Opening News
Restaurant at hip hotel in Irving adopts Dallas' Southwestern tradition
A new restaurant serving breakfast, dinner and brunch has opened at a cool new hotel in Irving. Called Two Mules Cantina, it's a restaurant and bar located at Texican Court, a new property from Houston-based Valencia Group Hotels which has opened at at 501 W. Las Colinas Blvd. in Irving's Las Colinas Urban Center, across the street from the Irving Convention Center and Toyota Music Factory.
Valencia Group is a hospitality company that has earned recognition for its distinctive designs, amenities and settings. The company's niche lies in hotels that anchor urban-style mixed-use environments, which often also include residential, restaurant, retail, and office elements. They have six other hotel properties in Texas including the Hotel Valencia Riverwalk in San Antonio and Hotel Alessandra in Houston, as well as a hotel in San Jose, California.
The chef at Two Mules is Patrick Hildebrandt, whose menu follows Dallas' grand tradition of Southwestern cuisine, with dishes such as El Paso eggs benedict, chilaquiles, breakfast torta, smoked barbacoa mini tostadas, cochinita pibil and torta Cubana.
"When contemplating our menu, I immediately thought of rustic, hearty, and spicy food at its most satisfying," Hildebrandt says in a release. "Our menu, influenced by Spanish, Mexican, Native American and cowboy cultures, is a flavor powerhouse of cilantro, chilies, lime and avocado."
Hildebrandt came to Texican Court with more than a decade of hospitality experience at venues such as Sweet Basil in Vail, Colorado, the Empty Stomach Group in San Antonio, and The Hollow in Georgetown.
Two Mules' weekend brunch runs from 10 am-3 pm, with a happy hour that runs from 4-7 pm and 10 pm-midnight daily. Margaritas are the signature drink. True to its Southwestern theme, Texican Court has a specialty tequila bar with craft cocktails in the reception area adjacent to a reflecting pool where they serve regional and rare-find tequilas. Hours are 3-11 pm daily. An outdoor patio features live music most weekends.
The dining room sports a Western decor and a large fireplace; the hotel's Spanish mission-style architecture blends Mexican and the Lone Star State cultures.
