In crust we trust

Village Baking Co. opens retail shop, selling crisp, crackling croissants freshfrom the oven

Loaves with decorative flour at Village Baking Co.
Photo by Marc Lee
Village Baking Co. in Dallas has a small retail shop open Thursday throughSaturday.
Courtesy of VBC
Village Baking Co.'s bread selection includes such loaves as nine grain,sourdough and seeded rye.
Photo courtesy of Village Baking Co.
Village Baking Co.'s goods include "laminated brioches" dusted with cinnamonsugar.
Photo by Marc Lee
Village Baking Co. signage is hard to see if you're coming from CentralExpressway.
Photo by Marc Lee
Village Baking Co. staffer packs up goods to go.
Photo by Marc Lee

Village Baking Co. finally opened a retail shop in Dallas, selling breads, croissants, scones and pastries in a small room off its production facility on University Boulevard, half a block east of Central Expressway.

The big surprise about Village Baking's "new" location: It's the old Whole Foods bakery.

"We took over the space last year, and we're now supplying Whole Foods with baked goods," said a staffer at the store on Saturday. That explains the slight improvement in the quality of the chocolate croissants at Whole Foods: They are secretly being made by Village Baking. Did not know this.

It's been a complicated journey for owners Kim and Clint Cooper, who opened their first storefront in 2004 at Colleyville's Town Center, where they sold breads, croissants and espresso drinks. Colleyville turned out to be unfit for such a foodie venture, and the couple shut down the shop to focus on wholesale baking and selling their breads on weekends at local farmers markets.

The baked goods run on the heavy side, as opposed to delicate, which is not a bad thing. The baguette has a thick, crunchy crust and a substance to its crumb.

This arrangement was better than nothing, but it meant that customers had to track down which markets they were at, and on which days.

Last year, Village Baking Co. signed on to provide breads and baked goods for Bolsa Mercado, a halfway step to having their own space. And now they've completed the journey, opening for three days a week on University Boulevard — not so far from the production facility of Empire Baking Company — making this area kind of a Bread Basket, a Croissant Court, a Dough Row, if you will.

The Village retail space is a small room off the parking lot of the production facility. When there are multiple customers, navigation can be tight, but it's more quirky than annoying. Pastries are piled on a table, and packaged loaves are stacked on a shelf against the wall. Everything comes straight from the bakery oven, which adds a level of freshness that's uncommon. You can help yourself to free coffee.

The baked goods run on the heavy side, as opposed to delicate, which is not a bad thing. The plain croissant has a crisp, crackling, slightly caramelized shell enclosing a hefty, buttery center. The baguette has a thick, crunchy crust and a substance to its crumb.

The chocolate croissant is broad, with two parallel rods of chocolate down the center, not just one — so no scrimping. Village Baking also does a "laminated" brioche, with puff pastry twirled into a spiraling roll and a heavy coat of cinnamon-sugar. We paid $18 for two baguettes, two plain croissants, two chocolate croissants and two laminated brioches and felt like we got a lot for our money.

unspecified series554589772

Places To Go Things To Eat

Winter pop-up tops 7 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

Eataly

Alpine-themed pop-up arrives at Eataly this week.

Dallas is enjoying an unusually warm week, but one local dining institution has just the thing if you're longing for regular winter weather: a cool ski-themed winter restaurant pop-up. Other fun food events this week include a plush Benz-and-brunch experience on Saturday, a special drone delivery exclusively for Frisco residents, and the biggest Valentine's Day bar crawl in the city.

If you're looking to plan ahead for a romantic Valentine's Day, we have a list; if you're seeking Galentine's events, click here.

Tuesday, February 4

Alpina: A Terra Winter Experience at Eataly
Italian gourmet foodie destination in NorthPark Center will launch an après ski retreat-themed winter pop-up at its top floor restaurant, Terra. The experience is inspired by Italy’s northern mountain regions featuring Alpine cuisine and warming cocktails. Menu highlights include a polenta bar, fonduta di formaggio, bread, speck gnocchi, and warm chocolate fondue. The pop-up kicks off Tuesday with “Cortina Happy Hour” featuring small bites from $8 (available Tuesday-Thursday). There’ll be bi-weekly DJ music with an après ski dress code on Friday, and Alpine-inspired brunch dishes will be served on Saturdays and Sundays. The pop-up will run through March.

Saturday, February 8

8th Annual Cupid’s Crawl on Greenville Avenue
Dallasites 101 brings back Dallas' biggest Valentine’s themed bar crawl on Greenville Avenue, with the Truck Yard, Christies, Leela's, Milli, and more ready with discounted drinks, pop-up vendors, photo ops, designated Galentine's and singles bars, cupid costumes, and more. Couples and singles are both welcome — bring your galentines, valentines, situationships, or show up solo and make new friends or boos along the crawl. Come decked out in cupid costumes, heart-shaped sunglasses, and pink wigs. Tickets are $20, and get your choice of themed cocktail, makeup bag & lipstick, or a "XOXO" red beanie. The crawl runs from 12-5 pm, with check-in from 12-12:30 pm at Four Day Weekend Comedy Club. Stick around for the afterparty from 5-7 pm at Stan’s Blue Note with karaoke on stage + extended specials.

PepsiCo Party Pack Drone Delivery in Frisco
PepsiCo is partnering with Wing (a drone delivery company) to deliver free Super Bowl snack packs to residents in Frisco. Download the Wing app to order starting Saturday and through Sunday. The pack includes Doritos, Tostitos dip, and two 12-ounce cans of Pepsi Zero Sugar. Offer good while supplies last.

Mercedes & Brunch at The Shop Club Dallas
Touted as a “country club for gearheads,” The Shop Club invites Mercedes-Benz owners and lovers for a Saturday brunch. Tour the state-of-the-art car garage and mingle with fellow Mercedes enthusiasts. An a la carte brunch will be served by the shop’s on-site restaurant, Derby. The event will run from 11 am–1 pm.

Wine and Girl Scout Cookie Pairing at Lone Star Winery
Girl Scout Cookie season is here and this downtown McKinney winery is hosting a pairing party. The $32 ticket, plus tax and a small fee, includes five deluxe pours of wine paired with five different Girl Scout cookies. A wine expert will talk through the tastings. The event will run from 12–1:30 pm.

Sunday, February 9

Name of the Day at Firehouse Subs
Sub sandwich chain has a special deal for guests who share names with football stars. Anyone named Cooper, Tom, Julian, Von, Nick, Peyton, Patrick, or Eli can visit any Firehouse Subs location to get a buy one, get one free sub special. The deal is good in-store for delivery.

The Big Game at Doc B’s
Whether watching for the teams, commercials, or the halftime show, Doc B’s will be pouring half-off all spirits and cocktails. The deal runs from 5 pm until close.

lists event-planner