Good morning, y’all ⛄

It’s still icy out there, and lots of DFW businesses are still closed or operating on special schedules, so make sure you check a businesses’ status on Google or social media before you head out into the ice.

Tarrant County voters, if you missed early voting in the Senate District 9 runoff election, remember that Election Day is this Saturday, Jan. 31. Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Find a convenient location here.

“Top Chef” star Shirley Chung is opening a new restaurant, Night Rooster, in Dallas on Jan. 31. (Kateryna Hliznitsova/Unsplash+).

By Sam Cohen

Food Network star and “Top Chef” alum Shirley Chung, known affectionately as “The Dumpling Queen of Los Angeles,” is opening a new restaurant in Dallas on Jan. 31. Night Rooster, located at 1000 N. Riverfront Blvd., is billed as a modern Chinese fine dining establishment. Using ingredients grown in Texas, the menu will feature “a refined yet deeply personal expression of Chinese cuisine.” Chung, who partnered with Andy Hooper of Hooper Hospitality Concepts, spoke about the personal significance of the project.

“Night Rooster is a reflection of my life. It’s rooted in Chinese heritage, shaped by my journey in America as well as my recent health and personal challenges, and inspired by the incredible ingredients and spirit of Texas,” Chung said. The “Top Chef” star was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in 2024 and underwent intensive radiation and chemotherapy treatments. She’s now fully in remission and grateful for her health, along with the ability to focus on Night Rooster’s impending opening.

🛹 All aboard in Arlington: A national nonprofit gifted a predominantly low-income elementary school with 100 skateboards, 100 bicycles, and 30 ukuleles in its effort to help provide children with creative outlets. (Arlington Report)

🎞️ Denton BFF: The Denton Black Film Festival starts today and runs through Feb. 1. Here are some of the cool films showing and events you can attend. (Dallas Observer)

🧊 Ice sculpture weather: North Texas definitely didn’t see fluffy, powdery snow for easy snowman-making, but we did see enough ice for one Fort Worth man to create a Cowtown-worthy sculpture. See it here. (CBS)

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Joi Louviere with reporting by Sam Cohen and editing by Paula Solis.

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