A first look at the Tommy Bahama restaurant, bar and store: now open at Legacy West

Part of the fun of Legacy West has been the speed with which its new inhabitants are sprouting up and taking off. Blink and you’ll miss a new restaurant, a new store or even food hall.

Case in point: Tommy Bahama opened on Monday. The Friday before it had been a construction zone. But inside the brand new restaurant and store, there’s no sign of stress, either in the kitchen staff, or the retailers decked out in Hawaiian prints and board shorts.

The Dallas area is famous for two things: food and shopping. Many of Dallas’ most revered stores—Neiman Marcus, Forty Five Ten, Grange Hall—also have accompanying restaurants serving some of the best, prettiest and usually most expensive food in Dallas. Restaurant-store combinations are almost a guaranteed success.

In fact, Tommy Bahama found in other locations that when they provided a restaurant along with a store, sales went up by 50 percent. That’s not too shabby. Maybe it’s the calming restaurant atmosphere, a classy island vibe, or the comfortable clothes, tempting and visible from the restaurant booths.

Maybe it’s the drink menu. Who knows? But we’re happy to have Tommy Bahama combination in Plano.

tommy-bahama-plano-coconut-cloud — Coconut Cloud; Images Courtesy of Tommy Bahama Facebook page

It’s all about the experience at Tommy Bahama. They hang loose. The restaurant and store cross over in a variety of ways, supporting and promoting each other. So yes, you can bring a cocktail into the dressing room with you. The Coconut Cloud, Bye Bye Blues, Mango Habanero Margarita and Cucumber Smash: these are all fine shopping buddies.

After shopping, appetizers like the World Famous Coconut Shrimp—huge shrimp crusted generously in golden coconut served with papaya-mango chutney—hit the spot. Blackened Fish Tacos and the Lump Blue Crab and Avocado Salad feel both summery and celebratory without breaking your belt. For something a little richer, try the House-Roasted Pork Sandwich or The Kona Coffee-crusted Ribeye.

Of course, for dessert try a classic with a tropical twist, Pineapple Crème Brûlée. Or opt for their Key Lime Pie, about as perfect as Key Lime Pie gets with a balanced filling and a towering graham cracker crust.

tommy-bahama-plano-key-lime-pie — Key Lime Pie; Image Courtesy of Tommy Bahama Facebook page

Overall, customer service at Tommy Bahama is awesome. Shopping and eating there is a single tropical experience. Tommy Bahama is now open on Windrose Avenue. Eat. Shop. Relax. Stay tuned for our full review in our September issue of Plano Profile.