Ixnay to the Asticplay

2 healthy restaurants in Dallas and Plano oust onerous plastic straws

This delicious meal will come with less plastic.

Courtesy of Bellagreen

Texas healthy restaurant chain Bellagreen is taking the "green" part of its name seriously by joining a small but heroic cabal of restaurants that have come out against plastic straws.

According to a release, all eight Bellagreen locations are now offering paper straws and to-go bags only. That includes the two locations in North Texas, at 8041 Walnut Hill Ln. at The Hill in Dallas, and in Plano at the Shops at Legacy.

The company, which is based in Houston, made a pledge to cut its plastic footprint in half by March 2020.

The cost of going with paper over plastic will be $40,000 annually; no wonder restaurants are so reluctant to change their ways.

But Bellagreen CEO Jason Morgan says that they believe the positive impact on the earth is more than worth the investment.

"At Bellagreen, we are committed to contributing to a better world for the communities we serve by using high-quality foods and sustainable environmental practices," Morgan says. "We couldn't be more excited to start the new year off even greener than the last."

In addition to reducing plastic waste, Bellagreen decreases its ecological footprint through water conservation, alternative power, pollution reduction, sustainable sourcing practices, and upcycled furnishing and building materials to maintain harmony with the environment.

Bellagreen was founded in 2008 as Ruggles Green before changing its name to Bellagreen in 2017. Its American bistro menu includes appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, tacos, burgers, pizzas, pastas, and desserts.

Notable menu items include their signature brick chicken, goat cheese arugula salad, and white chocolate bread pudding. Burger options include Angus beef, buffalo, turkey, or veggie, and come with choice of fries, sweet potato fries, or quinoa salad.

There are options for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and vegetarian.

The menu offers Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certified seafood, Texas angus beef, and an extensive selection of Sustainability In Practice (SIP) certified wines.

sustainability

Opening News

Dallas diner & music venue will open in former Ferris Wheeler space

Courtesy

Pancakes

A new restaurant has been unveiled that will take over the former Ferris Wheeler space near Dallas' Design District at 1950 Market Center Blvd.: Called AM/FM, it'll be an all-day diner and lounge with a big backyard and a stage for live music, and it's from Spune Productions, the music and event production company.

According to a release, it'll open in early January initially with evening hours, cocktails, and a few afternoon soccer matches. Music acts are already booked beginning January 8. More hours will be added down the road.

Ferris Wheelers BBQ, which was also a restaurant with a big backyard and a stage for live music, closed in November after eight years. Spune had already been involved since 2023 to help ramp up the live music side. Now they'll take it over with a fresh new personality and long hours.

They were famous for having a Ferris wheel on-site; an inquiry on its status went unanswered.

The diner will open daily at 7 am, serving "musicians coming off late nights, workers heading into morning shifts, and neighbors who want a place that remembers their name," says the release very poetically.

They've redecorated the interior with a new bar and banquettes that wrap the room. Alongside the renovations inside, the set-up outdoors will evolve over the coming weeks, with extra care given to the concert experience,

Menu
The food at AM/FM will be rooted in elevated Diner classics, with a menu overseen by chef Anastacia Quinones-Pittman (Oh, Hi! Hospitality) that's influenced by Mexican-American kitchens and Nuevo Southern traditions.

Breakfast offerings include huevos rancheros, breakfast tacos, breakfast empanadas, French toast, avocado toast, pork belly toast, and an intriguing twist on pancakes called masa pancakes, made using masa harina AKA corn flour.

Lunch includes a chicken Milanesa Caesar salad, Sonoran hot dog, fried catfish po'boy, kale salad, Cobb salad, and a Mexican twist on chicken noodle soup with fideo noodles.

Entree plates include pot roast, meatloaf, fried chicken, and a weekly pot pie.

The beverage program will aim for accessibility with coffee, cocktails, and craft beer, says Victor Rojas, Quinones-Pittman's partner at Oh, Hi! Hospitality.

openings