Hank Vaughn

Dallas

Freelance writer/photographer at Dallas Observer

I can’t be bothered

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Articles

Far North Dallas Latin Fusion Spot Sabores Latin Now Open

3 weeks ago | dallasobserver.com | Hank Vaughn

There’s been an explosion of Latin restaurants in farthest North Dallas lately, with the newest edition, Sabores Latin House , opening this past November at the intersection of the Dallas North Tollway and Trinity Mills.Sabores is a Latin fusion spot whose website boasts “one thousand flavors in one place,” and true to its word, no single cuisine dominates here.
The 16 Best Dallas Rooftops for Dining and Drinks

1 month ago | dallasobserver.com | Hank Vaughn |Aaren Prody

Rumor has it that spring has finally arrived, and while it may only last a week or so here in North Texas, it’s time to start planning and taking advantage of this transitory clement weather by noshing a bit over a cocktail or three while taking in the glorious views and sunsets that North Texas can offer from some of its finer rooftop patios and terraces.While no list can cover all the options available for high-altitude al fresco dining, the following compilation is a good start.
Pastelito Hugo Serves Up Venezuelan Fare in Far North Dallas

1 month ago | dallasobserver.com | Hank Vaughn

Every Latin American culture has its own version of the humble dumpling, which takes the form of fried or baked pockets filled with a wide range of savory and sweet ingredients. The two most common regional forms are the empanada and the pastelito, and while very similar, they also have subtle differences. The empanada is perhaps better known. It originated in the Galicia region of Spain before reaching Latin America.
The 6 Best Things We Ate in Dallas in February 2025

1 month ago | dallasobserver.com | Nick Reynolds |Lauren Drewes Daniels |Desiree Gutierrez |Hank Vaughn

We eat a lot. So when we get excited about something, it's usually for good reason. February was no exception with pizza, chicken fried steak, Rasta Pasta and smoky mozzarella.We’re simple people. When we hear about a good chicken-fried steak, we go eat it. In February, thanks to a reader tip, we discovered a chicken-fried steak for the ages.
Thunderbird Pies Introduces Crispy Tavern-Style Pizza to Menu

2 months ago | dallasobserver.com | Hank Vaughn

The PILF Restaurant Group apparently wants to have a finger in every pie, at least of the pizza variety. They have Cane Rosso for Neapolitan-style, Zoli’s for New York and Sicilian and Thunderbird Pies for Detroit-style.
We Try the New Italian Spot San Marzano in Dallas' West Village

2 months ago | dallasobserver.com | Hank Vaughn

Observer It is no wonder, then, that this tomato inspired the name of an Italian restaurant that originated in New York City's East Village in 2008 and recently opened in the West Village of Dallas. This is a case of geographic yin-yang synchronicity that we find interesting. The announced the opening of San Marzano last fall, and we were finally able to try it out for lunch.
First Look: Tacos & Avocados Lands in Downtown Carrollton

2 months ago | dallasobserver.com | Hank Vaughn

There’s a spot in old downtown Carrollton, right next to Cane Rosso, that has multiple personalities. Decades ago, when I was in high school, it was a car mechanic shop; before that, a gas station. Over the intervening years, it has morphed into several types of businesses, most recently Monkey King Noodle and then a Cow Tipping Creamery location.We noticed it has risen yet again from the ashes when we were visiting Everything Madeleine for sweet treats last fall.
First Look: Palate by LRC Brings Bites Wine and Bites to North Dallas

2 months ago | dallasobserver.com | Hank Vaughn

Tom Burt and Chrisopher White, owners of Lekka Retail Concepts , a little gift and home décor shop on Preston Road in North Dallas, recently opened their take on a wine bar and bistro that’s connected to the retail space.
How Crazy Water Helped Dallas Land its Lone Michelin Star

Jan 21, 2025 | dallasobserver.com | Hank Vaughn

Aristotle wrote in Book VIII of Metaphysics that “the totality is not, as it were, a mere heap, but the whole is something besides the parts.” That mouthful is usually simplified to “the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.” There is some basic intrinsic truth to this idea: A painting by a master is more than just the collection of individual brush strokes and pigments; great works of fiction transcend a simple hodgepodge of words and phrases written on the page; and symphonies by...
Dallas Area True Hidden Gems

Jan 15, 2025 | dallasobserver.com | Hank Vaughn

Who doesn’t like discovering and then enjoying a little hidden-away eatery, perhaps slightly off the beaten track and often fulfilling an otherwise underrepresented food niche. Whether these hole-in-the-wall establishments offer up underappreciated cuisines or simply capture good homemade cooking like Grandma used to make, these hidden gems are culinary oases in what can sometimes be a desert of food mediocrity and generic sameness.Finding off-the-beaten-path restaurants is a hobby of sorts.