City News

Spotty address on Dallas' Ross Avenue welcomes new pink palace restaurant

The food seems like it'll be good.

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An unusual restaurant and lounge has opened along the Ross Avenue corridor leading into downtown Dallas in a space with a spotty past. Called XOXO Dining Room, it's opening at 3121 Ross Ave., a location most previously occupied by Republic Ranch.

XOXO is a mishmash, encompassing a dining room with a pink color scheme, and a "speakeasy" cocktail lounge with DJs on weekends.

A release says that managing partner Maria Lagios is taking her cues from Sketch London, a tea room and lounge noted for its pink dining room. XOXO follows suit with an eye-catching pink exterior paint job and Barbie-pink seating inside. Each booth has "press for champagne" doorbells, a feature that should be mandatory at every restaurant and bar.

Lagios says she feels fortunate to still be able to open and share her vision with the Dallas community even during the COVID-19 pandemic when several other concepts in Dallas have had to shut their doors.

They have a name-brand chef: Zach Warner, a Culinary Institute of America graduate whose resume extends from New York to Nantucket to Phoenix; from WD-50 to Wylie Dufresne restaurant Alder. Most recently, he was executive chef at Up On Knox in Dallas.

His menu includes arancini with truffle, "Impossible" meatballs, and iceberg salad. Entrees include 44 Farms Filet Mignon, Crisped Chicken, Rack of Lamb, and Ricotta Gnocchi with English peas, oyster mushrooms, and black truffle.

Sides include Smoked Potato Mousse, a fancy mashed potatoes; and fries tossed with parmesan and truffle oil. Desserts include something called the cupcake wheel, infused with strawberry champagne.

Mr.X is the speakeasy. To find the entrance, you need to do some kind of texting routine on your cellphone. Vintage phones are part of the lounge's decorative theme, and there's entertainment such as burlesque dancers, aerial artists, and live music. Edgy.

Prior to the ill-fated Republic Ranch, which got shut down by the city for pretending to be a restaurant when it was really a bar, this location was a catering operation called Victoria Hall, and has flipped back and forth over the years between caterer and restaurant.

XOXO was on the brink of opening in March but that got postponed by COVID-19. And with the pandemic, they'll observe limited hours: Thursday-Saturday from 6 pm-to midnight, with plans to extend the hours in July.

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Sweet spot

Artisanal Venezuelan bakery with French flair rises in north Dallas

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A new bakery with Latin roots and European elan has debuted in north Dallas: Called Pan Pa’ Vos, it is a Venezuelan bakery at 3855 Frankford Rd., near the border with Carrollton.

Pan Pa’ Vos (which means “bread for you” in Spanish), features a unique balance of cozy neighborhood bakery and sophisticated French boulangerie.

The shop is from Jaiver Díaz, who first opened the bakery under the same name in 2017, in his hometown of Cabimas, Venezuela. Díaz later sold his shop and moved to Dallas in search of better opportunities. He continued to bake at home in Dallas and sold to neighbors and fellow Venezuelans who knew his brand from back home.

During his delivery rounds, he kept seeing this vacant space on Frankford Road, formerly home to a dry-cleaners, so he decided to open the shop to cater to the growing demand that his home bakery business was no longer able to keep up with.

Pan Pa’ Vos offers a “flour to final product,” which he says are 100 percent artisanal, additive- and preservative-free, never-frozen baked goods.

“This sets us apart,” Díaz says.

The vast menu created by Díaz includes beautiful bicolor croissants in assorted flavors including pistachio, chocolate, dulce de leche, Nutella, and strawberries and cream, for $6. They also have savory croissants such as brisket, chicken, egg, turkey, and pulled pork, for $8.

Other French offerings include mille-feuille and palmiers.

True to their Venezuelan roots, they serve cachitos, a crescent-shaped bread roll filled with ham, ham and bacon, or ham and cream cheese, and an assortment of savory empanadas.

Other popular items include New York rolls, cruffins, and doughnuts, ranging from $3 to $5, and cakes by the slice for $5, or 10-inch cakes for $35.

Pan Pa’ Vos also bakes hamburger and hot dog buns, sourdough bread and French bread for pick up.

The bakery's two-story space is designed in earthy colors for a fresh, comfortable feel, with plenty of tables and booths, and a wide window overlooking the kitchen. They offer a full coffee and tea menu to complement their pastry menu.

“Our concept is relaxing, clean and quiet,” Díaz says. “It is all about order and presentation.”

They are open daily from 7 am-9 pm.

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