The newest incubator addition to Trinity Groves is an ode to avocado.
Called AvoEatery, the fresh new concept aims to prepare the Hass variety in inventive ways to incorporate the fruit in creative dishes and cocktails.
Avo Eatery serves lunch and dinner seven days a week. Brunch joins the program in late February. It’s going in the spot last occupied by Tapas Castile, and Casa Rubio before that.
The interior of AvoEatery “embodies the fresh, versatile, contemporary appeal” of the super fruit, they say in a release, and is designed to look like a living avocado grove. Lamps resemble avocados cut from the trees, and there is an intertwining wood sculpture on the patio. There are many shades of green splashed in eye-popping, playful patterns with bright orange, blue and yellow, too.
The menu is predictably divided between avocado toast, salads and bowls, sandwiches and entrees, plus appetizers and dessert. AvoEatery is serving six types of avocado toast, and they have four options for sandwiches, salads and bowls.
Avocado is in pretty much everything. Before we get to those details, let’s talk about that: avocado everywhere.
In 2019, Americans consumed 2 billion pounds of avocados, and Avocados from Mexico holds an 84% share of the market.
A survey from AFM gives insight into the massive avocado market and the role the fruit plays in local restaurants.
On average, customers are willing to pay $1.81 on top of the menu price to include avocado in dishes. For restaurants, that is a boost of about $2 per guest, though many local spots charge as much as $3.50 for an avocado add-on. And, Dallas dinners are quick to say yes.
The AvoEatery restaurant could, if nothing else, help inspire a new wave of culinary ideas for preparing and serving avocado. Which would make avocado farmers and importers happy.
Will Dallas begin to see even more cocktails popping up on bar menus with avocados? Will chefs push beyond conventional prep of the fruit?
Will Dallas residents continue to keep going to a restaurant that’s so focused on one ingredient?
Time will tell.
Across the board, avocado is served fresh here, as quacamole or smashed. It’s used to make an avo-aioli, an avo-whipped goat cheese, avo-ranch and an avo-mango salsa. On the dessert side, there is avocado mousse with Kate Weiser Chocolate, and a chocolate-avocado brownie with avocado ice cream and avocado popsicles dipped in white chocolate and dusted with coconut.
Entrees include a NY strip steak frites with avocado herb butter ($22), salmon with avo-mango salsa ($18), avocado chicken curry ($14) and spaghetti squash and zoodles with grilled avocado and made with squash and zucchini ($13).
Feeling overwhelmed with options? Just order a guacamole flight ($18) with your choices of mild, medium, hot, hummus and egg. The house guac is made with cilantro, serrano pepper and red onion. Standing out on the app menu is the avocado and beef tartare ($8) with coconut milk, cucumber, mint, cornichons and topped with habanero beet aioli and crushed pistachios.
Because one serving of guacamole is not enough. AvoEats makes guacamole five ways, which you can try in a guac flight.
courtesy AvoEatery
On the bourbon side, cocktails are made with Bulleit. The Avo’d Fashioned is made with avo chocolate and Angostura bitters, while the Lemon Blossom mixes bourbon with avo honey and lemon.
Hell yes, the crew at Avocados from Mexico will pay homage to Mexican desert spirits. The cocktail When the Smoke Hits is a Sombre mezcal margarita with a slice of ripe avocado. The Avo Rita is shaken with Dulce Vida tequila, avo puree, melon liquor, triple sec, agave and hibiscus. Some drinks come with frozen avocado cubes and others call for an avo crema.
Then there are six types of spritzers with ingredients such as elderflower, hibiscus, strawberry, depending on your drink. Everything is made in-house.
They’ve got 15 beers, all are around five bucks, with a few popular local options including bar staple Deep Ellum IPA, as well as Blood and Honey from Revolver Brewing and True Love raspberry sour ale from Martin House Brewing. Um, and five varieties of Truly for $4 each.
AvoEatery, 3011 Gulden Lane (Trinity Groves). Opens at 5 p.m. daily. Beginning Feb. 15, opens at 11 a.m.
