Coffee News

Upscale new Frisco cafe with Australian charm is not your usual grind

Everything they do has something a little special, like this avocado toast.

Photo courtesy of Aussie Grind

A new breakfast-and-lunch cafe called The Aussie Grind has opened in Frisco, from an Australian couple who moved to Texas after having a similar successful cafe in their hometown of Brisbane.

Located in a small center at 3930 Preston Rd. next to a Dillas Quesadillas and a Burning Rice, The Aussie Grind has coffee, tea, juice, smoothies, and a menu of wholesome, tempting-sounding dishes for breakfast and lunch.

Owner Lui Monforte says that he and his wife Angie liked the idea of transplanting to Texas, to share their unique Australian cafe concept.

"Texas has a lot in common with Australia," Lui — short for Luigi — says. "The people are friendly, and it's a welcoming culture."

They opened on April 18 and are already earning a reputation for their flawless "flat white," a coffee drink consisting of espresso with a thin layer of microfoamed milk on top, as well as their cool accents and doting personal touch.

"Australians take their coffee very seriously," Monforte says. "Australia had many Italian immigrants, so the country has always had espresso, and 95 percent of the cafes there are independently owned.

Their menu has a slight upscale vibe, with higher-end greens such as arugula.

There is "breaky" — their cute name for breakfast — with granola, a daily omelet, plus some unusual dishes and unusual takes on dishes we already know. Their avocado toast, for example, has feta cheese and arugula. Their pancakes, called hotcakes, have berry compote, vanilla bean ice cream, and "fairy floss" — cotton candy.

"We add the ice cream to make it a little different, to add something fun and new," Monforte says. "But we're happy to give people whatever they want."

They do a salmon stack, which is "beetroot cured" — cured in beet juice so that the salmon becomes even pinker and acquires a subtle sweetness — on sourdough bread with cream cheese, onion, capers, and watercress.

There's toasted banana bread, and breakfast gnocchi featuring potato gnocchi with bacon, spinach, and poached eggs.

Breakfast mushrooms are a unique and hearty-sounding dish combining field mushrooms with crunchy polenta, spinach, arugula, and candied bacon. They have vegemite, the famed dark Australian spread, which you can spread on toast.

Lunch includes an Angus burger and an Angus steak sandwich on ciabatta bread. Their fish and chips are done in a Shiner beer batter and, like the sandwiches, come with chunky rosemary fries.

Salads include warm mushroom salad, lamb cutlet salad, and a Newtown beef salad with mint and peanuts in a lime-infused soy dressing.

They also have entree type items, such as grilled salmon with spinach, arugula, tomato, and asparagus; and garlic prawn linguine.

Desserts include trifle, a vanilla custard puff pastry, and affogato — espresso poured over ice cream.

In addition to hot coffee drinks, they have a longer-than-usual menu of cold drinks including juice drinks, smoothies, iced chocolate, cold brew, and "fancy milkshakes," to which they add "crumbs and crunches." They're also applying for a liquor license so they can serve beer and wine.

For now, they're open Monday-Friday 6:30 am to 2:30 pm, and Saturday and Sunday 7 am to 3 pm.

coffee

News you can eat

Spring menus have sprung in this edition of Dallas restaurant news

Photo courtesy of Elaine's Cocktail Kitchen

Elaine's Cocktail Kitchen is adding brunch service.

Like the Dallas weather lately, this restaurant news roundup keeps us on our toes. New menus and dishes are popping up for spring, but they'll be gone soon - they're extremely limited-time offerings, or "LTO" as the kids say. We've also got a few restaurant openings, some chef news, new brunch, and new drinks.

Here's what's happening in Dallas dining right now:

Palladino’s Steak & Seafood, the buzzy restaurant that's the toast of NYC, has hired Henry Johnson as chef de cuisine for the forthcoming Preston Royal location. He’ll oversee daily kitchen operations and execute the menu from executive chef and partner Sam Hazen. A veteran Dallas chef, Johnson previously led kitchens at Bistro 31 and Evelyn and competed on Season 24 of Hell’s Kitchen. The "modern steakhouse," from founder Joseph Palladino, will feature prime steaks and seafood; an opening date has not yet been announced.

Grandma’s Country Kitchen, a Southern-inspired, family-style restaurant, is opening March 23 in Southern Dallas, at the corner of Camp Wisdom Road and Highway 67 (aka the former South Dallas Cafe space). The menu features comfort classics like fried chicken, catfish, mashed potatoes, green beans, and desserts such as peach cobbler and banana pudding. Guests can also take advantage of catering services and events at the attached sister venue, The Reserve at Redbird, which accommodates up to 330 guests for all types of celebrations.

West Village in Uptown Dallas has seen a flurry of new openings lately: healthy restaurant Toastique; Chicago-inspired tavern D.L. Mack's; and martini hot spot Hudson House.

A few more new openings:

Texas Roadhouse, home of the hand-cut steaks, fall-off-the-bone ribs, and famous rolls with cinnamon butter, has opened a new location in West Dallas, at 3620 Dallas-Ft. Worth Turnpike.
Stop-N-Go Gyros, the fast-casual Mediterranean shop that's popular for takeout, opened 17421 Preston Rd. in North Dallas.
Bojangles, the cult-favorite fried chicken spot, has opened at 210 S. Central Expressway in McKinney.

Elaine’s Cocktail Kitchen in downtown Frisco has expanded its brunch to both Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am-3 pm, featuring European-inspired, shareable dishes paired with craft cocktails. Highlights include horchata French toast, Elaine’s Benedict with short rib or blue crab, smoked salmon tartine, potato-rosemary frittata, and cannoli cream crepes, along with lighter options like overnight oats and seasonal parfaits.

Nobu Dallas will celebrate cherry blossom season with two limited-time offerings - a drink and a dessert - March 23-April 12. The Sakura Negroni ($22) combines Awayuki Strawberry Gin, Lillet Blanc, Aperol, and Sakura Blossom Tea for a floral, strawberry-forward twist on the classic cocktail. The Strawberry-Elderflower Sorbet ($19) features meringue blossoms, white chocolate-honey namelaka, and cookie crumbs for a spring-inspired sweet treat.

Nobu sorbet Strawberry-Elderflower Sorbet at Nobu.Photo courtesy of Nobu

Black Sheep Coffee is debuting a limited-time “Banana Arcade” menu for spring, featuring banana-flavored drinks including iced and hot lattes, matcha lattes, frappes, and a cold brew topped with salted caramel foam.

Buzz and Bustle coffee shop at The Village on March 23 is launching a limited-time spring menu, featuring four seasonal drinks: the Black & White with matcha or cold brew and white chocolate foam; a cucumber-mint “Green Daydream;” a carrot cake latte; and a banana fosters-inspired nitro cold brew.

Apothecary Bar and Flamant Bar & Bistro have teamed up for "Martini Madness," a bracket-style competition running March 18-April 5, on Wednesdays through Sundays, whereby guests can sip and vote for their favorite pours. The tournament features rotating matchups of classic and signature martinis, aka $10 “Tiny-Tinis,” with winners determined by a combination of in-person orders and social media votes. Prizes include complimentary drinks for correct picks on a bracket and a $200 gift card for a perfect bracket.

Torchy’s Tacos is introducing a whole new menu category: nachos, available for a limited time this spring. The nachos layer crispy tortilla chips with Torchy's signature green chile queso, pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream, with optional additions like fajita chicken, steak, pork, or brisket. A smaller version of the nacho plate is also available during weekday “Hooky Hour” from 2-5 pm, alongside half-price beer and house margaritas.

Torchy's nachos.Photo courtesy of Torchy's

Smalls Sliders is adding its first new slider flavor: the BBQ Bacon Jalapeño Slider, available now for a limited time. The new burger puts a smoky-spicy twist on the signature cheeseburger, with BBQ sauce, crispy bacon, and pickled jalapeños.

HTeaO is adding trendy, buzzy matcha drinks to the menu, starting March 20. They'll debut three flavors — churro, strawberry, and lemon lavender — all topped with new cold foam. Cold foam is also being added as a permanent topper for any drink; there are also now churro bites offered as a sweet pairing.

Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille has introduced a new Anniversary Celebration Menu, a $90-per-person prix-fixe meal designed for milestone events. The menu includes champagne and rose-petal table accents, shared starters like a cold seafood tower or filet bites, a choice of soup or salad, a shared entrée such as Chateaubriand or Beef Wellington, and a dramatic flaming dessert finale. Available by request at all locations.

Barrel & Bones is jumping on the bandwagon of a viral cocktail trend: the soft-serve margarita. Now available at its Inwood Road location, soft-serve frozen 'ritas are priced at $8 and come in flavors such as passion fruit, strawberry, peach, and mango. They tout them as the the first offering of their kind in North Texas inspired by the current TikTok craze.

Soft-serve frozen margarita at Barrel & Bones.Photo courtesy of Barrel & Bones

Puerto Cocina & Bar, the Baja-inspired spot from the team behind Xaman Café, Ayahuasca Cantina, and Señor Oink, has launched a seasonal menu featuring fresh seafood, coastal Baja flavors, and Mexican wines. The Dallas Design District restaurant now also offers lunch, in addition to dinner service.

Soulman’s Bar-B-Que has brought back its fan-favorite Boss Hog sandwich, through May 20 only. The gut buster features four slow-smoked meats - sausage, pulled pork, hickory-smoked ham, and crispy bacon - stacked on a sweet King’s Hawaiian bun. Available as a sandwich ($9.99) or combo with a side and drink ($14.99).

Maple Street Biscuit Company is marking spring with a limited-time menu featuring fresh berries, available through May 19. Highlights include Double Berry Waffles topped with strawberries and whipped cream; Bonuts with berry icing; Very Berry Lemonade; and an Iced Berry Latte.

Rowdy Cowboy in The Colony and Grapevine are adding some hearty new dishes, including steak frites, quesabirria tacos, a 9-oz choice filet, and Cowboy Parmesan chicken Milanese. They still offer handcrafted cocktails with a 40-foot oak bar, 70 large-screen TVs, 32 ice-cold beer taps, and more than 35 bourbons and whiskeys.

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