Tasty Notes is a roundup of food and restaurant news including specials, local food news, dining events and more around the area.

Taste Addison is North Texas’ largest food festival. (Courtesy photo)

Taste Addison announces headliner list for North Texas’ largest food and music festival

Since 1993, Taste Addison has mixed music and food to create a massive experience for its guests. Featuring a lineup of Addison eateries, national music artists, food and beverage sampling experiences and activities for the whole family, the festival returns June 3-4.

The festival recently announced its music headliners for the two-day event that will offer some throwback jams to pair well with all the food and beverage samples.

“This year’s lineup, highlighted by four great, energetic national artists, will ensure that Taste Addison brings the party vibe that it’s always been known for,” Jasmine Lee, Addison’s director of special events said in a press release. “Just as Taste Addison has a bite for every palate, we have bands who will please every music lover.”

Starting the party on Friday night on the Main Stage will be Jamaican dancehall rapper and singer Sean Paul, best known for his Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles, “Get Busy,” “Temperature,” “Baby Boy” (with Beyoncé) and “Cheap Thrills ” (with Sia). Paul won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2003 for Dutty Rock and has been nominated for another eight Grammys, most recently last year for his reggae album Live N Livin.’

On Saturday, get grungy with it for Stone Temple Pilots headlining night. The band’s influential alt-rock music spawned the singles “Plush,” “Creep” and “Interstate Love Song.” The band won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1993 for “Plush.”  The Saturday night lineup also includes Living Colour (“Cult of Personality”) and Candlebox (“Far Behind”).

The Legends Stage, will feature popular tribute bands and singer-songwriters of various genres both Friday and Saturday, including Havana NRG, Infinite Journey, Def Leggend, the Emerald City Band All Stars and more.

More than two dozen of Addison’s finest restaurants and food trucks are participating this year. Each will serve unique menu items, with all entrees $10 or less and each offering a Taste Bite that offers a flavor of the restaurant for $3 or less.

There will also be complimentary wine, beer and spirits sampling from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday. All the alcohol being sampled at Taste Addison is from Texas.

A free family fun lawn with craft activities, a petting zoo, carnival games and tattoos will be available for younger guests.

A new, limited VIP ticket package will offer access to an elevated concert viewing deck in front of the Main Stage. The VIP ticket will also grant guests access to the air-conditioned Orangetheory VIP Lounge with private restrooms and will offer assorted tastings of food and drink from a selection of Addison restaurants and breweries. A Taste VIP+ package adds reserved VIP parking with a special entrance.

City Works Eatery & Pour House roll out new menu

City Works Eatery & Pour House, located in Frisco and Fort Worth, announced its new menu starting April 12. The restaurant offers American classics with a modern twist as well as 90-plus beers on tap.

The new menu offers a wide variety of dishes and drinks including the following:

New Menu Additions

Loaded Baked Potato Flatbread: Fingerling potatoes, hardwood smoked bacon, mozzarella, cheddar, green onions, ranch dressing.

BBQ Chicken Flatbread: House smoked BBQ chicken, mozzarella, gouda, red onion, housemade BBQ sauce.

Crab Fondue: Jumbo lump crab meat, Humboldt Fog goat cheese, Parmesan, garlic herb butter, toasted baguette.

Impossible Quesadilla: Impossible meat, jalapeño salsa verde, mozzarella, queso fresco, avocado cream, elote, red cabbage, micro cilantro.

Blackened Salmon: Blackened salmon, deviled eggs, artisan lettuce, capers, red onion, feta, cucumber, tomato, citrus vinaigrette.

Steak Salad: Grilled top sirloin steak, baby greens, red onion, Roma tomatoes, grilled marinated broccolini, cucumbers, bleu cheese crumbles, avocado, red wine vinaigrette.

Impossible Taco: Impossible meat, jalapeño salsa verde, avocado mash, chipotle aioli, pico de gallo, flour tortilla, microgreens.

Sloppy Joe: Left Hand Milk Stout braised beef, cider mustard, crispy buttermilk onion rings, brioche bun.

Impossible Meatball Sandwich: Impossible meatballs, tomato sauce, smoked Provolone cheese, housemade giardiniera, ciabatta roll.

Cajun Linguine: Blackened chicken, andouille sausage, bell peppers, red onion, scallions, Sriracha cream, linguine pasta.

Ahi Tuna: Peppercorn crusted rare ahi tuna, shrimp and almond fried rice, marinated broccolini, mustard soy sauce, crispy wonton strips, microgreens.

Top Sirloin: Fingerling potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots, onions, celery, asparagus, grape tomato, fennel, red wine jus, garlic herb butter.

Chicken: Grilled marinated French cut chicken breast, andouille sausage, maque choux, Cajun butter, cilantro oil, microgreens.

Meatloaf: Lowcountry meatloaf, ground beef, Italian sausage, mashed potato, succotash, IPA red-eye gravy.

Sweet Caroline (Brunch): Carrot cake spiced pancakes, orange cream cheese frosting, walnuts, warm maple syrup.

Burning for You (Brunch): Huevos rancheros, crispy flour tortillas, chorizo, black beans, green chiles, red onions, cheddar, habanero Jack cheese, avocado, pico de gallo, jalapeño salsa verde, two over-medium eggs, sour cream, micro cilantro.

Donuts: Powdered sugar-coated doughnuts, chocolate hazelnut sauce, mixed berry jam.

New Alcoholic Beverages
Spicy Margarita: Don Julio Blanco, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, chile simple syrup, árbol chile.

Mezcal Margarita: Los Vecinos Espadin Mezcal, fresh lime juice, lychee syrup, orange flower water.

New Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Strawberry Margarita: Strawberries, fresh lime juice, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, splash of lemon lime soda.

Mango Cucumber Mule: Cucumber, honey syrup, mango syrup, fresh lime juice, ginger beer.

Paloma: Fresh lime juice, fresh grapefruit juice, honey syrup, sea salt, soda water.

Mi Dia from Scratch announces April cocktails

Mi Dia From Scratch celebrates the season with cocktails showcasing the vibrancy and flavors of spring. With fresh juices and ingredients in its cocktail selections, all Mi Día From Scratch locations will be serving its fan-favorite drinks at a discounted price all month long. The restaurant has locations in Flower Mound, Grapevine and Plano.

Featured drinks include:

Hell Freezes Over  made with house made hatch green chili infused Socorro Blanco Tequila, Cointreau, lime, cucumber, basil, organic agave nectar, dry ice and rimmed with a hatch chili salt blend.

The Blueberry Habanero Margarita which features blueberry infused Patron Silver, Cointreau, lemon, habanero agave and topped with lemon air.

The Riviera Maya includes strawberry infused Espolon Blanco Tequila, St. Germain Elderflower, Cointreau, and prosecco.

The Heart of the Desert is mad  with hatch green chili infused Socorro Blanco, Jalisco 1562, lemon; and Dulce Enfuego which has pineapple-chipotle infused Casa Noble Organic Crystal Tequila, Grand Marnier, lemon, and egg white.

All Mi Dia From Scratch’s happy hour is Monday-Friday from 3-6 p.m.

El Chico in Rockwall gears up for Cinco de Mayo

The Tex-Mex restaurant has announced food and drink options to celebrate Cinco.

The restaurant will feature its Fiesta Fantastico cocktails:

The Hornitos Cerveza ‘Rita ($12): Made on the rocks or frozen with Hornitos Plata Tequila margarita topped with a Coronita

The Milagro Ultimate ‘Rita ($9.50): Milagro Reposado Tequila, Cointreau Orange Liqueur and Margarita Mix.

Altos Strawberry ‘Rita ($9.50): Altos 100 percent Blue Agave Tequila, lime juice, Monin Strawberry and agave syrups.

Its appetizer plate will feature Cinco Fiesta Botanas with steak taco carbon, chicken cascabel tacos, chicken quesadillas, chicken fajita nachos, beef fajita nachos and guacamole, for $17.99.

El Chico will introduce Smokey Denmark Sausage from Austin into a series of Cinco Fajita combos that will feature the sausage paired with chicken, beef or shrimp. Cinco Fajita combos are $18.49, with the exception of the Sausage, Beef and Chicken Combo Fajitas priced at $19.99.

Guests can also order family party packs with enchiladas ($38.99), fajitas ($59.99) and tacos ($39.99). Each Family Party Pack feeds six to eight people.

And don’t skip dessert. Guests can get a free order of Strawberry Nachos with the purchase of an entrée.

Thirsty Lion Gastropub will offer a Cinco celebration of authentic dishes and artful cocktails

Two of the restaurant’s three locations Toyota Music Factory in Irving and Glade Parks in Euless – will feature these selections all day for Cinco  de Mayo. On the beverage menu, guests can enjoy a blood orange margarita, fresh fruit Sangria, Tequila flight and house margarita available at happy hour prices all day.

Entrée options include:

Pork carnitas salad bowl made with a tomatillo salsa and Tajin spice.

Southwest smoked chicken salad which features Mesquite smoked chicken, roasted sweet corn, avocado, marinated jicama, cherry tomatoes, fresh greens, and cabbage.

Jalapeno Pepper Jack burger crafted with melted pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, Tabasco, onion strings, fresh guacamole and chipotle aioli on a brioche bun.

Green chili chicken and avocado sandwich with roasted pasilla chilies, avocado, cilantro, jalapenos, pepper jack, Cotija cheese, spicy Napa slaw, and a chipotle aioli on grilled ciabatta.

Baja fish tacos made with sauteed cod, shrimp chipotle aioli, cilantro lime slaw, and pico de gallo.

Pork carnitas tacos which includes pork carnitas, chipotle aioli, cilantro lime slaw, and pico de gallo.

III Forks offers exclusive Mother’s Day Brunch

Steak and eggs are part of III Forks Mother’s Day Brunch menu. (Courtesy photo)

III Forks in Frisco isn’t often open during the day, but Mother’s Day is the exception. The restaurant will serve an exclusive Mother’s Day Brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 8. The menu will feature upscale brunch specialties served with assorted breakfast breads fresh from the restaurant’s local bakery. A limited a la carte menu of III Forks favorites will also be available during brunch.

The Mother’s Day Brunch is $55 per person and is available in restaurant or curbside to-go by pre-order. A children’s brunch with pancakes, sausage and scrambled eggs will be available for $18. Click here for reservations or to pre-order.

Brunch selections include:

Steak and Eggs: 8 oz. Teres Major with two fried eggs.

Filet Mignon, crabcake or lobster tail Benedict: Poached eggs with hollandaise, asparagus and fingerling potatoes.

Bloody Mary, $14, spicy Bloody Mary mix, Tito’s Handmade Vodka.

Mimosa, $10, fresh-squeezed orange juice, sparkling wine.

Toro Toro to debut bottomless brunch for Easter

Wxecutive Chef Jonathan Esparza has crafted a decadent brunch menu described as bottomless for guests to enjoy. For $59 per person (children under 12 years old is $18), the Pan-Latin flavors and elements will debut several action stations.

Located throughout the contemporary steakhouse will be a variety of stations:

Salad Station will features baby kale, baby spinach, and baby romaine with a variety of dressings and toppings.

Fresh Ceviche Station with options of Salmon Ponzu, Ahi Amarillo Ceviche, and Shrimp Cocktail Aguachile.

The Toro Grill Station consisting of Beef Anticucho, Chicken Anticucho, and Short Rib Birria Tacos.

Toro signature displays of assorted fresh fruits and a Spanish cheese selection.

An Omelet Station that can be customized based on customer preferences.

The traditional Toro Toro Sunday brunch specialties of brisket Egg Benedict, shrimp enchiladas and Huevos Rancheros.

Toro Toro’s beverage mixologist has curated an array of artful libations such as traditional mimosas, mango mimosas, Mimosa Misterioso, Mayo Mimosa, Michelada, Bloody Mary and a Bloody Maria.

The brunch menu will run from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on April 17. Easter Sunday. From 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on April 17. The full brunch is $59 and $18 for children 12 and younger. Reservations are encouraged and can be made here.

Meal Plans:

April 14: The Pour: An Underground Curated Spirits and Culinary Tasting Experience showcasing Hotel Tango Distillery, 6 p.m. at Bourbon and Banter. Reservations and information here.

April 28: The Pour: An Underground Curated Spirits and Culinary Tasting Experience showcasing Sagamore, 6 p.m. at Bourbon and Banter. Reservations and information here.

April 30: Frisco Uncorked, noon-7 p.m. at Frisco Square. Tickets available here.

– Rich Lopez