Restaurant and Retail Update

The String Bean, a North Dallas family favorite since 1977, made the move (at last!) to Richardson’s Lennox Shopping Center earlier this year.  In addition to its daily specials and down-home cooking, the new location has a large patio for al fresco dining and a game room with video games for the youngsters.

Owners of Richardson’s popular Mexican food restaurant Amigo's on E. Belt Line opened a second location at II Creeks Plaza in the Canyon Creek neighborhood center.  The new location is called Frankie's Mexican Cuisine. The name may be new, but the menu is the same – outstanding, authentic Mexican food at very reasonable prices.  The owners also opened a new Taqueria Los Piño’s next door to the Amigo’s location.

Post Eastside

• Urban Eatz opened its second restaurant, featuring traditional American fare: salads, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas and homemade soups.

• Chicago Pizzeria, Eastside’s second pizza restaurant, offers the famous Chicago-style deep dish pizza (thin crust, too), those famous Chicago hot dogs, plus salads, pasta, soups and sandwiches.
   
• Chiloso Mexican Bistro is the first Mexican food venue at Eastside and is known for its tacos - street style, Tex-Mex and classic - plus the Austin-style breakfast tacos (fresh, hot, casual), burritos, nachos, salads, bowls and five different salsas. D Magazine listed Chiloso as “Best Breakfast Under $5” in 2009.

• Yumilicious, a Dallas-based yogurt store, will open its Eastside location in January 2011.

With these additions, Eastside will have 10 dining options: Panera Bread, Boudreaux’s Cajun Kitchen, Koto Japanese Asian Fusion Cuisine, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Russo’s Coal-fired NY Italian Kitchen, Twisted Root Burger Company, and now Chicago Pizzeria, Urban Eatz, Chiloso Mexican Bistro and Yumilicious.

Another new retailer which opened at Eastside this year is also worth mentioning. On the popular TV show, “Undercover Boss”, Joe DePinto, the CEO of 7-Eleven, was so impressed with employee Igor Finkler that he decided to give Igor a new store to manage – the store at Eastside.

Also opening in Richardson this year was Boardwalk Lamborghini Dallas, which moved into the newly remodeled former VW dealership building at 601 S. Central Expressway.  Part of the Boardwalk family of dealerships, Lamborghini Dallas brings a new level of luxury car options to Richardson.

Also in 2010, the Richardson Chamber and the Richardson Convention & Visitor’s Bureau joined forces to create Dine Smart Dine Local, an advertising and marketing campaign designed to attract customers to Richardson area restaurants. The campaign encourages everyone to sign up (just enter your email address) to receive weekly email coupons featuring special offers from three different DMDL restaurants every week. Over 40 restaurants are participating in the program.