News You Can Eat
Italian openings and pizza top this slice of Dallas restaurant news
Dallas restaurant action is coming in fast and furious, with the highlights in this roundup being Italian, pizza, gelato, and wine. That's a complete meal right there. Here's what's happening in dining news:
Pollo Riko is another "Pollo" concept, this one serving Peruvian-style marinated charbroiled chicken served with fries and a salad. The menu is limited: You can get a quarter chicken dark or white, a half chicken for $9 or a whole for $14. Sides include rice, salad, or French fries. There's also a chicken sandwich. It's located at 17610 Midway Rd. at Trinity Mills Road.
Marciano's Pizza and Italian Kitchen has opened at 11909 Preston Rd., in the space vacated in April by Dough, which decamped to smaller quarters in Plano. Marciano's is related to Joe's Pizza in Plano (and possibly various other Joe's Pizzas, as well), and follows the pattern of your typical suburban Italian joint, with plastic tablecloths, baked ziti, and cheesy pizzas. There's a photo of the Rat Pack on the wall, but Yelpers are not thrilled with the prices, old-school pizza oven, or spotty service.
Oni Ramen is now open in Deep Ellum, at 2822 Elm St., across from Cafe Brazil. It's the second branch of a Fort Worth restaurant opened in 2016 by owner Jesús García, who studied the art of ramen in Japan and in the Pacific Northwest. The menu at Deep Ellum will depart slightly from the original branch, with a smaller selection of ramen options but with the addition of sushi hand rolls. It'll be open late on weekends: from 5 pm-4 am Fridays, and 12 pm-3 am on Saturdays.
Marco's Pizza has new locations opening around North Texas including one coming soon to 2201 Marsh Ln. in Carrollton, and another in Arlington at 4001 W. Green Oaks Blvd. Headquartered in Toledo, Marco’s is the fastest-growing pizza company in the U.S. with more than 800 stores in over 30 states, the Bahamas, India, and Puerto Rico. It's not to be confused with the Dallas-based chain that used to be called Pizza By Marco, which had to change its name to My Family's Pizza in 2013.
Asian Mint has opened its third location in Inwood Village, in the former Café Istanbul space at 5450 West Lovers Ln. It features New Bangkok-style cuisine, sweet service, and tasteful interior design, just like its other two locations on Forest Lane and Oak Lawn Avenue. The menu includes classics such as pad Thai, tom yum soup, and pad kee maw, and also has a dessert program with signature sweets such as the green tea ice cream cake.
Botolino Gelato, a gelato shop at 2116 Greenville Ave. from a member of the family that used to own Momo's Italian, has opened in the space that was previously The Bottle Shop. Flavors include gianduia, lemon sorbetto, orange basil sorbetto, and white coffee made with a cold infusion of whole beans.
Pōk the Raw Bar, the trendy poké shop in West Village, is no longer taking cash for payment, accepting credit and debit cards only. According to a release, only 5 percent of their customers paid with cash. Restaurants going cashless is a national trend that began in New York; benefits include a deterrent to crime.
Tutta's Pizza in the West End has launched a distinctive Sunday brunch from 10 am-3 pm with chicken biscuits and gravy, brisket frittata, vegan frittata, and a series of strombolis including chorizo hash, pulled pork, brisket, bacon and eggs, and a dessert apple pie stromboli. There's a cool avocado toast fry bread with skillet-fried pizza dough topped with mashed avocado, serrano peppers, grape tomato, bacon, and eggs. You break the yolks, fold, and eat like a taco. Everything is $10 or less.
Cotton Patch Cafe has introduced a new special dish: chicken-fried bacon, which it will feature as an appetizer on its fall menu through October 22 — look out, State Fair of Texas! It includes six bacon strips battered and fried, with a side of gravy and ranch for $5.
RJ Mexican Cuisine, the restaurant in the West End, is jumping onto this kooky bowls trend with a "build-your-own Mexican bowl" with choice of steak, shrimp, chicken, beef, or vegetable; rice or beans; and an array of toppings. Normally $9, they're a dollar off on Wednesdays during lunch.
Gather Kitchen, the new downtown Dallas restaurant that does bowls, has added breakfast to its repertoire. It'll run from 8-10 am Monday through Friday, and 10 am-3 pm on Saturday. You can choose one of their selections such as the Mexican breakfast with sweet potato noodles, black beans, bell peppers, onions, and chicken sausage. Or you can build your own breakfast bowl.
Max's Wine Dive Fort Worth has a new brunch menu. Items include sweet potato doughnuts, French Toast with king cake cream cheese filling, and birthday cake pancakes with sprinkles. Cocktails include a prickly pear mimosa and a build-your-own mimosa bar. Note: This is the Max's in Fort Worth; the Max's in Dallas closed in August.
Duchman Family Winery, an acclaimed Texas winery, has released its first White blend, made with pinot grigio grapes from Reddy Vineyards and trebbiano grapes from Bingham Family Vineyards. This marks the fourth release in a line of wines designed to showcase Duchman's dedicated growers; the prior three releases were all red. It's $17 at the winery and on the website at duchmanwinery.com.
City Works Eatery & Pour House, a new restaurant at The Star in Frisco, is serving Oktoberfest specials through October 3 such as chicken schnitzel sandwich, goat cheese spätzle stroganoff with beef short rib, and smoked potato croquettes with sauerkraut.
Fearing's has a new chef and general manager. Joining chef Eric Dreyer is chef Jaron Dubinsky, who was previously at The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay and before that at The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas. He's a 2014 finalist on Food Network's Cutthroat Kitchen. The new general manager is Xavier Echevarria, coming to Dallas from The Faena Hotel Miami Beach.
Mountain Mike's Pizza with its curly pepperoni. Photo courtesy of Mountain Mike's 
It's Hatch chile time at Blue Mesa. Photo courtesy of Blue Mesa Grill