A Pre Thanksgiving Feast | Evan Grant, Sarah Blaskovich & Chef Eric

Your Dark Companion, Mike Rhyner sits down with an all-star culinary and sports lineup: Texas Rangers insider Evan Grant, Dallas restaurant oracle Sarah Blaskovich, and Chef Eric from Dudley’s, who showed up armed with enough food to start a small cult — and possibly overthrow a Chili’s. Things escalate quickly. We’ve got Evan trying his first deviled egg EVER (history is made), Mike refusing every egg in existence (including the ones in the room), Sarah dropping restaurant knowledge like it’s classified intelligence, and Chef Eric casually explaining why cows are now eating olives as part of a wellness journey. Oh — and there’s baseball. Somewhere. Between jalapeño poppers, onion ring ethics, and a heated debate about whether a tomato belongs on a burger (Evan says never, Sarah is personally offended). It’s loud, it’s passionate, it’s deliciously unhinged… and it may be the first podcast episode in history where food coverage completely hijacks sports talk — and nobody complains. Pull up a plate. Grab a napkin. Brace yourself for opinions. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 – Lightning, Chaos, and the Cold Open Nobody Planned 00:01:02 – We’re Live… Somewhere… Forever… Maybe. 00:02:30 – Meet the Squad: Evan Eats, Sarah Writes, Mike Judges 00:04:00 – Food Is a Sport Now (Sorry, Cowboys) 00:06:10 – The Ranger Beat Writer… Who Might Actually Prefer Dinner 00:08:07 – The Legendary Two-Foot Chicken Tender Era 00:09:50 – Baseball News Hijacks the Food Show (Briefly) 00:12:20 – Enter: Chef Eric of Dudley’s (And the Feast) 00:14:00 – Deviled Egg Peer Pressure: The Standoff Begins 00:16:20 – HISTORY: Evan Eats His First Deviled Egg 00:18:08 – Mike: “Still No Eggs. Forever.” 00:19:02 – Texas Twinkies: Bacon, Cheese and Happiness 00:21:00 – The Pretzel That Deserves Its Own Zip Code 00:24:10 – Chef Credentials: From Foie Gras to Sports Bar Royalty 00:28:40 – How Dallas Food Media Accidentally Became a Powerhouse 00:32:50 – “Baseball Fans Are Different” and Other Truths 00:36:00 – Mid-Show Reads (Yes, They’re Still Here) 00:40:27 – Back to Food: Hot Lists, Hidden Gems, and Holiday Picks 00:44:09 – The New York Burger Pilgrimage 00:46:30 – Burger Wars: The OG vs. The Maverick 00:48:50 – Dallas Legends: Goff’s, Burger House, and Milkshake in a Bag 00:50:30 – Build-A-Burger: Meat Ratios, Cheese Philosophy, and Acronym Crimes 00:54:15 – The University-Level French Fry Symposium 00:58:00 – Onion Rings Enter the Conversation (Aggressively) 01:00:10 – Cult Language, Secret Food Codes & Fry Science 01:02:00 – The Great Tomato Betrayal: Evan vs. The World 01:04:01 – Egg Hatred Reaches Sociological Levels 01:05:30 – High-End Dining vs. Wednesday Lunch Reality 01:07:15 – Restaurants You Can Literally Drive Into (Why?) 01:08:40 – $500 Dinners, Fast Food, and Food As Sport in Dallas 01:09:40 – The Goodbye… and Mike Announces Pants Removal 01:10:05 – Fade Out: Stolen Water Media Approved Thanks to our monthly supporters Matthew Kamper W hammons B Smith Robert Stoolfire Thaddeus D. Matula Rachel W Scott Lewis cody SIMS John Gilbert Robert Saunders Kiffer Sidney Long Pattie Rhyner Davidson David Ashlea Bullington James Corona Gordy John C Caffey Joe Lindsey Cam Jillian Wright David Moore Becca Moore Mike Rhyner Your Dark Companion ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★