Dotty Griffith Recipe Fashion Sense

Ocean's Prime's Surf and urf (left) and Wedge Salad (right).

OCE AN PRIME

By Dotty Griffith dotty.griffith@yahoo.com

Ten years. For a child, that means you are almost a teenager. For a dog, that means you’re not learning many new tricks. For a restaurant, that means you’ve beat the odds.

According to a report in USA Today affiliated azcentral.com a couple of years ago, two business research outfits, Perry Group International and The Restaurant Brokers, analyzed the life span of restaurants. The article stated, “The Perry Group study concluded that most restaurants close during their first year of operation. Seventy percent of those that make it past the first year close their doors in the next three to five years. Ninety percent of the restaurants that are still operating past the five-year mark will stay in business for a minimum of 10 years. The Restaurant Brokers’ study, the only one to make a distinction between chain and

independent restaurants, concluded that up to 90 percent of independent establishments close during the first year and the remaining restaurants will have an average five-year life span.”

Happy 10-year anniversary Ocean Prime Dallas! Looks like you’ve still got some living to do. The seafood-steakhouse marked a decade in Uptown last December, no small feat given the competition in that part of town. OK, so the odds for Ocean Prime are a little better since it is part of the Cameron Mitchel Restaurants stable of 34 restaurants with 15 different concepts. It’s not a little bitty, indie upstart.

Still, surviving is surviving. To celebrate, Ocean Prime Dallas got a makeover. It closed for a full remodel and reopened late last year with a new foyer and reception area, an enclosed patio with wall to wall windows that makes the space comfortable any time of year and a “reimagined OP Lounge” with lowered ceilings to create a cozier ambiance. There’s even new landscaping.

Executive Chef Brandon Moore did some updating and creating as well. His handiwork was on the menu at a little media event hosted by the restaurant to show and tell us what’s new at their 10- year mark.

The tasting didn’t start with dessert, but I will. Let’s all hope the Valentine lemon cake, a torte with multiple thin layers of cake separated by raspberry filling, doesn’t go away just because this year’s love day is history. Light and airy yet with enough lemon flavor to linger on the tongue and, in my memory, this cake made the OP pastry kitchen shine. So did the chocolate-covered peanut butter mousse, an individual-sized dessert that makes you think grown-up Girl Scout peanut butter and chocolate cookies. The ganache blanketed the peanut butter filling like a silk comforter.

We also got to try some of the “updates.” Surf and Turf appetizer, tennis ballsize scallops and braised short rib on creamy potatoes that could easily be a small entrée. Though it’s called a wedge, the OP variation on the steakhouse classic salad, iceberg lettuce topped with blue cheese, gets a new angle. It is a quarter cut from the side of a head of iceberg that creates a “bowl” of lettuce, not a wedge, for the toppings. A little easier to cut with knife and fork.

Among the sides, lobster mac and cheese are a showstopper. Another dish that could be an entrée, this newbie got deluxe treatment, chunks of lobster and shaved truffles.

The new Ocean Prime has all the good things from the original plus some new touches that could keep it around for another 10 years.

OCEAN PRIME 2101 Cedar Springs Road allas, 75201 214-965-0440 ocean-prime.com

Lobster ruffle Macaroni and Cheese.

By Dotty Griffith dotty.griffith@yahoo.com OCE AN PRIME

Hungry for a little luxury? Mac and cheese with lobster and truffles ought to do the trick. This recipe is pure decadence with all that plus heavy cream and three types of cheese. The recipe comes from Ocean Prime, a restaurant known for seafood and steaks.

OCEAN PRIME LOBSTER TRUFFLE MACARONI AND CHEESE

6 ounces macaroni noodles (about 3 cups cooked) 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1/4 cup light beer 1 cup grated American cheese 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese 1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon white pepper 2 teaspoons grated truffle 1 teaspoon truffle oil 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese 1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs or minced parsley 6 ounces poached lobster meat

In a large pot over medium high heat, cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. In a medium stovetop casserole over medium high heat, combine cream and beer and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Off heat, gradually add cheeses, then macaroni, stirring constantly. Return to low heat and simmer until cheeses are melted and sauce is smooth. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Stir in lobster.

op with grated parmesan cheese, truffle oil and grated truffle. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs or parsley. Or both.

Makes 4 servings.

By Leah Frazier leahfarizer.com

In celebration of Black History Month, POWERHANDZ (a global athletic training and rehabilitation product tech company), Promakers and Hennessy Cognac presented “The Power of a Dream” dinner to 30 pre-draft athletes in a setting designed by celebrity interior decorator Nikki Chu at Bob’s Steak & Chop House in Plano. In addition to cognac inspired cocktails, Hennessy XO was paired with dessert.

The collaborative event saluted young athletes who have achieved the next step in their professional career but also empowered them to think and envision beyond football. Above all, “The Power of a Dream” (an honorable nod to the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” vision), inspires athletes to evolve personally and professionally, on and off the field, and as men. “There’s more to life than just football. I knew that there was life after football and I needed to take full advantage of it,” said Darren Woodson, as he described the diversification of investments by former Dallas Cowboys teammates Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman and Jay Novacek.

“This opportunity is not just about you or the field, it’s about changing the community and transforming your dreams into legacy,” said Danyel Surrency Jones, visionary of “The Power of a Dream” Dinner and CEO of POWERHANDZ. “We want you guys to start thinking about what’s next because that’s how you continue the legacy and the dream. After you leave here today, I challenge you to create moments your history never dreamed of.”

NFL Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins, who flew in especially for the event, closed the discussion inspiring all to be examples of the dream and that, “Your character will take you further than your talent ever will.” The evening program of mentorship, education and panel discussions led by NFL players, Hall of Famers and other professionals specifically chosen to impart wisdom to the curated group of young men.

The elite panel included Woodson, Dawkins, NFL Hall of Famer Tim Brown,

Kauwuan e Bur ton Former Cowboys wide receiver ez Bryant.

Oakland Raiders 2019 first round draft pick Johnathan Abram and former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant.

From transitioning the dream to training the dream to the power of a tribe, panelists delivered a transparent discussion on the realities of NFL life on and off the field in an artfully moderated discussion by event creator Jones. Discussing everything from business acumen to financial literacy to family dynamics, mental health issues, external influences, agency inquiries and more, the pre-draft athletes were not only activated for their dreams, but also empowered to think and envision beyond football. “A quote by Darren Woodson really stood out for me at the event,” said pre-draft attendee James Porche, wide receiver for the SMU Mustangs. “He said, ‘People are going to love you for the time being, so take advantage of it during that time.’ It hit home to me because I know so many athletes who try to get their life going after football, when the best time is to do it while you’re in it. Making it to the NFL is not just for football — it’s a platform — a key to access avenues in life you thought you’d never have access to.” Leah Frazier is an award-winning fashion entrepreneur based in Dallas with almost a decade of fashion and lifestyle reporting under her belt. Her continued coverage of Dallas fashion and events can be found at inspirenstyle.com.