Unicorn News

Magical unicorn dessert shop in Dallas' Deep Ellum moves to bigger new digs

OMG that cake is sooo adorable.

After an unprecedentedly robust debut in Deep Ellum, the unicorn-loving Magical Dessert Bar is moving to a new location.

The whimsical, fantastical dessert shop first opened at 2646 Elm St., next door to its ice cream-themed sibling Chills 360, in a small storefront that runs along the alley connecting Main and Elm Streets, almost as a whim.

Owner Javi Bubar said when they opened that their goal was to bring something new to Dallas. "We do a lot of travel and we saw a similar concept in Bangkok and thought it would well received in Dallas," she said.

Magical Dessert Bar featured desserts in unicorn colors, with unicorn cakes, milkshakes, boba tea, cupcakes, cake pops, and lemonades in different flavors like mango, pomegranate, and berry-berry, in decorative colors.

They soon learned that the appetite for unicorns is real. Real crazy. You only need to visit the shop's Facebook page to see the comments from eager fans, begging and pleading for shops in their own towns, fervently asking about hours, or flying in from Houston, Waco, and even New Mexico, just for a slice of colorful cake and the opportunity to pose in front of the unicorn mural painted on the wall and capture a special Instagram moment.

The appetite is so big that a second shop is slated to open in Houston, also in early March.

At 500 square feet and with no seating, the original shop in Deep Ellum quickly became overwhelmed by the mobs that descended, and they closed in early February.

"We had absolutely no seating, and with the summer coming and 100-plus degrees weather, we thought, 'How are customers going to wait and sit outside, especially with kids?'" Babar says. "So we decided to move now."

Their new spot is also in Deep Ellum, just a few blocks away, in a storefront at 3408 Main St.

"It's a 2500-square-foot space, which will give us the opportunity to create a more exciting product line and more interactive experiences," Babar says. "We are going to have the same menu as we had here plus more, because now we will have a huge seating space."

The new bigger space also gives them the option to host birthday parties and other private events, which have been a huge request item from customers.

Their target opening is mid March, possibly March 9 — the day the unicorns return.

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Escargot News

New all-day French bistro in downtown Rockwall is all from scratch

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Belle View Bistro Rockwall

An all-day French bistro has made its debut in Rockwall: Called Belle Vie Bistro, it’s a new mom-and-pop in the charming historic downtown district, at 112 E. Rusk St., the former home of The Fatted Calf restaurant, where it opened its doors on November 12.

Belle Vie is from Luis and Iliana Marquez, a hard-working couple who also own Los Marquez, a popular taco--themed food-truck-turned-restaurant in Rockwall they first debuted in 2019. In May, the couple took over the former Fat Chicken space to open a brick and mortar location of Los Marquez, where they serve well-made Mexican food like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, but also burgers & fries. They open for breakfast with breakfast tacos, and run a daily lunch special, often creative, always popular, such as birria ramen with choice of beef or lamb for $11.

But the couple had a bigger vision of creating a place where chef Luis could stretch and showcase his skills.

"Luis has a lot of culinary experience, and it’s something that he’s been putting aside,” Iliana says. “We were just waiting on the perfect time to bring this to life.”

"This is something exciting and new for us, it’s something that we always wanted to make,” Luis says.

Like Los Marquez, Belle Vie is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serving classics like French onion soup, moules frites, escargot, and duck confit. There are also comforting and American dishes like spinach-artichoke dip, crab cakes, and fish & chips.

Lunch features Cobb salad, a French dip, and chicken & Brie panini, while an extended breakfast -- which runs from 7 am to 4 pm — includes pancakes, waffles, eggs benedict, beignets French toast, and crepes, plus pastries and breads made from scratch.

Mural on the wall at Belle Vie Bistro RockwallFacebook

The bakery counter is a delight, with eclairs, croissants, scones, fruit tarts, and cake slices in flavors like carrot cake and white chocolate raspberry. There's also a serious coffee program with espresso drinks such as lattes.

"We pride ourselves on making everything from scratch," the duo says. "Our bread—whether for sandwiches, paninis, hamburgers or anything listed on our menu is made fresh just for us by our incredibly talented pastry chef and baker. The same care goes into our pastries and desserts ensuring every bite is special and crafted with love."

The dining room is warm and cozy with dark wood chairs and plush booths and a full-wall mural depicting a street in Paris. They also have a full bar, with cocktails and beer on tap. Prices are reasonable, ranging from $9 for a Belgian waffle during breakfast to $45 for prime ribeye at dinner.

For now, they're not taking reservations — it's first come, first serve.

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