And wine…and spirits…but mainly the evening showcased a stunning assortment of flavors created by 60+ of the best chefs in the city. Though there was a bit of a line to get into the venue, once in guests comfortably strolled throughout the two large ball rooms at The Sheraton Dallas downtown sipping, tasting and enjoying everything Savor Dallas had to offer.
This year included an impressive selection of silent auction items, including a signed magnum and jeroboam of Cakebread Cabernet Sauvignon, a signed jeroboam of King Estate Pinot Noir, a signed magnum of The Doctor from Krupp Brothers, and a great selection of Caribbean vacations from Elite Island Resorts, all with proceeds going to The North Texas Food Bank. D Magazine had a fun booth as well, where guests could get their pictures taken and made into a cover shot for D.
Hundreds of selections of wine and spirits were poured. Some favorites included a crisp Sauvignon Blanc from Wrath, made by Michael Thomas…originally a Texan who is now making wine in San Saba, CA; silky Merlot from Cakebread Cellars filled with subtle plum and blackberry flavors; Ramey Wine Cellars bold Cabernet Sauvignon; a spicy red blend from Chile called Primus; an earthy, cherry filled Spanish Crianza from Valdubon; excellent single malt scotch from Balvenie; and, as I am always on the look out for a great bubbly, Gloria Ferrer Carneros Cuvee delivered with toasted almond and baked apple flavors.
Favorite bites came from Janice Provost of Parigi,who created her signature pink dish, this time in the form of pork belly risotto; nettle soup fromBolsa filled with fresh tomato and lots of garlic; Dave Holben of Del Frisco’s created a succulent grilled shrimp with a pineapple run sauce on crisp cabbage and red pepper Asian slaw; mac and cheese with mushrooms and bacon from The Grill on The Alley ; sticky bun bread pudding French toast from Tom Flemming of Crossroads Diner; heavenly roasted pistachio ice cream from Dunia Borga of La Duni and her new adventure, MiCrema – Bespoken Frozen Desserts made with all natural ingredients. Perhaps my best bite of the night was a luscious piece of meaty lump crab with Tahitian vanilla from Bodhi Durant of Kenichi.
With an event like last night, we can all look forward to Savor Dallas 2012 with anticipation.
