Street Food News
Italian snack food chain rolls new kind of dough in Dallas 'burb
An Italian street-food chain from Ohio is bringing a unique wrap-type sandwich to Texas. Piada Italian Street Food will debut its first Dallas-area location in Frisco, at 3301 Preston Rd., on the endcap of the Centre at Preston Ridge development. Scheduled to open in November, it will not be Piada's only location in Texas; two branches are opening in Houston.
Inspired by the roadside family-run food carts and markets of Rimini, a seaside community in Italy, Piada was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 2010. The namesake dish is the piada, a thin-crust, handmade dough baked on a stone grill, filled with items, then rolled, like a fancy burrito Chipotlecough. Other entrees include pasta bowls and chopped salads.
Regardless of piada, bowl, or salad, it comes with a grill item, cheese, and vegetables. Diners can choose from three signatures per category, such as steak diavolo, chicken basil pesto pasta, or calamari salad, or else customize their experience. Selections include chicken, Italian sausage, and salmon; toppings include artichokes and black olives.
There are also "tascas," or sandwiches, made with the thin-crust piada dough. Three varieties include chicken salad; Italian trio; and the farm club with fried chicken, pepper jack cheese, avocado, arugula, tomato, and crispy pancetta. Each is served with a seasonal side such as kale salad, quinoa, or orzo crunch.
Entrees are complemented by sides such as tomato basil and lobster bisque soups, and two kinds of breadsticks — Parmigiano-Reggiano or pepperoni. A cannoli chips dessert incorporates crispy, rolled Italian cookies tossed in powdered sugar and accompanied by chocolate chip cream icing. Beverage service showcases Italian sodas and teas alongside Acqua Panna and San Pellegrino waters.
As fabulously exotic as all that sounds, it's actually not our first encounter with piada-style wraps; a place called Arezzo debuted in Addison on 2014 and has since opened a branch in Southlake. The 'burbs love their Italian street food.
The Frisco location will feature light-filled interiors and modern, European-inspired décor with design elements such as warm-stained concrete floors, LED lighting, and white oak furniture, plus Carrara marble, brushed aluminum, painted brick, and subway tile.
Piada founder Chris Doody offers a word, not about Frisco, but about Dallas.
"Dallas has earned national acclaim for its excellent Italian offerings, and the Piada concept, which focuses on quality and authenticity, will speak to the city’s sophisticated palate while offering a distinctive and delicious option for quick and casual dining," he says. "We’re thrilled to make our introduction with a restaurant that is central to myriad neighborhoods and top business and leisure destinations."
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Awards ceremony host Cleo Greene, of NBC5's 'Texas Today.'Photo by Guillermo Rosas