Chef News

Asian restaurant with ties to Dallas' Monkey King to open in Fort Worth

Noodles coming from Eazy Monkey.

Courtesy photo

A rad new restaurant with Dallas ties is opening in Fort Worth. Called Eazy Monkey, it's an Asian-themed restaurant that will open in late summer at 401 W. Magnolia Ave., from chef Andrew Dilda, who has worked for more than a decade in some top restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth including CBD Provisions, Barter, and Lonesome Dove.

For this new venture, he's partnered with Andrew Chen, who founded the Monkey King Noodle Company chain of local restaurants; and Sonali Kumar, also a partner in Monkey King.

Dilda, who was nominated for Rising Star Chef in CultureMap's Tastemaker Awards in 2014, is also Monkey King’s Director of Culinary Operations, but clarifies that Eazy Monkey is independent from the chain.

"It’s not a branch of Monkey King," he says. "It's a concept Monkey King is investing in."

Dilda describes the menu, which he's developing with an assist from Chen, as “Asian-inspired flavors with Texas roots." Dishes include:

Crab rangoon nachos
Smoked brisket bao buns
Cheeseburger fried rice
Dan Dan Sloppy Joes
Beef cheek hash
Orange chicken and bubble waffles

Drinks will include craft cocktails and canned beers.

Many of the recipes were inspired by Dilda's travels to Beijing, where he helped open a brewery and barbecue restaurant called Jing A Brewery; and Estonia, where he consulted on another barbecue concept.

"I wanted to come up with something fun and easy and approachable for everybody, but with little twists here and there," Dilda says. "I want to offer something for everyone. Bring your kids, they’ll find something cool. Adults will have plenty to choose from. I also want it to be a place where people in the service industry can come and hang out after they get off and have a cool meal and a beer."

A native of California, Dilda moved to Saginaw when he was a teen. As he had done in California, he immersed himself in Fort Worth’s skate/punk scene. While still in his teens, he began to run sound and lights for some of his friends' bands.

At Eazy Monkey, he'll weave in some of those very personal elements, including a '90s/skateboarding/pop-punk vibe; the restaurant will be located blocks away from a soon-to-open skateboard park called Fire Station Park.

"I want this place to remind people of KDGE/The Edge, back when The Edge was cool," Dilda says. "And when there were shows down the street at Mad Hatters."

But the restaurant will strike a balance between rock 'n roll and upscale.

"It’s not going to be a loud, noisy, music-blaring place," he says. "There may or may not be a skateboard wall, a '90s-theme mural, and other nods to the '90s. But it’ll all be done tastefully."

chefs openings

H-E-B opening

H-E-B's first Dallas County grocery store makes grand debut in Irving

Photo courtesy of H-E-B

H-E-B has opened at 2351 West Interstate 635, Irving.

The ribbon has been cut, and dinner is being purchased at the long-anticipated new H-E-B store in Irving. The Texas grocery chain officially opened the doors to the supermarket, at 2351 West Interstate 635, at 6 am Wednesday, June 17.

The store, the first H-E-B in Dallas County, is technically in Irving but is also convenient to Las Colinas neighborhoods, Coppell, Grapevine, West Dallas, and DFW Airport. Irving is also home to a location of Joe V's Smart Shop by H-E-B, a spinoff H-E-B concept, at 2407 W. Airport Fwy.

“We’re honored to open our doors to this wonderful community, where our committed H-E-B Partners are ready to earn the loyalty and confidence of local families,” says Juan-Carlos Rück, an H-E-B executive vice president, in a release. “We are eager to provide our customers in the Irving area with quality service and an outstanding selection of H-E-B favorites and flavors from around the world.”

A look around
The massive 112,000-square-foot store features not only groceries and home essentials but a True Texas BBQ restaurant with drive-thru, H-E-B Curbside and Home Delivery services with a large Curbside parking area, and full-service H-E-B Pharmacy with drive-thru.

Additional highlights include an expanded hot food offerings with several breakfast, lunch, and dinner options; a Meal Simple section plus Asian grill items such as rice and noodle bowls, True Texas BBQ favorites, True Texas Boil House seafood selections, hot soups, and bakery goods.

Specific to the Irving store, H-E-B has introduced Masala House, described as "an H-E-B product line that offers customers meal options made in-house daily such as chicken masala, butter chicken, naan bread, chutney dips, and more." There's also an international assortment of rice, lentils, and specialty items from Central America, Latin America, Britain, and Asia.

"Inside and out, the new store reflects the unique character of the Irving community," says the release.

H-E-B South Asian foods There's a special emphasis on South Asian foods at the Irving H-E-B.Photo courtesy of H-E-B

Like in other H-E-B stores, the Irving location offers:

Bakery with artisan breads, cakes, warm tortillas, and vegan options made fresh daily
Deli featuring an extensive cheese selection and charcuterie island
Sushiya with fresh-made sushi and an Asian grill serving rice bowls, teriyaki, and more
H-E-B Meal Simple chef-inspired meals prepared in store
Cooking Connection with live demos, samples, and easy recipe ideas
Produce department with large organic and Texas-grown selections
Meat market featuring Prime, natural, organic, and Wagyu meats, plus ready-to-eat options
Blooms floral department with online ordering and delivery
Extensive beer and wine selection with a tasting station
Healthy Living department with bulk foods, sports nutrition products, and supplements
Expanded frozen foods selection
Beauty department with cosmetics and personal care essentials
Pet department featuring Heritage Ranch by H-E-B food, treats, and toys
Household Essentials department with tableware, storage products, and Texas Tough items

The store opened at 6 am June 17 with fanfare that included H-E-B and community leaders, plus Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders - essential for any opening worth its salt in DFW. The company also presented checks totaling $40,000 for Irving-based nonprofits including Irving Family Advocacy Center, Level Pathways, Coppell ISD Education Foundation, and the Canine Companions.

H-E-B Irving The Irving store is just off 635, convenient to Grapevine, Coppell, DFW Airport, and West Dallas.Photo courtesy of H-E-B

First announced in August 2024, the Irving store is the latest in the San Antonio-based grocer's march across Dallas-Fort Worth. It is the second DFW opening in a month, following the H-E-B Midcities store in Euless on May 20.

H-E-B has also unveiled plans for stores in Garland, Murphy, Walsh Ranch, Carrollton, and Denton. H-E-B owns land in Dallas at Hillcrest Road and LBJ Freeway, the site will be the company’s first H-E-B store in the city of Dallas.

The Irving H-E-B store is open daily 6 am-11 pm.

heb irving new store openings supermarkets h-e-b H-E-B