Energetic and American

Joule Dallas reveals new eatery CBD Provisions, from Consilient's Tristan Simon

As part of the expansion of the Joule Dallas hotel, Dallas-based Consilient Restaurants will open CBD Provisions, an "energetic American eatery" in spring 2013. The restaurant will celebrate American comfort food with an artisanal standard and progressive sensibility.

CBD — one presumes that stands for "Central Business District" — will be led by operating partner Greg Katz and an executive chef to be named. The restaurant will embrace local, regional and responsibly raised products and will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Plus there will be a complete menu until midnight on the weekends and a big-deal Sunday brunch.

Nationally renowned bartenders Chad Solomon and Christy Pope will oversee the beverage program, which will center on modern American cocktails and regional craft beers.

New York City-based designer Claudia Woods will tackle the interiors, which will evoke the tradition of big-city brasseries in a style befitting the location in the heart of historic downtown Dallas.

Consilient Restaurants is a diversified restaurant group owned by Tristan Simon and Tim Headington. Consilient restaurants include Hibiscus, Victor Tangos, The Porch and multiple Fireside Pies.

Greg Katz has been the operating partner of Victor Tangos in Dallas since its inception in 2008. Previously Katz served in various management capacities at Il Mulino and the Carlyle Hotel in New York City and the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas.

Claudia Woods was previously a senior design architect for the highly regarded Rockwell Group, where she led the design teams for Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa in Miami, Nobu Budapest in Hungary, and Danny Meyer’s Maialino in New York City.

Chad Solomon and Christy Pope co-founded Cuffs & Buttons Consulting & Cocktail Catering in 2006 along with Sasha Petraske, owner of Milk & Honey in New York City. They are regulars at conferences such as Tales of the Cocktail, StarChefs.com International Chefs Congress and San Antonio Cocktail Conference and have been featured in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal and Food & Wine.

After many years in New York City, Solomon and Pope relocated to Dallas in October 2012.

So the name, CBD. Let's try it out: "Hey, let's go grab a bite at CBD!" Add it to a new group of restaurants with abbreviations, such as Acme F&B, and the number restaurants, such as FT33, Stampede 66 and Central 214. CBD is more direct than the new Tacos & Avocados in Roanoke, which is dying for you to call it T&A.

CBD has a military vibe, like the now-closed Commissary or Company Cafe. What else could CBD stand for? Can't Be Dallas? Cooks Big Dinners? It never ends.

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Spicy chicken joint

TikTok-famed hot halal chicken chain The Red Chickz pecks into Carrollton

Facebook/The Red Chickz

Dipping hot chicken into sauce is a big thing at The Red Chickz.

A California hot chicken chain that's famous for being TikTok-famous is making its Dallas-Fort Worth debut in Carrollton. Called The Red Chickz, it will open at 3204 E. Hebron Pkwy. #220, Carrollton, on Saturday, July 25.

This will be The Red Chickz's second location in Texas, following a restaurant in Cypress, outside Houston.

Founded in Los Angeles in 2018, The Red Chickz serves 100 percent halal chicken with a California twist on Nashville hot chicken, says a release. Halal refers to the method in which the chicken are slaughtered, one that focuses on humane treatment of animals, cleanliness, and acknowledging the value of life.

The Red Chickz menu features chicken sandwiches, tenders, wings, tacos, and loaded fries, with seven spice levels ranging from no heat to extra hot.

Their signature item is the Honey Butter Sandwich, which pairs a Nashville hot chicken breast with honey butter, pickles, and slaw on a brioche bun. Other menu standouts include a French Toast Sandwich, Nashville Hot Chicken Tacos, cauliflower for vegetarians, plus sides such as cheese curds, corn ribs, mac and cheese, and seasoned fries.

They also offer a range of sauces for dipping, including Comeback Sauce, Honey Butter, Smoky Honey Mustard, and Homemade Buffalo Sauce.

The Carrollton restaurant is owned by franchisee Nazar Osman, an entrepreneur from Northeast Africa, who moved to the United States in 1992. He says he plans to open two more locations around Dallas.

CEO and co-founder Shawn Lalehzarian says the success of the Cypress restaurant made expanding further into Texas a logical decision.

"The incredible response we've seen in Cypress confirmed Texans have a strong appetite for bold flavors, quality food, and memorable dining experiences," he says in a release. "As the Dallas-Fort Worth region continues to attract new residents, businesses, and investment from across the country, Carrollton is a natural next step for our expansion."

Part of the chain's appeal comes from its modern social media strategy. Rather than relying on traditional advertising, The Red Chickz built its brand through TikTok videos showcasing the crunch, texture, and spice of its chicken, often tapping into viral trends and encouraging customers to create their own content.

Some (ie, those who don't work in traditional media) might say the strategy has paid off: The chain has amassed more than 1.2 million TikTok followers and recently was named a finalist for the 2026 Chicken Marketer of the Year award.

Similarly, their strategy to build buzz around the Carrollton store seems to have been to invite influencers to post videos of chicken being dipped in giant buckets of sauce, like this one and this one and this one and this one. Yummy!

To celebrate the grand opening in Carrollton, the first 150 customers on July 25 and 26 will receive a free Honey Butter Sandwich with a purchase, and all guests will get 25 percent off their order during opening weekend. Sauce for everyone!

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