News You Can Eat

Openings and new menus give this Dallas restaurant news some promise

Pecan-crusted catfish from Cotton Patch Cafe, come on you know you want it.

Courtesy of Cotton Patch

This roundup of Dallas restaurant news has mostly good and a little bad. Start with the bad news first — closures — before moving on to openings, new menus, happy hours, special drinks, bunch, and lunch, before ending on the best news of all: Girl Scout cookies.

Here's what's happening in Dallas dining news:

Khao Noodle Shop, the acclaimed Laotian restaurant in East Dallas from chef Donny Sirisavath, closed on January 9. Sirisavath posted on Facebook that the restaurant wasn't made for takeout and delivery but said the closure was temporary. "We need time to figure things out and refocus on our journey and reflect on ourselves as the person we are," he said on Instagram. And yet meanwhile, they're posting help-wanted ads for what they say is another concept.

Carlo's Bakery, owned by Buddy Valastro of TLC's Cake Boss fame, closed its Dallas location in Preston Center at 8319 Preston Rd., leaving Dallas without dried-out pastry horns filled with airy insubstantial cream. A spokesperson said the location wasn't doing as well as hoped. There are still two locations in Texas, in San Antonio and McAllen. But chin up, at least you can still order his rainbow cake at TGIFriday's.

Claypot African Restaurant & Bar is a new family-run African restaurant open at 4425 W Walnut St, in Garland at the corner of Plano Rd. which is earning fans for its authentic home cooked food. The menu includes African classics such as FuFu — little balls made of mashed yam — plus stews, soups, fried plantains, rice, and beans. Owner Rose Omo-Iyamu is from Nigeria, where she owned restaurants, as well.

The Commissary in downtown Dallas is hosting Dallas-based fitness expert and cookbook author Kevin Curry, of Fit Men Cook and The Fit Cook fame, who's bringing favorite recipes to the menu. The Fit Cook lineup includes chef boxes, prepared meals, and fresh menu items. Options include steak & broccoli rice pilaf, turkey lasagna, veggie lasagna, shrimp jambalaya, veggie jambalaya, and a Thai peanut wrap.

Knife Steakhouse Plano is open for dinner with limited dine-in and patio dining offered. Full Menu is available including dry-aged steaks, pastas, burgers, sides, and shared plates. You'll also be able to order from both Knife Steakhouse Plano and Knife Burger for Curbside Pick-up or Delivery.

Te Deseo, the Latin-inspired restaurant-bar in the Harwood District, is reopening on Wednesday, January 20. They'll be open for dinner, drinks, and late night hours Wednesday-Sunday beginning at 5 pm, with a rooftop bar and dishes crafted by chef Ty Thaxton.

First Watch, the chain dedicated to breakfast, brunch, and lunch, has opened a restaurant in Coppell at the Point West Shopping Center at Hwy 635 & South Belt Line Road. This is the 19th First Watch in DFW.

Tulum, the upscale Mexican restaurant at the Shops at Oak Lawn, has debuted a new Sunday brunch from 11 am-3 pm. Chef Jose Meza's menu features pancakes, migas, rancheros, omelettes, chilaquiles, divorciados, tortas, breakfast tacos and more. Cocktails include choice of tomatillo or traditional Bloody Marys, Micheladas, and four mimosa options made with fresh juices including orange, mango, grapefruit, and passion fruit.

BarNone Bar & Restaurant is now open for lunch every day in addition to dinner, starting at 11 am. The lunch menu features a 7-ounce lunch-size portion of The BarNone Burger, made with house-ground Rosewood Ranch Wagyu beef. BarNone is also offering on-line ordering for take-out via www.BarNoneDallas.com, or call 214-924-3742.

Bulla Gastrobar, the Spanish-style restaurant at Legacy West in Plano, has a new winter menu that includes Butternut Squash Soup, Brisket Caldoso with Valencia-style rice, red sofrito, piquillo confit, and crispy chickpeas, Parrillada de Verduras grilled veggies with romesco sauce, and Natillas, a Spanish custard made with condensed milk, cinnamon, and Maria cookies. New cocktails include a Spiced Old Fashioned with Old Forester Bourbon and winter-spiced syrup, and Rose Sangria.

Bellagreen has launched a Happy Hour Monday-Thursday from 3 pm to close with $5 wine flights, half-priced beer, and these appetizers for $7: Hi-Protein Hempenadas, Veggie Lettuce Wraps, and hummus with flatbread. Happy Hour is available for dine-in at 8041 Walnut Hill Ln. in Dallas, and 2408 Preston Rd. #A in Plano. They're also introducing two new dinner-only entrees daily after 5 pm: Paleo Prime Ribeye with avocado chimichurri sauce and Brussels sprout leaves tossed in bacon jam; and almond-crusted snapper with lemon cilantro mashed potatoes and French garlic green beans.

Royal 38, the restaurant and bar from the founders of Hide, has a new happy hour Tuesday-Friday 4-6 pm with discounts on cocktails and food items such as Lobster Corn Fritters with remoulade sauce, Bacon + Cheddar Deviled Eggs, and Chili Sauced Ribs with Thai chili sauce.

Black and Bitter, the coffee shop-bookstore-neighborhood-destination in Duncanville, now has an option where you can order pastry and bread from acclaimed La Casita Bakeshop 48 hours ahead of time. Here's your chance to conveniently get a dozen almond croissants or a loaf of sourdough on your own schedule. Pre-order at www.blackandbitter.com and click Order Online.

Starbucks has a new special-edition drink, the Pistachio Latte, a conceptual spinoff of the company's Hazelnut Bianco Latte. It has espresso, pistachio-infused milk, orange zest, and salty-sweet pistachio topping. It is available hot, iced, and blended.

Steak 'n Shake has brought back two winter favorites: Red Velvet Shake with red velvet cake and frosting; and Oreo Red Velvet Shake with Oreo cookies.

Dickey's Barbecue Pit has debuted three new menu items available through April 30, in-store, at dickeys.com, or using the Dickey’s App. There's Spicy Chicken Sandwich or Spicy Brisket sandwich, both with Tillamook cheddar cheese, jalapeños, and spicy barbecue sauce; and a double berry cobbler with an oatmeal crumble topping.

Promise of Peace has established La Bajada Farm, a small farm at the western edge of the Trinity Groves complex, staffed by youth interns and community members who grow seasonal ingredients to share with the neighborhood. These ingredients also go into the program’s “Soup It Forward” kits each month, in which produce, broth, and instructions are given to families in need. Promise of Peace has established and sustained 11 gardens across Dallas, including a new garden at the Belmont Hotel that will provide produce for the new Belmont Room restaurant. To help spread the word, Saint Rocco’s is hosting a P.O.P.-Up Pizza Night every third Tuesday of the month, starting Tuesday, January 19 from 5-8 pm.

Joe the Baker has joined a platform called onePatron, which connects customers with their favorite local restaurants via a monthly membership service. You go to www.onePatron.com and find Joe the Baker where you can sign up for a membership for $25 per month. onePatron issues you a $25 gift card to Joe the Baker each month, which can be used in their online store or at the Coppell Farmer's Market. Patrons within Coppell get free delivery, as well as a free monthly cooking class such as the chocolate truffle class he'll teach in February via Zoom.

Cotton Patch Cafe has new grilled entrees with choice of loaded baked potato, broccoli, steamed vegetables, house or Caesar salad or cup of soup including chipotle maple chicken, honey BBQ salmon with seasoned rice, and pecan crusted catfish with seasoned rice. They're $12-$14 and available at 49 locations throughout Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico until March 3.

Maple Leaf Diner has a special poutine of the month: Sausage and Biscuits Poutine featuring French fries topped with cheese curds and gravy, topped with biscuits, sausage, eggs, chives, and cheese. It's $13 and available through the end of January.

Tiger Sugar, the Tawainese bubble tea shop in Carrollton, is releasing a new drink they say has been popular in Asia and at their West Coast locations. It's their Signature Drink but it is topped with vanilla pudding. They're at 2625 Old Denton Rd Suite #555, and you can order online.

Dairy Queen has a new blizzard of the month for January: The Brownie Dough Blizzard, available in mini, small, medium and large sizes. Other items on the limited-time Blizzard Treat menu include choco-dipped Strawberry Blizzard, Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Blizzard, and Oreo Mocha Fudge Blizzard.

Eatzi’s Market & Bakery has a new and expanded website including an online ordering portal, with just about everything at Eatzi's now available online, including breakfast items, daily specials, salads, sandwiches, beer, wine, and more. New features include "Re-order Your Favorite Meal" and a securely stored payment option.

Rollin' n Bowlin', a Dallas-based ready-to-blend smoothie and açaí brand, signed with health food distributor KeHE, which will put them in Illinois, California, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, Indiana, and Oregon. The company was founded by two TCU graduates in 2017 who started selling açaí bowls on college campuses, before adding packaged products in grocery retailers and online during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Qdoba, the healthy-ish Mexican fast-food chain, is offering entrees made with Impossible Foods plant-based beef that include the Impossible Taco Salad and the Impossible Fajita Burrito or Bowl. If you order one by January 17, you can get one free.

Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas has kicked off the 2021 Girl Scout Cookie season. They're selling cookies in safe, creative, and socially distant ways, including a partnership with autonomous driving technology company Waymo, plus pickup and delivery via Grubhub. Best of all, they're making online cookie ordering available nationwide so consumers who don't know a Girl Scout can purchase cookies from a local troop for direct shipment to their homes or donation to local organizations. Beginning February 1, customers can enter their zip code into the Girl Scout Cookie Finder to find a local troop to purchase from through the Digital Cookie platform for direct shipment or donation to local organizations.

news-you-can-eat

Roundup of Restaurant News

Surprising string of closures surfaces in this Dallas restaurant news

Mom's Cafe

Farewell Mom's Cafe

This roundup of dining news around Dallas has more than the usual number of closures, from chains to small indie spots — and that's not even counting Dick's Last Resort, which closed after 40 years. But there are openings and comebacks, not to mention new menus for the season, and maybe even better, new cocktails, too.

Here's what's happening in Dallas restaurant news:

Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill, a small Middle Eastern restaurant chain from Chicago which made its debut in Dallas market with a location in Frisco in 2022, has unfortunately closed. The chain is still opening locations in more receptive places like California, but is officially out of Texas.

Mom’s Cafe, a modest restaurant at 602 Main St. in Allen that was revered for its basic, reasonably-priced fare, closed in November after 10 years. The restaurant changed ownership in 2024 and the beloved founder known as "Grandma" recently passed away.

Natuur, the smoothie and bowls concept from Denver, closed its Dallas location at 1902 Henderson Ave. They opened in 2022 with great smoothies and smoothie bowls in blends such as açaí or super green, to which you could add fruits, toppings, and granola; plus sourdough toasts, salads, hot bowls such as oatmeal and tomato basil soup, and cold brew coffee. They also had a location in Austin, which recently closed as well.

Theo's Drive-In, an iconic favorite in Grand Prairie, closed on November 30, after decades of serving late-night burgers, curly fries, and memories. The restaurant was founded in 1956 by Theo Chokas, then subsequently taken over by his nephew Theo. It wasn't until 2013 that they finally accepted credit cards. With its classic red roadside sign, it was a longtime staple on East Main Street, serving as a hangout after games, dates, and long nights with burgers, hot dogs, floats, and more.

Jack in the Box at 6308 Gaston Ave. has mounted a comeback with a retro-inspired renovation. It's one of the original locations in Dallas which opened in 1969, and has been rebuilt with retro visuals and nostalgic touches such as an old-school speaker box, vintage signage, and a recreated classic menu board. The throwback is not a chain-wide initiative, but is only taking place at this location, which is owned by franchisee Chris Aslam, who operates 27 Jack in the Box locations in Dallas and more throughout the system.

Jack in the Box on Gaston AveJITB

Naturals Rolls & Ice Cream is now open in Frisco at 5266 Independence Pkwy #105, serving rolled ice cream — the third place to open doing rolled ice cream place to open in the last year, following Maya Creamery in Las Colinas, and Cream and Crepes at the Shops at Park Lane, in a trend that weirdly seems to be making a comeback. In addition to rolled ice cream, the oddly-plural Naturals also serves shakes, juices, bubble waffles, and Indian desserts.

Hugs Cafe, a nonprofit that employs adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, will open in East Dallas on December 8 at 2918 Live Oak St. Hugs creates opportunities for adults with IDD to gain independence, confidence, and purpose through work. They'll be open for breakfast and lunch with dishes such as the Chickie Hug, Cheddar Biscuit Sandwich, salads, soups, and specials.

Kimiya Japanese Cuisine McKinney is a new All-You-Can-Eat restaurant which just opened in McKinney in a former Denny's (and before that, a TGI Friday's) at 1615 N Central Expy. The AYCE option features sushi, sushi rolls, appetizers like edamame and crab puffs, and is $24 at lunch, when it's limited to 90 minutes. In addition to AYCE, they have a huge a la carte menu with sushi rolls, teriyaki, tempura, hibachi lunch, ramen, kalbi, bento boxes, fried rice, udon noodles, and more.

Yemandi Yemeni Cuisine, a unique Middle Eastern restaurant at 888 S. Greenville Ave. #210 in Richardson, opened in May but only just celebrated a ribbon-cutting. The restaurant, which specializes in dishes from Yemen, the small coastal country south of Saudi Arabia, has enjoyed a whirlwind existence since it was featured in a TikTok video that showed its unique Sunnah-style dining option, available in a few secluded booths where you sit on the floor while you eat. The menu features familiar Middle Eastern staples such as hummus, but also less familiar dishes like hummus with liver.

Café Momentum, the non-profit and culinary training facility, has unveiled a new seasonal menu created by chef de cuisine Aaron Collins in collaboration with Café Momentum’s youth interns. Dishes include fried oysters with Cajun spice with caviar ranch; delicata squash with tahini, pomegranate molasses, & toasted pecans; mushroom bisque; cider-brined pork tenderloin with spaetzle & apple-cabbage slaw; halibut with sweet potato, cauliflower, & Brussels sprouts; coffee-rubbed 44 Farms NY strip with broccolini & potato gratin; butternut squash rigatoni with kale & pancetta; Moroccan chickpea and vegetable stew with couscous; fennel zucchini salad with candied pecans; bourbon pecan pie; and chai-spiced sweet potato cake.

White Rock Brewing Co. which is located in Oak Cliff, is serving holiday-themed cocktails through December that include a Cranberry Margarita and a Peppermint Espresso Martini. They're also making seasonal beers brewed with Noble Coffee including the Imperial Coffee Stout and Pumpkin Spice Ale.

Nothing Bundt Cakes has two holiday flavors for December: Coconut Cream Snowflake, a coconut cake filled with vanilla pudding, topped with coconut, available in personal-sized Bundtlets from December 1-14; and Peppermint Chocolate Chip chocolate cake with chocolate chips and peppermint pieces, available in all sizes December 8-January 4.

Dave’s Hot Chicken, the chain from California, has launched a new core menu offering: Saucy Bites, featuring Dave's Chicken Bites tossed in one of three sauces: Spicy Buffalo, Spicy BBQ, or Mike’s Hot Honey. They're also debuting a Ranch dip and a spicy version called the Reaper Ranch.

Snooze, the buzzy brunch chain, has unveil a new lineup of holiday specials as follows: Sticky toffee buttermilk pancakes topped with pecan sticky toffee sauce, espresso-date mascarpone and candied orange zest; spiked peppermint hot chocolate with blanco tequila, coffee liqueur, and peppermint syrup; gingerbread latte with espresso, milk, gingerbread syrup, and a ginger snap cookie; caramel haze hot chocolate with hazelnut and caramel syrup; peppermint hot chocolate, and peppermint mocha hot with crushed peppermint.

Toastique, the toast-loving chain with a location in Addison, has an amazing smoothie of the season: a spiced pumpkin smoothie with pumpkin, banana, almond milk, maple syrup, and pumpkin spice.

Jinya Ramen Bar has new winter chef’s specials by chef Kazuya Takebe: Tokyo Yatai Classic, a clear chicken broth with pork chashu, seasoned egg, spinach, green onion, chopped, onion and a slice of naruto Japanese fish cake, with thin noodles nori; and Crispy Chicken Wings in Asian sweet-sour sauce. Guests who order the Tokyo Yatai Classic will receive one of three limited-edition ramen spoons featuring Demon Slayer characters Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, or Inosuke Hashibara.

Chili’s is bringing back a top-selling Margarita of the Month for December: the Merry Maker Marg for $6, with Lunazul Blanco Tequila, Cointreau, Monin Blackberry, strawberry puree, and house-made sour, served with a reusable Santa ‘stache straw.

Fish City Grill and Half Shells have rolled out a wave of new menu items upgraded oyster nachos with housemade chips, chargrilled oysters, moked troup dip, the omega bowl with salmon, Havarti-cheddar mac & cheese, Mediterranean sea bass, and Texas redfish.

Perch Bistro & Bar is launching 12 holiday cocktails which they'll serve from December 1-12. They include frozen spiced cranberry paloma, pomegranate spritz, gingersnap martini, spiced cranberry whisky sour, banana bread old fashioned, and a stuffing martini.

Bellagreen American Bistro, the Texas-based healthy chain, has launched a new winter seasonal menu will run through February in all Houston and Dallas locations. It's built around the Golden Glow diet, featuring nutrient-dense ingredients like turmeric, ginger, sweet potatoes, kale, berries, and green tea. Highlights include chicken soup; golden grain & arugula salad (with butternut wild rice pilaf, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, and goat cheese); roasted veggie quinoa-kale bowl with sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and tahini-sriracha sauce; seared salmon over turmeric cauliflower rice; peppermint cheesecake; and German chocolate cheesecake.

White Rhino Coffee, the DFW coffeehouse chain, has three new seasonal beverages: Chumpkin, a blend of spiced chai and pumpkin with steamed milk which can be made "dirty" by adding espresso or matcha; Gingerbread Latte with espresso, milk, and gingerbread spice; and Banana Bread Latte with oat milk, banana purée, cinnamon, and choice of espresso or matcha.

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