Steakhouse News

Del Frisco's to relocate North Dallas flagship steakhouse to new Uptown tower

Del Frisco's Restaurant Group has some changes in store: Its flagship steakhouse is on the move, and the company is opening another Dallas-Fort Worth branch of its more casual grill concept.

After 20 years, Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House will relocate from its North Dallas address to McKinney & Olive, a new development in Uptown Dallas. According to a release from Crescent Real Estate Equities, the steakhouse will be located at the main entrance on McKinney Avenue and will feature a two-story design with huge glass windows and a balcony overlooking a 1-acre park.

The move is targeted for 2016; until that time, the steakhouse will remain open at its current location on Spring Valley Road.

The new branch will feature views of Uptown and downtown Dallas, as well as a dining experience enhanced by McKinney & Olive's piazza and gathering space filled with umbrella-covered tables, park benches and water features. The park and surrounding grounds will be designed by landscape architect Jim Burnett of Klyde Warren Park fame.

"The move from North Dallas to Uptown for the Double Eagle is all about evolving the brand and showcasing more options and modern amenities while still sticking to the concept's rich heritage and tradition," said Del Frisco's Restaurant Group CEO Mark S. Mednansky.

Designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, McKinney & Olive is a 20-story office tower located on a 3.1-acre site near the Rosewood Crescent Hotel and Ritz-Carlton, Dallas. Crescent Real Estate Equities will announce other restaurants and a coffee hub at a later date.

Meanwhile, another branch of Del Frisco's Grille will open in Plano, at the Shops at Legacy district, in summer 2015. It will take over the space at 7200 Bishop Rd. that was once occupied by D'Hierro Furniture, which has been vacant for some time.

The first Del Frisco's Grille opened in December 2011 on McKinney Avenue, offering creative twists on classic comfort food and shareable dishes such as cheesesteak egg rolls and tuna tacos. Since then, 15 locations have opened around the country, from Santa Monica Pier to Rockefeller Center in New York.

The Del Frisco's Grille in Plano will be the fourth in the North Texas market, joining Uptown, Southlake and Fort Worth.

Del Frisco's is relocating its flagship Double Eagle Steak House to the upcoming McKinney & Olive in Uptown.

Photo by Craig D. Blackmon

Del Frisco's is relocating its flagship Double Eagle Steak House to the upcoming McKinney & Olive in Uptown.

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Omakase News

Downtown Dallas restaurant Sauvage expands with new dining twist

Sauvage

A downtown Dallas restaurant famous for its multi-course tasting experience is letting its hair down: Sauvage, the high-end mom-and-pop restaurant near the Statler Dallas hotel, has a new dining option that gives a smaller, more casual taste.

The restaurant opened in September with a set menu featuring 16 to 18 courses — wild game, seafood, vegetables, and dessert — all cooked via grill and smoker.

While 16 courses might sound like a lot, the courses are mostly small bites. However, owners Casey and Amy LaRue received feedback from diners wanting a smaller option.

"We were getting a ton of messages from guests who want to stop by just to try one dish, a bite, or a specific pairing without committing to the full tasting — so we built something for exactly that," Casey says.

They've introduced a new three-course "Cocktails & Bites hour" featuring three dishes, each paired with its own cocktail, served from 5–6 pm on weekdays.

Last week’s menu consisted of:

dry-aged red snapper crudo with La Chinola Way, a cocktail featuring passionfruit, mezcal, lime, and ginger
foie gras & truffle on house-baked croissant with Pendennis Club, a gin sour with apricot liqueur bitters
jerk-spiced shrimp with Clarified Paper Plane, a bourbon cocktail with Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and lemon juice

The new offering continues their pattern of pairing courses with cocktails rather than wine — an approach they've embraced since opening. "Limiting pairings to wine can get boring — it so often ends up being one expensive red after another," Casey says.

You can make a reservation on Tock, or just walk in and grab a seat.

Caviar
They've also added a new version of their classic menu: no caviar.

"Some love having caviar integrated into the menu, but others prefer to skip it, whether for taste or dietary reasons, but still want the full value of the experience," Casey says. "With such a small counter, this put us in a strange position: do we give everyone caviar whether they want it or not, or do we remove it entirely and lose a core part of our menu?"

Thus, a new menu without caviar, priced at $195, with an optional caviar course available for those who want it for $245.

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