After years of planning and months of anticipation, The District, the chef-driven dining area at The Shops at Willow Bend celebrated its official opening at a ticketed fundraiser on October 5 raising more than $25,000 for the Junior League of Collin County. I was thrilled to emcee this Chefs Tasting Event and introduce each of the participating chefs and explain to attendees that they would spend 30 minutes at each venue to meet the chef, and sample craft cocktails and bites specially prepared for the event. The festive cocktail reception featured musical performances by the Georgia Bridgewater Orchestra, appetizers from California Pizza Kitchen and Terra Mediterranean, from brothers Jalal Chanaa and Adam Shanaa; bites from Knife, a steakhouse from James Beard-nominated chef and two-time Top Chef contestant John Tesar; Mexican Bar Co. Cocina from James Beard-featured chef Patricio Sandoval; and Whistle Britches, offering southern comfort food from James Beard Foundation-nominated Chef Omar Flores. The evening concluded with Australian-style coffee from Ascension Annex, desserts from Neiman Marcus Mariposa and a spectacular fireworks celebration. The event kicks off more than a month of activities celebrating The District.
Whistle Britches is now open to the general public for lunch and dinner. Mexican Bar Company is now open for dinner service. Lunch service will begin on October 31. Knife and Terra also will begin serving customers later this month. The much-anticipated District is the latest step in the $125 million reinvention of The Shops at Willow Bend into a multi-use urban core, joining the grand opening of Crayola Experience at the project earlier this year and the 2017 debut of Plano Children’s Theater.
Note: Terra Mediterranean is a client of my firm, Gangway Advertising. Looking for buzz for your brand? We should talk!
