Thursday, May 10, 2007 , Updated 10:38 a.m., May 11, 2007
UPDATED: Restaurateur Tristan Simon hypnotizes Dallas media by giving them free morsels of food
DALLAS — Restaurateur Tristan Simon is opening a new restaurant. It's called The Porch. Simon and his chef-partner Nick Badovinus* are one of the most popular restaurant teams in the city, and have a warm, cordial relationship with the press. They excel at buzz; when they opened Hibiscus, it was met with the kind of over-the-top adoration that begins to make you -- OK, me -- uncomfortable, especially when more than one reviewer compared the restaurant to having sex. (People, it's just macaroni and cheese.)
Well, Porch is already off to a start that's going to make the reaction to Hibiscus seem tame. Porch held a media/private party that prompted three local-media blogs to pile on with near-identical kiss-kisses that should provoke only one response: BACKLASH.
Exhibit A 10:40 p.m. Tuesday: Overheard, the blog by the staff of Park Cities People, gets points for being first; their entry was posted the night of the event. It's also not too effusive -- just a straight-ahead account with some good descriptions of the drinks.
Exhibit B 10:37 a.m. Wednesday: An excruciatingly infatuated entry comes in on FrontBurner which calls it "seriously drool-worthy" and thanks Tristan personally for being invited to the private party-media preview.
Exhibit C 2 p.m. Wednesday: Coming in last (true to form!), the DMN weighs in, calling one sandwich a "tasty, messy delight," and a "Simon told me" yada-yada quote that tells ME the author sure is plugged in. "We're just glad it's finally here," sez the DMN; so are we!
As an addendum, when a call was placed to the restaurant on Thursday morning, asking the hours of operation, "Anna," who answered the phone, said the restaurant didn't want to divulge hours because those hours might change, and there would be no point in giving out hours if they changed. When asked what time the restaurant would open just on Thursday, with no expectations of a long-term commitment, she said, "Look, I'm not trying to be rude, but you're the one who called me."
*UPDATE: "Badovinus" now correct!
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ms_ery, says:
Great item.
Anonymous
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Billusa99, says:
So... uuuum... does this mean that you and me and ms_ery are on the D list? Oh, well...
(yes... great item)
Anonymous
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
AnnePal, says:
Illustration = awesome.
I really enjoy the phrase "seriously drool-worthy." Wow.
Anonymous
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
twisteddog, says:
I personally declined my invitation to this event based solely on the quality of the guest list.
Anonymous
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
ms_ery, says:
Question, TG: Do you know these news people lavishing praise on The Porch? Are any of them food or restaurant writers? Or are they just schmucks who think because they eat they can critique? And of course, the papers/mags let them, never considering that for music or sports, say, they'd never let the amateurs have a forum. Be that as it may, I just checked the always self-congratulatory blog called Front Burner. Not a single comment about your Pegasus item. Could they, in their all-seeing ways, have missed it? One wonders.
Anonymous
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
ms_ery, says:
Twisted Dog: Catahoula 86 says that she understands your reluctance to attend an event that would have YOU as a guest.
Anonymous
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
twisteddog, says:
Most invitations I accept are exclusive one-on-one affairs. However, if Cat Hole would like to attend one, I'll see what I can do to get her on the serving staff.
Anonymous
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
ms_ery, says:
Twisted Dog: So exclusive!! Now I am confused about who you might be. If we happen to be in the same room, should I genuflect?
Anonymous
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Teresa Gubbins, says:
ms_ery, none of the raves that porch has received came from people who review restaurants for a living. do you suppose that has something to do with their ardent praise?
so how many free meals does it take before you stop being wowed so easily?
Staff
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
twisteddog, says:
Liver snap would be cool.
Anonymous
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Mike Orren, says:
Tim Rogers calls out Teresa's calling out:
http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2007...
For the record, Cuba Libre used to be one of my favorite restaurants, but the last couple times I went it had gone way downhill.
Staff
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Billusa99, says:
The FB people have noticed now. The are calling on their ever-recognized, elder maidenhead to respond with some expertise. Oh, wait... she never cooked in a restaurant, either...
Twisted... get ready to paw back... ;-)
Anonymous
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
DMBurrows, says:
thanks Tristan!
Anonymous
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
kirk, says:
Tim Rogers' contention that Teresa Gubbins can't review The Porch is ridiculous. It's like saying that a movie critic who doesn't like Woody Allen's marital behavior, or Quentin Tarantino's pre-release promotional activities, can't objectively review either director's films. Or that D Magazine can't give a negative review to a restaurant whose owner Nancy Nichols is friendly with.
Anonymous
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Teresa Gubbins, says:
i think i can't review the porch because i can't spell badovinus
and i don't know nancy's resume fully but i think she did work as a caterer
the person on frontburner who claimed a friendship with tristan/nick was not nancy but instead stephanie quadri, who is style editor of the magazine
Staff
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
twisteddog, says:
Snore.
Anonymous
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Billusa99, says:
Gotta love ya, Dawg!
Anonymous
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
The Law Reviewers, says:
http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2007...
We would like to offer our services to help mediate the burgeoning dispute/conflagration/WWF Smackdown between Pegasus and FrontBurner (R) (Note: we couldn't figure out how to create the "R" symbol, please don't sue us or that would be deeply ironic). After all, we don't get paid to write our restaurant reviews, but we do get paid to be legal-talking guys. We propose that Teresa Gubbins and Nancy Nichols each take us to a press restaurant opening/junket and we will judge which is the best/classiest/one that gave us the most free food. Our services are available seven days a week and our rates are really reasonable. Thanks, Tristan.
Verified
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Rawlins Gilliland, says:
How could anyone who even has passing knowledge of 'D' Mag's Nancy Nichols think she never worked in restaurants and/or as a cook? You could be in a quasi coma, coming off serious anesthetic following complicated surgery in a power outage, and know, simply by (ok this is the must-do part) reading her reviews. The publishing biz is as fickle as the restaurant world, but 1/3rd century (loveit?), 'D' has had more staying power than a bouncer on steroids and Viagra. In other words, it's like lip gloss or Scott Sams; here to stay. Yet reading this, you think Nichols simply showed up one day and told Wick Allison "I love to eat and I love pretty food so make me your food editor"? What's that word I'm looking for???? (No not Thanks Tristan). Ah yes. 'Silly'!
Verified
2 years, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Billusa99, says:
I see that the elder food maven of FB has recognized me as a weasel. The plank in her eye must be blinding her to the real animal that I am -- a mere speck of an Oprah bachelor from Arlington! But wait, she called them names too. Must be the water they drink in their Oak Lawn offices.
And the 10,000th comment in Pegasus, too. Such double honors, all in one week!
Well, since the pigeons are running, I'm going to celebrate by shooting some squab for dinner. Thanks again, Tristan, for letting me fire from the comfort of your porch.
Anonymous
2 years, 6 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal