Every month, a new crop of restaurants open in the Metroplex. While everyone loves a good steak house, sushi spot, and burgers, this round up will give you the high-end spots and the low-end spots that are new to town, be they good, bad, or so bad they’re good/so good they’re bad. Whether it’s a locally-owned restaurant or the latest addition of a chain, here’s what’s happening in the world of restaurant openings in Dallas and beyond for the month.
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4511 McKinney Ave.
Prolific Dallas restaurateur Alberto Lombardi opens up a new spot off Knox St. This one is, dare we say, Latin-ish? Inspired by the flavors of Latin America? Straight-up beachy? One thing it certainly is: massive. The restaurant’s name, sea and Sun, belies its menu, which features Latin American and coastal dishes and options one might find in the Mediterranean. Think arapas, patatas bravas, street tacos, Argentinian-style steak, banana leaf-wrapped salmon, and a raw bar. As Lombardi’s restaurants often are, this one is a scene of glam and glitz with a price tag to match.
1902 Botham Jean Blvd.
Sliding into the spot previously used by Sandwich Hag, this is a fitting replacement. It is one of a kind, as it is the only place in Dallas currently serving teriyaki-infused burgers that became a phenomenon in the 1970s. It is personal, as the food was inspired by the childhood of co-owner George Kaiho, who, along with YuYee Kaiho, owns Ka-Tip Thai Street Food. Finally, it is simple, and it is best not to ask for substitutions on the original.
2701 Cedar Springs Rd.
The phrase “from the people who brought you the Katy Trail Ice House” is the starting context; this is a bar in Uptown, but this time indoors, focusing on bourbon and scotch that serves pretty nice, if limited, food. It has a sausage kitchen that makes bratwurst, jalapeño and cheddar, or spicy Italian sausages on a roll, wagyu brisket, and a couple of different chicken sammies. The decor inspo is NYC taverns but a hundred years ago with various bits of Dallas memorabilia.
1011 Nolan Ryan Expressway in Arlington
Jerryworld lands a Houston-based Tex-Mex restaurant with this opening — and it might just be the best Tex-Mex in Arlington now, as it comes out of the legacy of the legendary Ninfa’s Mexican, one of the region’s most beloved and successful restaurants. It also happens to be on the concourse of what was once Globe Life Stadium, now known as Choctaw Stadium. Go for the margaritas and stay for the bacon-wrapped shrimp grilled in butter and fajitas.
7800 Windrose Ave. in Plano
Italian food has reached Legacy Hall, the giant food hall in Plano’s Legacy West. The offerings are based on piadina, an Italian flatbread that is thin and unleavened. It is served sort of like a taco—folded over and stuffed. The focus is on cheeses and meats, although there are cheesy and veggie-filled vegetarian options.
400 S. Zang Blvd., inside Oak Cliff Tower
This small mom-and-pop spot serves breakfast and lunch, offering Veracruz-style Mexican food with a few American options. Its opening was a “dream come true” for owners Jaime and Aurora Tacon, who previously worked as caterers.
233 W Seventh St., Suite 100
A sports bar in Bishop Arts? Never thought we’d see the day. This Vegas-inspired spot takes over the place formerly held by Krio and is run by Krio’s owners, Dan Bui and Connie Cheng. There are, as expected, wings, burgers, nachos, beer, and TVs.
5005 State Highway 121, #101 in The Colony
Do you like the Dallas Cowboys (in particular former wide receiver and announcer Michael Irvins)? Do you like sports bars? If so, this spot serving wings and burgers in the Grandscape was built for you.
6651 Alma Rd., Suite 250 in McKinney
This cafe started in San Diego in 1979 and has become a successful breakfast chain. The culinary team cooked up several exclusive menu items for its first restaurant in DFW. Those include a Cowboy Skillet of eggs and ham with Fritos on top, a Texas Cobb salad with Fritos on top (wow, they really think Fritos equals Texas), pulled pork tacos, loaded grits that include all the best baked potato toppings, tres leches French toast, and a fried chicken Benedict with jalapeños.
520 W. State Highway 114 in Grapevine
Eat just like Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of Kiss at the opening of their jointly-created and owned restaurant, which now has an outpost in Grapevine. Before getting to the food, the press release for this spot talks about the rock and roll murals, the lighting, the 75” TVs, the fact that it will feature live music from local musicians on weekends, and its indoor/outdoor seating. Apparently it also serves American food and “rocktails.”
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