Opening News
Spicy queso and Hatch chiles make this Dallas restaurant news extra-hot
This roundup of Dallas restaurant news includes openings in downtown Dallas and Lakewood. There are also new dishes and drinks — including an extra-spicy spinoff of a queso loved across the state that's available for a limited time.
Here's the hottest Dallas dining news:
La Madeleine has opened its first "petite market" and bakery at 2100 Olive St., on the ground floor of the Residences at Park District, open daily from 7 am-9 pm for takeout, dine in, and dedicated curbside pick-up parking available at Olive Street entrance.
The new La Madeleine is a modern extension with a smaller format. Coffee and bakery are near the entrance alongside a bookshelf for pick-up orders. The menu features an expanded coffee program, fresh-baked viennoiserie, brioche breakfast sandwiches, quiche bites, salads, sandwiches, charcuterie boards, wine, and new agua fresca mimosas, along with la Madeleine classics such as croque monsieur, chicken salad, Caesar, tomato basil soup and strawberries romanoff.
Hudson House Lakewood opened on July 28. This is the long-awaited third outpost at Mockingbird & Abrams, bringing major firsts for the Dallas-based brand including a private event room called The Pineapple Room, and their largest bar yet to accommodate its famous Happy Hour.
Fat Straws has launched seven new seasonal summer drinks: Blueberry Pineapple Jasmine Tea topped with Cheese Foam; Pineapple Fresca with Orange Sherbet; Strawberry Pineapple Jasmine Tea topped with Cheese Foam; Strawberry Blueberry Jasmine Tea; Strawberry Jasmine Tea; Mango Jasmine Tea; and Pineapple Fresca thirst quencher. They're available at all four locations: Richardson, Dallas Alpha/Noel, Dallas Preston/Forest, and Plano.
BTG: Bullion To-Go has added new items to their gourmet market for home delivery, available online at bullionrestaurant.com, with delivery available Monday-Saturday. Meal Kits start at $32 and include Ribeye or Chicken Kabobs, Beef Tenderloin Dinner, and Wagyu Burger Kit. Egg Pastas include fettucine, wild nushroom, agnolotti, and escargot ravioli. There are new butchery items, spice rubs, and gougéres pastry kits where you can make Bullion's classic French profiterole. There's also smoked salmon, hummus and pita, and more than 7,500 bottles of French wine.
Eatzi's has a new menu of items with Hatch chiles including Hatch Bacon Mac n Cheese, Hatch Chorizo Queso, Hatch Pepper Hummus, Hatch pan-sered wings, Hatch maple-roasted turkey breast, and the Sausage & Hatch Pepper Pizza, available on Fridays only.
Avocados From Mexico, the Dallas-based company that is top-selling brand of avocados in the U.S., has been named to Fast Company’s list of Best Workplaces for Innovators 2020, honoring businesses that demonstrate a commitment to innovation. Founded seven years ago, AFM was the first fresh produce brand to have Super Bowl ads; the first in its category to launch a chatbot to educate consumers on avocados; and it opened the world’s first avocado-centric restaurant, AvoEatery. Speaking of ...
AvoEatery, the avocado-centric restaurant at Trinity Groves, has a new menu of $3 frozen margaritas which you can get in shaved ice flavors such as Hibiscus, Kiwi, Lychee, Pineapple, Watermelon, Blood Orange, Blue Cotton Candy, Prickly Pear, Tamarind, Cherry, Blueberry, Strawberry, Melon, and Blue Curacao, for an additional $2. It sounds like the program Taco Cabana did. Per TABC laws, each drink will be sealed.
Torchy's Tacos is launching its seventh annual Some Like It Hot promotion with two new heat-filled items: Daredevil Queso Blanco, a spicy sister to their legendary green chile queso, featuring jalapenos, serranos, cilantro, and diablo sauce, served with chili lime-salted chicharrones; and a spicy margarita with habanero-infused Exotico tequila, sweet & sour, fresh jalapeno, and a Tajin rim. The Rocket Shrimp Taco is also returning, with habanero-battered fried shrimp, cabbage slaw, cotija cheese, candied jalapenos, cilantro and Diablo Mayo, served on a flour tortilla.
Libertine Bar on Lower Greenville Avenue has dived into the to-go drink scene with a menu of offerings that includes frozen margaritas in a convenient 64-ounce jug; mimosa kits featuring a bottle of bubbly with OJ for $15; Ranch Water featuring tequila, lime, and Topo Chico, for $10; and a rather upscale Cherry Whiskey Coke with house-infused cherry whiskey and Mexican coke, yum, for $10. All of their food items including fish & chops, beef sandwich with queso, and a Beyond meat burger with arugula, are $8 or less.
Impossible Burger is coming to more than 8,000 Walmart grocery stores across all 50 states. It'll come in 12-ounce packages and can be found fresh in the meat aisle. It’s also available for online ordering through Walmart Grocery Pickup and Delivery.
Polar Seltzer sparkling seltzer waters, including Polar Seltzer'ade and SeltzerJR, will now be distributed nationwide. Polar Beverages entered into an agreement with Plano-based Keurig Dr Pepper. Family-owned and operated since 1882, Polar Seltzer is based in New England and is the third largest flavored sparkling water brand in the U.S., despite being available in less than 35 percent of the country.
The annual Dallas Chocolate Festival will be virtual in 2020. The World of Chocolate – In a Box will take place September 12-13, with a box of chocolate samples, virtual classes, demonstrations, and tastings. Organizer DallasChocolate.org has partnered with Alto to deliver the chocolate boxes on a pre-scheduled date and time.
Cafe Victoria founder-owner Luciana Gomez was the subject of a profile by Forbes, in which Gomez offers tips to navigate through COVID-19. Gomez, who opened the Victory Park coffee shop four years ago, is recognized for her branding expertise and background in marketing which helped facilitate both the opening of her coffeeshop and the continued growth of her marketing consulting company.
