12 Dallas restaurants introduce summer menus, and more dining news

We're almost at the first day of summer and Dallas restaurants are ready. There's at least a dozen restaurants, maybe more, just in this roundup alone that have intro'd new summer dishes: watermelon salad, strawberry French toast, Beach bowls, watermelon cucumber salad, frozen lemonade, and a watermelon martini.

This roundup also has news of openings, supermarket news, and a purple shake.

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

Mi Cocina, home of the Mambo Taxi margarita swirl, is opening a location in McKinney's District 121 on June 26. The location will boast a trademark Seisegundos bar along with artwork by Luis Sottil. This marks the 23rd location across Texas and Oklahoma.

WOB Bar & Kitchen is opening a location at the newly developed Grotto at Grandscape in The Colony at 5774 Grandscape Blvd. #110 on Tuesday, June 20. The restaurant boasts 300 beers stored in floor-to-ceiling coolers as well as 40 rotating taps, plus a full bar with wine and spirits. They'll serve lunch and dinner daily, including the Black n’ Blue Burger, a blackened Angus beef burger loaded with Danish blue cheese, as well as a German Pretzel with stone ground mustard.

Wetzel’s Pretzels has opened a location at the Galleria Dallas, next to the entrance of Macy's. Wetzel’s was founded in Pasadena, California more than 25 years ago. Brand trademarks include colorful presence, snacks, and a menu of pretzels, cheese pretzels, pretzel dogs, pretzel bites, lemonade, and frozen granita.

Asador, located inside the Rennaissance Dallas Hotel, has a new menu for summer featuring Watermelon Salad, Redfish Ceviche, and Earth Bowl with sweet potato noodles, zucchini, bok choy, red onions, peppers, mushrooms, coconut ginger sauce. plus new cocktails including the Tiki Tiki Boom Boom with selva rey coconut rum, pineapple juice, coconut milk, lime, and butterfly pea tea rum floater.

Quarter Acre on Greenville Avenue from chef Toby Archibald has new Spring/Summer dishes: Crispy Pork Belly, Mushroom Croquette, Half Shell Oyster, Croute on Paté, and Grilled Asparagus. New entrees include Roasted Lamb Chump and Grilled Amberjack. Sides include Arugula & Apple Salad and Seasonal Peas.

Dive Coastal Cuisine in Snider Plaza has new specials for June: Blue Crab Sandwich, Rainbow Trout, Demases Strawberry Spinach Salad, Risotto Crab Croquettes, Gazpacho Thai Pea Soup, and Chicken Pozole.

Momo's Italian Kitchen in Lake Highlands has new dishes for the summer: Mandilli with basil pesto, Sun-Dried Tomato Fettuccine, Snails with Pesto, Branzino with sautéed broccolini, and oysters. New drinks include Limoncello Mojito, Queen Margherita (an Italian margarita), and alcohol-free drinks such as the The Italian.

Greenville Avenue Pizza Company has brought back its Pretty Pickle Pizza, loaded with 50 pickles, plus bacon, garlic sauce, mozzarella, dill, red pepper, and shaved parmesan. A 16-inch is $26, a 12-inch is $21, and slices are $8.50. At all threee locations: Greenville Ave, Peavy Road/East Dallas, or Lockwood in Richardson through July 31.

Bonefish Grill has a new seasonal menu featuring Thai Chili Green Beans, Mango Sangria Pork Tenderloin or Mango Sangria Salmon served with two sides, Blackened Shrimp with Mexican Street Corn, Chimichurri 8-ounce Filet, Key Lime Cake, and two martinis: Wild Flower Martini and fresh Watermelon Martini.

First Watch, which has nearly 20 locations in DFW, has a new limited-time menu featuring Strawberry Tres Leches French Toast, Carnitas Breakfast Tostadas, Brisket Hash, Bacon Cheddar Cornbread, and Watermelon Wake-Up fresh juice.

The Saint, the Italian-inspired steakhouse near downtown Dallas, has a special edition Honor Wagyu Beef, with black truffle dijonnaise, tomato-onion marmalade, Fontina Valle D’Aosta cheese, arugula, and fried leeks, served with fries, ketchup — oh it comes with ketchup, well then — for $24. It's one of those "only 10 available each night at The Saint's bar" deals so run in, hurry, etc, although one wonders if they would really say no if #11 customer came in and ordered.

Taco Cabana has three new "Gigante" breakfast bowls: a new seasoned country sausage & egg; chorizo & egg; or all egg, served in crispy tortilla shell with seasoned potatoes, refried beans, queso, and pico de gallo, for $5. The new sausage can also be ordered in a breakfast taco for $2.19. They also have a line of "Southwest Ranchero" offerings including a quesadilla with chicken fajita, ranchero salsa made with black beans & roasted corn, jack & cheddar cheese, small $7 and large $11; and The Southwest Ranchero Cabana Bowl with the same ingredients as the quesadilla, but in a tortilla shell, for $8.39.

One90 Smoked Meats has partnered with Central Market to sell select products across all 10 locations including burgers, plus smoked brisket sold in one-pound prepackaged portions for $26 per pound, and smoked whole chickens for $9 per pound, both cooked and vacuum sealed, ready to be reheated.

Cowboy Chicken has new summer salads and drinks: strawberry pecan salad, Southern fried salad topped with chicken tenders, Kickin’ Cobb salad, watermelon cucumber salad, strawberry lemonade, and watermelon tea. Plus strawberry shortcake.

Vitality Bowls, which specializes in açai bowls, smoothies, and salads, wraps, has three new bowls: Island Bowl with Guava, Acerola, Banana, Coconut, and Mulberries; Beach Bowl with Coconut, Granola, Strawberries, Pineapple, and Cacao Nibs; Blue Bliss Bowl with Pineapple, Coconut, Mango and Blue Spirulina topped with Organic Granola, Banana, Blueberries and Coconut Shavings. Also three new smoothies: Pina Colada, Purple Passion with Blue Spirulina, and Guava smoothie.

Yogurtland has a new limited-edition Pineapple Mango Sorbet, a sweet and tangy option made with real pineapple and mango, which they recommend topping with their limited-time 3D fruit gummies, available through July 2.

McDonald’s has a new purple shake, part of a "Grimace Birthday Meal" featuring a limited-edition purple shake inspired by Grimace’s color and sweetness. How long it is available, they will not say, other than "the coming weeks." The meal comes with choice of Big Mac or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets and fries.

7-Eleven has new glazed BBQ Wings with a smoky-sweet glaze with notes of garlic, paprika, pepper, and tomato, glazed twice; plus Breaded Boneless Wings tumble-marinated in a savory seasoning of salt, pepper, and garlic, then battered and breaded in a crunchy, homestyle coating topped with black pepper flakes.

Häagen-Dazs Shops have rolled out two refreshing new drinks: Strawberry Frozen Lemonade and Raspberry Frozen Lemonade. These frozen lemonades are made with real-fruit, dairy-free sorbets, blended with chilled lemonade brimming with citrus notes and further enhanced by effervescent seltzer bubbles. They're are available through September 14. Finally! A restaurant that's willing to say how long their limited run item lasts. For that reason alone, they deserve a visit.

SusieCakes has four new items for summer: Blueberry Pancake Cupcake (available through June 20), Lemonade Cupcake available June 21-July 30, and Summer Berry Cake and Key Lime Pie, both available June 21-September 4.

Yardbird in Dallas is joining a competition against other Yarbird locations in July. Each location will feature their interpretation of a fried chicken sandwich, with the idea that you vote for your Yardbirds on Instagram (@yardbirdrestaurants). The winning sandwich will be available at all Yardbird locations. Dallas' entry is a Sweet Tea Brined Chicken Tenders Sandwich with bourbon maple candied bacon, cheddar, Bubbies’ bread & butter pickles, honey mustard, Texas toast, and Shiner bock battered onion rings.

Truluck's has extended its hours at its Uptown Dallas location to be open between lunch and dinner for all-afternoon dining. They're also now allowing reservations at their Stone Crab Lounge Bar, which was previously first-come-first-serve.

Lakewood Brewing Company is opening during off-hours for corporate and group events for the cost of food and drink, Monday-Thursday 8 am-3 pm. Events can include custom beer with company logo labels, brewery tours, and guided tastings.