IN THE NEWS: The Morning News’s Bill Addison reports Bravo’s Top Chef finalist Tre Wilcox will leave his position as chef de cuisine of Abacus in January but says he has no intention of moving away from Dallas. He has landed an endorsement deal with a cookware line that he declines to name as yet, though he mentions that it will include a media tour. He says he’s talked to several different television networks but is still weighing the merits of each. And he’ll be offering his services as a private chef to Dallas residents. … Addison awards four stars to Craft (2440 Victory Park Lane, Dallas, 214-397-4111), while Lawson Taitte gives three stars to BayGrill (1377 Legacy Drive, Frisco, TX 214-618-5540), and Kim Harwell awards two stars to French restaurant L’Ancestral (4514 Travis St., Dallas, 214-528-1081). guidelive.com …  D Magazine’s Front Burner blog reports that chef Charlie Palmer of the critically-lauded Aureole restaurant in New York City, as well as restaurants in Las Vegas, Washington D.C., and Sonoma, is opening up his first place in Texas right in Dallas. Charlie Palmer at the Joule, in the Joule Hotel (slated to open spring 2008, owned by Headington Oil Company’s Tim Headington, management team yet to be named), is to open on Dec. 17, as will the Next Vintage wine shop, located next door and also run by Palmer. frontburner.dmagazine.com …

The Observer’s Merritt Martin reviews New Orleans-inspired The Quarter (15201 Addison Road, Addison, 972-788-1919), while Alice Laussade visits Indian buffet Taj Express (4436 Lemmon Ave., 214-528-0200). dallasobserver.com … Fort Worth Weekly’s Jimmy Fowler reviews Portofino Ristorante (226 Lincoln Square, Arlington. 817-861-8300), while Chow, Baby considers Not Nizza Pizza (1430 S. Cooper St. at Park Row Av., Arlington). fwweekly.com … The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s June Naylor reviews Taqueria San Antonio (7905 Camp Bowie Blvd. W., Fort Worth, 817-560-8000), while  Cathy Frisinger visits La Gondola (1211 E. Debbie Lane, Mansfield, 682-518-1235, www.lagondola1.com), and Teresa Gubbins considers Celebrity Cafe & Bakery (5509 Colleyville Blvd., Suite 200, Colleyville, 817-498-1333). … Bud Kennedy details the openings of Mi Chula’s (1431 E. Southlake Blvd., in front of Central Market, FW; 817-756-6920, www.michulas.com), OC Burgers (6300 Denton Highway in Watauga, 817-428-4290), and a cafe at Lightcatcher Winery in western Tarrant County (open Fridays and weekend afternoons, 6925 Confederate Park Road; 817-237-2626, www.lightcatcher.com). star-telegram.com … PegasusNews.com’s Teresa Gubbins details the opening of French restaurant Gregory’s (1022 E. 15th Street in old downtown Plano).

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Filed under: Dallas Restaurants, Fort Worth Restaurants | Tags: , Abacus, BayGrill, Celebrity Cafe, Charlie Palmer, Craft, Gregory's, Joule Hotel, L'Ancestral, La Gondola, Lightcatcher Winery, Mi Chula's, Not Nizza Pizza, OC Burgers, Portofino, Quarter, Taj Express, Taqueria San Antonio, Tre Wilcox |