News You Can Eat

Detroit-style pizza pop-up finds a home and more Dallas restaurant news

East Dallas is where this pizza will be at.

Thunderbird

Coming up on the end of 2020, Dallas restaurants are still optimistically opening, with an eye towards a better 2021. There's new Mexican, new pizza, and new coffee, plus a trio of opportunities for you to win money, food, and free stuff.

Here's what's happening in Dallas dining news:

Vidorra Addison, the Mexican concept that debuted in Deep Ellum in 2018, has opened its second location in Addison, at the Village on the Parkway at 5100 Belt Line Rd. #410, in the former Social House space, where they're serving Mexican dishes, cocktails, and a large selection of tequila. The menu includes shareable appetizers, soups, salads, tacos, and entrées such as flaming fundido with melted Oaxaca cheese served in a 400-degree Molcajete dish, and a selection of street tacos such as fried avocado tacos with panko breaded avocado, pico de gallo, ancho slaw, Cotija cheese and Southwestern crema. The Deep Ellum location is well-known for its lively outdoor scene and the new Addison spinoff features the same vibrant experience along with a 2,000-square-foot patio.

Thunderbird Pies, the Detroit-style pizza concept from the folks at Cane Rosso and Zoli's Pizza, has a new permanent location. It's at 7328 Gaston Ave., right next door to Cane Rosso White Rock, in the space newly vacated by craft beer brewery On Rotation. In the same East Dallas shopping center, they'll also open a permanent location of Cow Tipping Creamery, their soft-serve ice cream concept. According to a Facebook post, the two new concepts will open in March 2021.

Bullion: To-Go Marketplace, the takeout concept that replaced downtown restaurant Bullion, is closing on December 31. Bullion: To-Go Marketplace was launched in July 2020 to provide gourmet foods, beverages, and goods, which met Bullion’s same high-quality standards with contactless home delivery. The Marketplace even pivoted to provide the Dallas community with rapid and PCR COVID-19 tests. However, their parent company, Labora Group, has decided to no longer pursue the hospitality field. Bullion and Bullion To-Go will remain one of its operating businesses, with plans to re-open Bullion sometime in 2021. Any gift cards can be exchanged for a refund for their full remaining balance through February 28, 2021. Call 972-698-4250 or email info@bullionrestaurant.com to coordinate a refund.

Spiral Diner & Bakery has temporarily closed its Denton dining room due to staffing limitations. They hope to be back open January 2 at 50 percent dining capacity and are still open for pickup and curbside orders (call 940-514-0101.

Whataburger is extending the availability on its Spicy Chicken Sandwich, first introduced in September. The sandwich has a chicken filet, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo, and is now on a new brioche bun. They're also bringing back the BBQ Bacon Burger with three slices of bacon, smoked cheddar, Monterey Jack, and BBQ sauce on a five-inch bun. It's still for a "limited time" so it could go away at any second.

Pizza Hut now has two plant-based meat pizzas: The Beyond Italian Sausage Pizza and The Great Beyond Pizza. For a more plant-based friendly option, you can order the Beyond Pan Pizzas without cheese.

Whiskey Cake Kitchen & Bar has a new fall menu featuring Smoked Salmon Dip with house kettle chips; steak & quinoa bowl with sweet potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, broccolini, and sorghum in piri piri dressing; browned butter-cauliflower soup; and a No Meat Sloppy Joe with Beyond beef, gochujang sauce, veggie slaw, ginger dressing and cilantro on a milk bun.

Torchy's Tacos is launching a "Hangover Hotline" January 1-3. Call 833-L8R-2020 and choose from a variety of options based on how bad your 2020 hangover is. Callers will be entered to win Free Tacos for a Year with a $500 Taco Money Gift Card. Meanwhile they have a January Taco of the Month: the Fancy Schmancy with hot smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, spinach, capers, pickled onions & jalapenos on a flour tortilla for $6.50.

Corner Bakery has been gifting free coffee to members of their loyalty program, Corner Bakery Rewards. Now they're adding cold brew and hot tea to the free lineup. When you join Corner Bakery Rewards, a free coffee, cold brew, or tea reward will be added to your account daily. No purchase necessary to redeem the reward. It’s available in-cafe, to-go, or online for pickup or delivery. It's available January 1-March 31.

Cheba Hut, the marijuana-themed sandwich shop in Deep Ellum, has an app that gives 10 cents back to DFW for every dollar you spend. It also has a mobile game that provides bonus loyalty points for free grub and gear. If you get the highest score, you can win $5,000, free Cheba Hut for a year, title belts, and T-shirts. The promotion runs through the end of January.

Dunkin' has a new "Extra Charged Coffee," with more caffeine than their classic Hot and Iced Coffee. Served hot or iced, it features green coffee extract that gives coffee drinkers an extra boost with 20 percent more caffeine. They also have two new "bold and exciting" hot coffees: Dunkin' Midnight and Explorer Batch.

Tupps Brewery has two new releases: R.I.P 2020 is a Double Dry Hopped India Pale Ale with favorite hops including Citra, Galaxy, Nelson, Sultana, Ella, Vic Secret, El Dorado, Azacca, Cryo Citra, Cryo Mosaic, Sabro, and Idaho-7 hops. It's sold at Kroger, Market Street, Total Wine, Specs, Goody Goody, Whole Foods, Central Market, plus local bars and restaurants on tap, plus at the taproom in McKinney. Meanwhile Blur, Tupps' hard-seltzer offshoot, has released its first seasonal seltzer: Champagne Bubbles, with bubbles, fruit-forward aroma, and a touch of Champagne flavor. Blur launched in September of 2020 with a variety 12 pack including: Mango Dragonfruit, Hibiscus Apple, Lemon Blueberry and Passionfruit Watermelon. Blur’s Champagne Bubbles will be sold in 6 packs in smaller retail stores around DFW, and is available only the DFW area for now.

Off the Bone Barbeque, a Black-owned BBQ restaurant in Dallas, is being featured in Pepsi’s latest ad spot, "Savor the Sound." It debuted on December 26 during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions NFL playoff game and runs through February 8 on air via NFL Network Media and digitally on NFL.com. The ad kicks off Pepsi’s new platform and rallying call, "Dig In," that encourages the public to support Black-owned restaurants nationwide, with a goal of generating at least $100 million in sales over the next five years. Off the Bone is one of four restaurants featured in the ad, along with 7th & Grove in Tampa, Kitchen Cray in Washington DC, and the Breakfast Club in Houston.

Lawry's Steakhouse continues its 65-year partnership with the Rose Bowl to provide a celebratory meal known as The Beef Bowl for the two participating teams before the big game. The Dallas Lawry's location will be packing up and delivering prime rib sandwiches for all of the players, coaches, and staff on December 30 and 31.

FB Society is the new handle for Front Burner Restaurants, the restaurant innovation lab behind Whiskey Cake, Legacy Hall, Mexican Sugar, Sixty Vines, and Haywire. Their portfolio also includes a food hall, Modern Pour and Vestals premium catering, Bingham House event venue, Unlawful Assembly Brewing Co. and the non-profit Furlough Kitchen. FB Society will accelerate the expansion of Whiskey Cake and Sixty Vines concepts to new markets, with new concepts in the works including SoB (Son of a Butcher) in December, followed by a new chicken tender concept called Buttercup.

Fletcher's Original State Fair Corny Dog keeps its trademark following the resolution of a dispute between members of the Fletcher family, who reached a confidential legal agreement on December 23. A federal judge ruled that Fletcher's Original State Fair Corny Dog is the rightful owner of the Fletcher and Corny Dog names, and that Jace Fletcher Christensen, granddaughter of founder Skip Fletcher, is not allowed to use it in her restaurant, Corndog With No Name.

PETA has placed an ad next to a Jersey Mike's Subs at 14060 Dallas Pkwy., where much meat is served, encouraging people to seek out vegan lunch meats. "Sensitive, gentle cows are unique individuals who value their lives and don’t deserve to be killed for a fleeting taste of flesh," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. Each person who goes vegan saves the lives of nearly 200 animals every year and helps prevent future pandemics, since SARS, swine flu, bird flu, and COVID-19 all originated from raising and killing animals for food.

vegan

A Roundup of Restaurant News

Fill up on the festive fare in this roundup of Dallas restaurant news

Maison Chinoise

Spread at Maison Chinoise

This roundup of restaurant news around Dallas is all about new menus, with lots of festive-themed dishes and menu additions. There's a new brunch at a surprising destination, new cocktails, and lots of hot chocolate, fitting for the season.

Here's what's happening in Dallas restaurant news:

Taziki’s Mediterranean Café is opening a location in Las Colinas, at 5910 N. MacArthur Blvd. Taziki's is known for its hummus, whipped feta, kebabs, Greek salad, and Mediterranean lamb burger. This is the chain's fourth Dallas location and 100th location nationwide.

Catch Dallas, the seafood restaurant at Maple Terrace, ha some splashy new items including truffle sashimi, rainbow sashimi pizza, and a Wagyu hot rock dish with options of A5 Kobe beef, olive beef, and snow beef cooked tableside.

Dive Coastal Cuisine in Snider Plaza has new seasonal specials, including beet & blood orange salad, butternut squash soup, fingerling potatoes, coconut rice, and portobello mushrooms, available through the end of November.

TK's Addison, the comedy club, has a new brunch every Sunday from 10 am-3 pm. Shareable options include cast-iron cinnamon rolls with Grand Marnier cream cheese icing, deviled eggs, and Belgian waffle bites. Meals include filet mignon Benedict, crab cakes Benedict, Nashville chicken biscuit, and the hangover burger, with a short rib/chuck/brisket blend patty with bourbon bacon, four-cheese bechamel, a fried egg and crispy onions.

Fish City Grill, Half Shells restaurants are launching a name brand oyster on November 19 called the Mystic Mermaid, which have a heavy brine and shell ranging from 3-3 1/2 inches, served with cucumber-citrus mignonette. Available for for $21 per half-dozen and $42 per dozen at all Dallas, Flower Mound, Richardson, and Plano locations.

Dog Haus is celebrating Thanksgiving all month with a twist on the Turducken: a turkey, duck, and chicken sausage topped with garlic aioli, turkey gravy, onions, and scallions, served on King’s Hawaiian rolls; and the Turducken burrito, a turkey, duck, and chicken sausage, three sunny side up eggs, white American cheese, sweet potato fries, caramelized onions, and spicy mayo in a toasted flour tortilla.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar has a new lunch menu with a two-course prix fixe starting at $28. New options include steakhouse filet chopped salad, and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse burger, steak frites, and a barbecue salmon fillet. All lunch dishes are $30 or less. There are new cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages, like Tropical Tee and Blackberry Lavenderade.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill has new menu items including Arancini, a risotto bite with fennel sausage, mozzarella, parmesan, & Romano cheese; rigatoni al forno, with tomato cream sauce, Italian sausage, Romano, parmesan, mozzarella and goat cheese; and short rib marsala, bone-in short rib over garlic mashed potatoes with Lombardo Marsala wine sauce. Dessert includes a triple chocolate bread pudding. New festive cocktails feature the merry berry martini and wood-fired old fashioned. Available through January 13.

Taziki’s has brought back its tomato basil soup. Prices start at $5.49, and the soup is also available as part of a soup-and-salad combo with pricing varying by market. This soup is available through January 26.

Beyond Sun Sausage is now available at Whole Foods Markets across Dallas. It’s made from plant-based ingredients, including yellow pea, brown rice, and red lentil proteins. There are 12 grams of plant-based protein per link with no cholesterol, soy, gluten, added antibiotics, or hormones. Flavors include Cajun and pesto, and a four-count package is $11.

Al Biernat’s has new cocktails with a festive twist. At the Oak Lawn location, find Golden Hour with Basil Hayden, Dolin Blanc, Campari, Giffard Piment d’espelette, and grapefruit bitters; Frosted Poinsettia with Titos, spiced cranberry syrup, lemon juice, and Zerbina with red glitter sugar; and Bloody Sidecar, with The Macallan 12, Fruitful Blood Orange, Cointreau, and lemon juice. The Al Biernat’s North menu has Spicy Pineapple Margarita with Flecha infused tequila, Grand Marnier, pineapple juice, and lime juice; Camp Fire Mule with whiskey, lemon juice, maple syrup, and Ladybird ginger beer; and Gin Apple Pie with Roku Gin, cinnamon syrup, and apple cider.

Maison Chinoise in Uptown has launched a new Dim Sum Happy Hour, available Monday-Thursday, with a selection of dim sum for $10. A new Sunday offering features all bottles of wine under $100 available at half-price all day for dine-in.

P.F. Chang’s has added Asian fried chicken to the menu for the first time. It comes in two options, Korean fried chicken and Taiwanese popcorn chicken, with a choice of sauces, including sweet soy glaze, dynamite, hot honey, and chili crisp. Available as bone-in three-piece or six-piece and boneless four-piece or five-piece, eight-piece or 10-piece for shareables.

Laredo Taco Company, 7-Eleven's in-house restaurant, has two holiday specials: Quesabirria, featuring shredded beef and melted cheese, available as a taco or bowl, paired with consommé dipping sauce; and tamales in choice of pork or chicken, in packs of three, six, or 12 or a family size with two dozen tamales and two sides.

Menchie's Frozen Yogurt is collaborating with candy brand Hi-Chew for a limited-edition Key lime pie flavor, inspired by Hi-Chew Dessert Mix’s Key Lime Pie. The flavor is available through November 30.

Main Event has new frozen hot chocolate shakes in three flavors: Classic, a frozen hot chocolate with chocolate candy frosted rim, and a Little Debby Christmas tree cake; s’mores with marshmallow rim and graham crackers; and peppermint with peppermint frosted rim and a candy cane. Bailey’s Irish Cream or Caffè Borghetti can be added to any flavor for $3. Prices start at $11. Available through January 7.

Rita’s Frozen Custard has two limited-time frozen treats: Frozen Hot Cocoa Gelati, which layers Rita’s Frozen Hot Cocoa Cream Ice with Vanilla Custard, blending the taste of hot cocoa with cool Italian Ice; and Frozen Hot Cocoa Gelati Blender with a crushed peppermint topping.

Dunkin' is bringing back holiday favorites and new menu items. Drinks include the cookie butter cold brew, peppermint mocha latte, toasted white chocolate latte, and white hazelnut bark coffee. New items include the cookie butter donut, holiday cookie latte, almond croissant, and hash brown brisket scramble bowl.

Barrilitos, the Mexican soda, has returned to Texas shelves. Originally produced nearly 100 years ago, the drink is available in four flavors: Mandarina, Manzana, Piña, and Ponche de Frutas in both 12-ounce and 1.5-liter bottles. The aguas frescas were sold until 2020-2021, and the sodas were sold until 2017. Now they're available at El Rancho, La Michoacana, and Fiesta stores across Dallas.

Wendy's has a new salted caramel Frosty. It can also be paired with the limited-time mushroom bacon cheeseburger, which features roasted mushrooms, bacon, Muenster cheese, and garlic spread. The Frosty is $3 and the burger is $6.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has shut down two oyster harvest areas in the Gulf: the 14-acre Desperation Reef and the 529-acre Dollar Reef, both in Galveston Bay, to allow the oyster population to recover the reef is healthy enough that they can start harvesting oysters again. They'll reopen in November 2026.

Chipotle has launched a wacky new merchandise collection that includes a $10 cilantro soap, a nod to the small percentage of the population who are genetically wired to experience a soapy flavor when eating cilantro; the $28 “Water” Cup candle, a lemonade-scented candle; and $20 car napkin holder. The collection will be available for individual purchase, or as a bundle for $50.

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