News You Can Eat
Tapas and Tex-Mex brunch top this tally of Dallas restaurant news
This end-of-January roundup of dining news is jammed with items, from openings to closures, from new winter menus to new chefs.
Here's what's happening in Dallas restaurant news:
Sketches of Spain, the new restaurant in Bishop Arts from the team behind The Wild Detectives bookstore, is open. Named for a Miles Davis album, Sketches specializes in "pinchos," a more sophisticated version of Spanish tapas, that typically use toothpicks. In addition to classic apas such as patatas bravas, they're also doing unique offering such as Flamenquines, a roulade with battered ham and cheese rolled inside a pork steak; oxtail stew; and callos con garbanzos, a stew with tripe, chorizo, and chickpeas.
Primo's MX, the ostensible reboot of the longtime Uptown Dallas Tex-Mex restaurant, is opening in its old location on McKinney Avenue on February 7. The concept is being revived with "an elevated bar program" and "chef-driven Tex-Mex cuisine that integrates authentic, bold flavors with fresh ingredients," which doesn't sound all that much like the original Primo's. The new owner is Mehrdad Moayedi, president and CEO of Centurion American Development Group, who has also taken on the Statler Dallas hotel and Collin Creek Mall in Plano. Overseeing the PrimoMX resuscitation is chef Jeffrey Kollinger (Spice of Life, Tillman's).
El Bolero, the Mexican concept from ARG Concepts, has closed its location at Fitzhugh Ave. in East Dallas. "It's actually very simple in that we decided to consolidate and focus our efforts on our more profitable locations," says founder Richard Ellman. The original El Bolero in Dallas' Design District and the location in Fort Worth are both still open.
Del Frisco's Grille unveils a new lunch and dinner menu at all locations nationwide featuring a variety of new items including new steak offerings, steak and seafood combinations and a few light lunch, sharable starter and signature side items. Dishes include a charcuterie Board, Crab Stuffed Shrimp, lemon Dill Salmon with asparagus, beer-battered haddock, split cold-water lobster tail, steak Frites with chimichurri sauce, Prime chopped steak topped with sharp cheddar, and a Beyond Burger – Del Frisco’s first plant-based burger served with lettuce, red onion, tomato and pickle.
The Rustic has rolled a slew of new menu items, joining favorites such as Hot Chicken and Cheese, and the Joe Leo Tacos. They include the Rustic harvest bowl with chicken, baby kale, and sweet potato picadillo; salmon Caesar salad; shrimp & avocado salad; shrimp & baby kale salad; and "That Chicken Salad" with chicken, spring mix, pecans, grapes, bacon, and blue cheese. There's a Gulf shrimp po’ boy and a pork chop with jalapeño spoonbread; a clever gluten-free mac & cheese with white hominy and smoked ham; and elote black bean salad with charred corn and cotija cheese.
Las Palmas, the Beverly Hills-style Tex-Mex in Uptown, has launched a new brunch menu under the direction of guest chef Pablo Urueña and Executive Chef Hilario Serratos. Dishes include blueberry pancakes with blueberry-mezcal compote; pull-apart biscuits baked with Oaxaca cheese and served with bone marrow butter and house-made tamarind-hibiscus jam; carne asada & eggs, chicken Milanesa & eggs with fries and Palmas chimichurri; breakfast burrito, spinach omelet; and a Tex-Mex twist on "Two Eggs Any Style." Beverages include mimosas, bloody Marys, micheladas, sangria, coffee, espresso, and a Carajillo: cold coffee with a shot of Licor 43, a Spanish liquor only made in Cartagena, Spain.
Dog Haus, known for gourmet hot dogs, sausages, and burgers, has rolled out the latest item in its Chef Collaboration Series with executive chef Anthony Sasso who, after his first year as chef de cuisine at Casa Mono in New York, helped the restaurant earn its first-ever Michelin star. Sasso and Dog Haus' culinary team combined their skills and ideas to create the savory Tot Dog – featuring an all-beef dog, extra crispy tater tots, celery salt, coleslaw, and Haus barbecue sauce, served on grilled King's Hawaiian rolls.
Pressed Juicery launches a new, seasonal Blood Orange Juice and Freeze. They also have a new coconut milk base of their popular vegan soft serve ice cream. The freeze is available in two sizes, with up to 3 toppings for an additional $1. If you partner it up with the coconut-milk vegan soft serve, it's just like an old-school creamsicle.
Bellagreen, the healthy concept, has a new winter menu. Dishes include tortilla soup with black beans, quinoa, corn, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, garlic, adobo sauce, and spices, topped with house-made tortilla strips; quinoa & pomegranate salad with mixed greens, arugula, pears, oranges, and pistachios; Paleo chicken enchiladas with quinoa salad and zesty slaw; redfish topped with spicy poblano pepper sauce, served with tender fingerling potatoes and roasted broccoli; and flourless chocolate cake. Guests can order directly from bellagreen.com for pick up or delivery, and get a low price guarantee when they order directly from the brand.
The Crescent Club at the Hotel Crescent Court, Dallas' most exclusive private members-only club, has launched a bottomless lobster brunch every Sunday from 10:30 am-2 pm featuring an unlimited seafood-centric buffet featuring fresh lobster, fish, shrimp and oysters; made-to-order omelets; waffles, pancakes, Danishes and muffins; roast sirloin, turkey breast, and brisket; and a kids' menu with chicken fingers, mac and cheese ,and PB&J sandwiches. Other offerings include sausage, bacon, sweet potatoes, and kale hash, desserts, and stunning views of the Dallas skyline. For the public, the brunch is $75 per person for adults (including two mimosas) and $55 for children ages 12 and under.
Newk's Eatery has a new Cauliflower Pizza Crust that it can be added to any pie on the menu for an extra $3. Newk's is also introducing an Under 600 Calorie menu, where guests can enjoy a half-sandwich, half-soup or salad combo, or a full bowl of soup and a half-salad. View the full listing of menu items at newks.com/wholesome.
BurgerFi has a new Frozen Hot Chocolate Shake featuring chocolate custard made with Ghirardelli Chocolate, topped with large toasted marshmallows. Available at all BurgerFi locations through February 16.
Ocean Prime Dallas is offering 10 menu items for $10 in celebration of their 10th year anniversary. This limited time special is available until February 14, and includes a collection of cocktails plus goat cheese ravioli, sushi, ahi tuna tartar, 10-layer carrot cake, and peanut-butter torte.
Bartaco introduces a new secret taco, the Chile-Lime Shrimp, which is available until March 31. The new taco features chile-lime marinated shrimp, vegetable escabeche and is topped with a pepita salsa macha.
Fat Straws, the bubble tea concept known for its boba tea and chewy puff donuts (formerly known as mochi doughnuts), is featuring a limited-time Lunar New Year red and gold doughnut, available Friday-Sunday until February 8 at all four Fat Straws locations, or pre-ordered in limited quantities. A single doughnut is $2.50, or $25 per dozen. In addition, Fat Straws will pop-up at Highland Park Village farmers market on February 8 from 4–8 p.m. serving puff doughnuts and bubble teas.
Doc B's is running a special chocolate cake in honor of founder Craig Bernstein's dad, Dr. Robert Bernstein, aka "Doc B's," who was a champion of Craig's dream but never saw it come to fruition before passing away from cancer in 2010. For every slice of Rob's Double Decker Chocolate Cake ordered during February, they'll donate $5 to the American Brain Tumor Association.
Jasper's Uptown newest addition to the team, Chef Yia Medina. Chef Yia was born and raised in Puerto Rico and moved to Texas after Hurricane Maria. Chef Yia is adding new, playful items to the brunch menu including: BAE, which are bacon and eggs, duh, but candied bacon suspended from a guitar string above deviled eggs filled with refreshing lime guacamole; and a waffle BLT.
Bullion chef Bruno Davaillon is taking on a new role as creative advisor, and stepping back from day-to-day operations. He’ll continue to work in tandem with the Bullion team and Jason Cotton, VP of hospitality for Labora Group, who will take on all day-to-day operations while Bullion searches for a new chef.
Coco Shrimp is coming to Wylie. Coco Shrimp 
New brunch menu offerings at Cru.Photo courtesy of Cru
New protein-paced Omega Bowls at Fish City Grill.Photo courtesy of Fish City Grill