A new restaurant concept by El Toro to open at Mall at Fairfield Commons Toasted Brunch Bar + Cafe, a new concept by the owners of El Toro, is planned to open this fall in the former space of Melt Bar & Grilled at the Mall at Fairfield Commons in Beavercreek. The new restaurant will specialize in traditional American and internationally fused breakfast, lunch and dinner options. The owners plan to fully remodel the 5,000-square-foot space to create a calm and vibrant atmosphere for customers to enjoy an espresso, coffee flight or specialty brunch cocktail while working, reading or visiting with friends. The cafe has partnered with several renowned restaurant chefs to specialize in bakery and breakfast options. Toasted Brunch Bar + Cafe will be offering a mix of traditional breakfast items such as pancakes, waffles and French toast, as well as modern twists of avocado toasts, chicken and waffles and various brunch sandwiches, said Enrique Alvarez, El Toro’s district manager. The cafe will also have unique global fare such as shakshuka, huevos rancheros and croque madame. Pastries, scones, cookies and breads will be made fresh in-house.
The Silos: KungFu BBQ to join Dayton’s newest food hall KungFu BBQ will serve worldly-inspired cuisine with a unique smoked interpretation at The Silos, a new food hall and beer garden expected to open in the fall near 2nd Street Market in downtown Dayton. “It’s going to be everything that Dayton grew to love from the beginning — from our pop-ups and our food truck,” said Nate Lansangan, who owns the concept with his wife, Marie. “It will embrace our family’s heritage-style cooking and flavors discovered on our travels.” KungFu BBQ, a family-owned and operated concept, takes influence from the Philippines, Japan, Mexico and Hawaii then applies the traditional techniques of American smoked BBQ. Customers can expect items like birria tacos with smoked brisket or Filipino pork belly adobo smoked and served with garlic rice. The business currently operates at Wright Patterson Air Force Base and has a food truck that can be found throughout the Dayton region. The Silos will be their first physical location with consistent hours of operation open to the public.
Yellow Springs Baking Company opens storefront The Yellow Springs Baking Company has opened a storefront in Yellow Springs after leaving 2nd Street Market in May. The bakery, located at 108 Dayton St., is now known as Yellow Springs Bakery & Cafe. Customers can expect favorites such as cinnamon rolls and croissants, as well as scones, cardamom buns, cookies and other baked goods. Karina Tafolla, who owns the bakery with Rob Houk, said the bakery will also have handmade empanadas. The menu will start off with chicken, beef and veggie empanadas and eventually they will introduce new flavors such as a steak fajita. In the mornings, the bakery will have a variety of pastries and after lunchtime they hope to carry more desserts like specialty cakes and parfaits. They plan to try different flavors to see which ones are customer favorites. Yellow Springs Bakery & Cafe has drip coffee and bottled beverages. In the future, Tafolla plans to introduce her own twist on Aguas Frescas, a popular drink found in Mexico.
🍨 I Heart Ice Cream to open in Wright-Dunbar: The Thai-inspired rolled ice cream business is celebrating its grand opening at 3 p.m. Thursday. 🥩 KPOT to open next week: Theall-you-can-eat dining experience merging traditional Asian Hot Pot and Korean BBQ is soft opening at noon on Monday, Aug. 12. The restaurant is located at 2148 Miamisburg-Centerville Road near the Dayton Mall. ☕ 7 Brew Coffee aims for September opening in Beavercreek: The drive-thru coffee stand is located at 2550 N. Fairfield Road, across the parking lot from the new REI Co-op. READ MORE 🍴 Taste of Dayton planned for September: This new event will showcase restaurants, food trucks and other businesses in the region.
2024 Bacon Fest winners impress with tasty creativity More than a dozen food trucks took part in Bacon Fest, an event celebrating the best of what bacon has to offer, on Saturday at the Fraze Pavilion. Each food truck was tasked with putting bacon at the forefront and I was among the panel of judges selecting winners in several categories. The winners are as follows: - Most Baconlicious: Death Grip Donuts with its Don’t Go Bacon My Heart doughnut
- Best Dessert: Batter Up Funnel Cakes with its Bacon Encrusted Deep Fried Honey Bun
- Best Side: Amber Rose Restaurant and Catering with its White Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese
- Best Dish: 1776 Grill with its Bacon Stuffed Garlic Toast Grilled Cheese
- Most Creative: Rolling Indulgence for its Bacon Wrapped Mozzarella Stick with garlic ranch sauce
- Critic’s Choice: Lilia’s Outside Cafe for their Cheddar Bacon Ranch Fries
My favorite dish was the Cheddar Bacon Ranch Fries. I could not stop eating them! Rolling Indulgence had two other items that I absolutely loved: The Maple Bacon Brownie Bar and Chocolate Cinnamon Toast Shake. They were good separate, but even better together. During the event attendees could scan a QR code and vote for their favorite dish. 1776 Grill won the People’s Choice Award for “Best Damn Bacon” with its Bacon Stuffed Garlic Toast Grilled Cheese. This is the fourth year they’ve won the fan favorite honor.
Thank you so much for reading my weekly newsletter! If you see a new restaurant opening or are wondering when an establishment is expected to open, feel free to email me here, and I’ll check it out. I had a few people ask for an update on Troni’s Italian Bistro coming to Union Village in Turtlecreek Twp., just west of Lebanon. The owner is meeting this week with the contractor who will be finishing the interior. If you’re wanting to sample a slice of their pizza, the restaurant will be at “Music on Market Street” at Union Village Square from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 23 Remember to follow Dayton Daily News on Facebook or search our Food & Dining section for the latest stories. I’ll have continuous updates on my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok pages. | 
