Thai foodie paradise in Uptown Dallas

Malai Kitchen brings a Thai foodie paradise to Uptown Dallas with cocktails that will have you dreaming of the beach and food that will make you want to eat so much, you'll never want to put that bikini on again. 

A Thai haven in the middle of West Village, Malai Kitchen is one of my favorite restaurants in the Uptown area.

It's been hot out. Heat leads to drinking. But this is what you should be drinking:

Insider tip: The Cha-Yen, (this is the happy hour menu, it's actually $10. I think it's just rude for restaurants to charge that much for a drink... unless it's this drink. Two of these will give you the most delicious buzz you could pay for. #WorthIt.) This cocktail has been taken off the menu - it's basically a crime, but they'll still make it for you when you ask for it (and I wasn't the only one in horrified shock special ordering it on my last visit). It tastes like an alcoholic, creamy, sweet but herby version of chai tea. And it's amazing.

Whew, okay I haven't even gotten to the food yet. They start everyone off with a quaint little plate of sticky rice with a spicy eggplant dipping sauce. It's a nice touch, plus it gives me a little practice with the chopsticks before my trip to Japan in a few months.

I can't seem to get away from the Chicken and Broccoli Noodle entree. Sounds pretty boring, I know. It's not. I don't even like broccoli. The flat noodles are what really makes this dish so amazing. It's sweet with a hint of spicy. Any entree with flat noodles is a winner.

The Chicken and Broccoli Noodles are pretty similar to the drunken noodles, but without the eye-watering spicy Thai addition. If you get the drunken noodles, don't be too bold (you get to choose your spicy level) or you will have to send it back. When they say spicy, they mean it. But if you order spicy, the Cha-Yen cocktail is the perfect creaminess to counteract that kick.

Malai Kitchen is worth a trip to Uptown. Shop around all the stores in West Village after eating. After a few Cha-Yens, you'll be looking so good in those pants, you'll just have to get them.

Tuesday Toast: Rosemary-Grapefruit Cocktail

Rosemary-Grapefruit Cocktail, the perfect, refreshing summertime cocktail to quench your heat induced thirst. 

Ingredients:

• Rosemary Simple Syrup
• 2 cups of water
• 2 cups of sugar
• 6 sprigs of rosemary
• Cocktail
• 2 ounces vodka
• ½ ounce rosemary simple syrup
• 4 ounces grapefruit juice
• Sprig of rosemary for garnish

Instructions:

• Simple Syrup: In a small sauce pan over medium low heat, dissolve the sugar into the water for about 5 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil or crystals will form. In a heat safe container, pour the warm sugar water mixture over the rosemary sprigs and let it steep for at least 1 hour. The rosemary simple syrup will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 10 days.
• Cocktail: In tall glass filled with ice combine the vodka, rosemary simple syrup and grapefruit juice. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary. Recipe. 

Cheers. 

DFW Restaurant Week: three-course dinner from Del Frisco's Grille

Restaurant week is a great time to try one of the many fabulous restaurants in Dallas for some amazing food, lower prices, and it's all for a good cause. Del Frisco's Grille started their restaurant week early with a two-course lunch for $20 and a three-course dinner for $35 (August 7th- 23rd). That's a really good deal and A LOT of food:

Their Cheese Steak Eggrolls are life changing. If you haven't ever tried these, we can't be friends. You of course must pair your dinner at the Grille with a couple of their trendy cocktails.

My new favorite cocktail in Uptown is their Dutch Mule, a refreshing twist on a Moscow Mule.
For the Dutch Mule recipe, click here.

It is served with a knife, but you won't need it. I coined a new term while eating the rich, over-the-top delicious Prime Beef Short Rib Stroganoff: "fall-aparty." The prime beef is slow cooked for hours to make the tender entree that tops my list of must-eat meals. The Stroganoff is served over Pappardelle Noodles. 

No excuses for no dessert, it's already included in the package. This is the Warm Chocolate Cake served with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Raspberry Sauce. The center of the rich, chocolate-y cake is a gooey, fudgey center. Paired perfectly with the melty ice cream and savory whipped cream. You know I loved it when I add a "Y" to the end of all my adjectives. 

We went home (rolled home would be more accurate) with an entire chocolate cake in a to-go box because we just couldn't eat anymore after that decadent meal that only cost me $35 a person. 

Now it is your turn: click here for a full list of participating restaurants.

Tuesday Toast: The Dutch Mule

Is it Friday yet? To cope, concoct a cocktail for tonight. This recipe is straight from one of my favorite spots in town: Del Frisco's Grille. Has anyone else noticed how 'in' grapefruit juice is right now? This twist on a Moscow Mule is fabulously easy to make, so you get to spend more time drinking it.

The Dutch Mule

Ingredients:

• Nolet’s Silver Gin 1.5 oz.
• Ginger Beer 4.5 oz.
• Garnish - 1 Mint Sprig & 1 Slice of Red Grapefruit for each cocktail
• Directions: Fill wine glass 3/4 full with ice, add gin and ginger beer. Place grapefruit slice into glass and add mint sprig.

I can do that.

Cheers.

Tuesday Toast: Watermelon-Mint Cocktail

Maybe you're in need of a mid-week cocktail hour, maybe its grocery shopping for cocktail hour, I want to make sure you're prepared with the weekly Tuesday Toast. One of my favorite things about summertime?  It's finally watermelon season again. St-Germain had me at hello during Savor Dallas, so let's mix it up with some watermelon for a summertime sipping cocktail.

 

 

A Taste of Summer: 

• 1.5 ounces vodka
• 1 ounce St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
• 2 ounces watermelon juice (purée 3 slices of watermelon without rind in a blender)
• 5 mint leaves
• 1/2 ounce lime juice
• 2 teaspoons of white sugar (or 1/2 ounce agave nectar)
• 1 watermelon slice for garnish
• 1 mint leaf for garnish

• Pour ingredients into shaker with ice, cover, and shake well for 10 seconds. 
• Pour into a tall glass.
• Garnish with watermelon and mint.

Cheers. 

Tuesday Toast: Blackberry Kir Cocktail

Maybe you're in need of a mid-week cocktail hour, maybe it's grocery shopping hour, I want to make sure you're prepared with the weekly Tuesday Toast. This week's recipe will transport you from smoldering Texas summers to breezy French cafes. The first time I sipped on a Blackberry Kir was in Paris, France on my post college graduation backpacking trip through Europe. I had the waitress to detail every ingredient in it so I would be able to recreate it in the states.

Right from the French waitress's mouth: a Blackberry Kir is a combination of sweet-tart blackberry liqueur and the elegant flavor of sparkling rose wine (I've also had it with some plain ol' white wine - still amazing).

•     Pour 2 tsp. black currant liqueur (recommended: Creme de Cassis) into each champagne flute.
•     Muddle blackberries or blend blackberries with the black current liqueur. Add to champagne flute.
•     Top with sparkling rose. 
•     Voilà! One bottle of sparkling rose wine serves six people.

Cheers.