Shocking News
Preston Hollow restaurant succumbs to challenges at flawed Dallas site
In one of the less shocking bits of dining news, Dish Preston Hollow, the Houston's-aspiring restaurant from Tim McEneny, has closed.
Moment of silence.
McEneny issued a statement saying that as of January 2, he'd decided to cease operation "due to unresolvable concerns with our building and location."
The Preston Hollow restaurant was a spinoff of the original Dish on Cedar Springs Road, which had its own set of challenges. McEneny closed that location in 2016.
But the Preston Hollow address at 8611 Hillcrest Ave. was always iffy. It began as Soleo, a nicely appointed Mexican restaurant opened in 2012 by members of the Velasquez family, which runs the El Paisa chain of fast-casual taquerias. It got pretty good reviews but never found an audience, and more importantly, the building had serious parking restrictions, with a non-visible parking garage and only a few spaces on the street. They shut it down in 2014.
When McEneny took over the space, he attributed Soleo's lack of success to the fact that there was an El Fenix nearby. At the time, he acknowledged that its parking limitations represented a potential obstacle to a Dallas audience that won't stop unless it sees drive-up parking spots in front.
"I think it's a B-plus location," he said. "But we're offering free valet."
The restaurant did an okay lunch but not so much for dinner — a plight shared by other businesses at that center such as Elevation Burger, which also had a tough time and closed in 2013. Daytime businesses such as a hair salon and a Top Pot Doughnuts have done better.
McEneny has since opened Jalisco Norte, a Mexican restaurant at Turtle Creek Village. "We're incredibly grateful to the many guests that have dined at DISH Preston Hollow over the years and we look forward to seeing friends of the restaurant at our other concepts, those now open and coming soon to the city," he says.
