Delicious Determination

There’s an old saying “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again.” That should be the theme of La Duni restaurant in Dallas. The owners, Taco and Dunia Borga are profiled in this week’s Spotlight feature, airing Thursday at 4pm and Sunday at 8am.

La Duni is known for Latin themed dishes and cakes that melt in your mouth. But the couple’s business ventures were not always a hit. You’ll see how the couple followed a rough road to restaurant success. Also, learn how Hollywood star Tom Cruise helped make La Duni one of the nation’s most talked about restaurants.

If anything I’ve learned from interviewing entrepreuners and restaurant owners… you must have a passion for your business. It has to wake you up at night. You have to be willing to work 12 or more hours SEVEN days a week. The Borga’s have that passion. In addition to loving their business, they love each other. It must be true that persistance and purpose pays off!

Second Chances

Some of my favorite Spotlight stories involve second chances. Today at 4:00 p.m. and Sunday at 8:00 a.m., we’re profiling the Tarrant Area Food Bank’s Community Kitchen program.

This program takes homeless or low income individuals and puts them through an aggressive food training program. In addition to learning how to cook and prep a kitchen, the students also learn important job interview skills, etc. Many graduates have gone on to full time work at local restaurants.

For some people, just one bad decision or a bad week can lead to life on the streets. This program gives second chances to people who are down on their luck and its making a difference. Please let me know what you think of this story!

Liking Love And War

In 1999, when I first arrived in Dallas/Fort Worth from Denver, a friend of mine took me to the Texas Hill Country. During the years we worked together in Denver, my friend Katie boasted about the Lone Star State. If you know any Coloradoans, its tough to hear over and over about Texas (because of that long standing rivalry). I showed her some of my favorite places in the Centennial state and when I came to NBC 5, she took me on a tour of the Lone Star State.

We pulled up to Groene, Texas. What an experience! The drive was hilly (kind of like the foothills outside of Denver). It gets very cold at night (unlike most North Texas evenings). And there’s a place called Groene Hall, where Texas singer-songwriters perform their music as people eat barbeque on wax paper on picnic tables. It was a fun way to learn about my new home.

Around the same time, Hill country natives Ty Phelps and Travis Scholl created “Love And War in Texas.” After being in the restaurant business, they had an idea to bring an authentic Texas experience to places where it doesn’t currently exist… both music and meals. This Thursday at 4pm and Sunday at 8am, we’re taking you inside this experience during our “Spotlight” story.

The menu at their Plano and Grapevine restaurants splits the state up into regions. You can enjoy Chicken Fried Steak from East Texas, a ribeye from the High Plains, venison from South Texas and seafood from the Gulf Coast.

However, the real spectacle is the music. Love And War in Texas hosts many Texas singer-songwriters. Up-and-coming acts get to take the stage every Sunday in a show that’s simulcast on the radio.

Even to an untrained ear, Texas singer-songwriters are much different than country folks in Nashville. The music is authentic and heart felt. It sometimes has elements of country, comedy, folk, blues, rock or all of the above. There may be guitar picking. There may be a jam session. There’s something for everyone.

Please take a look at our story. It was beautifully shot and put together by NBC 5 photojournalists Lyle Davis, Steve Stewart and Brad Short. Then stop by Love And War in Texas.. Tell Ty you heard about it here first. And just know you can now visit the Texas Hill Country without emptying your gas tank!

Love & War in Texas is located at 601 E. Plano Pkwy. in Plano (972-422-6201) and 2505 E. Grapevine Mills Circle in Grapevine (972-724-5557).