Design District Brewery

Texas Ale Project turns Dallas Design District into bona fide brewery alley

There's more beer in the Design District thanks to Texas Ale Project.

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The Dallas Design District is shaping up to be the city's brewery district. The latest is Texas Ale Project, which has been in soft-opening mode, but a grand opening celebration is slated for April 25.

The brewery is the family project of husband and wife Brent Thompson and Kat Stevens, who began making beer in 2003. They're joined by brewmaster Jan Matysiak, who went to school in Germany and apprenticed at a brewery there before moving to the United States in 2008, and assistant brewer Michael Harper, who attended school at American Brewers Guild in Vermont.

Their beer, which is available in more than 40 bars and restaurants around Dallas, includes first four staples: Fire Ant Funeral Amber Ale, Naked Truth American Wheat, Somethin' Shady Porter and 50 FT Jackrabbit IPA.

They're calling Texas Ale Project, or T.A.P., the "first Dallas brewery to be completely built from the ground up since Prohibition." They can get away with that, because unlike other breweries, they built the location at 1001 N. Riverfront Blvd. rather than moving into an existing building. You gotta get your hooks where you can find them.

"The plot of land where we're located originally had another building," Harper says. "We had to raze it and build it new, and it's a great space with high ceilings and a spectacular set of windows on the front facade."

The brewery has already garnered a following for its beer, particularly the Fire Ant, which Harper calls a "great example of the amber-style ale," and the American wheat, which they "dry hop." The porter has the roasty, chocolate-caramel-coffee notes you'd expect; the newly introduced IPA has citrus notes offset by a crisp bitterness. "But you don't have to be a beer nerd to get into our stuff," Harper says.

One laudable trait: Nothing in the lineup is more than 7 percent ABV, meaning you won't get hammered after drinking a bottle or two.

Tickets for the grand opening event are available on Eventbrite, and details about the brewery and releases can be found on Facebook. Meanwhile, the tap room is open Thursdays and Fridays, from 5 to 9 pm, and Saturdays, from 1 to 9 pm.

Harper says they're proud to join a respectable brewers' league in the Design District. "You have Community Brewing, and then Peticolas, and Noble Rey are getting ready to open soon," he says. "Four Corners is over towards Bishop Arts but I can almost see them from here."

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Global flavors

New Afghan street food restaurant Flaming Bites fires up in Carrollton

A look at the variety of dishes served at Flaming Bites, located on Webb Chapel Road in Carrollton.

Photo courtesy of Flaming Bites.

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A new fast-casual restaurant with Afghan roots and global influences has opened in Carrollton. Called Flaming Bites, the restaurant focuses on fresh street food showcasing Mediterranean and South-Central Asian flavors.

The new concept comes from business partners and longtime friends Masihullah Samadi and Rafiullah Esmati. Originally from Kabul, Afghanistan, the duo moved to the U.S. a few years ago, bringing with them years of restaurant experience in both Afghanistan and Turkey.

They set out to open a restaurant that reflected their upbringing and culinary background, centering on Afghan cuisine while drawing inspiration from around the globe. The resulting menu blends familiar flavors from Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Mexico, and America. Spices such as cumin, paprika, and turmeric take center stage.

The name "Flaming Bites" is a nod to the restaurant's open grill and signature meats.

"The flame is always on when you come in, and we will have your food ready in less than ten minutes," Samadi says.

All meats served are 100 percent halal, adhering to Islamic dietary laws that emphasize clean handling, animal health, and humane practices.

The individual gyro options at Flaming Bites include grilled halal meat and fresh vegetables.Photo courtesy of Flaming Bites

The menu features chicken, lamb, beef, falafel, and fish served as gyros, platters, kebabs, and salads. For classic comfort fare, there's also a lineup of hamburgers, smash burgers, Philly cheesesteaks, chicken cheesesteaks, sandwiches, sliders, Cajun chicken tenders, and wings.

Customers also can customize their own plates using fresh ingredients displayed at the counter, along with a variety of house sauces, including white tzatziki, hot sauce, salsa verde, BBQ, honey mustard, mango habanero, honey BBQ, and ranch.

Desserts range from traditional baklava and gulab jamun (sweet, deep-fried dough balls) to churros and an assortment of cakes, including tres leches, Oreo, carrot, and red velvet.

Designed to serve both local residents and daytime workers in the busy Carrollton area, most menu items are priced between $8 and $12. The restaurant offers dine-in and takeout.

Flaming Bites, at 1002 Webb Chapel Rd., is currently open daily from 10 am-12 midnight, with plans to add a third shift until 3 or 4 am to cater to late-night workers from nearby businesses.

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