Deep Ellum Continues to Play the Restaurant ‘Hunger Games’ as Two New Spots Open

Deep Ellum Continues to Play the Restaurant ‘Hunger Games’ as Two New Spots Open

There’s also a new Hawaiian spot in Old East Dallas, Tim Love’s croquet bar in Fort Worth, and all-you-can-eat sushi in Plano.

One goes out and another goes in — or, hey, there’s yet another new restaurant in Deep Ellum opening where a previously new restaurant, in this case Postino, closed. Now, Omaha’s Flagship Restaurant Group is taking its chance in the neighborhood with a restaurant serving what it describes as Tex-Asian fare. Look for Thai curry fries with chili mayo, banh mi cheesesteaks, a nod to a fast food titan in the KFC Crispy Chicken Sandwich with matcha chile crisp, and Galbi short ribs. In addition to lunch and dinner, Palma will also serve brunch with options including five-spice beignets, chicken tinga chilaquiles, and a kimchi fried rice omelette. Per the press release, this is “the first outpost of Phoenix’s beloved botanical-inspired sanctuary,” so it’s got, you know, plants and light inside. There is now a patio, and while the press release notes that it features a fireplace, it does not mention any sun covers, air conditioning, or misters. Welcome to Texas, y’all.

Right next door to Palma, and from the same hospitality group, is a new mezcal and tequila bar. It offers curated flights and a long menu of mezcals and tequilas — and the words “Casa Migos” are nowhere to be found, so we don’t hate it. There are also creative cocktails, like the Pistelero (Espolòn blanco tequila, ancho reyes verde, roasted poblano, and pineapple sherbet) and the Highland Picnic (Koch elemental mezcal, terralta reposado tequila, yuzu, agave, and egg white). There are also zero-proof options and frozen cocktails, along with a short list of bar bites, including chips and salsa, tacos, and quesadillas. Happy hour looks extremely limited, and you won’t be able to try any of those cool-sounding cocktails during it, but it runs from Monday to Saturday, from opening at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday until 8 p.m. and all day Sunday. Don’t do a double-take when you enter — yes, that is a life-sized stuffed donkey.

Chef Tim Love makes a splash for summer with what he dubs “a country club for the people.” We call it a cocktail bar with croquet. Whichever description you prefer, Love was influenced by British clubs from the previous century, where folks could get a nice Pimm’s Cup and have a civilized afternoon of games and day drinking. The bar food is fancy, including a Silver Fin (Royal Ossetra caviar served with six chilled Grey Goose shots), caviar bumps, Texas blue crab cakes, a lobster roll, and zucchini carpaccio. Guests can order pretty much whatever they want to drink, but the highlight of Stewart’s is the martini cart, from which bartenders make the tableside martini of your dreams with nearly endless options using “a bespoke blend of dry vermouths and a selection of six custom bitters,” according to a press release. Finish with two olives or a twist, it’s all up to you.

Dallas simply doesn’t have enough Hawaiian food, and Pine Isle is here to solve the problem. Here, find pork lau lau, barbecue chicken, Spam musubi, poke bowls, and salads in both regular, single-sized servings or by the pound for catering orders, poke nachos, miso salmon, and garlic shrimp — along with many other items, and all the plates come with rice and a macaroni salad coated with papaya seed dressing. This is a takeaway-only spot, and well worth a visit.

A cute new Korean spot is open in West Dallas, just outside of Love Field. Yobu’s feature item is a fried tofu skin used to make sushi-like rolls filled with fried rice and toppings, including beef bulgogi, butter crab, raw or torched salmon, spicy pork, tuna, and more. Pair a box with a vibrantly colored cup of guava ade, lemonade, mango ade, kiwi Ade, strawberry ade, or Korean iced coffee. This tiny location has a few tables but appears to be mostly geared towards takeout.

Cuisine from Nepal and India is on the menu at this new establishment in Richardson. The Himalayan chicken curry, salmon vindaloo, saag lamb, and paneer tikka are already winning rave reviews. It also offers Himalayan goat curry, several options for naan, a mixed grill plate, and chow mein in vegetarian and non-vegetarian plates. The small, cozy spot has a homey vibe, with black tablecloths and intimate seating.

Plano welcomes a Latin-inspired restaurant and cocktail lounge that’s open for late-night antics. Owned by Giza “Gigi” Mayorga, who waited tables for a decade before finally opening her own place, the eponymous venue will serve street tacos and machete-style quesadillas made with roasted chicken, Tajin-spiced shrimp, carnitas, and chili-rubbed skirt steak. Bar-goers can enjoy small plates of chicken wings, tostadas, yuca con chicharrón, and skewers of beef or chicken, accompanied by dipping sauces such as chimichurri and crema. For bigger plates, it has a Guatemalan rotisserie half-chicken, spicy citrus-glazed sea bass, and roasted beef filet medallions — all served with variations on mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables. On the cocktail menu, find light twists on established cocktails, like the espresso martini, Old Fashioned, and ranch water. It is open until 2 a.m. nightly with DJs and entertainment. And, there is brunch on the weekends.

Looking for all-you-can-eat sushi? A new restaurant in Plano is offering exactly that, including all-you-can-eat appetizers, sushi, sashimi, hot stone bowls, yubu, hibachi, and more. It offers all the expected rolls, nigri, cuts of sashimi, and even sushi towers. The price for all-you-can-eat is on a scale that starts at $22.95.

An old-school Dallas favorite for folks who like beer and live music has returned (kind of) at the Grandscape in The Colony. Owner Richard Rawlings, who revived the Gas Monkey brand, has opened this spot with a massive outside courtyard, where folks can expect pizza, smashburgers, chicken wings, beers, and to see Rawlings, who is the star of the Discovery Channel’s Fast N’ Loud, filming for his YouTube channel. There will, of course, also be live music and other entertainment. It offers lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch services.