Dallas County has issued a “shelter in place” order for residents to stay home unless it’s for activity deemed essential. Food is essential, and so are local restaurants. They provide culture, service and charity to our communities year-round, and have even been donating food and becoming markets during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But they are also fighting to survive by quickly pivoting to curbside pickup, drive-thru and delivery services after being forced to close their dining rooms. For some of these restaurants, suddenly needing to keep people updated on social media, update a website, put together a delivery staff during a pandemic, and focus on takeout orders is a real challenge. You may have to find the website or Facebook page of your favorite restaurant to figure out how they are doing things at this particular moment as they adapt to an ongoing crisis.
Almost every operating restaurant or specialty food shop in North Texas is offering a different menu or type of service right now. Here are just a few examples of some that are going the extra mile:
Chocolate and ... kolaches
Dude, Sweet Chocolate is temporarily closing both locations. But owner Katherine Clapner has been making incredible treats for pickup on Fridays. A couple of weeks ago she made Cuban pastries, one of which included the ingredients of a Cuban sandwich. Last week she made a biscuits and gravy kolache as well as a kolache with cheddar and brisket from Slow Bone.
She is also planning online chocolate classes. Follow Dude, Sweet Chocolate on Facebook for announcements and updates. And if she happens to be selling Manny’s Cortado, buy a bottle. If you can’t go to a coffee shop, this stellar local cortado in a bottle is your friend. dudesweetchocolate.net.
Local coffee to go
But if you can go to coffee shops, go to LDU Coffee, which now has two Dallas locations. Obsessed with perfection yet modestly priced, the Australian brothers who own it have always focused on being service driven. Order a nice strong espresso drink, like a flat white, online and expect quick service, an infectious smile, and a relaxed vibe. LDU Coffee is even calling their curbside pickup “Curbside Enthusiasm,” which is the best name we have heard since SXSW was canceled. lducoffee.com.
Survival kits
For those looking to reward themselves with a nice meal, French restaurant Boulevardier in Bishop Arts is offering meals to go, and Rapscallion on Lowest Greenville has even sold “baller survival kits” ($150) for meals you can prepare at home. A bottle of wine, dry-aged rib-eyes, fettucine, jumbo Gulf shrimp, and housemade ham were just some of the items included Sunday — along with four rolls of toilet paper. Call 469-291-5660 to order. dallasrapscallion.com.
Margaritas to go
Oh, and you can get drinks to go (if you are also buying food, that is) at some places. Like El Ranchito, for example. An undisputed Oak Cliff classic restaurant, El Ranchito is also a great place to drink. The margaritas are world class, and the bar area is wonderfully rowdy, customers occasionally get up and belt out songs with the roaming mariachi band, and during the summer the bar has ice cold air conditioning.
Getting food and drinks to go from El Ranchito is good way for many to not only support a local business, but also a good way to get a sense of normalcy. This is a place many visit regularly. The food to go, even the chips and salsa, are just as good as when you are sitting in that wild restaurant. The margaritas to go seemed extra strong and the employees were wearing gloves — one even started sanitizing the front door as I got in my car. Locations in Dallas and Arlington. elranchito-dallas.com.
Great burgers
Finally, do you just want a good burger? Many of us are at the place where we just want a proper burger right now. There’s Maple & Motor, of course. They are open regular hours and sometimes selling one-pound packs of their ground beef for $5. mapleandmotor.com. But Lakewood Landing also has their full menu, including corn dogs, for takeout right now. Watch their Facebook page to keep track of their hours. thelakewoodlanding.com.
