Plano’s Up, Up and Away foodie event continues through the month

Fans of the Plano Balloon Festival have likely been disappointed without the colorful annual event, but Plano restaurants have been attempting to fill in for that void. This year, Plano Up, Up and Away Days was launched featuring food and drink deals across several Plano eateries for September. So when you’re up there for Pride this weekend (or at least through Sept. 30)  grab a flight sampler while you’re in the area.

“Balloons or no balloons, our talented food and beverage community has gotten into the spirit of the festival to offer consumers a fun and
flavorful new pursuit. It’s a win-win for everyone,” Mark Thompson, director of Visit Plano said in a press release.

The event seems rather low-key, but it looks to be a sort of testing ground for a bigger launch next year. Perhaps consider it a soft opening to this different kind of food festival. So book your “flight” plans now. Get it? Flights? Up Up and Away? Balloons? Anyway, here’s a sampling of the  deals available through the end of the month.

Savory flights:

Dock Local at Legacy Hall: three roll flight – crab, shrimp and lobster — $20.99

Urban Rio: appetizer flight of three assorted tacos — $10

Son of a Butcher at Legacy Hall: 3 Wagyu beef sliders of choice (meat- and gluten-free options also available) — $11.50

Mexican Bar Company: Ceviche samplers for 2 or 3 people; choose your two or three favorites from camaron, campechano, vegan, and aguachile. — $15 – $19

Sweet flights:

Milky Treats: flight “board” with scoops of the store’s eight most popular flavors (including Unicorn Brownie, Salty Toffee and Choco-lit Coma); or choose your own, $20

Mallow Box at Legacy Hall: Mini S’mores flight featuring three different gourmet marshmallow flavors and toppings — $9.95

Goat & Vine: “Pick 3” of the restaurant’s handheld desserts (milk or white chocolate covered strawberries and milk or white chocolate cake pops; additional seasonal flavors also available), $10

Drink flights:

Mexican Sugar: Margarita flight – Machete, Hibiscus and Classico, $20

Whiskey Cake: Bourbon flight featuring Old Forester, Elijah Craig Small Batch, Woodford Reserve, and 1792 Small Batch — $16

High Bar at Legacy Hall: flight of Unlawful Assembly beers brewed on site, four 4 oz. pours — $7

Prim & Proper (inside Neighborhood Goods at Legacy West): “Aircraft” cocktail flight featuring four minis: Airmail (Smith & Cross Rum, Lime, Honey, Sparkling Wine); Aviation: (Gray Whale Gin, Lemon, Crème de Violette, Luxardo); Paper Plane: (Uncle Nearest Whiskey, Aperol, Nonino, Lemon), Flying Scotsman (Glenlivet Scotch, Sweet Vermouth, Bitters) — $22

For a complete listing, click here.

I have gone to try a few of the restaurant offerings and I will say that each one wasn’t fully aware of the event or one thought it had been canceled. Some menu listings here are the same as their regular menu, but my recommendation would be to have this or the official page ready to show on your phone.

Among my own samplings include Campisi’s pasta trio (mostly to take my dad who loves their food). The dish featured ravioli, lasagna and spaghetti with some huge meatballs drenched in sauce.

Urban Rio’s taco trio was a delightful bargain. The server told us to opt for three tacos so I selected the brisket tacos with pickle and jalapeno slaw, a chicken tinga taco with a pepper sauce and queso fresco and finally a fried fish taco with chipotle aioli. The menu also features al pastor, veggie and ground beef tacos.

Vickery Park’s Picnic Plate was a menu regular at the same price. A trio jalapeno caps, pickle chips and onion tabs deep fried and served with a mild but addictive jalapeno ranch dip. This pickle chip lover though though they could use less jalapenos and more pickles, but that’s just me.

Urban Crust’s gelato offer was one of the more confusing experiences. The host told us they figured the event was over and offered us its regular menu offering rather than a sampling. We ordered both flavors available (vanilla and hazelnut) but was served only vanilla. It was nonetheless delicious and wonderfully creamy with a hint of mint garnish that added to its flavor.

Prim and Proper’s cocktail flight was a beautiful selection made with often unique liquors. If you’re tackling them all yourself (they are mini-drinks), be aware that you will be mixing rum, gin, whisky and scotch as they are each stars of their own drink. The restaurant also has new menu items that are of note. Its hot chicken sandwich is made with truffle hot sauce and black pepper aioli. The surprise was in the heat of the chicken not for its kick but for its layers than are more subtle.

The Big D Burger features  coffee-rubbed Wagyu beef with a house whiskey barbecue sauce and fried egg. The Pesto BLT was heaven with its thick cut bacon and house pesto on toasted sourdough. That crunch from the bread into those fresh flavors was certainly a revelation. The sandwiches are only new items on the menu but not part of the food event.

Happy eating!

— Rich Lopez