Corndog News

New Grand Prairie restaurant does Korean spin on Dallas fave: corndogs

So many corndogs from which to choose.

Photo courtesy of Two Hands

Once a State Fair tradition, corndogs have become a year-round thing in Dallas, and the latest newcomer gives it a Korean twist: Two Hands Seoul Fresh Corn Dogs is a national concept specializing in Korean style street corn dogs, and will open its first area location at the Asia Square Market in Grand Prairie.

A spokesman from Two Hands confirmed that the restaurant will open on March 27.

Two Hands was founded in 2020 in Virginia, where they opened their first location in Centerville. They're a franchise operation and currently have locations in Houston and Arizona. More are in the works including a location in Maryland, opening in 2021.

The message on their website is as follows:

Corn dog is an everywhere menu in America, but Two Hands is capturing Americans' taste buds with Korean style hot dog on a stick menus that has not been seen or tasted anywhere. This is what CNP of Korea does the best.

Their menu is pretty basic, featuring variously encased hot dogs, a fried potato side, and two drinks. The hot dog lineup is as follows:

Two Hands Dog with signature seasoning and Ranch sauce
Spicy Dog, with spicy sauce and Hot Cheetos powder
Potato Dog, with a corn dog wrapped in fried potato cubes, with "dirty" sauce
Crispy Rice Dog, with a corn dog wrapped in crispy rice puffs
Classic Dog, a classic Korean Style corn dog with ketchup and mustard
Injeolmi Dog, which has bean powder and Two Hands sweet sauce

There's also an American dog which they describe as "a State Fair-style corn dog with cornmeal batter," which they say is coming soon.

The standard is a beef sausage. But you can substitute mozzarella cheese, or a combination of sausage & mozzarella, or half mozzarella & half cheddar. A spicy beef sausage is in the works, also coming soon.

"Dirty fries" are Tater-Tot-like potato puffs topped with Dirty sauce and Cheetos powder.

They have two slushy style drinks: lemonade and horchata. And that's your menu.

The first to bring Korean-style hot dogs to Dallas-Fort Worth was Frank Seoul, which opened at Frisco Ranch in mid-2020 with a broader menu that also includes noodle bowls, coffee drinks, and ice cream.

Two Hands joins an expansive slate of eateries at Asia Times Square that includes sushi, ramen, matcha beverages, and ice cream.

Dallas' corndog scene now includes Corn Dog With No Name with locations in northwest Dallas and Preston Center; and the ones who started it all, Fletcher's Original Corny Dogs, who were previously available during State Fair season only but are now a regular presence via pop-ups at events such as Market Days in Flower Mound at Circle R Ranch, where they'll be on March 27-28.

openings

Hummus News

Revered family-owned Mediterranean restaurant debuts in North Dallas

Samantha Marie Photography

Zon Zon food spread

An upscale Mediterranean restaurant is coming to North Dallas from a trusted name: Called Zon Zon, it'll open at 5455 Belt Line Rd. #130, in the Work/Shop center, and it's hospitality group Yela Concepts led by Yaser Khalaf (Darna, Baboush), together with his son Mak Khalef in their first collaboration.

According to a release, it'll open on December 22.

Named for Mak's sister Zaina (“Zon Zon”), the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner with a refined take on Mediterranean dining, rooted in tradition but with modern influences.

"We tried to merge what embodies Mediterranean cuisine with dishes that people in Dallas love," Mak says. "A lot of the dishes we have on menu are Mediterranean but have American and Texan influences."

Mezze favorites include hummus topped with green shatta and extra-virgin olive oil; baba ghanoush with charred eggplant, tahini, dukka, and pomegranate; crispy cauliflower with saffron labneh; tuna neya with tahini, mixed pickles, and Aleppo pepper; and kibbeh with ground lamb, onions, pine nuts, and dill labneh.

Salads include seared tuna salad with freekeh and golden beets; Tahini Caesar with tahini–Caesar dressing and za’atar croutons; and roasted beets with burrata, oranges, and pistachios.

Entrées include roasted chicken with garlic-batata and pomegranate jus; chicken shish kebab over saffron rice with almonds and raisins; hanger steak shawarma frites — a clever twist on steak frites with hand-cut fries; ZZ’s Wagyu cheeseburger with smoked provolone and house pickles; Prime ribeye with za’atar chimichurri and heirloom carrots; and apricot lamb couscous.

The beverage program complements the menu with a Mediterranean-focused wine list and creative cocktails such as the coffee-kissed Midnight Istanbul and ZZ’s Margarita, with burnt pineapple and ras el hanout.

Designed in collaboration with Dallas-based Coeval Studios, the restaurant features a 2,130-square-foot interior with an expansive 735-square-foot patio that seats 76, for a total occupancy near 100.

The restaurant boasts an open kitchen, while decorative finishes include modern woodwork, rich textures, and Middle Eastern-inspired details — stylish yet inviting, with a setting that feels like home.

“The inspiration behind Zon Zon came from wanting to create the kind of place we’ve always wished existed — a neighborhood Mediterranean spot that feels both familiar and exciting - we wanted to create a comfortable space where guests can meet up with friends or neighbors on a regular basis,” says Yaser in a statement.

Mak went to college to sudy biomedical engineering, but says he couldn't resist the lure of the restaurant world in which he grew up.

"Zon Zon is a reflection of everything we love about food," Mak says. "What makes this especially meaningful is building it with my dad — bringing our family’s story and passion to the table."

openings