Coronavirus News

Texas kolache chain closes 4 Dallas dining rooms in response to COVID-19 surge

You can still order these babies online.

Photo courtesy of Kolache Factory

A Houston-based kolache chain is closing more than two dozen locations in response to the spreading coronavirus.

Effective immediately, dining rooms and restrooms at all corporate-owned Kolache Factory restaurants will be closed.

According to a release, the move affects 27 Kolache Factory locations in Texas, Kansas, and Indiana, all of which are corporate-owned.

That includes four locations in the DFW area as follows:

2051 N. Central Expy. #101, Richardson
601 E. FM 544 #100, Murphy
1217 Coit Rd., Plano
5995 Preston Rd., Frisco

Kolache Factory remains open for business but for takeout; customers are encouraged to order online at kolachefactorytogo.com.

The company was founded in 1982 in Houston by John and Jerri Banks, who wanted to create an option for breakfast "on the run," although their pastries are now a go-to for business meetings, and other meal-time action including lunch and afternoon snacks.

The chain closed all dining rooms on March 16 as part of the initial shutdown. They reopened at 50 percent capacity on June 12.

"But here we are two weeks later and things are moving in the wrong direction, so they are closing again," a spokesperson says. "Health and safety first!"

Dramatic surges of COVID-19 cases that are taking place in Texas and Houston in particular are what prompted the shutdown.

"With the surge we are seeing right now in our country, we are taking the preemptive step of shutting down dining rooms at all corporate-owned locations, so we can protect our customers and employees as much as possible, encourage social distance, and continue serving our communities fresh made kolaches,” says Kolache Factory COO Dawn Nielsen in a statement.

They also have 30 franchise stores, who are allowed to decide what to do based on community regulations and personal choice.

"We understand this is a scary time, but we are committed to doing our part to protect one another and our economy," Nielsen says. "We appreciate your patience and understanding and hope you will continue to place online orders."

And that would be at kolachefactorytogo.com to schedule carryout, curbside pickup, or delivery.

closings

Pei Wei News

Upscale Indian restaurant takes over an original Pei Wei in Dallas

Roti Grill

A hallowed restaurant space in Dallas' Knox Park Village has a new tenant. The new tenant is Roti Grill, the Northern Indian restaurant known for its modern take on traditional Indian food. The space is the former Pei Wei space at 3001 Knox St., which closed in 2023 after nearly 20 years.

Roti Grill knows the neighborhood well, as it has been there since 2005 (as reported by Andoni Vossos), just around the corner at 4438 McKinney Ave.

That location was a little hidden away, without much on-street presence. And yet they survived 20 years. Imagine what they'll do in the Pei Wei space.

That Pei Wei was only the fifth Pei Wei to open in Dallas. (No. 1 was Preston Frankford, #2 was Carrollton, #3 was Las Colinas, and #4 was South Arlington — this is the kind of solid-gold intel you can find in Fork Fight!, the memoir by Pei Wei co-founder Mark Brezinski.)

But the Knox location being so centrally located in Dallas made it a major foodie destination for most of its two-decade lifespan.

Roti Grill founder Pardeep Sharma says the new location brings not only greater visibility but also gives them the opportunity to present a more refined version of the typical Roti Grill dining experience — including full-service dining and a full bar serving craft cocktails made with Indian ingredients.

“There’s a lack of Indian restaurants in DFW where guests can sit down and take their time enjoying wine, beer, or cocktails along with dinner,” Sharma says.

Open daily from 11 am-10 pm, the restaurant offers a contemporary, elevated Indian dining experience, unlike its other counter-service locations. Guests can enjoy a full-service meal paired with cocktails and wine.

Sharma is a veteran restaurateur who has owned some of Dallas' most popular Indian restaurants starting with Kebab N Kurry, which he opened in Richardson in 1982. He went on to open India Palace in 1985, a longtime staple in the Indian restaurant community.

He launched Roti Grill in Plano in 1992, and has since opened locations at Victory Plaza near downtown Dallas and at The Star in Frisco.

Roti Grill Knox Street Roti Grill gives former Pei Wei space a bright makeover.Roti Grill

Dishes include

Vegetable Samosas filled with spiced potatoes and peas
Chili Paneer with onions and bell peppers
Dahi Papdi Chaat - fried chickpea flour cake, spicy chickpeas, and chutney

Tandoori specialties include chicken tikka, ground lamb seekh kebab, and shrimp tandoori — each served with basmati rice, naan, and masala sauce. Entrees include chicken Vindaloo in a tangy sauce; plus vegetarian favorites like Chana Masala and Malai Kofta - vegetable and cheese dumplings in a creamy sauce.

Drinks include the Indian Sunset with Indian rum, amaretto, cranberry juice, and pineapple juice; and a Mango Margarita with Hornitos tequila, mango purée, and lime.

The new location spans 3,300 square feet and seats up to 80. It features a vibrant design by Hatsumi Kuzuu (Tei-An, FT33). The former Pei Wei now incorporates decorative details of Indian architecture and art, large wood beams, vibrant colors, and stenciled figures.

It joins other excellent-yet affordable restaurants at Knox Park Village that include Bread Zeppelin, the ingenious salad chain that puts salads inside a crusty loaf of bread, and Fadi's Mediterranean Grill, the excellent Mediterranean and Lebanese concept from Houston.

uptown openings