For the past few weeks, the University of North Texas campus has been much abuzz with the anticipation of several new restaurants opening on the ground level of the new Fry Street development. Now occupying the former home of the Flying Tomato is a Chipotle with a spaceship-like study hall design, a Potbelly Sandwich Shop with vomit-free bathrooms and the source of the majority of the buzz: Macdaddy's, a restaurant dedicated solely to macaroni and cheese and surrounded by bars. It's a college student's wet dream.
Macdaddy's is partaking in the popular open-air theme of newer restaurants in Denton and beyond and offers patrons a breezy patio with a first-class view of Fry Street and all its vices. High-traffic academic buildings, offices and student and faculty parking lots are all within walking distance, as well as the high-traffic bars. It's a brilliant design, that Fry Street.
Now that summer seems to be waning and the skin on the bottom of my feet is growing back, the patio has become particularly attractive in recent days, as they've finished construction. Last week I finally saw the flying of the "Now Open" flag, so I waltzed in around 5 p.m. to check it out.
The lines were out the door, the patio full of hungry college students who wandered over between classes, each clamoring for their own skillet of macaroni and cheese. Among the more than 50y options are various add-ins that include anything from lobster (but only if you crap cash on the regular), hot dogs, bacon, pulled pork, crimini mushrooms, chicken, shrimp and of course, vodka! There are salads, but no word on the inclusion of macaroni in those. In keeping with Apple's rapid takeover of Earth, the iPad registers ask only for a signature with your finger should you be a credit card wielding diner. Pretty neat. They take cash too.
Given that the area used to suffer (writer ducks for fear of flying objects) from a slight lack of dining diversity, Macdaddy's is an interesting addition to the post-class (and post-drinking) stuff-my-face options. In the interest of the university culture, Macdaddy's is a welcome cog in the facelift machine of our beloved Fry Street storefront.
