Fried Chicken News

Chicken restaurant from Dallas chef Omar Flores soars the suburbs

Whistle Britches is winning over the 'burbs of the north.

Whistle Britches

The second location is set for Whistle Britches, the Southern restaurant with fried chicken from chef Omar Flores. According to CBRE, the restaurant will open in February 2018 at 6121 W. Park Blvd. in Plano, at The Shops at Willow Bend.

Whistle Britches will be one of six to eight new restaurants at Willow Bend's expanding "restaurant district," part of a $125 million renovation and expansion at the mall.

CBRE senior VP Greg Pierce says Willow Bend is a prime spot. "With the addition of great tenants such as The Crayola Experience, Equinox health club, and the Plano Children’s Theatre, we believe Starwood will be able to pull off something exceptional at Willow Bend," he says. "To be an integral part of the great mix of restaurateurs coming into this project is a testament to the creative mind and dedication to exceptional, high-quality dishes Chef Omar is regarded for."

Whistle Britches opened its first location in 2016 at 6110 Frankford Rd., Dallas, in the former Spork space, which was a converted Sonic Drive-In with large roll-up doors leading out to an inviting wood-decked patio.

A James Beard semifinalist and critical favorite, Flores can now focus on Whistle Britches full-time since Casa Rubia, his tapas-style restaurant at Trinity Groves, was shut down in July.

Whistle Britches is a full-service, dine-in restaurant with biscuits, chicken and waffles, and chicken wings. One of the most popular dishes is a sandwich made with fried chicken and a biscuit. There is brunch on Saturday and Sunday, and a full service bar with local beer and cocktails.

For Whistle Britches, Flores is partnered with Alec Marshi, who also owns Carmel Restaurant in Coppell, an American-Mediterranean spot he opened with his parents in 2014. The expansion won't stop with Plano, Marshi says, and there's a menu expansion in the works as well, with some salads and dishes that are a little healthier than fried food.

"The Frankford location has done well, and we've been fortunate that a lot of landlords have approached us," Marshi says. "After Plano, we're looking at Southlake. We almost have a location, we're very close. We're liking the suburbs."

openings

Bowls News

California acai bowl chain to open its first Texas location in Plano

Tru Bowl

A California chain that specializes in açai bowls is coming to Texas: Called Trū Bowl, it'll make its Texas debut in Plano, in the Shops at Granite Park in a storefront next door to Tiff's Treats, at 5760 SH-121 #145.

Bringing the concept to Texas is franchisee Lilian Nguyen, an accounting professional who became enamored with the concept while visiting family in Newport Beach.

“We had Trū Bowl every day for breakfast, it was so delicious," she says. "We came back home and we tried some local spots, but they were not the same."

They chose the buzzy Granite Park shopping center at the southeast corner of the Dallas North Tollway, surrounded by many corporate offices — the perfect market for the quick and healthy fare that Tru Bowl serves.

Tru Bowl was launched in the Los Angeles area in 2019 by entrepreneur Cyndi Schoenecker, who wanted to provide a quick and easy nutrient-dense meal; acai is the small purple berry from the acai palm tree, native to Central and South America, known as a "superfood" because it contains antioxidants and is believed to provide health and nutritional benefits.

Tru Bowl lets you craft-your-own bowls with a base that's pure açai.

“On its own, it tastes very refreshing and crisp, and not overly sweet," Nguyen says. "You can let the ingredients you choose determine of the sweetness of the bowl."

The shop will offer more than 10 signature bowls such as:

Trū Blue: Blue majik, açai, chia pudding, strawberry, banana, blueberry, coconut, hemp seed, goji berries, and honey
Rio Bowl: Extra açai, hemp granola, strawberry, blueberry, coconut, banana, and hemp hearts
EZ-Trū: Açai, maple cold oats, chia pudding. hemp heart granola, strawberries, bananas, blueberries

Prices range from $11-$15, depending on size. In addition to the açai bowls, they'll serve smoothies, cold brew, and matcha.

The Plano location will be the 21st in the chain, joining locations in Arizona and Illinois. It will accommodate dining-in with seating for about 22 people.

"Dallas has a strong food and wellness culture, and we think people will appreciate the fresh ingredients," Nguyen says.

openings