Hummus News

Darna Mediterranean Market and restaurant escorts exotic eats to Plano

It's all about the hummus.

Photo courtesy of Darna

The hummus is headed for Plano with the imminent opening of Darna Mediterranean Market, the Marrakesh-inspired bar, restaurant, and market opening at Legacy West.

The 6,200-square-foot market and eatery, which has been in the works since April 2021, is going into the former Barnes & Noble space at 7700 Windrose Ave. #G-170. According to a release, it's anticipated to open in June.

The new concept is from veteran restaurateur Yaser Khalaf (Mondo Pizza, Baboush in Dallas, Shawarma Bar in Fort Worth), and is described as a celebration of the shops, cafés, street vendors and bazaars that attract people of all ages and cultures to the shores of the Mediterranean.

Darna – which means "our house" in Arabic – will cover a wide range of international cuisines, with meat boards, French pastries, Italian/Roman-style pizza, Turkish flatbreads, Middle Eastern kabobs, Moroccan tagines, and Lebanese mezze, while also creating the vibrancy of eccentric markets in the Mediterranean.

For dining in, a full-service kitchen will accommodate with dishes such as Greek feta fondue, pastrami hummus, and chicken kabobs.

A grab & go deli will feature ready-to-eat offerings, alongside its quick-service mezza, salad, and sandwich stations. Grab & Go guests will be able to build salads and sandwiches tailored to their liking, with home deli meats, breads, cheeses and spreads assorted by Darna’s team.

A market will offer high-quality products, including specialty olive oils, Moroccan spices, dried fruits, roasted nuts and European cheeses and meats. Essential cooking ingredients will also be available for curious cooks and seasoned chefs alike.

A coffee bar will serve pastries, desserts, and an array of essential coffees, particularly Turkish coffee. Darna will also feature a full-service alcohol bar offering everything from craft cocktails to select beer and wine.

Khalaf is partered with Pat Garza in a company called Yela Concepts, which does restaurants and consulting.

"Yaser and I have been working on this unique venture for quite some time, so we couldn't be more excited to open, creating an experience unlike any other in North Texas," says Garza, who is Yela Concepts' President & CEO.

"Inspired by Yaser’s heritage and years of research, along with his extensive reputation in the restaurant industry, Darna will encompass the cultivation of experience defined by texture, aroma, and visual art. We can’t wait to open next month and welcome everyone into ‘Our House,'" he says.

Darna will feature an ambiance inspired by timeless Middle Eastern elements with nuances of modern chic, North African and coastal Mediterranean interiors. Darna’s industry-leading design and architectural partners will create a world-class space that is sure to take guests on a Mediterranean journey like no other," Garza says.

openings

Coffee News

New cafe in Richardson spotlights fine Ethiopian coffee and pastries

Fanah

Fanah Cafe

A coffee shop has opened in Richardson with serious coffee roots: Called Fanah Cafe and Pastry, it's in a center at 139 N. Plano Rd. and Belt Line Road, where it's serving authentic Ethiopian coffee, lattes, and pastry baked in-house.

Owner Esayas Zeweldi was born in Ethiopia and moved to Dallas in 2008. In his early years in the U.S., he worked as a barista at UT Southwestern, then at Jasmine Market and Café. He went on to build a career in medical transportation and tech manufacturing — but his love for coffee never faded, and he decided to open his own shop.

"Since I came to the United States, that was my dream," Zeweldi says. "Nobody showed me the way, but I had it in me."

They serve traditional beverages including espresso, cappuccinos, and brewed coffee, and will be adding a collection of specialty lattes as well. They've partnered with Dilla Coffee Roasters in Deep Ellum, which specializes in Ethiopian beans. Ethiopia boasts some of the highest quality coffee beans grown in the world. The country is known for its diverse array of bean varietals, some of which have been cultivated for centuries.

Fanah will also soon offer an Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony, with boiled coffee served to participants on small cups that sit on a tray, meant to be shared.

“In my country coffee is all about conversation, we have a coffee ceremony, you call your neighbors, enjoy some time with them. With drive-thru concepts and quick coffee pick up, we lost the connection, I want people to have a good time," Zeweldi says.

The café also serves an assortment of pastries from international cuisines, as well as some Ethiopian dishes. The menu includes cream puffs, muffins, scones, croissants, tiramisu, and cakes in varieties such as Oreo, vanilla and millefeuille. Everything is baked in-house.

For breakfast, they serve traditional Ethiopian/Sudani fuul, a dish made with fava beans, tomatoes, onions, and chechebsa, fried pastry typically eaten with yogurt. They also serve pancakes and scrambled eggs.

Hours are 7 am-7 pm daily, and they're adding lunch which will feature a mix of Ethiopian and Italian items, based on recipes developed by Zewldi's wife, Yodit.

The food and beverages are important, but that's not all they're about.

"The café’s mission is simple: to bring joy through food and connection. using only the finest ingredients and creating an inviting space for everyone to feel at home," Zeweldi says.

coffee openings