Design District Brewery

Texas Ale Project turns Dallas Design District into bona fide brewery alley

There's more beer in the Design District thanks to Texas Ale Project.

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The Dallas Design District is shaping up to be the city's brewery district. The latest is Texas Ale Project, which has been in soft-opening mode, but a grand opening celebration is slated for April 25.

The brewery is the family project of husband and wife Brent Thompson and Kat Stevens, who began making beer in 2003. They're joined by brewmaster Jan Matysiak, who went to school in Germany and apprenticed at a brewery there before moving to the United States in 2008, and assistant brewer Michael Harper, who attended school at American Brewers Guild in Vermont.

Their beer, which is available in more than 40 bars and restaurants around Dallas, includes first four staples: Fire Ant Funeral Amber Ale, Naked Truth American Wheat, Somethin' Shady Porter and 50 FT Jackrabbit IPA.

They're calling Texas Ale Project, or T.A.P., the "first Dallas brewery to be completely built from the ground up since Prohibition." They can get away with that, because unlike other breweries, they built the location at 1001 N. Riverfront Blvd. rather than moving into an existing building. You gotta get your hooks where you can find them.

"The plot of land where we're located originally had another building," Harper says. "We had to raze it and build it new, and it's a great space with high ceilings and a spectacular set of windows on the front facade."

The brewery has already garnered a following for its beer, particularly the Fire Ant, which Harper calls a "great example of the amber-style ale," and the American wheat, which they "dry hop." The porter has the roasty, chocolate-caramel-coffee notes you'd expect; the newly introduced IPA has citrus notes offset by a crisp bitterness. "But you don't have to be a beer nerd to get into our stuff," Harper says.

One laudable trait: Nothing in the lineup is more than 7 percent ABV, meaning you won't get hammered after drinking a bottle or two.

Tickets for the grand opening event are available on Eventbrite, and details about the brewery and releases can be found on Facebook. Meanwhile, the tap room is open Thursdays and Fridays, from 5 to 9 pm, and Saturdays, from 1 to 9 pm.

Harper says they're proud to join a respectable brewers' league in the Design District. "You have Community Brewing, and then Peticolas, and Noble Rey are getting ready to open soon," he says. "Four Corners is over towards Bishop Arts but I can almost see them from here."

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Coming attraction

J. Alexander’s to debut in Plano with famed steaks and carrot cake

Courtesy J. Alexander's

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Tennessee-born upscale dining chain J. Alexander’s is set to make its Dallas-Fort Worth debut in Plano, with an extensive menu of hand-cut steaks, sandwiches, Asian-influenced appetizers, and its famous carrot cake.

J. Alexander’s will open the doors at 3980 Dallas Pkwy. on Monday, January 26, marking its first location in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

For those who are unfamiliar with J. Alexander’s, the chain opened its first location in Nashville, Tennessee in 1991, and has since expanded to nearly 40 outposts across the country. It is known for an upscale vibe and classic American cuisine, similar to a spot like Houston’s or Perry’s Steakhouse.

The Plano location is the 39th for the chain, which was acquired in 2021 by SPB Hospitality, which also operates Logan’s Roadhouse and fast-food chain Krystal, among other eateries.

“Bringing J. Alexander's to the Dallas-Fort Worth area is a meaningful step in our continued growth and reflects our confidence in the state,” says G.J. Hart, SPB Hospitality CEO, in a release. Hart added that the chain already has plans to open a second location, in Prosper, later this year.

When it opens in Plano, J. Alexander’s will serve a “polished yet approachable” menu that’s mostly centered around its wood grill. A number of beefy options will be on offer, including teriyaki-marinated Steak Maui and slow-roasted prime rib, along with lighter options that include trout almondine, seared ahi tuna, and a shrimp Louie salad.

Shareable snacks include deviled eggs and the “Avocado Bomb,” a striking dish of hand-cut ahi tuna and crab salad with thin slices of avocado wrapped around it to resemble the whole fruit.

It's also known for its icing-topped carrot cake, which many insist is the best they've ever had — numerous copycat recipes for the treat exist online.

On the boozy side of the menu, J. Alexander’s will serve an extensive list of wines, plus cocktails like the Midnight Margarita, mixed with black cherry jam, reposado tequila, and pink Himalayan salt. A lineup of handcrafted martinis will also be available, including the cheekily-named Red Headed Rita (mixed with pomegranate juice and blanco tequila) and the Fleur-de-Lis, made with sparkling wine, St. Germain, and grapefruit juice.

When it debuts on January 26, J. Alexander’s will be open Monday-Saturday from 11 am-10 pm, and Sunday from 11 am-9 pm. As part of the opening day festivities, J. Alexander’s says that it will make a donation to the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County, a nonprofit that provides assistance to those impacted by child abuse.

steakhouse openings j. alexander's plano