Coffee News

Dallas' first Vietnamese coffee shop to open in the Cedars District

Coffee at chimlanh.

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A one-of-a-kind new coffee spot is opening in Dallas: Called chimlanh, it's opening in the former Sandwich Hag space in the Cedars at 1902 Botham Jean Blvd., where it will reign as the first Vietnamese coffee shop in Dallas.

The shop will open on September 19, with coffee, tea, refreshers, and pastries. They'll be dedicated to making authentic Vietnamese-style coffee: employing the traditional Vietnamese phin drip brewing method; using beans from Vietnam; and partnering with Vietnamese-American owned companies.

The phin is the stainless steel device used to brew Vietnamese coffee, sometimes described as a crossover between a pour-over and French press. Water is poured over the ground coffee beans, and drips slowly into the cup. Condensed milk is the milk of choice.

Using beans sourced from Vietnam is an essential part of the experience — not only for their flavor and style but also to champion the coffee tradition that exists in Vietnam. That includes an embrace of robusta beans, which are commonly used for instant coffee and espresso drinks but have unfairly been viewed as inferior to the arabica beans used at most coffee shops.

Chimlanh's coffee drinks include:

Nam Coffee Dalat, made with dark roast robusta beans from Los Angeles roaster Nam Coffee, and condensed milk
Coconut Dalat, made with dark roast robusta beans from Nam Coffee, with condensed milk and coconut
Hanoi Latte — a non-dairy option featuring robusta blend from Nguyen Coffee Supply, with pandan and oat milk
Cà Phê Đen — Black & bold iced or hot coffee made with Nguyen Coffee bold roast robusta beans
HanoiChata (seasonal) — Nguyen Coffee Supply Hanoi robusta bold roast beans with CocoAndre horchata
Robusta Oat (non-dairy) — Nguyen Coffee Supply robusta beans and house organic oat milk syrup
Coconut Frappe — An ice frappe made with Nam Coffee Dalat dark roast beans, coconut and condensed milk
Classic coffee blend topped with hibiscus milk cold foam

There will also be loose leaf teas including a "tea for two," a fancy service with a whole teapot, dine-in only, served with organic agave and fruit of the day.

The space will feature a community library and free wi-fi.

Chimlanh is from the same team that was behind Sandwich Hag: chef Reyna Duong, her brother Sang, and partner Lesley "Bo$" Renteria.

Sandwich Hag was open for 10 years and accumulated much acclaim during that time including a nomination for Duong for a James Beard award in 2023, plus multiple nominations for CultureMap Tastemaker Awards in 2019, 2022, and 2023 (way before James Beard, hello). Duong closed Sandwich Hag in May 2024 to take a break.

Chimlanh is what has emerged: a cà phê shop that supports and amplifies people with disabilities, while uplifting women, AAPI, and Black-owned businesses through mutually beneficial partnerships.

Starship Bagel balls Banh Cam bagels from Starship Bagel at chimlanh.Instagram

Duong explains the name: "'Chimlanh' is actually two words that I connected as one to signify holding of hands, a showing of unity," she says. "Chim means bird and it is also an endearing name for pussy. Lanh means witty, one of the nicknames my ma gave me as a kid."

On opening day, they're doing a special one-day-only collaboration with Starship Bagel, the acclaimed bagel shop from Oren Salomon: It's called a Bánh Cam Bagel, and it's one of Duong's favorite Vietnamese pastries that Salomon has transformed into a jumbo bagel ball with mung bean filling, available two ways: chili crisp coated with everything seasoning; or coconut, coated with toasted sesame. They're "accidentally" vegan, and can be ordered online.

Their hours on opening weekend will be Thursday-Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm, but closed on Sunday.

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Opening News

7 new restaurants open in Dallas in a single week

Kayla Enright

Le Bistrot Bar Sardine

Dallas is brimming with an unexpected bounty of openings this week. Who would have thought? From sweet crepes and rolled ice cream to a unique dual-restaurant in Frisco, these are the absolute newest places to check out, all in time for the holidays. (And if you want more ideas on where to take your out-of-town guests, we have that list right here.)

Here are the hottest brand new restaurants around Dallas:

Cream and Crepes
This Richardson-based creperie has opened a location in the Shops at Turtle Creek Village, at 3858 Oak Lawn Ave #405. The shop, which first opened in 2016, specializes in creative crepes, rolled ice cream, and ice cream scoops. Flavors include Biscoff cookie butter, berry cheesecake, dulce de leche, and mango banana. They do the once-trendy rolled ice cream, in 10 flavors, ranging from brownie melt to spicy mango, plus classic scoops and pints, vegan ice cream, and milkshakes.

Donatos Pizza
Ohio-based pizza chain opened in Flower Mound at 1400 Long Prairie Rd. #160 on December 17. Known for their edge-to-edge toppings that stretch to the crusts, their menu features more than a dozen varieties of pizza, including veggie, four cheese, and pepperoni with hot honey. Their signature crust is a thin-crust but they also offer thicker alternatives as well as a cauliflower crust. There are also oven-baked wings, meatball subs, Italian cold cut sandwiches, appetizers, and salads.

Elephant Indian Bar and Grill
Indian restaurant opens on December 20 in a legendary spot in the former Buzzbrews space at 4154 N. Central Expwy., which closed in 2023. It's another concept from chef Praveen Prasanan, who also owns of Shiva’s Bar and Grill. The menu includes Indian classics, Indo-Chinese fusion, and vegetarian dishes, including chicken tikka masala, butter masala, tandoori, and a variety of biryani. Prasanan says, “it seemed to be a great location, so I picked it up.”

Keke's Breakfast Cafe
Fast-growing chain that's a sibling to Denny's just made its big Texas debut on December 10 in the Lincoln Park center at 7700 W Northwest Hwy. #600, across from NorthPark Center. They're open for breakfast, brunch, and lunch with pancakes, waffles, omelets, and an assortment of stuffed French toasts, plus sandwiches, wraps, and salads for lunch. This is the first of five new cafes coming to DFW.

Le Bistrot Bar Sardine
Parisian bistro concept from Vandelay Hospitality opens on December 20 at 6805 Snider Plaza with a menu of small plates and dishes that showcase chef Elliot Azoulay's mastery of French cooking techniques: escargot, salmon tartare, and scallops with leeks and Osestra beurre blanc. Their goal: to transport diners to the cobblestone streets of Paris.

Mudbugs and Revel Grill
Frisco seafood boil restaurant Mudbugs, which closed in November, reopens on December 20 as a dual-concept with Revel Grill at 9305 Preston Rd. On the Mudbugs side, they'll have Cajun seafood eats — gumbo, po'boys, snow crab boil, shrimp etouffe, oysters, crawfish. On the Revel Grill side, they'll have burgers, quesadillas, and wings. They'll also feature live music, sports, and bar bites.

Seager & Sons
Retro-leaning restaurant just opened at the Boardwalk at Granite Park, at 5864 SH-121 #106 in Plano with a nostalgic '70s theme including decorative elements like vintage records, guitars, and lo-fi stereos. The menu features pizza and fried chicken, plus fun specials like cacio e pepe fritters. A full bar includes cocktails and their own craft beer. Seager & Sons is from 33 Restaurant Group, who also own Union Bear, The Yard, and Suburban Yacht Club.

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