Al Biernat’s Launches New Menu
It’s not every day that a restaurant as beloved and iconic as Al Biernat’s announces significant changes to its menu, but that day has arrived.
Open and thriving for 23 years, Al Biernat’s has gained a very loyal following of diners who come there for their favorite steaks and seafood. But, as the popularity of the restaurant continues to grow, General Manager Brad Fuller mentioned that 2021 was its best sales year ever, and the time was right to make some adjustments to the restaurant. Loyal guests can rest assured all their favorites are still on the menu.
First up, let’s talk about some new menu items: For the summer season, these three light dishes are now on the menu: adobo chicken breast, grilled salmon salad, and a peppercorn-crusted tuna. New lunch and dinner dishes permanently added to the menu include the roasted halibut, the grilled sea scallops, the Chilean sea bass, Al Biernat’s top-selling seafood item, and the ahi tuna.
In addition to updating current menu items, many new brunch, lunch, and dinner entrées have been added to the selection. Brunch menu additions include the Texas Brunch Sandwich, the Mediterranean Frittata, and a Crawfish Etouffee Benedict, which sounds delicious. Fuller mentioned that Al’s brunch business is quite strong, and, in fact, they expanded brunch to Saturdays as well.
Some classic items have had small recipe changes to improve the overall taste and dining experience. This includes the revamping of many of the a la carte sides, such as the mac ‘n cheese, with the creamy addition of gruyere cheese and dijon, the asparagus with the addition of cumin, or the broccoli’s addition of harissa aioli and crispy onions. The french dip sandwich is now served on a soft pretzel bun from Bresnan’s Bread and Pastry in McKinney, and the lump crab cakes, now prepared with a slightly different sauce and a creamier crab cake mix.
I love that the restaurant is embracing the talents of local providers such as Bresnan’s, but also with its upgraded desserts. Al Biernat’s now serves desserts from two local women-owned patisseries: Andrea Meyer’s Bisous Bisous provides the carrot cake, old fashioned chocolate cake, and the tiramisu; and Tida Pichakron’s Haute Sweets Patisserie provides the flourless chocolate cake and the molten chocolate cake, both of which are gluten free.
Along with the refreshed menus, Al Biernat’s updated its tableware and now features beautiful fluted wide rim plates and shiny new seafood tower platters for the popular menu item.
Brad Fuller is the long-time general manager of Al Biernat’s and is Al’s nephew. He said Biernat still works in the restaurant quite a bit, overseeing the team, walking the floor and, most importantly, offering the gracious hospitality he’s known for.
The refreshing of the menu and plate presentation is savvy, but the investment in the two restaurant locations doesn’t end there. Fuller said they brought in some culinary consultants to work with the team to introduce them to new techniques and flavor profiles. The optimism and confidence in the business is a positive indicator for the restaurant industry and the community that still regards Al Biernat’s as an important part of it.
Full disclosure: I haven’t had the chance to try the new menu items but I can’t wait to try them all, especially their mac and cheese.
Here is a list of menu items no longer available.
For more information or to make reservations visit https://www.albiernats.com/.
