Curry News

Tabla Indian restaurant from Florida to make Texas debut in Fort Worth

Tabla Indian restaurant

Tabla

An intriguing new Indian restaurant from Florida is coming to Fort Worth: Called Tabla Indian Restaurant, it's a fast-casual concept opening in the former Spice 8 Indian Fusion Grill space at 5633 N. Tarrant Pkwy., in the Shops at North Tarrant shopping center in late January.

Tabla was founded as a fine-dining Indian restaurant by Anshu and Nora Jain, two entrepreneurs who manage hotels in the Hilton, Marriott and IHG portfolio. They opened the first Tabla location in Orlando in 2008, followed by three more locations in Florida.

Fort Worth will be the first outside Florida as well as the first in Texas. And for this location, they refashioned it as a fast-casual dining model rather than fine dining, with a hybrid menu that incorporates some of their staples combined with quick-serve dishes from a variety of Asian cuisines.

There are Indian classics like chicken tikka masala and goat biryani, plus specialties such as tandoori shrimp and dal makhani — a north Indian dish featuring black lentils simmered with onion, tomato, and fenugreek.

There's a broad assortment of items cooked in a tandoori oven, ranging from chicken to lamb to even a plant-based offering featuring grilled, marinated soya slices (aka tofu).

They also offer Indo-Chinese and Thai cuisine, such as wok tossed fried rice, hakka noodles, and momo dumplings in a spicy Indo-Chinese sauce.

One intriguing category on the menu is called "live counter," featuring street-food-style dishes made to order, that includes samosas, lentil dumplings, and even boba tea. Desserts range from authentic Indian items like gulab jamun to a good old chocolate lava cake.

Prices typically average about $5 for a soup to $20 for lamb chops.

Bringing the franchise to Fort Worth is franchisee Manish Tuteja, a Fort Worth resident of 10 years who was inspired by how good the food was.

“This is our first franchise, but we tried their food while in Orlando and loved it," he says. "That’s where it all started."

“We wanted to open something here because this is a very busy and growing location, so I think all things clicked for us,” he says.

openings

Breakfast News

Denny's sibling Keke's Breakfast Cafe opens 2 locations in Fort Worth

Keke's

Keke's breakfast

An intriguing new breakfast option has debuted in Dallas-Fort Worth: It's called Keke's Breakfast Cafe, and it's a fast-growing breakfast, brunch, and lunch chain making a big Texas debut with five new cafes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Two locations have just opened in Fort Worth:

Victory Shops at Heritage Trace, 9821 N Fwy. #120
Trinity Commons, 3000 S. Hulen St.

They join the first Texas location which opened in Dallas across from NorthPark Center in mid-December.

Keke’s was founded by two brothers in 2006 who couldn't find a quality breakfast like the one they enjoyed back home in Philadelphia. ("Keke" comes from a combination of the first syllables of the founders' names, Keith and Kevin.) Their vision: a better version of an American cafe focused on fresh, quality ingredients, abundant portions, cleanliness, and fast, friendly service.

In 2022, they were acquired by Denny's, but Keke’s operates independently from Denny’s, with its own development and marketing.

Keke's menu highlights include a "Create Your Own" omelet and their signature "Florida Pancakes" which come topped with fruit: strawberries, bananas, and blueberries. There's oatmeal; yogurt with granola; and a scrambler bowl — like a bowl version of an omelet with eggs, vegetables, home fries, and toast.

Seven waffle options include chocolate chip, strawberry, and chicken & waffles; and an assortment of stuffed French toasts come with cream cheese and choice of filling such as apple-cinnamon and banana-caramel-pecan.

The lunch menu has panini including their signature Cheese Steak Panini, plus sandwiches, wraps, and salads including the Carolina Chicken Salad which has fried or grilled chicken strips, iceberg lettuce tomato, pecans, cheddar, and bacon in honey mustard dressing.

The Texas expansion marks another milestone in Keke's growth story, following launches in Tennessee, Colorado, and California, with additional locations planned in Georgia and Nevada.

"Every new market we enter becomes part of our extended family," says Keke’s Breakfast Cafe President David Schmidt. "We're not just opening restaurants – we're joining communities. The enthusiasm we've seen from guests in our new locations has been extraordinary, and we're confident Texans will find something special in Keke's combination of generous portions, quality ingredients, and genuine hospitality."

Two other locations will open in the DFW area over the coming months as follows::

Grand Prairie: Epic Towne Crossing, 1020 Mayfield Rd. #630
McKinney: West Grove, 8885 W University Dr.

"Texas's bold spirit and legendary hospitality make it the perfect home for Keke's," says Keke's Director of Marketing Jenna Law. "We believe in doing breakfast the right way – abundant portions, premium ingredients, and service that makes you feel like family."

breakfast brunch openings