This installment of Dallas-Fort Worth restaurant news is all good, and how often does that happen? It's all about openings, new menus, new branches, prosperity everywhere and burgers for all.
The second branch of Bread Zeppelin is open in Plano, in a former Lenny's location that happens to be right across the street from Carrollton. The nascent chain does a unique kind of salad-in-a-sandwich in which the fillings get stuffed into a hot crusty baguette. "Half the street is Plano and the other half is Carrollton," says co-owner Troy Charhon. The first Bread Zeppelin opened in Las Colinas in 2012. For this branch, they added more chopping stations to make the lines move more quickly. Charhon says they're "avidly looking" for 2015 locations in Dallas, Southlake and Richardson.
Two new restaurant concepts will open at the theater in Highland Park Village: K.T. Burger, a burgers and milkshakes joint, and 5 Creeks Tavern, a neighborhood tavern with pizza, pasta and sandwiches, plus beer and wine on tap. They'll take over the old Village Marquee Grill space, with K.T. Burger on the bottom, and 5 Creeks Tavern on top. Opening in 2015, the restaurants come from HPV owner Ray Washburne and Katy Trail Ice House owner Buddy Cramer.
A second branch of Banh Shop, a concept from Yum! Brands, is now serving banh mi sandwiches at DFW Airport, at gate D31 in Terminal D. Breakfast options include a banh mi with egg, pork and ham; and breakfast banh bites, which are French toast pieces dusted in cinnamon and sugar, served with maple syrup. For the rest of the day, there is a steak banh mi and Vietnamese noodle salad. Hours are from 6 am to 10 pm; breakfast is served until 10:30 a.m. For information call 972-973-2583.
A second branch of The Hospitality Sweet will open by the end of the year at 750 N. St. Paul St. in downtown Dallas, taking over the corner of the lobby where Pearl Cup was. They'll serve coffee and a limited sandwich and sweets menu. They'll be open from 7:30 am until 2:30 pm.
Denton got its first branch of Corner Bakery Cafe, at 2217 South Interstate 35E and Loop 288, in front of Golden Triangle Mall. This is the 20th Corner Bakery Cafe in the DFW area; there are 178 locations nationwide. Menu items touted on the release include pancakes for breakfast, a chicken panini at lunch and pesto cavatappi for dinner.
Latin chicken time at Pollo Campero, which has opened a branch at 9419 Webb Chapel Rd., to replace one that closed nearby on Northwest Highway. We mention it because it features a "sleek" new orange-and-green design that's being incorporated into all subsequent locations. A fourth DFW branch will open in Farmers Branch, huh, branch in Farmers Branch, in November. Founded in Guatemala in 1971, Pollo Campero has 350 restaurants in 12 countries around the world.
Tex-Mex old-timer Herrera's opened a new location after shutting down its landmark on Maple Avenue; the new address is at 3311 Sylvan Ave.
Chef and restaurateur (Bite City Grill) Eddy Thretipthuangsin has revealed the name of the Thai restaurant he's opening in Fort Worth: Kin Kin Urban Thai. Expected to open in January 2015, it's at 2801 W. 7th St., in the former MK's Sushi space. Kin Kin will only pay homage to his native Thailand, but also his mother, Pat, who will join him in the kitchen.
The Second Floor by Scott Gottlich has a new seasonal menu, featuring comforting autumn-inspired dishes. Fall veggie pot pie is a flaky pastry crust filled with parsnips, carrots, cauliflower and onions in a smoky paprika béchamel. There's a lobster roll with fried green beans; braised short rib with Parmesan grits; Lemley's Farm tomato soup; and a pizza with brie & provolone, fennel, red onion and figs; and for dessert, apple upside-down cake with cider ice cream.
Sundown at Granada has new menus from chef Billy Cooper and mixologist Ben McCracken. Tempura quinoa avocado is crusted in panko with quinoa stuffing. A flatbread has mozzarella and beef crudo, and there's a Brussels sprout salad with candied walnuts, blue cheese and bacon dressing. Entrees include rainbow trout with pearl couscous, and beef short ribs with roasted root vegetables and red beet gnocchi. Cocktails include a seasonal margarita and the "Fitzgerald," with apple-cinnamon bourbon and maple syrup. For dessert, crème brûlée made with an avocado dream, cherry chocolate chip bread pudding made with Village Bakery bread.
Olivella's Neo Pizza Napoletana has five new family recipes: cheese dip with house-made bread; sausage, Gorgonzola, and tomato sauce antipasta plate; prosciutto and blue cheese pizza roll; chicken piccata pasta; and peanut butter and Nutella panini. All five items will be offered at the Lakewood and Victory Park locations, but the original University Park location will not do the cheese dip or pasta.
Toulouse has new menus for lunch and dinner, with highlights that include short rib bourguignon, trout amandine, duck legs confit with green lentils, Scottish salmon, scallops, Dover sole Meunière, bouillabaisse, macaroni and cheese — straight or with choice of lobster, bacon or truffles — lobster risotto, gnocchi, and platters with charcuterie or cheese.
Brick House Tavern + Tap has two new burgers that stand out from the pack: a bison burger on the permanent menu, and a goat burger that will be added as a "special." Brick House claims to be the first major chain to offer a goat burger, a fact of which it can be proud. A one-third pound patty, the goat burger is actually a mix of ground goat, lamb and beef. It's topped with sautéed wild mushrooms and oven-roasted tomatoes, then drizzled with a light goat cheese cream sauce and tangy harissa mayo spread. It's served atop a bed of crisp, fresh arugula on a grilled naan bread bun for a unique, international flair. Not enough words can be written about this miraculous goat burger.
Del Taco is bringing back its shredded pork carnitas for a limited time. You can get them in five new menu items:
- Epic carnitas chipotle burrito with black beans and fresca lime rice
- Epic carnitas and papas burrito with crinkle-cut fries
- Carnitas taco al carbon
- Carnitas combo burrito with beans
- Carnitas loaded fries, featuring crinkle-cut fries topped with carnitas
Now re-opened, Dallas Chop House has several new menu items including a "steak flight" with 4-ounce portions of Wagyu NY strip, 21- and 60-day dry-aged rib eye, served with bone marrow and bacon-onion jam; a Wagyu NY strip; Arctic char with pear couscous; Wagyu short ribs with vanilla parsnip puree; Divers scallops with curried sweet potato puree, hearts of palm and baby bok choy; steak tartare; and squash soup with pumpkin seed pesto and lobster dumpling. New desserts include bread pudding, hot fudge sundae and Meyer lemon tart.
Pakpao is introducing a "Thai-meets-Texas" brunch, spearheaded by chef Pierre Trevino, who previously oversaw the brunch program at Smoke. Typical brunch items such as hash, pancakes and French toast get a Thai twist. Chaing Mai sausage hash is a Texas-style pork sausage hash with lemongrass, kaffir lime and potatoes, topped with runny wok-fried egg. Thai Tea French Toast has sweet coconut cream, pandan leaf, and Thai Tea powdered sugar. Crab omelet has jumbo lump crab meat, Chinese celery, onion, bell pepper, curry powder, and smoked chili.
Dallas Chop House is open again in downtown Dallas.
Behold the Cristo Amann.Photo courtesy of Sugar & Sage Bakery
SusieCakes is offering Dolly Parton-themed cupcakes through September 13. Photo courtesy of SusieCakes 
Salt & Straw's Churro Ice Cream Taco and Chiller for Taco Bell. Photo courtesy of Taco Bell 