Coronavirus News

Wolfgang Puck restaurant at Dallas' Reunion Tower gone for good

In addition to sushi and Asian food, Five Sixty had excellent desserts.

Photo courtesy of Five Sixty

In what is easily one of the most high-profile concepts to be felled by the coronavirus, the downtown Dallas restaurant from celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck has closed.

According to a release, Five Sixty By Wolfgang Puck, the upscale Asian restaurant that sits atop Reunion Tower, is closing not just for the duration of the pandemic, but permanently.

A release says that, "with the closure of Reunion Tower due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been decided that Five Sixty restaurant will remain closed to undergo scheduled improvements. Given this extended closure, in combination with the unknown timeline due to the Coronavirus, Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck will not reopen."

In a statement, chef/owner Wolfgang Puck says, "I am very proud of the dining experience we created at Five Sixty and the talented team who have worked so hard for us over these past 11 years. We are grateful to our loyal clients and to the Dallas community for their support."

Five Sixty opened in early 2009 in the city's most distinctive dining room, inside the landmark tower encased in flickering lights. The dining room had always been a special occasion place, but having famed L.A. chef Wolfgang Puck in Dallas was a coup.

It was his first restaurant in Dallas, but he was no stranger in town, having done consulting in the 80's for the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek and the Crescent.

He and a partner spent $23 million gutting and redesigning what was previously the fine-dining restaurant Antares. The name "Five Sixty" was chosen in a poll, and came from its placement at 560 feet over Dallas.

The restaurant's Asian-inspired food excelled, with everything from steak to sushi. The chef team included the acclaimed sushi master Hiroyuki "Fuji" Fujino, a native of Japan who'd worked with Puck since the 80's.

A number of excellent chefs worked there during its reign, including Sara Johannes, Jacob Williamson, and Patton Robertson. In addition, they maintained a superb pastry program with dedicated pastry chefs such as Isla Vargas, Erika Lucio, and Lina Biancamano of Top Chef: Just Desserts fame.

The restaurant was also noted for its festive annual celebration of Chinese New Year, with an innovative special menu introduced every year.

The closure is a major loss.

The release says that Reunion Tower's GeO-Deck indoor/outdoor observation deck will reestablish guest visiting hours as soon as permitted by local and state officials.

Puck still maintains a presence in the Dallas market through his Wolfgang Puck Catering operations, including in-home and on-location events and in the following venues: Union Station, Perot Museum of Nature & Science, Nasher Sculpture Center, AT&T Performing Arts Center, and The Theatre at Grand Prairie.

closings

Deep Ellum News

Mexican 'vibe' restaurant from California to open in Deep Ellum Dallas

Mama Por Dios

A buzzy concept from California is coming to Dallas: Mama Por Dios, a Mexican restaurant chain known for its vibe, will open its first location in Texas in Deep Ellum in the Epic development at 2525 Elm St., taking over the former La Neta space, which shuttered in May.

According to a spokesperson, the restaurant will open in early to mid-January.

Mama Por Dios was founded in Southern California in 2020 by chef Misael Guerrero, who famously got his start selling Mexican sushi out of his garage.

Since those early days, he's gone on to form a restaurant empire called Emme Group, with concepts that include Los Amores de Julia, El Rincon de Los Dolidos, and Culichi Town, a lower-priced chain known for Sinaloa-style Mexican sushi & seafood, which has a local presence: It opened a location in Mesquite in 2022.

Mama Por Dios — which translates to "Mother of God" — describes itself as modern Mexican, offering a unique blend of steakhouse, sushi bar, and seafood. The menu includes favorites like tacos and enchiladas, alongside luxe dishes like lobster with spaghetti, lobster enchiladas, and a surf & turf featuring a lobster tail balanced atop a skirt steak. Prices range from $18 for birria tacos to $48 for a bacon-wrapped filet mignon with mashed potatoes and asparagus.

But they also have a showy side that includes flamboyant presentations such as the bacon-wrapped shrimp which come strung on clothespins; or the trompito al pastor, served on a personal spit, as well as servers who walk around with shots while dancing with patrons.

There's a Gold Burger for $65 featuring Prime beef on a brioche bun garnished with 24k gold leaf, and a similarly gilded tomahawk steak for $400 that brings to mind the good old days of Salt Bae. Decor is swanky with low lighting, and there'll be a serious brunch offering on weekends.

Cocktails such as the Al Agua Pato — served in a mini bathtub with a rubber ducky — are made for Instagram. They offer margarita and mezcalita flights with flavors such as mango, tamarindo, and strawberry, and intriguing sips like Carajillo, a Spanish cocktail with Licor 43, espresso, and 43 different fruit, citrus, aromatic, and herbal ingredients.

There’s also a $20 per-person minimum spend, and the menu comes with a warning that everything is cooked to order — meaning some dishes may take 30 to 40 minutes. For many diners, waiting will surely be part of the experience.

deep-ellum tex-mex openings