This dose of Dallas restaurant news is filled with urgency. Many of the items listed below are available for a limited time only — some available only through the end of December. So there's not a moment to waste. Meanwhile, just when you think the poke trend has passed, another poke restaurant opens and gives us reason to live.
Here's what's happening in Dallas dining news:
Maui Fresh Grill is a Hawaiian poke concept that, given the downward trend of poke, was wise not to put poke in its name. They currently have two locations in the DFW. The original opened in Irving in September, by the Olympus Las Colinas apartments. More recently, a second location opened on Midway Road in northwest Plano. They're a quick-serve restaurant with not only poke but tacos and Asian dishes like chicken katsu, aka breaded fried cutlet. They also have Spam and loco moco, the funky Hawaiian dish with a burger and fried egg over white rice with brown gravy, not something you see too often around Dallas. Unfortunately they use disposable plastic though they are hardly alone in that realm.
Pie Five in Murphy is opening at 109 N. Murphy Rd. This will be the first Pie Five in northeast Dallas and 14th in DFW. With more than 30 fresh toppings, six savory sauces and five crust choices, there's a pizza to match every preference. Pie Five also accommodates dietary restrictions by offering low-carb cauliflower crust, gluten-free crust, and vegan cheese options. To find your closest location, visit the Pie Five location finder.
Bonefish Grill has new winter dishes that include cranberry-chutney Norwegian salmon over bacon-pecan stuffing, and Thermidor gnocchi with lobster, shrimp, potato gnocchi, mushrooms, peas, and tomato tossed in lobster-sherry cream sauce. Seasonal cocktails include the winter white Cosmo and a smoked old-fashioned with Woodford Reserve Bourbon, maple, bitters, and a Bordeaux cherry smoked with oak and served over a colossal ice cube. For dessert, there's a new caramel apple lava cake, a butter cake with caramel molten center topped with caramelized apples and vanilla ice cream.
Grimaldi's Pizzeria has a seasonal menu with holiday flavors like cranberry, pomegranate, pecans, and chocolate. Spinach pecan salad has spinach, candied pecans, dried cherries, red onions, goat cheese, and house dressing. Chicken alla vodka pizza has tomato cream sauce with chicken, onions, mozzarella, and basil. Chocolate Cannoli features fried pastry shells dipped in chocolate and filled with sweet ricotta cheese and chocolate chips. Reeses's Peanut Butter Cup cheesecake has vanilla cheesecake with chunks of peanut butter cups. Three new cocktails include a holiday sangria, a cranberry winter mule with Deep Eddy Cranberry Vodka, and the blood orange spritz with Square One Bergamont Vodka, Monin Blood Orange puree, lemon juice, and prosecco. Available through March 3.
East Hampton Sandwich Co. brings back their LTO (Limited Time Only) holiday turkey sandwich, made with black cherry chutney, fried onions, turkey breast, spinach, cranberry cream cheese, and garlic sage aioli. It's $10.95 and available through the end of 2018.
Velvet Taco, the funky taco chain, has a new blood orange sage margarita, with a blood orange sage puree and fried sage leaf. Available December 17 through January 6, the new margarita will join the original Kick-Ass Margarita. Both are made in-house daily using fresh fruit.
Original ChopShop has debuted a new avocado "nice cream' superfruit bowl with a whole avocado, spinach, pineapple, and apple juice, topped with granola, strawberry, banana, and dark chocolate shavings. Available through the end of 2018.
Empire Baking Co. will be selling numerous baked goods for the holidays. You must order by December 20, and pick up December 22-24. Items include:
- Apple Cranberry Pie - $23
- Texas Pecan Pie - $26
- Pumpkin Pie - $23
- Chocolate Babka - $15.95
- Cranberry Walnut Bread - $6.99
- Cranberry Paisano Loaf - $6.99
- Pumpkin Bread Loaf - $10
- Gingerbread - $12.50
- Pecan Ring – $22
- Stollen - $13
- Rolls (Challah, Soft Paisano, Molasses, Wheat) - $6.50/dozen
- Sweet Potato Rolls (9 per package) - $5.95
Bullion, the French restaurant in downtown Dallas, has two new holiday treats from executive pastry chef Ricchi Sanchez. Linzer cookies are $10 for a half dozen and $20 for a dozen. Fruitcakes are $26 each and serve 6 to 8 people. You must give a credit card number to hold. Deadline for ordering is December 17. Hurry! Orders can be picked up on December 20, 21, 22, and 24. Call 972-698-4250.
