New Restaurants

2 Dallas restaurants add kapow to newly renamed Fort Worth complex

Pakpao Thai is one of two Dallas restaurants expanding to Fort Worth.

Photo courtesy of Pakpao Thai

Two restaurants from a successful Dallas dining group are heading west. El Bolero Cocina Mexicana and Pakpao Thai will open in the newly rechristened Crockett Row at West 7th in late fall 2017. Crockett Row is the rebranded identity of the complex formerly known as the West 7th District.

The new restaurants come from Apheleia Restaurant Group, owned by Tiffanee and Richard Ellman. In addition to opening the restaurants, the Ellmans have partnered with the Crockett Row team to help oversee the property's food and beverage offerings.

Peter Jacobsen of The Woodmont Company, which oversees leasing, says in a release that pairing with the Ellmans represented a big opportunity. "The Ellmans’ restaurant industry expertise — from concept to execution — will add tremendous value to our team's efforts to further establish Crockett Row as a destination for truly special dining and entertainment experiences in Fort Worth."

El Bolero is the Ellmans' casual-chic Mexican restaurant in Dallas' Design District. The menu includes tacos al pastor, shrimp ceviche, chile relleno, and a lavender-rosemary margarita. The Fort Worth branch will open at 2933 Crockett St., in what was previously Fort Worth Market & Table, but what is probably better known as the former Tillman's Roadhouse. It's a 4,200-square-food space that'll seat 120, with additional seating on an outdoor patio, and an open kitchen.

Pakpao has a menu devised by famed chef Jet Tila that's influenced by the street food of Bangkok and the diverse regions of Thailand. Dishes include green papaya salad, fried chicken curry, and black sea bass; it also has gluten-free and vegan offerings.

Tila is the judge of Food Network's Cutthroat Kitchen, and has been featured on Chopped, Iron Chef America, The Early Show on CBS, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, and The Best Thai I Ever Ate.

Pakpao will open in a 3,000-square-foot space at 2932 Crockett St., in the former Rafain Brazilian Steakhouse space, which used to be Patrizio. It'll boast an open kitchen and creative cocktails shaken at the bar.

In addition to its new name and branding, Crockett Row will soon debut architectural enhancements to offer a more pedestrian-friendly experience. Updates include individually designed tenant storefronts, additional shading and landscaping, public art, and a text-to-retrieve valet system with a central pick-up and drop-off location.

Crockett Row at West 7th is located at the southeast corner of West Seventh Street and University Drive between downtown Fort Worth and the Cultural District.

openings

Doughnut News

Luscious doughnut shop Duck Donuts makes Fort Worth debut

Photo courtesy of Visit Addison

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A decadent new doughnut shop is coming to Fort Worth: Duck Donuts, a North Carolina-based chain known for serving doughnuts made to order, will open a shop at 6387 Camp Bowie Blvd. #A within the Ridglea Plaza Shopping Center in Fort Worth.

According to a release, the shop will open on Saturday December 21 at 7 am.

Duck Donuts opened its first locations in 2007 in the beach resort towns of Duck and Kitty Hawk, North Carolina with the intention to create an oasis for vacationers. They're now headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and began franchising in 2013, with more than 150 locally owned and operated shops across 26 states and international locations. There was previously a DFW location in Addison on Belt Line Road that opened in 2020 but it did not survive the pandemic.

The Fort Worth shop is owned and operated by husband-and-wife Justin and Morgan Thomas.

“We are delighted to be opening in Fort Worth,” Justin says in a statement. “The community has been patiently waiting for us to open our doors, and now we cannot wait to sprinkle happiness to all with our warm, delicious and made-to-order doubhnuts.”

The 1,035-square-foot shop reflects the franchise’s reimagined design which gives a modern twist on their iconic beach theme and family-friendly atmosphere. Upon entering the store, customers are greeted by the aroma of warm, light vanilla cake doughnuts.

Customers can create their own combination by choosing from coatings, toppings, and drizzles, including traditional favorites such as chocolate icing with sprinkles and more adventurous creations such as maple icing with bacon.

Key to their appeal is the viewing area where children and adults alike can watch their doughnuts being made.

Many of their flavors have a beachy theme such as the Beach, a cake doughnut with vanilla icing dusted with cinnamon sugar; the Sunrise with lemon icing and raspberry drizzle; and the Beach Ball with vanilla icing, rainbow sprinkles, and chocolate drizzle.

They rotate in seasonal offerings such as the current lineup of mint-flavored flavors including chocolate icing with mint buttercream. The doughnuts themselves are limited to vanilla and chocolate cake; the flavors come primarily from icing.

In addition to doughnuts, the Fort Worth location will serve coffee, doughnut breakfast sandwiches, doughnut sundaes — in which a doughnut is topped with ice cream and syrup — plus frozen beverages and milkshakes.

doughnuts openings