The $60 million Grand Hyatt DFW airport hotel opens Friday morning, showcasing international cuisine in its elaborate dining room, the Grand Met.
But the real attraction might be the return of another grand tradition: a 24-hour hotel coffee shop.
Moka is serving drinks, sandwiches and light fare 24 hours. The simple coffee counter won't compete with Waffle House for the 2 a.m. breakfast crowds. But it does give us an all-night cappuccino stop.
The Grand Met is the primary restaurant in the hotel, which is inside the new Terminal D. The cuisine is billed as "global," including sushi by chef Osamu Fujita. He hints that he might add some Southwestern seasonings to serve "sushi cowboy-style."
The Grand Met will also serve a top-quality, sit-down hotel breakfast daily, beginning Saturday. A grand-opening ceremony is today at 9 a.m.
The regular hours: 6:30-11 a.m. for breakfast, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. for lunch, 6-10:30 p.m. for dinner.
Diners get validated self-parking. The hotel has a valet stand on the terminal ramp. Call (972) 973-1234, granddfw.hyatt.com.
July 4 is a special anniversary for Joe T. Garcia's Mexican Restaurant. Monday marks 70 years since Jesusa "Mama 'Sus" and Jose Tafolla Garcia, immigrants from Michoacan, opened a grocery and barbecue stand named Joe's Place inside a former Greek grocery built in 1926 at 2201 N. Commerce St.
"Joe's" barbecue was an immediate hit. But so was Jesusa's simple cheese enchilada plate. The cafe seated 12.
Now, it seats 2,000 on sprawling Cuernavaca-style patios. And there's a full menu at lunch, although the only nighttime choices remain fajitas or the family-style combination dinner.
Joe T.'s will be open as usual on the Fourth: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Call (817) 626-4356, www.joets.com.
Great-grandson Lanny Lancarte II continues the tradition July 4 by opening his nouvelle-Mexican fine-dining restaurant, Lanny's Alta Cocina Mexicana. It's at 3405 W. Seventh St. For reservations, call (817) 850-9996, www.lannyskitchen.com.
