Since I visit Dallas a few times a year, I keep an eye on places to eat and drink there. Kessler Baking Studio has been on my list for years because their sweet treats look so tasty. Did you know they were a James Beard semifinalist in 2020? (James Beard Awards are one of the highest culinary honors solely in the U.S.) On a recent trip to Dallas, I finally made it there!

Why Visit Kessler Baking Studio?

You can find good baked goods in many places but you can tell when they’re exceptional. The secret might be love, but using Texas butter and Texas pecans might have something to do with it at Kessler Baking Studio. They also never add preservatives, artificial flavors, or colors.

Chef Clyde Greenhouse, the Bow Tie Baker, started Kessler Baking Studio in 2001, so if you live in Dallas, you’re no stranger to this deliciousness. Be sure to visit on a Saturday when they pull out their specialty breakfast items like cinnamon rolls and banana bread.

Which Baked Goods to Try

I couldn’t help but get a sampling of different things – cookies, brownies, and pastries.

Kessler Banana Bread (with pecans and walnuts)

“Mom’s banana bread” is a hefty circular loaf, a perfect banana bread offering. Each is about 2-3 inches wide and 1 inch tall.

Kessler Cinnamon Roll

Big, fluffy, and drenched in icing, this cinnamon roll was a good breakfast treat.

Chocolate Pecan Brownie

Their brownies are fudgy and thick! This pecan variety had pieces within the brownie and decor on top.

Texas Pecan Shortbread Cookie

Some may say shortbread cookies are boring, but they haven’t had this buttery version. The Texas shape and addition of pecans make their signature cookie extra special.

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie

The cookies are big, between 2-3 inches across. The edges are crispy with a softer middle. Have you ever had a chocolate chip pecan cookie? Texas pecans are a good accompaniment.

Kesslerdoodle Cookie

I love snickerdoodle cookies and what really drew me to this one was the addition of ginger and look at the photo – so much cinnamon!

Oak Cliff Ranger Cookie

This one is a loaded oatmeal cookie with coconut, chocolate, pecans, and almonds. A little bit of everything that makes it unique.

Other items I didn’t get but sound scrumptious:

• Buttermilk biscuits
• Seasonal scone
• Sandwich cookie (2 cookies with vanilla buttercream)

Ordering for a group? The giant 9-inch oatmeal cream pie or 14-inch cookie cake would be great for a celebration.

If you’re in Dallas and driving past this cute bakery, make sure to stop in for a sweet treat!

Kessler Baking Studio
1129 N Beckley Ave, Dallas, TX 75203
https://www.kesslerbakingstudio.com/

The post Which Cookies to Try at Kessler Baking Studio in Dallas appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

Happy Hour at Yuyo
I couldn’t have started off the year better than with a fantastic first visit at Yuyo. It’s been a while since I’ve been excited and pleased with a new restaurant opening, and this new Peruvian restaurant on the east side is a shining star. How come? The staff exudes enthusiasm and expertise about Peruvian cuisine and the food has the chops to back up their enthusiasm. I would order every dish again. On our table: Yuquitas (fried yuca cheese sticks), Causa Nacional (kind of like chicken salad), Cebiche Clasico (love the addition of yuyo – seaweed), chifles (plantain chips), and ended with a Lucuma Sundae. There’s a reason why you keep hearing about this restaurant lately. It’s new and it’s the real deal.

Dinner at Mirchi
My first experience at Mirchi a few months ago had me giggling because we felt like fish out of water. The menu is a list of dishes with no descriptions, and the first time around, we had a hard time understanding our server, so we ended up picking some random dishes and got one dish that was way too spicy. But dang, the food was good. So, we went back. This time was a little less awkward since we knew what to expect. We also got a different server who was able to explain the dishes more. The food was fantastic again and we laughed saying, “remember the first time we came here and were so lost?” Adventures, guys. Live for the adventures. Oh, and if you come here, I recommend the roti and goat korma. If you’re not a fan of goat, they have other proteins to chose from on the menu.

Lunch at La Barbecue
Back when La Barbecue was a trailer… They moved to their brick-and-mortar spot inside Quickie Pickie not too long ago, and their barbecue is still top-notch. Brisket gets a lot of glory but if you’re looking for the good stuff, get the beef ribs. Because it is ginormous and delicious. I didn’t love the potato salad but the mac and cheese was piping hot melted cheese with pasta shells and I’m not sure you can go wrong there. But the meat is magic.

Brunch at Rapscallion (Dallas)
A quick weekend trip to Dallas in January included brunch at Rapscallion, a restaurant I’ve been wanting to try. I’m a fan of their sister restaurant Boulevardier in the Bishop Arts District. I went for the Smoked Chicken Hash plus a biscuit on the side. It wasn’t the best brunch ever but I enjoyed it. That biscuit was my favorite part.

Pastries at Village Baking Co. (Dallas)
I’m glad this bakery is not in Austin because I would definitely have a major problem. (Because I love pastries.) You’ll know you’ve come to the right place when you breathe in the comforting and captivating smells of baked goods as you walk in. Now, try not to buy one of everything. I’m a sucker for croissants and kouign amann, and they are fantastic. It’s going to be hard not to make this a regular spot when I visit Dallas!

Legacy Food Hall (Dallas) and Unlawful Assembly Brewing Company (Dallas)
Dallas got a new food hall and it’s beautiful. It’s next to a busy outdoor shopping mall, so it can be a little chaotic, but parking is free and somewhat plentiful if you don’t mind walking for it. This food hall has more than 30 food stalls, including some favorites like Monkey Noodle Company and Glazed Donuts, indoor and outdoor seating, AND a microbrewery at the very top. Veeeerry impressive. I liked my Blind Justice IPA.

Gelateria Gemelli
Here again. Not sad about it! Dark chocolate and salted caramel were a great combination.

HayleyCakes and Cookies
I’ve been following HayleyCakes and Cookies, an Austin bakery, on the IG for a while. Their cookies are so beautifully decorated! Well, lucky me, my friend Janna brought me a cookie and I scarfed it down and yes, it was everything I hoped and dreamed. So, if you need some custom cookies made or if you can swing by their shop out on 2222, check them out!

Pierogi at Austin Pierogi
I grew up eating and loving dumplings. They were the Chinese kind, but I know a dumpling and this is the kind of dumpling I didn’t know I wanted. A pierogi is a Polish dumpling and this one had potato and cheese, a winning combination. Find these at the farmers markets around town!

Circle Brewing Co. and Girl Scout Cookies
Circle Brewing hosted a beer and Girl Scout cookie pairing event and it was a hit! Their pairings were spot on. My friend Caitlin put together a beer and Girl Scout cookie pairing guide for you – enjoy!

Fareground
Austin jumped into the food hall fun with the opening of Fareground. It features a beautiful space, outdoor and indoor seating, a bar, and seven of Austin’s best restaurants. Pastries, tacos, cheese, and even sushi are available. Read more details here. As I mentioned in my Instagram post, I was frustrated by downtown parking. It’s good to know their parking garage is $3 for 30 minutes with validation, which is reasonable compared to the regular $7 for 30 minutes.

I also said that you can get a better experience with the restaurants at their original location. These restaurants are some of the best in town and some of them (minus Antonelli’s and Easy Tiger) are essentially providing a different product here. It’s different when you sit down in a restaurant, order from a waiter, and get the full experience. Fareground is great if you want to try a bunch of bites from each place.

Pictured are shortrib salad from Henbit, bites from Ni-Kome, and pastries from Easy Tiger.

Craft Beer at Southern Heights Brewery
New brewery in Austin! I mentioned this brewery when I went to the Texas Craft Brewers Festival last September. Little did I know that it is IPA central! They have three of them on tap and my favorite in name and taste is ‘Dave’s not here, man.’ I like their desert chic vibes with the ombre décor. It reminds me a little of Zilker Brewing. Great addition on the east side. It’s looking more and more like craft breweries are minutes away from wherever you are in Austin.

Snacks at Mongers
If you like seafood and haven’t been to Mongers yet, this restaurant should be at the top of your list! I know I’ve talked about them before and with every visit, I like it more and more.

Fairweather Cider Co.
This cidery opened in December and I can’t get enough. They’ve got dry ciders that aren’t overly sweet and are constantly releasing new flavors. Get you some.

Food News

• I’m a fan of Chef’s Table, the Netflix show, so I’m excited to hear they are coming out with a new show focused on pastry! Hello, dessert heaven!
• Is this a once-in-a-lifetime dream party or what?! Justin Timberlake music and Rene Redzepi food.
• Chocolate extinction coming? Say it ain’t so!
• How much do some restaurants make off of meals? Not as much as you might think.

What’s one thing (food/restaurant) I should try this month?

P.S. Want to volunteer in Austin? Check out these culinary-related opportunities.

Keep up with me elsewhere! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Bloglovin’. You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

The post Flavors of the Month: January 2018 appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

I finished off 2017 with a solid month of eats in December. Thankfully, the excessive eating that usually happens around the holidays didn’t happen this year! It’s all about moderation, people. I was happy to try a new cidery (possibly my new favorite in Austin??) and of course, visiting my family for the holidays meant plenty of Chinese food. This month included Noble Sandwich Co, Taverna, Fairweather Cider Co, Veracruz All Natural, and more!

Happy Hour at Taverna (Complimentary Austin Food Bloggers Alliance Event)
Happy Holidays, indeed! Our Austin Food Bloggers Alliance had its holiday party at Taverna, an Italian restaurant in Austin. (We dined at their sister restaurant Toulouse last month.) They treated us to an array of appetizers, including bruschetta, arancini, butternut squash tortellini, pizza, and cannolis for dessert!

Mac and Cheese with Pulled Pork from Noble Sandwich Co
This mac and cheese dish has gouda and the pulled pork is tender and juicy. This is a winning combination! Noble Sandwich Co. got a new food trailer to fling their good eats outside of their two brick-and-mortar locations. On this occasion, they were a part of a private holiday party at a brewery. I don’t love mac and cheese but I loved this mac and cheese.

Breakfast at Veracruz All Natural
I gathered some of my gal pals for breakfast at the new Veracuz All Natural location in North Austin. It was busy! It would be awesome if they had 3x the seating they currently have. But the food was good (migas taco FTW) and when you order a horchata, it comes in this Big Gulp-sized cup that is probably bigger than my bladder.

Chocolate Cake at 1886 Cafe and Bakery
Ah, the infamous chocolate cake at The Driskill. It’s rich and decadent. This was also my birthday cake this year. Happy birthday to me!

Dinner at El Chipiron
I was excited to try this new Spanish restaurant in town, and this was my first visit. I liked the octopus dish, and the jamon iberico was delish. The mussels were strongly salted and the arroz negro fell flat. I’m not sure why the service was so slow. It took 45 minutes to get my cocktail and maybe they were short-staffed because the waiter wasn’t very present. Overall bummed that the food was ok and the service was subpar but I’m willing to give it another try if the opportunity arises. Maybe you will have a better experience?

Lunch at Thai Cuisine
This restaurant is next to Tomodachi and it’s always full when we’re there. I convinced Boyfriend to go try it for lunch. Pretty, pretty good. Their menu is extensive, and lunch entrees come with rice, a choice of protein, and a selection of appetizers from a buffet. I went with one of my favorite Thai dishes, Pad Kee Mao, which is stir-fried flat noodles with veggies. The Thai tea was also great!

Brunch at Copper
Janna’s gal pals and I celebrated Janna‘s birthday with brunch at Copper. I’ve seen them at a couple of foodie events and frequented their cake ball shop years ago but it was my first time dining there. Their Southwest Benedict was solid, and of course, we didn’t leave without enjoying some cake balls!

Cider Flight from Fairweather Cider Co.
A new cider place is open in Austin! I’m really excited about this place. It’s the closest cidery to me and their ciders are top-notch. They have hopped cider! A lot of ciders I’ve tried are too sweet for me and I prefer drier ciders. If you’re the same, you’ll love Fairweather Cider. Go try a flight of four ciders for $10 and get ready – cans are coming soon!

Homemade Texas Sheet Cake
I’ve been craving Texas Sheet Cake for years. I used the cocoa powder I bought in Belize and it made this incredibly rich Texas Sheet Cake.

Barbecue at Pecan Lodge (Dallas)
We happened to be in the neighborhood, so we got in right before they closed. No line! (This is one of Texas Monthly’s Top 50 Barbecue Joints in Texas.) I had high expectations. We got brisket and pork ribs to go. The brisket was disappointing (too dry) but the pork rib was good. Maybe I’ll try again if it doesn’t involve waiting in a line.

Dim Sum at Kirin Court (Dallas)
Visiting home usually means dim sum. I very rarely eat dim sum in Austin so this was a treat!

Homemade Congee
Visiting my parents means lots of homemade food! I ate plenty of congee! Pictured are congee with fish and with chicken.

Pastries at 85°C Bakery (Dallas)
The Asian franchises are invading. From grocery stores to bakeries, these California-born establishments are setting up shop in Dallas and Houston, for better or worse. Their quality is consistent but what does this mean for the mom-and-pop stores? I’ll save that discussion for another time. I was excited to taste some great pastries from 85°C Bakery, and from how full the shop was when I was there, I wasn’t the only one. This taro-filled bun was heavenly!

Lunch at The Halal Guys
This new restaurant from New York opened a few months ago and I finally got around to checking it out. I got the gyro with rice. Good choice for a meal but after this first visit, I still like local restaurant Halal Bros more. (Pictured here are the small and large options.)

Homemade New Year’s Eve Dinner
Boyfriend and I stayed in to celebrate New Year’s Eve and made a few Thai dishes, including this pineapple shrimp fried rice!

What’s the best thing you ate last month? Comment below!

P.S. Did you see all the good things I ate in Belize?

Keep up with me elsewhere! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Bloglovin’. You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

The post Flavors of the Month: December 2017 appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

May brought many great eats, including trying Austin restaurants Salt Traders Coastal Cooking, Bonhomie, and Tumble 22 for the first time. I also added places to my Dallas eats list.

Oysters, Chowda Fries, Scallops, and Mousse at Salt Traders Coastal Cooking
I’ve been eyeing this restaurant for MONTHS, especially since Boyfriend lived in Round Rock for some time. But it took him moving away for us to finally get there. They have $1 Gulf Oysters, which was a nice surprise. I do love oysters, and they were a good size. The Chowda Fries are a big bowl of French fries drenched in clam chowder. It was tasty in the first couple of bites but felt very heavy. I like their take on the fries but wouldn’t order them again. The scallop entrée was delish, though the horseradish was strong. The scallops were cooked perfectly. The best part of the meal was the dessert, coconut mousse with strawberries. The mousse was a little hard/still frozen when it arrived, but we endured and licked the plate. Altogether, I think they do seafood very well and is a great restaurant option for Round Rock!

Birthday Cake Mimosa at Peached Social House
This drink was Instagram-worthy and looks delicious. However, I think Peached Social House needs to go back to the drawing board because it did not taste good and the cake left much to be desired. But I love the concept and it definitely has wow factor.

Watermelon Strawberry Juice at Soup Peddler
This refreshing juice accompanied my turkey pesto grilled cheese that I ate too quickly, hence no photo. This juice is my new favorite when I need something light.

Lunch at Bonhomie
I was looking forward to trying Chef Speer’s new restaurant Bonhomie. My favorite dish was the Crispy Octopus Lyonnaise with lardon. The octopus was strange at first but the crisp on it won me over. The Tunisian Carrot Salad was a nice mix of flavors, though carrots are not my favorite vegetable. The Lox, Dill, Caper, Tomato was on top of a very tasty hashbrown-like vessel. I got the French Dip Croissant with brisket and pho broth that wowed me with the crispy croissant but the brisket itself was dry. They do have fantastic onion rings. I would definitely be open to going back to this laid-back restaurant for some of the dishes I didn’t get, including dessert!

Hot Chicken Oysters at Tumble 22
Hot chicken has landed in Austin! Tumble 22, a new food trailer by the same people as Salty Sow, is a great place to try. Chicken oysters are the best, juiciest chicken “nuggets” I’ve ever had! Combined with the hot chicken flavor, they’re a party. The shoestring fries were weak but I’m glad they came with the dish. I want to go back and try the chicken sandwich with coleslaw next.

Om Gai at Dee Dee
Stopped by Dee Dee for some Thai food goodness and I tried Om Gai, the chicken dish with lots of lemongrass, dill, and basil. It’s a lighter spice level than the other dishes, which was nice on a hot day, but it was still hot temperature-wise. I like that they keep their menu short and simple, with a few unique offerings, though mainly pork dishes. It would be easy to get a group together and order all the dishes to try!

Craft Beer by Firestone Walker Brewing Company
I was excited to find a new favorite beer this month! My favorite beer is Lone Pint Brewery’s Yellow Rose, and after a bartender’s recommendation, I tried Firestone Walker Brewing Company’s Leo vs. Ursus. So good! It’s an imperial IPA with a smooth finish. I’m looking forward to trying more from this California brewery.

Lord Nut’s Dill Pickle Ranch Peanuts
These nuts. I got these as a snack at a bar and I couldn’t stop eating them. The nuts are packed with flavor. They have plenty of seasoning, and the Dill Pickle Ranch flavor was satisfying! I need to find these at the store. It looks like they are carried by Spec’s and Target in the Austin area.

Tacos at Trompo (Dallas)
I was in Dallas for Memorial Day and stopped by the highly rated Trompo for tacos. There are three tacos on the menu and are $1.85 for one small corn tortilla taco. I’ll admit – I think I’ve enjoyed too many “Americanized” tacos because I had a hard time appreciating these simple “street” tacos for what they were. The street this restaurant is located on has no shortage of taco joints, so I wouldn’t mind a mini taco tour to compare them with others.

Soft Serve at Bubble Jipangi (Dallas)
Dessert trends are popping up everywhere (thanks, Instagram), so I tried out Bubble Jipangi in Dallas, specifically Carrollton. The cone is made of corn and both ends are filled with soft-serve (I got the mix of vanilla and chocolate) and then topped with a macaron, strawberry, and chocolate-covered sticks. The corn cone is an interesting combination with the soft serve. I probably wouldn’t go back but the dessert is cute.

Korean BBQ Lunch at Koryo Kalbi Korean BBQ (Dallas)
It’s been too long since I’ve had Korean BBQ and I quickly remembered why it’s so good. All the side dishes. We got brisket and marinated ribs, and the kind servers helped cook it for us because we didn’t know what we were doing. Granted, we had come straight from a couple of hours at the spa so we were feeling quite relaxed and lazy. The BBQ order also came with steamed egg and soup. PLENTY of food for two people.

Other Food Things
-Looking for beer outside of Austin City Limits? Check out this handy list.
-Mark my words: I will make this classic icebox cake this summer!

Try any new restaurants lately? Have a recipe I should try? Comment below!

P.S. Check out my latest Austin eats feature about one of my favorite burgers in town.

Keep up with me elsewhere! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Bloglovin’. You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

The post Flavors of the Month: May 2017 appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

December was a VERY delicious month with visits to three breweries, six newly opened restaurants, and dishes I’ll be dreaming about for a while. The month included eats in Austin and Dallas and unless marked, the places are in Austin.

Family-Style Dishes at General Tso’Boy
The month started with an Austin Food Bloggers Alliance happy hour at General Tso’Boy at the Domain. They are introducing family-style dishes, so we tried chicken, noodle, and veggie dishes. I need to go back to try their soft serve! (General Tso’Boy provided us this tasting complimentary.)

Beers at St Elmo Brewing
A new brewery opened in South Austin, so we made the long trek from North Austin to check it out. I really like their space. I got their beer flight and tried the Jan (German IPA), Slater (American IPA), Chico (Kolsch), Koufax (Shandy), and Dampf (Hefe-Barley). Their IPAs are intense! My favorites were the Chico and Dampf.

Thai Fusion Lunch at Soursop
The food at Soursop was incredible! I’m excited about this new Austin food trailer and I wish it were up north. It is located at St Elmo Brewing so we enjoyed lunch with our beers. We tried the Sambal Wings, Fried Chicken Sandwich with fries, Thai Salad (Som Tam), and ice cream sandwich. The fried chicken sandwich was HANDS DOWN our favorite dish. You have to try this one when you go!

Happy Hour at Salty Sow
I took Boyfriend for a quick happy hour before my work holiday party. I’m always excited when I leave Salty Sow because I remember how much I like it! We indulged in the duck fat fries, deviled eggs, and Brussels sprouts.

Brunch at Vinaigrette
For the Austin Food Bloggers Alliance holiday party, we had brunch at Vinaigrette. I love this place because it’s a very pretty restaurant, and they have many healthy dishes on their menu. I started with the orange turmeric juice. For food, we tried the Huevos Rancheros, Vinny Steak and Eggs, Kale and Corned Beef Hash, Fried Egg and Green Chile Breakfast Sandwich, and Savory Cilantro-Corn Pancakes. The Kale and Corned Beef Hash and the Savory Cilantro-Corn Pancakes were my favorite dishes. (Vinaigrette provided us this tasting complimentary. Comments are my own.)

Dinner at Eberly
I was excited to see this beautiful, new restaurant in person! It’s a bigger space than I thought and the atrium-like dining area fills with beautiful light! My friend Janna and I enjoyed the charcuterie, short ribs, potato galette and the sweet potato donut dessert.

Happy Hour at Culinary Dropout
Some of my favorite blogger girls and I got together at Culinary Dropout for happy hour. We enjoyed the cheese plate, pretzels and fondue, house-made chips, grilled cheese, and sangrias. Their patio was perfect for the weather, since it got slightly warm in December, and their happy hour prices are GREAT, especially when split among us. This is definitely a hot, new spot at the Domain.

Strawberries and Cream Cupcake at Silos Baking Co. (Waco)
As you might have seen from this post about our road trip stop, I got to try a cupcake from Silos Baking Co. Click for more details.

Brunch at Boulevardier (Dallas)
I love going home for the holidays because it means getting together with the girls I grew up with in my hometown. We span four different cities in three different states but have a tradition of meeting up for at least one meal when we’re all home. This time it was at Boulevardier, and while my first visit was ok, this one was outstanding! The Lox Benedict with perfectly poached eggs was mouth-watering and I inhaled it. We finished off our meal with the bread pudding with huckleberry jam, bourbon butter sauce, and vanilla bean ice cream, and I wouldn’t mind eating that every day.

Beer at Deep Ellum Brewing Company (Dallas) 
While in Dallas, Boyfriend and I decided to try some of the breweries we haven’t visited. First on the list was one Dallas’ most well-known – Deep Ellum Brewing – in downtown Dallas. Their branding is really cool and their taproom is spacious. I enjoyed the Easy Peasy IPA. It’s still an IPA but easier to drink than others. If you want something a little more intense, try the Deep Ellum IPA. I also had a sip of the Bourbon Barrel Aged Oak Cliff Coffee Ale, and while it’s not something I usually drink, it’s very smooth with strong flavors.

Beer at Lakewood Brewing Co. (Dallas)
After Deep Ellum Brewing, we hopped over to Lakewood Brewing Co in Garland. Here I tried the Red Wine Barrel Hop Trapp with Cherries. Yep, it’s a Belgian-style IPA aged in a red wine barrel. There was definitely a red wine flavor and I enjoyed it! Boyfriend was a big fan of the Temptress on nitro.

Holiday Eats
Visiting family for the holidays means a big Chinese meal! Lobster, crab, duck, veggies, fish. *sigh*

Thai Dishes at CrushCraft (Dallas)
CrushCraft has been on my list for a while, and it did not disappoint! We enjoyed the Pad Thai, Khao Soi, Papaya Salad, and Thai Iced Tea. Of course, the Khao Soi was my favorite, but the rest of the meal was so good also!

Kale Salad with Chicken and Olive Oil Lemon Cake at Flower Child
I could eat this meal every day. The kale salad has pink grapefruit, organic apple, black currant, smoked almond, white cheddar, and apple cider vinaigrette, and I added chicken to it. The flavors mixed perfectly and the chicken was very moist. That olive oil lemon cake felt sinful yet healthy at the same time. They also have kombucha on tap! It was no surprise that I liked Flower Child since True Food Kitchen is also in the company’s restaurant concepts. I can’t wait to go back!

Brunch at Forthright
I was excited to finally try Forthright after hearing so much about it. My friend Janna and I had the pork belly hash, egg nog French toast (a current special), and the avocado toast topped with poached eggs. The avocado toast was our favorite dish! Forthright is such a cute little café tucked off of West Cesar Chavez before Congress, and they’re open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. (Forthright provided us this tasting complimentary. Comments are my own.)

New Year’s Eve Dinner
This year, Boyfriend and I decided to have a quiet night in with a home-cooked meal to celebrate New Year’s Eve. It’s been a busy couple of months with Thailand and holiday parties and going to Dallas. We grilled steaks and lobster tails – two “small” (regular) sized tail and one JUMBO 15oz one. They were so good!

Phew – what a month of good eats! There is so much great craft beer and restaurants out there. I hope you’re enjoying some good eats as well.

Eat anywhere fantastic lately? Tell me your favorite dish below!

Keep up with me elsewhere! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Bloglovin’, or Snapchat (@wanderlustanita). You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

The post Flavors of the Month: December 2016 appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

All the cake at Cake Party
There were so many sweet and savory things at the cake potluck I threw at the beginning of the month.

Customized Pizza at Mod Pizza
This pizza chain is similar to Subway or Freebirds where you pick all the toppings on your pizza or you can use their recommended combos. My little and I loaded up our pizzas with our favorite toppings and really enjoyed the end result!

Cookies from Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap
I received three tasty packages of cookies from three other participating bloggers. Click for the recipes: Brown Butter Eggnog Cookies by Cooking and Beer, Chewy Gingerbread Cookies by The Blond Cook, and Oatmeal Raisin White Chocolate Bars by D Grubs.

Lunch at Swift’s Attic
To celebrate my birthday, my co-workers and I enjoyed a 5-star lunch at Swift’s Attic. I enjoyed the blistered shishitos, devils on horseback (cheese and fig wrapped in bacon), squid fries, extra juicy burger, and popcorn and a movie dessert.

Donuts at Voodoo Doughnut
The doughnut craze continues! Voodoo Doughnut, a Portland original, has made it to Texas with the opening of this Austin location. The Captain my Captain doughnut and sprinkle doughnut are sweet and colorful.

Kettle Corn Ice Cream at SPUN Ice Cream
After I tried SPUN Ice Cream’s liquid nitrogen creation at SXSW, I had a feeling that this interesting concept would be a fun addition to the Austin culinary scene. It is finally open on east 7th. I enjoyed the kettle corn ice cream with a salted chocolate shell. Go check it out and see the process in person.

Carrot cupcake and Strawberry cupcake at Smallcakes (Dallas)
I enjoyed so many good eats in Dallas, including cupcakes from Smallcakes. Located in the Mockingbird shopping center, Smallcakes is a good snack mid-shopping. And with locations all over the U.S., even you can try it wherever you live!

Vanilla Cupcake at Reverie Bakeshop (Dallas)
This vegan and gluten-free bakery is a gem in my hometown of Richardson. Their menu includes cupcakes and a variety of pastries and desserts such as donuts, kolaches, cookies, and ice cream. I tried the vanilla cupcake with vanilla icing and while I could tell that it was vegan and gluten-free because of it’s density and flavors, I thought it tasted good. I can’t wait to make regular visits whenever I’m in Dallas!

NYE Dinner at Bullfight
Yep, back at Bullfight after the November visit. It was similar experience taste-wise, good but not spectacular. The Roasted Mushrooms dish was again the favorite dish of the night. We also enjoyed the Jamon Iberico 24 months, Veal Sweetbreads, Seafood Paella, Grilled Prawns, Urchin Roe, and Tomato Gazpacho. While our foodie group had high expectations, it was still a great time with great friends with LOTS to celebrate!

What flavors have you been enjoying?

The post Flavors of the Month: December 2015 appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

Breakfast at CBD Provisions (Dallas)
After staying in town for a Dallas Cowboys game, we ventured to downtown Dallas for breakfast. Their weekday breakfast selection wasn’t as good as their weekend brunch but it was our best option and it was very tasty!

Homemade Sweet Potato Hash
This has become my boyfriend’s signature homemade breakfast dish and I love it! Sweet potatoes are roasted with rosemary and then cooked with kale, bacon, garlic and onions. Finally, eggs are cracked on top and it’s baked in the oven. Hearty, healthy and delicious!

Bites at Wine and Swine
Austin Food & Wine Alliance’s annual Wine and Swine event is consistently my favorite annual Austin culinary event. The weather is usually perfect and the food can’t be beat. My favorite dishes this year were the pastrami bun from Olamaie (that ended up winning the award), the pulled pork torta from Franklin Barbecue, cassata gelato in a tiny lard pastry crust from Dolce Neve, and smoked Hawaiian pork roll from Launderette.

Hot Pot at Shabu
Craving warmth on a cold night, we found it at Shabu. We had a spread of shrimp, quail eggs, beef slices, two kinds of mushrooms, and Chinese lettuce.

Homemade Pecan Pie
I made this pecan pie for my work Thanksgiving potluck. It was a hit!

Crabsgiving
Following up our Seafood Boil, we had the equipment for a few more weeks before we had to give it back, so why not another? This time, in addition to shrimp and snow crab, we got king crab. I would NOT want to encounter one of those things in real life! The legs were long and sharp. Our friends braved the cold with us and we enjoyed our fill of seafood.

Homemade Chicken in Spicy Red Pepper, Tomato and Mushroom Sauce
When I crave a certain dish, I consult the internet to find a trustworthy recipe. When my boyfriend craves a certain dish, he buys all the ingredients he thinks goes in it and wings it. It’s a great talent to have (especially if you simply reap the benefits like me), and this dish turned out SO GOOD. It’s got spicy red peppers, diced tomatoes, mushrooms, white wine, chicken, garlic, yellow onions and a bunch of spices. Served on top of brown rice and with a side of homemade black beans, this dish will hopefully become a staple!

Chinese Thanksgiving Feast
My dad and cousin put a big effort into our Thanksgiving meal this year and it was so good! Lobster, crab and crab fried rice, mushrooms, steamed fish, jellyfish, turkey and Chinese broccoli. We all had full bellies by the end of the night.

Gyro Plate at Prince Lebanese Grill (Dallas/Arlington)
Boyfriend and I went to visit his sweet grandma in Arlington during Thanksgiving, and we found a highly rated restaurant in the area. She had never had Lebanese food, and it was so cute hearing her say, “well, I tried a new kind of food today!” We learned when we sat down that the restaurant’s claim to fame was their appearance on Food Network years ago. We started with their popular appetizer plate with hummus, babaganoush, tabouli, and dolmas. Boyfriend had the spicy chicken shwarma that was tasty and I really enjoyed my gyro plate with meat, rice, pita and greek salad. If you’re ever in the area, give this place a visit!

Kale and Avocado Dip, Matcha Horchata, and Quinoa Burger at True Food Kitchen (Dallas)
True Food Kitchen is an aesthetically cute and trendy restaurant in Dallas’ Preston Center and there are locations around the U.S. Their menu is focused on anti-inflammatory and seasonal foods. We started with the kale and avocado dip, which was very similar to guacamole. I loved my matcha horchata, made with almond milk, and my quinoa “burger” had a little too much quinoa but I enjoyed the flavor combination of quinoa, hummus, tzatziki, tomato, cucumber, red onion, avocado and feta. I’m looking forward to the Austin location coming soon!

The eats with no photos because the restaurants were dark and I was savoring the moments!

Dinner at NoRTH
The situation: way past dinner time at 9pm and all the new restaurants you want to go to are too far south. Thank goodness for the restaurants at the Domain! My favorite dishes of the night were the Grilled Cauliflower with fried egg and baby asparagus and the bolognese pasta dish. Dinner was delightfully paired with a stellar Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Dinner at Bullfight
I was excited to try Bullfight for my birthday dinner. The overall experience was good but not great. The marinated octopus dish was very tender but over-seasoned. The grilled quail and tomato gazpacho were good but not impressive. I didn’t enjoy the crab on toast. My favorite dishes were the mushrooms with a jamon cured egg and the diver scallops. For dessert, the Crema Catalana (creme brûlée) was really good. The Tempranillo and Monastrell red wines (by the glass) were very compatible with the food. Wanting to re-live some of my amazing eats in Spain, I may have had too high of expectations for traditional Spanish eats, but Bullfight has a lot of potential to become a favorite. I’m looking forward to returning with friends next month to try the jamon! Side note: If you’re looking for Spanish tapas and traditional dishes, Barlata is the closest I’ve found in Austin. Bullfight is more of a fusion restaurant.

What mind-boggling things have you been eating this month? Have you tried any new restaurants lately?

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