Environmental News

Starbucks brings Texas kicking and screaming into eco-friendly straw stance

Forcing eco-friendliness right down our throats.

Photo courtesy of Starbucks

The state of New Jersey Assembly recently passed the strongest ban in the U.S. on single-use plastics, prohibiting single-use plastic bags and polystyrene foam containers, and making straws by request only.

Texas is a ways off from that kind of gesture — I mean, having straws is surely a God-given right and not having them could be a direct threat to your personal freedom and all — but two big companies are taking a proactive stance by either testing eco-friendly straws or getting rid of them altogether.

Dunkin' Biodegradable Straws
The doughnut-and-coffee chain has hit several sustainability milestones, including replacing foam cups with paper cups in 100 percent of their stores globally and setting new goals such as transitioning from plastic to wooden stir sticks by mid-2021.

Their latest enviro-friendly intitiative: Approximately 250 restaurants across the U.S. have begun testing a new biodegradable straw.

You can tell the new straw by the color: It's light blue The straws are made with PHA, a material created by the fermentation of canola oil. The PHA material is both marine and soil biodegradable, as well as home and industrial compostable.

Starbucks Strawless Lids
As part of the company's efforts to phase out plastic straws worldwide, they've now made a recyclable, strawless lid their standard for iced beverages.

Starbucks trialed these new lightweight, recyclable strawless lids in select markets across the U.S. and Canada for the past year. The test was a success and now they're being rolled out as part of their effort to eliminate one billion plastic straws globally per year.

Starbucks modeled the lid after the one they use for hot drinks. It contains ~nine percent less plastic than the flat lid and straw previously used for iced beverages. Hmm, nine percent does not seem all that revolutionary, but every percent counts.

Another plus: The lid can be recycled, unlike straws that cannot because of their size.

The strawless lid comes in a few versions. For example, the lid for Nitro beverages has a wider, tear-drop shaped opening, so that customers may better enjoy the velvety-smooth texture of Nitro Cold Brew and beverages with Cold Foam.

Straws at Starbucks aren't going away entirely. They'll still be used for Frappuccinos and other blended drinks with whipped cream, and will remain available for customers upon request. Don't be that customer.

Starbucks Korea was the first market to eliminate straws through strawless lids and paper straw alternatives in 2018. In 2019, Starbucks introduced paper straws across the UK and Europe. They'll continue to roll out strawless lids and straws made from alternative materials to more markets in the coming year.

coffee sustainability

News you can eat

Spring menus have sprung in this edition of Dallas restaurant news

Photo courtesy of Elaine's Cocktail Kitchen

Elaine's Cocktail Kitchen is adding brunch service.

Like the Dallas weather lately, this restaurant news roundup keeps us on our toes. New menus and dishes are popping up for spring, but they'll be gone soon - they're extremely limited-time offerings, or "LTO" as the kids say. We've also got a few restaurant openings, some chef news, new brunch, and new drinks.

Here's what's happening in Dallas dining right now:

Palladino’s Steak & Seafood, the buzzy restaurant that's the toast of NYC, has hired Henry Johnson as chef de cuisine for the forthcoming Preston Royal location. He’ll oversee daily kitchen operations and execute the menu from executive chef and partner Sam Hazen. A veteran Dallas chef, Johnson previously led kitchens at Bistro 31 and Evelyn and competed on Season 24 of Hell’s Kitchen. The "modern steakhouse," from founder Joseph Palladino, will feature prime steaks and seafood; an opening date has not yet been announced.

Grandma’s Country Kitchen, a Southern-inspired, family-style restaurant, is opening March 23 in Southern Dallas, at the corner of Camp Wisdom Road and Highway 67 (aka the former South Dallas Cafe space). The menu features comfort classics like fried chicken, catfish, mashed potatoes, green beans, and desserts such as peach cobbler and banana pudding. Guests can also take advantage of catering services and events at the attached sister venue, The Reserve at Redbird, which accommodates up to 330 guests for all types of celebrations.

West Village in Uptown Dallas has seen a flurry of new openings lately: healthy restaurant Toastique; Chicago-inspired tavern D.L. Mack's; and martini hot spot Hudson House.

A few more new openings:

Texas Roadhouse, home of the hand-cut steaks, fall-off-the-bone ribs, and famous rolls with cinnamon butter, has opened a new location in West Dallas, at 3620 Dallas-Ft. Worth Turnpike.
Stop-N-Go Gyros, the fast-casual Mediterranean shop that's popular for takeout, opened 17421 Preston Rd. in North Dallas.
Bojangles, the cult-favorite fried chicken spot, has opened at 210 S. Central Expressway in McKinney.

Elaine’s Cocktail Kitchen in downtown Frisco has expanded its brunch to both Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am-3 pm, featuring European-inspired, shareable dishes paired with craft cocktails. Highlights include horchata French toast, Elaine’s Benedict with short rib or blue crab, smoked salmon tartine, potato-rosemary frittata, and cannoli cream crepes, along with lighter options like overnight oats and seasonal parfaits.

Nobu Dallas will celebrate cherry blossom season with two limited-time offerings - a drink and a dessert - March 23-April 12. The Sakura Negroni ($22) combines Awayuki Strawberry Gin, Lillet Blanc, Aperol, and Sakura Blossom Tea for a floral, strawberry-forward twist on the classic cocktail. The Strawberry-Elderflower Sorbet ($19) features meringue blossoms, white chocolate-honey namelaka, and cookie crumbs for a spring-inspired sweet treat.

Nobu sorbet Strawberry-Elderflower Sorbet at Nobu.Photo courtesy of Nobu

Black Sheep Coffee is debuting a limited-time “Banana Arcade” menu for spring, featuring banana-flavored drinks including iced and hot lattes, matcha lattes, frappes, and a cold brew topped with salted caramel foam.

Buzz and Bustle coffee shop at The Village on March 23 is launching a limited-time spring menu, featuring four seasonal drinks: the Black & White with matcha or cold brew and white chocolate foam; a cucumber-mint “Green Daydream;” a carrot cake latte; and a banana fosters-inspired nitro cold brew.

Apothecary Bar and Flamant Bar & Bistro have teamed up for "Martini Madness," a bracket-style competition running March 18-April 5, on Wednesdays through Sundays, whereby guests can sip and vote for their favorite pours. The tournament features rotating matchups of classic and signature martinis, aka $10 “Tiny-Tinis,” with winners determined by a combination of in-person orders and social media votes. Prizes include complimentary drinks for correct picks on a bracket and a $200 gift card for a perfect bracket.

Torchy’s Tacos is introducing a whole new menu category: nachos, available for a limited time this spring. The nachos layer crispy tortilla chips with Torchy's signature green chile queso, pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream, with optional additions like fajita chicken, steak, pork, or brisket. A smaller version of the nacho plate is also available during weekday “Hooky Hour” from 2-5 pm, alongside half-price beer and house margaritas.

Torchy's nachos.Photo courtesy of Torchy's

Smalls Sliders is adding its first new slider flavor: the BBQ Bacon Jalapeño Slider, available now for a limited time. The new burger puts a smoky-spicy twist on the signature cheeseburger, with BBQ sauce, crispy bacon, and pickled jalapeños.

HTeaO is adding trendy, buzzy matcha drinks to the menu, starting March 20. They'll debut three flavors — churro, strawberry, and lemon lavender — all topped with new cold foam. Cold foam is also being added as a permanent topper for any drink; there are also now churro bites offered as a sweet pairing.

Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille has introduced a new Anniversary Celebration Menu, a $90-per-person prix-fixe meal designed for milestone events. The menu includes champagne and rose-petal table accents, shared starters like a cold seafood tower or filet bites, a choice of soup or salad, a shared entrée such as Chateaubriand or Beef Wellington, and a dramatic flaming dessert finale. Available by request at all locations.

Barrel & Bones is jumping on the bandwagon of a viral cocktail trend: the soft-serve margarita. Now available at its Inwood Road location, soft-serve frozen 'ritas are priced at $8 and come in flavors such as passion fruit, strawberry, peach, and mango. They tout them as the the first offering of their kind in North Texas inspired by the current TikTok craze.

Soft-serve frozen margarita at Barrel & Bones.Photo courtesy of Barrel & Bones

Puerto Cocina & Bar, the Baja-inspired spot from the team behind Xaman Café, Ayahuasca Cantina, and Señor Oink, has launched a seasonal menu featuring fresh seafood, coastal Baja flavors, and Mexican wines. The Dallas Design District restaurant now also offers lunch, in addition to dinner service.

Soulman’s Bar-B-Que has brought back its fan-favorite Boss Hog sandwich, through May 20 only. The gut buster features four slow-smoked meats - sausage, pulled pork, hickory-smoked ham, and crispy bacon - stacked on a sweet King’s Hawaiian bun. Available as a sandwich ($9.99) or combo with a side and drink ($14.99).

Maple Street Biscuit Company is marking spring with a limited-time menu featuring fresh berries, available through May 19. Highlights include Double Berry Waffles topped with strawberries and whipped cream; Bonuts with berry icing; Very Berry Lemonade; and an Iced Berry Latte.

Rowdy Cowboy in The Colony and Grapevine are adding some hearty new dishes, including steak frites, quesabirria tacos, a 9-oz choice filet, and Cowboy Parmesan chicken Milanese. They still offer handcrafted cocktails with a 40-foot oak bar, 70 large-screen TVs, 32 ice-cold beer taps, and more than 35 bourbons and whiskeys.

restaurant news