News You Can Eat
New downtown Dallas coffee shop perks up this pot of restaurant news
The pace is not letting up in Dallas restaurant news, with more openings, more coffee, and more bowls. Lots and lots of bowls. Here's the latest local dining dish:
Ascension has opened its newest location at Thanksgiving Tower in downtown Dallas. This is the third Dallas location for the popular coffee shop, cafe, and wine bar founded by Russell Hayward. It traces its roots to Australian-style coffee shops and simple European cafes that offer food, wine, and coffee in a familiar, laid-back atmosphere. The restaurant is at 1601 Elm St. at the main entrance of Thanksgiving Tower and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. The 50-story tower recently completed $40 million in renovations. Gather Kitchen will open in July 2017 and there are more concepts to come.
IdleRye, a modern American restaurant in Deep Ellum, is counting down the days until its opening date. According to a release, it'll be in May. It'll serve burgers, sandwiches, global small bites such as deviled eggs, pierogies, shrimp toast, and pastas, such as lobster and spaghettini. The concept comes from restaurant group Smoke & Mortar, led by Bruce Wills, Daniel Wills, Ray Skradzinski, and Tim Porter, who also owns modern American restaurant The Table in Flower Mound. Everything is so modern and American these days.
Bowls & Tacos, the Deep Ellum restaurant from the owners of Braindead Brewing, is open. This is the place that nabbed the cool old gas station at 4300 Commerce St. on the way to Expo Park. The menu features poke bowls, tacos, and beer on tap from Braindead Brewing.
True Food Kitchen, the restaurant from Fox Restaurant Concepts, will open its second Dallas-area branch in Plano on May 23. It's located at Legacy West, following the original at Preston Center.
Eno's Pizza Tavern launches Eno's Side Dough, next-door at 405 N. Bishop Ave., with a grand opening party on June 1. Eno's Side Dough will offer the restaurant's full menu for carryout or delivery, as well as grab-and-go sandwiches and salads, and packaged craft beer and wine. Orders can be placed online at enospizza.com or over the phone.
Wingbucket has opened its third branch in the DFW at Hillside Village, serving jumbo chicken wings, sandwiches, salads, chicken and waffles, desserts, and sides like seasoned fries, bacon cheddar mac, fried green beans, and okra. Craft beers are available, along with frozen drinks like mojitos, hurricanes, and margaritas that are available to-go. There are two other branches in Dallas and Richardson.
The Halal Guys are about to open their third DFW location on Greenville Avenue, in the former Qariah space. The first opened on Lemmon Avenue in July 2016, and the second opened in Richardson. Plano gets its own branch in summer 2017.
Heim Barbecue will open its second branch in Fort Worth's River District in 2018. This replaces the former Thurber Mingus space; that building had structural problems. Construction begins in June.
Stirr, the restaurant in Deep Ellum, is luring in the lunch crowd with a new weekday special consisting of a half salad and half sandwich for $12. Salads include options such as grilled Caesar or wedge, and sandwiches such as Reuben and turkey club.
Next Door has a new happy hour and a "ladies night' with $1 glasses of bubbly. Brunch is now being served on Saturdays and Sundays. During May, it's doing a "loaded bun burger" and glass of Community Beer for $10. The loaded bun burger is an angus brisket/shortrib blend, with bacon jam, arugula, and marinated tomato on a stuffed smoked gouda bun, plus fries.
Eastwood's Bar in Uptown has a new happy hour menu Monday-Friday from 4-8 pm, with all drinks by the glass for $5 or less, and half-off all appetizers such as Parmesan and truffle tater tots with pimento cheese queso, and the vegetarian hummus wrap.
Tommy Bahama is bringing back a new "Tacos and Tequila" menu with offerings that include pork belly tacos, cheesesteak tacos, tuna, shrimp, and veggie tacos. The margarita lineup includes the classic, plus options such as mango habanero and blood orange. Available through June 16.
Shake Shack has three new shakes: Brownie Batter, cinnamon dulce de leche, and red velvet cake.
Americano, the Italian-American restaurant at the Joule hotel, has a new bitter menu spotlighting arugula, broccoli rabe, and kale. Sounds divine. Dishes include arugula salad with strawberries, fava beans, pecorino Romano, balsamic and fried house-made focaccia; spaghetti with braised kale, roasted mushrooms, marinated tomato, and egg; and chili sausage pizza with broccoli rabe, San Marzano tomatoes, and pecorino.
Sunny Street Cafe welcomes summer with new specials such as French toast topped with strawberries and whipped cream; blueberry mousse; hash browns with pork carnitas, an egg, and tortilla wedges; chicken salad with greens, corn, tomato, black beans, cucumbers, and queso fresco; and flatbread with carnitas, pico de gallo, Monterey Jack, and cheddar. Available through August 31.
Eatzi's has debuted what it's calling four spring bowls, although they are served in square-ish plastic containers. Are bowls not round? But bowls are hot right now. Options include shrimp or chicken with chickpeas, spinach, vegetables, and farro; and tuna or flank steak with watermelon radish, edamame, Brussels sprouts, and soba noodles.
Water Grill has introduced a new happy hour menu that begins May 22 and runs Monday-Friday, 3-6 pm. Dishes include oyster sampler; beer-battered fish tacos; New England style clam chowder; shrimp cocktail; goat cheese ravioli with salted almonds and Asian pear puree; seafood fritters with crab, shrimp, and cod; crab cakes; American Wagyu cheeseburger with fries; and mussels garbanzo. will be printed on the interior of custom light fixtures.
Tacodeli, the Austin taqueria chain, is selling three of its salsas at Whole Foods Markets. Salsa Verde is a mild blend of tomatillos, garlic, cilantro, and serranos. Salsa Roja has medium heat, with a charred flavor from the roasted-in-house tomatoes, serranos, garlic, and onion. Salsa Doña features a unique jalapeño and garlic blend; its addictive fiery flavor has earned a cult following. $6.99 each.
Salmon at Bar LouieCourtesy photo