18 June 8 - 14, 2023 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents crispers) said it best: “You used to have unique, quality chicken tenders, but now you’ve gotten rid of them for chicken ten- ders you can find anywhere. It’s simple, bring back the OG chicken crispers, and the outrage will end.” Yep, chicken tenders are serious busi- ness, folks. ▼ FIRST LOOK BRANCHING OUT OAK’D BBQ OPENS A SECOND LOCATION IN ADDISON. BY CHRIS WOLFGANG W e first met Michael Lane when OAK’D BBQ opened on Green- ville Avenue in November 2020. When we covered that opening of OAK’D, Lane was working behind the scenes while consulting for another restaurant, so he pre- ferred to stay in the shadows. While Lane’s name may not have been in the spotlight, we came away impressed with the barbecue be- ing turned out under his guidance. In 2021, OAK’D announced a second lo- cation to open at the site of the former Chamberlain’s Seafood in Addison. Fast-for- ward almost two years, and the new Oak’d has opened its doors, this time with Lane’s name prominently displayed over the door. “We’ve really worked our ass off to finally get this open,” Lane said. The hard work is evident from the moment you step inside the new location. Ordering takes place at the cutting line straight ahead, and there’s plenty of seating off to the left side of the dining room. Just to the right is a mas- sive bar that fills a third of the space; this is where we posted up for our meal. The bar spills over to an impressive patio with outdoor couches, tables and chairs. And just opposite the bar is a game area with Skee-Ball, a foosball table, air hockey and basketball. Lest you think the games and the bar are gimmicks, rest assured that OAK’D still has a strong barbecue game, too. We popped in just before the end of the daily happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m., so we were able to get a tray of tasty nachos topped with pulled pork for just 10 bucks, available at the bar only. There’s plenty of cheese, bell peppers, jalapeños and succu- lent pork for two people to share, and the tor- tilla chips are sturdy enough to hold up to the load of toppings. And OAK’D’s bar is a full- service model, so whether it’s beer, wine or li- quor that strikes your adult beverage fancy, the bar staff has you covered. Two of us also shared a two-meat tray of brisket and sausage ($22.99), with red skin potato salad and mac and cheese for our sides. The thick-sliced brisket strikes the perfect salty and smoky balance, and the ja- lapeño sausage is on point, too. OAK’D earns points for adventurous sides like balsamic Brussels sprouts and roasted cauliflower, but standbys like the three-cheese macaroni and potato salad are smart choices. Lane gave us a quick tour of the restau- rant and smokehouse and shared some of his other plans in the works. On weekends, OAK’D is going to experiment with live mu- sic at one end of the spacious dining room after the regular dinner service ends, with a small stage rolled out for the occasion. Currently, all the meats at OAK’D are smoked on a pair of M&M wood-fired rotis- serie smokers, but Lane tells us he has ap- proval from the city to expand the smokehouse further into the parking lot, providing space to add three more smokers. Also in the works are new walk-in refrigera- tors and prep space to turn a large chunk of the restaurant into a commissary-style kitchen for Lane’s other passion: supporting first responders and the military. Lane’s father was an Army doctor, so sup- porting troops is something that feels natural for him. The extra-large kitchen and smoking capacity of the Addison location allows OAK’D to do more meals for good causes, whether it’s an upcoming cookout for Dallas and sur- rounding cities’ police departments, or feeding an entire brigade of Army reservists and their families before the soldiers deployed to Ku- wait last year. Lane also hopes the commissary kitchen can provide another revenue stream for OAK’D by providing ready-to-serve barbe- cue to bars and smaller restaurants. Despite opening during the pandemic, OAK’D on Greenville Avenue quickly devel- oped a regular following that helped make the brand successful. And with the new location in Addison, denizens north of 635 can avail them- selves of the OAK’D goodness as well. OAK’D BBQ, 4525 Belt Line Road, Addi- son. Sunday – Wednesday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Thursday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. ▼ FIRST LOOK ONE SAUCY VEGAN SLUTTY VEGAN GRAND OPENING IN DEEP ELLUM IS MET WITH LONG LINES AND BIG VIBES. BY NICOLLE LANE S lutty Vegan’s grand opening last week brought great vibes and vegan fast food to Deep Ellum. The Atlanta- based restaurant has 10 other locations in Atlanta, Alabama and New York and a cult- like following for its inventive recipes. The star of the day for the grand opening was founder and CEO Aisha “Pinky” Cole, all decked out in Slutty Vegan gear. Baltimore native Pinky Cole was born in 1985 to immigrant parents from Jamaica and has built her restaurant empire from the ground up. At just 26 she opened her first Ja- maican American restaurant in Harlem. She was making $35,000 a month until a grease fire caused a catastrophic fire. Even though Cole had insurance on the restaurant, she didn’t have fire insurance. She lost everything. She bounced back and went on to launch Slutty Vegan. (She has also become a big supporter of fire departments.) The line was down the block an hour be- fore the opening, and some anxious guests had even brought chairs. Cole answered questions from the small group of media representatives who were there. “Dallas felt like a foreign Mecca; there’s not a whole lot of vegan restaurants here,” Cole said. “So, I wanted to make sure we come and bring our presence to this city, and we made a really good decision because Dal- las has supported us.” From the music of the DJ to the exhila- rating nonstop chanting of the workers, the excitement and energy of the grand opening could be felt as we approached the building. “Being a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. really taught me how to be dy- namic, how to be a leader, how to pay attention to the little things, how to be profes- sional and button up. So I’m excited that I’ve been able to be a part of an amazing organiza- tion with other women who are doing just as dynamic things as I’m doing,” says Cole. When asked where she sees the brand in 10 years and what she wants her legacy to look like, Cole said, “I want people to know impossible is possible. When they think about Pinky Cole, the Slutty Vegan empire, they know that the goal of the exercise is to disrupt every single glass ceiling and not set- tle for the status quo. “I believe in myself, I manifested things that I want and I’m confident in my belief of the things I want to do, so when I put my mind to something I don’t stop until I get it,” says Cole. Cole told the Observer she plans to open a Jamaican vegan restaurant in Dallas. We’ll keep you posted. Slutty Vegan, 2707 Main St. Tuesday – Thursday, noon – 9 p.m.; Friday – Saturday , noon – 11 p.m; closed Sunday and Monday. Chris Wolfgang Sausage and brisket at OAK’D in Addison is as good as the Greenville Avenue original. City of Ate from p17 12817 Preston Road, Suite 105 • 972-392-0190 indiapalacedallas.com Summer spice up your
