Spongebob News

Where to find a Spongebob Krabby Patty spinoff in Dallas

Krabby Patty

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Nickelodeon and Paramount have launched a national promotion to celebrate the anniversary of one of its landmark cartoons: SpongeBob SquarePants — and nearly a dozen Dallas restaurants have been invited to participate.

Called the Krabby Patty Kollab, it's a program involving more than 100 restaurants doing their own spinoffs of the iconic Krabby Patty, the cartoon's signature dish. According to a release, the promotion begins Tuesday, October 8, when select restaurants will offer a variety of interpretations, including dumplings, falafel, burgers, doughnuts, ice cream and more.

“SpongeBob SquarePants began his journey as a fry cook, flipping Krabby Patties in the pilot episode of the series 25 years ago, and the coveted patty has since remained an enduring fixture in Bikini Bottom,” said Sherry Liu, SVP Studio Franchise Strategy & Operations, Nickelodeon and Paramount. “Though its formula remains a secret, SpongeBob SquarePants fans will now be able to enjoy imaginative interpretations of the legendary Krabby Patty through this unique collaboration.”

The Krabby Patty Kollab program brings more than 100 renditions to life in over 250 local restaurants across New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, San Francisco, Seattle, Miami, Las Vegas, Toronto, London, and Mexico City, and will be on menus through October 27.

The major player is Wendy's, the only fast-food chain involved, and they're doing a straightforward quarter pounder with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, and secret sauce, plus a vanilla Frosty with a pineapple mango flavored puree swirl.

But the majority of restaurants participating are independent, with an emphasis on burger joints and bagel shops. Participating restaurants in Dallas include:

Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer - New York-based burger & beer chain is doing a fried cheeseburger: a Prime burger with American cheese, special sauce, pickles, wrapped in housemade dough and fried, served on a stick; and 3-day potato salad, featuring potatoes, eggs, celery, onions, pickles, pickle juice, and mayo. Participating Black Tap restaurants include Dallas' Victory Park, New York, Miami, and Las Vegas at The Venetian.
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop - New York-based dumpling chain
Cris and John - Vietnamese street food shop in Richardson is doing an Asian inspired take with two Angus beef smash patties, American cheese, seaweed aioli, and pickled Asian cucumbers on a toasted sesame seed bun, served with fries drizzled with spicy mayo and seaweed flakes.
Hat Creek Burgers - Austin-based burger chain
Le Reve Gelato & Patisserie - North Dallas dessert shop is doing a cute version in which sweet ingredients are used to mock burger components: a vanilla sponge "Bun," a pineapple “Patty," crêpe “Lettuce," a strawberry mousse “Tomato," pastry cream “Cheese," ganache “Mayo,” puff pastry "Fries," and strawberry “Ketchup."
Lubbies Bagels - East Dallas bagel shop is doing a juicy housemade seitan, with fresh veggie and select ferments, on a sesame kaiser roll with lettuce, tomato, onion, B&B pickles, slathered with a special miso mayo sauce, to be enjoyed with a side of twice-fried fingerlings and kim chi mayo
Oomi Kitchen - Digital kitchen at 3510 Ross Ave. is doing a smashed beef patty, with cheddar cheese, grilled onions, tropical slaw, and pineapple aioli on a Hawaiian King Roll bun, served with crinkle-cut bacon cheese fries. (Oomi is doing a cool differentiator in that they are doing a full blown pop-up by decorating Oomi like The Krusty Krab.)
Pacheco Taco N Burger - Burger pop-up inside Four Corners Brewery is doing a fairly classic burger — lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, cheese on a sesame seed bun — but with a secret sauce whose ingredients just may include horseradish and srirarcha for a little kick.
Serious Eats - Grand Prairie food hall is doing a slider with beef patty, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, and Boom Boom sauce, served with sea salt fries. Also offering a Pineapple Under the Sea milkshake.
Starship Bagel - Award-winning bagel shop with three locations in Dallas is doing a sesame bagel with an Impossible patty, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle, schmear, ketchup, hot sauce, sweet pickle relish, and vinegar. (This can be made 100 percent vegan just by removing the schmear.)

“The Krabby Patty Kollab” comes as Nickelodeon and Paramount continue to roll out a slate of 25th anniversary programs for SpongeBob SquarePants, including all-new original content across the Paramount ecosystem.

Since its launch July 17, 1999, SpongeBob SquarePants has generated a universe of beloved characters, pop culture catchphrases and memes, theatrical releases, consumer products, a Tony award-winning Broadway musical and a global fan base.

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Taco News

Tacos and tequila restaurant takes over historic blue house in Rowlett

Ollie's

Tacos from Ollie's Azul House

The city of Rowlett has a fine new place for tacos and tequila: Called Ollie's Azul House, it just opened inside the historic Oliver House at 3410 Main St., taking over the space most recently occupied by Brick & Bones (which closed in January), where it's doing "elevated tacos" and "curated tequila."

Ollie's is from some of Rowlett's finest, including Michael Gallops, president of the Metrocrest Area Chamber, former Mayor Pro Tem, and six-year city council member; and Chris Kizziar, founder of hunger organization Life Message, located two doors down from the restaurant.

"I've lived in Rowlett for 22 years and Chris has lived here for 35," Gallops says. "We saw this as another opportunity to give back and do something fun."

That "something fun" includes tequila, a longtime passion and hobby for Gallops, who is a bonafide tequila connoisseur. The bar is stocked with 100 kinds, many of which come from high-end boutique distilleries.

"These are different from the shots you drank in college," Gallops says. "We felt like this was a new idea for Rowlett. We have a full bar and can mix anything you want. But on the tequila side, we have several specific tequila cocktails and we also do flights. The goal is to make it educational — to give people an opportunity to learn about tequila and how it's made."

Gallops' favorite tequilas are additive-free and use a natural process in distillation — El Tesoro, for instance. The focus on tequila also helped shape the direction of the menu, with an eye on affordability, as well.

"We have a couple of entrees and some shareable dishes like nachos, but it's primarily tacos — no enchiladas, no fajitas," he says. "We hoped to provide a place where someone can come in and get a couple tacos and a drink for less than $25."

Facade of Ollie's Azul HouseOllie's

Tacos can be ordered on soft corn, hard corn, or flour tortillas, and include:

Oliver — ground beef, lettuce
Miller — steak, onions, peppers, and chimichurri
Carnitas — slow-cooked pork with crisp edges
Elote chicken
Mushroom — a vegan option

They encourage diners to mix and match, adding whatever ingredients they want. They recently added breakfast tacos with eggs, chorizo, potatoes, and more, which can be ordered from 7-10 am from the back window and taken to-go or enjoyed on their expansive patio — a legacy left from the Brick and Bones days.

Beyond providing great food and drink, the restaurant afforded them an opportunity to give something back to Rowlett and celebrate its history, one in which the "azul" blue house — built in the early 1920s for early Rowlett residents Dee and Maggie Oliver — played a central role.

They've filled the walls with photos of Rowlett's founding families, old homesteads, churches, an old cotton gin, almost like a museum.

"It's all about the history of Rowlett," Gallops says. "We're big history buffs and are proud of our city."

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