Sam Fox News

Flower Child restaurant sibling Culinary Dropout to debut in Dallas

Dallas is getting its own Culinary Dropout.

Courtesy photo

A new restaurant from a highly successful restaurant group is making its Dallas debut: Called Culinary Dropout, it's a casual gastropub with a quirky, rock 'n' roll atmosphere, comfort food, and cocktails, and it's opening in Dallas' Design District.

The opening is a ways off: According to a release, it'll debut in early 2024 at The International, a high-end showroom center at 150 Turtle Creek Blvd.

Culinary Dropout is part of Fox Restaurant Concepts (FRC), the same group that owns The Henry and Flower Child, which all have locations in town. Dallas loves Fox concepts.

FRC was founded by Sam Fox, a restaurant whiz who has created a dozen brands that also include not-in-Dallas concepts such as Zinburger, Blanco Cocina + Cantina, and Doughbird.

In a statement, he says the concept is a good fit for the Design District. "I was inspired by the new growth and development of this area, it's just a really cool place to be," he says.

Food
The Culinary Dropout menu contains an edgy mix of meals done with attitude that include:

Pork ribs slow roasted for 36 hours and basted in jalapeño BBQ sauce
Buffalo hot wings
Fried chicken drizzled with honey
Soft pretzels with Provolone cheese fondue

Drinks
Cocktails feature house-made syrups, infused liquor, and fresh-squeezed juices, including:

El Matador with añejo tequila, elderflower liqueur, ginger agave, and orange bitters
Room Service with gin, lemon, strawberry, and bubbly

Atmosphere
The concept is said to radiate an irresistible welcome, with an eclectic mix of rockstar art, grand chandeliers, and leather booths. It includes a stage for live music and TVs for sports, and is inclusive for families, date night, a quick beer, or after-work food and drink.

There are eight Culinary Dropout locations: six in Fox Restaurant Concepts' home state of Arizona, plus one in Denver and one in Austin, which opened in 2016.

According to Fox, Dallas will be the first location with a rooftop bar, which will undoubtedly feature Dallas skyline views.

Setting
The International on Turtle Creek is an architectural icon and adaptive reuse office/showroom project created in 2005. It was acquired by Quadrant Investment Properties (QIP), a Dallas real estate investment firm that focuses on development projects in urban centers, in 2021.

QIP founder Chad Cook says that having a showpiece restaurant like this was a priority.

"The acquisition strategy for The International was centered around attracting a world class food and beverage operator," Cook says. "From the project's inception, Culinary Dropout was the ideal fit for this space. We couldn't be more excited to partner with Sam Fox and his team."

openings

Taking the field

Dak Prescott-backed Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux kicks off in Wylie

Photo courtesy of Walk-Ons

Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux is opening in Wylie on August 10.

A Louisiana sports bar chain that counts Cowboys QB Dak Prescott as a partner continues to build its fan base in Dallas-Fort Worth: Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux is set to open a new location in Wylie on Monday, August 10.

Announced earlier this year, the restaurant is at 906 FM 544, near the intersection of Highway 78 and FM 544. The opening marks the chain's 20th Texas location and its second operating restaurant in the DFW area.

Founded in Baton Rouge in 2003 by former LSU basketball "walk-ons" Brandon Landry and Jack Warner, Walk-On's has grown to more than 80 locations nationwide. The company is co-owned by former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (an Austin native), and franchise partners include Prescott, along with former NFL player Derrick Brooks, and college football coach Dabo Swinney.

Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux Wylie The new Walk-On's is at 906 FM 544, Wylie.Photo courtesy of Walk-On's

The menu is centered on seafood and classic Louisiana dishes: fried seafood platters, pastas, burgers, sandwiches, po'boys, fried oysters, gumbo, fried alligator, and boudin balls. Prices range from $10 to $20.

Starters include waffle cheese fries, fried pickles, boneless wings, cheeseburger sliders, spinach-artichoke dip, and venison nachos. They have a bread pudding made with Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

There's also a plentiful selection of beers on tap, plus margaritas and other crafty-ish cocktails.

The Wylie restaurant is owned by franchisee Cooper Thomson, who says the community made the city an appealing place to expand.

"I am thrilled to expand Walk-On's presence in Dallas, and particularly in the community of Wylie," Thomson says in a release. "To be a part of the growth in this area - to serve families and be a place where little league teams celebrate and football fans cheer on their team - is such a special opportunity."

Although Walk-On's has been in the DFW market since pre-pandemic times, Wylie will be its second restaurant in DFW open currently, joining a location at Grandscape in The Colony. Earlier Dallas-area locations in Irving and Arlington have closed, although the company has previously said it plans to reopen the Arlington restaurant at a new location.

The Wylie restaurant features a sports bar with dozens of TVs, a large outdoor patio, and a family-friendly dining room designed for game-day crowds.

Grand opening festivities will kick off at 10:30 am on Monday, August 10, with a ceremony featuring Walk-On's founder Brandon Landry, franchise owner Cooper Thomson, Wylie Mayor Matthew Porter, city officials, and representatives from Wylie High School and Wylie East High School.

The celebration will include donations to the two schools' athletic departments, followed by a ribbon-cutting at 10:45 am. Doors open to the public at 11 am, and the first 100 guests to dine will have a chance to win free Walk-On's for a year.

Walk-On's will be the second sports bar concept with celebrity cred to open in DFW within a few days' time. Shark Club, from Dallas Stars owner Tom Gaglardi, opened Friday, August 7 in Northlake.

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