Downtown News

Veteran Dallas restaurateur to open downtown eatery on AT&T campus

A very tall Taylor smiles down on park patrons.

Photo courtesy of ATT

A new restaurant is joining the downtown Dallas landscape from the owners of high-profile restaurants such as Oak and Pakpao.

Called Hawthorn, it will open in the lobby of the AT&T Whitacre Tower, as part of a large development by AT&T in the Central Business District.

AT&T, whose corporate headquarters already represent a major presence in downtown Dallas, is adding a new district with restaurants, retail, water features, and a park with free wifi.

Called AT&T Discovery District, it'll adjoin AT&T's downtown campus, with a goal to create a place where employees, locals, and tourists can spend time.

According to a release, the company has signed an agreement with Dallas restaurateur Richard Ellman, who will own and operate Hawthorn, which will be the first of several restaurants planned for the AT&T Discovery District. Ellman's Aphelia Group owns restaurants such as Oak Dallas, Pakpao, and El Bolero.

Details are still slim on what Hawthorn be, other than the fact that it is "a steak, seafood, and raw bar concept," a spokesperson says.

In addition to Hawthorn, other dining concepts planned for the area include a beer garden. With Biergarten at the Omni Dallas Hotel, that will make two beer gardens almost within toasting reach.

"We're looking to inject additional growth, commerce and entertainment into downtown Dallas," says AT&T VP Mike Peterson. "This investment will result in an urban green space that gives people a place to recharge and reconnect. And we couldn’t have done it without the help of the City of Dallas, DART, Downtown Dallas Inc., and local businesses."

Work on the district has already begun on Commerce Street between Field and Browder streets. Once construction is complete, the downtown campus will be more walkable, bike-able, and well-lit.

With convenience and environmental sustainability in mind, the AT&T Discovery District will also include features like public wifi, on-site recycling, and smart irrigation.

A planned designated drop-off lane will provide a safe place to get in and out of vehicles. Prominent lighting features will showcase work in the area.

The company already installed exterior lighting to kick off the project in December. There are now more than 100,000 LED bulbs lighting their building every night, which they can transform into colors and designs for holidays and special events.

The district will be a mix of cutting-edge technology and green space, including a 425-foot-long water feature ringing the plaza and over 3,500 square feet of open green space.

A stage will feature area artists, including bands, singers, and events for kids. An AT&T Discovery Store will offer newest devices, with a multi-story video wall on the exterior to showcase the latest in AT&T entertainment.

downtown

Fried Chicken News

Chicago restaurant debuts its fried chicken and boba tea in Frisco

Chi Tea

Chi Tea burgers and chicken sandwiches.

A new restaurant serving boba tea and fried chicken just opened in Frisco: Called Chi Tea, it's a chain from Chicago that opened its first location in Texas at 4760 Preston Rd. #228, in a former Bonchon Korean in Frisco Village.

According to a release, It opened November 1.

The concept was founded in Chicago in 2020 by brothers Zak Ayyubi, Aman Siddiqui, and friend Abdurahman Sharif, with an unusual goal to pair fried chicken sandwiches, fries, and bubble tea drinks. They've since opened two more locations in Illinois; Frisco is the fourth and the first outside the state.

The name is a little misleading, as it implies it's a beverage place, but there's equal emphasis on the sandwiches and fries. They also tout their welcoming vibe, encouraging customers to eat, drink, and linger.

Their menu features three sandwiches — Nashville hot fried chicken sandwich, a grilled chicken, and a burger with grilled onions, jalapenos, pickles, cheese, and Chi-sauce — which can also be ordered in a smaller slider size.

There are also fries, loaded fries, popcorn chicken, chicken tenders, and mac & cheese, which can be customized with bacon, beef, fries, and other toppings.

Prices typically range from $5 for a single Chi Tea Classic slider to $13 for four-piece chicken tenders.

Boba drinks are entirely customizable, starting with choice of blended smoothie or over ice, with choice of flavor ranging from pineapple to brown sugar milk tea to horchata; and toppings, like popping pearls or cream cheese foam. A regular starts at $5 and a large starts at $6.

Notably, Chi Tea was among the restaurants selected in the recent Spongebob Krabby Patty promotion during October that took place in 12 cities across North America, included a dozen restaurants in Dallas.

"We are very excited to finally bring a taste of Chicago to the Greater Dallas area," says Ayyubi in a release. "This move has been very promising and we cannot wait for the community to welcome us and for us to serve this beautiful city."

openings