Welcome to SideDish’s weekly dispatch of need-to-know News Bites, from quiet closures to opening updates and everything in between—and back to coronavirus updates!
Hawaiian Bros Will Land Soon . . . With Plate Lunches
A month ago, we divulged news that Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade would open this fall (which, as of today, means anytime now) with smoothies, bowls, and toasts in the Bishop Arts District. Now, you can pair that with serious doses of comfort food. We’ve got a welcome island food inland invasion with the coming of Hawaiian Bros, set to open five area locations: Frisco late September; Little Elm, Greenville Avenue, and Addison in October; Allen in November. Expect pulled pork and mahogany, sticky-sweet-glazed teriyaki chicken sided by ice cream scoop mounds of white rice and macaroni salad. It’s plate lunches, seriously underrepresented but sorely needed. Look for a pineapple soft serve cup near you.
Neon Kitten Opens in Deep Ellum
Neon Kitten, a cocktail lounge slinging Japanese spirits and promising late-night dim sum, soft-opened last week. Its official opening is set for October 1. The venue, from owner Bhuvanesh Khanna, who has long-standing F&B cred, sets down near Stirr, in the former Beauty Bar space. Think shochu and Japanese whisky swirled into cocktails like the Osaka with umeshu (plum wine) and cherry blossom, served in a Hello Kitty cup, the Yokohama with aged miso and sake, or the Sapporo with unfiltered nigori sake and bourbon. These complement bites like prawn har gau and pork and shrimp siu mai. No Lazy Susans, but Blackbird Society, a speakeasy-style lounge-behind-the-lounge will open soon. ‘Cause you’re nothing without a speakeasy these days.
Piehole Project Is Back
Last year, we barely did anything non-virtual. Nothing says 2021 We’re Here and We’re In-Person like Piehole Project Live! The Variety Show.
A-list chefs like Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman, Bruno Davaillon, Matt Balke, and John Tesar have signed up to cook in individual “kitchen theaters” for a dozen guests each—like Top Chef, only you get to eat the food and there’s an aerialist, magicians, and belly dancing. The event, October 28, raises funds annually for culinary and hospitality scholarships; the goal this year is $25,000. A side dish (yes, I know) is the pie auction, which will remain virtual, October 18-28. Let me just mention that Junior Borges’ entry last October, a toasted coconut cream pie with coconut jam, was unbelievably swoon-worthy. And then he opened Meridian. Just saying.
Tango Room Dances into FT33’s Former Spot
We all remember FT33 . . . the closing that broke our hearts. Now, the Dallas Morning News writes of the quiet arrival of Tango Room in its stead. Headington Companies (The Joule, Midnight Rambler, Commissary, The Porch) is not usually secretive, but the menu seems to be hush-hush. Reserve now, eye the deviled eggs sporting black truffle shavings as caps, imagine the rest of the steakhouse-inspired line-up (plenty of foie gras to amp things up), and know that there’s a connection to Graileys Fine Wines through co-owner Simon Roberts, so the libations will likely suit the fare fine, thank you. The DMN hints the Tango Room’s burger, with black truffle aromas and raclette, may be a heartbreaker.
Mike Chen is Out . . . So Long, Farewell
The Observer picks up the fact that vlogger Mike Chen is departing the state—after eating his way through the Whataburger menu. His move to Chicago, precipitated by his finding himself in a relationship that does not, pointedly, involve devouring his weight in North Texas food, is a fait accompli. We’re feeling all the feels. If you missed the episodes that drove fans to hole-in-the-wall spots in droves, binge his archive.
