WHERE THE WINOS GO

Dish Is A Darling Of Wine Spectator

By EMILY CHARRIER / Photo by DANNY FULGENCIO

WINERIES across America are bustling with activity from August through November, as vineyards race to pull the grapes from the vine at the peak of ripeness for each varietal. Here in Preston Hollow, you can sample the fruits of that labor at many places, but DISH is one of only a precious few with a wine list that received the stamp of approval from Wine Spectator, making its list of “Where to Drink Well” earlier this year.

DISH’s list is robust, hitting all the classics from the buttery chardonnays and bright sauvignon blancs to the more tannic malbecs and merlots. This list is not for amateurs; they know their customers aren’t looking for Two Buck Chuck.

“These guests are very well traveled; they’re very well educated; they know what they want,” says Jerry McInerney, general manager of DISH. After a stint in Sonoma’s Wine Country, he should know. “Our guests know the winemakers. They’ve been to the wineries in Napa.”

The wine list, created by NL Restaurant Group sommelier Brandon Smoot, relies heavily on California brands that are recognizable to the average consumer.

“It’s a comfort thing,” McInerney says, explain- ing that many customers want to see brands they know they like, so they’re confident they’ll enjoy the glass. If you want the most well-known brands like Schramsberg, J Vineyards or Duckhorn, you can find it for sure. But for the more discerning and adventurous, there’s the Captain’s List.

“We have some hidden gems in each varietal that some people might not be familiar with,” McInerney says of the 20-25 bottle list that is updated seasonally.

The same can be said of the regular wine menu, which has some favorite staples that are flushed with a fleet of rosés in the spring, and then replaced by heartier red blends in the fall.

“Some we have to keep,” McInerney says. “We have a woman who comes every week, because we have Rombauer chardonnay.”

If you’re looking to splurge, the floral notes of Kathryn Hall’s 2011 cabernet can’t be beat, albeit with a $255 price tag.

Don’t expect DISH staff to try and up-sell you, though; they have been directed to find out “what excites a person and build a recommendation from there.”

Pro tip: Go on Wednesdays when bottles of all wines sold by the glass are half off.

FOOD

30 Years Of Bbq

CRAIG COLLINS GAVE HIS EATERIES NEW LIFE, EVEN WHEN NEARBY BUSINESSES SANK

By ELISSA CHUDWIN / Photos by KATHY TRAN

CRAIG COLLINS is the only business owner who didn’t vacate The Hill, even when the shopping center was wrought with neglect.

The short tenure of high-profile businesses like Kroger didn’t deter the success of his two restaurants, Red Hot & Blue and Nazca Kitchen. The barbecue franchise and South American eatery became staples of the barren development at Walnut Hill Lane and U.S. 75.

“We have managed to weather the storm thus far,” Collins says.

After a 20-year decline, the shopping center is receiving an approximately $90-million makeover, complete with updated storefronts and amenities. Since the upgrades coincided with the barbecue joint’s 30th birthday,

Collins revamped the entire space.

“There’s not a single 2-by-4 left in that restaurant,” he says. “We gutted the entire thing. It’s completely different. There’s not a toilet seat that was there before.”

Now called RHBQ, the outdoor patio and bar features biweekly events like football watch parties and beer tastings. Collins hired a barbecue consultant to tweak its menu, and, because it’s Dallas, brunch offerings are on the horizon. Local musicians take the restaurant’s outdoor stage every Friday to perform, whether it’s blues or electronic tunes.

“I was in a band in my teens,” he says. “I wasn’t going to make it as a rock star. I have a soft spot for starving artists and giving people a chance to get some exposure.”

Collins was a lawyer, not a restaurateur, when he introduced Red Hot & Blue to Texas. His former college roommate founded the concept in Washington D.C. Collins couldn’t get enough, so he brought it to Dallas.

“When we opened in 1994, it was the only place in the city you could get pulled pork.”

A spontaneous trip to South America spurred Nazca Kitchen’s creation, with a second location that recently opened in West Village.

Collins still practices law occasionally for charity work, but his priority is keeping his restaurants, especially RHBQ, relevant.

“We had the opportunity to update it and make it something for this generation.”

DWAYNE SPENCER never imagined his job would include retrieving a goat stuck on a roof or chasing an escaped pig throughout The Lamplighter School.

“It was like forever trying to catch that pig,” he says.

The facilities manager was tasked with caring for Lamplighter’s farm animals 38 years ago. He thought apprehending the four-legged escape artist was as crazy as it gets, until he saved a goat who clambered up a tree onto the barn’s roof. Spencer bribed the animal with food to get him back to the ground.

“Funny things happen. Goofy things

The Lamplighter School

Enrollment: 450

Year established: 1953

Tuition: $13,818-$24,825 happen,” says longtime teacher Kathey Beddow. “It’s a time to be joyous of nature and learning.”

Lamplighter’s farm animals don’t mind being roommates. “The pig and the cow — they’re best friends, you know?” says facilities manager Dwayne Spencer.

Since Lamplighter opened in 1953, the barn — which was rebuilt in 2016 — is the center of many student lessons. Kindergarteners learn about the voting process by casting their ballots to name the school’s chickens, pigs, calves and goats. Fourth-graders not only collect eggs to sell in the carpool line but also create business plans and marketing materials.

The yearlong project teaches the young entrepreneurs responsibility and teamwork.

“We have to make sure we’re not doing things haphazardly,” Beddow says.