Wine Bar News

Dallas' newest wine bar will take Oak Cliff spot known for killer patio

There'll be wine by the glass, bottle, and case.

Photo courtesy of III Forks

Wine bars are a big thing in Dallas right now, and here comes one headed to Oak Cliff: Called Beckley 1115, it's a new concept going into the old Victor Hugo's space at 1115 N. Beckley Ave.

Founder Sharon Van Meter, who oversees the 3015 at Trinity Groves event space, plans to open in August.

"Beckley 1115 is going to be a great wine bar, where you will be able to get wine by the glass, bottle, or case, with locally focused food," she says.

Victor Hugo's closed in May due to COVID-19, after being in that location for nearly seven years. Beckley 1115 will mirror Victor Hugo's hours, open for lunch and dinner, with brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

"One of the things I love about the location is the incredible patio, and I want to do more to develop the outdoor space," she says.

That includes the addition of a garden as well as the installation of a large showpiece wooden table for "chef in the garden" dinner events, spotlighting local chefs doing chef-driven wine dinners.

She's also recruited chef Diana Zamora, to partner on a unique dessert option inspired by one of her favorite haunts in New York.

"There' a place near NYU called Chika-Licious, it's this street-side counter that only seats seven people, where you can sit down and have a three-course dessert tasting menu," Van Meter says. "People go there late at night and do three courses of pastries with bubbles. I just love that little place, I go there every time I go to New York, and Diana Zamora is such a talented pastry chef, it would be great to feature her desserts."

She says her wine selection will be "all over the place," from an inexpensive glass to a $300 bottle for celebration, and will definitely include labels from Texas.

She'll have wine on tap and also a small market where people can buy wine by the bottle.

Wine bars may be a trend, but they're also a personal favorite.

"I've always loved wine bars," she says. "Who doesn't love going to a great bar that surprises you with wine options where you can have outstanding food? That's what I hope to do."

wine

Chef Collaboration

Michelin-starred Indian chef cooks up 3-night event at Jashan in Plano

Photo courtesy of Chef Atul Kochhar

Chef Atul Kochhar will spend three evenings cooking at Jashan in Plano.

A two-time Michelin-starred chef is coming to Plano for a three-night culinary collaboration: Chef Atul Kochhar will visit Jashan in The Shops at Legacy East on October 3-5 for three very different dinners, each featuring fine Indian cuisine.

Kochhar made culinary history as the first Indian chef to earn a Michelin star in 2001, when London's Tamarind received the honor. He later opened Benares in London, which earned a Michelin star in 2007.

His visit to Jashan has a personal connection for Jashan’s chef, founder, and president Prasanna Singaraju, who has long admired Kochhar and counts him as inspiration for his own restaurant. The two chefs will now be sharing a kitchen together.

According to a release, the three-day collaboration will include the following events:

Night one, Saturday, October 3: The visiting Chef Kochhar will take the helm to create a seven-course tasting dinner for guests, replacing Jashan's signature Jashan 101 and Taste of India tasting menus for the night. Tickets are $140.

Night two, Sunday, October 4: At 10 Hands - The Sunday Supper, five chefs will prove that many cooks in the kitchen can be a good thing.The dinner will be prepared by Singaraju along with Kochhar, Akshraj Jodha, Ashish Bhasin, and Ramesh Thangaraj - chefs who represent various generations and backgrounds. The dinner is limited to 60 guests and will be designed to share, to celebrate the communal nature of Indian dining. Tickets are $160.

Night three, Monday, October 5: Monday’s meal will be a much quieter, more intimate affair, with chefs Kochhar and Singaraju cooking for just 20 guests. The night’s theme Dil Se, which in English means “from the heart,” reflects the admiration and respect the chefs have for one another, they say. Singaraju says Kochhar, in particular, helped inspire him to run a restaurant where the food “is inseparable from memory, culture and connection." Tickets are $225.

Jashan's owner and chef Singaraju Jashan's owner and chef Prasanna Singaraju welcomes one of his idols to share his kitchen for three nights in October. Photo is courtesy of Jashan

Jashan is at 7401 Lone Star Dr., B120, at The Shops at Legacy East in Plano.

More information and reservations for the collaborative dinners can be found on the restaurant's website.

chef atul kochhar dinner indian food jashan michelin award winning plano restaurants