News You Can Eat

Find sweet summer dishes and fruity cocktails at Dallas restaurants

Blackberry cobbler makes a persuasive argument to stop by Cotton Patch Cafe.

Cotton Patch Cafe

It's the end of June, and we've collated another collection of cabbage about Dallas restaurants, chefs, new dishes, new drinks, even a local company on reality TV.

Here's what's happening in Dallas restaurant news:

Komodo, the buzzy Southeast Asian-inspired restaurant and lounge will begin serving weekend "brunch" on Sunday July 9, which will thereafter be served SaturdaySunday from 12-4 pm. Dishes include Texas Quail & Waffles, Crab Cake Benedict with yuzu hollandaise and crispy leek, Hong Kong style French Toast, Japanese Pancakes with strawberry yuzu compote & vanilla cream syrup, dumplings, and dim sum, plus cocktails and live DJs.

Shake Shack has opened a new location in McKinney which is the first in DFW to feature a drive-thru. Said drive-thru features a digital menu board, a two-lane ordering system, and a separate pick-up window.

Bowlrito, the bowls concept at Oomi Kitchen the digital kitchen on Ross Avenue, has five limited-edition dishes for summer: Mongo Beef & Peppers on white rice, Bang Bang Chicken bowl or Bang Bang Shrimp bowl on white rice, Baja Shrimp Bowl on ginger jasmine rice, baja fried shrimp, spicy peanut cucumber salad, and El Cubano Bowl with poblano green rice, al pastor pork, manchego cheese, roasted ham, manchego cheese, avocado, cilantro, pickled red onions & garlic mojo.

The Douglas neighborhood bar and grill in Snider Plaza is bringing back of two fan-favorite pastas for July: The Cheesy 21 Layer Lasagna, with béchamel, tomato basil sauce, mozzarella, and parmigiano reggiano, seared and served on a bed of tomato or bolognese sauce topped with béchamel, grated parmesan, and fines herbs Brisket Bolognese; and fettuccine pasta with Wagyu brisket, bolognese sauce caramelized sunchoke, and ricotta agnolotti dal plin with salsa macha. The pasta specials are available on Tuesdays only during dinner.

Kenny’s East Coast Pizza in Plano now offers weekend brunch Saturday-Sunday from 11 am-2 pm. Dishes include Grand Marnier French Toast, traditional benedict, Cheesesteak Benedict (replacing ham with Philly cheesesteak, duh), Italian Breakfast Scramble with Italian sausage and rosemary Parmesan potatoes, Chicken & Belgian Waffles, and two pizzas: Italian Breakfast Pizza with pesto, spinach, roasted tomatoes, mozzarella and sunny side eggs; The Bacon Egg & Cheese Pizza with creamy Alfredo, mozzarella, cheddar, bacon, and eggs. Plus cocktails and $5 Mimosa or Bloody Marys.

Tiff’s Treats has created a “Tiff’s Remix” package, a rare collection of six seasonal flavors: one each of Lemon Sugar Cookie, Pumpkin Spice Cookie, Red Velvet Cookie, Rocky Road Cookie, Salted Caramel Cookie, and Triple Chocolate Cookie. It'll be available June 21-August 31 in-store or for local delivery.

BJ’s Restaurants has new menu items: Hickory Brisket Nachos Big Twist Pretzel with BJ’s Beer Cheese, Buffalo Stampede Chicken Pasta, Chicken Tortilla Pasta and four new margarta flavors: White Peach Boba-Rita, Spicy Mango Margarita with jalapeños and a Tajin rim, Watermelon Margarita, and BJ’s Grand Patrón Margarita features a mini bottle of Grand Marnier topping off the glass. A new Cheeseburger Pizza is available for takeout only. They're also bringing back the Peanut Butter S’mores Pizookie, a warm Ghirardelli triple chocolate cookie piled with peanut butter, toasted marshmallows, and finished with rich vanilla bean ice cream.

Newk's Eatery has four new menu items fors summer: Green Goddess Salad: All-natural chicken with romaine, bacon, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, avocado, green onions and tossed in green goddess dressing. Watermelon Feta Salad (with Chicken): All-natural chicken on a mix of romaine and arugula, along with cucumbers, watermelon, blueberries, feta, green onions and tossed in a Sherry Vinaigrette. Chicken Avo Club Sandwich: All-natural chicken, bacon, avocado, cheddar cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato on Parisian bread. Lemon Cake: Fluffy cake layered with a sweet and tart iced lemon glaze.

Mountain Mike’s Pizza, the California-based pizza chain known for curly pepperonis and 20-inch pizzas, has a new limited-time menu item: “BBQ at the Ranch” Pizza, with chicken, bacon, diced onion, tomato, BBQ sauce, green onion, ranch dressing, . It's available Available July 1 through August 31 at the Lewisville location at 4740 TX-121 #900. The chain is opening two more locations in the DFW area, both listed as Coming Soon: Melissa at 3031 Washington Dr., and Fort Worth at 3488 TX-114.

El Pollo Loco has a new entrée for summer: Double Chicken Chopped Salads, featuring fire-grilled chicken, avocado, pepitas, queso fresco, spinach, lettuce, super greens and pico de gallo. Street Corn Double Chicken Chopped Salad has chicken corn, cilantro, queso fresco, lettuce, super greens, chili lime seasoning and pico de gallo.

Cotton Patch Cafe has launched fiery summer LTO menu items available now through Wednesday, July 12: a Firecracker burger with pepperjack cheese, caramelized onion, jalapeno, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle, & sriracha sauce; Firecracker Sandwich, a chicken version of the same thing; and seasonal cobbler in blackberry or blueberry.

Bar None in Lake Highlands is open for Friday lunch and has two $5.95 lunch specials: a cheeseburger or a grilled cheese sandwich, with fries, chips, or slaw.

Thirsty Lion Gastropub has a new summer dessert: Hot Fudge Sundae with two scoops of vanilla ice cream, hot fudge sauce, candied walnuts, whipped cream, and Bordeaux cherry. Sounds about right. At four locations in Grandscape, Preston Hollow, Irving, and Euless.

Mi Dia From Scratch has an AMAZING new Margarita of the Month: The Watermelon Margarita, with Casa del Sol Tequila Blanco, fresh watermelon, orange & lemon juice, and organic agave nectar, with a kick from the ancho salt rim. Sweet, salty, and spicy, served through July at Plano: 3310 Dallas Pkwy., Grapevine: 1295 South Main St., and Flower Mound: 2601 West Windsor Dr.

Capital Grille launches its annual summer wine tasting event, The Generous Pour where customers can sample world-class wines for $35 and the purchase of dinner, from two famous winemakers: Wine Enthusiast 2019 Winemaker of the Year Dave Phinney of Orin Swift Cellars and 2022 Winemaker of the Year Nicole Hitchcock of J Vineyards & Winery. Available through September 3, this year’s lineup includes Department 66 “Fragile” Rosé /France and six California wines including Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir from J Vineyards, 8 Years in the Desert Red Wine, Abstract Red Wine, and Palermo Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley.

Fairmont Dallas has appointed James Phillips as its new Executive Chef. Phillips previously served at Omni Dallas and was nominated for Chef of the Year in CultureMap Dallas' 2022 Tastemakers Awards.

Smokey John's Bar-B-Que & Home Cooking, a vendor at the State Fair of Texas, will appear on the A&E series Best in Chow. The episode featuring Smokey John's is set to air Saturday, July 15th, at 10:30 a.m. CST, and will feature owners and brothers Brent and Juan Reaves showcasing one of their sweet State Fair dishes—The Ultimate Brookie Monster.

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Food and Drink News

Artsy eatery Allegory Kitchen makes for a night out in Grand Prairie

Allegory Kitchen

Shrimp at Allegory Kitchen

An artsy restaurant and bar has debuted in Grand Prairie: Called Allegory Kitchen and Bar, it’s in a former event venue space at 2601 W. Jefferson St., where it opened in February.

Founders Ronnie Harris and Anthony Griffin have pooled their extensive hospitality experience on this new venture. Harris spent the past 30 years in airport concessions at airports such as DFW Airport, while Griffin comes from hospitality in Alabama.

"We kind of stumbled on doing the restaurant by default because we wanted to open a hookah lounge and serve liquor," Harris says. "We couldn't serve liquor and no food, so it transitioned to us becoming a restaurant."

To that end, they retained Atlanta-based chef and restaurateur Carlos Brown who helped create the menu. Harris and Griffin are now leading the concept which continues to evolve.

It started as a fine dining concept with brunch, but they’re adding more casual Southern and comfort food dishes. Menu items include Southern fried catfish, a half-pound burger, grilled pork chop, and roasted half chicken. There are also vegan options such as roasted butternut squash tabouli with caramelized onion vinaigrette, chili flakes, mint leaves, almonds, and arugula, served with wild mushrooms and herb quinoa.

Small plates include three cheese lobster mac & cheese, Carolina pan-seared crab cakes, and collard green spring rolls filled with collard greens, onions and peppers, then deep-fried.

Sides are on upscale: pork belly Brussels sprouts, garlic parmesan truffle fries, sauteed haricot vert (French green beans), and sweet potato apple hash.

They have a full bar with domestic and imported beer, wine, and signature cocktails.

“My number one specialty is the Sexy Allegory — it has a cognac base and mix of blueberries and blackberries,” Harris says. “We can satisfy any palate with our beers, and we have a wine wall with the best of the best, such as pinot grigio and cabernet."

The atmosphere is lively and colorful with plush seating and floral wall murals. There’s booth and table seating with white marble tables and jewel-toned chairs and booths. The chandeliers over the bar are a visual treat, have white feathers arranged like a blooming flower.

As if food and drink are not enough, they offer more reasons for a night out with events almost nightly, including poetry night, live jazz from a saxophonist, and more.

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