Chopped, Not Stirred

Prime Dallas-Fort Worth steakhouse raises the bar with its signature cocktails

The cocktails get just as much attention as the food.

Courtesy photo

It's expected when you go to Bob's Steak & Chop House that you're going to get an amazing meal. The storied restaurant only serves Prime steaks — meaning they're in the top 2 percent of all beef — along with fresh seafood and mouthwatering pork chops, racks of lamb, and seared duck breasts.

What many people don't know is that the cocktails are as top-tier as the food. Complementing an extensive wine list, the cocktails all utilize high-quality spirits and fresh juices and garnishes, and each is poured with a generous hand. But here's the real twist: each cocktail is "hand-chopped."

It's a unique method that delivers extra-chilled results. The bartender packs a glass with ice and then pours in all the ingredients. A strainer holds everything in while the bartender vigorously chops the ice with the stir spoon for about a minute. The cocktail is then strained into the chilled martini glass, with tiny slivers of ice floating on top.

In addition to classics like the Bob's Cosmo (a delicate blend of Deep Eddy orange vodka and cranberry juice) and the Dirty Bob martini (which is made with Grey Goose vodka and topped off with hand-stuffed blue cheese olives), seasonal cocktails are regularly created in-house.

To welcome fall at the Bob's location in the Omni Dallas hotel, there are two new drinks joining the roster of traditional favorites. A Good Thyme Martini combines Absolut Elyx vodka with St Germain, a dash of simple syrup, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Even the garnish gets a personal touch, as the thyme-infused lemon peel is created onsite.

The Pineapple Upside Down Old Fashioned is a twist on the old classic, with Plantation pineapple rum, La Copa vermouth, a dash of cinnamon bitters, cinnamon-infused simple syrup, and a slice of grilled pineapple on the top. That fresh pineapple doesn't just get a quick searing on the grill, however — it also gets a quick soak in that delicious cinnamon-infused simple syrup.

drinks cocktails promoted dinner

REFIGURE THE ALAMO

The Alamo previews awe-inspiring new exhibit ahead of 2024 debut

Photo courtesy of the Alamo.

The Mission Gate and Lunette exhibit gives visitors an understanding of the original ground's scale.

Ask first-time visitors about their experience at the Alamo, and you're likely to hear a frequent refrain: the grounds are so small. But that's slowly changing with ambitious plans to bring the site's original footprint back to life.

Starting May 25, visitors have been getting a sneak peek at the complex's newest structure, the Mission Gate and Lunette exhibit, before it officially opens in 2024. Funded in part by a $3 million donation from the Joan and Herb Kelleher Charitable Foundation, the exhibition gives guests a broader understanding of the Alamo's scale.

The historical re-creation was crafted by lauded San Antonio artist Carlos Cortés. A third-generation concrete faux bois artisan, his work is featured throughout the city, most notably on the River Walk, where his fantastical The Grotto greets thousands of Museum Reach visitors each year.

The life-size sculpture stands in for the original main gate of the fort at the southern boundary of the complex. Cannons and placards scattered throughout give crucial context to the structure. Though early renderings show the beams and spiked fence with more verisimilitude, the forms currently stand in ghostly concrete — inviting quiet contemplation.

When the exhibit is finished next year, guests will be more fully immersed in the hallowed grounds, which extend far beyond the walls of the iconic Church and Long Barrack. Coupled with the upcoming Alamo Visitor Center and Museum and the recently debuted Ralston Family Collections Center, it will turn the grounds into one of Texas' most awe-inspiring historic sites.

"We are deeply grateful to the Joan and Herb Kelleher Charitable Foundation for their support of the Alamo and our ongoing efforts to preserve this important piece of Texas history," says Kate Rogers, Executive Director of the Alamo Trust, Inc., in a release. "Their generosity will allow us to continue to educate and inspire visitors from around the world, ensuring that the legacy of the Alamo lives on for generations to come."

Photo courtesy of the Alamo.

The Mission Gate and Lunette exhibit gives visitors an understanding of the original grounds' scale.

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