It's a flaming hot weekend in June and the summer solstice is quickly creeping up the calendar. It's the second day of the Taste of Dallas festival. Dallas Market Hall is surrounded by a swarm of people scrambling to get in the building. The sweetness of funnel cakes and fried desserts entice the crowds; along with the fragrance of hickory and maple woods. The pit smoke swirls into the air as you approach the festival grounds.

Taste of Dallas [ToD] started in 1985 and has been a Texas tradition. For more than three decades, the festival proudly displayed the razzle dazzle that only big D can offer. Now, after a brief  pandemic-induced hiatus, Taste of Dallas is back and bigger than ever!

Once guests gain entry, they’re greeted by ambassadors Stephen and Weii. The nonprofit organization that sits inside the lobby space is called Amnesty International www.Amnestyusa.org. I spoke to Stephen and he described more about the organization's mission statement. 

"What Amnesty International does is assist with providing aid to thousands of immigrant children lost in the systems of foster care and refugee camps around the world. Established in the 1960s in England, we are world wide.", Stephen explained. 

As the second set of doors ease open, a cool draft of air conditioning, smiling faces and bright colors await. Wiley Wallaby was one of the first booths to catch my eye. Established in Minnesota, this family-owned Candy Company makes a gluten guilt-free treat with all natural products. It’s a sweet low calorie delight that gives Twizzlers a run for its money with its variety of fruit flavors. I spoke with the company's Dallas brand ambassador, Lamonica Williams. In addition to the handfuls of samples Williams mentioned a special gift that all festival goers could receive if they scanned the code; a lovely bracelet with eight charms along with the company's kangaroo logo as the center charm. 

"With the promotional code each customer is able to get coupons to purchase our licorice on Amazon or Target,” she exclaimed with a smile. “And they get these beautiful charms, 8 charms that are just as detailed as Pandora's. It's just really a nice thing for a person to have."

My next stop was Andretti Indoor Karting & Games located in The Colony, TX. Andretti, is a national chain of entertainment destination centers offering games, bowling, bars, great cuisine and more!

"We’re an entertainment facility in The Colony, TX,” Marketing Specialist Miranda stated. “We do go-karting, laser tag, virtual reality; we have a bowling alley, two bars, and a restaurant." 

Regional Chef Ricardo Osborne curates the menus and creates the recipes served at all Texas Andretti locations — Katy, San Antonio and The Colony. The first dish he created for the Andretti menu was their pulled-pork pairfiet, a protein based dish inspired by summer comfort foods. Served in a sundae like manner the pairfiet has mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, pulled barbecue pork and is garnished with a rib bone for wow factor — and it’s delicious.  Osborne singles out the Andretti platter as their most popular dish. 

"Most customers like to order our Andretti platter. It comes with a quesadilla, potatoes, salsa, and four wings. It's shareable, so definitely a  fan favorite" Chef Osborne said with a smile.

As I continued my culinary quest, I was greeted with aromas from Zatar Lebanese Tapas & Bar. Zatar's menu includes hummus, falafels, kabobs, shawarma, moussaka, desserts, wings and tacos with a Lebanese twist and teas. I tried the traditional garlic hummus paired with chips, falafels and sauces also accompanied the dish. The garlic hummus was phenomenal! The fresh taste of garlic and chickpeas partnered with the crispy chips is a savory oxymoron.

The vendor that caught my eye next was truly a treat, decorated with dozens of small Jamaican flags that were paired with bold vibrant colors that invited festival guests to try their drinks and food. Daqs2geaux is a restaurant and food truck located in Addison, TX. Owner and operating manager Kara Korean, affectionately known as Miss K, opened her restaurant in 2019. Her unique menu is inspired by classic American favorites with ethnic spins from Miss K's family background. 

"What we've done on the culinary side is we've taken America's favorite foods and added a mix of Caribbean; as well as Creole Cajun to it." Stated Miss K. “I've really been able to emerge into the daiquiri community in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and it’s been awesome. I took everything from my heart and soul and put it into my business.”

My next stop was Milk Bar. Once I arrived  I instantly felt the nostalgia of Barbie, and milk and cookies. The products are packaged in trendy colorful wrappings. I was handed several samples of their milk based products. My personal favorite was Milk Bar's Birthday Truffle Crumb Cakes. These delicious desserts are sweet and creative wrapped in packaging that takes you back to the days of childhood birthday parties and ice cream socials.  Check out their website for coupons, recipes and other cool information. You can find these products online on Amazon.com, Target.com, wholefoods, and milkbarstore.com.

All this food will definitely create a serious thirst. ToD had a bar that did not disappoint! To find a cozy bar area with kind bartenders was just as refreshing as the drinks. The bar had several varieties of liquor, wines and beer. Yuengling beer was also highlighted during the festival. The hoppy lager was served in a frosty mug that resembled a cup a celtic viking may have sipped from.