On a recent night out, Tiffany and I took Mr. P and Captain Kirk out for some pizza and fun at Urban Crust.

Urban Crust is located in Historic Downtown Plano.  It is a wood- fired Italian Pizza Restaurant with a trendy rooftop bar.  The atmosphere of the restaurant is really cool.  It has a European feel with a huge beautiful chandelier in the middle of the restaurant.

For starters, we had  Mussels and Crispy Calamari.  The mussels were good!  They are oven roasted with a delicious green tomatillo sauce.  The calimari was just eh… I probably would not order it again.

For the salad, we ordered the Heart of Plano salad.  This salad has hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, romaine hearts, smoked bacon, bleu cheese with a dijon vinaigrette.  Yum-o!  I would go back just to order this salad!

The Shea’s Eastside was our choice of  pizza.  Tomato sauce, fire roasted chicken, mozzarella, caramelized onions, and sun dried tomatoes on this bad boy!  The pizza was tasty and the crust was nice and crispy.

Don’t forget to check out the rooftop bar, 32 °.  It is a perfect place to cool down on a hot Texas night.

I would definitely go back. This restaurant has great atmosphere, food and service!

Dress Code:  Casual and Trendy

Cheers!
Suzanne

The Rooftop Event Spot includes a large, open outdoor patio with an inside show kitchen used for cooking classes and demonstrations. The space is great for a private party, wedding reception or buisness event. Since the Sheas enjoy spending time outdoors, they wanted their patrons to be able to do the same – all year long. To enable this, Jamie’s vision was to create a patio enclosure that would help to control the temperature on extremely warm or cold days, and still have the option to enjoy the outdoors on the mild days.

Southwest Fence installed a Corradi Pergotenda® system which encloses the overhead area of the patio in less than 30 seconds. If you have lived in Texas for any length of time, you know just how quickly our weather can change. If the rain starts coming down or the wind picks up, the rooftop can be enclosed with just the click of a button. Also included in the design are side curtains that can also be opened or closed simply with a remote. With the entire space completely enclosed, the patio can be enjoyed whether it is snowing or a sweltering triple digit temperature day.

If you have been looking for a way to enhance your restaurant or event spot patio or rooftop, we have some fresh ideas for you. We can also install similar products at your residence. We can create a great addition to your outdoor space that allows you more control over the temperature, wind and amount of light in your outdoor living space. With this type of addition, you will find yourself enjoying your outdoor living just as often as your indoor living spaces.

To learn more about this project, visit our YouTube channel and view the Rooftop Event Spot Testimonial. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss your outdoor spaces, whether you are looking for ways to enhance your restaurant or your residence. With over 30 years of experience in the DFW area, we are the source for all of your outdoor needs. Please feel free to contact us.

This weekend, we started at Filmore Pub, ate at Urban Crust, had a few drinks at Vickery Tavern and finished where we started at Filmore Pub. We met two other couples at Filmore and started with a nice Pinot Noir and brie plate. I’ve talked about the bake brie before, and so glad that I started the evening with it. It consists of thinly sliced apples, the baked brie, and water crackers. The apples and brie are drizzled with honey and topped with sliced almonds. OMG doesn’t describe it. I can eat the entire thing. But, I shared.

Then we went up to the roof top bar at Urban Crust. The patio had a retractable roof, letting us gaze into the night sky and look over Plano. Jeff and I split a Heart of Plano salad- blue cheese crumbles, chopped lettuce, heart of palm, artichoke hearts and some garlicky-delicious dressing. I would go back just for the salad. The group split three pizzas. A typical Margarita (I’m sure I’m spelling this incorrectly) since Jeff wasn’t interested in ours that had fig paste instead of pizza sauce, arugula, blue cheese, caramelized onions. The winner, though, was one that had sirloin thinly sliced, caramelized onions and blue cheese. This one was gone before it hit the table. I was really looking forward to the white chocolate bread pudding, but the boys ordered us a chocolate cake when we were in the rest room and the server asked what we’d like instead since they had run out. I’d rather have nothing. But, the cake was okay. I’m not a huge chocolate cake fan. If I’m having dessert, I want something different. I’m a sucker for a good bread pudding. By the way, this was before Jeff’s and my diet.

After Urban Crust, we had a drink at Vickery Tavern. I had a pumpkin beer. It was pumpkin spice like everything else right now, then a beer after taste. It was actually quite delicious and nothing I would have ordered on my own. Thank you Jeffro! It was a little too loud, so we went back to Fillmore Pub for a night cap. I had their red wine sangria. It was so delicious and I wish I had those all night. I’m a pinot noir fan, and usually don’t care too much for sweet wines, but this was a great way to end the evening. It was light, fruity and fun. Like me.

My Daily Prayer: Thank you God for reasons to be thankful. No matter what, I have blessing in which to thank you. AMEN!

Daily Thanksgiving: Latin Love taco at Taco Coho. If you haven’t had it, go get one and be thankful, too.

When I Have Kardashian Kash: I will take off that year to just write a novel. Then another to produce the film.

Making Whoopie Flavor of the Day: Amish Paradise- Sometimes original is best. Www.makingwhoopieplano.com

Anyways, we had a blast!  We went to the “older” parts of these two towns and wandered down the cobblestone streets and in and out of every shop.  We also had some really, really good food.

We noticed that every shop in Grapevine has what looks like a banker’s vault in the back and the shops have turned it into a little room with goodies in there.  Well, after noticing about 3 of these, k asks one of the shop owners if her shop was a bank at one time because of the vault.  She said that we were in Bonnie and Clyde territory and that all the shops had these vaults to hide their valuables, incase Bonnie and Clyde came through town.  How cool is that?!  You could totally picture that.  You could see the horses coming down the street, instead of cars. The horse hitching posts are still outside every shop.  It is a very cool town.  We are actually going back this weekend for their Grape Fest and wine tasting.  Yum!

So, here are the few pictures that I snapped of our outing.  Enjoy!

{d&k} in downtown Plano.

Only in Texas will you see life-size statues of farm animals. And, k has to pose with every one of them!

Antiques! No chairs though

Yummy pizza. If you are ever in Plano, TX, stop by Urban Crust. It was amazing.

K found this sign and he thinks it fits him pretty well.

We went to a wine bar in Grapevine. Yes, those are wines on tap! We didn’t get any of those because they had house wine half off! Yes, please!

Downtown Grapevine.

K, skating with some statue kids. Don’t fall, k!

D found a sign that fits her to the T!

K posing with some really creepy man!

The town is getting ready for Halloween.

Again, only in Texas will you find life-size statues of animals.  K would have posed, but it was in the median and we were driving.

Well, there you have it.  That was our weekend adventure, summed up nicely with little pictures.  You’re welcome!

Enjoy your day,
{d&k}

This was part of my menu detailed in the post linked to the right, “The Night the Master Chef Came to Supper”

Ingredients

1 whole Ruby Red Red grapefruit
1 avocado
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup of pecans
salt
pepper
dash of Tabasco

Peel both grapefruit and avocado then slice into bite size pieces and combine in a salad serving bowl. Add pecans, then drizzle with both olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt, pepper and Tabasco then toss.

From page 91 of Down Home with the Neeley’s . To “Veganize” I replaced the mayo the recipe called for with canola oil

Ingredients

1 small head green cabbage
1 small head red cabbage
4 carrots
1 medium yellow onion
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
2 teaspoons apple-cider vinegar
1 cup sugar (or 1/3 cup Stevia, which is what I used)
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 dashes hot sauce
Kosher salt

Cut the cabbages in quarters and remove the cores. Peel carrots and onion, and slice to fit into a food processor. Coarsely chop these vegetables and toss to combine in a large bowl.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the canola oil, mustard, vinegar, sugar, black pepper, and Tabasco. Whisk until the sugar dissolves (or combine all in the food processor until smooth and sugar is dissolved).

Toss the dressing with the cole slaw, season with salt and additional pepper to taste. Cover the slaw with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Kosher salt
1/4 pound green beans, trimmed and halved
1/4 pound yellow wax beans, trimmed and halved
One 14-ounce can dark-red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
One 14-ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
One 14-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch scallions, white and light-green parts, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish
2 tablesoons chopped oregano leaves
1 recipe Champagne Vinaigrette (see below)
Freshly ground black pepper
Hot sauce

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a generous sprinkling of salt and the fresh beans, and cook until the beans are just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain the beans in a colander, and shock in ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and set aside.

Place the fresh and canned beans, scallions, bell pepper, parsley, oregano, and Champagne Vinaigrette in a large bowl, and toss to combine. Season the salad to taste with salt, pepper and hot sauce. (Note, I waited and added fresh green beans to salad about 15 minutes before serving so these beans would not turn brown prior to our meal)

Champagne Vinaigrette

1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 or 3 dashes of hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Put all ingredients into the food processor or blender and process until smooth (do not over process, it could break down the oil)

And when I say Master Chef I do not use that term lightly. I’m talking about a man who has received the highest level of certification possible in American culinary arts AND who has been invited to compete in the Worldwide Culinary Olympics in Germany, with his team this October.

This, is exactly the perdicimant I found myself in Sunday night. Italian born Chef Salvatore Gisellu and his family drove 4 hours from his in-law’s home in Venice, Florida to visit my family. A cozy dinner where the kids could swim off some cooped-up energy seemed like the best way to welcome my beloved visitors.

“Chef” is definitely the best cook I know and I wanted to serve him a great meal that would make him happy but as I poured over my recipes I just couldn’t decide on the perfect menu.

Until it hit me! Chef loves his wife more than anything in this world and if I could make her HAPPY, then Chef would definitely be pleased. You see, Jeanne-Marie Gisellu is a “Vegan,” she does not eat anything made from animals, which means no meat/fish or dairy. With these restricted choices sometimes tastey dishes are hard to find on a night out so I knew a yummy meal could be greatly appreciated.

Never having cooked a Vegan meal before I wasn’t sure where to start, so I turned to my OTHER favorite chefs, Gina and Pat Neeley. Why, would I look to the King and Queen of Barbecue to cook a meal without meat? Because their cook book was on my kitchen counter. Convenience.

The Menu I decided upon was below and I was quite pleased. The meal ended with smiles on both Gisellus’ faces. Despite what the “feel good” experts say, for me that night wasn’t just about us all being together. I wanted my friend the Chef to enjoy a good meal with his family. I felt pretty good about the outcome.

The Five Bean Picnic Salad
Sweet and Salty Slaw “Veganized”
Grapefruit and Avocado Salad

**Find these recipes in the posts that follow with the same name as recipe title

Rib eye steak for the non-Vegans in the rooom, including our 5 kids

For the steak, I marinated in salt, pepper and Worstshire for about 4 hours, opting for simplicity rather than overdoing it as to not offend Chef’s tastebuds. We seared both sides of each steak in very hot olive oil on the stove top then cooked in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes to a nice medium or medium rare for a few).

Dessert:

Warm Vegan banana bread http://dairyfreecooking.about.com/od/breadsbakery/r/vegan_banana_bread_recipe.htm
Tofutti ice cream

The interior is tad upscale for a pizza place.  They have a full bar and a wood burning pizza oven.  When they sat down the little appetizer bread basket with a finely chopped tomato basil topping and some tapenade, I immediately forgot about schnitzel.

Both of the bread toppings were very tasty.  The tomato was bright and flavorful and the tapenade wasn’t overpowering.  I wish mine at home was that good.  We started with calamari.  I was tempted by the carpacio.  But, I figured, why not start with a tried and true favorite.  Plus, calamari can tell you a lot about what’s going on in the kitchen.  Is it battered nicely?  Is it tough or chewy?  Does it look real?  This looked like the real deal.

Served in a cute little fryer basket, the calamari was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.  Marinara and a mayo based dipping sauce accompanied the basket.  I asked our server what was the flavoring in the mayo sauce and she said, “They won’t tell us”.  Well, it was good.  Whatever it was.

The pizza we chose was one of their specialty pizzas.  Goat cheese, arugula, fig preserves and proscuitto drizzled with balsamic glaze.  They will grate fresh Parmesan for you at the table. 

It was a great looking pizza.  The crust was very nice.  Kind of chewy and supported the ingredients well.  But, I think I’d order a different pie next time.  This one kind of went over the top with the sweetness of the preserves and balsamic on the same pizza.  The ingredients were all fresh and tasty, though.  And if I ever go back to Plano…  I wouldn’t mind stopping in again.

Since Easter is so late this year, information on brunches has been slow to arrive.  I am hearing from more restaurants everyday now, so here is an update on places offering something cool for the special Sunday brunch on April 24th.  Read on to see the latest.

Nosh

4216 Oak Lawn Avenue

Dallas, TX 75219-2312

P: 214-528-9400

$39 per person

STARTERS

Crispy Pacific Oysters garlic spinach, tarragon cream & sherry vinegar

Kobe Meatballs béarnaise sauce

Potato Latke beet cured salmon, crème fraiche & sturgeon caviar

Gilled Heart of Romaine jonah crab, blistered tomatoes & creamy roasted shallotdressing

Slice of Baby Ice creamy blue, apple wood bacon, tomatoes & candied pecans

Cool Gazpacho avocado, tomato & marcona almonds

MAIN

Spanish Frittata tomato, spanish chorizo & fontina cheese

Mac and Cheese ham & cheddar gratinee

Seared Diver Scallops creamy pearl cous cous & blistered tomatoes

Flounder Milanese Spanish chorizo, white corn & marble potatoes

Maple Grilled Quail hearts of palm, fava beans & baby arugula

Baised Pork Shoulder white corn succotash, pan fried egg & country gravy

Beef Short Rib Hash soft poached egg, peppers, & smoked paprika aioli

Beef Tenderloin Benedict soft poached eggs, melted onions, bacon & béarnaise

DESSERT

Banana Croissant Bread Pudding roasted banana ice cream & rum caramel

Apple Tarte Tatin Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream

Warm Chocolate Souffle Cake smore ice cream

CALL FOR RESERVATIONS 214.528.9400

Bistro Louise in Fort Worth–

Pastries:

Almond Croissants ~ Chocolate Muffins ~

Lemon Poppy Muffins ~ Bistro Donuts

Farm Fresh Cheeses:

Feta Molds ~ Vernier Roquefort ~ Cave Aged Gruyere ~

Berry Goat ~ Plus three additional artisanal cheeses

Entrees:

Green Apple, Basil, Pecan & Red Onion Salad

Alsatian Slaw with Red Apples & Walnuts

House Salad ~ Minestrone of Fruits

Poached Eggs Benedict ~ Malted Waffles

Apple Smoked Bacon ~ Carrot Pudding

Spinach Mashed Potatoes

Pecan Fried Chicken ~ Salmon Cakes

Crab Cakes ~ Roasted Leg of Lamb

Prime Rib of Beef au jus with Horseradish Sauce

Tea Smoked Duck ~ Buffalo Sausage

Mediterranean Olives

Vegetable Platter: Green Asparagus, Sugar Snap Peas, Beets, Balsamic Onions, Piquillo Peppers, Artichoke Galettes, Parslied Carrots

Desserts:

Coconut Cake ~ Strussel Plum Cake

Buttermilk Fudge Cake ~ Chocolate Truffles

Strawberry Shortcake ~ English Triffle

Raspberry Creme Brulee

Chocolate Cups with Orange Pastry Cream

Caramelized Nut Tarts

Bistro Louise . 2900 S Hulen . Stonegate Commons . Fort Worth . 817-922-9244

$45 per person, $16.95 children 5-11, under 5 free

plus 8.25% tax, 20 % gratuity and beverages

One complimentary mimosa or glass of champagne

Chef Kenny Bowers is celebrating Easter at his two restaurants.  Visit the websites below for details:

Kenny’s Wood Fired Grill

5000 Beltline Rd. # 775 • Dallas, TX 75254

www.kennyswoodfiredgrill.com

Kenny’s Italian Kitchen

5100 Beltline Road • Suite 764 • Dallas, Texas 75254

www.kennysitalian.com

Plan ahead for both Easter and Mother’s Day with Chef Stephan Pyles who sends this beautiful holiday card to mark the occasions.

Gaylord Texan has a special brunch in the Grand Texas Ballroom from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Easter (with special Easter Egg Hunts beginning at 11, noon and 1:30).  It’s priced at $65 for adults; $25 for children 6-12, and its FREE for kids 5 and under.  Call 817-778-1000 for reservations or visit GaylordTexan.com.

Chef Richard Chamberlain is offering Easter Brunch at both his Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House and Chamberlain’s Fish Market Grill.  Both restaurants are offering a three course menu for  visit Chamberlain’s website for reservations or call for details.  972. 934.2467.

Urban Crust in Plano is getting into the Easter spirit early with a pre-event and a Sunday brunch.  Here are the details:

Monday, April 18, 2011 @ 6:30 pm

EASTER WINES

Exploring Easter friendly and spring wines; especially those that pair well with lamb. Bottles on hand to purchase for your own Easter tables. The evening features:

5 dishes paired w/ 5 wines

$34.90 per person

RSVP Required with credit card hold

972 509 1400 or Monica@UrbanCrust.com

Sunday, April 24, 2010 @ 11a-3pm

EASTER BRUNCH

Italian brunch featuring Nutella Calzone, Fresh Italian donuts, Brunch Pizza (with eggs on top), Steak and Eggs our Way, Italian Frittata, Bottomless Mimosas.

URBAN CRUST

1006 E 15TH STREET

972 509 1400

UrbanCrust.com