Uptown Bar News

Can an Uptown Dallas cocktail bar blow your mind? This one’s gonna try.

Tipsy Alchemist in Uptown Dallas aims to blow your mind with cocktails.

Photo courtesy of Tipsy Alchemist

An exciting new bar with mixology in its mission will take over the space in Uptown Dallas once occupied by Dee Lincoln's Bubble Bar, at 2101 Cedar Springs Rd. Lincoln has partnered up with a young but experienced hospitality team that includes bar owners and a veteran bartender.

Called The Tipsy Alchemist, the bar's expressed purpose is "to blow your mind with elevated cocktails through science, art, and technique while giving you what you didn't know you wanted."

That includes cocktails, champagne by the glass, and a full makeover, with an enclosed patio open all year round. It has a target opening date of May.

Lincoln is joined by SBBC Group, the team behind hot-spots such as Truth & Alibi and Punk Society, and Stephen "Scuba" Underhill, who has tended bar at a number of bars around Dallas including Avenu Lounge.

"We at SBBC Group are extremely excited to partner up with Dee," says SBBC principal Chris Beardon. "We're just wanting to bring something unique and interesting to Dallas."

That will include some fun fire and brimstone, with a molecular component to the cocktails.

Lincoln has hit a few bumps in Uptown. She opened the Bubble Bar in 2011, as a second branch of a champagne-focused concept that debuted at Cowboys Stadium. She also opened, then closed, her Steak & Burger Bar nearby.

The Bubble Bar was a champagne-sipper's dream, with high-tech Enomatic machines that allowed customers to sample different sized pours. But she closed it in 2014 and transformed it into a private events space.

Tipsy will make good use of those Enomatics, Beardon says.

"We will have high-end wines and champagne by the glass, which you can get one-third, one-half, or full glass," he says. "It's great for toasting with friends on special occasions without having to buy a full bottle."

As seen at Truth & Alibi, this is a team that outfits a space with panache. They're giving it a full makeover, with a bar that incorporates the look of an old science lab, and lounge furniture that Beardon describes as comfortable and elegant.

"We see it as a place to gather for a corporate happy hour, or late-night cocktails and music with friends," he says. "We'll also offer a dessert menu for the 'after dinner' crowd."

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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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