cocktails to-go

Dallas bars and restaurants can now sell pre-mixed cocktails to-go

Get a cocktail to-go.

Photo by Denny Culbert

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has freed the margaritas. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission announced over the weekend that bars and restaurants may now sell pre-mixed cocktails to-go.

Effectively immediately, these establishments may sell cocktails provided their containers are covered with tape and placed in a plastic bag that's sealed with a zip tie. The waiver applies to any bar or restaurant with "permanent food service capabilities," and any cocktail purchase must be accompanied by at least one food item that's been prepared on-site. Diners who purchase a cocktail to-go may not transport it in the passenger cabin of their vehicles.

Previously, bars and restaurants had been permitted to sell cocktail kits with the liquor in its manufacturer-sealed packaging — not that those restrictions stopped Tex-Mex restaurants statewide from selling frozen margaritas in sealed plastic jugs. Beer and wine must still be sold in their original packaging.

"Operating during this pandemic has proved an incredible challenge for all segments of the alcoholic beverage industry," TABC executive director Bentley Nettles said in a release. "Opening up the ability for these businesses to sell mixed drinks to go will help ease the burden for many of these struggling businesses."

Earning this wavier has been a priority for the Texas Restaurant Association, which hailed the move. Coming just a day after Gov. Abbott reduced restaurants to 50-percent capacity and closed the state's bars, the ability to sell pre-mixed cocktails to-go could be an important source of revenue for businesses that have already been struggling.

“With restaurants employing more than 1.3 million Texans and representing 51 percent of the food dollar, we simply cannot afford to let these critical businesses close for good,” TRA president and CEO Emily Williams Knight said in a statement. “Today’s announcement is an important step forward, giving many hope, and so we’re very grateful to Governor Abbott and our partners in the distilled spirits business for working with us to get restaurants some of the critical relief they need.”

politics cocktails

Ice Cream News

Over-the-top Sloan's Ice Cream from Florida makes Texas debut in Plano

Sloan's

Sloan's Ice Cream

A fantastically over-the-top ice cream shop has made its Texas debut in Plano: Sloan's Ice Cream, a Florida-based chain, has opened a location at Village 121, a bustling center at 8315 Preston Rd. #300, where it's scooping fun flavors in a space drenched in Instagrammable candy-colored hues.

Sloan's was founded in 1999 in West Palm Beach by ice cream enthusiast and trained chef Sloan Kamenstein, and currently has a dozen locations including eight on Florida's east coast, plus California, Ohio, and Las Vegas, Nevada. They've been featured on TV shows such as Keeping Up with the Kardashians and The World According to Jeff Goldblum, and also made a USA Today list of Top 10 Ice Cream Parlors in the USA.

Each Sloan's delivers an immersive experience. Colorful decor was a theme from the get-go, with early locations featuring extras such as hand-painted angels on the ceiling, in an effort to make the stores more of an experience versus a plain old scoop shop. Their shops boast vivid, almost psychedelic interiors and eye-catching chandeliers in hues of pink, magenta, aqua, and neon green.

Row of chandeliers at Sloan's Ice Cream in PlanoSloan's

Ice cream is surely the star, with a library of more than 50 flavors including your basic choc-van-straw, along with foodie-level creations such as:

Black & White Malt: old-fashioned black and white malted milkshake flavor with malt balls
Carrot cake ice cream with chunks of carrot cake, cream cheese frosting, and walnuts
Circus: cotton candy ice cream loaded with gummy bears
Coffee & doughnuts: coffee ice cream with Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts
Coconut Storm: coconut ice cream with shredded coconut

The ice cream can be ordered in a waffle cone they make on site, as well as in shakes, smoothies, ice cream sodas, and sundaes including some outrageous shareable varieties like Tracy's Kitchen Sink, which comprises 18 scoops of ice cream, every topping, cookies, brownies, whipped cream, and cherries – all served in a real sink.

But they go beyond ice cream with chocolates, cookies, brownies, chocolate and caramel candy-apples, bulk candy, plus gifts and fluffy toys.

Bringing the concept to DFW are Pardhu Vemuri and his wife, Susmitha Katkoori, an acclaimed makeup artist. The couple became enchanted by Sloane's wondrous atmosphere, and their customers have, as well.

"The ice cream is incredible, but everyone loves it, the moment they walk in the door," Vemuri says. "It's fun to watch when they come in — out come the cameras, when they see this is a cool place. They stop and spend time with the decor before placing their order."

desserts ice cream openings plano texas debut