For the October edition of our monthly “Where to Eat” column, the theme is light, low-pressure, chill. With nearly all of these new restaurants, it’s all about easy-come easy-go: places to grab a casual bite with good food and no drama.
Here’s where to eat in Dallas right now:
Asian Mint Richardson
Local upscale Thai restaurant chain debuts its newest DFW location on October 7, at 300 W. Campbell Rd. in Richardson. This is the space that formerly housed an Asian Mint fast-casual spinoff called EnjoyMint, which owner Nikky Phinyawatana tried out in the space for a year. Asian Mint offers New Bangkok style cuisine combined with other Asian influences. the menu includes curries, fried rice, soups, pad Thai, and stir fry. The restaurant also has a full-service bar, beer, organic wines, and mocktails. Standout dishes include pad Thai, pad kee mow, crab fried rice, and red curry with coconut milk, bamboo shoot, Thai basil, and red bell pepper.
Coolgreens
Healthy eatery chain recently opened a location in Richardson, at 1251 State St. in the CityLine complex. It’s a fresh, fast dining experience that caters to all lifestyles. They’ll serve salads, wraps, grain bowls, and sandwiches with fresh ingredients prepared daily.
Latin Deli Addison
Third location of this deli concept serves Latin-American specialties by owner Fernando Barrera, who does sandwiches, crepes, salads, baked goods, and coffee drinks. His best seller is his marinated chicken sandwich, with chicken, pork, and thinly sliced red onion on ciabatta bread. His crepes, which he does in both savory versions and sweet, are also popular. The other two locations are the original in East Dallas, and second in downtown Dallas.
Lupe Tortilla
Houston-based Tex-Mex institution is settling Dallas-Fort Worth, with the newest location in Addison, at 4535 Belt Line Rd. in the former Romano’s Macaroni Grill space. The menu features 60-plus items, including lime- and pepper-marinated beef and chicken fajitas with tortillas made in-house. A third is opening soon in Allen and a Fort Worth location will open in early 2020.
Pappas Delta Blues Smokehouse
Second location of an upscale barbecue restaurant from Houston-based Pappas Restaurants (Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Pappasito’s Cantina) is located in Plano, in a former Bone Daddy’s. They do typical barbecue meat plates, and their signature is their Prime beef brisket. But they also do buttermilk fried chicken and a fancy chicken-fried steak.
Partenope
Robust Southern Italian restaurant opened in historic Titche-Goettinger Building in downtown Dallas is from husband-and-wife and Cane Rosso veterans Dino and Megan Santonicola, who’ve created a love letter to Dino’s hometown of Sicily. The menu features house-made pasta dishes such as rigatoni alla Genovese, fusilli al pesto, and timballetto di melanzane; and nearly a dozen pizza options ranging from pizza fritta to focaccia. There’s good Italian-style coffee, Italian cocktails, and Italian wines.
Salaryman
Izakaya-style restaurant in Bishop Arts from chef Justin Holt serves yakitori, ramen, and cocktails featuring shochu and Japanese whisky. Noodles are made from flour ground in-house from Texas wheat, and the miso and pickles are fermented on site. The restaurant is small in size and vibe, with 27 seats at the bar, communal table, and three dining tables. If the restaurant’s full, you pencil in your name to a clipboard with a waitlist.