ZaLat Heads To Denton And Fort Worth, Windmill Lounge Gets Rebranded, Circo TX Goes Out With A Bang, 7-11 Comes To You And More! 

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.

Good news pizza lovers, ZaLat Pizza plans to open not one, but two new locations this fall, with one in Fort Worth and a second in Denton. According to social media posts from the pizzeria in service industry Facebook groups, the lil’ D location will be in take over the location formerly held by the short-lived Texadelphia spot near Hickory and Fry Streets. Out west, ZaLat will find its cowtown home at Foch and Seventh Street.

Maple Avenue stalwart Windmill Lounge is shutting its doors and reopening as M.D. Tavern. Named after the Medical District in which it resides, the concept is a revamp to better cater to the changing neighborhood. A Facebook post confirms that the transformation will happen over the course of 60 days, during which the space will undergo “some surprising improvements.” These improvements include (but are not limited to) a remodeled interior, a new kitchen and new patio. We’ve reached out for more details, and will update as the story unfolds.

Moving forward with more closing news, one of the area’s more recently scandalous closures went down this past weekend. Circo TX in Uptown held its last service on Sunday, after only nine months in operation. The closure was beset with a host of financial, food sourcing and staffing issues, with a round of layoffs just days before. The Dallas Observer listed a litany of problems with the New York-based restaurant, including an executive chef who was let go for taking a leave of absence to grieve his deceased mother. As it stands, the owner has planned to relocate to Florida where she is reportedly set to open a new concept.

Over on Greenville Avenue, the recently shuttered Louie King BBQ space is now home to Stiky Ribz. The Observer reports the Forney barbecue concept is churning out a simple menu of five meats and four sides, helping to fill the neighborhood’s barbecue void. The smoked meat offerings are available Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Switching gears to openings: OMG Tacos is debuting its latest and biggest outpost with a grand opening celebration on Saturday, June 29. The festivities for the new Richardson Restaurant Park will feature $1 chicken and pastor tacos, as well as $1 margaritas on the rocks from 11 a.m. to 2:45 a.m. The first 50 customers to order more than $10 worth of items will receive a free t-shirt. Hours will run daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Out in Oak Cliff, a newcomer called Krio is combining Cajun and Asian flavors. The former pop-up is opening its brick-and-mortar at 233 West 7th Street. Diners can expect menu items like banh mi-style po’boys and chicken jambalaya egg rolls, as well as “boils, baskets and other surprises,” according to Eater. Construction on the space is currently underway, with an opening expected late 2019-early 2020.

Eater also reports that the mind behind East Hampton Sandwich Co. and Hudson House is getting into the steakhouse business as Drake’s is set to open at 5007 West Lovers Lane this October. The concept will have a classic Hollywood aesthetic, but with offerings at neighborhood prices. While there are no menu details yet, expect plenty of beef cuts and cocktails in an elevated, West Coast-inspired atmosphere.

In an on-going attempt to stay viable in the restaurant game, Stonedeck Pizza Pub now offers hot dog delivery. Dog Pack Hot Dogs is a virtual pop-up to help ultimate the brick-and-mortar space, per Dallas Observer. For $16, you can order three all-beef hot dogs in New England buns, with your choice of a wide selection of toppings. The hot dogs are available for dinner and late night delivery through Caviar and GrubHub.

Speaking of delivery services: 7-Eleven has launched a new service that delivers almost anywhere called 7NOW. CultureMap reports the upgrade to the 7-Eleven app now offers pins that act as virtual hotspots where you can receive deliveries in non-traditional places, such as parks or sports fields. Customers simply order through the app, which hones in on the nearest pin location with orders that can be expected within a 30 minute window. There is no minimum ordering price, though a $1.99 fee is charged for orders under $15. The fees are waived on three initial deliveries within the first 30 days for new customers.

And finally, Bishop Cidercade is expanding throughout Texas. The cider-meets-videogame bar is opening locations in Austin and Houston in late 2019. Both locations will be significantly larger than their Dallas predecessor, with Houston slated to boast at least 10 more ciders on tap than the other two outposts.

Cover photo by Kathy Tran

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