Chris Wolfgang

Dallas

Freelance Writer/Photographer at Freelance

I eat things then write things for @Dallas_Observer.

Featured in: Favicon

dallasobserver.com Favicon

omahamagazine.com Favicon

spiritofomaha.com Favicon

wetheitalians.com Favicon

substack.com

Articles

Vaqueros Bar-B-Q Has A New Home In Allen

2 weeks ago | dallasobserver.com | Chris Wolfgang

Arnufulo "Trey" Sanchez had built a solid barbecue following with Vaqueros Texas Bar-B-Q in Grapevine. Not only did Sanchez turn out some truly stellar barbecue, but adding his Latin twists with takes on barbacoa and al pastortacosand a semifinalist nomination for Best Chef from the James Beard Awards in 2024.Last month, a new brick-and-mortar location for Vaqueros opened for business. While the new location is 30 miles away in Allen, the food payoffs remain strong and are worthy of the drive.
Jose Chef Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman Leaves to Launch New Concept

2 weeks ago | dallasobserver.com | Chris Wolfgang

Since her arrival as executive chef seven years ago, Chef Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman has turned José from a Mexican food haven for the Park Cities crowd into an outlet for some of the most inventive Mexican fare in Dallas.With the chef given leeway to express her vision fully, José became a destination for those beyond the neighborhood regulars.José has continued to flourish under Quiñones-Pittman.
6 Young Dallas Chefs Changing the City’s Dining Scene

1 month ago | dallasobserver.com | Chris Wolfgang

Dallas has had plenty of big chef names over the years , with big personalities to match. Surnames like Rathbun, Badovinus, Pyles, Fearing and Tesar are part of local culinary lore and have inspired countless other chefs in their journeys. Today, chefs like Misti Norris, Peja Kristic, Regino Rojas, Anastacia Quinones-Pittman and David Uygur have given us restaurants we love.
Convince Your Boss to Send You to CamundaCon 2025 in Amsterdam

1 month ago | camunda.com | Chris Wolfgang

Let’s get you to CamundaCon 2025 in Amsterdam this spring. Need to convince your boss? Say no more. We’ve got you covered. While we do of course have an actual letteryou can customize and email to your boss (or read aloud in person? Morph into a slide presentation? The choice is yours, really), maybe you want the highlights first. Here are our insider tips for convincing your boss to send you (and your team?) to CamundaCon.
What You Need to Know About Bluefin Tuna Breakdowns in Dallas

2 months ago | dallasobserver.com | Chris Wolfgang

The two chefs continued their work, separating the remaining fish into five sections: two long pieces of belly loin, two equally lengthy sections of back loin and the spine section itself, where nakaochi (rib meat) will be scraped from the ribs for use in rolls and other dishes. As you slip a carefully sliced portion ofinto your mouth, your thoughts probably don’t drift to where this fatty slice of tuna belly came from.
Nikki Greek Bistro Takes Greek Fare Upscale

2 months ago | dallasobserver.com | Chris Wolfgang

Tom and Lisa Georgalis know bars well, having previously owned Inwood Tavern before starting the Ivy Tavern in 2014. But the Georgalises felt there was a gap in Greek dining options in Dallas proper. There are fast-casual spots slinging gyros, as well as some smaller restaurants with Mediterranean influences, mostly in the suburbs. Yia Yia's in Rockwall is a prime example that offers up traditional Greek recipes, but with a casual vibe.
Off The Bone Has Been Serving The Cedars Stellar Barbecue for 18 Years

Feb 12, 2025 | dallasobserver.com | Chris Wolfgang

In full disclosure, we had been sleeping a bit on Off The Bone, the long-running barbecue joint in The Cedars, for reasons that are generally benign. With so many restaurants to cover in the city, we don’t always make it back to places we’ve covered in the past. And we’re in Texas, so barbecue has become easy to find.Good barbecue wasn't always this accessible, however.
Garrison Brothers to Release Limited Edition Bourbon To Support Texas State Parks

Feb 7, 2025 | dallasobserver.com | Chris Wolfgang

Garrison Brothers has the distinction of being Texas’ first legal distillery. Founded in 2006 by Dan and Nancy Garrison, Garrison Brothers bourbon first entered the market in 2010 and has turned out some epic bottles. Last October, Garrison Brothers’ Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon was named the best bourbon at the Global Spirit Awards in Las Vegas.
The Best Things We Ate in January in Dallas, Texas

Feb 3, 2025 | dallasobserver.com | Nick Reynolds |Chris Wolfgang |Desiree Gutierrez |Lauren Drewes Daniels

Finally. It's over. No more January Mondays. Not that February has much more to offer.Despite our better judgment, we continued to try new spots and revisit old favorites all month long. We asked our writers for their favorite dishes in the past month, and here are their responses.Our Top 100 Restaurants was just updated with 18 new entries to our list, but throughout the year, we also stop by spots we've already recognized to make sure things are still up to par. Research, you know.
An Iconic Dallas Bar, Thomas Avenue Beverage Company, Is Back

Dec 12, 2024 | dallasobserver.com | Chris Wolfgang

Eddie “Lucky” Campbell knows a thing or two about bars. An innovator in Dallas’ craft cocktail scene, Campbell owns the Standard Pour on McKinney Avenue and Parliament, the craft-cocktail haven that’s a fixture on our Top 100 Bars list, on Allen Street. When Campbell and his team decided last year to branch out with a new establishment, they wanted to stick with what they knew.