Last night was one of my favorite events of the whole year: The Dallas Arboretum Food and Wine Festival. I took my foodie friend Rachel and even on a rainy night, the annual fête was in fine form.
The event was moved to an indoor/outdoor setup right at the entrance, with large tents protecting guests from the rain. The lighting, decor, and potted plants made the experience feel magical despite the rain. Plus, it was way less walking, which I admit, was quite nice!
In my opinion, this was one of the best foodie years to date. The chefs really brought it this year and there was a fantastic variety of bites. There were lots more vegetables this year, which I loved, and a great variety of items such as clams, tacos, lettuce wraps, salads, charcuterie, and more. Really, what’s better than tapas and treats?
We even got to see some spring blooms! There were tulips, azaleas, and cherry blossoms within eyesight. If you want to see what the Dallas Arboretum looks like during its annual Dallas Blooms festival, read this.
The Food
It’s hard to choose favorites but I’m going to try! The clams from Meridian were an absolute standout. Every year I rave about their Food & Wine Festival bite and somehow I’ve still never been to Meridian. The eggplant tapenade by Saint Rocco at Trinity Groves had so much flavor and went perfectly with my rosé.
Mozzarella Company x Empire Baking Company never disappoints with their cheese and bread combos. The Ahi Tuna Tostada with blackened ahi tuna and pineapple pico de gallo by Taco y Vino is pretty much everything I want in a bite.
Amor y Queso served up adorable little charcuterie plates that perfectly paired with my favorite wine of the evening: Rotari’s Arte Italiana Rosé. I was delighted to see Justin Wines and just had to get a splash of my beloved cabernet!
Sadelle’s served up a nice and fresh asparagus and leek appetizer. Dive Coastal offered a delicious lettuce wrap. Snap Kitchen had a delicious chicken salad loaded with dill. I adored the crudo served in cones but I didn’t catch the named of the restaurant. If I find out, I’ll add it here!
Most Creative
The most creative bite was served by Kessaku. They made chicken yakitori and puffed rice paired with a “not so old fashioned” with Japanese whiskey and maple. It tasted like elevated chicken and waffles. We rarely see a chef serving up a perfectly paired cocktail at a food and wine festival, so that was a real highlight of the evening! What a thoughtful touch.
Favorite Bite
My absolute favorite bite of the evening was the quinoa with spring peas, microgreens, tomatoes, and goat cheese by Vestals. I am going to dream about this dish. I truly could eat that every day for lunch and I WILL be attempting to recreate it.
Dessert
I was also delighted to see more desserts this year. La Duni offered delicious tres leches meringue cups, Molino Olōyō served up caramel popcorn with gelato, CocoaVina had delicious chipotle dark chocolate medallions that look like a work of art, and Sugar & Sage had a whole assortment of pastries and cookies to choose from.
My favorite dessert of the night though has to be the strawberry cake by Diana Zamora. Her new place, Nena Postreria, hasn’t even opened yet but I will certainly be there when it does!
All in all it was another magical night at The Dallas Arboretum Food and Wine Festival. I already can’t wait for next year! Since this was my sixth time attending, I now have a full set of souvenir Rosewood Ranches Dallas Arboretum wine glasses. Perhaps I should host my own little food and wine festival in the garden for my girlfriends! Wouldn’t that be fabulous party idea?
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