French Fries All Day

New restaurant in Deep Ellum Dallas will be french fries all the time

French fries in the morning, french fries in the evening.

Photo courtesy of #getfried

French fries are about to rule Dallas and, eventually, all of Texas with the arrival of a new restaurant concept in Deep Ellum that's dedicated to french fries. Called Get Fried, it'll open at 2656 Main St. in early 2018.

Get Fried was established in 2015 in Buffalo, New York, and has big plans for 2018, with several more openings in the works, including locations in Austin, Houston, and San Antonio — nearly all of the cities where CultureMap has offices. The only CultureMap city without a Get Fried planned is Fort Worth. What, Get Fried, no fries for FW?

The menu has six versions of french fries: hand-cut, seasoned waffle, coated straight cut, curly, sweet potato, and funnel. You choose a fry and then a sauce, from more than a dozen selections that include ketchup, malt vinegar, chipotle mayo, and maple syrup.

You can get "topped" baskets, in which fries are topped with ingredients like bacon, pulled pork, and shredded chicken. A sweet version has sweet potato fries topped with maple syrup, powdered sugar, and cinnamon. Texas cheese fries has cheese, bacon, chive, and chili powder.

There is also poutine, the famed Canada french fry dish topped with cheese curds and gravy; and a few non-FF items such as chicken fingers; Buffalo chicken; and pizza logs, consisting of pepperoni wrapped in dough with a side of marinara.

Get Fried was founded by Chris Covelli, who was inspired by the french fry cafes he saw on a trip to Amsterdam. He'd also heard about Canada's famed poutine shops. He saw an opportunity.

He and his entrepreneurial partner Garrett Green opened their first store in February 2015 in Buffalo, New York. There are now two corporately owned stores in Buffalo, with more franchises teed up for New York City and Texas.

The Dallas branch is going into a spot advantageously positioned across the street from BBQ juggernaut Pecan Lodge. The location has been home to fine restaurants such as ~~Pepe's Ranch~~ Nairobi Grill, but has had no luck keeping a tenant.

Deep Ellum did have a Belgian-style french fry offering when Amsterdam Falafelshop opened on Commerce Street in 2016; sadly, it closed in July. But that was probably partially due to the fact that it opened with a strong profile as a vegan-friendly place. French fries will likely not be as troubling to the carnivores.

Get Fried first hit Texas in 2016 with a San Antonio franchise. Local franchisor Muhammad Abdullah says that Texas is on track for french fries everywhere. "We already have a food truck in San Antonio, and all of the big cities in Texas will have stores open by the end of the first quarter of 2018," he says.

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Deep Ellum News

Mexican 'vibe' restaurant from California to open in Deep Ellum Dallas

Mama Por Dios

A buzzy concept from California is coming to Dallas: Mama Por Dios, a Mexican restaurant chain known for its vibe, will open its first location in Texas in Deep Ellum in the Epic development at 2525 Elm St., taking over the former La Neta space, which shuttered in May.

According to a spokesperson, the restaurant will open in early to mid-January.

Mama Por Dios was founded in Southern California in 2020 by chef Misael Guerrero, who famously got his start selling Mexican sushi out of his garage.

Since those early days, he's gone on to form a restaurant empire called Emme Group, with concepts that include Los Amores de Julia, El Rincon de Los Dolidos, and Culichi Town, a lower-priced chain known for Sinaloa-style Mexican sushi & seafood, which has a local presence: It opened a location in Mesquite in 2022.

Mama Por Dios — which translates to "Mother of God" — describes itself as modern Mexican, offering a unique blend of steakhouse, sushi bar, and seafood. The menu includes favorites like tacos and enchiladas, alongside luxe dishes like lobster with spaghetti, lobster enchiladas, and a surf & turf featuring a lobster tail balanced atop a skirt steak. Prices range from $18 for birria tacos to $48 for a bacon-wrapped filet mignon with mashed potatoes and asparagus.

But they also have a showy side that includes flamboyant presentations such as the bacon-wrapped shrimp which come strung on clothespins; or the trompito al pastor, served on a personal spit, as well as servers who walk around with shots while dancing with patrons.

There's a Gold Burger for $65 featuring Prime beef on a brioche bun garnished with 24k gold leaf, and a similarly gilded tomahawk steak for $400 that brings to mind the good old days of Salt Bae. Decor is swanky with low lighting, and there'll be a serious brunch offering on weekends.

Cocktails such as the Al Agua Pato — served in a mini bathtub with a rubber ducky — are made for Instagram. They offer margarita and mezcalita flights with flavors such as mango, tamarindo, and strawberry, and intriguing sips like Carajillo, a Spanish cocktail with Licor 43, espresso, and 43 different fruit, citrus, aromatic, and herbal ingredients.

There’s also a $20 per-person minimum spend, and the menu comes with a warning that everything is cooked to order — meaning some dishes may take 30 to 40 minutes. For many diners, waiting will surely be part of the experience.

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