Category Archives: New Openings

Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar

There’s a new kid on the block in Addison:  Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar. With restaurants constantly popping up in the neighborhood, it’s got to be challenging to find ways to stand out; and yet, Lazy Dog manages to do just that.

As the name suggests, Lazy Dog is, of course, pet-friendly. This alone makes this spot a welcomed addition to Addison, as the area is surprisingly devoid of dog-friendly patios. Yes, Lazy Dog allows pooches on their patio, yes, they have a selection of doggy menu items available, and yes, your pet will be served a complimentary bowl of water while you dine. That said, please do not mistake Lazy Dog for a “dog restaurant that happens to serve food”. On the contrary, Lazy Dog is first and foremost focused on creative scratch cooking with fresh ingredients, tasty beverages, and a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere in which to enjoy all of the above.

The restaurant is warm and inviting and CEO & Found Chris Simms based Lazy Dog’s rustic decor on his beloved family ski vacation spot, Jackson Hole. A sprawling bar area divides the main dining room and the large covered patio, and a glassed in exhibition kitchen spans the length of the restaurant.

Chris Simms interviewed a veritable cavalcade of chefs to run his kitchen before he found “the one,” who turned out to be Gabriel Caliendo,  formerly of the Ritz Carlton. Chef Gabe and Chris have curated a menu of dishes they have dubbed “cravable classics,” largely consisting of comfort foods prepared with “approachable innovations”. Many of the recipes have deep personal meaning, right down to his grandmother’s turkey meatball recipe.

I was excited to have the opportunity to sample a variety of menu items at Lazy Dog earlier this month, and by the end of our meal, I was feeling a little lazy myself. Everything we sampled was delicious, from start to finish.

We started out with a St. Ruby cocktail, prepared with Deep Eddy Ruby Red vodka, St. Germain, and fresh grapefruit juice, and it was every bit as sweet and refreshing as it sounds. I also sampled a cocktail from Lazy Dog’s “Clean Cocktail” menu, which offers five libations prepared with under 150 calories each, made with no artificial ingredients and no added sugar. The Clean Coconut Mojito is prepared with Malibu coconut rum, 100% pure coconut water, fresh mint, lime, and sparkling water. It tasted like vacation in a glass; delicious. Overall, I was the most impressed by Lazy Dog’s housemade Sangria Sampler, which features White Peach, Raspberry Moscato, and Pomegranate Red sangrias. Each of the three was bursting with intense flavor without being too sweet, and it was impossible to pick a favorite. (BONUS: the sangria sampler is served in an adorable little caddy with metal dog tag labels. I mean…how cute is that?)

 

I got to sample an imposing number of dishes from Lazy Dog’s menu, and every single dish I tried was just as Chef Gabe and Chris intended for it to be: craveable.  We started out with:

  • the interesting and flavorful Hummus Trio, a trio of walnut-pesto, sundried tomato and traditional hummus served with garlic flatbread, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes
  • Grandma’s famous Sicilian Turkey Meatballs, prepared with pine nuts, golden raisins, and housemade marinara
  • Hatch Chile Bacon Mac ‘n’ Cheese, topped with a green onion crumble and served in a cast iron skillet
  • the particularly addictive Togarashi Edamame, wok-seared with zesty citrus and Japanese spices. The edamame were the crowd favorite

Entree offerings we sampled included: Maggie’s Snake River Salad, (a beautiful salad prepared with hickory smoked bacon, Laura Chenel goat cheese, dried cranberries, tomatoes, and candied walnuts), Hawaiian Sticky Ribs served with slaw and umami fries- both the ribs and especially the fries were crowd favorites, Chimichurri Mahi Mahi (pan roasted on a bed of black beans, stacked with sauteed veggies and a chimichurri sauce), the Black & Bleu Pizza (topped with blackened chicken breast, smoked bacon, mozzarella, caramelized onions, bleu cheese, and tomatoes, perched atop a perfectly garlicky, buttery crust). The pizza alone warrants a return trip for me!

I will tell you that you will definitely want to save room for dessert at Lazy Dog, after trying their signature Butter Cake, which was topped with strawberry compote and vanilla ice cream, and tasted every bit as rich and decadent as it sounds. Also delicious was the seasonal Pumpkin Cheesecake, made with a moist graham cracker crust, and drizzled with housemade caramel, chocolate sauce, and a cinnamon sugar walnut crumble.

Needless to say, by the time I rolled out of here, I was feeling a bit like a Lazy Dog myself. 

Lazy Dog’s Happy Hour features a variety of specials on beer, wine, and cocktails, plus a broad selection of small plates, all ranging from $3-$7 (bar and patio only). 

Monday through Friday, from 3-6pm
Sunday-Thursday 9pm-close


Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar
www.lazydogrestaurants.com
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5100 Belt Line Rd Suite 500 (Village on the Parkway), Addison TX 75254
(469) 754-1300

Sun10am-midnight
Mon11am-midnight
Tue11am-midnight
Wed11am-midnight
Thr11am-midnight
Fri11am-midnight
Sat10am-midnight

A Warm Welcome at Ron’s Place

When it comes to bars, it’s nice to see that more and more are placing an emphasis on including Texas-brewed craft beer. A few weeks back, I had the good luck to try out the latest addition to Addison’s bar scene that does just that, Ron’s Place.

Take a proven recipe for success, add in copious amounts of beer and hard liquor, and you have something worth talking about. Ron’s Place opened July 23rd and is the latest on Addison’s restaurant row (a.k.a. Beltline). Ron’s Place is the brainchild of twins Mark and Dirk Kelcher, and these guys are seasoned professionals; they’ve been in the industry for more than 20 years. Locals may be familiar with their other bars (The Hub also in Addison and Ron’s Corner Tavern in Bedford). I have gotten to know The Hub since it’s the home to football watching parties for my alma matter, Texas Tech (GUNS UP!), so I was eager to see what they had in store.

The Kelcher brother’s newest endeavor is a smaller scale bar that focuses on craft beer and also has a vast selection of bourbon, whiskey and scotch . Inspired by their eccentric Uncle Ron and his obsessive beer can collection, they’ve created a friendly little neighborhood bar. (You know, like one of those places where everyone knows your name.) There is plenty of character packed into the place, given the modest size of the bar. Dimly lit, the walls are flanked with rustic-looking bookshelves displaying their booze and some of Uncle Ron’s famous international beer can collection. It’s a welcoming bar where you can go as you are, get a good drink and probably strike up a conversation with a fellow patron.

While the hard liquor they offer is worldly, I found that the beer list is mostly American. They pride themselves on taking advantage of domestic brewed beers and, get this … offer at least 12 Texas-brewed beers on tap.

During my visit, I managed to maneuver myself through the packed space to score a seat at the bar. I tried out two different beers I haven’t seen in many other Dallas bars. The first was a beer out of Montana’s Big Sky Brewing Co. called, funny enough, Moose Drool. Despite the name, this brown ale was rich, tasty and full of flavor. It was a bit creamy and could complement a wide variety of foods. The second beer I tried was from even further up north, the Alaskan White. This was a fairly typical style Witbier with hints of citrus and spice.

If you’re anything like me and suffer from analysis-paralysis when it comes to decision making, you will understand my appreciation for the concise beer descriptions on the menu. It won’t make the decision for you, but should help make the job easier. That said, the staff was very personable and attentive, and are glad to help out. The descriptions worked for me as both beers I went with were well worth it. Next time I will probably go for one of their Texan brews and maybe a whiskey (or two).

Tack on a short and sweet menu of bar food favorites and Ron’s Place has a winning combination that Uncle Ron would be proud of.

Maybe it was that I went on Grand Opening Day, or that it was happy hour and The Hub is next door, but parking spots were hard to come by. I ended up finding a spot behind the building without too many problems. Just know, when visiting Ron’s Place, go ahead and take the first spot you see, even if it’s a few doors down. (It’ll be worth the walk.)


RON’S PLACE
www.RonsAddison
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4145 Beltline Road, Addison, TX 75001
(214) 628-0634

The Kelcher Brothers and Uncle Ron picked up the first two drinks for myself and the other patrons during its Grand Opening party.  Thanks, gents!

Whole Foods Uptown Dallas

Toot toot.  Whole Foods is coming to the trolley line in Uptown Dallas!  Yes, what we’ve all been waiting for has finally opened … Whole Foods Uptown will open tomorrow, August 12 at 7:30am!

I had the pleasure of taking a private tour of the store … and believe you me, there’s a lot to look forward to.  WFU will be trolley themed to honor Rosie, Betty, and the rest–their made-to-order sandwiches on their interactive touchscreen menus even allow you to order sandwiches named after our iconic trolleys!  The store even features wood from the very trees removed from the land cleared to build the store which was built partially on historic land.  Eight stories of Gables apartments will sit on top of the store  and 17 three-story townhouses will line the back of the store.

They have the shelves stocked with everything from (quite literally) soup to nuts–expect the fresh produce … which is now in place–and they’re ready to open to the public.  Opening day’s festivities include:

  • 7am – Dixieland Band and Notre Dame School cheerleaders
  • 7:30am – speeches and the breaking of the 6’ Challah loaf
  • 8am – the taproom opens early!!!
  • 6pm – Exclusive tapping and tasting of Post Oak Pale Ale (won’t be available to the public until September 18)

We all know what kind of amazing goods and produce Whole Foods features, but let’s get down to the real business … the booze.

The Uptown store will sell beer and wine, which were on the shelves begging to be consumed on our tour.  The wine selection rivals that of “the mothership”, Whole Foods’ flagship store in Austin.  The beer … phew … imagine in 36 FEET of cold beer. (That’s the length of a typical classroom.  Talk about getting schooled!)  They focus on local and craft beers in both the grab-and-go area along with the Taproom.  (More on that below.)

WFU’s Taproom is complete with 32 seats indoor and space outdoors.  (Ya know … for when it’s not hot as balls outside.)  Check out their 24 drinks on tap–19 beers, four wines, and even one local bourbon barrel-aged cold brew coffee.  Grab a drink and relax on their bar or patio complete with misters, six TVs, and a view of McKinney.  Don’t feel like hanging around?  Pick up a growler for your beer and/or wine to take some of the fun home.  (They’ll even sell kegs if you preorder them!)  Unique to WFU?  A firkin.  (WHAT THE FIRK DID YOU CALL ME!?)  The firkin, beside a unit of measurement (1 firkin = 0.697326051 of a keg), is a unique type of keg tapped on its side and theirs will be dispensed by a beer engine.

OH … and don’t forget that sharing is caring.  If you buy a beer for someone, they’ll note it on the “BEER IT FORWARD” board allowing the recipient to get a beer on you on their next visit!  (Sooooo who’s gonna buy me a drank?)

Other features of the store include:

  • Squeeze & Grind — a juice, smoothie, and coffee bar with an imported Italian espresso machine
  • A spacious parking garage with multiple floors and two electric car power stations
  • Racks for up to 24 bikes and a FREE bike repair kit
  • A custom filled cupcake bar (uhhhhh this is the only one in Dallas doing this … can I live here?)
  • More then 200 grab-and-go options including pizza by the slice sold 2 for $6!
  • A smokehouse with in-store smoked meats (and catering!)
  • A bunch of cheeses.  (What!? That’s super important.)


WHOLE FOODS UPTOWN DALLAS
wholefoodsmarket.com
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2510 McKinney Ave, Dallas, TX 75201
469-518-5814

Snuffer’s Addison Moves To New Location

Has anyone else noticed the burger boom? Quite a few “fancy” burger places have opened their doors grilling up specialty concoctions with tons of haute toppings. I won’t lie … I love one burger as much as the next-be it fancy or not. However, there is just something about digging your teeth into a well-grilled, perfectly simple hamburger that can’t be beat.

The first Snuffer’s opened in 1978 on Lower Greenville.  The original menu included their famous hamburgers (100% fresh ground chuck), Cheddar Fries (more on those later!) and a dose of paranormal activity. (Yes … the original restaurant is haunted.) Today, Snuffer’s is going stronger than ever. Over the years, they added additional items to their menu to offer their guests more choices like salads, wraps and some “fancy” drinks. Also, they have expanded to what will soon be nine different locations in the greater Dallas area. The new Addison location took over the old Duke’s Roadhouse building and shares the space with a new walk-up taco joint called Taqueria La Ventana, which happens to be a sister brand of theirs.

The other weekend, we were invited to their “Housewarming Party” to celebrate the opening of the recently relocated Addison location. A rockin’ Mariachi band provided live music, service was fast and friendly and food was just as good as from the original Snuffer’s.   To make things even better, all food and drinks were on the house. (Major score.) Snuffer’s instead asked that patrons give a donation to Dallas-based TeamConnor, an organization aimed at raising awareness for childhood cancer. Can’t say no to a burger for a good cause.

Snuffer's Addison Opening

There are some places where you always end up ordering the same thing–Snuffer’s is one of those places for me.  I always order the Cheddar Fries with bacon, chives and jalapeños. These fries really need no introduction … if you’re from Dallas, at least.  My wife and I dug into our freshly cut chunky fries liberally coated in layers of cheddar cheese and topped bacon, chives, and jalapeños (if you’re into all that). I couldn’t stop myself. Sooner than I had wished, I found myself scraping up those last remnants of cheddar and bacon like a junkie.

Snuffer's Cheese Fries

Snuffer’s Cheese Fries

As for the burgers, I went for the Green Chile Cheeseburger and my wife ordered the new Bacon Guacamole Cheeseburger. We agreed that both were excellent all around. They came exactly as we had ordered them-a warm, juicy medium rare. The buns were fresh and the toppings were the perfect amount to complement the burger, without overdoing it.

To accompany our meals, I got the White Lightnin’ “cocktail”. Don’t let the name (and ingredients) keep you from trying … but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Ole Smokey White Lightnin’ Tennessee Moonshine is magically mixed with pineapple juice, lemon-lime soda and fresh lime to create a deceptively smooth drinking cocktail. In other words, folks, it’s trouble. My wife tried out the American Mule–simple and well executed with SKYY Vodka, ginger beer and a touch of fresh lime.

While most will be familiar with Snuffer’s burgers and fries, La Ventana is likely a revelation.  Just on the other side of a wall, La Ventana’s serves up simple taqueria favorites.  After the number we did on our burgers and fries we sadly couldn’t bring ourselves to try the tacos or burritos.  Bench-style wooden tables, colorful decor and a straightforward approach to food makes this experience world traveler complimentary of the sense of authenticity La Ventana offers.

We had a great time at opening of the new Snuffer’s Addison, made even better by the fact that we got to support TeamConnor while we were at it. I will definitely be back. (Those fries are calling my name already.)
Snuffer’s Restaurant & Bar
snuffers.com | Facebook | Twitter 
4180 Beltline Road, Addison
(972)-991-8811

Team Connor Childhood Cancer Foundation
teamconnor.org | Facebook | Twitter
5420 LBJ Freeway, Ste. 1300 (2 Lincoln Center), Dallas
(972)-663-7327

 

JEM Beverage Company’s New Facility

JEM Beverage Company (makers of Western Son Vodka, Red River Whiskey, South House Moonshine, and more) has shed its Carrollton roots and moved to Pilot Point, Texas to expand its distillery!

They offer distillery  tours Fridays (4pm) and Saturdays (1pm, 3pm & 5pm).  Oh  … and you get half off your tour if you arrive on horseback.  I kid you not.

Some of the #SDDContributor team and I stopped by their grand opening party this past Saturday, May 23 to celebrate.  Check out the trouble we got into!

Blaze Pizza Grand Opening Event

Let’s get serious for a hot minute … Is there anything better in life than indulging in a piping hot, cheesy, made-to-order pizza? Well, maybe one thing: if that pizza happens to be FREE. Listen up, folks. You’re going to want to hear this.

Blaze Pizza, Frisco’s latest purveyor of pies, will host their grand opening celebration on Friday, May 22, from 10:30 AM-11 PM. Simply follow Blaze Pizza on Instagram, Twitter, or  Facebook, and receive a FREE custom-built, artisanal pizza (one per guest) any time that day. It’s that simple!

And let me tell you, this pizza … it’s good. I had the opportunity to sneak a peek (and a bite) this evening, and I promise you, you won’t want to miss this.

A little 411 on Blaze Pizza: they make their own dough (from scratch) and offer 30+ fresh, artisanal ingredients to choose from on their signature pizza assembly line. As you mosey on down the line, your dedicated “pizzasmith” will customize your pie. You can choose from 8 compelling Blaze signature pizzas or opt to craft your own masterpiece. With unlimited toppings at your disposal, the build your own option (which is a generously proportioned 6-slice pie) is a steal at $7.95. Your selection is then fast-fired in a blazing hot oven for 180 seconds, resulting in a perfectly crisp crust with just the right fold-ability factor (yeah, that’s a word).

Also available are a variety of beautiful salads (the Tomato, Basil, and Ovalini is not to be missed and is just $3.95). I’m told the S’more Pie is a must, so save room for dessert. Blaze will offer beer and wine, featuring Community and 512 for your sipping pleasure.

Blaze Pizza
blazepizza.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
3311 Preston Rd., Frisco, TX 75034
(972) 468-9700

Open Daily:
Sunday: 11am – 9pm
Monday – Thursday: 10:30am – 10pm
Friday & Saturday: 10:30am – 11pm

Kin Kin Urban Thai- Fort Worth

Chef Eddy Thretipthuangsin (most just call him Chef Eddy), of Bite City Grill, has done it again. He has recently opened Kin Kin Urban Thai in the West 7th development in Fort Worth. The space, previously MK Sushi, has been completely transformed into a modern, clean, comfortable restaurant.

Kin Kin means “eat, eat” or “let’s eat”. Chef Eddy has created a menu of traditional Thai dishes along with American favorites with a Thai twist. Kin Kin has been a way for Chef Eddy to pay homage to his mother as well as the country of Thailand. His mother, Pat, helped create many of the menu items … she used to cook for the Thai royal family and Eddy began his culinary career by learning from her. He spent a month traveling Thailand to help shape the menu at Kin Kin. He says, “Bangkok is one of the most vibrant culinary cities.” So thankfully, he is sharing that with Fort Worth (and soon Dallas).

It was very difficult to choose what to order first because of the great selection, so my strategy was … what would be a great bar snack? (I know you are reading this to find out about the drinks – duh.) If you’re coming to Kin Kin in to hang out and have a drink, order the shrimp chip for a snack. They are this glorious, airy chip that remind me of Cheetos. Who wouldn’t like upscale Cheetos? The pork and shrimp dumplings were delicious, and are served in a traditional bamboo basket with green cabbage and soy sauce. I’m pretty sure I will have this as my meal next time I am there. My other favorite bar snack was the Bangkok shrimp (crispy shrimp, garlic, cilantro, sweet plum sauce). I don’t think you could go wrong with anything on the menu and I give everything I sampled two thumbs up.

Chef Eddy’s brother, Chris, is the mastermind behind the drink menu. The difference between the drinks at Bite City Grill and Kin Kin is the complexity. If you go back and read about the Bite drinks, you will see that they are on the elaborate side and you’re given bitters to control taste. The drinks at Kin Kin are simple and to the point. My favorite cocktail was the Lychee Margarita (tequila, Soho Lychee, fresh lime). Crisp and refreshing, I have admit that my glass was empty before I knew it. If you have never had lychee before, it has a similar taste to a pear or grape and it’s a great combination with the lime of the margarita. I’d say that this is a go-to “summer tasting” drink. The Tom Yum Bloody Mary (lemongrass infused vodka, bloody mary mix, Sriracha) is flavor roller coaster. It’s a fusion of Tom Yum soup and a Bloody Mary.

Kin Kin also did a great job of choosing their beer and whiskey options. The two categories are “Far East” (imported Pacific Asian options) and “Down the Road” (local Texas options) for each list. (P.S. Did you know that Japan is doing some seriously awesome things with whiskey? Yeah … it’s happening.)

The service was amazing from the moment I walked into the front door; everyone was very hospitable and the service was prompt. Parking is easy and convenient and Kin Kin Urban Thai is located right next to the garage entrance (which has free parking – just don’t forget to get your ticket validated before you leave).

IMG_3685


KIN KIN URBAN THAI
www.kinkinurbanthai.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
2801 West 7th Street, Fort Worth, TX 76107
817-984-1363

Opening Summer 2015: 11661 Preston Road, Dallas, TX 75230
Opening April 2015: 3211 Oak Lawn Ave, Dallas, TX 75219

Unfortunately, Kin Kin does not have any happy hour specials yet. As the restaurant takes root, that might be an addition for the future. Currently, the only special is for take out ($1 off the price of each item in your order).

 

I Dugg it.

Lakewood is a neighborhood with chain restaurants here and there (and here), so it’s always nice to see a new concept pop up in the area.  Dugg Burger opened recently thanks to four brilliant dudes (one is from Dallas and the rest are from California).

The concept is brilliant … they had a completely custom tool created to give their burgers a unique edge (or hole, as it were).  The tool hulls out the bun top to make room for their 13 amazing toppings and then they’re lovingly placed on the grill on one of the (also custom) stainless steel magnetic domes to get it all nice and toasty.  (Toasted buns … I mean … the best.)  The process is below in a neat sketch they had made …

When you walk in, you order your burger (and fries … because fries) and they’ll bring it to your table.  You choose from their 12 standard toppings and one “Lucky 13” topping which are always suggestions from customers.  (They allow customers to submit their topping ideas online or on the brick wall in the shop, and if one is popular enough, they’ll add it to the lineup!)  They like to keep their ingredients as local as possible–they get their meat from Freedman’s, their buns from Village Baking Company, and they have local beers stocked.  (No local wines just yet.)

Man cannot live on burgers and beer alone (even really good ones), so they’ve sweetened the deal with their homemade Bread Pudding, which is made from a recipe from one of the owner’s moms.  (She even checks in from time to time to make sure it’s the right recipe.  Now that’s what I call quality control!)

Bread Pudding

Bread Pudding

 

DUGG BURGER BAR
www.duggburger.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
9540 Garland Rd, #407, Dallas, TX 75218
(214) 584-6261