York Street reunion

Good 2 Go Taco owners Jeana Johnson and Colleen O'Hare snap up Watel's space

Well, that didn't take long. The space that held the recently closed Watel's — and, before it, York Street — has new occupants: Chefs Jeana Johnson and Colleen O'Hare, of Good 2 Go Taco, have grabbed the gem of a spot and will open a new restaurant there sometime in March.

The duo took possession of the space at 6047 Lewis Street this week and have already started renovations. They have a concept in mind but hope to wait until it gets closer to opening before sharing the details.

"I think this space has had a great life as a fine-dining spot. But we're going in a different direction," Johnson says.

"We introduced ourselves to the neighbors, and they said, 'Are you guys going to do what York Street and Watel's did?'" Johnson says. "That's not what we're going to do. I think this space has had a great life as a fine-dining spot. But we're going in a different direction."

Please not a hot dog place.

"It's not hot dogs," Johnson says. "We've had an idea and have literally been searching for a location for this concept for a couple of years. When the space became available, we knew immediately that would be the perfect home for it."

There's something cosmic about their taking possession, because O'Hare worked with chef Sharon Hage in the kitchen from 2003 to 2005, when it was still York Street.

"Colleen is familiar with the kitchen and knows the space by heart," Johnson says. "If I ask, 'Where's the light switch?' she'll say, 'Oh, it's right here.'"

It's a nice postscript after the chefs' departure from Acme F&B, the upscale restaurant-bar they opened off McKinney Avenue last year in partnership with Barcadia owner Brooke Humphries. And their gravitation toward this section of East Dallas close-in to downtown is another thumbs-up for an area that's seeing lots of new development.

"This has renewed my enthusiasm," Johnson says. "We're out there cleaning up the yard and really enjoying ourselves. Before, we would have been more likely to pay someone to do it. We were digging up a tree stump, and a neighbor came by and volunteered to help pull it out with his truck. It's such a great neighborhood."

Chefs Jeana Johnson (top) and Colleen O'Hare will debut a new concept in the old Watel's space.

Jeana Johnson and Colleen O'Hare of Acme F&B restaurant in Dallas

Photo courtesy of Acme FB

Chefs Jeana Johnson (top) and Colleen O'Hare will debut a new concept in the old Watel's space.

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Hummus News

Revered family-owned Mediterranean restaurant debuts in North Dallas

Samantha Marie Photography

Zon Zon food spread

An upscale Mediterranean restaurant is coming to North Dallas from a trusted name: Called Zon Zon, it'll open at 5455 Belt Line Rd. #130, in the Work/Shop center, and it's hospitality group Yela Concepts led by Yaser Khalaf (Darna, Baboush), together with his son Mak Khalef in their first collaboration.

According to a release, it'll open on December 22.

Named for Mak's sister Zaina (“Zon Zon”), the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner with a refined take on Mediterranean dining, rooted in tradition but with modern influences.

"We tried to merge what embodies Mediterranean cuisine with dishes that people in Dallas love," Mak says. "A lot of the dishes we have on menu are Mediterranean but have American and Texan influences."

Mezze favorites include hummus topped with green shatta and extra-virgin olive oil; baba ghanoush with charred eggplant, tahini, dukka, and pomegranate; crispy cauliflower with saffron labneh; tuna neya with tahini, mixed pickles, and Aleppo pepper; and kibbeh with ground lamb, onions, pine nuts, and dill labneh.

Salads include seared tuna salad with freekeh and golden beets; Tahini Caesar with tahini–Caesar dressing and za’atar croutons; and roasted beets with burrata, oranges, and pistachios.

Entrées include roasted chicken with garlic-batata and pomegranate jus; chicken shish kebab over saffron rice with almonds and raisins; hanger steak shawarma frites — a clever twist on steak frites with hand-cut fries; ZZ’s Wagyu cheeseburger with smoked provolone and house pickles; Prime ribeye with za’atar chimichurri and heirloom carrots; and apricot lamb couscous.

The beverage program complements the menu with a Mediterranean-focused wine list and creative cocktails such as the coffee-kissed Midnight Istanbul and ZZ’s Margarita, with burnt pineapple and ras el hanout.

Designed in collaboration with Dallas-based Coeval Studios, the restaurant features a 2,130-square-foot interior with an expansive 735-square-foot patio that seats 76, for a total occupancy near 100.

The restaurant boasts an open kitchen, while decorative finishes include modern woodwork, rich textures, and Middle Eastern-inspired details — stylish yet inviting, with a setting that feels like home.

“The inspiration behind Zon Zon came from wanting to create the kind of place we’ve always wished existed — a neighborhood Mediterranean spot that feels both familiar and exciting - we wanted to create a comfortable space where guests can meet up with friends or neighbors on a regular basis,” says Yaser in a statement.

Mak went to college to sudy biomedical engineering, but says he couldn't resist the lure of the restaurant world in which he grew up.

"Zon Zon is a reflection of everything we love about food," Mak says. "What makes this especially meaningful is building it with my dad — bringing our family’s story and passion to the table."

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