bottom of the bowl and turns it a crispy brown. On top sits a fried egg, over-easy. (Some versions use a raw egg.) The server breaks the yolk and combines the ingredients, still cooking away inside the hot stone bowl. He adds red chili sauce for spiciness, and I add a little soy sauce for flavor.

But that’s not all. Dohl-sot Bibim Bop also comes with banchan, typical Korean side dishes served at every meal, especially kimchi, Korea’s famous pickled cabbage with a kick, and often times cucumber kimchi, another variation on that theme, as well as other seasoned vegetables.

Dohl-sot Bibim Bop, priced at $10.95 at dinner ($8.95 at lunch), doesn’t come with a money-back guarantee, but no worries. Even the pickiest eaters will come back for more of this warm and wondrous Korean comfort food.

Royal East Asian Cuisine (Korean, Sushi, Japanese)
1622-A W. University Drive, Denton
(940) 383-7633
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Also published in Denton Record-Chronicle, January 14, 2010