Guy News

Guy Fieri delivers wings and trashcan nachos to resort north of Dallas

Guy's wings are worth the drive.

Courtesy of Guy Fieri

Chef and TV personality Guy Fieri will bestow a taste of his culinary magic at a resort that's a mere 95-mile drive from Dallas: Guy Fieri's American Kitchen + Bar will open at the popular Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant, with a tentative date of April 2020, according to a release.

The restaurant will be located on the south end of the casino, with 277 seats, and a large outdoor patio and dining area with a view of The Oasis pool.

The menu is described as having bold flavors and unique twists on traditional dishes, with burgers, wings, tacos, small bites, and shareable food items.

Signature dishes include

famous Trash Can Nachos, topped with pulled pork, that arrive in a bucket which they up-end at your table
St. Louis-style ribs
Bacon Mac-N-Cheese Burger
Marbled Cheesecake with pretzels and potato chips

Other menu items include tempura-fried lobster "lollipops," hummus, Cajun chicken alfredo, and a vegan burrito with sweet potatoes, guacamole, and brown rice.

Between visits for his Food Network shows and other restaurants, Fieri is no stranger to the area.

In 2015, he opened a Guy's Burger Joint at Dos Equis Pavilion, and in 2018, he opened Guy Fieri's Taco Joint at Texas Live, the entertainment complex in Arlington.

"I've shot Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in Oklahoma and all over Texas and let me tell you, this part of the country knows good food," Fieri says in a statement. "In Durant, you've got some good folks looking for real deal, scratch-made food, great cocktails and a big-time party, and the Choctaw Casino & Resort brings the heat!"

The restaurant will be the first Kitchen + Bar in Oklahoma. Other locations are in Las Vegas, Branson, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Florida, Connecticut Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and South Africa.

Choctaw's marketing director Bryan Prettyman says in a statement that the restaurant will fit with the resort's fun-driven vibe.

"We're always looking for unique and new experiences to offer our guests," Prettyman says. "“Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant has been providing guests with fun and excitement for decades and Guy Fieri's American Kitchen + Bar will be a perfect addition."

Located in southeastern Oklahoma, Choctaw Casino & Resort–Durant is a three-level convention/entertainment venue with casino, bowling lanes, a 40-game arcade, and state-of-the-art movie theater.

In spring 2021, they'll be adding 1,000 new luxury hotel rooms, 3,400 additional slot machines, 34 tables in the new poker room, 40 table games, two new restaurants and movie theaters, and a three-acre swimming pool.

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Wine News

New Vinifera Wine Lounge and Bistro debuts on Flower Mound’s Riverwalk

Vinifera

Vinifera Wine Lounge & Bistro

A new wine bar and bistro has opened in Flower Mound. Called Vinifera Wine Lounge & Bistro, it's at 4120 River Walk Dr., in a space formerly occupied by a short-lived pizzeria, joining a string of bars overlooking the Riverwalk.

Vinifera is from Jamie Creevy, a British native who moved to Dallas in 2007, and who has worked at concepts such as Henderson Tap House and Peppersmash Concepts. At Vinifera, he's partnered with Chris Kummer, a former US Marine with experience in nightclubs and restaurants, including Chill in Grapevine.

Running the kitchen is executive chef Justin Samsill, who has worked at a wide range of high-end places including Knife, Town Hearth, The Mitchell, Smoke, and Hide. The menu has a big selection of seafood such as mussels, shrimp cocktail, squid pasta, and scallops, as well as steak au poivre, pasta bolognese, and trendy items such as steak frites and a smash burger, with entrees ranging from $19 to $35.

Vegetarian options include an unusual rendition of ratatouille, in which vegetables such as eggplant and tomato are cut into slices and arranged like a pinwheel. There are also salads and harissa carrots with Greek yogurt.

They describe the wine list as being "from all over the world", with 38 offerings by the glass. There are also cocktails.

Between the indoor dining room and outdoor space, the restaurant seats about 130 people. It shares a private event room with next door neighbor Whiskey & Smoke.

Riverwalk is the 158-acre mixed used development developed in 2017 and designed as a destination resembling the Riverwalk in San Antonio, with live music, events, and a range of eatery options including Whiskey & Smoke, Pennywise Pub, and Underdogs Burgers & Brews.

“We are looking to be creative and pivot to keep the area fresh," Creevy says. “People are looking for live music, value, free events, we want to entertain the residents and the community at an inexpensive rate."

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