16 OctOber 12 - 18, 2023 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents as you’d expect from a good Manhattan ba- gel: a thick layer of cream cheese oozes out to the bite. For a heartier meal, explore the selection of breakfast and lunch sandwiches, which are layered neatly with eggs, meats and cheese. The creations all come sliced down the middle for a cross-sectional view of the monstrosity of a bagel. Don’t overestimate your appetite, though. When you combine a New York-sized bagel, a mountain of cream cheese and perhaps some extra toppings, it adds up quickly. Wash the heavy breakfast fare down with more than 13 rotating beverages, both stan- dard and seasonal, including a fall-themed pumpkin spice latte. We are definitely add- ing Bagelology to our list of East Coast in- dulgences. Bagelology, 252 W. Stonebrook Parkway, Frisco. Tuesday – Sunday, 7 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. ▼ COFFEE THE BREW THAT BINDS US COLLECTIVE COFFEE CULTIVATES COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION IN DOWNTOWN MCKINNEY. BY AAREN PRODY D owntown McKinney has more than 120 small, locally owned shops, busi- nesses, restaurants and art galleries. A constant stream of ideas is being brought to life among the worn brick facades. The latest to join the downtown roster is Collec- tive Coffee. The family-owned coffee shop sits next to the Barons Creek Vineyard on the eastern edge of downtown. Trio Tim Cook, Alyssa Cook and Patrick McCarthy wanted to cre- ate a space where people felt like they be- longed, no matter their background, beliefs or what season of life they were in. Inside is congruent with the rest of downtown McKinney’s aesthetic — urban and lofty. A wide variety of seating caters to those who are there to work at the custom wood bar or to catch up with a friend on the couches. Generously spaced tables and chairs offer plenty of wiggle room and pri- vacy for whatever your drop-in calls for. Beans roasted at Lewisville’s Edison Cof- fee Co. serve as the base for the signature drinks and other offerings. The four spe- cialty drinks are named after the crossroads of Mckinney’s downtown square: The Ten- nessee, with honey, vanilla and cinnamon; The Virginia, with lavender and honey; The Louisiana, made with dark chocolate and cinnamon; and The Kentucky, which we or- dered, with toasted caramel and pink Hima- layan sea salt. From the first sip, you know this is a place for serious coffee aficionados. The baristas do an impressive job of adding unique flavor combinations without losing the integrity of the coffee. And the drinks aren’t too sweet, either. If you take a no-frills approach to your caffeine fix, they have drip or cold brew options that can be ordered with the typical lineup of milk options, including heavy cream and breve, and alternatives for $1 more. There are also a few grab-and-go drink options like Topo Chico, sodas, choco- late milk and juice. A glass case at the left side of the counter holds the latest creations from A Generous Portion, a local McKinney baker. With our coffee, we tried both the Swedish Carda- mom Bun and an Apple Butter Twist, but we’ll definitely be back for the lemon scone and pumpkin chocolate chip scone. Both of our pastries were home runs, but the Swedish Cardamom Bun was especially memorable. Each was served warm, with a straight-from-the-oven energy and a rich and buttery flavor, but not too sweet. Collective Coffee, 301 W. Louisiana St, McKinney. Monday – Saturday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday, 1–5 p.m. ▼ TACOLANDIA LET US FEED YOU TACOS TACOLANDIA FINAL TACO LINEUP RELEASED, GET TICKETS NOW FOR NOV. 4. BY LAUREN DREWES DANIELS W e don’t like to brag (that’s a lie, we love to), but Tacolandia is one of the best food events in Dallas. Local restaurateurs gather on a cool Novem- ber afternoon to put their best taco foot for- ward. Once you’re in, all the taco bites are free and the portion sizes are just right, al- lowing you to casually nosh for hours. And since it’s sort of a competition — the people’s choice award is real — the bites on offer are always superior. Plus, several bars set up around the event offer ample beer, margaritas, Topo Chicos and whatever else you may require. On Saturday, Nov. 4, we’ll be back at En- ergy Square Plaza on Greenville Avenue for another round. General admission tickets are $40 and in- clude entry at 4 p.m. and unlimited taco bites (it’s a lot of food). VIP Admission tickets are $75 and get you a jump on the lines with entry at 3 p.m. plus three drink tickets at the VIP bar and well access to the VIP restrooms. The Fiesta 4-Pack for $120 saves a total of $40 when buying tickets in groups of four (each ticket is $30). For a visual taste of what’s in store, here’s a look at last year’s winners. For group sales of 10 or more tickets, con- tact [email protected]. In addition to the stellar tacos and drinks, look for a game zone, dancers, a mariachi band, some swag and plenty of seating. The taco lineup so far is: • Chiloso Mexican Bistro • Cruzitos Cocina Mexicana • Limon’s • Wild Salsa • Primo’s Tex-Mex Grill • Casa Del Bro • Cafe Brazil • 24 Seven Tacos • AG Texican (this is Fried Jesus from the State Fair) • Mixtitos • Cristina’s • Taco Ocho • Joe Leo Fine Tex Mex • Mendocino Farms • Sophia’s Haitian Cuisine ▼ FOOD HOLIDAYS THE TEXAS TWINKIE HAS ITS DAY A FOOD HOLIDAY WE’LL STAND UP AND CHEER FOR. BY CHRIS WOLFGANG W e’ll be the first to admit that the number of “food holidays” might be getting out of hand. Not a day goes by that a press release doesn’t come across our desk or a tag appears on social media pronouncing that an obscure food is being recognized or a pedestrian food is be- ing celebrated. For example, Sept. 29 is National Coffee Day, but your humble author needs at least two cups daily just to function like a normal human, so having a specific day to sing its graces feels superfluous. Other holidays feel like they’re plugging food that clearly needs help to stand on its own (National Artichoke Heart Day on March 16, we’re looking at you). Just as our cynicism reached near bibli- cal levels, we came across a food holiday that actually has us excited. We may not be in the know as to who comes up with holidays, but when we heard Oct. 16 has been declared as “National Texas Twinkie Day” by no less of an authority than Hutchins BBQ, we snapped to attention. Most barbecue joints in Texas have some kind of barbecue stuffed jalapeño in their repertoire, but Hutchins claims the credit for coming up with the idea for the original Texas Twinkie. Leftover brisket is a fact of life for most barbecue restaurants, but back in 2014, the staff at Hutchins decided to blend leftover chopped brisket with some cream cheese, stuff it into a seeded jalapeño, wrap it in bacon and toss the works onto the smoker. When the peppers are adequately smoked, they get brushed with a bit of Hutchins barbecue sauce then pop over to a hot grill to crisp up the bacon. Texas Twinkies are serious business for Hutchins. The work that goes into slicing and seeding jalapeños, then stuffing them with cheesy brisket goodness has always been la- bor intensive, so much so that the concoction used to be limited to just weekend availability on the menu. Supply, however, could never keep up with the demand, so Hutchins ex- panded production. These days, there are four full-time employees focused solely on making around 7,000 Texas Twinkies each week for both Hutchins locations. October 16 is the halfway point between Texas Independence Day and National Bar- becue Month, and Hutchins decided there would be no better day to honor the venera- ble Texas Twinkie with its own special day. As part of the event, patrons at both Hutchins locations (Frisco and McKinney) can buy a Texas Twinkie for just $2. In this economy? That’s a resounding, “Yes, please.” Hutchins will also be selling raffle tickets during the day, with proceeds going to a pair of community partners, Frisco Family Partners and Samaritan Inn. Raffle prizes include Hutchins gift cards, Scheel’s gift cards and tickets to the Dallas Cowboys game versus the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 10. The first 100 people who purchase a raffle ticket will also get a Hutchins Texas Twinkie Day T-shirt. “We have a longstanding commitment to giving back to the neighborhoods we serve, and National Texas Twinkie Day is no ex- ception,” says Hutchins co-founder Trey Hutchins. “This celebration is a way to say thanks to our community and have a blast while doing it.” National Texas Twinkie Day is Oct. 16. Hutchins BBQ Frisco, 9225 Preston Road, Frisco Hutchins BBQ McKinney, 1301 N. Tennes- see Street, McKinney Ashley Gongora Tacolandia serves up deliciousness. City of Ate from p15 Lauren Drewes Daniels Do we need a “National Texas Twinkie Day?”
