Hummus news

Greek-Mediterranean chain Taziki’s Cafe to open first location in Dallas

Taziki's Cafe salad

Photo courtesy of Taziki's Cafe

A fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant is making its Dallas debut: Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe, known for its gyro sandwiches and fresh salads, will bring the pitas to Old Town Village shopping center at 5500 Greenville Ave. #507, where it's taking over a space formerly occupied by Coolgreens.

Overseeing the Dallas opening is franchisee Benny Farzad, who says it'll open in early April. This will be the third DFW location for the Alabama-based chain, which opened its first location in Texas in Southlake in 2014, followed by Plano in 2016.

UPDATE 4-23-2024: Taziki's is opening on April 23.
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Taziki's was founded by Amy and Keith Richards, who became enchanted with the cuisine after a visit to Greece. The menu features gyro sandwiches, entrées with grilled meats and rice, salads, and hummus.

“One of the things we take pride in is that most of our menu is scratch-kitchen, so it’s made in-house,” Farzad says.

Their most popular sandwiches include a spicy harissa chicken and a Mediterranean lamb burger, served on a kaiser bun with feta, tomato, onion, red pepper, and Taziki sauce. Salads include both a classic Greek salad as well as an appealing Mediterranean salad with garbanzo beans, feta, and candied pecans.

Prices are cheap, with salads for $10 and gyro sandwiches ranging from $10 to $13. They also offer daily features including a special Taziki's pasta on weekends Friday-Sunday featuring penne with grilled chicken for $11.

Of course there is hummus, regular and a spicy harissa hummus, plus taziki dip. Desserts are supplied by Hellas Authentic Greek Bakery and include baklava, baklava cheesecake, and chocolate chip cookies.

The Dallas restaurant will be an intimate space, with seating for 50 indoors and 10 on the patio. One notable menu difference is that Dallas won’t serve beer or wine, as they do at other locations.

The store is a familiar space for Farzad — he was previously the franchisee for Coolgreens at that address before joining Taziki’s in 2022.

“We’ve been trying really hard for a while now to get this going,” he says. “This is our first location to open in DFW since 2016, so we’re very excited to open.”

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Steakhouse News

2 Dallas steakhouses proclaimed among the best in the world

Photo courtesy of Nuri

Nuri Steakhouse ranked 84th on the list.

Two Dallas steakhouses have been honored in a new global ranking of the 101 Best Steakhouses in the World: Nuri Steakhouse and Knife.

The ranking, by London-based company Upper Cut Media House, is based on incognito reviews of each restaurant by so-called "Steak Ambassadors" who have industry backgrounds as chefs, food journalists, or "certified meat- and Wagyu masters."

The two Dallas entries join 17 others in the U.S. that made the cut. According to the list, the No. 1 best steakhouse in the world is Don Julio Parrilla in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Steakhouses were evaluated based on the quality and variety of its meat offerings, and additional factors such as wine list, staff service, online presence, interior design, and ambiance. The list emphasizes that each steakhouse was not evaluated on a "pay-for-play" basis to keep reviews objective.

Knife Steakhouse ranked No. 47 on the list, with the publication praising acclaimed chef John Tesar's expertise and dry-aging practices.

Guests will have to make their reservations soon before the restaurant shutters its location at The Highland Dallas hotel at the end of August. The restaurant will be moving to a new location, though no word yet on where that will be.

Steak at Knife in Dallas. Photo courtesy of Knife

"In the heart of Dallas, Knife by Chef John Tesar has long stood as a bold reimagining of the American steakhouse—a place where dry-aged beef, culinary precision and Texan swagger converge to create one of the most compelling meat-centric experiences in Texas," the review says.

Prime Texan and Akuashi beef cuts are dry aged for up to 140 days to develop their signature taste and "velvet-like textures rarely found outside of Europe," and the curated wine list provides numerous options for pairing a deep red vintage with such boldly flavored steaks.

Newcomer Nuri Steakhouse debuted at No. 84 on the list after being open for less than a year, showing that its two-year development has truly paid off.

Executive chef Mario Hernandez and culinary director Minji Kim source Nuri's steaks from local Texas farms like 44 Farms, and Blue Branch Ranch in Oklahoma. Other high quality cuts like as wagyu steaks are imported from Australia and Japan.

"The restaurant employs a Jade broiler that reaches temperatures up to 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing for a perfect sear and caramelization, particularly on their Korean-marinated short ribs," the review says.

Nuri Steakhouse Nuri's elegant design was two years in the making.Photo courtesy of Nuri

Other Asian-inspired details that make Nuri stand out include its array of traditional Korean condiments and banchan (small side dishes), the review adds.

Nuri owner Wan Kim expressed his appreciation for the honor in a release.

"We are immensely grateful to our dedicated team and to the guests who have supported us from day one. This milestone is only the beginning," he said.

The only other Texas steakhouse to make the list was Jeffrey's in Austin, which ranked No. 52.

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