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Food

Mudhen to put vegan, veggie, Paleo eats under one roof in Dallas Farmers Market

When news of Shannon Wynne's new concept Mudhen broke in 2014, the restaurant's target open date was spring 2015 in the revamped Dallas Farmers Market. Wynne and partners Keith Schlabs and Larry Richardson are now eyeing a fall debut -- the group received the land to build later than expected, Wynne says -- but GuideLive recently received new details about the biz sure to awaken your appetite.

Mudhen will inhabit a 5,500-square-foot, "funny-shaped" piece of real estate near the corner of Marilla and Harwood streets, according to Wynne, who gave us a tour of the digital renderings. The restaurant will be able to hold about 260 patrons total -- 130 inside and 130 outside.

Wynne described Mudhen's menu clean and healthful, saying the restaurant's biggest adversaries are sugar and empty carbohydrates. The big shtick will be custom bowls that diners can load with meat and in-season or organic veggies, many of which will come directly from the Farmers Market. All meats will be grass-fed and hormone-free, Wynne said.

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Patrons will know what's available and in-season by looking at a large blackboard on one of the walls that will list up to 125 vegetables. If it has a check mark by it, it's in stock that day.

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"So it's not vegan, it's not vegetarian, it's not Paleo, but it's all of them," Wynne said. But it's not just for health nuts, he added: "And if you want to eat like sh**, you can eat like sh** too."

Plus, there will be beer.

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Mudhen is one of several restaurants coming to the reconfigured and reconstructed Dallas Farmers Market. Openings this year include Taqueria La Ventana, a quick taco shop; Palmieri, an Italian coffee shop; Stocks & Bondy, which will serve soups and sandwiches; a second outpost for Rex's Seafood Market; a second location of Bohemian Cafe, a Czech-style bakery; Boom Juice, fresh juices; and permanent locations for food trucks Nammi Vietnamese fusion and Coolhaus ice cream.

As of June 1, the Dallas Farmers Market will shift its focus almost exclusively to local produce vendors. Hours of operation will also be shortened, with the prospect of live entertainment Thursday nights from 4 to 9 p.m.