Pool News

Renovated Las Colinas hotel opens its lakefront oasis for the summer

Fruity frozen cocktails by the pool = heaven.

Courtesy of Omni Las Colinas

In the nick of time, the Omni Las Colinas Hotel has opened their pool deck and outdoor space and the accompanying restaurant and bar, called The Lakehouse Waterfront Lounge, where they'll be serving poolside snacks and pretty fruity cocktails.

Omni opened this hotel as resort-style oasis at 221 E. Las Colinas Blvd. in August 2020, part of a $13 million renovation of the former Omni Mandalay which included an update of their outdoor space, adding food & drink and a lounge space with fire pits, TVs, and fans.

The Lakehouse Waterfront Lounge and expansive lawn are open to the public.

The pool deck is complimentary for hotel guests, while non-guests can buy a Day Pass ($30 on weekdays, $40 on weekends) that gives access to the pool, hot tub, poolside food, and drink service from The Lakehouse Waterfront Lounge (open Wednesday-Sun), and Wi-Fi.

Food
Highlights from the menu include:

Blackened Redfish Tacos – poblano pico, guajillo dressing, cotija, smoked cancha, blue corn tortilla
Local Cheese & Meat Board – today’s selection, serrano honey, whole grain mustard, cornichons, multigrain crisp, baguette
Las Colinas Burger – 44 Farms double smashed beef patty (or Beyond Burger), local cheddar, caramelized onion, pecanwood smoked bacon, chipotle aioli, brioche
Crispy Chicken – buttermilk brine, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ancho aioli, concha bread

Drink
The drink menu offers wine by the glass, frozen cocktails, and beer on tap or in cans.

There's also a unique Spritz section with a variety of refreshing drinks including:

Classic Aperol Spritz
Peach Blossom Spritz – Ketel One Botanical Peach & Orange Blossom Lillet Blanc, Monin Peach, Lunetta prosecco, club soda
Grapefruit Elderflower Spritz – Aviation Gin, Barmalade Grapefruit-Elderflower, Chandon Rosé, club soda
Green Apple Spritz – Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple Whiskey, Carpano Dry Vermouth, Monin Green Apple, Lunetta prosecco and club soda

Party
To officially welcome the start of summer and pool season, Omni Las Colinas Hotel will host a Kick-Off to Summer outdoor party with cocktails, bites, games and live music from party band Elevation on Friday, June 18, from 5-9 pm.

Tickets are for $40 and can be purchased online. You get two drink tickets and bites. Summer-inspired cocktails and food are also available for purchase. The hotel is offering a special stay rate of $119 for the evening.

The pool is open from 6 am-10 pm daily. The Lakehouse Waterfront Lounge is open Wednesday-Thursday 4-8 pm, Friday 1-8 pm, Saturday 11 am-8 pm, and Sunday 11 am-6 pm.

openings

Diner News

Home-cooking classic Chubby's closes location in southwest Dallas

Chubby's

Biscuits and gravy at Chubby's

A beloved diner near Duncanville in southwest Dallas has closed: Chubby's, famous for its home-cooking cuisine and splendiferous breakfasts, has closed its location at 7474 S. Cockrell Hill Rd., near I-20 and 67, after 18 years.

In what will be a relief for Chubby's many fans, the original location, at 11331 E. Northwest Hwy., is still open. A manager at the original location confirmed that the Cockrell Hill location had closed, while a spokesperson for the property said the building was up for sale because the owner was "ready to retire."

The location has been on the market since June, but they finally shuttered the restaurant on October 31. It had been at that address since 2008, taking over a space that was formerly Owens Family Restaurant, and originally a Bob Evans Restaurant.

Chubby's was founded by brothers and Greek immigrants John and George Touris, who opened the first location in 1987. Over the years, they opened more locations, winning over fans with their pancakes, omelets, chicken-fried steak, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and more, as well as a few Italian and Greek dishes.

If you know restaurants, you know that Greek restaurateurs usually adhere to a high standard of quality. Stellar signatures, shown in their most tempting light on Instagram, include biscuits & gravy, chicken-fried steak, Greek baked chicken with potato wedges, banana pancakes topped with banana slices and whipped cream, Greek salad, and masterful desserts including multi-layer cakes and baked pies in varieties such as cherry, coconut cream, and the rare chocolate meringue.

As their website explains, John Touris was 16 when he, his brother, and mother left Greece in 1978 and emigrated to Buffalo, New York, where John learned the ropes from his uncle, a restaurant veteran who worked at Towne Restaurant, which helped many Greek immigrants find their way in the U.S.

John moved to Dallas and in 1982 opened his first restaurant, Dough Boys, which eventually evolved into Chubby’s when it moved to its location on Northwest Highway. Together with his brother George, John built Chubby’s into a community cornerstone, expanding to four locations across Plano and Lancaster, which both closed, and this location near Duncanville, which has now closed as well.

Chubby’s is treasured by old-timers as one of a shrinking pool of diner-type places, like Mama's Daughters' Diner, Original Market Diner, Metro Diner, and Norma's Cafe, that offers unpretentious, well-prepared food at a relatively low price.

breakfast closings greek cuisine