16 November 16 - 22, 2023 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents make room for the big brewing tanks. The team installed new walls and floors where cubicles once stood. Windows to the tap- room show the clean new brewing equip- ment, reminding visitors they’re drinking from the source. At the entrance is a Jerry Garcia ofrenda: a Día de los Muertos altar that honors and awaits the dead. Happy Hippie has already had three Grateful Dead cover bands per- form within a week and a half of being open, which must be some kind of record. Live music is important to husband-wife co-owners, Michael and Kellie Frederick. Michael, who is in a band, installed speakers throughout the taproom and patio to ensure good sound everywhere you go. Custom rainbow-stained wood tables fill the taproom space, and a neon light bar illu- minates the bottom of the bar. Michael played around with the lights, changing the colors from green to Rangers blue. Peace signs adorn the bar and the walls around the room, a giant one providing a backdrop to the stage. We tried all five currently available beers. The Rich Ale, which was brewed for the city of Richardson’s 150th anniversary, is a sweet brew with flavors of honey, fig and pear. The Honey Magnolia witbier is a smooth beer with full, wheaty flavor. The Wa-Hotter Melon IPA contrasts sweet watermelon with spicy habanero; at 117 IBU, this one is for the true bitter-beer lovers. Captain Tripels, a Belgian Tripel is a trib- ute to Jerry Garcia’s nickname and is cur- rently Happy Hippie’s highest-octane brew at 9.7% ABV. But the alcohol content does not intrude on the flavor, which is balanced and full. Marmalade Sky is a standout beer with a unique and refreshing taste. This blonde is brewed with mangoes and basil. “A sip of sunshine,” reads the description. More beers are coming soon, as the brew- ers ramp up production using their new equipment. Last Saturday they released Friend of the Devil, a salted caramel milk stout. Other brews on the horizon are Party at the Moon Tower session IPA, Lemon Drop pale ale and Smoke on the Water cay- enne-infused smoke porter. Happy Hippie has sold its beer in cans and on draft at different restaurants and re- tail stores since 2020 but didn’t have a home to call its own. At its peak, the brewery’s products were at over 40 locations. That’s been scaled back as the crew focuses on sup- porting the new facility. The taproom is kid- and dog-friendly; a leash is required (on the dog, not the kid, but they ask that you watch your kid). A private event space is available for parties and gath- erings of up to 100 people. If you get hungry, the food truck Guitars and Growlers is typically outside with clas- sic pub food: German pretzels, chicken sandwiches, burgers, wings, mac-and- cheese and fries. Everything is in place. Now, Kellie and Michael want to get the word out to Rich- ardson residents to come hang out. Happy Hippie Brewing Company, 500 Lockwood Drive, Richardson. Wednesday – Thursday, 3–9 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Sunday, noon – 9 p.m. ▼ FIRST LOOK HAPPINESS IS A WARM BUN PAPPAROTI, A POPULAR MALAYSIAN BUN CHAIN, IS NOW BAKING ITS SOFT, BUTTERY, FLUFFY BUNS NORTH OF DALLAS. BY ANISHA HOLLA I n the rankings of interestingly named spots that have opened in the Dallas area this year, we’d argue that PappaRoti takes the top prize. The new Frisco spot, which translates to “father of all rotis,” traces its or- igins back to 2003 Malaysia, where the brand began selling its baked roti buns fresh from the oven. Twenty years, a couple of menu renovations and lines of staunch roti- bun enthusiasts later, the popular dessert shop has established roots in more than 450 cities across the world. Frisco marks the chain’s newest U.S. appearance. Rave re- views and the aromas of caramelized coffee buns drew us through the front door. To say the new location is busy would be an understatement. Lines crawl out the door on a Sunday night, making it a 40-minute wait just to get your hands on one of PappaRoti’s buns. Along with doz- ens of other curious visitors, we decided to brave the crowds. And just like many raving Google reviewers, we can say we’re glad we did. To this day, PappaRoti’s most heralded menu item is the signature bun, an unfussy bread roll that’s baked with a crunchy car- amel coating on the outside. You get the option to top it with different ice creams, sauces and nuts. But we suggest you order at least one in its plain, unaltered state. There’s something enthralling about the way the crunchy coating explodes into a salted buttery core of bread. Dip your bun into a glass of Karak tea, a hot ginger-and- cardamom-scented drink that has a cult- like following in Malaysia, or the signature Pappacino, the chain’s take on a frappuc- cino that’s meant for bun-dipping. Per- haps it’s the very simplicity of the bun-and-coffee combination that makes it so enticing. There’s not much to the menu beyond buns. All-day-breakfast varieties come in flavors like cream cheese and drizzled honey, and Berries Delight, with berries, al- monds and white chocolate. Fancier plates include the cleverly named Mona Lisa, topped with fresh fruit and chocolate sauce, and the iCloud, crowned with a swirl of whipped cream and sliced strawberries. Finish off the sugar rush with an order of specialty ice cream buns, hollowed out and stuffed with ice cream, or the create-your-own, which of- fers your customized choice of sweet fill- ings and drizzles. While the shop features an extensive menu of morning buns and beverages, it’s in- teresting to note that the combination isn’t tailored for a traditional breakfast. It’s open late each day, from 3 to 10 p.m., a time that we find rather unusual for the early-to-bed suburbs of Dallas. Bathe in bright lights, good conversation and the aromas of what PappaRoti claims are some of the most lus- cious pastries in the world. We can’t say we disagree. PappaRoti, 9188 Prestmont Place, Frisco. Daily, 3–10 p.m. ▼ FOOD NEWS LONG GOODBYE AFTER INITIALLY THINKING THEY HAD TO CLOSE BECAUSE THE LANDLORD WAS SELLING THE BUILDING, STRANGEWAYS THINKS AGAIN. BY DOYLE RADER W hen sibling co-owners Eric San- chez and Rosie Ildemaro an- nounced they were closing Strangeways in October after 12 years, the news hit many like a 10-ton truck. Since then, countless friends and former regulars have passed through the door for the plea- sure and the privilege of saying goodbye to the beloved East Dallas bar. Those farewells may be premature, however. Sanchez and Ildemaro are currently in the process of taking legal action to stop the sale of the building. They cite their right of first refusal, built into their lease, as their case to negate the sale. With the building tied up in legal limbo, Strangeways remains open. “We’re fighting for it,” Sanchez said. “We appreciate everyone’s support, and we’re go- ing to fight tooth and nail to laugh about this, hopefully in the super near future, and say, ‘Remember when we almost lost Strange- ways?’ So, fingers crossed. That’s what we’re fighting for.” They have hired a lawyer, dug the lease out of storage and filed a lawsuit against the sale of the property. Both owners say they didn’t know they had legal standing to chal- lenge the sale until customers, who were at- torneys or worked in real estate, encouraged them to act. “We know drinks,” Ildemaro said. “I know shoes. Eric knows drinks. We know a lot of things. We don’t know the law. We don’t know real estate law. And also, we just thought it was our landlord’s decision to walk away from us.” Sanchez and Ildemaro say there has been a significant amount of confusion surround- ing the sale. “I think everyone just rushed to try to scoop this up before anyone realized what was happening,” Ildemaro said. Strangeways remains open, but circum- stances had forced the owners to adjust their business. After all, they’ve been operat- ing under the assumption that they were closing for almost two months. They lost two employees: a bartender and a member of the kitchen staff. On a recent visit, San- chez was the one preparing food. They also recently sold off some of the rare beers they had on hand. But staying open has also allowed people to pay their respects and revisit a place that holds countless memories for many after more than a decade. Sanchez and Ildemaro say they love seeing familiar faces return af- ter life had intervened, keeping them away for whatever reason. “Just seeing the support was the biggest silver lining, actually,” Sanchez said. “Just seeing how much we meant to so many peo- ple we hadn’t seen in eight, nine years. And I get it. Life happens. We all grow up — kids, marriage. We’re not going to be at a bar three, four times a week. I get that. “But it was cool to see everybody come and make a pilgrimage and say, ‘Oh my God, this is where I had my first date. I’m married now, and we have children now because of the first date here. There’s some magic about the building, you guys, the music,’ and all that stuff. We heard that time and time again.” In that regard, the uncertainty sur- rounding Strangeways’ future has been a blessing. No matter how the legal drama surrounding the sale of the building un- folds, the impression Strangeways left on the people who called it home ensures its light will never go out. “Every day that goes by and I get to un- lock the doors here, it’s just a win,” Sanchez said. “So, yeah, so happy to still be here. And I said, hopefully in the near future, we can look back and say, ‘Goddamn, that was a close one,’ but we’re still here.” Anisha Holla The Mona Lisa bun comes artistically drizzled in chocolate sauce and plated alongside fresh fruit. City of Ate from p15
