The Ice Rink at Galleria became a food-lover's paradise one night last week – and for a very good cause. Make that four very good causes!
For Galleria's one-night dining phenomenon, Delish at Galleria Dallas: A Celebration of Cuisine, which benefitted Paws in the City, the Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County, the North Texas Food Bank and the Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas, Galleria restaurants were most generous with their resources -- not the least of which included smorgasbords of beautifully-presented edibles. Elegant food-station staging, courtesy of the mall and its expert party planners, added to the fun as the hottest of Dallas' food-loving A-list turned out for an evening of gastronomic camaraderie.
From the minute we arrived at the entrance to Galleria, a jovial and hospitable climate was very much in evidence. This is a nice mall, one that cares about social issues and wants everyone who frequents this shopping destination to have a great time.
The stores! Galleria has something for everyone, from the wonderful cosmetics, luggage, clothing and candy shops and major department stores to a terrific variety of restaurant fare, plenty of which was shown off at Delish. It's clear that Galleria "gets it" about how important the dining experience is to the shopping experience. The mall's owners and management have gone out of their way to attract and hold the best of the best. Yes, there are lots of great restaurants in Dallas. To find so many under one roof truly differentiates Galleria from the flock of nameless food court-oriented competitors. More good news: The excellent offerings the restaurants presented for Delish are available all year-round here.
Mi Cocina showed off their delicious shrimp ceviche, something I'd previously overlooked on the restaurant's menu. Smart. I give them credit for putting out the "good stuff," as they have surely attracted favorable attention for all of their locations in doing so.
The Grill on the Alley served, among other things, some very tasty endive spears with a sweetly savory filling. We enjoyed the exquisitely fresh crab cakes from Oceanaire and Grand Lux Café's powdered sugar-dusted New Orleans beignets. Townhouse Kitchen and Bar, which will open at the Galleria in late November, turned out thyme-infused white wine-poached pears over prosciutto and lovely black mission fig whole-grained mustard-topped roasted garlic flatbread crisps. Welcome to Dallas; we'll be back!
A star among stars, the Westin Hotel's Second Floor Bistro presented a pair of generously plated, entrée-worthy offerings – salmon croquette "sliders" and duck confit pot pies – along with uber trendy bacon peanut butter brownies. Triple yum! It is this kind of skill - and generosity - that defines the restaurant industry at its best.
Lingering over a lemon ricotta cookie from Nordstrom Marketplace Café, one had the distinct impression that Delish was a huge success. Kudos to Galleria, the participating restaurants and the charities that benefitted from this marvelous event!
Guests at Delish at Galleria Dallas received a Delish voucher. From October 20–November 20, voucher holders can further benefit the charity of their choice by redeeming that Delish voucher at a selection of participating restaurants for a complimentary dessert with the purchase of an entree. At the end of the promotional period, the charity with the most vouchers redeemed will receive an additional $5,000 donation from Galleria Dallas. Additional donations, ranging from $2,500 to $1,000, will be presented to the remaining charities.
