- This week, CBD Provisions announced their new executive chef: Coner Seargeant, who up until now has been CBD's chef de cuisine. He takes over for Richard Blankenship, who left the restaurant late last year. Are changes coming to the menu as a result? Maybe, according to a press release. "Now as executive chef, Seargeant is focusing on introducing seasonal changes to CBD Provisions’ menus, as well as adding his own influences to the signature modern Texas cuisine."
- Up in Plano, the Shops at Willow Bend continues its $125 million expansion with the announcement of three places coming to the development: Dallas favorites Knife and Terra Mediterranean, along with Mexican Bar Company, a new concept debuting in Texas with their location at the Shops at Willow Bend. The expansion will begin opening phases in mid-2017, according to a press release, and will include "a welcoming new main entrance and a collection of up to eight chef-driven restaurants; a seven-story, 200,000-square-foot 'Class A' office tower conveniently connected to the mall; a high-end health and fitness club; and entertainment venues."
- The battle for crowlers in Texas has finally been won, GuideLive reports. A lengthy fight ensued after Austin's Cuvee Coffee first contested the TABC ban on aluminum crowlers, arguing that they differ little from traditional glass crowlers, which are legal in Texas. The TABC relented. This is good news for North Texas beer fans who always forget their growler at home; we could start seeing crowlers around the city any day now.
- An exciting new addition to Fort Worth's food scene: Austin Southern eatery Fixe will open a 200-seat restaurant "at new luxury and shopping destination, The Shops at Clear Fork," according to a press release. It's slated to open this fall.
- Shake Shack opened its second DFW location this week in Plano, and judging by the lines, people are pretty stoked about it. The new location, at 7401 Windrose Ave., is one of the first restaurants to open in the ambitious new Legacy West development.
- The Fairmont has a full team in place with the addition of a new pastry chef: Ashleigh Wright, formerly executive pastry chef at the Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens in San Diego. "Wright completes the new team now consisting of Hotel Executive Chef Jared Harmes, who comes to the Fairmont from the Mansion on Turtle Creek; Pyramid Restaurant and Bar Chef de Cuisine Brandon Drew, formerly with the Four Seasons Hotel; Pyramid Executive Sous Chef Jeremy Hess, a Mansion on Turtle Creek alum; and Pyramid Restaurant and Bar Manager Jonathan Bona, also formerly with The Four Seasons Hotel," according to a release.