Austin -> DFW

Southern restaurant from Austin bakes upscale biscuits for Dallas-Fort Worth

Fixe specializes in Southern dishes and is known for its biscuits.

Photo courtesy of Fixe

An acclaimed Austin restaurant is expanding, and for its second location, it is choosing none other than Dallas-Fort Worth. Fixe will open in Fort Worth in the fall, in the Shops at Clear Fork, the bustling luxury shopping center that's already home to trendy Press Cafe and a newly opened Neiman Marcus store, with more concepts such as Pinstripes in the works.

Recently named one of OpenTable's top 100 restaurants in the country, Fixe is a progressive Southern restaurant from Keith House and James Robert, who opened the Austin branch in 2014. Fans love its innovative takes on nostalgic dishes such as shrimp and grits, pork shoulder with pinto beans in a jalapeño kale emulsion, and smoked beef neck with barbecued okra.

Robert, who is executive chef, says that his menu showcases familiar tastes and dishes that he grew up with, with a section dedicated to heirloom varieties of grits, biscuits, boudin, and more. He'll move to Fort Worth to build the culinary team.

Adam Puskorius will become executive chef at the flagship location in Austin. His résumé includes Asti Trattoria in Austin; Mark's American Cuisine in Houston; and Eddie V’s, where he oversaw the opening of four Eddie V's locations across the U.S.

Puskorius says in a release that signing on as executive chef is a no-brainer.

"Having worked alongside Keith and James in the past, I know that their commitment to quality and hospitality mirrors my own," he says. "As they set their sights on opening the new location, I look forward to serving up the experience that guests have come to know and love from Fixe, while also expanding the core menu with new dishes and bar collaborations that reflect my passion for progressive Southern cuisine."

The Fort Worth location is being designed by Nelsen Partners and will evoke the feeling of entering a home in rural Louisiana. Like its Austin location, the space will feature an open kitchen, stunning patio, wine room, bar, and two private dining spaces.

No word if it will reprise the signature collection of delicate plates mounted on the wall in the Austin original.

openings

Bagel News

Cute shop Saved by the Bagel to bring hand-rolled bagels to Plano

Saved By the Bagel

There’s a new bagel shop rolling into Plano soon: Called Saved by the Bagel, it’s going into the former JuiceTime Cafe at 6921 Independence Pkwy. #170, where it will open on December 21.

Saved By the Bagel is a family-owned shop from Altrim Vinca, who co-owns the shop with his sister and brother-in-law, Fortesa and Thomas DiFonzo, and childhood friend Veton Hani.

The shop, which is inspired by New York City hand-rolled bagels, boasts an assortment of handmade bagels, bagel spreads, and breakfast and lunch sandwiches.

Though this is their first food shop that they’ve owned, Vinca says they previously worked in restaurants. The inspiration behind opening a bagel shop came from a desire for more family-owned bagels and variety in the Dallas area.

“We have always loved bagels,” Vinca says. “We started making our own bagels at home for our family to enjoy, and they loved it and encouraged us to bring our bagels to the public.”

Menu items include the tuna melt, the reuben with pastrami and Russian dressing, lox, bacon, egg, and cheese, and the avocado smash. For the spreads, they offer house-made plain, strawberry, scallion, honey almond, lox, veggie, and vegan.

"We grew up watching reruns of Saved by the Bell as kids, so it’s super nostalgic for our generation," Vinca says. "While we were brainstorming ideas, we had a random episode playing in the background and my brother-in-law said, “I got it— Saved by the Bagel.'"

Sandwiches typically range from $9 - $13, but they also have a couple of lox sandwiches that are about $19. For the bagel lovers who crave more than a couple bagels, a half dozen goes for $12.50 and a dozen goes for $21.

They'll also offer a selection of espresso, drip coffee, and soft drinks to wash down those bagels.

As far as the atmosphere of the shop goes, it's designed to have a "nostalgic, 90s-inspired vibe that brings back the 90s with a modern twist."

"We have many friends who live in and own businesses in Plano, so we know the area well," Vinca says. "Our goal is to not only offer a new, quick-serve breakfast spot for families to enjoy, but also to bring back memories of childhood with every bite of our bagels."

breakfast openings