Mushroom Moves In

Stoner pizza chain seizes desirable spot on Dallas' Henderson Avenue

Mellow Mushroom's pizzas have trippy names like this "Magical Mystery Tour" pizza with mushroom and jalapeno.

Photo courtesy of Mellow Mushroom

A pizza chain new to Dallas has seized a prominent spot on hot-hot Henderson Avenue: Mellow Mushroom, the Atlanta-based restaurant noted for pizzas with trippy names and a stoner vibe.

This branch, at 2326 Henderson Ave. (formerly Hacienda on Henderson), represents the first branch in central Dallas. Most of the other nine branches in DFW have opened in outlying towns such as Rockwall and Frisco.

Owners of the Dallas branch are Monte Jensen, Martha Jensen, and Luis Gonzalez, who already own Mellow Mushrooms in McKinney and Flower Mound.

"We believe the fit with Henderson Avenue now and into the future will be nothing but great," says Monte Jensen. "Henderson Avenue has been a thriving, happening part of the Dallas scene for well over 20 years and is only getting better."

As Eater reminds us, Hacienda closed in February 2014 and was previously home to beloved Mexican restaurant Cuquita's.

Given the large number of restaurants that have opened on Henderson Avenue, the ratio of pizzerias is still low, with only Louie's and Fireside Pies up until now. Another pizzeria called Pie Tap has been under construction for more than a year.

Mellow Mushroom was founded in 1974 in Atlanta but has recently been on a growth kick. The menu includes pizzas, hoagies, salads, calzones, and appetizers, with options for vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free.

Founded by three college students, it continues to ply a stoner college theme. That includes amusing pizza names such as the Magical Mystery Tour pizza with mushrooms and jalapenos, and the Half-Baked Brownie dessert; an environmentalism that includes recycled cardboard for its pizza boxes; and an early embrace of the craft beer trend, with a large selection of craft beers.

The chain has been good about keeping each store unique, with its own atmosphere and decorative theme.

The restaurant is anticipated to open in spring 2016.

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Coming soon

Cuban-style burger chain Frita Batidos to make Texas debut in Dallas

Photo by Noah Fecks

Frita Batidos' signature burgers and milkshakes, along with crispy fried plantains.

An acclaimed Cuban-inspired burger restaurant from Michigan is making its Texas debut in in Dallas' buzzy McKinney-Knox neighborhood: Called Frita Batidos, it will open at 4620 McKinney Ave., just off the Katy Trail, on August 17, a release says.

Founded by chef Eve Aronoff Fernandez, Frita Batidos debuted in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 2010 and has since expanded to Detroit and Brooklyn. The Brooklyn location earned national attention after its signature Frita was named one of New York City's best burgers by The New York Times.

The restaurant serves Cuban-style street food and takes its name from two Cuban staples that are the focus of its menu: fritas, the island's signature burgers, and batidos, tropical fruit milkshakes.

Their fritas are served on a soft egg bun and topped with shoestring fries. Options include beef, housemade chorizo, chicken, black bean, and Gulf redfish, with toppings such as cilantro-lime salsa, avocado spread, tropical slaw, Muenster cheese, and a sunny-side-up egg.

Frita Baditos Frita, a Cuban-style burger.Photo by Noah Fecks

Their batidos are made with vanilla bean ice cream and fresh fruit in flavors such as coconut cream, passion fruit, fresh lime, hibiscus, chocolate español, and cajeta. Guests can also order a lighter version made with mango, pineapple, and crushed ice, or add a splash of dark rum to any shake.

Other menu highlights include crisped plantains with dipping sauces, loaded plantains topped with black beans and cheese, coconut-ginger rice layered with black beans and Muenster cheese, churros, cinnamon-sugar plantains, and rotating housemade paletas.

The beverage menu features cocktails such as a margarita, mojito, piña colada, daiquiri, sangria, and pisco hibiscus lemonade, along with housemade tropical sodas, fresh juices, and nonalcoholic versions of its cocktails.

"Frita Batidos emphasizes fresh, high-quality, locally sourced ingredients, served with care in a warm and welcoming atmosphere to create a community gathering place," the owners say in the release.

The Dallas restaurant occupies a bright, airy space designed by architect Neal Robinson, a longtime collaborator on the brand's restaurants. The dining room features communal picnic-style tables, outlets for guests who want to work while dining, and dominoes for customers to play. A mural by graffiti artist FEL3000ft emblazoned with the phrase "Por Que No?!" serves as the centerpiece.

Frita Baditos Badito, a tropical milkshake.Photo by Noah Fecks

Frita Batidos founder Aronoff Fernandez is a a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef who previously owned the acclaimed Ann Arbor, Michigan restaurant Eve and authored the cookbook Eve: Contemporary Cuisine/Methode Traditionelle. She founded Frita Baditos in 2010, she says, "grounded in the tenets of the Slow Food Movement, following the seasons, cooking from scratch, working with small, local purveyors and farmers and most importantly fostering warmth and conviviality around food."

Frita Batidos will be open Sunday-Wednesday from 11 am-10 pm and Thursday-Saturday from 11 am-11 pm.

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