Fried Chicken News

Crispy Filipino fried chicken from Jollibee makes Dallas debut in Plano

Fried chicken, Filipino-style, has arrived.

Photo courtesy of Jollibee

Filipino fast-food chain Jollibee, known for its crispy fried chicken, has a date for its first Dallas-area location. The chain will open a restaurant in Plano at 1016 Preston Rd., in a former Pollo Tropical space, on Thursday, August 20.

Jollibee takes a homey approach to its fried chicken, which they serve with steamed rice and a side of gravy. You can buy it as a meal; with choice of sides such as mashed potatoes or corn; or in a bucket that has a red, KFC-like exterior.

Jollibee West Plano is their third store in Texas and their 45th store in the U.S. Texas is a priority market. According to a release, they chose West Plano for its diverse population and food scene, and its convenient location in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area.

Their menu features a mashup of Western comfort food and Asian flavors including:

Chickenjoy: Jollibee's fried chicken is delicately hand-breaded to be crispy on the outside, with a marinade that makes it juicy on the inside. It comes with a side of gravy.
Jolly Spaghetti: Theirs features a signature sweet-style sauce with chunky slices of savory ham and hotdog, and topped with a sprinkle of cheese.
Peach Mango Pie: A fried pie served in a hand-held sleeve, filled with Philippine mangoes in a light crispy crust.
Chicken Sandwich Deluxe: Only available in the U.S, this chicken sandwich is made with a hand-breaded chicken breast on a brioche bun with garlic aioli sauce, lettuce, and tomatoes.

Jollibee is the largest fast food chain brand in the Philippines, with more than 1,400 stores in its home country, and more than 240 international branches including in the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Macau, Brunei, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Italy, and in the United Kingdom.

They opened their first U.S. store in 1998 in Daly City, California, and now operate 45 stores in the states of Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Washington, and Virginia of the United States, and 10 stores in Canada.

While the pandemic has complicated restaurant openings in 2020, Jollibee has continued to safely and successfully open stores across the country, including Houston, Chicago, and two locations across New Jersey.

Maribeth Dela Cruz, President of Jollibee Group North America, Philippine Brands, says in a release that they look forward to serving Dallas-area customers.

"We want our fans in West Plano and across the country to know that we're putting them first and are abiding by the recommended sanitation and social distancing precautions to keep them safe," Dela Cruz says.

Hours at the Jollibee West Plano will be 8 am-10 pm daily.

On opening day, services will temporarily be limited to call-ahead pick-up and drive-thru only. Looking forward, the brand plans to introduce home delivery via Doordash and walk-in take-out to customers. The store's dining room will remain closed until further notice.

openings

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."