13 January 4 - 10, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Big-D’s Big Food News From Indian food to hidden gems, here’s a look at our most-read food stories in 2023. BY LAUREN DREWES DANIELS T he Dallas dining scene is per- petually full of salacious tidbits, new restaurants and exciting bites. At the end of the year, it’s interesting to see what captured readers’ attention most. Here are 20 or so of our most-read stories in the food section the past year. We’re working backward here, with the most-read story at the bottom. Fair warning: be ready to riot. Our feature “A Fight for the Soul of Deep Ellum” looked at a crop of new restaurants — all centered around Bottled Blonde — drawing big crowds along Good-Latimer Expressway, while the original neighbor- hood struggles. This story got a lot of inter- est, which in itself is encouraging. Angie Quebedeaux’s roundup of best places to eat without going broke did well (and will soon be updated, as it’s about a year old). Hank Vaughn ventured down to Waxa- hachie for burgers at Pop’s Burger Stand. Was it worth the drive? The burgers are “pretty spectacular,” Vaughn writes, but don’t sleep on the fried pies either. Vaughn’s piece on Big Daddy’s in South Dallas also did well. This gro- cery store with a kitchen in the back is a neigh- borhood favorite. The main draw appears to be the fried chicken, but the fried pork chop basket with fries, toast, jalapeños and pickles was “pretty ... pretty good,” Vaughn wrote. Mark Wahlberg came to Dallas on a stormy night to shake up drinks at the grand opening of La Neta. That story got a lot of eyes, but we suppose he always gets a lot of eyes. (Daddy’s Home 2 is a top-5 Christmas movie, btw.) Anisha Holla says she is going to spend all her money eating at every Indian restau- rant in North Texas, and we’re here for that. One of her discoveries was Desi Chowr- astha. She writes that “the massive spread here is a fusion of food from almost every corner of the Indian subcontinent: from fried snacks to curries to chaats.” The Observer’s 10 Most-Read Food Stories of 2023 10. An Indian Palace King Restaurant in McKin- ney Is Fit for Royalty King Restaurant in McKinney is a palatial spot serving cuisine from the Punjab region of Northern India. The naan is baked-to-order in a tandoor, served warm — light and fluffy in the middle with crisp edges. Get the Amritsar Kulcha, stuffed with dried seeds and spices. 9. A Confusing Night Out Komodo: $16 Water, A Service Fee and Sitting in Your Neighbor’s Lap. And So Can You! Dinner at Komodo was one of my most en- tertaining nights out this year. Given that it was one of the most anticipated openings in Dallas, we were ready to be wooed by the Miami import’s sexy panache. But we just weren’t feeling it, writing “the line between being a guest and a sucker was smudged.” 8. Stuffed New York Bagels Land in Frisco Carbs are back, baby. Anisha Holla’s story about New York-style stuffed bagels at Bage- lology in Frisco struck a deep chord with many. “After traveling to the East Coast and training for two weeks in the art of bagel making,” Holla writes, “the duo [owners] re- turned to open a Frisco bagel shop that car- ries an extensive menu of more than 15 varieties of bagels, all boiled and baked in- house, with more than 14 types of cream cheese schmears to adorn them with.” 7. Dallas Restaurant Warns People They Won’t Be Served if They Smell Like Marijuana This year, E-Bar in East Dallas had it with cus- tomers smelling like they hot-boxed on the way to the restaurant, going as far as to post a sign reading, “If you have the smell of mari- juana on you we will not serve you.” As one fan wrote online, “I always smell like weed tho…. & e bar queso was my favorite. Lame.” In all fairness, there’s no sniff test at the door. Owner Ernie Quinlantan explained to us it’s designed for people who “reek of marijuana.” Just don’t hot box. The queso is worth it. 6. A Look at the New Post Malone and Cow- boys-Themed Raising Cane’s in Dallas Raising Cane’s restaurants are a dime a dozen. But the new Raising Cane’s on W. Northwest Highway is a tribute to the Dallas Cowboys, and their number one rockstar fan, Post Malone. This big chicken-strip love fest has a 32-foot blue star straddling the drive-through. Inside are displays of Cowboys memorabilia and wardrobe pieces from Grand Prairie na- tive Post Malone. It’s a combo box of Dallas en- ergy; no slaw extra toast. 4–5. Lists of Bests Our lists of best Italian food restaurants and best chicken-fried steak in Dallas, both com- piled by our rockstar list-maker, Angie Quebedeaux, naturally cracked the top 10 this year. We update these lists each year to keep them fresh with new discoveries, while tossing a few old hidden gems. 3. Dallas’ Original Starbucks Will Close Next Year, After a 30-Year Run We learned in late October that Dallas’ first- ever Starbucks cafe, located in Highland Park Village, is closing after three decades. With neighbors like Hermes and Chanel, the simple bean pusher couldn’t keep up with those Joneses. It doesn’t help that this freestanding Starbucks has no drive-thru, which goes against the company’s new focus on spaces that “enable increased through- put.” You have through early 2024 to grab one last triple-frapped whatever-the-hell- people-get-there-now. 2. 10 Hidden Gem Restaurants Around Dallas Everyone wants to know about that place that no one else knows about. Our freelance writer Hank Vaughn and his trusty sidekick (and wife) Cindy Ju have a knack for finding this type of place. So we asked Vaughn to up- date the previous year’s list of hidden gems around Dallas. From gas-station Ethiopian food to Bangkok-style street food, this is the only guide you need in your life. 1. Dallas is Getting an Adults-Only Roller Skate Rink and Restaurant, Ride On Our most-read story of the year is actu- ally a mystery. When Dallas heard about an adults-only skating rink, everyone went wild; even the ladies in yoga class were talk- ing about it. This mix of skating, booze, food, a disco ball and a DJ is the very tonic we need. Besides supplemental insurance. At the time, they promised a fall 2023 opening date. Well, we’re past fall, you guys. Their Instagram is crickets, and many many at- tempts to contact them through the website chatbot and Facebook messenger have gone unanswered. An email to [email protected] bounced back. Should we riot? We’re down. Just organize it because we’re always on deadline and aren’t good at organizing city- wide riots. Sometimes. Dec. 24 Update: Happy to report we’ve made contact. Following is a brief statement from Ride On: “We’ve been held up in city per- mitting but getting closer to opening every day! We can’t wait to welcome you in soon. Stay tuned!” ▼ COFFEE CARDAMON, SPICE AND MILK CAKES HARAZ COFFEE OFFERS A TASTE OF YEMEN IN PLANO. BY ANISHA HOLLA I t’s become difficult to keep track of all of the new Yemeni coffee shops in North Texas. Cardamom-scented lattes, color- ful milk cakes and traditional honeycomb bread are just some of the things that have fueled this new trend. Named after the Ye- meni region where the chain sources its beans, Michigan-based coffee shop Haraz is the newest addition to the cultural wave. Entering Haraz offers a unique experi- ence with its traditional Middle Eastern decoration such as geometric tiles, a brise soleil wall and Turkish coffee kettles. Soft globe lights hang over the tables. Saffron-in- fused lattes and cardamom-spiced chai tea complement the space. Haraz is an almost necessary addition to any Plano itinerary. Much like the decor, drinks don’t follow the mold of the typical coffee shop menu. The selection ranges from the Rada’ai, cof- fee spiced with ginger and cardamom to the pistachio latte enriched with ground pista- chio sauce. While macchiatos, cappuccinos and iced cold brews are menu staples, ven- ture beyond the familiar. Enjoy a smaller 12-ounce latte for just around $6, a large for $8 or even a shareable pot suited for a table of six, priced at $25. Request a dash of “Ha- raz Spice,” which adds a unique ending note to any of the coffee shop’s 24 customizable beverages. The menu, offering hints of Mid- dle Eastern flavor in almost all drinks, is built for exploration. The pastry shelf is an equally irresistible feast for the eyes. The Yemeni coffee shop is perhaps best known for its milk cakes, which come in flavors like saffron, rose, pistachio and Biscoff cookie, among other daily selec- tions. Haraz’s Turkish dump cakes, sliced into triangles and stuffed with pockets of bis- cuit between cake batter, also appear along- side a selection of Turkish cheesecakes, spiced with pistachio, cardamom, Biscoff cookie and other Middle Eastern flavors. The options seem endless, with shelf space even dedicated to the social-media- trending supreme croissants: cream-filled and spiraled delights that, while not typi- cally Middle Eastern, are popular nonethe- less. Crispy, flaky, creamy and spongy textures all converge on Haraz’s diverse pas- try menu, making it easy to find something suitable for every palate. If dining in, request that your pastries be warmed and linger around over a drink and traditional Middle Eastern music. According to the website, another Haraz is scheduled to open in Irving in 2024. Haraz, 4341 14th St., Plano. Daily, 7 a.m. – 11 p.m. Anisha Holla The egg breakfast sandwich at Bagelology. | CITY OF ATE | ▼ Dish
