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    Restaurant Rumblings

    John Tesar lands in another kitchen after big switch-up at Design District restaurant

    Teresa Gubbins
    Jan 23, 2015 | 1:43 pm

    Design District restaurant Oak has undergone a chef switch-up, with one chef making a hasty exit and another colorful chef entering with a partnership stake.

    Chef Brian Zenner, who has been with the restaurant for more than three years, is leaving to work with a team known for its presence in the club scene. He's being replaced by chef John Tesar, who joins in the role of chef-partner, wherein he will oversee the kitchen while leading and training the culinary team.

    "We are confident that this partnership will bring to Oak the experience we have always wanted to offer," says Richard Ellman, who owns Oak with his wife, Tiffanee.

    Tesar, who is currently chef at Knife at the Highland Dallas hotel, says his role there will not alter in any way.

    "You'll continue to still see me there plenty, and Knife will continue doing the incredible business that it has been doing, ensuring every customer has a great experience," he says. "We love being at the Highland and nothing about that will be any different."

    Tesar will unroll new menu items by mid-February.

    Zenner is going to work with Chris Beardon and Adam Salazar, who own the quirky candy-shop-fronted Truth & Alibi bar in Deep Ellum and The Mitchell in downtown Dallas. They also plan to open a bar-restaurant in Deep Ellum called On Premise.

    Zenner met Beardon and Salazar after they hired his friend Rudy Mendoza to chef at The Mitchell, their bar that opened in a space on Main Street that has seen the comings and goings of Prohibition and the Chesterfield.

    Zenner says he was starting to feel burned out on fine dining. "Oak has been a good spot, but once Belly & Trumpet closed, I suppose I lost steam," he says.

    "On Premise is in the old Lemongrass spot, and it's really neat inside. It has a great patio in the back and a really big kitchen with big wok burners. So I'll probably do some wok dishes, some street vendor food, for the late-night drinking crowd.

    "Right now I want to stay away from formal fine dining and go where it's more relaxed."

    Chef John Tesar is adding Oak to his restaurant plate.

    Dallas chef John Tesar of Spoon restaurant
      
    Photo courtesy of John Tesar
    Chef John Tesar is adding Oak to his restaurant plate.
    unspecified
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    Downtown News

    Breakfast lunch cafe opens in one of downtown Dallas' nicest buildings

    Teresa Gubbins
    Jun 25, 2025 | 5:18 pm
    Boxed & Brewed
    Monika Normand Creative LLC
    Sandwich and wrap from Boxed & Brewed

    There's a new grab-and-go café now open in one of the coolest buildings in downtown Dallas. Called Boxed & Brewed, it's located inside the historic U.S. Post Office building at 400 N. Ervay St. #175, where it's serving boxed lunches, breakfast sandwiches, croissants, and premium coffee, for downtown workers and residents.

    According to a release, Boxed & Brewed is a new concept from Boxwood Hospitality Group (Boxwood Catering) that reimagines the classic "boxed lunch" experience with a menu designed by chef Justo Blanco, a Dallas native whose resume includes Scene Restaurant, The Statler, The Joule, and Bolsa Mercado.

    "We created Boxed & Brewed to meet the demands of a fast-paced workday without sacrificing the kind of food people feel good about eating," says Boxwood Hospitality Group co-founder and CEO Lynn Bain in a statement. “It’s a space designed for efficiency, but grounded in hospitality, flavor and quality."

    Chef Blanco, who is Boxwood's director of food & beverage, says their goal is "convenience without compromise," stating "we’ve taken the time to craft dishes that travel well, taste fresh, and still offer the kind of culinary detail you’d expect from a sit-down meal."

    Open Monday-Friday from 7 am-2 pm, Boxed & Brewed offers a refined menu that includes the following:

    • Breakfast tacos
    • Housemade croissants, kougin amann, muffins, and rice krispie treats
    • Coffee, espresso, and matcha drinks
    • Sandwiches such as Mediterranean chicken wrap, curried veggie goat cheese wrap, smoked turkey sandwich (with cheddar, arugula, and chipotle on a ciabatta), served with a side and their signature chocolate chip cookie bar
    • Salad boxes such as Greek, spinach (with beets, goat cheese, and pumpkin seed vinaigrette), and chicken Cobb (with bleu cheese, bacon, egg, grape tomato, and ranch dressing)

    Sides include quinoa and lentils with cucumber; Caesar with parmesan shavings and brioche crouton; and Orzo Puttanesca with tomato, Kalamata olive, and parsley. Prices are $12 to $15.

    The café offers online ordering for individual orders as well as catering for office lunches and events.

    Originally constructed in 1929, the United States Post Office and Courthouse is one of the most significant architectural buildings in Texas and is a registered historic national landmark. It was renovated in 2007 by Todd Interests, then purchased and updated by Wolfe Investments in 2021.

    The cafe location was previously home to a similar daytime cafe called Hospitality Sweet, which closed in 2024 after 10 years in the space.

    Boxed & BrewedBoxed & BrewedMonika Normand Creative LLC

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