Frisco Restaurant Explosion

Uptown Dallas party favorite The Rustic leads massive invasion on northern 'burb

A handful of hot concepts led by Uptown party favorite The Rustic have been announced for Wade Park, the mixed-use development opening in Frisco in 2016.

Joining The Rustic will be Thirteen Pies, Steel City Pops and retailers that include Arhaus.

"We are providing diners and shoppers with an experience like none other at Wade Park, complete with the most in-demand retailers around at a destination center that is unparalleled," says Stan Thomas, of Thomas Land & Development, the developer. Previously announced tenants include Hotel ZaZa, Whole Foods Market and iPic Theaters and Pinstripes, Inc.

Kyle Noonan, co-owner of The Rustic with Joshua Sepkowitz, says in a release that the Frisco location will mimic the Uptown original with patio, full stage, bar and a kitchen preparing comfort food.

"The Rustic at Wade Park will be the go-to backyard spot for families, friends and colleagues to spend time together, enjoy live music and dine out after school, work or on the weekends," he says.

There will also be a branch of Thirteen Pies, the Italian restaurant concept from Tristan Simon with wood-fired pizzas, salads, and pastas. The pizzeria’s namesake, the rotating thirteenth pie, is one of a handful of seasonal dishes featured on the restaurant’s daily menu board.

Other newly announced tenants include Steel City Pops, maker of gourmet popsicles; Bread Zeppelin features the unusual sandwich place that puts a salad inside a baguette; and Austin upscale taco chain Torchy’s Tacos.

New furniture and beauty retailers coming to Wade Park include Arhaus provides, the one-of-a-kind home furnishings store whose interior will feature a river rock fireplace; MiniLuxe at Wade Park, the salon that recently opened in West Village; Elle K, an Aveda Salon; and The Lash Lounge which specializes in eyelash extensions.

Wade Park will feature a retail village with high-end shopping, dining and entertainment; 6 million square feet of office space; and a variety of residential housing, including apartments, condos and single-family residences supported by numerous luxury amenities and concierge services.

The Rustic will hit the suburbs.

Photo courtesy of The Rustic

The Rustic will hit the suburbs.

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Chef News

Beloved Dallas chef debuts farmers market restaurant Bucket & Rope

Bucket & Rope

Chef Victor Hugo is back.

A historical building near the Dallas Farmers Market has a stellar new tenant: Called Bucket & Rope, it's a new restaurant from acclaimed chef Victor Hugo, who previously owned the beloved Victor Hugo’s Dining and Bar in Oak Cliff, which closed in 2021.

Bucket & Rope is located at 600 S. Harwood St., in the space previously occupied by Green Door Public House, and is a partnership between Hugo and Mike Ruibal, owner of the famed Ruibal's Plants, who owns this space adjacent to his garden shop.

Dallas history buffs will remember that this structure, built over a century ago, was once home to Liberty Bank on Cesar Chavez Boulevard. It was relocated to the current location and rebuilt brick by brick to recreate the original structure. Green Door Public House was in the building for 10 years until it closed in August.

Ruibal was a regular at VH in Oak Cliff. He told Victor Hugo the first time they met that one day they would have a restaurant together.

“I decided to build a restaurant I would love, a neighborhood restaurant, and I wanted to do this with Victor," Ruibal says.

Bucket & Rope veggie plate Beautiful vegetable plate at Bucket & RopeInstagram

Hugo is an accredited chef who moved to Dallas from California and worked primarily for the Lombardi's group at Bistro 31 in Highland Park Village, before founding his own place in Oak Cliff.

After it closed, he launched a new VH location in Round Top at Oak Bones cabins, which he opens twice a year for the Spring and Fall antique shows in the area and for special events. He had a catering business as well — but was ready for more.

“Mike and I wanted to do something for the community, a place with great comfort food where neighbors can come two or three times a week, as an extension of their home," Hugo says.

The menu is New American, with steak, seafood, pasta, sandwiches and salads. Highlights include:

Rope In A Bucket: Crispy calamari strips, lemon caper aioli, Sriracha romesco
Steak Frites: 10oz New York Strip, green peppercorn sauce, skinny fries, spicy broccolini
Blackened Texas Redfish: Creamy parmesan risotto, green beans, mango habanero salsa
Duck & Rope Pasta: Duck confit, maitake mushroom, spinach tagliatelle, peppercorn cream, parmesan
Mike’s Burger: 8oz grilled Wagyu, bacon, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, bucket & rope sauce, grilled onions, pickles on brioche bun with skinny fries

Prices are reasonable, with salads and sandwiches at lunch for $12 to $18, and dinner entrees ranging from $18 for pasta to $28 for a Wagyu beef roast with cheddar grits.

An anecdote on the website explains that the name came from Ruibal's son, and that the team felt like it was a perfect fit for the building's history and aesthetic.

The restaurant represents a welcome return to Dallas' culinary scene for Hugo and his wife Brianna Ruelas, whose hospitality and great food at VH in Oak Cliff were much beloved.

“We are really excited to be part of this community, we have already met many customers who are happy to have us here," Hugo says.

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