Veg News

Sweet cafe in Lakewood Dallas busts out special new vegan offering

Vegan omakase at Creek Cafe.

Photo courtesy of Creek Cafe

A small, quirky cafe that opened in Dallas' Lakewood neighborhood in early 2018 is busting out an event themed with the hottest trend in 2018: vegan food.

The Creek Cafe opened quietly in January in the center of Lakewood, in the space at 6334 Gaston Ave. that was previously Philly Connection. CEO Daisuke Mori is a native of Japan, and Kaori Koji is the COO and chef. They've been open for breakfast and lunch with a small menu of panini and pastries.

Manager Mark Maxey says they're doing a unique Western style of Japanese food that's very hot in Tokyo right now — dishes such as extra-thin Japanese omelets; and shibuya honey toast, a very trendy over-the-top architectural dessert in which a thick cube of fluffy white bread is hollowed out and stuffed with honey, fruit, and ice cream.

But it was always chef Koji's intent to add vegan dishes, and so the restaurant will make a splashy introduction with a two-night omakase event on June 29-30.

Maxey says it will begin with a chilled edamame soup made with soy milk, with a texture that's rich and creamy.

A second course consists of pickles. "Kaori wanted to do Japanese-style pickles but using Texas vegetables," Maxey says. "So it'll have cucumber, okra, asparagus."

The third course will be inori — aka fried tofu skin — with vegetables. "Fried tofu skin is sometimes used in a sushi item called inori sushi, but this dish has no rice," Maxey says. "It's like a snack."

Other courses will include mushroom with pesto, like a Japanese take on an Italian dish; doria, another Japanese-Italian dish consisting of rice gratin with béchamel and cheese; and tofu salisbury. Dessert will be strawberry mousse made with white chia seeds.

The omakase event will take place over two nights, June 29 and 30, and is only $25 per person, with BYOB. Reservations begin at 5 pm, and are required; click here. There's more info on a Facebook page, and the promise that this will lead to something more permanent, both in terms of vegan dishes on the menu as well as dinner hours in the future.

"Kaori has been in Japan researching vegan food," Maxey says. "The reason she did it is because she wants the café to be a place for everyone."

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Hummus News

Revered family-owned Mediterranean restaurant debuts in North Dallas

Samantha Marie Photography

Zon Zon food spread

An upscale Mediterranean restaurant is coming to North Dallas from a trusted name: Called Zon Zon, it'll open at 5455 Belt Line Rd. #130, in the Work/Shop center, and it's hospitality group Yela Concepts led by Yaser Khalaf (Darna, Baboush), together with his son Mak Khalef in their first collaboration.

According to a release, it'll open on December 22.

Named for Mak's sister Zaina (“Zon Zon”), the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner with a refined take on Mediterranean dining, rooted in tradition but with modern influences.

"We tried to merge what embodies Mediterranean cuisine with dishes that people in Dallas love," Mak says. "A lot of the dishes we have on menu are Mediterranean but have American and Texan influences."

Mezze favorites include hummus topped with green shatta and extra-virgin olive oil; baba ghanoush with charred eggplant, tahini, dukka, and pomegranate; crispy cauliflower with saffron labneh; tuna neya with tahini, mixed pickles, and Aleppo pepper; and kibbeh with ground lamb, onions, pine nuts, and dill labneh.

Salads include seared tuna salad with freekeh and golden beets; Tahini Caesar with tahini–Caesar dressing and za’atar croutons; and roasted beets with burrata, oranges, and pistachios.

Entrées include roasted chicken with garlic-batata and pomegranate jus; chicken shish kebab over saffron rice with almonds and raisins; hanger steak shawarma frites — a clever twist on steak frites with hand-cut fries; ZZ’s Wagyu cheeseburger with smoked provolone and house pickles; Prime ribeye with za’atar chimichurri and heirloom carrots; and apricot lamb couscous.

The beverage program complements the menu with a Mediterranean-focused wine list and creative cocktails such as the coffee-kissed Midnight Istanbul and ZZ’s Margarita, with burnt pineapple and ras el hanout.

Designed in collaboration with Dallas-based Coeval Studios, the restaurant features a 2,130-square-foot interior with an expansive 735-square-foot patio that seats 76, for a total occupancy near 100.

The restaurant boasts an open kitchen, while decorative finishes include modern woodwork, rich textures, and Middle Eastern-inspired details — stylish yet inviting, with a setting that feels like home.

“The inspiration behind Zon Zon came from wanting to create the kind of place we’ve always wished existed — a neighborhood Mediterranean spot that feels both familiar and exciting - we wanted to create a comfortable space where guests can meet up with friends or neighbors on a regular basis,” says Yaser in a statement.

Mak went to college to sudy biomedical engineering, but says he couldn't resist the lure of the restaurant world in which he grew up.

"Zon Zon is a reflection of everything we love about food," Mak says. "What makes this especially meaningful is building it with my dad — bringing our family’s story and passion to the table."

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