VAPIANO SECURES MULTI-UNIT DEAL LOCKING DOWN TEXAS MARKET
Texas Territory is Going Fast for Award-Winning Fast Casual Restaurant & Lounge

Washington, D.C., October 15, 2008— Vapiano has secured an agreement with University of Houston graduate student, Soomyee Song, studying at the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, to open five units throughout Houston,Texas. Vapiano, the innovative fast casual restaurant and lounge, has exploded in popularity across Europe and the U.S. and recently announced new deals in exciting markets such as Detroit, Atlanta and Dallas. After winning Nation’s Restaurant News’2008 ‘Hot Concept!’ award and the 2006 European Hot Concept Award from Food Service Europe & Middle East, Vapiano has continued to amplify its momentum and shows no sign of slowing. Currently, Vapiano has four U.S. locations open in Washington, DC and Ft. Myers, Florida with more than 30 restaurants worldwide.

Song and husband Eugene, a marketing executive with LG Electronics are looking to open their first location in the Galleria area and then plan to move to major neighborhoods throughout the Houston area including Woodland, Sugarland and Champion Forest. Song's first restaurant should be up and running by June 2009, right after her graduation from the University of Houston, and all five should be open by 2014.

When Tim McCallum was visiting Germany in 2007, he thought it was going to be a homecoming, after seeing his grandmother and sister for the first time since his infancy, but it turned out to be a journey that would change his life and the Dallas food scene forever. After weeks of German food he began to crave Italian food. Upon searching the neighborhood, he found a Vapiano restaurant that offered fresh-to-order pizzas, fresh house-made pasta and hand-tossed gourmet salads, so he decided to try it out. When he returned to the United States, he acquired the rights to the brand and became an area developer and franchisee for Vapiano for most of Texas including Dallas, Ft. Worth, Austin and San Antonio. Now Park Cities residents don't have far to go for delicious made-to-order Italian food because the first of McCallum’s 10 Vapiano restaurants is located in Mockingbird Station and features a hip, urban, casual environment.

Already getting rave reviews, Vapiano’s unique menu features classic Italian antipasti and a variety of fresh salad options. There are 15 fire-roasted pizza recipes featured on the menu and pasta options are limitless with more than 20 sauces and 10 fresh house-made pasta noodles from which to choose. The unique kitchen allows you to watch your food be prepared and customize it to the last detail.

“Vapiano looks and feels upscale and edgy, but Vapiano’s fresh, a-la-carte menu provides unique upscale dining at a great value, with every dish priced form $7 to $10, ” McCallum said, adding that the restaurant concept is accessible to a variety of diners. “Vapiano is convenient for SMU students, lunch and after-work drinks with co-workers, families or a girl's night out.” The main dining room incorporates potted herbs throughout and offers higher tables with stools and long table seating to accommodate large or small groups. The bar side offers a sleek lounge with booth seats and smaller tables to gather around, as well as a comfortable outdoor patio.

The restaurant uses innovative “chip card” technology, allowing each guest to personally order their food or drinks from the bar or the individual pizza, pasta and salad stations. Paying at the end of the meal is easy by individual or the chip cards can all be combined at the register for one tab.

“Finding a great new restaurant is always exciting,” said McCallum, “but finding a totally new dining experience at an incredible value is what makes us special.”

VAPIANO AWARDED “BEST NEW RESTAURANT” BY LOCAL UNIVERSITY

SMU Daily Campus bestows top honors to Vapiano, Mockingbird Station’s new, innovative approach to “fresh-casual” Italian food

DALLAS (Feb. 4, 2010) – Vapiano, the German-born “fresh-casual” chain, has received SMU’s coveted “Best New Restaurant” award at its only Texas location. Located within minutes of the Southern Methodist University in Dallas’ Mockingbird Station, Vapiano’s consistent, refreshing approach to Italian dining has secured a reputation of quality and convenience among the competitive Dallas’ “foodie” scene. Guests can enjoy made-to-order, fire-roasted pizzas; fresh, house-made pasta; and hand-tossed gourmet salads in an urban, upscale environment. Vapiano’s strong ties to the university began before the restaurant opening by inviting local, SMU art students to paint the menu board inside the restaurant. Vapiano continues to support the students by inviting any musicians or bands at the school to perform as part of their SMU Sunday events, where all SMU students have the benefit of using their school ID to receive a 50% discount every Sunday evening. “We’re so honored to be named a best new restaurant by the SMU Daily Campus,” said restaurant owner Tim McCallum. “We’ll continue to strive to offer the best, fresh-made Italian food at affordable prices for college students as well as continue to support our SMU neighbors with specials like SMU Sunday.” For more information on the restaurant, menu and featured specials, visit http://vapianodallas.com.

VAPIANO DALLAS REVIEW BY FAB FIND FOODIE

On an energetic corner of Mockingbird Station in Dallas, you'll find an outstanding urban italian restaurant called Vapiano. Vapiano offers a fresh casual dining concept unlike anything I've experienced at a restaurant of this class. With over 30 locations worldwide, and another 100 in development, I quickly realized how lucky I am to live within 40 minutes of it's sole location in Texas!

When we walked in we were promptly greeted by the hostess. Since it was our first time at Vapiano, she took us back to the food station and explained the routine, which I'll get to in a minute. She gave us a "chip card" and said to scan our card at each station we ordered from and it will keep track of our tab. Interesting! (And convenient when dining with a group of friends!)

The decor was somewhat zen-like thanks to the calming pots of herbs placed on each table. There's also a huge three-sided glass and wood structure filled with various potted herbs, all of which can be used to add to your food! The dining area is beautiful aesthetically, and although it has high vaulted ceilings and huge windows, once you sit at a table it's very cozy.

It wasn't very busy the night we stopped in so there was virtually no waiting in line. I was a tad bit confused at first, but once I placed my first order all went well! Here's the deal. To order your food you walk up to the station that makes what you want. For instance, if you're in the mood for pizza, place your order in the pizza line. If you want a pizza and a pasta, that's two lines you'll need to visit.

To me, this dining concept is terrific for a casual night out with friends when you know socializing and good food is what matters most. No waiters asking questions everytime you take a bite of food. No waiting forever to get a refill. It's basically a self-serve establishment with the look, feel and taste of a trendy restaurant.

Let's get down to business: the food. We ordered two pasta dishes, one pizza, one appetizer and a salad. Not to mention capped the evening off with two mini-desserts! The prices were surprisingly adequate. For everything I mentioned, plus two beverages, it came up to $52 before tax! Quite honestly, I would have expected to pay more. We started with the Bruschetta. It was a great beginning, with roasted ciabatta piled-high with tomatoes, basil, garlic and olive oil. But what came next was my favorite of all...the Greek Salad. It was picture-perfect. Literally, not an olive out of place! (I'm still dreaming of it today!) I loved the burst of freshness from the dill, which was a completely unexpected flavor.

When ordering pasta, let them know which dish you want, then choose your shape of pasta. If there's something you'd like added, just ask! They make everything right in front of you, so it's completely customizable. My husband loved the Chicken Alfredo. I selected the Ravioli Ricotta e Spinaci and could not get over the tangy tomato sauce they make! If I could have had a bowl of it, I would have been in heaven. It had shredded carrots in it, which nicely balanced the acidity of the sauce. The ravioli were a bit firm, but had good flavor. Although they were added frozen, all of their pasta is made fresh in-house.

Now the pizza I must brag about. We chose the Crudo, which was nothing more than tomato sauce, mozzarella, Proscuitto di Parma and huge chards of parmesan. The crust was incredible! It's a thin crust, with a slight crunch on the outside and delicious chewiness on the inside. In my book, the perfect pizza crust.

The bar was incredible. It's located on the opposite side of the dining area, or to the right when you first walk in. It's very European with modern red furniture throughout. All I wanted to do was settle into a couch, order a Bellini and people watch for the rest of the evening. The bar is also where you order dessert. We tried the Panna Cotta, as well as the Tiramisu della Casa. (Made fresh each day, by the way!) They were both deliciously creamy and very satisfying. The perfect end to a fabulous dinner.

My experience at Vapiano was excellent. As we were walking out the door I was already planning my next visit, and thinking about which friends would love to join me for a Bellini in the ultra-cool lounge, and another fantastic Greek Salad! Overall, Vapiano offers lovely surroundings, flavorful food and excellent prices. Next time your in the Lower Greenville neighborhood of Dallas, I'd highly suggest experiencing it for yourself.

Read more: http://www.fabfindfoodie.com/2010/08/vapiano-dallas-review.html