Cocktail News

Downtown Dallas hotel to reopen underground bar with cocktail king Gabe Sanchez

Gabe doing what Gabe does.

Photo courtesy of Midnight Rambler

One of Dallas' most popular food & beverage professionals is back behind the bar: Gabe Sanchez, formerly of Black Swan Saloon in Deep Ellum, is headed for the Joule Dallas. According to a release, he'll spearhead the reopening of Midnight Rambler, the hotel's subterranean bar, while expanding the hotel's cocktail program overall.

Sanchez sold Black Swan Saloon, a Deep Ellum institution and a leading light on the local cocktail scene, in November after nearly 10 years.

Virginia Acosta, general manager of The Joule, says in a statement that they contacted Sanchez as soon as they heard that he'd closed his bar.

"A talent like him is rare and we’re very proud that he’s joined our team with so much creative enthusiasm for bringing back Midnight Rambler," she says.

Named for a Rolling Stones song, Midnight Rambler debuted in 2014, taking over the cool subterranean space previously occupied by the glitzy PM Lounge, which closed in 2012. The Rambler has always been a craft cocktail temple and has won numerous local and national awards.

It's currently closed to the public due to COVID-19, but is available for parties, cocktail classes, and other private events.

Sanchez' background includes Las Vegas night clubs such as Baby's at the Hard Rock Hotel, Tao at the Venetian, and Rain Nightclub at the Palms Hotel and Casino. He was recruited by W hotel in 2006 as part of the opening team at Ghostbar before leaving to open Black Swan Saloon.

He'll be general manager of Midnight Rambler and will work on reimagining the cocktail program in anticipation of its reopening in spring 2021.

According to SideDish, some of those cocktails may be reminiscent of things he's done at Black Swan. But his priority, he says in a statement, is to focus on service, and he praises Midnight Rambler for its like-minded vibe.

"Of course the cocktails themselves are important, but I think the most important part of a bar experience is to make people feel comfortable and wanted," he says. "With bartenders, it’s part of the whole process — an intimate sort of give and take."

In addition to Midnight Rambler, Sanchez will create cocktail programs for other outlets of The Joule, including the Lobby Bar, CBD Provisions, and Sassetta, which is taking over the old Americana space, and which the release predicts will be downtown's next destination dining experience.

Prior to the spring reopening, Sanchez will host a limited series of private cocktail classes. The first — exploring rye whiskey — is already sold out, but there are more to come. To get on the first-access list for future ticketed classes, sign up for emails updates at 1530main.com. And to reserve a private event, email events@thejouledallas.com.

downtown cocktails

Sushi News

Frisco sushi restaurant Hinoki does a slimmed-down twist on omakase

Thanin Viriyaki

Hinoki

A new sushi restaurant has debuted in Frisco with a mini version of omakase: Called Hinoki, it's open for lunch and dinner at 8050 Preston Rd. #106, in a space previously occupied by another short-lived Asian restaurant called Imura, and is serving seafood both raw and cooked.

Hinoki is from chef Leo Kekoa, who previously worked for the acclaimed Nobu chain and who also owns the popular Kinzo Sushi in north Frisco, which he opened in 2022 to bring omakase to Frisco.

Omakase is the dining experience in which the chef prepares a multi-course tasting menu of small bites made to order, often at a premium price. While omakase has no set number of dishes, it usually ranges from 10 to 20 courses depending on how excessive the chef/restaurant is.

Hinoki offers a six-course menu they describe as omakase for $75. It's a starter version that rotates but usually includes a sushi course, oyster topped with caviar, soup, galbi, and mochi dessert. The restaurant also has a regular a la carte menu featuring sushi, hot items, and composed bentos boxes for lunch.

Hinoki sushi HinokiThanin Viriyaki

"Kinzo is my fine-dining omakase restaurant," Kekoa says. "Hinoki is designed as its more casual counterpart — still rooted in discipline and detail, but more accessible."

Kekoa created the menu but he says it’s a team effort, with two veteran chefs: Chikau "Harry" Kikuchi, who brings 25-plus years of experience to the sushi counter (he and Kekoa worked together at Nobu); and chef Sachiko Hashimoto presiding over the hot line and overseeing the preparation of Hinoki's home-style and regional Japanese dishes.

No sushi restaurant can ignore basics like the spicy tuna roll, California roll, dragon roll, and shrimp tempura roll, but Hinoki also has a few of distinctive rolls such as the Kumo roll with crab, avocado, and chipotle aioli, wrapped in soy paper, which has a pleasing texture that's a little more toothsome than the standard crisp seaweed wrapper.

There are creative bowls as the Sake Dashi, featuring sushi-grade raw salmon, Asian pear, crushed marcona almonds, yuzu shirodashi, and truffle oil; and hot dishes such as miso black cod, teriyaki salmon, and Kushiyaki skewers with chicken thigh, kurobuta sausage, and shishito pepper. Most items average about $20.

Kekoa calls his lunch offering "honest and efficient."

"We’re bringing back the Japanese bento [referring to the cute boxed lunch with compartments for courses], such as our chirashi bento with fish, sushi rolls, and seaweed salad," he says.

Hinoki also has a full bar with sake, wine, beer, and cocktails.

Kekoa lives in Frisco and is bullish on his hometown.

"With Universal Studios on the way and PGA nearby, I believe this city deserves a neighborhood sushi spot done right," he says. "I want Hinoki to bring fine-dining service at a price more people can enjoy."

openings