Cowboys Grub

Big-name restaurants join roster at stupendous Dallas Cowboys Center in Frisco

The Star in Frisco gets a lineup of fresh new restaurants.

Photo courtesy of Mi Cocina

Just when you thought The Star in Frisco could not get any more stupendous, the new world headquarters for the Dallas Cowboys has lined up another round of openings that will include a retail center, walk of fame, and new restaurants.

The Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor Walk and Dallas Cowboys Community Ring of Honor, presented by Dr Pepper, is a little bit football, a little bit Hollywood, and a little bit Dr Pepper.

Inspired by the Ring of Honor at AT&T Stadium, it will honor the 21 members of the Dallas Cowboys Football Club who have made outstanding contributions throughout the team's history. North Texas community leaders will also be recognized via a rotating showcase that will introduce new honorees each year, starting in 2017.

At a media event on May 4, Super Bowl champions Roger Staubach and Drew Pearson were the first to cast their spikes in concrete.

The new restaurants announced include City Works, Dee Lincoln Prime, Liberty Burger, Mi Cocina, Neighborhood Services, Nestlé Toll House Café by Chip, and Tupelo Honey Café.

"With the combination of these great restaurant brands and the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor Walk and Dallas Cowboys Community Ring of Honor, presented by Dr Pepper, we are confident The Star will be one of the greatest destinations for fans, the community, and visitors from around the world," says Charlotte Jones Anderson, VP and brand officer of the Dallas Cowboys, in a release.

The retail space will be south of The Ford Center and Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters. Neighborhood Services will be located inside the Omni Hotel at The Star. More retailers within The Star will be announced; it's scheduled to be completed in early 2017.

City Works does American cuisine with more than 90 craft beers on draft. The menu has short ribs, a pork chop, burgers, grilled cheese, fish tacos, and filet mignon sliders. The concept debuted in Minneapolis in March 2016; this will be the fourth location and the first in Texas. Co-owner Chris Bisallon says in a release that the restaurant will feature "top-notch audio/visual, premium beverage program, and scratch cooking." So, "audio/visual," a sports bar component, then.

Tupelo Honey Café does Southern favorites, and has craft beer as well, for who does not? The menu has fried green tomatoes, fried chicken, shrimp and grits, meatloaf, and burgers. It opened its first location in Asheville, North Carolina, 15 years ago; this will be its 15th location and the first in Texas. CEO Stephen Frabitore says he's excited to be associated with one of the greatest franchises in the world, by which he means the Dallas Cowboys.

Neighborhood Services is the first in a joint venture with Omni and what the release calls a "three-meal-style shop." Which is to say, they'll be open for breakfast. This is the fourth and largest location in Texas. Chef-owner Nick Badovinus says in a release that his partnership with Omni has been a fantastic experience.

Dee Lincoln Prime will open in spring 2017 with steak, sushi, and seafood. No stranger to the Cowboys, Lincoln opened Dee Lincoln's Tasting Room & Bubble Bar at AT&T Stadium in 2009.

Liberty Burger is the gourmet burger chain founded by Mariel Street. This will be the first location in Frisco and the sixth in Dallas-Fort Worth. Owner of the Frisco branch is Luis Ibarguengoytia.

Mi Cocina at The Star in Frisco will be the 22nd location in Texas. CEO Rob Viveros says this branch will be unlike anything they've built in the past, with new and unique menu items.

Nestlé Toll House Café by Chip is known for its Nestlé Toll House cookies and cookie cakes, but the Frisco branch will also serve smoothies, ice creams, coffee, cold drinks, panini sandwiches, wraps, and savory crepes for lunch.

There's also a new training facility for dancers called Next Step Dance, which is moving from its current location on Frisco Square Boulevard. Co-owners Michelle Stafford, Rita Allen, and Russell Spearman said that they wanted the association with a world-famous organization, by which they mean the Dallas Cowboys, which they hope will expose students to an unparalleled atmosphere to learn and practice dance of all disciplines.

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RIP Al

Beloved Dallas restaurateur Al Biernat dies at 69 after ALS battle

Dallas restaurateur Al Biernat, RIP

Beloved Dallas restaurateur Al Biernat, founder of the acclaimed local steakhouse Al Biernat's, passed away on November 13, following a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease; he was 69.

Biernat was one of Dallas' all-time great hospitality figures, dating back to his days at The Palm steakhouse, for whom he worked in Los Angeles, Houston, and Dallas.

Biernat founded his namesake restaurant in 1998 on Oak Lawn Avenue, where his standard of excellence and doting charm made it a destination for special occasions, Park Cities swells, and celebrities in town.

His sense of hospitality had little competition in Dallas. He was a charming and personable host who genuinely liked people, and it didn't matter whether you were Conan O'Brien, David Crosby, or one of the other high-profile diners that visited his restaurants — or else just a regular schlub: He had a knack for making everyone feel special and remembered.

Biernat was born on August 20, 1955 and grew up in Michigan, then lived in Colorado, New York, Los Angeles, and Houston, before moving to Dallas to work at The Palm in the West End, where his dynamic presence gave the restaurant an incomparable vitality; it closed in 2017.

He opened Al Biernat's at 4217 Oak Lawn Ave. in 1998, followed by a second location in North Dallas at 5251 Spring Valley Rd. in 2017.

He began to experience ALS symptoms in May 2023, was diagnosed in December, and revealed his condition in February 2024. The revelation was met with an outpouring of sympathy and well wishes from the hospitality industry — a sign of the high regard in which he was held.

The average life expectancy for people with ALS is two to five years after diagnosis. Symptoms can begin in the muscles that control speech and swallowing, or in the hands, arms, legs, or feet. He began to have difficulty communicating in September, and spent his last days in a hospice.

On September 18, he broached the topic of dying, before ending on a note of gratitude to friends and family.

"Having Bulbar ALS I am realistic about my future," he said. "Friends and family have asked me if I’m afraid of dying, and this is what I say to them. Because of the salvation of Jesus, I will be rejoicing in my spirit to see him in all of his glory. Since we are all flesh, soul, and spirit, only my flesh is being left behind. But don’t get me wrong, I have a blessed life in this world, with a loving wife, and a beautiful family and many wonderful and caring friends. I am grateful!"

Both Al Biernat's locations will continue to remain open under the management of Biernat's nephew Brad Fuller, as they have for nearly the past two years.

Biernat is survived by Fuller, as well as his wife Jeannie and three daughters: Angelica Saylor, Kaitlin Biernat Connell, and Jess Biernat and grandchildren. According to family members, details regarding a celebration of his life will be announced soon.

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RIP Al

Beloved Dallas restaurateur Al Biernat dies at 69 after ALS battle