Monte Cristo News

Bennigan's Monte Cristo sandwich now served at 2 Dallas-Fort Worth ghost kitchens

Bennigan's signature Monte Cristo sandwich.

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A once-popular chain is getting a revival, beginning first with baby steps. Bennigan's, the Irish-pub-styled neighborhood tavern, has opened two ghost kitchen operations in DFW called Bennigan's On The Fly, that are serving a concise menu of Bennigan's classics including the famed Monte Cristo sandwich.

The two kitchens opened in late January at the following locations in Dallas-Fort Worth:

Grapevine: Embassy Suites by Hilton Dallas DFW Airport, at 2401 Bass Pro Dr.
Richardson: Renaissance Dallas Richardson Hotel, at 900 E. Lookout Dr.

Their opening is part of a revival by Legendary Restaurant Brands, a Dallas-based restaurant company that recently signed a development agreement to open Bennigan’s and Steak and Ale across the U.S.

Both Bennigan's and Steak and Ale were founded by restaurateur Norman Brinker, founder of Brinker International. Steak & Ale was founded in 1966, and beloved for providing a steakhouse experience at a less expensive price. Bennigan's was founded a decade later.

Both faltered in 2008 after the company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and all of the Steak and Ale locations were closed. But there are currently eight Bennigan's locations remaining in the U.S., including two in Texas, in Monahans and Borger, plus four On The Fly locations that include two in the DFW area and two in Iowa.

CEO Paul Mangiamele joined Bennigan's in 2011 to overhaul the chain, then purchased Bennigan’s, along with Steak and Ale, housing them under a new company called Legendary Restaurant Brands LLC.

Mangiamele is passionate about the brands and is partnered with a company called Endeavor Properties to bring them back, including a Steak and Ale in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, though no leases have yet been signed, he says.

He scored a recent victory when Bennigan's earned a major role in a film called About Fate, released in September 2022, in which Bennigan’s is featured during key scenes throughout, including menu items as as the Turkey ‘O Toole sandwich, Death by Chocolate dessert, and Peach on the Beach drink getting prominent placement.

The scenes were filmed in a shuttered location in Boston; Mangiamele shipped vintage fixtures from Dallas to serve as set pieces and also appeared as an extra with his wife and business partner Gwen.

Bennigan’s On The Fly is considered a "host kitchen" rather than a ghost kitchen, and is managed by Franklin Junction, a company that runs e-commerce platforms for restaurants and does to-go orders and delivery.

The On The Fly menu is an abridged version which includes:

Monte Cristo
Kilkenny Country Chicken Salad
Buffalo wings
Hogan’s egg rolls
Sheela’s sriracha shrimp

Bennigan's helped popularize the Monte Cristo greatly, and still has legions of fans who crave it. Its version has honey wheat bread with ham, turkey, Swiss, and American cheese that's batter-dipped, fried, coated with powdered sugar, and served with red raspberry preserves.

Orders are available for lunch and dinner via Uber Eats and DoorDash. There is also food hall at the hotel, where people can pick up a to-go order, or hotel guests can order to their rooms.

Bennigan's Monte Cristo openings technology

Closure News

Tropic Lady restaurant-bar on Fort Worth's Race Street says aloha

Tropic Lady

The dip trio at Tropic Lady.

A chill restaurant and bar in Fort Worth's River East district has closed: Tropic Lady, which opened in the former Fuzzy's Taco space at 2719 Race St. in 2023, has closed.

The restaurant, which closed in mid-December, was a sibling to Bearded Lady, the popular gastropub in Near Southside; their last Facebook post was on December 10. Their phone number is not working, and their website is no longer active. Owner Shannon Osbakken was unavailable for comment, but a Bearded Lady employee confirmed the closure.

Tropic Lady was a tropical-themed gastropub opened by a trio of friends: Bearded Lady owner Shannon Osbakken, her business partner Sarah Allen, and general manager Amanda Yunger. It offered a similar menu as Bearded lady but with more tropical-inspired fare, including shrimp tacos, bacon-wrapped grilled pineapple bites, and guacamole dotted with mango.

For a gastropub, they did interesting food with dishes like watermelon salad with feta and cucumber; or their Dip Trio, with mango guacamole, tomatillo salsa, and queso blanco served with house-made tortilla chips. Definitely not run-of-the-mill. They also had great lunch specials like a smashburger with curly fries for $10.

Food did not seem to be the problem.

Decor featured artwork and murals created by local artists. A beautifully landscaped patio wrapped around the building’s facade. So the setting did not seem to be a factor.

It's tempting to point the finger at its location on Race Street, which has witnessed a round of closings in the past two years including buzzy birria taqueria Caliscience, which closed in February 2024; as well as The Post at River East, a restaurant and live music venue that shut down the same month.

In 2023, three other restaurants on Race Street closed: Tributary Cafe, the Bon Appetit-lauded La Onda, and vegan burger spot Zonk Burger. But separate reasons can also be found for each of those closures, whether that be inexperience or lease issues.

For years, the city and neighborhood advocates have been trying to turn Race Street into a trendy hotspot. As part of the city’s Urban Villages program, the city of Fort Worth invested $5.6 million in revitalizing the area, making improvements to traffic flow, sidewalks, landscaping, and outdoor lighting.

When Osbakken opened the bar, she said she loved the area, stating "it reminds me of Magnolia when were first were on it 10 years ago in our old location. It's a great community and the neighbors have been friendly and reaching out."

And there are still restaurants along the street, including a popular Mexican restaurant called Tesoro, the Dough’d Up doughnut shop, and Kingyo Sushi & Ramen House, as well as a coffee shop, Race Street Coffee.

The Bearded Lady continues to flourish. Osbakken originally opened the popular gastropub on Magnolia Avenue in 2013. Six years later, she moved it to the South Main, where it’s still going strong.

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