Editorial Assistant: Simon Pruitt spruitt@advocatemag.com
Digital Editor: Christian Welch cwelch@advocatemag.com
Senior Art Director: Jynnette Neal jneal@advocatemag.com
Creative Director/Photographer: Lauren Allen lallen@advocatemag.com
Interns: Varsha Jhanak, Abbie Fleeman
Contributors: Patti Vinson, Carol Toler, Sam Gillespie, Lillian Juarez, Kelsey Shoemaker
Contributing photographers: Kathy Tran, Yuvie Styles, Shelby Tauber, Lo Kuehmeier, Victoria Gomez, Amani Sodiq, Austin Marc Graf, Ellie Overman, Haley Hill, Kelsey Shoemaker
Chief Revenue Officer: Rick Wamre
214.560.4212 / rwamre@advocatemag.com
Advocate (c) 2024 is published monthly in print and daily online by Advocate Media - Dallas Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation based in Dallas and first published in 1991. Contents of this print magazine may not be reproduced. Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for the content of all advertisements and sponsorships printed, and therefore assume responsibility for any and all claims against the Advocate. The Publisher reserves the right to accept or reject ay editorial, advertising or sponsorship material in print or online. Opinions set forth in Advocate publications are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the Publisher’s viewpoint. More than 180,000 people read Advocate publications in print each month; Advocate online publications receive more than 4 million pageviews monthly. Advertising rates and guidelines are available upon request. Advocate print and online publications are available free of charge throughout our neighborhoods, one print copy per reader. For information about supporting our non-profit mission of providing local news to neighborhood readers, please call 214-560-4212 or email aquintero@advocatemag.com.
editor@advocatemag.com
advocatemag.com/newsletter
THE CANDY MAN OF ROYAL LANE
Neuhaus Cafe celebrates its 20th anniversary
Story & Photography by KELSEY SHOEMAKER
“The kids tell their parents I’m Willy Wonka,” Mervyn Sacher jokes. And it’s not too far from the truth.
For Neuhaus Cafe’s 20th anniversary, the self-proclaimed candy man and owner promises to don a tall hat, black-and-whitestriped jacket, red glasses and a cane.
Around here, though, that’s just business.
Sacher’s first taste for the business began as a candy buyer for his father-in-law in Cape Town, South Africa. Slowly, he worked his way up the corporate ladder before becoming director.
“I had a love for the colors and the whole thing with candy and the chocolates, developing different packaging with the factories,” Sacher says.
Swiss Miss was one of the biggest chocolate factories in South Africa. He wrote to people at the company, asking to use their name to open up another chocolate cafe, but they declined. Still, he dreamed of bringing quality chocolate to the United States, despite warnings from a friend in San Diego about using South African products.
“One morning, I woke up, and I said to my wife, ‘I know exactly what I’m going to
do in America. I’m going to open a chocolate shop,’” Sacher says.
Two years later, Sacher moved to Dallas, where he had some family. An interview with Neiman Marcus led to a job in May 1980.
A colleague from the epicurean department suggested Dallas needed a gourmet chocolate shop.
“This keeps coming up in my life, always candy chocolate,” Sacher says.
The wheels started turning.
At the time, the cafe was owned by Neiman Marcus. Sacher was responsible for designing the shop. He noticed people staying and sitting while eating chocolate, so he added more tables and chairs, and later, sandwiches to the menu. Other stores opened in Garland, the Galleria, Valley View Mall and Prestonwood. Eventually, all the shops closed except for the Galleria Dallas location.
Named after the Belgian chocolate maker, Neuhaus Cafe relocated to Preston Royal in the ’80s. It has kept the same strategy as when it was under Neiman Marcus’ roof, adding more menu options, boxed gifts and candies over the years.
Chocolate at Neuhaus Cafe comes in all
shapes, flavors and sizes, with the most popular items wrapped in specialty boxes, perfect for gifting. It’s a centerpiece during Christmas, Easter and Valentine’s Day.
Though other places sell chocolate in Dallas, Neuhaus imports high-quality international chocolates that are hard to find. Some popular options include orange dark chocolate, truffles, ganache and adventurous flavors like key lime.
“People always say to me, ‘You’ve got stuff that nobody else has got,’” he jokes.“The kids tell their parents I’m Willy Wonka.”
The business has become a family affair with his daughter, Andi, who calls herself the owner in training.
“We’ve been talking about [chocolate] at family dinners my whole life,” Andi says. “I thought I would never want to do this. But now, I’m like, I’d never leave my dad. I love it.”
Over the years, Neuhaus has seen regulars pass through its doors, with patrons who came as children now returning as adults with their own children.
“We have people that come here every day, sometimes twice a day,” Andi says. “We know them, and we worry if they’re not here.”
On top of its confectionery bites, Neuhaus offers a variety of sandwiches, soups, pastas and breakfast items.
FOOD + DRINK
BEST BAKERY
WINNER - STEIN’S BAKERY
2ND - EATZI’S MARKET & BAKERY
3RD - NOTHING BUNDT CAKES
BEST BAR
WINNER - INWOOD TAVERN
2ND - THE BAR AT THE MERCURY
3RD - THIRSTY LION GASTROPUB
BEST BRUNCH
WINNER - MAPLE LEAF DINER
2ND - FIRST WATCH
3RD - BREAD WINNERS
BEST BURGER
WINNER - BURGER HOUSE
2ND - LIBERTY BURGER
3RD - GAZEEBO BURGERS
3RD - HOPDODDY BURGER BAR
BEST CATERING
WINNER - PRESTON HOLLOW CATERERS
2ND - KNIFE AND FAULK
3RD - A TASTE OF THE WORLD CATERING
BEST CELEBRATORY DINNER
WINNER - AL BIERNAT’S NORTH
2ND - DRAKE’S
2ND - SHINSEI
3RD - R+D KITCHEN
3RD - THE MERCURY
BEST CHINESE
WINNER - ROYAL CHINA RESTAURANT
2ND - WOK STAR
3RD - HOWARD WANG’S PRESTON HOLLOW
BEST COCKTAILS
WINNER - ESCONDIDO TEXMEX PATIO
WINNER - HILLSTONE
2ND - BERNIE’S AT PRESTON TOWER
3RD - WOODBINE BAR
BEST COFFEE
WINNER - WHITE ROCK COFFEE
2ND - NEUHAUS CAFE
3RD - HOUNDSTOOTH COFFEE
BEST DESSERT
WINNER - SPRINKLES
2ND - NEUHAUS CAFE
3RD - BOCATTI DELI FRUTERIA
BEST DONUT SHOP
WINNER - INWOOD DONUT
2ND - FOREST DONUTS
3RD - CRAVE DONUT
BEST FROZEN TREATS
WINNER - PACIUGO GELATO CAFFÈ
2ND - HOWDY HOMEMADE ICE CREAM
3RD - BOTOLINO GELATO
3RD - I HEART YOGURT
BEST HEALTHY BITE
WINNER - FLOWER CHILD
2ND - TRUE FOOD KITCHEN
3RD - MODERN MARKET EATERY
BEST HOT CHICKEN
WINNER - CELEBRATION
2ND - LUCKY’S HOT CHICKEN
3RD - SLIM CHICKENS
BEST ITALIAN
WINNER - CAMPISI’S RESTAURANT-
LOVERS LANE
2ND - IL BRACCO
3RD - EATALY
BEST JAPANESE/SUSHI
WINNER - SHINSEI
2ND - BLUE SUSHI SAKE GRILL
3RD - KAZE | JAPANESE RESTAURANT
3RD - KU SUSHI JAPANESE CUISINE
BEST MEDITERRANEAN
WINNER - ZIZIKI’S
2ND - GREEK ISLES GRILL & TAVERNA
3RD - SUZE
BEST MEXICAN
WINNER - ESCONDIDO TEXMEX PATIO
2ND - MESERO
3RD - MESO MAYA COMIDA Y COPAS
BEST PATIO
WINNER - CELEBRATION
2ND - HILLSTONE
3RD - IL BRACCO
BEST PIZZA
WINNER - I FRATELLI PIZZA NORTH DALLAS
2ND - PRINCI ITALIA
3RD - DL MACK’S
3RD - MIMI’S PIZZERIA
BEST SANDWICH
WINNER - CINDI’S NEW YORK DELI
2ND - MENDOCINO FARMS
3RD - NORMA’S CAFE
BEST SEAFOOD
WINNER - FISH CITY GRILL
2ND - TJ’S SEAFOOD MARKET & GRILL
(PRESTON ROYAL)
3RD - LOVERS SEAFOOD & MARKET
BEST TACOS
WINNER - TORCHY’S TACOS
2ND - VELVET TACO
3RD - MUCHACHO
BEST THAI
WINNER - ASIAN MINT
2ND - LEMONGRASS THAI EATERY
3RD - MALAI KITCHEN
BEST WINE LIST
WINNER - SEVY’S GRILL
2ND - WOODLANDS AMERICAN GRILL
3RD - 55 SEVENTY WINE CELLAR & TASTING ROOM
Anthony’s signature Chicken Frances dish.
BIG FISH BIGGER POND
Anthony’s Eatalian reopens in a new space with the same fresh taste
Story by SIMON PRUITT
Photography by KATHY TRAN
It’s Monday, Anthony’s Eatalian is closed. But this is no day off. Robert Olson and Roman Figueroa are hunched over the bar at Anthony’s Eatalian. Figueroa is working on his laptop at the sleek white countertop. Olson is arranging papers next to him, about 20 feet away from their brand-new kitchen.
At the beginning of July, Olson and Figueroa moved the restaurant from a 1,800-square-foot location into this 3,700-square-foot space that used to be a Boston Market.
“It was like a shark in a fish tank,” says Figueroa. “This creative guy and this constrictive space. You need to unleash this creativity.”
Figueroa immigrated from Mexico as a teenager, before finding his way to Boston in the ‘90s. There, he met Olson while working at a facility management company. The two became romantically involved in 1998 and have remained together for 26 years.
Olson was born in New England and held a lifelong dream of owning and managing his own restaurant. He grew up eating seafood and authentic Italian cuisine, and immediately noticed a lack of it everywhere else he went.
In 2018, Olson fulfilled his dream by purchasing Anthony’s Eatalian. The restaurant existed prior, but underwent a full menu and aesthetic revamp once Olson took charge. Now at the helm, Anthony’s Eatalian sports the classic dishes Olson remembers eating.
“Anything that’s on my menu is something that I think of myself as being the consumer eating,” he says. “I don’t accept anything less.”
Olson assumed head chef duties, and Figueroa took over the front-of-house management.
“When you’re committed to somebody,” Figueroa says. “You’re obviously committed to their dream.”
Their first year was slow. It took some time for the neighborhood to realize that Anthony’s was under new management, and that management was there to stay.
When the pandemic hit, it proved to be a blessing in disguise.
“A lot of businesses had to close,” Olson says. “But the reverse happened to us. People who typically wouldn’t order from us were forced to for takeout. We almost doubled our business.”
When the world went back to normal, Anthony’s was greeted with a brand new cast of regulars who spent 2020 ordering online. Suddenly, the location was too small. Their ticket time dropped below industry standards, and Olson felt creatively stifled by the small kitchen.
When the Boston Market building opened up, it was a no-brainer. The two jumped on the opportunity and began to outfit it with new kitchen equipment. On top of that, they reworked the exterior to have nice black and white lettering, and collaborated with interior designer Hatsumi Kuzuu to create a more refined ambiance.
The new location comes with new offerings too. For one, Anthony’s will now have a full liquor bar, as opposed to their strictly beer and wine menu before. With more space in the kitchen, Olson is incorporating a number of new seafood options into the menu, starting with a cioppino made from shrimp and mussels.
“Here, the possibilities are endless,” Figueroa says.
Olson and Figueroa are keeping the lease on their old space, planning to turn it into an authentic taqueria in the coming months.
There’s a mini restaurant empire brewing in Preston Hollow. With an upgraded Anthony’s Eatalian and a reinvigorated culinary creative trust with a new concept on the way, Olson and Figueora have pushed all their chips in. It’s a massive investment, but coming up on seven years in business, it’s a risk they had to take.
“Profit is very important to survive,” Olson says. “But money is secondary to me. This has been a lifetime dream.”
Robert Olson and Roman Figueroa have revamped Anthony’s Eatalian’s menu and interior aesthetic.
General manager Roman Figueroa, left, and head chef Robert Olson, right.
A
table for eight
The tiny restaurant
that can
Story by KELSEY SHOEMAKER | Photography by LAUREN ALLEN
IT’S A FRIDAY NIGHT AND THERE’S ONLY ROOM AT THE TABLE FOR EIGHT.
Mabo, an intimate dining experience new to Preston Center, creates a sanctuary for its guests. It’s open five nights a week with only two dining slots, each three hours long.
The restaurant follows an omakase approach, a Japanese phrase that simply put means: “I’ll leave it up to you.”
Here, guests trust chef Masayuki Otaka to decide where the night goes.
“I don’t think there’s a place like this in Dallas or anywhere,” Otaka says. “If you go to another yakitori place, they will have cold chicken, but they won’t have steak or sashimi. I think it’s unique to this country.”
For $200 each, guests sit at a long table while Otaka cooks through an elaborate menu. Mabo blends traditional Japanese yakitori-skewered grilling techniques with the refinement of Kappo-stye dining. Kappo, which translates to “cut and cook” emphasizes the chef’s role. It peels back the curtain, turning the chef’s counter into a stage rather than Otaka acting as the man behind the curtain.
What sets Mabo apart from other restaurants is its combination of Kappo dining with yakitori, adapting Japanese street food for Dallas’ high society.
Otaka has been a chef in Dallas for over three decades, first opening Teppo in Lower Greenville in 1995 with his close friend chef Teiichi Sakurai. The two met while Otaka was in high school in Amarillo. While studying chemical engineering in college, he worked in restaurants in Amarillo, Plano and McKinney before making his way to Dallas.
When Sakurai was in the stages of opening Teppo, he gave Otaka a call.
“He asked me to join and I said, ‘Of course, let’s go,’” Otaka says.
For over 25 years, the two became known for their yakitori-style menu, roasted chicken and vegetables on skewers, and sushi bar. When Teppo closed in July 2022, it wasn’t the end for Otaka. Mabo, which opened on February 23, 2024, in the former Rock ‘n Roll Sushi space, had been in Otaka’s back pocket for 10 years.
“I wanted to make yakitori upscaled and in a different way,” Otaka says. “In Japan, there’s many upscale yakitori concepts but they only serve chicken. I didn’t think that was a good idea here and in this space of Dallas. I wanted people to have more variety and enjoy more parts [of the chicken and proteins].”
The menu rotates à la carte dishes, highlighting the season’s freshest ingredients along with yakitori skewers featuring all parts of the chicken.
Guests might start with chicken liver paté, asparagus cream soup, seafood appetizers or sashimi. Other proteins could include duck and Wagyu beef. Meals typically end with a rice dish and dessert, such as chocolate mousse or hojicha crème fouettée (green tea).
While waiting, guests can take a look around the speakeasy-like dining room, darkened by black interiors that highlight the chef’s counter.
“I’m excited to try this style of yakitori and not just in the food, but also the ambiance, the service and the setup,” Otaka says. “I’m really happy and also nervous because no one else has done this. But that’s what keeps me going.”
So, if anyone has a free night, a couple hundred dollars and wants to try something new — try Mabo. We leave it up to you.
Mabo’s few tables, stacked reservations and dim lighting aim for an intimate experience for those able to get a reservation.
Helping young women become innovators in their communities
The pitch was simple: When you have lemons, you make Lemon Aides.
One afternoon, gymnastics coach Debra Weinstein and her long-time friend and coaching partner, Julie Cruz, sat down to hatch a new plan to help young women find services in the community. With over 60 years of combined leadership experience in gymnastics coaching, the duo wanted to continue teaching, but in a way that made a difference, especially after the pandemic closed their gym and children retreated online.
“I said, ‘I’ve got this idea,’ and she said, ‘Of course, I’m in,’” Weinstein recalls. “She’s the yin to my yang. She’s the structure and I have out-of-the-box ideas.”
Weinstein remembers the day gymnastics camp registration would open on Sunday morning around 11 a.m., cars would line up at 5 a.m. Weinstein’s goal for Lemon Aides was to apply her lessons from gymnastics coaching to community service.
“I’ve had kids leave the gym and I would get letters telling me
Story by KELSEY SHOEMAKER
everything I taught them and how amazing it was. There was not a single word about gymnastics,” Weinstein says.
“They didn’t say, ‘I’m so happy I got my back handspring.’ They were saying, ‘What I learned in the gym, I learned everything about life.’ They work hard to achieve something and push outside themselves to overcome fear. That was my goal with [Lemon Aides].”
The idea took shape through a phone call with a friend from Baltimore. The group would do service projects monthly to build leadership skills among young women, using a mentor-based system across different grades.
“I want to have this tiered system where we empower these girls to lead but instead of doing the same stuff we did at the JCC (Jewish Community Center), we do it with service projects instead of gymnastics,” Weinstein says. “If a girl has another adult who believes in her that is not her parents, it changes her life.”
During the pandemic, Weinstein was reading posts in a Jewish Mom Outreach Facebook group. Camps
were getting canceled left and right, but the moms of the group were spearheading new initiatives. One would give virtual art lessons, another music. Weinstein saw it and had a new idea.
Parents would pick up supplies off Weinstein’s porch and then girls would watch on Zoom for four hours a day. With the online presence, Weinstein was able to reach as far as Virginia, Miami and Atlanta. Some days would be games, art or dress-up days. All proceeds from the online camp went to buy more supplies or were donated to local organizations that the girls would pick.
Three weeks turned into nine and nine weeks turned into four years.
“My goal for this organization is to empower girls to lead in their communities,” Weinstein says. “It’s by nature of who we are. We’re inclusive because it doesn’t matter where your community is.”
The Lemon Aide Society uses a tiered mentorship program where younger girls, from grades 2-12, are guided by teen mentors, who are also mentored by adults.
The Lemon Aide Society’s programs reach girls in grades 2-12, aiming to foster leadership abilities and mentorship.
Lemon Aides work with numerous local organizations, serving homeless families, assembling STEM kits for Family Gateway, gardening at Temple Shalom, crocheting for Hope Cottage, and partnering with Texas Women’s Foundation.
They’ve even run a lemonade stand for North Dallas Shared Ministries and recently raised $3,000 for Israel after the October 7 attacks. One year, the girls chose to make cat and dog toys for the animals at East Lake Pet Orphanage.
“One girl wanted to be a vet,” Weinstein says. “When she met a veterinarian who encouraged her, it probably meant more than anything else. When these kids presented their toys, they were so proud, and their families were amazed, asking what’s next?”
Lemon Aide in the Schools is the sister program to the Lemon Aide Society, both sharing the same mission and vision to empower young women through mentorships. The program in the schools is free and meets after school on a weekly basis for girls in grades 3-6. Lemon Aide in the Schools works with at-risk
schools to reach girls who might not otherwise have the opportunity to par ticipate in the program.
“One of my goals this year is just teaching them how to speak about them selves in a positive way. Presentation is very big, especially in the first-year curriculum, which focuses on learning how to speak and present. That’s going to set them up for life,” Weinstein says.
“I want girls to have a voice and to know who they are and what they’re about.”
Since starting online with 36 girls, Lem on Aides has grown to 90 participants, helping young women build their confi dence, leadership qualities and service.
When COVID-19 spiked last year, some places they usually were in contact with couldn’t provide time for service hours. The goal was to raise $100 for 100 ser vice hours, but then a girl challenged them to raise $1,000. In the end, Lemon Aides raised over $1,200, a testament to the organization’s will to help those around them.
COUTURE
Grooming benefits:
•Deshedding
•Detangling
•Detection of some health issues
• Nail Care
“That’s kind of how it works,” Wein stein says. “We make lemonade out of lemons.”
HALF THE MAN, TWICE THE FAITH
How Richard Salewske dropped his weight, then did it again
Story by SIMON PRUITT
by VICTORIA GOMEZ
“I
COULD EAT WHAT I WANTED TO EAT. I COULD DRINK WHATEVER I WANTED TO DRINK. NOBODY WAS GOING TO STOP ME,” SAYS RICK SALEWSKE.
He had just moved to Dallas straight out of high school, leaving his family and friends behind in Michigan. For the first time, he was fending entirely for himself.
“I gained 15 or 20 pounds year after year every time I went up to Michigan,” he says. “Then I come back to Dallas and nobody sees me. I had a pretty destructive lifestyle.”
Over the next 19 years, Salewske gained over 300 pounds, peaking at 538.
“I couldn’t sit in chairs, I couldn’t bend down to tie my shoes, I couldn’t go into restaurants because I couldn’t fit into booths,” he says. “I was going to college at UTD. I had to stop going because I couldn’t fit in the desks.”
On October 24, 2000, Salewske hit a crossroad. His boss at the time was concerned for his health, and granted him a stipend to use and find a medical center to help him.
Salewske found Cooper Aerobics Center and immediately dove into a weight loss program. He had a personal trainer, nutritionist and an exact goal in mind: lose 300 pounds in two years.
By October 24, 2002, he’d done just that. A month later, he met his wife on a blind date. A few months after that, he got the call to be on Oprah , sharing his miraculous weight loss story.
Salewske did what seemed to be impossible, and people around him noticed. In 2014, the Preston Hollow Advocate told his story, somewhat of a victory lap after a decade of good health.
That could’ve been Rick Salewske’s story, and it would’ve been a good ending. But life doesn’t always work that way.
He stayed consistent at Cooper Aerobics Center to maintain his health, but the COVID-19 lockdown shut its doors. Salewske stopped working out and began to fall back into bad habits.
“Before I knew it, it’s 2022 and I’m sitting at a dentist’s office. They go to take my blood pressure and it’s through the roof,” he says. “I got on the scale and I was 315 pounds.”
“I’m 315 pounds on Memorial Day 2022,” he says. “Let’s lose 100 pounds.”
It was a steep challenge, but Salewske stuck to his word. He cut out alcohol and any snacks from his diet, sticking to chicken, fish and lots of water. By the next year, he was all the way down to 204 pounds, the lightest he’d been in decades.
His first weight loss was remarkable enough, dropping another 100 over two decades later was incredible.
Salewske knew that he should commemorate his journey. He began working on a book, written by Dallas-based writer Cindy Woods. She interviewed his trainers and nutritionists from Cooper, as well as personal friends and family from his life along the way.
In January 2024, Half The Man, Twice The Faith: The Rick Salewske Story hit shelves and online distributors. It retells his remarkable weight loss journey, complete with matching Bible verses and devotional portions.
“It’s also to give people hope,” Salewske says. “If I can do this, then they can do whatever they want to do. If it’s losing weight or quitting drinking or drugs, whatever it is. I’m just a beacon of hope.”
Story by ALINA ZHENG | Photography by LAUREN ALLEN
Mustard. Soy sauce. Chili oil. Swirl. Taste. Analyze. Adjust. Repeat.
When Nikky Phinyawatana arrived at Chinese restaurants with her mom as a child, she unfolded saucy science experiments, blending various flavor notes that left those at her table urging her to stop.
“But it’s so fun,” Phinyawatana would say in reply.
The boiling childhood curiosity during Phinyawatana’s restaurant experiences planted the seed of Asian Mint, and as she continued to cultivate her love for creating dishes, the seed began to grow its roots.
Throughout her high school years as a boarder at The Hockaday School, where she graduated in 1996, and later while studying at Babson College in Boston, Phinyawatana says she established herself at the heart of the dorm or household because she loved to cook for her friends — and invent new dishes along the way.
Graduating college with a bachelor’s in business administration, Phinyawatana continued to navigate through a maze of occupations. She spent her time opening a food delivery business with her dad, waiting tables at an Addison Thai restaurant and singing in a band.
“I did not know that I would actually turn my passion into a career,” she says.
However, when she attended culinary school at Dallas College, she developed a vision for her future.
“It really made me realize how much I love to cook and feed people, and there came an opportunity to open a restaurant, and I said, ‘You know what, let’s try it.’”
In 2004, Phinyawatana opened her first restaurant on Forest Lane.
“We wanted it to be a modern cuisine, clean, simple, with very tasteful dishes that highlight all the colors of the rainbow,” she says.
Since opening their doors to the public 20 years ago, Asian Mint has spread to five locations across Dallas with plans to open 10 restaurants by 2030.
Raised between Dallas and Bangkok, Phinyawatana blends the two cultures from her upbringing into the menu at Asian Mint, creating a “Texas Thai” style for guests to try.
Dishes like the pad kee mow, ordered with beef, incorporate the smokiness of Texas barbecue while also balancing the Thai flavor through its Thai basil.
With Thai food composing many of the dishes on the menu, Asian Mint is considered an Asian fusion restaurant because it covers a broad scope of cultures, including Chinese, Vietnamese
and Thai food profiles. From gradually encouraging customers to try their Thai food, Phinyawatana has witnessed the dwelling adventure in her guests.
“Now, it’s their new comfort food, because instead of going for pizza or spaghetti, they’ll be like ‘I want my plate of pad thai.’ It just makes me happy,” Phinyawatana says.
Along with its pad thai galore, the restaurant’s menu features dishes from around the Asian continent like the Asian cold noodle salad (Phinyawatana’s favorite), the Bangkok bowl and grilled salmon curry. During this year’s scorching summer heat, the restaurant offers cold drinks including the Butterfly Pea Flower Limeade, Litchi Ginger Fresca and Cha-Manow.
Without needing to close any locations or lay off any of their staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, Asian Mint’s success has a main ingredient. They love what they do – meeting their guests’ expectations, staying consistent with high quality food and offering friendly service to their customers, Phinyawatana says.
“I want you to walk out of the restaurant feeling inspired, living your best life, and going to change the world in the best way you were meant to,” she says.
To continue cultivating the rewarding feelings of food, Phinyawatana offers international culinary trips to give guests the opportunity to discover the diverse food and culture of various locations. She also hosts cooking classes which provide exclusive access to the secrets of Asian Mint as well as a sauce line available at Central Market. Her cookbook, which will be released sometime around mid-September to October shares her story, entrepreneurship journey, motherhood and more than 50 simplified recipes of the most-loved menu items at Asian Mint.
“It’s about sharing the love and inspiring people and getting people to connect and either to get back into the kitchen or the restaurant so that you can have bonding time with your friends and family and co-workers,” she says.
Because of Asian Mint’s value for its community, the restaurant donates one dollar for every order on its limited-edition drink menu to the North Texas Food Bank, and Phinyawatana is also a pillar in multiple organizations to provide scholarships for students with the goal of entering the hospitality industry.
“We are who we are because of our community, and we want to make sure there’s always a gift back component,” she says. “Feel good, eat good, be happy. Feed your soul!”
Asian Mint, 11617 N Central Expressway, Suite 135, 214.363.6655, asianmint.com
AC & HEAT
WHERE CAN I FIND LOCAL ...?
CONCRETE/MASONRY/PAVING
ALEXANDER HOME REPAIR. AC/HEAT Repair & Install. LIC#28052 469-226-9642
AIR SHIELD LLC AC/Heat Repairs, Installs Airshieldpros.com. 214-394-1788
THE HEATING & AC EXPERTS Installations & Repairs
ASK ABOUT DISCOUNTS!
214-710-2515 dallasheatingac.com
APPLIANCE REPAIR
JESSE’S A/C & APPLIANCE SERVICE
TACLB13304C All Makes/Models. 214-660-8898
BUY SELL TRADE
I BUY USED CARS
Sam. Dallas. 469-609-0978.
!!OLD GUITARS WANTED!! Gibson, Fender, Martin, Etc. 1930’s to 1980’s. Top Dollar Paid. 1-866 -433-8277
SALE: FULL SIZE BED. $400. Bed frame, headboard, box spring, mattress, Good Condition. 469-363-2480
WANTED: HOUSES TO CLEAN, Organize, De-clutter, or Pack. Sunny 214-724-2555
WINDOW CLEANING Power washing No Job To Small. 30 Yrs exp. 214-360-0120
WINDOW MAN WINDOW CLEANING.COM Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134
COMPUTERS & ELECTRONICS
CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let a seasoned pro be the interface between you & that pesky Windows computer. Hardware/Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training. $100/hr. 1 hr min. Dan 972-639-6413 / stykidan@sbcglobal.net
NEED HELP WITH YOUR COMPUTER, Smartphone or Smart Home? My Tech Guy Harvey. 214-770-2598. harveymccall@gmail.com.
CONCRETE/MASONRY/PAVING
ADVANCE STONE ART CREATIONS
Decorative Concrete Overlays. 214-705-5954
CONCRETE, Driveway Specialist Repairs, Replacement, Removal, References. Reasonable. Chris 214-770-5001
CONCRETE, RETAINING WALLS 25 yrs exp. T&M Construction, Inc. 214-328-6401
#1 WHITE ROCK TREE WIZARDS Professionals, Experts, Artists serving Dallas 15 years.Trim, Removals. Tree Health Care services. Insured. Arborwizard.com. Free Est. (972) 803-6313.
A BETTER TREE MAN Trims, Removals, Insd. 18 Yrs Exp. Roberts Tree Service. 214-808-8925 Lawns, Gardens & Trees
DAVIS LAWN CARE, LLC 580-222-4909 or davislawncare214@yahoo.com
MAYA TREE SERVICE Tree Trim/Remove. Lawn Maintenance. Resd/ Commcl.Insd. CC’s Accptd. mayatreeservice.com 214-924-7058 214-770-2435
MONSTER TREE SERVICE DALLAS
Certified Arborists, Fully Insured 469.983.1060
NEW LEAF TREE, LLC Honest, Modern, Safety Minded. 214-850-1528
PAT TORRES 214-388-1850 Lawn Service & Tree Care. 28 Yrs. Complete Landscape Renovation. New Fence Install & Brick Repair. Concrete Removal and Gutter Cleaning.
RED SUN LANDSCAPES • 214-935-9779 RedSunLandscapes.com
TAYLOR MADE IRRIGATION Repairs, service, drains. 30+ years exp. Ll 6295 469-853-2326. John
WALTON’S GARDEN CENTER
Stop in for home decor, candles, house plants, succulents and more. It’s time to plan for spring. Call us for design, prep and plantings! 8652 Garland Road 214.321.2387
DALLAS KDR SERVICES
Lawn service
PEST CONTROL
MCDANIEL PEST CONTROL
Prices Start at $85 + Tax For General Treatment.
Average Home-Interior/Exterior & Attached Garage. Quotes For Other Services. 214-328-2847. Lakewood Resident
MOSQUITO SHIELD 972–850-2983
Imagine A Night Outside Without Mosquitoes
NATURE KING PEST MANAGEMENT INC.
Squirrels, Racoons, Skunks, Snakes, Possums, etc. Pest & Termite. Neighborhood Resident 30+ Yrs.exp. 214-827-0090
S&L CONSTRUCTION All Home Services & Repairs. 214-918-8427
TK REMODELING 972-533-2872
Complete Full Service Repairs, Kitchen & Bath/Remodeling, Restoration. Name It- We Do It. dallas.tkremodelingcontractors.com
DENTAL INSURANCE- Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Covers 350 procedures. Real insurance -not a discount plan. Get your free dental info kit! 1-888-623-3036 www.dental50plus.com/58 #6258
DIRECTV STREAM - Carries the most local MLB Games! ChoicePackage $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once.HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/Choice Package or higher.)No contract or hidden fees! Some restrictions apply. Call IVS 1-866-859-0405
WHERE DID YOUR MONEY GO? Bookkeeping Services for small businesses & Personal. Financial organizing. Quicken & other programs. Sharon 214-679-9688
REAL ESTATE
Kitchens, Bathrooms, Windows, Doors, Siding, Decks, Fences, Retaining Walls, New Construction
New Construction & Remodels FiferCustomHomes.com• 214-727-7075
ROOFING & GUTTERS
BERT ROOFING INC.
Family owned and operated for over 40 years • Residential/Commercial • Over 30,000 roofs completed • Seven NTRCA “Golden Hammer” Awards • Free Estimates www.bertroofing.com 214.321.9341
AGING ROOF? New Homeowner? Got Storm Damage? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing Available.1-888-878-9091.
DONATE YOUR CARS TO VETERANS TODAY. Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800 -245-0398
ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING FOREVER! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855-402-0373
FREE HIGH SPEED INTERNET if qualified. Govt. pgm for recipients of select pgms incl. Medicaid, SNAP, Housing Assistance, WIC, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefits, Lifeline, Tribal. 15 GB internet. Android tablet free w/one-time $20 copay. Free shipping. Maxsip Telecom! 1-833-758-3892
GENERAC Prepare for power outages today with a GENERAC home standby generator $0 Down + Low Monthly Pmt. Request a free Quote. Call before the next power outage: 1-844-334 -8353
GET DISH SATELLITE TV +INTERNET Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On-Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-866-479-1516
HUGHESNET Finally, super-fast internet no matter where you live.25 Mbps just $59.99/mo! Unlimited Data is Here. Stream Video. Bundle TV & Internet. Free Installation. Call 866-499 -0141
PROFESSIONAL LAWN SERVICE: Fertilization, weed control, seeding, aeration & mosquito control. Call now for a free quote. Ask about our first application special! 1-833-606-6777
REPLACE your roof with the best looking & longest lasting material steel from Erie Metal Roofs! 3 styles & multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited Time Offer up to 50% off install + Additional 10% off install. (military, health &1st responders.) 1-833-370-1234
SAFE STEP North America's #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-theline installation and service. Now featuring our free shower package & $1600 off - limited time! Financing available. 1-855-417-1306
ESTATE HOME NEEDS TO BE SOLD? Facing forclosure? IG Heron Homes Call Ricardo Garza @ 469-426-7839
BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 855-761-1725
FOR RENT Little Forest Hills 2/1 Single Family Home w/fence. $1,600mo. $1,600 deposit. Cheryl. 214-235-1399
GARDEN OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT Walnut Hill @ CENTRAL.3 Smaller Suites Avail. Flexible Terms 214.915. 8886
BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730
FENN CONSTRUCTION Kitchens And Baths. Call Us For Your Remodeling Needs. 214-343-4645. dallastileman.com
BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR. We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation,production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author’s guide 1-877-729-4998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ads
For complete terms and conditions, visit advocatemag. com/advertisingterms.
THE GENERAC PWRCELL, a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services WATER DAMAGE
cleanup & restoration: A small amount of water can lead to major damage and mold growth in your home. Our trusted professionals do complete repairs to protect your family and your home's value! Call 24/7: 1-888-872-2809
TUTOR/LESSONS
WANTED: OBOE TEACHER needed for 14 year old student. Call 214–235-7429
