Coronavirus News

These are the best cocktail kits mixed up by Dallas restaurants and bars

All you need is a shaker and some ice.

Photo by Eddie Clarke

The coronavirus pandemic may be keeping Dallas in, but it's not keeping Dallas restaurants down, and cocktail kits are the perfect example.

While restaurants and bars are temporarily shuttered, Texas Governor Greg Abbott — in one of the few good things he has ever done — issued a waiver allowing them to sell alcohol to go. He could've done better by allowing them to sell their actual mixed drinks to go — better for the restaurants, better for customers. But Abbott's rule says that restaurants can only sell alcohol in bottles.

This has spawned a wave of creativity from restaurants who are creating kits where you buy the booze, mixer, garnishes, and any other ingredients to make your cocktails at home.

Note: If you want to purchase alcohol, TABC laws require that you purchase a food item. Good old TABC!

AvoEatery
Avocado-themed restaurant at Trinity Groves, has a slew of kits, with cute "avo" twists on the name: Avopalmer for $30, Avocolado kits for $30, margaritas for $35, Ranch Water kits for $35, and Old Fashioneds for $25. 469-436-7231.

Beto & Son
Tex-Mex restaurant at Trinity Groves, has five kits: Margarita, Ranch Water, Moscow Mule, and Carajillo for curbside pickup or delivery through Favor, plus mimosa kits for Sunday brunch.

Blue Goose Cantina
Tex-Mex fave has numerous cocktail kits including a "Goose-a-Rita" four pack, frozen or on the rocks, for $38; a Ranch Water kit with Lunazul and Topo Chico; a Tito's kit with choice of Zing Zang bloody Mary mix or OJ; and a Blue Goose pitcher that makes 2 gallons, for $14. Order online for curbside pickup at your nearest location.

Bowen House
Uptown hangout has five "DIY" Cocktail Kits, packaged with sealed 375 ml bottle and juices. Options include Old-Fashioned with Maker's Mark bourbon; Herbal Collins with Tito's vodka, lemon, rosemary, basil, and Topo Chico; Daiquiri with Pyrat rum; Immunity Tonic with New Amsterdam gin, lime, ginger, and turmeric Jalapeno Mint Paloma with Camarena Silver Tequila, mint jalapeno, and grapefruit soda. Call ahead at 214-484-1385.

Blue Mesa
The Addison and Fort Worth locations of this Southwestern chain are doing quarts and gallons of margaritas. Call 972-934-0165.

Biscuit Bar
Biscuit concept is offering a dozen batch cocktails including margaritas with Sauza Gold, Herradura Agave, and Grand Marnier for $35; Blackberry Tequila Smash for $30; Brunch Punch, a pineapple-lemon-almond punch with sparkling wine for $19; Low Country Lemonade with Wild Turkey whiskey for $24; Front Porch tea with grapefruit vodka and peach liqueur for $24. Menu here.

Bulla Gastrobar
Spanish restaurant in Legacy West has $25 Red and White Sangria Pitchers.

Cane Rosso
Neapolitan pizza chain has Moscow mule kits including a mix-at-home version of their Pomegranate Mule: You get ginger beer, lime, and pomegranate-hibiscus syrup, ready for mixing with Tito's Vodka, for only $8.

Casa Dragones
Tequila company has Ranch Water Cocktail Kits available at Pogo's for grab-and-go curbside pickup or delivery that include Casa Dragones Blanco 750ml, two Topo Chico, and two limes, for $65.

HG Sply Co
Paleo chain has cocktail kits and bottles of spirits via delivery from an in-house team. Call 877-832-8723.

Hide
Deep Ellum bar has nine kits including Old Fashioned, Margarita, Martini, Jameson Mule, and Southside Vodka. $60. Order online for curbside pickup from 4-8:30 pm.

Il Bracco
Preston Center restaurant has four premium bottled cocktails for curbside pickup or delivery via Alto: Old Fashioned with Knob Creek bourbon, the Aviation with London Dry gin and dry cherry, margarita with Hornitos Plata, and Cosmopolitan with Effen Vodka, all $12. Call 214-361-0100.

Jaxon Texas Kitchen & Beer Garden
Downtown restaurant has cocktails for delivery available in 375ml bottles with seven cocktails per batch order. Flavors include Spicy Pineapple Margarita, Highwest Double Rye Old Fashioned, and Tito’s Raspberry Gimlet. $30-$50. A Mimosa kit has choice of prosecco or sparkling rose with OJ, strawberry-grapefruit juie, and pineapple-upside down mix for $40; a bloody Mary kit has 35ml Tito's vodka and Jaxon's BBQ mix for $45, makes 7 drinks. Delivery available via Grubhub, Caviar, Door Dash and Alto.

Jose
Park Cities Mexican restaurant has margarita kits to go in three options: The Usual with a bottle of Casamigos Tequila 16 ounces of José margarita mix, Topo Chico, and a turbo salt blend for $90; an Avión Margarita Kit with a 375ml bottle of Avión Tequila, 16 ounces of José margarita mix, Topo Chico, turbo salt blend, and an Avión-branded mixing glass, for $45; and Mimosas, with a bottle of Prosecco, OJ, and cranberry juice, for $25. Call 214-891-5673 to order; call in advance to sign up for a time slot to pick up in the valet Monday-Friday 3-8 pm or Saturday 10 am-8 pm.

Las Almas Rotas
Expo Park bar has cool kits where you just add booze, plus special hard-to-find liquors. Their $8 margarita kit has lime juice and orange bitters; pair it with a 375ml bottle of their La Gritona Tequila for $34. Their Gem & Bolt Mezcal Kit comes with a 200ml bottle of Gem & Bolt Damiana infused mezcal, 200ml bottle of Gema de Sangre cocktail mix, two jicaras, a pair of handmade dice, and a handmade gem in a canvas bottle bag, for $45. Order online for curbside pickup from 5-10 pm Tuesday-Friday and 12-10 pm Saturday-Sunday. Call 972-685-5666.

Mariano's Hacienda
Mexican restaurant has a margarita kit to-go with 375ml of Herradura silver tequila, lime juice, triple sec, that makes 8 margaritas, for $45. Call ahead for curbside pickup at their six area locations (including La Hacienda Ranch), Wednesday-Sunday 11:30 am-8:30 pm.

Mesero
Mex chain has three kits: margarita with 12-ounce shaker, 3.75ml bottle of tequila blanco, and 18 ounces of Mesero's citrus mixer, for $50 — makes four with two extra shots; and a bloody Maria kit with tequila, maria mix, and veggie skewers, for $50 — makes four, with two extra shots. They also have a mimosa kit with sparkling brut and OJ, but it comes with disposable plastic flutes, boo don't get that. Call the closest location to pre-order.

Meso Maya
Mex-Mex chain has a Margarita Kit starting at $35, and a Ranch Water Kit starting at $45. Call to order for curbside/takeout from their Lakewood (469-998-1182) or Preston Forest (469-726-4390) locations, Monday-Saturday 11 am-8 pm. They recommend paying over the phone or else bring your own pen.

Mi Cocina
For your Mambo Taxi needs, some locations of this Dallas chain has frozen margarita kits with non-alcoholic frozen margaritas made with sugar-free, non-alcoholic triple sec; add tequila or purchase a margarita kit with a 200 ml bottle of tequila. Call your nearest location.

Mot Hai Ba
East Dallas restaurant has three cocktail kits which serve 4, all boasting Vietnamese twists: Their "Viet Marry" has vodka, tomato juice, soy sauce, and sriracha, for $45. Their Mimosa has Champagne and a choice of juices such as orange/mint or grapefruit/basil, for $40 The Le Sang kit has gin, turmeric, and Thai basil, and is $45. Call ahead at 972-638-7468 or email mothaibadallas@gmail.com.

Perry's
Steakhouse has curbside cocktail kits for $45 with five cocktails, includes pre-portioned mix, small-format liquor, and garnish. Options include Bourbon Bloom, Cucumber Blueberry, Perry Berry Mule, Smoky Rita, and Jameson Mocha Old-Fashioned. To pre-order for curbside pickup, order online or call Uptown 214-855-5151, Grapevine 682-477-2261, or Frisco 214-494-4645.

Primo's MX Kitchen & Lounge
Uptown Tex-Mex has nine cocktail kits including margaritas for four or six, with choice of tequila, plus mix, limes, salt, and plastic cups, in choice of on the rocks or frozen. Other kits include martini with Tito's or Grey Goose vodka, olive juice, and olives for $28; and an Old-Fashioned kit with Wild Turkey or Knob Creek plus an orange, simple syrup, and 6 "fat" ice cubes for $28. Call 214-935-5111 or email hello@primosuptown.com.

Ruins
Deep Ellum bar has six kits including an espresso martini with house-made cold brew for $40; and a tropical daiquiri with Cruzan rum, passionfruit, and lime, $40 for six. They do curbside pickup during limited hours: Friday-Sunday 12-9 pm. Call 972-707-0607 or order online.

Shell Shack
Kits feature single-serving bottles of Fireball, Jameson, Crown, and tequila with your choice of mixer. A Taylormade Adult Cherry Limeade kit has a 375ml bottle with 3/4 gallon of their signature mix for $60. Call 844-588-2722.

Shinsei
Japanese restaurant has four kits including their signature Blood Orange Margarita with Casamigos tequila and fresh-squeezed blood orange juice, for $55; and a mule with Tito's and Fever Tree ginger beer for $45. plus bottles of Sake. Call 214-352-0005 for curbside pickup; they also do free delivery if you're within 4 miles.

Whiskey Cake
Plano restaurant has a variety of kits including the Tennessee Stud Cocktail Kit with Jack Daniel’s, lemon juice, honey syrup, and an orange, enough for 6 cocktails, $30; Guava Gimlet with Tito's Vodka and a pre-mixed guava gimlet mix for $35; Bloody Mary with Tito's Vodka, Zing Zang bloody Mary mix, and Tapatio hot sauce; and Mimosa Kits with two bottles of bubbles and a 16-ounce bottle of fresh squeezed OJ. Follow their Facebook page for updates, and there's no ordering ahead — just show up at the restaurant between 10:30 am-1 pm, and it's kind of a madhouse.

cocktails

Asian Food News

Taste of Malaysia restaurant brings rare Asian cuisine to Dallas area

Taste of Malaysia

A new restaurant has debuted in Coppell with a cuisine that's relatively rare in Dallas. Called Taste of Malaysia, it's now open at 3001 Olympus Blvd #130, at the Sound at Cypress Waters, between an Ari's Italian market and a Kilwin's ice cream shop, where it's serving authentic Malaysian dishes and flavors — adding another option to Dallas' burgeoning Asian restaurant scene.

A neighbor to Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia, Malaysia has been described as having some of the best street food in Southeast Asia, boasting a mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and indigenous flavors. Signature dishes include satays — skewered meats — plus vividly spiced soups and rice dishes.

The country's national dish is nasi lemak, a beloved comfort food originally devised as a breakfast staple, featuring fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk with pandan leaves, sometimes enhanced with boiled egg and sliced cucumber and ikan bilis, i.e. anchovies.

Coming in at a close second is laksa, a spicy noodle soup made with rice noodles or egg noodles in a broth flavored with aromatic spices, shrimp paste, and coconut milk or tamarind.

These are the dishes that natives of Malaysia and fans of Malaysian food crave, says Shiva Nair, part of the team, along with his wife, Vsruti "Vish" Nair, that opened Taste of Malaysia.

Shiva has more than 20 years in the hospitality business including managing hotels and running other restaurants.

"There are a lot of Malaysians here in Dallas-Fort Worth but not many Malaysian restaurants," Shiva says. "That's what gave us the idea to open this."

Their menu features seven varieties of nasi lemak — including vegetable curry, chicken curry, slow cooked beef, slow-cooked chicken, fried chicken, fish, and spicy shrimp — all made with coconut rice, peanuts, boiled egg, and cucumber.

They also have fried rice, noodle dishes, satay chicken skewers, spring rolls, a samosa-style pastry with potatoes and vegetables called karipap, and a chicken "kutlet" — a breaded patty with minced chicken enclosed in a crunchy crust.

All of their meat is halal, meaning that the animals are raised and butchered in accordance with Islamic guidelines — a growing trend in Dallas-Fort Worth.

There's a full bar and the ultimate lure for timid diners: a lunchtime buffet, $18 on weekdays and $20 on weekends, with 15 to 20 dishes, with chicken, shrimp, fish, and vegetarian and vegan options, which are plentiful in Malaysian cuisine.

"We serve the buffet only at lunch, so that those who are unfamiliar with the cuisine can sample every dish," Shiva says.

"We saw an opportunity to bring Malaysian flavors to North Texas, a region hungry for authentic, halal-certified Asian food with real spicing and real heritage," he says.

openings coppell asian cuisine