Doughnut News

New Dallas doughnut shop rings up hot mini-doughnuts made to order

Mini-doughnuts are the latest hot new trend.

Photo courtesy of The Dapper Doughnut

Dallas will soon be home to a new kind of doughnut shop, specializing in mini doughnuts with fillings and toppings, custom-made right before your eyes. Called The Dapper Doughnut, it's a chain from Las Vegas whose first DFW location will open at the Galleria Dallas in mid-February.

Founded by brothers Jeff and Brian Pappas, who grew up in New York eating freshly made doughnuts, Dapper is a custom concept that makes bite-size mini doughnuts to order. A machine pops out the batter which cooks up into mini doughnuts, maybe 2 to 3 bites depending on your degree of gluttony.

You specify the quantity; they're sold in batches of 6 for $5. Then choose a topping from 14 options such as powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, s'mores, and chocolate sprinkle.

Unlike the fluffy raised doughnuts served at chains such as Krispy Kreme, Dapper's doughnuts are "cake style," with a texture that's light, moist, and slightly crunchy.

There are nearly two dozen Dappers across the country in the works; some are kiosks at malls, others such as the outlets in Frisco and Houston are food trucks.

The Dallas location is from Brooke and Leo Sanchez, two former Dallas ISD teachers who wanted their own business.

"After we tasted the doughnuts, we knew it was something we wanted to do, because they're amazing," Brooke says. "We also liked that it was this entire experience. It's not just, you come in and buy a doughnut. It's the interactive part of ordering the toppings and seeing the doughnuts made in front of you, served fresh and hot."

Interactivity is a big trend right now with concepts such as the rolled ice cream places that are sweeping DFW.

At Dapper, in addition to doughnuts, you can also get your doughnut mixed up into a doughnut milkshake; or doughnut truffles, dipped in chocolate.

Opening at the Galleria made sense, and not merely because Dapper likes its malls, but because of the shop's location across from the Galleria's famed ice-skating rink.

"We have the doughnuts, but we also do very good coffee and hot chocolate," Brooke says. "It just seemed like a perfect fit, to go skating and then come and get freshly made doughnuts and hot chocolate."

openings doughnuts

cheap pints and good times

DFW Airport is home to the No. 1 best airport bar in the U.S.

TGIF

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Airport bars are not known for being much more than a pitstop in between flights. But among airport drinkeries, DFW Airport reigns supreme: According to a recent study by online sports betting website BetUS, DFW's own TGI Fridays seized the No. 1 slot for best airport bar in the U.S.

In the survey, called "The Top 10 Airport Bars in the U.S.," BetUS experts determined the rankings by comparing the location of each bar within each airport, plus Google review scores, menu size, and menu item pricing.

TGI Fridays earned high marks for its budget-friendly status, thanks to its relatively affordable prices for a draft beer, cheeseburger, and French fries.

"With their draft beer priced at $5, their cheeseburger priced at $12.98, and their French fries priced at $2.86, TGI Fridays within the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport provides not only Texas travelers the best and most affordable airport bar option, but the best option for travelers across the United States," the report said.

For context, Billy Goat Tavern at Chicago O'Hare International Airport – which ranked one spot behind TGI Friday's – had the most expensive price for a draft beer ($8.50) out of all 10 airport bars on the list.

Pedal Haus Brewery (No. 7) at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport had the most expensive cheeseburger ($16), and Providence Provisions at T.F. Green International had the priciest French fries ($7) among the top 10.

TGI Fridays also boasts a 3.9-star ranking on Google with more than one thousand reviews, which offers further proof as to how well-received the restaurant is at the airport.

TGI Fridays first opened in Manhattan in 1965, and has since expanded to become a staple suburban hangout known for its ribs, potato skins topped with cheese & bacon, and a decor bedecked with red stripes and Tiffany-style lamps.

The casual restaurant chain operates not one, but five total locations at DFW airport, which means there's plenty of cheap beer to go around without worrying about each haunt being too busy. Sadly, they are the only remaining TGIF locations in Dallas-Fort Worth after the brand filed for bankruptcy in early November and closed its six non-airport Dallas-area locations.

The top 10 best airport bars in the U.S. are:

No. 1 – TGI Fridays at Dallas-Fort Worth International
No. 2 – Billy Goat Tavern at Chicago O'Hare International
NO. 3 – Chili's at Milwaukee Mitchell International
No. 4 – Gourmandise Euro-Diner & Bakery at Salt Lake City International
No. 5 – Village Pub Vegas at Harry Reid International
No. 6 – SkyDine Services at Sioux Falls International
No. 7 – Pedal Haus Brewery at Phoenix Sky Harbor International
No. 8 – Bardenay at Boise Airport
No. 9 – OMB at Charlotte Douglas International
No. 10 – Providence Provisions at T.F. Green International

"The convenience, ambiance, and comfortability these bars provide travelers in enjoying a nice drink and or even a good meal with it before a flight is desired more than ever these days," the report said.