More Fried Chicken

Aggie chicken restaurant chain gives the fingers to Dallas

These chicken fingers are coming for you.

Photo courtesy of Layne's

If there's one thing Dallas needs, it's another place to get chicken. Prayers answered with the DFW arrival of Layne's Chicken Fingers, a baby chain from College Station that's opening its first area location in Allen, at 102 Central Expy., in a former Pollo Tropical space at the southwest corner of McDermott Drive.

Layne's Chicken Fingers is an A&M haunt that was founded in 1994, and it's nearly identical to Louisiana chain Raising Cane's. It specializes in chicken fingers, which you can get in a plate, in a sandwich, or in a bucket. Other items on the very short menu include crinkle-cut fries, a page out of the book of Shake Shack, which also serves frozen, crinkle-cut fries.

If crinkle-cut fries are not your thing, there is also potato salad. Finally, there is Texas toast. A plate combines all those things: chicken fingers, potato, and Texas toast. Do not concern yourself with green foods, everything here is tan.

There is also a "secret sauce," which they describe as tangy, spicy, zesty, peppery, and perfectly balanced — IE, a more jazzed up version of Russian dressing, which is what "secret sauce" is usually code for.

Founder Mike Layne opened the original location in College Station in 1994. He eventually sold out to his partner, Mike Garratt. There are three locations in the College Station area. Allen represents the first foray outside of the A&M area, but the chain has high hopes of expansion.

A spokesperson confirms that the Allen restaurant will open "soon" and that other DFW locations are in the works, including Dallas and Fort Worth. The chain also has plans to expand to San Antonio in 2018.

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Skewer News

Vila Brazil to bring affordable Brazilian steakhouse to Cedar Hill

Photo courtesy of Vila Brazil

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A Brazilian steakhouse known for its low-for-steak prices is coming to Garland: Called Vila Brazil, it's part of a small local chain and will open in Cedar Hill, at 305 W. RM Rd. 1382 #316, in the former Crab & Bar space, in late 2025.

Vila Brazil was founded by restaurateur Roberto de Sa, who opened the first location in Irving in 2011, as a home-grown rendition of churrascaria-type restaurants such as Fogo de Chao. A second location opened in Garland in 2024.

According to co-owner Gabriel de Sa, the Cedar Hill location will feature the same menu, including rotating chef specials at the buffet.

Vila Brazil features a lower-cost version of churrascaria, a Brazilian style of serving cuts of grilled meat from giant skewers onto diners’ plates. They offer eight cuts of meat including picanha steak, sirloin, chicken, lamb, and pork.

There’s also a salad bar buffet featuring rice, salads, vegetables, and Brazilian-inspired dishes such as cheese bread rolls and cinnamon-grilled pineapple.

Weekday lunch is $25 and dinner is $40 daily. For the buffet only, it’s $18-$21.

They own other restaurants including VB's steakhouse in Arlington and Casa Pollastro, a Brazilian-Italian concept in North Dallas. But Gabriel says they take a different approach with Vila Brazil than some of the other more expensive churrascaria restaurants in town.

"Instead we offer homemade food at an affordable price with great quality and flavor,” he says. "Our guests on average visit our store three times a month — much more frequently than your typical churrascaria."

The Cedar Hill location will be fairly large, in a 6,528 square-foot space, with an approachable casual dining atmosphere.

“We choose the Cedar Hill community for the same reason we opened in Garland, to serve an underserved community,” Gabriel says. “A fusion between a fast casual buffet and a Brazilian Churrascaria Vila Brazil is accessible to all members of the community with high value.”

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