Healthy News

Healthy Dallas restaurant chain bails on plagued Frisco neighborhood

The salads have left Frisco.

Photo courtesy of Start

Frisco lost a healthy dining option in March with the closure of Start, a small Dallas-based restaurant chain dedicated to healthy fast-food to go.

The restaurant announced its closure via a note posted on its website, stating, "We are sad to tell you that we are closing our doors today, March 12. Unfortunately, the development of the area immediately surrounding Start on Lebanon Road has been halted."

"We are thankful for the support and enthusiasm of our guests, and for the commitment of our hard-working staff," it said.

Start was founded in 2012 by mom and former attorney Erin McKool as a place to get from-scratch food on the go, as a healthy alternative to fast-food joints, with a drive-through window being key.

She opened her first location at 4814 Greenville Ave., then a second at 4023 Lemmon Ave.

Open every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the restaurant serves egg sandwiches, burgers, empanadas, and butternut squash bisque. Fan favorites include quinoa salad with avocados and sweet potato tater tots.

The Frisco location opened in August 2018 at the northeast corner of Lebanon Road and Parkwood Boulevard, a strip of Lebanon Road with only a RaceTrac gas station nearby.

"It was hard because they're still trying to build up the area," said a Start employee.

The development that's being "halted" is Wade Park, the troubled project by Atlanta developer Stan Thomas that was due to open less than a mile away. The project had commitments from Whole Foods Market, Hotel ZaZa, and Bread Zeppelin, but after it repeatedly went into foreclosure, they all walked away from the deal.

The property was acquired in February by an invisible Delaware LLC called WP Development Partners.

closings

Stadium Food News

Dallas' American Airlines Center intros new menu with fancy pizza

AAC

American Airlines Center is debuting a new menu.

Amerian Airlines Center has unveiled a new food menu in time for the 2024-2025 season that includes pizza and chicken from some high-end names.

According to a release, the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars have partnered with Levy, American Airlines Center’s hospitality partner, and 50 Eggs Hospitality Group to upgrade the food experience.

Patrick Dumont, governor of the Mavericks says in a statement that "these enhancements are the beginning of our effort to reimagine the experience at American Airlines Center," while Dallas Stars President and CEO Brad Alberts says that “championship-level teams on the ice and on the court go well with championship-level food."

Chicken tenders: 50 Eggs Hospitality (Yardbird, Chica, Wakuda), will roll out chicken tenders from their popular Spring Chicken restaurant. The group has been instrumental in developing the vision for the new elevated menu alongside Levy and the American Airlines Center.

Pizza: 50 Eggs brought in Bonanno Brothers Pizzeria, from award-winning Denver-based chef Frank Bonanno (Mizuna, Luca, French 75, Osteria Marco, Salita Vesper Lounge) to do a freshly spun and hand-stretched pizza available in cheese and pepperoni, at Bonanno Brothers Pizzeria throughout the arena.

“We are excited to be working with ownership and Levy to give the fans something very special,” says 50 Eggs Hospitality founder John Kunkel. “Together we are taking the food to the next level using only the best ingredients made from scratch.”

Other upgrades include a Texas-sized Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich, Niman Ranch hot dogs, jumbo pretzels, dulce de leche churros, street tacos, a smash burger, and BBQ.

The new menu rolls out Saturday October 12 at the Dallas Stars’ regular season home opener against the New York Islanders.

The 2024-25 American Airlines Center signature food menu:

Bonanno Brothers Cheese and Pepperoni Pizza
Chef Frank Bonnano will use ingredients such as Caputo 00 flour, Italian mozzarella and parmesan, Burke pepperoni, and fresh full red tomato sauce for a new take on pizza, the most popular food item ordered at American Airlines Center.

Chicken Tenders by Spring Chicken
Hand-breaded fresh chicken tenderloins created in collaboration with the James Beard award-winning recipe from 50 Eggs Hospitality's Yardbird restaurant.

All-Beef Hot Dog
Niman Ranch all-beef hot dogs are smoked over hickory wood without added nitrates or nitrites, served on brioche buns baked by Signature Baking Company.

Zavala’s BBQ
Consistently ranked as one of the best BBQ joints in the DFW area, Zavala’s will bring brisket, sausage, ribs, and more.

Artisan Soft Pretzels
Handmade on-site using an authentic Amish recipe, these premium soft pretzels from Ben’s Pretzels are light, fluffy, and lightly salted with an imported German pretzel salt. All pretzels are egg-, dairy-, and nut-free.

Dulce de Leche Churros
Created in collaboration with local business The Churro Factory, these treats will have the perfect blend of crispy, golden dough and rich, creamy sweetness.

Texas-Sized Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich
A Texas-sized rendition of the Philadelphia classic, the sandwich will include all-natural black angus beef from 44 Farms, a Cameron, Texas, family-owned operation with more than 100 years of experience providing a delicious, wholesome, and enjoyable eating experience. The sandwiches will be served with white American cheese and provolone cheese, sautéed white onions, and wrapped in a signature baking fresh French baguette from Signature Baking Company.

Street Tacos
Using corn tortillas from La Norteña Tortillas, fans can choose from three different options:

Carne Asada: Carne asada, cilantro-onions, avocado salsa
Chicken Carnitas Taco: Chicken carnitas, cilantro-onions, tomatillo salsa
Tacos al Pastor: Shaved pastor meat, cilantro-onions, grilled pineapple, salsa taquera

Smash Burger
The burger has been reimagined with a custom beef blend from Buckhead Meat Co. and includes American cheese, Levy secret sauce, and bread and butter pickles on a brioche bun from Signature Baking Company.