This Week's Hot Headlines

Frozen custard shop cements top spot in this week's 5 most-read Dallas stories

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines.

1. Frozen custard chain cements Dallas presence with second location. Creamy frozen treats are headed for North Dallas with a new location of Andy's Frozen Custard: The Missouri-based chain is opening a location at 6711 Arapaho Rd. in the Hillcrest Village center. According to a release, it'll open in December.

2. Rooftop bubble bars with igloos return to Dallas for Christmas holiday. Dallas' coolest holiday bar phenomenon is back: Rooftop "bubble bars" featuring cozy igloos are returning, with installations at three Dallas-area hotels. Also referred to as garden igloos, these "bubbles" are like plastic caves, like a geodesic dome, where you can hang out and imbibe under the winter sky, protected by your bubble from the elements.

3. New cafe in Richardson opens with acclaimed coffee, pastry, and wine. Richardson gets an ultra-groovy new cafe with coffee and more: Called Staycation Cafe, it opened November 22 in what has to be the most charming location: a cute little house at 201 S. Texas St., near Greenville Avenue and Main Street.

4. '50s house for sale in East Dallas keeps vintage plus just a few updates. There's a '50s-style house for sale in East Dallas that's mostly still in original condition, although how long it will be for sale is hard to say. The house — which has original hardwood flooring and fan comb swirl ceilings, plus two original tile bathrooms — went on the market days ago and according to the listing, it already has multiple offers received.

5. DFW Airport is giving its biggest, busiest terminal a total makeover. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport has hired a construction company for a major renovation of Terminal C. The $2 billion project, which was approved by the airport board in August, will expand gate capacity in both Terminal C and Terminal A and improve customer experience.

Andy's is known for its concretes.

Photo courtesy of Andy's

Andy's is known for its concretes.

FIRE STARTER

Dallas chef will bring the heat with Bobby Flay on Food Network BBQ Brawl

Tim McLaughlin/Facebook

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Bobby Flay is bringing beef to Texas, and he’ll have some Dallas starpower in his crew: Pitmaster Tim McLaughlin of Crossbuck BBQ in Farmers Branch will be on the famed chef’s team when Food Network's BBQ Brawl returns on May 11.

They'll be joined by fellow Texas chef Braunda Smith of Lucy Coopers Ice House in San Antonio.

Now entering its seventh season, the Texas barbecue series follows a format similar to The Voice, pairing 12 battling chefs with team captains Flay, Maneet Chauhan, and Brooke Williamson. Each week brings a new live fire challenge, starting with creating the perfect barbecue bowl. Judges Adrienne Cheatham, Rashad Jones, and Carson Kressley will axe one competitor each week of the series, filmed at Star Hill Ranch near Austin.

Braunda Smith/ Lucy Cooper's Braunda Smith will compete on BBQ Brawl. Braunda Smith/ Facebook

McLaughlin and Smith will have some stiff competition. The roster includes pitmasters from Atlanta, Boston, Brooklyn, and beyond, each bringing their own regional traditions to the pit.

McLaughlin is entering the competition with less TV experience than Smith, but he does film his own "chef tip" videos in the kitchen for social media. He also appeared in a slightly longer-form series on Crossbuck's YouTube channel teaching viewers barbecue basics. McLaughlin's experience as a chef in fine dining has translated to super-sharp skills and an openness to unexpected flavors.

"I've got well over a decade of experience in fine-dining restaurants," he said in the promo. "I've got well over a decade of experience successfully cooking BBQ. I know how to cook just about everything."

His teammate Smith has an advantage over many members of the cast. She’s no stranger to reality competitions, sparring on Guy’s Grocery Games and Chopped in 2023. Although neither resulted in a win, her versatile cooking style impressed both shows’ panels.

"My BBQ reflects all the places I've lived in life: Southern, Cajun, Korean, Hawaiian, and it's got some Texas flair in there,” says Smith in the show’s promos. “You know, we kind of get overlooked a lot in San Antonio. Taking home Master of 'Cue to Lucy Cooper's would just set everything ablaze."

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