Nashville Hot Chicken News

Hangry Joe's to cook up Nashville-style hot chicken in southwest Dallas

There is your chicken sandwich combo with waffle fries and a drink.

Photo courtesy of Hangry Joe's

There's a new player in the Nashville-style hot chicken world coming to Dallas, with tenders, sandwiches, and the best name of all: Called Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken, it's a concept from Richmond, Virginia and it's making its Texas debut in southern Dallas, at 4140 W Camp Wisdom Rd., a block or so west of the Southwest Center Mall (aka the old Red Bird Mall).

Jay Kang, who's part of a team of restaurant entrepreneurs bringing Hangry Joe's to Dallas, says they're planning to be open in January 2022.

Calling it a chain is premature since Hangry Joe's was only just founded in May 2021. It's from Derek Cha — famous for having founded the Sweet Frog Frozen Yogurt chain 2009 — in collaboration with his partner, Mike Kim, who partnered up to create the very best Nashville-style hot chicken sandwich.

They brag that their sandwich is not only spicy-hot but also juicy and crisp.

There are currently two locations in Virginia, but with at least four more in the works.

Like most of these Nashville-style hot chicken places, Hangry Joe's has a fairly simple menu revolving around fried chicken tenders with a crunchy coating which you can get in varying levels of heat. Hangry's has five levels, the hottest being "Angry Hot."

There are:

chicken tenders, which they call chicken fingers
chicken sandwiches, served with cider slaw, pickle, and hangry sauce on a brioche bun
chicken & waffle, with 4 tenders and a funnel waffle

Their fries are waffle fries, which you can get plain as a side, or else loaded, topped with chicken, jalapeño, and cheese sauce. They also have fried okra, a nice treat.

Hangry has a couple of other noteworthy extras including a salad with chicken breast; and Korean chicken nuggets, served with rice and choice of soy garlic or spicy soy garlic.

The food is getting great reviews, says Kang, the Dallas franchisee; you need only skim their Facebook page to see the raves.

"It's unique and tasty," Kang says. "We know there's already a few Nashville-style chicken places in Dallas now, and we've tried them, but this tastes so different."

The other notable thing about this debut is that it's located south of I-30, in a city where much of the new opening buzz tends to be focused north. But this is only the beginning, Kang says.

"We're planning on opening a lot more locations in Dallas and in Texas," he says.

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Hummus News

Revered family-owned Mediterranean restaurant debuts in North Dallas

Samantha Marie Photography

Zon Zon food spread

An upscale Mediterranean restaurant is coming to North Dallas from a trusted name: Called Zon Zon, it'll open at 5455 Belt Line Rd. #130, in the Work/Shop center, and it's from hospitality group Yela Concepts, led by Yaser Khalaf (Darna, Baboush), together with his son Mak Khalef in their first collaboration.

According to a release, it'll open on December 22.

Named for Mak's sister Zaina (“Zon Zon”), the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner with a refined take on Mediterranean dining, rooted in tradition but with modern influences.

"We tried to merge what embodies Mediterranean cuisine with dishes that people in Dallas love," Mak says. "A lot of the dishes we have on menu are Mediterranean but have American and Texan influences."

Mezze favorites include hummus topped with green shatta and extra-virgin olive oil; baba ghanoush with charred eggplant, tahini, dukka, and pomegranate; crispy cauliflower with saffron labneh; tuna neya with tahini, mixed pickles, and Aleppo pepper; and kibbeh with ground lamb, onions, pine nuts, and dill labneh.

Salads include seared tuna salad with freekeh and golden beets; Tahini Caesar with tahini–Caesar dressing and za’atar croutons; and roasted beets with burrata, oranges, and pistachios.

Entrées include roasted chicken with garlic-batata and pomegranate jus; chicken shish kebab over saffron rice with almonds and raisins; hanger steak shawarma frites — a clever twist on steak frites with hand-cut fries; ZZ’s Wagyu cheeseburger with smoked provolone and house pickles; Prime ribeye with za’atar chimichurri and heirloom carrots; and apricot lamb couscous.

The beverage program complements the menu with a Mediterranean-focused wine list and creative cocktails such as the coffee-kissed Midnight Istanbul and ZZ’s Margarita, with burnt pineapple and ras el hanout.

Designed in collaboration with Dallas-based Coeval Studios, the restaurant features a 2,130-square-foot interior with an expansive 735-square-foot patio that seats 76, for a total occupancy near 100.

The restaurant boasts an open kitchen, while decorative finishes include modern woodwork, rich textures, and Middle Eastern-inspired details — stylish yet inviting, with a setting that feels like home.

“The inspiration behind Zon Zon came from wanting to create the kind of place we’ve always wished existed — a neighborhood Mediterranean spot that feels both familiar and exciting," says Yaser in a statement. "We wanted to create a comfortable space where guests can meet up with friends or neighbors on a regular basis."

Mak went to college to study biomedical engineering, but says he couldn't resist the lure of the restaurant world in which he grew up.

"Zon Zon is a reflection of everything we love about food," Mak says. "What makes this especially meaningful is building it with my dad — bringing our family’s story and passion to the table."

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