Dog Park News

Uptown Dallas' favorite dog park-cantina digs up new location in Allen

MUTTS Canine Cantina presents Garth Stein

Who's a good doggie?

Photo courtesy of MUTTS Canine Cantina

A popular Uptown dog-friendly spot is expanding with a new location north of Dallas. Mutts Canine Cantina has signed a lease for a location in Allen at the Watters Creek community center on the northwest corner of Watters Creek and Montgomery boulevards.

According to a release, the unique restaurant-slash-dog park will open in fall 2020.

This location is owned by franchisee Pavan Shree, of Ruffined Investments.

"We fell in love with the site instantly," Shree says in a statement. "It has a very European, outdoor-lifestyle feel, plus most people in the community have dogs. My wife and I are from South Africa, where shopping styles are more catered towards the European model, so it felt like home to us instantly."

The first Mutts Canine Cantina opened in Dallas' Uptown neighborhood in 2013. It's not your average dog park, but instead is a dual-concept with a walk-up bar and food options such as Mutts Original Chicken Sandwich, burgers, fried-pickles, and milkshakes.

The concept has become a staple for dog owners in Uptown Dallas. A second location opened in Fort Worth near the Shops at Clearfork in 2018. Allen will be the third.

Until recently, Allen had a dog park called Canine Commons at the Village at Allen, the center at the intersection of US-75 and Stacy Road. Never envisioned as a permanent park, Canine Commons was closed in the fall to make room for more retail.

"Following the recent closing of Canine Commons at the Village, the city has been missing a dedicated dog park," says Watters Creek manager Mike Tumulty. "Mutts will be a vital addition to our community – not only Watters Creek, but Allen as a whole."

Watters Creek is currently home to 342 multifamily units, but more than 900 multifamily units and 300 single family homes are under development in the area immediately west of Watters Creek.

"With all of the residential development happening right in our own backyard, Watters Creek has sought to create a quality, dog-friendly environment, and Mutts will be the cornerstone of those efforts," Tumulty says.

"We are extremely excited to grow Mutts' footprint within the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex,” said Michelle Boggs, Managing Partner of Mutts. "This location will draw from many nearby communities as surrounding developments continue to grow at a meteoric pace."

Mutts operates on a membership model, with different rates depending on how many dogs you own. If you own one dog, you can get a monthly pass for $17, or a yearly pass for $170. You can also pay a day rate for a single visit at $9 for one dog.

It comes with free wi-fi for members; "bark rangers" who provide water and keep the park tidy; and a dog-washing area.

Each location features two enclosed, fenced lawn spaces where dogs can exercise, run, and play in both shaded and unshaded areas, while owners relax and socialize. Hours are 6 am-10 pm.

burgers pets

Fast-growing Mexican taqueria scales up with 2 new Dallas-area locations

The trompo tacos at El Arquito are a fan favorite.

Photo courtesy of El Arquito.

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A family-owned, authentic Mexican taqueria continues to expand across Dallas-Fort Worth, with the addition of two new locations: Taquería El Arquito is now open in Garland and Mesquite.

These represent locations number nine and 10 for the thriving business, adding to their existing restaurants in Irving, Preston Center and Deep Ellum, and their five gas station locations across Fort Worth, Dallas and Royce City.

Taqueria El Arquito is a true family effort by siblings Analí, Nancy, Martha, and Victor Hugo Reza, who work alongside chefs Juan Diego Gutierrez and José Angel Avila. Originally from Taxco, Mexico, the family honors their heritage through both the food and the décor; every store features arches and traditional pottery inspired by the colonial architecture of their hometown.

Their Garland shop opened last August at 13755 Lyndon B. Johnson Fwy. Ste. 7, in a new development called The Gatess.

“The opportunity presented itself and we took it,” says Nancy. “We liked the beautiful shopping center, the size of the space that fits who we are, and the location.”

Mesquite, located at 2130 N Belt Line Rd. Ste 200, is a bit more personal, as it is a few minutes away from their home in Sunnyvale. For the past five years during Halloween, they have cooked and offered free tacos on their yard to their neighbors, who were asking for a store nearby.

“We have lived here for a long time,” Analí says. “We know the area well and have a community that was waiting for us. It feels like home to us.”

According to the Reza sisters, what sets them apart in a city full of taco options is their consistent quality, focus on authenticity, pristine stores, and open-kitchen concept. Their menu and pricing remain the same across all locations.

El Arquito serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, opening daily at 6 am and closing at 10 pm (with extended hours until midnight on Friday and Saturday).

The star of the menu is the $3 trompo taco, along with family platters starting at $20 for 10 tacos. They also serve quesadillas, gorditas, burritos, tortas cubanas, caldos, and tamales, all fairly priced between $5 and $13. For those seeking variety, the menu includes American favorites such as hamburgers, wings, and chicken nuggets.

For breakfast, they have chilaquiles, migas, and huevos Mexicanos and rancheros, for $13.

Desserts are $3 to $5 and include churros, pastelitos and flan, and they serve Mexican sodas, beer and wine, and frozen sangrías.

“We are blessed," Nancy says. "The opening went rally well. We hardly gave notice and people from Mesquite and Sunnyvale really showed up. That means a lot to us.”

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