Best Foodie Finds in Dallas This Week: Tacolandia and Big Texas Beer Fest

A Red Bull giveaway seems like the only thing not on this week’s food and drink events, although it might be the thing we need most to get through this busy week. Upcoming foodie finds include Dallas Observer‘s Tacolandia, all the best of Italy at Eataly, a very big beerfest and an under-the-radar art event. A hot new restaurant in Dallas is hosting a YouTube chef pop-up, and an even newer one will host its second grand opening party.

Tonight, Wednesday, Nov. 10, catch the Cigar Social with Horse Soldier Bourbon at The Ranch at Las Colinas (857 W. John Carpenter Freeway) from 5 to 7 p.m. A group of veterans called the Horse Soldier Brotherhood are living out their purpose with their own brand of bourbon whiskey. Join them to swap stories and sip complimentary tastings at The Ranch at Las Colinas. Chef-curated bites and cigars for purchase will also be available.

Discounts and Free Meals for Veterans Day

All Valid on Thursday, Nov. 11

Terry Black’s (3025 Main St., Deep Ellum) wants to show their appreciation and gratitude by offering veterans 30% off their entire meal.

The Rustic (3656 Howell St., Uptown) is giving away a free hot chicken and cheese to all retired and active military personnel.

Bowl & Barrel (The Shops at Park Lane, 8084 Park Lane, #145) is giving away a free burger to all retired and active military personnel.

Perry’s Steakhouse and Grill (2100 Olive St., No. 100) is offering a free signature dinner pork chop to active or former military members when they’re accompanied by a guest that purchases a dinner entrée while dining in. Proof of valid ID is required.

ArtPark (331 Singleton Blvd., No. 100) in Trinity Groves is offering a 50% discount on all food to veterans with a valid military ID. Sum Dang Good Chinese, Holy Crust Pizza and Babb’s Barbecue will each offer 20% off on food purchases.

Four-Course Cristal Dinner at Winewood Grill in Grapevine
1265 S Main St. (Grapevine)

Winewood Grill has partnered with Louis-Roederer to present a curated four-course Cristal dinner ($250 per person) with guest speaker Dominique Moran, regional sales manager for South Central Maisons Marques & Domaines. The main course will be Wagyu ribeye and poached monkfish paired with Louis Roederer Cristal 2013.

Friday, Nov. 12

Big Texas Beer Fest at the Fair Park
1010 1st Ave. (Fair Park, Automobile Building)
7 to 11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12 and 2 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13

Head to the original (and largest) beer fest in Dallas to check out more than 110 breweries and over 500 beers. Enjoy live music, food trucks and local merchandise vendors throughout the weekend. General admission tickets are $37 for the Friday session or $42 for Saturday’s session. Beer sampling is included with your ticket, and VIP tickets allowing you into the festival one hour early are also available. Get your tickets at Big Texas Beer Fest website.

Storewide Opening Party at Eataly Dallas
8687 N. Central Expressway, No. 2172
7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12

During this special event, the entire store and three restaurants will be filled with over 100 regional wine samples and more than 30 tasting stations offering artisanal Italian bites like hand-pulled mozzarella and freshly shucked oysters. There will also be a dozen chef demonstrations of pasta making, prosciutto slicing and more as well as an outdoor Italian grill cooking up arrosticini, (a traditional lamb skewer), porceddu (a whole-roasted pig), and other signature dishes over an open flame. Tickets are $99 for general admission and $149 for VIP tickets on the Eataly website.

Mavs Watch Party at Four Corners Brewing Taproom
1311 S. Ervay St. (The Cedars)
7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12

The Mavs Maniacs will be in attendance for this official Dallas Mavericks watch party at Four Corners Brewery taproom. The event is free, and there will be prize giveaways.

Patio Party and The Taco Chair Filming at Trompo
407 W. 10th St., #140 (Oak Cliff)
6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12

Any time is a good time for tacos and Four Corners brews on the Trompo patio, but Friday night will be extra special. Filmmaker Gerald Flores will be on-site filming content for his award-winning series The Taco Chair. No tickets are required and the event is free.

Hennessy Cocktail Class at Hotel Vin
215 East Dallas Road (Grapevine)
6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12

Enjoy guided tastings of Hennessy V.S.O.P. and Hennessy X.O. and learn how to make cognac cocktails in this special evening class. Tickets are $60 on Eventbrite.

Fort Worth Greek Festival at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
2020 NW. 21 St. (Fort Worth)
10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday

At this festival in its 53rd year, you can tour the church, see a whole lineup of dance performances and sample some great Greek food. Admission is $1 and all food and drink purchases must be made with a debit or credit card (no cash or tokens). Visit the event website for more information.

Saturday, Nov. 13

Tacolandia at Energy Square Plaza
4925 Greenville Ave. (Upper Greenville)

Get all the taco samples you can eat at this annual event now in its seventh year. Enjoy music from a DJ and a mariachi band and visit the Dallas Observer Game Zone for your chance to win prizes. Grab some margaritas to go with your tacos and check out the el Jimador Live Art Experience with a local artist creating an art piece on site. General admission ($35) and VIP tickets ($75) are available through the Tacolandia website.

North Texas EggFest at Sunnyland Outdoor Living Dallas
7879 Spring Valley Road (Far North Dallas)
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13

Eggfest isn’t about eggs, it’s about the Big Green Egg, a ceramic charcoal barbecue cooker that’s a favorite among home grilling chefs. This writer will join the judging panel with local foodie celebrities Trey Chapman of Trey’s Chow Down and Mike Hiller, Green Egg expert and founder of foodie blog Escape Hatch Dallas. Expect to sample more than just barbecued meat as local teams cook up breakfast, s’mores, Halal food in a tandoor oven and more. No tickets or admission fees, but $5 is the suggested donation to benefit the Texas Restaurant Foundation.

2nd Garland Food Fest at Revolving Kitchen
520 Shepherd Drive (Garland)
Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13

Celebrate this multi-business culinary and ghost kitchen at a free outdoor fest with more than 20 local restaurants, food trucks and businesses. If you’ve been missing vegan food from Troy Gardner, you’ll have a chance to get some Samson’s Hot Dogs or food from TLC Vegan Kitchen. Other vendors include Sheika’s Eatery, Mama’s Ruth Kitchen, Fish Trap’n and more. Donations will be accepted for water and drinks through Revolving Kitchen and will benefit Good Samaritans of Garland. Find out more on the Visit Garland website.

Vegan Pop Up Market at Pop Up DFW
3409 Main St., Ste. B (Deep Ellum)

Vegan chefs, natural retail vendors, vegan artists and more will offer their wares at this 100% vegan market. The host is Pop Up DFW, a storefront Pop-Up Shop and retail rental agency. You can RSVP to the free event on Eventbrite.

Sugar Factory Opening Party
1900 Cedar Springs (Uptown)
9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13

A new restaurant that’s as hot as it is sweet has opened in Dallas and the celebration parties have begun. Sugar Factory’s official DJ, Pauly D, American television personality and one of the stars of MTV’s hit show Jersey Shore, will entertain guests with a live DJ set on Saturday night while you take the opportunity to taste their over-the-top cocktails, unique menu items like a Flaming Hot Cheetos Burger and your choice from 50 types of sweet treats on Sugar Factory’s signature floor-to-ceiling candy wall.

Wild West Wine Walk McKinney
Historic Downtown McKinney
Noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13

Lone Star Wine Cellars, Landon Winery and 4R Ranch & Winery have created the first-ever Wild West Wine Walk in Historic Downtown McKinney with GO TEXAN as a sponsor. Wear your best boots and bling as you shop more than 25 local boutiques while tsasting 12 wines from three local wineries. Tickets are $30 for timed general admission or $45 for flexible-time VIP admission on Eventbrite.

Monday

Chef Joshua Weissman Pop-up at Loro Dallas on Monday
1812 North Haskell Ave. (OId East Dallas)
4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 15

YouTube sensation chef Joshua Weissman and former chef of Austin’s Uchiko will be at Loro to launch the Koji Chicken Katsu, a limited-time addition to the menu. The first 100 Loro guests to purchase the collaborative menu item will receive a free copy of Josh Weissman’s New York Times’ best-selling book, Joshua Weissman: an Unapologetic Cookbook. Weissman will be in store from 4 to 7 p.m. to sign copies, and the Katsu dish will remain on Loro’s menu until Nov. 21, with proceeds from each purchase benefitting the Southern Smoke Foundation.