Central Track ContributorCommunity Turns One, Denton Gets A New Brewery and Potatoes Get Hotter.
Welcome to The Spread, our weekly feature that aims to share all the area restaurant, food and beverage industry news that's fit to print. Except, this is the Internet, so space isn't a concern. Also: Good thing, because this is Dallas and this town always has breaking restaurant news going down like whoa.
Hands down, the most common method of celebrating just about every occasion inevitably involves tipping a few back.
So it should go without saying that Community Beer Company's one-year anniversary will be an observance of alcoholic bliss on Saturday, January 18. But there'll be a little more to the proceedings as well — like this Friday's dinner with beer pairings at Cook Hall. And for those of you who simply like to pair your beer with, well, more beer, the brewery will be officially releasing its long-awaited Bourbon Barrel-Aged Glenstemmons at this Saturday's special anniversary edition of its weekly open house.
The anniversary festivities arrive at a perfect time for our favorite area brewery of 2013, too, aligning nicely with the opening of the brewery's new taproom. And, thanks to the recent change in laws that have made it possible to buy beer by the pint directly from the brewer, representatives from the brewery also tell The Spread that they'll also be able to offer up exclusive brews and pilot batches in the taproom that are, technically, illegal to sell to bars or restaurants.
In addition to the debut of a new beer, the anniversary party will also feature 14 other beers on tap, including the brewers' just-released porter collaboration with Ascension Coffee.
Speaking of local breweries pairing up with local coffee-slingers: Deep Ellum Brewing Company is about to release its Oak Cliff Coffee Ale this week. The official launch party will be held on Saturday at Brewed in Fort Worth, starting at 7 p.m. with preview events and meet-and-greets coming on the days leading up to the event.
With two new coffee-infused beers being released on the same day and in the same region, will a beer turf war eventually ensue? Or will everyone get too drunk to care? Hey, a little competition never hurt anyone.
To that end, here's another beer-related event going down on Saturday: Denton's upstart Rabbit Hole Brewing will host its first ever brewery tour on that date as well. The company's two inaugural brews include Mike Modano's 561 Kolsch-style beer, and a bold and toasty brown ale called Rapture.
Elsewhere, things are looking good for McKinney Avenue with the expansion of Three Sheets Uptown. The second location for the spot will come in the former Pozo Mercado space, where the menu will offer Three Sheets' signature burgers, pizza and pub fare to accompany the stiff drinks preferred by the Uptown crowd. The new location will also maintain Three Sheets' game-watching element, with 15 TVs being installed throughout the space and a 90-inch LED TV coming to its patio. Also, as to be expected, the bar will feature seasonal and local beers on tap.
Also coming to Uptown: Hopdoddy Burger Bar, which will expand to ever-popular McKinney Avenue by taking over the old Frankie's Sports Bar spot. Previous fans of Hopdoddy can expect similar elements at the new location, including counter service, a full bar and a menu that's still mostly the same. It's the chain's second location in Dallas, and talks of a third one are already flowing.
Heading east, Chef DAT will be hosting a White Rock Local Market fundraiser at Garden Cafe on Wednesday, January 15 at 7 p.m. that will feature a six-course tasting menu. Beer tasting at the affair will be provided by new beer-making entity White Rock Brewing Company, who are donating a few kegs to the event. Proceeds from the event will go to WLRM's programs and services, which provide support for small farmers and business.
Finally, Trinity Groves will get yet another new restaurant in the very near future — and a build-your-own baked potato restaurant, at that. Potato Flats is set to begin construction within the next few weeks and the restaurant will have an assembly line of ingredients that guests can add to their baked potatoes, which will be pressed down to be one and a half inches thick. Trinity Groves mastermind Phil Romano is behind the concept and, as he told the Dallas Business Journal this week, he thinks there's a chance that the idea could be franchised in the future. And, with a history that includes Fuddruckers, Romano's Macaroni Grill and EatZi's, well, the smart money's on that happening.
Cover photo by Ralf Roletschek, via WIkiCommons. Got a tip for The Spread? Email us!
