Seafood Special

New Plano seafood restaurant pairs ultra-fresh fish with tiki drinks

Salmon with succotash is on the menu at The Keeper.

Photo courtesy of The Keeper

The folks behind Mexican Sugar, Whiskey Cake, and The Ranch at Las Colinas are taking on seafood, with a restaurant called The Keeper, newly open at The Shops at Legacy in the former Artin's Grill space.

A release calls the restaurant an unprecedented, fresh and vibrant, wild-caught seafood restaurant, with fish flown in daily from around the globe, captivating recipes, and an incredible dining experience. Its Facebook page whimsically calls it a tiki bar.

Judd Fruia, who has managed The Ranch for the past six years, is director of operations. The chef is Colleen O'Hare, most recently of Good2Go Taco fame, but with tenures at high-flying restaurants such as Mot Hai Bar, York Street, and the original Green Room in Deep Ellum.

"We are carving our own path; we do our own research, we travel, we shake hands and make deals that ensure we're bringing home the best value to our guests," Fruia says in a release.

An open kitchen includes a fish processing room behind glass that you can peer into. The bar serves reimagined Polynesian cocktails such as a Mai Tai and a Singapore sling, made with premium rums. There'll also be beer and wine that pairs with seafood.

The front doors have mermaid handles, there are port lights and a polished tube chandelier, and a blue and white color scheme that feels nautical.

Appetizers include crabcakes, mussels, calamari, and pork belly sliders. Entrees run about $25 to $28 and include salmon with succotash; halibut with asparagus and fingerling potatoes; and whole fish, done with spicy lime butter, Brussels sprout leaves, scallions, and baby bell mushrooms for $38, to share. Some dishes are reminiscent of what you might get at an authentic Asian restaurant, such as the chicken and napa cabbage salad.

There's a lobster BLT and a pretty crab and mango salad. A raw selection includes oysters and tuna poke. A "land lovers" section has Wagyu strip steak, clay pot chicken, and other non-fish items.

The restaurant is across from Mexican Sugar at 5840 Legacy Cir., and it will be open daily for lunch and dinner.

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Cocktail Time

Where to drink in Dallas: 7 holiday drink specials for December

Courtesy photo

Festive drinking at the Miracle Bar.

Dallas in December is brimming with holiday festivities, and that includes cocktails: from over-the-top pop-up bars to extravagantly priced cocktails to drinks with a festive Christmas theme.

We're covering all that and more in this edition of Where to Drink, our monthly column recommending the best places to have to drink in Dallas:

The Charlotte
American bistro and bar recently opened on Henderson Avenue has three specialty holiday cocktails starting at $14. There's a butterscotch espresso martini with Revel Stoke Butterscotch, Baileys Espresso Cream, and espresso; cranberry paloma, with Don Julio tequila, grapefruit, cranberry, and a splash of Squirt; and a twist on hot chocolate. Called The Charlotte's hot chocolate, it features house-made cocoa with red wine and Mozart Dark Chocolate liqueur. The space has also been decorated with red hanging ornaments and wreaths and bows on the walls to enhance the holiday vibe.

The Mansion Bar
Don't come to this swanky bar inside the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek if you're looking for a happy hour. For holiday high-rollers they have a crazy special “Elf on the Top Shelf” menu of four cocktails priced at $75 each — not kidding. There's the Evergreen Elixir with Macklowe Gold Whiskey, L.N.Mattei Cap Corse Rouge Quinquina, and Fot-Li Vermut; the Midwinter Manhattan with High West A Midwinter Night's Dram Rye Whiskey, Alessio Vermouth di Torino Rosso, and Angostura Bitters; the Golden Hearth with Casa Del Sol Angel’s Reserve Añejo Tequila, prickly pear cordial, lime, orange bitters; and the Shiver & Shine with Belvedere 10 Organic Vodka, Mulassano Vermouth di Torino Bianco, and orange bitters.

Miracle at Aussie Grind
Australian-inspired cafe in Frisco has transformed into a “Miracle” pop up bar with a variety of specialty cocktails including the Christmasaurus, a tropical drink with pineapple rum, mezcal, apricot liquor, coconut milk, and coffee; Rudolph’s Replacement, with vodka, coffee liqueur, orange curacao, chai syrup, almond milk, and aromatic bitters; and hot buttered rum. True to form for a Miracle bar, the drinks come in collector cups like Santa pants and boots that can be purchased. The drinks range from $16-$18.

Omni PGA Frisco
Resort and PGA District has holiday-themed cocktails at six of its dining outlets through December. Trick Rider has a Pecan Manhattan with Brown Butter Woodford Reserve, Carpano Antica, pecan bitter and candied pecan. The Ice House has Bourbon & Bells with Bourbon, apple, cinnamon, and torched rosemary; Lounge By Topgolf has Down the Chimney, with Jameson Irish Whiskey, Baileys Original Irish Cream, vanilla ice cream, and Oreo. The Lookout has a Sugar Plum Sparkler featuring an edible shimmer, Gingerbread Old Fashioned, and Milk & Cookies, with espresso martini mix and Baileys Irish Cream.

Red Lobster
Seafood chain is cutting us a break with a newly launched weekday Happy Hour from 3-6 pm featuring $5 drink specials and $2 off select starters. Drink specials include margarita, Long Island iced tea, Tito's Twisted Strawberry Lemonade, 14-ounce Blue Moon draft, 14-ounce Bud Light draft, 6-ounce Mark West pinot noir, and six-ounce Ecco Domani pinot grigio. Discounted starters include lobster flatbread, seafood-stuffed mushrooms, crab queso, lobster dip, and mozzarella cheese sticks.

Sanjh
Indian restaurant in Irving has four holiday drinks with wonderfully exotic flavors: The Autumn Old Fashioned has Bulleit bourbon, amaretto, maple syrup, and almond flakes; Golden Glow has turmeric-infused Ketel One vodka, velvet falernum, and orange bitters; Harvest Spritz has Tanqueray gin, spiced cranberry syrup, lime, and cranberry dust; and the Negroni Royal has jasmine tea-infused Tanqueray, saffron-infused Campari and rose petal-kissed sweet vermouth. Cocktails are $16.

Very Merry Village at The Village Dallas
Mixed-use community in East Dallas is hosting a pop-up on the second floor of The Village Country Club Wednesday-Sunday until December 29, all decked out with Christmas trees. The menu has seven festive cocktails, including Mrs. Claus’ cranberry spritz, with La Marca Prosecco, cranberry juice, and ginger beer; Santarita, with Patron Reposado, Raspberry Liqueur, Cointreau, Agave, Lime; and a salted caramel espresso martini. There’s also a selection of draft and canned beers, wine, and champagne. Drinks range from $12-$14. Entry is free.

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