Pretzel Mania

Twisted Doh puts out unparalleled gourmet pretzel creations in Plano

Pretzels have come a long way since their days as a foil for beer, and we have the proof: Twisted Doh, a new shop in Plano making gourmet pretzels, for breakfast, lunch and treats.

They make gourmet soft pretzels, breakfast pretzel wraps, pretzel sandwiches and candied pretzel rods. They also serve pretzels by the dozen, plus dipping sauces and dipped and baked pretzel-inspired treats.

For breakfast, they do a pretzel filled with sausage, brushed with maple syrup and dusted with powdered sugar. There's a Monte Cristo with ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, egg and raspberry preserves tucked inside pretzel and sprinkled with powdered sugar. A pulled pork pretzel encloses a filling of pork, egg and cheddar cheese.

The sandwiches have all the portability of a burrito, but with house-made pretzel bread instead of a tortilla.

Twisted Doh is the brainchild of father and daughter Anthony Johnson and Vannessa Green, a culinary school graduate who worked in restaurants but wanted to strike out on her own.

"Back in February, we started talking about doing a gourmet doughnut shop," Johnson says. "But there's already a few doughnut shops out there, and we wanted to cater towards savory and sweet flavors. Pretzels let you do both."

He's quick to point out that their pretzels are not your typical carnival or mall stand variety. "Pretzels as a gourmet item are so far in the back of people's minds, but we make the dough in-house and do different ingredients you might not expect," he says.

Their lineup of pretzel flavors includes sea salt, Italian and jalapeño-cheese, as well as an high-end sweet selections such as Joyful Almond, meant to evoke an Almond Joy candy bar, with a pretzel dipped in chocolate, then sprinkled with almonds and coconut.

Twisted Doh is located in a former Starbucks off 75 and Park Boulevard, where they make use of the drive-through window for pretzels and coffee to go. But there are also a few tables so you can sit down and have a pretzel and coffee.

"There was a void of pretzels out there," Johnson says. "We felt like this was something new."

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RIP Al

Beloved Dallas restaurateur Al Biernat dies at 69 after ALS battle

Dallas restaurateur Al Biernat, RIP

Beloved Dallas restaurateur Al Biernat, founder of the acclaimed local steakhouse Al Biernat's, passed away on November 13, following a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease; he was 69.

Biernat was one of Dallas' all-time great hospitality figures, dating back to his days at The Palm steakhouse, for whom he worked in Los Angeles, Houston, and Dallas.

Biernat founded his namesake restaurant in 1998 on Oak Lawn Avenue, where his standard of excellence and doting charm made it a destination for special occasions, Park Cities swells, and celebrities in town.

His sense of hospitality had little competition in Dallas. He was a charming and personable host who genuinely liked people, and it didn't matter whether you were Conan O'Brien, David Crosby, or one of the other high-profile diners that visited his restaurants — or else just a regular schlub: He had a knack for making everyone feel special and remembered.

Biernat was born on August 20, 1955 and grew up in Michigan, then lived in Colorado, New York, Los Angeles, and Houston, before moving to Dallas to work at The Palm in the West End, where his dynamic presence gave the restaurant an incomparable vitality; it closed in 2017.

He opened Al Biernat's at 4217 Oak Lawn Ave. in 1998, followed by a second location in North Dallas at 5251 Spring Valley Rd. in 2017.

He began to experience ALS symptoms in May 2023, was diagnosed in December, and revealed his condition in February 2024. The revelation was met with an outpouring of sympathy and well wishes from the hospitality industry — a sign of the high regard in which he was held.

The average life expectancy for people with ALS is two to five years after diagnosis. Symptoms can begin in the muscles that control speech and swallowing, or in the hands, arms, legs, or feet. He began to have difficulty communicating in September, and spent his last days in a hospice.

On September 18, he broached the topic of dying, before ending on a note of gratitude to friends and family.

"Having Bulbar ALS I am realistic about my future," he said. "Friends and family have asked me if I’m afraid of dying, and this is what I say to them. Because of the salvation of Jesus, I will be rejoicing in my spirit to see him in all of his glory. Since we are all flesh, soul, and spirit, only my flesh is being left behind. But don’t get me wrong, I have a blessed life in this world, with a loving wife, and a beautiful family and many wonderful and caring friends. I am grateful!"

Both Al Biernat's locations will continue to remain open under the management of Biernat's nephew Brad Fuller, as they have for nearly the past two years.

Biernat is survived by Fuller, as well as his wife Jeannie and three daughters: Angelica Saylor, Kaitlin Biernat Connell, and Jess Biernat, plus five grandsons and two granddaughters. . According to family members, details regarding a celebration of his life will be announced soon.

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