Bakery News

French-Asian bakery chain opens first standalone store in Dallas area

They sell pretty layer cakes whole or by the slice.

Photo by Tous Les Jours

A French-Asian bakery café known for cakes, pastries, and breads, has opened its first standalone location in the DFW area: Called Tous Les Jours, it's part of a Korea-based chain and just opened a new outlet off SH-121 in Carrollton, near the Galleria Market.

Tous Les Jours was founded in South Korea in 1996, and currently has 1,600-plus locations around the world, each with the capability of making more than 300 kinds of bakery goods, including bread, pastries, layer cakes, macarons, and beverages including espresso drinks.

They are famous for baking their bread daily, and for using specially formulated flour for specific baked goods to create unique flavor profiles. Like Paris Baguette, another Korean-born chain, they use French baking techniques but often incorporate Asian flavors such as green tea.

Signature specialties include

Banana Cake, a sponge cake covered in banana buttercream with hazelnut cocoa spread inside
Egg Tart, a crisp pasty tart filled with egg custard cream
Choo Choo Train, one of their many decorated cakes, and a ids' favorite with train toys on top

They first came to the U.S. in 2004, and entered the Dallas market in 2007, when they opened inside the H-Mart in Carrollton at 2625 Old Denton Rd. A second location is located inside the H-Mart in Plano at 3320 K Ave. in 2013.

Neither of those is a standalone store. The new branch at 4070 SH-121 #401 represents a benchmark, as the brand plans to expand its business in the U.S. market. It also means that dine-in is available at this location.

Their breads are not of the crusty artisan variety but are instead softer, which fits Dallas tastes, and have fillings such as garlic-cream cheese. They also make milk bread, an especially soft bread which is the favorite choice for trendy "sandos."

Speaking of, they do an entire collection of sandos, the idiotic name for sandwiches, filled with choices such as egg salad, chicken salad, and avocado & turkey.

A majority of their pastries are made with puff pastry dough and include cinnamon-raisin rolls, fruit-filled turnovers, and cream-filled horns.

Currently, there are more than 60 stores in the U.S. and more than 1,600 stores all around the world. Tous Les Jours means "every day" in French.

At the same time they opened in Carrollton, they also opened locations in Oregon and Colorado, bringing their total portfolio to 15 different states at 67 different locations. The brand plans to expand its business in current and new markets and open several more stores this year.

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Relo News

Oak Cliff Dallas address says bye Swank and hello Indian restaurant

Elephant Indian Bar and Grill

A location in Oak Cliff Dallas that has seen some turnover in recent years is about to see some more: It starts with Swank, the ambitious restaurant from chef Luke Rogers, which is leaving its address at 1115 N. Beckley Ave. after a year and relocating to a new space still to be determined. The restaurant's final day at its current location will be Saturday, July 26.

"We want to give guests one last chance to toast the place that started it all," Rogers says in a statement.

But 1115 N. Beckley Ave. won't be empty for too long: The space will soon be home to Elephant Indian Bar and Grill, an Indian restaurant from chef Praveen Prasannan, an industry veteran with international experience working in the kitchens of hotels and on cruise ships.

This will be a second location of Elephant Indian Bar and Grill following the original that opened in the original Buzzbrews location at 4154 N. Central Expwy. in 2024.

Prasannan says he wants to expand his customer base by bringing Indian food to areas currently lacking in Indian options. He's also opening an Elephant to-go spinoff in the Park Cities, at 5601 W. Lovers Ln. #110.

He also owns Shivas Bar and Grill, an elevated Indian concept, with his brother Prinu, which has locations in downtown Dallas and Allen.

The menu at Elephant Indian features Indian classics such as chicken tikka masala, butter masala, tandoori, and a variety of biryani, the comforting rice dish.

There are also Indo-Chinese fusion dishes, such as veggie fried rice, chilli paneer, and hakka noodles; plus wraps, hummus with naan bread, and thali, a selection of different dishes served in small bowls on a round tray, served with choices of steamed rice or naan.

Prasannan is a forward-thinking chef who has also created a number of vegan items and meatless versions of their signature dishes, including a rare vegan version of butter chicken and Kadai vegetables, a mix of stir-fried vegetables. Prices are affordable, ranging from $6 for a soup or salad to $26 for lamb biryani.

Prior to Swank, 1115 N. Beckley Ave. was home to some big-name restaurants over the years, most recently Beckley 1115, and before that VH, and before that Outpost, and before that, Campo featuring chef Matt McAllister, and before that an Argentinian place called La Carreta Argentina.

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