In 2024, Partner and Co-CEO of UNCO Sameer Patel discovered that he had cancer. He and Elias Pope’s North Texas-based hospitality group owns Leela’s, HERO, Culpepper, Standard Service, Milli, and the most health-driven of the bunch — HG Sply Co.
“My lymphoma diagnosis in early 2024 was a complete shock — I was young, healthy, and thought I was doing everything right,” Patel says in a statement. “HG Sply Co. has always had a health-conscious focus, and during treatment, it became my lifeline. But I found myself relying on just a handful of menu items.”
He says his experience inspired the team to completely reimagine the HG Sply Co. menu. The restaurant partnered with nutrition students from Texas Women’s University, vendors, and ranchers. They adjusted over 97 percent of the menu and introduced sustainably sourced, carefully selected ingredients. One of the first things to go? Seed oils. HG Sply Co. now only uses coconut oil. They’ve also minimized added sugars and are focusing on high-quality proteins. But they plan to keep improving.
“Since day one, we’ve wanted everyone to feel good about dining [at HG Sply Co.] — whether it’s a health-focused bowl with grilled chicken, sweet potato, and broccoli or a burger and fries. Everything starts with solid, transparent ingredients you can trust. Macros were just the beginning of that conversation,” HG Sply Co. Founder Elias Pope says. “We wanted to give anyone following an intentional eating plan the freedom to enjoy a high-energy, full-service experience without straying from their goals. We call it indulging wisely — proving you can enjoy great food without compromising your lifestyle.”
HG Sply Co.’s New Menu
The new menu, which can be found at all HG Sply Co. outposts (Dallas, Fort Worth, Alliance, and Trophy Club), still features a few favorites like the HG Chips & Queso made with vegan cashew queso, the Backyard Burger, and bison chili. Everything has just been amped up to be as healthy as possible. For example, the French fries (usually soaked in oil and refried before serving) are now hand-cut and water-blanched before frying. They are then steamed in a combi oven and cooled — minimizing excess oil. Guests will also notice that every single menu item includes the amounts of protein, fat, carbs, and calories, making dishes as transparent as possible.
One of the dishes HG evolved to be much healthier is the Kale Caesar Salad, formerly 609 calories. It’s now only 366 calories and has more protein and less fat. And, besides just having the “make your own bowl” section where you can mix and match proteins, veggies, and grains, the menu now offers an entire protein plate list featuring 12 options. These include chicken, seafood, beef, turkey, and even a few vegetarian proteins. Each comes with two sides featuring coconut cauliflower, Golden rice, mashed potatoes, and more.
I noticed during a recent visit that the crispy Brussels sprouts that I’ve always loved at HG Sply Co. have evolved to be less sweet, and they’re actually way better. The side features a perfect balance of sweet and savory with TX honey garlic dressing and chili flakes. I also enjoyed new starters like the salmon poke tacos and bison meatballs. The menu offers more options than ever, ensuring that guests will have something new to try on each visit if they want. I have my eye on the crispy chicken sandwich with honey mustard slaw for next time.
As for HG Sply Co’s popular cocktail menu, it has also been revamped to use only natural sweeteners. Favorites like the HG Mule now feature turbinado, while you’ll find other drinks utilizing local Sabine Creek raw honey and organic agave to give them their sweetness. There’s also now a dedicated portion of the drink menu that features cocktails, beer, and wine under 120 calories.
It’s a whole new healthy-eating world at HG Sply Co. and there’s a lot to explore. As eating cleaner is one of my own goals this year, I can vouch that sampling just a few dishes off the evolved menu has left me wanting to try much more.
In celebration of the new menu, HG Sply Co. is offering five winners free meals for the rest of the year. Winners will be announced on February 24. Participants can enter by sharing their stories on Instagram using the hashtag #LivingHG.