Let’s Make Dallas Even Better

What is the Next Dallas Food Trend?

By Nancy Nichols Published in Food & Drink April 21, 2010 8:19 am

We’ve had petit fours, cupcakes, whoopie pies (sorta), and frozen yogurt. If you had a million dollars, check that, I mean at least two million dollars, what new “trend” or would you bet on? Probably too late for a taco joint. What’s the next big deal?

Elizabeth B

My bet is on the food truck- is it too late for that?
Amy S

If you are talking something small and trendy, then I’d say eggs. Hard boiled, bar food, on BLT’s, egg “stops” where specialty local and fresh eggs are used for cooking and available for retail sale (think quail egg omelets made to order). Yeah, eggs.

If you are talking about a larger food trend, there is a huge amount of money being spent 5 hours south of Dallas (SA) by one of the top culinary schools in the country (CIA) to develop a Center for the Foods of the Americas. Central/South American food – do we have an upscale Peruvian restaurant yet? It’ll be here.
Vic

Seems like I see more about taco places opening up/coming to town. I hope it is this.
Borborygmous

City of Ate may be on to the next trend coming to us from the west: http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/cityofate/2010/04/foods_not_traditionally_prepar.php
Knhall

What about cakeballs? I LOVE them and have started seeing them at more and more events. And, I do love the food trucks. Austin seems to have that mastered!
luniz

“local” food a la Applebee’s…
jonfromtjs

what it will be: whatever the hot food trend in NYC, SF or Chicago is right now, presented to us next year

what it should be: a few years back we kept hearing we’d see peruvian & ecuadorian cuisine. still waiting for that on a larger scale.

personally, much like art & music, i’m less interested in trends and more interested in individual vision.

shouldn’t we be asking: who in dallas will step up and offer something unique that none of us on a food message board could predict?

that’s what i value most in a restaurant. if its a trend, i can already go eat it somewhere else. buck trends! show me your personal inspiration and your creative execution.

ok, rant over.
Sarah

I’m rooting for more snow cone stands.
Senor

The next fried State Fair snack from Abel Gonzales?
Kirk

TexMex and steaks.
luniz

jon is right. I’ve been hearing Peruvian or whatever for like 5 years now. I’ll believe it when I eat it.
TK

Taco joints are just getting started – Rusty isnt that great, Torchy’s isnt that great – but just wait for some Austin transplants. Taco Joint is exactly Taco Shack in Austin – I think the next trend is Austin influx – like a Salt Lick, Eddie V’s, Trudy’s, bars with outside games, washers, bands, etc.
Evan Grant

Two words: Bangers, mash.
Me!

cakeballs suck balls
Steven Doyle

Evan: You had me at banger.

TK: I am with you man. there are more tacos coming to fill even the most obsessed up with visions of pastor dancing in their dreams at night.

I concur with Elizabeth (and hello missy). the taco truck is finally making its way down the aisles in Dallas, and just a few years too late as usual. I see more of this happening and would lay my 2 million Nichol’s dollars down on that glide. I pray someone kicks a Korean taco truck into high gear.
goose

artisan chocolatiers…
s

I wish something like DBGB Kitchen & Bar would open in Dallas…FABULOUS!!

but mainly…i just wish something other than trends would just open and stay open in downtown…
jonfromtjs

“I think the next trend is Austin influx – like a Salt Lick, Eddie V’s, Trudy’s, bars with outside games, washers, bands, etc.”

from your lips (fingers) to god’s ears
Sandra

Pickles!
acrow

Speaking of Austin influx, how about TacoDeli, Z Tejas, and Hyde Park Bar and Grill
Nancy Nichols

I was going to say marijuana brownies. I will drive that truck.Or just park it in the shade somewhere.
Amy S

Restaurant Hospitality says it’s going to be restaurants coming from the Food Network.

http://restaurant-hospitality.com/news/food-network-wants-customers-0419/
Steven Doyle

FN restaurants? Pass.
Rod S

It all depends on the type of trend that you’re trying to identify. If it is flavor wise, I think I’d put my money on “traditional ethnic cuisines”. You see that already happening in NY, SF and CHI. But I think Dallas is a totally different animal. Trends that may be hot all around may not even get here (the example of the Peruvian/Ecuatorian trend).
I see Dallas having a food truck invasion in its near future. I also think that nouveau Southern will continue its rise and evolve into new fast casual restaurants.
But my money goes to the food trucks!
DGirl

Future Food. Gimmicky today but something to think about.

http://www.motorestaurant.com/
Me!

Dippin Dots is the ice cream of the future
Lori

Something with fusion. That’s the favorite word at Food Network, something fused.
TK

acrow – ZTejas was in up the tollway and failed – I don’t think the Austin influx that I envision can happen in the suburbs, has to revitalize Deep Ellum/East Dallas/Oak Cliff/Lower Greenville/Lakewood. Oak Cliff has a jump start on a Belmont (same thing as Hotel San Jose in Austin), Tillman’s (similar to several Austin places, Ranch 616/Moonshine), Hatties, Eno’s, Smoke, etc. Deep Ellum needs a Salt Lick dropped into a big block and a Shady Grove wannabe – Lee Harveys is as close as we get. Always have been and always will be jealous of Austin’s scene. Also – how come we can’t have a cool coffee shop, bar, restaurant on some of the White Rock property, on the water – wouldn’t that be nice and a way for the city to have some revenue? Milwaukee has a great local coffee shop on the park on Lake Michigan, hangout, meeting spot, community center – Dallas never can pull it together for something like that.
George

Small restaurants … ala Urbano, Marquee (on top of HP Village Theater).
marathonmom

ooh eggs = gross.

I want online home grocery delivery back.

aka g*r*o*c*e*r*y*w*o*r*k*s* <3

Either that or chocolate flavored deer corn
Jordan

What about good coffee?
Scagnetti

If someone opened a Scandanavian-Mediterranean-Southwestern fusion resto it would dominate!
luniz

if we’re going to have a true Austin influx, we’re going to have to import about 10000 really cool people…
TK

true – and close d-bag clubs like Aura, Suite, etc.
DGirl

luniz – I have to respectfully disagree. The Austin of old was teeming with cool people, but now it’s full of New Yawkers and other people who moved down when the tech boom started and totally changed the culture of the city. Very few of the hi-fallutin society types are from Texas, let alone Austin. Having lived in Austin in the mid 80s, it makes me sick to see what’s happened to the city. 🙁 I do like Vespaio and the Airstream foodies though.
stu

Steak
B

Grilled Cheese
Twinwillow

Prairie oysters!
Daniel Carver

Critters
kindofabigdeal

It seems that trends in Dallas have to prepackaged. Frozen yogurt mixes, cake mixes… Bakeries making really great stuff are hot in big cities. we had one, it didn’t make it. Great coffee requires great care and a devoted clientele. White Rock does a good job, but check out the roast dates on their coffees. The stuff just doesn’t turn over quick enough. The only trends we’ll grab anytime soon are the ones that can come from a box or that can put a slick face on a mediocre product. I’m not interested in that anymore.

as for tacos… this is dallas right? Get out there and eat some of our great tacos before you go begging for them to cost $5 each.

I’ll take a shot though. “gastropubs”
lynn

cotton candy.
Worzel Gummidge

With the recession? Cannibalism.
Daniel

Rice pudding is the rage in NYC, as well as gourmet donuts.
morgan

TK — i can’t explain how much i agree with all your comments. I love deep ellum and a shady grove-ish type place there would be perfect. we live by the lake, and i’ve asked my husband for years why there are no businesses on the lakefront (save cafe lago, which we won’t go to again). maybe it’s zoning/other issues i don’t understand, but i feel like there are so many opportunities here that go undiscovered.
samantha

No more fro-yo or taco stands, please. And please don’t try another awful pop up restaurant like thirty sixty.
Just Ask

@kindofabigdeal, I think you are correct that gastropubs are the next IT factor. Chef inspired food and drinks are going to take over. Food inspired by SF, NY and CHI are taking over and what was once hot there is now smoking here! Local, organic and sustainable product can beat any taco stand or fro-yo joint. Look at Capitol Pub for Brunch or Victor Tangos for dinner. What they are doing with food and drinks is comprable to any NY or SF joint. Taco trucks are cool but if you’ve ever ventured to East Dallas past midnight you can find the same thing and better for cheaper!
Whit

Ethnic street foods from Latin America and the Middle East on small plates (NOT tapas, Dallas hates tapas), soon raging on the coasts including Houston, here 18 months later just like most modern music trends
GW

Panini
GW

And meatballs
DT

Tacos are on the cusp right now with everyone from the gourmet shops to the gas station cooks getting in on the racket(www.dallastacobracket.com), and I would love to see more out of the food trucks. I’ll be thrilled when the gourmet cupcake fad finally dwindles and disappears ($4 for a cupcake? come on, folks).

I would like to see something new. Whether a new spin or fusion on a classic (like the Korean taco trucks) or a more receptive culture towards more off the path ethnic cuisine (so maybe I can enjoy Marrakesh Cafe in Dallas once again).
TK

Can we get a recap?
Scagnetti

@DGirl:”The Austin of old was teeming with cool people, but now it’s full of New Yawkers and other people”

Do you realize us Yankees can vote now and own property?
DGirl

I know, Scagnetti. I sound silly and antebellum but the Austin of years ago isn’t what it is today, for better or worse. I miss the old days. If you’re a Yankee then you probably don’t get it.
Marci

I’m thinking…people are going to start cooking at home and eating out less….
Jo Bennett

Dallas area is not truly TRENDY..it’s predictible.I see very little in the Food or/and restaurant scene here…sorry!
mark

I’d open a Pita place that mimmicks a burrito place in trendy west Plano.
kindofabigdeal

@jo bennett. not being trendy isn’t a bad thing. Trying to be trendy but failing is.

What does it mean to say you see very little in the food and/or restaurant scene here? Are you having a hard time finding restaurants? no, of course not. You’re saying we’re not on the cutting edge. Dallas needs to appreciate the places that are doing un-trendy food very well before we go making the rules. its the old, “you have to know the rules before you can break them” adage.

Dallas could stand to be a bit more Portland, and a lot less wanna-be LA and NY.
Steven Doyle

We are a mere 7 days away from J. Blacks from Austin opening on Henderson. I took a peek at the build out last night and it looks awesome. Competition breeds a happy me. They already have their wifi in place (needed it last night while at NST).

Think small plates, and cool retro drinks like sazerac and Hemmingways.

http://www.jblacks.com/Eats.aspx
Jessica

cereal.
Elizabeth B

Hi Steven! I’ve tried to eat at Rusty’s half a dozen times- the line is always out the door! Ugh, for tacos?
Steven Doyle

Ha, Elizabeth you need to call me. I have a secret backdoor relationship at 43 of the best taco stands in Dallas. Code word: FEED ME. See you at the Wine and Dine tomorrow night? Eddie Deen’s. Yum.
Luis D

im putting all my money on food trucks.
its all the rage in LA.
Daniel Carver

Food from the middle ages is all the rage.
Cheese with that wine

Malay / Indonesian / Filipino ?

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