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

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

Eataly

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.

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Teppanyaki News

Japanese restaurant chain with sizzling hot plates to debut in Frisco

Pepper Lunch

Pepper Lunch is coming to Frisco.

A distinctive Asian restaurant concept with sizzling hot plates is coming to the Dallas area: Called Pepper Lunch, it's an international chain from Japan that does a fast-casual version of teppanyaki, and it's opening in Frisco at 9180 Warren Pkwy. #150, in a busy shopping center anchored by 99 Ranch, in the former Gen Korean BBQ space.

Frisco will be the very first Pepper Lunch in Texas. According to co-owner Phil Guo, it'll open in mid-March.

Pepper Lunch was founded in Tokyo in 1994 by chef Kunio Ichinose and features teppanyaki, a Japanese cooking style where chefs cook on a hot griddle (teppan) in front of diners, creating an interactive and entertaining meal.

But Pepper Lunch takes it a step further with do-it-yourself teppanyaki, with meals served on 500-degree Fahrenheit hot plates, which are patented to stay hot for more than 20 minutes — allowing diners to cook their own food at the table.

All that sizzle has made Pepper Lunch an internet sensation. Cooking your own food at your table is a trend, and Pepper Lunch also has price and convenience on its side: Most of its menu items come in under $20 and can be complete in 20 minutes, making it a desirable option for workers and others with a limited lunch hour.

The signature dish is their Pepper Rice, which comes in about a dozen options, including the best-selling Beef Pepper Rice, featuring sliced beef, white rice, corn, and spring onion, with freshly-cracked black pepper, which is also a signature. ("We crack it fresh every morning," Guo says.)

Salmon terifyaki at Pepper Lunch Frisco.Pepper Lunch

Other varieties of Pepper Rice include Salmon Pepper Rice, Chicken Pepper Rice, Shrimp Pepper Rice, and Tofu & Veggie Pepper Rice.

You can get your meat, rice, and veggies in a teriyaki option or with curry sauce. They also have pastas with cream sauce and your choice of protein. Sides include American classics such as fries, onion rings, or sweet potato wedges, and they offer Kirin beer.

Dallas is part of Pepper Lunch's broader expansion across the U.S. They currently have more than 500 locations across 17 countries.

Guo is a veteran restaurateur who, along with partner Ken Cheng, operates three locations of Jinya Ramen Bar, a completely different kind of dining experience.

"Jinya is a full-service restaurant with a nice bar and intimate atmosphere, and the food is more complex," he says. "Pepper Lunch is fast-casual, more family-oriented, with a faster pace. If you need to, you can be in and out in 20 minutes. But there's heat nothing like it when they bring your plate to your table, and you get to cook rice or steak right in front of your face — it sizzles and pops."

He loves to recall the first time he encountered Pepper Lunch, decades ago, on a family trip to Hong Kong.

"We waited in line for two hours, and I will always remember sitting down and experiencing that sizzling smell," he says.

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