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Houston-based Kolache Factory rolls into Dallas, with new Plano shop and more onthe way

Kolaches — the small, sweet, filled rolls of Czech origin — are all over Texas, served mostly at mom-and-pop spots or as a side treat at doughnut shops. But Dallas has a bigger player in Kolache Factory, which opened in Plano in September at Coit Road and Plano Parkway.

A Houston-based chain founded in 1982, Kolache Factory has 42 branches around Texas, Colorado, Kansas and Missouri. The company website reads that it's been recognized as one of the "Top 5 Drive-thru's in America" by the Food Network.

Kolache Factory has been eyeing Dallas as a destination for expansion, says spokesperson Aaron Nielsen.

"You name it, we’ve put it inside the kolache bread," says spokesperson Aaron Nielsen.

"Dallas and Houston are similar, size-wise, and we've wanted to get up to Dallas for a couple of years," he says. "We have a franchisor who's committed to open two more stores in the Plano area in the next two and a half years, and we're looking for more expansion in the rest of Dallas-Fort Worth."

Baked pastries, especially yeast-based, are fairly rare in Texas. Kolaches do have yeast, but true to their Eastern European tradition, they're more doughy than raised. Fillings usually include prune, poppy seed, sausage or cottage cheese, plus fruit fillings such as cherry, peach, apple and apricot.

Kolache Factory has some signature options, like chocolate-cream cheese, spinach, Italian chicken, and sausage and gravy. Nielsen says the flavors are more savory than sweet.

"The majority of our menu is the kolache, although we offer cinnamon rolls and croissants as well," he says. "For those who like to try something new, we have a flavor of the month. One month it was caramel apple with cream cheese. We have a Philly cheesesteak. You name it, we’ve put it inside the kolache bread."

They also have a great "coffee concept," he says, with espressos and cappuccinos.

Our kolache options have been limited to driving to West, Texas, the kolache capital of the state, or hitting one of the random shops in the 'burbs, such as Duffy's Kolache Bakery in north Fort Worth and Kolache Station in Plano.

"There are tons of mom-and-pop shops that have one or two branches, but there's probably no one doing it on the scale that we are," Nielsen says.

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Sushi News

Sush Marquee at The Star in Frisco shuts out the lights

Photo courtesy of Sushi Marquee

Sushi Marquee

A fun sushi restaurant in Frisco has closed its doors: Sushi Marquee, which was home to great sushi, sake bombs, and a lively atmosphere, closed its location at The Star in Frisco at 3625 The Star Blvd. #315 after eight years.

Founder Brad Hawkins called it "a fun ride," thanking staff and customers for all the memories.

"Hate to see it go but that’s how it goes sometimes," he said. "Very proud of what we all accomplished. Too much fun!"

Sushi Marquee debuted in 2017, a concept from Crafted Bar Concepts, a group of operators that included Hawkins, owner of Shakertins, the cocktail bar chain, inspired by a lively sushi place he used to frequent in Los Angeles before moving to DFW.

"I haven't seen other places around here do tasteful sushi but with an exciting live element, something where you walk away and say, 'That was fun,'" Hawkins said at the time it opened.

Sushi Marquee did exactly that, and was thus a revelation when it opened, long before the current explosion of high-end omakase spots that currently dominate the Dallas sushi landscape.

The sushi scene has changed and so has operating a high-end restaurant, Hawkins says.

"We had fun and we had a great run and it's hard to see it close," he says. "But the climate we are in as restaurant and bar owners — it's one of the toughest I've ever seen outside COVID. The cost of goods is higher than it's ever been, and you have to pay people well. Rent is higher than it's ever been, and you can only charge guests so much. We went from being profitable to just breaking even, and I know we're not the only ones. I have so many friends in the industry who are barely getting by."

Hawkins' other concept, the Shakertins bar chain, is doing great, with five locations in The Colony, Midtown Dallas, Allen, Prosper, and Arlington near AT&T Stadium. "It's a little easier doing wings and sandwiches and pizza," he says.

There's also been turnover at The Star, most recently with the closure of City Works — but it's not all gloom and doom.

"The Star has places that come and go, but you have Common Table, Concrete Cowboy, Sidecar Social, and if you look at liquor sales, The Star is doing well," he says. "I think there could be another version of sushi that would do well at The Star."