Food

Menus spring into action at Newk's, Fogo de Chao and True Food Kitchen

Taste Tracker: BWW adds a sauce to go; a snack and dip launches at Bojangles; strawberries top a sundae at Haagen-Dazs; and Potbelly kicks up the spice.
Photos courtesy of the brands

Seasonal spring menus started popping up at restaurants in mid-March, but April brings a crop of late bloomers to the table.

Check out the latest menu news in the video here, then get full details by reading more.

Fogo de Chão added new bites to its Bar Fogo menu, including Foie Gras Crostini and Picanha Tartare, plus new salads to its Market Table: Mango Black Rice Salad and Apple Manchego Salad. Also debuting for a limited time is the value-driven The Fogo $44 menu, providing guests with access to the Market Table offerings plus tableside service of fire-roasted meats, signature Brazilian sides and a choice a dessert.

Spring salads also freshen the menu at Newk’s Eatery. The fast casual adds a Spicy Jalapeno Ranch Salad with black beans, avocado, cheddar and chicken tossed with Spicy Jalapeno Ranch Dressing, and Pesto Pasta Chicken Caesar Salad, a combo of chicken, romaine, pesto bowtie pasta, Parmesan, red onions and croutons in Caesar dressing. There’s also a scratch-made Chicken Salad Sandwich with grapes, pecans and red onions topped with lettuce and provolone.  

The Yam and Cheese sandwich is the vegetable-forward star of True Food Kitchen’s spring menu. It’s layered with roasted yams, black garlic vinaigrette, pickled vegetables and smoked gouda. For meat lovers there’s the new Ultimate Pot Roast Beef Dip and Heritage Pepperoni Pizza, and for those preferring to go meatless, the Bougie Blanco is a white pizza with Parmesan cream, black truffle and hot honey.

In saucy news, Buffalo Wild WingsGO takeout and delivery-only restaurants are introducing an exclusive sauce for off-premise customers. Golden Fire is a blend of sweet and tangy Carolina Gold and fiery chilies that can be added to any wing order. And a zesty dipping sauce is back on the menu at Bojangles—the chain’s signature Bo Sauce. The sweet, tangy, creamy sauce, seasoned with a blend of herbs and spices, is designed to pair with the Bojangles’ Chicken Supreme tenders. Bo Sauce is now bottled and sold at retail as well.

In more Bojangles news, the Bo’s Bird Dog is a new handheld item ideal for snacking. It features a Chicken Supreme tender in a split-top bun topped with thick-cut pickles and drizzled with a honey mustard-based barbecue sauce.

For April and through May 5, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop is offeringthe Patron Sidekick as its drink of the month. Guests can order a frozen Margarita or on the rocks and add on a 1-ounce sidekick of Patron Silver tequila to hang on the rim and add as they sip. On the booze-free side, Starbucks has added to its ready-to-drink or RTD line. Bottled Oatmilk Frappuccino is available in two new flavors: Caramel Waffle Cookie and Dark Chocolate Brownie Oatmilk. Cold Brew Sips now come in 11-ounce cans in three new flavors: Chocolate Cream, Salted Caramel Cream and Vanilla Sweet Cream. And for a larger crowd of coffee fans there are 40-ounce bottles of Starbucks Multi-serve Cold Brew in Caramel Cream and Oatmilk Brown Sugar.

Bacon is in the spotlight at White Castle with the chain’s $5 Bacon Bundle. The deal gives customers the chance to enjoy a choice of two Bacon-based Sliders, including a Bacon Cheese Slider, 1921 Bacon Cheese Slider or Chicken Bacon Ranch Slider along with a small order of fries.

Pincho also has a burger deal for April. The Latin-inspired concept teamed up with Miami food personality George Arango (aka Mr.Eats305) on the Pincho Smash Burger by Mr.Eats305. It features two double smashed patties topped with American cheese, pickles, diced onions and Pincho’s signature sauce sandwiched between locally baked brioche buns.

A limited-time Jalapeno Popper Chicken Sandwich is joining the lineup at Potbelly, developed in partnership with Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese. The toasted sandwich is layered with grilled chicken, house-made jalapeno cream cheese, crunchy jalapeno crisps, lettuce and tomato.

And Haagen-Dazs is celebrating spring with the season’s quintessential fruit—the strawberry. The ice cream shops launched The New York Strawberry Cheesecake Dazzler, a combo of the brand’s creamy cheesecake ice cream with a swirl of strawberry sauce and graham cracker pieces, layered with fresh strawberries and topped with whipped cream and a strawberry garnish.

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