Savor Dallas 2009 celebrates successful fifth year

by Teresa Gubbins

Now in its fifth year, Savor Dallas 2009, the annual food and wine fest/charity event, took place on March 6-7 with its usual series of events at various locations around downtown Dallas.

The success of the event relies on the donations of time and materials from chefs, food purveyors, wine suppliers, and volunteers, with funds going to charities that include the North Texas Food Bank, Greater Dallas Restaurant Association Culinary Scholarship Fund, and the Arts Magnet Building Campaign for Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

Saturday night's International Grand Tasting at the Plaza of the Americas was the most successful, drawing thousands of attendees (numbers are still being tabulated by the organizers) who sampled food treats from more than 65 vendors, and wines and spirits from approximately 500 wineries and suppliers.

Supplier Winn Meats held a "BEEFlexible Challenge" with four participants who agreed to make beef-based dishes. First place winner was chef David Bull of Bolla who did a novel carpaccio that he "cured" on-site on a slab of pink Himalayan salt; followed by chef Gilbert Garza of Suze, chef Estevan Galindo of Hattie’s, and chef Robbie Lewis with Fuse.

Other highlights: the participation of Top Chef contestant Tre Wilcox; the "beer garden" hosted by distributor Ben E. Keith; the ubiquitous, admirable use of recyclable plates made from bamboo; the ice sculpture at the Smirnoff booth; one guy who did the event on a Segway (see video); and of course the food -- from the beet-tinted purple potatoes at Parigi's to the popular raw tuna cones served by new Wolfgang Puck place Five Sixty.

Friday night's Victory Park wine and food celebration, which drew more than 1,000 people, had less of a foodie focus than it did an all-round party vibe, with live music and an AFI Dallas screening of Shine a Light.

Mike Bullock contributed to this story.

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