Christi and Brian Rudolph, owners of the Holy Grail Pub in Plano, are slated to open FM Smoke House in Las Colinas in March. The restaurant will go into the old Bennigan's location on Highway 114 and MacArthur Boulevard, at 660 Walnut Ridge Rd.
The cuisine is described as "rural Texas comfort food," inspired by local eateries located along Texas' rural farm-to-market highways. The menu will feature smoked dishes such as bacon-injected brisket, beer can chicken, beef short ribs, beef tenderloin and hot dogs, plus Texas favorites such as chicken fried steak, fried turkey breast, chili and Frito pie.
Special smoked meats and seafood will be available on a rotating basis. Meats and side dishes can be ordered individually or family-style. FM Smoke House will also offer takeout and catering options.
The menu will feature smoked dishes such as bacon-injected brisket, beer can chicken and beef short ribs, plus Texas favorites such as chicken fried steak and Frito pie.
The Rudolphs got the idea for FM after witnessing the popularity of their "Smoke Out" beer and barbecue events held at the Holy Grail Pub during the summer. "One thing we noticed was that it draws whole families, who order it family-style," Christi says. "That's why we wanted to offer that option with FM Smoke House."
The family orientation also made sense in light of the unresolved status of liquor sales in Irving; the city council has been debating whether to go with full alcohol sales. On the chance that it doesn't go through, the Rudolphs thought a family focus made more sense.
"We came across this location and decided to go with this concept," Christi says. "We were thinking that, with the potential alcohol restrictions, we might not be able to open another pub. We had been bouncing around the idea of doing a full-service BBQ place in that market. We thought [Irving] would be good for that kind of cuisine."
They hope to offer a full bar, emphasizing American craft beers and house-infused vodka drinks, with 20 of the 37 taps dedicated to Texas beers. Everything will be made from scratch, with an emphasis on local ingredients when available. (When they say "emphasize," do you suppose they mean actually use?)
The release says this will be the first location.
FM Smoke House owners Christi and Brian Rudolph have been smoking meat at their Plano establishment Holy Grail Pub.
