- Madrina's got a new chef taking over Julio Peraza's old post: David Fingerman, who's moving to the French-Mex spot after a stint as executive chef of Chicago’s Graham Elliot Bistro. Via a press release:
Fingerman will continue Madrina’s tradition of elegantly marrying classic French techniques with the bold, authentic cuisine of interior Mexican. A Horchata Pot-Au-Crème with 24-hour sweet rice milk, toasted almonds and piloncillo will showcase a classic dish reimagined, while seamlessly blending Madrina’s Mexican backbone and French influence. Similarly, a Double-Cut Pork Chop with potato puree, tomatillo relish and homemade pasilla bordelaise, will further highlight the influence of authentic interior Mexico on the menu.
- Monkey King Noodle Company is about to add something it's never tried before: seating. The Deep Ellum soup dumpling mecca, currently a take-out spot at 3014 Main St., is almost finished with a new, larger location at Main and North Walton streets, CultureMap reports. Teresa Gubbins writes:
- The Crescent's facelift continues, and now that Ascension is up and running, a beloved national fast-casual spot is getting ready to open its first North Texas location in a modern glass box out front. Shake Shack is slated to open its 2,700-square foot space near the intersection of Pearl and McKinney in September, GuideLive reports.
- In other high-profile franchise news, Halal Guys has set an open date for its first North Texas location: July 23, Eater reports. Right before the restaurant at 5444 Lemmon Ave. opens, Eater says, you'll be able to try Halal Guys' offerings when delivery service Caviar gives diners a sneak peek at the New York transplant.
- Braindead Brewing is getting even bigger, CultureMap reports. The Deep Ellum brewpub is taking over the space next door — between the brewery and Local Hub Bicycle Company — which will add some much needed space to the often crowded spot, owners say.
- A new Irish pub is coming to downtown Dallas, CultureMap reports. Crafty Irishman Public House, which will serve coffee and pastries, lunch and dinner, is slated to open in the Mercantile building on Main Street this fall, CultureMap says.
"We're still keeping with the street-food idea, but it's basically a bigger space all around," says founder Andrew Chen. "There'll be an indoor dining room with about 30 seats, a patio with another 35 seats, and big overhead garage doors that we can open when the weather's nice. We'll remain fast-casual, where your name is called when your order is ready. We'll also have beer and wine."
The original Monkey King location will become — wait for it — Monkey King Banana Stand, which will serve "ice cream, sundaes, and Asian pastries such as egg tarts and Japanese cheesecake," CultureMap reports.
