Airline Food

American Airlines adds new healthy foodstuffs to main cabin menu

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Photo courtesy of Zoe's

In what is a big coup for Zoës Kitchen, the healthy Plano-based restaurant chain has teamed up with American Airlines with a menu of healthy meal options for sale for customers in the main cabin. So sorry, first class.

The new menu was designed in collaboration with Zoës head chef and culinary VP Antonio Iocchi, and includes signature dishes such as its hummus, as well as items that are unique for American Airlines.

According to a release, the new items will be available for purchase on most domestic flights longer than three hours beginning December 1.

American Airlines VP Janelle Anderson says in a statement that the partnership is in response to customer requests. "Our customers have asked for lighter, tasty food choices," she says. "This collaboration ... provides an innovative, fresh approach to onboard offerings."

Zoës Kitchen CEO Kevin Miles has a quote, too: "Our goal in our restaurants is to provide delicious, wholesome food, inspired by the flavors of the Mediterranean, and for our guests to feel good and motivated to live life to the fullest after dining with us."

The new items include:

Breakfast Sandwich: Turkey bacon, egg slices, tomato, and arugula on a waffle brioche bun with Calabrian pepper aioli.
Continental Breakfast Box: Belgian waffle, hazelnut spread, and fresh berries.
The Grüben: Zoës' signature sandwich (and you can tell it's a signature because of the ü) with sliced turkey, Manchego cheese, Mediterranean slaw, and feta spread layered on marble wheat bread, served with a Zoës chocolate chip cookie.
Chicken Wrap: Grilled chicken wrap with mozzarella, tomato, arugula, and artichokes, served with a Zoës chocolate chip cookie.
Hummus Duo: Zoës signature hummus duo, including their classic flavor topped with Kalamata olives, and basil pesto hummus — served with pita bread, cucumber, and carrot.

American will continue to offer its fruit and cheese plate and breakfast platter, in addition to the new Zoës options.

Throughout 2019, American and Zoës will continue to collaborate and introduce additional items in the main cabin, as well as domestic first-class service.

transportation health

Taste the tropics

Coco Caribbean Haus brings a taste of Haiti and Jamaica to The Colony

Photo courtesy of Coco Caribbean Haus

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A new restaurant is fusing bold and spicy flavors from Jamaica, Haiti, and the greater Caribbean islands in The Colony. Coco’s Caribbean Haus opened quietly in September at 4940 State Highway 121, Suite 135, in a strip center it shares with The Yard Milkshake Bar, Tabla Indian, Pepper Thai, and other restaurants and retailers.

The full-service Caribbean restaurant will host its grand opening party on Saturday, October 17. Proprietors say in a press release that they will bring North Texas an "experience inspired by Jamaican, Haitian, and Latin Caribbean culinary traditions."

The “Haitian-born, food-obsessed” Coco Caribbean Haus founder, Marsha Telfer, moved to Texas from New York City about six years ago, she says in an Instagram video, adding that her family is Haitian and Jamaican, so she intends to bring flavors from those parts of the world, “plus a little bit of soul food,” to North Texas diners.

Coco Caribbean is Telfer’s second North Texas restaurant venture; in 2023, she co-founded Reggae Jerk Grill in McKinney.

The culinary team at the new Coco Caribbean includes Head Chef Adrian Telfer, who intends to draw from Jamaican recipes passed down through his family, and Chef Marie Exalus, who is responsible for most of the menu's Haitian influences.

The restaurant, says the release, embodies “cultural heritage and contemporary hospitality."

Rasta pasta, jerk chicken, “rice and peas done right,” sweet plantains, plantain cups with spicy shrimp, “snapping’ cabbage,” and a mac-stuffed spicy beef patty are a few menu highlights mentioned on Instagram.

Behind a basic brick exterior, which features Coco's orange and yellow logo, the eatery's interior is spacious with mirrored walls, tufted forest green booths, deep-seated leather chairs in rich browns, and tropical touches such as leafy coconut trees and greenery on every table.

The full menu will be revealed at Saturday's grand opening.

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