Re-opening News

Chef brings indoor/outdoor venue Foundry in West Dallas back to life

Its outdoor space was always one of its most charming attributes.

Photo by Elliot Munoz

A West Dallas institution is being revived: The former Foundry/Chicken Scratch is being reopened by Shane Spillers, owner of Eno's Pizza and fervent former Foundry customer.

Spillers says he loved the place before it closed and wanted to make sure it kept going for the neighborhood. He's currently overseeing an update of the space, which moving forward will simply be called The Foundry.

"I live a few blocks away and I've always enjoyed the space ever since it opened," he says. "It's an amazing space for gatherings of friends and family that has served the needs of the community in such an amazing way. I hated to see it go, and to have the opportunity to come in and resurrect it is a huge honor."

The Foundry was opened in 2011 when owners Tim Byres, Christopher Jeffers, and Chris Zielke, who also owned Smoke and BarBelmont, built their urban, kid-friendly oasis worthy of hipster Oak Cliff in the style of an "Austin-style beer garden" with live music and more than 50 local and international brews, on the property formerly occupied by Jack’s Backyard.

It made CultureMap's list of underrated music venues, which cited the joys of gravel under your feet, picnic tables galore, a long list of beers, and plenty of diversity on stage – from electronic and avant-garde duos to indie-rock acts from Austin.

It also made CultureMap's list of fantastic fried chicken in 2013, a lifetime ago in the world of fried chicken - where it was praised for serving chicken two ways: rotisserie and in biscuit sandwiches.

Its low-pressure vibe got it on CultureMap's 2016 list of great places for a first date, and it was also a drop-in in 2020 for then-Presidential candidates Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden.

Alas, it closed in May, a casualty of COVID-19, which is an irony given the fact that its indoor/outdoor profile is the direction many restaurants and bars are going in these post-pandemic times.

Spillers says they gave the space some maintenance and love. "We're making it feel a little better and brighter," he says.

He and his team from Eno's are also updating the menu.

"Thematically it'll be the same, definitely with fried chicken but we're expanding it with new recipes and eventually the addition of other experiences, like breakfast, so it can be a full experience seven days a week," he says.

It'll be a work in progress, but they hope to be open by the end of September.

"We want to bring the Foundry back to life with the bar, food, live music programming, and make the space available is most important thing," he says.

openings

Where to Drink

Where to drink in Dallas: 7 bars with St. Patrick's Day specials

Velvet Taco

Green margarita with a green velvet cake

It's that time of year again to gather up all your green for St. Patrick's Day. The holiday, which started in Ireland and was introduced to the U.S. in 1737, has evolved to be very boozy. It's definitely a big deal in Dallas, which comes out for the annual St. Patrick's Day parade on Greenville Avenue in force.

For the March edition of our monthly Where to Drink column, we go green with restaurants and bars offering St. Patrick's day specials:

Fuzzy's
Taco shop chain will bring the luck of the Irish with the Ginger Irish ’Rita, a limited-time cocktail that gives Fuzzy’s signature frozen margarita an orange kick thanks to a float of Jameson Orange, an orange-flavored version of Jameson Irish Whiskey, topped with spicy Q Ginger Ale for $10. Available March 10-May 5.

Kona Grill
Hawaiian restaurant is offering a swath of lucky specials during happy hour. There will be $3 green beer, sake, and seltzer. Featured bites include $6 corned beef sliders available for dine-in and takeout. Available March 14-March 21.

Logan’s Roadhouse
Laid-back steakhouse chain is featuring green beer for $4-$5. They also have a green butter which can be paired with Logan’s rolls. Available at Hurst and Burleson locations March 14–17.

Mexican Bar CompanyMexican Bar Company

Mexican Bar Company
Plano restaurant is celebrating St. Patrick's Day all month long with its drink of the month: Called the Lucky Charm, it's a lively sip featuring basil infused agave, cucumber puree, lime juice, serrano-infused Lalo Blanco Tequila, and a fresh serrano pepper for garnish, if you dare. $17.50.

STK
Uptown steakhouse will offer the Leprechaun Stiletto — made with Grey Goose Le Citron Vodka, St. Germain, cucumber, and mint — during happy hour for $9. Food specials include corned beef sliders, $26 for two. Available March 14-March 21 from 3-6 pm.

Thirsty Lion
Pub chain has cocktail and beer specials including an Irish espresso martini and an Irish old-fashioned, both made with Jameson Whiskey. They'll also be pouring Guinness Stout, Smithwick's Red Ale, and the Blacksmith:: Smithwick's layered with Guinness Stout. Bites include Scotch eggs, Reuben sandwich, and Irish Shepherd's pie. Available at Addison, The Colony, Plano, Las Colinas, and Euless through March 17.

Velvet Taco
Taco chain has two Irish specials: A green margarita with Lunazul blanco tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, and agave nectar.; and a green twist on their red velvet cake, tinted green and topped with Lucky Charms. The margarita is available in small for $5 and large for $8, and the cake is $4.25. Both available from March 17-21.

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