Steak News

Brazilian Fogo de Chao expands Dallas footprint with new restaurant

Red meat, a specialty at Fogo De Chao.

ml.globenewswire.com

Dallas-based Fogo de Chão, the churrascuria-style restaurant originally from Brazil, is opening a new location in the Dallas area. According to a release, the chain will open a restaurant in North Irving, at Cypress Waters, the 1,000-acre master-planned development at the corner of Ranch Trail and LBJ Freeway.

Located along the shores of North Lake within Cypress Waters — the 1,000-acre waterfront dining, retail, and entertainment destination from Billingsley Co. — the restaurant is slated to open at 3080 Ranch Trail later this year.

UPDATE 10-23-2023: The restaurant is now open.

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Fogo has been headquartered in Dallas since the opening of its first U.S. location in Addison in 1997.

North Irving was considered an ideal location due to its thriving business sector, including numerous corporate headquarters and a bustling convention center, attracting both visitors and residents. The location will comprise 8,500 square feet and showcase a recent brand transformation, including an expansive dining room centered around an open-air churrasco grill, with views of gaucho chefs butchering, hand carving, and grilling meats over an open flame.

Meats are served tableside, carved by gaucho chefs. There are also dry-aged and Wagyu cuts, seafood a la carte, All-Day Happy Hour, a South American wine list, and a menu of smaller, sharable plates in Bar Fogo.

A white Carrera marble Market Table anchored at the front of the grill features a trademark salad bar with salads, cured meats, and antipasti.

Dry-aged meat lockers for in-house aging will display indulgent cuts such as a 32-ounce Long-Bone Tomahawk Ribeye, aged for a minimum of 42 days.

North Irving will be the fourth location in DFW, following Addison, Uptown, and Plano, which are open for weekday lunch, weekend Brazilian brunch, Bar Fogo, group and private dining, plus to-go and butcher shop options.

"Since opening our first U.S. restaurant in Addison 26 years ago, the Dallas community has warmly welcomed our brand and our authentic dining experience," says Fogo de Chao CEO Barry McGowan in a statement. "Our founders expanding the brand from Brazil to Dallas in 1997 was no small feat and our success in the U.S. has laid the foundation for our global growth ever since. We’re excited to continue our expansion in the DFW area with a new location in North Irving and aim to give our guests the same experience of discovery that they have come to know us for in a new, elevated setting."

Lucy Burns, Partner at Billingsley Co. adds, “We are delighted that Fogo de Chão has chosen Cypress Waters to further enhance its robust presence in North Texas. The introduction of Fogo de Chão's immersive dining experience is a remarkable and invaluable addition to the Waterfront development.”

Fogo has opened or signed on 12 new domestic and international leases including Quito, Ecuador; Lynnwood, Washington; National Harbor, Maryland; Woodland Hills, California; and Paramus, New Jersey, as well as plans to enter Turkey and Bolivia.

openings

Ice Cream News

Global gourmet ice cream chain debuts in U.S. with 2 Dallas-area shops

Dumont Ice Cream

An ice cream concept from India has made its Texas debut: Called Dumont Creamery & Cafe, it's a ice cream chain founded in Hyderabad that now has two locations in the Dallas area.

Their first location was Frisco, which opened at 1951 FM 423 at the end of 2023; a second location opened in late October in Coppell at 1535 S. Belt Line Rd. #160.

Dumont was founded in 1999 by brothers Vivek and Bhashkaar, and currently has 23 locations in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Vijayawada listed on their website.

Bringing the concept to Texas are local franchisees and friends Sai Sashank and Tarang Tirumala, who moved to the U.S. in 2005 to attend college.

Both have successful consulting careers, but craved a taste of home.

Ice cream is the centerpiece at Dumont with more than two dozen flavors, ranging from gourmet to classics to flavors boasting global influences: from Italian-inspired sorbet to a New Zealand-inspired honey ice cream called "hokey pokey."

There is vanilla, chocolate, and mint chocolate chip — but also unique options such as cake and jam, an ice cream with a vanilla base, bites of cake, and spiced jam; and kheer, a coconut ice cream studded with dried fruits and nuts — a nod to the kheer rice pudding that's one of India's favorite desserts.

A single scoop is $4. They have cups and a cute version of waffle cones: shorter and fatter than usual, to provide a greater ratio of ice cream-to-cone.

In addition to ice cream, they have a beverage program with coffee and espresso drinks such as lattes, plus boba tea. There are also special drinks like falooda — an exotic Indian milkshake with rose syrup and vermicelli — as well as limited-edition drinks like iced kheer, a cool beverage version of that same popular rice pudding dessert.

Both locations are spacious, bright, and clean, with pale green banquettes at Frisco, and pale blue chairs and tables at Coppell. Both feature an astronaut theme with statues and framed photos and cartoons on the wall. The Coppell location also has a mural dedicated to great moments in Coppell history.